Listen, it is a serious matter. If we do not succeed in recognizing her, all your life, all your happiness on earth will be nothing more than a phantom like herself.... There is one last resource, one last hope, which is that the children who are to be born of you may discover who she is and that she is to be their mother. They see much farther and deeper than we. But there is no time to lose; for this waiting and this living in suspense are very dangerous for her. We must be quick therefore; we must not waste a moment ... go, my little Tyltyl. You have been very good and patient, very obedient and faithful to your race throughout this ordeal. Take this kiss and farewell.... You too, my dears, let me give you the parting kiss. Do not be too sad; another happiness awaits you. There is more than one kind on that poor misguided earth of yours. You have deserved every happiness that it can give.... Good-bye, my dear daughters; good-bye, good-bye, my son. And we will meet again whenever you wish: you know where to find us and we shall be waiting for you.... (_The Scene grows dark and disappears from view; the Curtain of Rocks closes; and_ TYLTYL, THE GIRLS, LIGHT _and_ DESTINY _are once more alone among the boulders_.) DESTINY (_Seizing_ TYLTYL'S _hand_.) This way, this way!... Thanks to me, it went off very well!... I said nothing about it; but it was I who foresaw everything and planned everything; and all that has been done was ordained by me.... (_They all go out_.) CURTAIN ACT IV SCENE VIII _Before the Curtain representing the Milky Way_ (_Enter_ TYLTYL _and_ LIGHT.) TYLTYL Where are we? LIGHT Near to the stars and yet within yourself. Before you is the great veil of the Milky Way. Beyond it stretches the region in which your unborn children are waiting to show you the mother whom they have chosen. TYLTYL It's a little like the Kingdom of the Future in "The Blue Bird." LIGHT Perhaps; and yet not quite the same thing. There it was the whole kingdom, with everybody's children; here it is only a province, in which are no children but yours. TYLTYL Have I many? LIGHT As many children as you have ancestors, as innumerable and no less infinite. But, as with the Ancestors, we shall see only those who are nearest to you, especially the youngest and smallest. TYLTYL Why the smallest? LIGHT Because they are nearest to their birth. As this approaches, they grow smaller and younger; so that the youngest, who are the first to be born, can hardly walk or stand. TYLTYL And the others? Are there any big ones? LIGHT There are children of all sizes, but I do not know that we shall see the biggest, that is to say, those who will be born hundreds or thousands of years hence.... There will not have been time to tell them; they do not keep close to the doors, like the very little ones, but wander far away waiting for their time to come. TYLTYL