[Screams]

Ah! the face! 
The whole great grinning house—­his face! his face! 
His face!

REDFEATHER [in a voice of thunder, pointing away from the house].

Look there—­look there!

OLIVE.

What is it?  What?

REDFEATHER.

I think it was a bird.

OLIVE.

What thought you, truly?

REDFEATHER.

I think a mighty thought is drawing near.

[Enter THE WILD KNIGHT.]

THE WILD KNIGHT.

That house....

[Points.]

OLIVE.

Ah Christ! [Shudders.] I had forgotten it.

THE WILD KNIGHT [still pointing].

That house! the house at last, the house of God,
Wherein God makes an evening feast for me. 
The house at last:  I know the twisted path
Under the twisted pear-tree:  this I saw
In the first dream I had ere I was born. 
It is the house of God.  He welcomes me.

[Strides forward.]

REDFEATHER.

That house.  God’s blood!

OLIVE [hysterically].

Is not this hell’s own wit?

THE WILD KNIGHT.

God grows impatient, and His wine is poured,
His bread is broken.

[Rushes forward.]

REDFEATHER [leaps between].

Stand away, great fool,
There is a devil there!

THE WILD KNIGHT [draws his sword, and waves it as he rushes].

God’s house!—­God’s house!

REDFEATHER [plucks out his own sword].

Better my hand than his.

[The blades clash.]

God alone knows
What That within might do to you, poor fool,
I can but kill you.

[They fight.  OLIVE tries to part them.]

REDFEATHER.

Olive, stand away!

OLIVE.

I will not stand away!

[Steps between the swords.]

Stranger, a word,
Yes—­you are right—­God is within that house.

REDFEATHER.

Olive!

OLIVE.

But He is all too beautiful
For us who only know of stars and flowers. 
The thing within is all too pure and fair,

[Shudders.]

Too awful in its ancient innocence,
For men to look upon it and not die;
Ourselves would fade into those still white fires
Of peace and mercy.

[Struggles with her voice.]

There ... enough ... the law—­
No flesh shall look upon the Lord and live.

REDFEATHER [sticking his sword in the ground].

You are the bravest lady in the world.

THE WILD KNIGHT [dazed].

May I not go within?

REDFEATHER.

Keep you the law—­
No flesh shall look upon the Lord and live.

THE WILD KNIGHT [sadly].