"Charge of the guard, open up!" "No!" "No!" "This is the story of Justine... and the misfortunes of virtue." " Poor children." " Poor Juliette." "Poor Justine." " Have they been told yet?" " Call Justine and Juliette, please." "Yes, Reverend Mother." "Wait!" "Wait!" "Juliette!" "Justine, Juliette, the Reverend Mother has something important to tell you." "Go and see her at once." "I wonder what's the matter." "We've done nothing wrong." "Speak for yourself." "You're too good to be true." "You should learn-- lt isn't doing wrong that's dangerous, it's being found out." " Juliette!" " Don't be so shocked." "Don't keep the Reverend Mother waiting." "They lived in a secluded convent." "Two sisters, completely different in appearance, temperament, and expectations." "In truth, the good must often suffer from the thorns of life, whilst the wicked gather nothing but roses." "My children, I have sad news for you." "A week ago, your father was forced by his creditors to leave this country, and last night, your mother died of grief." " Oh, but that's..." " Oh, no!" " You must be very brave." " Well... you mean we're left with neither parents nor money?" "Not entirely without money." "Family friends have arranged for you to receive 100 crowns each, a substantial amount which will help you in this time of crisis." " When do we get the money?" " You shall have it immediately." "My poor child, unfortunately there is no provision for you to continue your education here in the convent, so you will have to leave today." "Leave?" "But where will we go?" "Oh, don't worry." "I've got a friend who will look after us." "I trust you will not forget the lessons you have been taught here." "No, I won't, Reverend Mother." "The best lesson I have learned here is to look after yourself, for nobody else will." "Come on." "Oh, come on." "Holy Mary, Mother of God, whatever will become of them?" "Take heed citizens." "Yea, today a new law that under pain of death, it is allowed that beggars and all destitutes being penniless may lodge or pass freely within the city walls." "Any such offender will suffer public whipping, be taken to the gallows, and there be executed." " Hear ye this new law today." " Can I help you young ladies?" "Yes, we're looking for the house of Madame De Buisson." "Yes, on the right." "Are you sure?" "Well, it's one of the best-known houses in Paris." "Over there." "What did he mean by that?" "is this Madame De Buisson's place?" "That's right." "Go right in, dear." "Huh." "Attention, girls." "Two new lodgers." "They're a bit shy, but they'll settle in." "I'm Juliette, and this is my sister, Justine." "She looks like a virgin." "Juliette, I don't think I'm going to stay here." "Oh, please yourself, but you'll find the beds elsewhere not so soft." "In fact, I'm going now." "But why, my dear?" "In this house, you can stay a virgin for months." "At least as far as the gentlemen are concerned." "Well, when I first came here, I was a virgin every night." " Come back, dear." " Oh, let her go." "That's right." "She's not the kind of girl for here." "Just a sou is all I ask." "Spare a sou for a poor, blind beggar." "Come with me, my pretty." "I'll teach you a few tricks." "Leave her alone." "Can't you see she's a decent girl?" "Where are you going, my dear?" "Oh, Father, I must find somewhere safe to stay for the night." " Have you any money?" " Only 100 crowns, Father." "It's all I have in the world." "Then you must take good care of it, my child." " Where is it?" " Here, Father." "I'll take care of it for you." "Monsieur du Harpin comes to my church every morning, and if you come with him, I'll give it to you tomorrow." "He lives quite near here, and you'll find he has a very pleasant house." " A house, Father?" " Of virtue." "Come, my child." "It's at the end of the street." "Oh, thank you, Father." "God go with you." "Company, girls." "Run along, now." "Claudine, you teach her the tricks of the trade." "Go on, darling." "Girls..." "Who is there?" "Monsieur du Harpin?" "Eh?" "I was told you could offer me a bed for the night." "Can you pay?" "Yes, monsieur." "Oh." "Well, it's all right, then." "Come in." "Come in, come in." "It'll cost you... one crown." "is that all r" "Where's the money?" "I gave it to a priest for safety." "He said he would give it back tomorrow morning in church." "What priest?" "But he said you went every morning and would take me with you." "Why, you stupid girl!" "You're lying!" "I'm not!" "I swear I'm not!" "But... you have no money." "It seems I have no money," " no friends, and no place to stay." " Listen." "I have no servants, so maybe... maybe we could arrange for you to stay." "I'll work." " How much do you eat?" " Not very much." "Just bread and a little soup." "Soup?" "I... eat soup once a week." "No, it'll be bread and river water, and that's all." "Well, I don't mind, so long as I have a roof over my head." "You can sleep in the other room." "Come on." "There." "It's nice, isn't it?" "You like it?" "That dress is far too good for a servant." "Hurry up!" "But..." "But... I'll take... good care of it for you." "Hurry up." "Come on, don't be shy." "Let's see the rest." "Turn around." "Lovely." "Excellent.... c-clothes." "Worth at least three crowns." "Men can be very demanding." "Do you know how to satisfy them?" "I'll try." "And remember-- at 6:00 tomorrow morning, the house must be absolutely clean and the steps polished, because in this house, there are other people." "Vain people." "Must it be true that prosperity attends the very worst of conduct?" "Must it always be that disaster dogs the heels of virtue?" "Oh, what infamies poor Justine had yet to suffer." "It seemed that in her innocence, she could not even comprehend the evils that still lay before her." "Look what you're doing, can't you?" "Excuse me." " Who are you, anyway?" " l'm the new maid, sir." "What's your name, you silly girl?" "Justine, sir." "I am Monsieur Desroches, and I rent the first floor." "And each day, it must be cleaned." " You understand?" " Yes, sir." "And sometimes in the evening," " it must be cleaned again." " Yes, sir." "If so, well, I shall send for you." "Yes, sir." "~ l want to go here and here and here ~" "~ All over the world... ~" "Dear girl." "I want to go here and here and here and here and here and here and..." " Come here." " Sir?" "Here." "Tell." "Do you like this?" "I think it's beautiful!" "I was talking with Monsieur du Harpin, uh, about you, and we have agreed that in the future, it would be more convenient... for you to sleep upstairs." "Yes, sir, but you sleep here." "Precisely." "And this pretty little trinket may be yours, but not at once." "Maybe in two or three months, I think." "Not here or here, but here!" "You bit me, you devil!" "Let..." "Let go!" "Come back!" "Come back!" "What happened?" "Huh?" "He wanted..." "He wanted..." "He wanted me to sleep with him." "Why not?" "Why, you silly girl." "That is my plan." "Now, upstairs there's a box full ofjewelry." "My plan is that at night, when he's asleep, you could go... go in and grab it!" " No." " Yes." " No!" " Yes!" " No!" "No!" " Yes, you... you bitch!" " No!" " You..." "No!" "Stupid child!" "Come buy a lady's lovely dress in perfect condition!" "Sir, just feel it." "Lovely, isn't it?" " How much is it?" " Three and a half crowns, sir." "Well, sir, what'll you offer?" "Come buy, come buy!" "Come buy this dress here!" "In perfect condition, I assure you!" "Gents, a sensational bargain for your ladies!" "You won't find a better offer!" "It's a lovely bargain I'm offering you!" "Not for five, not for four, but for a measly three and a half crowns!" "A lovely ladies' dress in perfect condition." "A sensational bargain!" "A chance of a lifetime!" " Your servant, sir." " And yours, I assure you." "This is the house." "And that's the girl!" "Now, come here, you!" "Monsieur Desroches." "Monsieur Desroches, what brings you back so soon?" "Ah, when I reached my house this morning, I opened the strongbox, and I found the gold brooch was, uh, missing." "What?" "But certainly you cannot blame me." "Oh, no, no, no, monsieur, but her." "Last night, when I had the last glass of wine you gave me, I slept sounder than usual, and I must've been fast asleep when she cleaned the room." "And, uh, she's the only one who could've stolen the brooch." "I didn't steal it." "Well, you-- you see, monsieur, everything she possesses is on-- on-on her back, and in-- in that roo-- room where she s-s-sleeps." "Then search her." "Search her." " lt's not here." " Or very well concealed." "Ah." "I arrest you as a thief." "The penalty..." " is death." " No!" " But I didn't steal it!" " Take her away." "No!" "A sad end, I fear, for a vicious life." "And I have to find... another maid." "Hey, you!" "Come here." "Welcome, sweetie." "The food's bad, but the company's good." "How long do you plan to stay?" "I don't know." "Do you mind telling me what brought you here?" "You look so innocent." "But I am innocent." "I was falsely accused of stealing a brooch." "I know, dear." "To hear us talk, we're all innocent." "That is, all except her." " Who is she?" " Her name is Dusbois." "Name a crime, and she's guilty." "Robbery, with violence." "Corruption of children." " Murder." " Murder?" "Half a dozen times, proved." "Without proof, maybe a dozen." "She'll be hanging high tomorrow morning." "That's the scaffold they're building outside now." "There'll be quite a crowd tomorrow to see her go." "Thousands." "That's the way I want it too." "Come on." "It's Dusbois' last night." "Let's have a party." "Come on, Dusbois!" "You open the ball!" "Right track, halt!" " Two guards relieving." " All guards accept relief." "Left turn, quick march." "Shh." "But... what do you want with me?" "I don't want you." "I need you." "To help me." "But how can I help you?" "They say that tomorrow, you're going to..." "No." "Tomorrow I'm not "going to."" "I am going to leave this place... tonight." "And so are you." "Four men are building the scaffold intended for my exit." "They are friends of mine." "We have planned my exit in a somewhat more attractive fashion." "But what am I to do?" "Before it is dawn, they will throw lighted torches into the courtyard," "And then you will scream, oh, very much, huh?" "And then it will cause confusion, and they throw the rope over the wall." "And then, away." "You and me, huh?" "Oh, why me?" "Because... you look so innocent," "you little thief." "You'd better come down now." "That'll do." "Take a rest." "Do you know the story about the two little birds?" "One little bird said to the other, "You're silly,"" "and he went..." "Are you ready?" "Yeah." "Keep quiet." "Help!" "Help!" "Fire!" "Fire from the sky!" "Help!" "Help!" "We'll all be burned!" "Who's that?" "Come on, let's go." "She comes with us." "Damn you to hell!" "She comes with us!" " What are you waiting for?" "Come!" " Come on." "Let's go." "Come on, Dusbois." "Over with you." "Here I come!" "Meanwhile," "Juliette had learned her lesson well." "She felt that having been born for crime, she must at least commit it grandly and set no limit to her capacity for evil." "It's the same young man." "Why does he spend every night with her?" "He used to prefer me." "That was when he could afford to pay, my dear." "The bitch!" "To think it's our money she's using!" "Now, remember what I told you:" "Virtue must be avoided." "It's sure disaster." "And poverty also must be avoided at all costs." "But how?" "If like us you're young and in a hurry..." "By crime, of course-- the viler the better, for vice is most amply rewarded." "Now!" "Do as I say!" "There are soldiers at the city gates watching for you." "What other news from Paris?" "The prison was burned to the ground." "Twenty convicts died." "You and her were the only ones to escape." " How horrible!" " Eh." "What is horrible?" "That they are dead or that you are alive?" "Any other orders?" "What do you want me to do?" "Would you like me to serve her to you, like some kind of food?" "Hmm?" "Last night, they saved your life." "Now they want you to be grateful." "Mm!" "I go." "Hold on!" "We will... give her a choice." "So, my lovely one, here are... four fine, stalwart men," "all anxious... to share your favors." "Now you may choose." "What are we waitin' for?" "Madame!" "Madame!" "Stop!" "Stop!" "I said stop!" "Get back!" "Oh, why did you save me if it was only for this?" "What do you mean, "for this"?" "Personally, I know 10,000 women in Paris who would give anything to be in the position you are in now." "Such handsome men." "Well, I give you a choice." "You join us." "You become one of us." "You steal with us, you fight with us, you live with us, if need be, you die with us." "So... she is one of us." "I accept her." "I approve her." "There will be no more violence." "You will keep your hands off her!" "Consider how valuable her innocence is to us." "We will protect her." "We will not ravish her." "Better for our business." " So now she's one of us." " That's what Dusbois said." "If she belongs to us, what are we waitin' for?" "Why should you be first, eh?" "Ah!" "Here, why should you?" "That's right." "Stop it!" "Break it up!" "You stay here." "I will kill all of you now!" "Boys!" "Don't be afraid." "How are you?" " Don't touch me!" " Why are you so frightened?" "I'm not going to hurt you." "Where am I?" "Who are you?" "My name is Raymond." "I spend my days painting." "This is my house." "I live here alone." " How long have I been here?" " Five days." "Until last night, I felt worried about you." "But you don't know who I am." " What's your name?" " Justine." "That's enough for me." "Don't be afraid." "You scared me." "I think I'd better be going now." "Oh, no." "Please stay." "But..." "I have no money." "I can't pay you with anything." "Yes, you can." "Let me paint you." "Don't move." "Don't move!" "Raymond!" "Dinner's ready!" "Do you like it?" "Mm-hmm." "Yes, I like it." "Justine!" "Well, you said you wanted to paint me." "Of course I want to paint you." "But also to know you." "To love you." "I don't want to hurt you or frighten you." "I know how you must have suffered." "You won't tell me how, but I can see it in your eyes." "I want to love you sincerely, tenderly." "There's nothing to be afraid of anymore." "Raymond!" "Raymond!" "I must go." " Why?" " l must go!" "But, Justine!" " Excuse me, sir." " What do you want?" "Two condemned women escaped from the prison last week." " "Condemned"?" " Yes, a thief and a murderess." "Well, what can I do for you?" "They're not here." "They could be hiding here without your knowledge." " Keep back!" " Who's there?" "Who's in there?" "It's one of them." " Justine!" " Help!" " Run for it!" " Help!" "Help!" "After her!" "To the left!" "I'll get you, Jasmin." "You can't get away from me." " You hurt me." " l told you I'd get you." "You just wait." "Who's there?" "Ah, my pretty young boy, who are you, and what are you doing here?" "You were spying on us." "Let me go!" " l meant no harm!" " Tell me the truth." " You were watching us." " No!" "No, I wasn't!" "Jasmin, come over." "Here's a spy." "You have been tried, found guilty, and condemned." "And now listen to your sentence." "I don't understand." "I am the Chevalier de Bressac." "This forest here belongs to my family." "We could have killed you as a poacher." "But I have decided to spare your life, for... you might be useful to me." "You're young, and you have a certain air of innocence." "I believe from your dress that you were running away from something or somebody." "Probably both." "Very well." "If you can be trusted, I can offer you both refuge and employment." "Good morning, ma'am." "Justine?" "Yes?" "Follow me." "You know, my dear, you've only been with me three months, but I don't know what I'd do without you." "Thank you, milady." "This past week in Paris, I've missed you dreadfully." "I don't understand why you beg not to come." "l-- l'm sorry, milady." "Come, Justine." "Now you must help me take my bath." "My husband hasn't been unpleasant to you in my absence?" "He hasn't tried anything else?" " No, milady." " No, of course not." "You must tell me all your secrets." "Remember, we must share everything together." "Everything." "Shh." "What do you want?" "Not you, my dear." "Of course not." "Just a favor." "Shh." "Be quiet." "Your wife will hear it." " She's right next door." " l know." "It is your closeness to her which makes you so useful." "But-- but why?" "If you don't already know, the family's fortune, all this-- the house in Paris, the mines-- in short, everything-- belongs to my wife." "All I possess is 50,000 crowns a year." "Until she dies." "Each morning, when my wife wakes, you make and bring to her bedside some chocolate." "It will be the work of a moment to flavor her chocolate with a pinch of this powder." "Remember, once I spared your life." "I ask so little in return." "Think about it." "But-- but she's your own wife." "Takes courage, doesn't it?" "And if I refuse?" "Then I shall tell her that you are planning to murder her yourself." "Good night." "Pleasant dreams." "Tell me, O mirror, who in the world is as beautiful as I am?" "Good morning, Justine." "Good morning, milady." "Pour me a cup of chocolate please." "Justine, what's the matter?" "Milady..." "What is it?" "It's your husband, milady." "My husband?" "What has he done to you?" "He wants me... to help him..." " to murder you." " What?" "This is some joke." "He's playing tricks with you." "Your husband gave me this." "He told me to put it in your chocolate." "How ridiculous." "Give it to me." "Let me show you." "Cyril." "Cyril." "See?" "He wants more." "Oh, Madame." "I was waiting for you." "Were you?" "Yes." "Every afternoon I dream that one day it will be like it was when we first met." "I bathe myself, lie down," "and wait." "Poor Emily." "I know that for this reason you've looked for other kinds of pleasure, but now... I am here." "And I want you." "Your favorite wine, and mine." "Just like old times." "Maybe everything will change tonight." "Yes." "Madame, Madame." "My dear, it's a year since you've been so passionate." "Yes." "It's because it's never been so exciting as now." "Why?" "I find it stimulating to make love to someone who quite soon will be dead." "What do you mean?" "Death is very close to you, my dear." "Your cheeks are becoming pale." "Your eyes..." "You drank my wine." "My favorite wine." " Bitch!" "Betrayer!" "Murderess!" " No!" "Oh, yes." "Certainly." "The wine my wife drank was poisoned, and she died in agony with your name on her lips." "You murdered her!" "Who would believe you?" "Who will believe you, with the brand of a murderess on your breast?" "No!" "No!" "No." "No." "N..." "Cut her free." "And remember:" "Every constable in France will be looking for you." "Hide yourself... if you can." "Get up." "Up." "Go on." "Come along." "Poor Justine." "Willed by providence to fall into the hands of the guilty and to be their prey." "Nature does not leave in our hands the possibility of committing crimes which would conflict with her needs." "Equilibrium must be preserved." "It can only be preserved by crimes." "And therefore, crimes serve nature." "And in that same forest through which Justine fled, her sister, Juliette, was about to enjoy the further profits of her chosen vice." "Sweet Juliette, in these past few days, we have murdered and thieved our way to a considerable fortune." "Don't you agree now that vice can be a marvelous source of enjoyment?" "Quite apart from the profit, of course." "I do indeed." "You've taught me well." "I couldn't have asked for a better pupil." "Why don't we bathe here?" "We're quite alone." "Lovely idea." "Give me your hand." "Ah." "Come over here where it's deeper." "A considerable fortune, thanks to you." "But I'm not going to share it." "Have you taken everything from the house?" "Everything." "And Claudine?" "She's gone." "Forever." " Good morning." " Good morning, miss." "Could you tell me, is that a church over there," " round the end of the wood?" " No, miss." "It was a monastery." " The Chateau Devois." " Does anybody live there?" "Four good men who, so they say, have given up all their worldly goods and thoughts so that they may pass their days in meditation and study." "Do you think they would let me stay there a while?" "The four good men are never outside the chateau, but you can speak to their gatekeeper." "Thank you." "What do you want?" "Sir, sanctuary." "Are you alone?" "I haven't a friend in the whole world." "Oh, sir, I implore you." "In the name of the four good men who live here, please let me stay." "Have pity on me." "Come here." " Your name?" " Justine." "And what brought you here?" "Sir, I have been cruelly treated, robbed, falsely accused, imprisoned, assaulted, beaten, and pursued." " l have lost all I possess." " All?" "Don't be shy." "Answer my question." "Are you still a girl of virtue?" "Then... welcome to Chateau Devois." "My name is Clement." "Emmanuel, attend to this young lady." "Provide her with new clothes and let her be refreshed in body and mind." "Tonight you will join us for dinner and meet the brethren and your fellow guests, together with our leader, the founder of our society." "Oh, thank you." "Thank you so much for your kindness." "May I know the name of the person who I am to thank?" "His name is..." "Brother Antonin." "We have a new guest." "She is waiting to be summoned." "Oh." "Oh." "So this is Justine?" "Come, my dear." "Stand beside me." "These will be your new companions." "Olivia," "Emilia," "Cordelia," "Florette." "And the-- the fellow members of our order, Rafael," "Manuel," "Ezekiel, and Clement." "My friends... we were in need of a new recruit." "Yes, and providence has sent us this fresh and most desirable... fruit." "These-- these companions, they came here like you-- friendless and alone." "They have but one task:" "to serve the four of us in every way." "Prepare yourself to join them." "Seize her." "Seize her!" "Seize her!" "But, sir, I was told that you four good men had devoted your lives to meditation" " and study!" " True." "True." "And the subject that we are studying is nothing less than... the pursuit of pleasure." "Help!" "The supreme pleasure." "Does our cruelty amaze you?" "Why?" "A pleasure shared is not necessarily a pleasure increased." "Better we concentrate on our own pleasures solely." "This... flatters our pride the more." "Oh!" "But the more we indulge our pride and our tastes, the more they clamor for satisfaction." "And so our search goes on and on and on and on and on and on and on!" "Perhaps..." "Perhaps there's no end to it." "Still we seek." "For what?" "For what, we do not know." "We do not know." "We do not know." "For what, we do not know!" "How long have I been sleeping?" "Two days." "Time has no meaning." "How long have you been here?" "They brought me to this place... a year ago." "Well, there must be some way of escaping from here." "There must be." "From time to time, girls leave and.." "others arrive." "How do they leave?" "Suddenly, without trace." "We never hear of them again." "Perhaps they're sent away." "After what we've learned here, do you really believe the brethren would let them live?" "Oh, I want to die." "You must not lose hope." "What is the hour?" "It's getting late." "Soon it will be night again." "I... sent for you, Justine, because I detect in you the seeds of a true believer." "I believe... I am right and you are wrong, if that is what you mean?" "Reflect, my dear, just where the path of righteousness has brought you." "The agonies that you have suffered, the pains that you have endured." "If these are the fruits of righteousness, could it not be... that for you they represent... the ultimate pleasure?" "I don't understand." "Don't you?" "is it not possible that in your case, the ultimate pleasure... is to endure?" "But... if what if you say is right, I am the sinner and you are the man of virtue?" "At last." "At last." "You have understood." "My friends, tonight we are about to celebrate the anniversary of our order." "Brother Antonin." "There is among us one who has achieved in a short space of time the fullest understanding of our philosophy." "Justine." "Precisely." "Because of her understanding, I have decided that her stay amongst us should be short." "Tonight... she leaves us... forever." "But surely, Brother Antonin, you... I have decided." "Brother Antonin." "Justine," "it has fallen to you to demonstrate the ultimate sacrifice in our search for pleasure." "Justine, Justine!" "Justine!" "Justine!" " No." " Come on!" " No." " Come on!" " No." " Come on!" "Justine!" "Florette!" "Florette?" "Justine?" " She's gone." "You'll never find her." " Where are you, Justine?" " Whoa!" " What is it, coachman?" "There's a woman in the road, sir." "Beautiful things all the way from Africa." "Dancing, writhing." "Gentlemen, you will want to leave your wives." "And ladies, you will see sights that never before have been brought." "Oh, we are making good..." "Calm, please!" "Calm, my good friends." "We're going to begin the show!" "Now, just step inside!" " lnnkeeper?" " Sir?" "A room for the lady." "Oh, sorry, sir. lt's market day." "There's not a room to be had." "But the lady isn't well." "Can't you see?" " There's my parlor at the back, sir." " Show me." "All right, sir." "Excuse me, sir." "Sorry about that, sir." "I have friends in the town." "Justine, I shall be back soon." "Raymond?" "I love you." "Good afternoon." "A friend of mine has arrived with a young lady." "He has asked me to look after her." "You were very quick, madam." "She's in my parlor." "Follow me." "Oh, my dear." "How good it is to see you again." "That will be all." "You will leave her to me." "I will take her to my house." "Yes, madam." "So here we are, huh?" "Let go of me!" "And you are not without your own kind of corruption, are you, you innocent little thief?" "Now you will come with me." "Yes, you will come with me." "Oh, my God." "Your God?" "What God?" "Evil exists in the earth." "Since there is evil, it must be that God needs it, or he is too weak to prevent it." "I am not impressed with your God, eh?" "Come with me!" "Well, it's our little friend again." "Hello, my dear." "All right, take your place." "There will be time for that." "Get up." "Oh, you are not so ill you cannot work." "You're not a child any longer." "Now, take off your clothes like the other girls and get up there." "Well, how's the lady?" " The lady, sir?" "But she left." " Left?" "What do you mean?" "Your friends, sir, they took her with them." "My friends?" "These are my friends!" "Well, there's been some mistake, sir." "I swear to you, sir." "A mistake." "Long ago, in the remote past, two children were stolen by monkeys and carried away into the jungle, and from there to a white-skin tribe that lived on the top of a mountain that was so very high" "that the sun never shone." "Yes, sirs." "That's why they're white." "And the only descendent still alive today ls Palamita-- applause, please-- who I will now unveil." "Silence!" "Silence." "You have not seen all." "Now she must turn around and show you the other side," "and you will see that she is white all over the place!" "Come along, Palamita, dear." "Show your beautiful charms." "Turn around, you little bitch!" "Look!" "She's a murderess!" " Come here." " Your servant, sir." "What happened?" "They've caught a notorious murderess, sir." "A murderess?" "Who did she murder?" "A commoner?" "No, Your Excellency." "The Marquise de Bressac." "What's the to-do?" "They've arrested... a criminal, a murderess." "Oh." "I want to speak to that woman alone." "That's dangerous, my dear." "You're a minister of the king's government." "There's no danger." "I order you to stop, in the king's name." "I'm the Count du Corville." "Release the girl." "I want to speak to her." "What is the reason for this?" "That girl is my sister." "Juliette!" "Juliette!" "My poor child." "All of what you have told me has happened to you, whilst I, indulging in every kind of wickedness, have enjoyed nothing but pleasure." "Until... here I am today, mistress of a wealthy nobleman, a minister of the king, with my own house in Paris, estates in the country, and two million crowns in the bank." "I have learnt, from my own experiences in this world," "that it is only the wicked who prosper." "And I think that, if I'm allowed to live," "I intend to change my ways." "No, no, sister." "If that's the conclusion you have reached, you're wrong." "My wicked life has proven empty." "You have suffered a great deal, but in the end, you will be rewarded." "You will accompany us to our house in the country, where peace and happiness await you." ""Happiness"?" "You poor child." "For indeed, true happiness can only be found in the practice of virtue." "And if God permits the righteous to be persecuted on earth, it is only to prepare them for a great reward... in heaven."