De Sade Page #2

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You may come out if you wish.

But what...

Who put me here?

You put yourself there.

You can come out anytime.

- The next scene concerns the occasion...

- No, there's no time for that now.

- I must find...

- Find what?

I don't know.

But I cannot stay here with you.

And where are you going, monsieur?

To see Anne.

That's exactly what you must not do.

I'm afraid that we'll never agree on

what I must or must not do, madame.

I had hoped you wouldn't

remain bitter, monsieur.

Did you?

You're wrong to blame me

for the ugliness you endured...

...at the Fortress of Vincennes, monsieur.

Where's Anne going?

I don't think you appreciate

it was I who obtained your release.

You turned the keys both ways, madame.

Nevertheless, you agreed

to the conditions of your release...

...without qualifications.

You're sending her away.

You agreed to absent yourself from Paris,

to remain here permanently with your wife.

Not an extraordinary requirement

from a husband.

- Why are you sending Anne away?

- My daughter is going to her convent.

- Her convent?

- She's a canoness...

...and a three-month residence each year

is a requirement...

...of that station.

But, madame, l...

Do not distress yourself.

We do not intend her to take the vows.

The bride of Christ she will not be,

but in due course, she will marry.

These things cannot be changed by you,

nor by any man.

Not by God, if you had your way.

Do not blaspheme, monsieur.

If you do try to stop her,

we will all suffer in one way...

...or another.

But it will be you, monsieur,

who will suffer the direct penalty.

As I love you as my son, monsieur,

I cannot let this happen to you.

I'm sending her away, monsieur,

for your sake.

Do you understand that?

I understand, madame.

I'm glad you do.

"There strolling the avenue

while hand in hand

"Lovely is the scene

"The lovers sigh and they share reveries

"'Tis a lover's walk

"The lanes with flowers rest

"On shelves of verdigris

"For the lovers will pretty soon leave

"Soon leave

"Soon leave

"But the lovers will pretty soon leave"

- Your pleasure, monsieur.

- Please, continue.

I intrude.

No. This is Mademoiselle Colette.

Maman and I are to sponsor her debut

at court this season.

And this is her singing master,

Signor Amaletti.

- Your Excellency.

- Maestro.

My son-in-law has little interest

in the ambitions of a vocalist...

...I assure you, mademoiselle.

You always complain there's little time

for your scribbling.

Well, there's no time like the present.

Be off, monsieur.

Pray continue, child. It's delightful.

"Then lonely the avenue

"Not long ago, lovely was the scene

"The lovers song has been sung

Tra la la la la

"Once a lover's walk"

Monsieur?

Monsieur, may I speak to you for moment?

Coming, madame.

Did I hear voices?

Voices, madame? Perhaps you heard me

speaking in my sleep.

Did I wake you?

No.

I sleep poorly at best.

I'm truly sorry to hear that, monsieur.

Perhaps the bed is not quite comfortable?

Only lonely in my sweet wife's absence.

Besides, I fear that sleep will always be...

...an elusive butterfly

trapped only by men of easy conscience.

Do you mind if I talk to you as a parent?

Madame.

I would be your son if you would have me.

You've behaved so well these last

few months. I feel I would be churlish...

...to keep you here any longer,

especially with the season starting.

Madame, I adore you.

Mademoiselle?

A thousand pardons, mademoiselle.

What Louis?

You do not know La Beauvoisin?

That's a scandal, my darling.

Tell me quickly, how can

the abyss of my ignorance be crossed?

My honor, I claim it.

For if ever destiny arranged

an introduction between...

...need I say,

our most magnificent actress in Paris...

...Mademoiselle La Beauvoisin...

...and his Excellence, the Marquis de Sade.

The Marquis? Of course, I know.

Your servant, mademoiselle.

I thought it might be the opposite.

- Shall I predict your future?

- My entire future?

Only your immediate future.

Eternity is for clerics.

You shall come to Castle La Coste,

and you shall be my mistress.

Naturally, for what other reason

would you take me to La Coste?

There are other reasons.

I will build a theater at La Coste.

There I will produce an endless round

of plays, diversions and entertainments.

Can a man not kiss his own wife in public?

Is the law of the state, that decrees one

thing, superior to the law of imagination...

...that decrees another?

I hold not.

Men and women...

For gentlemen and ladies

we know you're not!

Let us agree there is no one single reality...

...not on this stage, not in this world.

All is in the mind.

Imagination is the only truth...

"...because it cannot be contradicted

except by other imaginations."

This theater will present

the spinning world in essence.

Shakespeare called the world a stage.

Well, our stage...

...shall be our world.

- Tonight then...

- In honor of my uncle...

The esteemed Abb de Sade.

...we shall present a minor segment...

...of a major tragicomedy entitled:

Childhood...

... of Poor Little Louis Alphonse.

- The setting:

- The riding stables of Chteau Maubel.

The private estate of the esteemed

personage, the Abb de Sade.

The occasion:

Lmmediately following a brisk canter

through the forest of Maubel...

...in the company of two ladies...

...his housekeeper and her niece.

The characters:

Madame Grandcourt...

...the housekeeper, and her niece...

...Mademoiselle Cerise-lntactus.

And poor little Louis Alphonse himself.

And last, but of course, not least...

...Abb de Sade, in person.

"Now, here's a stallion

for you to ride, niece."

"Or vice-versa."

"And as fine a set of flanks

as you'll find anywhere."

"The finest flanks.

"The finest for you, dear Reverend."

"Shy little vixen, eh?

"Well, give her some wine

to make her loosen her reserve."

"It is not to my taste, sir."

"Why then, girl, sit down...

"...and drink it in one gulp."

"Auntie, what is happening?"

"You're drinking wine, girl."

"No wonder I like it so much, Auntie."

"Drink, child, drink.

Do not displease the Abb."

"The little rascal's spying on us, eh?"

Stop it!

Come here.

Spying on us, were you?

You're a very naughty boy.

You shall have a proper spanking.

- Lf you spank me, I'll tell.

- Tell what?

Tell what you were doing.

That would be foolish.

Nobody would believe you.

- They would only call you evil-minded.

- You are evil.

Mark this, boy.

Matters little what one does...

...so long as one presents

the face of virtue to the world.

That's hypocrisy.

And where did you learn

that arrogant word?

I learned it. And it's true.

What a clever lad you've become.

Don't let him.

- Hold him.

- Don't let him hurt me.

Come here, lass. Good girl.

Flay the culprit.

- Punish him.

- Do it, niece. Do it.

Or it'll be you under the lash.

Again.

"Louis is a good boy...

"...now."

Uncle.

Well, how did you like our little play?

Bravo, Louis.

A triumph, your greatest...

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