The Two Women

Lo! very fair is she who knows the ways Of joy: in pleasure's mocking wisdom old, The eyes that might be cold to flattery, kind; The hair that might be grey with knowledge, gold.
    But thou art more than these things, O my queen, For thou art clad in ancient wars and tears. And looking forth, framed in the crown of thorns, I saw the youngest face in all the spheres.
    THE WILD KNIGHT
    The wasting thistle whitens on my crest, The barren grasses blow upon my spear, A green, pale pennon: blazon of wild faith And love of fruitless things: yea, of my love, Among the golden loves of all the knights, Alone: most hopeless, sweet, and blasphemous, The love of God: I hear the crumbling creeds Like cliffs washed down by water, change, and pass; I hear a noise of words, age after age, A new cold wind that blows across the plains, And all the shrines stand empty; and to me All these are nothing: priests and schools may doubt Who never have believed; but I have loved. Ah friends, I know it passing well, the love Wherewith I love; it shall not bring to me Return or hire or any pleasant thing-- Ay, I have tried it: Ay, I know its roots. Earthquake and plague have burst on it in vain And rolled back shattered-- Babbling neophytes! Blind, startled fools--think you I know it not? Think you to teach me?  Know I not His ways? Strange-visaged blunders, mystic cruelties. All! all! I know Him, for I love Him. Go!
    So, with the wan waste grasses on my spear, I ride for ever, seeking after God. My hair grows whiter than my thistle plume, And all my limbs are loose; but in my eyes The star of an unconquerable praise: For in my soul one hope for ever sings, That at the next white corner of a road My eyes may look on Him.... Hush--I shall know The place when it is found: a twisted path Under a twisted pear-tree--this I saw In the first dream I had ere I was born, Wherein He spoke.... But the grey clouds come down In hail upon the icy plains: I ride, Burning for ever in consuming fire.
    THE WILD KNIGHT
    A dark manor-house shuttered and unlighted, outlined against a pale sunset: in front a large, but neglected, garden. To the right, in the foreground, the porch of a chapel, with coloured windows lighted. Hymns within.
    Above the porch a grotesque carved bracket, supporting a lantern. Astride of it sits CAPTAIN REDFEATHER, a flagon in his hand.
    REDFEATHER.
    I have drunk to all I know of, To every leaf on the tree, To the highest bird of the heavens, To the lowest fish of the sea. What toast, what toast remaineth, Drunk down in the same good wine, By the tippler's cup in the tavern, And the priest's cup at the shrine?
    [A Priest comes out, stick in hand, and looks right and left.]
    VOICES WITHIN.
    The brawler ...
    PRIEST.
    He has vanished
    REDFEATHER.
    To the stars.
    [The Priest looks up.]
    PRIEST [angrily].
    What would you there, sir?
    REDFEATHER.
    Give you all a toast.
    [Lifts his flagon. More priests come out.]
    I see my life behind me: bad enough-- Drink, duels, madness, beggary, and pride, The life of the unfit: yet ere I drop On Nature's rubbish heap, I weigh it all, And give you all a toast--
    [Reels to his feet and stands.]
    The health of God!
    [They all recoil from him.]
    Let's give the Devil of the Heavens His due! He that made grass so green, and wine so red, Is not so black as you have painted him.
    [Drinks.]
    PRIEST.
    Blaspheming profligate!
    REDFEATHER [hurls the flagon among them.]
    Howl! ye dumb dogs, I named your King--let me have one great shout, Flutter the seraphim like startled birds; Make God recall the good days of His youth Ere saints had saddened Him: when He came back Conqueror of Chaos in a six days' war, With all the sons of God shouting for joy ...
    PRIEST.
    And you--what is your right, and who are you, To praise God?
    REDFEATHER.
    A lost soul. In earth or heaven What has a better right?
    PRIEST.
    Go, pagan, go! Drink, dice, and dance: take no more thought than blind Beasts of the field....
    REDFEATHER.
    Or ... lilies of the field, To quote a pagan sage. I go my way.
    PRIEST [solemnly].
    And when Death comes....
    REDFEATHER.
    He shall not find me dead.
    [Puts on his plumed hat. The priests go out.]
    REDFEATHER.
    These frozen fools....
    [The Lady Olive comes out of the chapel. He sees her.]
    Oh, they were right enough. Where shall I hide my carrion from the sun?
    [Buries his face. His hat drops to the ground.]
    OLIVE [looking up.]
    Captain, are you from church? I saw you not.
    REDFEATHER.
    No, I am here.
    [Lays his hand on a gargoyle.]
    I, too, am a grotesque, And dance with all the devils on the roof.
    OLIVE [with a strange smile.]
    For Satan, also, I have often prayed.
    REDFEATHER [roughly].
    Satan may worry women if he will, For he was but an angel ere he fell, But I--before I fell--I was a man.
    OLIVE.
    He too, my Master, was a man: too strong To fear a strong man's sins: 'tis written He Descended into hell.
    REDFEATHER.
    Write, then, that I
    [Leaps to the ground before her.]
    Descended into heaven.... You are ill?
    OLIVE.
    No, well....
    REDFEATHER.
    You speak the truth--you are the Truth-- Lady, say once again then, 'I am well.'
    OLIVE.
    I--ah! God give me grace--I am nigh dead.
    REDFEATHER [quietly.]
    Lord Orm?
    OLIVE.
    Yes--yes.
    REDFEATHER.
    Is in your father's house-- Having the title-deeds--would drive you forth. Homeless, and with your father sick to death, Into this winter, save on a condition Named....
    OLIVE.
    And unnameable. Even so; Lord Orm-- Ah! do you know him?
    REDFEATHER.
    Ay, I saw him once. The sun shone on his face, that smiled and smiled, A sight not wholesome to the eyes of man.
    OLIVE.
    Captain, I tell you God once fell asleep. And in that hour the world went as it would; Dogs brought forth cats, and poison grew in grapes, And Orm was born....
    REDFEATHER.
    Why, curse him! can he not Be kicked or paid?
    OLIVE [feverishly].
    Hush! He is just behind There in the house--see how the great house glares, Glares like an ogre's mask--the whole dead house Possessed with bestial meaning....
    [Screams]
    Ah! the face! The whole great grinning house--his face! his face! His face!
    REDFEATHER [in a voice of thunder, pointing away from the house].
    Look there--look there!
    OLIVE.
    What is it? What?
    REDFEATHER.
    I think it was a bird.
    OLIVE.
    What thought you, truly?
    REDFEATHER.
    I think a mighty thought is drawing near.
    [Enter THE WILD KNIGHT.]
    THE WILD KNIGHT.
    That house....
    [Points.]
    OLIVE.
    Ah Christ! [Shudders.] I had forgotten it.
    THE WILD KNIGHT [still pointing].
    That house! the house at last, the house of God, Wherein God makes an evening feast for me. The house at last: I know the twisted path Under the twisted pear-tree: this I saw In the first dream I had ere I was born. It is the house of God. He welcomes me.
    [Strides forward.]
    REDFEATHER.
    That house. God's blood!
    OLIVE [hysterically].
    Is not this hell's own wit?