Pelleas and Melisande

Excerpt

SCENE I.—The gate of the castle.

MAIDSERVANTS (within).

Open the gate! Open the gate!

PORTER (within).

Who is there? Why do you come and wake me up? Go out by the little gates; there are enough of them!…

A MAIDSERVANT (within).

We have come to wash the threshold, the gate, and the steps; open, then! open!

ANOTHER MAIDSERVANT (within).

There are going to be great happenings!

THIRD MAIDSERVANT (within).

There are going to be great fêtes! Open quickly!…

THE MAIDSERVANTS.

Open! open!

PORTER.

Wait! wait! I do not know whether I shall be able to open it;… it is never opened…. Wait till it is light….

FIRST MAIDSERVANT.

It is light enough without; I see the sunlight through the chinks….

PORTER.

Here are the great keys…. Oh! oh! how the bolts and the locks grate!… Help me! help me!…

MAIDSERVANTS.

We are pulling; we are pulling….

SECOND MAIDSERVANT.

It will not open….

FIRST MAIDSERVANT.

Ah! ah! It is opening! it is opening slowly!

PORTER.

How it shrieks! how it shrieks! it will wake up everybody….

SECOND MAIDSERVANT.

[Appearing on the threshold.] Oh, how light it is already out-of-doors!

FIRST MAIDSERVANT.

The sun is rising on the sea!

PORTER.

It is open…. It is wide open!… [All the maidservants appear on the threshold and pass over it.]

FIRST MAIDSERVANT.

I am going to wash the sill first….

SECOND MAIDSERVANT.

We shall never be able to clean all this.

OTHER MAIDSERVANTS.

Fetch the water! fetch the water!

PORTER.

Yes, yes; pour on water; pour on water; pour on all the water of the
Flood! You will never come to the end of it….

Enter GOLAUD.

GOLAUD.

I shall never be able to get out of this forest again.—God knows where that beast has led me. And yet I thought I had wounded him to death; and here are traces of blood. But now I have lost sight of him; I believe I am lost myself—my dogs can no longer find me—I shall retrace my steps….—I hear weeping…. Oh! oh! what is there yonder by the water's edge?… A little girl weeping by the water's edge? [He coughs.]—She does not hear me. I cannot see her face. [He approaches and touches MÉLISANDE on the shoulder.] Why weepest thou? [MÉLISANDE trembles, starts up, and would flee.]—Do not be afraid. You have nothing to fear. Why are you weeping here all alone?

MÉLISANDE.

Do not touch me! do not touch me!

GOLAUD.

Do not be afraid…. I will not do you any…. Oh, you are beautiful!

MÉLISANDE.

Do not touch me! do not touch me! or I throw myself in the water!…

GOLAUD.

I will not touch you…. See, I will stay here, against the tree. Do not be afraid. Has any one hurt you?

MÉLISANDE

Oh! yes! yes! yes!… [She sobs profoundly.]

GOLAUD.

Who has hurt you?

MÉLISANDE.

Every one! every one!

GOLAUD. What hurt have they done you?

MÉLISANDE.

I will not tell! I cannot tell!…

GOLAUD.

Come; do not weep so. Whence come you?

MÉLISANDE.

I have fled!… fled … fled….

GOLAUD.

Yes; but whence have you fled?

MÉLISANDE.

I am lost!… lost!… Oh!...