Disclaimer: Berusaiyu no Bara & Lady Oscar © ® All Rights Reserved Ikeda
Productions 1972-1973, Tokyo Movie Shinsha Co. 1979-1980.
A Last Time
By Anna de Jarjayes(beguet.sainbel@wanadoo.fr)
In a forest, on the Seine's side, that July 1789 morning, Oscar
awakes quietly. She looks around her but sees nobody. She is alone.
"Andre?" she calls "Andre where are you?"
But nobody answers her. She begins worrying. She is afraid about that
night in Andre's arms being only a wonderful dream, but immediately feels
reassured: what could she do now, naked, far from Paris if she had dreamed?
But then where is André ?
Suddenly, Oscar hears a branch snap. She turns abruptly and runs into
the arms of the beautiful brown man who has just appeared.
"Andre, where were you? I was worried about you. I thought you had
left me..."
"How can you think that when I am this morning the happiest man in the world? "
"But in that case, where were you?"
"Last night, I couldn't sleep. I was looking at you. You are so
beautiful Oscar. You smiled while you slept. You had never been so beautiful.
Even that evening, in your lovely formal dress, when I was breathless as you
looked like a goddess, you still weren't as beautiful as last night. Because
that night, the beauty I saw, that soft smile on your face, I knew I was its
cause and I was its destination. It was to me that you smiled while sleeping
and I felt blessed about this. I spent the night looking at you. I wanted to
memorize the smallest of your ringlets, the smallest fragment of your image,
in my mind before I lose sight after ever. I wanted to see your beauty a last
time before being in the darkness for the rest of my life. Because it will
happen soon, Oscar, I know it... "
"No, please don't say anything: none of your comforting words could
change that: I will be blind soon and I know it. But does it have any kind
of importance? I love you and, after all, I know that you love me too. It
doesn't matter to me being blind because I know I'll have forever the sun of
your beauty to light up my heart and the light of our love to lead my steps."
"Suddenly, I felt like holding you as I am doing now, to never let
you run away. But I was afraid to awake you: I didn't want to disturb you. So
I went for a walk. I wanted, after seeing your beauty, to see a last time all
beauties around me. A sunrise glistening on the Seine, a ray of light
lighting undergrowth. The wonderful show of the quiet beauty of the nature. I
needed to see a last time that beauty before I became blind. I needed to feel
a last time that absolute serenity of the awaking nature before I'll have to
go and face, today and probably several other days, the storm: the Parisians'
anger, the rage of that crowd protesting against the King. I know that days
will be difficult for you, Oscar, who'll have to confront other nobles who
used to live with you, around you. But they will be difficult for me too as I
'll have to fight fearing the loss of my vision and when I'd only want to be
with you, near you whom I love so much and who illuminates my life. That was
such a beautiful show, that quiet nature before the storm and I wanted to
share it with you, so I came back when I heard you calling for me. "
"Oscar, I love you so much, never think it could change. For twenty
years, my feelings towards you didn't change, why should they change now? I
have always loved you and you made me the happiest man in the world. Even if
I were to become blind this evening, I would have been luckier than anyone
else in that world. I would have seen the true beauty: the one given by love
that you personificated so well sleeping that night. A last time, Oscar, let
me see your soft azure gaze--I want to keep forever the most perfect image of
beauty in my heart for when become enveloped in eternal night. And, now that
you don't sleep anymore my love, please let me take you into my arms let me
kiss you again and again. I love you, Oscar, I love you..."
END (
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