ARKEL.

Thou art cold?—­Wilt thou have the windows closed?

MELISANDE.

No, no,... not till the sun be at the bottom of the sea.—­It sinks slowly; then it is the winter beginning?

ARKEL.

Yes.—­Thou dost not like the winter?

MELISANDE.

Oh! 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.]