THE NEIGHBOUR Do you see the miracle?... MUMMY TYL Impossible!... Can she walk?... THE NEIGHBOUR Can she walk?... She can run, she can dance, she can fly!... When she saw the bird, she jumped, just like that, with one bound, to the window, to see by the light if it was really Tyltyl's dove.... And then, whoosh!... Out into the street, like an angel!... It was as much as I could do to keep pace with her.... TYLTYL (_going up to her, wonderstruck_) Oh, how like Light she is!... MYTYL She is much smaller.... TYLTYL Yes, indeed!... But she will grow bigger.... THE NEIGHBOUR What are they saying?... Haven't they got over it yet?... MUMMY TYL They are better, they are mending.... It will be all right when they have had their breakfasts.... THE NEIGHBOUR (_pushing the_ LITTLE GIRL _into_ TYLTYL'S _arms_). Come along, child, come and thank Tyltyl.... (TYLTYL, _suddenly frightened, takes a step back_.) MUMMY TYL Well, Tyltyl, what's the matter?.... Are you afraid of the little girl?... Come, give her a kiss, a good big kiss.... No, a better one than that.... You're not so shy as a rule!... Another one!... But what's the matter with you?... You look as if you were going to cry.... (TYLTYL, _after kissing the_ LITTLE GIRL _rather awkwardly, stands before her for a moment and the two children look at each other without speaking; then_ TYLTYL _strokes the dove's head_.) TYLTYL Is he blue enough?... THE LITTLE GIRL Yes, I am so pleased with him.... TYLTYL I have seen bluer ones.... But those which are quite blue, you know, do what you will, you can't catch them.... THE LITTLE GIRL That doesn't matter; he's lovely.... TYLTYL Has he had anything to eat?... THE LITTLE GIRL Not yet.... What does he eat?... TYLTYL Anything: corn, bread, Indian corn, grasshoppers.... THE LITTLE GIRL How does he eat, say?... TYLTYL With his beak. You'll see, I will show you.... (_He moves in order to take the bird from the_ LITTLE GIRL'S _hands. She resists instinctively; and, taking advantage of the hesitation of their movements, the_ DOVE _escapes and flies away_.) THE LITTLE GIRL (_with a cry of despair_) Mother!... He is gone!... (_She bursts into sobs_.) TYLTYL Never mind.... Don't cry.... I will catch him again.... (_Stepping to the front of the stage and addressing the audience_.) If any of you should find him, would you be so very kind as to give him back to us?... We need him for our happiness, later on.... CURTAIN