Pelleas. "About Melisande: I overheard what passed and what
was said last night. I realize that it was but child's play; but it must
not be repeated.... She is very delicate, and it is necessary to be more
than usually careful, as she is perhaps with child, and the least
emotion might cause serious results. It is not the first time I have
noticed that there might be something between you.... You are older than
she; it will suffice to have said this to you. Avoid her as much as
possible, though not too pointedly."

The next scene passes before the castle. Golaud and his little son
Yniold, the innocent playfellow of Melisande and Pelleas, are together.
Golaud questions him. "You are always with mama.... See, we are just
under mama's window now. She may be saying her prayers at this
moment.... Tell me, Yniold, she is often with your uncle Pelleas, is she
not?" The child's naive answers inflame his jealousy, confirm his
suspicions, though they baffle him. "Do they never tell you to go and
play somewhere else?" he asks. "No, papa, they are afraid when I am not
with them.... They always weep in the dark.... That makes one weep,
too.... She is pale, papa." "Ah! ah!... patience, my God, patience!"
cries the anguished Golaud.... "They kiss each other sometimes?" he
queries. "Yes ... yes; ... once ... when it rained." "They kissed each
other?--But how, how did they kiss?" "So, papa, so!" laughs the boy, and
then cries out as he is pricked by his father's beard. "Oh, your
beard!... It pricks! It is getting all gray, papa; and your hair,
too--all gray, all gray!" Suddenly the window under which they are
sitting is illuminated, and the light falls upon them. "Oh, mama has lit
her lamp!" exclaims Yniold. "Yes," observes Golaud; "it begins to grow
light." Yniold wishes to go, but Golaud restrains him. "Let us stay here
in the shadow a little longer.... One cannot tell, yet.... I think
Pelleas is mad!" he exclaims violently. He lifts Yniold up to the
window, cautioning him to make no noise, and asks him what he sees. The
child reports that Melisande is there, and that his uncle Pelleas is
there, too. "What are they doing? Are they near each other?" "They are
looking at the light." "They do not say anything?" "No, papa, they do
not close their eyes.... Oh! oh!... I am terribly afraid!" "Why, what
are you afraid of?--look! look!" demands Golaud. "Oh, oh! I am going to
cry, papa!--let me down! let me down!" insists Yniold, in nameless
ter