t 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 these words in english： tumaus costello； my daughter is very ill。 the wise woman from knock？na？sidhe has seen her； and says she will die unless you e to her。 i therefore bid you e to her whose peace you stole by treachery。？ dermott； the son of dermott。
costello threw down his scythe； and sent one of the lads for duallach； who had bee woven into his mind with oona； and himself saddled his great horse and duallachs garron。
when they came to dermotts house it was late afternoon； and lough gara lay down below them； blue； mirror？like； and deserted； and though they had seen； when at a distance； dark figures moving about the door； the house appeared not less deserted than the lough。 the door stood half open； and costello knocked upon it again and again； so that a number of lake gulls flew up out of the grass and circled screaming over his head； but there was no answer。
there is no one here； said duallach； for dermott of the sheep is too proud to wele costello the proud；
and he threw the door open； and they saw a ragged； dirty； very old woman； who sat upon the floor leaning against the wall。 costello knew that it was bridget delaney； a deaf and dumb beggar； and she； when she saw him； stood up and made a sign to him to follow； and led him and his panion up a stair and down a long corridor to a closed door。 she pushed the door open and went a little way off and sat down as before； duallach sat upon the ground also； but close to the door； and costello went and gazed upon winny sleeping upon a bed。
he sat upon a chair beside her and waited； and a long time passed and still she slept on； and then duallach motioned to him through the door to wake her； but he hushed his very breath； that she might sleep on； for his heart was full of that ungovernable pity which makes the fading heart of the lover a shadow of the divine heart。 presently he turned to duallach and said： it is not right that i stay here where there are none of her kindred； for the mon people are always ready to blame the beautiful。 and then they went down and stood at the door of the house and waited； but the evening wore on and no one came。
it was a foolish man that called you proud costello； duallach cried at last； had he seen you waiting and waiting where they left none but a beggar to wele you； it is humble costello he would have called you。
then costello mounted and duallach mounted； but when they had ridden a little way costello tightened the reins and made his horse stand still。 many minutes passed； and then duallach cried： it is no wonder that you fear to offend dermott of the sheep； for he has many brothers and friends； and though he is old； he is a strong man and ready with his hands； and he is of the queens irish； and the enemies of the gael are upon his side。
and costello answered flushing and looking towards the house： i swear by the mother of god that i will never return there again if they do not send after me before i pass the ford in the brown river； and he rode on； but so very slowly that the sun went down and the bats began to fly over the bogs。 when he came to the river he lingered awhile upon the bank among the flowers of the flag； but presently rode out into the middle and stopped his horse in a foaming shallow。 duallach； however； crossed over and waited on a further bank above a deeper place。 after a good while duallach cried out again； and this time very bitterly： it was a fool who begot you and a fool who bore you； and they are fools of all fools who say you e of an old and noble stock； for you e of whey？faced beggars who travelled from door to door； bowing to gentles and to serving？men。
with bent head； costello rode through the river and stood beside him； and would have spoken had not hoofs clattered on the further bank and a horseman splashed towards them。 it was a serving？man of dermotts； and he said； speaking breathlessly like one who had ridden hard： tumaus costello； i e to bid you again to dermotts house。 when you had gone； his daughter winny awoke and called your name； for you had been in her dreams。 bridget delaney the dummy saw her lips move and the trouble upon her； and came where we were hiding in the wood above the house and took dermott of the sheep by the coat and brought him to his daughter。 he saw the trouble upon her； and bid me ride his own horse to bring you the quicker。
then costello turned towards the piper duallach daly； and taking him about the waist lifted him out of the saddle and hurled him against a grey rock that rose up out of the river； so that he fell lifeless into the deep place； and the waters swept over the tongue which god had made bitter； that there might be a story in mens ears in after time。 then plunging his spurs into the horse； he rode away furiously toward the north？west； along the edge of the river； and did not pause until he came to another and smoother ford； and saw the rising moon mirrored in the water。 he paused for a moment irresolute； and then rode into the ford and on over the ox mountains； and down towards the sea； his eyes almost continually resting upon the moon which glimmered in the dimness like a great white rose hung on the lattice of some boundless and phantasmal world。 but now his horse； long dark with sweat and breathing hard； for he kept spurring it to an extreme speed； fell heavily； hurling him into the grass at the roadside。 he tried to make it stand up； and failing in this； went on alone towards the moonlight； and came to the sea and saw a schooner lying there at anchor。 now that he could go no further because of the sea； he found that he was very tired and the night very cold； and went into a shebeen close to the shore and threw himself down upon a bench。 the room was full of spanish and irish sailors who had just smuggled a cargo of wine and ale； and were waiting a favourable wind to set out again。 a spaniard offered him a drink in bad gaelic。 he drank it greedily and began talking wildly and rapidly。
for some three weeks the wind blew inshore or with too great violence； and the sailors stayed drinking and talking and playing cards； and costello stayed with them； sleeping