Let the birds scatter for the tree is broken. And there’s no help in words. [_To the SAILORS._] To the other ship, And I will follow you and cut the rope When I have said farewell to this man here, For neither I nor any living man Will look upon his face again. [_The SAILORS go out._ FORGAEL [_to DECTORA_] Go with him, For he will shelter you and bring you home. AIBRIC. [_Taking FORGAEL’S hand._] I’ll do it for his sake. DECTORA. No. Take this sword And cut the rope, for I go on with Forgael. AIBRIC. [_Half-falling into the keen._] The yew bough has been broken into two, And all the birds are scattered—O! O! O! Farewell! farewell! [_He goes out._ DECTORA. The sword is in the rope— The rope’s in two—it falls into the sea, It whirls into the foam. O ancient worm, Dragon that loved the world and held us to it, You are broken, you are broken. The world drifts away, And I am left alone with my beloved, Who cannot put me from his sight for ever. We are alone for ever, and I laugh, Forgael, because you cannot put me from you. The mist has covered the heavens, and you and I Shall be alone for ever. We two—this crown— I half remember. It has been in my dreams. Bend lower, O king, that I may crown you with it. O flower of the branch, O bird among the leaves, O silver fish that my two hands have taken Out of the running stream, O morning star, Trembling in the blue heavens like a white fawn Upon the misty border of the wood, Bend lower, that I may cover you with my hair, For we will gaze upon this world no longer. [_The scene darkens, and the harp once more begins to burn as with a faint fire. FORGAEL is kneeling at DECTORA’S feet._ FORGAEL. [_Gathering DECTORA’S hair about him._] Beloved, having dragged the net about us, And knitted mesh to mesh, we grow immortal; And that old harp awakens of itself To cry aloud to the grey birds, and dreams, That have had dreams for father, live in us. APPENDIX I ACTING VERSION OF _THE SHADOWY WATERS_ FORGAEL AIBRIC SAILORS DECTORA THE scene is the same as in the text except that the sail is dull copper colour. The poop rises several feet above the stage, and from the overhanging stern hangs a lanthorn with a greenish light. The sea or sky is represented by a semi-circular cloth of which nothing can be seen except a dark abyss, for the stage is lighted by arc-lights so placed upon a bridge over the proscenium as to throw a perpendicular light upon the stage. The light is dim, and there are deep shadows which waver as if with the passage of clouds over the moon. The persons are dressed in blue and green, and move but little. Some sailors are discovered crouching by the sail. Forgael is asleep and Aibric standing by the tiller on the raised poop.