THE STAKE
In a French province in the XVIII century, around the year 1781.
Act I
The Marquis François Xavier de Noayes organized this afternoon in his park, a large reception.
People gathered by affinities around small round tables for lunch.
Comes the Count Bertrand de Villefort accompanied by his daughter Louise.
Noayes comes to greet them and praises Louise.
The latter, seeing her friends in the distance, asks her father for permission to join them.
Now alone with Villefort, Noayes asks her in marriage, insisting on the family interests they could draw from it. Villefort promises to think about it.
Louise having joined Manon and Apolline, complains of the insistent glances of Noayes which provokes him a powerful disgust.
Further a group of three young boys is led by the Marquis Philippe Bagy de Puyvallée.
This young aristocrat is handsome, insolent and impetuous. The kind to collect conquests. Nothing can resist him. He is always ready for a challenge.
Soon the 3 young people cross the path of Noayes. Count Jean Baptiste de Valancière, a friend of the two men, introduces Philippe to his guest. The latter, knowing by reputation the course of Philippe’s player, invites him to a game of Brelan the next evening at home.
Then the young men take their way and parade in front of each girl crossed, until the moment when Henri de Belziac, recognizes in the distance, his cousin Louise. He leads his companions to meet him and introduces Louise to Philippe.
The latter launches into a number of charm that falls flat.
Wounded in his pride and brocaded by his friends, Philippe has only one desire: to win this challenge.
Louise becomes her new and unique goal.
Realizing that he has no chance of conquering Louise with his usual charms to which she is reluctant, he asks Henry to introduce him to his father, who will surely be more sensitive to a market he intends to offer.
Jean Baptiste introduces Philippe to the Comte de Villefort.
Philippe explains to him that he leaves the Court of Versailles because of the death of his father. He leaves him his titles and his lands. He will therefore settle permanently here and intends to start a family. Louise’s meeting upset her. He asks for her in marriage.
Two marriage proposals, the same day, by two marquesses, that’s a lot for one man.
Villefort therefore imposes on Louise a choice between a young and an old Marquis.
She chooses, by submission and abnegation, Philippe.
Act II
Philippe quickly tired of his “trophy” and abandons Louise.
He spends his evenings in places of debauchery or in private rooms, around a table of games.
Louise is languishing.
Manon de Monteront, Louise’s intimate friend, comes to invite them to a great reception given by her brother Emilien, on the occasion of the return of the Americas from his friend Marquis Charles de Ligeac of Vigonde, newly decorated Captain of the Dragons, for his good and loyal service to Lafayette.
She finds Louise in a state of deep sadness. She does not want anything. Above all, not to have fun in the world. She complains of her husband’s chronic absence after only a few months of marriage. She can not even make the commitment that he will be there to accompany him to this invitation. Manon insists that Louise, even alone, come to change her ideas. Louise is ashamed to appear at this party without her husband, confirming the rumor that he flutters right to left, when he is not at any table.
Manon convinces Louise to lift her head and move forward. She finally accepts the invitation.
During the evening at Les Monteront, Charles de Ligeac of Vigonde tells his military exploits and his life in the new world. Louise is fascinated by the stories and especially by the charm that emanates Charles.
bandon and the disenchantment in which the plunges her husband and the light of Charles, the guilt and end up being the reason for his resistance as a “woman of integrity”
She ended up succumbing to the pleas of Charles who would like to see her again.
Thus will be born their secret link.
Act III
Louise is at the bedside of her father who dies in her arms, while her husband Philippe loses a fortune in “Brelan”. He owes more than he has on the table.
But Philippe hopes to win the bet and he does not have enough money to raise. The rule forbids him to re-cave during the shot. Yet he is sure to win. He asks for a waiver, but Noyaes refuses it. On the other hand, the latter, feeling the opportunity finally to humiliate him and satisfy his thirst for the possession of Louise, proposes to him as a challenge to bet a night of love with his wife Louise.
Philippe is sure of himself. He accepts but he loses.
He signs a debt acknowledgment and asks for 24 hours to psychologically prepare Louise.
Charles comes to announce to Louise that he is transferred to Versailles at the service of the King and that he must leave in 3 days.
They are torn apart by the prospect of this separation, but Charles promises to find a solution to put an end to Louise’s distress and come back soon.
Suddenly, they are surprised by Philippe’s impromptu return.
Charles just has time to hide behind the thick curtain of the window.
Louise settles in front of her dressing table and prepares her hair for the night.
Philippe is very nervous. He tells her that he has lost everything and more.
He confesses to her that she was the stake of the game that he lost.
A violent tussling scene follows and in a reflex movement, Louise plants in Philippe’s neck, the pair of scissors she has caught on her dressing table.
Philippe collapses mortally.
The maid runs up and Charles rushes on Philippe’s body to see his death.
Louise sends her servant to look for her friend Manon.
All three, bent over the body seek a solution.
Louise wants to surrender, but she would be sentenced to death and beheaded.
Manon proposes the flight abroad. Charles can not live far from her.
He proposes to transport the body to a place where they would simulate a duel between Philippe and himself.
He is ready to sacrifice his career, more, his life for her.
Louise refuses.
Charles Manon brings the solution to make up this assassination suicide, easily explainable by this loss of important game, flouting his honor.
The next day, Noayes comes to visit Louise to offer her condolences.
He informs him that he is not fooled about Philippe’s suicide.
He has in his possession the acknowledgment of debt of the latter and if Louise does not honor as it was expected to be paid, he will provide this paper to the course of assizes. Louise replies that there is no proof that she was aware of having been an issue and that there is no motive to charge her.
On the other hand, it is common knowledge that the Marquis Philippe Bagy de Puyvallée was an inveterate player, and that his gambling debts and his injured honor ended up being the reason for his desire to live. And it was to get out of this impasse and preserve the honor of his wife that he ended
his existence. And it was to spare him that he left no word explaining his gesture, in order to keep her in ignorance of this shameful market.
Noayes goes away pitifully, while Charles returns.
He announces to Louise, that he renounces his promulgation and that he decided to take him with him, in order to rebuild their lives in the new world
END