Awoodwithperhapsdistantviewofturretedhouseatoneside，butallinflatcolour，
withoutlightandshadeandagainstadiafieredorgoldbackground.
COUNTESSCATHLEENcomesinleaningUpOnALEELsarm.OONAfollowsthem.
CATHLEEN.(Stopping)Surelythisleafycorner，whereonesmellsThewildbeeshoney，hasastorytoo?
OONA.Thereisthehouseatlast.
ALEEL.Aman，theysay，
LovedMaevetheQueenofalltheinvisiblehost，
Anddiedofhisloveninecenturiesago.
Andnow，whenthemoonsridingatthefull，
Sheleavesherdancerslonelyandliesthere
Uponthatlevelplace，andforthreedays
Stretchesandsighsandwetsherlongpalecheeks.
CATHLEEN.Soshelovestruly.
ALEEL.No，butwetshercheeks，
Lady，becauseshehasforgothisname.
CATHLEEN.Shedsleepthattroubleaway??thoughitmustbe
Aheavytroubletoforgethisname??
Ifshehadbettersense.
OONA.Yourownhouse，lady.
ALEEL.ShesleepshighuponwintryKnock?na?rea
Inanoldcairnofstones;whileherpoorwomen
Mustlieandjoginthewaveiftheywouldsleep
Beingwaterborn??yetifshecrytheirnames
Theyrunuponthelandanddanceinthemoon
Tilltheyaregiddyandwouldloveasmendo，
Andbeaspatientandaspitiful.
Butthereisnothingthatwillstopintheirheads，
Theyvesuchpoormemories，thoughtheyweepforit.
Oh，yes，theyweep;thatswhenthemoonisfull.
CATHLEEN.isitbecausetheyhaveshortmemories
Theylivesolong?
ALEEL.Whatsmemorybuttheash
Thatchokesourfiresthathavebeguntosink?
Andtheyveadizzy，everlastingfire.
OONA.Thereisyourownhouse，lady.
CATHLEEN.Why，thatstrue，
Andwedhavepasseditwithoutnoticing.
ALEEL.Acurseuponitforameddlesomehouse!
HaditbutstayedawayIwouldhaveknown
WhatQueenMaevethinksonwhenthemoonispinched;
Andwhethernow??asintheolddays??thedancers
Settheirbriefloveonmen.
OONA.Restonmyarm.
ThesearenothoughtsforanyChristianear.
ALEEL.Iamyounger，shewouldbetooheavyforyou.
(Hebeginstakinghisluteoutofthebag，CATHLEEN，WhohasturnedtowardsOONA，turnsbacktohim.)
Thishollowboxrememberseveryfoot
Thatdanceduponthelevelgrassoftheworld，
AndwilltellsecretsifIwhispertoit.
(Sings.)Liftupthewhiteknee;
Thatswhattheysing，
Thoseyoungdancers
Thatinaring
Ravedbutnow
Oftheheartsthatbreak
Long，longago
Fortheirsake.
OONA.Newfriendsaresweet.
ALEEL.quot;Butthedancechanges.
Liftupthegown，
Allthatsorrow
Istroddendown.quot;
OONA.Theemptyrattle?pate!Leanonthisarm，
ThatIcantellyouisachristenedarm，
Andnotlikesome，ifwearetojudgebyspeech.
Butasyouplease.ItistimeIwasforgot.
Maybeitisnotonthisarmyouslumbered
Whenyouwereashelplessasaworm.
ALEEL.Staywithmetillwecometoyourownhouse.
CATHLEEN(Sittingdown)WhenIamrestedIwillneednohelp.
ALEEL.Ithoughttohavekeptherfromremembering
Theevilofthetimesforfulltenminutes;
Butnowwhensevenareoutyoucomebetween.
OONA.Talkon;whatdoesitmatterwhatyousay，
Foryouhavenotbeenchristened?
ALEEL.Oldwoman，oldwoman，
Yourobbedherofthreeminutespeaceofmind，
Andthoughyouliveuntoahundredyears，
Andwashthefeetofbeggarsandgivealms，
AndclimbCroaghpatrick，youshallnotbepardoned.
OONA.Howdoesamanwhoneverwasbaptized
KnowwhatHeavenpardons?
ALEEL.Youareasinfulwoman
OONA.Icarenomorethanifapighadgrunted.
(EnterCATHLEENsSteward.)
STEWARD.Iamnottoblame，forIhadlockedthegate，
Theforesterstoblame.Themenclimbedin
Attheeastcornerwheretheelm?treeis.
CATHLEEN.Idonotunderstandyou，whohasclimbed?
STEWARD.ThenGodbethanked，Iamthefirsttotellyou.
Iwasafraidsomeotheroftheservants??
ThoughIvebeenonthewatch??hadbeenthefirst
Andmixeduptruthandlies，yourladyship.
CATHLEEN(rising)Hassomemisfortunehappened?
STEWARD.Yes，indeed.
Theforesterthatletthebrancheslie
Againstthewallstoblameforeverything，
Forthatishowtheroguesgotintothegarden.
CATHLEEN.Ithoughttohaveescapedmisfortunehere.
Hasanyonebeenkilled?
STEWARD.Oh，no，notkilled.
Theyhavestolenhalfacart?loadofgreencabbage.
CATHLEEN.Butmaybetheywerestarving.
STEWARD.Thatiscertain.
Toroborstarve，thatwasthechoicetheyhad.
CATHLEEN.Alearnedtheoianhaslaiddown
Thatstarvingmenmaytakewhatsnecessary，
Andyetbesinless.
OONA.Sinlessandathief
Thereshouldbebrokenbottlesonthewall.
CATHLEEN.Andifitbeasin，whilefaithsunbroken
Godcannothelpbutpardon.Thereisnosoul
Butitsunlikeallothersintheworld，
NoronebutliftsastrangenesstoGodslove
Tillthatsgrowninfinite，andthereforenone
Whoselosswerelessthanirremediable
Althoughitwerethewickedestintheworld.
(EnterTEIGandSHEMUS.)
STEWARD.Whatareyourunningfor?Pulloffyourcap，
Doyounotseewhosthere?
SHEMUS.Icannotwait.
Iamrunningtotheworldwiththebestnews
Thathasbeenbroughtitforathousandyears.
STEWARD.Thengetyourbreathandspeak.
SHEMUS.Ifyoudmynews
Youdrunasfastandbeasoutofbreath.
TEIG.Suchnews，weshallbecarriedonmensshoulders.
SHEMUS.Theressomethingeverymanhascarriedwithhim
Andthoughtnomoreaboutthanifitwere
Amouthfulofthewind;andnowitsgrown
Amarketablething!
TEIG.Andyetitseemed
Asuselessastheparingofonesnails.
SHEMUS.WhatsetsmelaughingwhenIthinkofit，
Isthataroguewhoslaininlousystraw，
Ifhebutsellit，maysetuphiscoach.
TEIG.(laughing)Therearetwogentlemenwhobuymenssouls.
CATHLEEN.OGod!
TEIG.Andmaybetheresnosoulatall.
STEWARD.Theyredrunkormad.
TEIG.Lookatthepricetheygive.(Showingmoney.)
SHEMUS.(tossingupmoney)
quot;Gocryitallabouttheworld，quot;theysaid.
quot;Moneyforsouls，goodmoneyforasoul.quot;
CATHLEEN.Givetwiceandthriceandtwentytimestheirmoney，Andgetyoursoulsagain.Iwillpayall.
SHEMUS.Notwe!notwe!Forsouls??iftherearesouls??
Butkeepthefleshoutofitsmerriment.
Ishallbedrunkandmerry.
TEIG.Come，letsaway.
(Hegoes.)
CATHLEEN.Buttheresaworldtocome.
SHEMUS.Andifthereis，
Idrathertrustmyselfintothehands
Thatcanpaymoneydownthantothehands
Thathavebutshakenfaminefromthebag.
(HegoesOutR.)
(lilting)quot;Theresmoneyforasoul，sweetyellowmoney.
Theresmoneyformenssouls，goodmoney，money.quot;
CATHLEEN.(toALEEL)Gocallthemhereagain，bringthembyforce，Beseechthem，bribe，doanything
youlike;
(ALEELgoes.)
Andyoutoofollow，addyourprayerstohis.
(OONA，whohasbeenpraying，goesout.)
Steward，youknowthesecretsofmyhouse.
HowmuchhaveI?
STEWARD.Ahundredkegsofgold.
CATHLEEN.HowmuchhaveIincastles?
STEWARD.Asmuchmore.
CATHLEEN.HowmuchhaveIinpasture?
STEWARD.Asmuchmore.
CATHLEEN.HowmuchhaveIinforests?
STEWARD.Asmuchmore.
CATHLEEN.Keepingthishousealone，sellallIhave，
Gobarterwhereyouplease，butcomeagain
Withherdsofcattleandwithshipsofmeal.
STEWARD.Godsblessinglightuponyourladyship.
Youwillhavesavedtheland.
CATHLEEN.Makenodelay.
(HegoesL.)
(ALEELandOONAreturn)
CATHLEEN.Theyhavenotcome;speakquickly.
ALEEL.Onedrewhisknife
Andsaidthathewouldkillthemanorwoman
Thatstoppedhisway;andwhenIwouldhavestoppedhim
Hemadethisstrokeatme;butitisnothing.
CATHLEEN.Youshallbetended.Fromthisdayforever
Illhavenojoyorsorrowofmyown.
OONA.Theireyesshoneliketheeyesofbirdsofprey.
CATHLEEN.Come，followme，fortheearthburnsmyfeet
TillIhavechangedmyhousetosucharefuge
Thattheoldandailing，andallweakofheart，
Mayescapefrombeakandclaw;all，all，shallcome
Tillthewallsburstandtherooffallonus.
FromthisdayoutIhavenothingofmyown.
(Shegoes.)
OONA(takingALEELbythearmandasshespeaksbandaginghiswound)Shehasfoundsomethingnowto
putherhandto，
AndyouandIareofnomoreaccount
Thanfliesuponawindow?paneinthewinter.
(Theygoout.)
ENDOFSCENE2.“)