CHAPTER 1 Madam Butterfly
(Rene Gallimar is a French Embassy official stationed in Bejing in 1964 .he is attending with other expatriates an opera show of Madam Butterfly by Song Liling.)
Lady(Whispering):She will fall in love with an American sailor.A big mistake!
Gallimar:Why is that?
Lady:he will marry her,but he is not rious.Her American sailor has now left her.he’s not coming back.
(The performance is over.)
Official：Wonderful performance，Madame.
Song:Thank you very much .
Gallimar:Mademoille Song,that was a beautiful performance.
Song:Thank you.
Gallimar:I’ve often en Opera singers as over weight ladies and too much bad makeup.
Song:Bad makeup is not unique to the west.
Gallimar:I’ve never en a performance as convincing as yours.
Song:Convincing ?Me,as a Japane woman ?Did you know the Japane ud thousands of our people for medical experiments during the war?But I gather such an irony is lost on you.
Gallimar:No ,no,what I meant was ,you made me e the Beauty of the story,of her death.Oh,it’s pure sacrifice.I mean he’s not worthy of it but what can she do ,she loves him so much .It’s very beautiful.
Song:Well,yes ,to a westner.
Gallimar:I beg your pardon ?
Song:It’s one of your favourite fantasies,isn’it?The submissive oriental woman and the cruel white man.
Gallimar:I don’t think so.
Song:Consider it this way.What would you say if a blond cheerleader fell in love with a short Janpane businessman?he marries her and then goes home for three years during which time she preys to his picture and turns down marriage from a young Kennedy.Then ,when when she learns her husband has remarried ,she kills herlf .Now I believe ,you would consider this girl to be a deranged idiot ,correct?But becau it’s an Oriental who kills herlf for a westerner,you find her beautiful.
Gallimar:Yes.Well,I e your point.
Song:The point is ,it’s the music ,not the story ,Monsieur----
Gallimar: Gallimar,Rene Gallimar.
Song:If you wish to e some great theatre,come to the Beijing Opera some time.
CHAPTER 2 Gallimar’s Wife
(Later in the evening after the performance,Rene is at home getting ready for bed while talking with his wife Jeanne)
Gallimar(While brushing his teeth):Chine are an incredibly arrogant people.
Jeanne:They warned us in Paris about it,remember?
Gallimar:Mm,there’s a switch..Parisans calling Chine arrogant.
Jeanne:There’s no u fussing about it.Whenever I e one of them blowing his no onto the pavement ,I always remember what my father said ,east is east and west is west ,and never the two ends will meet .Ah,I feel much better.So tell me,did you get a chance to meet Lars Hamilton’s wife?
Gallimar:No.
Jeanne:You know she’s one really running the embassy the days.
Gallimar:Sorry.
Jeanne:I hear she’s quite homely.
Gallimar:I left early.(Rene goes to the bed)
Jeanne:Oh dear,are you coming down with this cold too?
Gallimar:No,I’m fine.I’m just- -----well,it’s silly.I meet a Chine girl as the diva.She’s a singer with the Peking Opera.
Jeanne:Where they sing like cats wailing
Gallimar:She sang the death scene from Madam Butterfly.
Jeanne:Actually that’s a funny thing about Chine .Sounds more like singing when they are just speaking normally.
Gallimar:Do you know that the Chine hate Madam Butterfly?
Jeanne:She hated it but she performed it anyway?
Gallimar:They hate it becau the white man gets the girl.Sour grapes if you ask me.
Jeanne:Why can’t they just e it as a piece of beautiful music?
(Jeanna hums the tune of Madam Butterfly)
Chapter 3 Peking Opera
( Alone,Rene attends Peking Opera performance.After the performance ,he goes back stage in a hope of eing Song again.)
Song(Behind the curtain):Monsieur Gallimar ,come in.
Gallimar:You knew I was in the audience.
Song:It was easy to spot you .So you are an adventurous in imperialist.
Gallimar:Well,I thought it was time to continue my education.
Song:Congratulations !It only took you three weeks.
Gallimar:I’ve been busy.
Song:Well,education has always been undervalued in the west,hasn’t it ?
Gallimar:I wouldn’t say that .
Song:No,of cour you wouldn’t.After all,how can you objectively judge your own values?
Gallimar:I think it’s possible to achieve a little distance.
Song:Do you?
(Appears her face from behind the curtain.)Be a gentleman ,would you light my cigarette?
