Act 4 — SCENE IX

The Abode of the Children

The immense halls, the lofty vaults, the infinite perspectives of arches and columns of the Kingdom of the Future in "The Blue Bird"; but this time, it being the nuptial hour, everything is of a soft, milky white, gleaming and transparent. The radiant shapes of amber-coloured light bathe in unspeakable gladness all the things that they touch; and everywhere are signs of a deep and unfaltering joy. The boundless horizon stretches towards the veiled white of the Milky Way, the ether quivering with myriads of unknown stars.

(When the curtain opens, TYLTYL, LIGHT, DESTINY and THE SIX GIRLS are in the foreground, on the right, at the foot of one of the alabaster columns supporting the entrance-arch. They take a few steps into the immense deserted hall, while THE WHITE PHANTOM hides timidly behind the column.)

TYLTYL

(A little disappointed.) There's nobody here!...

LIGHT

I know why it is. There are several doors; as you were all very tired, I chose the one that was nearest. They are probably waiting for us at the principal entrance.

TYLTYL

How shall we let them know?

LIGHT

The atmosphere will do that: here everything is known immediately and every event happens everywhere at the same moment.

TYLTYL

It's a very fine place, this: splendid large rooms and a very high ceiling; lots of light and air....

LIGHT

And it's still always inside yourself.

TYLTYL

What, this is inside me too?

LIGHT

Why, yes; of course it is.

TYLTYL

Very well, then; that's all right. Please step in: you're very welcome. Won't you sit down while you wait?

LIGHT

We shall not have long to wait, for I believe they have seen us.

(A CHILD'S head appears for an instant between two columns and is then briskly withdrawn, exclaiming, "This way! This way! They're here!" Soon after, seven or eight CHILDREN of about twelve years of age, in short white tunics, with bare arms, legs and feet, run up from the back of the hall and stop in front of the visitors. The largest holds out his hand to TYLTYL.)

THE CHILD

Good-evening, grandpapa!

TYLTYL

Grandpapa?... Who's that?... Where is he?...

THE CHILD

(Bursting into laughter.) Why, it's you!

TYLTYL

(Dumbfounded.) I? Am I a grandpapa already?

THE CHILD

Of course you are, eighty times over!... We are the first to arrive. The others are on their way.... (To the other CHILDREN.) He doesn't seem to believe it!

ANOTHER CHILD

You might give us a kiss.

TYLTYL

(Kissing them all.) I will! I will!... But how do I come to be a grandpapa?

THE CHILD

Surely it's quite simple: you will be our grandpapa when we are your grandchildren.

TYLTYL

Obviously, that's clear.... So you exist already?

THE CHILD

Naturally, since you yourself exist.... I say, are those the grandmammas you're bringing us?

TYLTYL

Yes; it seems you're to pick out the best one.

ANOTHER CHILD

(Clapping his hands and dancing for joy.) Oh, how pretty they are!... (Throwing himself into JALLINE'S arms.) I take this one, because she is so soft!...

ANOTHER CHILD

(Throwing his arms round AIMETTE'S neck.) And I this one, because she is so sad!...

ANOTHER CHILD

(Kissing ROSELLE.) I choose this one, because's she's always laughing!...

THREE OTHER CHILDREN

(Each taking one of THE GIRLS, kissing and fondling her and laughing and skipping with delight.) And I choose this one, because she smells so nice!... I choose this one!... I choose this one!...

THE FIRST CHILD

(Intervening.) One moment, one moment, if you please.... This has nothing to do with us; our turn will come. You know that only the smallest have the right to choose who is to be their mother. All we have to do is to help them with our advice and to stop them if they make mistakes; but that's a thing which has never happened yet. They were quite some distance away, at the principal gate, but they won't be long now.

TYLTYL

Here come some bigger ones!

(Enter a new group of CHILDREN, apparently about fifteen years of age. The oldest goes to TYLTYL and shakes hands with him.)

THE OLDEST CHILD

Good-evening, great-grandfather!...

TYLTYL

Who's that? I? I'm a great-grandfather now!...

THE OLDEST CHILD

Of course you are!... I am very glad to see you for a minute, for we shall most nicely not have the pleasure of meeting on earth.... Well, I understand that your visit to the Ancestors was not much of a success.

TYLTYL

Let's rather put it that they hadn't quite made up their minds. But how is it that you already know what happened there?

THE OLDEST CHILD

Why, of course we know everything that happens inside you; we're there ourselves. Besides, there's very little that separates us from the Ancestors: our interests are the same and our paths often meet.

THE FIRST CHILD

Look out! Here are the little ones!... I see five coming.... There's only one missing, the littlest....

(From the back of the halls come five LITTLE CHILDREN holding one another's hands.)

TYLTYL

Who are those five little ones? They are very sweet.

THE FIRST CHILD

Why, they are your children: two boys and three girls!

TYLTYL

Mine? Shall I have five children?

THE FIRST CHILD

Six, you will have six, for the last little one isn't here yet.... I promise you, the world can do with them, after what people have been up to, down there!...

TYLTYL

But I shall never be able to feed them all!...

(THE FIVE LITTLE ONES, still holding hands, have stopped in front of THE SIX GIRLS and stand looking at them solemnly, without speaking. By degrees, the halls have become filled with a host of other CHILDREN who gather round THE FIVE LITTLE ONES and watch them. The silence at last becomes irksome and TYLTYL breaks it.)

TYLTYL

Well, children, aren't you going to kiss your papa?

THE YOUNGEST CHILD

(Ordering him with a serious gesture to be silent.) Mamma first.... Where is she?

TYLTYL

Why, she must be here; she's one of those. You have only to choose.

THE YOUNGEST CHILD

(To the one beside him.) Do you see her?

THE OTHER

(Shaking his head sadly.) No.

THE THREE OTHERS

(In succession.) No more do I.... No more do I.... No more do I....

JALLINE

(Rushing forward, catching hold of one of the CHILDREN and kissing him.) But that's impossible!... Here, look at me?... Don't you see how much I'll love you?...

THE CHILD

Yes, but you're not the one.

ROSELLE

(Taking another CHILD on her knees.) And me? Won't you have me for your mamma?

THE CHILD

No, no, it's not you.

ROSARELLE

(Catching hold of another CHILD.) And me? Don't you love me? You'll see how happy we shall be!... We shall have a lovely house full of toys and I shall give you everything you want....

THE CHILD

(Vainly trying to contain its tears.) No, no!...

BELLINE

(Taking THE YOUNGEST.) Look here, you seem to know more than the others.... Don't you recognize me?... Are you fond of sweets?...

THE YOUNGEST CHILD

(Struggling until she lets him go and crying without disguise.) Let me go! Let me go!

TYLTYL

Here's a pretty business! He's crying!... And the other one as well!... But what do they want?... They're very hard to please....

(THE YOUNGEST CHILD wipes his eyes and takes the hand of the next, who does the same by his neighbour, until they all hold hands again.)

THE YOUNGEST CHILD

Come!...

(THE FIVE LITTLE CHILDREN move away, with staid dignity, and go out on the left.)

TYLTYL

What's the matter with them? Where are they going?

ONE OF THE BIG CHILDREN

They are going to the other door.

ANOTHER

They are going to fetch the smallest of them all.

ANOTHER

The smaller they are, the more they know.

THE FIRST CHILD

But where is he, the smallest one? Haven't you seen him?

ANOTHER

No, no one has seen him since this morning.... It's strange, for he is always with his little sisters.

TYLTYL

(Looking at the throng of CHILDREN filling the halls.) How many there are!

ONE OF THE BIG CHILDREN

It's only one part of the family.

A CHILD

(Which has been following the progress of THE FIVE CHILDREN with his eyes.) They are stopping at the third door.

TYLTYL

Who?

THE CHILD

The five little ones.

ANOTHER CHILD

They seem to be looking for something.

THE FIRST CHILD

Let us go and see what they're doing. They know what they know.

OTHER CHILDREN

Yes, yes, let us all go.... They know, they know!

(A great stir in the crowd of CHILDREN. They all run in the same direction and go out on the left. In a moment the hall is emptied of all except TYLTYL, LIGHT, THE SIX GIRLS and DESTINY.)

TYLTYL

Let us go after them too!

(He goes out, followed by LIGHT and THE SIX GIRLS, with DESTINY bringing up the rear. The only occupant of the stage is THE WHITE PHANTOM, whom everybody has overlooked and who has never left the column on the right against which she has been leaning. The stage remains empty for a moment and then, from the back of the halls, comes a CHILD even smaller than the youngest of the FIVE LITTLE ONES. He walks with resolute step; on reaching the columns in the foreground, he appears to take his bearings, turns his head to right and left and then, suddenly, goes straight to THE WHITE PHANTOM, in front of whom he stops and takes up his stand, contemplating her at length, gravely and silently, with his finger in his mouth. At last he puts out one hand and takes THE PHANTOM by the hem of her dress.)

THE SMALLEST OF THEM ALL

Is it ... really you?

THE PHANTOM

(Speaking for the first time and struggling to find her voice, which seems to come from far away and to stick in her throat.) Yes.

THE SMALLEST OF THEM ALL

I knew it. Come....

THE PHANTOM

Where to?

THE SMALLEST OF THEM ALL

Over here.... I'm going to tell the others....

THE PHANTOM

Not yet.... I can't yet....

THE SMALLEST OF THEM ALL

(Still dragging her by her dress towards a marble bench which stands between the columns in the foreground.) Come.... (He makes her sit down, settles her on the bench, caresses her and kisses her.) Come ... it's you.... I knew it.... I'm kissing you.... Don't you know how to kiss yet? (THE PHANTOM shakes her head.) No?... Like this.... I'll teach you.... (He kisses and caresses her slowly and deliberately.) You're no longer cold?

THE PHANTOM

(Smiling at last.) No.

THE SMALLEST OF THEM ALL

(Still kissing her.) You see, that's better already.

(Under THE CHILD'S kisses and caresses, THE STATUE has gradually taken life: the eyes open, the lips flutter, the face begins to colour, the body loses its terrible stiffness, the arms become supple and circle round the THE CHILD'S neck.)

THE SMALLEST OF THEM ALL

(Nestling against her.) You're better, aren't you?... Not sleepy any more?... How good it is, being together!... They're still looking for you, you know.... And it's I who found you!... I knew, I knew....

THE PHANTOM

So did I, so did I.... I was waiting....

THE SMALLEST OF THEM ALL

It's splendid, isn't it?... (Nestling more closely.) Oh, such fun!... Do you like it too?

THE PHANTOM

Yes.... Yes, I am happy.

THE SMALLEST OF THEM ALL

Why aren't you laughing?

THE PHANTOM

Because I am too happy.

THE SMALLEST OF THEM ALL

So am I, so am I!... Don't look: I'm going to cry a little, but it doesn't mean anything....

THE PHANTOM

(Beginning to return his kisses and caresses.) I'm going to cry too.

THE SMALLEST OF THEM ALL

(Intoxicated with rapture.) You're kissing me!... Mummy!... Then it's true, then it's true, it is you!... Again, again!... No, not any more: I can't bear it!... Will they understand, will they be able to understand?

THE PHANTOM

Call them, it is time.

THE SMALLEST OF THEM ALL

Don't cover your face: they wouldn't see it and they wouldn't believe me.... (Drawing aside the veils.) Oh, mummy, how lovely you are!... (Her hair spreads all over her shoulders.) Oh, mummy, your hair!... What lots of it!... There, that's much better, I can kiss you better so.... (Listening.) Listen, they're coming back! They're here!

(THE FIVE LITTLE ONES come rushing headlong into the hall.)

THE FIVE LITTLE ONES

Where is she?... Where is she?... Where is she?...

THE SMALLEST OF THEM ALL

(Standing up on the bench, beside his MOTHER, showing her to the others and dancing with delight.) Here! Here!... She's here, she's here!... I found her!...

(THE MOTHER tries to rise and take them in her arms, but they do not give her time. They fling themselves upon her, load her with kisses and caresses, make her sit down again and clamber on her knees, swarming and scrambling over her and all speaking together.)

THE FIVE LITTLE ONES

It's she!... It's she!... It's mummy!... Where was she?... Did you know her?... I should think so! I should think so!... You too? Yes, I too, I too!... You're taking up all the room!... You're kissing her all the time!... It's not fair, it's my turn!... She's my mummy too!... We looked for you so hard!... We waited for you so long!... She is lovely, isn't she?... She's the loveliest of them all!... There's no one like her!... Tell us, tell us!... What?... I love you! Do you love me?... Kiss, kiss, kiss, kiss!... What sweet things mummies are!... How delicious it is to kiss!... To think one didn't know!... All for us, all for us!... The only happiness!... You're everything in the world to us, we're everything in the world to you!... I dote on you!... I say, do you know me? I shall be the second.... And I the third.... And I the last!... Kiss me first, I shall have the longest to wait!... She's laughing!... She's happy too!... Answer us, speak to us!... Your arm, I want to feel your arm round my neck!... Mine too, mine too!... Don't go away, whatever you do!... We don't know where we are, we're mad with delight!... We can't wait any longer!...

(While they are thus kissing and talking, the other, BIGGER CHILDREN, those of the future generations, gradually return and fill the halls again. The first arrivals stop behind the group formed by THE MOTHER and THE SIX LITTLE ONES; and whispers are heard and rise from the growing crowd: "They've found her!... They've found her!.... It's she!... How happy they are!... How beautiful she is!... How kind she looks!... Can we kiss her?... Wait, wait, it's their turn now!... Ours will come!..." TYLTYL, followed by LIGHT, THE SIX GIRLS and DESTINY, now enters the hall. THE CHILDREN fall back to let him pass. THE SMALLEST OF THEM ALL sees him first, goes to him and, taking him by the hand, leads him to THE MOTHER.)

THE SMALLEST OF THEM ALL

(Gravely.) It is she.... I found her....

(THE MOTHER rises and stands in front of TYLTYL.)

ANOTHER LITTLE ONE

Do you recognize her?

(TYLTYL hesitates, passes his hand over his forehead, vainly searches his memory.)

TYLTYL

Not yet.... She's beautiful!

ANOTHER LITTLE ONE

Kiss her; it's she.

ANOTHER LITTLE ONE

There is no other.

THE SMALLEST OF THEM ALL

We want no other.

TYLTYL

(Taking THE MOTHER'S hand.) Where do you come from?... Who are you?... Where have I seen you before?... I can't remember....

(THE MOTHER does not reply. Her colour comes and goes, her eyes open and shut, her life fluctuates with the ebb and flow of the memory which she strives to awaken.)

THE SMALLEST OF THEM ALL

Take care! You're hurting her!

(THE OTHER LITTLE ONES form a line in front of her as though to defend her.)

A LITTLE ONE

Go away!

ANOTHER LITTLE ONE

Go away! You sha'n't have her until you know her!

ANOTHER LITTLE ONE

You sha'n't have any other!

ANOTHER LITTLE ONE

Go away! She shall stay with us till you know!

ANOTHER LITTLE ONE

Go away! We'll wait for you; we shall all be down there!

THE FIRST LITTLE ONE

Go away, go away!... You're hurting her dreadfully!

THE SMALLEST OF THEM ALL

(Embracing his MOTHER.) Come, mummy, come!... He doesn't know yet!...

(They all gather and press closely round their MOTHER, hurrying and dragging her along and waving good-bye to TYLTYL: "See you soon! See you soon again!... Down there, down there!... See you soon!" ...THE MOTHER turns and gazes fixedly at TYLTYL; then the outlines of the hall darken, lose their colour and distinctness, dissolve and disappear. Only TYLTYL, LIGHT, DESTINY and THE SIX GIRLS remain in front of the Curtain representing the Milky Way.)

TYLTYL

Well, I'm in a nice mess!... What am I to do?... Is it my fault if I can't remember?...

LIGHT

Don't be afraid. They know what they are saying. You will find her again.... Let us go, quickly!... I am sure that she is waiting for you where you least expect her.

TYLTYL

(Dreamily.) She really is beautiful!... I believe they are right.... I believe it's really she....

(They all go out.)

CURTAIN