https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B071FB9SGV
Seventeenth Scene
The scene is set on the
Devil’s Island, in a room four meters x four. Only a small candle lights the
room, from a table where Ferdinand Walsin Esterhàzi, is already sit, forgetful
of anything is writing down his memories. Then will enter, in sequence: Eduard
Drumont, as news papers seller, with a rubbish bucket of his “Libre parole”; Major
du Platy de Clam and General Mercier; both bandaged and moving as blind
men, very slowly with hands ahead, complaining for something that hurts
their feet on the floor; Alphonse Bertillon with a should strap camera. A
terrible winds blows on the damned, shaking the candle light.
E. Drumond (shouting): Libre parole!!! Buy a copy!
Last news! All news! Libre parole!!!
Paty de Clam (moaning): Parbleu! What a pain!!!The
floor must be full of sharping glasses,
brambles and thorns!!!
General Mercier (also complaining): Diable!!! I would
also say of pointed stones!!!
E. Drumond (shouting): Libre parole!!! Buy a copy!
Last news! All news! Libre parole!!!
Paty de Clam: If I only could catch that bloody seller of faking news!
General Mercier: It would be a pleasure also for me to
strangle that faker!
Mercier ( grabs Paty de Clam on his neck trying to
strangle him) I got you son of a bitch!!!
Paty de Clam (gasping): Attention monsieur! That’s my
neck!!!
E. Drumond (shouting): Libre parole!!! Buy a copy!
Last news! All news! Libre parole!!!
Mercier: Pardon monsieur!!!
Bertillon: S’il vous plait! Pose for a mug shot!!!
That’s very important for the sake of justice!!! Come on boys!!!
All the men go out in sequence repeating their
refrain.
Eighteenth Scene
(Dante and Virgil)
Dante: Master, would you please tell me who are those
bandaged men? Are them really blind?
Virgil (smiling well): The two blind men have been the
archest accusers of Alfred Dreyfus; they could not see the truth so they are
damned to walk and search blindly anywhere else.
Dante: What about that men with the bucket?
Virgil: The squealer used to be a director of a French
newspaper named “Libre parole” which campaigned against poor Captain Dreyfus!
Dante: But why does he go around with that bucket?
Virgil: Well, in fact he used to publish mere rubbish
against Dreyfus, with no proofs at all!
Dante: I see…and the other two men?
Virgil: The man sat at the desk is the real spy in the
whole affair and he’s confessing all his faults; while the last man is
Bertillon: he was a famous criminalist but was convinced by the two blind men
to pretend to be a graphic expert; but his appraisal was macroscopically wrong!
Dear Dante, anyone should only do what is able to do and never extemporize,
above all when vital interests are involved! Don’t you agree with me?
Dante: Of course I do, master! Your words are very
wise, as usual!!!
Virgil: Well! Do you want to see anything else about espionage?
The Hell crams of spies for it’s their ideal place!
Dante: Can I have some names?
Virgil: Plenty of them indeed, my son!!! It’s
impossible to mention even a small percentage of them!!!
Dante: Not even if we narrow down the list to the current century?
Virgil: It’s also difficult but I can try to list some
of the most famous. The German spy Mata Hari and her Chinese friend Shi Pei Pu form
a very special trio with Margaret Gertrude Zelle! They are usually seen either
in changeable couple or on their own, day and night. And that’s their
punishment: they spy and betray to each other in every and each instant of
their infernal life, acting and reproaching from time to time, one against two,
trying to poison and kill reciprocally!
Dante: There are more women or men among the condemned
for espionage?
Virgil: I told you: the hell is full of traitors,
betrayers and spies! Germans, Russian, Americans, French, Italians…
Dante: What about the spouses Rosenberg? Do you know
them?
Virgil: The poor Ethel and Julius Rosenberg are not
here for sure!!! But the Hell has crabbed Ethel’s brother David Greenglass and
his accomplices in that false accusation Irving Saypol and Robert Kaufmann! Greenglass
is wrapped on electrical wire like a coil and gets roast every time anyone
turns a light on! And make sure is plenty of lights in here! Do you want to see
them? They are not far from here…
Dante: I would prefer to see a male trio of espionage:
Kim Philby, Guy Burgess and Donald Duart Maclean! I’m sure you know them!!!
Virgil: Of course I know them!!!I’m fond of John
Cornwell, ‘ you know?
Dante: I thought you spent your spare time reading the
classical books of ancient memory…
Virgil: Dear son, classic is a relative class,
especially in art and literature!!!
Dante: And there’s also George Smiley with them?
Virgil: Who knows? They are in a great copy, all
wearing a sort of Janus’ masks with a double identity… two faces… as they have
been in their life…and nobody knows whom is talking with. Water flows out of
their mouths and they can’t help saying cheating words; and since they are not allowed
to take their masks off, they drown in a sea of lies, forever…
Dante (shuddering): I feel very tired master…
Virgil (with a brilliant jerk): Listen to my idea. I
know a place where we can comfortably sit down and watch what goes on…
Dante (curiously surprised) How can be that?
Virgil (amused)
It’s a sort of a live performance…
Dante: Is it true that imagines and movements can be
captured in a sort of synthetic skin?
Virgil: Yes, son! It’s true! But what I propose looks
much better as a theatrical representation…
Dante: Let’s go quickly then!
exeunt
Nessun commento:
Posta un commento