Justine. Frank J. Morlock
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COPYRIGHT INFORMATION
Copyright © 1982, 2012 by Frank J. Morlock
Published by Wildside Press LLC
www.wildsidebooks.com
DEDICATION
To the memory of my mother,
Eva Pierson Morlock,
whose virtue was as obstinate as Justine’s, but fortunately never exposed to Justine’s misfortunes
CAST OF CHARACTERS
The Marquis de Sade
Justine, a pious virgin
Juliette, her sister
Landlady
Hairpin
First Man
Second Man
Third Man
Fourth Man
Florent, a wealthy noble
Young Man
Servant
Brother Severino
Second Monk
Third Monk
Fourth Monk
Doctor Rodin
Rosalie
Brother Martin
Judge
Hangman
M. de Corville
Madame Dubois
First Actor: De Sade, Hairpin, Brother Severino, Doctor Rodin
Second Actor: First Man, Second Monk, Brother Martin
Third Actor: Second Man, Third Monk, Hangman
Fourth Actor: Third Man, Servant, Third Monk, Hangman
Fifth Actor: Fourth Man, Servant, Fourth Monk, M. de Corville
Sixth Actor: Florent, Judge
Seventh Actor: Young Man
First Actress: Justine
Second Actress: Juliette, Rosalie, Young Man
Third Actress: Landlady, Madame Dubois, Countess
AUTHOR’S NOTE
It is possible, and even desirable, for doubling the characters in this play. When doubling occurs, very little effort should be made to conceal the identity of the actor. Presumably, this will produce a somewhat dream-like effect. Nine or ten players are all that is necessary. The part of the young man may be played by a woman. If so, only nine actors are needed.
As to costumes, no great effort for realism should be made, however, powdered wigs are in order for de Sade, Hairpin, Florent, Rodin, and Corville. Juliette should have as elegant a wig and gown as possible.
PROLOGUE
SCENE 1
The scenery should be as garish and lurid as possible, but no effort at realism is needed. Rather, the scenery should have the effect of a nightmare; i.e., details should be out of proportion, or occasionally, but not always, fantastic.
Enter the Marquis, before the curtain goes up.
De Sade
Allow me to introduce myself, ladies and gentlemen. You see before you a much maligned and traduced old man. I am at your service, the Marquis de Sade. I belong to an illustrious house, but alas, we have fallen on sad days, and my enemies have triumphed over me, and spread, quite successfully, the rumor that I am insane.
One young man has recently gone so far as to slander my name by ascribing a tragedy to me called Marat which he then styles as ‘produced by the Marquis de Sade and the inmates of Charenton.’ It is most unkind to make reference to my unfortunate sojourn in that institution. Most ungentlemanly. I was put there for political, not hygienic reasons. In fact, the whole thing was engineered to discredit my work. A trick not altogether forgotten in modern times.
At any rate, this play Marat, which has attracted so much attention, has raised suspicions that not only is the author mad, but so are those who would act in his play. (bowing) That is most untrue. In order to rebut this libel, a young friend of mine has undertaken to dramatize a trifle of mine known as ‘Justine.’ The young scamp has toned down some of the scenes and made some necessary adjustments to fit modern taste. But, I pronounce this play fully in the spirit of the original. Far from finding my characters insane, you will see that they behave in accordance with the highest standards of rationality set by the age and do nothing but upon philosophic reflection of the most refined kind.
And, as for the actors, they too, are quite sane. So I shall demonstrate by acting the part of a noted surgeon in this morality.
Let the play begin. (he bows again)
The Curtain Rises
ACT I
SCENE 2
A poor garret in Paris in the years preceding the Revolution. A staircase leading up to it. Juliette sits at a shabby mirror primping. Justine, her sister, enters from the stairs. Both are pretty aristocrats who have fallen on hard times.
Juliette
Well, did you find any work, Justine?
Justine
Leave me alone, Juliette.
Juliette
There just isn’t much a girl of sixteen can do—is there?
Justine
We’ll find something. Tomorrow, for sure.
Juliette
You’ve been saying that for a month.
Justine
We mustn’t give up hope. We aren’t starving yet.
Juliette
We will be if you don’t start to use your head.
Justine
What do you mean?
Juliette
It’s rather simple, isn’t it? We’re both well-born, educated, and pretty. We’re both virgins. Now, it’s true enough we are poor; but we weren’t always so. Until father was ruined we received an aristocratic education. As such, we are an asset to any man. There are dozens of men in the city of Paris who would be delighted to—
Justine
I suppose we should just walk up to them and say, ‘Marry me,’ and they will be delighted and say, ‘I should be delighted.’ You are so impractical, Juliette! Why don’t you be realistic? We’ll have to earn our bread. We can’t be proud.
Juliette
My dear girl, I am very realistic. We can hardly expect them to marry us.
Justine
Well, then—oh, you can’t mean that! My sister!
Juliette
Now, who’s being proud? After all, isn’t it better to be immoral than to be a scullion?
Justine
Juliette! It is far preferable to be a scrubwoman than to be a lady of leisure who is a prostitute.— From any moral point of view.
Juliette
But from an aesthetic one? Oh, darling Justine, when I see my own sister being so silly!
Justine
Father wouldn’t have approved this.
Juliette
So much the better that he is dead.
Justine
You