ABBOT-- You fetch--
I'll take the lamp and cup; you fetch the wine.
I will have Pierre watch with him to-night.
(_Louis turns back to the window. The Abbot
relights his lamp at the little taper in the
wall and then goes left._)
LOUIS--By the way, Father, old Andrew has gone mad.
The storm has blown his mind's last spark out. Yes;
He tried to take the bracelets from Luigi
And would have dragged the chest out.
ABBOT-- And did he?
LOUIS-- No;
But it was all that four of us could do
To hold him. He is on the seas again,
And peers abroad and swears he sees great ships--
(_Out in the storm is heard the booming of a bell.
They listen. Louis crosses himself and
mutters._)
_Sed libera nos a malo._ Father-- (_The Abbot lifts his hand._)
What
Do you think it means? (_A pause._)
ABBOT-- Come to my room.
(_To himself, as he goes left._) If
The etherial gods, as the wise poet says,
Dwell afar off and in the affairs of men
Interfere not, our domes shall rise yet.
(_Turning._) Louis,
Bring the scroll.
LOUIS-- Which?
ABBOT-- Lucretius. On the floor.
(_In the doorway he stops and listens as for the
bell. As he goes out._) If.
(_Louis takes up the parchment which lies upon the_
_floor near the Abbot's chair and, going to the
rear door, shuts it and slides the bolt. He
then blows out the taper in the wall._)
LOUIS-- (_Listening._)
The witches have their way in heaven to-night.
(_He comes to the table and, taking up the flagon,
goes out, left._)
_SCENE THREE--The court yard of the abbey, as in Scene Three
of the Second Act. A storm is heard roaring through the
mountains, with an occasional rumble of thunder and in the
darkness sudden luster as of lightning far off. In these
flashes, the scene gleams wet as after a hard rain._
_From the right, comes a faint sound as of a stick tapping on_
_stone, and soon along the side of the dormitory old Andrew_
_appears, carrying a staff with which he is feeling his way
through the darkness._
ANDREW--Here a black squall, sou'-wester, south-south-west.
Star--star gone! Where's the pole?
(_Shouting._) Furl the main, lads!
On she spins, whirling past world on world. Hip!
Feel her--feel her heave! (_Shouting._) Take in the mizzen!
A thousand thousand fathoms down, the moon
Shines like a fish. (_He peers around the corner._)
Black as--Hear the masts crack.
Watch Alvinach! Watch for the ninth wave, lads!
(_Lightning._)
Put out that broom! You'll have the witches here.
Mother, they've burnt the baby!--Hya! Lie down.
(_He walks out in the court._)
Here's a night, God bless us! Here's a gale
To make the sea-girls sing. Scylla! Carribee!
Shake your dead bones! Shake 'em and sing! Blow, then.
Growl, Scylla! Growl, ocean-bitch, bark and growl!
Now, Carribee, whirl! Shake the big gulf and slush!
Gulp down the worlds with stars and moons and moons!
(_Lightning._)
Yip, there they go! Suck 'em down! suck 'em down!
Arcturus down! Down Cancer! down the Scales!
Whirled into the pit! Weigh the devils, Scales!
Weigh the big Serpent! Weigh Beelzebub!
Hands ahelm! Ahull, boys! Lash her to the lea!
Lash her to the lea! Splinters! Watch out, lads!
Saint Telme! Saint Telme! Hold the gunnel there!
(_The bell sounds in the chapel tower._)
Who's dead? Who's dead, i' the Devil's name?
Fetch me those rings. Now throw him overboard.
Scrub these stains, Luigi. Keep the dog back there.
This gold will glitter on the Judgment Day.
I hear you whispering, scoundrels!--Hya! Lie down.
(_He walks back, singing._)
_There's wind up in her pitch-black flag;_
_There's foam around her keel._