DEIRDRE.
— shaking her head slowly. — There are as many ways to wither love as there are stars in a night of Samhain; but there is no way to keep life, or love with it, a short space only. . . . It’s for that there’s nothing lonesome like a love is watching out the time most lovers do be sleeping. . . . It’s for that we’re setting out for Emain Macha when the tide turns on the sand.
NAISI.
— giving in. — You’re right, maybe. It should be a poor thing to see great lovers and they sleepy and old.
DEIRDRE.
— with a more tender intensity. — We’re seven years without roughness or growing weary; seven years so sweet and shining, the gods would be hard set to give us seven days the like of them. It’s for that we’re going to Emain, where there’ll be a rest for ever, or a place for forgetting, in great crowds and they making a stir.
NAISI.
— very softly. — We’ll go, surely, in place of keeping a watch on a love had no match and it wasting away. (They cling to each other for a moment, then Naisi looks up.) There are Fergus and Lavarcham and my two brothers.
[Deirdre goes. Naisi sits with his head bowed. Owen runs in stealthily, comes behind Naisi and seizes him round the arms. Naisi shakes him off and whips out his sword.
OWEN.
— screaming with derisive laughter and showing his empty hands. — Ah, Naisi, wasn’t it well I didn’t kill you that time? There was a fright you got! I’ve been watching Fergus above — don’t be frightened — and I’ve come down to see him getting the cold shoulder, and going off alone.
[Fergus and others come in. They are all subdued like men at a queen’s wake.
NAISI.
— putting up his sword. — There he is. (Goes to Fergus.) We are going back when the tide turns, I and Deirdre with yourself.
ALL.
Going back!
AINNLE.
And you’ll end your life with Deirdre, though she has no match for keeping spirits in a little company is far away by itself?