Hush, hush, she has
awakened
from her swoon.
Yeats
The
wind roars. _]
They begin a song
And there is still some music on their tongues.
OONA.
[_Casting herself face downwards on the floor. _]
O maker of all, protect her from the demons,
And if a soul must needs be lost, take mine.
[_ALEEL kneels beside her, but does not seem to hear
her words; he is gazing down as if through the earth.
The peasants return. They carry the COUNTESS CATHLEEN
and lay her upon the ground before OONA and ALEEL. She
lies there as if dead. _]
O that so many pitchers of rough clay
Should prosper and the porcelain break in two!
[_She kisses the hands of the COUNTESS CATHLEEN. _
A PEASANT.
We were under the tree where the path turns
When she grew pale as death and fainted away,
And while we bore her hither, cloudy gusts
Blackened the world and shook us on our feet:
Draw the great bolt, for no man has beheld
So black, bitter, blinding, and sudden a storm.
[_One who is near the door draws the bolt. _
OONA.
Hush, hush, she has awakened from her swoon.
CATHLEEN.
O hold me, and hold me tightly, for the storm
Is dragging me away!
[_OONA takes her in her arms. A woman begins to wail. _
A PEASANT.
Hush.
ANOTHER PEASANT.
Hush.
A PEASANT WOMAN.
Hush.
ANOTHER PEASANT WOMAN.
Hush.
CATHLEEN [_half rising_].
Lay all the bags of money at my feet.
[_They lay the bags at her feet.
wind roars. _]
They begin a song
And there is still some music on their tongues.
OONA.
[_Casting herself face downwards on the floor. _]
O maker of all, protect her from the demons,
And if a soul must needs be lost, take mine.
[_ALEEL kneels beside her, but does not seem to hear
her words; he is gazing down as if through the earth.
The peasants return. They carry the COUNTESS CATHLEEN
and lay her upon the ground before OONA and ALEEL. She
lies there as if dead. _]
O that so many pitchers of rough clay
Should prosper and the porcelain break in two!
[_She kisses the hands of the COUNTESS CATHLEEN. _
A PEASANT.
We were under the tree where the path turns
When she grew pale as death and fainted away,
And while we bore her hither, cloudy gusts
Blackened the world and shook us on our feet:
Draw the great bolt, for no man has beheld
So black, bitter, blinding, and sudden a storm.
[_One who is near the door draws the bolt. _
OONA.
Hush, hush, she has awakened from her swoon.
CATHLEEN.
O hold me, and hold me tightly, for the storm
Is dragging me away!
[_OONA takes her in her arms. A woman begins to wail. _
A PEASANT.
Hush.
ANOTHER PEASANT.
Hush.
A PEASANT WOMAN.
Hush.
ANOTHER PEASANT WOMAN.
Hush.
CATHLEEN [_half rising_].
Lay all the bags of money at my feet.
[_They lay the bags at her feet.
