Part 29 (1/2)

MUMMY TYL (_in a cheerfully scolding voice_) Up, come, get up, you little lazybones!... Aren't you ashamed of yourselves?... It has struck eight and the sun is high above the trees!...

Lord, how they sleep, how they sleep!... (_She leans over and kisses the_ CHILDREN.) They are quite rosy.... Tyltyl smells of lavender and Mytyl of lilies-of-the-valley.... (_Kissing them again_) What sweet things children are!... Still, they can't go on sleeping till midday.... I mustn't let them grow up idle.... And, besides, I have heard that it's not very healthy.... (_Gently shaking_ TYLTYL) Wake up, wake up, Tyltyl....

TYLTYL (_waking up_) What?... Light?... Where is she?... No, no, don't go away....

MUMMY TYL Light?... Why, of course it's light... Has been for ever so long.... It's as bright as noonday, though the shutters are closed.... Wait a bit till I open them.... (_She pushes back the shutters and the dazzling daylight invades the room_.) There! See!... What's the matter with you?... You look quite blinded....

TYLTYL (_rubbing his eyes_) Mummy, mummy!... It's you!...

MUMMY TYL Why, of course, it's I.... Who did you think it was?...

TYLTYL It's you.... Yes, yes, it's you!....

MUMMY TYL Yes, yes, it's I.... I haven't changed my face since last night.... Why do you stare at me in that wonderstruck way?... Is my nose turned upside down, by any chance?...

TYLTYL Oh, how nice it is to see you again!... It's so long, so long ago!... I must kiss you at once.... Again! Again! Again!... And how comfortable my bed is!... I am back at home!...

MUMMY TYL What's the matter?... Why don't you wake up?... Don't tell me you're ill.... Let me see, show me your tongue.... Come, get up and dress....

TYLTYL Hullo, I've got my s.h.i.+rt on!...

MUMMY TYL Of course you have.... Put on your breeches and your little jacket....

There they are, on the chair....

TYLTYL Is that what I did on the journey?...

MUMMY TYL What journey?...

TYLTYL Why, last year....

MUMMY TYL Last year?...

TYLTYL Why, yes!...At Christmas, when I went away....

MUMMY TYL When you went away?... You haven't left the room.... I put you to bed last night, and here you are this morning.... Have you dreamed all that?...

TYLTYL But you don't understand!... It was last year, when I went away with Mytyl, the Fairy, Light--how nice Light is!--Bread, Sugar, Water, Fire: they did nothing but quarrel!... You're not angry with me?... Did you feel very sad?... And what did daddy say?... I could not refuse... I left a note to explain....

MUMMY TYL What are you talking about?... For sure, either you're ill or else you're still asleep.... (_She gives him a friendly shake_.) There, wake up.... There, is that better?...

TYLTYL But, mummy, I a.s.sure you.... It's you that's still asleep....

MUMMY TYL What! Still asleep, am I?... Why? I've been up since six o'clock.... I've finished all the cleaning and lit the fire....

TYLTYL But ask Mytyl if it's not true.... Oh, we have had such adventures!...

MUMMY TYL Why Mytyl?... What do you mean?...

TYLTYL She was with me.... We saw grandad and granny....

MUMMY TYL (_more and more bewildered_) Grandad and granny?...