h! no. I am afraid of the cold.--I am so afraid of the great cold....

ARKEL.

Dost thou feel better?

MELISANDE.

Yes, yes; I have no longer all those qualms....

ARKEL.

Wouldst thou see thy child?

MELISANDE.

What child?

ARKEL.

Thy child.--Thou art a mother.... Thou hast brought a little daughter
into the world....

MELISANDE.

Where is she?

ARKEL.

Here....

MELISANDE.

It is strange.... I cannot lift my arms to take her....

ARKEL.

Because you are still very weak.... I will hold her myself; look....

MELISANDE.

She does not laugh.... She is little.... She is going to weep too....
I pity her....

[The room has been invaded, little by little, by the women
servants of the castle, who range themselves in silence along
the walls and wait]

GOLAUD (_rising abruptly_).

What is the matter?--What are all these women coming here for?...

THE PHYSICIAN.

It is the servants....

ARKEL.

Who was it called them?

THE PHYSICIAN.

It was not I....

GOLAUD.

Why do you come here?--No one has asked for you.... What come you here
to do?--But what is it, then?--Answer me!...
[_The servants make no answer._

ARKEL.

Do not speak too loud.... She is going to sleep; she has closed her
eyes....

GOLAUD.

It is not...?

THE PHYSICIAN.

No, no; see, she breathes....

ARKEL.

Her eyes are full of tears.--It is her soul weeping now.... Why does
she stretch her arms out so?--What would she?

THE PHYSICIAN.

It is toward the child, without doubt.... It is the straggle of
motherhood against...

GOLAUD.

At this moment?--At this moment?--You must say. Say! Say!...

THE PHYSICIAN.

Perhaps.

GOLAUD.

At once?... Oh! oh! I must tell her....--Melisande! Melisande!...
Leave me alone! leave me alone with her!...

ARKEL.

No, no; do not come near.... Trouble her not.... Speak no more to
her.... You know not what the soul is....

GOLAUD.

It is not my fault!... It is not my fault!

ARKEL.

Hush!... Hush!... We must speak softly now.--She must not be
disturbed.... The human soul is very silent.... The human soul likes
to depart alone.... It suffers so timorously.... But the sadness,
Golaud ... the sadness of all we see!... Oh! oh! oh!... [_At this
moment, all the servants fall suddenly on their knees at the back of
the chamber._]

ARKEL (_turning_).

What is the matter?

THE PHYSICIAN (_approaching the