]

"You look like a mere child," he says, and the _Melisande_ theme is
given out, _doux et calme_, by the divided strings (page 18, measure 2).
As the two go out together, the motive of _Fate_ is quietly intoned by
the horns (page 22, measure 3).

An interlude of some fifty measures, in which the _Forest, Fate_, and
_Melisande_ themes are exploited, introduces the second scene of the
act. To an accompaniment of long-sustained chords varied by recurrences
of the _Melisande_ theme, Genevieve reads to the venerable Arkel
Golaud's letter to his brother. The entrance of Pelleas is accompanied
by the theme which characterizes him throughout--the second of the two
motives (that of Melisande being the other) which most conspicuously
dominate the score. It is announced (page 33, measure 10) by three
flutes and a clarinet, over a viola accompaniment:

VII. PELLEAS

[Illustration: Animez un peu]

The scene closes with a variant of this, and there is an interlude in
which the orchestra weaves a commentary out of the themes of _Fate_ and
_Golaud's Love_.

As the third scene opens (before the castle), the _Melisande_ theme is
sung, _melancolique et doux_, by the oboe against a murmuring
accompaniment of the strings. Together with the _Pelleas_ theme, it
accompanies the opening portion of the scene. A suggestive use is made
of a fragment of the _Fate_ theme at Melisande's words, after Pelleas
prophesies the approach of a storm: "And yet it is so calm now!" (page
44, measure 5). Just before the voices of the departing sailors are
heard, the curious student will note a characteristic passage in the
orchestra (page 45, measure 1)--a sequence of descending "ninth-chords"
built on a downward scale of whole tones. The _Fate_ theme, combined
with that of _Melisande_, colors the rest of the scene to the end. The
conclusion of the act is striking: two flutes outline a variant of the
_Melisande_ motive; a horn sounds the first three notes of the second
measure of the _Fate_ theme, and four horns and flute sustain, _pp_, an
unresolved suspension--C#-F#-A#-D#-G#.

VIII

[Illustration: _presque plus rien_]

ACT II

The _Pelleas_ theme, sung by two flutes, opens the brief introduction to
the second act. It is repeated, interwoven with harp arpeggios.
Immediately preceding the entrance of Pelleas and Melisande a muted
horn, two flutes, two oboes, and harp sound a chord of singularly liquid
quality--one of those fragmentary ef