Hmm. [Louis gasps] Bonjour, mon amour.
Or do you miss me? I miss you. Despite our recent unpleasantness still missing each other.
Hmm! Four years of grim wayfaring and still no sight of the benevolent vampire. So, how does denial manifest itself tonight? Sniffing German brandy?
You're not here, I'm just fսckеd in the head.
Quite fսckеd. Was she worth it?
You say it like you believe it. [Repeatedly] I do...
[Repeatedly] I do... Oh. Purgatory is a lovely room for music. I have a new piece, Concerto for Gashed Throat and Orchestra.
Don't say it again. You ruin it with remorse. It was a perfect betrayal. You gave me a death of distinction.
But in answer to your question. Yes. I'm gonna bloody kill you.
If you were alive you'd have done it already.
Hmm. [Chuckles softly] Oh, love. I'm merely waiting until you're happy. So hurry up, mon Cher.
I had taken 7,000 souls by then. Argh! But Lestat was the only one that felt like murder. Semantics, surely, but it's how I felt. He came by invitation. My distraction from the monochromatic landscape. The gray of an obliterated road, the gray-brown of a charred and bullet-ridden city. In Germany, Herr Hitler had popped a pill in his bunker and Europe celebrated. But in Romania, the champagne fizzled and went flat. Soviets replaced Nazis. War became occupation. [Witnesses soldiers exhuming cemetery internments and shooting them up]
CClaudia
[Telepathically] Why they shooting up coffins? Windows shuttered, doors bolted.
Like every other village we seen, folks left when the Russians rolled in.
CClaudia
Folks left? So who ran garlic around these doors? Who nailed the crucifix to the wall?
Why don't you knock and ask?
CClaudia
Just like in the books, they think garlic protects them.
CClaudia
They think we hate Jesus.
Don't start back with your books! Your books are bullshit.
CClaudia
There's a vampire been here. Another crucifix.
Look like you should. Don't say anything about anything.
SSSoviet soldier 1
Papers [Claudia hands over passports then holds up photo speaking in Hungarian] My mother. Have you seen? Please to help.
SSSoviet soldier 1
Hungarian. This is Romania.
Looking for my wife, hope to find.
SSSoviet soldier 2
Your papers aren't good.
[Stops walking by speaking Romanian] Making them stand out here in the dark? Are you stupid?
SSSoviet soldier 1
Speak Russian.
Go, go. Do your very important patrols.
SSSoviet soldier 1
Speak Russian.
Papers don't matter if they're dead. [Soldier hands back passports, takes one of Emilia's hunting kills and they walk away]
How come you're all living out here? Stone walls, metal doors. Is something going on out in the woods?
Bombs in ground, wolves, maybe German soldiers who don't know war is over. Maybe something, uh, worse.
CClaudia
[Telepathically] Or maybe vampires.
CClaudia
Oh, look, soldiers with garlic around their necks.
[Sets down bowl] Soup for cigarettes. Bad trade for you. But God will forget when you die. God "not" forget.
Americans? I haven't heard a word of English in half a year. Say something, anything.
Oh, you, darling, are talk broken English by an Englishman too enamored with his student to do the job properly.
She's a quick studier actually and very resourceful and I'm desperately in love with her. I hear you have vodka.
Morgan Ward, correspondent Daily Herald. They've forgotten I'm here. And I've forgotten your name already.
Louis! Louis, wonderful strange. Welcome to, no question, hell on Earth! And you? What's your name, sweetheart?
Why are they shooting up graves outside? This is my daughter, Mary.
Oh. [Holds up cigarette] Uh, Andrei. Maybe you can take Mary here to meet the other children.
CClaudia
I'm fine, sir, thank you.
Go ahead, Mary. Go and meet the other children. I bet they know everything about this place. [Claudia takes the hint and leaves then cut to scene of interview] Wait, that's wrong. She didn't say that in front of Claudia.
The wolves, the Germans, something worse. Emilia, she would not have said that in front of Claudia. [Flashback] She thought Claudia was a child. Claudia left. And then she said it. [Flashback of Emilia sitting at table after Claudia leaves] Yes. Yes! That's how it went. We should get every detail right.
In total agreement. Perhaps this would be a time to take a break, Louis. You know, Real Rashid, I'm pretty good at my job, a bright young reporter with a point of view. Interviewed a fallen Catholic archbishop, four Enron vice presidents, and if they've got something to hide they always start with some kind of disguise. Not literally, not some dumb Halloween costume, gloves, contact lenses. They tell jokes, they're charming. And then at some crisis point, when I get close, it drops away and I see a flash of the truth.
Armand didn't want me to do the interview, Daniel.
But he wanted to be close to it, right, Real Rashid? I mean, hey, whatever it is they're trying to hide, I'm probably not going to crack it, which is, you know, who cares? Happens all the time. But I wanna ask you, as a member of the inferior species, why say, "Hey, vampires are real. Here's almost all the story"? Thank you, Rashid. That's why I'm coming after you, Real Rashid. You I can fսcking break! If you'll excuse me.
CClaudia
I saw his stupid face up there and had to think of something quick.
You couldn't make up a name?
CClaudia
Best lies got some truth to 'em. And that's the only other vampire I knew. It's gonna be fine.
What about Lestat? He's 100-something-year-old painting in a frame. They got a fսcking shrine! What if they find out we killed him? One of us would have to tell them. Or think it!
CClaudia
Well, I thought it the second I saw his face in the frame, but there they were inviting us back, five minutes later. To kill us. And right after that I invaded their thoughts, and not one, not one of them, thought anything other than I want to lick these two, so we need to stay away from Estelle if we can.
CClaudia
When they all pounced on that woman, drained her right in front of their dumb faces? Tell me you did not feel pride.
CClaudia
Yes, you did! Past your empathy for that woman, past your fear of being exposed. Vampire pride. Those Frenchies love being vampires. And they shamed us because we never felt that way and we fucking should! I'm going back. I want more... Take your people pictures! Worship them in the red light all you want! I want to be with my own! Don't ruin this for me, Louis. I need this!
[To Claudia at dinner party] So this couple, the Perriers, they got this salon thing they call R-26. Artist types, some showing work, some just there to be there. Painters, poets...
Yeah, me, okay, I showed a little work, got some love back.
I don't know what he sees in him. He's not that attractive. ]
W1Woman 1
And a waterfall of pretension bursting forth from his mouthal cavity. Read my mind, grab my nethers. Already doing it.
M1Man 1
Sam was late with the bed bellows. Head's in a hat. Working on a new play. It won't happen again, Maitre.
M2Man 2
It happened four times!
M1Man 1
It won't happen again, Maitre. Eglee?
Catatonic since Santiago has taken up with Celeste again.
M2Man 2
And Gustave? Les Toilettes? Back at the lair, hung over from last night, when he split from the pack and over-served himself in the Latin Quarter.
W2Woman 2
Ran down the street screaming, "I am a vampire! I am a vampire!"
M2Man 2
Wheels are coming off this week, Maitre. It's not just Paris giving birth to more genius.
CClaudia
...to modernity itself?
[To Claudia] Yes! Sculptors and authors, and photographers and saxophone players. Intermingling, innovating.
LSLouis & Santiago
[In unison] Collapsing two art forms into one. Coming up with new ones. Meanwhile, everyone's fawning over Picasso, but out there on the Left Bank in shabby hotel rooms and cold water walk-ups, a new generation's ripping apart the old modes. Bursting into new ones.
Suppose I can come off haughty.
LSLouis & Santiago
[In unison] Everyone's fawning over Picasso, but not me, not Louis du Lac. I'm out in the streets on the barricades with the avant-garde.
See, now that I've wriggled inside your voice, pulled it on like a costume, you don't sound all that Chicago to me.
CClaudia
Outside Chicago. We roamed all around.
It's that emphasis on the second syllable, borrowed from the French.
So it's mimicry that you're good at. Like a parrot?
Like a gent with upright downstairs.
Cajun drawl. I want to test a theory. Say New Orleans!
Or a buffoon! [Santiago hisses with Louis then leaping from seat, popping up besides Santiago pulling his tongue] Anything else you want to say, buffoon?! I couldn't hear you from the other side of the table! But you got my attention now!
Enough! [All guests heads slam on table and whole restaurant goes still]
Take your time. Come on! What?! Spit it out! A-huh.
If you two want to act like fledglings do it in darkness! [Telepathically] Louis, come back!
RRomaine
[Telepathically while dressing up Claudia] Sorry to disturb you, Maitre.
CClaudia
What is it, Romaine? I look good. I look French.
RRomaine
No, it's not right at the front because your chest...
CClaudia
I don't have much.
RRomaine
Yes, you don't have more than you did two years ago. Same shape, same height. The war. Shriveled some people, stunted others. Claudia, you have eyes like my windows. Been through some shit like anybody else. Mom died. Dad ran off. Aunt didn't want me. A fire. Adopted. One of them was bad trouble. Ran away. One dark thing after another. Maybe I seek it out. Maybe I chase after it. Why? I don't know. But it's something to think about. Because even in between the dark things... there's something broken in me. A collision in me, like I wanna go bang. Well, go bang. Go flag it out or go cold. I mean, that's fine, then you'll be fine again. And then bang. And then okay, and then bang, and... You just get used to it, like weather.
CClaudia
[Noticing blood trickling down Romaine's leg and begins to protrude fangs] You got blood on your, uh...
RRomaine
Ah, I bled through. Ah, don't move too much, the pins, huh? [Gets up and walks away] I am leaving a trail. I am Gretel!
[Peers through shop window] Claudia! [Dragging Claudia by arm up alley steps] The show is a hit! The show is our cover!
CClaudia
Tell me again what it is.
CClaudia
Tell me again how Sam licks the stage clean after every show, and I'll tell you a job I'd rather do.
You're the only one with a child's physique.
CClaudia
Audiences don't give a shit. Tuan could play the part. They just wanna watch the bouncing ball. Fifteen minutes a night to pretend. It's a degrading 15 minutes. I'd like to walk off stage in the middle but I don't. I'd like to pounce on the audience members, but I don't.
[Walking down marketplace corridor] You left the sacrifice on the green room floor. We honor the blood when we dispose of it.
CClaudia
You dispose it so you won't get caught. C'mon, now. I missed a chore and made a friend. And before you tell me to make friends with the coven, I can't.
Because they've turned inward too long ago and you know it!
CClaudia
Which is why you run to Louis!
[Grabs Claudia by neck and slams her against pillar] I've let you whine and have your say. Most in my position would treat you no better than you treated your maker. Let us agree, going forward, you will do more than the bare minimum, on and off stage. And the friend you made, you will not see again. Yes? There's rot on the green room floor. See to it. [Claudia walks away violatedly and Armand realizes Santiago is behind pillar and grabs him slamming him against pillar] Too old to play Hamlet, too young to play Polonius. Know your role, thesp', or join your maker in oblivion. [Lets go of Santiago who slumps down and walks away]
You can't think of it as a waste of time, Louis. What's two years? I pretended to be actor for two years. And your dalliance with that manipulative gremlin? Well... what is vampire life but poor decisions, stacked next to better ones. [Sound of door opening]
CClaudia
[Enters room] Louis!
Speaking of poor decisions.
CClaudia
Louis! Armand knows all about Lestat! How long's he known?!
Read our minds, first night at the theater.
CClaudia
But you colored it in for him, painted a picture?! Who did the poisoning, who did the throat cutting!
CClaudia
What about, "Me and you"?! "You and me! Me and you!"
New Orleans, unhappy. Vampire homeland, unhappy. Paris, unhappy. Comes the coven, you're beaming like the whole world went technicolor.
CClaudia
What the fսck's gone on without me here?
I didn't want to wreck that for you and this whole time...
CClaudia
Chasing it! Chasing!
..he hasn't betrayed our trust or told our secret!
CClaudia
Gotta be chasing it! Except he just threatened me with it!
CClaudia
Doesn't sound like him?! Oh, forgot! Love makes you stupid! Makes you fickle and weak and blind! Let me guess, he's your companion finally?! Well, good for fսcking you! You and him! Him and you! [Swipes down photo drying line] You and fսcking him! Picked another one over me! [Storms out room]
[Follows her passionately pointing] You picked the coven! You left me! Go sit in your choice, sister! [She slams door] Go sit in it!
The wilderness that is our daughter. [Louis stares hard in reluctant admittance looks at photo of Armand starting to incinerate and extinguishes it and looks back at Lestat] Hmm.
Interview with the Vampire · 220 quotes
