his forehead and in his heard and utters little sighs of pleasure which gradually swell into roars of delight. Suddenly, he shudders, starts and springs up, thinking that he has heard a sound_.) What is it?... Who's there?... (_Reassuring himself_.) No, no, it's nothing ... no one would dare.... (_He sees_ TYLTYL _and gives a shout_.) A thief!... A thief!... A thief!... You here!... You here!... (_With his hands clutching like claws, terrified and terrifying, he rushes upon_ TYLTYL, _who jumps back and quickly turns the sapphire_. THE MISER _stops short. After an inward struggle which seems violent and lasts for some seconds, his hands drop to his sides, his face brightens and loses its hardness. He seems to wake from a bad dream and tries to wipe the memory of it from his forehead. He gazes with astonishment at the gold spread over the carpet, feels and pushes it with his foot, seems not to know what it is and then addresses_ TYLTYL _in a very calm and gentle voice_.) THE MISER You must have awakened me.... How did you get here?... What have you come for?... TYLTYL I've come to ask you to lend me a little money.... I understand that I want some in order to discover my bride.... THE MISER Have you anything to put it in? TYLTYL I've brought this wallet. THE MISER I shall be delighted to fill it for you; but I warn you that gold is very heavy and that you won't be able to carry it away. TYLTYL You must put in just what you think fit. THE MISER (_Pouring the gold by handfuls into the wallet_.) Help me, will you?... We'll fill it to the brim and see how that does.... We can easily lighten it afterwards, if it's too heavy.... TYLTYL Oh, you're giving me too much, I don't want all that!... So you're not a miser, as they told me? THE MISER I? Not at all. Why should I be?... I have only a few weeks to live and am not in need of anything.... I hardly eat at all; and I drink nothing but water. TYLTYL Why were you lying on your gold when I came in, kissing it and calling it by pet names? You seemed to worship it. THE MISER Oh, I don't know! It amuses me. When a man grows old, he has to amuse himself as best he can.... But it isn't I who do it. All that is only a sort of dream. I am thinking of something very different.... All men are like that at my age. They are not often where you see them; they are not often doing what they appear to do; and every one lives in one of those dreams which have nothing to do with the truth.... But this is not the moment to explain things to you.... There, your wallet it full. Can you lift it? TYLTYL (_Making an effort_.) No, really, it is a bit too heavy.... Let's take some of it out.... THE MISER (_Emptying part of the wallet_.) I daresay that's better. TYLTYL Oh, look here, you're taking it all!... There won't be enough left.... I must put a little of it back.... THE MISER I say, are you becoming a miser now? TYLTYL