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 common 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 welcome 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 Queen's Irish, and the enemies
of the Gael are upon his side.
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