which is coming to thee. Love, which thou
hast never known.

DEIRDRE--But I love thee, dearest and kindest of guardians.

LAVARCAM--Oh, in this love heaven and earth will be forgotten, and your
own self unremembered, or dim and far off as a home the spirit fives in
no longer.

DEIRDRE--Tell me, will the hunter from the hills come to us? I think I
could forget all for him.

LAVARCAM--He is not one of the Sidhe, but the proudest and bravest of
the Red Branch, Naisi, son of Usna. Three lights of valor among the
Ultonians are Naisi and his brothers.

DEIRDRE--Will he love me, fostermother, as you love me, and will he live
with us here?

LAVARCAM--Nay, where he goes you must go, and he must fly afar to live
with you. But I will leave you now for a little, child, I would divine
the future.

[LAVARCAM kisses DEIRDRE and goes within the dun. DEIRDRE walks to and
fro before the door. NAISI enters. He sees DEIRDRE, who turns and looks
at him, pressing her hands to her breast. Naisi bows before DEIRDRE.]

NAISI--Goddess, or enchantress, thy face shone on me at dawn on the
mountain. Thy lips called me hither, and I have come.

DEIRDRE--I called thee, dear Naisi.

NAISI--Oh, knowing my name, never before having spoken to me, thou must
know my heart also.

DEIRDRE--Nay, I know not. Tell me what is in thy heart.

NAISI--O enchantress, thou art there. The image of thine eyes is there
and thy smiling lips, and the beating of my heart is muffled in a cloud
of thy golden tresses.

DEIRDRE--Say on, dear Naisi.

NAISI--I have told thee all. Thou only art in my heart.

DEIRDRE--But I have never ere this spoken to any man. Tell me more.

NAISI--If thou hast never before spoken to any man, then indeed art thou
one of the immortals, and my hope is vain. Hast thou only called me to
thy world to extinguish my life hereafter in memories of thee?

DEIRDRE--What wouldst thou with me, dear Naisi?

NAISI--I would carry thee to my dun by the sea of Moyle, O beautiful
woman, and set thee there on an ivory throne. The winter would not chill
thee there, nor the summer burn thee, for I would enfold thee with my
love, enchantress, if thou camest--to my world. Many warriors are there
of the clan Usna, and two brothers I have who are strong above any
hosts, and they would all die with me for thy sake.

DEIRDRE (taking the hands of NAISI)--I will go with thee where thou
goest. (Leaning her head on NAISI's shoulder.) Oh, fostermother, t