Cousin Bette Page #6

that I would depict...

her passion that brings

everything to destruction.

No one has ever spoken

to me like this.

Can we really have been

talking all night?

But that's not

why we're here, is it?

Mademoiselle Bette indicated

perhaps...

I'm happy to loan you the money.

- On one condition.

- Yes?

You must create

my Samson and Delilah.

Mademoiselle would perhaps do me

the honor of posing for Delilah.

- I must go now.

- Mademoiselle, wait.

- Don't leave.

- Oh, yes, your money.

WENCESLAS:

I don't care about money!

It isn't the money,

you understand.

It's... the principle

of the thing.

I understand.

- Lf you don't pay us...

- I understand.

...we will kill you

and your wife, your baby...

and dump your bodies

in the Seine.

- Do you understand?

- I understand. I do.

More cod?

- Where is Wenceslas?

- Oh, shut up, Celestine!

[Plate shatters]

Come, come, dear. Things are

never as bad as they seem.

Mademoiselle Cadine,

you are like the goddess Diana...

fierce, yet tender.

It breaks my heart.

They say that you are fickle...

and out to conquer

every heart in Paris.

I am an artist. I can look

into a block of marble...

and see a tiger or a girl

with garlands in her hair...

...and a moaning in her heart.

Which am I?

MAN:
The public is waiting.

JENNY:
Tell them I'm indisposed.

Mademoiselle Cadine,

you cannot be indisposed.

You have a performance

in ten minutes.

In ten minutes,

I'll be with the man I love.

You're too beautiful to be in

love with anyone but yourself.

[Jenny sighs]

If you're not on-stage

by curtain, I'II...

- You're fired!

- Have you lost your wits?

No, I've found them,

dear sister, all thanks to you.

- You're talking nonsense.

- Is it nonsense? I think not.

Wenceslas and I are in love.

Soon we'll be leaving Paris.

Leaving Paris?!

Back to the country.

Back to Lorraine.

I'll be a peasant again...

stink of hard work

and long nights of love!

You a peasant! In those shoes?

You couldn't survive a day

without Paris.

You'll have no admirers,

no servants.

- You can't even open a jar.

- I'll learn.

We had an agreement.

You were to steal Wenceslas

away from Hortense!

And so I have.

But you weren't supposed

to fall in love!

Miraculous, isn't it?

Where are you going?

To the Rochet de Cancal, a night

of savage sex and dinner.

Farewell.

Remember Carribine... and what

happened after she retired.

How will I recognize you when

I stumble over you in the park?

Your black velvet choker,

I think.

BETTE:
Hortense! Poor thing.

Is there no news of Wenceslas?

Have you spoken to Stidmann?

Has he seen him?

Where can he be?

He's never left me alone

for so long.

I found this in his studio.

"'I love you as I have never

loved anyone before.

"'lf you love me

as much as you say,

"'meet me at the Rochet de Cancal

in my private suite at 6:00.

"'A thousand kisses,

your Jenny Cadine."'

Help me dress.

[Sniffing]

Jenny?

Damn! Again, again!

- Pull!

- Father, we've come to say...

No, not now! Not now!

She's sent for me.

We've got to go!

Tighter!

You see? She's had enough

of that fat shrimp Crevel.

And now she expects me to drop

everything and run to her.

Well, I won't do it.

No, I shall make her wait.

Can't you make this thing go

any faster? Use your whip, man!

[Moaning]

BARON:
No, I won't dissolve

in her arms the way I once did.

I shall blow in like a...

a bitter wind. Icy.

Brutal. Oh, sweet...

My darling Jenny, sweet girl.

You have a heart,

and you've just revoked.

- Ah. Excuse me.

- Hector Hulot... here?

How can he show his face

in a place like this?

There isn't a patron here...

to whom he doesn't owe

10,000 francs.

Or more.

Huzzah! Baron Hulot!

What nerves of steel, man.

As fearless as ever.

[Jenny laughing]

BARON:
Jenny, my darling!

JENNY:
Oh... Wenceslas...

[Jenny and Wenceslas moaning]

- What the devil?

- Father!

- Hortense?

- Hector!

Mademoiselle!

Oh, my God.

WENCESLAS:

How can she have done this?

Would I invent

something like that?

You hurt her. She wanted to deal

an equally painful blow.

She was leaving the studio?

Covered... head to foot

in plaster dust.

God... my own wife.

I was coming to tell you

the terrible news.

- Your father-in-law...

- No. Hector's dead?

Would that he were. He's alive,

but as ruined as your Samson.

WENCESLAS:

Everything I touch I destroy.

BETTE:

All this for Jenny Cadine.

I would sacrifice

a thousand Samsons for her.

She is my life,

my inspiration, my...

Whore!

But, you see...

She can't have you.

No one can.

I found you,

brought you back from death.

You're mine.

You will always be mine.

Why is it, Baron, that out of

ten beautiful women...

...at least seven

are utterly bad?

I... shall... blow that...

rascal's... heart to...

...kingdom... come.

Yes. I don't doubt it.

I wonder...

What can a man do

to make a woman love him?

I suppose it's ridiculous for

men like us to want to be loved.

We can't be more than tolerated.

A woman is

an inexplicable creature.

[Sniffs]

No?

It's lovely seeing you

looking so well.

Shall I come tomorrow?

I think, perhaps, a spin around

the lake in your contraption.

Very well.

Adieu, dear friend.

I'm going home.

You... cut a fine figure.

- Monsieur?

- Madame.

- Monsieur?

- Madame.

May I speak with you?

I believed you to be

a man of your word, Monsieur.

Indeed. And so I am.

I have lost my husband...

because you failed to fulfill

your promise to me.

What do you mean?

You swore to go directly

to the bank...

for a loan of 200,000 francs.

- I did go.

- That is a lie.

No! I remember perfectly.

I went immediately to the bank.

I gave the money to your cousin.

- Where is it?

- Where is what?

- Where is it?

- What are you doing?

The pouch Crevel gave you!

It was intended for me,

and you kept it!

I want it. I want it! I want it!

But you have it.

I gave it to Wenceslas

that very day.

I went directly to his studio.

He was on his way to the park.

- The park?

- To meet you.

No. Not to meet me.

To meet her.

He's given it to her.

Oh, my dear.

The devil has a sister.

- How could he?

- For the sake of their pleasure.

Men commit

the most appalling crimes.

It's in their nature,

so it seems.

- Do you want him back?

- I don't want her to have him.

There's only one way to get

a tigress to drop her meat.

Father.

[Kiss]

- My darling.

- Wenceslas.

Why aren't you dressed?

It took longer than

I thought it would to pack.

I have so many things.

None of which

you'll ever be needing again.

Still, I couldn't part

with any of it.

- Hurry, my love. Come.

- But I have to change, silly.

- I have a carriage waiting.

- I'm tired. I want a bath.

- There's no time.

- No, there isn't, is there?

Do you love me?

Yes. You're my first and only

love. I'll never know another.

Never know another?

I should say not.

Kiss me. Hold me.

Jenny, if we don't leave now,

it will be too late.

- Please, Wenceslas...

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