The Complete Works. William Butler Yeats
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were sworn to do your will,
And you had spread a sail for home, a wind
Would rise of a sudden, or a wave so huge,
It had washed among the stars and put them out,
And beat the bulwark of your ship on mine,
Until you stood before me on the deck—
As now.
DECTORA.
Does wandering in these desolate seas
And listening to the cry of wind and wave
Bring madness?
FORGAEL.
Queen, I am not mad.
DECTORA.
And yet you say the water and the wind
Would rise against me.
FORGAEL.
No, I am not mad—
If it be not that hearing messages
From lasting watchers, that outlive the moon,
At the most quiet midnight is to be stricken.
DECTORA.
And did those watchers bid you take me captive?
FORGAEL.
Both you and I are taken in the net.
It was their hands that plucked the winds awake
And blew you hither; and their mouths have promised
I shall have love in their immortal fashion.
They gave me that old harp of the nine spells
That is more mighty than the sun and moon,
Or than the shivering casting-net of the stars,
That none might take you from me.
DECTORA.
[First trembling back from the mast where the harp is, and then laughing.]
For a moment
Your raving of a message and a harp
More mighty than the stars half troubled me.
But all that’s raving. Who is there can compel
The daughter and granddaughter of kings
To be his bedfellow?
FORGAEL.
Until your lips
Have called me their beloved, I’ll not kiss them.
DECTORA.
My husband and my king died at my feet,
And yet you talk of love.
FORGAEL.
The movement of time
Is shaken in these seas, and what one does
One moment has no might upon the moment
That follows after.
DECTORA.
I understand you now.
You have a Druid craft of wicked sound
Wrung from the cold women of the sea—
A magic that can call a demon up,
Until my body give you kiss for kiss.
FORGAEL.
Your soul shall give the kiss.
DECTORA.
I am not afraid,
While there’s a rope to run into a noose
Or wave to drown. But I have done with words,
And I would have you look into my face
And know that it is fearless.
FORGAEL.
Do what you will,
For neither I nor you can break a mesh
Of the great golden net that is about us.
DECTORA.
There’s nothing in the world that’s worth a fear.
[She passes FORGAEL and stands for a moment looking into his face.
I have good reason for that thought.
[She runs suddenly on to the raised part of the poop.
And now
I can put fear away as a queen should.
[She mounts on to the bulwark and turns towardsFORGAEL.
Fool, fool! Although you have looked into my face
You do not see my purpose. I shall have gone
Before a hand can touch me.
FORGAEL [folding his arms].
My hands are still;
The ever-living hold us. Do what you will,
You cannot leap out of the golden net.
FIRST SAILOR.
No need to drown, for, if you will pardon us
And measure out a course and bring us home,
We’ll put this man to death.
DECTORA.
I promise it.
FIRST SAILOR.
There is none to take his side.
AIBRIC.
I am on his side.
I’ll strike a blow for him to give him time
To cast his dreams away.
[AIBRIC goes in front of FORGAEL with drawn sword. FORGAEL takes the harp.
FIRST SAILOR.
No other’ll do it.
[The SAILORS throw AIBRIC on one side. He falls upon the deck towards the poop. They lift their swords to strike FORGAEL, who is about to play the harp. The stage begins to darken. The SAILORS hesitate in fear.
SECOND SAILOR.
He has put a sudden darkness over the moon.
DECTORA.
Nine swords with handles of rhinoceros horn
To him that strikes him first!
FIRST SAILOR.
I will strike him first.
[He goes close up to FORGAEL with his sword lifted. The harp begins to give out a faint light. The scene has become so dark that the only light is from the harp.
[Shrinking back.] He has caught the crescent moon out of the sky,
And carries it between us.
SECOND SAILOR.
Holy fire
Has come into the jewels of the harp
To burn us to the marrow if we strike.
DECTORA.
I’ll give a golden galley full of fruit,
That has the heady flavour of new wine,
To him that wounds him to the death.
FIRST SAILOR.
I’ll do it.
For all his spells will