Act First
Scene I The Gate of the Castle
MAIDSERVANTS (within).
Open the gate! Open the gate!
PORTER (within).
Who is there? Why do you come and wake me up? Go out by the little gates; there are enough of them!…
A MAIDSERVANT (within).
We have come to wash the threshold, the gate, and the steps; open, then! open!
ANOTHER MAIDSERVANT (within).
There are going to be great happenings!
THIRD MAIDSERVANT (within).
There are going to be great fêtes! Open quickly!…
The Maidservants
Open! open!
Porter
Wait! wait! I do not know whether I shall be able to open it;… it is never opened…. Wait till it is light….
First Maidservant
It is light enough without; I see the sunlight through the chinks….
Porter
Here are the great keys…. Oh! oh! how the bolts and the locks grate!… Help me! help me!…
Maidservants
We are pulling; we are pulling….
Second Maidservant
It will not open….
First Maidservant
Ah! ah! It is opening! it is opening slowly!
Porter
How it shrieks! how it shrieks! it will wake up everybody….
Second Maidservant
[Appearing on the threshold.] Oh, how light it is already out-of-doors!
First Maidservant
The sun is rising on the sea!
Porter
It is open…. It is wide open!… [All the maidservants appear on the threshold and pass over it.]
First Maidservant
I am going to wash the sill first….
Second Maidservant
We shall never be able to clean all this.
Other Maidservants
Fetch the water! fetch the water!
Porter
Yes, yes; pour on water; pour on water; pour on all the water of the Flood! You will never come to the end of it….