Collected Works (Vol. II)

136 THE GOD-EATER Whose sweet reversion hangs above me now : To order luck ! Criospa. Skill orders luck ! MAURYA. ._ The draught ! CRIOsSDA. Elither, O Maurya! MAURYA. IT will come to thee. [Criospa, taking hashish, throws it upon the glowing censer. MAURYA comes down stage and bends over tt, CRIOSDA “ifts tt up and offers it reverently, Maurya. Methinks anticipation o’ the event Shoots in my veins, darting delight. Why, this is strange ! I am losing myself. Criosda ! The walls of the world fall back with a crash. Where isall this? Iam out of myself: I expand O Maurya, where art thou, little phantom of myriads of ages ago? What a memory! Ah! Ah! She is falling. [MauRYA staggers. CRIOSDA, who has been watching her narrowly, catches her and lays her tenderly on the altar. Oh, what happiness, what happiness! osda, dear brother, how I love you! I wish to sleep for ever—I wish to die ! [Criospa, who has been bending over her, leaps up, shrteks. Criospa. The luck of Maurya ! [fe draws quickly his dirk ; 2t flashes on high, he leaps on to the body of Maurya, and plunges tt into her heart. Cri- CURTAIN. ACT II. FORTY YEARS AFTERWARDS. The scene ts an open and stormy sea, RUPHA, with her staff, wave-riding in a cockle- shell. RUPHA, Ha! Ha! In the storm I ride. The winds bear me. The waves fear me. I appal ; I inform Their pride. Let him hither, Drifting ever Wrecked and lost ! His life shall wither. The dirk shall sever His rune ill-crossed. I hear him come Across the foam With a bang and a boom. The winds, hum, hum. The billows comb. Ho! Ho! the doom! Ho! Ho! I have won. I shall win. Death to the sun ! Life to sin ! They reap who sow. Ho! Ho! [4 boat driftsin, L. In it the aged CRIOSDA, Azs white hatr afloat in the storm, 7s standing with folded arms. His eyes are dull, as seeing wnward. RupHA. Ela! Ha! Tis the priest. Dost think O’ the feast ? Criosda. shrink ! The rune is woe. Ho! Ho! Criospa. Mother of Sin! RUPHA. Ho! Ho! Criospa. Thus then at last the Luck of Maurya throws A double-six to lost Criosda. RupuHa. Ho! The Luck of Maurya! The power of the deed. CriIosDA. I find thee, mother, at last. Life’s final flash Gleams through the storm. RUPHA. I am found! Ho! Ho!