No, that"s a mistake; there are no misers. Thanks to the sapphire which reveals the heart and essence of things, you will see that he is no more of a miser than you or I and that he will give us whatever we ask.
That"s the first visit we shall have to pay.... Well, are you all ready?
Which way shall we go out?
(_At this point, a trap-door opens, in the middle of the stage, and from it there rises slowly, like a tower, a gigantic shape, twice a man"s height. It is square, enormous, imposing and overwhelming; it gives the impression of a ma.s.s of granite and of immense, blind, inflexible force. Its face is not seen. It is draped in grey folds that are rigid as rock_.)
THE SHAPE
It"s I. You have forgotten me, as usual!...
TYLTYL
(_Not a little frightened_.) Who is this gentleman?
THE FAIRY
He"s right, I had forgotten him. It"s n.o.body, it"s Destiny. I didn"t foresee that the sapphire would make him visible also. He will have to come with us; we can"t prevent him; he"s ent.i.tled to. Give him your hand.
TYLTYL
Will he lead us?
THE FAIRY
That remains to be seen. We must hear what Light says: it"s a matter for her.
TYLTYL
Why, of course. Light!... Where is she?... Isn"t she going with us?
THE FAIRY
Yes, yes, but she has a great deal to do at the moment.... She wasn"t free this evening.... We shall find her at my place, where we shall go straight from your visit to the miser.
TYLTYL
How glad I shall be to see her again!... She was so nice, so sweet, so beautiful, so affectionate and kind!...
THE FAIRY
Come, give Destiny your hand; it"s time to start.
(TYLTYL _stretches out his arm to the monster, who grips the boy"s little hand and wrist in his huge bronze-coloured hand_.)
TYLTYL
Here you are, sir.... (_Giving a cry_.) Hi!... It"s not a hand. It"s a steel vice!...
THE FAIRY
It"s nothing, you"ll get used to it.... Come, is everything ready at last? Nothing more that we"ve forgotten? Then one, two, three and off we go!...
(_A knock at the door_.)
THE FAIRY
(_Crossly_.) Who"s come to disturb us now? Shall we never get out of this hovel?
(_Another knock_.)
TYLTYL
Come in!...
(_A third knock_.)
TYLTYL
Who"s there?... Come in, can"t you?...
(_The door opens slowly and reveals a female form shrouded in long white veils, like an antique statue. The face, hands, mouth, eyes, hair and eyebrows are lifeless and white as marble. It stands motionless on the threshold_.)
TYLTYL
What is it?
THE FAIRY
Really, I don"t know.... It must be one of those whom you"ve forgotten....
TYLTYL
(_Vainly ransacking his memory_.) I?... I"ve forgotten n.o.body.... I"ve never seen her before.... I can"t remember.... (_Going up to_ THE VEILED FORM.) Who are you? (THE VEILED FORM _does not reply_.)
THE FAIRY
It"s no use asking her. She can"t tell you, she can"t come to life till you remember her.
TYLTYL
But I don"t. I"m thinking and trying as hard as I can, but I can find nothing.
THE FAIRY
Very well, very well, we shall see later, when everything is cleared up.... As she blocks the path, we must go out by the window.... Come, this way! We have taken our fate in our hands; and things have begun!...
DESTINY
Excuse me, excuse me! It"s I who am Fate and it"s I who begin and it"s I who give orders.... I go first, for it is I who direct everything and I am the only master!...