The Blue Bird Part 28

WATER What an idiot!...

BREAD What a vulgarian!...

FIRE There, look; I will put my hands in my pockets.... But don't forget me....

I am the friend of Man.... I shall always be there, in the hearth and in the oven; and I will come sometimes and put out my tongue for you when you are cold or sad.... I shall be warm in winter and roast chestnuts for you....

WATER (_approaching the_ CHILDREN) I shall kiss you without hurting you, tenderly, my children....

FIRE Take care, you'll get wet!...

WATER I am loving and gentle; I am kind to human beings....

FIRE What about those you drown?...

WATER Love the wells, listen to the brooks.... I shall always be there....

FIRE She has flooded the whole place....

WATER When you sit down, in the evening, beside the springs--there is more than one here in the forest--try to understand what they are trying to say....

FIRE Enough! Enough!... I can't swim!...

WATER I shall no longer be able to tell you as clearly as I do to-day that I love you; but you will not forget that that is what I am saying to you when you hear my voice.... Alas!... I can say no more.... My tears choke me and prevent my speaking....

FIRE It doesn't sound like it!...

WATER Think of me when you see the water-bottle.... Alas! I have to be silent there; but my thoughts will always be of you.... You will find me also in the ewer, the watering-can, the cistern and the tap....

MILK (_approaching timidly_) And me in the milk-jug....

TYLTYL What, you too, my dear Milk, so shy and so good?... Is everybody going?...

SUGAR (_naturally mawkish and sanctimonious_) If you have a little corner left in your memory, remember sometimes that my presence was sweet to you.... That is all I have to say.... Tears are not in harmony with my temperament and they hurt me terribly when they fall on my feet....

BREAD Jesuit!...

FIRE (_yelping_) Sugar-plum! Lollipop! Caramel!...

TYLTYL But where are Tylette and Tylo gone to?... What are they doing?...

(_The_ CAT _is heard to utter shrill cries_.)

MYTYL (_alarmed_) It's Tylette crying!... He is being hurt!...

(_Enter the_ CAT, _running, his hair on end and dishevelled, his clothes torn, holding his handkerchief to his cheek, as though he had the toothache. He utters angry groans and is closely pursued by the_ DOG, _who overwhelms him with bites, blows and kicks_.)

THE DOG (_beating the_ CAT) There!... Have you had enough?... Do you want any more?... There! There!

There!...

LIGHT, TYLTYL and MYTYL (_rushing forward to part them_) Tylo!... Are you mad?... Well, I never!... Down!... Stop that, will you?...

How dare you?... Wait, wait!...

(_They part the_ DOG _and the_ CAT _by main force_.)

LIGHT What is it?... What has happened?...

THE CAT (_blubbering and wiping his eyes_) It's the Dog, Mrs. Light.... He insulted me, he put tin tacks in my food, he pulled my tail, he beat me; and I had done nothing, nothing, nothing at all!...

THE DOG (_mimicking him_) Nothing, nothing, nothing at all!... (_In an undertone, with a mocking grimace_) Never mind, you've had some, you've had some and you're going to have some more!...

MYTYL (_pressing the_ CAT _in her arms_) My poor Tylette, where has he hurt you?... Tell me.... I shall cry too....

LIGHT (_to the_ DOG, _severely_) Your conduct is all the more, unworthy since you have chosen for this disgraceful exhibition the already most painful moment when we are about to part from these poor children....

THE DOG (_suddenly sobered_) To part from these poor children?...

LIGHT Yes; the hour which you know of is at hand.... We are going to return to silence.... We shall no longer be able to speak to them....

THE DOG (_suddenly uttering real howls of despair and flinging himself upon the_ CHILDREN, _whom he loads with violent and tumultuous caresses_.) No! No!... I refuse!... I refuse!... I shall always talk!... You will understand me now, will you not, my little G.o.d?... Yes! Yes! Yes!... And we shall tell each other everything, everything, everything!... And I shall be very good.... And I shall learn to read and write and play dominoes!... And I shall always be very clean.... And I shall never steal anything in the kitchen again.... Shall I do a wonderful trick for you?... Would you like me to kiss the Cat?...

MYTYL (_to the_ CAT) And you, Tylette?... Have you nothing to say to us?...

THE CAT (_in an affected and enigmatic tone_) I love you both as much as you deserve....

LIGHT Now let me, in my turn, children, give you a last kiss....

TYLTYL and MYTYL (_hanging on to_ LIGHT'S _dress_) No, no, no, Light!... Stay here with us!... Daddy won't mind.... We will tell mummy how kind you have been....

LIGHT Alas! I cannot!... This door is closed to us and I must leave you....

TYLTYL Where will you go all alone?...

LIGHT Not very far, my children; over there, to the Land of the Silence of Things....

TYLTYL No, no; I won't have you go.... We will go with you.... I shall tell mummy....

LIGHT Do not cry, my dear little ones.... I have not a voice like Water; I have only my brightness, which Man does not understand.... But I watch over him to the end of his days.... Never forget that I am speaking to you in every spreading moonbeam, in every twinkling star, in every dawn that rises, in every lamp that is lit, in every good and bright thought of your soul....

(_Eight o'clock strikes behind the wall_.) Listen!... The hour is striking!... Good-bye!... The door is opening!... In with you, in with you!...

(_She pushes the_ CHILDREN _through the door, which has half-opened and which closes again behind them_. BREAD _wipes away a furtive tear_, SUGAR _and_ WATER, _etc., all in tears, flee precipitously and disappear in the wings to the right and left. The_ DOG _howls behind the scenes. The stage remains empty for a moment and then the scenery representing the wall and the little door opens in the middle and reveals the last scene_.)

SCENE 2.--_The Awakening_.

_The same setting as in_ ACT I, _but the objects, the walls and the atmosphere all appear incomparably and magically fresher, happier, more smiling. The daylight penetrates gaily through the c.h.i.n.ks of the closed shutters. To the right, at the back_, TYLTYL _and_ MYTYL _lie sound asleep in their little beds. The_ DOG, _the_ CAT _and the_ THINGS _are in the places which they occupied in_ ACT I, _before the arrival of the_ FAIRY.

_Enter_ MUMMY TYL