The  winds  that  whistle  by  me  through  the  grass

Bring  never  sound  of  life  but  'tis  a  beast

Or  bird  that  sends  it ;  save,  perchance,  at  times

My  brothers'  or  my  house-knave's  hunting-cry

May  stir  the  silence  to  a  moment's  life.
I  am  impatient  to  consort  again

With  men,  my  equals  :  once  again  to  speak

My  thoughts  in  council,  or  in  public  court,

Swaying  the  judgments  of  attending  throngs,

And  charming  minds  to  unanimity

With  manly,  warm-persuasive  argument ;

Or  in  the  front  ranks  of  embattled  hosts

To  interchange  the  cast  of  flying  spears,

'Mong  bloody  Mars' s  high  competitors,

With  poets  to  record  us  standing  by.
Nay,  at  the  fair,  the  games,  the  feasting  board,

To  look  on  friendly  faces  and  to  grasp

The  trusted  hands  of  other  men,  were  joy

Worth  even  daring  the  worst ;  and  back  again

Taking  my  customed  place  on  Eman  Green,

Though  there  he  sat,  and  all  his  hosts  were  there.
DEIRDRE.
Alas,  infatuate,  who  would  shelter  me

When  thou,  fast  bound,  shouldst  see  me  dragged  away

To  death  it  might  be,  or  to  worse  than  death  ?


DEIRDRE.  39

NAISI.
Renowned  Cuchullin  never  would  sit  by

And  see  thee  wronged.     Were  Conall  Carnach  there,

Or  his  own  step  sire,  Fergus  son  of  Roy,

No  man  should  do  my  Deirdre  injury.
DEIRDRE.
Cuchullin  do  I  trust,  and  Conall  too ;
But  Fergus  gave  his  kingdom  for  a  toy.
NAISI.
For  love  of  Nessa  laid  he  kingship  down.
A  lovelier  Nessa,  for  the  love  of  me,

Spurned  the  same  crown  when  it  was  offered  her.
DEIRDRE.
Nessa  now  dead,  he  haunts  the  drinking-hall,
More  than  is  seemly  in  a  nobleman,

NAISI.
Hall  or  hill-side,  would  we  were  with  him  now !

DEIRDRE.
