The Mad Genius Page #6

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Where is Tsarakov?

I cannot stand this any longer.

You want me, my son?

What's wrong, huh?

I can't go on this way.

What do you want changed?

Everything. Dismiss everybody.

I must have new people. New scenes.

I won't appear in this town.

But my dear son, the bills are up,

the whole house is sold out.

Well, tear them down.

Call the tickets back.

I'll open the ballet in

Berlin or not at all.

But .. that is impossible.

Impossible? Nothing is impossible.

I must get away while I can breathe.

I've said all there is to say.

We open in Berlin.

Quiet, quiet.

What's going to happen?

Isn't he magnificent, huh?

What temperament .. what an artist.

What a genius, huh?

But don't pay any attention to him.

We open tonight as scheduled, of course.

Now, in your places. We do it all

over again, to see what's wrong.

What are you doing here?

I lost my collar button.

Pah!

Concentration!

Go right through it when

you're ready, Serge.

[ Door knocks ]

Come in.

Good morning, fair flower.

Oh, it's you, Robert. Good morning.

Gracious lady.

Deign to accept my humble gift.

Observe. They have been kissed

by the dews of the morning.

Yet the blooms wait for the caress of

your breath and the touch of your hand.

Once nestled in your bosom, they

will again lift up their fairy heads.

And smile like the hope of heaven ..

On a field of grey.

Robert, you are very poetic this morning.

Oh no. It's just a song I heard

at the Caf Casanova.

Nevertheless it was thoughtful.

And the flowers are very lovely.

It's easy to think of you, my dear.

There it is .. that faraway look again.

What are you thinking of?

Tell me, Nana.

You don't really love me, do you?

What do you think?

I don't think you do.

Robert. You are the dearest,

sweetest man in the world.

You've been simply wonderful.

Yes, yes. I know, I know, I know.

Let's talk of other things.

By the way.

Did you know that Tsarakov is opening

his new ballet here in Berlin next week?

I know. I read it in the paper.

You would like to see Fedor?

Did you think I couldn't guess that?

Look.

I've already reserved a

box for the opening night.

Robert, you darling!

Yes, yes. Let's talk about the weather.

Isn't he marvellous? The greatest

dancer in the whole world, that boy.

He'll even be greater when he

appears in the story I've written.

Say, if you have a little time

between now and the next fire.

I'd like to have you read this over.

The whole scene takes place in Spain.

Forget about it.

Morning girls. In your places.

All ready for the next act.

Fedor. Fedor!

Oh, my son you were great!

You were magnificent.

You drove them wild!

Keep it up.

In this next act, you'll show them you're

the greatest artist they've ever seen.

There isn't going to be any next act.

Ha? What do you mean?

I mean, I'm not going on.

I'm through.

I saw her, Tsarakov.

Nana's out there.

I knew she was there

before I saw her in the box.

What can she mean to you?

She belongs to Renaud.

I love her .. I've always loved her.

When I saw her in the box just now.

When I saw her face.

I knew that she loved me.

Ah .. you're excited my son.

The opening night.

I know now.

You've always tried to keep us apart.

That's why she left me in Paris.

You made her.

You forced her to leave me.

I was crazy to ever give her up.

I was crazy to trust you all this time.

I was weak.

But I'm not weak any longer.

I tell you I'm not going on.

I'm through.

Now listen to me.

For fifteen years.

I've devoted my entire life to you.

I've poured my soul, my brain, into you.

I've sacrificed everything in the world.

Everything, do you hear?

For your career.

I've lied ..

I've cheated ..

I've crushed ..

I've even crushed myself.

So that you should apper greater than I.

I thought I'd given you strength

enough to rise above everything.

You haven't risen, you've fallen.

You're not strong.

You're weak.

But all of me is in you still.

All the strength I've poured

into that weak soul.

So you can't fail me now.

If you fail me now.

I'll kill you.

I'll kill you.

Now, get on your clothes

for the next act.

Don't you understand? It's the climax

of our great career and all our work!

You young fool!

You can be a flame that

will dazzle the world.

Come on.

Next act!

Last act!

In your places.

Places.

Places.

Dead ..

Plaster.

What are you doing?

What are you doing?

Are you mad?

Look at it! It is cardboard. It is plaster.

It is dead.

It should be alive.

It should be squirming with

blood oozing from its veins.

It should be a human being.

You .. you are the Idol!

If you have any blood.

I don't need to look for it.

I've got it.

I've taken it.

Tsarakov!!

Look .. it's Tsarakov!

Fedor.

Oh, Fedor!

Nana.

Fedor.

Nana.

Kiss me.

Nana.

My darling.

T-G

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