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Marie finishes reading the play and decides that it's an excellent one. She invites many nobles to appreciate the play, and starts a discussion with Lafayette and Blaisdell. Finally, Marie and Lafayette decide to go persuade the King together.
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Transcript[]
Expand for script.
- Marie: This is getting interesting...
- Deniau: Please restrain your laughter, Your Majesty. It is unbecoming.
- Marie: I'm sorry, Madame.
- Marie: But if you were reading this play, you would be laughing too.
- I put The Marriage of Figaro into Deniau's hand.
- Seeing Deniau's frowning face gives me a hint of anticipation.
- Will this serious and self-disciplined lady-in-waiting be able to resist a comedy like this?
- Deniau: Your Majesty...
- Deniau shows a helpless expression and reluctantly accepts the script.
- Perhaps I shouldn't make things difficult for this dedicated lady-in-waiting.
- Marie: I'm sorry, Madame. Perhaps this book is not suitable for you.
- Marie: Please invite some nobles over on my behalf so that we may appreciate the new play together.
- Deniau: Yes, Your Majesty.
- Deniau somewhat reluctantly accepts the invitation list I have prepared.
- Marie: Is there a problem, Madame?
- Deniau: I'm sorry, Your Majesty. This is not something I should be interfering in, but...
- Deniau: Is this play really worth inviting the nobility over for appreciation? After all, His Majesty the King has banned its performance.
- Marie: Madame, I understand your concern.
- Marie: But if you were to read the play yourself, you would not be of this opinion.
- Marie: This is not a work of pure comedy. Its story is deeply moving.
- Marie: Aside from its gaiety, the play expresses profound philosophical ideas, which are rare and commendable in this day and age.
- Deniau: I understand, Your Majesty. I will send out your invitations immediately and arrange a location for the meeting.
- Deniau: Now, please change into a suitable dress.
- Gabrielle: Your attire today is different from your usual, Your Majesty.
- Marie: We are only here to appreciate a script; there's no need to dress extravagantly.
- Nobleman: To hell with you, Madame! To hell with you!
- Marie: What is this?
- Nobleman: Oh, Susanna! How noble, how beautiful! But so haughty.
- Noble Lady: Enough, you wicked thing! Be quiet!
- Gabrielle: They are talking about the play... right?
- Marie: Looks like they're quite engrossed.
- Marie: What do you think of this play, my dear Gabrielle?
- Gabrielle: Me?
- Marie: Yes. I invited everyone here to get your honest opinions of the play.
- Gabrielle: The play is enjoyable, but it seems to have a low opinion of the nobles.
- Noble Lady: "Low opinion"? It's plain demonizing!
- Marie: (As expected, there are many different opinions, and a clear division of views.)
- Marie: (But at least today's meeting proves not all nobles oppose the play.)
- Lafayette: This is indeed a great work.
- My thoughts are interrupted by these sudden words of praise. It's Lafayette!
- He was the first to arrive, but the last to finish reading the script.
- Lafayette: You were right, Your Majesty. Only by reading this story in its entirety can one understand its excellence.
- Marie: Do you believe it should be banned, Lafayette?
- Lafayette: This outstanding work deserves an audience... but the nobility need to preserve their dignity too.
- Lafayette: I wonder if certain parts of the play could be removed.
- Marie: Removed? I don't think Beaumarchais would be willing.
- Marie: (The parts the nobles want removed are precisely the ideas which Beaumarchais wants to convey.)
- Lafayette: If we don't make compromises, this play will never be performed.
- Lafayette is right. The conflict between these two parties has always existed. Compromises have to be made to see this matter resolved.
- While Lafayette and I are pondering this dilemma, the nobles acting out the play become increasingly enthusiastic...
- Noble Lady: "I the vapours, my Lord! Oh no, that's too polite a disease for a Servant to pretend to!"
- Noble Lady: "Oh, suppose the worst, my Lord, we can pay Marcelina with the Portion your Lordship has promised us!"
- Nobleman: "I promis'd you a portion?"
- Noble Lady: Oh! What a scoundrel you are!
- Nobleman: Why are you cursing me?!
- Noble Lady: I'm sorry. I got carried away and thought you were that wicked count.
- Noble Lady: Stop straying from the text. Let's continue already. This is very interesting!
- Nobleman: "It's always soon enough to own one's weakness, my Lord."
- Noble Lady: "What! Wilt thou take a walk this evening in the garden, by the Pavilion?"
- Nobleman: "Don't I take Walks every evening, my Lord?"
- Nobleman: "Nay, nay, but let us understand each other—No Pavilion, no Marriage."
- Noble Lady: "And no Marriage, no Pavilion, my Lord!"
- Nobleman: "What a witty little Devil! I wonder what she does to fascinate me so!—But prithee tell me why hast thou always, till now, refused with such obstinacy? This very Morning, thou knowest—"
- Noble Lady: Damn it! I can't stand it anymore. This count must be reprimanded!
- Nobleman: All you're doing is interrupting us. Get out of here!
- Noble Lady: Hmph! I know you once behaved as shamelessly as that count!
- Nobleman: My dear madame, could it be that you suffer from the vapors like Rosina?
- Noble Lady: Are you mocking me?!
- Marie: ......
- Blaisdell: A short segment like this is already inspiring conflict, Your Majesty.
- Marie: But this shows the ideas in the drama spoke to them.
- Blaisdell: No, this shows they acted with earnestness, not that they accepted the ideas expressed in the play.
- Blaisdell: As nobles, they don't believe the count's methods are wrong. They may have even done something similar themselves.
- Marie: Yes, that does happen.
- Blaisdell: But the hostility expressed in this play is too evident.
- Blaisdell: The madame who expressed sympathy for the commoner has already come into conflict with another earl.
- Blaisdell: Imagine if she were a real commoner. She would be even more indignant.
- Blaisdell: This would lead to an even larger debate, which is unfavorable for us.
- Marie: The conflict between commoners and nobles has existed for a long time. This play did not create it.
- Blaisdell: That is why we ought to avoid fanning the flames.
- Blaisdell: Relations between the commoners and the nobles are already tense. This play's performance may take us past a tipping point.
- Marie: If this conflict between commoners and nobility is as precarious as you say, should we not do something to alleviate it?
- Blaisdell: Precarious? That is rather heavy rhetoric. After all, commoners are no threat to us.
- Blaisdell: We can live harmoniously with commoners in France.
- Marie: If this is true, then a simple play could not disrupt this "harmony".
- Marie: But I know you do not actually believe that. We should resolve this conflict rather than prolonging it by banning a play.
- Blaisdell: You may have a point, but...
- There's a touch of mystery to Blaisdell's smile. He approaches me slowly.
- Blaisdell: One of the lessons history has taught us is not to underestimate the power of stories.
- Blaisdell: A seemingly trivial event can turn out to be the fuse that leads to great turmoil.
- Marie: History?
- Marie: If there really is a fuse, then it must be the inevitability of history.
- Marie: Playing it safe means allowing yourself to be trapped by fate.
- Blaisdell seems to ponder my words as he falls silent. The lively drama performance has also come to an end.
- One by one, my guests take their leave and the grand hall soon resembles a vacated theater. The emptiness elicits a sense of loneliness.
- Only Lafayette remains. At this point, his thoughts should echo mine.
- That we must strive once again for the sake of a great work and its author.