Impromptu Page #5

Very. What brings you to Paris?

- My mother's ill.

- Oh.

I've been so depressed.

Seeing friends again will do me good.

How's Franz?

He's very well.

Have you seen the charming Chopin?

No.

- Why do you ask?

- Marie...

I've tried so hard

to put him out of my mind.

You want him very badly.

For a few heavenly minutes

I thought I had him, too.

In Angers, remember,

I wore that dress. Our eyes met...

You won't get him with a dress.

On the contrary, my dear.

I know the man.

He is not a man. He is a woman.

He's all emotion and refinement.

He has very few defences.

You must win him as a man wins a woman.

If anyone can do it, you can, George.

This is enlightening. Tell me more.

How does a man pursue a woman?

He flings himself at her feet,

follows her everywhere.

Wherever she turns, he is there,

pouring into her ear

only what she most wants to hear.

His passion frightens her,

but a woman

will always bend toward a strong man,

just as the vine stretches

toward the wall.

A woman is always on the point

of abandoning herself anyhow.

It only takes one firm push.

You are sublime!

A true friend.

Ah!

Yes. Those are marvellous.

Yes.

This is from...

George Sand.

Thank you.

And I want something

with a much thinner, narrower line.

Yes, that is good, I think.

In fact, you could make this

even more...

No, I don't want this.

Take it off, please.

You are so good to escort me tonight.

People shun me unless I am

on the arm of someone respectable.

I do not understand your concern. You

will find nothing but friends at Eugene's.

Friends? Ha!

- You are fatally sweet.

- Hm.

I wonder if George will be there.

She has the most alarming way

of turning up everywhere I go.

I'm beginning to find it unnerving.

She has a desperate purpose.

What do you mean?

A while ago she was out drinking

and gambling... she leads a rough life...

and she boasted that...

Let's not talk about it. I fear I am

about to commit a tremendous faux pas.

Socially she is too bizarre, but somehow

I find her very compelling.

I wonder if she is different when alone.

She boasted

that you are to be her next lover.

Alfred was there.

He's still the love of her life.

He put money on it

you wouldn't be seduced.

Yes, they made you the object of a bet.

Well, you know

she's eternally in need of money.

Here we are.

You have the most priceless expression

on your face.

There's Mallefille.

We can be sure George is here.

He's still following her like a tail.

Darling, it's so good to see you.

- I didn't know you'd be here.

- I didn't either.

Chopin hates my paintings.

No. Dear friend, I am just a musician.

What do I know?

They... They are very...

- Are you ill?

- No.

I only wish to lie down for a minute.

I have a room just to the side

where you can relax.

It's all right, everyone.

She's going to be all right.

- What do you suppose is wrong?

- She's probably pregnant again.

There's George.

Excuse me. I have no desire

to speak to that woman.

Chopinsky! You hiding from George too?

You would know the reason.

I don't want to spoil a good

drunken stupor by imagining your reason.

Ever since the latest chapter

of her egregious memoir was published,

I can hardly show my face anywhere.

Did you read her latest novel?

It's not literature, it's drainage.

She only wrote good books

when she was with me.

Every morning while she was sleeping

I'd cross out half her adjectives.

Hercules could not have done it.

He'd have rather

cleaned out the bloody stables.

Know what's funny?

- She doesn't come.

- Oh.

She makes a lot of pretty noise,

but she can't come.

Like her books... lovesick posturing

and pretence for quick money.

Oh, what a whore she is.

This is despicable. You are drunk.

My only regret is that I didn't put 20 francs

on the mantelpiece the first time.

I can assure you, monsieur,

that Madame Sand will gain no money

from you on my account.

Hm?

Eugene!

Where's angel fingers? I've lost him.

- He's taking the Countess d'Agoult home.

- Oh.

If you plan to invade Poland,

you should know that the countess

has placed her troops at the border.

What are you talking about?

- I read a love letter she wrote to him.

- What letter? What did it say?

Marie's jealous of you.

She couldn't stand it

if you got a better composer than hers.

I don't know why I dress up.

Nothing here but old men.

You should bring

that Mallefille fellow with you.

- He's at Nohant tutoring the children.

- So you took my advice and kept him.

No. It's all over with us.

- What does he say to that?

- Oh...

He threatens to kill me and himself

if I leave him.

He's been reading

too many of your books!

- Let's stop here.

- Mama, it is too cold for you here.

No, it's a lovely day.

Why should the last thing I see

be a priest with the face of a dustbin?

I'm not afraid to stand before my maker.

God can accuse me of many things,

but I defy him to say I haven't loved him.

Yes. Yes, that's pretty.

Now the ribbons, hm?

No, it's too heavy.

Yes, in a bow.

So hot.

Will you be going back to Nohant?

Yes, Mama.

I want you to take me with you.

- You always hated it there.

- No, I didn't.

I felt excluded, that's all.

I never excluded you.

I needed you.

You never needed anybody.

Always running off alone in the woods.

All the servants out calling "Aurora!"

Aurora?

- Where did you go?

- In the woods?

I wasn't going anywhere.

I was just running.

Mama? Mama?

Good. Yes, you've learned

a great many notes, Your Highness.

I think it's just a question

of joining them together... legato.

Simplicity is the hardest thing.

It's the final thing.

Well, er...

- Next week, then?

- Yes.

Good day, Your Highness.

Monsieur, Baroness Dudevant is here.

Baroness Dudevant?

I don't think I know her.

Well, send her in.

This is the first time

I've found a use for my title.

You are incredible!

I only need a minute of your time,

then I'll go.

Very well. I'll give you

exactly one minute.

I am leaving Pa...

I am leaving Paris.

You can't have failed to notice

I've been pursuing you.

I'm in love with you.

I don't know you at all...

I don't know you at all,

but I know this:

you are great.

You have made a single instrument

speak the language of God.

And I wanted to learn it from your lips,

you see.

Anyway, you...

You don't want me and...

it's become complicated,

like everything between two people.

It seems to me a pity,

because it could have been so simple.

I'm begging you to give this up.

I know that you're in need, with your

children and your mother's funeral.

Why don't you take this?

Then you can call off the bet.

What bet?

I know you have sworn to seduce me,

and at this rate you will succeed, so...

That's a disgusting lie!

Who told you that? Marie?

She's a good friend,

I have no reason to doubt her.

Once I wrote you a letter

and asked her to deliver it.

I found out

that she signed her own name to it!

Surely you realise

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