NIGHT No, it is not worth while.... They are very quiet, the poor little things.... They are not happy.... Man, for some time, has been waging such a determined war upon them!... Especially since the discovery of the microbes.... Open, you will see.... (TYLTYL _opens the door quite wide. Nothing appears_.) TYLTYL Don't they come out? NIGHT I told you they are almost all poorly and very much discouraged.... The doctors are so unkind to them.... Go in for a moment and see for yourself.... (TYLTYL _enters the cavern and comes out again immediately_.) TYLTYL The Blue Bird is not there.... They look very ill, those Sicknesses of yours.... They did not even lift their heads.... (_One little Sickness in slippers, a dressing-gown and a cotton nightcap escapes from the cavern and begins to frisk about the hall_.) Look!... There's a little one escaping.... Which one is it?... NIGHT It's nothing, one of the smallest; it's Cold-in-the-Head.... It is one of those which are least persecuted and which enjoy the best health.... (_Calling to_ COLD-IN-THE-HEAD) Come here, dear....It's too soon yet; you must wait for the winter.... (COLD-IN-THE-HEAD, _sneezing, coughing and blowing its nose, returns to the cavern and_ TYLTYL _shuts the door_.) TYLTYL (_going to the next door_) Let us look at this one..... What is in here?... NIGHT Take care!... It is the Wars.... They are more terrible and powerful than ever.... Heaven knows what would happen if one of them escaped!... Fortunately, they are rather heavy and slow-moving.... But we must stand ready to push back the door, all of us together, while you take a rapid glance into the cavern.... (TYLTYL, _with a thousand precautions, opens the door ajar so that there is only a little gap to which he can put his eye. He at once doubles his back against the door, shouting_.) TYLTYL Quick! Quick!... Push with all your might!... They have seen me!... They are all coming!... They are breaking down the door!... NIGHT Come, all together!... Push hard!... Bread, what are you doing?... Push, all of you!... How strong they are!... Ah, that's it!... They are giving way!... It was high time!... Did you see them?... TYLTYL Yes, yes!... They are huge and awful!... I don't think that they have the Blue Bird.... NIGHT You may be sure they haven't.... If they had, they would eat him at once.... Well, have you had enough of it?... You see there is nothing to be done.... TYLTYL I must see everything.... Light said so.... NIGHT Light said so!... It's an easy thing to say when one's afraid and stays at home.... TYLTYL Let us go to the next.... What is in here?... NIGHT This is where I lock up the Shades and the Terrors.... TYLTYL Can I open the door?... NIGHT Certainly.... They are pretty quiet; they are like the Sicknesses.... TYLTYL (_half-opening the door, with a certain mistrustfulness, and taking a look into the cavern_) Are they not there?...