Naisi. It’s a rich man has this place, and no herd at all.

Lavarcham (sitting down with her head half covered). It is not, and you’d best be going quickly.

Naisi (hilariously, shaking rain from his clothes). When we’ve had the pick of luck finding princely comfort in the darkness of the night! Some rich man of Ulster should come here and he chasing in the woods. May we drink? (He takes up flask.) Whose wine is this that we may drink his health?

Lavarcham. It’s no one’s that you’ve call to know.

Naisi. Your own health then and length of life. (Pouring out wine for the three. They drink.)

Lavarcham (very crossly). You’re great boys taking a welcome where it isn’t given, and asking questions where you’ve no call to.… If you’d a quiet place settled up to be playing yourself, maybe, with a gentle queen, what’d you think of young men prying around and carrying tales? When I was a bit of a girl the big men of Ulster had better manners, and they the like of your three selves, in the top folly of youth. That’ll be a story to tell out in Tara that Naisi is a tippler and stealer, and Ainnle the drawer of a stranger’s cork.

Naisi (quite cheerfully, sitting down beside her). At your age you should know there are nights when a king like Conchubor would spit upon his arm ring, and queens will stick their tongues out at the rising moon. We’re that way this night, and it’s not wine we’re asking only. Where is the young girl told us we might shelter here?

Lavarcham. Asking me you’d be?… We’re decent people, and I wouldn’t put you tracking a young girl, not if you gave me the gold clasp you have hanging on your coat.

Naisi (giving it to her). Where is she?

Lavarcham (in confidential whisper, putting her hand on his arm). Let you walk back into the hills and turn up by the second cnuceen where there are three together. You’ll see a path running on the rocks and then you’ll hear the dogs barking in the houses, and their noise will guide you till you come to a bit of cabin at the foot of an ash-tree. It’s there there is a young and flighty girl that I’m thinking is the one you’ve seen.

Naisi (hilariously). Here’s health, then, to herself and you!

Ardan. Here’s to the years when you were young as she!

Ainnle (in a frightened whisper). Naisi!

Naisi looks up and Ainnle beckons to him.

He goes over and Ainnle points to something on the golden mug he holds in his hand.

Naisi (looking at it in astonishment). This is the High King’s… I see his mark on the rim. Does Conchubor come lodging here?

Lavarcham (jumping up with extreme annoyance). Who says it’s Conchubor’s? How dare young fools the like of you—(speaking with vehement insolence) come prying around, running the world into troubles for some slip of a girl? What brings you this place straying from Emain? (Very bitterly.) Though you think, maybe, young men can do their fill of foolery and there is none to blame them.

Naisi (very soberly). Is the rain easing?

Ardan. The clouds are breaking.… I can see Orion in the gap of the glen.