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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？？not too old to ride？？
get horses and search all the country round；
ill give a farm to him who finds the thieves。
（a man with keys at his girdle has e in while she speaks。 there is a general murmur of the porter！ the
porter！〃）
porter。 demons were here。 i sat beside the door
in my stone niche； and two owls passed me by；
whispering with human voices。
old peasant。 god forsakes us。
cathleen。 old man； old man； he never closed a door
unless one opened。 i am desolate；
for a most sad resolve wakes in my heart
but i have still my faith； therefore be silent
for surely he does not forsake the world；
but stands before it modelling in the clay
and moulding there his image。 age by age
the clay wars with his fingers and pleads hard
for its old； heavy； dull and shapeless ease；
but sometimes？？though his hand is on it still？？
it moves awry and demon hordes are born。
（peasants cross themselves。）
yet leave me now； for i am desolate；
i hear a whisper from beyond the thunder。
（she es from the oratory door。）
yet stay an instant。 when we meet again
i may have grown forgetful。 oona； take
these two？？the larder and the dairy keys。
（to the porter。）
but take you this。 it opens the small room
of herbs for medicine； of hellebore；
of vervain； monkshood； plantain； and self？heal。
the book of cures is on the upper shelf。
porter。 why do you do this； lady； did you see
your coffin in a dream？
cathleen。 ah； no； not that。
a sad resolve wakes in me。 i have heard
a sound of wailing in unnumbered hovels；
and i must go down； down？？i know not where？？
pray for all men and women mad from famine；
pray； you good neighbours。
（the peasants all kneel。 countess cathleen ascends the steps to the door of the oratory； and
turning round stands there
motionless for a little； and then cries in a loud voice ：）
mary； queen of angels；
and all you clouds on clouds of saints； farewell！
end of scene 3。
．．
SCENE 4
a wood nea