The Betrothal: A Sequel to the Blue Bird; A Fairy Play in Five Acts and Eleven ScenesMaeterlinck, Maurice
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The Betrothal: A Sequel to the Blue Bird; A Fairy Play in Five Acts and Eleven Scenes
Maeterlinck, Maurice
Fairy plays; French drama -- Translations into English
You sha'n't have any other!
ANOTHER LITTLE ONE
Go away! She shall stay with us till you know!
ANOTHER LITTLE ONE
Go away! We'll wait for you; we shall all be down there!
THE FIRST LITTLE ONE
Go away, go away!... You're hurting her dreadfully!
THE SMALLEST OF THEM ALL
(_Embracing his_ MOTHER.) Come, mummy, come!... He doesn't know yet!...
(_They all gather and press closely round their_ MOTHER, _hurrying
and dragging her along and waving good-bye to_ TYLTYL: "See you
soon! See you soon again!... Down there, down there!... See you
soon!" ...THE MOTHER _turns and gazes fixedly at_ TYLTYL; _then the
outlines of the hall darken, lose their colour and distinctness,
dissolve and disappear. Only_ TYLTYL, LIGHT, DESTINY _and_ THE SIX
GIRLS _remain in front of the Curtain representing the Milky Way_.)
TYLTYL
Well, I'm in a nice mess!... What am I to do?... Is it my fault if I
can't remember?...
LIGHT
Don't be afraid. They know what they are saying. You will find her
again.... Let us go, quickly!... I am sure that she is waiting for you
where you least expect her.
TYLTYL
(_Dreamily_.) She really is beautiful!... I believe they are right.... I
believe it's really she....
(_They all go out_.)
CURTAIN
ACT V
SCENE X
_Before the Curtain representing the Edge of a Forest_
(_Enter_ TYLTYL _and_ LIGHT.)
LIGHT
Here we are at last.
TYLTYL
Where?
LIGHT
Why, near your home!... Don't you recognize your forest?
TYLTYL
My forest, my forest?... (_Looking around him_.) Why, so it is!... I've
seen those beeches before, somewhere.
LIGHT
That's more than likely, as they're close to the house in which you were
born.
TYLTYL
Well, it's about time I did get home. I am tired out.
LIGHT
It has been a fatiguing journey, but not without results.
TYLTYL
Results?... Where?... When we started I was in love with six girls; now
we've returned, I love only one; and she's just the one who hasn't come
back with me.... But where are those six others and what are they doing?
And Destiny too? He was looking very ill....
LIGHT
Here they are.
(_Enter_ THE SIX GIRLS. _The last_, JALLINE, _carries_ DESTINY,
_who still wears his cloak and sombrero, but who has shrunk to the
dimensions of quite a small child and appears very tired_.)
JALLINE
(_Passing_ DESTINY _to_ MILETTE.) Will you take him for a moment? He's
not very big, but dreadfully heavy.
MILETTE
(_Taking him from_ JALLINE'S _arms_.) Come to me, my little Tiny, come;
there, don't cry....
DESTINY
(_In a whining baby voice_.) Me? I never cwy!... I'm alwayth the
thame!... I'm unthakable, immovable, indefatigable, implacable and
inegthowable!...
MILETTE
Yes, yes, Tiny, we know, you're a very good little boy.... (DESTINY
_falls asleep in her arms_.) He's gone to sleep!
JALLINE
(_Wrapping him in his cape, with a motherly gesture_.) He's a dear,
sweet, obedient little thing, but seems very tired.
LIGHT
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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