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（spirits dance and sing。）
first spirit。 （singing） our hearts are sore； but we e
because we have heard you call。
second spirit。 sorrow has made me dumb。
first spirit。 her shepherds at nightfall
lay many a plate and cup
down by the trodden brink；
that when the dance break up
we may have meat and drink。
therefore our hearts are sore；
and though we have heard and e
our crying filled the shore。
second spirit。 sorrow has made me dumb。
first merchant。 what lies in the waves should be indifferent to good and evil； and yet it seems that
these；
forgetful of their pure； impartial sea；
take sides with her。
second merchant。 hush； hush； and still your feet。
you are not now upon maeves dancing？floor。
a spirit。 o； look what i have found； a string of pearls！
（they begin taking jewels out of bag。）
second merchant。 you must not touch them； put them in the bag； and now take up the bags upon your
backs
and carry them to shemus ruas house
on the woods border。
spirits。 no； no； no； no！
first spirit。 no； no； let us away；
from this we shall not e
cry out to us who may。
second spirit。 sorrow has made me dumb。
（they go。）
second merchant。 theyre gone； for little do they care for me； and if i called they would but turn and
mock；
but you they dare not disobey。
first merchant （rising） these dancers
are always the most troublesome of spirits。
（he es down the stage and stands facing the arches。 he makes a gesture of mand。 the spirits e
back whimpering。 they lift the bags and go out。 three speak as they are taking ub the bags。
first spirit。 from this day out well never dance again。
second spirit。 never again。
third spirit。 sorrow has made me dumb。
second merchant （looking into chapel door）
she has heard nothing； she has fallen asleep。
our lord would be well pleased if we could win her。
now that the winds are heavy with our kind；
might we not kill her； and bear off her spirit
before the mob of angels were astir？
first merchant。 if we would win this turquoise for our lord it must go dropping down of its free will
but ive a plan。
second merchant。 to take her soul to？night？
first merchant。 because i am of the ninth and mightiest hell where are all kings； i have a plan。
（voices。）
second merchant。 too late；
for somebody is stirring in the house； the noise
that the sea creatures made as they came hither；
their singing and their endless chattering；
has waked the house。 i hear the chairs pushed back；
and many shuffling feet。 all the old men and women
shes gathered in the house are ing hither。
a voice。 （within） it was here。
another voice。 no； farther away。
another voice。 it was in the western tower。
another voice。 e quickly； we will search the western tower。
first merchant。 we still have time？？they search the distant rooms。
second merchant。 brother； i heard a sound in there？？a sound that troubles me。
（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。
first merchant。 do not fear；
for when she has awaked the prayer will cease。
second merchant。 what； would you wake her？
first merchant。 i will speak with her；
and mix with all her thoughts a thought to serve。？？
lady； weve news thats crying out for speech。
（cathleen wakes and es to door of the chapel。）
cathleen。 who calls？
first merchant。 we have brought news。
cathleen。 what are you？
first merchant。
we are merchants； and we know the book of the world
because we have walked upon its leaves； and there
have read of late matters that much concern you；
and noticing the castle door stand open；
came in to find an ear。
cathleen。 the door stands open；
that no one who is famished or afraid；
despair of help or of a wele with it。
but you have news； you say。
first merchant。 we saw a man；
heavy with sickness in the bog of allen；
whom you had bid buy cattle。 near fair head
we saw your grain ships lying all becalmed
in the dark night； and not less still than they；
burned all their mirrored lanthorns in the sea。
cathleen。。 my thanks to god； to mary and the angels；
that i have money in my treasury；
and can buy grain from those who have stored it up
to prosper on the hunger of the poor。
but youve been far and know the signs of things；
when will this yellow vapour no more hang
and creep about the fields； and this great heat
vanish away； and grass show its green shoots？
first merchant。 there is no sign of change？？day copies day； green things are dead？？the cattle too are
dead
or dying？？and on all the vapour hangs；
and fattens with disease and glows with heat。
in you is all the hope of all the land。
cathleen。 and heard you of the demons who buy souls？
first merchant。
there are some men who hold they have wolves heads；
and say their limbs？？dried by the infinite flame？？
have all the speed of storms； others； again；
say they are gross and little； while a few
will have it they seem much as mortals are；
but tall and brown and travelled？？like us？？lady；
yet all agree a power is in their looks
that makes men bow； and flings a casting？net
about their souls； and that all men would go
and barter those poor vapours； were it not
you bribe them with the safety of your gold。
cathleen。 praise be to god； to mary； and the angels
that i am wealthy！ wherefore do they sell？
first merchant。 as we came in at the great door we saw
your porter sleeping in his niche？？a soul
too little to be worth a hundred pence；
and yet they buy it for a hundred crowns。
but for a soul like yours； i heard them say；
they would give five hundred thousand crowns and more。
cathleen。 how can a heap of crowns pay for a soul？
is the green grave so terrible a thing？
first merchant。 some sell because the money gleams； and some because they are in terror of the grave；
and some because their neighbours sold before；
and some because there is a kind of joy
in casting hope away； in losing joy；
in ceasing all resistance； in at last
opening ones arms to the eternal flames；
in casting all sails out upon the wind；
to this？？full of the gaiety of the lost？？
would all folk hurry if your gold were gone。
cathleen。 there is something； merchant； in your voice
that makes me fear。 when you were telling how
a man may lose his soul and lose his god
your eyes were lighted up； and when you told
how my poor money serves the people； both？？
merchants forgive me？？seemed to smile。
first merchant。 mans sins
move us to laughter only； we have seen
so many lands and seen so many men。
how strange that all these people should be swung
as on a ladys shoe？string；？？under them
the glowing leagues of never？ending flame。
cathleen。 there is a something in you that i fear；
a something not of us； but were you not born
in some most distant corner of the world？
（the second merchant； who has been listening at the door； es forward； and as he es a sound of
voices and feet is heard。）
second merchant。 away now？？they are in the passage？？hurry；
for they will know us； and freeze up our hearts
with ave marys； and burn all our skin
with holy water。
first merchant。 farewell； for we must ride
many a mile before the morning e；
our horses beat the ground impatiently。
（they go out。 a number of peasants enter by other door。）
first peasant。 forgive us； lady； but we heard a noise。
second peasant。 we sat by the fireside telling vanities。
first peasant。
we heard a noise； but though we have searched the house
we have found nobody。
cathleen。 you are too timid。
for now you are safe from all the evil times。
there is no evil that can find you here。
oona （entering hurriedly）
ochone！ ochone！ the treasure room is broken in；
the door stands open； and the gold is gone。
（peasants raise a lamentable cry。）
cathleen。 be silent。
（the cry ceases。）
have you seen nobody？
oona ochone！
that my good mistress should lose all this money。
cathleen。 let those among you？？n