Libertins

Hospice de Charenton Spring 1813

This asylum in Charenton is good for madmen or the rabid, but certainly not for

a man like me, aren't you all tired as much as you are of working

to my confinement for so long?

do you believe that the mere imprisonment of a man

compensate society for the evils he did to her?

don't you see that the more you bother me the more my mind is inflamed and emboldened against this world?

this prison and your foolish vexations will have only served in the end to implant a thousand darknesses in my head...

ah my friends come in, come in, welcome I have just here

something new to tell you, but take a seat, take a seat,

it is the story of an unusual story

which takes place in Italy and more precisely in Venice.

oh yes I know that none of you know exactly where

this city and because it occupies a very small place on the maps, but

Venice seems to have been invented to be the ideal city.

my friends, close your eyes and let your friends wander.

imagination you will then see this city illuminated

on a hot evening in July 1772 precisely

a city made of inextricable labyrinths

of tangled alleys and canals that turn on themselves brush past each other

avoid each other,

and get lost in the sea.

venice's quays are lined with palaces that proudly look down on you from above.

from their lace stone balcony their wall plunges fearlessly into the water

from the lagoons and emerges brushed with yellow and red brick chips.

to cross these canals the city has created small boats to cross them.

black without a sail whose bow proudly brandishes a thin iron blade

chiseled and could make you believe by their funerary form

that you are already dead to the rest of the world...

procurator whose lordship Morosini has engineered in order to

that the company of French actors be allowed to perform in the theatre,

when the court had prohibited it, I was also told that the Honourable

Contini was seen to his great shame

looking under the gaming tables to see if players hadn't dropped out of the game

some coins

I have also heard that Valentino's baker lives in the largest

and that nobody considers him a good Christian any more.

you definitely like our house, it's a pity that you only come here as a visitor.

and not as a customer - but madam, you know that I came from England

he's really too cute

and what better place than Venice

I know you are a student with no money to spend, who comes to entertain our little committee at the

name of art and beauty, let's hope at least that you will be able to know you

be discreet, - believe me, madam, I appreciate that you

be in "heat" with me, - you mean warm, I suppose?

I don't want you to draw my portrait as a young man.

you are wrong, sir, for I might one day be considered a

great painter and your portrait will adorn the gallery of a king or a prince,

it is possible just as it is possible that you will end up forgotten by all,

have you nothing happier to do than to

to do in life than to haunt this house every night.

the girls there are charming and they sometimes agree to pose naked for me

free of charge I imagine?

there's also a pretty girl I have in love and who also has me in love

a prostitute in love with one of her clients

we will have seen everything in this city there was definitely only one thing missing.

from England to finish corrupting the world, and to end the corruption of the

republic of venice!

please speak loudly to me and don't say anything to the landlady.

good evening count

good evening gentlemen, ah venice what an extraordinary place

it's full of hidden staircases, secret doors, small clandestine lodgings, and so on.

whose jealousy itself would not discover the mysteries

this city really lives up to its reputation as a place of all pleasures,

isn't it gentlemen that this house

is also the house of pleasure?

isn't it, sir?

do you think I am here for this, - did I hear you right, sir, and why else would I be here?

would you be in that brothel then?

unless a young ephebe on the buttocks

or one of his docile beasts would be more to your liking.

who are not afraid of the assaults of men - you insult me, sir.

sir how moreover I don't think we have ever been presented

i am the count of mazan

is this your real name? - obviously count de mazan colonel

of cavalry in the service of the king of France - I have not heard that a battalion

of the French army camped in the vicinity of Venice.

I'm travelling here in the republic, let's say in a private capacity.

some family matters to settle

Are you travelling alone, sir?

What is it? - the rights I give you over my person

anne you worry me and at the same time you enrage me

I swear to my lover that I will never be his alone, that I will never...

Please be quiet, it is not a whole world that I am writing these words, but you alone.

to make the sacrifice of my life for my love of my feelings with the same

the ardour that I give him the ardour of my virginity.

Anne, my little angel

I think I love you

but yes it's you my friend my eyesight is not as good as it used to be but

it seemed to me that this silhouette leaping from tree to tree was not

not unknown - Baroness my respects, - since the time that we have been

see how your children are doing? - Very well thank you

and rene pelagiates your wife? - as well as it is possible

beauty has not provided her as well as you have, but still don't forget

that your wife is your best ally of course I'm speaking to you as a friend,

yes, I know how much your advice has always been precious to me.

Having said that, I hope you will honour me with a less formal visit one from

in the next few days, if your numerous requests leave you free to do so.

if I may, I shall not fail to do so, Baroness,

see you soon then dear sir, - servant

Are you travelling alone, sir? - no I am travelling with my wife

but as far as I know we're not here in the court of inquisitors, but rather

in a Turkish seraglio, right? - You're right, Count, and

please forgive my impertinence but many foreigners take refuge in Venice

to flee from the misdeeds they have committed in their country when it is not the

French anti-royalists who come here to foment their revolution

each inhabitant must therefore be vigilant

let's admit it, let's admit it!

Would you gentlemen care for a glass of wine? - thank you and to your good health

young man, because to be able to drink all one's drunk and make love without aiming at the

propagation is not what differentiates us from the

other beasts - propagation, what is it? - uh, it is the reproduction of species

you want to talk about natural law - propagation is certainly not a

law of nature it is only a tolerance of it

Did nature need us to create other species, hell no,

when there is no longer a single man on earth the world will not go less as it is!

we enjoy what we find but nothing has been created for us,

wretched creatures that we are born and die like animals

yet we venture to have pride - pride? yes, that pride which prevents us

to see that by coming back from the woodland monkey, which is only a particular species

of man to the most primitive of peoples to finally reach our

civilisation

we would be forced to admit that we are all descended from the vilest of the

animals, - which one?

the SINGE!

I know how disparaging this reflection is for humanity but

is it not any less true for all that

why are you saying all this to me my Lord?

because you seem to be the least stupid

of all the people in this house, - oh you are too kind!

nice, me? it's the first time I've ever heard someone say about me that I am

am nice!

The wheel of fortune

can you hand me the mirror?

I have an idea, we'll take the count's money! - In what way? - By cunning!

this tale of Mazan is truly amazing! - yesterday he boasted

in front of me that he was not a count, - Ah, but who is he then? - he is better than that

he would be a marquis! - A French marquis here in Venice without the council of ten in

is informed is unlikely,

what is his real name? - he didn't tell me

he just confided to me that he was travelling with his sister-in-law...

that he passes off as his wife!

Do you think, young man, that we pay these girls to freeze themselves into a statue...

of salt, while you finish your

scribbling. - Oh how beautiful

yes quite a lot but it's still not with an

sketch as simplistic as you expect to pay for the services of the residents of

this house? - of course it does, - it will never

will give a lira for this drawing, - they won't, but you surely will - me and for

What reasons would I have for doing such a thing?

Out of gallantry, not nobility of heart, out of generosity, what else! - none of these

ridiculous sentimentality is not known to me.

so maybe you prefer to play the price of this drawing to cards?

but gambling circles are prohibited in the Republic of Venice.

but the prohibitions don't seem to scare you, Count!

insolent character that this devil of an Englishman who knows how to tempt me and

and how much do we charge for the game?

30 chequins! - 30 chequins, only

that, insolent and fearsome in the business in

more, and what card game do you suggest we play? - the simplest and the

the most mysterious shuffling cards in the world,

draw a card and I'll tell you what it represents the luckiest lottery winnings

stand well in the light, count to see the map better

I see,

I see, two ladies, very different

and between them a hesitant, uncertain man,

to what woman will my heart, my soul and my penis be directed!

insolent character, fearsome in business and final with that!

but I like him just the way he is! - the drawing is yours

my Lord

these erotic engravings are devilishly inspiring.

I swear to my lover that I will never be anyone else's.

like a ferocious beast, this man can only come by making his girlfriend shudder,

to make the sacrifice of my life, my love and my feelings to him.

all these scratches

on my body so that this man will satisfy

his perversion

with the same ardour as I do my virginity's.

the tearing of my virginity was nothing but pain

and humiliation

what a shame to be

thus mortified by the one to whom I had offered my body and mind with all confidence

but what are you doing here, miss?

Come on, Anne, get up,

you're not going to lie on the floor all night?

if the gentleman saw this, his anger could be terrible.

Come on, don't be childish, come on,

we're going to clean up all that blood

and then you'll go back to sleeping with him again.

without making a fuss about it anne?

I admire that it is beautiful

How can you boys find this beautiful? It's naughty!

it's exciting to imagine entering you through that small, half-hidden slit,

for me it has become something commonplace.

have you ever dreamed of leaving here and going far away to another world?

for example in england with me

no

these things are not for us,

I have my family here my friends

love is above all good for those who have something to live for