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ep 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 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 b