go away now.... Look, look, I am kissing thy
hair.... I suffer no more in the midst of thy hair.... Hearest thou my
kisses along thy hair?... They mount along thy hair.... Each hair must
bring thee some.... Thou seest, thou seest, I can open my hands.... My
hands are free, and thou canst not leave me now....

MELISANDE.

Oh! oh! thou hurtest me.... [_Doves come out of the tower and fly
about them in the night._]--What is that, Pelleas?--What is it flying
about me?

PELLEAS.

It is the doves coming oat of the tower.... I have frightened them;
they are flying away....

MELISANDE.

It is my doves, Pelleas.--Let us go away, let me go; they will not
come back again....

PELLEAS.

Why will they not come back again?

MELISANDE

They will be lost in the dark.... Let me go; let me lift my head....
I hear a noise of footsteps.... Let me go!--It is Golaud!... I believe
it is Golaud!... He has heard us....

PELLEAS.

Wait! Wait!... Thy hair is about the boughs.... It is caught there in
the darkness.... Wait, wait!... It is dark....

_Enter_ GOLAUD, _by the watchman's round._

GOLAUD.

What do you here?

PELLEAS.

What do I here?... I....

GOLAUD.

You are children.... Melisande, do not lean out so at the window; you
will fall.... Do you not know it is late?--It is nearly midnight.--Do
not play so in the darkness.--You are children.... [_Laughing
nervously._] What children!... What children!...
[_Exit, with_ PELLEAS.

SCENE III.--_The-vaults of the castle.

Enter_ GOLAUD _and_ PELLEAS.

GOLAUD.

Take care; this way, this way.--You have never penetrated into these
vaults?

PELLEAS.

Yes; once, of old; but it was long ago....

GOLAUD.

They are prodigious great; it is a succession of enormous crypts that
end, God knows where. The whole castle is builded on these crypts. Do
you smell the deathly odor that reigns here?--That is what I wished,
to show you. In my opinion, it comes from the little underground lake
I am going to have you see. Take care; walk before me, in the light of
my lantern. I will warn you when we are there, [_They continue to walk
in silence._] Hey! hey! Pelleas! stop! stop!--[_He seizes him by the
arm._] For God's sake!... Do you not see?--One step more, and you had
been in the gulf!...

PELLEAS

But I did not see it!... The lantern no longer lighted me....

GOLAUD.

I made a misstep.... but if I had not hel