《The Secret Rose》第17章

and　then　the　cup　rolled　over　and　over　on　the　ground；　ringing　like　a　bell；　for　the　old　man　had　struck　her　in　the　face　and　the　cup　had　fallen；　and　there　was　a　deep　silence。
there　were　many　of　namaras　people　among　the　servants　now　e　out　of　the　alcove；　and　one　of　them；　a　story？teller　and　poet；　a　last　remnant　of　the　bardic　order；　who　had　a　chair　and　a　platter　in　namaras　kitchen；　drew　a　french　knife　out　of　his　girdle　and　made　as　though　he　would　strike　at　costello；　but　in　a　moment　a　blow　had　hurled　him　to　the　ground；　his　shoulder　sending　the　cup　rolling　and　ringing　again。　the　click　of　steel　had　followed　quickly；　had　not　there　e　a　muttering　and　shouting　from　the　peasants　about　the　door　and　from　those　crowding　up　behind　them；　and　all　knew　that　these　were　no　children　of　queens　irish　or　friendly　namaras　and　dermotts；　but　of　the　wild　irish　about　lough　gara　and　lough　cara；　who　rowed　their　skin　coracles；　and　had　masses　of　hair　over　their　eyes；　and　left　the　right　arms　of　their　children　unchristened　that　they　might　give　the　stouter　blows；　and　swore　only　by　st。　atty　and　sun　and　moon；　and　worshipped　beauty　and　strength　more　than st。　atty　or　sun　and　moon。
costellos　hand　had　rested　upon　the　handle　of　his　sword　and　his　knuckles　had　grown　white；　but　now　he　drew　it　away；　and；　followed　by　those　who　were　with　him；　strode　towards　the　door；　the　dancers　giving　way　before　him；　the　most　angrily　and　slowly；　and　with　glances　at　the　muttering　and　shouting　peasants；　but　some　gladly　and　quickly；　because　the　glory　of　his　fame　was　over　him。　he　passed　through　the　fierce　and　friendly　peasant　faces；　and　came　where　his　good　horse　and　the　rough？　haired　garrons　were　tied　to　bushes；　and　mounted　and　bade　his　ungainly　bodyguard　mount　also　and　ride　into　the　narrow　boreen。　when　they　had　gone　a　little　way；　duallach；　who　rode　last；　turned　towards　the　house　where　a　little　group　of　dermotts　and　namaras　stood　next　to　a　more　numerous　group　of　countrymen；　and　cried：　dermott；　you　deserve　to　be　as　you　are　this　hour；　a　lantern　without　a　candle；　a　purse　without　a　penny；　a　sheep　without　wool；　for　your　hand　was　ever　niggardly　to　piper　and　fiddler　and　story？teller　and　to　poor　travelling　people。　he　had　not　done　before　the　three　old　dermotts　from　the　ox　mountains　had　run　towards　their　horses；　and　old　dermott　himself　had　caught　the　bridle　of　a　garron　of　the　namaras　and　was　calling　to　the　others　to　follow　him；　and　many　blows　and　many　deaths　had　been　had　not　the　countrymen　caught　up　still　glowing　sticks　from　the　ashes　of　the　fires　and　hurled　them　among　the　horses　with　loud　cries；　making　all　plunge　and　rear；　and　some　break　from　those　who　held　them；　the　whites　of　their　eyes　gleaming　in　the　dawn。
for　the　next　few　weeks　costello　had　no　lack　of　news　of　oona；　for　now　a　woman　selling　eggs　or　fowls；　and　now　a　man　or　a　woman　on　pilgrimage　to　the　well　of　the　rocks；　would　tell　him　how　his　love　had　fallen　ill　the　day　after　st。　johns　eve；　and　how　she　was　a　little　better　or　a　little　worse；　as　it　might　be；　and　though　he　looked　to　his　horses　and　his　cows　and　goats　as　usual；　the　mon　and　unely；　the　dust　upon　the　roads；　the　songs　of　men　returning　from　fairs　and　wakes；　men　playing　cards　in　the　corners　of　fields　on　sundays　and　saints
days；　the　rumours　of　battles　and　changes　in　the　great　world；　the　deliberate　purposes　of　those　about　him；　troubled　him　with　an　inexplicable　trouble；　and　the　country　people　still　remember　how　when　night　had　fallen　he　would　bid　duallach　of　the　pipes　tell；　to　the　chirping　of　the　crickets；　the　son　of　apple；　the　beauty　of　the　world；　the　king　of　irelands　son；　or　some　other　of　those　traditional　tales　which　were　as　much　a　pipers　business　as　the　green　bunch　of　rushes；　the　unchion　stream；　or　the　chiefs　of　breffeny；　and　while　the　boundless　and　phantasmal　world　of　the　legends　was　a？building；　would　abandon　himself　to　the　dreams　of　his　sorrow。
duallach　would　often　pause　to　tell　how　some　clan　of　the　wild　irish　had　descended　from　an　inparable　king　of　the　blue　belt；　or　warrior　of　the　ozier　wattle；　or　to　tell　with　many　curses　how　all　the　strangers　and　most　of　the　queens　irish　were　the　seed　of　the　misshapen　and　horned　people　from　under　the　sea　or　of　the　servile　and　creeping　ferbolg；　but　costello　cared　only　for　the　love　sorrows；　and　no　matter　whither　the　stories　wandered；　whether　to　the　isle　of　the　red　lough；　where　the　blessed　are；　or　to　the　malign　country　of　the　hag　of　the　east；　oona　alone　endured　their　shadowy　hardships；　for　it　was　she　and　no　kings　daughter　of　old　who　was　hidden　in　the　steel　tower　under　the　water　with　the　folds　of　the　worm　of　nine　eyes　round　and　about　her　prison；　and　it　was　she　who　won　by　seven　years　of　service　the　right　to　deliver　from　hell　all　she　could　carry；　and　carried　away　multitudes　clinging　with　worn　fingers　to　the　hem　of　her　dress；　and　it　was　she　who　endured　dumbness　for　a　year　because　of　the　little　thorn　of　enchantment　the　fairies　had　thrust　into　her　tongue；　and　it　was　a　lock　of　her　hair；　coiled　in　a　little　carved　box；　which　gave　so　great　a　light　that　men　threshed　by　it　from　sundown　to　sunrise；　and　awoke　so　great　a　wonder　that　kings　spent　years　in　wandering　or　fell　before　unknown　armies　in　seeking　to　discover　her　hiding？place；　for　there　was　no　beauty　in　the　world　but　hers；　no　tragedy　in　the　world　but　hers：　and　when　at　last　the　voice　of　the　piper；　grown　gentle　with　the　wisdom　of　old　romance；　was　silent；　and　his　rheumatic　steps　had　toiled　upstairs　and　to　bed；　and　costello　had　dipped　his　fingers　into　the　little　delf　font　of　holy　water　and　begun　to　pray　to　mary　of　the　seven　sorrows；　the　blue　eyes　and　star？covered　dress　of　the　painting　in　the　chapel　faded　from　his　imagination；　and　the　brown　eyes　and　homespun　dress　of　dermotts　daughter　winny　came　in　their　stead；　for　there　was　no　tenderness　in　the　passion　who　keep　their　hearts　pure　for　love　or　for　hatred　as　other　men　for　god；　for　mary　and　for　the　saints；　and　who；　when　the　hour　of　their　visitation　arrives；　e　to　the　divine　essence　by　the　bitter　tumult；　the　garden　of　gethsemane；　and　the　desolate　rood　ordained　for　immortal　passions　in　mortal　hearts。
one　day　a　serving？man　rode　up　to　costello；　who　was　helping　his　two　lads　to　reap　a　meadow；　and　gave　him　a　letter；　and　rode　away　without　a　word；　and　the　letter　contained　t