THE CAT (_rushing up to TYLTYL_) This way, little master, this way.... I have told Night, who is delighted to see you.... You must forgive her, she is a little indisposed; that is why she was not able to come to meet you.... TYLTYL Good-day, Mrs. Night.... NIGHT (_in an offended voice_) Good-day?... I am not used to that.... You might say, Good-night, or, at least. Good-evening.... TYLTYL (_mortified_) I beg your pardon, ma'am....I did not know....(_Pointing to the two_ CHILDREN.) Are those your two little boys?... They are very nice.... NIGHT This is Sleep.... TYLTYL Why is he so fat?... NIGHT That is because he sleeps well.... TYLTYL And the other, hiding himself?... Why does he veil his face?...Is he ill?... What is his name?... NIGHT That is Sleep's sister.... It is better not to mention her name.... TYLTYL Why?... NIGHT Because her name is not pleasant to hear.... But let us talk of something else.... The Cat tells me that you have come here to look for the Blue Bird.... TYLTYL Yes, ma'am, if you will allow me.... Will you tell me where he is?... NIGHT I don't know, dear.... All I can say is that he is not here.... I have never seen him.... TYLTYL Yes, yes.... Light told me that he was here; and Light knows what she is saying.... Will you hand me your keys?... NIGHT But you must understand, dear, that I cannot give my keys like that to the first comer.... I have the keeping of all Nature's secrets and I am absolutely forbidden to deliver them to anybody, especially to a child.... TYLTYL You have no right to refuse them to Man when he asks you for them....I know that.... NIGHT Who told you?... TYLTYL Light.... NIGHT Light again! Always Light!... How dare she interfere, how dare she?... THE DOG Shall I take them from her by force, my little god?... TYLTYL Hold your tongue, keep quiet and try to behave.... (_To_NIGHT) Come, madam, give me your keys, please.... NIGHT Have you the sign, at least?... Where is it?... TYLTYL (_touching his hat_) Behold the Diamond!... NIGHT (_resigning herself to the inevitable_) Well, then... Here is the key that opens all the doors of the hall.... Look to yourself if you meet with a misfortune.... I will not be responsible.... BREAD (_very anxiously_) Is it dangerous?... NIGHT Dangerous?... I will go so far as to say that I myself do not know what I shall do when certain of those bronze doors open upon the abyss.... All around the hall, in each of those basalt caves, are all the evils, all the plagues, all the sicknesses, all the terrors, all the catastrophes, all the mysteries that have afflicted life since the beginning of the world.... I have had trouble enough to Imprison them there with the aid of Destiny; and it is not without difficulty, I assure you, that I keep some little order among those undisciplined characters.... You have seen what happens when one of them escapes and shows itself on earth....