very cold, and very deep. And all those who dwell in it, are already old. And the country may seem gloomy too, with all its forests, all its old forests without light. But that may all be enlivened if we will. And then, joy, joy, one does not have it every day; we must take things as they come. But tell me something; no matter what; I will do everything you could wish….

MÉLISANDE.

Yes, yes; it is true…. You never see the sky here. I saw it for the first time this morning….

GOLAUD.

It is that, then, that makes you weep, my poor Mélisande?—It is only that, then?—You weep, not to see the sky?—Come, come, you are no longer at the age when one may weep for such things…. And then, is not the summer yonder? You will see the sky every day.—And then, next year…. Come, give me your hand; give me both your little hands. [He takes her hands.] Oh! oh! these little hands that I could crush like flowers….—Hold! where is the ring I gave you?

MÉLISANDE.

The ring?

GOLAUD.

Yes; our wedding-ring, where is it?

MÉLISANDE.

I think…. I think it has fallen….

GOLAUD.

Fallen?—Where has it fallen?—You have not lost it?

MÉLISANDE.

No, no; it fell … it must have fallen…. But I know where it is….

GOLAUD.

Where is it?

MÉLISANDE.

You know … you know well … the grotto by the seashore?…

GOLAUD.

Yes.

MÉLISANDE.

Well then, it is there…. It must be it is there…. Yes, yes; I remember…. I went there this morning to pick up shells for little Yniold…. There were some very fine ones…. It slipped from my finger … then the sea came in; and I had to go out before I had found it.

GOLAUD.

Are you sure it is there?

MÉLISANDE.

Yes, yes; quite sure…. I felt it slip … then, all at once, the noise of the waves….

GOLAUD.

You must go look for it at once.

MÉLISANDE.

I must go look for it at once?

GOLAUD.

Yes.

MÉLISANDE.

Now?—at once?—in the dark?

GOLAUD.

Now, at once, in the dark. You must go look for it at once. I had rather have lost all I have than have lost that ring. You do not know what it is. You do not know whence it came. The sea will be very high to-night. The sea will come to take it before you…. Make haste. You must go look for it at once….

MÉLISANDE.

I dare not…. I dare not go alone….

GOLAUD.

Go, go with no matter whom. But you must go at once, do you understand?—Make haste; ask Pélléas to go with you.

MÉLISANDE.

Pélléas?—With Pélléas?—But Pélléas would not….

GOLAUD.

Pélléas will do all you ask of him. I know Pélléas better than you do.
Go, go; hurry! I shall not sleep until I have the ring.

MÉLISANDE.

Oh! oh! I am not happy!… I am not happy!… [Exit, weeping.

SCENE III.—Before a grotto.

Enter PÉLLÉAS and MÉLISANDE.

[Speaking with great agitation.] Yes; it is here; we are there. It is so dark you cannot tell the entrance of the grotto from the rest of the night…. There are no stars on this side. Let us wait till the moon has torn through that great cloud; it will light up the whole grotto, and then we can enter without danger. There are dangerous places, and the path is very narrow between two lakes whose bottom has not yet been found. I did not think to bring a torch or a lantern, but I think the light of the sky will be enough for us.—You have never gone into this grotto?

MÉLISANDE.

No….

PÉLLÉAS.

Let us go in; let us go in…. You must be able to describe the place where you lost the ring, if he questions you…. It is very big and very beautiful. There are stalactites that look like plants and men. It is full of blue darks. It has not yet been explored to the end. There are great treasures hidden there, it seems. You will see the remains of ancient shipwrecks there. But you must not go far in it without a guide. There have been some who never have come back. I myself dare not go forward too far. We will stop the moment we no longer see the light of the sea or the sky. When you strike a little light there, you would say the vault was covered with stars like the sky. It is bits of crystal or salt, they say, that shine so in the rock.—Look, look, I think the sky is going to clear…. Give me your hand; do not tremble, do not tremble so. There is no danger; we will stop the moment we no longer see the light of the sea…. Is it the noise of the grotto that frightens you? It is the noise of night or the noise of silence…. Do you hear the sea behind us?—It does not seem happy to-night…. Ah! look, the light!…

[The moon lights up abundantly the entrance and part of the darkness of the grotto; and at a certain depth are seen three old beggars with white hair, seated side by side, leaning upon each other and asleep against a bowlder.]

MÉLISANDE.

Ah!

PÉLLÉAS.

What is it?

MÉLISANDE.

There are … there are…. [She points out the three Beggars.

PÉLLÉAS.

Yes, yes; I have seen them too….

MÉLISANDE.

Let us go!… Let us go!…

PÉLLÉAS.

Yes … it is three old poor men fallen asleep…. There is a famine in the country…. Why have they come to sleep here….

MÉLISANDE.

Let us go!… Come, come…. Let us go!…

PÉLLÉAS.

Take care; do not speak so loud…. Let us not wake them…. They are still sleeping heavily…. Come.

MÉLISANDE.

Leave me, leave me; I prefer to walk alone….

PÉLLÉAS.

We will come back another day…. [Exeunt.

SCENE IV.—An apartment in the castle, ARKËL and PÉLLÉAS discovered.

ARKËL.

You see that everything retains you here just now and forbids you this useless journey. We have concealed your father's condition from you until now; but it is perhaps hopeless; and that alone should suffice to stop you on the threshold. But there are so many other reasons…. And it is not in the day when our enemies awake, and when the people are dying of hunger and murmur about us, that you have the right to desert us. And why this journey? Marcellus is dead; and life has graver duties than the visit to a tomb. You are weary, you say, of your inactive life; but activity and duty are not found on the highways. They must be waited