Journey Through the Impossible by Jules Verne, Edward Baxter
Authors: Jules Verne, Edward Baxter
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you, because I love you.
Eva: That's enough! Not another word!
Ox: And do you know why I told George who his father was, why I
pushed him along this path, why I gave him the power to accomplish all these dreams? Because I don't want George to become
your husband. (His voice rises.) And because I love you.
Eva: When George finds out what your intentions are, and why
you're pushing him along toward this impossible world, he'll
come to his senses and drive you away like an evil genie that has
finally been unmasked.
Ox: You won't tell him, Eva. That would set us against each other, like
two rivals. And you know very well that the struggle would be
more dreadful for him than for me.
Eva: I will speak....
Ox: Then you'll kill him. I'll have no further reason to drive him mad.
You will have driven him to his death.
Eva (terrified): My God! George! George! This man would kill you.
Ox: Understand what I'm saying, Eva. I love you. I love you!
Eva: Ah! Don't profane that word. Go ahead, threaten me! I prefer
your anger to your threats.
Ox: Very well, so be it. Your pleading is a waste of time. But
remember my final words. Soon you'll come yourself and implore
me to have pity on George. You'll beg me to stop him on the road
he's following. You'll ask me to spare his sanity ... his life. But it
will be too late.
(He moves away from hey.)
Eva: Have pity. Have pity on him.
Ox (turning around): It will be too late. (Exit.)
(Enter Eva. She comes downstage, distraught and exhausted.)
Eva: My God! What shall I do? What will become of me? He'll kill
him! Ah! I feel faint. I can't do anything more. I think I'm dying.
(Calling) George! George! George!
(Her voice trails away and she falls unconscious. At this point, behind the
rocks upstage and on the sides, the wild inhabitants of this subterranean
region reappear. They advance cautiously. One of them, who is their
leader; guides them to center stage, where the unconscious young woman is lying. They approach her and watch her with the keenest surprise.
They bend over her The leader kneels, lifts her head, lets down her hair,
touches her face and hands, then listens to see whether she is still
breathing. He looks around, signals to his companions to move aside,
then lifts her up and is about to carry her off. Eva regains consciousness,
notices the monsters all around her, and utters a cry of horror)
Eva: Oh!
(Eva manages to break free and is about to run away when the leader
seizes her again)
Eva (struggling): Help!
he leader picks her up in his arms and rushes upstage)
(Enter George, running in from stage left.)
George: Those cries! (noticing Eva in the hands of the natives) Eva!
Eva: Help! Help!
George: I'll save you, Eva. I'll save you or die with you!
(He rushes at the leader, but the others seize him and throw him to the
ground.)
(Enter Dr. Ox, stage right, then Valdemar, Volsius, and Tartelet,
stage left)
Tartelet: Ah! My God!
Valdemar: Those horrible monsters!
Ox (coldly): They're doomed!
he natives turn toward them, then grip George and Eva by the
throat.)
Eva and George: Ah!
George: Save her! Save Eva!
Tartelet: Let's run!
Volsius: Silence! (He seizes the violin that Tartelet is carrying)
Ox: But her ... Eva.
Volsius: Stand still, everyone!
(From the violin he produces sounds of a strange intensity. The natives
stop, listen, and seem fascinated. Volsius continues to play. The leader
has released his grip on Eva. He slowly approaches Volsius, listening
intently. He listens more closely. He brings his head up to the instrument. His companions also creep close; as if chained to the bow. Volsius
goes offstage again, followed by the natives, while the sound of the violin
is still heard in the distance)
George (runs to Eva and takes her in his arms): Ah! Eva! My dear Eva!
Eva: Let's get away from this cursed place. Take me away. Take me
away, please.
Valdemar: Ah yes. Let's get away from here!
Tartelet: Ah! That Master
Eva: That's enough! Not another word!
Ox: And do you know why I told George who his father was, why I
pushed him along this path, why I gave him the power to accomplish all these dreams? Because I don't want George to become
your husband. (His voice rises.) And because I love you.
Eva: When George finds out what your intentions are, and why
you're pushing him along toward this impossible world, he'll
come to his senses and drive you away like an evil genie that has
finally been unmasked.
Ox: You won't tell him, Eva. That would set us against each other, like
two rivals. And you know very well that the struggle would be
more dreadful for him than for me.
Eva: I will speak....
Ox: Then you'll kill him. I'll have no further reason to drive him mad.
You will have driven him to his death.
Eva (terrified): My God! George! George! This man would kill you.
Ox: Understand what I'm saying, Eva. I love you. I love you!
Eva: Ah! Don't profane that word. Go ahead, threaten me! I prefer
your anger to your threats.
Ox: Very well, so be it. Your pleading is a waste of time. But
remember my final words. Soon you'll come yourself and implore
me to have pity on George. You'll beg me to stop him on the road
he's following. You'll ask me to spare his sanity ... his life. But it
will be too late.
(He moves away from hey.)
Eva: Have pity. Have pity on him.
Ox (turning around): It will be too late. (Exit.)
(Enter Eva. She comes downstage, distraught and exhausted.)
Eva: My God! What shall I do? What will become of me? He'll kill
him! Ah! I feel faint. I can't do anything more. I think I'm dying.
(Calling) George! George! George!
(Her voice trails away and she falls unconscious. At this point, behind the
rocks upstage and on the sides, the wild inhabitants of this subterranean
region reappear. They advance cautiously. One of them, who is their
leader; guides them to center stage, where the unconscious young woman is lying. They approach her and watch her with the keenest surprise.
They bend over her The leader kneels, lifts her head, lets down her hair,
touches her face and hands, then listens to see whether she is still
breathing. He looks around, signals to his companions to move aside,
then lifts her up and is about to carry her off. Eva regains consciousness,
notices the monsters all around her, and utters a cry of horror)
Eva: Oh!
(Eva manages to break free and is about to run away when the leader
seizes her again)
Eva (struggling): Help!
he leader picks her up in his arms and rushes upstage)
(Enter George, running in from stage left.)
George: Those cries! (noticing Eva in the hands of the natives) Eva!
Eva: Help! Help!
George: I'll save you, Eva. I'll save you or die with you!
(He rushes at the leader, but the others seize him and throw him to the
ground.)
(Enter Dr. Ox, stage right, then Valdemar, Volsius, and Tartelet,
stage left)
Tartelet: Ah! My God!
Valdemar: Those horrible monsters!
Ox (coldly): They're doomed!
he natives turn toward them, then grip George and Eva by the
throat.)
Eva and George: Ah!
George: Save her! Save Eva!
Tartelet: Let's run!
Volsius: Silence! (He seizes the violin that Tartelet is carrying)
Ox: But her ... Eva.
Volsius: Stand still, everyone!
(From the violin he produces sounds of a strange intensity. The natives
stop, listen, and seem fascinated. Volsius continues to play. The leader
has released his grip on Eva. He slowly approaches Volsius, listening
intently. He listens more closely. He brings his head up to the instrument. His companions also creep close; as if chained to the bow. Volsius
goes offstage again, followed by the natives, while the sound of the violin
is still heard in the distance)
George (runs to Eva and takes her in his arms): Ah! Eva! My dear Eva!
Eva: Let's get away from this cursed place. Take me away. Take me
away, please.
Valdemar: Ah yes. Let's get away from here!
Tartelet: Ah! That Master
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