Scene EighthThePoultry-yardasleep. TheCatawake. ThreeScreech-owls,later theMoleand theVoiceof theCuckoo.
ThePoultry-yardasleep. TheCatawake. ThreeScreech-owls,later theMoleand theVoiceof theCuckoo.
First VoiceTwo green eyes?
The Cat[Sitting up on the wall, and looking at the other phosphorescent eyes.] Six golden eyes?
First VoiceOn the wall?
The CatOn the rick?—[He calls.] Owls!
The OwlsCat!
The Blackbird[Waking up.] What’s this?
The Screech-owl[To theCat.] Great plot against him!
The CatTo-night?
The Three OwlsTo-night, too-whit!
The CatPfitt!—Where?
The OwlsThe hollies, too-whoo!
The CatWhat o’clock?
The OwlsEight, too-whit! too-whoo!
First OwlBats weaving soft black snares of flight—
The CatAre they with us?
The Three OwlsThey are!
First OwlMole, burrowing from nether to upper night—
The CatIs she with us?
The Three OwlsShe is!
The Cat[Talking toward the house-door.] You, strike your eight strokes bravely, Cuckoo of the little clock!
The Screech-owlIs he with us?
The CatHe is!—And I am pleased to tell you, silent night-watchers that some of the day-birds are likewise with us.
The Turkey[Coming forward surrounded by a number of the barnyard constituents, obsequiously.] So it is settled for this evening, dear Round Eyes? You will be there?
The OwlsWe will be there! All the Round Eyes of the neighbourhood will be there!
The BlackbirdThat’s a show I d like to see!
Patou[In his sleep.] Grrrrrrr—
The Cat[To the startledNight-birds.] The dog is dreaming.—He growls in his sleep.
Chantecler[Inside the hen-house.] Coa—
The Owls[Frightened.] Himself!
The TurkeyFly!
First OwlNo need. The night is dark. We can vanish by merely closing our eyes. [They shut their luminous eyes. Darkness.Chanteclerappears at the top of the ladder.]
Chantecler[To theBlackbird.] Did you hear anything, Blackbird?
The BlackbirdI did, indeed, old chap.
The Owls[Frightened.] What’s this?
The BlackbirdA black conspiracy—
ChanteclerAh?
The Blackbird[With melodramatic emphasis.] Against you!—Tremble!
Chantecler[Going in again, unalarmed.] Joker!
The OwlsHe has gone in.
The BlackbirdI have betrayed no one!
An OwlThe Blackbird then is with us?
The BlackbirdNo—but may I come and look on?
An OwlA Night-bird never eats a black bird. You can come.
The BlackbirdThe password?
The OwlTerror and Talons!
The Pheasant-hen[Putting her head out of the dog-kennel.] I can’t breathe in that stifling, low-roofed little house, and—[Catching sight of theNight-birds.] Oh!—[She darts aside, behind the kennel, and watches.]
The OwlsHush! [They close their eyes.The Catdoes the same. After a time, hearing no further sound, they open them again.] It was nothing. Let us be off.
The Group of the Disaffected[With fawning obsequiousness to theNight-birds.] Success to you, Owls,—success!
The OwlThanks! But how is it that you are with us?
The CatAh, night brings out what daylight will not own to! I do not like the Cock because the Dog does.—There you have it!
The TurkeyI do not like him, for the reason that having known him as a Chick I cannot admit him as a Cock!
A DuckI do not like the Cock because, not being web-footed, he marks his passage by a track of stars!
A ChickenI do not like the Cock because I m such a homely bird!
Another ChickenI do not like the Cock because he has his picture painted in purple on all the plates!
Another ChickenI do not like the Cock because on all the steeples he has his statue in gilt-bronze!
An Owl[To a big overgrownChicken.] Well, well!—And you, Capon?
The Capon[Dryly.] I do not like the Cock!
The Cuckoo[Beginning to strike eight inside the house.] Cuckoo!
First OwlThe hour!
CuckooCuckoo!
Second OwlLet us go!
The CuckooCuckoo!
First OwlThe moon!
The CuckooCuckoo!
First OwlSilently cleave the blue air—
The CuckooCuckoo!
The Mole[Suddenly pushing up through the ground.]—the dark earth!
First OwlThere comes the Mole!
The CuckooCuckoo!
First Owl[To theMole.] And you, why do you hate him?
The MoleI hate him because I have never seen him!
The CuckooCuckoo!
First OwlAnd you, Cuckoo, do you know why you hate him?
The Cuckoo[On the last stroke.] Because he does not have to be wound up! Cuckoo!
First OwlAnd we do not love—
Second Owl[Hurriedly.] We are keeping the others waiting—
All—the Cock, because—[They fly off. Silence.]
The Pheasant-hen[Coming slowly from behind the kennel.] I am beginning to love him!
Curtain