Journey Through the Impossible (7 page)

Ox (angrily): What punishments? Tell me. Answer me!

Volsius (gently): Excuse me, doctor. A thousand pardons. I am not
expressing myself.... I can only speak clearly, they say, with my
fingers. I'll try to make myself understood. (He goes to the organ
and sits down.) I'll try to show you to what abysmal depths sacrilegious pride can sink.

Ox: What is he going to do?

Eva: 0 Lord, inspire him. Save George. 0 Lord, Lord, save us all.

he organ sounds)

The back of the hall is open and the sides have disappeared, to reveal the decor
representing an angel falling. Dr. Ox backs away at first, then returns
upstage and watches.

Ox: It's the angel falling.

Volsius (going up to him): This is the punishment for pride.

Ox: You're a wonderful musician, Master Volsius, but the fallen angel
fell gloriously. The grandeur of his fall lent almost as much brilliance to his name as did his daring rebellion. He won glory. Glory
above all!

George: Yes, yes. Glory, glory!

Ox: That's where I will lead you.

Volsius: Yes, to glory, or to madness.

Mme de Traventhal: Madness!

Volsius: But wherever he goes, he will find me in his way.

(Exit Volsius and Eva)

Ox: Come, George Hatteras, take this vial and drink!

(George drinks)

Eva (snatching the vial from him): Well, I won't desert you, George. I'll
share the dangers.

(She drinks, too, and throws away the vial.)

George: Eva, what have you done?

Ox: Both of them! All right, so be it!

Tartelet (picks up the vial): What? Just with this potion, you could....
(He drinks) Let's go, then.

The terrace of an Italian inn, with vine-covered pillars. On the right, an inn
with doors and windows. Pergola and benches on the terrace. In the left background can be seen Vesuvius,13 its crater wreathed in smoke. To the right
extends the beginning of the Bay of Naples.14 It is daytime.

(Enter George, Eva, Ox, and Tartelet)

Tartelet: Where are we? I don't see the town of Aalborg, or the spires
of the cathedral.

George (to Ox): Where are we, doctor?

Ox: In Naples, not far from Vesuvius. You can see its summit.

George: Vesuvius! That's the crater where Professor Lidenbrok came
out.

Ox: And the crater through which we will penetrate to the center of
our globe.

Eva: Right to the fiery lake! George! It's time for you to stop.

George: Don't be afraid, Eva.

Tartelet: Dear me, I seem to be hungry. You can't travel six hundred
leagues without a little something to eat.

Ox: Here's an inn. Call out, and someone will serve you. Meanwhile,
we'll get ready for our dangerous descent.

Tartelet: Get ready! But why? After all, you can cover hundreds of
leagues in one leap.

Ox (to George): Are we simply going to reach our goal without seeing
or understanding or studying anything?

George: No, of course not.

Ox: Do you want to remain in ignorance of all the secrets and mysteries in order to avoid all the dangers?

George: No, no!

Ox: Come on, then.

Tartelet: Go ahead, you'll meet me back here. (Exit George, Eva, and
Ox.) Now, let's call out. Hello! Waiter!

(Enter the innkeeper)

Innkeeper (watching the three disappear): Well, well. A traveler.

Tartelet: Yes indeed. Come over here, waiter. You look surprised.

Innkeeper: Yes sir, very surprised.

Tartelet: Are you all alone here, then, waiter?

Innkeeper: Yes, except for a Dane who arrived yesterday.

Tartelet: A Dane. I once knew a Dane, a Great Dane he was, very tall
and handsome, with splendid ears and a long snout. A beautiful dog.

Innkeeper: No, no. This one is a young man.

Tartelet: Oh, I see. A two-legged Dane. Tell me, waiter, what can you
bring me to eat?

Innkeeper: There's nothing left at the moment. The Dane ate it all.

Tartelet: That's all right. Give me some anyway-and not too well
done.

Innkeeper: Right away, sir. (Exit.)

(Enter Valdemar, followed by the innkeeper)

Valdemar (nodding to Tartelet): Ah, that was a good lunch I had!
Maybe even a little too good.

Tartelet: It's the Dane. And he doesn't have a long snout.

Valdemar: Well, well. A foreigner. Mr.... uh?

Tartelet (nodding to him): Sir! ... (Aside) What an awkward way of
speaking! He doesn't even know how to greet people properly.

Valdemar: Good day, sir. Mr.... uh? Usually, when people meet
someone in their travels, even at the ends of the earth or farther,
they soon get acquainted. May I be so bold as to ask your name?

Tartelet: Professor Tartelet.

Valdemar (aside): A professor! He's a scientist! (Aloud) What country
are you from, sir?

Tartelet: I'm French. I was born in Asnieres.''

Valdemar: Asnieres. Ah, yes, Asnieres de Bigorre.'6 I know that place.

Tartelet: No you don't.

Valdemar: Are you married, Mr. Tartelet?

Tartelet: No, why do you ask?

Valdemar: Then you don't have any little Tartelets?

Tartelet: No.

Valdemar (laughs): No little Tarts?