Matheson Collection > Deirdire; and, The lay of the children of Uisne

DEIRDIRE 49
With the fondness that Conachar had
for Deirdire he wished to marry her
immediately {lit. on the track of their
soles) whether or not she was willing
to marry him. When the matter was
placed before her she would not do it at
all, at all, and that she never saw the
features of living man till now. She
had no knowledge of the duties of wife,
nor of the manners of maiden, and that
she had never sat in gathering or in
company before. She could not so
much as sit on a chair, because she
never saw people till now. From the
way that Conachar was thrusting mar-
riage upon Deirdire she said, if he
would give her a delay of a year and a
day she would be obliged to him. He
said he would give her that, though it
would be hard, if she would give him a
sure promise that she would marry him
at the end of the year. She gave this.
The king got a teaching woman for
D