Journey Through the Impossible (21 page)

Suddenly, there is a frightful explosion. Everything collapses at once in smoke
and flames and is swallowed up. Nothing is left but a few shapeless ruins. The
sky is covered with clouds crisscrossed by flashes of lightning. Thunder rumbles.
All the characters are knocked down and appear to be dead. Only Ox and Volsius remain standing. They look at each other defiantly. A curtain of smoke
rises slowly toward the friezes and gradually hides the ruins and the people.

The salon of Andernak Castle as it appeared in the first scene of Act L
George is lying on a sofa, with Eva kneeling beside him. Mme de Traventhal is beside Eva. Tartelet is standing a little to one side. Volsius and Dr.
Ox are at the patient's bedside.

Mme de Traventhal: The poor lad. This is not the condition I had
hoped to find him in when he came back.

Eva: Oh God! Will he live? And if he does, will he ever recover his
sanity?

Tartelet (aside): Alas! I'm very much afraid he may not.

Volsius: Don't give up hope, my child. Dr. Ox and I, between us,l9
may bring about a double miracle.

Ox: Between us? What do you mean by that?

Volsius: You are a powerful incarnation of that science for which the
body is everything, and which believes in no future life. I, on the
other hand, am a humble believer, and I consider our earthly environment as nothing. Restore life to this body. Say to it, "Rise up
and walk!" I will do all in my power to rekindle his reason and
restore calm and strength to his immortal soul.

Ox: You want me to save him? Me?

Eva: "I will be your slave and his, if I am no longer hated," you told
me. I renounce all hatred. Save him.

(He pours a few drops of a potion from a vial onto George's lips)

Ox: And now, wait!

Tartelet: Let's wait. (He sees Valdemar enter:) Valdemar, sh!

(He signals to him not to make any noise)

Valdemar (in a low voice, drawing Tartelet to one side): Yes, Tartelet, it's
me. I'm very happy but also very upset.

Tartelet: What's the matter, then?

Valdemar: I saw Babichok again. She was waiting for me, but she was
also waiting for my diamond, and you know, back there, on the
planet, where it was worthless, I foolishly threw it away.

(He bursts into tears.)

Tartelet: Yes, and I picked it up. I did!

Valdemar (sadly): Ah, you picked it up, Tartelet?

Tartelet: And I'm going to give it back to you, Valdemar.

Valdemar: You're giving it back to me? Tartelet, my friend! We'll
present it to Babichok, both of us, and we'll marry her, both of.
... No!

Ox: Look, his eyes are about to open. His mouth is about to speak.
He's raising himself up.

George: Ah!

Ox: He's speaking.

George (completely delirious): Where are we? Ah! The center of the
earth. Eva is going to die. She is saved! Now.... The sea....
Atlantis, my kingdom, and my triumph.

Eva: Alas! He's still in the grip of madness.

Volsius: Now it's my turn.

(He goes over to the organ and begins to play)

George: Altor! The planet Altor! A whole world annihilated. Some
were singing and drinking. Others were praying. (During this last
speech, the scene has changed and represents a sort of aerial cathedral)
They're praying. And here is the heavenly sanctuary. I hear angel
voices. Ah, I feel a healing calm spreading throughout my entire
being. My forehead is cooler and the veil that obscured my
thoughts is lifting. Yes, yes! I remember. I see. I recognize you, all
of you. (Taking Eva's hand.) Eva! Ah, dear Eva! I love you. No
more mad dreams. I'm yours and yours alone-forever.

Valdemar: I'm yours, Babichok. Your Valdemar.

Tartelet (giving him the diamond): Your Valdemar and his diamond!

(Valdemar throws himself into Tartelet's arms)

Volsius now plays a kind of Hosanna. The cathedral is transformed again.
A shining Gloria appears at the back, surrounded by angels. Even Ox, overcome by the sublimity of this vision, bows his head.

THE END

he first review was written by a professional Parisian
reviewer, Arnold Mortier, who, year after year, set down his
impressions and feelings in books entitled Les soirees parisiennes 18xx
(The Parisian Evenings of 18xx) and signed "A Gentleman Sitting in
the Orchestra" ("Un monsieur de l'orchestre"). These books were
published every year by the Parisian publisher Dentu. Mortier wrote
his review just after the opening night performance, November 25,
1882. This review was written in French and was translated by
Edward Baxter.