Scene II An Apartment in the Castle. Arkël and Mélisande Discovered
Arkël
Now that Pélléas’s father is saved, and sickness, the old handmaid of Death, has left the castle, a little joy and a little sunlight will at last come into the house again…. It was time!—For, since thy coming, we have only lived here whispering about a closed room…. And truly I have pitied thee, Mélisande…. Thou camest here all joyous, like a child seeking a gala-day, and at the moment thou enteredst in the vestibule I saw thy face change, and probably thy soul, as the face changes in spite of us when we enter at noon into a grotto too gloomy and too cold…. And since,—since, on account of all that, I have often no longer understood thee…. I observed thee, thou went there, listless perhaps, but with the strange, astray look of one awaiting ever a great trouble, in the sunlight, in a beautiful garden…. I cannot explain…. But I was sad to see thee so; for thou art too young and too beautiful to live already day and night under the breath of death…. But now all that will change. At my age,—and there perhaps is the surest fruit of my life,—at my age I have gained I know not what faith in the fidelity of events, and I have always seen that every young and beautiful being creates about itself young, beautiful, and happy events…. And it is thou who wilt now open the door for the new era I have glimpses of…. Come here; why dost thou stay there without answering and without lifting thine eyes?—I have kissed thee but once only hitherto,—the day of thy coming; and yet old men need sometimes to touch with their lips a woman’s forehead or a child’s cheek, to believe still in the freshness of life and avert awhile the menaces…. Art thou afraid of my old lips? How I have pitied thee these months!…
Mélisande
Grandfather, I have not been unhappy….
Arkël
Perhaps you were of those who are unhappy without knowing it,… and they are the most unhappy…. Let me look at thee, so, quite near, a moment;… we have such need of beauty beside Death….
Enter GOLAUD.
Golaud
Pélléas leaves to-night.
Arkël
Thou hast blood on thy forehead.—What hast thou done?
Golaud
Nothing, nothing…. I have passed through a hedge of thorns.
Mélisande
Bend down your head a little, my lord…. I will wipe your forehead….
GOLAUD (repulsing her).
I will not that you touch me, do you understand? Go, go!—I am not speaking to you.—Where is my sword?—I came to seek my sword….
Mélisande
Here; on the praying-stool.
Golaud
Bring it. [To ARKËL.]—They have just found another peasant dead of hunger, along by the sea. You would say they all meant to die under our eyes.—[To MÉLISANDE.] Well, my sword?—Why do you tremble so?—I am not going to kill you. I would simply examine the blade. I do not employ the sword for these uses. Why do you examine me like a beggar?—I do not come to ask alms of you. You hope to see something in my eyes without my seeing anything in yours?—Do you think I may know something?—[To ARKËL.]—Do you see those great eyes?—It is as if they were proud of their richness….
Arkël
I see there only a great innocence….
Golaud
A great innocence!… They are greater than innocence!… They are purer than the eyes of a lamb…. They would give God lessons in innocence! A great innocence! Listen: I am so near them I feel the freshness of their lashes when they wink; and yet I am less far away from the great secrets of the other world than from the smallest secret of those eyes!… A great innocence!… More than innocence! You would say the angels of heaven celebrated there an eternal baptism!… I know those eyes! I have seen them at their work! Close them! close them! or I shall close them for a long while!…—Do not put your right hand to your throat so; I am saying a very simple thing…. I have no under-thought…. If I had an under-thought, why should I not say it? Ah! ah!—do not attempt to flee!—Here!—Give me that hand!—Ah! your hands are too hot…. Go away! Your flesh disgusts me!… Here!—There is no more question of fleeing now!—[He seizes her by the hair.]—You shall follow me on your knees!—On your knees!—On your knees before me!—Ah! ah! your long hair serves some purpose at last!… Right,… left!—Left,… right!—Absalom! Absalom.—Forward! back! To the ground! to the ground!… You see, you see; I laugh already like an old man….
ARKËL (running up).
Golaud!…
GOLAUD (affecting a sudden calm).
You will do as you may please, look you.—I attach no importance to that.—I am too old; and, besides, I am not a spy. I shall await chance; and then … Oh! then!… simply because it is the custom; simply because it is the custom…. [Exit.
Arkël
What ails him?—He is drunk?
MÉLISANDE (in tears).
No, no; he does not love me any more…. I am not happy!… I am not happy!…
Arkël
If I were God, I would have pity on men’s hearts….