Dangerous Beauty Page #2

TO A MAN:

OF MARCO'S STATION,

IT HAS NOTHING:

TO DO WITH LOVE.

BUT...

YOU CAN STILL HAVE MARCO.

BUT NOT IN WEDLOCK.

THERE'S AN ALTERNATIVE

TO MARRIAGE.

YOU'LL BECOME

A COURTESAN.

I HAVE SEEN YOU:

WATCHING THEM.

I'VE SEEN YOU

MESMERIZED BY THEM.

YOU WILL BECOME:

A COURTESAN...

LIKE YOUR MOTHER

USED TO BE.

YOU WERE A COURTESAN?

ONE OF THE BEST.

WHEN?

A LONG TIME AGO.

VERONICA.

I HAD HOPED TO BUY YOU

A GOOD MARRIAGE,

BUT YOUR FATHER:

DRANK AWAY YOUR DOWRY.

YOUR BROTHER:

MUST BUY HIS POSTING,

AND I AM TOO OLD.

IT IS YOU:

WHO MUST SUPPORT US NOW.

LOOK AT THESE HANDS.

SOFT.

TOO SOF FOR A SCULLERY MAID

OR WORKING THE WINERY.

PERHAPS A LADY'S MAID.

MAYBE BEATRICE:

WILL HIRE YOU.

WOULDN'T THAT BE FUNNY?

SEND ME:

TO THE CONVENT, THEN,

TO SANTO SPIRITO.

VERONICA,

YOU ARE NOT THE TYPE.

HOW WOULD YOU KNOW?

WHAT ARE YOU DOING?

WHICHEVER DEVIL YOU CHOOSE,

YOU'LL LOOK HIM

IN THE EYE FIRST,

WHICH IS MORE THAN MY MOTHER

EVER GAVE ME.

[WOMEN SINGING IN LATIN]

[SCISSORS CUTTING]

[WOMAN CRYING]

THE FIRST SECRE OF ALL GREAT COURTESANS--

YOU MUST KNOW PLEASURE

TO GIVE PLEASURE.

BEAUTY IS A MANIFESTATION

OF THE DIVINE.

THAT THEORY BUIL THE SISTINE CHAPEL,

AND IT'LL DO

THE SAME FOR YOU.

MMM.

HEIGHT IS AN ADVANTAGE

TO WOMEN AS WELL AS MEN.

CARRIAGE CREATES

THE FIRST IMPRESSION.

AAH!

[SLURPS]

[LOCKS DOOR]

[LOCK TURNS]

COME WITH ME, VERONICA.

MOTHER,

WE CAN'T GO IN THERE.

LADIES CAN' GO IN THERE.

COURTESANS CAN.

THE EMPEROR PERICLES

RELIED MORE FOR POLICY

ON HIS MISTRESS:

THAN HE EVER DID

ON HIS LIEUTENANTS.

COURTESANS, MY DEAR,

ARE THE MOST EDUCATED

WOMEN IN THE WORLD.

THE COURTESAN:

IS A FORCE OF NATURE

IN A CIVILIZED CLOAK.

ANY CHAMBERMAID CAN FLOP DOWN,

TAKE OFF HER SHIRT,

AND MEN WILL COME.

YOUR TRUE POWER:

COMES FROM SOMETHING

MUCH DEEPER THAN BEAUTY.

CLEOPATRA KNEW THAT.

THEODOSIA.

ASPASIA.

SHE COULD SEDUCE A MAN

AT 20 PACES

WITHOUT REVEALING

AN INCH OF FLESH.

HOW?

WITH HER MIND.

DESIRE BEGINS IN THE MIND.

I DON'T UNDERSTAND.

NO, YOU DON'T.

THINK OF MARCO.

I KNOW YOU KNOW ANGER.

TRY DISDAIN.

AMUSEMENT.

SUBMISSION.

RAPTURE.

NOW...

MAKE HIM BELIEVE

THAT HE IS THE ONLY MAN

IN THE UNIVERSE.

WHO TAUGHT YOU?

YOUR GRANDMOTHER.

IN ORDER TO CHOOSE

YOUR LOVERS WISELY,

YOU NEED:

TO UNDERSTAND MEN.

NO MATTER THEIR:

SHAPE OR SIZE,

POSITION OR WEALTH,

THEY ALL DREAM:

OF THE TEMPTRESS.

THE IRRESISTIBLE,

UNAPPROACHABLE VENUS

QUICKLY TURNS:

PLIABLE MAIDEN:

WHEN THEY'VE HAD

A HARD DAY.

COME.

YOU CAN' BE SQUEAMISH.

IF YOU DON'T ENJOY IT,

THEY'LL SMELL I LIKE A DOG SMELLS FEAR,

AND THEY'LL

HATE YOU FOR IT.

WHAT'S THERE

TO BE SQUEAMISH ABOUT?

IF YOU TOUCH HERE...

[GASPS]

AMAZING.

USE YOUR FINGERS LIGHTLY

LIKE FEATHERS.

THEN HARDER.

YOUR TONGUE:

LIKE LICKING SWEETS.

YOUR TEETH WITH RESTRAINT.

JUST ENOUGH:

TO KEEP HIM WANTING MORE.

IT'S WANTING

THAT KEEPS US ALIVE.

PAOLA.

MINISTER RAMBERTI.

I'D LIKE TO PRESENT YOU

TO MY DAUGHTER VERONICA.

IT WOULD BRING ME

LUCK, LADY,

IF YOU WOULD PLAY

A HAND FOR ME.

REMEMBER, VERONICA,

LOVE LOVE, BUT DO NO LOVE THE MAN,

OR YOU'LL BE

IN HIS POWER.

GOOD LUCK.

MAY I CALL?

HMM?

MAY I CALL?

OH.

HMM.

HMM.

LOVELY.

THIS IS MY FIRST BET.

YOUR FIRST?

UNMISTAKABLY.

I'M HONORED.

REPENT YOUR EMPTY EXCESSES!

THERE IS NO COMFORT HERE!

??AVE MARIA??

REPENT!

YOU, SIR!

??AVE MARIA...??

FRIENDS, MAY I ASK YOU,

IS THIS GOD'S GAME?

WHY DO YOU GAMBLE

WITH YOUR SOULS?

WHAT IS I YOU WANT, SIR?

YOUR SALVATION.

HMM.

THIS IS NO COMPANY

FOR ONE SO FAIR.

[WOMAN SINGING IN ITALIAN]

[APPLAUSE]

VENICE MAY AS WELL BE DEEMED

ONE LARGE FLOATING BROTHEL.

WHAT'S BITING

YOUR ASS:

THIS FAIR EVENING,

COUSIN?

UM, POVERTY.

ALWAYS PUTS ME:

IN A BAD MOOD.

AND YOU'D BEGRUDGE

THE FAIRER SEX:

THEIR LITTLE CRUMBS,

WOULD YOU?

NO, THOUGH THEY DO MAKE MORE

IN A NIGHT THAN I A MONTH,

THE LOVELY WHORES.

WHY DON'T YOU GO AND

MAKE YOURSELF USEFUL?

GIVE US A RHYME.

I'M NO PERFORMING MONKEY

FOR THE IDLE MASSES.

SINCE WHEN?

WE'RE ALL OF US

PERFORMING MONKEYS, NEPHEW.

PAUPERS AND POETS ALIKE.

I'M AT YOUR SERVICE, UNCLE.

IF IT'S RHYME YOU WISH,

I SHALL GLADLY OBLIGE.

A SUBJECT.

DOGE.

AH.

VENICE TO CELEBRATE

OUR PLENTY.

AH.

BORN IN GLORY.

THE VIRGIN'S EXALTATION.

FAIR AND MIGHTY VENICE.

QUEEN OF THE SEA.

UNCONQUERED MAID.

SOVEREIGN ISLE IS SHE.

CHASTE GODDESS.

RISING FROM THE FOAMY DEPTHS.

GATEWAY TO THE MOS DISTANT EAST AND WEST.

WINE?

PLEASE.

LOVER OF LIBERTY.

CHILD OF HONOR.

VERONICA?

VERONICA?

COVER YOUR SURPRISE,

SIGNORE VENIER.

IT'S VAGUELY INSULTING.

SIGNORE VENIER?

DON'T BE ABSURD.

I'M NO BEING ABSURD.

I'M JUS TREATING YOU

WITH THE SAME:

INDIFFERENCE:

YOU AFFORDED ME.

YOU CONFUSE INDIFFERENCE

WITH HONESTY.

YOU CONFUSE HONESTY

WITH VENALITY.

OH, YOU THINK ME VENAL?

YOU ARE A VENAL CUR.

HELLO, MARCO.

SOMETHING:

I CAN DO FOR YOU?

HERE BEAUTY,

WIT AND WEALTH COMBINE.

GATEWAY:

TWIXT DISTANT EAS

AND WEST.

MOTHER OF LIBERTY.

CHILD OF HONOR.

HOME AND HEARTH:

AND HEAR:

TO MEN OF VALOR.

[APPLAUSE]

PERHAPS THE FAIR MAIDEN

CAN DO BETTER.

[APPLAUSE]

A DUEL!

VENICE.

MOTHER,

VIRGIN, QUEEN,

AND GODDESS.

TO BE ALL 5 AT ONCE

IS NO MEAN TRICK...

IF WOMEN'S LAST LOST EDEN

ARE ADDRESSED TO BE...

HEARTH, HEART AND HOME

TO EVERY...

PRICK.

[AUDIENCE LAUGHS]

WHO IS SHE?

WHO IS THIS GIRL?

HMM.

SWEET LAGOON...

THAT BRINGS US LOVELY LIFE.

RANK WITH GREED:

AND TRADES...

DEVOURING STRIFE.

LADY VENICE,

HER BAUBLED SELF

DOES SHOW...

HER RAIMEN AS THE MOON DOTH GLOW.

HER WISDOM...

HER WISDOM SHINES

BRIGHT AS...

ENVIOUS DAY.

HER WIVES,

LIKE BOOTY ARE...

LOCKED AWAY.

BRAVA, BRAVA!

NEVER EVER:

HIDE THAT FACE AGAIN.

CHILDREN, MY DEAR,

ARE A DEFICIT.

IT'S NOT INFALLIBLE,

BUT IT'S MORE COMFORTABLE

THAN A TURTLE SHELL.

MMM.

OHH.

MMM.

SO...

YOU DIDN'T TELL ME

EVERYTHING.

HOW COULD I?

THEY WON'T ALL

BE RAMBERTIS.

WHO'S NEXT?

HONOR US WITH A POEM,

SIGNORA VERONICA.

I WOULD BE TOO HUMBLED

BEFORE SO ELOQUEN A GATHERING OF MINDS.

MAKE US LAUGH:

AS YOU DID BEFORE.

PERHAPS IF I AM:

CLEVER NEXT TIME,

I SHALL:

MAKE YOU WEEP.

YOU SHALL:

MAKE ME WEEP:

IF YOU DO NO GIVE ME LEAVE

TO SEE YOU AGAIN.

THURSDAY?

EVERY THURSDAY?

I SHALL COUN THE HOURS IN BETWEEN.

SCRAPE ANY LOWER,

YOU'RE GONNA HAVE SHOES

FOR EARRINGS.

WHY, MARCO VENIER,

I DO BELIEVE:

YOU'RE JEALOUS.

ONE CAN ONLY BE JEALOUS

OF WHAT ONE CANNOT HAVE.

AND YOU CANNOT HAVE ME.

THERE'S NOT A WOMAN

IN VENICE I CAN'T HAVE.

AND THERE'S NO A MAN IN VENICE

THAT I CAN'T HAVE.

WE ARE SO ALIKE,

YOU AND ME.

WE BOTH KNOW THAT LOVE

IS INCONVENIEN:

IF NOT IMPOSSIBLE.

SO WHY NOT ENJOY

WHAT LITTLE WE'RE ALLOWED

TOGETHER?

I'M ALL BOOKED UP.

WELL?

WELL, WHAT?

AHH.

WELL, I SEE THAT YOU'RE

ENJOYING YOURSELF.

YES. THANK YOU,

SIGNORE VENIER.

DOMINICO.

OTHERWISE YOU SHALL

MAKE ME FEEL VERY OLD.

OH, LET ME HELP YOU.

NO, NO, NO.

IT'S NOT A SIGH

FOR SUCH BEAUTIFUL EYES.

I'M NOT AFRAID OF FLESH.

THE MAN WHO BID YOU RHYME.

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