Ben Quote - Week May 11

[Pearson]

From: Marie, My Love (again!)

Settting the scene: Mr. Darcy sets Ben up so that it will look as though Ben has cheated at poker. Ben, outraged, denies cheating and socks Darcy. Darcy has Ben right where he wants him and challenges Ben to a dual with rapiers. Marie's friend Marius who knows that Ben knows nothing of rapiers insists on stepping in for Ben.

The dual: Marius is mortally wounded by Darcy. Ben, defending Marius' honor, challenges Darcy to a dual with pistols. Darcy shoots, the bullet scraping Ben's arm. And Ben, foregoing the opportunity to kill Darcy...
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Ben: You'll live Darcy if you tell the truth about Marie and the man you hired to disgrace her.

Darcy: You know nothing of the matter of honor. Fire and be done with it.

Ben: Honor ? What do you know about honor. (He fires his pistol into the air, punches Darcy, a scuffle ensues and Ben beats Darcy to a pulp). Tell them Darcy. Tell them the truth about Marie. Tell them!

Darcy: Yes, yes. Madame DeMarigny arranged the whole thing. Through me.

Marius (to Ben); Thank you, my boy. (And to Marie): I'm knee-deep in dark water but no longer sad.

Marie (as Marius takes his last breath): No Marius, no!

Ben: Don't cry Marie. He died as he wanted to, according to the code by which he live.

Marie: The code. I'm sick to death of the code, of all the stupid, shallow desperation that drives decent men to destroy themselves. Look at this hanging moss with its slime and sickness like this proud society that builds a wall around itself and shuts out the world.

Ben: Marie, there's a world beyond that wall, the real world, a beautiful world.

Marie: Where the trees touch the sky ?

Ben: Yes, where trees touch the sky and they grow straight and tall and clean, where life is reborn every moment, every day.

Marie: Not for me. Death follows me.

Ben: Only in the past. Only in the past. There's life ahead for you. For us. Without you, it would be empty for me.

Marie: Empty ? But with your sons and the future you're buiding for them?

Ben: Until I came here I thought my life was quite full. My sons were all I needed. But now I know, without you it could never be complete. Come back with me. Be my wife. I love you.

Marie: Ben, I love you.