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so good a price； that all who deal with us
shall eat； drink； and be merry。
shemus。 （to mary） bestir yourself；
go kill and draw the fowl； while teig and i
lay out the plates and make a better fire。
mary。 i will not cook for you。
shemus。 not cook！ not cook！
do not be angry。 she wants to pay me back
because i struck her in that argument。
but shell get sense again。 since the dearth came
we rattle one on another as though we were
knives thrown into a basket to be cleaned。
mary。 i will not cook for you； because i know
in what unlucky shape you sat but now
outside this door。
teig。 its this； your honours：
because of some wild words my father said
she thinks you are not of those who cast a shadow。
shemus。 i said id make the devils of the wood
wele； if theyd a mind to eat and drink；
but it is certain that you are men like us。
first merchant。
its strange that she should think we cast no shadow；
for there is nothing on the ridge of the world
thats more substantial than the merchants are
that buy and sell you。
mary。 if you are not demons；
and seeing what great wealth is spread out there；
give food or money to the starving poor。
first merchant。 if we knew how to find deserving poor
wed do our share。
mary。 but seek them patiently。
first merchant。 we know the evils of mere charity。
mary。 those scruples may befit a mon time。
i had thought there was a pushing to and fro；
at times like this； that overset the scale
and trampled measure down。
first merchant。 but if already
wed thought of a more prudent way than that？
second merchant。 if each one brings a bit of merchandise；
well give him such a price he never dreamt of。
mary。 where shall the starving e at merchandise？
first merchant。 we will ask nothing but what all men have。
mary。 their swine and cattle； fields and implements
are sold and gone。
first merchant。 they have not sold all yet。
for theres a vaporous thing？？that may be nothing；
but thats the buyers risk？？a second self；
they call immortal for a storys sake。
shemus。 you e to buy our souls？
teig。 ill barter mine。
why should we starve for what may be but nothing？
mary。 teig and shemus？？
shemus。 what can it be but nothing？
what has god poured out of his bag but famine？
satan gives money。
teig。 yet no thunder stirs。
first merchant。 there is a heap for each。
（shemus goes to take money。）
but no； not yet；
for theres a work i have to set you to。
shemus。 so then youre as deceitful as the rest；
and all that talk of buying whats but a vapour
is fancy bred。 i might have known as much；
because thats how the trick？o？the？loop man talks。
first merchant。 thats for the work； each has its separate price； but neither price is paid till the works
done。
teig。 the same for me。
mary。 oh； god； why are you still？
first merchant。 youve but to cry aloud at every cross？road； at every house door； that we buy mens
souls；
and give so good a price that all may live
in mirth and fort till the famines done；
because we are christian men。
shemus。 e； lets away。
treig》 i shall keep running till ive earned the price。
second merchant。 （who has risen and gone towards fire）
stop； for we obey a generous master；
that would be served by fortable men。
and heres your entertainment on the road。
（trig and shemus have stopped。 teig takes the money。 they go out。）
mary。 destroyers of souls； god will destroy you quickly。
you shall at last dry like dry leaves and hang
nailed like dead vermin to the doors of god。
second merchant。
curse to your fill； for saints will have their dreams。
first merchantm though were but vermin that our master sent to overrun the world； he at the end
shall pull apart the pale ribs of the moon
and quench the stars in the ancestral night。
mary。； god is all powerful。
second merchant。 pray； you shall need him。
you shall eat dock and grass； and dandelion；
till that low threshold there bees a wall；
and when your hands can scarcely drag your body
we shall be near you。
（mary faints。） （the first merchant takes up the carpet； spreads it before the fire and stands in front of
it warming his hands。）
first merchant。 our faces go unscratched；
for she has fainted。 wring the neck o that fowl；
scatter the flour and search the shelves for bread。
well turn the fowl upon the spit and roast it；
and eat the supper we were bidden to；
now that the house is quiet； praise our master；
and stretch and warm our heels among the ashes。
end of scene 1
％％。
SCENE 2
。小［说网｝
a wood with perhaps distant view of turreted house at one side； but all in flat colour；
without light and shade and against a diafiered or gold background。
countess cathleen es in leaning upon aleels arm。 oona follows them。
cathleen。 （stopping） surely this leafy corner； where one smells the wild bees honey； has a story too？
oona。 there is the house at last。
aleel。 a man； they say；
loved maeve the queen of all the invisible host；
and died of his love nine centuries ago。
and now； when the moons riding at the full；
she leaves her dancers lonely and lies there
upon that level place； and for three days
stretches and sighs and wets her long pale cheeks。
cathleen。 so she loves truly。
aleel。 no； but wets her cheeks；
lady； because she has forgot his name。
cathleen。 shed sleep that trouble away？？though it must be
a heavy trouble to forget his name？？
if she had better sense。
oona。 your own house； lady。
aleel。 she sleeps high up on wintry knock？na？rea
in an old cairn of stones； while her poor women
must lie and jog in the wave if they would sleep
being water born？？yet if she cry their names
they run up on the land and dance in the moon
till they are giddy and would love as men do；
and be as patient and as pitiful。
but there is nothing that will stop in their heads；
theyve such poor memories； though they weep for it。
oh； yes； they weep； thats when the moon is full。
cathleen。 is it because they have short memories
they live so lon