How joy was found a fantasy

[_Frantically, to Marksman._] You that’s so good at marking eggs, Why couldn’t you tell other folk About the yolk? MARKSMAN [_Tranquilly._] You never asked me, or I would have told. Are you not old Enough—have you not got two legs, A pair of hands, a level Enough head (When all is done and said) From which to deduce the devil? FINN [_Losing all control._] Liar! It was your duty to tell! MARKSMAN [_Quietly and sorrowfully._] Go to Hell. [_Finn rushes out. The Climber is all this time kneeling by the settle with her head buried in her hands, and does not appear to hear anything around her._] CARPENTER [_Angrily, to Marksman._] Didn’t the woman tell her that the Giant Who steals the children was just like a man? If we had known we wouldn’t have been so pliant. MARKSMAN [_Turning to look at him with a strange smile._] Why didn’t you ask her about him? She never can Tell you very much until You ask her of your own free will. CARPENTER [_Sneeringly._] I don’t believe she knew! MARKSMAN [_Turning and looking at him._] Don’t you? CARPENTER [_Trying to look him in the face, but getting very red, drops his eyes and mutters._] Well, maybe she did. You needn’t make a stir, I don’t pretend to understand folk like her. MARKSMAN [_As before._] Don’t you? CARPENTER [_Defiantly and reluctantly._] Well, if I do it’s not because I can’t. MARKSMAN [_As before._] Isn’t it? [_Silence._] Come, answer me! CARPENTER [_Defiantly._] I shan’t! MARKSMAN [_Letting him go with a contemptuous kick from behind._] Then follow Finn until you’ve learned compliance. CARPENTER [_Calling Tracker._] Come on! Let’s show them we’ve some self-reliance! TRACKER [_To Gripper, who is still standing quietly holding the arm he has pulled out._] Come on! There’s no use holding any more To the sneck of _that_ door. [_Pointing to arm._] GRIPPER Where are you going? [_He looks undecided._] TRACKER There’s no knowing, I’m bound to follow him. [_Points to Carpenter._] GRIPPER [_Looking round doubtfully._] The light is very dim, Where is he taking us? CARPENTER [_Pulling him by the collar._] Come on without any more fuss. TRACKER [_Pulling at the Hand._] Drop it, I say, drop it! MARKSMAN [_Intervening sternly._] Stop it! [_The Tracker and the Carpenter fling out after Finn._] THIEF [_To Marksman._] I’ll follow them. I musn’t be inhuman, They’ll certainly get lost without a woman. MARKSMAN Take care, they’ve gone to Hell. THIEF [_Quietly indicating the Climber._] Look after this child well, And I will steal all Heaven before you can tell. LISTENER [_Eagerly._] What fun! May I come too? THIEF [_Pointing to the Climber._] Not yet, she’s need of you. [_Exit Thief._] LISTENER [_Coming forward and gazing up at the hole in the roof with his hands on his knees._] Well, that was a clean sweep! [_To Climber._] I say, don’t weep! MARKSMAN [_With his finger on his lips._] Hush! She’s saying her prayers! LISTENER [_Abashed and embarrassed._] Oh, sorry! [_He crosses to the window and leans out, and then softly beckons to the Gripper. The Marksman is sitting quietly in Finn’s chair by the fire._] LISTENER [_To Gripper, speaking softly not to disturb the Climber._] Look at the sky, and that green stretch of clear Behind the Bidean! There’s really no night here. [_He sits astride the window whistling softly, and then begins to sing this song under his breath._] I had a vision of Hope. She came to me Long before morning came, long ere the day Had folded night in her bosom and gathered away The stars in her brightness; I saw as it were a whiteness Like a shimmer on the sea; Long before morning broke She awoke And came to me. There are some who never see her, There are some who never hear Her whisper at their ear. I was awake and heard Before the thrushes stirred. Deep in her heart she showed me, Long before it was spring, A lovely thing. All the April bulbs unsleeping, Beneath the garden keeping Watch for the dawn, All the eyes of the daisies wide-awake under the lawn. There are some who will not trust her, There are some who blindly thrust her Out of sight Into the solitary night. Grievous souls! They do not know That her lovely sign is true: I listened and I knew. MARKSMAN That’s good enough! [_Climber springs up lightly._] CLIMBER Why! Where’s Finn? LISTENER [_Coming down._] Gone off in the huff While you were saying your prayers. CLIMBER [_Desperately, to Marksman._] I don’t believe it! Tell me there’s No truth in what he said. MARKSMAN [_Quietly._] Yes, for the present, Finn is dead. CLIMBER [_Quietly steadfast._] I don’t believe it. MARKSMAN He has lost his head. CLIMBER [_Looking round._] Where are the others? GRIPPER [_Sarcastically._] They’ve followed him like brothers. CLIMBER Has the Thief gone with the rest? MARKSMAN Yes; she thought it best. She said it was inhuman To let them go without a woman. CLIMBER [_Radiantly, with upraised face._] Thank you! LISTENER [_To Marksman._] Who’s she speaking to? [_The Marksman quietly shoots an arrow out of the window._] LISTENER Why did you do that? MARKSMAN Being under my protection She looked straight in the right direction. LISTENER [_Who has run to the window to look after the arrow._] I say! They’ve put off in the boat And left us all behind! CLIMBER [_Anxiously._] Has Finn got his coat? LISTENER No; there it is behind The press. CLIMBER Is the Thief there? LISTENER Yes. CLIMBER Then never mind. [_To Gripper._] Come! You must follow And take the tiller, or the sea will swallow Them all. GRIPPER [_Plaintively._] It’s no use; I would fall Without something to grip. CLIMBER Are you afraid to slip If I make fast A rope to the mast? GRIPPER [_Brightening._] Oh no! not if you give me anything To hold to, even the smallest bit of string. But how will you get over there? It’s far too rough to swim. Take care! CLIMBER [_To Listener._] Can you hear What the Thief is saying? LISTENER [_Putting his ear to the ground and listening intently._] I rather think she’s praying. CLIMBER [_Clapping her hands delightedly._] Then come along, the danger’s past, I’ve tied a life-line to the mast! [_Exit all running eagerly, the Climber carrying Finn’s coat._] ACT III. SCENE 3 AT SEA: SUNSET _A stormy dark sunset, late in the gloaming. The ship is seen tossing wildly on a tempestuous sea. The Thief is sitting quietly in the stern with her head bowed; her face is invisible. The Carpenter and the Tracker are whimpering on the floor. Finn is alone at the helm, but the waves are driving the boat about at their mercy._ CARPENTER [_Terrified, from bottom of boat._] I don’t believe this boat is sound. TRACKER [_Blubbering with terror._] Boohoo! Boohoo! We’s all going to be drowned! [_Clutches Finn’s legs._] FINN [_Spurning him suddenly._] Be quiet, you fool! [_The Tracker collapses howling in a corner._] CARPENTER Cheer up! You’ll soon be able to keep cool. [_A great shower of spray comes over and drenches them. The Tracker cries despairingly._] CARPENTER [_To Finn._] I had a sense of something due To someone, though I scare kent who, And like a fool I lent my ship to you. Although I made her at my own expense I thought you had a little common sense. Didn’t I tell you she was bound To carry you quite safe and sound From earth to Heaven, if you could handle Her properly. It’s a fair scandal To see the way you hold the tiller. You’ll sink her. Look! You’ll sink and fill her! [_The ship heels and dips, the Tracker yells again, and even the Carpenter gasps and moans._] I thought that she would even carry God back again to earth to tarry. Oh! If she’d had another master Than you, she would have got on faster, But with this God-forsaken mind No other body could I find. TRACKER [_To Carpenter, blubbering._] I’d like to tell you what I think Of you. CARPENTER I jalouse we must sink Our differences for a little; This boat won’t stand it, she’s too brittle.