Monologue
The Madwoman of Chaillot — Ragpicker
Jean Giraudoux, translated by Laurence Senelick
Ragpicker: So the world is full of pimps. They run everything, they ruin everything. Look at the shopkeepers. They never smile any more. They only have eyes for the pimps. The butcher depends on the veal pimp, the auto mechanic on the gas pimp, the greengrocer on the vegetable pimp. You can’t imagine how far this vice has gone. Vegetables and fish are on the game. I am sure there is a pineapple pimp and a pompano pimp. Ask Martial. He knows them. There’s a pimp for every drink. So everything gets more expensive, Countess. You drink your Martini. Of your twenty sous, two go to the gin pimp, two to the Vermouth pimp. It’s gotten so that I prefer real pimps, Countess. I’ll shake their hands. They take risks, and besides that’s how things should be. Some women are crazy about their pimps, whereas a veal chop doesn’t give a damn about its pimp. Excuse my French, Irma …