Морис Метерлинк
Синяя птица / The blue Bird. Уровень 1
Maurice Maeterlinck
The Blue Bird
© Матвеев С. А., адаптация текста
© ООО «Издательство АСТ», 2021
1. A Wood-Cutters Cottage
A wood-cutters cottage, simple and rustic. A fireplace, kitchen utensils, a cupboard, a bread-pan[1], a grandfathers clock, a spinning-wheel, a water-tap. On a table, a lamp. A Dog and a Cat are sleeping at the foot of the cupboard. Between them stands a large blue-and-white sugar-loaf[2]. On the wall hangs a round cage with a turtle-dove[3]. At the back, two windows, with closed shutters. Under one of the windows, a stool. On the left is the front door, with a big latch. On the right, another door. A ladder to a loft. On the right also are two little childrens cots, at the head of which are two chains, with clothes on them. Tyltyl and Mytyl are sleeping in their cots, Mummy Tyl leans over them, and watches them for a moment. Then she goes out.
The lamp on the table lights. The two children wake and sit up in bed.
Tyltyl. Mytyl?
Mytyl. Tyltyl?
Tyltyl. Are you sleeping?
Mytyl. And you?
Tyltyl. No; how can I sleep when Im talking to you?
Mytyl. Is this Christmas Day?
Tyltyl. Not yet; not till tomorrow. But Father Christmas wont bring us anything this year.
Mytyl. Why not?
Tyltyl. Mummy says that she cant go to town to tell him. But he will come next year. He will come to the rich children tonight.
Mytyl. Really?
Tyltyl. Of course. I have an idea!
Mytyl. What?
Tyltyl. Lets get up!
Mytyl. But we mustnt.
Tyltyl. Why, theres no one about. Do you see the shutters?
Mytyl. Oh, how bright they are!
Tyltyl. Its the Christmas-tree of the rich children. Lets open the shutters.
Mytyl. Can we?
Tyltyl. Of course; no one will stop us. Do you hear the music? Let us get up!
The two children get up, run to one of the windows, and throw back the shutters. A bright light fills the room.
Tyltyl. We can see everything!
Mytyl. I cant.
Tyltyl. Its snowing! There are two carriages, with six horses each!
Mytyl. And twelve little boys!
Tyltyl. How silly you are! Theyre little girls.
Mytyl. Theyve got trousers.
Tyltyl. What do you know? Dont push so!
Mytyl. I never touched you.
Tyltyl. I see the tree!
Mytyl. What tree?
Tyltyl. The Christmas-tree! Lots and lots of lights!
Mytyl. What are those people doing? They are making such a noise.
Tyltyl. Theyre the musicians.
Mytyl. Are they angry?
Tyltyl. No; but they work hard.
Mytyl. Another carriage with white horses!
Tyltyl. Be quiet! And look!
Mytyl. What are those gold things there?
Tyltyl. Toys! Swords, guns, soldiers, cannons.
Mytyl. And dolls; are there any dolls?
Tyltyl. Dolls? Thats too silly; dolls are not funny.
Mytyl. And whats that all round the table?
Tyltyl. Cakes and fruit and tarts.
Mytyl. I had some once when I was little.
Tyltyl. So did I; its nicer than bread, but its very little.
Mytyl. Theyve got many tarts there. The whole tables full. Are they going to eat them?
Tyltyl. Of course; what else will they do with them?
Mytyl. Why dont they eat them at once?
Tyltyl. Because theyre not hungry.
Mytyl (surprised). Not hungry? Why not?
Tyltyl. Because they eat whenever they want.
Mytyl (incredulously). Every day?
Tyltyl. They say so.
Mytyl. Will they eat it all? Will they give some cakes to us?
Tyltyl. They dont know us.
Mytyl. Lets ask them.
Tyltyl. We mustnt.
Mytyl. Why not?
Tyltyl. Because its not right.
Mytyl (clapping her hands[4]). Oh, how pretty they are!
Tyltyl. And how theyre laughing and laughing!
Mytyl. And the little babies are dancing!
Tyltyl. Yes, yes; lets dance too!
Mytyl. Oh, what fun!
Tyltyl. Theyre taking the cakes! They can touch them! Theyre eating, theyre eating, theyre eating!
Mytyl. Two, three, four cakes!
Tyltyl. Oh, how lovely! Oh, how lovely, how lovely!
A knock at the door of the cottage.
Tyltyl (frightened). Whats that?
Mytyl (scared). Its Daddy!
The big latch is rising, with a noise. The children see a little old woman dressed in green with a red hood on her head. She is humpbacked and lame and near-sighted; her nose and chin meet; and she walks with a stick. She is obviously a fairy.
The Fairy. Do you have the grass here that sings or the bird that is blue?
Tyltyl. We have some grass, but it cant sing.
Mytyl. Tyltyl has a bird.
Tyltyl. But I cant give it to you.
The Fairy. Why not?
Tyltyl. Because its mine.
The Fairy. Thats a reason, no doubt. Where is the bird?
Tyltyl. In the cage.
The Fairy. I dont want it; its not blue enough. You must go and find me the bird I want.
Tyltyl. But I dont know where it is.
The Fairy. Me too. Thats why you must look for it[5]. And I must have the blue bird. Its for my little girl, who is very ill.
Tyltyl. Whats the matter with her?
The Fairy. We dont quite know; she wants to be happy.
Tyltyl. Really?
The Fairy. Do you know who I am?
Tyltyl. Youre rather like our neighbour, Madame Berlingot.
The Fairy (angrily). Not a bit![6] This is intolerable! I am the Fairy Berylune.