THE YOUNG BLIND WOMAN.
It seems to me that I once saw these flowers . . . I have forgotten their name . . . But how ill they are, and how limp their stalks are! I hardly know them again . . . I think they are the flowers of the dead . . .
[She plaits the daffodils in her hair.]
THE OLDEST BLIND MAN.
I hear the sound of your hair.
THE YOUNG BLIND WOMAN.
Those are the flowers . . .
THE OLDEST BLIND MAN.
We shall not see you . . .
THE YOUNG BLIND WOMAN.
I shall not see myself . . . I am cold.
[At this moment, the wind rises in the forest and the sea roars suddenly and with violence against the neighbouring cliffs.]
FIRST BLIND MAN.
It is thundering!
SECOND BLIND MAN.
I think it is a storm rising.
THE OLDEST BLIND WOMAN.
I think it is the sea.
THIRD BLIND MAN.
The sea? – Is it the sea? – But it is at two steps from us! – It is beside us! I hear it all round me! – It must be something else!
THE YOUNG BLIND WOMAN.
I hear the sound of waves at my feet.
FIRST BLIND MAN.
I think it is the wind in the dead leaves.
THE OLDEST BLIND MAN.
I think the women are right.
THIRD BLIND MAN.
It will be coming here!
FIRST BLIND MAN.
Where does the wind come from? 21
SECOND BLIND MAN.
It comes from the sea.
THE OLDEST BLIND MAN.
It always comes from the sea; the sea hems up in on all sides. It cannot come from elsewhere . . .
FIRST BLIND MAN.
Let us not think of the sea any more!
SECOND BLIND MAN.
But we must think of it, as it is going to reach us!
FIRST BLIND MAN.
You don’t know that it is the sea.
SECOND BLIND MAN.
I hear its waves as if I were going to dip both hands in! We cannot stay here! They may be all around us!
THE OLDEST BLIND MAN.
Where do you want to go?
SECOND BLIND MAN.
No matter where! No matter where! I will not hear the sound of that water any more! Let us go! Let us go!
THIRD BLIND MAN.
It seems to me that I hear something else besides. – Listen!
[A sound of footsteps, swift and distant, is heard among the dead leaves.]
FIRST BLIND MAN.
There is something coming towards us!
SECOND BLIND MAN.
He is coming! He is coming! He is coming back!
THIRD BLIND MAN.
He is taking little steps, like a little child . . .
SECOND BLIND MAN.
Let us reproach him nothing to-day!
THE OLDEST BLIND WOMAN.
I think it is not the step of a man!
[A big dog enters the forest and passes before them. – Silence.] 22
FIRST BLIND MAN.
Who is there? – Who are you? – Have pity on us, we have been waiting so long! . . . [The dog stops , and returning, lays his front paws on the blind man’s knees.] Ah! ah! what have you put on my knees? What is it? . . . Is it an animal? I think it is a dog? . . . Oh! oh! it is the dog! it is the dog from the asylum! Come here! come here! He has come to deliver us! Come here! come here!
THE OTHERS.
Come here! come here!
FIRST BLIND MAN..
He has come to deliver us! He has followed our traces! He is licking my hands as if he had found me after hundreds of years! He is howling for joy! He will die of joy! Listen! listen!
THE OTHERS.
Come here! come here!
THE OLDEST BLIND MAN.
He has perhaps run on in front of somebody? . . .
FIRST BLIND MAN.
No, no, he is alone. – I hear nothing coming. – We need no other guide; there is none better. He will lead us wherever we want to go; he will obey us . . .
THE OLDEST BLIND WOMAN.
I dare not follow him.
THE YOUNG BLIND WOMAN.
Nor I.
FIRST BLIND MAN.
Why not? He sees better than we do.
SECOND BLIND MAN.
Let us not listen to the women!
THIRD BLIND MAN.
I think that something has changed in the sky; I breathe freely; the air is pure now . . .
THE OLDEST BLIND WOMAN.
It is the sea-breeze that is blowing round us.
SIXTH BLIND MAN.
It seems to me that it is going to get light; I think the sun is rising . . .
THE OLDEST BLIND MAN.
I think it is going to be cold . . . 23
FIRST BLIND MAN.
We shall find the way. He is dragging me along. He is drunk with joy! – I can no longer hold him back! . . . Follow me! follow me! We are going home! . . .
[He rises, dragged along by the dog, who leads him towards the motionless priest, and there stops.]
THE OTHERS.
Where are you? Where are you? – Where are you going? Take care!
FIRST BLIND MAN.
Wait! wait! Don’t follow me yet; I will come back . . . He is standing still. – What is it? – Ah! ah! I have touched something very cold!
SECOND BLIND MAN.
What are you saying? I can hardly hear your voice any more.
FIRST BLIND MAN.
I have touched . . . I think I am touching a face!
THIRD BLIND MAN.
What are you saying? – One can hardly understand you any more. What is the matter with you? – Where are you? – Are you already so far away from us?
FIRST BLIND MAN.
Oh! oh! oh! I don’t yet know what it is . . . – There is a dead man in our midst!
THE OTHERS.
A dead man in our midst? Where are you? where are you?
FIRST BLIND MAN.
There is a dead man among us, I tell you! Oh! oh! I have touched a dead face! – You are sitting next to a dead body! One of us must have died suddenly! But speak then, that I may know which are alive! Where are you? – Answer! answer all together!
[They answer in succession save the mad woman and the deaf man; the three women have ceased praying.]
FIRST BLIND MAN.
I can no longer distinguish your voices! . . . You are all speaking alike! . . . They are all trembling!
THIRD BLIND MAN.
There are two who did not answer . . . Where are they?
[He touches with his stick the fifth blind man.]
FIFTH BLIND MAN.
Oh! oh! I was asleep; let me sleep! 24
SIXTH BLIND MAN.
It is not he. – Is it the mad woman?
THE OLDEST BLIND WOMAN.
She is sitting next me; I can hear her live . . .
FIRST BLIND MAN.
I think . . . I think it is the priest! – He is standing! Come! come! come!
SECOND BLIND MAN.
He is standing?
THIRD BLIND MAN.
Then he is not dead!
THE OLDEST BLIND MAN.
Where is he?
SIXTH BLIND MAN.
Come and see! . . .
[They all rise, save the mad woman and the fifth blind man, and grope their way towards the dead.]
SECOND BLIND MAN.
Is he here? – Is it he?
THIRD BLIND MAN.
Yes! yes! I recognise him!
FIRST BLIND MAN.
O God! O God! what is to become of us!
THE OLDEST BLIND WOMAN.
Father! father! – Is it you? Father, what has happened? – What is the matter with you? – Answer us! – We are all gathered round you . . . Oh! oh! oh!
THE OLDEST BLIND MAN.
Bring some water; he is perhaps still alive . . .
SECOND BLIND MAN.
Let us try . . . He will perhaps be able to lead us back to the asylum . . .
THIRD BLIND MAN.
It is useless; I cannot hear his heart. – He is cold . . .
FIRST BLIND MAN.
He died without a word. 25