, come back to me. It's death, and it's
death, and it's death. Red, red: a corpse. Macaire to kill, Macaire to
die? I'd rather starve, I'd rather perish, than either: I'm not fit, I'm
not fit for either! Why, how's this? I want to cry. (_A stroke, and a
groan from above._) God Almighty, one of them's gone! (_He falls with
his head on table, R. MACAIRE appears at the top of the stairs,
descends, comes airily forward and touches him on the shoulder.
BERTRAND, with a cry, turns, and falls upon his neck._) O, O, and I
thought I had lost him. (_Day breaking._)

MACAIRE. The contrary, dear boy. (_He produces notes._)

BERTRAND. What was it like?

MACAIRE. Like? Nothing. A little blood, a dead man.

BERTRAND. Blood!... Dead! (_He falls at table sobbing. MACAIRE divides
the notes into two parts; on the smaller he wipes the bloody knife,
and folding the stains inward, thrusts the notes into BERTRAND'S face._)

MACAIRE. What is life without the pleasures of the table?

BERTRAND (_taking and pocketing notes_). Macaire, I can't get over it.

MACAIRE. My mark is the frontier, and at top speed. Don't hang your jaw
at me. Up, up, at the double; pick me that cash-box; and let's get the
damned house fairly cleared.

BERTRAND. I can't. Did he bleed much?

MACAIRE. Bleed? Must I bleed you? To work, or I'm dangerous.

BERTRAND. It's all right, Macaire; I'm going.

MACAIRE. Better so: an old friend is nearly sacred. (_Full daylight:
lights up. MACAIRE blows out lantern._)

BERTRAND. Where's the key?

MACAIRE. Key? I tell you to pick it.

BERTRAND (_with the box_). But it's a patent lock. Where is the key? You
had it.

MACAIRE. Will you pick that lock?

BERTRAND. I can't; it's a patent. Where's the key?

MACAIRE. If you will have it, I put it back in that old ass's pocket.

BERTRAND. Bitten, I think. (_MACAIRE dancing mad._)

SCENE II

_To these, DUMONT_

DUMONT. Ah, friends, up so early? Catching the worm, catching the worm?

MACAIRE. Good morning, good morning! \
> _Both sitting on the table and
BERTRAND. Early birds, early birds. / dissembling box._

DUMONT. By the way, very remarkable thing: I found that key.

MACAIRE. No!

BERTRAND. O!

DUMONT. Perhaps a still more remarkable thing: it was my key that had
the twisted handle.

MACAIRE. I told you so.

DUMONT. Now, what we have to do is to get the cash-box. Hallo! what's
that you're sitting on?

BERTRA