Come, follow me, for the earth burns my feet Till I have changed my house to such a refuge That the old and ailing, and all weak of heart, May escape from beak and claw; all, all, shall come Till the walls burst and the roof fall on us. From this day out I have nothing of my own. (_She goes._) OONA (_taking_ ALEEL _by the arm and as she speaks bandaging his wound_) She has found something now to put her hand to, And you and I are of no more account Than flies upon a window-pane in the winter. (_They go out._) END OF SCENE II. SCENE III SCENE.--_Hall in the house of_ COUNTESS CATHLEEN. _At the Left an oratory with steps leading up to it. At the Right a tapestried wall, more or less repeating the form of the oratory, and a great chair with its back against the wall. In the Centre are two or more arches through which one can see dimly the trees of the garden._ CATHLEEN _is kneeling in front of the altar in the oratory; there is a hanging lighted lamp over the altar_. ALEEL _enters_. ALEEL I have come to bid you leave this castle and fly Out of these woods. CATHLEEN What evil is there here That is not everywhere from this to the sea? ALEEL They who have sent me walk invisible. CATHLEEN So it is true what I have heard men say, That you have seen and heard what others cannot. ALEEL I was asleep in my bed, and while I slept My dream became a fire; and in the fire One walked and he had birds about his head. CATHLEEN I have heard that one of the old gods walked so. ALEEL It may be that he is angelical; And, lady, he bids me call you from these woods. And you must bring but your old foster-mother, And some few serving men, and live in the hills, Among the sounds of music and the light Of waters, till the evil days are done. For here some terrible death is waiting you, Some unimagined evil, some great darkness That fable has not dreamt of, nor sun nor moon Scattered. CATHLEEN No, not angelical. ALEEL This house You are to leave with some old trusty man, And bid him shelter all that starve or wander While there is food and house room. CATHLEEN He bids me go Where none of mortal creatures but the swan Dabbles, and there you would pluck the harp, when the trees Had made a heavy shadow about our door, And talk among the rustling of the reeds, When night hunted the foolish sun away With stillness and pale tapers. No--no--no! I cannot. Although I weep, I do not weep Because that life would be most happy, and here I find no way, no end. Nor do I weep Because I had longed to look upon your face, But that a night of prayer has made me weary. ALEEL (_prostrating himself before her_)