De Sade Page #3

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...whose applause will echo

throughout France.

Thank you, Uncle.

But fame has its price.

And no doubt your mother-in-law

will exact it.

I'm very much afraid

you'll be going back to prison, Louis.

But that's tomorrow...

...and we live for the moment,

don't we Louis?

What matter if your wife is

six months pregnant...

...if you go deeper and deeper into debt?

You enjoy yourself.

I have a little something arranged...

...a very special treat.

- In there?

- In there.

Something guaranteed

to tear your soul from its bosom.

Is there someone here?

Is there anyone here?

A friend who mourns.

Mourn with me, Louis.

I cannot.

Didn't you love your father?

What was there to love?

He let my mother cut me loose

when I was only a child.

And I kept waiting for him.

Staying in no place for more than...

...months.

Except five years once.

With my uncle.

Those five years...

You blame your father for that?

I do.

You are unjust then, Louis.

Who are you?

No.

I cannot withdraw my charge.

Not if you should offer me 1,000 crowns.

That is a great amount of money,

mademoiselle.

I am greatly injured.

Shall we say L1,000, mademoiselle?

Say you do go to court,

and say you win your case.

And you know what courts are nowadays...

...with a commoner against a person...

...of noble birth.

With his reputation?

He's been in enough scandals on his own

without me, that one.

I'll win, all right.

Shall we say L1,250?

And only because

I sympathize with you, Rose, not with him.

Well...

Consider, Rose.

I have been abused!

L1,500, girl, or nothing.

My husband is president

of the Paris courts.

You can be jailed as a prostitute.

I suggest you accept my offer.

All right. I'll take the L1,500 then.

Show Madame Keller

to her carriage, please.

A wise decision, Rose.

When will you return to

La Coste with your wife?

We made a bargain.

And this time, you're going to stick by it.

Franois...

...bring me wine.

My throat is dry from too much listening.

Franois, no wine for his Lordship.

No wine at any time, unless I approve it.

Yes, madame.

That was unnecessary, madame, to rob me

of my dignity in front of a servant.

You rob us all of dignity before the world.

And your honor is no better

than your morality.

You go today to La Coste...

...with your wife

and stay there permanently.

You do this because I say so...

...because in your financial state,

you have no other choice!

Either that,

or I will let the dogs have at you!

Anne!

Louis?

What are you doing to me?

I, Nephew?

Why can't I reach her?

Why must you reach her?

Because I must.

There's a moment...

...and she's part of it.

Your "moment of reality" again.

I want to be with her.

Then count to eight.

Eight is the magic number.

Eight is your answer.

You must accept my direction.

You have no hope otherwise.

One...

...two...

...three...

...four...

...five...

...six...

...seven...

...eight.

Put those chairs on either side of the door.

Move that table back.

Sir?

I said I wanted no one here

while I was rehearsing.

Anne.

I'm sorry. I intrude.

I'll go.

No.

You'll do no such thing.

I wanted to see your theater for so long.

You've written so often about it.

Yes, of course.

It's as lovely as you described it

in your beautiful letters.

Come.

Come up on the stage.

Well, do you like it?

It's beautiful.

Is it supposed to be a ballroom?

Yes. It's a ballroom for a play I've written.

I've been working on it night and day.

Poor Louis. I must leave you to work.

No, please. I cherish your concern for me.

My work isn't so important.

But it must be.

There aren't many

who would agree with you.

Tell me...

...why are you the only one who never

asks me why I do the things I do?

Don't I frighten you?

You know you don't.

Perhaps if someone...

...gave you love...

- I must go now.

- No, wait.

I'd like you to wear this.

What is it?

I've always had it.

Then Rene should have it. I must go now.

Come away with me.

Louis, I have no right to be here

and we have no right to talk like this.

All right, I agree. I'll stop.

I'll stop. But please don't go.

I must.

No, wait.

Look.

We're in a ballroom...

...alone.

It may never happen again.

Come.

Dance with me.

Love me.

Not that way, Louis.

Here.

Yes.

It's only make-believe, as you can see.

Yes.

Touch it.

That's right.

You can come out.

Come along.

Come along. Yes.

Louis.

Where are we?

With me, darling.

I was in a nightmare and you called me.

I should have let you sleep.

You really are with me.

"Come to Italy," I said,

and you didn't blink an eye.

You just said yes.

Madness.

Madness, I agree.

- And quite awful.

- No, wonderful.

To run off with you? Awful.

Promise me something.

You'll never leave me.

I will never leave you.

Baron Rothschild's residence,

your Excellency.

Must you see him?

Well, we need money to travel.

No, please.

There's no danger.

At dawn, we'll be in Italy.

Halt!

Drive on!

Fire!

You're trembling, Louis.

Am I?

Why?

Fear.

Why now?

Because I have something to lose now.

I found my moment.

And I don't know...

What?

...if I can hold on to it.

And yet...

You talk in riddles, lover. Yet what?

And yet, on the other hand...

...it can never be taken away from me.

If you step outside that door,

there won't be one friend who will...

...give you even food

to keep you from starving.

I'm not afraid of your threats.

I shall not be dominated by you.

You repeat that like a catechism

you've learned...

...from that man

who has wrecked all of our lives.

Don't you understand

that I'm trying to rescue the last threads...

...of self-respect for all of us?

Lord and Lady de Beaumont have made

a generous offer.

You've bought me their son as a suitor

and call them generous?

For soiled goods,

I should say, very generous.

If I agree, will you have Louis freed?

The de Beaumonts' only condition was that

he should remain where he is permanently.

Yes, just one condition:

That a man stays locked in a filthy prison

and ruins his life.

This is past discussion now.

What I want is your agreement now.

What shall I do, Louis?

I've always been especially

fond of you, my dear.

Despite the discrepancy in our ages,

I feel very close to you in every way.

Abb.

Put your head here and give vent

to your grief over poor, wretched Louis...

...in his faraway prison.

Shed your tears freely,

let them wet my shirt through...

...and sting my loving bosom.

Abb.

How say you, Louis?

Will the moment

when she lusts in bed with me...

...be the moment of reality you seek?

You.

What are you doing here?

I don't need your answer.

I know why you've come.

You've come to gloat.

Come to watch me chained...

...begging for mercy.

Well, what passion does my degradation

arouse in you, madame?

What unspeakable stirrings are there

in your breasts and belly...

...to see poor Louis...

...crushed...

...in his loathsome dungeon?

Well, answer me!

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