Svengali Page #2

---

She's enchanting.

Believe me, gentlemen, I could

teach that clumsy creature to sing

well enough for the Paris opera.

Have a cigarette.

Merci, monsieur.

So you're an expert on singing as well as everything

else?

I can teach. Ay, Gecko?

He's the greatest teacher in the world, gentlemen. A

true genius.

He'd need to be to teach her to sing in tune.

Do not underestimate me, my friends.

I do not play in the gutter because the world ignores

me.

It is I who ignore the world for the moment.

When the time comes for me to reveal my true

genius, I shall do it.

Then the world will be at my feet.

But only I shall decide when that moment shall be.

Meantime, I prepare, I teach.

Observe how I taught Gecko to play.

Gecko, play.

- Music -

There they go again. Don't they ever do any work?

You know, Durian, I just met somebody I could really

like.

Not our friend Svengali, I hope.

(Laughing) No.

I don't know which he needs most, a lesson in

manners or a good scrub. No, it's a young

Englishman.

Sad eyes and a limp. He needs looking after like my

fatherdid.

Heaven help him.

- Music -

This is your first art class?

Yes, monsieur.

Monsieur, it is obvious you have no talent whatever.

Monsieur, I agree.

He agrees, he agrees.

Monsieur, have you ever been tied to a

ladder and dipped in the Seine?

No, monsieur.

The Seine is a very wet river.

Very wet.

I'm sure it is.

Are you prepared to be tied to a ladder and dipped

into it?

If there's no alternative.

Is there alternative?

If you have one, monsieur, submit it.

I submit that I invite my fellow

students to a round of rum punch.

Accepted.

(Laughter)

(Cheering)

To Billy.

To his undying genius.

To his pocketbook.

(Cheering)

Well, my boy, do you consider yourself

well and truly successtully christened?

Well, you are one of us now, huh? Vive la Boheme.

Vive la Boheme.

May you grow to be so famous and

prosperous that one day I will be able to

say ah, poor Trilby remembers him when he

wasn't too proud to cling a glass with her.

But you'll have forgotten me then.

Never.

Of course you will. Trilby, you'll say. Trilby?

Oh, yes, I do recall a model by that name.

She came to a bad end, I believe.

(Laughing)

Oh, yes, people like me always come to a bad end.

Trilby, have you christened our initiate?

Not yet. I haven't even had time to drink his health.

Christen. Christen him now.

Right. I declare that from nowon, you are accepted

as a great artist and a brother at arms.

Ah. (Laughter)

Return the courtesy, monsieur.

Go on. What are you waiting for, old age to set in?

(Laughter)

Kiss her properly.

Or we'll throw you in the Seine.

Into the river, splash.

I'm afraid it's a custom, you know.

Ah.

Trilby, a song.

Sing us a song, Trilby.

(Cheering)

- The bird sleeping gently, sweet Luna gleameth -

- bright, her rays tinge the forest, and all... -

I don't know whether it's just that

I'm getting used to it, but it doesn't sound as

bad as it did the first time.

It's just you're getting used to it.

- The bird sleeping gently, sweet Luna -

- gleameth bright, her rays tinge the forest, -

- and all seems glad tonight. -

- Music -

Good day.

Good day.

What is the matter? Have you been crying?

No. Just one of my headaches.

Shall I cure it for you?

You can't. They always last all day.

I can cure it.

Come with me.

I wish to use your studio.

Mademoiselle Trilby has the headache.

I will take it away.

Certainly. Come in, Trilby.

Thank you.

Anything I can do to help?

Yes.

Keep silent.

Sit here.

Gecko, a cushion.

The pain is bad, hmm?

Yes.

It is here?

Uh-huh.

Do not take your eyes away from mine.

Now you are going to go to sleep, Trilby.

When you wake, the pain will be gone.

Sleep.

Come here.

Do you see?

She is asleep, but she is able to speak to you.

Ask her something.

Are you asleep, Trilby?

Answer him.

No, I'm not asleep.

Do you know who it is who asked you that?

Yes.

Billy.

What is your opinion of Billy?

I like him best.

(Laughing)

Well, well, well, she

likes you best, you lucky fellow.

Tell her to open her eyes and look at you if

she loves you so much.

Tell her.

Can you open your eyes and look at me,

Trilby?

Now she will not be able to open her mouth.

Ask her.

I've had enough of this.

Bring her back to her senses.

If she loves you so much, tell her to open

her mouth and speak to you.

Tell her.

Why didn't you open your eyes when I asked

you to just now, Trilby?

Now she will not be able to rise from her chair,

either.

Ask her.

Ask her.

No, I won't.

Very well.

Now I will set her free. Trilby,

your headache has gone.

Sleep no more.

Why, it's gone.

I haven't got a headache anymore.

No.

I have got it myself here in the elbow.

I shall keep it as a memento.

Every time you have a pain, you shall come to

me and I will cure you and take the pain myself.

Gecko, out.

Truly?

Do you truly mean that?

How can I ever thank you?

The time will come when you can thank me,

but not yet.

- Music-

How wonderful.

How wonderful of him.

I hope you never let him do that to you again.

Why, Billy, if you had a headache and he

could cure you, wouldn't you let him?

No, I would not.

Why not?

Do you think I've got answers to

everything like Svengali?

Because I haven't.

What's the matter?

Nothing.

Nothing.

Nothing.

Except that I should never have come here to Paris.

I don't belong here.

I don't fit in.

It's not my world.

I don't understand it.

I should go back to England.

Then you'd be running away from

something, wouldn't you?

How do you know I wasn't running away

from something when I came here to Paris?

Were you?

Myself, perhaps.

(Door Opening)

(Door Opening)

Why, if it isn't Mademoiselle Trilby,

the great art critic herself.

There you are, Monsieur Taffy.

I brought something especially for you.

What?

I borrowed some from Papa Martin.

A real rag picker.

He's one of my oldest friends.

A rag picker?

Yes.

Why not?

He is not stuck up.

(Laughter)

Now these are the right things.

All you need is a model.

What are we waiting for?

(AII The Men Shout)

- Oh, the birds singing gently... -

Oh no.

- Sweet Luna gleameth bright -

- Music-

There's just enough left for you.

Hold out your glass.

Thank you.

I ought to leave it for a guest, but I'm

enjoying myself too much.

I thought you hated us all and wanted to go

back to England.

I never said I hated anyone.

I only wish it was as easy as that.

I don't believe you really know what you want.

- Music-

Taffy, that's the last of the claret.

The cellar's dry.

No, nonsense.

There's a bottle out there in the kitchen

under the table. I put it there myself.

You didn't.

You drank it.

Who, Taffy? All of it?

No, all of you.

And Billy was going to get some more, but he forgot.

What's the matter with your memory these days,

Billy?

It's your fault, Trilby, isn't it Laird.

Yes.

Mine?

Yes.

Ever since you desired to adopt the three of

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes