The Passion

At the start of Part 4, entitled “The Rock,” Henri confesses to killing the cook and is sentenced to life imprisonment at San Servelo, a mental institution. Villanelle, having inherited her husband’s fortune, vows to bribe the judge to get Henri released. While Henri is in San Servelo, Villanelle buys a house opposite the Queen of Spades. When they see each other again for the first time, the Queen of Spades invites Villanelle to dinner and she accepts. The Queen of Spades tells Villanelle that her husband has left, perhaps for good. She asks Villanelle to stay. Villanelle refuses, maintaining that “[p]assion will not be commanded” (141). Villanelle explains that if she gives in to this passion, her real life will be swallowed whole. Villanelle boards up her house and never returns to it again.

At first, Villanelle visits Henri in San Servelo often. Henri tells Villanelle that he hears the voices of the dead. Villanelle tells Henri that she is pregnant. Henri asks her to marry him. After refusing, Villanelle clarifies that Henri cannot live in Venice and she will not live in France. Henri asks how he will see his child.