ACT I - FANTINE
SCENE II – 1817
SETTING: Restaurant
FANTINE sits with three other women, DAHLIA, FAVOURITE, and ZEPHINE, at a table. Seated with them are THOLOMYES and three other men, the women’s lovers. They are all drinking and laughing.
FANTINE. You promised us a surprise today, remember? You all did, for all of us. [The other women nod]
THOLOMYES. Patience, ladies.
The men snicker and nudge one another.
THOLOMYES. [Raising a glass] Let’s drink to joy! To freedom, to happiness! To the birds! To the festivities!
FANTINE. [Laughing, clearly smitten] Tholomyes, take a breath. You’re drunk.
THOLOMYES. I’m not. I’m happy. No more quarreling, just talk of literature and philosophy.
FANTINE. [Clutches THOLOMYES’ arm and smiles up at him] Yes but what about the surprise?
THOLOMYES. Men, is it time we give the ladies our little surprise? [The men give generic responses all at once] Beginning with a kiss. [Each man gives their respective woman a kiss on the forehead]
FANTINE. [Giggles] I like this surprise already.
THOLOMYES. Now, allow us to step out for a moment.
FANTINE. Don’t be too long! We’ll be waiting!
The men exit and the women resume their chatter.
DAHLIA. I hope they bring us something pretty!
FAVOURITE. I hope it’s gold!
FANTINE. [Sighing] I hope they return soon.
A WAITER enters and places an envelope on the table.
FANTINE. What’s that?
WAITER. A paper the gentlemen left for the ladies.
FAVOURITE snatches the envelope from the table.
FAVOURITE. Look what it says! [She holds up the envelope and points]
FANTINE. [Reading] "This is the surprise."
FANTINE grabs the envelope and unseals it. She begins to read it aloud.
FANTINE. [Reading] "Dear lovers, as difficult as it may be for you to understand, we have parents. Mothers and fathers, as they’re called. As you read this, four horses are taking us back to them. Back to duty, to order, to society. You are an abyss we must flee from, darlings. It is only necessary. Mourn us quickly, replace us rapidly. If this letter tears your heart, tear it apart." [Looking up at the other women] And they signed it, all four of them.
The other three women all burst out laughing. FANTINE places the letter on the table and crosses her hands in her lap, looking down.
DAHLIA. Well that’s a good joke!
ZEPHINE. It’s quite amusing!
FAVOURITE. For what it’s worth, I detested that man!
DAHLIA. I’ll bet this was Tholomyes’ idea.
FAVOURITE & ZEPHINE. [Raising their glasses] Long live Tholomyes!
All of the women begin to laugh again, and FANTINE laughs along with them. DAHLIA, FAVOURITE, and ZEPHINE exit. FANTINE picks the note back up again and holds it against her chest, weeping.
FANTINE. [Quietly, to herself] I’m having your child. And you’ve left me. [She stands up, facing the direction the men exited, and raises her voice] I’m having your child!
FANTINE sits back down. She clutches the letter and weeps.
Blackout.
YOU ARE READING
The Dejected
Historical FictionLes Miserables, a novel by Victor Hugo, adapted for the stage. Not to be confused with the musical.
