of your own years, so you'll not be saying till
your hour of death, maybe, it was yourself
brought Naisi and his brothers to a grave was
scooped by treachery. [Goes into tent.
FERGUS. It is a poor thing to see a
queen so lonesome and afraid. (He watches
till he is sure Deirdre cannot hear him.)
Listen now to what I'm saying. You'd do well
to come back to men and women are your
match and comrades, and not be lingering
until the day that you'll grow weary, and hurt
Deirdre showing her the hardness will grow
up within your eyes. . . . You're here years
and plenty to know it's truth I'm saying.
[Deirdre comes out of tent with a horn
of wine, she catches the beginning of
Naisi's speech and stops with stony
wonder.


56

NAISI -- very thoughtfully. -- I'll not tell
you a lie. There have been days a while past
when I've been throwing a line for salmon or
watching for the run of hares, that I've a dread
upon me a day'd come I'd weary of her voice,
(very slowly) and Deirdre'd see I'd wearied.
FERGUS -- sympathetic but triumphant. --
I knew it, Naisi. . . . And take my word,