Chapter CLXXXII: Act III: Scene VII. A tower in the castle. At the window of the tower

_Mélisande_ is standing combing her hair that she has let down. Then _Pelléas_ comes along the road that winds around under her window. _Pelléas_ is coming to say farewell. Early the next morning he is going away. So _Mélisande_ will at least once more reach out her hand to him that he may press it to his lips. Love weaves a web about the twain with an ever thicker netting without their noticing it. Their hands do not touch but as _Mélisande_ leans forward so far her long hair falls over _Pelléas's_ head and fills the youth with passionate feelings. Their words become warmer--then _Golo_ comes near and reproves their "childishness."

Mary Garden as Mélisande in "Pelléas and Mélisande"]

Scene VIII. In the vault under the castle. Like a gloomy menace _Golo_ leads _Pelléas_ into these underground rooms where the breeze of death blows. Seized with shuddering they go out. On the terrace at the entrance to the vault _Golo_ in earnest words warns _Pelléas_ to keep away from _Mélisande_ and to refrain from confidential conversations with her.

Scene IX. Before the castle. In vain _Golo_ has sought to quiet himself by saying that it was all only childishness. Jealousy devours his heart. So now he seeks with hypocritical calm his little son _Yniold_, offspring of his first marriage, to inquire about the intimacy of _Pelléas_ and _Mélisande_. The child cannot tell him of anything improper yet _Golo_ feels how it is with the couple. And he feels that he himself is old, much older than _Pelléas_ and _Mélisande_.