THE QUICKENING, MONOLOGUES

Excerpted from texts by Joris Karl Huysmans, and Johnathan Edwards
If you wish to re-print or quote from sections of the monologue, please credit the authors

JEPPESEN, MONOLOGUE 1:

Looked at from a distance, these similarities and dissimilarities stand out clearly, but at that period, if I saw them at all I paid no heed. The necessity of coming to a conclusion did not appeal to me. In those days I had no real illumination as to debts to be paid, no apprehension of penalties to be exacted. I failed to realize that everything is mysterious and we live only in mystery, that if chance existed chance would yet be more mysterious than providence.

I could not admit to the fact of a pain inflicted by a god. I persuaded myself that the pessimism could act as the consoler of lofty souls. Of all notions, this had the smallest base of experience; never yet has pessimism consoled either the sick of body or the afflicted soul.

Excerpt from Joris Karl Huysmans' Written 20 Years After the Novel

JEPPESEN, MONOLOGUE 2:

It would seem in fact that nervous invalids expose fissures in the soul's envelope whereby the Spirit of Evil effects an entrance. But this is a riddle that remains unsolved; the word hysteria explains nothing. It may suffice to define a material condition, to mark invincible disturbances of the senses.

But what are the details and attendant circumstances of this malady of sinfulness? In what degree is the responsibility diminished of the individual whose soul is attacked by a sort of daemonic possession, that takes root in the disorganization of his unhappy body?

Excerpt from Joris Karl Huysmans' Written 20 Years After the Novel

D'ORIO, MONOLOGUE 3:

In this verse is threatened the vengence of god on the wicked unbelievers, who lived under the means of grace, but who remained void of counsel, having no understanding in them. Under all the cultivations of heaven, they brought forth bitter and poisonous fruit. The expression I have chosen for my text, 'their foot shall slide in due time', seems to imply the following things, relating to the punishment and destruction to which these wicked unbelievers were exposed.

They were always exposed to destruction; as one that stands or walks in slippery places is always exposed to fall. This is implied in the manner of their destruction coming upon them, being represented by their foot sliding. The same is expressed in psalm 23.18. "Surely thou didst set them in slippery places; thou castedst them down into destruction."

Another thing implied is, that they are liable to fall of themselves, without being thrown down by the hand of another; as he that stands or walks on slippery ground needs nothing but his own weight to throw him down. That the reason why they have not fallen already and do not fall now is only that their appointed time has not come. For it is said, when that due time, or appointed time comes, their foot shall slide.

Excerpt from Johnathan Edwards' Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God

JEPPESEN, MONOLOGUE 4:

I am quite aware that there are people of a very sturdy fibre who trace out plans, organize beforehand itineraries of existence and follow them; it is even to be understood, if I am not mistaken, that by force of will any end may be reached.

I can quite believe it but for me, I confess, I have never been either tenacious of purpose as a man or worldly wise. My life has something of a passive receptivity about it. Some unknown element, some trace of direction from outside myself guides me, and is that which cannot be questioned. Truly it can be said that beauty lies only in mystery.

The beauty is the mystery.

Excerpt from Joris Karl Huysmans' Written 20 Years After the Novel