Scene Fourteen


We are back in the villa a few hours later. As the lights rise, JULINKA and CATALUNI are just entering the room. THEY are dressed exactly as they were in the previous scene, except now Julinka is carrying a very expensive satchel.
 
 
CATALUNI
What a feast that was! Never had roast crocodile before.

JULINKA

Straight from the Coliseum. They have to do something with all those speared reptiles.

CATALUNI

There was enough food left over to feed half of Gaul. You’ll give it to the poor, of course.

JULINKA

The poor! Are you serious?

CATALUNI

Of course.

JULINKA

You give the poor braised nightingale and milkfed snails, and they’ll never be satisfied with porridge again. Daddy knew that.

CATALUNI

I’m sure he did.

JULINKA

No, I’ll have two of the slaves open up a stall in the Forum and sell what’s left. Reheated, of course.

CATALUNI

With his passion for exotic dishes, Asclepius would have loved it. A shame there were so few people.

JULINKA

He was always complaining nobody loved him. I always knew he was right, but I never knew he was that right.

CATALUNI

I’m sure he heard what the slaves were singing, too. Maybe my breath machine wasn’t such a good idea after all.

JULINKA

It was a wonderful idea.

CATALUNI

But he’s going to be awfully angry when he gets back.

JULINKA

He isn’t getting back.

CATALUNI

Where’s he going?

JULINKA

Someplace---
Away from the turmoil,
Out of the norm---
Someplace
A place like no other
Although I have heard that
It’s a trifle warm.

Someplace---
Not quite a meadow,
Not quite a park---
Someplace,
A place like no other
Although I have heard that
It’s a trifle dark.

And while it gets darker
And "warm" turns to "hot"---
He won’t ever worry
Whether anyone loves him
Or not.
 
 

CATALUNI
You make it sound like… (Gradually the truth begins to dawn, and his expression changes from quizzical to disbelief to shock.) You couldn’t have!

JULINKA

                                        (extracting the tube from her satchel)
I didn’t. (as SHE tosses it to Cataluni) You did.
  (A smile illuminates her face. CATALUNI regards her with horror. The music of "Someplace" builds.)
 
 
SLOW CURTAIN
 
 

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