Mysticism
A Deal with the Devil
Talent
Love
Writer
Art
Lucifer
The novel is set in London in the 1890s, but could be set, for example, in 19th-century St. Petersburg.
A Deal with the Devil
Talent
Love
Writer
Art
Lucifer
The novel is set in London in the 1890s, but could be set, for example, in 19th-century St. Petersburg.
REFERENCES
"The Devil's Advocate", directed by T. Hackford, 1997.
"The Devil's Advocate", directed by T. Hackford, 1997.
CHARACTERS
Geoffrey Tempest – about 30 years old. A talented but poverty-stricken young writer.
Lucio Rimanetz – a prince, patron of the arts, mysterious, witty, handsome and infinitely wealthy philanthropist. Satan in human form.
Sybil Elton – about 20 years old. The daughter of an impoverished aristocrat, whose goal is to marry a rich man and help her father cope with his debts. Callous, cold, brought up on contemporary novels filled with vulgarity and dirt.
Mavis Claire – about 20 years old. A popular writer, author of many novels. Like Geoffrey Tempest, she went through poverty. Sweet, sincere, open and pure at soul.
SYNOPSIS
In London, the young writer Geoffrey Tempest languishes in poverty. After being fired from his post as a critic for a London literary magazine, he is unable to find any stable employment and is forced to starve. Publishers refuse to publish his novel, "about the noblest men and loftiest aspirations," because, they say, modern readers demand more piquant material. Tempest is deeply in debt to his landlady for his room and, in desperation, writes a letter to his university friend, who has left for Australia, asking for help.
One evening, returning to his squalid dwelling, the hero finds three letters on the table. The first is a reply from Australia: a friend has sent Geoffrey 50 pounds and also promised him the help of a wealthy philanthropist, Prince Lucio Rimanez. The second letter informs him that a distant relative of his, who was very wealthy but childless, has died, and that Geoffrey will inherit his millions. The third letter was from Lucio Rimanets, the prince announced his imminent visit.
That same evening, Rimanets arrives to see Geoffrey Tempest. The prince immediately warns the writer that he is not who he seems and recommends staying away from him. But Geoffrey does not listen to the advice and strikes up a friendship with Lucio.
Expecting to receive a huge inheritance, the prince immediately gives Geoffrey a large sum for current expenses. Geoffrey buys new clothes, moves in with the prince, and decides to use the money to fulfill his cherished dream of publishing his novel and becoming a famous writer. He pays for the publication and widespread advertising of his novel.
Prince Lucio becomes a close friend of Geoffrey and introduces him to high society, where he introduces him to the ruined Lord Elton and his daughter Sybil. The lord invites them to dinner.
One day, the prince tells Geoffrey the legend of Lucifer, the Son of the Dawn. It says that the Angel Lucifer was displeased with the fact that God created people in his own image, for only angels can resemble God. Lucifer swore to destroy people, but God punished him by sending him to earth to tempt them. The souls that succumb to temptation prolong his punishment on earth, and those who are saved shorten it, but Lucifer will return to heaven only when he is "rejected by the whole world." For now, he wanders among people and mourns the loss of heaven. The prince believes that Lucifer's suffering will last forever.
One day, Lucio invites Geoffrey to a gambling club where high society gamblers gather. There, the writer meets a young man who loses a large sum to him at cards. Lucio offers the aristocrat, who has lost, a chance to win back his losses by jokingly wagering such a trifle as his soul. The young man loses to him too. After leaving the club, the young man shoots himself. Geoffrey takes this tragedy extremely hard, blaming himself for it, but the prince calms him and asks him not to attract attention so as not to compromise the club members.
Waking in the middle of the night, Geoffrey sees three black figures in cloaks and hoods in his room, who are saying: "Woe." Horrified, he tries to drive them away, but falls unconscious.
Geoffrey begins to suspect that the prince has some kind of secret and notes some of his oddities. Lucio is a cynic, but this does not prevent him from believing in the existence of the soul and God, and he also hates women, believing that they destroy men's souls. Sometimes Geoffrey feels that the prince is very powerful and ancient.
Tempest buys Lord Elton's estate, as advised by Lucio. He spends more time in the company of Sybil, and she tells Geoffrey about a wonderful writer, Mavis Claire, who lives next door. She is young and very talented and writes wonderful novels. Geoffrey doesn't believe her, as he is convinced that women are created "to please men, not to instruct them." However, he buys one of Mavis's novels and, after reading it, realizes that she is more talented than he is. Although her books are criticized by critics, they sell in huge numbers, and Geoffrey's novel is advertised in magazines for money. He himself, having received a fortune, has lost his talent. Tormented by envy, in despair, he writes a scathing review of Mavis's book and publishes it anonymously, but the prince somehow finds out about it.
Lucio convinces Geoffrey to marry Sybil. The girl agrees, but before announcing her engagement, she admits that she has been corrupted by modern depraved literature, is incapable of love, and considers marriage a bargain, and that the beauty of her body does not hide an equally beautiful soul. But Geoffrey does not believe her; he convinces Sybil of his love and desire to marry.
Before the wedding, Geoffrey and Lucio meet Mavis Claire. They visit her cozy home. The writer's always calm dog unexpectedly greets the prince aggressively. Mavis amazes Geoffrey with her naturalness and directness. She is not at all offended by the criticism. She knows that Geoffrey also criticized her book, but treats it with irony. Even the misogynist Lucio likes Mavis.
Geoffrey and Sybil's wedding goes flawlessly; Lucio Rimanetz took charge of organizing the celebration. The newlyweds go on a honeymoon to Europe. But Geoffrey is disappointed with his wife - she is depraved and vicious. Upon returning to England, he introduces her to Mavis Claire, hoping she will somehow influence his wife. Sybil pretends to be the writer's friend, but in her heart she hates her, as "a worthless woman can hate an innocent maiden," and tells her husband so.
Temple's attitude toward his wife becomes consumerist, he uses her like a concubine. Moreover, he stops writing altogether. Lucio comes to visit the estate. One day, Geoffrey overhears the prince tempting Mavis: he offers her power, wealth, fame, a noble husband, and great love, but Mavis refuses. Then Lucio kneels before her and asks her to pray for him, promising not to persecute her again.
That night, not finding Sybil in her bedroom, Geoffrey goes to look for her and sees a terrible scene. Sybil confesses her love to Prince Lucio Rimanez and assures him that she married Geoffrey only to be closer to the prince. She begs him to love her at least for one night. But the prince rejects her—he despises Sybil's beauty, seeing her depraved soul beneath it. Their conversation is interrupted by Geoffrey. He thanks his friend for his fidelity, and his anger falls upon his unfaithful wife, but Sybil feels no guilt, as she warned Geoffrey even before the wedding.
Lucio tries to dissuade his friend from divorce and persuades him to go on a journey. Geoffrey agrees, but on the day of their departure, Sybil takes her own life. She leaves a suicide note in which she describes her life, the story of her corruption, and her love for Lucio. Before she dies, Sybil sees the ghost of her mother and understands that life continues after death. And there, someone terrible awaits her—she recognizes him, but does not have time to write his name.
After the funeral, Geoffrey meets with Mavis Claire and gives her his wife's suicide letter to read. The girl immediately guesses whose name Sybil didn't have time to write. But Geoffrey doesn't take this seriously. He goes with the prince on a trip along the Nile on Lucio's luxurious yacht. But his attitude towards his friend changes dramatically. Geoffrey begins to feel an instinctive disgust and fear towards Lucio. One day, when they witness the opening of an ancient tomb, Geoffrey is horrified by the appearance of a mummy, which is the spitting image of Sybil. Soon, the ghosts of the dead begin to appear to him, especially his wife. In despair, he decides to commit suicide. At that moment, Lucio comes to him, but does not try to stop him, but calls himself his enemy. Having peered into his friend's face, Geoffrey loses consciousness.
He comes to in a dark cabin. A storm rages outside the window. The prince enters the cabin. He no longer hides his true nature; he is Lucifer. It was from him that Geoffrey received his wealth. The writer could have benefited people and saved his soul, but he became selfish, an atheist, rejected his God-given talent, and destroyed himself. Lucifer chose him to learn a lesson and teach others. The prince takes Geoffrey onto the deck and offers him a choice: whom he wishes to serve, him or God. Geoffrey chooses to serve God. Then an angel descends from heaven and announces that Lucifer has been granted "one hour of joy." The prince ascends to heaven on flaming wings, and the yacht begins to sink. A voice from heaven commands that Geoffrey be bound and thrown into the ocean. From there, tied to the mast, he is rescued by the crew of an English ship.
Rescued, Geoffrey learns that the lawyers handling his estate have stolen his entire fortune. But he has no intention of returning the wealth received from Lucifer, and instead rents a modest apartment and begins to write. His first novel is a huge success, selling out. Mavis Claire congratulates the writer and invites him to her house, but he realizes he's not worthy of her. One night, he remembers his trip to Egypt with the prince, and he feels uneasy. To calm himself, Geoffrey goes out for a walk. On the street, he bumps into Prince Lucio Rimanetz but passes by silently. Looking back, Geoffrey sees the prince meeting with a minister, and together they enter the British Empire Government building.
Geoffrey Tempest – about 30 years old. A talented but poverty-stricken young writer.
Lucio Rimanetz – a prince, patron of the arts, mysterious, witty, handsome and infinitely wealthy philanthropist. Satan in human form.
Sybil Elton – about 20 years old. The daughter of an impoverished aristocrat, whose goal is to marry a rich man and help her father cope with his debts. Callous, cold, brought up on contemporary novels filled with vulgarity and dirt.
Mavis Claire – about 20 years old. A popular writer, author of many novels. Like Geoffrey Tempest, she went through poverty. Sweet, sincere, open and pure at soul.
SYNOPSIS
In London, the young writer Geoffrey Tempest languishes in poverty. After being fired from his post as a critic for a London literary magazine, he is unable to find any stable employment and is forced to starve. Publishers refuse to publish his novel, "about the noblest men and loftiest aspirations," because, they say, modern readers demand more piquant material. Tempest is deeply in debt to his landlady for his room and, in desperation, writes a letter to his university friend, who has left for Australia, asking for help.
One evening, returning to his squalid dwelling, the hero finds three letters on the table. The first is a reply from Australia: a friend has sent Geoffrey 50 pounds and also promised him the help of a wealthy philanthropist, Prince Lucio Rimanez. The second letter informs him that a distant relative of his, who was very wealthy but childless, has died, and that Geoffrey will inherit his millions. The third letter was from Lucio Rimanets, the prince announced his imminent visit.
That same evening, Rimanets arrives to see Geoffrey Tempest. The prince immediately warns the writer that he is not who he seems and recommends staying away from him. But Geoffrey does not listen to the advice and strikes up a friendship with Lucio.
Expecting to receive a huge inheritance, the prince immediately gives Geoffrey a large sum for current expenses. Geoffrey buys new clothes, moves in with the prince, and decides to use the money to fulfill his cherished dream of publishing his novel and becoming a famous writer. He pays for the publication and widespread advertising of his novel.
Prince Lucio becomes a close friend of Geoffrey and introduces him to high society, where he introduces him to the ruined Lord Elton and his daughter Sybil. The lord invites them to dinner.
One day, the prince tells Geoffrey the legend of Lucifer, the Son of the Dawn. It says that the Angel Lucifer was displeased with the fact that God created people in his own image, for only angels can resemble God. Lucifer swore to destroy people, but God punished him by sending him to earth to tempt them. The souls that succumb to temptation prolong his punishment on earth, and those who are saved shorten it, but Lucifer will return to heaven only when he is "rejected by the whole world." For now, he wanders among people and mourns the loss of heaven. The prince believes that Lucifer's suffering will last forever.
One day, Lucio invites Geoffrey to a gambling club where high society gamblers gather. There, the writer meets a young man who loses a large sum to him at cards. Lucio offers the aristocrat, who has lost, a chance to win back his losses by jokingly wagering such a trifle as his soul. The young man loses to him too. After leaving the club, the young man shoots himself. Geoffrey takes this tragedy extremely hard, blaming himself for it, but the prince calms him and asks him not to attract attention so as not to compromise the club members.
Waking in the middle of the night, Geoffrey sees three black figures in cloaks and hoods in his room, who are saying: "Woe." Horrified, he tries to drive them away, but falls unconscious.
Geoffrey begins to suspect that the prince has some kind of secret and notes some of his oddities. Lucio is a cynic, but this does not prevent him from believing in the existence of the soul and God, and he also hates women, believing that they destroy men's souls. Sometimes Geoffrey feels that the prince is very powerful and ancient.
Tempest buys Lord Elton's estate, as advised by Lucio. He spends more time in the company of Sybil, and she tells Geoffrey about a wonderful writer, Mavis Claire, who lives next door. She is young and very talented and writes wonderful novels. Geoffrey doesn't believe her, as he is convinced that women are created "to please men, not to instruct them." However, he buys one of Mavis's novels and, after reading it, realizes that she is more talented than he is. Although her books are criticized by critics, they sell in huge numbers, and Geoffrey's novel is advertised in magazines for money. He himself, having received a fortune, has lost his talent. Tormented by envy, in despair, he writes a scathing review of Mavis's book and publishes it anonymously, but the prince somehow finds out about it.
Lucio convinces Geoffrey to marry Sybil. The girl agrees, but before announcing her engagement, she admits that she has been corrupted by modern depraved literature, is incapable of love, and considers marriage a bargain, and that the beauty of her body does not hide an equally beautiful soul. But Geoffrey does not believe her; he convinces Sybil of his love and desire to marry.
Before the wedding, Geoffrey and Lucio meet Mavis Claire. They visit her cozy home. The writer's always calm dog unexpectedly greets the prince aggressively. Mavis amazes Geoffrey with her naturalness and directness. She is not at all offended by the criticism. She knows that Geoffrey also criticized her book, but treats it with irony. Even the misogynist Lucio likes Mavis.
Geoffrey and Sybil's wedding goes flawlessly; Lucio Rimanetz took charge of organizing the celebration. The newlyweds go on a honeymoon to Europe. But Geoffrey is disappointed with his wife - she is depraved and vicious. Upon returning to England, he introduces her to Mavis Claire, hoping she will somehow influence his wife. Sybil pretends to be the writer's friend, but in her heart she hates her, as "a worthless woman can hate an innocent maiden," and tells her husband so.
Temple's attitude toward his wife becomes consumerist, he uses her like a concubine. Moreover, he stops writing altogether. Lucio comes to visit the estate. One day, Geoffrey overhears the prince tempting Mavis: he offers her power, wealth, fame, a noble husband, and great love, but Mavis refuses. Then Lucio kneels before her and asks her to pray for him, promising not to persecute her again.
That night, not finding Sybil in her bedroom, Geoffrey goes to look for her and sees a terrible scene. Sybil confesses her love to Prince Lucio Rimanez and assures him that she married Geoffrey only to be closer to the prince. She begs him to love her at least for one night. But the prince rejects her—he despises Sybil's beauty, seeing her depraved soul beneath it. Their conversation is interrupted by Geoffrey. He thanks his friend for his fidelity, and his anger falls upon his unfaithful wife, but Sybil feels no guilt, as she warned Geoffrey even before the wedding.
Lucio tries to dissuade his friend from divorce and persuades him to go on a journey. Geoffrey agrees, but on the day of their departure, Sybil takes her own life. She leaves a suicide note in which she describes her life, the story of her corruption, and her love for Lucio. Before she dies, Sybil sees the ghost of her mother and understands that life continues after death. And there, someone terrible awaits her—she recognizes him, but does not have time to write his name.
After the funeral, Geoffrey meets with Mavis Claire and gives her his wife's suicide letter to read. The girl immediately guesses whose name Sybil didn't have time to write. But Geoffrey doesn't take this seriously. He goes with the prince on a trip along the Nile on Lucio's luxurious yacht. But his attitude towards his friend changes dramatically. Geoffrey begins to feel an instinctive disgust and fear towards Lucio. One day, when they witness the opening of an ancient tomb, Geoffrey is horrified by the appearance of a mummy, which is the spitting image of Sybil. Soon, the ghosts of the dead begin to appear to him, especially his wife. In despair, he decides to commit suicide. At that moment, Lucio comes to him, but does not try to stop him, but calls himself his enemy. Having peered into his friend's face, Geoffrey loses consciousness.
He comes to in a dark cabin. A storm rages outside the window. The prince enters the cabin. He no longer hides his true nature; he is Lucifer. It was from him that Geoffrey received his wealth. The writer could have benefited people and saved his soul, but he became selfish, an atheist, rejected his God-given talent, and destroyed himself. Lucifer chose him to learn a lesson and teach others. The prince takes Geoffrey onto the deck and offers him a choice: whom he wishes to serve, him or God. Geoffrey chooses to serve God. Then an angel descends from heaven and announces that Lucifer has been granted "one hour of joy." The prince ascends to heaven on flaming wings, and the yacht begins to sink. A voice from heaven commands that Geoffrey be bound and thrown into the ocean. From there, tied to the mast, he is rescued by the crew of an English ship.
Rescued, Geoffrey learns that the lawyers handling his estate have stolen his entire fortune. But he has no intention of returning the wealth received from Lucifer, and instead rents a modest apartment and begins to write. His first novel is a huge success, selling out. Mavis Claire congratulates the writer and invites him to her house, but he realizes he's not worthy of her. One night, he remembers his trip to Egypt with the prince, and he feels uneasy. To calm himself, Geoffrey goes out for a walk. On the street, he bumps into Prince Lucio Rimanetz but passes by silently. Looking back, Geoffrey sees the prince meeting with a minister, and together they enter the British Empire Government building.