Gankutsuou > 07. The Secret Flower Garden

PROLOGUE:
Ladies and gentlemen, good evening. When he goes to visit his fiancée, the young man sees a young woman struggling to fight against her destiny. However, neither of them is yet aware of the cruel fate that is silently bearing down upon them.



Gankutsuou
Act 7: The Secret Flower Garden



Hey!


Excellency!

Albert.

What happened to her?

She's not feeling well. Haidee is unaccustomed to crowds. It is nothing you should worry about. We will meet again later.


Let's go back in. Okay?

I just wonder... what Haidee saw? She looked as if she'd seen a...


You saw him? You saw that man?


I've, ah, heard that you're engaged... to be married.

...That's right.

Are you... happy?

Huh?

I'm sorry, but I... I don't think... I'll be able to restrain myself tonight. So, Mademoiselle, please excuse me.


I wonder if Haidee is okay...?

Oh, come on, Albert! Who cares about the Count's mistress?

It's not like that. He cares for her. He always treats her with respect, and he's very kind to her.

Like a master is kind towards his pet dog.

Don't put His Excellency on the same level as people like that! The Count and Haidee have... Um... A relationship as two independent adults. Where they both care for each other and--

Forget about them. What about you and your woman? How do you feel about Eugenie?

You're not one to be asking that. Aristocrats... we don't marry for love. We marry for money and honor and... power.

Albert, is what Maximilien said still bothering you?

I hate to admit it, but he was right.

That's how marriages work, you know? I'm not getting married because I want to, either. Huh?

Mm?

Baron Franz d'Epinay! I'd like a word.


Monsieur, why aren't you out there with your fiancée?

How is that any business of yours?

Don't you love her, Baron?!

I like her. I like her as just another girl.

How can you talk like that?!

Wait a minute, Maximilien! You just let me handle this, Franz. Okay?

You should love her! She's your fiancée, you should love her with all your heart!

(sigh) You didn't have to say it like that.

I just said what was on my mind.

You're too irresponsible. But you're always like that. I guess I'm no different. I've never been in love with anyone, at least not in the same way that Maximilien is.

I'm curious -- what do you think that it means... to be in love with someone? ...It's nothing but trouble.

I'll let you do what you can to straighten this out.

What? Hey! Wait!


Let's do it.

I can't do this...

I don't believe this! What are you talking about? Just do it like we planned, and you'll have no problems! First, you should try paying her a compliment!

Compliment? On what?

Anything you can think of! You know, like her dress and her makeup!

That's Crown Prosecutor Villefort. He's kind of scary. Even petty crooks get death when they come forth.

That's Valentine's mother. Though they're not related by blood.

Edouard! Come here this instant!

That's Edouard, her younger brother. He and Valentine have different mothers.

Let go!

Oh, look. These horses are beautiful, aren't they?

I hate horses!

I'm so sorry, he can be so willful sometimes. It's embarrassing.

Is Valentine coming?

I'm afraid not. That girl seems to prefer staying at home by herself.

I hate Valentine, too!


Heh. They'll be coming soon.



GANKUTSUOU - The Count of Monte Cristo - 07



Don't worry. It's nothing, Grandfather.

Mademoiselle.

Yes?

The Viscount Albert de Morcerf is here and wishes to see you.

Oh, hi.

About last night...

I think he has something that he wants to say to you. Go on.

U-Uh... Well, I...

I'm sorry, I really have to go and prepare my grandfather's dinner...

U-Uh, hey! Please! Wait!

I'm in-- I've fallen... I've fallen in love with you!

Oh, my God...

I love you!

Hey... Geez! Way to throw our plans out the window! That's enough from you! I'll talk to her first, so you... go wait... over there!

I love you!

I think she knows that!

I'm sorry if we startled you. This wasn't what we had in mind.

He must have been making fun of me.

Valentine! He meant every word he said!

But why... would he tell me now?

Look, Maximilien meant what he told you. He's just... a little... clumsy at expressing himself.

I really don't want to hear what he has to say. I'm already--

Franz has told me how he feels, Valentine. He says that... that he only thinks of you as the fiancée chosen for him by his parents. But you feel the same way, don't you? So you see, Valentine, that's why he says you should do what you want. He might not have a title, but Maximilien is a fine soldier and a respected and upstanding young man. And the most important thing of all is that he's deeply in love with you! I'm sure that he'll make your fine husb--

I want you to leave now!

Huh...?

No one... No one ever considers what I want.

Valentine, I...

Just go away!


I will now pass judgment. The defendant is found guilty of larceny and insulting the aristocracy. The sentence is death.

But there were mitigating issues!

You'll get no sympathy from me! It's human trash like this man that ruins the kingdom!


You have a visitor.

So, you miss the outside world?


So, Héloïse, are you getting along with Valentine?

Huh?

I had heard that you had taken to beating her severely.

I what?! Who on earth said that?!

It's just a rumor.

I like to think that I'm as attentive as I can be to that girl. Just because she's the daughter of his old wife doesn't mean that l--

Driver? Aren't we going a little bit too fast?

It's not me, Madame! The horses! They... they're refusing to obey me!


You are not harmed, I trust?

Oh! Look, it's the Count of Monte Cristo!

Oh, we have you to thank for our lives, sir!

It was fortunate indeed that I had on hand one who is skilled in the handling of horses.

You look weird! Are you some kind of alien?

Edouard! Don't be such a rascal.

Curiosity is a sure sign of intelligence.

We still don't know your name...

Héloïse, this is the Count of Monte Cristo. You know, dear, he and my husband are practically family.

I heard something about you buying the late Prince's booth at the opera...

Then I am embarrassed. It is not my custom to attract undue attention to myself, but there were no other seats available.

May I introduce Madame Héloïse, wife of Crown Prosecutor Villefort.

Madame, you are the wife of Paris' guardian angel.

You're quite the flatterer...

Your horses still seem to be agitated. Please, allow us to escort you to your homes. If Madame Villefort is amenable, I shall see to it myself.


It's just... I've never seen her like that before.

Madame has returned!

Maximilien! Hurry!

Barrois! Put some tea for our guest!

Please, Madame, that won't be necessary.

Please, call me Héloïse... Excellency.

Valentine dear! We have a visitor!

Mademoiselle says that she is feeling unwell and wishes not to be disturbed.

Honestly, that girl... Now, Valentine! Can't you even come out and say hello to our guest?! Valentine!

It's obvious that she is utterly miserable.

Yeah, maybe.

I see it in her face. Deep down, her heart yearns for freedom, but she is averting her eyes away from those feelings, and hiding beneath her sorrow.

You might be right.

She is a delicate and fragile woman! Can't you hear her soul desperately crying out?!

Yeah, I can hear it. No one considers what she wants; I don't, nor you. None of us really do.


Oh, that girl... she always goes out of her way to make trouble for me. Perhaps she gets it from her late mother. She's always sickly and stays cooped up indoors. I've tried everything I can think of to raise her to be a more sociable person, but...

She's gonna die young. Isn't that what you said, Mama?

Edouard! You and your nonsense!

I feel sorry for my own child, too. Valentine stands to inherit the fortune of her grandfather, Monsieur Noirtier, as well as that of the Marquis Saint-Meran on her mother's side, but this boy will receive nothing.

That saddens me. I think siblings should be equally fortunate, even if they are totally unrelated by blood.

He's got vampire fangs!

Edouard! You're making me angry!

Vampire! Vampire!

He's a big blue-faced vampire!

I'm sorry, he's such a rude boy...

No, not at all, he is a darling child.

As an apology, you must let me take you to my very special secret place.

Oh, really?

It's a modest little refuge I keep.


I don't know, Albert. I'm just so worried about her. But there's absolutely nothing I can do for her...

What's going on?

Shh.


So, this greenhouse is your refuge... It's magnificent.

Oh... You flatter me. I know it might sound a bit pathetic, but these flowers might be my only friends.

Belladonna. Mandragora. Datura. It seems that every one of your favorite flowers share the same fascinating trait.

Oh? What trait?

In each, their enchanting, beautiful petals conceal a deadly poison.

That's interesting. I had no idea...

Hey!

My love of horticulture eventually grew into an interest in botany. It's not really a woman's subject, is it?

Could it be... that you also have an interest in toxicology?

Of course not! Such a horrible thing...

Horrible? Why horrible? Toxicology and pharmacology are two sides of the same coin. Also, nothing is more enticing to human beings than the mysteries of poison. Am I mistaken? Poisons that steal a man's life away in an instant. Poisons that kill slowly and leave no trace of themselves. One starts to wonder how many poisonings have been consigned to the darkness, known but to the dead. And one more thing. There is a beauty to those bewitched by poisons.

Hey! Gentlemen don't peep into other people's windo--

This enchanting little trinket is commonly referred to as a Borgia Ring. Take it. Now, press on the stone and see what happens. It is said that Lucrezia Borgia used rings just like these to dispatch countless people throughout her diabolical life. And foremost among her victims was her own husband... That ring belongs to you. A gift, Madame.

I'm so happy...

It is nothing, a mere getting-acquainted gift from a new friend.


Oh, Grandfather... I want... I want to go somewhere far away. To some faraway place where no one knows who I am.


It's nothing but trouble.


Benedetto! Take a look out the left window. That's Viscount Albert de Morcerf.


PREVIEW:
A party at the Count's villa. In the labyrinth, we cross paths with a beautiful, horrible past. Next Gankutsuou, The Count of Monte Cristo, Act 8, A Night in Boulogne. Bide your time, and hold out hope!