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aleel。 no。 but you must。 seeing it cannot help her
i have grown tired of it。
first merchant。 begone from me
i may not touch it。
aleel。 is your power so small？
and must i bear it with me all my days？
may you be scorned and mocked！
first merchant。 drag him away。
he troubles me。
（teig and shemus lead aleel into the crowd。）
second merchant。 his gaze has filled me； brother；
with shaking and a dreadful fear。
first merchant。 lean forward
and kiss the circlet where my masters lips
were pressed upon it when he sent us hither；
you shall have peace once more。
（second merchant kisses the gold circlet that is about the
head of the first merchant。）
i； too； grow weary；
but there is something moving in my heart
whereby i know that what we seek the most
is drawing near？？our labour will soon end。
e； deal； deal； deal； deal； deal； are you all dumb？
what； will you keep me from our ancient home
and from the eternal revelry？
second merchant。 deal； deal。
shemus。 they say you beat the woman down too low。
first merchant。 i offer this great price： a？thousand crowns for an old woman who was always ugly。
（an old peasant woman es forward； and he takes up a book and reads。）
there is but little set down here against her。
〃she has stolen eggs and fowl when times were bad；
but when the times grew better has confessed it；
she never missed her chapel of a sunday
and when she could； paid dues。〃 take up your money。
old woman。 god bless you； sir。
（she screams。）
oh； sir； a pain went through me！
first merchant。 that name is like a fire to all damned souls。
（murmur among the peasants； who shrink back from her as she goes out。）
a peasant。 how she screamed out！
second peasant。 and maybe we shall scream so。
third peasant。 i tell you there is no such place as hell。
first merchant。 can such a trifle turn you from your profit？ e； deal； e； deal；
middle？aged man。 master； i am afraid。
first merchant。 i bought your soul； and theres no sense in fear now the souls gone。
middle？aged man。 give me my soul again。
woman （going on her knees and clinging to merchant）
and take this money too； and give me mine。
second merchant。 bear bastards； drink or follow some wild fancy； for sighs and cries are the souls
work；
and you have none。
（throws the woman off。）
peasant。 e； lets away。
another peasant。 yes； yes。
another peasant。 e quickly； if that woman had not screamed i would have lost my soul。
another peasant。 e； e away。
（they turn to door； but are stopped by shouts of 〃countess
cathleen！ countess cathleen！〃）
cathleen （entering） and so you trade once more？
first merchant。 in spite of you。
what brings you here； saint with the sapphire eyes？
cathleen。 i e to barter a soul for a great price。
second merchant。 what matter； if the soul be worth the price？
cathleen。 the people starve； therefore the people go
thronging to you。 i hear a cry e from them
and it is in my ears by night and day；
and i would have five hundred thousand crowns
that i may feed them till the dearth go by。
first merchant。 。 it may be the souls worth it。
cathleen。 there is more：
the souls that you have bought must be set free。
first merchant。 we know of but one soul thats worth the price。
cathleen。 being my own it seems a priceless thing。
second merchant。 you offer us？？
cathleen。 i offer my own soul。
a peasant。 do not； do not； for souls the like of ours
are not precious to god as your soul is。
o！ what would heaven do without you； lady？
another peasant。
look how their claws clutch in their leathern gloves。
first merchant。 five hundred thousand crowns； we give the price。 the gold is here； the souls even
while you speak
have slipped out of our bond； because your face
has shed a light on them and filled their hearts。
but you must sign； for we omit no form
in buying a soul like yours。
second merchant。 sign with this quill。
it was a feather growing on the cock
that crowed when peter dared deny his master；
and all who use it have great honour in hell。
（cathleen leans forward to sign。）
aleel （rushing forward and snatching the parchment from her） leave all things to the builder of the
heavens。
cathleen。 i have no thoughts； i hear a cry？？a cry。
aleel （casting the parchment on the ground）
i have seen a vision under a green hedge；
a hedge of hips and haws？men yet shall hear
the archangels rolling satans empty skull
over the mountain？tops。
first merchant。 take him away。
（teig and shemus drag him roughly away so that he falls upon the floor among the peasants。
cathleen picks up parchment and signs； then turns towards the peasants。）
cathleen。 take up the money； and now e with me；
when we are far from this polluted place
i will give everybody money enough。
（she goes out； the peasants crowding round her and kissing her dress。 aleel and the two merchants
are left alone。）
second merchant。 we must away and wait until she dies；
sitting above her tower as two grey owls；
waiting as many years as may be； guarding
our precious jewel； waiting to seize her soul。
first merchant。 we need but hover over her head in the air； for she has only minutes。 when she signed
her heart began to break。 hush； hush； i hear
the brazen door of hell move on its hinges；
and the eternal revelry float hither
to hearten us。
second merchant。 leap feathered on the air
and meet them with her soul caught in your claws。
（they rush out。 aleel crawls into the middle of the room。 the twilight has fallen and gradually darkens as
the scene goes on。 there is a distant muttering of thunder and a sound of rising storm。）
aleel。 the brazen door stands wide； and balor es
borne in his heavy car； and demons have lifted
the age？weary eyelids from the eyes that of old
turned gods to stone； barach； the traitor； es
and the lascivious race； cailitin；
that cast a druid weakness and decay
over sualtems and old decteras child；
and that great king hell first took hold upon
when he killed naisi and broke deirdres heart；
and all their heads are twisted to one side；
for when they lived they warred on beauty and peace
with obstinate； crafty； sidelong bitterness。
（he moves about as though the air was full of spirits。 oona enters。）
crouch down； old heron； out of the blind storm。
oona。 where is the countess cathleen？ all this day
her eyes were full of tears； and when for a moment
her hand was laid upon my hand it trembled；
and now i do not know where she is gone。
aleel。 cathleen has chosen other friends than us；
and they are rising through the hollow world。
demons are out； old heron。
oona。 god guard her soul。
aleel。 shes bartered it away this very hour；
as though we two were never in the world。
and they are rising through the hollow world。
（he points downward。）
first； orchill； her pale； beautiful head alive；
her body shadowy as vapour drifting
under the dawn； for she who awoke desire
has but a heart of blood when others die；
about her is a vapoury multitude
of women alluring devils with soft laughter
behind her a host heat of the blood made sin；
but all the little pink？white nails have grown
to be great talons。
（he seizes oona and drags her into the middle of the room
and points downward with vehement gestures。 the wind roars。）
they begin a song
and there is still some music on their tongues。
oona （casting herself face downwards on the floor）
o； maker of all； protect her from the demons；
and if a soul must need be lost； take mine。
（aleel kneels beside her； but does not seem to hear her words。 the peasants return。 they carry the
countess cathleen and lay her upon the ground before oona and aleel。 she lies there as if dead。）
oona。 o； that so many pitchers of rough clay
should prosper and the porcelain break in two！
（she kisses the hands of cathleen。）
a peasant。 we were under the tree where the path turns；
when she grew pale as death and fainted away。
and while we bore her hither cloudy gusts
blackened the world and shook