Interview with the Vampire Page #12

Backs up, smiling, with deliberate reassurance:

GABRIELLE:

It's too soon now to speak of it,

anyway. Let's go out into thecrowd.

They walk down the corridor together:

GABRIELLE:

Let me tell of my most recentdiscovery. Last night I abandonedthe coffin. I slept in the earthitself.

LESTAT:

But how?

GABRIELLE:

I dug deep beneath the ground,

and when the sun set I rose as a

swimmer rising to the surface ofthe sea.

Lestat is fascinated.

(CONTINUED)

62.

CONTINUED:

LESTAT:

So the coffin has no magic power.

It is pure darkness which werequire.

GABRIELLE:

We should leave Paris. I'm tired

of it already. Tired of all these

mortals. I long for exotic placeswhich I have never seen.

They go out into Paris streets.

DISSOLVE TO:

INT. INN (NEW ORLEANS)

Lestat sits at the table staring away from Louis.

Silence. Then...

LESTAT:

I could have told you Armand'slies. That we were the children

of darkness, that we travel the

Devil's Road. That Satan is our

master. I could have used a

pinch of stolen incense when Imade you. And Latin mumbo jumbo.

Instead I made up a little testfor you, that you kill that tavernmaid. And then I told you... whatI've seen for myself.

Lestat looks searchingly at Louis.

LOUIS:

(compassionately)

But Gabrielle. Where is she?

Surely she didn't leave you. Not

in hatred and coldness as Armand.

Louis shakes his head, disapproving.

DISSOLVE TO:

EXT. SNOW-COVERED MOUNTAIN SIDE - FOREST

Lestat and Gabrielle dressed in fur garments walk, armin arm. Then they stop and part and Gabrielle moves onalone...

(CONTINUED)

63.

CONTINUED:

LESTAT (V.O.)

Where is she, tonight? I can not

imagine. What continent, what

nation, what wilderness does she

roam? She was always the lone one.

That was the argument. We never

hated each other. We love each

other even now. It's only that

she sought the wilderness -- the

forests and the mountains. And I

could scarcely bear it. I need

the cities, the lights, the

mortals around me, the things

which men and women have built.

INT. INN (NEW ORLEANS)

LOUIS:

And a companion... at least one of

our kind.

Lestat nods, admitting it defiantly.

LESTAT:

Yes -- not to be the only one

among all the others, not to

know... love.

LOUIS:

And when she left you, you came to

the New World.

Lestat reflects; decides not to answer directly.

LESTAT:

(impishly)

Well, I couldn't stay in Paris.

Armand's power was incalculable.

And there were too many others

left in Paris. I loathe them,

really. And you would too.

LOUIS:

What do they do now?

LESTAT:

What we do. Wander the savage

garden in pairs or little

families. Same thing mortals do,

really. The world's enough to

drive mortals mad if they think

about it. You ought to know.

(CONTINUED)

64.

CONTINUED:

Louis smiles.

LOUIS:

Yes, on that I agree with you.

LESTAT:

And... besides...

(smiles)

They said it couldn't be done,

that no vampire had ever crossedthe great sea. And so I did! As

soon as I could book passage formyself a great ebony coffin!

Lestat laughs. Louis smiles sadly.

LOUIS:

How could I pass up a challengesuch as that?

LESTAT:

Exactly. That's when I learned

to live off rats. And drunken

sailors. Never forget the littledrink. It tortures me, but then

I like being teased... well, for alittle while.

LOUIS:

And the ship did not sink, of

course.

Lestat shrugs.

LESTAT:

What if it had? I can swim better

than a shark. Would you like toswim the river some night, thetwo of us together? I've done it.

I'll race you to the far bank.

Louis shakes his head, no.

LOUIS:

You made one error in judgement,

however.

LESTAT:

Oh? What was that.

LOUIS:

When you found yourself aloneagain -- the only one -- you werea little more desperate thanbefore.

(CONTINUED)

65.

CONTINUED:

LESTAT:

I picked you carefully anddeliberately, Louis. And I've

always found it boring... to bealone.

LOUIS:

(nodding)

Yes, that I understand as well.

LESTAT:

Have patience with yourweaknesses. All our powersincrease with age. When the old

ones give you their blood, whichthey can when they choose, theygive you greater strength.

LOUIS:

Have you drunk the blood of oldones? Have you...? Did you?

Did Armand...

Lestat interrupts.

LESTAT:

Don't let's talk of Armand. It

gives me a mortal headache tothink of Armand. Besides,

reading minds -- it's not such ablessing as you might think. I

don't like knowing when othervampires despise me, or whenmortals find me ugly or don'teven notice me at all!

LOUIS:

As if that ever happens to you!

Lestat preens at the compliment, and shrugs. Suddenly hestands up.

LESTAT:

Come, not only do I hear themortals about me, I breathe their

scent. I hunger for them. We'll

hunt together. I won't let youhate me so soon. I won't let

Armand be proved right, do youhear me?

(CONTINUED)

66.

CONTINUED:

LOUIS:

I want him to be wrong. For yoursake. But I can't bear this,

Lestat. And you know it now.

Choose another, and let me go.

Lestat smiles seductively.

LESTAT:

But Louis, you haven't tried!

EXT. DARK STREET

with lights and NOISE of the CITY in the b.g.

Lestat and Louis walk arm in arm. Partygoers pass them.

A coach rushes by.

LESTAT:

(tenderly)

Pain is terrible for you. You

feel it like no other creature

because you are a vampire. You

don't want it to go on.

LOUIS:

No...

LESTAT:

Do what it is your nature to do.

And you will feel as you felt withher in your arms, your littlechild.

LOUIS:

Wed to her, and weightless as ifin a dance.

LESTAT:

That and more.

Lestat looks about, gets his bearing, is seized by anidea. He takes Louis's hand.

He leads Louis as if searching for some specific place.

LESTAT:

Evil is a point of view. Armand

knew it. You know it. Gabrielle,

my beloved mother never forgot it.

(MORE)

(CONTINUED)

67.

CONTINUED:

LESTAT (CONT'D)

And what we have before us are the

rich feasts that conscience can

never appreciate and mortals cannever know without regret!

Louis almost winces in pain at the accuracy of it. Lestat

quickens the pace as they come to -

LIGHTED BUILDINGS

Lestat speaks while searching each with his gaze.

LESTAT:

God kills, and so shall we. For

no creatures under God are as we

are, none so like him as

ourselves...

LOUIS:

Yes, merciless and greedy and cruel.

That I do believe.

Louis looks at the stars. He is soothed by the breeze.

LESTAT:

Ah, but we have even more in

common with our creator. Come, I

am like a mother tonight. I want

a child.

Louis is baffled. He follows as Lestat enters -

LONG COLONIAL HOSPICE OR SHELTER

with rows of wooden beds. Children moan and cry beneaththe covers. One nurse and one doctor attend, each with

candle in hand.

Lestat peers into the shadows.

LESTAT:

She's there, your wounded one!

LOUIS:

What are you saying? What is this

place? These are foundlings,

starving children...

Intrigued and seduced, he watches as Lestat moves fastdown the ward, and points to Claudia, pale and unconscious

on the bed.

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