Part 7 (1/2)

As to Fergus Mac Roy and his sons: they went on board their galley and put to sea, and made no delay till they reached the harbour nigh the campment of the sons of Usna. And coming ash.o.r.e, Fergus gave the loud shout of a mighty man of chase. The sons of Usna were at that same hour in their booth; and Naisi and Deirdre were sitting with a polished chessboard between them playing a game.

And when they heard the shout, Naisi said:--”That is the call of a man from Erin.”

”Not so,” replied Deirdre, ”it is the call of a man of Alban.”

And after a little time when a second shout came, Naisi said:--”That of a certainty is the call of a man of Erin!”

But Deirdre again replied:--”No, indeed: it concerns us not: let us play our game.”

But when a third shout came sounding louder than those before, Naisi arose and said:--”Now I know the voice: that is the shout of Fergus!”

And straightway he sent Ardan to the sh.o.r.e to meet him.

Now Deirdre knew the voice of Fergus from the first: but she kept her thoughts to herself: for her heart misgave her that the visit boded evil. And when she told Naisi that she knew the first shout, he said:--”Why, my queen, didst thou conceal it then?”

And she replied:--”Lo, I saw a vision in my sleep last night: three birds came to us from Emain Macha, with three drops of honey in their beaks, and they left us the honey and took away three drops of our blood.”

”What dost thou read from that vision, O princess?” said Naisi.

”It denotes the message from Concobar to us,” said Deirdre; ”for sweet as honey is the message of peace from a false man, while he has thoughts of blood hidden deep in his heart.”

When Ardan arrived at the sh.o.r.e, the sight of Fergus and his two sons was to him like rain on the parched gra.s.s; for it was long since he had seen any of his dear comrades from Erin. And he cried out as he came near, ”An affectionate welcome to you my dear companions”: and he fell on Fergus's neck and kissed his cheeks, and did the like to his sons.

Then he brought them to the hunting-booth; and Naisi, Ainnli, and Deirdre gave them a like kind welcome; after which they asked the news from Erin.

”The best news I have,” said Fergus, ”is that Concobar has sent me to you with kindly greetings, to bring you back to Emain and restore you to your lands and homes, and to your places in the Red Branch; and I am myself a pledge for your safety.”

”It is not meet for them to go,” said Deirdre: ”for here they are under no man's rule; and their sway in Alban is even as great as the sway of Concobar in Erin.”

But Fergus said: ”One's mother country is better than all else, and gloomy is life when a man sees not his home each morning.”

”Far dearer to me is Erin than Alban,” said Naisi, ”even though my sway should be greater here.”

It was not with Deirdre's consent he spoke these words: and she still earnestly opposed their return to Erin.

But Fergus tried to re-a.s.sure her:--”If all the men of Erin were against you,” said he, ”it would avail nought once I have pa.s.sed my word for your safety.”

”We trust in thee,” said Naisi, ”and we will go with thee to Erin.”

[Ill.u.s.tration: A gold box: 2-3/4 inches across: 1 inch deep. Found in a grave in Co. Cork. Use not known.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: Ancient Irish bronze lamp. Found in a _crannoge_ (i.e. an island-dwelling in a lake) in Co. Roscommon. The vessel held the oil, and the wick projected from the pipe.]

XIII.