For none can carry her treasures wholly away
But spirits that are too light for good and evil,
Or, being evil, can remember good.
But spirits that are too light for good and evil,
Or, being evil, can remember good.
Yeats
Their faces have withered from much pain.
_
Now, brawlers, lift the bags of gold.
FIRST PEASANT.
Yes, yes!
Unwillingly, unwillingly; for she,
Whose gold we bear upon our shoulders thus,
Has endless pity even for lost souls
In her good heart. At moments, now and then,
When plunged in horror, brooding each alone,
A memory of her face floats in on us.
It brings a crowned misery, half repose,
And we wail one to other; we obey,
For heaven's many-angled star reversed,
Now sign of evil, burns into our hearts.
FIRST MERCHANT.
When these pale sapphires and these diadems
And these small bags of money are in our house,
The burning shall give over--now begone.
SECOND MERCHANT.
[_Lifting the diadem to put it upon his head. _]
No--no--no. I will carry the diadem.
FIRST MERCHANT.
No, brother, not yet.
For none can carry her treasures wholly away
But spirits that are too light for good and evil,
Or, being evil, can remember good.
Begone! [_The spirits vanish. _] I bade them go, for they are lonely,
And when they see aught living love to sigh.
[_Pointing to the oratory. _] Brother, I heard a sound in there--a sound
That troubles me.
SECOND MERCHANT.
[_Going to the door of the oratory and peering through it. _]
Upon the altar steps
The Countess tosses, murmuring in her sleep
A broken _Paternoster_.
[_The FIRST MERCHANT goes to the door and stands beside him. _]
She is grown still.
FIRST MERCHANT.
A great plan floats into my mind--no wonder,
For I come from the ninth and mightiest Hell,
Where all are kings. I will wake her from her sleep,
And mix with all her thoughts a thought to serve.
[_He calls through the door. _
May we be well remembered in your prayers!
Now, brawlers, lift the bags of gold.
FIRST PEASANT.
Yes, yes!
Unwillingly, unwillingly; for she,
Whose gold we bear upon our shoulders thus,
Has endless pity even for lost souls
In her good heart. At moments, now and then,
When plunged in horror, brooding each alone,
A memory of her face floats in on us.
It brings a crowned misery, half repose,
And we wail one to other; we obey,
For heaven's many-angled star reversed,
Now sign of evil, burns into our hearts.
FIRST MERCHANT.
When these pale sapphires and these diadems
And these small bags of money are in our house,
The burning shall give over--now begone.
SECOND MERCHANT.
[_Lifting the diadem to put it upon his head. _]
No--no--no. I will carry the diadem.
FIRST MERCHANT.
No, brother, not yet.
For none can carry her treasures wholly away
But spirits that are too light for good and evil,
Or, being evil, can remember good.
Begone! [_The spirits vanish. _] I bade them go, for they are lonely,
And when they see aught living love to sigh.
[_Pointing to the oratory. _] Brother, I heard a sound in there--a sound
That troubles me.
SECOND MERCHANT.
[_Going to the door of the oratory and peering through it. _]
Upon the altar steps
The Countess tosses, murmuring in her sleep
A broken _Paternoster_.
[_The FIRST MERCHANT goes to the door and stands beside him. _]
She is grown still.
FIRST MERCHANT.
A great plan floats into my mind--no wonder,
For I come from the ninth and mightiest Hell,
Where all are kings. I will wake her from her sleep,
And mix with all her thoughts a thought to serve.
[_He calls through the door. _
May we be well remembered in your prayers!
