The Immortal Lure Part 9

False to the dead-- False to Sanko!...

_O-Ume_ (_more distressedly_). The words of the old Are like the leaves,

[_Her voice breaks._

Like Autumn leaves That ever flutter.

_Ama._ And those of the young----

_O-Ume_ (_becoming distraught_). Oh will she hush not!...

Will this servant, Whom my mother Dying left me, Waste my heart so?

[_Weeps in her sleeve._

Sanko I fear, And fears of many Worlds crowd round me-- Many karmas Of pain and pa.s.sion, Births and rebirths.

_Ama._ And 'tis because This evil priest Stands in the door of your heart.

_O-Ume._ Will you revile him?

_Ama._ Cursed be he!

_O-Ume._ Ama!

_Ama._ I pray it!

[_Rises slowly._

And curst he shall be.

[_O-Ume stares trembling._

For, O blind one, By him blinded, Do you not know The people have heard How he has bid you Cast away from you The G.o.ds of your house?

The blessed Buddha And all the tablets Kept, ancestral?

Ai, they have heard And tonight have risen!

This night of the dead They have gone forth, With Sanko to lead them-- Gone to tear down The house of the priest!

Gone to destroy The image he wors.h.i.+ps!

Gone to----

_O-Ume_ (_stricken_). Ama!

[_Shrinks from her and then speaks wanly._

Never is there Trust in any?

Only faith that fades?

This was known-- But kept from me, Kept in silence, Kept for Sanko?...

O lord Buddha, Thou, or Christ, Is there peril?----

[_Turns on her._

You have done ill!

_Ama._ I have done well.

_O-Ume._ Ill! and ill shall come to you!

For do you think So to prevent me From my fate-way?

No, I will find it!

The Buddha and all The tablets ancestral Will I take down from the wall, And from me cast them Into the river ...

They shall float down to the sea.

[_Turns and goes to shrine._

_Ama._ O-Ume! O-Ume!

[_Catching at her kimono._

The G.o.ds forsaken Will pardon never!

The G.o.ds--and the people!

You will become Eta, an outcast, From them driven away.

O-Ume!

[_The girl takes the shrine._

Remember your father Dead, and your mother.

They are hovering Round your fingers, Faint, offended!

Will you pause not?

[_When O-Ume continues._

Ah for Sanko! for Sanko!

[_Runs calling to door._

Sanko! Sanko!

[_O-Ume stops motionless._

Sanko!...

_O-Ume_ (_after a pause_). He waits then there?

_A Voice_ (_without_). Ama! (_nearer_) Ama!...

[_SANKO enters from the garden, dishevelled and breathless, but controlled. As he does so O-UMe drops the shrine and the image falls out._

_Sanko_. O-Ume! O-Ume!

[_Ama goes quickly out._