The Blue Bird Part 10

TYLTYL Yes, yes; we will come back as often as we can....

GRANNY TYL It's our only pleasure and it's such a treat for us when your thoughts visit us!...

GAFFER TYL We have no other amus.e.m.e.nts....

TYLTYL Quick, quick!... My cage!... My bird!...

GAFFER TYL (_handing him the cage_) Here they are!... You know, I don't warrant him; and if he's not the right colour...

TYLTYL Good-bye! Good-bye!...

THE BROTHERS AND SISTERS TYL Good-bye, Tyltyl! Good-bye, Mytyl!... Remember the barley-sugar!...

Good-bye!... Come again!... Come again!...

(_They all wave their handkerchiefs while_ TYLTYL _and_ MYTYL _slowly move away. But already, during the last sentences, the fog of the beginning of the scene has been gradually re-forming, so that, at the end, all has disappeared in the mist and, at the fall of the curtain_, TYLTYL _and_ MYTYL _are again alone visible under the big oak_.)

TYLTYL It's this way, Mytyl....

MYTYL Where is Light?...

TYLTYL I don't know.... (_Looking at the bird in the cage_.) But the bird is no longer blue!... He has turned black!...

MYTYL Give me your hand, little brother.... I feel so frightened and so cold....

CURTAIN

ACT III.

SCENE 1.--_The Palace of_ NIGHT.

_A large and wonderful hall of an austere, rigid, metallic and sepulchral magnificence, giving the impression of a Greek temple with columns, architraves, flagstones and ornaments of black marble, gold and ebony. The hall is trapezium-shaped. Basalt steps, occupying almost the entire width, divide it into three successive stages, which rise gradually toward the back. On the right and left, between the columns, are doors of sombre bronze. At the back, a monumental door of bra.s.s. The palace is lit only by a vague light that seems to emanate mainly from the brilliancy of the marble and the ebony. At the rise of the curtain_, NIGHT, _in the form of a very old woman, clad in long, black garments, is seated on the steps of the second stage between two children, of whom one, almost naked, like Cupid, is smiling in a deep sleep, while the other is standing up, motionless and veiled from head to foot_.

_Enter from the right, in the foreground, the_ CAT

NIGHT Who goes there?

THE CAT (_sinking heavily upon the marble steps_) It is I, Mother Night.... I am worn out....

NIGHT What's the matter, child?... You look pale and thin and you are splashed with mud to your very whiskers.... Have you been fighting on the tiles again, in the snow and rain?...

THE CAT It has nothing to do with the tiles!... It's our secret that's at stake!...

It's the beginning of the end!... I have managed to escape for a moment to warn you; but I greatly fear that there is nothing to be done....

NIGHT Why?... What has happened?...

THE CAT I have told you of little Tyltyl, the woodcutter's son, and of the magic diamond.... Well, he is coming here to demand the Blue Bird of you....

NIGHT He hasn't got it yet.....

THE CAT He will have it soon, unless we perform some miracle.... This is how the matter stands: Light, who is guiding him and betraying us all, for she has placed herself entirely on Man's side, Light has learned that the Blue Bird, the real one, the only one that can live in the light of day, is hidden here, among the blue birds of the dreams that live on the rays of the moon and die as soon as they set eyes on the sun.... She knows that she is forbidden to cross the threshold of your palace, but she is sending the children; and, as you cannot prevent Man from opening the doors of your secrets, I do not know how all this will end.... In any case, if, unfortunately, they should lay their hands on the real Blue Bird, there would be nothing for us but to disappear....

NIGHT Oh dear, oh dear!.... What times we live in!... I never have a moment's peace.... I cannot understand Man, these last few years.... What is he aiming at?... Must he absolutely know everything?... Already he has captured a third of my Mysteries, all my Terrors are afraid and dare not leave the house, my Ghosts have taken flight, the greater part of my Sicknesses are ill....

THE CAT I know, Mother Night, I know, the times are hard and we are almost alone in our struggle against Man.... But I hear them coming.... I see only one way: as they are children, we must give them such a fright that they will not dare to persist or to open the great door at the back, behind which they would find the Birds of the Moon.... The secrets of the other caverns will be enough to distract their attention and terrify them....

NIGHT (_listening to a sound outside_) What do I hear?... Are there many of them?...

THE CAT It is nothing; it is our friends, Bread and Sugar; Water is not very well and Fire could not come, because he is related to Light.... The Dog is the only one who is not on our side; but it is never possible to keep him away....

(_Enter timidly, on the right, in the foreground, TYLTYL, MYTYL, BREAD, SUGAR and the DOG_.)

THE CAT (_rus.h.i.+ng up to TYLTYL_) This way, little master, this way.... I have told Night, who is delighted to see you.... You must forgive her, she is a little indisposed; that is why she was not able to come to meet you....

TYLTYL Good-day, Mrs. Night....

NIGHT (_in an offended voice_) Good-day?... I am not used to that.... You might say, Good-night, or, at least. Good-evening....

TYLTYL (_mortified_) I beg your pardon, ma'am....I did not know....(_Pointing to the two_ CHILDREN.) Are those your two little boys?... They are very nice....

NIGHT This is Sleep....

TYLTYL Why is he so fat?...

NIGHT That is because he sleeps well....

TYLTYL And the other, hiding himself?... Why does he veil his face?...Is he ill?... What is his name?...

NIGHT That is Sleep's sister.... It is better not to mention her name....

TYLTYL Why?...

NIGHT Because her name is not pleasant to hear.... But let us talk of something else.... The Cat tells me that you have come here to look for the Blue Bird....

TYLTYL Yes, ma'am, if you will allow me.... Will you tell me where he is?...

NIGHT I don't know, dear.... All I can say is that he is not here.... I have never seen him....

TYLTYL Yes, yes.... Light told me that he was here; and Light knows what she is saying.... Will you hand me your keys?...

NIGHT But you must understand, dear, that I cannot give my keys like that to the first comer.... I have the keeping of all Nature's secrets and I am absolutely forbidden to deliver them to anybody, especially to a child....