THE STRANGER.

What?

MARTHA.

Those who bear....

THE STRANGER.

He hardly opens it....  I can only see a corner of the lawn; and the fountain....  He does not let go the door;... he steps back....  He looks as if he were saying:  “Ah, it’s you!"...  He raises his arms....  He shuts the door again carefully....  Your grandfather has come into the room....

[The crowd has drawn nearer the windows.  Martha and Mary half rise at first, then draw near also, clasping each other tightly.  The old man is seen advancing into the room.  The two sisters of the dead girl rise; the mother rises as well, after laying the child carefully in the armchair she has just abandoned; in such a way that from without the little one may be seen asleep, with his head hanging a little to one side, in the centre of the room.  The mother advances to meet the old man and extends her hand to him, but draws it back before he has had time to take it.  One of the young girls offers to take off the visitor’s cloak and the other brings forward a chair for him; but the old man makes a slight gesture of refusal.  The father smiles with a surprised look.  The old man looks toward the windows.]

THE STRANGER.

He dares not tell them....  He has looked at us....
          
                                          [Rumors in the crowd.

THE STRANGER.

S ... t!...

[The old man, seeing their faces at the windows, has quickly turned his eyes away.  As one of the young girls continues to offer him the same armchair, he ends by sitting down and passes his right hand across his forehead several times.]

THE STRANGER.

He sits down....

[The other people in the room sit down also, while the father talks volubly.  At last the old man opens his mouth, and the tone of his voice seems to attract attention.  But the father interrupts him.  The old man begins to speak again, and little by little the others become motionless.  All at once, the mother starts and rises.]

MARTHA.

Oh! the mother is going to understand!...

    [She turns away and hides her face in her hands.  New murmurs in
    the crowd.  They elbow each other.  Children cry to be lifted up, so
    that they may see too.  Most of the mothers obey.]

THE STRANGER.

S ... t!...  He has not told them yet....

    [The mother is seen to question the old man in anguish.  He says a
    few words more; then abruptly all the rest rise too and seem to
    question him.  He makes a slow sign of affirmation with his head.]

THE STRANGER.

He has told them....  He has told them all at once!...

VOICES IN THE CROWD.

He has told them!...  He has told them!...

THE STRANGER.

You hear nothing....