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 them 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!...