(_The sugar-loaf, at the foot of the cupboard, grows taller and wider and splits its paper wrapper, whence issues a mawkish and hypocritical being, dressed in a long coat half blue and half white, who goes up to_ MYTYL _with a sanctimonious smile_.) MYTYL (_greatly alarmed_) What does he want?... THE FAIRY Why, he is the soul of Sugar!... MYTYL (_reassured_) Has he any barley-sugar?... THE FAIRY His pockets are full of it and each of his fingers is a sugar-stick.... (_The lamp falls from the table and, at the same moment, its flame springs up again and turns into a luminous maid of incomparable beauty. She is dressed in long transparent and dazzling veils and stands motionless in a sort of ecstasy_.) TYLTYL It's the Queen!... MYTYL It's the Blessed Virgin!... THE FAIRY No, my children; it's Light.... (_Meanwhile, the saucepans on the shelves spin round like tops; the linen-press throws open its folding-doors and unrolls a magnificent display of moon-coloured and sun-coloured stuffs, with which mingles a no less splendid array of rags and tatters that come down the ladder from the loft. But, suddenly, three loud knocks are heard on the door at the right_.) TYLTYL (_alarmed_) That's daddy!... He's heard us!... THE FAIRY Turn the diamond!... From left to right!... (TYLTYL _turns the diamond quickly_.) Not so quick!... Heavens! It's too late!... You turned it too briskly; they will not have time to resume their places and we shall have a lot of annoyance.... (_The FAIRY becomes an old woman again, the walls of the cottage lose their splendour. The Hours go back into the clock, the spinning-wheel stops, etc. But, in the general hurry and confusion, while_ FIRE _runs madly round the room, looking for the chimney, one of the loaves of bread, who has been unable to squeeze into the pan, bursts into sobs and utters roars of fright_.) THE FAIRY What's the matter?... BREAD (_in tears_) There's no room in the pan!... THE FAIRY (_stooping over the pan_) Yes, there is; yes, there is.... (_Pushing the other loaves, which have resumed their original places_.) Come, quick, make room there.... (_The knocking at the door is renewed_.) BREAD (_utterly scared, vainly struggling to enter the pan_) I can't get in!... He'll eat me first!... THE DOG (_frisking round_ TYLTYL) My little god!... I am still here!... I can still talk!... I can still kiss you!... Once more! Once more! Once more!... THE FAIRY What, you too?... Are you there still?... THE DOG What luck!... I was too late to return to silence; the trap closed too quickly.... THE CAT So did mine.... What is going to happen?... Is there any danger?... THE FAIRY Well, I'm bound to tell you the truth: all those who accompany the two children will die at the end of the journey.... THE CAT (_to the_ DOG) Come, let us get back into the trap.... THE DOG No, no!... I won't!... I want to go with the little god!... I want to talk to him all the time!... THE CAT Idiot!...