，
To MAUD GONNE
/小。说＋
〃the sorrowful are dumb for thee〃
lament of morion shehone for miss mary bourke
shemus rua； a peasant
mary； his wife
teig； his son
aleel； a poet
the countess cathleen
oona； her foster mother
two demons disguised as merchants
peasants； servants； angelical beings； spirits
the scene is laid in ireland and in old times。
……
SCENE 1
。
the countess cathleen
scene？？a room with lighted fire； and a door into the open air； through which one sees； perhaps； the trees of a wood； and these trees should be painted in flat colour upon a gold or diapered sky。 the walls are of one colour。 the scene should have the effect of missal painting。 mary； a woman of forty years or so； is grinding a quern。
mary。 what can have made the grey hen flutter so？
（teig； a boy of fourteen； is ing in with turf； which he lays beside the hearth。）
teig。 they say that now the land is famine struck
the graves are walking。
mary。 there is something that the hen hears。
teig。 and that is not the worst； at tubber？vanach
a woman met a man with ears spread out；
and they moved up and down like a bats wing。
mary。 what can have kept your father all this while？
teig。 two nights ago； at carrick？orus churchyard；
a herdsman met a man who had no mouth；
nor eyes； nor ears； his face a wall of flesh；
he saw him plainly by the light of the moon。
mary。 look out； and tell me if your fathers ing。
（teig goes to door。）
teig。 mother！
mary。 what is it？
teig。 in the bush beyond；
there are two birds？？if you can call them birds？？
i could not see them rightly for the leaves。
but theyve the shape and colour of horned owls
and im half certain theyve a human face。
mary。 mother of god； defend us！
teig。 theyre looking at me。
what is the good of praying？ father says。
god and the mother of god have dropped asleep。
what do they care； he says； though the whole land
squeal like a rabbit under a weasels tooth？
mary。 youll bring misfortune with your blasphemies
upon your father； or yourself； or me。
i would to god he were home？？ah； there he is。
（shemus es in。）
what was it kept you in the wood？ you know
i cannot get all sorts of accidents
out of my mind till you are home again。
shemus。 im in no mood to listen to your clatter。
although i tramped the woods for half a day；
ive taken nothing； for the very rats；
badgers； and hedgehogs seem to have died of drought；
and there was scarce a wind in the parched leaves。
teig。 then you have brought no dinner。
shemus。 after that
i sat among the beggars at the cross？roads；
and held a hollow hand among the others。
mary。 what； did you beg？
shemus。 i had no chance to beg；
for when the beggars saw me they cried out
they would not have another share their alms；
and hunted me away with sticks and stones。
teig。 you said that you would bring us food or money。
shemus。 whats in the house？
teig。 a bit of mouldy bread。
mary。 theres flour enough to make another loaf。
teig。 and when thats gone？
mary。 there is the hen in the coop。
shemus。 my curse upon the beggars； my curse upon them！
teig。 and the last penny gone。
shemus。 when the hens gone；
what can we do but live on sorrel and dock）
and dandelion； till our mouths are green？
mary。 god； that to this hours found bit and sup；
will cater for us still。
shemus。 his kitchens bare。
there were five doors that i looked through this day
and saw the dead and not a soul to wake them。
mary。 maybe hed have us die because he knows；
when the ear is stopped and when the eye is stopped；
that every wicked sight is hid from the eye；
and all fool talk from the ear。
shemus。 whos passing there？
and mocking us with music？
（a stringed instrument without。）
teig。 a young man plays it；
theres an old woman and a lady with him。
shemus。 what is the trouble of the poor to her？
nothing at all or a harsh radishy sauce
for the days meat。
mary。 gods pity on the rich；
had we been through as many doors； and seen
the dishes standing on the polished wood
in the wax candle light； wed be as hard；
and theres the needles eye at the end of all；
shemus。 my curse upon the rich。
teig。 theyre ing here。
shemus。 then down upon that stool； down quick； i say；
and call up a whey face and a whining voice；
and let your head be bowed upon your knees；
mary。 had i but time to put the place to rights。
（cathleen； oona； and aleel enter。）
cathleen。 god save all here。 there is a certain house；
an old grey castle with a kitchen garden；
a cider orchard and a plot for flowers；
somewhere among these woods。
mary。 we know it； lady。
a place thats set among impassable walls
as though worlds trouble could not find it out。
cathleen。 it may be that we are that trouble； for we？？
although weve wandered in the wood this hour？？
have lost it too； yet i should know my way；
for i lived all my childhood in that house。
mary。 then you are countess cathleen？
cathleen。 and this woman；
oona； my nurse； should have remembered it；
for we were happy for a long time there。
oona。 the paths are overgrown with thickets now；
or else some change has e upon my sight。
cathleen。 and this young man； that should have known the woods？？ because we met him on their border
but now；
wandering and singing like a wave of the sea？？
is so wrapped up in dreams of terrors to e
that he can give no help。
mary。 you have still some way；
but i can put you on the trodden path
your servants take when they are marketing。
but first sit down and rest yourself awhile；
for my old fathers served your fathers； lady；
longer than books can tell？？and it were strange
if you and yours should not be wele here。
cathleen。 and it were stranger still were i ungrateful
for such kind wele but i must be gone；
for the nights gathering in。
shemus。 it is a long while
since ive set eyes on bread or on what buys it。
cathleen。 so you are starving even in this wood；
where i had thought i would find nothing changed。
but thats a dream； for the old worm o the world
can eat its way into what place it pleases。
（she gives money。）
teig。 beautiful lady； give me something too；
i fell but now； being weak with hunger and thirst；
and lay upon the threshold like a log。
cathleen。 i gave for all and that was all i had。
look； my purse is empty。 i have passed
by starving men and women all this day；
and they have had the rest； but take the purse；
the silver clasps ont may be worth a trifle。
but if youll e to？morrow to my house
you shall have twice the sum。
（aleel begins to play。）
shemus （muttering）。 what； music； music！
cathleen。 ah； do not blame the finger on the string；
the doctors bid me fly the unlucky times
and find distraction for my thoughts； or else
pine to my grave。
shemus。 i have said nothing； lady。
why should the like of us plain？
oona。 have done。 sorrows that shes but read of in a book
weigh on her mind as if they had been her own。
（oona； mary； and cathleen go out。 aleel looks defiantly at
shemus。）
aleel。 （singing） impetuous heart； be still； be still；
your sorrowful love can never be told；
cover it up with a lonely tune；
he that could bend all things to his will
has covered the door of the infinite fold
with the pale stars and the wandering moon。
（he takes a step towards the door and then turns again。）
shut to the door before the night has fallen；
for who can say what walks； or in what shape
some devilish creature flies in the air； but now
two grey？horned owls hooted above our heads。
（he goes out； his singing dies away。 mary es in。 shemus has been counting the money。）
teig。 theres no good luck in owls； but it may be
that the ill lucks to fall upon their heads。
mary。 you never thanked her ladyship。
shemus。 thank her；
for seven halfpence and a silver bit？
teig。 but for this empty purse？
shemus。 whats that for thanks；
or whats the double of it that she promised？
with bread and flesh and every sort of food
up to a price no man has heard the like of
and rising every day。
mary。 we have all she had；
she emptied out the purse before our eyes。
shemus （to mary； who has gone to close the door）
leave that door open。
mary。 when those that have read books；
and seen the seven wonders of the world；
fear whats above or whats below the ground；
its time that poverty should bolt the door。
shemus。 ill have no bolts； for there is not a thing
that walks above the ground or under it
i had not rather wele to this house
than any more of mankind； rich or poor。
teig。 so that they brought us money。
shemus。 i heard say
theres something that appears like a white bird；
a pigeon or a seagull or the like；
but if you hit it with a stone or a stick
it clangs as though it had been made of brass；
and that if you dig down where it was scratching
youll find a crock of gold。
teig。 but dream of gold
for three nights running； and theres always gold。
shemus。 you might be starved before y