s
what broke her down in the latter end, hearing
him to be no big man at all, but a clown!

_Nurse_: Oh, my darling! And I not here to
tell you! You are a motherless child, and the
curse of your mother will be on me! It was no
clown fought for you, but a king, having generations
of kings behind him, the young King of Sorcha,
Manus, son of Solas son of Lugh.

_King_: I would believe that now sooner than
many a thing I would hear.

_Nurse: (Keening.)_ Oh, my child, and my
share! I thought it was you would be closing my
eyes, and now I am closing your own! You to
be brought away in your young youth! Your hand
that was whiter than the snow of one night, and
the colour of the foxglove on your cheek.

_(A great shouting outside and burst of music.
A march played. Manus comes in, followed
by Fintan and Prince of the Marshes.
Shouts and music continue. He leads the
Dragon by a bridle. The others are in
front of Princess, huddled from Dragon.
Queen gets up on a chair.)_

_Manus_: Where is the Princess Nu? I have
brought this beast to bow itself at her feet.

_(All are silent. Manus flings bridle to
Fintan's hand. Dragon backs out. All
go aside from Princess.)_

_Nurse_: She is here dead before you.

_Manus_: That cannot be! She was well and
living half an hour ago.

_Nurse: (Rises.)_ Oh, if she could but waken
and hear your voice! She died with the fret of
losing you, that is heaven's truth! It is tormented
she was with these giving out you were done away
with, and mocking at your weapons that they laid
down to be the cleaver and the spit, till the heart
broke in her like a nut.

_Manus: (Kneeling beside her.)_ Then it is myself
have brought the death darkness upon you at the
very time I thought to have saved you!

_Nurse_: There is no blame upon you, but some
that had too much talk!

_(Goes on keening.)_

_Manus_: What call had I to come humbugging
and letting on as I did, teasing and tormenting
her, and not coming as a King should that is come
to ask for a Queen! Oh, come back for one minute
only till I will ask your pardon!

_Dall Glic_: She cannot come to you or answer
you at all for ever.

_Manus_: Then I myself will go follow you and
will ask for your forgiveness wherever you are gone,
on the Plain of Wonder or in the Many-Coloured
Land! That is all I can do ...to go after you
and tell you it was no want of respect that brought
me in that dress, but hurry and folly and taking
my own way.