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      COPYRIGHT INFORMATION

      Copyright © 1982, 2012 by Frank J. Morlock

      Published by Wildside Press LLC

      www.wildsidebooks.com

      DEDICATION

      To the memory of my mother,

      Eva Pierson Morlock,

      whose virtue was as obstinate as Justine’s, but fortunately never exposed to Justine’s misfortunes

      CAST OF CHARACTERS

      The Marquis de Sade

      Justine, a pious virgin

      Juliette, her sister

      Landlady

      Hairpin

      First Man

      Second Man

      Third Man

      Fourth Man

      Florent, a wealthy noble

      Young Man

      Servant

      Brother Severino

      Second Monk

      Third Monk

      Fourth Monk

      Doctor Rodin

      Rosalie

      Brother Martin

      Judge

      Hangman

      M. de Corville

      Madame Dubois

      First Actor: De Sade, Hairpin, Brother Severino, Doctor Rodin

      Second Actor: First Man, Second Monk, Brother Martin

      Third Actor: Second Man, Third Monk, Hangman

      Fourth Actor: Third Man, Servant, Third Monk, Hangman

      Fifth Actor: Fourth Man, Servant, Fourth Monk, M. de Corville

      Sixth Actor: Florent, Judge

      Seventh Actor: Young Man

      First Actress: Justine

      Second Actress: Juliette, Rosalie, Young Man

      Third Actress: Landlady, Madame Dubois, Countess

      AUTHOR’S NOTE

      It is possible, and even desirable, for doubling the characters in this play. When doubling occurs, very little effort should be made to conceal the identity of the actor. Presumably, this will produce a somewhat dream-like effect. Nine or ten players are all that is necessary. The part of the young man may be played by a woman. If so, only nine actors are needed.

      As to costumes, no great effort for realism should be made, however, powdered wigs are in order for de Sade, Hairpin, Florent, Rodin, and Corville. Juliette should have as elegant a wig and gown as possible.

      PROLOGUE

      SCENE 1

      The scenery should be as garish and lurid as possible, but no effort at realism is needed. Rather, the scenery should have the effect of a nightmare; i.e., details should be out of proportion, or occasionally, but not always, fantastic.

      Enter the Marquis, before the curtain goes up.

      De Sade

      Allow me to introduce myself, ladies and gentlemen. You see before you a much maligned and traduced old man. I am at your service, the Marquis de Sade. I belong to an illustrious house, but alas, we have fallen on sad days, and my enemies have triumphed over me, and spread, quite successfully, the rumor that I am insane.

      One young man has recently gone so far as to slander my name by ascribing a tragedy to me called Marat which he then styles as ‘produced by the Marquis de Sade and the inmates of Charenton.’ It is most unkind to make reference to my unfortunate sojourn in that institution. Most ungentlemanly. I was put there for political, not hygienic reasons. In fact, the whole thing was engineered to discredit my work. A trick not altogether forgotten in modern times.

      At any rate, this play Marat, which has attracted so much attention, has raised suspicions that not only is the author mad, but so are those who would act in his play. (bowing) That is most untrue. In order to rebut this libel, a young friend of mine has undertaken to dramatize a trifle of mine known as ‘Justine.’ The young scamp has toned down some of the scenes and made some necessary adjustments to fit modern taste. But, I pronounce this play fully in the spirit of the original. Far from finding my characters insane, you will see that they behave in accordance with the highest standards of rationality set by the age and do nothing but upon philosophic reflection of the most refined kind.

      And, as for the actors, they too, are quite sane. So I shall demonstrate by acting the part of a noted surgeon in this morality.

      Let the play begin. (he bows again)

      The Curtain Rises

      ACT I

      SCENE 2

      A poor garret in Paris in the years preceding the Revolution. A staircase leading up to it. Juliette sits at a shabby mirror primping. Justine, her sister, enters from the stairs. Both are pretty aristocrats who have fallen on hard times.

      Juliette

      Well, did you find any work, Justine?

      Justine

      Leave me alone, Juliette.

      Juliette

      There just isn’t much a girl of sixteen can do—is there?

      Justine

      We’ll find something. Tomorrow, for sure.

      Juliette

      You’ve been saying that for a month.

      Justine

      We mustn’t give up hope. We aren’t starving yet.

      Juliette

      We will be if you don’t start to use your head.

      Justine

      What do you mean?

      Juliette

      It’s rather simple, isn’t it? We’re both well-born, educated, and pretty. We’re both virgins. Now, it’s true enough we are poor; but we weren’t always so. Until father was ruined we received an aristocratic education. As such, we are an asset to any man. There are dozens of men in the city of Paris who would be delighted to—

      Justine

      I suppose we should just walk up to them and say, ‘Marry me,’ and they will be delighted and say, ‘I should be delighted.’ You are so impractical, Juliette! Why don’t you be realistic? We’ll have to earn our bread. We can’t be proud.

      Juliette

      My dear girl, I am very realistic. We can hardly expect them to marry us.

      Justine

      Well, then—oh, you can’t mean that! My sister!

      Juliette

      Now, who’s being proud? After all, isn’t it better to be immoral than to be a scullion?

      Justine

      Juliette! It is far preferable to be a scrubwoman than to be a lady of leisure who is a prostitute.— From any moral point of view.

      Juliette

      But from an aesthetic one? Oh, darling Justine, when I see my own sister being so silly!

      Justine

      Father wouldn’t have approved this.

      Juliette

      So much the better that he is dead.

      Justine

      You

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