Part 11 (1/2)

TYLTYL You have no right to refuse them to Man when he asks you for them....I know that....

NIGHT Who told you?...

TYLTYL Light....

NIGHT Light again! Always Light!... How dare she interfere, how dare she?...

THE DOG Shall I take them from her by force, my little G.o.d?...

TYLTYL Hold your tongue, keep quiet and try to behave.... (_To_NIGHT) Come, madam, give me your keys, please....

NIGHT Have you the sign, at least?... Where is it?...

TYLTYL (_touching his hat_) Behold the Diamond!...

NIGHT (_resigning herself to the inevitable_) Well, then... Here is the key that opens all the doors of the hall.... Look to yourself if you meet with a misfortune.... I will not be responsible....

BREAD (_very anxiously_) Is it dangerous?...

NIGHT Dangerous?... I will go so far as to say that I myself do not know what I shall do when certain of those bronze doors open upon the abyss.... All around the hall, in each of those basalt caves, are all the evils, all the plagues, all the sicknesses, all the terrors, all the catastrophes, all the mysteries that have afflicted life since the beginning of the world.... I have had trouble enough to Imprison them there with the aid of Destiny; and it is not without difficulty, I a.s.sure you, that I keep some little order among those undisciplined characters.... You have seen what happens when one of them escapes and shows itself on earth....

BREAD My great age, my experience and my devotion make me the natural protector of these two children; therefore, Mrs. Night, permit me to ask you a question....

NIGHT Certainly....

BREAD In case of danger, which is the way of escape?...

NIGHT There is no way of escape.

TYLTYL (_taking the key and climbing the first steps_) Let us begin here.... What is behind this bronze door?...

NIGHT I think it is the Ghosts.... It is long since I opened the door and since they came out....

TYLTYL (_placing the key in the lock_) I will see.... (_To_ BREAD) Have you the cage for the Blue Bird?...

BREAD (_with chattering teeth_) I'm not frightened, but don't you think it would be better not to open the door, but to peep through the keyhole?...

TYLTYL I don't want your advice....

MYTYL (_suddenly beginning to cry_) I am frightened!... Where is Sugar?... I want to go home!...

SUGAR (_eagerly, obsequiously_) Here I am, miss, here I am.... Don't cry, I will break off one of my fingers so that you may have a sugar-stick....

TYLTYL Enough of this!...

(_He turns the key and cautiously opens the door. Forthwith, five or six_ GHOSTS _of strange and different forms escape and disperse on every side_. MYTYL _gives a scream of fright_, BREAD, _terrified, throws away the cage and goes and hides at the back of the hall, while_ NIGHT, _running after the_ GHOSTS, _cries out to_ TYLTYL.)

NIGHT Quick! Quick!... Shut the door!... They will all escape and we should never be able to catch them again!... They have felt bored in there, ever since Man ceased to take them seriously....

(_She runs after the_ GHOSTS _and endeavours, with the aid of a whip formed of snakes, to drive them back to the door of their prison_.) Help me!... Here!... Here!...

TYLTYL (_to the_ DOG) Help her, Tylo, at them!...