SCENE NINE: THE SQUARE IN FRONT OF NOTRE DAME — THE FOLLOWING NIGHT
Establishing Photograph: The square in front of Notre Dame.
(GABRIELLE and LESTAT walk arm-in-arm across the square.)
[Gabrielle:]
I have no fear. It's astonishing. No fear at all. I could stroll down the darkest alley in the meanest part of the city and fear no man. Pity the poor cutthroat who dares to trouble me now.
[Lestat:]
Two hunters on the Devil's Road!
(The sound of the presence again. LESTAT glances behind them.)
[Gabrielle:]
[hushed] Lestat, there's something following us.
[Lestat:]
You feel it too. It's been tracking me for some time. But it hasn't dared to come any closer. [He turns and shouts.] It's too much of a coward!
[Gabrielle:]
Don't challenge it!
[Lestat:]
I thought you had no fear.
[Gabrielle:]
Of humanland! What in the name of God is that?
(He approaches the doors of Notre Dame.)
[Lestat:]
Come inside the church.
(The scene transforms to the interior of the cathedral. GABRIELLE moves through with reverence.)
[Gabrielle:]
It feels strange to be in the House of God.
(LESTAT leaps up onto the altar. He leans jauntily against the large crucifix and throws his arm irreverently over the shoulder of Christ.)
[Gabrielle:]
Come down.
(He laughs and jumps down from the altar.)
[Lestat:]
Evil invades the holy place.
[Gabrielle:]
Do you think we are evil?
[Lestat:]
We kill every night. To me, that is evil.
[Gabrielle:]
Then, is the wolf evil for killing the hare in order to live?
[Lestat:]
I'm certain the hare believes so.
[Gabrielle:]
No. The hare does not place a human moral judgment on the wolf. He knows it is the wolfs nature to kill. If anything, he simply regrets being too far from his den.
[Lestat:]
So you believe there is no evil?
[Gabrielle:]
I don't know. Perhaps not.
[Lestat:]
But I still have a conscience. I have to believe in some kind of goodness or I could not go on.
[Gabrielle:]
You have always been this way… desperate to be good despite yourself. I am much less troubled by such things.
(A priest comes into the cathedral, bends to pray at the altar. LESTAT and GABRIELLE look at each other.)
Would you dare?
(LESTAT stalks the PRIEST. The sound of the presence returns, growing louder as LESTAT gets closer to the PRIEST. Suddenly, a tall figure appears to block the PRIEST from LESTAT. The sound becomes deafening, driving LESTAT backward like a malicious force. The VAMPIRE ARMAND appears to be the same age as LESTAT. He is dressed in clothes of Magnus' time, but eaten with age and crusted with dirt. GABRIELLE steps to LESTAT's side.)
[Armand:]
Leave him.
(LESTAT backs away from the PRIEST who goes off.)
[Lestat:]
And who are you to keep me from my prey?
[Armand:]
Your elder… by three hundred years.
(LESTAT bows in mock deference.)
[Lestat:]
May we know your name?
[Armand:]
I am the Vampire Armand. And you are the bastard son of the outcast Magnus, Magnus who stole the gift of immortality in defiance of our ways.
[Lestat:]
Magnus stole his immortality?
[Armand:]
He is, even now, suffering an eternity of torment in hell. And you will join him there.
[Lestat:]
Why? What have I done?
[Armand:]
You flaunt your powers. You walk among mortals. You shamelessly gave the Dark Gift to the very womb that bore you! You will be thrown into the pit of hell for your sins!
[Lestat:]
[to Gabrielle] That raises an interesting question. If there is no evil… can there be sin?
[Armand:]
[growing angry and frustrated] You will bring down the wrath of God on all of us for your defiance!
[Lestat:]
When is that going to occur? For over a month I've been what I am. In all that time, neither God nor Satan have troubled me. It is you who troubles me!
[Gabrielle:]
You said… all of us. There are others?
[Armand:]
My followers will tear you to pieces in the name of Satan!
[Lestat:]
[to Gabrielle] This is ludicrous. Leave him to his raving. He cannot harm us.
(He takes her arm and they turn their backs on him, moving toward the door.)
[Armand:]
But what of Nicolas?
(LESTAT and GABRIELLE stop dead. LESTAT whirls around.)
[Lestat:]
Where is he?
[Armand:]
At Les Innocents… among the dead.
(The Cathedral transforms into catacombs beneath the cemetery of Les Innocents.)