Anastasia Page #6

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is my legal reality.

What happened to

the other Madame Anderson?

- Oh, nothing very important.

- Just got tired of her?

This visa is good for only 14 days.

Two weeks. Most people have

a lifetime in which to be accepted.

- Suppose two weeks are not enough.

- They must be.

- What's that for?

- In the cavalry, we used to do it...

when we saw

the infantry marching.

- Driver, what is this parade?

- Nothing special.

We have it every day

the king is here in Copenhagen.

Thank you. The king?

- Uncle Chris. Cousin to Grandmama, the empress.

- Good. Very good.

Excuse me, sir.

- Will you see Mrs. Anderson to her rooms, please?

- Yes.

Excuse me, please.

Where is the bar?

That way, sir.

- Well? - Not

good. - Uh- uh.

The empress absolutely refuses

to see you, let alone her.

And him?

No. Our Prince Paul lives

on the old lady's allowance.

He was always

rather courageous.

One possibility. Remember

Baroness von Livenbaum?

That crazy lady-in-waiting

of the empress?

- Mm, vaguely.

- She remembers you clearly.

Uh, just a moment. You have a rendezvous

with her tomorrow at 4:00.

- Rendezvous?

- Yes.

At the Tivoli Gardens.

It isn't! It can't be!

- It is!

- Elena von Livenbaum.

- Sergei Bounine.

- Do sit down.

Thank you...

No, it's too dangerous.

- But I will.

- Dangerous? Come.

Whom could we possibly run into

here at Tivoli, except children?

That's exactly why I chose it.

How fit you look.

Superb. But this is a stiflingly

small town... a village.

A hundred chattering tongues

will go gossiping to Her Majesty...

"Your lady-in-waiting

was seen with that man. "

- That man. A flagon of your delicious beer.

- Yes, ma'am.

I always drink what the natives drink.

Ah, this is madness without the moon.

My dear Baroness,

you will never change.

Now you're trying to bribe me,

just as the empress said you would.

- Where is she?

- The empress?

She's playing solitaire,

with her memories.

No, dear General, Anastasia.

Or should I say, "Her Highness"?

Is it really she?

- I'd love to meet her.

- And so you shall.

As soon as she is properly

introduced to Copenhagen.

What a look you have. How

inevitable that I am useless to you.

- Why?

- The empress will never receive you, or that woman.

You know her. An "unmeltable" icicle.

Uh, thank you.

And you won't get at her

through Paul, either.

He sends her his bills as though

they were invitations.

He behaves as though we were

still in Russia. Russia!

I am all of Chekhov's

three sisters rolled into one.

- I shall never get back there.

- Surely you must have a pleasant life with the empress here.

With Her Majesty, life

is one eternal glass of milk.

- Oh, come. There must be some court life.

- Not a crumb!

- She never entertains?

- Her phantoms. The ghosts of her dead family.

But she must go out for a drive.

Or shopping. Or a museum.

If you ever speak, whisper,

breathe one word...

Well, she does go out occasionally,

if there's anything Russian.

An opera or a ballet.

Let me see.

They're performing a ballet ofTchaikovsky's

this week at the Royal Theater.

Thursday, I believe.

Come over here for a moment.

I want you to look

as beautiful as possible tonight.

- Oh.

- He's quite a simple soul, really, Prince Paul.

His vocation and avocation

are one and the same.

The pursuit

of beautiful women.

If you thought it necessary, I suppose you

would even have sent me to a plastic surgeon.

- Take your seat.

- Do you know how long it is since I've been to a theater?

Don't display too much

excitement. Sit down.

- General, they just arrived.

- She too?

Yes.

- Program.

- Your Majesty.

Box nearest the stage.

- The man you want me to look beautiful for?

- Yes.

- My fiance?

- The lady next to him is Baroness von Livenbaum...

lady-in-waiting to the empress.

- Where's the empress?

- In the back of the box, behind the curtain.

So close, after so many years.

Oh, I'm suddenly frightened.

Go with them to the buffet,

and stand facing this way.

- Tonight can mean...

- I know what tonight can mean.

Go ahead.

Uh, please. Three coffees.

- Good evening, Your Highness.

- Oh, Bounine. We were just talking about you.

- Good to see you again.

- Thank you. When did you return?

- Where from?

- The hunting trip I was told you were on all week.

Oh. My relations with my aunt

force me to be on far too many trips.

- I apologize.

- I understand.

- Who's the lovely lady with you? Extremely lovely.

- Mrs. Anderson?

- Yes, she's rather pretty.

- Anderson? Is she Danish? English?

Well, she's many things.

Would you like to meet her?

You know very well I would.

May I present His Highness,

Prince Paul von Haraldeberg?

Her Imperial Highness,

Grand Duchess Anastasia Nicolaevna.

- I should have known.

- Traveling under the name of Mrs. Anderson.

Surprised?

I wasn't sure

I recognized you either.

- But you are sure now?

- Yes.

I shall not ask yet

whether you are.

You're either very kind

or very tactful. My compliments.

- Will you both excuse me?

- You are afraid.

As a little boy

you always were.

Is it such a terrible risk

to have a drink with us?

It seems that anything

with the general is a risk...

- Even a drink.

- Then have it with me.

- Now it is my turn. Will you both excuse me?

- Of course.

- You have changed.

- So have you.

Then you do remember?

I remember a little girl who used to

delight in backing me into a corner.

I remember a little boy who always

took time to make up his mind.

- For example?

- Ah. You're testing me?

No, prodding you to talk,

so I can enjoy looking at you.

- Champagne?

- Why not?

Ah, the Baroness

von Livenbaum, please.

General Bounine, quelle surprise.

Vassili, Her Majesty would like

a glass of mineral water.

You are a monster.

I've survived a revolution,

I suppose I can survive this.

Will you forgive me if I make sure that

Vassili gets the right kind of water?

- Her Majesty is madly particular.

- Certainly.

- Your Majesty.

- Who is it?

- Oh.

- Your Majesty, forgive me.

I did once when

I heard you'd been shot.

- I was sentenced twice.

- By whom, the Whites or the Reds?

- As I recall, by both.

- Good for them. But you're still here.

- I have asked Your Majesty's pardon.

- For what? For this intrusion?

For the effrontery of using the name of

Romanov to launch a commercial enterprise?

For hammering

at my gate for days?

- Your Majesty...

- Bounine...

I have already been shown

two Tatianas, an Alexei, and a Maria...

as well as an Anastasia.

I will not see your client.

I am as weary of these spectral

grandchildren as I am of false hope.

I have lost everything

I have loved.

My husband, my family,

my position, my country...

I have nothing but memories.

I want to be left alone with them.

Perhaps one memory

may be a reality.

The only reality for you

is an investment.

Your Majesty, only a fool

would bring you a mere investment.

Whatever you may think of me,

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