Poems. William Butler Yeats

them in here?

SHEMUS

      So you'd stand up against me, and you'd say

      Who or what I am to welcome here. (He hits her.)

      That is to show who's master.

TEIG

      Call them in.

MARY

      God help us all!

SHEMUS

      Pray, if you have a mind to.

      It's little that the sleepy ears above

      Care for your words; but I'll call what I please.

TEIG

      There is many a one, they say, had money from them.

SHEMUS (at door)

      Whatever you are that walk the woods at night,

      So be it that you have not shouldered up

      Out of a grave – for I'll have nothing human —

      And have free hands, a friendly trick of speech,

      I welcome you. Come, sit beside the fire.

      What matter if your head's below your arms

      Or you've a horse's tail to whip your flank,

      Feathers instead of hair, that's but a straw,

      Come, share what bread and meat is in the house,

      And stretch your heels and warm them in the ashes.

      And after that, let's share and share alike

      And curse all men and women. Come in, come in.

      What, is there no one there? (Turning from door)

      And yet they say

      They are as common as the grass, and ride

      Even upon the book in the priest's hand.

      (TEIG lifts one arm slowly and points toward the door and begins moving backwards. SHEMUS turns, he also sees something and begins moving backward. MARY does the same. A man dressed as an Eastern merchant comes in carrying a small carpet. He unrolls it and sits cross-legged at one end of it. Another man dressed in the same way follows, and sits at the other end. This is done slowly and deliberately. When they are seated they take money out of embroidered purses at their girdles and begin arranging it on the carpet.)

TEIG

      You speak to them.

SHEMUS

      No, you.

TEIG

      'Twas you that called them.

SHEMUS (coming nearer)

      I'd make so bold, if you would pardon it,

      To ask if there's a thing you'd have of us.

      Although we are but poor people, if there is,

      Why, if there is —

FIRST MERCHANT

      We've travelled a long road,

      For we are merchants that must tramp the world,

      And now we look for supper and a fire

      And a safe corner to count money in.

SHEMUS

      I thought you were … but that's no matter now —

      There had been words between my wife and me

      Because I said I would be master here,

      And ask in what I pleased or who I pleased

      And so… but that is nothing to the point,

      Because it's certain that you are but merchants.

FIRST MERCHANT

      We travel for the Master of all merchants.

SHEMUS

      Yet if you were that I had thought but now

      I'd welcome you no less. Be what you please

      And you'll have supper at the market rate,

      That means that what was sold for but a penny

      Is now worth fifty.

      (MERCHANTS begin putting money on carpet.)

FIRST MERCHANT

      Our Master bids us pay

      So good a price, that all who deal with us

      Shall eat, drink, and be merry.

SHEMUS (to MARY)

      Bestir yourself,

      Go kill and draw the fowl, while Teig and I

      Lay out the plates and make a better fire.

MARY

      I will not cook for you.

SHEMUS

      Not cook! not cook!

      Do not be angry. She wants to pay me back

      Because I struck her in that argument.

      But she'll get sense again. Since the dearth came

      We rattle one on another as though we were

      Knives thrown into a basket to be cleaned.

MARY

      I will not cook for you, because I know

      In what unlucky shape you sat but now

      Outside this door.

TEIG

      It's this, your honours:

      Because of some wild words my father said

      She thinks you are not of those who cast a shadow.

SHEMUS

      I said I'd make the devils of the wood

      Welcome, if they'd a mind to eat and drink;

      But it is certain that you are men like us.

FIRST MERCHANT

      It's strange that she should think we cast no shadow,

      For there is nothing on the ridge of the world

      That's more substantial than the merchants are

      That buy and sell you.

MARY

      If you are not demons,

      And seeing what great wealth is spread out there,

      Give food or money to the starving poor.

FIRST MERCHANT

      If we knew how to find deserving poor

      We'd do our share.

MARY

      But seek them patiently.

FIRST MERCHANT

      We know the evils of mere charity.

MARY

      Those scruples may befit a common time.

      I had thought there was a pushing to and fro,

      At times like this, that overset the scale

      And trampled measure down.

FIRST MERCHANT

      But if already

      We'd thought of a more prudent way than that?

SECOND MERCHANT

      If each one brings a bit of merchandise,

      We'll give him such a price he never dreamt of.

MARY

      Where shall the starving come at merchandise?

FIRST MERCHANT

      We will ask nothing but what all men have.

MARY

      Their