THE CAT [_To the startled_ NIGHT-BIRDS.] The dog is dreaming.--He growls in his sleep.

CHANTECLER [_Inside the hen-house._] Coa--

THE OWLS [_Frightened._] Himself!

THE TURKEY Fly!

FIRST OWL No need. The night is dark. We can vanish by merely closing our eyes.

[_They shut their luminous eyes. Darkness._ CHANTECLER _appears at the top of the ladder._]

CHANTECLER [_To the_ BLACKBIRD.] Did you hear anything, Blackbird?

THE BLACKBIRD I did, indeed, old chap.

THE OWLS [_Frightened._] What's this?

THE BLACKBIRD A black conspiracy--

CHANTECLER Ah?

THE BLACKBIRD [_With melodramatic emphasis._] Against you!--Tremble!

CHANTECLER [_Going in again, unalarmed._] Joker!

THE OWLS He has gone in.

THE BLACKBIRD I have betrayed no one!

AN OWL The Blackbird then is with us?

THE BLACKBIRD No--but may I come and look on?

AN OWL A Night-bird never eats a black bird. You can come.

THE BLACKBIRD The pa.s.sword?

THE OWL Terror 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 the_ NIGHT-BIRDS.] Oh!--[_She darts aside, behind the kennel, and watches._]

THE OWLS Hush! [_They close their eyes._ THE CAT _does 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 the_ NIGHT-BIRDS.] Success to you, Owls,--success!

THE OWL Thanks! But how is it that you are with us?

THE CAT Ah, night brings out what daylight will not own to! I do not like the c.o.c.k because the Dog does.--There you have it!

THE TURKEY I do not like him, for the reason that having known him as a Chick I cannot admit him as a c.o.c.k!

A DUCK I do not like the c.o.c.k because, not being web-footed, he marks his pa.s.sage by a track of stars!

A CHICKEN I do not like the c.o.c.k because I'm such a homely bird!

ANOTHER CHICKEN I do not like the c.o.c.k because he has his picture painted in purple on all the plates!

ANOTHER CHICKEN I do not like the c.o.c.k because on all the steeples he has his statue in gilt-bronze!

AN OWL [_To a big overgrown_ CHICKEN.] Well, well!--And you, Capon?

THE CAPON [_Dryly._] I do not like the c.o.c.k!

THE CUCKOO [_Beginning to strike eight inside the house._] Cuckoo!

FIRST OWL The hour!

CUCKOO Cuckoo!

SECOND OWL Let us go!

THE CUCKOO Cuckoo!

FIRST OWL The moon!

THE CUCKOO Cuckoo!

FIRST OWL Silently cleave the blue air--

THE CUCKOO Cuckoo!

THE MOLE [_Suddenly pushing up through the ground._]--the dark earth!

FIRST OWL There comes the Mole!

THE CUCKOO Cuckoo!

FIRST OWL [_To the_ MOLE.] And you, why do you hate him?

THE MOLE I hate him because I have never seen him!

THE CUCKOO Cuckoo!

FIRST OWL And 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 OWL And we do not love--

SECOND OWL [_Hurriedly._] We are keeping the others waiting--