Fifty Contemporary One-Act Plays. Various
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Father. But what should we be afraid of?
The Grandfather. Why do you want to deceive me?
The Uncle. Who is thinking of deceiving you?
The Grandfather. Why have you put out the light?
The Uncle. But the light has not been put out; there is as much light as there was before.
The Daughter. It seems to me that the lamp has gone down.
The Father. I see as well now as ever.
The Grandfather. I have millstones on my eyes! Tell me, girls, what is going on here! Tell me, for the love of God, you who can see! I am here, all alone, in darkness without end! I do not know who seats himself beside me! I do not know what is happening a yard from me!... Why were you talking under your breath just now?
The Father. No one was talking under his breath.
The Grandfather. You did talk in a low voice at the door.
The Father. You heard all I said.
The Grandfather. You brought some one into the room!...
The Father. But I tell you no one has come in!
The Grandfather. Is it your sister or a priest?—You should not try to deceive me.—Ursula, who was it that came in?
The Daughter. No one, grandfather.
The Grandfather. You must not try to deceive me; I know what I know.—How many of us are there here?
The Daughter. There are six of us round the table, grandfather.
The Grandfather. You are all round the table?
The Daughter. Yes, grandfather.
The Grandfather. You are there, Paul?
The Father. Yes.
The Grandfather. You are there, Oliver?
The Uncle. Yes, of course I am here, in my usual place. That's not alarming, is it?
The Grandfather. You are there, Geneviève?
One of the Daughters. Yes, grandfather.
The Grandfather. You are there, Gertrude?
Another Daughter. Yes, grandfather.
The Grandfather. You are here, Ursula?
The Eldest Daughter. Yes, grandfather; next to you.
The Grandfather. And who is that sitting there?
The Daughter. Where do you mean, grandfather?—There is no one.
The Grandfather. There, there—in the midst of us!
The Daughter. But there is no one, grandfather!
The Father. We tell you there is no one!
The Grandfather. But you cannot see—any of you!
The Uncle. Pshaw! You are joking.
The Grandfather. I do not feel inclined for joking, I can assure you.
The Uncle. Then believe those who can see.
The Grandfather [undecidedly]. I thought there was some one.... I believe I shall not live long....
The Uncle. Why should we deceive you? What use would there be in that?
The Father. It would be our duty to tell you the truth....
The Uncle. What would be the good of deceiving each other?
The Father. You could not live in error long.
The Grandfather [trying to rise]. I should like to pierce this darkness!...
The Father. Where do you want to go?
The Grandfather. Over there....
The Father. Don't be so anxious.
The Uncle. You are strange this evening.
The Grandfather. It is all of you who seem to me to be strange!
The Father. Do you want anything?
The Grandfather. I do not know what ails me.
The Eldest Daughter. Grandfather! grandfather! What do you want, grandfather?
The Grandfather. Give me your little hands, my children.
The Three Daughters. Yes, grandfather.
The Grandfather. Why are you all three trembling, girls?
The Eldest Daughter. We are scarcely trembling at all, grandfather.
The Grandfather. I fancy you are all three pale.
The Eldest Daughter. It is late, grandfather, and we are tired.
The Father. You must go to bed, and grandfather himself would do well to take a little rest.
The Grandfather. I could not sleep to-night!
The Uncle. We will wait for the doctor.
The Grandfather. Prepare for the truth.
The Uncle. But there is no truth!
The Grandfather. Then I do not know what there is!
The Uncle. I tell you there is nothing at all!
The Grandfather. I wish I could see my poor daughter!
The Father. But you know quite well it is impossible; she must not be awakened unnecessarily.
The Uncle. You will see her to-morrow.
The Grandfather. There is no sound in her room.
The Uncle. I should be uneasy if I heard any sound.
The Grandfather. It is a very long time since I saw my daughter!... I took her hands yesterday evening, but I could not see her!... I do not know what has become of her.... I do not know how she is.... I do not know what her face is like now.... She must have changed these weeks!... I felt the little bones of her cheeks under my hands.... There is nothing but the darkness between her and me, and the rest of you!... I cannot go on living like this ... this is not living.... You sit there, all of you, looking with open eyes at my dead eyes, and not one of you has pity on me!... I do not know what ails me.... No one tells me what ought to be told me.... And everything is terrifying when one's dreams dwell upon it.... But why are you not speaking?
The Uncle. What should we say, since you will not believe us?
The Grandfather. You are afraid of betraying yourselves!
The Father. Come now, be rational!
The Grandfather. You have been hiding something from me for a long time!... Something has happened in the house.... But I am beginning to understand now.... You have been deceiving me too long!—You fancy that I shall never know anything?—There are moments when I am less blind than you, you know!... Do you think I have not heard you whispering—for days and days—as if you were in the house of some one who had been hanged—I dare not say what I know this evening.... But I shall know the truth!... I shall wait for you to tell me the truth; but I have known it for a long time, in spite of you!—And now, I feel that you are all paler than the dead!
The Three Daughters. Grandfather! grandfather! What is the matter, grandfather?
The Grandfather. It is not you that I am speaking of, girls. No; it is not you that I am speaking of.... I know quite well you would tell me the truth—if they were not by!... And besides, I feel sure that they are deceiving you as well.... You will see, children—you will see!... Do not I hear you all sobbing?
The Father. Is my wife really so ill?
The Grandfather. It is no good trying to deceive me any longer; it is too late now, and I know the truth better than you!...
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