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The Sightless
The Sightless
Persons.
THE PRIEST.
THREE THAT WERE BORN BLIND.
THE OLDEST BLIND MAN.
THE FIFTH BLIND MAN.
THE SIXTH BLIND MAN.
THREE OLD BLIND WOMEN PRAYING.
THE OLDEST BLIND WOMAN.
A YOUNG BLIND WOMAN.
A MAD BLIND WOMAN.
THE SIGHTLESS
them in their faithful shadows. Not far from the priest, a cluster of long
and sickly daffodils blossoms in the night. It is extraordinarily dark in spite
of the moonlight that here and there strives to dispel for a while the gloom
of the foliage.
And yet we are not far apart. [He gropes about him, and with his stick hits
the fifth blind man, who gives a dull moan.] The one who cannot hear is
sitting next us.
We know, more or less, all that we need know; let us talk a little, till the
priest comes back.
Then he only speaks to the women now? Do we not exist any more? We
shall have to complain in the end!
[A murmur of the sea near at hand and very calm against the cliffs.]
It was very fine this morning; he wanted us to enjoy the last days of
sunshine, before shutting us up for the whole winter in the asylum . . .
THE OTHERS.
I dont know. Nobody know.
[They all lift their heads towards the sky, save the three that were born
blind, who continue to look on the ground.]
I prefer staying in the refectory by the coal-fire; there was a big fire there
this morning . . .
THE OTHERS.
We are hungry and thirsty!
Let us keep seated! Let us wait, let us wait; we dont know the direction
of the big river, and there are bogs all round the asylum; let us wait, let us
wait . . . He will come back; he is bound to come back!
[A squall shakes the forest, and the leaves fall in dismal showers.]
[The blind mad woman rubs her eyes violently, moaning, and persistently
turning towards the motionless priest.]
[The sixth blind man rises slowly, and, knocking himself against trees and
bushes, gropes his way towards the daffodils, which he treads down and
crushes as he goes.]
[Groping about him, he picks what flowers are left, and offers them to her;
the night-birds fly away.]
[At this moment, the wind rises in the forest and the sea roars suddenly
and with violence against the neighbouring cliffs.]
[A sound of footsteps, swift and distant, is heard among the dead leaves.]
[A big dog enters the forest and passes before them. Silence.]
THE OTHERS.
Come here! come here!
THE OTHERS.
Come here! come here!
[He rises, dragged along by the dog, who leads him towards the
motionless priest, and there stops.]
THE OTHERS.
Where are you? Where are you? Where are you going? Take care!
THE OTHERS.
A dead man in our midst? Where are you? where are you?
suddenly! But speak then, that I may know which are alive! Where are
you? Answer! answer all together!
[They answer in succession save the mad woman and the deaf man; the
three women have ceased praying.]
[They all rise, save the mad woman and the fifth blind man, and grope
their way towards the dead.]
[Here the mad womans child begins to wail suddenly in the dark.]
[Silence.]