Where have you been?
Nowhere. It was beautiful. The whole world was grey when I went out. And now — you wouldn't recognize it.
It's like a post card: all pink, and green, and yellow. You'll have to get up earlier, Nurse, if you want to see a world without color.
It was still pitch black when I got up. I went to your room, for I thought you might have flung off your blanket in the night. You weren't there.
The garden was lovely. It was still asleep.
You hadn't slept in your bed. I couldn't find you. I went to the back door. You'd left it half open.
The fields were wet. They were waiting for something to happen. The whole world was breathless, waiting.
I can't tell you what a roaring noise I seemed to make as I went up the road. I took off my sandals and slipped into a field.
You'll do well to wash your feet before you go back to bed, Miss.
I'm not going back to bed.
Don't be a fool! You get some sleep! And me, getting up to see if she hasn't flung off her blanket; and I find her bed cold and nobody in it!
Do you think that if a person got up every morning like this, it would be just as thrilling every morning to be the first girl out-of doors?
Morning my grandmother! It was night. It still is. And now, my girl, you'll stop trying to squirm out of this and tell me what you were up to. Where've you been?
That's true. It was still night. There wasn't a soul out of doors but me, who thought that it was morning.
Oh, my little flibberty-gibbety! Just can't imagine what I'm talking about, can she? Go on with you! I know that game.
I was a girl myself once; just as pig-headed and hard to handle as you are. You went out to meet someone, didn't you? Deny it if you can.
Yes. I went out to meet someone.
You have a lover?
Yes, Nurse. I have a lover.
Well, that's very nice now, isn't it! Such goings-on! You, the daughter of a king, running out to meet lovers.
Yes. Creon will hear of this.
And we'll hear what he has to say when he finds out that you go wandering alone o' nights. Not to mention Haemon. For the girl's engaged!
Going to be married! Going to be married, and she hops out of bed at four in the morning to meet somebody else in a field.
Please, Nurse, I want to be alone.
And if you so much as speak of it, she says she wants to be alone!
Nanny, don’t scold. This isn't a day when you should be losing your temper.
Not scold, indeed! Along with the rest of it, I'm to like it. Didn't I promise your mother? What would she say if she was here? "Old Stupid!"
That's what she'd call me. "Old Stupid. Not to know how to keep my little girl pure!
Spend your life making them behave, watching over them like a mother hen, and then at four o'clock in the morning letting them slip out into the night.
"That's what she'd say, your mother. And I'd stand there, dying of shame if I wasn't dead already.
Nanny, dear, don’t cry. You'll be able to look Mamma in the face when it's your time to see her.
And she'll say, "Good morning, Nanny. Thank you for my little Antigone.
NURSE. Not scold, indeed! Along with the rest of it, I'm to like it. Didn't I promise your mother? What would she say if she was here? "Old Stupid!"
That's what she'd call me. "Old Stupid. Not to know how to keep my little girl pure!
Spend your life making them behave, watching over them like a mother hen,
and then at four o'clock in the morning letting them slip out into the night."
That's what she'd say, your mother. And I'd stand there, dying of shame if I wasn't dead already.
Nanny, dear, don’t cry. You'll be able to look Mamma in the face when it's your time to see her.
And she'll say, "Good morning, Nanny.
Thank you for my little Antigone.
Not to know when she's teasing me!
No, not to meet a lover.
Well, you've a queer way of teasing me, I must say! Not to know when she's teasing me!
I must be getting awfully old, that's what it is.
Your sister was always the sweet-natured one; but I took it into my head that you were the one that was fondest of me.
But if you loved me, you'd tell me the truth.
You'd tell me why your bed was empty when I went along to tuck you in. Wouldn't you?
Nanny dear, don't cry. Don’t cry.
There now, my sweet red apple.
Do you remember how I used to rub your cheeks to make them shine?
My dear, wrinkled red apple! I didn't do anything tonight that was worth sending tears down the little gullies of your dear face.
I’m pure, and I swear that I have no other lover than Haemon.
Save your tears, Nanny, save them, Nanny dear; you may still need them.
When you cry like that, I become a little girl again; and I mustn't be a little girl today.