"In the 30's, an American secret society became quite notorious." "Its members rejected the whole idea of love,   deemed art to be evil, and claimed to find the so-called" RAPTURE OF BEING "   through a total liberation of the senses." "After a congress was held by those adepts in New York, in September 1937,   they were never heard of again." "One year later, a reporter thought he found them again   in the middle of uncharted territories." "He vanished too." "This film tells the story of how some of their daughters   came back to live among us." "We can't leave her like this." "I gave orders." "They're coming to get her." "Stop erasing that drawing." "They're waiting for us." "I'm ready." "What's that laughter outside?" "Samantha is initiating Leonardo." "Groupeightis expectedat8 :30." " Group eight has already arrived." "Thepackingteamsmustmake haste." "Ah, you're here!" "She couldn't take it anymore." "Allseductionequipment is to leave with the commandos." "Get up, little Felicia." "Groupsix." "Groupsix isexpected..." "I don't want to see my body." "It's too grotesque." "Thepackingteamincharge of group six must make haste." "Let us go now, my children." "The others will follow." "I can't get used to the voices they've given us." "Their females still have voices like this." "I've been told they conceal themselves when they make love." "Let's go." "Thesearemy finalorders." "Youhavebeenchosentoestablish a beachhead for our coming invasion." "Yourwillpoweris nowstrongenough toconquertheworldthat once exiledus." "Wemadeyoubeautiful becausewhereyou 'regoing, beauty is still held in high regard." "Go,andfightthisworldwhere  love is still considered a virtue." "Go,andcastrateall the masters." "Allthosewhomakeothersliveinfear ." "L'AMOUR EST UN FLEUVE EN RUSSIE [LOVE IS A RIVER IN RUSSIA]" "Here are your roses!" "Somewhereinourworld." " Are you crazy?" "No... stop!" "Hernameis Cascade." "No." "No, leave me alone." "Stop it." "Stop it." "You're such an animal!" "I'm getting married tomorrow anyway, you know." "Will you cut the bullshit, already?" "Pierre,thegardener." "Don't you know everyone is fed-up with your foolishness?" "MadamePapadéous,Cascade'saunt." "Please don't touch Sala's dress!" "She's getting married, not you." "Prepare some chocolate for Choupetit." "I've got to hurry !" "Mr. Grop is waiting for me." "Choupetit,herson." "Your chocolate is coming, my little angel." "Cascade is making it now." "You still haven't kissed me today." "Oh no, don't do that." "Come on, are you mad ?" "No..." "Hey!" "Where's that chocolate?" "What the hell are you doing?" "Choupetit is waiting." "It can't go on like this, you know, I'm warning you." "And don't forget your cousin's book." "I wonder where those two are." "Do you know?" " Goodbye, my darling." " Goodbye, mama." "Damned bugs!" "Ah, here you are." "Follow me." " Hello, my dear friend." " Yeah, hello, sorry." "Mr.Grop,thevillagemayor." "Please forgive me if I hurry." "I can't see you long, 'cause I'm very busy." "Please, take a seat." "I asked you to come because I've been commissioned with a sale." "The house next to you... the Fogle villa." "Well, it's been sold." "Werner,Grop'srighthandman." "It all happened in a very unusual manner." "First, there was an intervention by some big wig at the Prefecture." "Then some phone calls from the capital." "You know me, I like to be aware of everything." "Yes." "These people will probably move in soon." "So I'm asking you, since you're their neighbor   to keep an eye on things, just so we know with whom we're dealing." "Excuse me, but I'm in a real hurry, I'm a very busy man." "Werner, will you be good enough to see ..." " ..." "Mme. Papadéous to the door." " Good morning, Madame." " How is Sala?" " She's fine." "Oh, yes, speaking of the wedding   I think it's ridiculous!" "For a young man who plans on going into politics   marrying Sala Papadéous is madness !" "Blanche,M.Grop'swife,andherservant." "Please do it again." "I love it." "I see your pleasures are as high brow as ever." "We're just having fun." "Don't you have anything else to do ?" "What?" "Don't forget you are Madame Grop." "As some of us may recall, during the 1930's   the American public got all excited about a secret society   whose adepts were believed to have acquired   supernatural powers through unusual training methods." "I must have left a handkerchief around here." "Here, wait." "I let him get away with all this." "Oh, I'm such a coward." " Why do you say that?" " How I wish I weren't this way." "In late May 1935 the members of the sect   gathered in the lounge of the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in New York." "It seems a decision was reached at the end of this congress since   from that moment on, they were never heard from again." "Thetown'scabaret." " Did you see the glasses?" " What do I care?" " You're too much, you know that?" " Time to go to bed, gramps!" " Hi, guys!" " Hi!" "Oh shit..." "I don't want to watch that!" "Cover yourself up with this rag." "I've got work to do." "Fucking artists !" "Cut the bullshit, will you." "HereareRuthand Ivan." "They live with Tristan, an artist." "Hi." "Can you still see what you're doing?" "Yeah, I've got to finish this painting by tomorrow." "Why aren't you asleep?" "And how's our star ?" "Come on, come on, you've got to sleep now." "Don't you think you're overdoing it a bit?" "Go fuck yourself." " Why are you like this?" " Because he's making fun of me." "Thelittlegirlwejust saw,  is Ruth's daughter." "Asfortheblonde,hernameisRita ." " Trying to make yourself beautiful?" " Does this bother you?" "God, this place is a madhouse!" "I think..." "the transvestite, the painter   the sassy black girl and her poor child." "You're on the wrong path, father   if you begin to feel pity for such creatures." "Nowadays, people tend to forget about the devil !" "Yes, absolutely... the devil !" "The point is, the devil may not always be where you expect him." " Monsignor?" " What do you want?" " Your permission to go to bed." " Go, go !" "Thisisthecardinal'shouse." "Heliveswithhis secretary and Marie, the housekeeper." "Issheas submissiveassheseems ?" "She'sgoingto be thefirstone." "Whyher?" " Because she's so unhappy." "I don't care for the nonsense that you entertain these days, father." "" Give this ring to its rightful owner." "" The one he's been wearing since July 7, 1957 is a fake." "" Come and join us." "We will satisfy your hunger. "" "Ourvoicesarealready being heard among the monsters." "Thisoneis unhappy,isn 'tshe ?" "Sheisonlysavedbythemusicinherhead." "Music?" "It'soneof herwaystofeellesslonely." "Shehateshim." "Yes,butthere'salsoa strange scent of tenderness." "WernervisitsSalaPapadéous,hisfiancée." " Good morning, madam." " Good morning." "Come on, go to your room!" "I forbid you to leave." " Mademoiselle had arranged a rendezvous." " Yes, I know." "Liberte,Sala'ssister." "Watch this!" "Blanche!" "Go get my plane!" "I wonder who will rid me of that woman!" " Grop, don't be childish!" " Well, what's so important ?" "You know my housekeeper ?" "Yesterday, she came to me claiming that she had a... a visitor." " A visitor?" " Yes.." "Yes." "She was visited by a being..." "some sort of female being." "Well, she doesn't really know." "So, yes, I roared with laughter, as you would have." "But the strange thing is  the visitor left proof that she'd been there." " Proof?" " A ring." "A ring perfectly identical to my own." "She claimed that mine was a fake, and hers was genuine." "And you believe this bullshit ?" "Look." "The point is not believing or disbelieving." "It might be more than just poppycock, ... and I think that perhaps it is a matter concerning your police." "Because this morning I had the rings examined by an expert." "Mine is fake, hers is genuine." "Is that you ?" "I threw everybody out." "It's so difficult for us to meet." "Do you recognize your cute little ass?" "Watch what I do to it." "Do you still love me?" "How did you manage to escape from your aunt and your two bitch cousins?" "What is it ?" "Will she be coming?" "Why are you here ?" "Why are you here ?" "I came because..." "I told myself  since you were supposed to see Cascade, with the intention of..." "So, I thought..." "You're a whore!" "Get out!" "Leave!" "Slut..." "Asshole!" "Thecardinal'shousekeeper answers the Spermulans' call." " Well, I see she came." " Why is she afraid ?" "Freedom frightens slaves." "It forced us to create these bodies, since their world had destroyed their imagination." "My name is Gilda." "I'm the one who came to you the first time." "You will meet our mistress today." "No, I've changed my mind." "Are you aware that you have fantastic psychic power?" "Why do we inspire such terror?" "They fear being different." "Did you see the dread in her eyes?" "She couldn't bear her newfound freedom." "Now she's one of us." "When she wakes up, you will take her back." "We need her away from this place." "Oh, it's you, mama." "How about that!" "Is she crazy, or what?" "Some people care about politics !" "We care about music, partying and magic!" "Thefollowingmorning..." "I"ll bet that nigger bitch never fed him." "Where's my dog?" "Well, here's his meat." "Look where that stupid woman left my plane!" "Do you know where the dog is?" "Can't you stop that?" "Will you stop already !" "You sure are pretty like that." "You make me want to puke." " If only you knew!" " If I knew what?" "A pig, that's what you are !" "A monstrosity !" "If only you knew... how I love you." "How I love you..." "You're a good man, husband." "Nice... very nice." "Perfect." "You're perfect." "You pretend to like it, don't you, bitch?" "Don't you pretend to like it?" " Yes!" " No!" "Come in." " Mr. Werner is here." " Tell him to come in." "You really are a bastard." "Good morning, Mme Grop." "Good morning, Werner." "You'll excuse me..." "The green-eyed young man who came to see us." "Is he on our side ?" "Yes." "His name is Werner." "He's strange ..." "It's difficult to fathom his vibrations." "He's the right hand man of the most powerful man in this town   but he's also been an adept of ours for ten of their years." "Nevertheless, he seems very preoccupied with matters of material power." "Whatever." "We need him." "You always come at the right moment." "You're still your old, vulgar self." "Your own rudeness proves you've got good news for me." "What do you mean?" "What I mean, you little cocksucker, is that you wouldn't dare to insult me   if you weren't on the right track." "I think I found the money." "Bravo." "It was about time." "Who ?" "We'll see about that later." "But I have one condition." "A junior partner title and..." "Don'tbeputoff bytheirstories..." "Itdoesn'tmatterwhatconfidence trick those two men may have pulled." "Anditdoesn'tmatterthat itwas perpetrated on the town they are in charge of." "Itdoesn'tmatter that this woman is searching." "Theonlythingthatmatters, is the rotten stench ...  ...bathingtheirlives." "I already told you I was opposed to this marriage." " I'm off." " All right, all right." "Do as you wish." "I don't care." "When will it be?" "I thought the day after tomorrow." "Where is the money coming from?" "Hethinksyou'regoing to give him the money." "To them, money is everything." "Leavethemalone." "You're exhausting yourself." "Let's get back to work." "You're right." "Is everyone ready?" "We shall resume our immodesty practice." "You!" "Go and fetch the male subject." "Tosurvive...to liveforever." "Ontheotherside,thereissunlight." "It'sthere,withinour reach." "Youmusthateall men and theirtyranny." "Butwomen!" "The best of them will gladly oblige, ...  ...andwillgivelifetoourdreams ." "Atlast !" "I knew you would come." "SalaPapadéous." "Liberte'ssister and Werner's fiancée." "Is mama sleeping ?" " What about Choupetit?" " I don't know." "Thesuperstitiousareafraid of mirrors for a good reason." "Mirrorsholdasecret, and a frightful secret it is." "There'sabsolutetruthontheother side." "Inthatotherspacein which deception doesn't exist." "Lookatmy face." "Watchitclosely." "Asifyouwereseeingitfor thefirsttime." "Myfaceis ashow." "Youareattendingmyface 'sshow ." "You are with me." "My face is becoming an eternal object." "A landscape." "Follow me  as we cross to the other side." "Yes... yes... yes..." "I don't love you anymore." "We will never see each other again." "Thesunrise." "Sala !" " Here's your fiancée." " Hello..." " You seem pretty self-assured." " If you only knew." "If I only knew what ?" "If I only knew what, Werner ?" "Stop it!" "I know perfectly well that you don't want to do it." "It drives me crazy." "Kiss it!" " Do I smell good ?" " Like a flower." "It takes a gardener to water such a flower." "That's enough of that..." " Ruth !" "Ruth !" " Yes." "Okay..." "I love you." "I love you too, little man." "No, no, of course not !" "You're missing the point entirely." "You don't have a clue." "It was like this, I tell you." "Here you are." "You're beautiful." "Where the hell are you going ?" "I've got work to do in the garden." "He was a... great hairdresser." "An artist." "There..." "Makesurethatyourbeautydoesn 'tdeceiveyou." "Rememberyourtruefaces." "Gilda !" "Are you crazy ?" "You may not become attached to anyone." "Do you understand ?" "You must hate your faces, these jewels, those ludicrous dresses   everything that makes you objects of desire in this world." "I'm telling you this,   because I can sense some of you are weakening." "I can sense everything." "Ever since I was a child..." "We must act." "We've got the cardinal's housekeeper." "That one will be next." "They've been here for three weeks." "In order to know so many people they must have had supporters in our town." "She even met with Tristan, that painter you don't like   and commissioned a portrait from him." "She met all my former friends from the cabaret." "I think those women have abnormal powers." "They are psychic." "Are you crazy?" "What is all this bullshit?" "First the Cardinal, now you." "A madwoman, that's what you are." "Psychic!" "Have you been seeing a fortune-teller?" "You're mad." "You're insane." "Here!" "Look at yourself!" "Look!" "Remember." "That youthful Blanche Dubois." "The beautiful artist." "Now a sick wreck... no more." "What do you think ?" " Mme Grop is tired." " That's not what I mean." "If you're referring to those women..." "I think... please forgive me, madam  but I think the whole thing is preposterous." "You can say that again." "I'm going to bed, that's the best thing I can do." "Preposterous ?" "I've known you for a long time." "Do you remember, Madame Grop ?" "Please,showno  interest in their stories." "Storiesweregoodfor men ofthepast." "Knowonlythatabeing of light must exist in the present." "If you fuck with me, even a little, I'll destroy you." "Little Werner." "I must say, this is wonderful." "He'sterriblyrepressed." "Look." "Yes." "Hecan'trise above commonplace visions." "Heknowsonlythe primaryphase." "You've got to mutate him." "Ican't." "Yesyoucan." "He's come to the other side now." "Heisours." "Now you are free." "No pride, no anguish." "You'll never be a man of the past again." "She was the most profound, the most visionary of them all   and she allowed herself to fall into the crudest, the most illusory of traps." " Love..." " Did she have a bad night ?" " Yes." " I'll go and see her." "I don't understand why she was chosen." "She lacks strength." "Here, take this." "It will do you good." "Close the curtains, will you ?" "I can't bear the light." "Aren't you feeling well, darling ?" "It's nothing." "Probably this world." "I miss teaching." "Today, we'll resume our listening." "I've sensed something strange since earlier today." "There is love around here, I can feel it." "And it makes me want to puke." "You're being silly." "There's only hate among our neighbors." "Shut up!" "I feel it, I tell you !" "You're tickling me." "You're really crazy, aren't you ?" "That's funny." "I feel like eating you up." "I'll swallow you." "I'll digest you." "You're disgusting." "That's rich, coming from you, who only likes talking about sex." "That's true." "I like it." "Why do you suppose I like it ?" "It's because... because you're..." "You're wicked!" "This is really fucking good." "Really good." "My man!" "You're so silly!" "What's happening with the gardener?" " It seems to have failed." " Why do you say that?" "Because I can see it." "He's not been freed in the right way." " What do you want ?" " Is your mother home ?" "No..." "What's the matter ?" "Are you crazy?" "What's with you?" "You're not yourself !" "Take a seat." "Blanche, my darling, will you close the door ?" "I asked you to come here tonight to announce Werner's promotion   and his engagement to Sala Papadéous." "I'm so happy." "ButI alsowanttotalk  to you about something else..." "I suspect that what happened to you is somehow happening to me." "Ifyou'reanythinglikeme..." "Oh, no !" "My love is much deeper than that." "Will you excuse me ?" "...and I asked Werner to investigate." "No result." "What's really bothering me, is that each time I posed a question   about those people to someone in the capital ..." " Would you like a drink ?" " I'd like a glass of water, please." "Each time, they led me to understand that I'd better... well,   in a nutshell ..." "leave the matter alone." "That's why I think it's our responsibility to shed some light on it." "So I'm asking you, Countess, and also you, Your Eminence   to pay a visit to those people   in order to learn with whom we are dealing." "Yes." "I understand." "Thank you." "Werner warns us that the Cardinal is interested in coming to dinner   in order to learn about us." "An investigation of sorts." "Come and see." "It's strange" "She kept looking over her shoulder, as if she could feel my presence." "I think she's a natural at listening." " When was this?" " Thirty-six hours ago." "We should be able to do it." "That man, Grop, no longer has any male fluid." "We can only reach him through her." "Blanchewillbe theirssoon." "AsfortheCardinal,they 're waiting for him that very evening." "Andthenextmorning..." "Some friends told me you weren't feeling very well." "I'm all right, don't worry." "Imagesarecomingbacktome ." "When I had dinner with Cardinal." "I've noticed that the color of your robe   your complexion and these little prawns all go together nicely." "Thank you." " It was nice of you to invite me." " I'm glad to see you." "Why have you covered the paintings like this ?" "I find it soothes me." "Do you know why?" "No..." "Sothisis theiralternative to crossing to the other side..." "Love...mylittletrick..." "In fact, Monsignor, you probably understand us better than many others." "My companions and I are living in a kind of community." "Yes, I see." "Did you know we own some extraordinary collections ?" "Do you?" "And we'd like to show you some of our treasures..." "I'd like to learn how to draw." "Would you like to try?" "Maybe I would, yes." "What'swrongwithme?" "I'm goingcrazy." "Are you all right ?" "I cannot stay." "I need to wash my hands." "Thank you." "Oh, yes, I'm all right." "Well..." "I just think I need to rest." "Please excuse me." "I'm feeling a bit dizzy." "I'll..." "I"ll leave you here." "You may stay as long as you want." "May I take your drawing ?" "Well... yes." "Although I don't like it much." "Thank you." " What's the matter with her?" " I don't know." "She's scaring me." "She's just a little strange." "You're pretty when you're scared." "You're crazy." "She'll be back." "Concentrate." "Leadhim to the swimming pool, ...  ...wheretheothersarewaitingforhim ." "Erasethedrawing,Ingrid." "Erase it now." "Makeitlikebefore." "Nothingmustremain ." "I can't." "I can't go on." "Timeisshifting." "It'stheirdoing ." "Their love is destroying you." "Freeyourselffromthem ,Ingrid." " I can't." "I 'lldoit foryou ." " No." "They're my responsibility." "Help me !" "You'retheirmaster,Ingrid." " Leave me alone, then." "Leave me." "I'mleavingyou." "Butrememberthatyou  must flee their poets, ...  ...thosewhoalready own a version of the rapture." "Theyproducesubstitutesoflife that  help people weather the bad times." "Thathelppeopleweatherthebadtimes." "He'scomingcloser." "He's almost here." "He's here!" "Asforthiscouple, I think you see too much of them." "AndI thinkaskinghim for  that drawing was ridiculous." "Before,youinsistedonerasingthem." "Itwassosimple..." " This is none of your business." "I like them." "If only they didn't reek so much of love..." "Youmustfreethemofthisfilth." "What are you waiting for ?" "Dowhatmustbedone ." "They are grotesque." " I make the decisions." "  You make the decisions." "We'renotwell." "Wehave to resume the listenings." "Tellme,howmanytimes did the artist come here ?" "He came three times in the flesh, and several times more as waves." "  When was the first time ?" " The first time was unimportant." "I think it was the second time that affected me." "I don't remember what I was doing." "Oh, yes, I was painting my nails, or some absurd thing like that." " Hello." " Good evening." " It's strange." "When I saw you earlier, sir..." " Don't call me sir." "When I saw you, Tristan, it made me sick." "And when I see you now,   I feel very, very well." "Where is Cascade?" "I tell you they've been drinking." "That isn't normal." "Why are you staring at me ?" "Maybe it's time for you to know." "Come and see." "Come and see, will you ?" "Come !" "You see, you're not exactly up to date, honey." "Don't you think it's time to let her know ?" "She must know that you visited next door, and you'll never be the same again, ... so she'll shed her oh-so-proper attitude." "And it's not just you." "I went there too." "Pierre planted something from next door in my womb." "Some kind of madness." "Oh, I forgot, you didn't know." "Pierre has been fucking me for a long time." "Yes, he does fuck me." "And he fucks Sala too." "Princess Sala!" "She takes him up the ass." "Yes, my dear mama, in the ass." "Several miles worth of cock." "Isn't it true, little Sala ?" " Sala?" "It's not true, is it ?" " Can't you see they're insane?" "Come." "You'll stay at Grop's house until our wedding." "Everything will be alright." "Grop isn't home." "The maid will let you in." "Wait for me !" "Tell me, Liberte was telling the truth, wasn't she?" "Ourvictoryis imminent." "Howisit goingwiththemother?" "It's done." "She's with us." "Shall I tell you, or shall I project?" "Project." "Let'snotuse  our repulsive physical voices." "Itwasn'tdifficult." "She already lived a parallel life." "Iputherincontactwithherlatehusband." "He was a hairdresser." "Don't fret." "I was sure you would come." "Givememy curlingiron,Sausage!" "You weren't always nice to me." "The seconds." "All the seconds!" "The billions of seconds of life!" "Like ants!" "In a huge anthill!" "They bored into me, they devoured me." "They get fat on me!" "Darling?" "Darling?" "Do you still love me?" "Let me see your face!" "She'sdonewithlove." "She'llneverbethesameagain?" "She'llneverbethewoman shewas." "Whatbecameof theCardinal?" "Andwhataboutthe richman'swife?" "The Blanche woman." " Blanche!" "She'son herway ." "That bitch..." "Where is that fucking slut?" "Theirviolenceis astrangething." "Theydon'tknowhow  to live in freedom." "Nomatter." "He'sours ." " Yes, he's ours." "Oh, my God !" "My God !" " Hello ?" " It's me." "Blanche is gone." "Yeah ?" "Well, she's gone anyway." "She must be at the cabaret." "See that it's raided." " But..." " No buts, little Werner." "If you don't see that the matter is settled tonight,   don't count on me tomorrow morning for your wedding." "Understand?" "Alright !" "Tell the police not to pull their punches   we don't often have the opportunity to teach a lesson to those degenerates." "See you tomorrow." "I can't do it." "I can't do it." "They don't receive me." "I can't sort out the sensations." "Get a hold of yourself, Ingrid." "We must go on." "The black girl ?" "You got to her, didn't you ?" " Yes." "I contacted her this morning." " Was it difficult?" "The black one." "The black girl." "In the cabaret." "Ruth..." "Yes, that's it, Ruth." "I met her." "In a big... in a huge city." " Far away." "It was 1950." " That isn't possible." "You weren't born." "She needs me." "She's in danger." "Imagescamebacktome." "Thenotherimagesblockedmysight ." "Oh,thoseuncalledonimages!" "Ruth..." "Ruth..." "Ruth..." "You're one of us now." "It's hard!" "Help me, I'm loosing her..." "Sowhat?" "You succeeded." "She'sours." "Don't you understand ?" "I'm not worried about our victory, but about my defeat." "Can't you see this world is changing us?" "Diamant!" "Help me!" "Help me!" "I'm coming with you for the very last time." "This is outrageous." "Hey you!" "Filthy flesh merchant!" "WhileIvanandTristanaretakingastroll, ..." "MayorGrop'spolicemenare  doing their job at the cabaret." " Up you go !" " Yes." " Are you okay?" " Yeah." " Mayor Grop will be quite pleased!" " No !" "You're a funny sight, upside down." "I like you." "I like you too, little man." "Who else among you feels pleasure in looking at their reflection in a mirror ?" "Strangely enough, I've been feeling emotions that were unknown to me." "Which ones?" "Tell me." "Must I?" "Must I really, Diamant?" "It is necessary." "This is why we're losing our power." "Is this a new feeling for you ?" "To take these feelings away from them, that's the very reason why we came here." "It was shame, wasn't it ?" "That's what you felt ?" "Pride too, and you wanted to be loved." "Is that why you did what you did ?" " Yes." "You knew ?" " Here we know everything." "And you know what we must do." "No, please!" "Oh shit !" "What is it?" "What happened?" "Where's the kid?" "Oh, God, I'll get him !" "Ruth is all right." "She's gone to see the women in the villa down the road." " Who did this ?" " Mister Grop." "Here." "Put this on." " Are you all right?" " Yes, I'm better." "Do you feel well enough for this?" "Shall I show him in?" "Yes." " Good morning, Werner." " Good morning, Ingrid." "Don't touch that." " This is an excellent reproduction." " No, it's an original." "That one is genuine." "The one in the Prado is a copy." "The same goes for the Mona Lisa,   the painting in the Louvre is a forgery." "For forty years, we've been working on replacing your people's valuables." "I know." "Yours is a formidable power." "That's why I've been wondering, why are you unwilling to help me ?" "We have many contacts across this world,   and many of them have already been exposed." "We're none the worse for it." "I'm not sure I can trust you, Werner." "Look." "I'm on the verge of reaching my goal." "I've been fighting for you for ten years." "You say you're one of us, little Werner." "I can see you're still motivated by things which are utterly meaningless to us." "To us, this power is nothing." "If it leads to slavery, it's nothing, just like money." "For you, other people are rabble." "You're proving that you have no honor." "None at all." "You know nothing of the beauty of failure." "You know nothing of the absurd." "What gives you the right to speak to me like this?" "Obviously, you've never been humiliated." "What do you know of my problems ?" "Nothing, that's for sure." "Nothing at all." "You should take me too, while you're at it." "Why don't you try it with me ?" "You took Pierre, after all." "And the Bishop didn't escape you." "And Liberte through Pierre." "And the Bishop's housekeeper through the Bishop himself." "What about me?" "Take me!" "Make me one of you, so I can be free your way." "Werner, no !" "Werner..." "Werner!" "Werner !" "Stop it !" "Werner, no !" "Werner, no!" "Please, Werner." "Stay back." "Stay back!" "Stop !" "Werner !" "I know a lot about your activities here." "And elsewhere too." "Beware !" "You're very strong, but you're not invulnerable." "Remember that." "Tell me..." "What is love?" "Love?" "It's a river in Russia." "Stop !" "Stop being stupid." "Just stop it, alright ?" "If you don't, I'll punch you in the face." "But I tell you, I loved her." "Can't you understand ?" "Why are you saying you loved her, when she's all right?" "She's just over there!" "Don't do it, you fool!" "Come on, hurry up !" "Come on !" "We're going to... hurry up !" "Let's go and see Ruth." "Bastards !" "Motherfuckers !" "Bastards ..." "I'll get them!" "Come!" "Oh, come!" "Come!" "Somanystillremain!" "Theirpleasures!" "Theirpleasures don't take them anywhere." "Gratification." "Onlygratification..." " This party is going to be our victory." " Yes, maybe." " What's the matter with you now?" " Never mind." "Pierre?" "It looks like no one is coming to our wedding dinner." "We'll tell them the truth, of course, but that truth,   but believe me, most of them won't understand it." "I'm afraid they'll think it's absurd." "Most of them have only..." "only feelings, as they say." "My duty was to report to my superiors." "I'm disappointed." "I was told to forget about it." "You don't say?" "You're completely drunk, you poor fool." "The Father is not drunk." "You are, Grop." "What the Father just said is true." "Although it's just part of the truth." "I'm going to tell you the rest." "You uttered the word, love." "Yes." "Yes, I'm becoming mortal again,   since love makes one mortal,   while at the same time giving life." "Beware." "You know I'm prepared to do anything to save you." "Can you promise you won't touch Tristan ?" "This is why I told you that we would be able   to pose as saviours in the public eye,   just by exposing the case." "If that were true, you wouldn't frown like that." "You would already be calling the press on the phone." "Sir !" "For ten years, I was an adept of those people." " What I just revealed..." " What game are you playing, Werner ?" "Come with me, M. Grop, and you'll see   that what I'm telling you is true." "How does your religion deal with people who sin ?" " They are punished." " Yes?" "How are they punished?" "They're flogged." "Where's the telephone?" "It's too early for that, M. Grop." "Before you do that, I want to show you something." "What ?" "Open the door, Werner !" "Fuck me." "Don't mind him." " How's it going, Gramps?" " How handsome he is in his tuxedo!" " Come here." " Yeah, I'll making some room for you." "Oh, Albert, don't tell me you're freaking out." "In fact, I'll bet that you're really enjoying it." "Aren't you?" "Oh, no, he's really in pain." "He can't stand losing." "Your pride is what's hurting you, Albert." "Your pride." "My new friends have been showing me a lot of new things." "Come join us!" "It feels great." "Come... with us." "Come..." "Come..." "Come..." "Come..." "I love you!" "I love you!" "I love you, little one." "They were right." "Everything is beautiful, it's true." "You are beautiful." "Don't say things like that." "I'm ugly as hell." "No." "Why do you say that?" "If I were beautiful,   would I still go to all the trouble I do now to make you love me?" "Would you still love me?" "Well... she would give herself to him,   and he would lose what he now calls his love." "Before, I liked you." "Now I really love you." "I do love you." "Come!" "I'll show you the images haunting the little man." "You'll never be a man of the past again." "Never again." "As long as no woman of our race is foolish enough to give herself to you." "I told her everything." "The truth." "It's true, I told her everything." "Can't you see that it's killing me?" "I need her now." "I need Sala." "And I must have the money." "Not for me, of course, but for her." "Because I love her." "I do love her." "I also want that swine, Grop." "I was your ally once." "Help me!" "What's the matter with you ?" "Gilda!" "Come with me!" "No, Diamant." "I don't want my former face back." "You've driven me insane, Ingrid..." "I can't draw anymore." "I don't know how to draw !" "Mad Albert..." "He's gone quite crazy." " You're free now." " You knew?" "I suspected." "I can feel it when I see you." "So I'm free ?" "But free to do what ?" "Free to live on a larger scale without that miserable love   that deluded you into thinking you were living on a small one." "To live?" "What do you mean, to live?" "I have been living!" "In order to have lived, I had memories!" "And from those memories I extracted   things that allowed other people to live." " It was all fake." " Maybe it was." "But what are you suggesting?" "Maybe it was, there in your little confined world." "But not here!" "Not in this huge mess." "Freedom!" "I'm not even free to love her !" "And I want to love, do you hear me?" "I can give you back what was taken from you." " How?" " I have to give myself to you." " What will happen to you?" " Nothing." "SeeyourfriendGilda?" "She'sfindingherformerface again." "Her real face." "You'velost,Ingrid, and you can feel it." "You've lost." "I love him." "No!" "We came too early." "First, it's necessary to cure them." "They are too seriously ill." "Ingrid!" "Farewell." "Howdidsheescape punishment under the law?" "Thatisaprivilege of the angels of the future." "Adapted from original translation by goupil66"