DEIRDRE. — _showing Naisi’s knife._ — I have a little key to unlock the prison of Naisi you’d shut upon his youth for ever. Keep back, Conchubor; for the High King who is your master has put his hands between us. (_She half turns to the grave._) It was sorrows were foretold, but great joys were my share always; yet it is a cold place I must go to be with you, Naisi; and it’s cold your arms will be this night that were warm about my neck so often. . . . It’s a pitiful thing to be talking out when your ears are shut to me. It’s a pitiful thing, Conchubor, you have done this night in Emain; yet a thing will be a joy and triumph to the ends of life and time. [_She presses knife into her heart and sinks into the grave. Conchubor and Fergus go forward. The red glow fades, leaving stage very dark._ FERGUS. Four white bodies are laid down together; four clear lights are quenched in Ireland. (_He throws his sword into the grave._) There is my sword that could not shield you — my four friends that were the dearest always. The flames of Emain have gone out: Deirdre is dead and there is none to keen her. That is the fate of Deirdre and the children of Usna, and for this night, Conchubor, our war is ended. [_He goes out._ LAVARCHAM. I have a little hut where you can rest, Conchubor; there is a great dew falling. CONCHUBOR. — _with the voice of an old man._ — Take me with you. I’m hard set to see the way before me. OLD WOMAN. This way, Conchubor. [_They go out._ LAVARCHAM. — _beside the grave._ — Deirdre is dead, and Naisi is dead; and if the oaks and stars could die for sorrow, it’s a dark sky and a hard and naked earth we’d have this night in Emain. CURTAIN APPENDIX. DEIRDRE OF THE SORROWS was first produced at the Abbey Theatre, Dublin, on Thursday, January 13th, 1910, with the following cast: _Lavarcham_ SARA ALLGOOD _Old Woman_ EILEEN O’DOHERTY _Owen_ J. A. O’ROURKE _Conchubor_ ARTHUR SINCLAIR _Fergus_ SYDNEY J. MORGAN _Deirdre_ MAIRE O’NEILL _Naisi_ FRED O’DONOVAN _Ainnle_ J. M. KERRIGAN _Ardan_ JOHN CARRICK _Two Soldiers_ {HARRY YOUNG {AMBROSE POWER Transcriber’s Note. I have omitted running heads, have inserted a blank space between the “.” and the “—” following stage directions immediately following the name of the speaker, and have made the following additional changes to the text: PAGE LINE ORIGINAL CHANGED TO 16 26 its it’s 29 23 DEIRDRE DEIRDRE. 33 17 old Woman. Old Woman. 45 18 his brother his brothers 79 14 Naisi Naisi. 87 5 startled startled. End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Deirdre of the Sorrows, by J. M. Synge