The Black Prince

«We won't be living anywhere.»
«What do you mean?»
«We just won't. There isn't any future. We shall go on and on driving in this car forever. That's all there is.»
«You mustn't speak like that, it's false. Look, I've bought brown bread and toothpaste and a dustpan.»
«Yes. That's a miracle. But it's like the fossils which religious men used to think God put there when He created the world in 4000 b.c. so that we could develop an illusion of the past.»
«I don't understand.»
«We have an illusion of the future.»
«That's wicked talk and a betrayal of love.»
«Our love is in the nature of a closed system. It is complete within itself. It has no accidents and no extension.»
«Please don't talk that abstract sort of language, it's a way of lying.»
«Maybe. But we have no language in which to tell the truth about ourselves, Julian.»
«Well, I have. I'm going to marry you. You will write a great book. I will try to write a great book.»
«Do you really believe this?»
«Yes. Bradley, you're tormenting me, I think you're doing it on purpose.»
«Perhaps. I feel so connected with you. I am you. I must stir a little, even cause pain, if I'm to apprehend you at all.»
«Cause me pain then, I'll bear it gladly, but it must be inside our security.»
«Oh everything's inside. That's the trouble.»
«I don't know what you mean by 'inside.' But you seem to be speaking as if it were all an illusion, as if you could leave me.»
«I suppose it could be interpreted like that.»
«But we've only just found each other.»
«We found each other millions of years ago, Julian.»
«Yes, yes, I know. I feel that too, but really, ordinary really, since Covent Garden it's only two days.»
«I'll meditate on that.»
«Well, meditate properly. Bradley, you couldn't leave me, what nonsense are you talking.»
«No, I couldn't leave you, my utter darling, but you could leave me. I don't mean anything about doubting your love. It's just that whatever miracle made us will automatically also break us. We are for breaking, our smash is what it's for.»
«I won't let you talk like this. I'll hold you and silence you with love.»

«Mind out. This is tricky light for driving in.»

«Will you stop a minute?»

«No.»

«Do you really think I could leave you?»

«Sub specie aeternitatis, yes. You have done so already.»

«You know I don't understand Latin.»

«A pity your education was so neglected.»

«Bradley, I shall get angry with you.»

«So we are quarrelling already. Shall I drive you back to Ealing?»

«You are deliberately hurting and spoiling.»

«I am not a very nice character. You must get to know me some time.»

«I do know you. I know you inside out and backwards.»

«You do and you don't.»

«Do you doubt my love?»

«I fear the gods.»

«I fear nothing.»

«Perfection is instant despair. Instant despair. Nothing to do with time.»