Scene III A Corridor Before the Apartment of Alladine. Enter Astolaine and the Sisters of Palomides
Astolaine
The horses wait in the forest, but Palomides will not flee; and yet your lives and his are in danger. I do not know my poor father any longer. He has a fixed idea that troubles his reason. This is the third day I have followed him step by step, hiding myself behind the pillars and the walls, for he suffers no one to companion him. To-day, as the other days, and from the first gleams of the morning he has gone wandering through the corridors and halls of the palace, and along the moats and ramparts, shaking the great golden keys he has had made and singing at the top of his voice the strange song whose refrain, Go follow what your eyes have seen, has perhaps pierced even to the depths of your chambers. I have concealed from you till now all that has come to pass, because such things must not be spoken of without reason. He must have shut up Alladine in this apartment, but no one knows what he has done with her. I have listened at the doors every night and whenever he has been away a moment, but I have never heard any noise in the room…. Do you hear anything?
One of the Sisters of Palomides
No; I hear only the murmur of the air passing through the little chinks of the wood….
Another Sister
It seems to me, when I listen hard, that I hear the great pendulum of the clock.
A Third Sister
But what is this little Alladine, then, and why does he bear such ill-will to her?
Astolaine
It is a little Greek slave that came from the heart of Arcady…. He bears her no ill-will, but … Do you hear?—It is my father…. [Singing heard in the distance.] Hide yourselves behind the pillars … He will have no one pass by this corridor.—[They hide.]
Enter ABLAMORE, singing and shaking a bunch of great keys.
ABLAMORE (sings).
Misfortune had three golden keys.
—He has no rescue for the Queen!—
Misfortune had three golden keys.
Go follow what your eyes have seen.
[Sits dejected on a bench, beside the door of Alladine’s apartment, hums a little while longer, and soon goes to sleep, his arms hanging down and his head fallen.]
Astolaine
Come, come! make no noise. He has fallen asleep on the bench.—Oh, my poor old father! How white his hair has grown during these days! He is so weak, he is so unhappy, that sleep itself no longer brings him peace. It is three whole days now since I have dared to look upon his face….
One of the Sisters of Palomides
He sleeps profoundly….
Astolaine
He sleeps profoundly, but you can see his soul has no rest…. The sunlight here will vex his eyelids…. I am going to draw his cloak over his face….
Another Sister
No, no; do not touch it…. He might wake with a start….
Astolaine
Some one is coming in the corridor. Come, come! put yourselves before him…. Hide him…. A stranger must not see him in this state….
A Sister of Palomides
It is Palomides….
Astolaine
I am going to cover his poor eyes…. [She covers ABLAMORE’S face.]—I would not have Palomides see him thus…. He is too miserable.
Enter PALOMIDES.
Palomides
What is the matter?
One of the Sisters
He has fallen asleep on the bench.
Palomides
I have followed him without his seeing me…. He said nothing?…
Astolaine
No; but see all he has suffered….
Palomides
Has he the keys?
Another Sister
He holds them in his hand….
Palomides
I am going to take them.
Astolaine
What are you going to do? Oh, do not wake him!… For three nights now he has wandered through the palace….
Palomides
I will open his hand a little without his noticing it…. We have no right to wait any longer…. God knows what he has done…. He will forgive us when he has his reason back…. Oh! oh! his hand has no strength any more…
Astolaine
Take care! Take care!
Palomides
I have the keys.—Which is it? I am going to open the room.
One of the Sisters
Oh, I am afraid!… Do not open it at once…. Palomides!…
Palomides
Stay here…. I do not know what I shall find….
[He goes to the door, opens it, and enters the apartment.]
Astolaine
Is she there?
PALOMIDES (in the apartment).
I cannot see…. The shutters are closed….
Astolaine
Have a care, Palomides…. Wilt thou that I go first?… Thy voice is trembling….
PALOMIDES (in the apartment).
No, no…. I see a ray of sunlight falling through the chinks of the shutters.
One of the Sisters
Yes; it is broad day out of doors.
Palomides
[Rushing headlong from the room.] Come! Come!… I think she …
Astolaine
Thou hast seen her?…
Palomides
She is stretched out on the bed!… She does not stir!… I do not think she … Come! Come! [They all go into the room.
Astolaine and the Sisters of Palomides
[In the room.] She is here…. No, no, she is not dead…. Alladine! Alladine!… Oh! oh! The poor child!… Do not cry out so…. She has fainted…. Her hair is tied across her mouth…. And her hands are bound behind her back…. They are bound with the help of her hair…. Alladine! Alladine!… Fetch some water….
[ABLAMORE, who has waked, appears on the step of the door.]
Astolaine
There is my father!…
ABLAMORE (going to PALOMIDES).
Was it you who opened the door of the room?
Palomides
Yes, it was I…. I did it—well, then?—well, then?… I could not let her die under my eyes…. See what you have done. Alladine!… Fear nothing…. She opens her eyes a little…. I will not …
Ablamore
Do not cry out…. Do not cry out so…. Come, we will open the shutters…. You cannot see here. Alladine!… She is already sitting up. Alladine, come too…. Do you see, my children, it is dark in the room. It is as dark here as if we were a thousand feet under the ground. But I open one of the shutters, and behold! All the light of the sky and the sun!… It does not need much effort; the light is full of good-will…. It suffices that one call it; it always obeys…. Have you seen the river with its little islands between the meadows in flower?… The sky is a crystal ring to-day…. Alladine! Palomides, come see…. Draw both of you near Paradise…. You must kiss each other in the new light…. I bear you no ill-will. You did what was ordained; and so did I…. Lean out a moment from the open window, and look once more at the sweet green things…. [A silence. He closes the shutter without a word.]