Splendors and Glooms

Parsefall works on stringing Clara’s puppet, and the idea of being strung makes Clara feel free in a way she never has. While cleaning out Grisini’s room, Lizzie Rose finds a purse full of stolen items. When she asks Parsefall about it, he admits he stole things for Grisini because if he didn’t, Grisini would have sent him back to the workhouse. Parsefall strings Clara as he tells the story, and Clara can see Parsefall’s memories as if they’re her own. Lizzie Rose admits to selling a watch from the purse before she realized it was stolen. The sum she got for it is huge, and Parsefall begs Lizzie Rose to spend it on a fine dinner and a night seeing the royal puppet show. Lizzie Rose can’t object because he clearly wants this so badly. Excited, she announces “We’ll go. We’ll go tonight“ (144).

After a lavish dinner at a fine restaurant, Lizzie Rose and Parsefall attend the puppet show. Parsefall is mystified by the performance, and after it’s over, he runs backstage to talk the performers into letting him join them. Lizzie Rose tries to stop him, saying he’s just a child, but Parsefall won’t hear it.