IfoundthestoryoftheCountessCathleeninwhatprofessedtobeacollectionofIrishfolk?loreinanIrishnewspapersomeyearsago.Iwrotetothecompiler,askingaboutitssource,butgotnoanswer,buthavesinceheardthatitwastranslatedfromLesMatin`eesdeTimoth`eTrimmagoodmanyyearsago,andhasbeendriftingabouttheIrishpresseversince.L`eoLesp`esgivesitasanIrishstory,andthoughtheeditorofFolklorehaskindlyadvertisedforinformation,theonlyChristianvariantIknowofisaDonegaltale,givenbyMr.LarminieinhisWestIrishFolkTalesandRomances,ofawomanwhogoestohellfortenyearstosaveherhusband,andstaysthereanotherten,havingbeengrantedpermissiontocarryawayasmanysoulsascouldclingtoherskirt.L`eoLesp`esmayhaveaddedafewdetails,butIhavenodoubtoftheessentialantiquityofwhatseemstomethemostimpressiveformofoneofthesupremeparablesoftheworld.TheparablecametotheGreeksinthesacrificeofAlcestis,buthersacrificewaslessoverwhelming,lessapparentlyirremediable.L`eoLesp`estellsthestoryasfollows:??

Cequejevaisvousdireestunr`ecitducar`emeIrlandais.Leboiteux,laveugle,leparalytiquedesruesdeDublinoudeLimerick,vouslediraientmieuxquemoi,cherlecteur,sivousalliezleleurdemander,un

sixpensedargent`alamain.?Ilnestpasunejeunefillecatholique`alaquelleonneFaitapprispendantles

joursdepr`eparation`alacommunionsainte,pasunbergerdesbordsdelaBlackwaterquinelepuisseredire`alaveill`ee.

Ilyabienlongtempsquilapparuttout?`a?coupdanslavielleIrlandedeuxmarchandsinconnusdont

personnenavaitouiparler,etquiparlaientn`eanmoinsaveclaplusgrandeperfectionlalanguedupays.Leurscheveux`etaientnoirsetferr`esavecdeloretleursrobesdunegrandemagnificence.

Tousdeuxsemblaientavoirlem`emeage;ilsparaissaient`etredeshommesdecinquanteans,carleurbarbegrisormaitunpeu.

Or,`acette`epoque,commeaujourdhui,lIrlande`etaitpauvre,carlesoleilavait`et`erare,etdesr`ecoltespresquenulles.Lesindigentsnesavaient`aquelsaintesevouer,etlamis`eredevenaideplusenplusterrible.

Danslh`otellerieo`udescendirentlesmarchandsfastueuxonchercha`ap`en`etrerleursdesseins:maisccfut

envain,ilsdemeur`erentsilencieuxetdiscrets.

Etpendantquilsdemeur`erentdanslh`otellerie,ilsne

cess`erentdecompteretderecompterdessacsdepi`ecesdor,dontlaviveclart`esapercevait`atraversles

vitresduis.

Gentlemen,leurditlh`otesseunjour,do`uvientquevous`etessiopulents,etque,venuspoursecourirla

mis`ere

publique,vousnefassiezpasdebonnesoeuvres?

?Belleh`otesse,r`eponditlundeux,nousnavonspasvouluallerau?devantdinfortuneshonorables,dansla

crainted`etretromp`espardesmis`eresfictives:queladouleurfrappe`alaporte,nousouvrirons.

Lelendemain,quandonsutquilexistaitdeuxopulents

`etrangerspr`ets`aprodiguerlor,lafouleassi`egealeuris;maislesfiguresdesgensquiensortaient

`etaientbiendiverses.Lesunsavaientlafiert`edansleregard,lesautresportaientlahonteaufront.Lesdeux

trafiquantsachetaientdes`amespourled`emon.L`amedunvieillardvalaitvingtpi`ecesdor,pasunpenny

deplus;carSatanavaiteuletempsdyformerhypoth`eque.L`amedune`pouseenvalaitcinquantequand

elle`etaitjolie,oucentquandelle`etaitlaide.L`Amedunejeunefillesepayaitdesprixfous:lesfleursles

plusbellesetlespluspuressontlesplusch`eres.

Pendantcetemps,ilexistaitdanslavilleunangedebeaut`e,lacomtesseKettyOConnor.Elle`etaitlidoledu

peuple,etlaprovidencedesindigents.D`esquelleeutapprisquedes

m`ecr`eantsprofitaientdelamis`erepubliquepourd`eroberdescoeurs`aDieu,ellefitappelerson

majordome.

MasterPatrick,luiditelle,combienai?jedepi`ecesdordansmoncoffre??

Centmille.?

Combiendebijoux??

Pourautantdargent.?

Combiendech`ateaux,deboisetdeterres??

Pourledoubledecessommes.?

Ehbien!Patrick,vendeztoutccquinestpasoretapportez?menlemontant.jeneveuxgarder`amoi

quececasteletlechampsquilentoure.

?

Deuxjoursapr`es,lesordresdelapieuseKetty`etaient

ex`ecuesetletr`esor`etaitdistribu`eauxpauvresaufuret`amesuredeleursbesoins.

Cecinefaisaitpaslecompte,ditlatradition,des

commisvoyageursdumalinesprit,quinetrouvaientplusd`ames`aacheter.

Aidesparunvaletinfame,ilsp`en`etr`erentdanslaretraitedelanobledameetluid`erob`erentlerestedeson

tr`esor...envainlutta?t?elledetoutessesforcespoursauverlecontenudesoncoffre,leslarronsdiaboliques

furentlesplusforts.SiKettyavaiteulesmoyensdefaireunsignedecroix,ajoutelal`egendeIrlandaise,elle

leseutmisenfuite,maissesmains`etaientcaptives?Lelarcinfuteffectu`e.

Alorslespauvressollicit`erent

envainpr`esdeKettyd`epouill`ee,ellenepouvaitplus

secourirleurmis`ere;?ellelesabandonnait`alatentation.Pourtantilnyavaitplusquehuitjours`apasser

pourquelesgrainsetlesfourragesarrivassentenabondancedespays

dOrient.Mais,huitjours,c`etaitunsi`ecle:huitjoursn`ecessitaientunesommeimmensepoursubveniraux

exigencesdeladisette,etlespauvresallaientouexpirerdanslesangoissesdelafaim,ou,reniantlessaintes

maximesdelEvangile,

vendre`avilprixleur`ame,leplusbeaupr`esentdela

munificenceduSeigneurtoutpuissant.

EtKettynavaitplusuneobole,carelleavaitabandonn`esonch`ateauxauxmalheureux.

Ellepassadouzeheuresdansleslarmesetledeuil,arrachantsescheveuxcouleurdesoleiletmeurtrissantson

seincouleurdulis:puiselleselevar`esolue,anim`eeparunvifsentimentded`esespoir.

Elleserenditchezlesmarchandsd`ames.

Quevoulez?vous?direntils.?

Vousachetezdes`ames??

Oui,unpeumalgr`evous,nestcepas,sainteauxyeuxdesapbir??

Aujourdhuijeviensvousproposerunmarch`e,repritelle.?

Lequel??

Jaiune`ame`avendre;maiselleestch`ere.?

Quimportesielleestpr`ecieuse?L`ame,commelediamant,sappr`ecie`asablancheur.?

Cestlamienne,ditKetty.?

Lesdeuxenvoy`esdeSatantressaillirent,Leursgriffes

sallong`erentsousleursgantsdecuir;leursyeuxgris

`etincel`erent:??l`ame,pure,immacul`ee,virginaledeKettyc`etaituneacquisitioninappr`eciable.

Gentilledame,combienvoulez?vouz??

Centcinquantemille`ecusdor.?

Cestfait,direntlesmarchands:etilstendirent`aKettyunparchemincachet`edenoir,quellesigna

enfrissonnant.

?

Lasommeluifutcompt`ee.

Desquellefutrentr`ee,elleditaumajordome:

Tenez,distribuezceci.Aveclasommequejevousdonnelespauvresattendrontlahuitaine

n`ecessaireetpasunedeleurs`amesneseralivr`eeaud`emon.

?

Puisellesenfermaetrecommandaquonnevintpaslad`eranger.

Troisjourssepass`erent;ellenappelapas;ellenesortitpas.

Quandonouvritsaporte,onlatrouvaraideetfroide:elle`etaitmortededouleur.

Maislaventedecette`amesiadorabledanssacharit`efutd`eclar`eenulleparleSeigneur:carelleavait

sauv`esesconcitoyensdelamorte`eternelle.

Apr`eslahuitaine,desvaisseauxnombreuxamen`erentlIrlandeaffam`eedimmensesprovisionsdegrains.

Lafaminen`etaitpluspossible.Quantauxmarchands,ils

disparurentdeleurh`otellerie,sansquons`utjamaiscequils`etaientdevenus.

Toutefois,lesp`echeursdelaBlackwaterpr`etendentquilssontenchain`esdansuneprisonsouterrainepar

ordredeLuciferjusquaumomento`uilspourrontlivrerl`amedeKettyquileura`echapp`e.jevousdisla

l`egendetellequejelasais.

?Maislespauvreslontracont`ed`ageen`ageetlesenfantsdeCorketdeDublinchantentencorelaballade

dontvoicilesdernierscouplets:?

Poursauverlespauvresquelleaime

Kettydonna

Sonesprit,sacroyancem`eme

Satanpaya

Cette`ameaud`evoumentsublime,

En`ecusdor,

Disonspourrachetersoncrime,

Confiteor.

Maislangequisefitcoupable

Parcharit`e

Aus`ejourdamourineffable

Estremont`e.

Satanvaincuneutpasdeprise

Surcecoeurdor;

Chantonssouslanefdel`eglise,

Confiteor.

Nestcepasquecer`ecit,n`edelimaginationdespo`etescatholiquesdelaverteErin,estuneV`eritabler`ecit

decar`eme?

TheCountessCathleenwasactedinDublinin1899,withMr.MarcusSt.JohnandMr.TrevorLoweasthe

FirstandSecondDemon,Mr.ValentineGraceasShemusRua,MasterCharlesSeftonasTeig,MadameSan

CarolaasMary,MissFlorenceFarrasAleel,MissAnnaMatherasOona,Mr.CharlesHolmesasthe

Herdsman,Mr.JackWilcoxastheGardener,Mr.WalfordasaPeasant,MissDorothyPagetasaSpirit,Miss

M.KellyasaPeasantWoman,Mr.T.E.WilkinsonasaServant,andMissMayWhittyasTheCountess

Kathleen.Theyhadtofaceaveryvehementoppositionstirredupbyapoliticianandanewspaper,theone

accusingmeina

pamphlet,theotherinlongarticlesdayafterday,ofblasphemybecauseofthelanguageofthedemonsorof

ShemusRua,andbecauseImadeawomansellhersoulandyetescapedamnation,andofalackofpatriotism

becauseImadeIrishmenandwomen,who,itseems,neverdidsuchathing,selltheirs.The

politicianorthenewspaperpersuadedsomefortyCatholic

studentstosignaprotestagainsttheplay,andaCardinal,whoavowedthathehadnotreadit,tomake

another,andboth

politicianandnewspapermadesuchobviousappealstothe

audiencetobreakthepeace,thatascoreorsoofpoliceweresenttothetheatretoseethattheydidnot.Ihad,

however,noreasontoregrettheresult,forthestalls,containingalmostallthatwasdistinguishedinDublin,

andagalleryofartisansalikeinsistedonthefreedomofliterature.

Aftertheperformancein1899IaddedthelovescenebetweenAleelandtheCountess,andinthisnewform

theplaywasrevivedinNewYorkbyMissWycherleyaswellasbeingplayedagooddealinEnglandand

Americabyamateurs.NowatlastIhavemadeacompleterevisiontomakeitsuitableforperformanceatthe

AbbeyTheatre.Thefirsttwoscenesarealmostwhollynew,andthroughouttheplayIhaveaddedorleftout

suchpassagesasastageexperienceofsomeyearsshowedmeencumberedtheaction;theplayinitsfirstform

havingbeenwrittenbeforeIknewanythingofthetheatre.Ihavelefttheoldend,however,intheversion

printedinthebodyofthisbook,becausethechangefordramaticpurposeshasbeenmadefornobetterreason

thanthataudiences??evenattheAbbeyTheatre??arealmostignorantofIrishmythoyorbecausea

shallowstagemadetheelaboratevisionofarmedangelsuponamountain?sideimpossible.Thenewendis

particularlysuitedtotheAbbeystage,wherethestageplatformcanbebroughtoutinfrontoftheprosceniurn

andhaveaflightofstepsatonesideupwhichtheAngelcomes,crossingtowardsthebackofthestageatthe

oppositeside.Theprincipallightingisfromtwoarclightsinthebalconywhichthrowtheirlightsintothe

facesoftheplayers,makingfootlights

unnecessary.TheroomatShemusRuashouseissuggestedbyagreatgreycurtain?acolourwhichbecomes

fullofrichtintsunderthestreamoflightfromthearcs.Thetwoormorearchesinthethirdscenepermitthe

useofagauze.Theshortfrontscenebeforethelastisjustlongenoughwhenplayedwith

incidentalmusictoallowthescenesetbehindittobechanged.Theplaywhenplayedwithoutintervalinthis

waylastsalittleoveranhour.

TheplaywasperformedattheAbbeyTheatreforthefirsttimeonDecember14,1911,MissMaireONeill

takingthepart

oftheCountess,andthelastscenefromthegoingoutoftheMerchantswasasfollows:?

(MERCHANTSrushout.ALEELcrawlsintothemiddleoftheroom;thetwilighthasfallenandgradually

darkensasthescenegoeson.)

ALEEL.Theyrerisingup?theyrerisingthroughtheearth,

FatAsmodelandgiddyBelial,

Andallthefiends.Nowtheyleapintheair.

ButwhydoesHellsgatecreakso?Roundandround,

Hitherandhither,toandfrotheyrerunning.

Hemovesaboutasthoughtheairwasfullofspirits.

OONAenters.)

Crouchdown,oldheron,outoftheblindstorm.

OONA.WhereistheCountessCathleen?Allthisday

Hereyeswerefulloftears,andwhenforamoment

Herhandwaslaiduponmyhand,ittrembled.

AndnowIdonotknowwheresheisgone.

ALEEL.Cathleenhaschosenotherfriendsthanus,

Andtheyarerisingthroughthehollowworld.

Demonsareout,oldheron.

OONA.Godguardhersoul.

ALEEL.Shesbartereditawaythisveryhour,

Asthoughwetwowereneverintheworld.

(Hekneelsbesideher,butdoesnotseemtohearherwords.ThePEASANTSreturn.Theycarrythe

COUNTESSCATHLEENandlayheruponthegroundbeforeOONAandALEEL.Sheliesthereasifdead.)

OONA.O,thatsomanypitchersofroughclay

Shouldprosperandtheporcelainbreakintwo!

(ShekissesthehandsOfCATHLEEN.)

APEASANT.Wewereunderthetreewherethepathturns

Whenshegrewpaleasdeathandfaintedaway.

CATHLEEN.O!holdme,andholdmetightly,forthestorm

isdraggingmeaway.

(OONAtakesherinherarms.AWOMANbeginstowail.)

PEASANTS.Hush!

PEASANTSHush!

PEASANTWOMEN.Hush!

OTHERPEASANTWOMEN.Hush!

CATHLEEN.(halfrising)Layallthebagsofmoneyinaheap,AndwhenIamgone,oldOona,sharethem

out

Toeverymanandwoman:judge,andgive

Accordingtotheirneeds.

APEASANTWOMAN.Andwillshegive

Enoughtokeepmychildrenthroughthedearth?

ANOTHERPEASANTWOMAN.

O,QueenofHeaven,andallyoublessedsaints,

Letusandoursbelost,soshebeshriven.

CATHLEEN.Benddownyourfaces,OonaandAleel;

Igazeuponthemastheswallowgazes

Uponthenestundertheeave,before

Shewandertheloudwaters.Donotweep

Toogreatawhile,forthereismanyacandle

OntheHighAltarthoughonefall.Aleel,

Whosangaboutthedancersofthewoods,

Thatknownotthehardburdenoftheworld,

Havingbutbreathintheirkindbodies,farewell

Andfarewell,Oona,youwhoplayedwithme

Andboremeinyourarmsaboutthehouse

WhenIwasbutachild?andthereforehappy,

Thereforehappyevenlikethosethatdance.

ThestormisinmyhairandImustgo.

(Shedies.)

OONA.Bringmethelooking?glass.

(AWOMANbringsittoheroutofinnerroom.OONAholdsglassoverthelipsofCATHLEEN.AllisSilent

foramoment,thenshespeaksinahalf?scream.)

O,sheisdead!

APEASANT.Shewasthegreatwhitelilyoftheworld.

APEASANT.Shewasmorebeautifulthanthepalestars.

ANOLDPEASANTWOMAN.ThelittleplantIlovedisbrokenintwo.

(ALEELtakeslooking?glassfromOONAandflingsituponfkoor,sothatitisbrokeninmanypieces.)

ALEEL.Ishatteryouinfragments,fortheface

Thatbrimmedyouupwithbeautyisnomore;

Anddie,dullheart,foryouthatwereamirror

Arebutaballofpassionatedustagain!

Andlevelearthandplumysea,riseup!

Andhaughtysky,falldown!

APEASANTWOMAN.Pullhimuponhisknees,

Hiscurseswillplucklightningonourheads.

ALEEL.Angelsanddevilsclashinthemiddleair,

Andbrazenswordsclanguponbrazenhelms.

Look,look,aspearhasgonethroughBelialseye!

(AwingedANGEL,carryingatorchandasword,entersfromtheR.witheyesfixeduponsomedistantthing.

TheANGELisabouttopassouttotheL.whenALEELspeaks.TheANGELStops

amomentandturns.)

Looknomoreonthehalf?closedgatesofHell,

ButspeaktomewhosemindissmittenofGod,

Thatitmaybenomorewithmortalthings:

Andtellofherwholiesthere.

(TheANGELturnsagainandisabouttogo,butisseizedbyALEEL.)

Tillyouspeak

Youshallnotdriftintoeternity.

ANGEL.Thelightbeatsdown;thegatesofpearlarewide.

Andsheispassingtothefloorofpeace,

AndMaryoftheseventimeswoundedheart

Haskissedherlips,andthelongblessedhair

Hasfallenonherface;theLightofLights

Looksalwaysonthemotive,notthedeed,

TheShadowofShadowsonthedeedalone.

(ALEELreleasestheANGELandkneels.)

OONA.Tellthemwhowalkuponthefloorofpeace,

ThatIwoulddieandgotoherIlove,

Theyearslikegreatblackoxentreadtheworld,

AndGodtheherdsmangoadsthemonbehind,

AndIambrokenbytheirpassingfeet.“)

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