..
TYLTYL
I know nothing about it, sir.... He did not do it on purpose....
THE OAK
What have you come here for; and why have you made our souls leave their
abodes?...
TYLTYL
I beg your pardon, sir, for disturbing you.... The Cat said that you would
tell us where the Blue Bird was....
THE OAK
Yes, I know that you are looking for the Blue Bird, that is to say, the
great secret of things and of happiness, so that Man may make our servitude
still harder....
TYLTYL
Oh, no, sir; it is for the Fairy Berylune's little girl, who is very
ill....
THE OAK (_laying silence upon him with a gesture_)
Enough!... I do not hear the Animals.... Where are they?... All this
concerns them as much as us.... We, the Trees, must not assume the
responsibility alone for the grave measures that have become necessary....
On the day when MAN hears that we have done what we are about to do, there
will be terrible reprisals..... It is right, therefore, that our agreement
should be unanimous, so that our silence may be the same....
THE FIR-TREE (_looking over the top of the other trees_)
The Animals are coming.... They are following the Rabbit.... Here are the
souls of the Horse, the Bull, the Ox, the Cow, the Wolf, the Sheep, the
Pig, the Cock, the Goat, the Ass, and the Bear.
Pages:
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82