Chapter 13

_Enter_ GOLAUD _and little_ YNIOLD.

GOLAUD.

Come, we are going to sit down here, Yniold; sit on my knee; we shall see from here what passes in the forest. I do not see you any more at all now. You abandon me too; you are always at little mother's.... Why, we are sitting just under little mother's windows.--Perhaps she is saying her evening prayer at this moment.... But tell me, Yniold, she is often with your uncle Pélléas, isn't she?

YNIOLD.

Yes, yes; always, little father; when you are not there, little father....

GOLAUD.

Ah!--look; some one is going by with a lantern in the garden.--But I have been told they did not like each other.... It seems they often quarrel;... no? Is it true?

YNIOLD.

Yes, yes; it is true.

GOLAUD.

Yes?--Ah! ah!--But what do they quarrel about?

YNIOLD.

About the door.

GOLAUD.

What? about the door?--What are you talking about?--No, come, explain yourself; why do they quarrel about the door?

YNIOLD.

Because it won't stay open.

GOLAUD.

Who wants it to stay open?--Come, why do they quarrel?

YNIOLD.

I don't know, little father; about the light.

GOLAUD.

I am not talking to you about the light; we will talk of that by and by. I am talking to you about the door. Answer what I ask you; you must learn to talk; it is time.... Do not put your hand in your mouth so;... come....

YNIOLD.

Little father! little father!... I won't do it any more.... [_He cries._]

GOLAUD.

Come; what are you crying for now? What has happened?

YNIOLD.

Oh! oh! little father, you hurt me....

GOLAUD.

I hurt you?--Where did I hurt you? I did not mean to....

YNIOLD.

Here, here; on my little arm....

GOLAUD.

I did not mean to; come, don't cry any more, and I will give you something to-morrow.

YNIOLD.

What, little father?

GOLAUD.

A quiver and some arrows; but tell me what you know about the door.

YNIOLD.

Big arrows?

GOLAUD.

Yes, yes; very big arrows.--But why don't they want the door to be open?--Come, answer me sometime!--no, no; do not open your mouth to cry. I am not angry. We are going to have a quiet talk, like Pélléas and little mother when they are together. What do they talk about when they are together?

YNIOLD.

Pélléas and little mother?

GOLAUD.

Yes; what do they talk about?

YNIOLD.

About me; always about me.

GOLAUD.

And what do they say about you?

YNIOLD.

They say I am going to be very big.

GOLAUD.

Oh, plague of my life!... I am here like a blind man searching for his treasure at the bottom of the ocean!... I am here like a new-born child lost in the forest, and you ... Come, come, Yniold, I was wandering; we are going to talk seriously. Do Pélléas and little mother never speak of me when I am not there?...

YNIOLD.

Yes, yes, little father; they are always speaking of you.

GOLAUD.

Ah!... And what do they say of me?

YNIOLD.

They say I shall grow as big as you are.

GOLAUD.

You are always by them?

YNIOLD.

Yes, yes, always, always, little father.

GOLAUD.

They never tell you to go play somewhere else?

YNIOLD.

No, little father; they are afraid when I am not there.

GOLAUD.

They are afraid?... What makes you think they are afraid?

YNIOLD.

Little mother always says, "Don't go away; don't go away!"... They are unhappy, but they laugh....

GOLAUD.

But that does not prove they are afraid.

YNIOLD.

Yes, yes, little father; she is afraid....

GOLAUD.

Why do you say she is afraid?

YNIOLD.

They always weep in the dark.

GOLAUD.

Ah! ah!...

YNIOLD.

That makes one weep too.

GOLAUD.

Yes, yes!...

YNIOLD.

She is pale, little father.

GOLAUD.

Ah! ah!... patience, my God, patience!...

YNIOLD.

What, little father?

GOLAUD.

Nothing, nothing, my child.--I saw a wolf go by in the forest.--Then they get on well together?--I am glad to learn they are on good terms.--They kiss each other sometimes--No?...

YNIOLD.

Kiss each other, little father?--No, no,--ah! yes, little father, yes; yes; once ... once when it rained....

GOLAUD.

They kissed?--But how, how did they kiss?

YNIOLD.

So, little father, so!... [_He gives him a kiss on the mouth, laughing._] Ah! ah! your beard, little father!... It pricks! it pricks! it pricks! It is getting all gray, little father, and your hair, too; all gray, all gray, all gray.... [_The window under which they are sitting is lighted up at this moment, and the light falls upon them._] Ah! ah! little mother has lit her lamp. It is light, little father; it is light....

GOLAUD.

Yes; it is beginning to be light....

YNIOLD.

Let us go there too, little father; let us go there too....

GOLAUD.

Where do you want to go?

YNIOLD.

Where it is light, little father.

GOLAUD.

No, no, my child; let us stay in the dark a little longer.... One cannot tell, one cannot tell yet.... Do you see those poor people down there trying to kindle a little fire in the forest?--It has rained. And over there, do you see the old gardener trying to lift that tree the wind has blown down across the road?--He cannot; the tree is too big; the tree is too heavy, and it will lie where it fell. All that cannot be helped.... I think Pélléas is mad....

YNIOLD.

No, little father, he is not mad; he is very good.

GOLAUD.

Do you want to see little mother?

YNIOLD.

Yes, yes; I want to see her!

GOLAUD.

Don't make any noise; I am going to hoist you up to the window. It is too high for me, for all I am so big.... [_He lifts the child._] Do not make the least noise; little mother would be terribly afraid.... Do you see her?--Is she in the room?

YNIOLD.

Yes.... Oh, how light it is!

GOLAUD.

She is alone?

YNIOLD.

Yes;... no, no; Uncle Pélléas Is there, too.

GOLAUD.

He--...!

YNIOLD.

Ah! ah! little father! you have hurt me!...

GOLAUD.

It is nothing; be still; I will not do it any more; look, look, Yniold!... I stumbled; speak lower. What are they doing?--

YNIOLD.

They are not doing anything, little father; they are waiting for something.

GOLAUD.

Are they near each other?

YNIOLD.

No, little father.

GOLAUD.

And ... and the bed? are they near the bed?

YNIOLD.

The bed, little father?--I can't see the bed.

GOLAUD.

Lower, lower; they will hear you. Are they speaking?

YNIOLD.

No, little father; they do not speak.

GOLAUD.

But what are they doing?--They must be doing something....

YNIOLD.

They are looking at the light.

GOLAUD.

Both?

YNIOLD.

Yes, little father.

GOLAUD.

They do not say anything?

YNIOLD.

No, little father; they do not close their eyes.

GOLAUD.

They do not come near each other?

YNIOLD.

No, little father; they do not stir.

GOLAUD.

They are sitting down?

YNIOLD.

No, little father; they are standing upright against the wall.

GOLAUD.

They make no gestures?--They do not look at each other?--They make no signs?...

YNIOLD.

No, little father.--Oh! oh! little father; they never close their eyes.... I am terribly afraid....

GOLAUD.

Be still. They do not stir yet?

YNIOLD.

No, little father.--I am afraid, little father; let me come down!...

GOLAUD.

Why, what are you afraid of?--Look! look!...

YNIOLD.

I dare not look any more, little father!... Let me come down!...

GOLAUD.

Look! look!...

YNIOLD.

Oh! oh! I am going to cry, little father!--Let me come down! let me come down!,..

GOLAUD.

Come; we will go see what has happened. [_Exeunt._

ACT FOURTH