The Secret Rose-第11章

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pty　hall。　they　had　brought　with　them　their　stout　cudgels；　and　costello　gave　them　an　old　pistol　apiece；　and　kept　them　all　night　drinking　spanish　ale　and　shooting　at　a　white　turnip　which　he　pinned　against　the　wall　with　a　skewer。　duallach　of　the　pipes　sat　on　the　bench　in　the　chimney　playing　the　green　bunch　of　rushes；　the　unchion　stream；　and　the　princes　of　breffeny　on　his　old　pipes；　and　railing　now　at　the　appearance　of　the　shooters；　now　at　their　clumsy　shooting；　and　now　at　costello　because　he　had　no　better　servants。　the　labourer；　the　half？witted　fellow；　the　farmer　and　the　lads　were　all　well　accustomed　to　duallachs　railing；　for　it　was　as　inseparable　from　wake　or　wedding　as　the　squealing　of　his　pipes；　but　they　wondered　at　the　forbearance　of　costello；　who　seldom　came　either　to　wake　or　wedding；　and　if　he　had　would　scarce　have　been　patient　with　a　scolding　piper。

on　the　next　evening　they　set　out　for　cool？a？vin；　costello　riding　a　tolerable　horse　and　carrying　a　sword；　the　others　upon　rough？haired　garrons；　and　with　their　stout　cudgels　under　their　arms。　as　they　rode　over　the　bogs　and　in　the　boreens　among　the　hills　they　could　see　fire　answering　fire　from　hill　to　hill；　from　horizon　to　horizon；　and　everywhere　groups　who　danced　in　the　red　light　on　the　turf；　celebrating　the　bridal　of　life　and　fire。　when　they　came　to　dermotts　house　they　saw　before　the　door　an　unusually　large　group　of　the　very　poor；　dancing　about　a　fire；　in　the　midst　of　which　was　a　blazing　cartwheel；　that　circular　dance　which　is　so　ancient　that　the　gods；　long　dwindled　to　be　but　fairies；　dance　no　other　in　their　secret　places。　from　the　door　and　through　the　long　loop？holes　on　either　side　came　the　pale　light　of　candles　and　the　sound　of　many　feet　dancing　a　dance　of　elizabeth　and　james。

they　tied　their　horses　to　bushes；　for　the　number　so　tied　already　showed　that　the　stables　were　full；　and　shoved　their　way　through　a　crowd　of　peasants　who　stood　about　the　door；　and　went　into　the　great　hall　where　the　dance　was。　the　labourer；　the　half？witted　fellow；　the　farmer　and　the　two　lads　mixed　with　a　group　of　servants　who　were　looking　on　from　an　alcove；　and　duallach　sat　with　the　pipers　on　their　bench；　but　costello　made　his　way　through　the　dancers　to　where　dermott　of　the　sheep　stood　with　namara　of　the　lake　pouring　poteen　out　of　a　porcelain　jug　into　horn　noggins　with　silver　rims。

tumaus　costello；　said　the　old　man；　you　have　done　a　good　deed　to　forget　what　has　been；　and　to　fling　away　enmity　and　e　to　the　betrothal　of　my　daughter　to　namara　of　the　lake。

i　e；　answered　costello；　because　when　in　the　time　of　costello　de　angalo　my　forbears　overcame　your　forbears　and　afterwards　made　peace；　a　pact　was　made　that　a　costello　might　go　with　his　body？servants　and　his　piper　to　every　feast　given　by　a　dermott　for　ever；　and　a　dermott　with　his　body？servants　and　his　piper　to　every　feast　given　by　a　costello　for　ever。

if　you　e　with　evil　thoughts　and　armed　men；　said　the　son　of　dermott　flushing；　no　matter　how　strong　your　hands　to　wrestle　and　to　swing　the　sword；　it　shall　go　badly　with　you；　for　some　of　my　wifes　clan　have　e　out　of　mayo；　and　my　three　brothers　and　their　servants　have　e　down　from　the　ox　mountains；　and　while　he　spoke　he　kept　his　hand　inside　his　coat　as　though　upon　the　handle　of　a　weapon。

no；　answered　costello；　i　but　e　to　dance　a　farewell　dance　with　your　daughter。

dermott　drew　his　hand　out　of　his　coat　and　went　over　to　a　tall　pale　girl　who　was　now　standing　but　a　little　way　off　with　her　mild　eyes　fixed　upon　the　ground。

costello　has　e　to　dance　a　farewell　dance；　for　he　knows　that　you　will　never　see　one　another　again。

the　girl　lifted　her　eyes　and　gazed　at　costello；　and　in　her　gaze　was　that　trust　of　the　humble　in　the　proud；　the　gentle　in　the　violent；　which　has　been　the　tragedy　of　woman　from　the　beginning。　costello　led　her　among　the　dancers；　and　they　were　soon　drawn　into　the　rhythm　of　the　pavane；　that　stately　dance　which；　with　the　saraband；　the　gallead；　and　the　morrice　dances；　had　driven　out；　among　all　but　the　most　irish　of　the　gentry；　the　quicker　rhythms　of　the　verse？interwoven；　pantomimic　dances　of　earlier　days；　and　while　they　danced　there　came　over　them　the　unutterable　melancholy；　the　weariness　with　the　world；　the　poignant　and　bitter　pity　for　one　another；　the　vague　anger　against　mon　hopes　and　fears；　which　is　the　exultation　of　love。　and　when　a　dance　ended　and　the　pipers　laid　down　their　pipes　and　lifted　their　horn　noggins；　they　stood　a　little　from　the　others　waiting　pensively　and　silently　for　the　dance　to　begin　again　and　the　fire　in　their　hearts　to　leap　up　and　to　wrap　them　anew；　and　so　they　danced　and　danced　pavane　and　saraband　and　gallead　and　morrice　through　the　night　long；　and　many　stood　still　to　watch　them；　and　the　peasants　came　about　the　door　and　peered　in；　as　though　they　understood　that　they　would　gather　their　childrens　children　about　them　long　hence；　and　tell　how　they　had　seen　costello　dance　with　dermotts　daughter　oona；　and　bee　by　the　telling　themselves　a　portion　of　ancient　romance；　but　through　all　the　dancing　and　piping　namara　of　the　lake　went　hither　and　thither　talking　loudly　and　making　foolish　jokes　that　all　might　seem　well　with　him；　and　old　dermott　of　the　sheep　grew　redder　and　redder；　and　looked　oftener　and　oftener　at　the　doorway　to　see　if　the　candles　there　grew　yellow　in　the　dawn。

at　last　he　saw　that　the　moment　to　end　had　e；　and；　in　a　pause　after　a　dance；　cried　out　from　where　the　horn　noggins　stood　that　his　daughter　would　now　drink　the　cup　of　betrothal；　then　oona　came　over　to　where　he　was；　and　the　guests　stood　round　in　a　half？circle；　costello　close　to　the　wall　to　the　right；　and　the　piper；　the　labourer；　the　farmer；　the　half？witted　man　and　the　two　farm　lads　close　behind　him。　the　old　man　took　out　of　a　niche　in　the　wall　the　silver　cup　from　which　her　mother　and　her　mothers　mother　had　drunk　the　toasts　of　their　betrothals；　and　poured　poteen　out　of　a　porcelain　jug　and　handed　the　cup　to　his　daughter　with　the　customary　words；　drink　to　him　whom　you　love　the　best。

she　held　the　cup　to　her　lips　for　a　moment；　and　then　said　in　a　clear　soft　voice：　i　drink　to　my　true　love；　tumaus　costello。

and　then　the　cup　rolled　over　and　over　on　the　ground；　ringing　like　a　bell；　for　the　old　man　had　struck　her　in　the　face　and　the　cup　had　fallen；　and　there　was　a　deep　silence。

there　were　many　of　namaras　people　among　the　servants　now　e　out　of　the　alcove；　and　one　of　them；　a　story？teller　and　poet；　a　last　remnant　of　the　bardic　order；　who　had　a　chair　and　a　platter　in　namaras　kitchen；　drew　a　french　knife　out　of　his　girdle　and　made　as　though　he　would　strike　at　costello；　but　in　a　moment　a　blow　had　hurled　him　to　the　ground；　his　shoulder　sending　the　cup　rolling　and　ringing　again。　the　click　of　steel　had　followed　quickly；　had　not　there　e　a　muttering　and　shouting　from　the　peasants　about　the　door　and　from　those　crowding　up　behind　them；　and　all　knew　that　these　were　no　children　of　queens　irish　or　friendly　namaras　and　dermotts；　but　of　the　wild　irish　about　lough　gara　and　lough　cara；　who　rowed　their　skin　coracles；　and　had　masses　of　hair　over　their　eyes；　and　left　the　right　arms　of　their　children　unchristened　that　they　might　give　the　stouter　blows；　and　swore　only　by　st。　atty　and　sun　and　moon；　and　worshipped　beauty　and　strength　more　than　　st。　atty　or　sun　and　moon。

costellos　hand　had　rested　upon　the　handle　of　his　sword　and　his　knuckles　had　grown　white；　but　now　he　drew　it　away；　and；　followed　by　those　who　were　with　him；　strode　towards　the　door；　the　dancers　giving　way　before　him；　the　most　angrily　and　slowly；　and　with　glances　at　the　muttering　and　shouting　peasants；　but　some　gladly　and　quickly；　because　the　glory　of　his　fame　was　over　him。　he　passed　through　the　fierce　and　friendly　peasant　faces；　and　came　where　his　good　horse　and　the　rough？　haired　garrons　were　tied　to　bushes；　and　mounted　and　bade　his　ungainly　bodyguard　mount　also　and　ride　into　the　narrow　boreen。　when　they　had　gone　a　little　way；　duallach；　who　rode　last；　turned　towards　the　house　where　a　little　group　of　dermotts　and　namaras　stood　next　to　a　more　numerous　group　of　countrymen；　and　cried：　dermott；　you　deserve　to　be　as　you　are　this　hour；　a　lantern　without　a　candle；　a　purse　without　a　penny；　a　sheep　without　wool；　for　your　hand　was　ever　niggardly　to　piper　and　fiddler　and　story？teller　and　to　poor　travelling　people。　he　had　not　done　before　the　three　old　dermotts　from　the　ox　mountains　had　run　towards　their　horses；　and　old　dermott　himself　had　caught　the　bridle　of　a　garron　of　the　namaras　and　was　calling　to　the　others　to　follow　him；　and　many　blows　and　many　deaths　had　been　had　not　the　countrymen　caught　up　still　glowing　sticks　from　the　ashes　of　the　fires　and　hurled　them　among　the　horses　with　loud　cries；　making　all　plunge　and　rear；　and　some　break　from　those　who　held　them；　the　whites　of　their　eyes　gleaming　in　the　dawn。

for　the　next　few　weeks　costello　had　no　lack　of　news　of　oona；　for　now　a　woman　selling　eggs　or　fowls；　and　now　a　man　or　a　woman　on　pilgrimage　to　the　well　of　the　rocks；　would　tell　him　how　his　love　had　fallen　ill　the　day　after　st。　johns　eve；　and　how　she　was　a　little　better　or　a　little　worse；　as　it　might　be；　and　though　he　looked　to　his　horses　and　his　cows　and　goats　as　usual；　the　mon　and　unely；　the　dust　upon　the　roads；　the　songs　of　men　returning　from　fairs　and　wakes；　men　playing　cards　in　the　corners