JOYZELLE. What are you saying, father, and to whom are you speaking?... It seems as though flowers which I cannot gather were lightly touching my forehead and caressing my lips.... MERLIN. Do not repel them, they are sad and pure.... It is my poor Arielle who spreads them over you; it is my invisible daughter, the good fairy of the island, who discovered and protected you and Lancéor. She wishes to mingle, for the last time, in your great love and asks for a share, as discreet as herself, of the happiness which we owe her.... JOYZELLE. Where is she?... I see no one near but you and Lancéor.... MERLIN. And do you think, my child, that we see all that lives deep down in our lives?... Be kind and gentle to poor Arielle.... She is now giving you a parting kiss before going far away to disappear with me in the regions where fate wills that my destiny should be fulfilled.... LANCÉOR. To disappear with you?... Father, I do not know.... MERLIN. Let us not question those who have nothing more to say.... All is now determined.... Thanks to the unknown gods, I have been able to give happiness to the two hearts that were dearest to me; but I can do no more, nor can you do anything, for my own happiness.... I am going towards my destiny and I go in silence, lest I should sadden this smiling hour, which is yours alone.... I know what awaits me; and nevertheless I am going.... JOYZELLE. No, no, no, no, father, you shall not go!... We are around you, and if some danger which we cannot see threatens your old age, we shall try at least to alleviate the dread of it.... When there are three to undergo a misfortune and those three love one another, then the misfortune changes to a burden of love, which we bear with delight.... MERLIN. Alas, no, my Joyzelle: it would all be useless!... Would to the gods that men had to pass only through kindly evils, as yours were!... But all life's secret purposes are not so clear, are not so good.... But we speak in vain of what is written.... I am still here, in the arms of those who love me.... The day of my distress is not this day.... Let us enjoy our hour, in the sweet sadness that follows on great joys, by listening to our minutes of love, passing and fleeting, one by one, in that frail ray of nocturnal light in which we clasp one another for our greater happiness.... The rest does not as yet belong to men.... CURTAIN. APPENDIX I (ACT III., SCENE II., _p. 75_). _If this transfiguration of MERLIN'S cannot be realized in a satisfactory manner on the stage, it may be easily avoided by cutting, on pp. 77 to 81, all that follows on JOYZELLE'S exclamation. The scene will then be as follows_: JOYZELLE. (_Waking with a start._) Lancéor!... (_Recognizing MERLIN, with a movement of horror._) You!... MERLIN. Yes, it is I: the proof is grave and sad, &c. (_The rest as on pp. 81 to 85._) APPENDIX II