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THE CAT [_To the startled_ NIGHT-BIRDS.] The dog is dreaming.--He growls in his sleep.
CHANTECLER [_Inside the hen-house._] Coa--
THE OWLS [_Frightened._] Himself!
THE TURKEY Fly!
FIRST OWL No need. The night is dark. We can vanish by merely closing our eyes.
[_They shut their luminous eyes. Darkness._ CHANTECLER _appears at the top of the ladder._]
CHANTECLER [_To the_ BLACKBIRD.] Did you hear anything, Blackbird?
THE BLACKBIRD I did, indeed, old chap.
THE OWLS [_Frightened._] What's this?
THE BLACKBIRD A black conspiracy--
CHANTECLER Ah?
THE BLACKBIRD [_With melodramatic emphasis._] Against you!--Tremble!
CHANTECLER [_Going in again, unalarmed._] Joker!
THE OWLS He has gone in.
THE BLACKBIRD I have betrayed no one!
AN OWL The Blackbird then is with us?
THE BLACKBIRD No--but may I come and look on?
AN OWL A Night-bird never eats a black bird. You can come.
THE BLACKBIRD The pa.s.sword?
THE OWL Terror and Talons!
THE PHEASANT-HEN [_Putting her head out of the dog-kennel._] I can't breathe in that stifling, low-roofed little house, and--[_Catching sight of the_ NIGHT-BIRDS.] Oh!--[_She darts aside, behind the kennel, and watches._]
THE OWLS Hus.h.!.+ [_They close their eyes._ THE CAT _does the same. After a time, hearing no further sound, they open them again._] It was nothing. Let us be off.
THE GROUP OF THE DISAFFECTED [_With fawning obsequiousness to the_ NIGHT-BIRDS.] Success to you, Owls,--success!
THE OWL Thanks! But how is it that you are with us?
THE CAT Ah, night brings out what daylight will not own to! I do not like the c.o.c.k because the Dog does.--There you have it!
THE TURKEY I do not like him, for the reason that having known him as a Chick I cannot admit him as a c.o.c.k!
A DUCK I do not like the c.o.c.k because, not being web-footed, he marks his pa.s.sage by a track of stars!
A CHICKEN I do not like the c.o.c.k because I'm such a homely bird!
ANOTHER CHICKEN I do not like the c.o.c.k because he has his picture painted in purple on all the plates!
ANOTHER CHICKEN I do not like the c.o.c.k because on all the steeples he has his statue in gilt-bronze!
AN OWL [_To a big overgrown_ CHICKEN.] Well, well!--And you, Capon?
THE CAPON [_Dryly._] I do not like the c.o.c.k!
THE CUCKOO [_Beginning to strike eight inside the house._] Cuckoo!
FIRST OWL The hour!
CUCKOO Cuckoo!
SECOND OWL Let us go!
THE CUCKOO Cuckoo!
FIRST OWL The moon!
THE CUCKOO Cuckoo!
FIRST OWL Silently cleave the blue air--
THE CUCKOO Cuckoo!
THE MOLE [_Suddenly pus.h.i.+ng up through the ground._]--the dark earth!
FIRST OWL There comes the Mole!
THE CUCKOO Cuckoo!
FIRST OWL [_To the_ MOLE.] And you, why do you hate him?
THE MOLE I hate him because I have never seen him!
THE CUCKOO Cuckoo!
FIRST OWL And you, Cuckoo, do you know why you hate him?
THE CUCKOO [_On the last stroke._] Because he does not have to be wound up! Cuckoo!
FIRST OWL And we do not love--
SECOND OWL [_Hurriedly._] We are keeping the others waiting--
