🧚 Opening, part 4 · page 2

CANTO THE SECOND.54

O noble Alba, Scotia later named, Then when the race of Scota and her Lord O’er all thy holy isles and highlands famed Had raised the Gaelic harp, the Gaelic sword, And Kenneth, Pictish rule extinguished, reared That throne of kings for centuries revered!55

Great land of Alba! in that hour supreme Conqueror, not conquered, wert thou!56 Thy great heart, Flinging from off it, like a nightmare dream, A sway ignobler, chose the better part, Throning the lofty spirit in lofty place: It brought thee bliss and bale, but nothing base!57

When, centuries earlier, stood on Alba’s coast Usnach’s brave sons, her king received them well: Treaty they made: they joined to his their host, And taught him soon the insurgent tribes to quell, Yet still they loved him not: ‘His soul is mean,’ They said; ‘by him shall Deirdré ne’er be seen.’58

Yet near his court they dwelt; and once it chanced A palace churl while o’er the forest boughs New leaved, the earliest beam of morning glanced, Made way, with missives sent, to Naisi’s house, And on by dusky doors, though timorous, crept, And found at last that room where Naisi slept.59

Before its stony threshold slumbering lay Ainli and Ardan, clasping, each, a sword, For ever wont were these by night and day Their brother and their sister thus to ward: The intruder o’er them stepp’d and entrance made To where in sleep that princely pair were laid.60

Between them stretched from pillow on to pillow The massive trail of Deirdré’s luminous hair, Like gold-touched tendrils of a budded willow Breeze-blown against the dawn.61 Already there The greedy, youngling sunrise made his feast, Though still in cloud half muffled was the east.62

Longer that churl had stood save that in sleep Growled the great wolf-hound couched beside the bed: The traitor turned; and, skilled to crawl and creep, Reached the half open gates, and homeward fled, And found the king new-risen, and nodding spake, ‘Rejoice, great monarch, for thy kingdom’s sake!63

‘Till now thou hast not found a woman meet In all thy land the royal throne to share; Behold, the loveliest lady and most sweet Of all the earth is near, and thou not ’ware!64 Compared with her the rest are sheep and kine-- Bid Naisi die! his consort crown as thine!’65

Then told the man his tale from first to last With added circumstance.66 The Pict replied Well pleased, albeit at Naisi’s name aghast, ‘To slay that chief were hard; to snare his bride Were sweet.67 In secret traffic with her!68 Say, She must be first my love; my queen one day!’69

Forth sped the accursed one on his mission foul, And came on Deirdré singing all alone, And took his stand, ill visaged as a Ghoul, And named the terms, base love and future throne: And she with darkening eyes no word replied Save this alone; ‘Till I return, abide!’70

Swiftly she walked: she came where stood the Three; Then from her white lips rushed her wrong like flame; ‘Dishonoured wife!’ she cried, ‘with me, with me, Though not the treason, lives for aye the shame!71 Ah, surely never wife such scorn has known Unless the fault was first in part her own!’72

But Naisi smiled, forth issuing with his brand, And said but this; ‘Abide till I return;’ And soon, that head ill-omened in his hand, Came back with countenance bright, at once and stern: Then Deirdré spake, ‘My hand had borne that freight If thine had spared it!73 At the bad king’s gate74

‘Lay first that head, and march we hence this night!’75 The Brothers answered; ‘No! nor yet three days!’76 Three days in pride they paced a neighbouring height: Three days the Pict, thus challenged, stood at gaze, And ofttimes grimly turned from lord to lord: They answered nought; nor any raised his sword.77

But when the fourth dawn o’er the forest soaring Sent through the heavens divergent beams of splendour, Upon the earth glory and gladness pouring, That host arose; nor took they farewell tender: Three stones the clansman, each, above his head Flung backward far in scorn: then forth they sped.78

And, lest the sun should dazzle Deirdré’s eyes, Westward that morn their pilgrimage began: First, under standards bright with myriad dyes, A hundred Usnach warriors led the van: Maids next: then clansmen, holding, each, a hound That strained against the leash with bark and bound.79

Ere long their march was through the misty highlands: They tracked Glenorchy’s immemorial woods; Loch Lomond’s bosky mountain-skirts and islands; Birch-braided Katrine’s sylvan solitudes; And where on shores of Fyne, now low now higher, With punctual tide the salt sea floods respire.80

Meantime the natives of those lonely regions Came fiercely forth from many a distant shore Though worsted oft, in ever thickening legions, Till now the foray swelled into the war; And still there flocked from Uladh’s coast in swarms Her noblest youth, their great one’s mates in arms.81

For still, beside the spring her pitcher watching, The maid would sing of Naisi’s strength and fleetness, Ofttimes in turn on breeze of evening catching Some shepherd’s song of Deirdré’s truth and sweetness: And still they ended, each; ‘Ill deed, King Conor, That banished such!82 Alas, the land’s dishonour!’83

With varying fortune long time raged the feud: Clan Usnach triumphed now: anon the foe: And oft, a swordless warrior mild of mood, Amid those Three was Deirdré seen: and lo!84 Still, as the radiance bickers round the gem, So flashed the battle’s flame round her and them.85

Thus lived they prosperous mid that storm of war, In victory glad, not downcast in defeat: Three winter months when fortune pressed them sore Within a western isle they made retreat, The nearest of those rock-bound Hebrides Set mid the crystal splendour of the seas.86

With Spring-tide back returned they.87 Victory’s sun Full-orbed that April on their banners played: A third part of the realm their valour won: Last, with the Picts alliance firm they made, And making kept.88 All things thenceforth went well; And gladsome were their sports on field and fell.89

It was that season when the spirit of joy Runs million-footed forth through earth and air; When the hale shepherd grows once more the boy; The girl-like youth is prompt to do and dare; When womanhood looks softer than its wont; The star shines whiter on the infant’s front.90

It was that season when the maiden’s heart, Though guarded, faster beats against its bound; When Love’s long hidden fount, by happier art Divined, is nearer to the surface found: When to the faded cheek returns its bloom; And tears less bitter stain the flower-decked tomb.91

It was that season when on fields late dreary Thickest at dawn the awakened daisy throngeth; When in the dim sweet gloaming, never weary, Latest her song the darkling thrush prolongeth; And pillow-spurning children fret for morn, Fresh flowers, new leaves, and ecstacies re-born.92

Ah then to Naisi, and to Deirdré then Like fire the gladness of the spring-tide came: That causeway old they seemed to tread again, Sang the same song!93 Love’s wild, yet vestal flame Caught them once more as on that first of May; And three glad wedded years became a day.94

Then, dawn by dawn, ere yet the low-tongued wind From unreluctant buds their sweets was wooing, While earliest shafts through ragged fissures blind Of cloud forth flashed, the flying night pursuing, Those brothers and that sister clomb the crag And blew the horn, and roused the antlered stag.95