Part 18 (2/2)
TYLTYL Do you know them?...
LIGHT Yes, I know them all; I often come to them, without their knowing who I am....
TYLTYL Oh, what a lot of them there are!... They are crowding from every side!
LIGHT There were many more of them once. The Luxuries have done them great harm.
TYLTYL No matter, there are a good few of them left....
LIGHT You will see plenty of others, as the influence of the diamond spreads through the halls.... There are many more Happinesses on Earth than people think; but the generality of men do not discover them....
TYLTYL Here are some little ones: let us run and meet them....
LIGHT It is unnecessary: those which interest us will pa.s.s this way. We have no time to make the acquaintance of all the rest....
(_A troop of little_ HAPPINESSES, _frisking and bursting with laughter, run up from the back of the halls and dance round the_ CHILDREN _in a ring_.)
TYLTYL How pretty, how very pretty they are!... Where do they come from, who are they?...
LIGHT They are the Children's Happinesses....
TYLTYL Can one speak to them?
LIGHT It would be no use. They sing, they dance, they laugh, but they do not talk yet....
TYLTYL (_skipping about_) How do you do? How do you do?... Oh, look at that fat one laughing!... What pretty cheeks they have, what pretty frocks they have!... Are they all rich here?...
LIGHT Why, no, here, as everywhere, there are many more poor than rich....
TYLTYL Where are the poor ones?...
LIGHT You can't distinguish them.... A Child's Happiness is always arrayed in all that is most beautiful in Heaven and upon Earth.
TYLTYL (_unable to restrain himself_) I should like to dance with them....
LIGHT It is absolutely impossible, we have no time.... I see that they have not the Blue Bird.... Besides, they are in a hurry: you see, they have already pa.s.sed.... They too have no time to waste, for childhood is very short....
(_Another troop of_ HAPPINESSES, _a little taller than the last, rush into the hall, singing at the top of their voice, ”There they are!
There they are! They see us! They see us!” and, dance a merry fling around the_ CHILDREN, _at the end of which the one who appears to be the chief of the little band goes up to_ TYLTYL _with hand outstretched_.)
THE HAPPINESS How do you do, Tyltyl?...
TYLTYL Another one who knows me!... (_To_ LIGHT) I am getting known wherever I go!... (_To the_ HAPPINESS) Who are you?...
THE HAPPINESS Don't you recognise me?... I'll wager that you don't recognise any one here!
TYLTYL (_a little embarra.s.sed_) Why, no.... I don't know.... I don't remember seeing any of you.
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