The Collected Works in Verse and Prose of William Butler Yeats. Volume 4 of 8. The Hour-glass. Cathleen ni Houlihan. The Golden Helmet. The Irish Dramatic Movement. Yeats William Butler
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СКАЧАТЬ WOMAN’S voice outside

      They shall be speaking for ever,

      The people shall hear them for ever.

      [MICHAEL breaks away from DELIA, stands for a second at the door, then rushes out, following the OLD WOMAN’S voice. BRIDGET takes DELIA, who is crying silently, into her arms.

PETER[To PATRICK, laying a hand on his arm.]

      Did you see an old woman going down the path?

PATRICK

      I did not, but I saw a young girl, and she had the walk of a queen.

      THE GOLDEN HELMET

      PERSONS IN THE PLAY

      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.

LEAGERIE

      Nobody of living men but us two must ever know that.

CONAL [outside door]

      Go away, go away!

[A YOUNG MAN covered by a long cloak is standing upon the rocks outside door.YOUNG MAN

      I am a traveller, and I am looking for sleep and food.

CONAL

      A law has been made that nobody is to come into this house to-night.

YOUNG MAN

      Who made that law?

CONAL

      We two made it, and who has so good a right? for we have to guard this house and to keep it from robbery, and from burning and from enchantment.

YOUNG MAN

      Then I will unmake the law. Out of my way!

[He struggles with CONAL and shoves past into the house.CONAL

      I thought no living man but Leagerie could have stood against me; and Leagerie himself could not have shoved past me. What is more, no living man could if I were not taken by surprise. How could I expect to find so great a strength?

LEAGERIE

      Go out of this: there is another house a little further along the shore; our wives are there with their servants, and they will give you food and drink.

YOUNG MAN

      It is in this house I will have food and drink.

LEAGERIE [drawing his sword]

      Go out of this, or I will make you.

      [The YOUNG MAN seizes LEAGERIE’S arm, and thrusting it up, passes him, and puts his shield over the chair where there is an empty place.

YOUNG MAN [at table]

      It is here I will spend the night, but I won’t tell you why till I have drunk. I am thirsty. What, the flagon full and the cups empty and Leagerie and Conal there! Why, what’s in the wind that Leagerie and Conal cannot drink?

LEAGERIE

      It is Cuchulain.

CONAL

      Better go away to Scotland again, or if you stay here ask no one what has happened or what is going to happen.

CUCHULAIN

      What more is there that can happen so strange as that I should come home after years and that you should bid me begone?

CONAL

      I tell you that this is no fit house to welcome you, for it is a disgraced house.

CUCHULAIN

      What is it you are hinting at? You were sitting there with ale beside you and the door open, and quarrelsome thoughts. You are waiting for something or someone. It is for some messenger who is to bring you to some spoil, or to some adventure that you will keep for yourselves.

LEAGERIE

      Better tell him, for he has such luck that it may be his luck will amend ours.

CONAL

      Yes, I had better tell him, for even now СКАЧАТЬ