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THE INTRUDER
by: Maurice Maeterlinck
CHARACTERS
THE THREE DAUGHTERS
THE GRANDFATHER
THE FATHER
THE UNCLE
THE SERVANT

[A dimly lighted room in an old country-house
...
At the back, stained-glass windows, in which
the color green predominates, and a glass door opening on to a terrace
...
A lamp lighted
...
Sit down under the lamp
...

THE FATHER: Shall we go on to the terrace, or stay in the room?
THE UNCLE: Would it not be better to stay here? It has rained the whole week, and the
nights are damp and cold
...

THE UNCLE: Ah! stars--that's nothing
...
One never knows what may happen
...
The danger is past, and she is
saved
...

THE FATHER: Why do you say that?
THE GRANDFATHER: I have heard her speak
...

THE UNCLE: You know quite well that your father-in-law likes to alarm us needlessly
...


THE UNCLE: You ought to rely on us, then, who can see
...
She is sleeping quietly now; and we are not going to spoil, without any
reason, the first comfortable evening that luck has thrown in our way
...

THE FATHER: That's true; this is the first time I have felt at home with my family since
this terrible confinement
...

THE FATHER: And then you understood, too, that you should count on no one outside
the family
...

THE GRANDFATHER: Why could I not see my poor daughter to-day?
THE UNCLE: You know quite well--the doctor forbade it
...

THE UNCLE: It is absurd to worry
...

THE GRANDFATHER: [pointing to the door on the right] He cannot hear us?
THE FATHER: No, no
...

THE GRANDFATHER: Someone had better go and see
...
It is now
several weeks since he was born, and he has scarcely stirred
...


THE GRANDFATHER: I think he will be deaf--dumb too, perhaps--the usual result of a
marriage between cousins
...
]
THE FATHER: I could almost wish him ill for the suffering he has caused his mother
...
He is quite alone in
the room?
THE FATHER: Yes; the doctor does not wish him to stay in his mother's room any
longer
...
Ursula, just go and see if he is asleep
...

[THE THREE SISTERS get up, and go into the room on the right, hand in
hand
...

THE FATHER: It is past nine
...

THE UNCLE: She is certain to come
...

THE UNCLE: It is very difficult for her to leave her convent
...
They are not allowed to go
out alone
...

THE UNCLE: The rule is the same for all
...

THE GRANDFATHER: Your sister is older than you?
THE UNCLE: She is the eldest of us all
...
I wish your sister
were here
...

THE GRANDFATHER: I wish this evening were over!
[THE THREE DAUGHTERS come in again
...

THE UNCLE: What shall we do while we are waiting?
THE GRANDFATHER: Waiting for what?
THE UNCLE: Waiting for our sister
...

THE FATHER: Not in the avenue? Can you see the avenue?
THE DAUGHTER: Yes, father; it is moonlight, and I can see the avenue as far as the
cypress wood
...

THE UNCLE: What sort of night is it?
THE DAUGHTER: Very fine
...

THE DAUGHTER: A little wind is rising in the avenue
...

THE UNCLE: I am surprised that my sister is not here yet
...

THE DAUGHTER: I think someone has come into the garden, grandfather
...

THE UNCLE: Because there is no one there
...

THE GRANDFATHER: But I do not hear anyone coming
...

ANOTHER DAUGHTER: All the fishes in the pond are diving suddenly
...

THE FATHER: But the pond lies in the moonlight
...

THE UNCLE: I am sure it is my sister who is scaring them
...

THE FATHER: I cannot understand why the dogs do not bark
...
The swans

are crossing to the other bank!
...
I will go and see
...
] Sister! sister! Is
that you?
...

THE DAUGHTER: I am sure that someone has come into the garden
...

THE UNCLE: But she would answer me!
THE GRANDFATHER: Are not the nightingales beginning to sing again, Ursula?
THE DAUGHTER: I cannot hear one anywhere
...

THE FATHER: There is a silence of the grave
...

THE UNCLE: How much longer are you going to discuss these nightingales?
THE GRANDFATHER: Are all the windows open, Ursula?
THE DAUGHTER: The glass door is open, grandfather
...

THE DAUGHTER: There is a little wind in the garden, grandfather, and the rose-leaves
are falling
...
It is late
...
I cannot shut the door
...

THE GRANDFATHER: Why, what is the matter with the door, my children?
THE UNCLE: You need not say that in such an extraordinary voice
...

THE ELDEST DAUGHTER: We cannot manage to shut it quite
...
Let us all push together
...

THE FATHER: The carpenter will set it right to-morrow
...

THE GRANDFATHER: He will make a noise in the house
...

[Suddenly the sound of a scythe being sharpened is heard outside
...
I cannot quite see; he is
in the shadow of the house
...

THE UNCLE: He mows by night?
THE FATHER: Is not to-morrow Sunday?--Yes
...

THE GRANDFATHER: It seems to me that his scythe makes as much noise
...

THE GRANDFATHER: Can you see him, Ursula?
THE DAUGHTER: No, grandfather
...

THE GRANDFATHER: I am afraid he will wake my daughter
...

THE GRANDFATHER: It sounds to me as if he were mowing inside the house
...


THE FATHER: It seems to me that the lamp is not burning well this evening
...

THE FATHER: I saw it filled this morning
...

THE UNCLE: I fancy the chimney is dirty
...

THE DAUGHTER: Grandfather is asleep
...

THE FATHER: He has been so much worried
...
At times he will not listen to reason
...

THE UNCLE: God knows what we shall be like at his age!
THE FATHER: He is nearly eighty
...

THE FATHER: He is like all blind people
...

THE FATHER: They have too much time to spare
...

THE FATHER: And besides, they have no distractions
...

THE FATHER: Apparently one gets used to it
...

THE FATHER: They are certainly to be pitied
...
Is it
absolutely incurable?
THE FATHER: Apparently so
...

THE UNCLE: Let us take care of our poor eyes
...

THE UNCLE: At times he is not at all amusing
...

THE UNCLE: But he was not always like this?
THE FATHER: No; once he was a rational as we are; he never said anything
extraordinary
...

THE UNCLE: It would be better not to answer them
...

[Ten o'clock strikes
...

THE GRANDFATHER: There is nobody at the glass door?
THE DAUGHTER: No, grandfather; I do not see anyone
...
No one has come?
THE DAUGHTER: No one, grandfather
...
It is not nice of her
...

[A noise, as of someone coming into the house
...

THE UNCLE: It must be our sister
...

THE GRANDFATHER: I heard slow footsteps
...

THE UNCLE: She knows there is an invalid
...

THE UNCLE: She will come up directly; they will tell her we are here
...

THE UNCLE: I was sure she would come this evening
...

THE UNCLE: However, it must be she
...

THE GRANDFATHER: I cannot hear any noise in the basement
...
We shall know how things stand
...
]
THE GRANDFATHER: I can hear a noise on the stairs already
...

THE GRANDFATHER: It sounds to me as if she were not alone
...

THE GRANDFATHER: I hear your sister's step!
THE FATHER: I can only hear the servant
...
]
THE UNCLE: She is knocking at the door of the back stairs
...
[He partly opens the little door; THE
SERVANT remains outside in the opening
...

THE GRANDFATHER: Your sister is at the door?
THE UNCLE: I can only see the servant
...
[to THE SERVANT] Who was that, that came into
the house?
THE SERVANT: Came into the house?
THE FATHER: Yes; someone came in just now?
THE SERVANT: No one came in, sir
...

THE GRANDFATHER: Is she crying?
THE UNCLE: No; why should she be crying?
THE FATHER: [to THE SERVANT] No one came in just now?
THE SERVANT: No, sir
...

THE FATHER: It was open?
THE SERVANT: Yes, sir
...
I had shut it myself
...
Someone must have gone out after me, sir
...
--Don't push the door; you know what a noise it
makes!
THE SERVANT: But, sir, I am not touching the door
...
You are pushing as if you were trying to get into the room
...

THE FATHER: Don't talk so loud
...

THE GRANDFATHER: It seems to me it has grown pitch dark all at once
...

THE SERVANT: I did not make any noise on the stairs
...
Go down quietly; you will wake
your mistress
...

THE UNCLE: Yes; say that we are not at home
...
Except to my sister and the doctor
...
[He shuts the door
...
]
THE GRANDFATHER: She has come in?
THE FATHER: Who?
THE GRANDFATHER: The servant
...

THE GRANDFATHER: I thought that she was sitting at the table
...

THE UNCLE: That would complete one's happiness!
THE GRANDFATHER: No one has come into the room?
THE FATHER: No; no one has come in
...

THE GRANDFATHER: You want to deceive me
...

THE UNCLE: Are you dreaming?
THE GRANDFATHER: You do not want to tell me!
...


THE UNCLE: In that case you can see better than we can
...

THE FATHER: That is because you frighten her
...

THE FATHER: You are going mad! [He and THE UNCLE make signs to each other to
signify THE GRANDFATHER has lost his reason
...

THE FATHER: But what should we be afraid of?
THE GRANDFATHER: Why do you want to deceive me?
THE UNCLE: Who is thinking of deceiving you?
THE GRANDFATHER: Why have you put out the light?
THE UNCLE: But the light has not been put out; there is as much light as there was
before
...

THE FATHER: I see as well now as ever
...
Why were you talking under your breath just now?
THE FATHER: No one was talking under his breath
...

THE FATHER: You heard all I said
...


THE FATHER: But I tell you no one has come in!
THE GRANDFATHER: Is it your sister or a priest?--You should not try to deceive me
...

THE GRANDFATHER: You must not try to deceive me; I know what I know
...

THE GRANDFATHER: You are all round the table?
THE DAUGHTER: Yes, grandfather
...

THE GRANDFATHER: You are there, Oliver?
THE UNCLE: Yes, of course I am here, in my usual place
...

THE GRANDFATHER: You are there, Gertrude?
ANOTHER DAUGHTER: Yes, grandfather
...

THE GRANDFATHER: And who is that sitting there?
THE DAUGHTER: Where do you mean, grandfather?--There is no one
...

THE UNCLE: Then believe those who can see
...
I believe I shall
not live long
...

THE UNCLE: What would be the good of deceiving each other?
THE FATHER: You could not live in error long
...

THE FATHER: Where do you want to go?
THE GRANDFATHER: Over there
...

THE UNCLE: You are strange this evening
...

THE GRANDFATHER: I do not know what ails me
...

THE THREE DAUGHTERS: Yes, grandfather
...

THE GRANDFATHER: I fancy you are all three pale
...

THE FATHER: You must go to bed, and grandfather himself would do well to take a
little rest
...

THE GRANDFATHER: Prepare me for the truth
...

THE UNCLE: You will see her to-morrow
...

THE UNCLE: I should be uneasy if I heard any sound
...
I took her
hands yesterday evening, but I could not see her!
...
I do not know how she is
...
She
must have changed these weeks!
...
There is nothing but the darkness between her and me, and the rest of
you!
...
this is not living
...
I do not
know what ails me
...
And everything is
terrifying when one's dreams dwell upon it
...

Something has happened in the house
...

You have been deceiving me too long!--You fancy that I shall never know anything?-There are moments when I am less blind than you, you know!
...
But I shall know the
truth!
...
No, it is not you that I
am speaking of
...
And besides, I feel sure that they are deceiving you as well
...
Do not I hear you all sobbing?
THE FATHER: Is my wife really so ill?
THE GRANDFATHER: It is no good trying to deceive me any longer; it is too late now,
and I know the truth better than you!
...

THE FATHER: Would you like to go into your daughter's room? This misunderstanding
must be put an end to
...

THE UNCLE: You see, you are not reasonable
...
Who made that noise?
THE ELDEST DAUGHTER: It is the lamp, flickering, grandfather
...

THE UNCLE: There is no cold wind, the windows are shut
...

THE FATHER: There is no more oil
...

THE FATHER: We cannot stay like this in the dark
...

THE FATHER: There is a light in my wife's room
...

THE FATHER: Well, we can see enough here; there is the light from outside
...

THE UNCLE: For my part, I would as soon talk in the dark
...
[Silence
...

THE ELDEST DAUGHTER: That is because we are not talking any more, grandfather
...

THE GRANDFATHER: It is very dark in this room?
THE UNCLE: There is not much light
...
]
THE GRANDFATHER: I do not feel well, Ursula; open the window a little
...
I begin to feel the want of air

myself
...
]
THE UNCLE: I really believe we have stayed shut up too long
...

THE GRANDFATHER: One would not have thought it was open; there is not a sound
outside
...

THE FATHER: The silence is extraordinary!
THE DAUGHTER: One could hear an angel tread!
THE UNCLE: That is why I do not like the country
...
What o'clock is it, Ursula?
THE DAUGHTER: It will soon be midnight, grandfather
...
]
THE GRANDFATHER: Who is that walking round us like that?
THE UNCLE: Only I! only I! Do not be frightened! I want to walk about a little
...
]--But I am going to sit down again;--I cannot see where I am going
...
]
THE GRANDFATHER: I wish I were out of this place!
THE DAUGHTER: Where would you like to go, grandfather?
THE GRANDFATHER: I do not know where--into another room, no matter where! no
matter where!
THE FATHER: Where could we go?
THE UNCLE: It is too late to go anywhere else
...
They are sitting, motionless,
round the table
...
--Yes, it is the leaves
falling on the terrace
...

THE DAUGHTER: Yes, grandfather
...
]
THE GRANDFATHER: I am cold
...
THE THREE SISTERS kiss each
other
...

THE UNCLE: It seems to me they are very pale this evening
...
]
THE GRANDFATHER: What is that I hear now, Ursula?
THE DAUGHTER: Nothing, grandfather; it is the clasping of my hands
...
]
THE GRANDFATHER: And that?
...
perhaps my sisters are trembling a
little?
...

[Here a ray of moonlight penetrates through a corner of the stained glass, and
throws strange gleams here and there in the room
...
]
THE GRANDFATHER: [shuddering with peculiar horror] Who is that who got up?
THE UNCLE: No one got up!
THE FATHER: I did not get up!
THE THREE DAUGHTERS: Nor I!--Nor I!--Nor I!
THE GRANDFATHER: Someone got up from the table!
THE UNCLE: Light the lamp!
...
]
THE FATHER: Listen to the child!
THE UNCLE: He has never cried before!
THE FATHER: Let us go and see him!
THE UNCLE: The light! The light!
[At this moment, quick and heavy steps are heard in the room on the left
...
--They listen in mute terror, until the door of the room
opens slowly, the light from it cast into the room where they are sitting, and
the Sister of Mercy appears on the threshold, in her black garments, and bows
as she makes the sign of the cross, to announce the death of his wife
...
The blind man, left alone, gets up, agitated, and feels
his way round the table in the darkness

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