(Giorgio
clicks his heels and exits. As Clara walks through, reading a letter.
We segue to the Doctor's office)
Three Weeks |
| Clara |
Three
weeks ...
Three weeks ... |
|
| Soldiers |
This
is hell,
Living hell ... |
|
| Clara |
My
darling. The last three weeks have been a blessing. Signora Fosca
has all but disappeared from my life here. |
|
| Soldiers |
Living
hell ...
This godforsaken place |
|
| Clara |
She
no longer has her meals with us or takes the occasional walk around
the grounds. Even in her absence I find myself hating her more and
more. |
|
| Soldiers |
This
sterile little town
This military madness ... |
|
| Clara |
I've
realized how I've had to temper my feelings towards her. But now
that I'm free, I can feel as I please. |
|
| Soldiers |
Uniforms,
uniforms ... |
|
| Clara |
But
you, my Clara - |
|
| Soldiers |
Our
days are spent in maneuvers
Our evenings in discussing the day |
|
| Clara |
You
remain strong in my thoughts |
|
| Soldiers |
Uniforms,
uniforms |
|
| |
|
|
| Soldiers |
(growing
louder)
Military madness ...
Military madness ... |
|
| (Giorgio
approaches the Doctor, who is at his desk) |
| Giorgio |
Doctor |
|
| Doctor |
Thank
you for coming at this hour, Captain. Signora Fosca has taken a
turn for the worse. She is mortally ill. |
|
| Giorgio |
I'm
sorry to hear that. |
|
| Doctor |
Don't
you understand, my boy? It's because of you. |
|
| Giorgio |
Because
of me? |
|
| Doctor |
She
told me everything. You rejected her love - which doesn't actually
surprise me - and that has increased the gravity of her disease.
She is letting herself die because of you. |
|
| Giorgio |
Because
of me! She's letting herself die? Then this is not a disease -is
it Doctor? |
|
| Doctor |
She
has an incurable disease, but if she is calm, if she takes care
of herself, she could live for several years. This passion she has
developed for you - |
|
| Giorgio |
Passion
for me? Doctor, I hardly know this woman. She threw herself at me
without cause. |
|
| Doctor |
She
doesn't think or act as we do, young man. As healthy people we can't
appreciate the psyche of the sick. |
|
| Giorgio |
Yes.
We'll I'm sure you'll do all you can for her. |
|
| Doctor |
A
simple act on your part is all I ask. |
|
| Giorgio |
I
don't want to get involved. |
|
| Doctor |
You
are involved, sir. Go and see her. |
|
| Giorgio |
No!
|
|
| Doctor |
You,
who saved a man in combat, must understand the need to save another's
life when it's in jeopardy. |
|
| Giorgio |
How
can I possibly visit Signora Fosca at her sick bed at night? It's
improper. The Colonel would never improve. |
|
| Doctor |
You
needn't worrt. I have made all the arrangements. |
|
| Giorgio |
She
knows about this business? |
|
| Doctor |
You
can't imagine what this has cost her. You're a good-looking young
man. Beauty is something one pays for, the same as goodness - another
quality you embody. Please go to her now. |
|
| Giorgio |
And
if I go, what then? What will she ask of me tomorrow, next week?
You speak of what her feelings have cost her - but what have they
cost me? |
|
| Doctor |
I
can imagine how difficult this is for you. But she is dying, and
you only have to give her words. Words that will make her well.
What is the cost of a few words when a life hangs in the balance?
|
|
(A
moment, then Giorgio exits as the Doctor watches)
Scene Seven Fosca's
bedroom.
A lone candle lights the stage; we see Fosca
in bed. Giorgio tentatively enters the room and stands for a moment
before a startled Fosca sees him; her hair is in a braid, he rhigh
fever giving her face a little color.
|
| Giorgio |
No
need to be frightened. It's Giorgio. |
 |
| Fosca |
Oh
my God! It's really you. I never thought you would come. Of course
I had hoped ..I'm sorry these are the follies one commits before
dying. |
| Giorgio |
Don't speak of dying, Signora |
| Fosca |
Now that you're here I won't. Will you forgive me for
having asked you to come to me? |
| Giorgio |
I
am here because I chose to be. |
| Fosca |
Sit
down.
(Giorgio goes to a nearby chair)
No, sit here.
(She indicates the bed; Giorgio stands frozen for a moment)
Please.
(He walks to the bed and gingerly perches next to her)
Put your feet on the bed. |
| Giorgio |
I
am fine, Signora. |
 |
| Fosca |
I
want you to be comportable. Please.
(Reluctantly, he raises his legs onto the bed; she reaches for
a candle, which she raises to his face)
God, you are so beautiful.
Come, let me see you in the light.
No, don't look at me.
Let me look at you.
I feel better in the dark. |
| Giorgio |
Your
kindness makes you beautiful. |
| Fosca |
And
do you value such beauty? |
 |
| Giorgio |
Of
course. |
| Fosca |
Do
you think my heart is good?
|
 |
| Giorgio |
Yes,
I do. |
| Fosca |
How
do good hearts beat? Can you distinguish them from the bad? Listen
to my heart, Giorgio.
(Fosca takes Giorgio's hand and puts it on her heart)
It says it loves you.
(She places her hand on his chest)
What does your heart say? |
| Giorgio |
It
says it loves you. |
 |
| Fosca |
Like
a friend? |
| Giorgio |
Tonight,
it loves you as you wish. |
| Fosca |
Thank
you, Giorgio. I so wanted to forget you. To think that I could!
I wanted to die without seeing you - |
| Giorgio |
I am here to tell you you'd be happier living. |
| Fosca |
That
day I was so unpleasant to you - |
| Giorgio |
Please,
don't speak of the past. Now that I've come, now that we've spoken,
now you should get some sleep. |
| Fosca |
Will
you stay if I do? |
|
| Giorgio |
For
a short while. |
 |
| Fosca |
Will
you sleep, too? |
| Giorgio |
If
I can. |
| Fosca |
Put
your head near mine. Can we dream together? |
| Giorgio |
Yes.
(They close their eyes, as Clara enters) |
| Clara |
My
darling Giorgio.
It's three in the morning. I've just arisen from a dream of you,
a dream so real I could swear you were there at my side. I am so
used to this, having you in my dreams night after night. How I wish
I could just lie by your side and watch you sleep. To see you disarmed,
at peace. Sometimes I think when you watch a person sleep there's
a transparency that lets you see their soul. How I long to see yours
... |
 |
(Clara
exits. Fosca wakes up and stares at Giorgio a moment before he wakes.
She gently reaches out to touch his face.)
|
| Fosca |
It
is you. I thought I was dreaming. Please, I want to see the stars
before the daylight takes them away.
(Giorgio gets up and opens the shutters)
Do you think there are worlds out there? |
 |
| Giorgio |
(staring
into the sky) I do. |
| Fosca |
Will
we visit them one day? |
| Giorgio |
I
would like to think so. As a child I used to dream I could fly -
travel to faraway places. |
| Fosca |
What
is a man like you doing in the army, Giorgio? |
| Giorgio |
My
father was an officer. It was expected that I would follow in his
path. |
|
| Fosca |
Call
me by my name. |
|
| Giorgio |
Fosca. |
|
| Fosca |
Say
"Giorgio and Fosca". |
|
| Giorgio |
Giorgio
and Fosca. |
|
| Fosca |
Say
"Fosca and Giorgio" |
|
| Giorgio |
Fosca
and Giorgio. |
|
| Fosca |
It's
music! (Pause) Do you love this woman very much? |
|
| Giorgio |
Don't
ask me. I've told you how I feel. |
|
| Fosca |
What
is her name? |
|
| Giorgio |
Clara. |
|
| Fosca |
Clara. |
|
| Giorgio |
It will be light soon. I should be going. |
 |
| Fosca |
Will
you do me a great favor before you go? |
| Giorgio |
If
I can. |
| Fosca |
Would
you write a letter for me? |
|
| Giorgio |
Certainly. |
|
| Fosca |
There
is paper on my desk.
(He goes to her desk and sits, taking up a pen.) |
 |
| Giorgio |
Yes? |
| Fosca |
My
dearest Fosca ...
(He stops writing and looks at her)
Please.
(he resumes writing) |
| Giorgio |
'My
dearest Fosca' |
| Fosca |
I
wish I could forget you.
Erase you from my mind.
But ever since I met you,
I find, I cannot leave the thought of you behind.
That doesn't mean I love you ... |
| Giorgio |
That
doesn't mean I love you ... |
|
| Fosca |
I
wish that I could love you ... I
know that I've upset you,
I know I've been unkind.
I wanted you to vanish from sight,
But now I see you in a different light.
And though I cannot love you,
I wish that I could love you. For
now I'm seeing love like none I've ever known.
A love as pure as breath, as permanent as death.
Implacable as stone
A love that, like a knife, has cut into a life
I wanted left alone.
A love I may regret, but one I can't forget. I
don't know how I let you so far inside my mind,
But there you are and there you will stay
How could I ever wish you away?
I see now I was blind. And
should you die tomorrow,
Another thing I see.
Your love will live in me.
(As the music fades)
I remain ... Your Giorgio.
(He signs the letter and blots it)
Please bring it to me.
(He does)
Thank you, Giorgio. You better go. Do you have sisters? |
 |
| Giorgio |
Yes. |
|
| Fosca |
Do
you kiss them goodbye? |
|
| Giorgio |
On
occasion . |
 |
| Fosca |
Would
you kiss me goodbye the way you do them?
(Giorgio gives her a peck on the forehead)
No, like you kiss her.
(Fosca suddenly pulls Giorgio to her and embraces him like a
lover. Stunned, he pulls himself away)
Now go! Thank you Giorgio. Quickly! Run! |
(Giorgio
runs from the room. There is a moment of calm and then Fosca lets
out an involuntary scream; blackout)
 |
