The Blue Bird: A Fairy Play in Six Acts | Page 4

over there?...
THE FAIRY It's no more beautiful there than here.
TYLTYL Ugh!... It's darker here and smaller and there are no cakes....
THE FAIRY It's exactly the same, only you can't see....
TYLTYL Yes, I can; and I have very good eyes. I can see the time on the church clock and daddy can't...
THE FAIRY (suddenly angry) I tell you that you can't see!... How do you see me?... What do I look like?... (An awkward silence from TYLTYL.) Well, answer me, will you? I want to know if you can see!... Am I pretty or ugly?... (The silence grows more and more uncomfortable.) Won't you answer?... Am I young or old?... Are my cheeks pink or yellow?... Perhaps you'll say I have a hump?...
TYLTYL (in a conciliatory tone) No, no; It's not a big one....
THE FAIRY Oh, yes, to look at you, any one would think it enormous.... Have I a hook nose and have I lost one of my eyes?...
TYLTYL Oh, no, I don't say that.... Who put it out?...
THE FAIRY (growing more and more irritated). But it's not out!... You wretched, impudent boy!... It's much finer than the other; it's bigger and brighter and blue as the sky.... And my hair, do you see that?... It's fair as the corn in the fields, it's like virgin gold!... And I've such heaps and heaps of it that it weighs my head down.... It escapes on every side.... Do you see it on my hands? (She holds out two lean wisps of grey hair.)
TYLTYL Yes, I see a little....
THE FAIRY (indignantly) A little!... Sheaves! Armfuls! Clusters! Waves of gold!... I know there are people who say that they don't see any; but you're not one of those wicked, blind people, I should hope?...
TYLTYL Oh, no; I can see all that isn't hidden....
THE FAIRY But you ought to see the rest with as little doubt!... Human beings are very odd!... Since the death of the fairies, they see nothing at all and they never suspect it.... Luckily, I always carry with me all that is wanted to give new light to dimmed eyes.... What am I taking out of my bag?...
TYLTYL Oh, what a dear little green hat!... What's that shining in the cockade?...
THE FAIRY That's the big diamond that makes people see....
TYLTYL Really?...
THE FAIRY Yes; when you've got the hat on your head, you turn the diamond a little; from right to left, for instance, like this; do you see?... Then it presses a bump which nobody knows of and which opens your eyes....
TYLTYL Doesn't it hurt?...
THE FAIRY On the contrary, it's enchanted.... You at once see even the inside of things: the soul of bread, of wine, of pepper, for instance....
MYTYL Can you see the soul of sugar, too?...
THE FAIRY (suddenly cross) Of course you can!... I hate unnecessary questions.... The soul of sugar is no more interesting than the soul of pepper.... There, I give you all I have to help you in your search for the Blue Bird. I know that the flying carpet or the ring which makes its wearer invisible would be more useful to you.... But I have lost the key of the cupboard in which I locked them.... Oh, I was almost forgetting!... (Pointing to the diamond) When you hold it like this, do you see?... One little turn more and you behold the past.... Another little turn and you behold the future.... It's curious and practical and it's quite noiseless....
TYLTYL Daddy will take it from me....
THE FAIRY He won't see it; no one can see it as long as it's on your head.... Will you try it?... (She puts the little green hat on TYLTYL'S head.) Now, turn the diamond.... One turn and then....
(TYLTYL has no sooner turned the diamond than a sudden and wonderful change comes over everything. The old FAIRY alters then and there into a princess of marvellous beauty; the flints of which the cottage walls are built light up, turn blue as sapphires, become transparent and gleam and sparkle like the most precious stones. The humble furniture takes life and becomes resplendent; the deal table assumes as grave and noble an air as a table made of marble; the face of the clock winks its eye and smiles genially, while the door that contains the pendulum opens and releases the Hours, which, holding one another by the hand and laughing merrily, begin to dance to the sound of delicious music.)
TYLTYL (displaying a legitimate bewilderment and pointing to the Hours) Who are all those pretty ladies?...
THE FAIRY Don't be afraid; they are the hours of your life and they are glad to be free and visible for a moment....
TYLTYL And why are the walls so bright?... Are they made of sugar or of precious stones?...
THE FAIRY All stones are alike, all