u--what is your right, and who are you,
To praise God?

REDFEATHER.

A lost soul. In earth or heaven
What has a better right?

PRIEST.

Go, pagan, go!
Drink, dice, and dance: take no more thought than blind
Beasts of the field....

REDFEATHER.

Or ... lilies of the field,
To quote a pagan sage. I go my way.

PRIEST [_solemnly_].

And when Death comes....

REDFEATHER.

He shall not find me dead.

[_Puts on his plumed hat. The priests go out._]

REDFEATHER.

These frozen fools....

[_The Lady Olive comes out of the chapel. He sees her._]

Oh, they were right enough.
Where shall I hide my carrion from the sun?

[_Buries his face. His hat drops to the ground._]

OLIVE [_looking up._]

Captain, are you from church? I saw you not.

REDFEATHER.

No, I am here.

[_Lays his hand on a gargoyle._]

I, too, am a grotesque,
And dance with all the devils on the roof.

OLIVE [_with a strange smile._]

For Satan, also, I have often prayed.

REDFEATHER [_roughly_].

Satan may worry women if he will,
For he was but an angel ere he fell,
But I--before I fell--I was a man.

OLIVE.

He too, my Master, was a man: too strong
To fear a strong man's sins: 'tis written He
Descended into hell.

REDFEATHER.

Write, then, that I

[_Leaps to the ground before her._]

Descended into heaven....
You are ill?

OLIVE.

No, well....

REDFEATHER.

You speak the truth--you are the Truth--
Lady, say once again then, 'I am _well_.'

OLIVE.

I--ah! God give me grace--I am nigh dead.

REDFEATHER [_quietly._]

Lord Orm?

OLIVE.

Yes--yes.

REDFEATHER.

Is in your father's house--
Having the title-deeds--would drive you forth.
Homeless, and with your father sick to death,
Into this winter, save on a condition
Named....

OLIVE.

And unnameable. Even so; Lord Orm--
Ah! do you know him?

REDFEATHER.

Ay, I saw him once.
The sun shone on his face, that smiled and smiled,
A sight not wholesome to the eyes of man.

OLIVE.

Captain, I tell you God once fell asleep.
And in that hour the world went as it would;
Dogs brought forth cats, and poison grew in grapes,
And Orm was born....

REDFEATHER.

Why, curse him! can he not
Be kicked or paid?

OLIVE [_feverishly_].

Hush! He is just behind
There in the house--see how the great house glares,
Glares like an ogre's mask--the whole dead house
Possessed wit