Psychologies by Sir Ross Ronald (ebook reader library TXT) 📕

her skin so white.

Icelin. Altho’ her skin so white.You say so?—Why,

My lips are bleeding.

Dansberg. My lips are bleeding.Then you’re thinking evil.

Her lips would bleed when she had evil thoughts.

Hough, hough.

Icelin. Hough, hough.Were you a page, then, when you wedded?

Dansberg.My age?

Icelin. Dansberg.My age?A page.

Dansberg. Icelin. Dansberg.My age?A page.Yes, yes. So I became

Lord of these valleys.

Icelin. Lord of these valleys.Had you been more noble

My blood had been the richer.

Dansberg. My blood had been the richer.Who is richer?

Icelin.Was it because you were not nobler born

The old man would not let you wed her?

Dansberg. The old man would not let you wed her?Hough.

My birth was good enough.

Icelin. My birth was good enough.Yet Gorm is noble.

Dansberg.What, what! An evil child—a cunning child!

Icelin.I am a woman.

Dansberg. Icelin.I am a woman.You are not sixteen.

Icelin.But that is woman.

Dansberg.       Hough, hough, a wicked child!

Gorm is a scheming knave and you a child.

I say a child, a child, a child. Look you,

You first shall murder me ere you marry Gorm.

Do you not see I tremble? When I tremble

I’m angry. Hough hough, hough.

Icelin. I’m angry. Hough hough, hough.What would you say then

If we should play a trick on you?

Dansberg. If we should play a trick on you?A trick!

What Jansen there!—Where’s Jansen?

Icelin. What Jansen there!—Where’s Jansen?Lagging after.

Dansberg. Then I will wait for him.

(He sits down on a log.)

Dansberg. Then I will wait for him.Tell me, where are we?

We should be near the castle gate; and yet

I feel too many dead leaves on the sward.

Icelin.The storm that blew last night has blown them here.

Dansberg.There should be wind upon this vision’d height.

Icelin.There is no wind.

Dansberg. Icelin.There is no wind.Yes, yes, there is no wind.

What is the rustling that I hear?

Icelin. What is the rustling that I hear?The trees.

Dansberg.There are not many near the castle gate.

Icelin.There are not many, but they make the sound.

Dansberg.Is it the oak-tree or the fir?

Icelin. Dansberg.Is it the oak-tree or the fir?The fir.

Dansberg.I think I feel a something over my head.

Icelin.Great clouds have come and settled in the sky.

Dansberg.Is’t rain or tempest, think you?

Icelin. Dansberg.Is’t rain or tempest, think you?Storm, I think.

Dansberg.Between the greater clouds what do you see?

Icelin.Patches of blue. (She smiles.)

Dansberg. Icelin.Patches of blue. (She smiles.)And in the patches, what?

Icelin.Enamels of pale pearl.

Dansberg. Icelin.Enamels of pale pearl.Beneath the clouds,

What is there?

Icelin. What is there?Nothing.

Dansberg. Icelin. What is there?Nothing.Tut, you are a woman,

And note not anything. Under those great clouds,

Are there no ragged runners on the wind?

Icelin. I think I see them.

Dansberg. Icelin. I think I see them.Being sunset now,

What colour’d splendours are there? What great shades?

Icelin.The clouds are rosy.

Dansberg. Icelin.The clouds are rosy.Faugh, you’re blind. Look, look.

Do not the curling thunders heap the sun?—

Or does he rip them and stare out with rage

Upon the east?

Icelin. Upon the east?The sun is sinking.

Dansberg. Icelin. Upon the east?The sun is sinking.But say;

Beneath the clouds the wild swans trail along,

And kestrels, soaring to the vantage point,

Slide down upon the storm-wind—do they not?

Icelin.I see some things like sparrows in the sky.

Dansberg.What do you see then?

Icelin. Dansberg.What do you see then?The winding of the river,

And the blue mountains on the verge.

Dansberg. And the blue mountains on the verge.At this hour

Hills are not blue. Say, is there light?

Icelin. Hills are not blue. Say, is there light?’Tis light.

Dansberg. I feel that it is dark. Is it not cold?

Icelin.Not very cold.

Dansberg. Icelin.Not very cold.I feel that it is cold.

I feel as if we were in some great forest,

And that you do not see the things you say.

The ground is soft and all the dead leaves crack

Beneath the feet. Where are we?

Icelin. Beneath the feet. Where are we?Just at the gate.

Dansberg. Roars not the river at his hundred eyots?

What colour is the foam?

Icelin. What colour is the foam?As white as snow.

Dansberg.You lie, you lie; you see it not, you lie!

The storm-flood sweeps the river, and its foam

Runs tawny as the sand.

Icelin. Runs tawny as the sand.I do not lie.

Dansberg.Come, lead me home. These two hours I have walkt,

And all my blood is water. I am old—

So old and blind. I wonder, is the fire lit,

This autumn evening, and my supper ready?

Hough, hough. Where is my stick—my stick?

(She takes the stick from beside him.)

Icelin. Hough, hough. Where is my stick—my stick?Say, then,

When shall I marry Gorm?

Dansberg. When shall I marry Gorm?Hough, hough, hough, hough.

Let us go in and think o’t.

Icelin. Let us go in and think o’t.Tell me now.

Dansberg.Then give me first your arm to help me rise. (Rises.)

A good girl—so. Your arm is thin but firm—

Thinner but firmer than your mother’s. Tut!

Poor daughter, daughter. Dead, dead, dead, so long!

When that my blindness first did seize upon me,

How she would run to me to help me on,

And kiss me oft that saw her not—until

I felt the hot tears on my hand. I chid her;

Telling her not to weep that was not blind,

As I that had no eyes could have no tears:

And thus I cheer’d her. But at last she died.

And my old falcon died, and my old horse;

And last of all the dog. But Jansen lives.

Jansen, Jansen!—where is he?

Icelin. Jansen, Jansen!—where is he?He is coming.

Dansberg.I do not hear him. It is bitter chill.

We should be at the gate, but that I feel

As walking in a wood. I think I smell

The ground-ferns and damp mosses, and the scent

Of puff-balls on the rotting trees. Hark there!

I hear the bull-frogs croaking.

Icelin. I hear the bull-frogs croaking.I don’t hear them.

Dansberg.You’re deaf. There are no bull-frogs near the castle.

Icelin.Ah, yes. It is two silly ravens croaking.

Dansberg.Raymond, you say?

Icelin. Dansberg.Raymond, you say?Ravens.

Dansberg. Icelin. Dansberg.Raymond, you say?Ravens.Ravens! ravens!

O God! The ravens of my house! O God!

Give me a stone—my stick—they visit us—

When we must die.

(He falls sitting on a log.)

When we must die.Jansen, Jansen, I say.

Icelin.See, there he comes.

Dansberg. Icelin.See, there he comes.You lazy rascal,

How dare you lag so?

(Enter Gorm.)

How dare you lag so?His gait is strange. Look, child,

What ails him? Is he drunk? Oh, oh, ’tis Gorm.

I know him by his breathing.

(Icelin leaves Dansberg and goes to Gorm. They whisper together. Dansberg sits trembling.)

Icelin. I know him by his breathing.You’re late.

Gorm. Icelin. I know him by his breathing.You’re late.I have run.

Icelin.We shall be miss’d.

Gorm. Icelin.We shall be miss’d.It is not done?

Icelin. Gorm. Icelin.We shall be miss’d.It is not done?Not done!

No; but to be done.

Gorm. No; but to be done.I hoped to find it done.

Icelin.Ye gods! what I alone?

Gorm. Icelin.Ye gods! what I alone?Why not? ’tis easy.

Icelin.Are you so pale?

Gorm. Icelin.Are you so pale?Pale? me!

Icelin. Gorm. Icelin.Are you so pale?Pale? me!A man like you!

Gorm.Like who?

Icelin. Gorm.Like who?Are you a man and pale?

Gorm. Icelin. Gorm.Like who?Are you a man and pale?I’m not.

It is the twilight.

Icelin. It is the twilight.Do you stagger too?

Are you afraid?

Gorm. Are you afraid?I, Gorm, afraid! A soldier!

Icelin.A soldier and my love.

Gorm. Icelin.A soldier and my love.Your love indeed!

Icelin.You think I am too young to be your love?

Gorm.You are divine!

Icelin. Gorm.You are divine!What shall we do with him?

Gorm.Aye, what?

Icelin. Gorm.Aye, what?The thing I told you—tie him here.

Gorm.What, all night long?

Icelin. Gorm.What, all night long?No matter.

Gorm. Icelin. Gorm.What, all night long?No matter.He will die.

Icelin.I’m sick of walking with him. And besides

He will not let me wear my mother’s clothes

That are in lavender.

Gorm. That are in lavender.Tush!

Icelin. Gorm. That are in lavender.Tush!Her jewels, too.

Gorm.I thought that you’d have done it; and I came

To end the jest and win his thanks—and you.

Icelin.I want his wealth for you.

Gorm. Icelin.I want his wealth for you.He will die soon.

Icelin.He lives for ever.

Gorm. Icelin.He lives for ever.That is true.

Icelin. Gorm. Icelin.He lives for ever.That is true.I want it—

Now.

Gorm.  No, no. no. Hush, he will hear us.

Icelin. Gorm.  No, no. no. Hush, he will hear us.Never.

And he is maudlin too.

Gorm. And he is maudlin too.I madden for you.

Fie, what is this upon my lips? Not blood?

Icelin.And on your face. My lips bleed often thus.

Gorm.Oh, oh.

Icelin. Gorm.Oh, oh.You know the way home after this?

Gorm.Oh, yes.