The Blue Bird for Children Page 9

  CHAPTER VI

  IN THE TEMPLE OF LIGHT

  Tyltyl had enjoyed himself thoroughly in the Kingdom of the Future. Hehad seen many wonderful things and thousands of little playfellows andthen, without taking the least pains or trouble, had found the BlueBird in his arms in the most magical way. He had never picturedanything more beautiful, more blue or brilliant; and he still felt itfluttering against his heart and kept hugging his arms to his breastas though the Blue Bird were there.

  Alas, it had vanished like a dream!

  He was thinking sadly of this latest disappointment as he walkedhand-in-hand with Light. They were back in the Temple and were goingto the vaults where the Animals and Things had been shut up. What asight met their eyes! The wretches had eaten and drunk such a lot thatthey were lying on the floor quite tipsy! Tylo himself had lost allhis dignity. He had rolled under the table and was snoring like aporpoise. His instinct remained; and the sound of the door made himprick up his ears. He opened one eye, but his sight was troubled byall that he had had to drink and he did not know his little masterwhen he saw him. He dragged himself to his feet with a great effort,turned round several times and then dropped on the floor again with agrunt of satisfaction.

  Bread and the others were as bad; and the only exception was the Cat,who was sitting up prettily on a marble and gold bench and seemed infull possession of her senses. She sprang nimbly to the ground andstepped up to Tyltyl with a smile:

  "I have been longing to see you," she said, "for I have been veryunhappy among all these vulgar people. They first drank all the wineand then started shouting and singing and dancing, quarrelling andfighting and making such a noise that I was very glad when, at last,they fell into a tipsy sleep."

  The children praised her warmly for her good behaviour. As a matter offact, there was no great merit in this, for she could not standanything stronger than milk; but we are seldom rewarded when by rightswe ought to be and sometimes are when we have not deserved it.

  After fondly kissing the children, Tylette asked a favour of Light:

  "I have had such a wretched time," she whined. "Let me go out for alittle while; it will do me good to be alone."

  The Cat at once draped her cloak round her, opened thedoor and ran and bounded out into the forest]

  Light gave her consent without suspecting anything; and the Cat atonce draped her cloak round her, put her hat straight, pulled up hersoft grey boots over her knees, opened the door and ran and boundedout into the forest. We shall know, a little later, where treacherousTylette was going so gaily and what was the horrid plot which she wasmysteriously concocting.

  As on the other days, the Children had their dinner with Light in alarge room all encrusted with diamonds. The servants bustled aroundthem smiling and brought delicious dishes and cakes.

  After dinner, our little friends began to yawn. They felt sleepy veryearly, after all their adventures; and, Light--ever kind andthoughtful--made them live as they were accustomed to on earth. So asnot to injure their health by altering their habits, she had set uptheir little beds in a part of the temple where the darkness wouldseem like night to them.

  They went through any number of rooms to reach their bedroom. They hadfirst to pass all the lights known to Man and then those which Man didnot yet know.

  There were great sumptuous apartments in splendid marble, lit up byrays so white and strong that the children were quite dazzled.

  "That is the Light of the Rich," said Light to Tyltyl. "You see howdangerous it is. People run the risk of going blind when they live toomuch in its rays, which leave no room for soft and kindly shade."

  And she hurried them on so that they might rest their eyes in thegentle Light of the Poor. Here, the Children suddenly felt as if theywere in their parents' cottage, where everything was so humble andpeaceful. The faint light was very pure and clear, but alwaysflickering and ready to go out at the least breath.

  Next they came to the beautiful Light of the Poets, which they likedimmensely, for it had all the colours of the rainbow; and, when youpassed through it, you saw lovely pictures, lovely flowers and lovelytoys which you were unable to take hold of. Laughing merrily, thechildren ran after birds and butterflies, but everything faded away assoon as it was touched.

  "Well, I never!" said Tyltyl, as he came panting back to Light. "Thisbeats everything! I can't understand it!"

  "You will understand later," she replied, "and, if you understand itproperly, you will be among the very few human beings who know theBlue Bird when they see him."

  After leaving the region of the Poets, our friends reached the Lightof the Learned, which lies on the borders of the known and the unknownlights:

  "Let's get on," said Tyltyl. "This is boring."

  To tell the truth, he was a little bit frightened, for they were in along row of cold and forbidding arches, which were streaked at everymoment by dazzling lightning-flashes; and, at each flash, you sawout-of-the-way things that had no name as yet.

  After these arches, they came to the Lights Unknown to Man; andTyltyl, in spite of the sleep that pressed upon his eyelids, could nothelp admiring the hall with its violet columns and the gallery withits red rays. And the violet of the columns was such a dark violet andthe red of the rays such a pale red that it was hardly possible to seeeither of them.

  At last, they arrived at the room of smooth, unflecked Black Light,which men call Darkness because their eyes are not yet able to make itout. And here the Children fell asleep without delay on two soft bedsof clouds.