The Glass Slipper Page #3

IN THE MIDDLE OF THE TOWN

BECAUSE SOMETHING WAS GOING

ON IN THE STREET AHEAD,

BLOCKING OUR PATH.

IT INVOLVED A CHILD...

A LITTLE GIRL OF ABOUT FIVE.

SHE WAS CRYING IN A SOR OF TRAGIC FRENZY.

SHE'D RUN OUT OF HER HOUSE

IN THE PATH OF THE CARRIAGE,

AND SOME TOWNSPEOPLE WERE

TRYING TO HOLD HER BACK.

I DON'T KNOW

WHAT IT WAS ALL ABOUT.

BUT ONE THING I'VE

REMEMBERED EVER SINCE

IN THE MOST MINUTE DETAIL...

SHE HAD GREAT, AGONIZED,

REBELLIOUS EYES...

FRINGED WITH DARK LASHES,

AND HER CHEEKS WERE WET WITH TEARS.

IT WAS THE MOST TRAGIC

FACE I EVER SAW.

NOT JUST SAD.

IT HAD THE AGONY

OF A GREEK TRAGEDY,

BEYOND HOPE OF COMFORTING.

I'VE NEVER KNOWN SORROW,

NOT REALLY.

BUT EVER SINCE THAT DAY,

I'VE FELT...

I'VE HAD SOME KNOWLEDGE

OF WHAT IT'S LIKE,

OF ALL THE HUMAN SOUL CAN

STAND OF:

PAIN AND MISERY.

AND EVER SINCE THAT DAY,

I FIND IT ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE

TO RESIST A WEEPING WOMAN.

AND IF SHE HAPPENS

TO HAVE EYES LIKE THAT,

I'M LOST.

THIS IS THE PLACE

I WAS TELLING YOU ABOUT.

NOTHING HAS CHANGED.

THAT DAY I RAN AWAY

FROM HOME,

I STRIPPED TO THE BUFF

AND BATHED IN THIS POOL.

HOW COLD IS THE WATER?

VERY COLD.

IT'S FED BY MOUNTAIN STREAMS.

MM. I AM NO LONGER

EIGHT YEARS OLD.

YOU MAY FREEZE ALONE.

[RELAXED GRUNT]

HELLO.

WHAT IS IT?

A NIGHTMARE.

THIS IS MY PLACE.

THAT'S STRANGE.

IT USED TO BE PAR OF THE DUKE'S ESTATE.

NOBODY EVER COMES HERE.

WELL, THEY'RE FOOLS

IF THEY DON'T.

YOU DON'T BELONG HERE.

WHERE DO YOU LIVE?

OVER THERE.

OVER THERE.

THERE IS NOTHING OVER THERE

BUT THE PALACE.

I COULD'VE TOLD YOU THAT.

WHAT OF IT?

WHAT OF IT?

YOU CAN'T LIVE

IN THE DUKE'S PALACE.

WHY NOT?

WE WORK THERE.

OH?

YES. I'M THE NEW

RIDING MASTER,

AND HE'S THE SON

OF THE COOK.

SON OF THE COOK?

THE SON OF THE COOK

AT THE PALACE OF THE DUKE.

HAVE YOU SEEN:

PRINCE CHARLES?

OF COURSE WE HAVE,

OFTEN.

WHAT COLOR IS HE?

MMM...I'D SAY WHITE,

WOULDN'T YOU?

MM-MM.

I MEAN HIS HAIR.

OH. OH, BLACK.

BLACK.

BLACK AS NIGHT.

YOU SEE?

NO.

NO, I DON'T QUITE SEE.

I TOLD THEM IT WAS BLACK.

HOW DID YOU KNOW?

MM, I JUST KNEW.

YOU'RE CLAIRVOYANT.

NO, I'M NOT.

IT'S JUST ASHES,

AND I DON'T CARE.

YOU CAN CALL ME CINDERELLA,

AND I DON'T CARE.

KOVIN.

KOVIN, THE EYES...

THE SAD, REBELLIOUS EYES.

STOP MAKING FUN OF ME!

OH!

[BOTH LAUGHING]

NARRATOR:
THE PRINCE WAS CURIOUS,

SO HE SENT HIS VALE AND HIS GOOD FRIEND KOVIN

INTO THE VILLAGE TO LEARN

WHAT THEY COULD LEARN

ABOUT THE RAGAMUFFIN

HE HAD MET THAT MORNING.

HE LEARNED THAT:

SHE WAS AN UNRULY GIRL,

ILL-MANNERED AND IMPUDENT,

FRIENDLESS,AND EVEN

AN OBJECT OF RIDICULE,

FOR SHE WAS:

IN THE HABIT OF BOASTING

THAT SHE WOULD LIVE

IN THE PALACE SOME DAY.

HE LEARNED THAT:

SHE WAS A GREAT TRIAL

TO HER STEPMOTHER

THE GOOD, KIND WIDOW SONDER.

ON THAT VERY AFTERNOON,

THE WIDOW AND HER DAUGHTERS

WERE ENTERTAINING

COUSIN LOULOU:

WHO LIVED:

ON THE FASHIONABLE HILL.

THE BEST ATTIRE:

AND THE MOST ELEGANT MANNERS

HAD COME OUT OF STORAGE

AND WERE ON DISPLAY.

EVEN ELLA HAD BEEN ORDERED

TO PUT ON HER OTHER DRESS.

COUSIN LOULOU HAD STARTED LIFE

AS A VERY PRETTY HOUSEMAID

IN THE PALACE OF THE DUKE.

AND BY A NATURAL

SEQUENCE OF EVENTS,

PLUS A SMALL TRACE

OF THREATENED BLACKMAIL,

SHE HAD ACQUIRED JEWELS,

A HOUSE ON THE FASHIONABLE HILL,

AND A MEASURE:

OF FINANCIAL SECURITY.

AS YOU CAN SEE,

ELLA WAS NOT PRECISELY

A SERVANT IN THE HOUSE,

BUT SHE WAS ALSO

NOT PRECISELY:

A MEMBER OF THE FAMILY.

COUSIN LOULOU WAS RECEIVING

THE BEST THEY HAD TO GIVE

IN THE WAY OF ADULATION, AGREEMENT,

FLATTERY, AND BLANDISHMENT.

SHE WAS BEING OILED AND CODDLED,

SOAPED AND SALVED.

"YES, COUSIN LOULOU.

"YOU'RE SO RIGHT,

COUSIN LOULOU.

"WHAT A BEAUTIFUL GOWN,

COUSIN LOULOU.

"HOW WE WISH WE, TOO,

HAD AN OPPORTUNITY

"TO BE SO PROFITABLY RUINED

WHILE WE ARE STILL YOUNG.

"HOW WE WISH YOU WOULD DROP DEAD

"AND LEAVE US YOUR MONEY.

SOMETHING'S WRONG.

SOMETHING IS NOT QUITE RIGHT.

DOESN'T THE GIRL

EVER WEAR SHOES?

MUST SHE ALWAYS GO BAREFOO LIKE A PEASANT?

ELLA!

WHERE ARE YOUR SHOES?

I--I CAN GET THEM.

I FORGOT THEM.

I LEFT THEM IN THE DELL.

I'LL GET THEM MAYBE, HUH?

ARE THESE WHA YOU'RE LOOKING FOR?

ALLOW ME.

SIT DOWN.

UH, I'M SORRY I PUSHED YOU

INTO THE WATER.

I DIDN'T MEAN TO.

I DIDN'T MEAN TO HUR YOUR FEELINGS EITHER.

MAY I SIT DOWN:

AND TALK TO YOU?

I HEAR YOU'RE GOING

TO LIVE IN THE PALACE SOMEDAY.

HOW DO YOU KNOW THAT?

YOU'VE BEEN TELLING EVERYBODY

ABOUT IT FOR YEARS.

I KNOW.

I SAY IT MOSTLY:

WHEN THEY LAUGH AT ME.

OH, ISN'T IT TRUE?

OH, YES, IT'S QUITE TRUE.

AND IT'S WONDERFUL

TO THINK ABOUT.

YES, I KNOW WHAT YOU MEAN.

IT'S NICE TO HAVE

SOMETHING TO HOPE FOR.

THAT'S IT.

THAT'S JUST IT.

LIFE CAN BE PRETTY UNBEARABLE

IF YOU DON'T HAVE ANYTHING TO HOPE FOR.

DO YOU HAVE SOMETHING

TO HOPE FOR?

I THINK I'M BEGINNING TO HAVE.

YOU HOPE TO BE:

A VERY GOOD COOK?

A WHAT?

LIKE YOUR FATHER.

OH, YES. YES.

YOU KNOW, IT'S FUNNY.

I USED TO THINK:

IT WOULD BE WONDERFUL

TO HAVE SOMEONE:

TO SIT WITH:

AND TALK TO AND--

AND TELL THEM:

WHAT I THINK:

AND WHAT I FEEL...

WHAT I LIKE AND ALL THAT.

BUT WITH YOU, I--

I DON'T HAVE TO.

I HAVE THE FEELING

THAT IF YOU WANTED TO,

YOU COULD TELL ME

WHAT I THINK:

AND WHAT I FEEL:

AND ALL THAT.

AND YOU KNOW ALL

THE WORST OF ME, TOO,

EH?

TELL ME WHAT YOU THINK

ABOUT SO THA WHEN I DON'T HAVE

ANY THOUGHTS OF MY OWN,

I--I CAN THINK OF YOURS.

[CHIRPING]

LOOK WHAT I CAN DO!

THAT'S VERY INTERESTING.

HA HA HA.

OHH! OOH!

OOH.

OH, I FORGOT.

I BROUGHT YOU SOMETHING.

OH?

IT'S AN INVITATION TO THE BALL

TOMORROW NIGHT.

AN INVITATION:

TO THE BALL?

OH, WELL, I CAN' GO TO THE BALL.

WELL, WHY NOT?

WHAT WOULD I BE DOING

AT THE BALL?

WHERE DID YOU GET IT?

I JUST--OH. OH,

FROM PRINCE CHARLES.

I COOKED A DELICIOUS

POT ROAST FOR HIM,

AND HE REWARDED ME

WITH THIS.

OH.

IT--IT'LL BE NICE TO KEEP IT,

JUST TO LOOK AT IT.

OH, I'D LIKE TO SEE YOU

AT THE BALL.

BUT YOU'D BE TOO BUSY

TO TALK TO ME:

WITH ALL THOSE PEOPLE

TO COOK FOR.

OH, YES. I FORGOT THAT.

WELL, THE BALL

WOULD BE A BORE ANYWAY.

YOU WOULDN'T LIKE IT.

BESIDES I CAN'T DANCE.

OH, EVERY GIRL SHOULD

KNOW HOW TO DANCE.

PARTICULARLY A GIRL

WHO'S GOING TO LIVE

IN THE PALACE SOMEDAY.

LET ME SEE. THERE'S A MINUE AND A POLONAISE.

I'LL SHOW YOU.

COME HERE.

UH, MINUET.

RIGHT FOOT FORWARD.

TOUCH, TOUCH, STEP...

BACK, RIGHT, AND LEFT.

PUT THE LEFT FOOT FORWARD.

TOUCH, TOUCH, STEP BACK,

LEFT AND--

HERE.

MOVE BACK.

THERE.

[HUMMING]

TOUCH, TOUCH,

[HUMMING]

RIGHT, LEFT, RIGHT.

[HUMMING]

LEFT.

[HUMMING]

TOUCH, TOUCH,

[HUMMING]

LEFT, RIGHT, LEFT.

RIGHT HAND...

[HUMMING]

FRONT, BACK,

BOTH:
1, 2, 3.

AND OTHER HAND.

OH.

[HUMMING]

1, 2,

[HUMMING]

5, 6, AND 7, 8.

GOOD!

NOW, UH,

NOW THE POLONAISE.

HOP, STEP, STEP, HOP, STEP, STEP,

HOP, STEP, STEP, CHANGE!

HOP, STEP, STEP, HOP, STEP, STEP,

HOP, STEP, STEP, CHANGE!

[HUMMING]

HOP, STEP, STEP, HOP, STEP, STEP,

[HUMMING]

HOP, STEP, STEP, TURN!

[HUMMING]

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