DOCTOR
Possibly. Well, how are things moving?
CHAUFFEUR
Grumbling.
I am working.
MAURICE
Look, look! Mamma, see how the searchlights are working. They seem to be frightened. Father, do you see them?
EMIL GRELIEU
Jeanne, lift me a little.
JEANNE
My dear, I don't know whether I am allowed to do it.
DOCTOR
You may lift him a little, if it isn't very painful. The bandage is tight.
JEANNE
Do you feel any pain?
EMIL GRELIEU
No. They are frightened.
MAURICE
Father, they are flashing the searchlights across the sky like madmen. Look, look!
A bluish light is flashed over them, faintly illuminating the whole group.
MAURICE
Right into my eyes! Does that come from an elevation, father?
EMIL GRELIEU
I suppose so. Either they have been warned, or the water is reaching them by this time.
JEANNE
Do you think so, Emil?
EMIL GRELIEU
Yes. It seems to me that I hear the sound of the water from that side.
All listen and look in the direction from which the noise came.
DOCTOR
Uneasily.
How unpleasant this is! We should have started out sooner. We are too late.
MAURICE
Father, it seems to me I hear voices. Listen—it sounds as though they are crying there. Many, many people. Father, the Prussians are crying. It is they!
A distant, dull roaring of a crowd is heard. Then the crash of shots resounds. Sobs of military horns. The searchlights are swaying from side to side.
EMIL GRELIEU
It is they.
DOCTOR
If we don't start in a quarter of an hour—
EMIL GRELIEU
In half an hour, Doctor.
MAURICE
Father, how beautiful and how terrible it is! Give me your hand, mother.
JEANNE
What is it?
MAURICE
I want to kiss it. Mother, you have no gloves on!
JEANNE
What a foolish little boy you are, Maurice.
MAURICE
Monsieur Langloi said that in three days from now I may remove my bandage. Just think of it, in three days I shall be able to take up my gun again!... Oh, who is that? Look, who is that?
All near the automobile assume defensive positions. The chauffeur and the doctor draw their revolvers. A figure appears from the field, approaching from one of the ditches. A peasant, wounded in the leg, comes up slowly, leaning upon a cane.
MAURICE
Who is there?
PEASANT
Our own, our own. And who are you? Are you going to the city?
MAURICE
Yes, we're going to the city. Our car has broken down, we're repairing it. What are you doing here?
PEASANT
What am I doing here?
Examines the unfamiliar faces curiously. They also look at him attentively, by the light of the lantern.
CHAUFFEUR
Give me the light!
PEASANT
Are you carrying a wounded man? I am also wounded, in my leg. I cannot walk, it is very hard. I must lean on my cane. Are you going to the city? I lay there in the ditch and when I heard you speak French I crawled out. My name is Jaqular.
DOCTOR
How were you wounded?
PEASANT
I was walking in the field and they shot me. They must have thought I was a rabbit.
Laughs hoarsely.
They must have thought I was a rabbit. What is the news, gentlemen? Is our Belgium lost?
Laughs.
Eh? Is our Belgium lost?
MAURICE
Don't you know?
PEASANT
What can I know? I lay there and looked at the sky—that's all I know. Did you see the sky? Just look at it, I have been watching it all the time. What is that I see in the sky, eh? How would you explain it?
EMIL GRELIEU
Sit down near us.
MAURICE
Listen, sit down here. It seems you haven't heard anything. You must get away from here. Do you know that the dams are broken? Do you understand? The dams!
PEASANT
The dams?
MAURICE
Yes. Don't you hear the cries over there? Listen! They are crying there—the Prussians!
PEASANT
Water?
MAURICE
Water. It must be reaching them now. They must have learned of it by this time. Listen, it is so far, and yet we can hear!
The peasant laughs hoarsely.
MAURICE
Sit down, right here, the automobile is large. Doctor, help him. I will hold the lantern.
CHAUFFEUR
Muttering.
Sit down, sit down! Eh!
DOCTOR
Uneasily.
What is it? Bad? Chauffeur, be quick! We can't stay here! The water is coming. We should have started out earlier.
MAURICE
What an unfortunate mishap!
JEANNE
Agitated.
They shot you like a rabbit? Do you hear, Emil—they thought a rabbit was running! Did you resemble a rabbit so closely?
She laughs loudly, the peasant also laughs.
PEASANT
I look like a rabbit! Exactly like a rabbit.
JEANNE
Do you hear, Emil? He says he looks exactly like a rabbit!
Laughs.
EMIL GRELIEU
Jeanne!
MAURICE
Mamma!
JEANNE
It makes me laugh—it seems so comical to me that they mistake us for rabbits. And now, what are we now—water rats? Emil, just picture to yourself, water rats in an automobile!
MAURICE
Mamma!
JEANNE
No, no, I am not laughing any more, Maurice!
Laughs.
And what else are we? Moles? Must we hide in the ground?
PEASANT
Laughs.
And now we must hide in the ground—
JEANNE
In the same tone.
And they will remain on the ground? Emil, do you hear?
EMIL GRELIEU
My dear! My dear!
MAURICE
To the doctor.
Listen, you must do something. Haven't you anything? Listen! Mamma, we are starting directly, my dear!
JEANNE
No, never mind, I am not laughing any more. How foolish you are. Maurice, I simply felt like talking. I was silent too long. I was forever silent, but just now I felt like chattering. Emil, I am not disturbing you with my talk, am I? Why is the water so quiet, Emil? It was the King who said, "The water is silent," was it not? But I should like to see it roar, crash like thunder.... No, I cannot, I cannot bear this silence! Ah, why is it so quiet—I cannot bear it!
MAURICE
To the chauffeur.
My dear fellow, please hurry up!
CHAUFFEUR
Yes, yes! I'm working, I'm working. We'll start soon.
JEANNE
Suddenly cries, threatening.
But I cannot bear it! I cannot!
Covers her mouth with her hands; sobs.
I cannot!
MAURICE
Mamma!
EMIL GRELIEU
All will end well, Jeanne. All will end well. I know. I also feel as you do. But all will end well, Jeanne!
JEANNE
Sobbing, but calming herself somewhat.
I cannot bear it!
EMIL GRELIEU
All will end well, Jeanne! Belgium will live! The sun will shine! I am suffering, but I know this, Jeanne!
MAURICE
Quicker! Quicker!
CHAUFFEUR
In a moment, in a moment. Now it is fixed, in a moment.
EMIL GRELIEU
Faintly.
Jeanne!
JEANNE
Yes, yes, I know.... Forgive me, forgive me, I will soon—
A loud, somewhat hoarse voice of a girl comes from the dark.
GIRL
Tell me how I can find my way to Lonua!
Exclamations of surprise.
MAURICE
Who is that?
JEANNE
Emil, it is that girl!
Laughs.
She is also like a rabbit!
DOCTOR
Grumbles.
What is it, what is it—Who?
Throws the light on the girl. Her dress is torn, her eyes look wild. The peasant is laughing.
PEASANT
She is here again?
CHAUFFEUR
Let me have the light!
DOCTOR
Very well!
GIRL
Loudly.
How can I find my way to Lonua?
EMIL GRELIEU
Maurice, you must stop her! My child, my child! Doctor, you—
CHAUFFEUR
Put down the lantern! The devil take this!
GIRL
Shouts.
Hands off! No, no, you will not dare—
MAURICE
You can't catch her—
The girl runs away.
EMIL GRELIEU
Doctor, you must catch her! She will perish here, quick—
She runs away. The doctor follows her in the dark.
PEASANT
She asked me, too, how to go to Lonua. How am I to know? Lonua!
The girl's voice resounds in the dark and then there is silence.
EMIL GRELIEU
You must catch her! What is it? You must!
MAURICE
But how, father?
They listen. Silence. Dull cries of a mob resound. Jeanne breaks into muffled laughter.
MAURICE
Mutters.
Now he is gone! Oh, my God!
CHAUFFEUR
Triumphantly.
Take your seats! Ready!
MAURICE
But the doctor isn't here. Oh, my God! Father, what shall we do now?
CHAUFFEUR
Let us call him. Eh!
Maurice and the chauffeur call: "Doctor! Eh! Langloi!"
CHAUFFEUR
Angrily.
I must deliver Monsieur Grelieu, and I will deliver him. Take your seats!
MAURICE
Shouts.
Langloi!
A faint echo in the distance.
Come! Doctor!
The response is nearer.
PEASANT
He did not catch her. You cannot catch her. She asked me, too, about the road to Lonua. She is insane.
Laughs.
There are many like her now.
EMIL GRELIEU
Imploringly.
Jeanne!
JEANNE
But I cannot, Emil. What is it? I cannot understand. What is it? Where are we? My God, I don't understand anything. I used to understand, I used to understand, but now—Where is Pierre?Firmly.
Where is Pierre?
MAURICE
Oh, will he be here soon? Mother dear, we'll start in a moment!
JEANNE
Yes, yes, we'll start in a moment! But I don't understand anything. Where are we? Why such a dream, why such a dream? I can't understand! Who has come? My head is aching. Who has come? Why has it happened?
A mice from the darkness, quite near.
JEANNE
Frightened.
Who is shouting? What a strange dream, what a terrible, terrible, terrible dream. Where is Pierre?
MAURICE
Mother!
JEANNE
I cannot!
Lowering her voice.
I cannot—why are you torturing me? Where is Pierre?
EMIL GRELIEU
He is dead, Jeanne!
JEANNE
No!!!
EMIL GRELIEU
He is dead, Jeanne. But I swear to you by God, Jeanne!—Belgium will live. Weep, sob, you are a mother. I too am crying with you—But I swear by God: Belgium will live! God has given me the light to see, and I can see. Songs will resound here. Jeanne! A new Spring will come here, the trees will be covered with blossoms—I swear to you, Jeanne, they will be covered with blossoms! And mothers will caress their children, and the sun will shine upon their heads, upon their golden-haired little heads! Jeanne! There will be no more bloodshed. I see a new world, Jeanne! I see my nation: Here it is advancing with palm leaves to meet God who has come to earth again. Weep, Jeanne, you are a mother! Weep, unfortunate mother—God weeps with you. But there will be happy mothers here again—I see a new world, Jeanne, I see a new life!
Curtain