Pelléas et Mélisande | Page 9

here, Yniold; asleep already?... Come and look out at the window; the swans are fighting with the dogs....
YNIOLD _(at the window)._
Oh! oh! they are chasing the dogs!... They are chasing them!... Oh! oh! the water!... the wings!... the wings!... they are afraid....
PéLLéAS. _(coming back by_ MéLISANDE_)._
He is sleepy; he is struggling against sleep; his eyes were closing....
MéLISANDE _(singing softly as she spins)._
Saint Daniel and Saint Micha?l.... Saint Micha?l and Saint Rapha?l....
YNIOLD _(at the window)._
Oh! oh! little mother!...
MéLISANDE _(rising abruptly)._
What is it, Yniold?... What is it?...
YNIOLD.
I saw something at the window?... [PéLLéAS and MéLISANDE _run to the window._
PéLLéAS.
What is there at the window?... What have you seen?...
YNIOLD.
Oh! oh! I saw something!...
PéLLéAS.
But there is nothing. I see nothing....
MéLISANDE.
Nor I....
PéLLéAS.
Where did you see something? Which way?...
YNIOLD.
Down there, down there!... It is no longer there....
PéLLéAS.
He does not know what he is saying. He must have seen the light of the moon on the forest. There are often strange reflections,... or else something must have passed on the highway ... or in his sleep. For see, see, I believe he is quite asleep....
YNIOLD _(at the window)._
Little father is there! little father is there!
PéLLéAS _(going to the window)._
He is right; Golaud is coming into the courtyard....
YNIOLD.
Little father!... little father!... I am going to meet him!... [_Exit, running,--A silence._
PéLLéAS.
They are coming up the stair....
Enter GOLAUD and little YNIOLD _with a lamp._
GOLAUD.
You are still waiting in the dark?
YNIOLD.
I have brought a light, little mother, a big light!... [He lifts the lamp and looks at MéLISANDE.] You have been weeping, little mother?... You have been, weeping?... [He lifts the lamp toward PéLLéAS _and looks in turn at him._] You too, you too, you have been weeping?... Little father, look, little father; they have both been weeping....
GOLAUD.
Do not hold the light under their eyes so....

SCENE II.--_One of the towers of the castle.--watchman's round passes under a window in the tower._
MéLISANDE _(at the window, combing her unbound hair)._
My long locks fall foaming To the threshold of the tower,-- My locks await your coming All along the tower, And all the long, long hour, And all the long, long hour.
_Saint Daniel and Saint Micha?l,_ _Saint Micha?l and Saint Rapha?l._
I was born on a Sunday, A Sunday at high noon....
Enter PéLLéAS _by the watchman's round._
PéLLéAS.
Holà! Holà! ho!...
MéLISANDE.
Who is there?
PéLLéAS.
I, I, and I!... What art thou doing there at the window, singing like a bird that is not native here?
MéLISANDE.
I am doing my hair for the night...
PéLLéAS.
Is it that I see upon the wall?... I thought you had some light....
MéLISANDE.
I have opened the window; it is too hot in the tower.... It is beautiful to-night....
PéLLéAS.
There are innumerable stars; I have never seen so many as to-night;... but the moon is still upon the sea.... Do not stay in the shadow, Mélisande; lean forward a little till I see your unbound hair....
MéLISANDE.
I am frightful so.... [_She learn out at the window._
PéLLéAS.
Oh! oh! Mélisande!... oh, thou art beautiful!... thou art beautiful so!... Lean out! lean out!... Let me come nearer thee....
MéLISANDE
I cannot come nearer thee.... I am leaning out as far as I can....
PéLLéAS.
I cannot come up higher;... give me at least thy hand to-night ... before I go away.... I leave to-morrow....
MéLISANDE.
No, no, no!...
PéLLéAS.
Yes, yes, yes; I leave, I shall leave to-morrow.... Give me thy hand, thy hand, thy little hand upon my lips....
MéLISANDE.
I give thee not my hand if thou wilt leave....
PéLLéAS.
Give, give, give!...
MéLISANDE.
Thou wilt not leave?...
PéLLéAS.
I will wait; I will wait....
MéLISANDE.
I see a rose in the shadows....
PéLLéAS.
Where?... I see only the boughs of the willow hanging over the wall....
MéLISANDE.
Further down, further down, in the garden; further down, in the sombre green....
PéLLéAS.
It is not a rose.... I will go see by and by, but give me thy hand first; first thy hand....
MéLISANDE.
There, there;... I cannot lean out further....
PéLLéAS.
I cannot reach thy hand with my lips....
MéLISANDE.
I cannot lean out further.... I am on the point of falling....--Oh! oh! my hair is falling down the tower!...
[_Her tresses fall suddenly over her head, as she is leaning out so, and stream over_ PéLLéAS]
PéLLéAS.
Oh! oh! what is it?... Thy hair, thy hair is falling down to me!... All thy locks, Mélisande, all thy locks have fallen down the tower!... I hold them in my hands; I hold them in my mouth.... I hold them in my arms; I put them about my neck.... I will not open my hands again to-night....
MéLISANDE.
Let me go! let me go!... Thou wilt make me fall!...
PéLLéAS.
No, no, no;... I have never seen such hair as thine, Mélisande!... See, see, see; it comes from so high and yet it floods me to the heart!... And yet it floods me to the knees!... And it is sweet, sweet as if it fell from heaven!... I see the sky no longer through thy locks. Thou seest, thou seest?... I can no longer hold them with both