The Blue Bird Part 8

GRANNY TYL Tyltyl!... Mytyl!... It's you!... It's she!... (_Trying to run to meet them_) I can't run!... I've still got the rheumatics!...

GAFFER TYL (_hobbling along as fast as he can_) No more can I.... That's because of my wooden leg, which I still wear instead of the one I broke when I fell off the big oak....

(_The_ GRANDPARENTS _and the_ CHILDREN _exchange frantic embraces_.)

GRANNY TYL How tall and strong you've grown, Tyltyl!

GAFFER TYL (_stroking_ MYTYL'S _hair_) And Mytyl!... Just look at her.... What pretty hair, what pretty eyes!...

GRANNY TYL Come and kiss me again!... Come on to my lap....

GAFFER TYL And what about me?...

GRANNY TYL No, no.... Come to me first.... How are Daddy and Mummy Tyl?...

TYLTYL Quite well, granny.... They were asleep when we went out....

GRANNY TYL (_gazing at them and covering them with caresses_) Lord, how pretty they are and how nice and clean!... Was it mummy who washed you?... And there are no holes in your stockings!... I used to darn them once, you know.... Why don't you come to see us oftener?... It makes us so happy!... It is months and months now that you've forgotten us and that we have seen n.o.body....

TYLTYL We couldn't, granny; and to-day its only because of the Fairy....

GRANNY TYL We are always here, waiting for a visit from those who are alive.... They come so seldom!... The last time you were here, let me see, when was it?...

It was on All-hallows, when the church-bells were ringing....

TYLTYL All-hallows?... We didn't go out that day, for we both had very bad colds....

GRANNY TYL No; but you thought of us....

TYLTYL Yes....

GRANNY TYL Well, every time you think of us, we wake up and see you again....

TYLTYL What, is it enough to...

GRANNY TYL But come, you know that....

TYLTYL No, I didn't know....

GRANNY TYL (_to_ GAFFER TYL) It's astonis.h.i.+ng, up there.... They don't know yet.... Do they never learn anything?...

GAFFER TYL It's as in our own time.... The Living are so stupid when they speak of the Others....

TYLTYL Do you sleep all the time?...

GAFFER TYL Yes, we get plenty of sleep, while waiting for a thought of the Living to come and wake us.... Ah, it is good to sleep when life is done.... But it is pleasant also to wake up from time to time....

TYLTYL So you are not really dead?...

GAFFER TYL What do you say?... What is he saying?... Now he's using words we don't understand.... Is it a new word, a new invention?...

TYLTYL The word "dead"?...

GAFFER TYL Yes, that was the word.... What does it mean?...

TYLTYL Why, it means that one's no longer alive....

GAFFER TYL How silly they are, up there!...

TYLTYL Is it nice here?...

GAFFER TYL Oh, yes; not bad, not bad; and, if one could just have a smoke....

TYLTYL Aren't you allowed to smoke?...

GAFFER TYL Yes, it's allowed; but I've broken my pipe....

GRANNY TYL Yes, yes, all would be well, if only you would come and see us oftener....

Do you remember, Tyltyl?... The last time I baked you a lovely apple-tart.... You ate such a lot of it that you made yourself ill....

TYLTYL But I haven't eaten any apple-tart since last year.... There were no apples this year....

GRANNY TYL Don't talk nonsense.... Here, we have them always....

TYLTYL That's different....

GRANNY TYL What? That's different?... Why, nothing's different when we're able to kiss each other....

TYLTYL (_looking first at his_ GRANDMOTHER _and then at his_ GRANDFATHER) You haven't changed, grandad, not a bit, not a bit.... And granny hasn't changed a bit either.... But you're better-looking....

GAFFER TYL Well, we feel all right.... We have stopped growing older.... But you, how tall you're growing!... Yes, you're shooting up finely.... Look, over there, on the door, is the mark of the last time.... That was on All-hallows.... Now then, stand up straight.... (TYLTYL _stands up against the door_.) Four fingers taller!... That's immense!... (MYTYL _also stands up against the door_.) And Mytyl, four and a half!...

Aha, ill weeds grow apace!... How they've grown, oh, how they've grown!...

TYLTYL (_looking around him with delight_) Nothing is changed, everything is in its old place!... Only everything is prettier!... There is the clock with the big hand which I broke the point off....

GAFFER TYL And here is the soup-tureen you chipped a corner off....

TYLTYL And here is the hole which I made in the door, the day I found the gimlet....

GAFFER TYL Yes, you've done some damage in your time!... And here is the plum-tree in which you were so fond of climbing, when I wasn't looking.... It still has its fine red plums....

TYLTYL But they are finer than ever!...

MYTYL And here is the old blackbird!... Does he still sing?...

(_The blackbird wakes and begins to sing at the top of his voice_.)

GRANNY TYL You see.... As soon as one thinks of him....

TYLTYL (_observing with amazement that the blackbird is quite blue_) But he's blue!... Why, that's the bird, the Blue Bird which I am to take back to the Fairy.... And you never told us that you had him here!... Oh, he's blue, blue, blue as a blue gla.s.s marble!... (_Entreatingly_) Grandad, granny, will you give him to me?...