Imaginations and Reveries Part 13

LAVARCAM--If I can make your dream real, I will, my beautiful fawn.

DEIRDRE--Dear fostermother, I think my dream is coming near to me. It is coming to me now.

LAVARCAM--Deirdre, tell me what hope has entered your heart?

DEIRDRE--In the night I saw in a dream the top of the mountain yonder, beyond the woods, and three hunters stood there in the dawn. The sun sent its breath upon their faces, but there was a light about them never kindled at the sun. They were surely hunters from some heavenly field, or the three G.o.ds whom Lu condemned to wander in mortal form, and they are come again to the world to seek some greater treasure.

LAVARCAM--Describe to me these immortal hunters. In Eire we know no G.o.ds who take such shape appearing unto men.

DEIRDRE--I cannot now make clear to thee my remembrance of two of the hunters, but the tallest of the three--oh, he stood like a flame against the flameless sky, and the whole sapphire of the heavens seemed to live in his fearless eyes! His hair was darker than the raven's wing, his face dazzling in its fairness. He pointed with his great flame-bright spear to the valley. His companions seemed in doubt, and pointed east and west. Then in my dream I came nigh him and whispered in his ear, and pointed the way through the valley to our dun. I looked into his eyes, and he started like one who sees a vision; and I know, dear fostermother, he will come here, and he will love me. Oh, I would die if he did not love me!

LAVARCAM--Make haste, my child, and tell me was there aught else memorable about this hero and his companions?

DEIRDRE--Yes, I remember each had the likeness of a torch shedding rays of gold embroidered on the breast.

LAVARCAM--Deirdre, Deirdre, these are no phantoms, but living heroes!

O wise king, the eyes of the spirit thou wouldst open have seen farther than the eyes of the body thou wouldst blind! The Druid vision has only revealed to this child her destiny.

DEIRDRE--Why do you talk so strangely, fostermother?

LAVARCAM--Concobar, I will not fight against the will of the immortals.

I am not thy servant, but theirs. Let the Red Branch fall! If the G.o.ds scatter it they have chosen to guide the people of Ulla in another I path.

DEIRDRE--What has disturbed your mind, dear foster-mother? What have I to do with the Red Branch? And why should the people of Ulla fall because of me?

LAVARCAM--O Deirdre, there were no warriors created could overcome the Red Branch. The G.o.ds have but smiled on this proud chivalry through thine eyes, and they are already melted. The waving of thy hand is more powerful to subdue than the silver rod of the king to sustain. Thy golden hair shall be the flame to burn up Ulla.

DEIDRE--Oh, what do you mean by these fateful prophecies? You fill me with terror. Why should a dream so gentle and sweet portend sorrow?

LAVARCAM--Dear golden head, cast sorrow aside for a time. The Father has not yet struck the last chords on the harp of life. The chords of joy have but begun for thee.

DEIRDRE--You confuse my mind, dear fostermother, with your speech of joy and sorrow. It is not your wont. Indeed, I think my dream portends joy.

LAVARCAM--It is love, Deirdre, which is coming to thee. Love, which thou hast never known.

DEIRDRE--But I love thee, dearest and kindest of guardians.

LAVARCAM--Oh, in this love heaven and earth will be forgotten, and your own self unremembered, or dim and far off as a home the spirit fives in no longer.

DEIRDRE--Tell me, will the hunter from the hills come to us? I think I could forget all for him.

LAVARCAM--He is not one of the Sidhe, but the proudest and bravest of the Red Branch, Naisi, son of Usna. Three lights of valor among the Ultonians are Naisi and his brothers.

DEIRDRE--Will he love me, fostermother, as you love me, and will he live with us here?

LAVARCAM--Nay, where he goes you must go, and he must fly afar to live with you. But I will leave you now for a little, child, I would divine the future.

[LAVARCAM kisses DEIRDRE and goes within the dun. DEIRDRE walks to and fro before the door. NAISI enters. He sees DEIRDRE, who turns and looks at him, pressing her hands to her breast. Naisi bows before DEIRDRE.]

NAISI--G.o.ddess, or enchantress, thy face shone on me at dawn on the mountain. Thy lips called me hither, and I have come.

DEIRDRE--I called thee, dear Naisi.

NAISI--Oh, knowing my name, never before having spoken to me, thou must know my heart also.

DEIRDRE--Nay, I know not. Tell me what is in thy heart.

NAISI--O enchantress, thou art there. The image of thine eyes is there and thy smiling lips, and the beating of my heart is m.u.f.fled in a cloud of thy golden tresses.

DEIRDRE--Say on, dear Naisi.

NAISI--I have told thee all. Thou only art in my heart.

DEIRDRE--But I have never ere this spoken to any man. Tell me more.

NAISI--If thou hast never before spoken to any man, then indeed art thou one of the immortals, and my hope is vain. Hast thou only called me to thy world to extinguish my life hereafter in memories of thee?

DEIRDRE--What wouldst thou with me, dear Naisi?

NAISI--I would carry thee to my dun by the sea of Moyle, O beautiful woman, and set thee there on an ivory throne. The winter would not chill thee there, nor the summer burn thee, for I would enfold thee with my love, enchantress, if thou camest--to my world. Many warriors are there of the clan Usna, and two brothers I have who are strong above any hosts, and they would all die with me for thy sake.

DEIRDRE (taking the hands of NAISI)--I will go with thee where thou goest. (Leaning her head on NAISI's shoulder.) Oh, fostermother, too truly hast thou spoken! I know myself not. My spirit has gone from me to this other heart for ever.

NAISI--Dost thou forego thy s.h.i.+ning world for me?

LAVARCAM--(coming out of the dun). Naisi, this is the Deirdre of the prophecies.

NAISI--Deirdre! Deirdre! I remember in some old tale of my childhood that name. (Fiercely.) It was a lying prophecy. What has this girl to do with the downfall of Ulla?

LAVARCAM--Thou art the light of the Ultonian's, Naisi, but thou art not the star of knowledge. The Druids spake truly. Through her, but not through her sin, will come the destruction of the Red Branch.

NAISI--I have counted death as nothing battling for the Red Branch; and I would not, even for Deirdre, war upon my comrades. But Deirdre I will not leave nor forget for a thousand prophecies made by the Druids in their dotage. If the Red Branch must fall, it will fall through treachery; but Deirdre I will love, and in my love is no dishonor, nor any broken pledge.

LAVARCAM--Remember, Naisi, the law of the king. It is death to thee to be here. Concobar is even now in the woods, and will come hither again.

DEIRDRE--Is it death to thee to love me, Naisi? Oh, fly quickly, and forget me. But first, before thou goest, bend down thy head--low--rest it on my bosom. Listen to the beating of my heart. That pa.s.sionate tumult is for thee! There, I have kissed thee. I have sweet memories for ever-lasting. Go now, my beloved, quickly. I fear--I fear for thee this stony king.

NAISI--I do not fear the king, nor will I fly hence. It is due to the chief of the Red Branch that I should stay and face him, having set my mill against his.

LAVARCAM--You cannot remain now.

NAISI--It is due to the king.

LAVARCAM--You must go; both must go. Do not cloud your heart with dreams of a false honor. It is not your death only, but Deirdre's which will follow. Do you think the Red Branch would spare her, after your death, to extinguish another light of valor, and another who may wander here?

NAISI--I will go with Deirdre to Alba.

DEIRDRE--Through life or to death I will go with thee, Naisi.