[STEPHEN SONDHEIM, spoken]
In 1983 I saw a movie called Passione d'amore that was directed by Ettore Scola and I knew immediately I wanted to make a musical of it. It has a weird story. It's about an ugly, sickly woman in the nineteenth century who falls in love with a handsome soldier. And the surprise of the story is, somehow he falls in love with her, through the sheer force of her love for him. I gave it to James Lapine, and we wrote Passion. 

[FOSCA, spoken]
I so enjoyed the novel by Rousseau. 

[GIORGIO, spoken]
It's wonderful. My favorite, really. 

[FOSCA, spoken]
The character of Julie is a great mystery. 

[GIORGIO, spoken]
Then you should have kept it longer, to meditate on. 

[FOSCA]
I do not read to think
I do not read to learn
I do not read to search for truth
I know the truth
The truth is hardly what I need
I read to dream

I read to live
In other people's lives
I read about the joys
The world
Dispenses to the fortunate
And listen for the echoes

I read to live
To get away from life!

No, Captain, I have no illusions
I recognize the limits of my dreams
I know how painful dreams can be
Unless you know
They're merely dreams

There is a flower
Which offers nectar at the top
Delicious nectar at the top
And bitter poison underneath
The butterfly that stays too long
And drinks too deep
Is doomed to die
I read to fly
To skim!
I do not read to swim

I do not dwell on dreams
I know how soon a dream becomes an expectation
How can I have expectations?
Look at me
No, Captain, look at me
Look at me!
I do not hope for what I cannot have!
I do not cling to things I cannot keep!
The more you cling to things
The more you love them
The more the pain you suffer
When they're taken from you

Ah, but if you have no expectations
Captain
You can never have a disappointment

[STEPHEN SONDHEIM, spoken]
During the course of the story, Fosca pursues Giorgio relentlessly. She humiliates him in public. She follows him in public. She embarrasses him in public. Until finally she pushes him over the edge.