The sons of Usna a tragi-apotheosis, in five acts |
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| 7. | SCENE VII. |
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 | The sons of Usna |  |
SCENE VII.
The Red Branch. Enter Conor attended by Soldiers.CONOR.
First, kill, then fire the Mansion! Kill them all!
Charge on them, Soldiers! Kill them all at once!
[Exeunt Soldiers.
The red flames tower, like serpent-tongues of fire,
Spitting their hissing venom to the sky!
Hear how the rafters crack, while the red sparks
Of fiery hail snow all the earth around
With one deep Lava-Sea!
[Exit. Shouts without.
Enter Naisa and Daidra.
NAISA.
What shouts are those?
Whence comes that deluge of thick fire, whose glare
Crimsons the very canopy of Heaven—
As if the saintly face of God blushed red
At man's ingratitude? The Red Branch is
On fire!
DAIDRA.
On fire? Yes, yes, it is on fire!
Oh! God! this comes from Conor's treachery!
This comes from Fergus' guarantee! Come, fly!
[Exeunt.
Re-enter Soldiers.
SOLDIERS.
Conor and Ulster! Charge on Usna's Sons!
Sons of a King, who would be King! Charge! Kill—kill
Them all like dogs! Cut off their heads! put out
Their eyes! as they did Trendorn's this sad morn!
[Exeunt Soldiers.
Re-enter Conor, followed by Illan the Fair.
ILLAN.
What! would you break the guarantee of Fergus?
Base Conor! Hell will gnaw thy bones for this!
CONOR.
Now, by the Eternal Gods! will we repay
The Sons of Usna, in their own base coin,
For stealing my Daidra from my arms!
[Exeunt.
Re-enter Naisa and Daidra, attended by Buini.
DAIDRA.
Alas! Fergus has acted traitorously,
And we will all be slain! I told you so!
I told you Conor would prove false! Where is
His guarantee for our protection now!
NAISA.
Here, in the strength of these two arms! Here, in
The conscious rectitude of our own hearts!
This is the mail that God has woven for us
Out of His adamantine steel in Heaven!
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The honorable souls that live within!
But, if they do, then there is no more truth,
Nor God, nor Christ, nor Heaven—but all is Hell!
Truths such as these now living in my soul,
With this strong arm, my body for my shield,—
Will I go forth to fight them till I die!
Then, brothers! arm yourselves for fight! Come on!
For Fergus—Conor—all are false!
BUINI.
By Heaven!
If Fergus is, his son will never be!
Now, then, come forth my sword! Charge on them, friends!
[Exeunt omnes, charging on the foe. Alarum.
Re-enter Buini, followed by Conor.
CONOR.
How many hast thou slain?
BUINI.
Thrice fifty men!
CONOR.
A bribe from me to you.
BUINI.
What bribe is that?
CONOR.
A District of rich land.
BUINI.
What else?
CONOR.
My love—
And privacy in counsel.
BUINI.
I consent.
CONOR.
Then come with me! One-half my troops are slain!
The Sons of Usna fight more like damned Fiends,
Or run-mad Devils hot from Hell, than men!
Hark! hark! I hear them now! their fiery swords
Clank to the groanings of the dying men,
Cutting their pathway through our falling ranks
Up to eternal glory on my throne!
They must be stopped, or all is lost! Come on!
[Exeunt.
| The sons of Usna | |