(A CHILD'S _head appears for an instant between two columns and is then briskly withdrawn, exclaiming_, "This way!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