The Blue Bird: A Fairy Play in Six Acts | Page 7

of liberty, while the children and Light pay their visit to the Fairy's little daughter.... I have brought you here in order to discuss the position in which we are placed.... Are we all here?...
SUGAR I see the Dog coming out of the Fairy's wardrobe....
FIRE What on earth has he got on?...
THE CAT He has put on the livery of one of the footmen of Cinderella's coach.... It was just the thing for him.... He has the soul of a flunkey.... But let us hide behind the balustrade.... It's strange how I mistrust him.... He had better not hear what I have to say to you....
SUGAR It is too late.... He has discovered us.... Look, here is Water also coming out of the wardrobe.... Goodness me, how fine she is!...
(The DOG and WATER join the first group.)
THE DOG (frisking about) There! There!... Aren't we fine I.... Just look at these laces and this embroidery!... It's real gold and no mistake!...
THE CAT (to WATER) Is that Catskin's "colour-of-time" dress?... I seem to recognise it....
WATER Yes, it's the one that suited me best....
FIRE (between his teeth) She's not brought her umbrella....
WATER What's that?...
FIRE Nothing, nothing....
WATER I thought you might be speaking of a great red I saw the other day....
THE CAT Come, don't let as quarrel; we have more important things to do.... We are only waiting for Bread; where is he?
THE DOG He was making an endless fuss about choosing his dress....
FIRE Worth while, isn't it, for a fellow who looks a fool and carries an enormous stomach?...
THE DOG At last, he decided in favour of a Turkish robe, adorned with gems, a scimitar and a turban....
THE CAT There he is!... He has put on Bluebeard's finest dress...
Enter BREAD, in the costume described above. The silk robe is crossed tightly over his huge stomach. In one hand he holds the hilt of a scimitar passed through his sash and in the other the cage intended for the Blue Bird.
BREAD (waddling conceitedly) Well?... What do you think of this?
THE DOG (frisking round the LOAF) How nice he looks! What a fool he looks! How nice he looks! How nice he looks!...
THE CAT (to the LOAF) Are the children dressed?...
BREAD Yes, Master Tyltyl has put on Hop-o'-my-Thumb's blue jacket and red breeches; and Miss Mytyl has Gretel's frock and Cinderella's slippers.... But the great thing was the dressing of Light!...
THE CAT Why?...
BREAD The Fairy thought her so lovely that she did not want to dress her at all!... Thereupon I protested in the name of our dignity as essential and eminently respectable elements; and I ended by declaring that, under those conditions, I should refuse to be seen with her....
FIRE They ought to have bought her a lampshade!...
THE CAT And what answer did the Fairy make?...
THE LOAF She hit me with her stick on my head and stomach....
THE CAT And then?...
BREAD I allowed myself to be convinced; but, at the last moment, Light decided on the moonbeam dress at the bottom of the chest with Catskin's treasures....
THE CAT Come, stop chattering, time presses.... Our future is at stake.... You have heard--the Fairy has just said so--that the end of this journey will, at the same time, mark the end of our lives.... It is our business, therefore, to prolong it as much as possible and by every possible means.... But there is another thing: we must think of the fate of our race and the destiny of our children....
BREAD Hear, hear!... The Cat is right!...
THE CAT Listen to me!... All of us here present, Animals, Things and Elements, possess a soul which man does not yet know. That is why we retain a remnant of independence; but, if he finds the Blue Bird, he will know all, he will see all and we shall be completely at his mercy.... This is what I have just learned from my old friend, Night, who is also the guardian of the mysteries of Life.... It is to our interest, therefore, at all costs to prevent the finding of that bird, even if we have to go so far as to endanger the lives of the children themselves....
THE DOG (indignantly) What's the fellow saying?... Just say that again, will you, to see if I heard right?...
BREAD Order! Order!... It's not your turn to speak!... I'm in the chair at this meeting....
FIRE Who made you chairman?...
WATER (to FIRE) Hold your tongue!... What are you interfering with?...
FIRE I shall interfere where I choose.... And I want none of your remarks....
SUGAR (concilatorily) Excuse me.... Do not let us quarrel.... This is a serious moment.... We must, above all things, decide what measures to adopt....
BREAD I quite agree with Sugar and the Cat....
THE DOG This is ridiculous!... There is Man and that's all!... We have to obey him and do as