Deirdre of the Sorrows [15]
trouble this night on Emain and Ireland and the big world's east beyond them. (She goes to him.)
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And yet you'd do well to be going to your dun, and not putting shame on her meeting the High King, and she seamed and sweaty and in great disorder from the dust of many roads. (Laughing derisively.) Ah, Conchu- bor, my lad, beauty goes quickly in the woods, and you'd let a great gasp, I tell you, if you set your eyes this night on Deirdre. CONCHUBOR -- fiercely. -- It's little I care if she's white and worn, for it's I did rear her from a child. I should have a good right to meet and see her always. LAVARCHAM. A good right is it? Haven't the blind a good right to be seeing, and the lame to be dancing, and the dummies singing tunes? It's that right you have to be looking for gaiety on Deirdre's lips. (Coax- ingly.) Come on to your dun, I'm saying, and leave her quiet for one night itself. CONCHUBOR -- with sudden anger. -- I'll not go, when it's long enough I am above in my dun stretching east and west without a comrade, and I more needy, maybe, than the thieves of Meath. . . . You think I'm old and wise, but I tell you the wise know the old must die, and they'll leave no chance for a thing slipping from them they've set their blood to win.
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LAVARCHAM -- nodding her head. -- If you're old and wise, it's I'm the same, Conchu- bor, and I'm telling you you'll not have her though you're ready to destroy mankind and skin the gods to win her. There's things a king can't have, Conchubor, and if you go rampaging this night you'll be apt to win nothing but death for many, and a sloppy face of trouble on your own self before the day will come. CONCHUBOR. It's too much talk you have. (Goes right.) Where is Owen? Did you see him no place and you coming the road? LAVARCHAM. I seen him surely. He went spying on Naisi, and now the worms is spying on his own inside. CONCHUBOR -- exultingly. -- Naisi killed him? LAVARCHAM. He did not, then. It was Owen destroyed himself running mad be- cause of Deirdre. Fools and kings and scholars are all one in a story with her like, and Owen thought he'd be a great man, being the first corpse in the game you'll play this night in Emain. CONCHUBOR. It's yourself should be the first corpse, but my other messengers are coming, men from the clans that hated Usna.
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LAVARCHAM -- drawing back hopeless- ly. -- Then the gods have pity on us all! [Men with weapons come in. CONCHUBOR -- to Soldiers. -- Are Ain- nle and Ardan separate from Naisi? MEN. They are, Conchubor. We've got them off, saying they were needed to make ready Deirdre's house. CONCHUBOR. And Naisi and Deirdre are coming? SOLDIER. Naisi's coming, surely, and a woman with him is putting out the glory of the moon is rising and the sun is going down. CONCHUBOR -- looking at Lavarcham. -- That's your story that she's seamed and ugly? SOLDIER. I have more news. (Point- ing to Lavarcham.) When that woman heard you were bringing Naisi this place, she sent a horse-boy to call Fergus from the north. CONCHUBOR -- to Lavarcham. -- It's for that you've been playing your tricks, but what you've won is a nearer death for Naisi. (To Soldiers.) Go up and call my fighters, and take that woman up to Emain. LAVARCHAM. I'd liefer stay this place. I've done my best, but if a bad end is coming,
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surely it would be a good thing maybe I was here to tend her. CONCHUBOR -- fiercely. -- Take her to Emain; it's too many tricks she's tried this day already. (A Soldier goes to her.) LAVARCHAM. Don't touch me. (She puts her cloak round her and catches Con- chubor's arm.) I thought to stay your hand with my stories till Fergus would come to be beside them, the way I'd save yourself, Con- chubor, and Naisi and Emain Macha; but I'll walk up now into your halls, and I'll say (with a gesture) it's here
69
And yet you'd do well to be going to your dun, and not putting shame on her meeting the High King, and she seamed and sweaty and in great disorder from the dust of many roads. (Laughing derisively.) Ah, Conchu- bor, my lad, beauty goes quickly in the woods, and you'd let a great gasp, I tell you, if you set your eyes this night on Deirdre. CONCHUBOR -- fiercely. -- It's little I care if she's white and worn, for it's I did rear her from a child. I should have a good right to meet and see her always. LAVARCHAM. A good right is it? Haven't the blind a good right to be seeing, and the lame to be dancing, and the dummies singing tunes? It's that right you have to be looking for gaiety on Deirdre's lips. (Coax- ingly.) Come on to your dun, I'm saying, and leave her quiet for one night itself. CONCHUBOR -- with sudden anger. -- I'll not go, when it's long enough I am above in my dun stretching east and west without a comrade, and I more needy, maybe, than the thieves of Meath. . . . You think I'm old and wise, but I tell you the wise know the old must die, and they'll leave no chance for a thing slipping from them they've set their blood to win.
70
LAVARCHAM -- nodding her head. -- If you're old and wise, it's I'm the same, Conchu- bor, and I'm telling you you'll not have her though you're ready to destroy mankind and skin the gods to win her. There's things a king can't have, Conchubor, and if you go rampaging this night you'll be apt to win nothing but death for many, and a sloppy face of trouble on your own self before the day will come. CONCHUBOR. It's too much talk you have. (Goes right.) Where is Owen? Did you see him no place and you coming the road? LAVARCHAM. I seen him surely. He went spying on Naisi, and now the worms is spying on his own inside. CONCHUBOR -- exultingly. -- Naisi killed him? LAVARCHAM. He did not, then. It was Owen destroyed himself running mad be- cause of Deirdre. Fools and kings and scholars are all one in a story with her like, and Owen thought he'd be a great man, being the first corpse in the game you'll play this night in Emain. CONCHUBOR. It's yourself should be the first corpse, but my other messengers are coming, men from the clans that hated Usna.
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LAVARCHAM -- drawing back hopeless- ly. -- Then the gods have pity on us all! [Men with weapons come in. CONCHUBOR -- to Soldiers. -- Are Ain- nle and Ardan separate from Naisi? MEN. They are, Conchubor. We've got them off, saying they were needed to make ready Deirdre's house. CONCHUBOR. And Naisi and Deirdre are coming? SOLDIER. Naisi's coming, surely, and a woman with him is putting out the glory of the moon is rising and the sun is going down. CONCHUBOR -- looking at Lavarcham. -- That's your story that she's seamed and ugly? SOLDIER. I have more news. (Point- ing to Lavarcham.) When that woman heard you were bringing Naisi this place, she sent a horse-boy to call Fergus from the north. CONCHUBOR -- to Lavarcham. -- It's for that you've been playing your tricks, but what you've won is a nearer death for Naisi. (To Soldiers.) Go up and call my fighters, and take that woman up to Emain. LAVARCHAM. I'd liefer stay this place. I've done my best, but if a bad end is coming,
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surely it would be a good thing maybe I was here to tend her. CONCHUBOR -- fiercely. -- Take her to Emain; it's too many tricks she's tried this day already. (A Soldier goes to her.) LAVARCHAM. Don't touch me. (She puts her cloak round her and catches Con- chubor's arm.) I thought to stay your hand with my stories till Fergus would come to be beside them, the way I'd save yourself, Con- chubor, and Naisi and Emain Macha; but I'll walk up now into your halls, and I'll say (with a gesture) it's here