hem I feel the
freshness of their lashes when they wink; and yet I am less far away
from the great secrets of the other world than from the smallest
secret of those eyes!... A great innocence!... More than innocence!
You would say the angels of heaven celebrated there an eternal
baptism!... I know those eyes! I have seen them at their work! Close
them! close them! or I shall close them for a long while!...--Do
not put your right hand to your throat so; I am saying a very simple
thing.... I have no under-thought.... If I had an under-thought, why
should I not say it? Ah! ah!--do not attempt to flee!--Here!--Give
me that hand!--Ah! your hands are too hot.... Go away! Your flesh
disgusts me!... Here!--There is no more question of fleeing now!--[_He
seizes her by the hair._]--You shall follow me on your knees!--On your
knees!--On your knees before me!--Ah! ah! your long hair serves
some purpose at last!... Right,... left!--Left,... right!--Absalom!
Absalom.--Forward! back! To the ground! to the ground!... You see, you
see; I laugh already like an old man....

ARKEL (_running up_).

Golaud!...

GOLAUD (_affecting a sudden calm_).

You will do as you may please, look you.--I attach no importance
to that.--I am too old; and, besides, I am not a spy. I shall await
chance; and then ... Oh! then!... simply because it is the custom;
simply because it is the custom.... [_Exit._

ARKEL.

What ails him?--He is drunk?

MELISANDE (_in tears_).

No, no; he does not love me any more.... I am not happy!... I am not
happy!...

ARKEL.

If I were God, I would have pity on men's hearts....

SCENE III.--_A terrace of the castle. Little_ YNIOLD _discovered,
trying to lift a bowlder._

LITTLE YNIOLD.

Oh, this stone is heavy!... It is heavier than I am.... It is
heavier than everybody.... It is heavier than everything that ever
happened.... I can see my golden ball between the rock and this
naughty stone, and I cannot reach it.... My little arm is not long
enough,... and this stone won't be lifted.... I can't lift it,... and
nobody could lift it.... It is heavier than the whole house;... you
would think it had roots in the earth.... [_The Bleatings of a flock
heard far away._]--Oh! oh! I hear the sheep crying.... [_He goes to
look, at the edge of the terrace._] Why! there is no more sun.... They
are coming ... the little sheep ... they are coming.... There is a lot
of them!... There is a