You see that everything retains you here just now and forbids you this useless journey. We have concealed your father's condition from you until now; but it is perhaps hopeless; and that alone should suffice to stop you on the threshold. But there are so many other reasons.... And it is not in the day when our enemies awake, and when the people are dying of hunger and murmur about us, that you have the right to desert us. And why this journey? Marcellus is dead; and life has graver duties than the visit to a tomb. You are weary, you say, of your inactive life; but activity and duty are not found on the highways. They must be waited for upon the threshold, and let in as they go by; and they go by every day. You have never seen them? I hardly see them any more myself; but I will teach you to see them, and I will point them out to you the day when you would make them a sign. Nevertheless, listen to me; if you believe it is from the depths of your life this journey is exacted, I do not forbid your undertaking it, for you must know better than I the events you must offer to your being or your fate. I shall ask you only to wait until we know what must take place ere long.... PÉLLÉAS. How long must I wait? ARKËL. A few weeks; perhaps a few days.... PÉLLÉAS. I will wait.... ACT THIRD SCENE I.--_An apartment in the castle._ PÉLLÉAS _and_ MÉLISANDE _discovered_, MÉLISANDE _plies her distaff at the back of the room._ PÉLLÉAS. Yniold does not come back; where has he gone? MÉLISANDE He had heard something in the corridor; he has gone to see what it is. PÉLLÉAS. Mélisande.... MÉLISANDE What is it? PÉLLÉAS. ... Can you see still to work there?... MÉLISANDE I work as well in the dark.... PÉLLÉAS. I think everybody is already asleep in the castle. Golaud does not come back from the chase. It is late, nevertheless.... He no longer suffers from his fall?... MÉLISANDE. He said he no longer suffered from it. PÉLLÉAS. He must be more prudent; his body is no longer as supple as at twenty years.... I see the stars through the window and the light of the moon on the trees. It is late; he will not come back now. [_Knocking at the door._] Who is there?... Come in!... _Little_ YNIOLD _opens the door and enters the room._ It was you knocking so?... That is not the way to knock at doors. It is as if a misfortune had arrived; look, you have frightened little mother. LITTLE YNIOLD. I only knocked a tiny little bit. PÉLLÉAS. It is late; little father will not come back to-night; it is time for you to go to bed. LITTLE YNIOLD. I shall not go to bed before you do. PÉLLÉAS. What?... What is that you are saying? LITTLE YNIOLD. I say ... not before you ... not before you.... [_Bursts into sobs and takes refuge by_ MÉLISANDE.] MÉLISANDE. What is it, Yniold?... What is it?... why do you weep all at once? YNIOLD _(sobbing)._ Because ... oh! oh! because ... MÉLISANDE. Because what?... Because what?... Tell me ... YNIOLD.