(They rush Out. ALEEL crawls into the middle of the room. The twilight has fallen and gradually darkens as the scene goes on. There is a distant muttering of thunder and a sound of rising storm.) ALEEL. The brazen door stands wide, and Balor comes Borne in his heavy car, and demons have lifted The age-weary eyelids from the eyes that of old Turned gods to stone; Barach, the traitor, comes And the lascivious race, Cailitin, That cast a druid weakness and decay Over Sualtem's and old Dectera's child; And that great king Hell first took hold upon When he killed Naisi and broke Deirdre's heart, And all their heads are twisted to one side, For when they lived they warred on beauty and peace With obstinate, crafty, sidelong bitterness. (He moves about as though the air was full of spirits. OONA enters.) Crouch down, old heron, out of the blind storm. OONA. Where is the Countess Cathleen? All this day Her eyes were full of tears, and when for a moment Her hand was laid upon my hand it trembled, And now I do not know where she is gone. ALEEL. Cathleen has chosen other friends than us, And they are rising through the hollow world. Demons are out, old heron. OONA. God guard her soul. ALEEL. She's bartered it away this very hour, As though we two were never in the world. And they are rising through the hollow world. (He Points downward.) First, Orchill, her pale, beautiful head alive, Her body shadowy as vapour drifting Under the dawn, for she who awoke desire Has but a heart of blood when others die; About her is a vapoury multitude Of women alluring devils with soft laughter Behind her a host heat of the blood made sin, But all the little pink-white nails have grown To be great talons. (He seizes OONA and drags her into the middle of the room and Points downward with vehement gestures. The wind roars.) They begin a song And there is still some music on their tongues. OONA (casting herself face downwards on the floor) O, Maker of all, protect her from the demons, And if a soul must need be lost, take mine. (ALEEL kneels beside her, but does not seem to hear her words. The PEASANTS return. They carry the COUNTESS CATHLEEN and lay her upon the ground before OONA and ALEEL. She lies there as if dead.) OONA. O, that so many pitchers of rough clay Should prosper and the porcelain break in two! (She kisses the hands of CATHLEEN.) A PEASANT. We were under the tree where the path turns, When she grew pale as death and fainted away. And while we bore her hither cloudy gusts Blackened the world and shook us on our feet Draw the great bolt, for no man has beheld So black, bitter, blinding, and sudden a storm. (One who is near the door draws the bolt.) CATHLEEN. O, hold me, and hold me tightly, for the storm Is dragging me away. (OONA takes her in her arms. A WOMAN begins to wail.) PEASANT. Hush! PEASANTS. Hush! PEASANT WOMEN Hush! OTHER PEASANT WOMEN Hush!