Chantecler

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10. Act I Scene 8



The POULTRY-YARD asleep. The CAT awake. Three SCREECH-OWLS, later the MOLE and the VOICE of the CUCKOO.

FIRST VOICE Two green eyes?

THE CAT [Sitting up on the wall, and looking at the other phosphorescent eyes.] Six golden eyes?

FIRST VOICE On the wall?

THE CAT On the rick?--[He calls.] Owls!

THE OWLS Cat!

THE BLACKBIRD [Waking up.] What's this?

THE SCREECH-OWL [To the CAT.] Great plot against him!

THE CAT To-night?

THE THREE OWLS To-night, too-whit!

THE CAT Pfitt!--Where?

THE OWLS The hollies, too-whoo!

THE CAT What o'clock?

THE OWLS Eight, too-whit! too-whoo!

FIRST OWL Bats weaving soft black snares of flight--

THE CAT Are they with us?

THE THREE OWLS They are!

FIRST OWL Mole, burrowing from nether to upper night--

THE CAT Is she with us?

THE THREE OWLS She is!

THE CAT [Talking toward the house-door.] You, strike your eight strokes bravely, Cuckoo of the little clock!

THE SCREECH-OWL Is he with us?

THE CAT He is!--And I am pleased to tell you, silent night-watchers that some of the day-birds are likewise with us.

THE TURKEY [Coming forward surrounded by a number of the barnyard constituents, obsequiously.] So it is settled for this evening, dear Round Eyes? You will be there?

THE OWLS We will be there! All the Round Eyes of the neighbourhood will be there!

THE BLACKBIRD That's a show I'd like to see!

PATOU [In his sleep.] Grrrrrrr--

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 password?

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 Cock 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 Cock!

A DUCK I do not like the Cock because, not being web-footed, he marks his passage by a track of stars!

A CHICKEN I do not like the Cock because I'm such a homely bird!

ANOTHER CHICKEN I do not like the Cock because he has his picture painted in purple on all the plates!

ANOTHER CHICKEN I do not like the Cock 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 Cock!

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--

ALL --the Cock, because--[They fly off. Silence.]

THE PHEASANT-HEN [Coming slowly from behind the kennel.] I am beginning to love him!

CURTAIN