Yes; you are
laughing
to yourself.
Yeats
_
The very moment these eyes fell on him,
I told him; I held out my hands to him;
How could he refuse? At first he would not--
I am not lying--he remembered you.
What do I say? My hands? --No, no, my lips--
For I had pressed my lips upon his lips--
I swear it is not false--my breast to his;
[_CONCHUBAR motions; NAISI, unseen by DEIRDRE, is taken
behind the curtain. _
Until I woke the passion that's in all,
And how could he resist? I had my beauty.
You may have need of him, a brave, strong man,
Who is not foolish at the council board,
Nor does he quarrel by the candle-light
And give hard blows to dogs. A cup of wine
Moves him to mirth, not madness.
[_She stands up. _
What am I saying?
You may have need of him, for you have none
Who is so good a sword, or so well loved
Among the common people. You may need him,
And what king knows when the hour of need may come?
You dream that you have men enough. You laugh.
Yes; you are laughing to yourself. You say,
'I am Conchubar--I have no need of him. '
You will cry out for him some day and say,
'If Naisi were but living'----[_She misses NAISI. _] Where is he?
Where have you sent him? Where is the son of Usna?
Where is he, O, where is he?
[_She staggers over to the MUSICIANS. The EXECUTIONER
has come out with sword on which there is blood;
CONCHUBAR points to it. The MUSICIANS give a wail. _
CONCHUBAR.
The traitor who has carried off my wife
No longer lives. Come to my house now, Deirdre,
For he that called himself your husband's dead.
DEIRDRE.
O, do not touch me. Let me go to him.
The very moment these eyes fell on him,
I told him; I held out my hands to him;
How could he refuse? At first he would not--
I am not lying--he remembered you.
What do I say? My hands? --No, no, my lips--
For I had pressed my lips upon his lips--
I swear it is not false--my breast to his;
[_CONCHUBAR motions; NAISI, unseen by DEIRDRE, is taken
behind the curtain. _
Until I woke the passion that's in all,
And how could he resist? I had my beauty.
You may have need of him, a brave, strong man,
Who is not foolish at the council board,
Nor does he quarrel by the candle-light
And give hard blows to dogs. A cup of wine
Moves him to mirth, not madness.
[_She stands up. _
What am I saying?
You may have need of him, for you have none
Who is so good a sword, or so well loved
Among the common people. You may need him,
And what king knows when the hour of need may come?
You dream that you have men enough. You laugh.
Yes; you are laughing to yourself. You say,
'I am Conchubar--I have no need of him. '
You will cry out for him some day and say,
'If Naisi were but living'----[_She misses NAISI. _] Where is he?
Where have you sent him? Where is the son of Usna?
Where is he, O, where is he?
[_She staggers over to the MUSICIANS. The EXECUTIONER
has come out with sword on which there is blood;
CONCHUBAR points to it. The MUSICIANS give a wail. _
CONCHUBAR.
The traitor who has carried off my wife
No longer lives. Come to my house now, Deirdre,
For he that called himself your husband's dead.
DEIRDRE.
O, do not touch me. Let me go to him.
