He, too, can ride and fence and write
Sonnets and madrigals, yet fight
No worse for that-

On this old turquoise reliquaire,—

My great-great Grandmother's!!(After a pause.)

I feel so sad.

NINETTE.

NINETTE!

I too. But why?

NINON.

Alas, I know not!

NINETTE (with a sigh).

Nor do I.

SCENE.

"GOOD-NIGHT, BABETTE!"

"Si vieillesse pouvait !—"

-A small neat Room. In a high Voltaire Chair sits a white-haired old Gentleman.

BABETTE (entering hurriedly).

Coming, M'sieu'! If M'sieu' speaks

So loud, he won't be well for weeks!

M. VIEUXBOIS.

Where have you been?

BABETTE.

Why, M'sieu' knows:

April!... Ville d'Avray! . . . Ma'am'selle ROSE !

M. VIEUXBOIS.

Ah! I am old, and I forget.

Was the place growing green, BABETTE?

BABETTE.

But of a greenness !—yes, M'sieu'!
And then the sky so blue! -so blue!
And when I dropped my immortelle,
How the birds sang!

(Lifting her apron to her eyes.)

This poor Ma'am'selle!

M. VIEUXBOIS.

You're a good girl, BABETTE, but she,

She was an Angel, verily.

Sometimes I think I see her yet

Stand smiling by the cabinet;

And once, I know, she peeped and laughed

Betwixt the curtains

Where's the draught?

(She gives him a cup.)

Now I shall sleep, I think, BABETTE ;—
Sing me your Norman chansonnette.

BABETTE (sings).

"Once at the Angelus
(Ere I was dead),

Angels all glorious
Came to my Bed;
Angels in blue and white
Crowned on the Head."

M. VIEUXBOIS (drowsily).

"She was an Angel".. "Once she laughed

What, was I dreaming?

Where's the draught?

BABETTE (showing the empty cup).

The draught, M'sieu'?

BABETTE (sings).

"One had my Mother's eyes,

Wistful and mild;
One had my Father's face;

One was a Child:

All of them bent to me,—
Bent down and smiled!"

(He is asleep!)

M. VIEUXBOIS (almost inaudibly).

"I am so old!

"How I forget!"

"Good-night, Babette!'