rt too young and too beautiful to live already day and night under
the breath of death.... But now all that will change. At my age,--and
there perhaps is the surest fruit of my life,--at my age I have gained
I know not what faith in the fidelity of events, and I have always
seen that every young and beautiful being creates about itself young,
beautiful, and happy events.... And it is thou who wilt now open the
door for the new era I have glimpses of.... Come here; why dost thou
stay there without answering and without lifting thine eyes?--I have
kissed thee but once only hitherto,--the day of thy coming; and yet
old men need sometimes to touch with their lips a woman's forehead or
a child's cheek, to believe still in the freshness of life and avert
awhile the menaces.... Art thou afraid of my old lips? How I have
pitied thee these months!...

MELISANDE.

Grandfather, I have not been unhappy....

ARKEL.

Perhaps you were of those who are unhappy without knowing it,... and
they are the most unhappy.... Let me look at thee, so, quite near, a
moment;... we have such need of beauty beside Death....

_Enter_ GOLAUD.

GOLAUD.

Pelleas leaves to-night.

ARKEL.

Thou hast blood on thy forehead.--What hast thou done?

GOLAUD.

Nothing, nothing.... I have passed through a hedge of thorns.

MELISANDE.

Bend down your head a little, my lord.... I will wipe your
forehead....

GOLAUD (_repulsing her_).

I will not that you touch me, do you understand? Go, go!--I am not
speaking to you.--Where is my sword?--I came to seek my sword....

MELISANDE.

Here; on the praying-stool.

GOLAUD.

Bring it. [_To_ ARKEL.]--They have just found another peasant dead of
hunger, along by the sea. You would say they all meant to die under
our eyes.--[_To_ MELISANDE.] Well, my sword?--Why do you tremble
so?--I am not going to kill you. I would simply examine the blade. I
do not employ the sword for these uses. Why do you examine me like a
beggar?--I do not come to ask alms of you. You hope to see something
in my eyes without my seeing anything in yours?--Do you think I may
know something?--[_To_ ARKEL.]--Do you see those great eyes?--It is as
if they were proud of their richness....

ARKEL.

I see there only a great innocence....

GOLAUD.

A great innocence!... They are greater than innocence!... They are
purer than the eyes of a lamb.... They would give God lessons in
innocence! A great innocence! Listen: I am so near t