SCENE VI

_The same hour of night. In the darkness it is difficult to discern the silhouettes of the ruined buildings and of the trees. At the right, a half-destroyed bridge. In the distance a fire is burning. From time to time the German flashlights are seen across the dark sky. Near the bridge, an automobile in which the wounded Emil Grelieu and his son are being carried to Antwerp. Jeanne and a young physician are with them. Something has broken down in the automobile and a soldier-chauffeur is bustling about with a lantern trying to repair it. Dr. Langloi stands near him._

DOCTOR

_Uneasily._

Well? How is it?

CHAUFFEUR

_Examining._

I don't know yet.

DOCTOR

Is it a serious break?

CHAUFFEUR

No--I don't know.

MAURICE

_From the automobile._

What is it, Doctor? Can't we start?

CHAUFFEUR

_Angrily._

We'll start!

DOCTOR

I don't know. Something is out of order. He says it isn't serious.

MAURICE

Shall we stay here long?

DOCTOR

_To the chauffeur._

Shall we stay here long?

CHAUFFEUR

_Angrily._

How do I know? About ten minutes I think. Please hold the light for me.

_Hands the lantern to the doctor._

MAURICE

Then I will come out.

JEANNE

You had better stay here, Maurice. You may hurt your arm.

MAURICE

No, mother, I am careful. Where is the step? How inconvenient. Why don't they throw the flashlight here?

_Jumps off and watches the chauffeur at work._

MAURICE

How unfortunate that we are stuck here!

CHAUFFEUR

_Grumbling._

A bridge! How can anybody drive across such a bridge?

DOCTOR

Yes, it is unfortunate. We should have started out earlier.

MAURICE

_Shrugging his shoulders._

Father did not want to leave. How could we start? Mamina, do you think our people are already in Antwerp?

JEANNE

Yes, I think so. Emil, aren't you cold?

EMIL GRELIEU

No. It is very pleasant to breathe the fresh air. I feel stronger.

DOCTOR

_To Maurice._

I think we are still in the region which--

MAURICE

Yes. What time is it, Doctor?

DOCTOR

_Looking at his watch._

Twenty--a quarter of ten.

MAURICE

Then it is a quarter of an hour since the bursting of the dams. Yes! Mamma, do you hear, it is a quarter of ten now!

JEANNE

Yes, I hear.

MAURICE

But it is strange that we haven't heard any explosions.

DOCTOR

How can you say that, Monsieur Maurice? It is very far away.

MAURICE

I thought that such explosions would be heard a hundred kilometers away. My God, how strange it is! Our house and our garden will soon be flooded! I wonder how high the water will rise. Do you think it will reach up to the second story?

DOCTOR

Possibly. Well, how are things moving?

CHAUFFEUR

_Grumbling._

I am working.

MAURICE

Look, look! Mamma, see how the searchlights are working. They seem to be frightened. Father, do you see them?

EMIL GRELIEU

Jeanne, lift me a little.

JEANNE

My dear, I don't know whether I am allowed to do it.

DOCTOR

You may lift him a little, if it isn't very painful. The bandage is tight.

JEANNE

Do you feel any pain?

EMIL GRELIEU

No. They are frightened.

MAURICE

Father, they are flashing the searchlights across the sky like madmen. Look, look!

_A bluish light is flashed over them, faintly illuminating the whole group._

MAURICE

Right into my eyes! Does that come from an elevation, father?

EMIL GRELIEU

I suppose so. Either they have been warned, or the water is reaching them by this time.

JEANNE

Do you think so, Emil?

EMIL GRELIEU

Yes. It seems to me that I hear the sound of the water from that side.

_All listen and look in the direction from which the noise came._

DOCTOR

_Uneasily._

How unpleasant this is! We should have started out sooner. We are too late.

MAURICE

Father, it seems to me I hear voices. Listen--it sounds as though they are crying there. Many, many people. Father, the Prussians are crying. It is they!

_A distant, dull roaring of a crowd is heard. Then the crash of shots resounds. Sobs of military horns. The searchlights are swaying from side to side._

EMIL GRELIEU

It is they.

DOCTOR

If we don't start in a quarter of an hour--

EMIL GRELIEU

In half an hour, Doctor.

MAURICE

Father, how beautiful and how terrible it is! Give me your hand, mother.

JEANNE

What is it?

MAURICE

I want to kiss it. Mother, you have no gloves on!

JEANNE

What a foolish little boy you are, Maurice.

MAURICE

Monsieur Langloi said that in three days from now I may remove my bandage. Just think of it, in three days I shall be able to take up my gun again!... Oh, who is that? Look, who is that?

_All near the automobile assume defensive positions. The chauffeur and the doctor draw their revolvers. A figure appears from the field, approaching from one of the ditches. A peasant, wounded in the leg, comes up slowly, leaning upon a cane._

MAURICE

Who is there?

PEASANT

Our own, our own. And who are you? Are you going to the city?

MAURICE

Yes, we're going to the city. Our car has broken down, we're repairing it. What are you doing here?

PEASANT

What am I doing here?

_Examines the unfamiliar faces curiously. They also look at him attentively, by the light of the lantern._

CHAUFFEUR

Give me the light!

PEASANT

Are you carrying a wounded man? I am also wounded, in my leg. I cannot walk, it is very hard. I must lean on my cane. Are you going to the city? I lay there in the ditch and when I heard you speak French I crawled out. My name is Jaqular.

DOCTOR

How were you wounded?

PEASANT

I was walking in the field and they shot me. They must have thought I was a rabbit.

_Laughs hoarsely._

They must have thought I was a rabbit. What is the news, gentlemen? Is our Belgium lost?

_Laughs._

Eh? Is our Belgium lost?

MAURICE

Don't you know?

PEASANT

What can I know? I lay there and looked at the sky--that's all I know. Did you see the sky? Just look at it, I have been watching it all the time. What is that I see in the sky, eh? How would you explain it?

EMIL GRELIEU

Sit down near us.

MAURICE

Listen, sit down here. It seems you haven't heard anything. You must get away from here. Do you know that the dams are broken? Do you understand? The dams!

PEASANT

The dams?

MAURICE

Yes. Don't you hear the cries over there? Listen! They are crying there--the Prussians!

PEASANT

Water?

MAURICE

Water. It must be reaching them now. They must have learned of it by this time. Listen, it is so far, and yet we can hear!

_The peasant laughs hoarsely._

MAURICE

Sit down, right here, the automobile is large. Doctor, help him. I will hold the lantern.

CHAUFFEUR

_Muttering._

Sit down, sit down! Eh!

DOCTOR

_Uneasily._

What is it? Bad? Chauffeur, be quick! We can't stay here! The water is coming. We should have started out earlier.

MAURICE

What an unfortunate mishap!

JEANNE

_Agitated._

They shot you like a rabbit? Do you hear, Emil--they thought a rabbit was running! Did you resemble a rabbit so closely?

_She laughs loudly, the peasant also laughs._

PEASANT

I look like a rabbit! Exactly like a rabbit.

JEANNE

Do you hear, Emil? He says he looks exactly like a rabbit!

_Laughs._

EMIL GRELIEU

Jeanne!

MAURICE

Mamma!

JEANNE

It makes me laugh--it seems so comical to me that they mistake us for rabbits. And now, what are we now--water rats? Emil, just picture to yourself, water rats in an automobile!

MAURICE

Mamma!

JEANNE

No, no, I am not laughing any more, Maurice!

_Laughs._

And what else are we? Moles? Must we hide in the ground?

PEASANT

_Laughs._

And now we must hide in the ground--

JEANNE

_In the same tone._

And they will remain on the ground? Emil, do you hear?

EMIL GRELIEU

My dear! My dear!

MAURICE

_To the doctor._

Listen, you must do something. Haven't you anything? Listen! Mamma, we are starting directly, my dear!

JEANNE

No, never mind, I am not laughing any more. How foolish you are. Maurice, I simply felt like talking. I was silent too long. I was forever silent, but just now I felt like chattering. Emil, I am not disturbing you with my talk, am I? Why is the water so quiet, Emil? It was the King who said, "The water is silent," was it not? But I should like to see it roar, crash like thunder.... No, I cannot, I cannot bear this silence! Ah, why is it so quiet--I cannot bear it!

MAURICE

_To the chauffeur._

My dear fellow, please hurry up!

CHAUFFEUR

Yes, yes! I'm working, I'm working. We'll start soon.

JEANNE

_Suddenly cries, threatening._

But I cannot bear it! I cannot!

_Covers her mouth with her hands; sobs._

I cannot!

MAURICE

Mamma!

EMIL GRELIEU

All will end well, Jeanne. All will end well. I know. I also feel as you do. But all will end well, Jeanne!

JEANNE

_Sobbing, but calming herself somewhat._

I cannot bear it!

EMIL GRELIEU

All will end well, Jeanne! Belgium will live! The sun will shine! I am suffering, but I know this, Jeanne!

MAURICE

Quicker! Quicker!

CHAUFFEUR

In a moment, in a moment. Now it is fixed, in a moment.

EMIL GRELIEU

_Faintly._

Jeanne!

JEANNE

Yes, yes, I know.... Forgive me, forgive me, I will soon--

_A loud, somewhat hoarse voice of a girl comes from the dark._

GIRL

Tell me how I can find my way to Lonua!

_Exclamations of surprise._

MAURICE

Who is that?

JEANNE

Emil, it is that girl!

_Laughs._

She is also like a rabbit!

DOCTOR

_Grumbles._

What is it, what is it--Who?

_Throws the light on the girl. Her dress is torn, her eyes look wild. The peasant is laughing._

PEASANT

She is here again?

CHAUFFEUR

Let me have the light!

DOCTOR

Very well!

GIRL

_Loudly._

How can I find my way to Lonua?

EMIL GRELIEU

Maurice, you must stop her! My child, my child! Doctor, you--

CHAUFFEUR

Put down the lantern! The devil take this!

GIRL

_Shouts._

Hands off! No, no, you will not dare--

MAURICE

You can't catch her--

_The girl runs away._

EMIL GRELIEU

Doctor, you must catch her! She will perish here, quick--

_She runs away. The doctor follows her in the dark._

PEASANT

She asked me, too, how to go to Lonua. How am I to know? Lonua!

_The girl's voice resounds in the dark and then there is silence._

EMIL GRELIEU

You must catch her! What is it? You must!

MAURICE

But how, father?

_They listen. Silence. Dull cries of a mob resound. Jeanne breaks into muffled laughter._

MAURICE

_Mutters._

Now he is gone! Oh, my God!

CHAUFFEUR

_Triumphantly._

Take your seats! Ready!

MAURICE

But the doctor isn't here. Oh, my God! Father, what shall we do now?

CHAUFFEUR

Let us call him. Eh!

_Maurice and the chauffeur call: "Doctor! Eh! Langloi!"_

CHAUFFEUR

_Angrily._

I must deliver Monsieur Grelieu, and I will deliver him. Take your seats!

MAURICE

_Shouts._

Langloi!

_A faint echo in the distance._

Come! Doctor!

_The response is nearer._

PEASANT

He did not catch her. You cannot catch her. She asked me, too, about the road to Lonua. She is insane.

_Laughs._

There are many like her now.

EMIL GRELIEU

_Imploringly._

Jeanne!

JEANNE

But I cannot, Emil. What is it? I cannot understand. What is it? Where are we? My God, I don't understand anything. I used to understand, I used to understand, but now--Where is Pierre? _Firmly._

Where is Pierre?

MAURICE

Oh, will he be here soon? Mother dear, we'll start in a moment!

JEANNE

Yes, yes, we'll start in a moment! But I don't understand anything. Where are we? Why such a dream, why such a dream? I can't understand! Who has come? My head is aching. Who has come? Why has it happened?

_A mice from the darkness, quite near._

JEANNE

_Frightened._

Who is shouting? What a strange dream, what a terrible, terrible, terrible dream. Where is Pierre?

MAURICE

Mother!

JEANNE

I cannot!

_Lowering her voice._

I cannot--why are you torturing me? Where is Pierre?

EMIL GRELIEU

He is dead, Jeanne!

JEANNE

No!!!

EMIL GRELIEU

He is dead, Jeanne. But I swear to you by God, Jeanne!--Belgium will live. Weep, sob, you are a mother. I too am crying with you--But I swear by God: Belgium will live! God has given me the light to see, and I can see. Songs will resound here. Jeanne! A new Spring will come here, the trees will be covered with blossoms--I swear to you, Jeanne, they will be covered with blossoms! And mothers will caress their children, and the sun will shine upon their heads, upon their golden-haired little heads! Jeanne! There will be no more bloodshed. I see a new world, Jeanne! I see my nation: Here it is advancing with palm leaves to meet God who has come to earth again. Weep, Jeanne, you are a mother! Weep, unfortunate mother--God weeps with you. But there will be happy mothers here again--I see a new world, Jeanne, I see a new life!

_Curtain_

End of Project Gutenberg's The Sorrows of Belgium, by Leonid Andreyev