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    35 views48 pages

    Quills

    Uploaded by

    Joseph Urick

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF or read online from Scribd
    Flag for inappropriate content
    of 48
    chaRacTERS ct ONE. tic sent Chief, an at the won. m. som on DR. ROYER-COLLARD, MONSIEUR PROUIX, RENEE PétL4 a q oe me vnunet ae in et than delicacy of my stwadon here requires a candor fr eres rane rétacie a “The gi stricken wife of madman ‘an 0 couuaten ‘Administrator at he asylum, ™ hum’s most notorousinmate. Sno gun Soggy Pence an stress at Charentonsxten and quite lovely. ‘Armadman heard through a chnkin che wal, ‘The doctors wifes woman of considerable appecies metaphor both xing and apt sry as gramed me thi SETTING ‘The Charenton Asylum: the ofice of Dr RayerCollac the quar {ers of the Manns, and the hospital's charnel house. The yeas oy Doe nrecov: pein. | owsiton exoure So many wo ions ate not 20 Fully evolved 2 Now i the ie 0 ere Your eh M ercrauplde Moco -or Stan le” rant rears moment for RENEE PHLAGIB) ‘oven couLano: Might I seggest, madame, that we Keep o¥r newfound understanding in confidence sens réxaone: OF couse m4 02u6 wacnr 1m ecernally in your debe ‘And in your, 28 then rs back to BR. novER-cOWARE,) Docrot? DR RovER-couano: Marquise? ‘enée rusts: Can Itmparto you his erlest wick? lowe in no: My sympathies, madame. ural shaper DR Roven-couLano: Take heart (He kisses nan oltacia’s hand) How suddenly such happiness looms! seme X oTER cout, cout wang © sorm.cout: The iy rms edhe Mg {alls under your exclusive dominion. “ covey ren Hin fend i 0 ing eA of shes nr pe eye oR el ushers pig n Pownce Fae Cone ies cg ss And thee ae te more ne Seed Once long ago... inthe fly of youth he Tele fly Wy mage doe gupnit imag etrepinieee ule rinse alive eather than minister to the Marquis, in hopes of -covunttn: Forgive my impertinence, Docos, but you are alearaed vran, 0 peshaps you can enlighten me: how ean inhumane Tenement produce a cilzed demeanor? The methods YOU ce tre no less than medieval: 1 would not visit bem upon a dog fon noven-couano: And the efect of your prefered prestp: | Marquis no longer soars or spits He no longer scar ‘His appetites solid and his lexp sound sand: Andis prose? ‘couuwien: Even a man inthe most advanced sages of mental de> ‘ay i ebeve, il ented to a modicum of privacy. While 1 fermi the privilege of his wating exerces, do not take t ‘pon myself o read them. bt noven-couano: And yet ix seems they might provide the “sre barometer of his progress. ‘couuuten: Given his newfound doc and reserve, would Be prize i his prose, once ripe with the neneh of indecency. ‘now borders on the Trg DR. ROvER-COLLARD: A generous supposition ing Peed mana sgn foyins cen posture The ny ot a fs aim bi ey I eguse 2 oragh ‘Search of the Marquis's quarters. “ " ‘CouLEX: The results, rus, were uneaceptional. norm conan: Que he contr kd soe ‘contraband: mies ime @ (genes thens oni desk) Te ‘or pus ied with ak,» wooden po, new rca. and smal oa se gio indent ange noes than se, Door orer-couano: These aac eof isimal once, Sioce they pose no threat othe asym’ genera population Howe sed under foo we reed (He pls asheaf of paper fom his des) ’ 4 maruscrp, some wee hundred pages long. ex es ages long. ready for A: 1 defy umn he nme of God ce, You hold moral and true—to read it, unmoved. “ fngas he works) un wanqus: Dear Reader, now fll ypon me, your chaperone (be giagles. coutater glances nervous OR, ull 7 Through the dark waters of the sou, co impart ale of such fmirhlesscrulry aid moral orgs tha I ean bay bring oie above a whisper. So come, perch upon my Knee, 80 yOu don't miss 2 word, On jutting elif outside se iy of Mares, here ‘monastery of mos sinister design. To te guile eye, doles facade suggested simplccywellsuted ro mod ‘est worship Bu the trv reason forts austerity was Far gover to conceal from the world at large the atrodiies occuring within (espinal witha he fered gle of aisha cl ent ing ke. Herter delight a ah rly cape, ines teach per won) Iwas here our young hero fie prang into the worl, born of 1 defrockd priest and a wayward nun. Once the baby was freed from ts mother’s sin-ipened wor its parents were duly skew cred for their offense. Beret and walling. the dhld was lone His only parent was the Church, his only playmates ts grim ‘pracicioners. Soon he blossomed into boyhocd. On his cin, oft down, and berween the orbs of his dimple as, = ishing rosebud begging to be. plucked, Would thathe were carton ‘before viturest Would that he were a quivering foun rapped in tion’ gaze! Wout that he wore anything but & comely boy su rounded by icipkent odor, Doctor. pn. novenscoutano: What's that, ABBE? wb vove waren ounantn: Blasphemy. The last refuge ofthe Fae provocateur So peat was his beawy. so pungent was his youth, Dlack-obed fists ha christened him with the name ‘inmate The i en tans arpuc seschery Oh rR whats an ca ot ‘when reason demurs to lust! For these were Ganymede’ teach. cess aged mono hed a dnp at ge sh Ihe pan an ashy whos apr so tnt ch ac mee hth enbed he ero an ‘tended privy more than any human hole— 7 (cosh on dling eis bw) cout Lack mem ava in pepon, Atal pete wo, when Ganymede Nae ‘sted hc he eh ping erp ‘Te nangus: And, mos sri ya Vemnese cain! and bis aricpatory hore “er coutun: Pariciator? 1, Roren-coutano: Picture it ‘ue ro pursue the ewin Isis of faith and = and piety: his only aim or. Addo be tw he moe bi oh ‘naked on plate, forthe frantic lapping of 2 hundred unholy fongucs. This is what a fe spent in the bosom of hadtaughe him... wees | on. noren-cotsano: Page 7. 1¥e folded he ‘bk. Roran-coutano’ Endless pages of plosophy follow (coutaen begins aay ying trongh the pes) ‘ie suanquis: NoGod—blah, ah lah—dominion through fone — ‘blah, bla, bah—the inevitability of chaos—bah, blah Blak 1: Swept aay by te story. are yOu? ‘counter: he's cesar to know his end inorder gags the ull ease ofthe Margi’ depravity. -awe wan.qus: Soon Ganymede was adoped by "rank old pedophile with a penchant for guter trade. “What 1d the Due when the boy lay exposed eve!” With that, che Duc uncorked dibbled iver the childs nde body, Filing each crevice, each Jost ale all Ganymede shone ike an eel, Then he wapped ‘he boy in res harvested donkey hide, “Here you'll tthe ‘Duc commanded, “until you've absorbed each drop. Only then. ‘wll we commence with our debauch!” Accustomed tothe mos. Tie abuses, the boy found such treatment a happy respi. The hide was warm and soi, and dally the Duc fe hi 1 foods. Marepan, hor sugared pasties, era ‘cakes and lacs. "Mon Die,” sighed the os," could lve his Ife forever” Soon, however, Ganymede raked the appalling rah. “covunisx: What cruel rit has the Margin ore? “The calculating Due had nor cured the ensoping 180 Dove waton owl hide, and so as the boy's body, swol ' body, gonged with dese ie a great pink blader its casing begun cos ‘covLatER: Dest Godt et mnoren-coutato: And eo think, only moments gp you abled tim a iumphof echelon, im deven to srs my own apa fr gmt ato: You teat in ikea man, Abbe erin es In faces, es nahing bu an errant dl Each cle him, you invite more of his dae mischief fee Heal bt begging to Be strung up bythe oes cou Is met think, shat or istiation ight es etate the very horrors the Magus hms 0 panstaingy deere ‘ norencotsino: What i most eusuing co he Hate The Sigh ofthe ake, wang fo i. ‘ohsun sy ind inter, he ses the ach Tessar mane arnt oa ae eran fatenaenerte ah Deena oa mn 8 srage. Thighs on him fade) ‘PR RotER coLtanD; Thar’ only the st chape. ‘coutaten: Already he has cataloge Fitherto unkown? DR. ROFER-COLLIRD: And that sd ify seven more, ‘ouLnten: Astonishing. ‘coutwten: doll that ean, every known vie and some DR. ROTER-COLLARB: Do more. age i followed by eleven hundred Seene 4 MADELEINE, THE MARQUIS. darned your stockings, and the hem on your ‘wear them, Madeleine. Never again ye ‘CoULiIBR: And pris ‘them in my closet, knowing twas ye reneedle through their membrane! je wanquis: When the press taught you to read, did they fore: © ee your taste in rowel ee: You'te not the only one rnd you. We read Monsieur ge Laclos, and Louver de Courray “But when we want + good = seare” says Mama, “make ithe Marq we uanguist Do I ighten you now, Madeleine? one! | “suave: You? Fighten me? That's good $08 could only see him you woullnt tremble 50 {Who'd have thought uch a spent body coud ti ferie min ‘in uanquis:Tha’sthe only oni have let. dearest. And what allowed to collect a few entra louis. When t's pe repairing. (m8 ances gins her some change) ‘apeusiv Thats total Theres something ele f want fom you. ‘we manquis: Youve aesdy stolen my heart, as well a another ‘more prominent gan, south ofthe equa ‘Mother ays I'm not ro leave wi run eold and set our nt: She sone on sco i Ay hls. ekg he fr lac sot ct ter ‘ight, I read “em to her, pes 1s: Just how bad would you like ico bet asl edemption, ple ‘ave just the manure, inspired by these very "The unhappy tale af a veginal nusemaid the lower wards, where they encom the hopelessly very night at about eight we scat the table and start in reingffom wherever it was We left off the nighe befos omeimes, when its a beheading, or some broken thing leche in © dungeon, crying for the los of her chstiy say ‘mothers fice gos pal, she sts down her glass and she aye, ‘He wangurs: Yes? MADELEINE: "Read tha part againt™ apanenn: sc awfully woken? ce angus: Most assuredly ‘re manquis:Fiendishly 2! pon yourselé Sew it up as ighly ar when you were a vigin, and come back to me, renewed, so I can deflower it a second GeaDuLeine starsat him for & moment, sted Suen she slaps blessed fo! who cant el the diference sabe iy ha a e appears He observes THE MARQUIS aiid MADELEINE, eta ‘TH ManQUIs: There ae, of course, read, (coms Feser authors waiting tobe apaueine: Mutt admivser the kises directly or might | bow {voeLst trace hertougue ont ot THE MARQUIS Ades) es her a page She ses hig ‘hin page) ‘Scene 5 coves or ance ccoutwten: eis thse same books which have precipitated my vs. dear Marquis, (ru manus werk a decanter) the ny Yo dean readers, you do. vem THe ManOUA: Needles ty, the str’ thing concn ‘rue mangos: Conversation, ke certain porto sways runs ore smoothly when lubricated | covennen: Why. yes, thank you. (rave mangas pours to gle of wie) woul that be, pray el? 7 manauis (Whips mere stn wand pm): Your ahead. And then you must turn your needle and thread eau, frac on the Inusband sees his vestl into port ‘coutaten: Oh, my “THE anguis Swish c gel inthe glass before tating. You can ‘smell the perfume in her ai, ad the beads of sweat rom thar nether region called low's temple. A fulbodied favor with just ‘of wantonnest? A aps midsraught, coughs, and et hs glass down.) ‘ts uemost co render you comfortable here, ‘itr wangus: I's tre, dear heart, youve soled me pink ‘covtaten: A canopied bed, in iw of a saw mat, An ample li brary. ineluding the larest medical volumes, as per your request ‘Ase of yelow Utrecht velvet, and s portrait of your very ‘own father, painted in miniature upon an ivory haem, and. Jest we forget... wellstacked supply of paper. with enough gulls to feather an osc. ‘THE ManQuis: Por these, am moet grateful CouenitR: We are delighed that Charewon so realy owokce your muse, ‘Tie seanquus Stores tumble from me here fster than I can record has noc escaped our ateson. Pleased though 1 policy, 'm afraid | have to place certain cea sures upon you qui, dear Marquis ‘Tie wanguis: Not content tobe my Jae, you're now my eto wel? 4 nile 187 vintage from ax obscure village in Bor crash the grape underfoot, they place she a bride and reap ls juices when the young. As you know, most esteemed Marquis, the sal has _ ‘outnten: From this moment forward, | beseech you, for your good aswell as mine—no more ribald les! 1s: But you read about his exploits nonetheless couuanen: Ys, ru panquis: By candlelight you licked the words of the poper fand rolled them round ia your mouth. You swallowed. You succumbed “couten: My interest was professional, sr, net prurient. ‘re Manquis: Did you rad every word? Or did you run stright sway tothe dog eared pages? © covtuten: Enough ro dscern the novels tenor. sre wangquis: And? counaien Ie sirred in me a mos presing dere, ‘pus wanguis: To copulate? ccounstsn: To bathe. I's offensive in every ral, A compendia of perverse. ‘rte wanguts: Surely if such phenomena exist in nature then they ae ue game ia ton... “couunten: You expect me to belive that thes stots curt ‘we seanquis: We dont ‘coutsen: # work in 2 madhouse. Sil, Ive ever such as you dese ute wangurs: i tey canbe eam, they canbe done, couuuten: Permit me, for amoment, to play the role of ene, dear Marquis. Morally, your tale has a smug tne, condemning ss 8 boue warcHE Quills 89 Princip advocate ile delighting in ther misbehavior purports outer: Theological, your sory etry ding Ganymede we by dealing vice At bes wety pepo ‘born ofthe union between wo lapsed celbaes. His parent are y ahs « mockery of thelr ‘THe wanguit: Why must morality serve 2 the books bron 15am entertainment, my r 3 Persimmon, not 8 moral teat, te seanquis e's chatty wows that make a mockery of men. My uncle, the Abbé de Sade, was esteemed by his beters in the Church, Yer routinely he kept one erollop i the confessional, ‘one inthe sacri, and one—aaked and squeaing-—under the ‘oat anwipr mse ory ot on Sedo ts epee see ‘which we are all judged, " nl THE MARQUIS But thas preposterous! Moly & a conveieag nothing moret bapa font! Tht way, between each Sunday Mas, cere was coutnten: Swely a p Jvays a ready sheath for his sword! Once—and this, my aria bantaY 258 20 of fol ofthe lw is moe cope adorable Coulmier, rans even my cheeks toa rosy hue—he ad ministered communion witha harlot under ni robes! While he poured Christ’ blood into it slvr chalice and drank, she im ‘ibe guid no less divine! ‘THE MARQUE: There wa 352 cime, my love, when Iwas brought te tal for the depucating of seven very young gts Mind you {id wa spo them duretics—the ther charges were bye Gl Revere, t was serenced tothe Bale The jg med my behavior on my noble birth. "You aristocrats bellowed, "esting on the helpless, nourishing you the spol ofthe poott Soon the worm will turn ‘he Basle was stormed and 1 wa one oftheir own! “enpo ear, Marg, that sacrilege comesas naurlyr0 you on ait does upon the page. se mangos: An atheist cannot be sac ot exis in his vocabulary, Sacrlege ithe exlsive province of the devout. = roca mbamntincee = cett God. coviaiek: Men like your uncle may fil the Ble, but cha hardly merits dsmising ts roeeps re stanguis: Bu, daring, my novel does not subseribe co she Bible's precepts. and as auch it should not beheld 10 them in your ertique ccovuaten: How, then, should I evaluate it As politcal allegory. ‘perhaps? All igh, then I's simplisic and pandes co popular sentiment. Ganymede at France, born the battrd eld of the Church, indulged bythe decadent bourgeobie, gorged with all manner of useless opulence, until a last hi own body evols against him YOU rd offending “THE MARQUE: OB, please! Franky it even filsasanexecze neat Noe dee les repetition ofthe words “pple” and “pkestafl™ Sane theme, And such pany Scope! Where are isheroes es vires and wiumph nar Mas we recor ony tos phenomen tht ence ts as creatures’ What unites ho sits inthe sun is ofen blinded by i. Then. Incognzant, he i devoured by the forces of ss Yet Primal desire—that's unchanging! Srey Pats to China fels the same urgent siring in he 1st is or only denominator? nse it auggest that you reject beyond your reach ing young fool! You're not the whee ther constants do you ete? sit, we kil, and we di. ‘coutaten: Your selectivgy confirms your contrary nature, Weare also bor, we ill in lve, we give bith, May suggest hat oe ‘endeavor to write a new novel which embraces those venice’ ‘THE searQuis: Happiness for you, my litle kumquat, i achiewed ‘through strict adherence ro society's mandates. Most men fob low this hackneyed pasage. Like eager children ct loose ona scavenger hunt, they dare about in search of the assed baubles—wives, ofpring. gainful employ, handsome homes, And when they have accrued chem all—vol! The promied ‘reasure is won-happiness ensues! But, for me, happiness ‘rings roma dierent course. ‘couusten: Which it ‘THE MARQUIS: T slice through Socal arf, shatter ies false con weetions, and become one with Natur’s Cinmerian tie, where only che ruthless excel, and where brute force yields i ‘own treasure! Past etquene, past decency, past morls—thar’ ‘here happines ies, ike the winking chasm buried deep inthe brats of @ woman's groin, ‘counters true, ie not, Marquis, that most of your adul life hha been spent in prison? ‘hie wanguis: My past addresses tead like a primer on cree. Via ‘cennes, the Madelonetes,Sane.Lazare, andthe Basil [ouLsrER: And it was in sucha mie that you fist wielded your ent ‘ie MARQUIS: Oh, my angel Hell self isthe eruibe in which forged my erat From the citadel a icpus, {could ee the ga lows, Day ater day during the Terror the endless rocesion tothe chopping block Heads, ike champugne corks, yng, My only music was the Sound of grits melody was ‘he wretched crying of widows and orphaned children ts per cussion the steady rhythm ofthe falling Bade its bass, the had ‘ofthe cadavers as they roled down the bank nto the pie below Blood fowed in vers benesth my window, Abb. ouile 193 covesnen: Peshape is best not to extrapolate mas character fom such surroundings. re wanguts: Where beer! There, sipped of al pestures. man's ‘ue lf sues tothe fore! coutsen: You've let me no choice. (He pans, tho pas reso) 1m afraid t have to conscte your paper and your gull sre manguis: What? coven: You beard me, have! se wanguis: But theyre couuunn: We eure the drunkard by seizing his liquor. We cure the ston by absconding with his meal, We cure she rapist by -e warquis can weather your reviews, but spare me sist cout: We must assuage thse perverse fantasies ‘i suniquts: But don''you agree that my only theron paper? ‘coutwien: Have you consiered reading to pass che hours? A “write wo produces more than he reads—the sire mark of an {re senquis: My writing sdvolumtay, ike che beating of my ‘heart My constant exeetion! Ucn help it outa Then we shall stop it for you rus wanquis: Why? Because I don't cater tothe moment’ tastes? outer: Because your novels are 2 symptom of your insniy ‘re wunguis: On the contrary. they keep me sane! ccoutsien: | am sorry. Trl 194 vous warcur write dainty sures, then! Odes to viret have Vleour collet te items in question, Mangus: What of my fifi readers? ‘couLMtER: You've writen enough for one hfe. ‘Tie manguis: What ofthe ie seamstress? ‘CovLaER: She'd do well to ter dea of your influence. ‘THe wanquts: Lhave a proposition! ‘couLnten: You always do ‘THE MARQUIS She's a luscious mors, Madeleine. What pubates beneath those skirts is worth suece! I'm certain I could con. nce her of the benefisinhere: in granting favors to a we ‘covtasen: Good day monsieur (te heads forthe dao nme Manaus drop hi desperate pou an co) "ie Manqurs: Oh, Cop. My lite mix covtatsn: Yeo? ‘Tae manguIs: Where there's a wil, dere’ way, And 2 maniac matchless for invention. ith 19s Scene 6 ‘bm. noven-couana: Aht Monsieur Proust And how is my new house faring? come to thank you for loosening Your purse dramatic incxeasein fund behooves us both Inbeter: ve been forced to devise the most ‘retive Financing imaginable .wonsitvn rnaun: Your chitea shall undoubtedly be my master Ios sone or deve a mail That's dhe true measure of a man's authori. in i: Wells, When you pu ie that way— 196 ous waicwr 1s portals, spread ever wide, as rank and inviting a her very (courmen enters) = Pardon me, Doctor, bur | was summoned at yer ‘9% ROTER-COLLARD: Yes, of course. Monsieur Prous, You've ‘o complete your lite ehapzody another ime. 4 ‘outs: Happily si Your servant si mows backs ou of the rom, bowing) information regarding her ly could cox you both yourrenure hee? apsLaive: You'd sick us, then? Sort nterrpe, Docos, bu your mise had n {survive sooth in “COLLARD: A curious phenomenon has beset Charentor, sod hardly that the bed sheet, crn, and eowels—naly o> Priie—have acquired of late a burgundy Entre. Some ct ‘the patients ind his most diressing, Acustomed co more ten. Se hues, they now find chemselves ithed in scare. untts them, Surely ies the fae of quite lind, perhaps her ket tions. The, erate ans) ingde nouement. spoke tis morning with Madame Leler's dughr ter, Madeleine (Cights nse on waoeceinn,) DR. ROYER-COLLAND: Very wall You and your are 19 vacate the premises no later than— 198 poue water aDaLeive: Bus, monsieur— DR, RoveR-coLtaRD:—ao later than noon, 2 which sime— snosuste:Fewas the Marquis! Dk. Rovex-couano: The Masquis? apeLsivs: Relieved of paper and pen, but not of the urge to write, he took to his inns! Dk Roven-coutano: Whit? apetsine: He wrote 1 the bed sheets, penning them ‘with the wine fom his evening meal. His words bled into the Airs of thee br. noren-coutaKo: And the nasue ofthese bedi aDELEINE: Silly froth, mos. Quis 199 wrapping their et with ete, sing their wounds and sera ‘ng thet backs with his cane, Soon mance dunked his harpoon, then anced each of his walling captivesin cur. yourself, not to mention your aging mothe, indl porogsaphy? madmea. hard day's wages, ir; sing away atthe behest of Tot 10 hold our bn, rorencouiano: Bu why would you wi sch apetsine: Revenge our only mosive: rage our only master. DR. noveR-coutann: To what end? anetsnve: IF we weren't wich bad women on the page, Doctor, ‘Lazard we gouldn' be such good women in ie (igh fadeon manevsine,) ‘coutaten: Hef indeed a mania, and matchless a that! ‘i. noven-coutann: You assured me that hie writing had ease, ‘couLntex: I hoped ic ha [DR ROYER.COLLARD: The time has come to adopt more punisne counter: only I trated thelr efcay! DR oveR-coLLARD When a child pilfrs from the candy dish what do we offer for his reformation? Do we remove tempt tion akogeches, depriving him an nrc: of sweetmeats? covuaer: No sr ‘DR. RorE#-coLtAnb: Do we numb him with philosophy? Great d aves wherein we debate the narure of good and evil couswa: suppose not, si Dn, RovER-coLLARD: Do we promise him an everssing acl plucking harps, should he rerun the Bonbon co ik ightfl seat) (rd wets hover ow ae, ya down hs bec a hash i wth the rd ‘ouuaien: The later, unfortunately. And so he leans to fae pn |shmens, rather than ro pursue vite forts own reward Dn, noveR-couano: You'te a sentimental man, ‘covtsen: A pracical man, si: Gen the Margui’s unusual tastes, 4 sound thrashing on bare flesh may aot qully asa “deter DR. RovER-coLLARD: I will not be embarassed a second time oul 201 Scene 8 ‘THe wARQUIs, coutNtER, “rae Mangus: My ‘Tae wanquis: You've come o continue our debate? 2: Hardly From pow on, you wil sleepon a bare metres. anguis: What, and freeze ro death? couuier: And, for good measure, we'l seize the curcaing, she towels and the rugs ‘HE wanquts: My room, stripped bare? ccvuaten: And nothing bu water at every meal, ‘Hn tanguis: No, you can't! Deny me anything but the grape cuss: am sony It's decided, Tie MaKguis: My crcubtion—1 am not a young man! Ard my insomnia—alcahol it my only eit coutwn: Pease. Tha’ quite enough ‘ite wanqurs: One drop nigh. thar’ all ast Show mec, ease! ‘coutaten: Your mest shall be deboned. You'll have nothing you sight ision a ui ‘re wanguis: Why this sudden toreure? covusten: I have nor been emphatic enough wi ‘Your degrading habits continue, unabated You, Marguis was only for her. 202 vous waicHT nile a3 counter: For whom? ‘coven: The doctor and Ihave our lferences, but onchis point ‘we uniformly agree: you are a aneful miasma, and you must be purged! | (Mrenangoss begins to dance) ‘re wanguis:A one and a rwo and a dvee and a four, aone and 2 wo anda thre and four ‘covtuien: Good da, Marquis, (eens to eave. The manaus tops dancing and hiss) Psst, Pg all My line skin te ‘tw manguis: The gl. To ence her bac to me Those splendid afternoons when fora brie shining moment she toppled these stone walls and et me fee ‘covtaien: Her vss, too will be curled. ‘couuwten: The purplest prose i aways the least sincere. ‘HE uanquis: It's potent aphrodsn,le my dumpling? ‘covenien: Ie pains me co censure you. Iris not my mature. Lam, a youknow, a chartable man, re hcky i falls ro me to reprimand you If were up w the docor you'd be mote than catigated. You'd be Mayed alvet ‘wn wanquis: A man after my own heer! covtiter: Hed not share your wine, laugh at your vulgutes, and humor you with argument ‘THe wanguis: You're his sjcophane, aren't you? He cracks the whip ‘and you dance, Dot ‘coutansn: Why, you scorfol Dr. noven-coLtano: If your mother lacks ether the means or the ‘ncegence co punish you for your folshnes, then pethaps it's sy duty to parent you in her sted No sit Please sie ‘coutann: Ive no compunction, young lay, about div oint home with few swift strokes ofthe birch een.) 2, Abbé You're a man of God, st. Show me one smal drop of his infinite mercy. 304 Dove watewr ‘coutamen: Wha’ tis, chil? Shivering lke a leaf? Surly you've done no wiong, | depends, Abbé, on her cooperation, such ple thin skint bruise quickly and Jn the ‘covtnies: Shh chil. Gather your wits Til se that you come to ‘0 harm. [es truewhar the lunaies say ABBE. Yow ae the kinder Pray, Doctor. What's happened here? And why is this DR. noveR-coLLARB: This morning I sent Valcourt the laude | ‘hough, gven the recent urn of event, ¢ would be prudent to ‘cou.sin: The Marque? ‘seapecatn: He pretended to leave some mending for me, ouside the door. A souveni of sors 'DR. Ror: COLLARD: And what was the nature of thie memento? ‘Mapeuaine: "Twas a chapter Called from his atest masterpiece! Guile a05 covsuten: But thas not possble. His el isbarren. No pen, no pa- et Hisinens stripped, his earae dry. He has nothing to fasion nro pages 10: That's what you think, men arent mad at ll. We only think chem 50, ‘because thee genius sofa exceeds our ow. 4.0: Show him. Now! spruce shire with ro clever and host of crated with wre) Wherein God's name di he procure tk? ue: Nowhere. He picked the tips of his ing fe, His aes fancies—theyre serpted {ioe Giton was reading his leggings while she hy perused his vest. (Eigse on ra wanquis Mis clothes arash with words) ‘ime wanguis: My newest book begins at my ‘across my back and completes itself athe ba ‘coutaten: Never was a wardrobe more vulgar ‘Tw Manquis: Monsieur Bouloir was man whose sezual ppestes might iscreedy be described as “postmortem.” A habit of cemeteries, hie proudest conquest was that of 8 maid six decades his sent, deceased a dozen year. The vigor with ‘which he friggel caused her bones to dislodge al he graced 206 pove waicur her the highest compliment he acconded any woman: “Wel oth he dig?” counter: NOOC00000! Scene 10 COULMIER, THE MARQUIS. covLaeR: You! You! Such brazen defiance! Founcing shout ike some demented peacock! ‘THe sanguis; Dont tll me. Youve come fo read my toutes You'll note the longest sentence tals down the inesm, covunten: How could yout Parading your decadence before the Delpes and the sick? "HE sanguis Pile! ‘couLatER: Your stories 50 aroused poor Michete, we've had tote bi to his bedpots, ‘He Mangus: Lacky Michete, You tll han thas there are some ‘very reputable individuals, noble in French society who pay goed money tobe ed to their bedpos ‘covtatsn: What am todo with you, Marquis? The more I obi the more you ae provoke. ‘ie manquis: My daring Coulmier Her, in my dank quarters Te had ample time to ruminate on our ‘come toa conclusion you'll no doubt find "im holding my breath. ‘we wanguis: Headstrong though I may be, I could be convinced ‘oabandon my writing. Quite volta ‘ie wanqune Tk, 8k, tsk. Much cheaper. outst: Your room, stored tos ster ‘ae seanguie: Much simpler. ‘couLaten: Your freedom. ‘rite Mangus I wouldet dream of i What. cent os: A night, sugseplum, spent with the parner of my couenten: Aha | shoul ve known! ‘ue wang: A lover who wil eal pede aside and allow me to pum with my lubricous engine the rin checks of delight. counter: Waite countess unseemly tomes, Marquis. will not imp peor Madel ‘ie angus: I wasn’ talking about Madeleine ‘counter: Then who? (cous counter: OFF wi ‘ist manus: Coulmier, yu rascal? swe mange: Has my proposal so flamed you? ‘couwian | do nor mean 1, Marguist ‘we wasqats: Oh, but you mast, my pumpkin sex without ie ion merely rape Coutaiex: Damn you, Marquis! You ate beyond villainy! You are the Devil Now sp! (rm angus begins to wndess) ‘HE stanguis: My doubler ‘coutauen: OF ‘HE anguis: My collar? counuen: OFF ‘THs anguis: My sboes—they'e naught but punctuation counmen: OF ‘THe suanguis: My chine, my lace, my gabadine? cousin: OF, off. ff ‘i wanguis: Permit me to retain my gevzy underpinnings! couuaten: Every stitch! ‘He sanguis: Won't you join me, poy boy? coutsien: You shall no longer lave your cll, understood? You'll lay your eyes on none but me frm now on! ‘we uanquis Such abuse! coutsuen; You will not render me a eo! ‘ie waRquis: need not render you 3 fol! couLwiER: Ihave been far too lx with you, monsieut Now you shal lve as our Father lncended les like & man and more like the beast you ae! Nake, ina hollow pi! ‘THE wanQuis: As lived the noble savages of Lascaux, where even {day cher glorious palnings remain, undimmed by time! ‘outanen: How dare you defend yourself nat’ name! How dare you rank yourself withthe ikes of Voli, Pascal, and Racine! ule 309 “Theiquls are guided bythe hand of Goa wile your every ut+ terance is malignancy unmasked! (re mangos ha striped himsel’ bar, sae for ‘Your wig! Remove your wig! (re ‘ee anquis: How prudent you are, ABBE planned 10 cut! my fs and writ a pace to buggery that ‘coutanen: You will not spesd your insidious gospel, where ‘yranay isthe norm, and goodness the ast rege ofthe weak! ‘Where indfferene Nature ral untempered by the presence of Gos! Where a's magnitude ithe breadth ofits depravity! No! couesien: You will not even write your own igpominious name! we ManQUIS: Tsk, tk. Hk, Are your convictions so fragile that ‘mine cance sand in opposition ro ther? Is your God 30s sory thatthe presence of my Devil reveal i insuifcency? Ob for shame! 1a: May you spend eternity in the company of your lore Athi, ring on he i (He makes forthe dor) anguis: My suckling. my ip leech ‘coutaten: What? ‘re manquis: My erst gull les berwit my thighs. When fils ‘with nk and ses to the fore. .O, she wordsous books it wil ate povs waiaHt a © ape: But suey you know i¢' | who betrayed you ro Dr Royer-Collar, I give him your soiled bed shes, and your sbiet. ven “Te Manguis: And I love you the more for it enn nes sora: How cn hc a 4 nay be a scamp, a chancre, and a blight, my blessed ‘ne ang Tho your employer hoses ep mele "oma spre wpe Vim ahamed ok ean: Srey youve eens edt aoe: No. ony ben deste nyo book : ssn nna ingdo dss he gs er ‘angus Then oe ha os pining teacher ve Se ee ey ne oe care ‘cmp pge theme pops tou sti cence cer A eatly oes ee of omngon Whe 3 all 100 offen violate with our false codes of law and morality body. hen, somewhat... represenative? ‘Bur yout You rose above such perry constructs and fed yourself Scene 1: ‘THE MARQUIS, MADELEINE. sf my age, and vitim of my calamnies | mus say. sin your novels you stoke the most unte- 8 guilt which ushered me her, stronger than any “Terror, She found those roo barbaric and pine er your sores ‘commandment. How you mst hate me, A insted ‘He angus Never “ue wags Neve amy angel: hae plan apouein; Let me be is agent, U beg you, a8 penance for my wrongs agains you! anal, and he will pati ikewie wo ‘the noisome Bouchon— MADRLENWE: Whose cll ie next to the nen cabinet! ‘He Mangus: Precisely! ‘apeusinn: And there armed with «quill of my ow, your sory through the wall and commit it to paper! ‘re angus: Vol Marquis! How ingenious you are! Imagine! My scandalous stories whipping though the halls of this mauscleum like somme mysterious breeze! A ‘tring of tongues, ll wagging inservice of my prose Sinosteine: Bur with men whose minds are s0 weak, will your at survive such 3 journey? ‘he wanguis: My heinous vis insane. Who knows? They MaDELEMME: I pracce my hand, Marquis, and do your words ‘sie "We manquis: You can take them home to Mothes, and on to my Publisher besides! MADELEINE: Only one thing troubles me. “THE MARQUIS: Fear of discovery? >Mapetetne: No, Fear ofthe inmate Bouchon, the agent closest to the tne. Quits 8 ] “rite marquis: Why him, more than any other? uapsusins: He holds arorch forme. Once, when Iwas daring his chins he pres ed seni wucdygertorun woth ike de Coulee saved me. ‘ran wanguis: What of i? 1 the poteney of your storie. and the sven the potency a ony a Sle he pte a kus What xe wet, ee Sh retires pover Now cee ange igh crue a combustion snpenatne: Haccep. ‘we saanquus: Madeleine suapecnne: Yes, Magus? ‘we uanquis: A kis fer page. The price hols Scene 12 sub MARQUIS, A LUNATIC, THE VOICES OF THE ne wal of Charenton ‘Alone, wanguis hipesinoa cack ‘THe angus: Pst... leant? Are you there? (A veice tener) A wunarte: Marga I that you? Who else would ibe? Te angus ‘tow: Tonight ly through the bas of my cello eedoms! ‘Hr wang: Line o wha sy and poe phase to “neighbor Dauphin. . mm ‘tome hig ping wings ad And I can warble, too! * nes oaoeee, (Pre vowae begins to nll) ‘We suangui: Cleantel ‘we news for you too, pigeon, This morning Hache ‘A eowate: A cat, Coun THE StangUs (Diyly): Meow. | tuner: No! implore you! Anything bu eh! "we targus: If you don't do what tll you, I law through this wall and eat you alive, ile Fangs inco your deur sticks ard suck the marrow scraight out of your bones, snk 4 wosare: Ar your service, Count! "e sanais And o we ben. Ov a 7 concn th ou heroine Fanon. aor fre epae obe ie me ‘varied in ll Borope. There, you could plow a Prssan prance Sodomize twins, or ticle te loins of « Hungarian Ava Bow the ordain we hea ther vies pk wp he tle) of a Hungarian dvart ine. he loins ‘re vouees of rn sane: Tile the ticle the loins. the loins -ri manguis: Ove day Fanchon was visted by aceain Monsieur ‘De Curval, an accomplished surgeon and an even more He had been brced from many of the c's ‘wn voices oF rn scan: So lethal were hi explo... lethal so letal lethal snus nuarquis: Once they were secluded in her bedchamber, he ‘bade Fenchon sip and strip ahe did, with the sped of one un- accustomed to clothings confinement. As she Food naked be fore him, he rnb fingers cross her skin pulling apart folds of Aes, inspecting follies ‘rue votess oF THe nan! Piling apart fos of Desh flesh flesh. lsh sr wants: "What shall ready. Monsieur asked Fanchon. "My ‘mouth, my rounded ass, or my Venus mound my suculent oyster” folds of {THe voices OF THE INSANE: My Venus mound, my succulent oy3> ter succulens oper. oyster. oyster ‘is wanguis: “None!” eied Monsieur De Cura, brandishing 2 seal he had hidden in his eas. “With my Blade, 11 create ‘ew orfies were there were none before! Once hewn, Ica hut my turgid member into regions unslid by your previ 216 pove wate ‘THE VICES oF THE isan: Unalied suitors. suitors ‘HE wanquis: With that, Fanchon explled a steam s0 entra samty pitched tha the libertine as obliged to tear out fer Longue ating te woud With poker hfe en splayed her body across the martes, and withthe eed 18 wih che edge of (Fem ote inthe distance, a sudo cream, I ses rough the i conor THE MARQUIS stp thr. Hs face grt ‘he howling wie A elt of lightning as powefl as Xap that martyred poor Juin. We efor a singe, teig m>- mmer—the Boy of MADELEINE. She ben oie fom a afr i he sundry reo, an pins wily Her dy i study arnage The fe of ie MuaRQUis contort wth pai. A madden larch and he els a helo his ody ached by ob. Blackness. The Blowing of ‘urn fle) outs a7 Act Two Scenes RENAE PELAGIE, DR. ROYER-COLLAKO, svn pacts: ‘Twas a nigh fraught wth error! never again ‘tremble at ales of the Las judgment or wince at depictions of the Tortures of the Damned, For hell ht indeed been vse ‘upon the earth and ic happened ight here atthe Charenton Asylum. br. aoven-couano: You overstate our miraventure, madame sents péuacte: Do Orare yu pethapr reluctant to onfont the few? DR, ROWHA-COLLARB: Ie was skirmish, sothing moe. renée facie: Your charge here isto bring order to_an unruly ‘hospital. And instesd—on your watch—the patients rev ting their cote ablaze and hurling furniture fo myself sw a porcelain commode fang fem the para we guards doing, task you? Siig the Fay norte very vet! bk norER-coLtano: [hasten fo ature you—just a assured the Ministry and the poice inspector before you-that harmony ‘within ur walls has been restored surat rio, st, wa the mast serupuous! Mf since ‘Madame Rougemont’s summer cotilie! The Baron de Cordier Hood peering through the iron gates in hopes of catching ‘impse of the faror within, Madame Bougvat bd her coney wha were They were renee rétacie: All Saint Ma he fracas. Your ‘men stop, and scrambled for her tekscope. And what did they 8? Oh, Doctor. sights so depraved and bizare that! ean barely find the words to descrbe them! ‘DR ROTER-COLLARD: Ihave a sinking fein you'l se to the 0c razed women hiking thei kis to the heavens and pawing 2 thei own feminin srutbutes lke pendulum! And who, this demonic orchestra The rng mast he pti snort overcinlaed by éLcit: “Overstated,” Doctor They were hanging out the windows, polluting arenton became a bawdy house! A brothel forthe feebleminded! 4 cathouse for the loons! heart 1 can fel cin my breast, clef twain. | must have smeling sas A glass of water! Absinthe! Anything. Doctor, ‘goickly! (on. noven-coutanp hands Rens vbtactt ¢ small sf bo. She bie) DR. novER-coLtano: Spaingly: madame. You'l singe your mem: branes ‘enén ricacte His litle ible traveled far One of your wands told ‘the cook: che cook told his wile shetolhe cobbler: nd 30 on {tnd so on, a infinitum! Even nov the story i lombering to. Quite 219 1 humpbacked beas. Wo ‘ok noren-contatb: My chief worey isnot for Charenton or or France but foryou, Know the ridicule you have borne on your Iausand's bel ‘Don' patronize me, Doctor| hold you inno bss do my husband. awl vt ‘onrempt br. noves-couato: Me? But why? awén vétacte: Last night’ episode was comp ‘only you'd remained tue to our cont. thundercloud? br, novea-couano: I'm afd I dont follow ante eétacit At your iesitence. st, | provided the necesary ands fora hes of refurbisherens (he pilot ai an ed.) res, each fired with restraints, f eespped mar And have you purchased br. noveR-coLtano: Ian say with te uemost since that ery fane you've given me has been pt to scering use. wb nacre: Perhaps Ihave a suspicious mind, Doctor. Bucthat fortes you'r constructing onthe southern edge of town. ba. noven-coLLano: Wha ‘awée phizaie: Well, people lk Mitrors made from Venetian dass, Walls covered with Chinese sik. A balustrade pilfered from a Russian palace DR. RovER-COLLARO: Surely you recognize that my success in these halls is consingent upon my comfort. And that my comfort, in turn, depends on my surrousdngs. Every stone aid, each ounce of momar spread, each molded crest abutting each window frame hastens your husband’ recovery! owt ntact: You must admit is odd. Your poor hospital cant even afd a whipping post And all the while you sta home sipping Fume Blanc on a Grecian divan ‘oR, RovER 20LLARD: Iam app sd, madame, to see @ woman of your standing stoop to crass innuendo, funk race Bier he Miya ° iy reas you wih ing ‘om amkone shi ine ny Om sorek

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