Journey Through the Impossible (20 page)

Ox: All right then, I was mistaken. To tell the truth, I'm not sorry. It
would have been painful for me to let the young lady of whom I
spoke witness what is going to happen here.

Eva: What is going to happen?

Ox: It would have been painful for me, I say, to have her present, not
at her fiances madness, but at his death.

Eva (forgetting herself): He's going to die! George!

Ox (forcefully): As you see, I was not mistaken.

Eva: Well, yes. I gave myself away. Yes, I'm Eva, but what do you
expect now that you have forced this confession from me? What
do you want from me?

Ox: I want to try one last time to convince you, and to soften your
heart.

Eva: And what about your heart? Has it softened? Have you finished
persecuting me, then?

Ox: This is not you, it's him! The rival I hate!

Eva: But he is my whole life.

Ox: Don't say that!

Eva: He is my very soul.

Ox: Hush!

Eva: He is all my happiness, all my love.

Ox (forcefully): Enough! Enough, I tell you.

Eva: And you think you can win me by murdering him! You kill me,
and you want me to love you! Well, let me tell you this: I feel as
much hostility toward you as you feel toward George, whom I
love. You hate him. I hate you.

Ox (beside himself): Eva! But what is happening to me? The anger and
hatred in your voice have penetrated to the very depths of my
soul. Ali! Perhaps I could resign myself to the pain of not being
loved by you. But to be hated? Never! Have I uncovered the most
fearsome secrets of nature, and acquired superhuman knowledge,
only to have it all crumble miserably at the feet of a child? Ali! It's
just as Captain Nemo said: it's in your own heart that she will find
weapons to use against you. Ah, yes! My pride is vanquished, yes,
my heart is broken. I beg you, I entreat you, I fall at your feet.
Don't hate me, Eva. Don't hate me.

(He drags himself after her and tries to take her hand)

Eva (pulling her hand away): Leave me alone. Leave me alone!

Ox: Have pity on me, Eva. Listen. Do you want me to be your
humble servant, your slave?

Eva: No!

Ox: Well then, here. A thousand times more. I'll be his slave....
George's. Ali, that would be a very great sacrifice, and very
painful, I can tell you. Never mind. Just say a word of compassion,
of pity, and I'll do it. Only don't hate me. Don't hate me. Eva,
don't hate me!

(Enter Volsius)

Volsius: My daughter!

(Eva slowly enters the house. Ox makes as if to follow her Volsius bars
his way, and they stare at each other; face to face)

Ox: Eva !

Volsius: "The woman shall crush thy head under her heel."

Ox (still watching Eva): Has this terrible curse come down through the
centuries to fall on me? No, I'll triumph over this love. I'll tear it
out of my heart. Ah, but I can't! I'll never be able to! "The woman
will crush thee under her heel."

he scene changes)

An immense square surrounded by palaces of a special architecture. The walls
are built of precious stones and the most beautiful marble. Gold and silver are
everywhere. There is a dazzling light, which has all the intensity of electric
lights.

(A magnificent celebration is under way. Full goblets are passed among
the groups)

(Enter George, Eva, Ox, Tartelet, Valdemar, Altorian men and women)

(BALLET)

(A ballet performed by Altorian women is abruptly interrupted at its
height by a great sound of bells and drums. George rushes in among the
dancers, followed by the others.)

George: The hour has struck, and the gigantic project is being
accomplished at this very moment. Through these colossal gates,
which I opened with my own hands, I saw the sea pour into the
abyss with a roar. I saw it fall in enormous cataracts, and the
resounding noise of its fall was answered by the prolonged rumbling of subterranean fires. It seemed as if that whole mass of fire
was in revolt against an enemy invasion, and great clouds of
purple smoke rose up from the struggle of those two furious elements. Sing! Drink! Dance! You have achieved an unparalleled
accomplishment, a glorious triumph of man over nature, a magnificent spectacle, which anyone would give his life to see.

(Enter Volsius)

Volsius: And soon you will all pay for it-with your lives,

All: Ah!

Eva: What did he say?

Ox (sarcastically, in a powerful voice): He said, poor fools that you are,
that a terrible cataclysm is about to occur, which you yourselves
have brought about. The water that you have sent rushing into
the planet's central furnace will not extinguish it, but will be transformed into thick vapors, which will overturn and destroy everything, and the wreckage of this planet will be scattered through
outer space.

George (delirious): Well, they'll take us with them to other solar systems.

Volsius: I tell you, Altor has only a few more minutes to live.

George (picking up a goblet): Let's drink, my friends, let's drink. If
death is to strike us down, let's die with a final song of triumph on
our lips.

Eva: Let's die with a final prayer.

Half of the people: Yes, yes! Let's drink! Let's drink!

The other half (bowing): Let's pray.

(Those on one side begin to dance, while those on the other side pray.)