+ The Moral of the Third Story +
Feb. 25th, 2014 05:20 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
[ It is Tuesday. Oh so very Tuesday, oh so very early. Night's not lifted yet at all, poor sunrise, so very far away. But 'tis time. And perhaps you'll hear her all the same. Or perhaps you'll not. ]
Pieces!
[ ...No, suppose you probably would.
(She's there in plain sight, after all, on the monitors and on that meadow by the forest, with an array of patterned bags and colourful suitcases at her feet, packed and ready for departure.) ]
'Tis all fallen to pieces, and you'll insult me no more with it! I wash my hands clean of your mess, and may you all stay here, stay here, and put it back together bit by bit by bit by hideous, hideous, crumbling bit. After all I've done for you!
[ The Duchess sobs loudly into her sleeve. Behind her the forest rustles gently, as gently as any ominous forest by night ever could. The piglet in her arms squeals tiredly, ever so patient with the Duchess' display. ]
I tell you now, I tell you the last thing I shall ever tell! You've stretched my patience oh so very thin, and now the land stretches as well. Too high, too wide, too far to reach. Beware! Beware, that is all I might tell you. Tread more carefully with it, as you've trodden with me, else you'll fall--
[ She sighs, ever so deeply. ]
--as far as your morals have fallen.
[ With that the Duchess gazes pointedly at the mansion one last time, stuffs her little pig into a chequered duffle bag, and lugs her belongings off into the forest, where she vanishes between the trees. ]
Pieces!
[ ...No, suppose you probably would.
(She's there in plain sight, after all, on the monitors and on that meadow by the forest, with an array of patterned bags and colourful suitcases at her feet, packed and ready for departure.) ]
'Tis all fallen to pieces, and you'll insult me no more with it! I wash my hands clean of your mess, and may you all stay here, stay here, and put it back together bit by bit by bit by hideous, hideous, crumbling bit. After all I've done for you!
[ The Duchess sobs loudly into her sleeve. Behind her the forest rustles gently, as gently as any ominous forest by night ever could. The piglet in her arms squeals tiredly, ever so patient with the Duchess' display. ]
I tell you now, I tell you the last thing I shall ever tell! You've stretched my patience oh so very thin, and now the land stretches as well. Too high, too wide, too far to reach. Beware! Beware, that is all I might tell you. Tread more carefully with it, as you've trodden with me, else you'll fall--
[ She sighs, ever so deeply. ]
--as far as your morals have fallen.
[ With that the Duchess gazes pointedly at the mansion one last time, stuffs her little pig into a chequered duffle bag, and lugs her belongings off into the forest, where she vanishes between the trees. ]