between julien camille elie cotonnet and lucien marie-isadore levasseur
E: tell me to my face.
L: I don't understand –
E: tell me, to my face, that you believe me to be a counter-revolutionary and a traitor.
L: Do you doubt it? Do you be here if I didn't? Do you doubt –
E: I doubt most things very readily.
L: – Do you doubt my honesty?
E: Is that a crime now?
L: No. no. I only represent what the committee has decided. And in this the committee represents the assembly, which represents the people.
E: [eyebrow raised] And by protesting my own innocence, I deny the will of the people?
L: You haven't. Protested your own innocence, I mean.
E: Oh. You're right, I haven't. And after I came all this way to plead my case.
L: That's very like you. Always getting distracted.
[both laugh]
E: [suddenly serious] You've known me since we were both eleven years old. You know that I was a Republican when it was death to say that word aloud. And I knew you when you prayed every night for Asmodeus to show you how his teachings were might serve the interests of the people of Galt – which I've never told anyone, by the way, though I could have at any time – and when you realized he'd never answer and prayed to the Inheritor instead, I was the first person you told.
If I am to die tomorrow because you truly believe I have betrayed the revolution, I could bear it. But I don't think I am. I think I'm going to die because I am – how shall I say it – politically inconvenient. I could forgive you that. You're not in a position to tolerate inconveniences these days. But I want you to admit it. I think I deserve that much.
[a pause]
L: You didn't think about our friendship when you chose to undermine public trust in the government, did you?
E: I thought you'd say neither of us should think of friendship in matters of public –
L: – I don't think you're a traitor.
E: ...
L: I think you have been seriously misled. My position – my position does not allow me to spare anyone who furthers the work of our enemies through their actions, even – even if they are loyal in their heart –
E: [smiling] Why, Lucien. That's the kindest thing anyone's said to me in a very long time.
[a long pause]
L: I want you to leave Galt.
E: I won't.
L: You'll be condemned tomorrow as a friend of the diabolists.
E: I know.
L: I can't stop it, and I wouldn't if I could.
E: I know. I think I should just make you sign my death warrant. It'll be good for you. It should hurt, every so often.
L: All of them hurt.
E: ...
L: I don't care about the fate of my soul. I haven't for a very long time. But I promised when I accepted this position that I would never allow myself to become complacent – and if there's one thing I can still say for myself, Julien, just one, it's that I keep my promises.
Now I want you to promise me something. Leave Galt. Go somewhere far away. Never return. Remember what we were trying to build. I don't know who else will.
E: You speak as if you were already dead. [a pause] Wishful thinking?
[both laugh]
L: Six months. At the outside.