Scene V Before the Castle
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.