Svengali Page #5

---

her. They

have a better right to her than you have.

(Scuffling)

May you be cursed for touching me.

May death strike you down.

- Music -

Has she come back yet?

No, Billy.

You call yourself a friend.

Why didn't you stick up for her?

All that hypocritical rot and humbug about

not being good enough for me, and you agreed with

it.

He didn't agree. We only...

She must have told you where she was going. Tell

me where she is.

We don't know.

Yes, you do. Tell me, or I'll kill you.

We don't know, Billy.

I promise you. I wish we did.

I don't care where she is, I'll find her.

And I'll never forgive you, you treacherous, rotten

Judas.

You stood by and let those two meddling

idiots smash my life to pieces.

Will you listen...

Take your hands off me and get out of the way.

Billy, come back, you raving idiot!

Sandy, he shouldn't be out alone.

(Yelling)

- Music -

- Music -

Billy! Billy! Billy!

I'm afraid I brought you a long

way for nothing, Mr. McAIlister. He won't see you.

Perhaps it was Taffy you should have sent for.

No, he won't see anyone, not even his family.

But you told me in your letter he was recovering.

I thought so. I hoped so.

But what we didn't realize is that he

doesn't want to recover.

I didn't know when I went over to Paris to

try and help him that I was doing anything wicked.

I thought I was doing right.

Now the doctor says he may never walk again.

If only he'd be angry with me or reproach me.

But all he does is work at his painting, and he

doesn't talk. It's breaking my heart.

I may not be able to do much good, but

I'd like to see him, anyway.

Hello, Billy. I don't care how many doctors have told

you you can't walk.

You're going to walk again.

If the only person who can make you do it is

Trilby, I'm going to go back to Paris and find her.

You still love her, don't you?

No.

Of course you do.

And she still loves you.

There's only one thing you have to do. Get well.

- Music -

(Knocking)

Svengali.

Where have you been all these months?

Why does nobody answer this door when I knock?

Because there's no one there anymore.

Why? Where have they gone?

Back to England six months ago. Billy had an

accident.

What kind of an accident?

Acoach knocked him down. Didn't you know?

So poor Billy.

Has he recovered?

I don't know. I haven't heard from them.

Do you know where Trilby is?

No. Nobody does. She's vanished from Paris.

I shall find her.

Then you'll be smarter than the rest of us have been.

I am smarterthan the rest of you.

- Music -

She is not far away. She is in Paris.

- Music -

She is coming here.

- Music -

- Music -

Svengali.

What is the matter?

My headaches have come back.

There will be no more headaches.

You are asleep. The real world is a bad dream.

Only when you sleep like this will you find peace.

Now you are in a world which I have made for you.

A beautiful world in which there are no

headaches and the heart does not break and men

do not betray you. Do you like this world I have made

for you, Trilby?

Yes, I do.

Do you still miss Billy?

Yes, I do.

There is no such person as Billy! Say that!

There is no such person as Billy.

There is only you and your singing and Svengali.

For I have a power over you which nothing but death

can break.

- Music -

Sing that note!

I can't.

Yes, you can. And I will tell you how.

I will form it for you correctly, and I shall

pitch it true. But it will not come from my throat.

It will come from yours. I am a great singer. Say that.

I am a great singer.

I am a great singer.

I am a great singer.

- Music and singing -

You use your arms like a washer when you

move from one foot to the other like a cab

horse. Keep still! Look outwards towards me.

Put your hands behind your back so I can't

see them washing my shirts and keep your great feet

still.

I will trample on them.

Don't blubber like an idiot.

Work. Concentrate.

It is in your throat and your mouth you

sing, not with your hands and feet, you

great, stupid, beautiful clown!

- Music and singing -

- Music and singing -

(Applause)

(Laughing)

- Music and singing -

- Music and singing -

- Music -

- Music and singing -

It can't be Trilby.

It is.

(Singing)

(Applause)

Where are you going?

To the stage door.

It can't be the Trilby we knew, Sandy.

Leave well alone.

(Crowd noise)

Trilby. Don't you remember me?

Monsieur has obviously mistaken

Madame Svengali for someone else.

Trilby. Trilby, it's Sandy.

The Laird. You must remember us.

We've been searching for you everywhere, Trilby.

The lady's name is not Trilby.

Monsieurs had too much to drink. Drive on.

It's Billy.

He's been ill ever since his accident.

Only you can help him, Trilby.

Drive on! Drive on!

Trilby! In the name of God, the boy's dying. Trilby!

Turn around and laugh

(Laughing)

I told you to leave well alone.

But that was Trilby.

Once.

William, The Laird is back from Paris.

Tell him to come in.

Come in.

Hello, Billy.

I brought an old friend of yours to see you.

Hello, Billy.

Did you find her?

I have a lot to tell you.

Some of it easy, some of it not so easy.

Did you find her?

Yes, he did.

Well?

She's changed a great deal, Billy.

I told you not to go, not to be a fool.

You're so sure you were right.

We don't know yet that Trilby has changed

in her heart, Billy.

But outwardly she has changed.

Or someone has changed her.

Who?

Svengali.

Svengali? But she'd never allow him near her.

I don't believe you've found her at all.

Yes, I did. She's become a famous singer, Billy.

Is that meant to be a joke?

No. Svengali's done something to her voice.

What are you talking about?

It's true, Billy.

I don't believe any of it.

And you ought to know Trilby better than to

believe any of it yourselves.

You've been lying to me. You didn't see her.

Son, you'll make yourself ill again.

Why are you lying to me?

Billy, try and understand.

Tell me the truth.

My son.

What's happened to Trilby? I must know.

Can't you see it's killing me?

Yes, God forgive me, I can.

Nobody's lying to you, Billy.

Will you tell me the truth, then?

You saw her, and she told you she wanted no part of

me.

That's it, isn't it? Admit it.

Durien for pity's sake, be careful.

I can only tell you what I believe.

I believe she's never needed you in her

whole life as much as she needs you now.

Where is she?

Here in London.

- Music -

Do you see that box? That is where I shall sit.

I shall not be conducting you, understand?

Here in England, Gecko will conduct you.

When you come onto the stage tonight, I shall be

there in that box.

There in that box.

Begin the rehearsal.

- Music -

(Singing)

Stop. Where do you think you are?

Back in the laundry?

This is Covent Garden, not kitchen garden.

The English may not know much, but they

know the difference between a singer and a tom cat.

Sing, you great, clumsy fool. Forget

your laundry and your stupid empty wits and sing.

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes