Exiles

drinks. Prosit! Richard It was not only a house of revelry; it was to be the hearth of a new life. Musing. And in that name all our sins were committed. Robert Sins! Drinking and blasphemy he points by me. And drinking and heresy, much worse he points again by you⁠—are those the sins you mean? Richard And some others. Robert Lightly, uneasily. You mean the women. I have no remorse of conscience. Maybe you have. We had two keys on those occasions. Maliciously. Have you? Richard Irritated. For you it was all quite natural? Robert For me it is quite natural to kiss a woman whom I like. Why not? She is beautiful for me. Richard Toying with the lounge cushion. Do you kiss everything that is beautiful for you? Robert Everything⁠—if it can be kissed. He takes up a flat stone which lies on the table. This stone, for instance. It is so cool, so polished, so delicate, like a woman’s temple. It is silent, it suffers our passion; and it is beautiful. He places it against his lips. And so I kiss it because it is beautiful. And what is a woman? A work of nature, too, like a stone or a flower or a bird. A kiss is an act of homage. Richard It is an act of union between man and woman. Even if we are often led to desire through the sense of beauty can you say that the beautiful is what we desire? Robert Pressing the stone to his forehead. You will give me a headache if you make me think today. I cannot think today. I feel too natural, too common. After all, what is most attractive in even the most beautiful woman? Richard What? Robert Not those qualities which she has and other women have not but the qualities which she has in common with them. I mean⁠ ⁠… the commonest. Turning over the stone, he presses the other side to his forehead. I mean how her body develops heat when it is pressed, the movement of her blood, how quickly she changes by digestion what she eats into⁠—what shall be nameless. Laughing. I am very common today. Perhaps that idea never struck you? Richard Drily. Many ideas strike a man who has lived nine years with a woman. Robert Yes. I suppose they do.⁠ ⁠… This beautiful cool stone does me good. Is it a paperweight or a cure for headache? Richard Bertha brought it home one day from the strand. She, too, says that it is beautiful. Robert Lays down the stone quietly. She is right. He raises his glass and drinks. A pause. Richard Is that all you wanted to say to me? Robert Quickly. There is something else. The vicechancellor sends you, through me, an invitation for tonight⁠—to dinner at his house. You know where he lives? Richard nods. I thought you might have forgotten. Strictly private, of course. He wants to meet you again and sends you a very warm invitation. Richard For what hour? Robert Eight. But, like yourself, he is free and easy about time. Now, Richard, you must go there. That is all. I feel tonight will be the turningpoint in your life. You will live here and work here and think here and be honoured here⁠—among our people. Richard Smiling. I can almost see two envoys starting for the United States to collect funds for my statue a hundred years hence. Robert Agreeably. Once I made a little epigram about statues. All statues are of two kinds. He folds his arms across his chest. The statue which says: How shall I get down? and the other kind he unfolds his arms and extends his right arm, averting his head the statue which says: In my time the dunghill was so high. Richard The second one for me, please. Robert Lazily. Will you give me one of those long cigars of yours? Richard selects a Virginia cigar from the box on the table and hands it to him with the straw drawn out. Robert Lighting it. These cigars Europeanize me. If Ireland is to become a new Ireland she must first become European. And that is what you are here for, Richard. Some day we shall have to choose between England and Europe. I am a descendant of the dark foreigners: that is why I like to be here. I may be childish. But where else in Dublin can I get a bandit cigar like this or a cup of black coffee? The man who drinks black coffee is going to conquer Ireland. And now I will take just a half measure of that whisky, Richard, to show you there is no ill feeling. Richard Points. Help yourself. Robert Does so. Thanks. He drinks and goes on as before. Then you yourself, the way you loll on that lounge: then your boy’s voice and also⁠—Bertha herself. Do you allow me to call her that, Richard? I mean as an old friend of both of you. Richard O why not? Robert With animation. You have that fierce indignation which lacerated the heart of Swift. You have fallen from a higher world, Richard, and you are filled with fierce indignation, when you find that life is cowardly and ignoble. While I⁠ ⁠… shall I tell you? Richard By all means. Robert Archly. I have come up from a lower world and I am filled with astonishment when I find that people have any redeeming virtue at all. Richard Sits up suddenly and leans his elbows on the table. You are my friend, then? Robert Gravely. I fought for you all the time you were away. I fought to bring you back. I fought to keep your place for you here. I will fight for you still because I have faith in you, the faith of a disciple in his master. I cannot say more than that. It may seem strange to you⁠ ⁠… Give me a match. Richard Lights and offers