The Mad Genius Page #5

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He is a great dancer.

Yes.

Such is life. Here today, gone tomorrow.

Here. Take the strip over to Tsarakov.

Come on now, snap into it.

Wait a minute. Whoa.

Hold it, Louis.

Terrible.

For the love of Mike,

what do you call that?

If you ever did that over in Jersey

they'd give you a barrage effect.

And they told me you were a dancer.

Well, I try. But ..

I don't understand.

That's the trouble with you foreigners.

You have no idea of rhythm.

Get and eyeful of real rhythm.

Go ahead, Louis.

Watch that.

That's what you got to do.

Now try and get it.

And if you don't, you get the gate.

Come on, Louis. Let's go.

Da, de, da, da, de ..

Oh, baby.

[ Singing ]

"You've got that charm,

that certain charm."

"That makes young

farmers leave the farm."

"Oh, oh red-hot Mama."

"Do-de-do. Boopy doop.

Red-hot Mama."

Nana.

Yes, sweet?

Why .. I must have fallen asleep.

Been home long?

Just came in this minute.

Tired, dear?

Not now.

Your skin feels hot and dry.

Like a fever .. you should see a doctor.

You are all the doctor I need.

Why do you play at being happy, Fedor?

I understand, dear.

He is here.

Tonight ..

You should be dancing .. as a star.

But because of me, you're ..

Nana! No, no ..

No.

Oh, I love you.

Oh, my darling.

That faraway look in your eyes

always goes when you kiss me.

Do you want to kiss me

so often because of that?

We mustn't talk like this.

The only way to be happy is to

forget everything, but our love.

How can we forget Tsarakov?

Sometimes, I almost

think I could admire him.

For the very power that

should make me despise him.

Like some ignorant savage,

before a hideous God.

Wanting to run, but staying to worship.

With his face in the mud.

Fedor.

Your voice. The way you said that.

Why, it might have been Tsarakov.

Tsarakov?

Don't laugh like that! I've

heard the same thing before.

As though you were suddenly him.

Tsarakov!

Fedor.

You are not going without your dinner.

Perhaps I had better begin to

learn what starvation means.

Business has been

very bad at the cabaret.

Fedor!

Name and address?

Nina La Vernier. Rue De Terriere.

Quarante-deux

It's a little out of my neighbourhood,

but I'll mark it down anyway.

Esmeralda O'Brian. Theatre Odeon.

Hey.

You're a foreigner, huh?

O'Brian?

Uhuh.

And you want to be a ballet dancer?

Yes!

You want to be a great ballet dancer?

Yes!

Come to my office, three o'clock.

Oh ..

There is a lady to see you.

She says it's very important.

What's her name?

Nana, Carlova.

Who?

Nana Carlova.

Show her in my office.

Martinelli.

[ French language ]

Don't forget, three o'clock.

Make it four o'clock.

Ah .. my dear Nana.

You are surprised?

Surprised?

I am delighted.

It warms my heart.

You haven't forgotten old Tsarakov, huh?

I read that the ballet was in Paris.

And so you came. I'm so glad.

Wouldn't you have been better

pleased if someone else had come?

Oh, you mean Fedor?

Oh, poor Fedor.

Yes, I often think of him.

Is he still dancing?

Why ..?

Oh, I remember.

Oh, yes.

Too bad. Too bad.

Does it please you to hurt me that way?

What makes you think

I wish to hurt you, Nana?

You asked me that question, when all the

time you know everything about Fedor.

Hmm.

Yes, as a matter of fact I do.

Fedor!

Dancing in the Montmartre Cabaret.

Who sent him there?

Why my dear child, you did.

Who made him break his contract?

You did.

How could I help his loving me?

Why did you come to see me, Nana?

I ..

I want you to .. take him back.

Hmm. Are you willing to give him up?

Give him up?

How else can I take him back?

But I love him.

Oh, you don't know what love means.

I think Fedor knows what it means.

He ought to by this time.

He sacrificed everything for it.

What have you sacrificed in return?

I can visualise your life together.

With Fedor as a grocer's

clerk or a waiter.

Deadening his nerves with

the excitement of your love.

No!

Using it as a drunkard uses

liquor until there isn't any left.

No. No, stop.

Before such a thing.

I'll do anything. I'll go away.

Go away?

That would only make your

image the size of a mountain.

To do him any good at all, you've

got to tear yourself out of his heart.

What do you mean?

Listen, my dear Nana.

You know the story of Camille, huh?

Why yes, of course.

Play her role.

You mean .. another man?

That's an excellent remedy

for a broken heart.

And Count Renaud is in Paris.

Renaud?

Listen to me.

I am willing to purge my soul.

To sacrifice every element

of decency and truth.

And push them in the mud.

To show the world this boy's genius.

You, who love him so.

What are you willing to do, huh?

He kissed me such a little while ago.

I feel his arms still around me.

Oh, it would be horrible.

Ha! I can't argue with you.

He is in your hands.

Wait!

I will go on one condition.

There are no conditions.

Renaud is leaving tonight for Berlin.

You must leave with him openly.

But if I .. Listen to me!

Do you want to help this boy or not?

Yes.

Then you will do what I tell you.

Don't cry. Sit down. Hello.

We'll help him out together. Hello?

Champs Elyse. Cent quarante-six

Shush. Don't cry. Sit down.

We'll help him between us.

Hello, Renaud.

Shut up. Shush.

Hello? Yes. Tsarakov.

Shush.

I have something amusing to tell you.

Hush!

Aha? You are leaving tonight?

You don't want to travel

alone do you? No.

Nana.

Nana!

Nana!

Nana.

What are you doing here?

You are late, Fedor.

She is gone.

What do you mean?

What I say. She has gone to Berlin.

With Count Renaud.

That's a lie.

You think I deliberately lie to you?

To see you suffer?

Haven't I told you there

wasn't a woman alive ..

Who didn't have her price?

If she's gone with Renaud,

you forced her to it.

You made her believe it was her duty.

Is there any power on earth that could

make you treat her in such a fashion?

To leave without warning,

with another woman?

Is there?

Answer me .. is there?

No.

But Nana loved me. I know it.

I know.

And her price .. is to be rid of fear.

Fear of the day when you realize

your mistake for yourself.

You think my ambition is small and mean.

But the force of it ..

Reaches to the stars!

The force of her love ..

Reaches only to Renaud.

Come, my son.

We've work to do.

We have work to do.

Ha ha. This one is good.

Listen to this one, Nana.

It was their wedding night.

The timid bride knelt by the

bedside saying her prayers.

The groom waited patiently beside her.

At last, she said:

"And now I lay me down to sleep."

And the groom said:

"Oh, yeah?"

Have you heard it?

Stop it. Stop it I tell you!

I can stand no more.

Serge.

You prance around like cows.

Serge. You expect me to

appear with a herd like that?

But Fedor, what's wrong?

Ah, you sicken me.

Get out if you don't

understand what I want.

Go on with it.

No good!

It's all wrong!

Tsarakov, where is Tsarakov?

Why do I have to endure such clowns?

And you!

I know. I'm fired again.

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