Tyltyl.It's the lights of the party.

Mytyl.What party?...

Tyltyl.The rich children opposite. It's the Christmas-tree. Let's open the shutters....

Mytyl.Can we?...

Tyltyl.Of course; there's no one to stop us.... Do you hear the music?...Let us get up....

[The two CHILDREN CHILDREN get up, run to one of the get up, run to one of the windows, climb on to the stool and throw back the shutters. A bright light fills the room. The CHILDREN CHILDRENlook out greedily.]

Tyltyl.We can see everything!...

Mytyl (who can hardly find room on the stool). I can't....

Tyltyl.It's snowing!...There's two carriages, with six horses each!...

Mytyl.There are twelve little boys getting out!....

Tyltyl.How silly you are!...They're little girls....

Mytyl.They've got knickerbockers....

Tyltyl.What do you know?...Don't push so:...

Mytyl.I never touched you.

Tyltyl(who is taking up the whole stool). You're taking up all the room.

Mytyl.Why, I have no room at all!...

Tyltyl.Do be quiet; I see the tree!...

Mytyl.What tree?...

Tyltyl.Why, the Christmas-tree!...You're looking at the wall!...

Mytyl.I'm looking at the wall because I've got no room....

Tyltyl ( (giving her a miserly little place on the stool). There!...Will that do?...Now you're better off than I!...I say, what lots and lots of lights!...

Mytyl.What are those people doing who are making such a noise?...

Tyltyl.They're the musicians.

Mytyl.Are they angry?...

Tyltyl.No; but it's hard work.

Mytyl.Another carriage with white horses!...

Tyltyl.Be quiet:...And look!...

Mytyl.What are those gold things there, hanging from the branches?

Tyltyl.Why, toys, to be sure!...Swords, guns, soldiers, cannons....

Mytyl.And dolls; say, are there any dolls?...

Tyltyl.Dolls?...That's too silly; there's no fun in dolls....

Mytyl.And what's that all round the table?...

Tyltyl.Cakes and fruit and tarts....

Mytyl.I had some once when I was little...

Tyltyl.So did I; it's nicer than bread, but they don't give you enough....

Mytyl.They've got plenty over there.... The whole table's full.... Are they going to eat them?...

Tyltyl.Of course; what else would they do with them?

Mytyl.Why don't they eat them at once?...

Tyltyl.Because they're not hungry....

Mytyl ( (stupefied with astonishment). Not hungry?...Why not?...

Tyltyl.Well, they eat whenever they want to....

Mytyl(incredulously). Every day?...

Tyltyl.They say so....

Mytyl.Will they eat them all?...Will they give any away?...

Tyltyl.To whom?...

Mytyl.To us....

Tyltyl.They don't know us....

Mytyl.Suppose we asked them....

Tyltyl.We mustn't.

Mytyl.Why not?...

Tyltyl.Because it's not right.

Mytyl ( (clapping her hands). Oh, how pretty they are!...

Tyltyl ( (rapturously). And how they're laughing and laughing!...

Mytyl.And the little ones dancing!...

Tyltyl.Yes, yes; let's dance too!...(They stamp their feet for joy on the stool.) Mytyl.Oh, what fun!...

Tyltyl.They're getting the cakes!...They can touch them!...They're eating, they're eating, they're eating!...

Mytyl.The tiny ones, too!...They've got two, three, four apiece!...

Tyltyl ( (drunk with delight). Oh, how lovely!...Oh, how lovely, how lovely!...

Mytyl(counting imaginary cakes). I've got twelve!...

Tyltyl.And I four times twelve!...But I'll give you some.

[A knock at the door of the cottage.]

Tyltyl(suddenly quieted and frightened). What's that?...

Mytyl(scared). It's Daddy!...

[As they hesitate before opening the door, the big latch is seen to rise of itself.]

'You're being Petrova,' Doctor Jakes would say, 'who has just eaten a good breakfast, not Mytyl who never has quite enough to eat, watching other children having more cakes than she has ever seen. "The tiny ones too!...They've got two, three, four apiece!"...Come on, you're Mytyl, pleased that other children shall have cakes, but absolutely amazed that any child can be lucky enough to have four at once.'

To help her Doctor Jakes and Doctor Smith called her Mytyl always at lessons, and arranged for Sylvia to call her Mytyl at meals; Pauline, of course, was Tyltyl; but not like the boy in the play, for she did not do most of the talking, but said things to make Mytyl talk. Geography, History, Arithmetic - it was all the same. Petrova was the child of poor simple people, pleased to think of the wonderful books other children had, and how clever other people were, but not expecting anything much herself. Of course it was easy at meals, because they were rather like the play.

In spite of all the trouble taken by everybody, there were lots of days when she nearly had the part taken away from her. It was she herself who suggested something which made rehearsing much easier. They were doing the very difficult scene in the churchyard: [It is night. The moon is shining on a country graveyard. Numerous tombstones, gra.s.sy mounds, wooden crosses, stone slabs, etc. TYLTYL TYLTYL and MYTYL MYTYLare standing by a short stone pillar.]

Mytyl.I am frightened!...

Tyltyl(not too much at his ease). I am never frightened....

Mytyl.I say, are the dead wicked?...

Tyltyl.Why, no, they're not alive!...

Mytyl.Have you ever seen one?...

Tyltyl.Yes, once, long ago, when I was very young....

Mytyl.What was it like, say?...

Tyltyl.Quite white, very still and very cold, and it didn't talk....

Mytyl.Are we we going to see them, say?... going to see them, say?...

Tyltyl.Why, of course, Light said so....

Mytyl.Where are they?...

Tyltyl.Here, under the gra.s.s or under those big stones....

Mytyl.Are they there all the year round?...

Tyltyl.Yes.

Mytyl(pointing to the slabs). Are those the doors of their houses?...

Tyltyl.Yes.

Mytyl.Do they go out when it's fine?...

Tyltyl.They can only go out at night....

Mytyl.Why?

Tyltyl.Because they are in their shirts....

Mytyl.Do they go out also when it rains?...

Tyltyl.When it rains they stay at home....

Mytyl.Is it nice in their homes, say?...

Tyltyl.They say it's very cramped....

Mytyl.Have they any little children?...

Tyltyl.Why, yes; they have all those that die....

Mytyl.And what do they live on?...

Tyltyl.They eat roots....

Mytyl.Shall we see them?...

Tyltyl.Of course; we see everything when I turn the diamond.

Mytyl.And what will they say?...

Tyltyl.They will say nothing, as they don't talk....

Mytyl.Why don't they talk?...