L'Evasion (Act II)

ACT II
Scene 1

(Gavrielle, presumed dead, is shackled to a wall in a torture chamber. The lighting is red)

DEFAUCH

(Chuckle) The ex-captain Gavrielle If I remember correctly, the last time we met you were handing me your badge and uniform A beautiful moment but I like this one even better. Apparently your fall from glory has led you to treason…and your job into far more capable hands

GAVRIELLE

Make your point DeFauch I don’t plan on hanging around here all day listening to your self-righteous raving

DEFAUCH

(Laughs) It doesn’t seem like you have much choice in the matter now do you?


GAVRIELLE

Go to hell Claude

DEFAUCH

Hell? No. I will show you hell…and make sure that you live to remember it

GAVRIELLE

Damn it Shut up

DEFAUCH

In time you will learn to enjoy my conversation. It will mean that you can still hear me, that you are still sane, that you are still alive But since you are so eager for pain, let me be concise.

(He picks up a whip off a table)

Where were you the night before last, after midnight?

GAVRIELLE

I was at a tavern (Sarcastically) Drinking to your success.
(DeFauch laughs again and then cracks the whip against Gavrielle’s bare chest)

DEFAUCH

Liar Where were you?

(Silence. He whips Gavrielle again)

Where were you?

GAVRIELLE

(With venom) You know where I was.

DEFAUCH

Yes, but I want to hear you scream it

(He whips Gavrielle again as he says, “scream it” He raises the whip again)

GAVRIELLE

All right

(DeFauch pauses)

I was at the town bakery, in Avignon

DEFAUCH

Pathetic…I should kill you right now like the worm that you are You helped them escape You got there before I did and warned them Isn’t that how you got shot? Unfortunately for you it was only in the leg and not a fatal shot. It would have made things much easier for you if you had died I’ll make sure of that No matter, the punishment for assisting a fugitive in his escape is death

GAVRIELLE

Wait I can bring them to you I’ll find them and arrest them Just give me a chance

DEFAUCH

No, you see, that’s just the kind of coward you are. Willing to sell out an entire family to save your own neck. So willing to make the same mistake that lost you your position as Captain. Or maybe you thought that I would just let you walk out of here, that I was stupid enough to fall for your tricks. Besides, it hardly matters now. I took care of their arrest myself last night. As we speak, they are all rotting in a cell, waiting to die.

GAVRIELLE

Then why do you still need me?

DEFAUCH

Unfortunately for you, I don’t. But I’ve look forward to this meeting for quite some time and I’m not about to let anything spoil it.

GAVRIELLE

Let them go DeFauch; they know nothing of your plans

DEFAUCH

And you do? Tell me, what exactly do you know about my “plans”? Tell me damn you

GAVRIELLE

I only know that you’re willing to arrest an entire family of innocent people to keep them a secret.

DEFAUCH

Oh, I will do a lot more than that if necessary. Besides, it doesn’t matter how much you know, you’re going to die here.

GAVRIELLE

Then why don’t you just tell me your plan?

DEFAUCH

Really, your estimations of my intelligence are rather unflattering I’m not going to tell you anything that you don’t already know.

GAVRIELLE

No? I wasn’t sure that you were planning something until now.

DEFAUCH

(Laughs) You always were a clever one, you know that?

GAVRIELLE

I think I may have heard it once or twice. Tell me, if I’m going to die here than why are you keeping me alive now? You already have everything from me, I’m of no use to you.

DEFAUCH

Are you really so eager to die? No Gavrielle, you will survive here for a long time. You will see Hell many times before I send you to it’s sweet release permanently. I’m going to make you beg for death, on your hands and knees

GAVRIELLE

Hmm…and what of the DeMont family?

DEFAUCH

I’m beginning to wonder who is doing the interrogation here They will be executed in a few days time. Maybe if you behave I’ll let you watch

GAVRIELLE

I’ll kill you for this, I swear it

We’ll see.
(To guard) Bring the prisoner to his cell.

(Exit DeFauch)

SCENE 2

(Enter DeFauch and a guard)

DEFAUCH

I want him dead

GUARD

Sir?

DEFAUCH

You heard me; I want you to kill him

GUARD

But Captain, you said-

DEFAUCH

-I know what I said. Kill him. He know more than I suspected he did. He's a liability that that I can not have.


GUARD

Should I arrange for him to be hung at the gallows?

DEFAUCH

No. We can't afford to let him live that long.

GUARD

Then how do you recommend I take care of him?

DEFAUCH

Damn it Use your imagination

GUARD

Yes sir.

(Exit DeFauch. The guard walks over to Gavrielle’s cell)

GAVRIELLE

You’re going to kill me now, aren’t you? I heard to talking to DeFauch.

GUARD

No.

GAVRIELLE

Why not? You were ordered to.

GUARD

My loyalties are not with Captain Claude DeFauch.

GAVRIELLE

Who then, if anyone, are you loyal to?

GUARD

I am loyal only to my king monsieur.

GAVRIELLE

To defy the captain of the guard is to defy the king.

GUARD

You seem to have been stripped of your crown then. The two loyalties are not the same.

GAVRIELLE

(Laughs)
So you haven’t come to kill me, then I’m to assume you’re here to amuse me?

GUARD

I’m here to rescue you.

GAVRIELLE

Why would a man rescue a man guilty of a crime at the risk of his own life?

GUARD

Until tonight I would have asked you the same question.
(He unlock the cell, Gavrielle steps out)

GAVRIELLE

Thank you
GUARD

You can thank me when you are free. Right now there is something you need to know. DeFauch is planning to-

(Footsteps are heard)

-We don’t have time. Run

GAVRIELLE

Where?

GUARD

Go back to Avignon, to the baker’s house.

GAVRIELLE

DeMont?

GUARD

Yes There is a letter there that will explain everything to you. Go

GAVRIELLE

What will happen to you when they find me missing?

GUARD

I will be killed. It’s the price I swore to pay. Go

(Gavrielle exits running)

(DeFauch enters)

DEFAUCH

Where is Gavrielle? Did you kill him?

(Silence)

You let him escape

GUARD
Yes.
DEFAUCH

Why?

GUARD

Because my loyalties are to the king and those who protect him.

DEFAUCH

Then you will share his fate
(He takes out his sword and kills the guard.)
(To the other guards) Find him If I don’t have him in the next twelve hours you are all going to lose your heads over this

SCENE 3

(Gavrielle is disguised in a hooded cloak, the same one he wore when he went to see Jacques before. He takes off the hood and enters the house. Everything seems neat and orderly, except for a pile of letters on the table.)

GAVRIELLE

What exactly am I supposed to be looking for? There must be something here that DeFauch didn’t want me to find

(He starts looking through the house and finds nothing of importance. Finally, he goes to the table and looks at the letters, He shuffles through them until one catches his interest)

GAVRIELLE

(Reading)

Jacques,
I write to you now with an urgent request, this request is to remain know only to you. As you know, I have spent the last several years as a faithful servant to his majesty, the king. I was arrested and am now in prison by Captain Claude DeFauch. DeFauch is planning to assassinate the king. I accidently uncovered this plot from DeFauch himself. I was discovered in trying to reach the king and imprisoned. Jacques, you are the only person I can now trust with this information. By the time you read this letter, I may not be alive to help you. You must reach the king yourself and warn him, before it’s too late. Hurry brother, you are the last hope in stopping DeFauch.

Best of luck to you and you family,
Charles”

GAVRIELLE

Oh God Jacques…

(Gavrielle exits)

SCENE 4

(Gavrielle is on horseback, covered once again with his cloak. He stops in front of a brothel and enters.)

MADAME ROUGE

Evening Monsieur, how may I help you?

GAVRIELLE

Yes, I’m looking for Charlotte.

ROUGE

Ten francs.

GAVRIELLE

No, I just need to speak with her.

ROUGE

And I just need to eat. Ten francs.

(Gavrielle hands over some money)

The first room on the left. Enjoy Monsieur

GAVRIELLE

Thank you Madame.

(Gavrielle exits. Black out. Gavrielle enters a dark room.)

CHARLOTTE

Oh great, another customer.

GAVRIELLE
A friend.

CHARLOTTE

Oh, a friend? Didn’t think I had too many of those.

GAVRIELLE

Well I know you have at least one.

CHARLOTTE

If you are a friend, then why don’t you come a little closer?

(Gavrielle steps forward. Charlotte gasps)

GAVRIELLE

You seem surprised.

CHARLOTTE

Don’t flatter yourself.
(She seductively walks over to him)
Where have you been?

GAVRIELLE

I’ve been…busy.

CHARLOTTE

(Moves closer and pins him up against the wall)

Have you?
(She pulls out a knife and holds it up to his throat)

GAVRIELLE

Charlotte

CHARLOTTE
Why did you come back?
GAVRIELLE

I need your help

CHARLOTTE

Why should I help you?

GAVRIELLE

Please I need you to help me. I need to stop Captain Claude DeFauch

CHARLOTTE

Captain?

GAVRIELLE

Yes. My successor. Claude DeFauch. That’s why I’ve come here. He’s after me and I need your help.

CHARLOTTE

(She puts down the knife)
I know who he is Why do you need my help?

GAVRIELLE

I need someone who knows the underground, someone who can help me disappear.

CHARLOTTE

You were the Captain for three years. You should know everything you need to know.
GAVRIELLE

Well, unfortunately, the police don’t usually teach that sort of thing.

CHARLOTTE

I think I may be able to help. First thing you’ll need is a new name. Hmm, let’s see, how about Jean-Pierre? Yes, Jean-Pierre LaMoreaux.

GAVRIELLE/JEAN-PIERRE

Fine
CHARLOTTE

Wonderful. You’ll need new papers of course, I’ll take care of that later. Now you need a new look.

JEAN-PIERRE

What?

CHARLOTTE

Well a fake name isn’t much good if you still look the same

JEAN-PIERRE

True

CHARLOTTE

The beard has to go.

JEAN-PIERRE

No

CHARLOTTE

Yes.

JEAN-PIERRE

Can’t my disguise still have the beard?

CHARLOTTE

It’s not just about the disguise, I always hated that beard. It has to go. Now, hair color We are going to turn that blond into brunette.
JEAN-PIERRE
(Groan)

CHARLOTTE

Well it’s either that or I shave your head.

JEAN-PIERRE

This is the last time I come to you for help.

CHARLOTTE

Shut up.
(She puts a brown powder in his hair, turning it brown)

Viola Clothing. You need a new outfit. Nothing fancy. Of course. Here. I had to kick one of my more obnoxious customers out and he forgot his clothes. He should be about your size.

(She throws him the clothes)

Get changed

JEAN-PIERRE

Here?

CHARLOTTE

Dear, you don’t have anything that I haven’t seen a million times. Get changed.

JEAN-PIERRE

Can’t I just change somewhere else?

CHARLOTTE

Oh fine, be a baby. There is a closet over there you can get changed there if you want.

JEAN-PIERRE

Thanks.
(He goes into the closet and shuts the door. Charlotte sits down on the bed and waits. A few minutes later...)

CHARLOTTE

Are you done it there yet?

JEAN-PIERRE

Not yet

CHARLOTTE

God you men, you take off your clothes faster than anything I’ve ever seen and it takes you forever to put them back on again. Well, hurry up, I charge by the minute.

(Jean-Pierre open the closet and comes out in his new outfit)

JEAN-PIERRE

Finished.

CHARLOTTE

Who are you and how did you get into my room you handsome man?

JEAN-PIERRE

All right, next?

CHARLOTTE

Just a shave. Have a seat.
(Jean-Pierre takes a seat in front of the mirror, facing away from the audience Charlotte takes out a shaving blade)

JEAN-PIERRE

Should I be trusting you with that?

CHARLOTTE

Unless you keep mouthing off to me
(Charlotte shaves off Jean-Pierre’s beard.)


JEAN-PIERRE

I feel like something’s missing.

CHARLOTTE

It’s called your beard, you’ll get used to it, I promise. Now, are you going to tell me what’s going on here?

JEAN-PIERRE

It’s kind of a long story.
CHARLOTTE

I have time.

JEAN-PIERRE

Well here, read this.

(He hands Charlotte the letter from Charles DeMont)

CHARLOTTE

Oh my god. But how did you get involved in this?

JEAN-PIERRE

I tried to warn Jacques and I was captured by DeFauch.

CHARLOTTE

But how did you escape.

JEAN-PIERRE

One of the guards let me go.

CHARLOTTE

He just let you go?


JEAN-PIERRE

Yes.

CHARLOTTE

Why?

JEAN-PIERRE

He says that he’s loyal to the king and not DeFauch.

CHARLOTTE

Well that’s a nice story and all but I don’t think I can help you anymore than I have.
JEAN-PIERRE

But-

CHARLOTTE

No, I won’t risk my life some stranger who means nothing to me.

JEAN-PIERRE

What about the king?

CHARLOTTE

What has the king ever done for me? They’re all the same, bloody rich tyrants who sit on a throne all day getting fat. Why should I care if one gets killed? We’ll just have another one the next day.

JEAN-PIERRE

(He grabs her shoulders)

What about me?

CHARLOTTE

Get off of me (She pulls away from him) What about you?

JEAN-PIERRE

I need your help Charlotte.

CHARLOTTE

Look Gavrielle, maybe you’ve forgotten, I’m nothing okay? I’m just a whore okay? There is nothing I can do. I don’t save kings and families from evil captains. I live my life doing the same shameful thing every day for the rest of my life until I die and they throw me in some unmarked hole in the ground where no one ever mourns for me. That’s my life, not this Gavrielle

JEAN-PIERRE

No, you’re more than that Charlotte, you’re smart, witty, clever. I wouldn’t have come to you unless I thought you could help me.

CHARLOTTE

Isn’t there someone else?

JEAN-PIERRE

You read the letter, you know that there isn’t. Besides, I’m sure there will be some kind of reward for this.

CHARLOTTE

It’s not about money Gavrielle I’m not going to risk my life to stop DeFauch

JEAN-PIERRE

He took your parents from you. If it wasn’t for him, they’d still be with you.. You can avenge them Charlotte. You can kill the man who took them from you.

(Stage darkens and a man and a women run across the stage. With a young girl. They are stopped by a bunch of guards who arrest them. A younger looking DeFauch steps foward)

DEFAUCH

Thieves

MAN

No Please, we just need food to support our family. We have a daughter. She’s starving

DEFAUCH

Save the sob story. You broke the law.

WOMAN

We just took a little bit of food, we didn’t mean any harm.

DEFAUCH

You took a little bit of food that wasn’t yours to take.

MAN

Please We haven’t eaten anything in more than three days

DEFAUCH

Don’t worry, there’s food in prison (to guards) Take them away
MAN

No You can’t do this We have a young daughter, please What about Charlotte? Charlotte

(Young Charlotte bites the guard’s hand and runs away)

GUARD

Hey Get back here

DEFAUCH

Let her go, she’ll probably starve to death.

WOMAN

No

(The guards, Defauch and Charlottes parents all exit The light focuses on Jean-Pierre anc Charlotte again)

CHARLOTTE

(Muttering) What about Charlotte?

JEAN-PIERRE

What?

CHARLOTTE

I’ll do it.
JEAN-PIERRE

Wait, just like that?

CHARLOTTE

I thought you wanted my help.

JEAN-PIERRE

I do

CHARLOTTE
Okay, then don’t question me when I say I’ll do it

JEAN-PIERRE

I didn’t know that you were so easily flattered.

CHARLOTTE

Oh be quite.

JEAN-PIERRE

Fine

CHARLOTTE

Fine, what’s your plan then?

JEAN-PIERRE

We need to reach Jacques.

CHARLOTTE

Okay, and I’m going to assume that you know exactly where he is and that you know how to get in completely undetected and just walk out of there, right?

JEAN-PIERRE

Not exactly

CHARLOTTE

But you know where he is, right?

JEAN-PIERRE

Well, not exactly, no.

CHARLOTTE

Not exactly?

JEAN-PIERRE

No.

CHARLOTTE

So you plan to just walk into a prison which you are not sure the location of, get in completely undetected and just walk out of there, right?

JEAN-PIERRE

No

CHARLOTTE

Okay, so you came to me asking for my help and you don’t have a plan. You are completely clueless.

JEAN-PIERRE

No, that’s not exactly true. I know where we might be able to find out where Jacques is.

CHARLOTTE

Okay

JEAN-PIERRE

I know that the DeMont family was arrested at an inn in Cavaillon. Someone there might be know something where Jacques is being held.

CHARLOTTE

Cavaillon, great. Let’s go.
JEAN-PIERRE

We’ll take a carriage.

CHARLOTTE

You thought I was planning and walking to Cavaillon?

(Both exit)

SCENE 5

(Charlotte and Jean-Pierre are at the inn in Cavaillon. Since Bernard and his wife, the owners of the inn have been arrested with the exception of their daughter Esmeralda, the inn has been taken over by the patrons who drink as much as they want for free. They are wild, throwing things, fighting, yelling and laughing, the scene is a mess and Esmeralda tries to control the men in vain)

ESMERALDA

(To one of the men)

Please Monsieur

(To another)

Hey, put that down No don’t touch that.

JEAN-PIERRE

(From the door way, yelling) Excuse me Mademoiselle, are you in charge here?

ESMERALDA

(Yelling back) Hardly This place is a madhouse.

JEAN-PIERRE

(To the men, yelling) Excuse me Does anyone have any information about a certain families whereabouts? A Jacques DeMont and family. Anybody?

(They are ignored, most of the guests are too drunk to even understand the question)

CHARLOTTE

Maybe I can help, I know how to handle these type of crowd.

(She steps onto the table and begins flirting with the men)

Now, does anybody, have any information about the DeMont family or not?

DRUNK

I...love you.

CHARLOTTE

Ugh... (to Jean-Pierre) We’re not going to get any information here, lets go.

ESMERALDA

Wait, I think I might be able to help. I’m Esmeralda. Come with me upstairs.

JEAN-PIERRE

Thank you.

(They follow Esmeralda up the stairs and into the bedroom where Jacques had been staying.

ESMERALDA

I know where Jacques and his children are. My parents were also arrested with them. I followed them that night, I found out exactly where they were being kept and that DeMont is also there. I can take you to them tonight, but only if you make me a promise.

JEAN-PIERRE

Fine.

ESMERALDA

You have to promise me that you’ll free my mother and father.

JEAN-PIERRE

Look, we’re already risking our lives by trying to rescue Jacques. The chances of us being able to help him escape are incredibly small, if we try to also free your parents, are chances non-existent.

ESMERALDA
Would you prefer to take your chances with the men downstairs? You need me, and I need you. If you don’t agree to free my mother and father then I won’t help you free DeMont.

JEAN-PIERRE

Fine. We’ll do it.

ESMERALDA

Thank you Thank you so much

JEAN-PIERRE (To Charlotte)

This girl is going to get us all killed

CHARLOTTE

No, I think we are effectively handling that ourselves.

SCENE 6

(At the gates of the prison)

JEAN-PIERRE (To Esmeralda)

Thank you, you’ve done well, stay here and wait.


ESMERALDA

But I want to help!

JEAN-PIERRE

You’re more insane than I though, this is no place for a woman.

CHARLOTTE

Excuse me, I think I’m a woman too.

JEAN-PIERRE

I hadn’t noticed. Besides, who said you’re going in, I asked you for your help in helping get DeFauch’s men off of my trail. That’s as far as my request goes.

CHARLOTTE

Look, you asked for my help, you made me come along, and I’ll be damned if I’m going to let you just walk in there without me. I’m coming.

JEAN-PIERRE

You’re staying

CHARLOTTE

I’m coming

JEAN-PIERRE

Fine.

(Charlotte motions to Esmeralda my twirling her hand around her little finger, signaling that she has him wrapped around her little finger)

Women!

CHARLOTTE

Fine, how do we get in now?

JEAN-PIERRE
Emeralda, you said that you visited your parents in secret. Can you take us too them?

ESMERALDA

Yes, There is a window outside their cell. I noticed that the bars are loose, I would have tried to rescue them myself but I knew I would be caught if I did.

JEAN-PIERRE

Good, but we don’t know for sure where DeFauch has Jacques. If I know him at all I’d say that he’s far too cautious to have kept him anywhere with a window, I’m willing to bet that they’re in the dungeon part of the prison, maximum security.

CHARLOTTE

Damn, why couldn’t this just be easy?

ESMERALDA

Follow me, they’re in the back, unguarded..

(The trio sneaks to the wall in back of the prison where there is a set of barred windows.)

Mama! Papa! Are you there? Wake up!

MADAME ROUCHELE

Esmeralda? Is that you? Thank god!

BERNARD

Oh, Esmeralda! Who is that with you?

ESMERALDA

These are friends, we’re here to rescue you.

BERNARD

Rescue us? You can’t be serious! You’ll be caught!

ESMERALDA

We have to try Papa!

JEAN-PIERRE

Esmeralda was right, the bars are loose, I need I can pull them off if I have something to pull with. Monsieur, do you have any rope in there?

BERNARD

No, but I have cloth. Will that work?

JEAN-PIERRE

It should do.

(Bernard slips his hand through the cage and hands Jean-Pierre a long strip of cloth. He wraps it tightly around the bars)

Okay, I need both of you to help me pull.

(The three grab on to the cloth and pull as hard as they can, until the bars are pulled out.)

Can you slip through? Monsieur, you go first, you’re smaller than your wife.

BERNARD

I can try.

(He attempts to slip through the open window but it is too small and he is unable to get his shoulders through)

It’s not big enough, and I’m not leaving without my wife.

(DeFauch steps out from the shadows)

DEFAUCH

How easily my lambs do walk to their slaughter.

JEAN-PIERRE

DeFauch!

DEFAUCH

Gavrielle! I knew you would wander into my trap, my little flower made sure of it

JEAN-PIERRE

What?

DEFAUCH

When I was pondering how to capture you, I realized that I could have you lead to me. I knew the person you would go to for help. I knew that I could persuade her to lead me to you. And I knew how helpful she would be. Right my dear?

JEAN-PIERRE

Charlotte? Is this true?

CHARLOTTE

No! It’s not true, I swear, I would never!

ESMERALDA

Yes, it’s true.

CHARLOTTE

No, I would never do that to you Gavrielle, you have to believe me!

DEFAUCH

You used me Charlotte!

ESMERALDA

No... I did.
JEAN-PIERRE

What?

ESMERALDA

I’m sorry, but DeFauch told me that he would free my parents if I brought you to him.

BERNARD

Esmeralda!

MADAME

How could you?

ESMERALDA

I’m so sorry, but I needed a way to free you.

DEFAUCH

Yes, and thanks to you, I win. Check mate, all the players are in my keep.

JEAN-PIERRE

You won’t get away with this assassination DeFauch.

DEFAUCH

Ah, so you managed to find out my plan. Good, I was hoping you might. At least now you’ll die knowing exactly the extent of your failure.

ESMERALDA

Please, let them go!

DEFAUCH

You! You’re going to die with them, along with your parents!

ESMERALDA

No! You promised me!

DEFAUCH

Did I? I promised you that you would see your parents again. I never promised their freedom. Guards!

(Guards come rushing in a apprehend everyone)

I look forward to watching you hang. You will die tomorrow at sunrise. And Gavrielle, there will be no escape for you this time, I can assure you of that. Take them away!

END ACT II