Chantecler Part 46

THE PHEASANT-HEN My formal and explicit wish that you should for one whole day refrain altogether from singing.

CHANTECLER That I--

THE PHEASANT-HEN I desire you to remain one whole day without singing.

CHANTECLER But, heavens and earth, am I to leave the valley in total darkness?

THE PHEASANT-HEN [_Pouting._] What harm will it do to the valley?

CHANTECLER Whatever lies too long in darkness and sleep becomes used to falsehood and consents to death.

THE PHEASANT-HEN Leave singing for one day--[_In a tone of evil insinuation._] It will free my mind of certain suspicions troubling it.

CHANTECLER [_With a start._] I can see what you are trying to do!

THE PHEASANT-HEN And I can see what you are afraid of!

CHANTECLER [_Earnestly._] I will never give up singing.

THE PHEASANT-HEN And what if you were mistaken? What if the truth were that Dawn comes without help from you?

CHANTECLER [_With fierce resolution._] I shall not know it.

THE PHEASANT-HEN [_In a sudden burst of tears._] Could you not forget the time, for once, if you saw me weeping?

CHANTECLER No, I could not.

THE PHEASANT-HEN Nothing, ever, can make you forget the time?

CHANTECLER Nothing. I am conscious of darkness as too heavy a weight.

THE PHEASANT-HEN You are conscious of darkness as--Shall I tell you the truth? You think you sing for the Dawn, but you sing in reality to be admired, you--songster, you! [_With contemptuous pity._] Is it possible you are not aware that your poor notes raise a smile right through the forest, accustomed to the fluting of the thrush?

CHANTECLER I know, you are trying now to reach me through my pride, but--

THE PHEASANT-HEN I doubt if you can get so many as three toadstools and a couple of sa.s.safras stalks to listen to you, when the ardent oriole flings across the leafy gloom his melodious pir-piriol!

THE WOODp.e.c.k.e.r [_Reappearing._] From the Greek: Pure, _puros._

CHANTECLER No more from you, please! [_The_ WOODp.e.c.k.e.r _hurriedly withdraws._]

THE PHEASANT-HEN [_Insisting._] The echo must make some rather interesting mental reservations, one fancies, when he hears you sing after hearing the great Nightingale!

CHANTECLER [_Turning to leave._] My nerves, my dear girl, are not of the very steadiest to-night.

THE PHEASANT-HEN [_Following._] Did you ever hear him?

CHANTECLER Never.

THE PHEASANT-HEN His song is so wonderful that the first time--[_She stops short, struck by an idea._] Oh!

CHANTECLER What is it?

THE PHEASANT-HEN [_Aside._] Ah, you feel the weight of the darkness--

CHANTECLER [_Coming forward again._] What?

THE PHEASANT-HEN [_With an ironical curtsey._] Nothing! [_Carelessly._] Let us go to roost! [CHANTECLER _goes to the back and is preparing to rise to a branch. The_ PHEASANT-HEN _aside._] He does not know that when the Nightingale sings one listens, supposing it to be a minute, and lo! the whole night has been spent listening, even as happens in the enchanted forest of a German legend.

CHANTECLER [_As she does not join him, returns to her._] What are you saying?

THE PHEASANT-HEN [_Laughing in his face._] Nothing!

A VOICE [_Outside._] The ill.u.s.trious c.o.c.k?

CHANTECLER [_Looking around him._] I am wanted?

THE PHEASANT-HEN [_Who has gone in the direction from whence came the voice._] There, in the gra.s.s! [_Jumping back._] Mercy upon us! They are the--[_With a movement of insuperable disgust._] They are the--[_With a spring she conceals herself in the hollow tree, calling back to_ CHANTECLER.] Be civil to them!

SCENE FIFTH

CHANTECLER, _the_ PHEASANT-HEN, _hidden in the tree, and the_ TOADS.

A BIG TOAD [_Rearing himself in the gra.s.s._] We have come--[_Other_ TOADS _become visible behind him._]

CHANTECLER Ye G.o.ds, how ugly they are!

THE BIG TOAD [_Obsequiously._]--in behalf of all the thinking contingency of the Forest, to the author of so many songs--[_He places his hand on his heart._]

CHANTECLER [_With disgust._] Oh, that hand spread over his paunch!

THE BIG TOAD [_With a hop toward_ CHANTECLER.]--at once novel,--

ANOTHER TOAD [_Same business._] Pellucid!

ANOTHER [_Same business._] Succinct!

ANOTHER [_Same business._] Vital!

ANOTHER [_Same business._] Pure!

ANOTHER [_Same business._] Great!

CHANTECLER Gentlemen, pray be seated. [_They seat themselves around a large toadstool._]

THE BIG TOAD True, we are ugly--