CUCHULAIN LEAGERIE CONAL EMER, _Cuchulain’s wife_ LEAGERIE’S WIFE CONAL’S WIFE LAEG, _Cuchulain’s chariot-driver_ RED MAN HORSEBOYS AND SCULLIONS THREE BLACK MEN THE GOLDEN HELMET _A house made of logs. There are two windows at the back and a door which cuts off one of the corners of the room. Through the door one can see rocks, which make the ground outside the door higher than it is within, and the sea. Through the windows one can see nothing but the sea. There are three great chairs at the opposite side to the door, with a table before them. There are cups and a flagon of ale on the table._ _At the Abbey Theatre the house is orange red, and the chairs, tables and flagons black, with a slight purple tinge which is not clearly distinguishable from the black. The rocks are black, with a few green touches. The sea is green and luminous, and all the characters, except the RED MAN and the _Black Men_ are dressed in various tints of green, one or two with touches of purple which looks nearly black. The _Black Men_ are in dark purple and the RED MAN is altogether dressed in red. He is very tall and his height is increased by horns on the Golden Helmet. The Helmet has in reality more dark green than gold about it. The _Black Men_ have cats’ heads painted on their black cloth caps. The effect is intentionally violent and startling._ CONAL. Not a sail, not a wave, and if the sea were not purring a little like a cat, not a sound. There is no danger yet. I can see a long way for the moonlight is on the sea. [_A horn sounds._ LEAGERIE. Ah, there is something. CONAL. It must be from the land, and it is from the sea that danger comes. We need not be afraid of anything that comes from the land. [_Looking out of door._] I cannot see anybody, the rocks and the trees hide a great part of the pathway upon that side. LEAGERIE [_sitting at table_]. It sounded like Cuchulain’s horn, but that’s not possible. CONAL. Yes, that’s impossible. He will never come home from Scotland. He has all he wants there. Luck in all he does. Victory and wealth and happiness flowing in on him, while here at home all goes to rack, and a man’s good name drifts away between night and morning. LEAGERIE. I wish he would come home for all that, and put quiet and respect for those that are more than she is into that young wife of his. Only this very night your wife and my wife had to forbid her to go into the dining-hall before them. She is young, and she is Cuchulain’s wife, and so she must spread her tail like a peacock. CONAL [_at door_]. I can see the horn-blower now, a young man wrapped in a cloak. LEAGERIE. Do not let him come in. Tell him to go elsewhere for shelter. This is no place to seek shelter in. CONAL. That is right. I will tell him to go away, for nobody must know the disgrace that is to fall upon Ireland this night.