Betrothal — Act 4
LIGHT
Near to the stars and yet within yourself.
Before you is the great veil of the Milky Way.
Beyond it stretches the region in which your unborn children are waiting to show you the mother whom they have chosen.
TYLTYL
It's a little like the Kingdom of the Future in "The Blue Bird."
LIGHT
Perhaps; and yet not quite the same thing.
There it was the whole kingdom, with everybody's children; here it is only a province, in which are no children but yours.
TYLTYL
Have I many?
LIGHT
As many children as you have ancestors, as innumerable and no less infinite.
But, as with the Ancestors, we shall see only those who are nearest to you, especially the youngest and smallest.
TYLTYL
Why the smallest?
LIGHT
Because they are nearest to their birth.
As this approaches, they grow smaller and younger; so that the youngest, who are the first to be born, can hardly walk or stand.
TYLTYL
And the others?
Are there any big ones?
LIGHT
There are children of all sizes, but I do not know that we shall see the biggest, that is to say, those who will be born hundreds or thousands of years hence....
There will not have been time to tell them; they do not keep close to the doors, like the very little ones, but wander far away waiting for their time to come.
TYLTYL
They must find it very tiresome to be kept waiting like that!
LIGHT
Nothing is ever tiresome in infinity.
Besides they have to learn here all that they will forget on earth.
TYLTYL
It seems hardly worth while then, to take so much trouble!
LIGHT
Oh, but it is!
Something always remains and helps to build up the deep happiness of life.
TYLTYL
Well, so much the better for them!
As for me, I shall soon know what I am to do.
I hope we shall get through to-day, because, you see, I'd like to have things settled....
But where on earth can they be, those girls of mine and Destiny?
(_Looking below him, on the right_.
) The poor little dears are up to their knees in the snow.
This place is even higher and more difficult to get at than where the Ancestors lived.
LIGHT
(_Looking down_.
) They are not very far away....
But you have taken off your hat again; that's a bad habit of yours.
Put it on quickly, before they come, and be careful to make no mistake this time, for, if you do, the result may be very unpleasant.
(TYLTYL _puts on his hat and turns the sapphire.
Forthwith from the earth and from every side little creatures of different sizes appear, dressed like him and resembling him in nearly every respect.
They surround him, rush against him, hustle him and try to drag him, some to the right, others to the left, while he struggles in the midst of them without knowing to which he should give his attention_.
) TYLTYL
(_Distraught_.
) Hullo, hullo, what's all this?
What does it mean?
That sapphire really is becoming impossible!
LIGHT
Don't worry: you'll have turned it the wrong way again.
What did you do?
TYLTYL
How can I tell?...
This is getting too much for me!
Too mixed up, really....
I must have pressed it instead of turning it.
LIGHT
That's what I thought.
You have simply released some of your other "You's." TYLTYL
(_Dumbfounded_.
) Some of my other "Me's"?
LIGHT
Yes, what I mean is that you are not alone inside yourself and that....
TYLTYL
(_More and more dumbfounded_.
) I am not alone inside myself?...
LIGHT
Why, no, there are a number of other personalities there, more or less like you and all the time trying to get the upper hand.
TYLTYL
No, but really, what else is there inside me?
I must be a sort of menagerie or Noah's ark!
There's no end to it!
LIGHT
That's true: there would be no end if we had the time to go into it all....
But press the sapphire down now and all will be well.
(TYLTYL _presses the sapphire and all his_ DOUBLES _disappear_.
) TYLTYL
My word!
A good riddance!...
Well, as you say, they may be the least bit like me, but some of them are very ugly.
Particularly a big dark one, who kept on tripping me up and very nearly made me fall.
LIGHT
Of course, there are some of all kinds, as in every man.
One must learn to choose the best and avoid the worst....
But here come your little friends.
(_Enter first_ THE WHITE PHANTOM.
) TYLTYL
(_Amazed_.
) Hullo!...
What's the matter with her?...
She seems quite in a hurry to-day and moves like an angel.
(_Enter next_ MILETTE, BELLINE, ROSELLE _and_ ROSARELLE, _followed by_ AIMETTE _and_ Jalline, _who are supporting_ DESTINY _between them.
He is now a head shorter than_ TYLTYL, _wears the same tragic costume as before, seems very weary and sinks down on a heap of snow_.
) TYLTYL
(_Going to him, with a certain solicitude_.
) Are you ill?
DESTINY
I?
Not at all: I am always the same, I am unchangeable....
But when you alone are responsible for everything, when you have to manage everything, direct everything and foresee everything and when nobody helps you (_casting an aggressive eye on_ LIGHT), you are entitled to a moment's rest....
I therefore order a halt.
It is decided irrevocably: to-day we go no farther.
LIGHT Admirable!
And so it shall be, for we have arrived; and with Destiny's permission, we shall find ourselves, without taking another step, among the children who are awaiting us....
(_The curtain parts and opens upon the next scene_.
) SCENE IX
_The Abode of the Children_ _The immense halls, the lofty vaults, the infinite perspectives of arches and columns of the Kingdom of the Future in "The Blue Bird";
but this time, it being the nuptial hour, everything is of a soft, milky white, gleaming and transparent.
The radiant shapes of amber-coloured light bathe in unspeakable gladness all the things that they touch; and everywhere are signs of a deep and unfaltering joy.
The boundless horizon stretches towards the veiled white of the Milky Way, the ether quivering with myriads of unknown stars_.
(_When the curtain opens_, TYLTYL, LIGHT, DESTINY _and_ THE SIX GIRLS _are in the foreground, on the right, at the foot of one of the alabaster columns supporting the entrance-arch.
They take a few steps into the immense deserted hall, while_ THE WHITE PHANTOM _hides timidly behind the column_.
) TYLTYL
(_A little disappointed_.
) There's nobody here!...
LIGHT
I know why it is.
There are several doors; as you were all very tired, I chose the one that was nearest.
They are probably waiting for us at the principal entrance.
TYLTYL
How shall we let them know?
LIGHT
The atmosphere will do that: here everything is known immediately and every event happens everywhere at the same moment.
TYLTYL
It's a very fine place, this: splendid large rooms and a very high ceiling; lots of light and air....
LIGHT
And it's still always inside yourself.
TYLTYL
What, this is inside me too?
LIGHT
Why, yes; of course it is.
TYLTYL
Very well, then; that's all right.
Please step in: you're very welcome.
Won't you sit down while you wait?
LIGHT
We shall not have long to wait, for I believe they have seen us.
(A CHILD'S _head appears for an instant between two columns and is then briskly withdrawn, exclaiming_, "This way!
This way!
They're here!"
_Soon after, seven or eight_ CHILDREN _of about twelve years of age, in short white tunics, with bare arms, legs and feet, run up from the back of the hall and stop in front of the visitors.
The largest holds out his hand to_ TYLTYL.
) THE CHILD
Good-evening, grandpapa!
TYLTYL
Grandpapa?...
Who's that?...
Where is he?...
THE CHILD
(_Bursting into laughter_.
) Why, it's you!
TYLTYL
(_Dumbfounded_.
) I?
Am I a grandpapa already?
THE CHILD
Of course you are, eighty times over!...
We are the first to arrive.
The others are on their way....
(_To the other_ CHILDREN.
) He doesn't seem to believe it!
ANOTHER CHILD
You might give us a kiss.
TYLTYL
(_Kissing them all_.
) I will!
I will!...
But how do I come to be a grandpapa?
THE CHILD
Surely it's quite simple: you will be our grandpapa when we are your grandchildren.
TYLTYL
Obviously, that's clear....
So you exist already?
THE CHILD
Naturally, since you yourself exist....
I say, are those the grandmammas you're bringing us?
TYLTYL
Yes; it seems you're to pick out the best one.
ANOTHER CHILD
(_Clapping his hands and dancing for joy_.
) Oh, how pretty they are!...
(_Throwing himself into_ JALLINE'S _arms_.
) I take this one, because she is so soft!...
ANOTHER CHILD
(_Throwing his arms round_ AIMETTE'S _neck_.
) And I this one, because she is so sad!...
ANOTHER CHILD
(_Kissing_ ROSELLE.
) I choose this one, because's she's always laughing!...
THREE OTHER CHILDREN
(_Each taking one of_ THE GIRLS, _kissing and fondling her and laughing and skipping with delight_.
) And I choose this one, because she smells so nice!...
I choose this one!...
I choose this one!...
THE FIRST CHILD
(_Intervening_.
) One moment, one moment, if you please....
This has nothing to do with us; our turn will come.
You know that only the smallest have the right to choose who is to be their mother.
All we have to do is to help them with our advice and to stop them if they make mistakes; but that's a thing which has never happened yet.
They were quite some distance away, at the principal gate, but they won't be long now.
TYLTYL
Here come some bigger ones!
(_Enter a new group of_ CHILDREN, _apparently about fifteen years of age.
The oldest goes to_ TYLTYL _and shakes hands with him_.
) THE OLDEST CHILD
Good-evening, great-grandfather!...
TYLTYL
Who's that?
I?
I'm a great-grandfather now!...
THE OLDEST CHILD
Of course you are!...
I am very glad to see you for a minute, for we shall most nicely not have the pleasure of meeting on earth....
Well, I understand that your visit to the Ancestors was not much of a success.
TYLTYL
Let's rather put it that they hadn't quite made up their minds.
But how is it that you already know what happened there?
THE OLDEST CHILD
Why, of course we know everything that happens inside you; we're there ourselves.
Besides, there's very little that separates us from the Ancestors: our interests are the same and our paths often meet.
THE FIRST CHILD
Look out!
Here are the little ones!...
I see five coming....
There's only one missing, the littlest....
(_From the back of the halls come five_ LITTLE CHILDREN _holding one another's hands_.
) TYLTYL
Who are those five little ones?
They are very sweet.
THE FIRST CHILD
Why, they are your children: two boys and three girls!
TYLTYL
Mine?
Shall I have five children?
THE FIRST CHILD
Six, you will have six, for the last little one isn't here yet....
I
promise you, the world can do with them, after what people have been up to, down there!...
TYLTYL
But I shall never be able to feed them all!...
(THE FIVE LITTLE ONES, _still holding hands, have stopped in front of_ THE SIX GIRLS _and stand looking at them solemnly, without speaking.
By degrees, the halls have become filled with a host of other_ CHILDREN _who gather round_ THE FIVE LITTLE ONES _and watch them.
The silence at last becomes irksome and_ TYLTYL _breaks it_.
) TYLTYL
Well, children, aren't you going to kiss your papa?
THE YOUNGEST CHILD
(_Ordering him with a serious gesture to be silent_.
) Mamma first....
Where is she?
TYLTYL
Why, she must be here; she's one of those.
You have only to choose.
THE YOUNGEST CHILD
(_To the one beside him_.
) Do you see her?
THE OTHER
(_Shaking his head sadly_.
) No. THE THREE OTHERS
(_In succession_.
) No more do I....
No more do I....
No more do I....
JALLINE
(_Rushing forward, catching hold of one of the_ CHILDREN _and kissing him_.
) But that's impossible!...
Here, look at me?...
Don't you see how much I'll love you?...
THE CHILD
Yes, but you're not the one.
ROSELLE
(_Taking another_ CHILD _on her knees_.
) And me?
Won't you have me for your mamma?
THE CHILD
No, no, it's not you.
ROSARELLE
(_Catching hold of another_ CHILD.
) And me?
Don't you love me?
You'll see how happy we shall be!...
We shall have a lovely house full of toys and I shall give you everything you want....
THE CHILD
(_Vainly trying to contain its tears_.
) No, no!...
BELLINE
(_Taking_ THE YOUNGEST.
) Look here, you seem to know more than the others....
Don't you recognize me?...
Are you fond of sweets?...
THE YOUNGEST CHILD
(_Struggling until she lets him go and crying without disguise_.
