Listen, sit down here. It seems you haven't heard anything. You must get away from here. Do you know that the dams are broken? Do you understand? The dams! PEASANT The dams? MAURICE Yes. Don't you hear the cries over there? Listen! They are crying there--the Prussians! PEASANT Water? MAURICE Water. It must be reaching them now. They must have learned of it by this time. Listen, it is so far, and yet we can hear! _The peasant laughs hoarsely._ MAURICE Sit down, right here, the automobile is large. Doctor, help him. I will hold the lantern. CHAUFFEUR _Muttering._ Sit down, sit down! Eh! DOCTOR _Uneasily._ What is it? Bad? Chauffeur, be quick! We can't stay here! The water is coming. We should have started out earlier. MAURICE What an unfortunate mishap! JEANNE _Agitated._ They shot you like a rabbit? Do you hear, Emil--they thought a rabbit was running! Did you resemble a rabbit so closely? _She laughs loudly, the peasant also laughs._ PEASANT I look like a rabbit! Exactly like a rabbit. JEANNE Do you hear, Emil? He says he looks exactly like a rabbit! _Laughs._ EMIL GRELIEU Jeanne! MAURICE Mamma! JEANNE It makes me laugh--it seems so comical to me that they mistake us for rabbits. And now, what are we now--water rats? Emil, just picture to yourself, water rats in an automobile! MAURICE Mamma! JEANNE No, no, I am not laughing any more, Maurice! _Laughs._ And what else are we? Moles? Must we hide in the ground? PEASANT _Laughs._ And now we must hide in the ground-- JEANNE _In the same tone._ And they will remain on the ground? Emil, do you hear? EMIL GRELIEU My dear! My dear! MAURICE _To the doctor._ Listen, you must do something. Haven't you anything? Listen! Mamma, we are starting directly, my dear! JEANNE No, never mind, I am not laughing any more. How foolish you are. Maurice, I simply felt like talking. I was silent too long. I was forever silent, but just now I felt like chattering. Emil, I am not disturbing you with my talk, am I? Why is the water so quiet, Emil? It was the King who said, "The water is silent," was it not? But I should like to see it roar, crash like thunder.... No, I cannot, I cannot bear this silence! Ah, why is it so quiet--I cannot bear it! MAURICE _To the chauffeur._ My dear fellow, please hurry up! CHAUFFEUR Yes, yes! I'm working, I'm working. We'll start soon. JEANNE _Suddenly cries, threatening._ But I cannot bear it! I cannot! _Covers her mouth with her hands; sobs._ I cannot! MAURICE Mamma! EMIL GRELIEU All will end well, Jeanne. All will end well. I know. I also feel as you do. But all will end well, Jeanne! JEANNE _Sobbing, but calming herself somewhat._ I cannot bear it! EMIL GRELIEU All will end well, Jeanne! Belgium will live! The sun will shine! I am suffering, but I know this, Jeanne! MAURICE Quicker! Quicker! CHAUFFEUR In a moment, in a moment. Now it is fixed, in a moment. EMIL GRELIEU _Faintly._ Jeanne! JEANNE