_Night. The dark silhouette of Emil Grelieu's villa stands out in the background. The gatekeeper's house is seen among the trees, a dim light in the window. At the cast-iron fence frightened women are huddled together, watching the fire in the distance. An alarming redness has covered the sky; only in the zenith is the sky dark. The reflection of the fire falls upon objects and people, casting strange shadows against the mirrors of the mute and dark villa. The voices sound muffled and timid; there are frequent pauses and prolonged sighs. Three women_. HENRIETTA My God, my God! How terrible it is! It is burning and burning, and there is no end to the fire! SECOND WOMAN Yesterday it was burning further away, and tonight the fire is nearer. It is growing nearer. O Lord! HENRIETTA It is burning and burning, there is no end to the fire! Today the sun was covered in a mist. SECOND WOMAN It is forever burning, and the sun is growing ever darker! Now it is lighter at night than in the daytime! SILVINA I am afraid! HENRIETTA Be silent, Silvina, be silent! _Silence._ SECOND WOMAN I can't hear a sound. What is binning there? If I close my eyes it seems to me that nothing is going on there. It is so quiet! Even the dogs are not barking! HENRIETTA I can see all that is going on there even with my eyes closed. Look; it seems the fire is spreading! SILVINA Oh, I am afraid! SECOND WOMAN Where is it burning? HENRIETTA I don't know. It is burning and burning, and there is no end to the fire! It may be that they have all perished by this time. It may be that something terrible is going on there, and we are looking on and know nothing. _A fourth woman approaches them quietly._ FOURTH WOMAN Good evening! SILVINA _With restraint._ Oh! HENRIETTA Oh, you have frightened us! Good evening, neighbor! FOURTH WOMAN Good evening, Madame Henrietta! Never mind my coming here--it is terrible to stay in the house! I guessed that you were not sleeping, but here, watching. You can see well from this spot. Don't you know where the fire is? SECOND WOMAN No. And we can't hear a sound--how quiet! HENRIETTA It is burning and burning. Haven't you heard anything about your husband? FOURTH WOMAN No, nothing. I have already stopped weeping. HENRIETTA And with whom are your children just now? FOURTH WOMAN Alone. They are asleep. Is it true that Monsieur Pierre was killed? I've heard about it. HENRIETTA _Agitated._ Just imagine! I don't know! I simply cannot understand what is going on! You see, there is no one in the house now, and we are afraid to sleep there-- SECOND WOMAN The three of us sleep here, in the gatekeeper's house. HENRIETTA I am afraid to look into that house even in the daytime--the house is so large and so empty! And there are no men there, not a soul-- FOURTH WOMAN Is it true that François has gone to shoot the Prussians? I have heard about it. HENRIETTA