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_ ACT FOURTH
SCENE I.--A corridor in the castle.
[Enter PELLEAS and MELISANDE, meeting.]
PELLEAS.
Where goest thou? I must speak to thee to-night. Shall I see thee?
MELISANDE.
Yes.
PELLEAS.
I have just left my father's room. He is getting better. The physician has told us he is saved.... And yet this morning I had a presentiment this day would end ill. I have had a rumor of misfortune in my ears for some time.... Then, all at once there was a great change; to-day it is no longer anything but a question of time. All the windows in his room have been thrown open. He speaks; he seems happy. He does not speak yet like an ordinary man, but already his ideas no longer all come from the other world.... He recognized me. He took my hand and said with that strange air he has had since he fell sick: "Is it thou, Pelleas? Why, why, I had not noticed it before, but thou hast the grave and friendly look of those who will not live long.... You must travel; you must travel...." It is strange; I shall obey him.... My mother listened to him and wept for joy.--Hast thou not been aware of it?--The whole house seems already to revive, you hear breathing, you hear speaking, you hear walking.... Listen; I hear some one speaking behind that door. Quick, quick! answer quickly! where shall I see thee?
MELISANDE.
Where wouldst thou?
PELLEAS.
In the park; near "Blind Man's Spring."--Wilt thou?--Wilt thou come?
MELISANDE.
Yes.
PELLEAS.
It will be the last night;--I am going to travel, as my father said. Thou wilt not see me more....
MELISANDE.
Do not say that, Pelleas.... I shall see thee always; I shall look upon thee always....
PELLEAS.
Thou wilt look in vain.... I shall be so far away thou couldst no longer see me.... I shall try to go very far away.... I am full of joy, and you would say I had all the weight of heaven and earth on my body to-day....
MELISANDE.
What has happened, Pelleas?--I no longer understand what you say....
PELLEAS.
Go, go; let us separate. I hear some one speaking behind that door.... It is the strangers who came to the castle this morning.... They are going out.... Let us go; it is the strangers....
[Exeunt severally.]
SCENE II.--An apartment in the castle. ARKEL and MELISANDE discovered.
ARKEL.
Now that Pelleas's father is saved, and sickness, the old handmaid of Death, has left the castle, a little joy and a little sunlight will at last come into the house again.... It was time!--For, since thy coming, we have only lived here whispering about a closed room.... And truly I have pitied thee, Melisande.... Thou camest here all joyous, like a child seeking a gala-day, and at the moment thou enteredst in the vestibule I saw thy face change, and probably thy soul, as the face changes in spite of us when we enter at noon into a grotto too gloomy and too cold.... And since,--since, on account of all that, I have often no longer understood thee.... I observed thee, thou went there, listless perhaps, but with the strange, astray look of one awaiting ever a great trouble, in the sunlight, in a beautiful garden.... I cannot explain.... But I was sad to see thee so; for thou art too young and too beautiful to live already day and night under the breath of death.... But now all that will change. At my age,--and there perhaps is the surest fruit of my life,--at my age I have gained I know not what faith in the fidelity of events, and I have always seen that every young and beautiful being creates about itself young, beautiful, and happy events.... And it is thou who wilt now open the door for the new era I have glimpses of.... Come here; why dost thou stay there without answering and without lifting thine eyes?--I have kissed thee but once only hitherto,--the day of thy coming; and yet old men need sometimes to touch with their lips a woman's forehead or a child's cheek, to believe still in the freshness of life and avert awhile the menaces.... Art thou afraid of my old lips? How I have pitied thee these months!...
MELISANDE.
Grandfather, I have not been unhappy....
ARKEL.
Perhaps you were of those who are unhappy without knowing it,... and they are the most unhappy.... Let me look at thee, so, quite near, a moment;... we have such need of beauty beside Death....
[Enter GOLAUD.]
GOLAUD.
Pelleas leaves to-night.
ARKEL.
Thou hast blood on thy forehead.--What hast thou done?
GOLAUD.
Nothing, nothing.... I have passed through a hedge of thorns.
MELISANDE.
Bend down your head a little, my lord.... I will wipe your forehead....
GOLAUD
(_repulsing her_).
I will not that you touch me, do you understand? Go, go!--I am not speaking to you.--Where is my sword?--I came to seek my sword....
MELISANDE.
Here; on the praying-stool.
GOLAUD.
Bring it. [To ARKEL.]--They have just found another peasant dead of hunger, along by the sea. You would say they all meant to die under our eyes.--[To MELISANDE.] Well, my sword?--Why do you tremble so?--I am not going to kill you. I would simply examine the blade. I do not employ the sword for these uses. Why do you examine me like a beggar?--I do not come to ask alms of you. You hope to see something in my eyes without my seeing anything in yours?--Do you think I may know something?--[To ARKEL.]--Do you see those great eyes?--It is as if they were proud of their richness....
ARKEL.
I see there only a great innocence....
GOLAUD.
A great innocence!... They are greater than innocence!... They are purer than the eyes of a lamb.... They would give God lessons in innocence! A great innocence! Listen: I am so near them I feel the freshness of their lashes when they wink; and yet I am less far away from the great secrets of the other world than from the smallest secret of those eyes!... A great innocence!... More than innocence! You would say the angels of heaven celebrated there an eternal baptism!... I know those eyes! I have seen them at their work! Close them! close them! or I shall close them for a long while!...--Do not put your right hand to your throat so; I am saying a very simple thing.... I have no under-thought.... If I had an under-thought, why should I not say it? Ah! ah!--do not attempt to flee!--Here!--Give me that hand!--Ah! your hands are too hot.... Go away! Your flesh disgusts me!... Here!--There is no more question of fleeing now!--[_He seizes her by the hair._]--You shall follow me on your knees!--On your knees!--On your knees before me!--Ah! ah! your long hair serves some purpose at last!... Right,... left!--Left,... right!--Absalom! Absalom.--Forward! back! To the ground! to the ground!... You see, you see; I laugh already like an old man....
ARKEL
(_running up_).
Golaud!...
GOLAUD
(_affecting a sudden calm_).
You will do as you may please, look you.--I attach no importance to that.--I am too old; and, besides, I am not a spy. I shall await chance; and then ... Oh! then!... simply because it is the custom; simply because it is the custom....
[Exit.]
ARKEL.
What ails him?--He is drunk?
MELISANDE
(_in tears_).
No, no; he does not love me any more.... I am not happy!... I am not happy!...
ARKEL.
If I were God, I would have pity on men's hearts....
SCENE III.--A terrace of the castle. Little YNIOLD discovered, trying to lift a bowlder.
LITTLE YNIOLD.
Oh, this stone is heavy!... It is heavier than I am.... It is heavier than everybody.... It is heavier than everything that ever happened.... I can see my golden ball between the rock and this naughty stone, and I cannot reach it.... My little arm is not long enough,... and this stone won't be lifted.... I can't lift it,... and nobody could lift it.... It is heavier than the whole house;... you would think it had roots in the earth.... [_The Bleatings of a flock heard far away._]--Oh! oh! I hear the sheep crying.... [_He goes to look, at the edge of the terrace._] Why! there is no more sun.... They are coming ... the little sheep ... they are coming.... There is a lot of them!... There is a lot of them!... They are afraid of the dark.... They crowd together! they crowd together!... They can hardly walk any more.... They are crying! they are crying! and they go quick!... They go quick!... They are already at the great crossroads. Ah! ah! They don't know where they ought to go any more.... They don't cry any more.... They wait.... Some of them want to go to the right.... They all want to go to the right.... They cannot!... The shepherd is throwing earth at them.... Ah! ah! They are going to pass by here.... They obey! They obey! They are going to pass under the terrace.... They are going to pass under the rocks.... I am going to see them near by.... Oh! oh! what a lot of them!... What a lot of them!... The whole road is full of them.... They all keep still now ... Shepherd! shepherd! why don't they speak any more?
THE SHEPHERD
(_who is out of sight_).
Because it is no longer the road to the stable....
YNIOLD.
Where are they going?--Shepherd! shepherd!--where are they going?--He doesn't hear me any more. They are too far away already.... They go quick.... They are not making a noise any more.... It is no longer the road to the stable.... Where are they going to sleep to-night?--Oh! oh!--It is too dark.... I am going to tell something to somebody....
[Exit.]
SCENE IV.--A fountain in the park.
[Enter PELLEAS.]
PELLEAS.
It is the last evening ... the last evening. It must all end. I have played like a child about a thing I did not guess.... I have played a-dream about the snares of fate.... Who has awakened me all at once? I shall flee, crying out for joy and woe like a blind man fleeing from his burning house.... I am going to tell her I shall flee.... My father is out of danger; and I have no more reason to lie to myself.... It is late; she does not come.... I should do better to go away without seeing her again.... I must look well at her this time.... There are some things that I no longer recall.... It seems at times as if I had not seen her for a hundred years.... And I have not yet looked upon her look.... There remains nought to me if I go away thus. And all those memories ... it is as if I were to take away a little water in a muslin bag.... I must see her one last time, to the bottom of her heart.... I must tell her all that I have never told her.
[Enter MELISANDE.]
MELISANDE.
Pelleas!
Melisande!--Is it thou, Melisande?
MELISANDE.
Yes.
PELLEAS.
Come hither; do not stay at the edge of the moonlight.--Come hither. We have so many things to tell each other.... Come hither in the shadow of the linden.
MELISANDE.
Let me stay in the light....
PELLEAS.
We might be seen from the windows of the tower. Come hither; here, we have nothing to fear.--Take care; we might be seen....
MELISANDE.
I wish to be seen....
PELLEAS.
Why, what doth ail thee?--Thou wert able to come out without being seen?
MELISANDE.
Yes; your brother slept....
PELLEAS.
It is late.--In an hour they will close the gates. We must be careful. Why art thou come so late?
MELISANDE.
Your brother had a bad dream. And then my gown was caught on the nails of the gate. See, it is torn. I lost all this time, and ran....
PELLEAS.
My poor Melisande!... I should almost be afraid to touch thee.... Thou art still out of breath, like a hunted bird.... It is for me, for me, thou doest all that?... I hear thy heart beat as if it were mine.... Come hither ... nearer, nearer me....
MELISANDE.
Why do you laugh?
PELLEAS.
I do not laugh;--or else I laugh for joy, unwittingly.... It were a weeping matter, rather....
MELISANDE.
We have come here before.... I recollect....
PELLEAS.
Yes ... yes.... Long months ago.--I knew not then.... Knowest thou why I asked thee to come here to-night?
MELISANDE.
No.
PELLEAS.
It is perhaps the last time I shall see thee.... I must go away forever....
MELISANDE.
Why sayest thou always thou wilt go away?...
PELLEAS.
I must tell thee what thou knowest already?--Thou knowest not what I am going to tell thee?
MELISANDE.
Why, no; why, no; I know nothing--...
PELLEAS.
Thou knowest not why I must go afar.... Thou knowest not it is because ... [_He kisses her abruptly._] I love thee....
MELISANDE
(_in a low voice_).
I love thee too....
PELLEAS.
Oh! oh! What saidst thou, Melisande?... I hardly heard it!... Thou sayest that in a voice coming from the end of the world!... I hardly heard thee.... Thou lovest me?--Thou lovest me too?... Since when lovest thou me?...
MELISANDE.
Since always.... Since I saw thee....
PELLEAS.
Oh, how thou sayest that!... Thy voice seems to have blown across the sea in spring!... I have never heard it until now;... one would say it had rained on my heart!... Thou sayest that so frankly!... Like an angel questioned!... I cannot believe it, Melisande!... Why shouldst thou love me?--Nay, why dost thou love me?--Is what thou sayest true?--Thou dost not mock me?--Thou dost not lie a little, to make me smile?...
MELISANDE.
No; I never lie; I lie but to thy brother....
PELLEAS.
Oh, how thou sayest that!... Thy voice! thy voice!... It is cooler and more frank than the water is!... It is like pure water on my lips!... It is like pure water on my hands.... Give me, give me thy hands!... Oh, how small thy hands are!... I did not know thou wert so beautiful!... I have never seen anything so beautiful before thee.... I was fall of unrest; I sought throughout the house.... I sought throughout the country.... And I found not beauty.... And now I have found thee!... I have found thee!.,. I do not think there could be on the earth a fairer woman!... Where art thou?--I no longer hear thee breathe....
MELISANDE.
Because I look on thee....
PELLEAS.
Why dost thou look so gravely on me?--We are already in the shadow.--It is too dark under this tree. Come into the light. We cannot see how happy we are. Come, come; so little time remains to us....
MELISANDE.
No, no; let us stay here.... I am nearer thee in the dark....
PELLEAS.
Where are thine eyes?--Thou art not going to fly me?--Thou dost not think of me just now.
MELISANDE.
Oh, yes; oh, yes; I only think of thee....
PELLEAS.
Thou wert looking elsewhere....
MELISANDE.
I saw thee elsewhere....
PELLEAS.
Thy soul is far away.... What ails thee, then?--Meseems thou art not happy....
MELISANDE.
Yes, yes; I am happy, but I am sad....
PELLEAS.
One is sad often when one loves....
MELISANDE.
I weep always when I think of thee....
PELLEAS.
I too.... I too, Melisande.... I am quite near thee; I weep for joy, and yet ...[_He kisses her again._]--Thou art strange when I kiss thee so.... Thou art so beautiful that one would think thou wert about to die....
MELISANDE.
Thou too....
PELLEAS.
There, there.... We do not what we will.... I did not love thee the first time I saw thee....
MELISANDE.
Nor I ... nor I.... I was afraid....
PELLEAS.
I could not admit thine eyes.... I would have gone away at once ... and then....
MELISANDE.
And I,--I would not have come.... I do not yet know why,--I was afraid to come....
PELLEAS.
There are so many things one never knows. We are ever waiting; and then.... What is that noise?--They are closing the gates!...
MELISANDE.
Yes, they have closed the gates....
PELLEAS.
We cannot go back now?--Hearest thou the bolts?--Listen! listen!... the great chains!... the great chains!... It is too late; it is too late!...
MELISANDE.
All the better! all the better! all the better!...
PELLEAS.
Thou--...? Behold, behold!... It is no longer we who will it so!... All's lost, all's saved! all is saved to-night!--Come, come.... My heart beats like a madman,--up to my very throat.... [_They embrace._] Listen! listen! my heart is almost strangling me.... Come! come!... Ah, how beautiful it is in the shadows!...
MELISANDE.
There is some one behind us!...
PELLEAS.
I see no one....
MELISANDE.
I heard a noise....
PELLEAS.
I hear only thy heart in the dark....
MELISANDE.
I heard the crackling of dead leaves....
PELLEAS.
Because the wind is silent all at once.... It fell as we were kissing....
MELISANDE.
How long our shadows are to-night!...
PELLEAS.
They embrace to the very end of the garden. Oh, how they kiss far away from us!... Look! look!...
MELISANDE.
(_a stifled voice_).
A-a-h!--He is behind a tree!
PELLEAS.
Who?
MELISANDE.
Golaud!
PELLEAS.
Golaud!--where?--I see nothing....
MELISANDE.
There ... at the end of our shadows.
PELLEAS.
Yes, yes; I saw him.... Let us not turn abruptly....
MELISANDE.
He has his sword....
PELLEAS.
I have not mine....
MELISANDE.
He saw us kiss....
PELLEAS.
He does not know we have seen him.... Do not stir; do not turn your head.... He would rush headlong on us.... He will remain there while he thinks we do not know. He watches us.... He is still motionless.... Go, go at once this way.... I will wait for him.... I will stop him....
MELISANDE.
No, no, no!...
PELLEAS.
Go! go! he has seen all!... He will kill us!...
MELISANDE.
All the better! all the better! all the better!...
PELLEAS.
He comes! he comes!... Thy mouth!... Thy mouth!...
MELISANDE.
Yes!... yes! yes!...
[They kiss desperately.]
PELLEAS.
Oh! oh! All the stars are falling!...
MELISANDE.
Upon me too! upon me too!...
PELLEAS.
Again! Again!... Give! give!...
MELISANDE.
All! all! all!...
[Golaud rushes upon them, sword in hand, and strikes Pelleas, who falls at the brink of the fountain. Melisande flees terrified.]
MELISANDE.
(_fleeing_).
Oh! oh! I have no courage I ... I have no courage!...
[GOLAUD pursues her through the wood in silence.] _
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