Amadeus Page #49

SALIERI:

Come now.

He helps him to sit up and takes off his coat and his shoes

and puts a coverlet around him.

SALIERI:

Where is your wife?

MOZART:

Not here! She's not well, either.

She went to the Spa.

SALIERI:

You mean she's not coming back?

MOZART:

You're so good to me. Truly. Thank

you.

SALIERI:

No, please.

MOZART:

I mean to come to my opera. You are

the only colleague who did.

He struggles to loosen his cravat. Salieri does it for him.

SALIERI:

I would never miss anything that you

had written. You must know that.

MOZART:

This is only a vaudeville.

SALIERI:

Oh no. It is a sublime piece. The

grandest operone. I tell you, you

are the greatest composer known to

me.

MOZART:

Do you mean that?

SALIERI:

I do.

MOZART:

I have bad fancies. I don't sleep

well anymore. Then I drink too much,

and think stupid things.

SALIERI:

Are you ill?

MOZART:

The doctor thinks I am. But -

SALIERI:

What?

MOZART:

I'm too young to be so sick.

There is a violent knocking at the front door. Mozart starts

and looks around wildly.

SALIERI:

Shall I answer it?

MOZART:

No! No, it's him!

SALIERI:

Who?

MOZART:

The man. He's here.

SALIERI:

What man?

The knocking increases in loudness, terrifying Mozart.

MOZART:

Tell him to go away. Tell him I'm

still working on it. Don't let him

in!

Salieri moves to the door.

MOZART:

Wait! Ask him if he'd give me some

money now. Tell him if he would,

that would help me finish it.

SALIERI:

Finish what?

MOZART:

He knows. He knows!

Salieri leaves the room.

INT. MOZART'S APARTMENT - LIVING ROOM - NIGHT - 1790'S

Salieri goes to the front door and opens it to reveal

Schikaneder, who has obviously come straight from the theatre.

He still wears his bird make-up and under his street cloak,

his feathered costume is clearly seen. He has with him the

three actresses, also looking anxious and also in make-up as

the three attendants in The Magic Flute.

SCHIKANEDER:

Herr Salieri.

SALIERI:

Yes, I am looking after him.

SCHIKANEDER:

Can we come in?

SALIERI:

Well, he's sleeping now. Better not.

SCHIKANEDER:

But he's all right?

SALIERI:

Oh, yes. He's just exhausted. He

became dizzy, that's all. We should

let him rest.

SCHIKANEDER:

Well, tell him we were here, won't

you?

SALIERI:

Of course.

SCHIKANEDER:

And say everything went wonderfully.

A triumph-de-luxe - say that! Tell

him the audience shouted his name a

hundred times.

SALIERI:

Bene.

SCHIKANEDER:

I'll call tomorrow.

SALIERI:

Yes.

(to the actresses)

And congratulations to all of you.

It was superb.

ACTRESSES:

Thank you! Thank you, Excellency!

Schikaneder produces a bag of money.

SCHIKANEDER:

Oh, by the way, give him this. This

is his share. That should cheer him

up, eh?

SALIERI:

Yes, indeed. Goodnight to you all

now. It was perfection - truly!

ACTRESSES:

(delighted)

Goodnight, Your Excellency.

Goodnight!

They bob and curtsey. Schikaneder stares at Salieri, uneasily,

vaguely suspicious. Salieri smiles back at him and shuts the

door. He stays for a moment, thinking. He contemplates the

money.

INT. MOZART'S APARTMENT - BEDROOM - NIGHT - 1790'S

Mozart is sitting up in bed, staring at the door. It opens.

Salieri returns. He holds in his hand the bag of money.

MOZART:

What happened?

Salieri pours the coins out of the bag onto the coverlet.

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