Twice Told Tales Page #3

my dear.

A new future begins

for us tonight.

Go on, my dear.

Carl,

couldn't this wait

until tomorrow?

I've done nothing else

but wait.

No, no, no, there'll be

no more wasted years,

no more

wasted minutes.

Life is

too precious.

Go on, my dear,

put it on.

I want to see you

as lovely and radiant

as you should be.

Then we'll burn

all this in the fireplace

with all the other

memories of the past.

Oh.

As my best friend, Alex,

you must give the bride away

tomorrow at our wedding.

Well, it's so late.

Must we discuss

it now?

Well, you don't seem

very enthusiastic

about our wedding.

What do you expect?

I just haven't grown

used to all this, yet.

Carl.

Yes?

There's something

I must say to you.

Yes?

It's about Sylvia.

What is it you want

to say to me,

my old friend?

That you ruined

my life once?

That you're about

to do it again?

You heard us?

Or are you trying

to tell me

that you turned Sylvia

into little more

than a harlot?

Carl!

Carl!

Don't.

Use reason.

Carl.

Argh!

Argh!

Carl.

Forgive me, I...

Carl.

We were such

good friends.

The water doesn't last.

Sylvia!

Oh, no.

You've stopped.

Don't stop, damn you.

Don't stop. I need you.

You've taken Carl

and Sylvia away from me.

You left me nothing.

You left me nothing.

Nothing.

Man's dream

of eternal youth:

An illusion that begins

with the first

awakening of his mind

and lasts

until the moment

when he goes

to his final rest.

Only a dream, perhaps.

But what would life be

without our dreams?

Among the most beautiful

and wonderful

of the lord's creations

are the things that grow

from the earth.

It is strange, indeed,

that the verdant green

of grass and leaf,

the myriad colors

and fragrances of flowers,

all meant to be solace

to the soul of man,

can be so distorted

that their very essence

become evil,

their only use, death.

Mistress Rappaccini.

I must apologize

if I frightened you.

But after seeing

you down there

for the past three days,

I was lost.

I had to find out your name.

Fortunately, my landlady is

an understanding woman.

I'm Giovanni Guasconti.

How do you do,

Mr. Guasconti?

Now, if you'll

forgive me--

Oh, but wait.

I wanted to talk to you.

What is it you wish to say,

Mr. Guasconti?

Well, I, uh...

This is my first time

in Padua.

I'm going

to the university.

I'm from Naples.

I've read

about Naples.

Well, it's much bigger

than Padua,

and has

a beautiful bay.

In the sun,

it glistens

like a necklace

that should be hung

around a pretty girl's neck.

May I come down there

and tell you more about it?

No!

No. I...

I'm sorry.

I must bring this package

to the house immediately.

When can we talk again?

Signore ,

I have brought you

fresh bedding.

Being my landlady

doesn't give you

the privilege of

spying on me.

I-I-I felt responsible. I...

I told you her name.

Then tell me

why she acted

so afraid of me.

I can only tell you

what I know.

In the 20 years that they have

allowed me to live here,

I have never seen

a visitor

go into that house.

Why?

Make of it

what you will.

You will study

chapters 3,

4,

and 5.

I hope you do

better this time.

Now, off with you.

Professor.

Ah, my young friend,

Giovanni.

You get to look more like

your father every day.

You have some question

about the lesson?

Uh, no, sir. It's, uh...

Quite personal. It's...

It's about a girl.

Oh?

One minute, I think

I'm in love with her.

The next minute,

I say to myself:

"How can that be,

Giovanni?"

I've never even been close

enough to hold her hand.

And you think

this is a problem

an old science

professor can solve?

You've lived in Padua

all your life.

You might know

the family.

The name is

Rappaccini.

This girl is

called Beatrice?

Then you do know her?

I have never seen her.

No one has...

Except you,

apparently.

This is crazy.

20 years ago,

the girl's father,

Giacomo Rappaccini,

taught science

in this very room.

There were many who thought

he was destined to be

the greatest scientist

of our century.

Then, suddenly,

he gave up his career--

everything.

He locked himself

inside his house

and no one

has seen him since.

But what of Beatrice?

Surely, she--

she may have been

the cause of it.

No one really knows.

All that the people of Padua

have learned is that

after the girl

was born,

Rappaccini's wife

deserted him,

ran away

with another man.

That was when

he left the university

and locked his door

in the face of the world.

Come, come,

there are plenty

of other girls in Padua.

Thank you, professor.

You've been very kind.

What's the matter,

father?

Has it grown

too strong for you?

The radiation

from the acid's heat

has exceeded even

my expectations.

Nevertheless, you know

that I could destroy it

if I wished to.

But then I would die.

And you don't want

to lose us both...

Do you?

Beatrice.

You fail to see

the humor, father?

The infusion will

take three blooms.

You will get them.

We share the same life,

my friend,

only you're

the more fortunate.

You don't have

to think.

Lisabetta did well.

These are fine specimens.

Your daughter

is a fine specimen, too,

is she not, father?

A specimen of the

most deadly thing

that was ever given life.

The day will come

when you will thank me.

How long would it take

for me to die

if these infusions

didn't take place?

My only concern is

with your life.

No matter.

The only difference

in being dead

is that this house

is bigger than a grave.

10 seconds...

And the potency

is correct.

Shall we give

the poor creature

a burial, father?

We could inscribe

on its gravestone:

"It died that Beatrice

Rappaccini might live."

You never understand

how fortunate you are

that none of the world's

sin can touch you.

As it touched my--

I do not wish

to hear her name.

Of course not.

Lock it

from your mind,

as you've locked us

from the world.

The world?

What is this sudden picture

you have of the world?

A stupid boy

on a balcony?

Is that

what you see?

I see a human being

who can laugh,

and think of me

as a woman,

not death.

Good morning.

Good morning.

What a wonderful way

to greet the day,

seeing such loveliness.

We'd better not talk

very long today.

You're gonna be late for

your class at the university.

Let's see, now.

For the past month,

we have discussed philosophy,

history and world events,

and all

from my window.

You know what I

dreamed last night?

That you invited

me down there.

And I thought I was dead

because it was heaven.

It isn't, is it?

I think it must be heaven

to be able to go

to the university.

Giovanni,

you're going to be late.

You know you are.

All right,

my remote Princess, I'll go.

Now, hold onto that

until I see you again.

Oh, signore .

I have use

for this key.

Oh, no,

you mustn't.

No one is allowed

to go in there. No one.

I won't tell them

that you so generously

opened the gate for me.

I'll tell them I dropped

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes