Amadeus Page #20

VOGLER:

God's ways are not yours. And you

are not here to question Him. Offer

him the salt of penitence. He will

give you back the bread of eternal

life. He is all merciful. That is

all you need to know.

OLD SALIERI:

All I ever wanted was to sing to

Him. That's His doing, isn't it? He

gave me that longing - then made me

mute. Why? Tell me that. If He didn't

want me to serve Him with music, why

implant the desire, like a lust in

my body, then deny me the talent? Go

on, tell me! Speak for Him!

VOGLER:

My son, no one can speak for God.

OLD SALIERI:

Oh? I thought you did so every day.

So speak now. Answer me!

VOGLER:

I do not claim to unravel the

mysteries. I treasure them. As you

should.

OLD SALIERI:

(impatiently)

Oh yes, yes, yes, yes, yes! Always

the same stale answers!

(intimately to the

priest)

There is no God of Mercy, Father.

Just a God of torture.

CUT TO:

INT. SALIERI'S APARTMENT - BEDROOM - NIGHT - 1780'S

Salieri sits at his desk, staring up at the cross.

OLD SALIERI (V.O.)

Evening came to that room. I sat

there not knowing whether the girl

would return or not. I prayed as I'd

never prayed before.

SALIERI:

Dear God, enter me now. Fill me with

one piece of true music. One piece

with your breath in it, so I know

that you love me. Please. Just one.

Show me one sign of your favour, and

I will show mine to Mozart and his

wife. I will get him the royal

position, and if she comes, I'll

receive her with all respect and

send her home in joy. Enter me! Enter

me! Please! Te imploro.

Long, long silence. Salieri stares at the cross. Christ stares

back at him impassively. Finally in this silence we hear a

faint knocking at the door. Salieri stirs himself. A servant

appears.

SERVANT:

That lady is back, sir.

SALIERI:

Show her in. Then go to bed.

The Servant bows and leaves. We follow him through:

INT. MUSIC ROOM IN SALIERI'S APARTMENT - NIGHT - 1780'S

The Servant crosses it and enters:

INT. SALON IN SALIERI'S APARTMENT - NIGHT - 1780'S

Constanze is sitting on an upright chair, veiled as before,

the portfolio of music on her lap. Through the far door

leading from the hall, another servant is peering at her.

The first servant joins him and shuts the door on the girl,

leaving her alone.

We stay with her. The clock ticks on the mantelpiece. We

hear an old carriage pass in the street below. Nervously she

lifts her veil and looks about her.

Suddenly Salieri appears from the music room. He is pale and

very tight. They regard each other. She smiles and rises to

greet him, affecting a relaxed and warm manner, as if to put

him at his ease.

CONSTANZE:

Well, I'm here. My husband has gone

to a concert. He didn't think I would

enjoy it.

A pause.

CONSTANZE:

I do apologize for this afternoon.

I behaved like a silly girl. Where

shall we go?

SALIERI:

What?

CONSTANZE:

Should we stay here? It's a charming

room. I love these candlesticks.

Were they here earlier? I didn't

notice them I suppose I was too

nervous.

As she talks, she extinguishes the candles in a pair of

Venetian candelabra and subsequently other candles around

the room.

CONSTANZE:

Wolfgang was given some candlesticks

by King George in England, but they

were only wood. Oh, excuse me. Let's

not talk about him. What do you think

of this? It's real lace. Brussels.

She turns and takes off her shawl.

CONSTANZE:

Well, it's much too good for every

day. I keep saying to Wolfi, don't

be so extravagant. Presents are

lovely, but we can't afford them.

It doesn't do any good. The more I

tell him, the more he spends. Oh,

excuse me! There I go again.

She picks up the portfolio.

CONSTANZE:

Do you still want to look at this?

Or don't we need to bother anymore?

I imagine we don't, really.

She looks at him inquiringly, and drops the portfolio on the

floor; pages of music pour out of it. Instantly we hear a

massive chord, and the great Qui Tollis from the Mass in C

Minor fills the room. To its grand and weighty sound,

Constanze starts to undress, watched by the horrified Salieri.

Between him and her, music is an active presence, hurting

and baffling him. He opens his mouth in distress. The music

pounds in his head. The candle flickers over her as she

removes her clothes and prepares for his embrace. Suddenly

he cries out.

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