A man in a long green cloak that covers him up to the chin Comes down through the rocks and hazels. LAEGAIRE Cry out that he cannot come in. CONALL He must look for his dinner elsewhere, for no one alive shall stop Where a shame must alight on us two before the dawn is up. LAEGAIRE No man on the ridge of the world must ever know that but us two. CONALL [_Outside door_] Go away, go away, go away. YOUNG MAN [_Outside door_] I will go when the night is through And I have eaten and slept and drunk to my heart's delight. CONALL A law has been made that none shall sleep in this house to-night. YOUNG MAN Who made that law? CONALL We made it, and who has so good a right? Who else has to keep the house from the Shape-Changers till day? YOUNG MAN Then I will unmake the law, so get you out of the way. [_He pushes past CONALL and goes into house_] CONALL I thought that no living man could have pushed me from the door, Nor could any living man do it but for the dip in the floor; And had I been rightly ready there's no man living could do it, Dip or no dip. LAEGAIRE Go out--if you have your wits, go out, A stone's throw further on you will find a big house where Our wives will give you supper, and you'll sleep sounder there, For it's a luckier house. YOUNG MAN I'll eat and sleep where I will. LAEGAIRE Go out or I will make you. YOUNG MAN [_Forcing up LAEGAIRE'S arm, passing him and putting his shield on the wall over the chair_] Not till I have drunk my fill. But may some dog defend me for a cat of wonder's up. Laegaire and Conall are here, the flagon full to the top, And the cups-- LAEGAIRE It is Cuchulain. CUCHULAIN The cups are dry as a bone. [_He sits on chair and drinks_] CONALL Go into Scotland again, or where you will, but begone From this unlucky country that was made when the devil spat. CUCHULAIN If I lived here a hundred years, could a worse thing come than that Laegaire and Conall should know me and bid me begone to my face? CONALL We bid you begone from a house that has fallen on shame and disgrace. CUCHULAIN I am losing patience, Conall--I find you stuffed with pride, The flagon full to the brim, the front door standing wide; You'd put me off with words, but the whole thing's plain enough, You are waiting for some message to bring you to war or love In that old secret country beyond the wool-white waves, Or it may be down beneath them in foam-bewildered caves Where nine forsaken sea queens fling shuttles to and fro; But beyond them, or beneath them, whether you will or no, I am going too. LAEGAIRE Better tell it all out to the end; He was born to luck in the cradle, his good luck may amend The bad luck we were born to. CONALL