SCENE TWELVE: THE BASEMENT BENEATH THE THEATRE
(The following night. LOUIS enters the basement to find LESTAT on his knees next to the chair in which CLAUDIA died. Fine grey ash covers the seat of the chair and spills onto the floor. LESTAT holds the yellow dress that CLAUDIA was wearing.)
[Lestat:]
I could not prevent it. I could not prevent it.
(LOUIS sees the dress. He lets loose with a cry of anguish and tears it from LESTAT'S hands. LOUIS stands, weeping, holding the dress.)
[Louis:]
Claudia.
(LESTAT begins to gather the ashes in his hands.)
[Lestat:]
We have to scatter the ashes, Louis. We cannot leave her to return. Help me. Help me with the ashes.
[Louis:]
Why did I do nothing? I could have stopped them.
[Lestat:]
You could not. You could never have stopped Armand.
[Louis:]
I could have stopped her in New Orleans. I could have prevented all of this! I knew she was planning to rise against you. I could see your death in her eyes.
[Lestat:]
Do you think in the end she understood?..
[Louis:]
Why do I always do nothing?
[Lestat:]
Do you think she understood that I held no malice against her?
[Louis:]
My passivity allowed all of this. My weakness is at the core of it all!
[Lestat:]
Come back to New Orleans with me. We can find solace in each other.
[Louis:]
[anguished] I will never find solace! She was my solace! She stood between me and the abyss! Her love allowed me to exist. Without her, I cannot exist.
[Lestat:]
[alarmed] You will not go into the fire. Tell me you will not go into the fire!
[Louis:]
I wish I could… oh God, I wish I could. If only I had had the strength years ago… to end it before you found me… if I had the strength to end it then… none of this… my weakness has been the cause of it all. Out of weakness, I let myself become the thing I am when I knew it was wrong. In weakness I stayed with you when I wanted to leave. My weakness enabled Claudia to cut you down… the very thing that was her undoing. You see, weakness is the cause… the real evil.
[Lestat:]
[gently] Come back to New Orleans, Louis.
[Louis:]
[anguished] There is no comfort there! The world is one bleak ruin of ashes and death! Why did you not tell them I set the blaze?
[Lestat:]
I could not lose both of you. Louis, come back with me.
(LESTAT puts a hand on his arm, but LOUIS jerks away.)
[Louis:]
No! I do not blame you for her death, Lestat. But I cannot have you near me.
(LOUIS backs away from him, clutching the yellow dress.)
[Lestat:]
But I've forgiven you. You cannot leave me after I've forgiven you!
[Louis:]
I'm sorry, Lestat. I'm sorry! Do not come near me… ever again!
(He turns and runs out. LESTAT calls after him.)
[Lestat:]
Don't leave me now, Louis… not now… our child is ashes.
(LESTAT looks down at the pile of ashes.)
We have to scatter them. We cannot leave her to return. We have to scatter them.
(He gathers the ashes as the set transforms to the theatre rooftop.)