Scene Seventh
The Same,theGuinea-hen,and the wholePoultry-yard
Cries outside, nearer and nearer,“Ah!—â€Enter all theHensin tumult, preceded by the agitatedGuinea-hen.
The Blackbird[In his cage.] The next course will be Guinea-hen!
The Guinea-hen[Running to thePheasant-hen.] Ah, my dear, my dear, my dear!—A beauty, a very beauty!—We have come to make your acquaintance, my dear!
[General admiration,“Ah!—â€ThePheasant-henis surrounded. Conversation, cries, clucking.]
Chantecler[Watching thePheasant-hen,aside.] How well she walks, with free and graceful gait!—[He looks at theHens.] So differently from my Hens! [Irritably, to theHens.] Ladies, you walk as if you had blisters! You walk as if you trod on your own eggs!
PatouNo mistaking the symptoms! He is very much in love.
The Guinea-hen[Presenting her son to thePheasant-hen.] The Guinea-cock, my son.
The Young Guinea-cock[Looking admiringly at thePheasant-hen.] What a jolly shade of blond!
A Hen[Disparagingly.] Like butter!
Chantecler[Turning, dryly to theHens.] It is time you went indoors.
The Pheasant-hen[Amiably.] So soon?
ChanteclerThey retire early.
A Hen[A little mortified.] Yes, we must turn in.
The Pheasant-henThey go in by a ladder!
The Guinea-hen[To thePheasant-hen.] Let us be great friends, my dear, shall we?
Chantecler[Looking at thePheasant-hen,aside.] Her sumptuous court-dress sets her apart from the rest, and removes her far above.—My Hens are dowdies!
The Pheasant-hen[To theGuinea-hen,excusing herself.] I return to my forest home to-night.
The Guinea-hen[In excessive grief.] So soon—? [A shot in the distance.]
PatouThey are still after game.
The Guinea-henYou must stay.
Chantecler[Eagerly.] That’s it! Let us keep her a prisoner among us till to-morrow.
Pheasant-henBut where can I spend the night?
Patou[Indicating his kennel.] There, in my bachelor’s quarters.
Pheasant-henI ?—Sleep beneath a roof?
Patou[Insisting.] Go in, I pray.
The Pheasant-henBut you? What shall you do?
PatouI shall do very well!
The Pheasant-hen[Resigning herself.] I will stay then until to-morrow.
The Guinea-hen[With piercing cries.] Ah! Ah! But to-morrow, my dear! to-morrow—
All[In alarm.] What is it?
The Young Guinea-cockTo-morrow is my mother’s day!
The Guinea-hen[Impetuously.] My dear, would you care to come to-morrow quite informally, and take a simple snail with us? The Peacock—
Chantecler[Mounting the ladder, from whence he can inspect the scene.] Quiet, if you please! Evening has blown its smoke across the sky—[In a tone of command.] Is every one in his accustomed place?
The Guinea-hen[Lower, to thePheasant-hen.] The Peacock is coming. We shall hold our little gathering among the currant-bushes.
ChanteclerAre the turkeys on their roost?
The Guinea-hen[Same business.] From five to six.
ChanteclerAre the ducks in their pointed house?
The Guinea-hen[Same business.] The Tortoise has kindly said we may expect her.
Pheasant-henIndeed?
Chantecler[On the last rung of the ladder.] Is every one under cover?—Every chick under a wing?
The Guinea-hen[Still insisting with thePheasant-henthat she come on the morrow.] The Tufted Hen has promised to bring the Cock.—[ToChantecler.] Charmed, I am sure.
ChanteclerBut—
The Tufted Hen[Looking out of the hen-house.] You will come, won’t you, dear?
ChanteclerNo.
The Pheasant-hen[At the foot of the ladder, looking up at him.] Oh, but you will?
ChanteclerWhy?
The Pheasant-henBecause you said “No!†to the other!
Chantecler[Wavering.] Ah!
PatouHumph! I beseech you—
Chantecler[Still wavering.] I —
PatouHumph! He is weakening.—They will make him pay dear if he yields!
The Old Hen[Appearing.] Make a reed into a pipe and play a tune upon it! [The basket-lid drops.]
[Night is thickening.]
Chantecler[Still hesitating.] I —
A VoiceLet us go to sleep—
The Turkey[On his roost, solemnly.]Quandoque dormitat—
The Blackbird[In his cage.] Dormittimus!
Chantecler[Very firmly to thePheasant-hen.] I will not go. Good night.
The Pheasant-hen[Slightly offended.] Good night! [With a curt hop she enters the dog-kennel.]
Patou[Falling asleep, stretched in front of his kennel.] Let us sleep until the sky grows pink—pink as—as—a puppy’s tummy—
The Guinea-hen[Dropping off.] From five to six—
The Blackbird[Likewise dropping off.] Tew—tew—[He nods.] tew—
Chantecler[Still at the top of the ladder.] All sleeps.—[He spies aChickstealing out.] Is that a chick I see?—[Springing after him and driving him in.] Let me catch you!—[In driving back theChick,he finds himself near the kennel. He calls very softly.] Pheasant-hen!
The Pheasant-hen[Lost among the straw, sleepily.] What do you want?
Chantecler[After a moment’s hesitation.] Nothing.—Nothing! [He goes back to the top of his ladder.]
The Pheasant-henShall I be able to sleep, I wonder—
Patou[Falling sound asleep.] A puppy’s tum—
The Pheasant-hen[Indistinctly, overcome by slumber.] To sleep under a roof?—I with my gypsy tastes?
ChanteclerI am going in. [He disappears in the hen-house. He is heard saying in a dreamy voice.] It is time to shut my—my—
The Pheasant-hen[In a last effort.]—gyp—sy—tastes.—[Her head nods and disappears among the straw.]
Chantecler[His voice, sleepier and fainter.]—to shut my eyes—[Silence. He sleeps. Two green eyes are seen suddenly kindling at the top of the wall.]
The CatAnd to open mine! [Immediately two more yellow eyes shine forth from the darkness above the hay-cock.]
A VoiceAnd mine! [Two more yellow eyes on the wall.]
Another VoiceAnd mine! [Two more yellow eyes.]
Another VoiceAnd mine!