At Sword's Point Page #4

I don't need anyone's permission.

I promised the Queen.

Take him away.

Monsieur, I don't wish to go with

you. Your place is in Paris, sire.

I'd rather stay here.

Come, we must go.

Very well, but I won't sit by him.

I must ask you to wait, monsieur.

Porthos! Claire!

I'm so glad to see you.

Where are the others?

At the monastery.

How did you escape prison?

Claudine said...

Go on!

We were trapped at the monastery.

I know. The answer is here.

Claire and the Countess!

Darling,

how did you escape Lavalle?

The Countess helped me

but it was a trick.

YOU revealed the hiding place!

She said you were captured. I

thought only I could save the King.

I should have died in prison!

No, darling, even the Queen trusted

her. At least we're together.

If she tries further tricks, use it.

Such a pretty mouth

wasn't made for words!

No, monsieur.

Aramis!

My friends!

And my wife -

in name only, confound it.

We weren't sure we'd see you again.

I nearly drowned!

Claire,

the tears I've wasted over you.

You've already embraced her. Yes.

Ah, Countess Claudine.

The Countess is a traitor.

She helped me escape, so I revealed

the King's hiding place.

Lavalle has the King? As prisoner.

We will find him and when we do...

What can you do against

Lavalle and his troops?

That remains to be seen.

Bravely said.

Your gallantry is wasted.

The King won't live to reach Paris.

Lavalle wouldn't dare!

With the Queen dead,

Lavalle will dare anything.

Corporal! Corporal!

Coming.

Is there a place to hide this lady?

There's a room in the cellar.

Take her there.

This way please.

Why didn't you kill the witch?

She may be of use.

Hold her hostage and Lavalle...

We must find Lavalle before

it's too late to save the King.

No, I won't sign.

You are feverish,

or you'd understand the need.

I ask for the good of your people.

France is near to revolution

and you're in danger.

This will make us a strong nation.

I will not sign.

Very well. I will leave Your

Majesty to consider further.

Please don't leave me in the dark.

Please, I'm afraid!

Your Majesty will have to choose.

Such a simple thing to do, sire.

Sign and you'll have

a dozen candles.

Your Majesty is wise.

Now you must get well so you may

dance at your sister's wedding.

My lord looks pleased.

Is it done? The signature is shaky,

but it is the royal hand.

This waiting will soon be over?

In a few days.

We must appear to have observed

the necessary proprieties.

That will convince

the people of France

that you did everything to aid

the King to regain his health?

Everything.

I found His Majesty

ill from neglect.

He was unable to journey to Paris

so I stopped at Laverne

to wait for him to regain strength.

But, alas, he was seized

with a sudden attack

from which he never recovered.

Simple, artful and masterly.

You'll have me weeping, the way

you'll have all of France weeping.

And Her Highness?

Her Highness will be amenable.

She fears contracting the same

illness that befell her brother.

More wine! More wine, madame!

Yes, monsieur.

Paulette!

These girls, they hide

whenever there is work to be done.

Pssst! Pssst, Corporal.

Paulette! You would not believe

Monsieur...

Claire is in the cellar. Warn her.

GUARD:
The pretty one. The pretty

ones are always tired.

GUARDS LAUGH:

Mademoiselle! Mademoiselle!

Regent's guards.

GUARD:
To the Duke's health.

To the Duke!

More wine, madame, more wine.

Patience, monsieur.

Paulette!

Coming, madame. Coming.

Paulette.

Jacques drinks each glass

as though it were his last.

It may be my last.

I'm taking no chances.

Jacques was raised on a grapevine!

More wine!

Paulette! Where is that girl?

Paulette!

Coming. Where have you been?

Take this wine to those gentlemen...

With pleasure, madame.

GUARDS LAUGH:

How do you do, messieurs?

Well, what have we here?

You're too pretty

to be a tavern maid.

You are too kind, monsieur.

Oh, how strange!

Huh? What's the matter?

Forgive me, monsieur, I thought

you were my sweetheart.

The resemblance is remarkable.

Well, in that case, mademoiselle,

let me act like your sweetheart.

Does your sweetheart kiss like that,

mademoiselle?

Oh, if my sweetheart

kissed like that...

I would never leave him

out of my sight.

Come on, time to leave. What?

With a pretty wench in my lap

and a glass of wine? Nevertheless.

It's a long time since a wench has

liked him. He can join us later.

Very well, but you have

to go on duty by midnight.

By midnight she'll believe I AM

her sweetheart! Oh, you frighten me.

Come along.

So, no sooner is my back turned and

I find you in the arms of another.

Who's he? My husband.

Husband! Why didn't you say you

were married? You didn't ask me.

I find you in the arms of another!

Who's that?

My sweetheart.

I turn my back and...

Find me in the arms of another.

Who's that? My fiance.

Husband, sweetheart, fiance -

what is this?

You'll find out. Walk to the rear.

Did he talk?

We couldn't stop him!

The King is at the castle of

Laverne. That's ten leagues away.

He'll draw a map of the castle.

Good. Not so good,

the castle is impregnable.

You go in and out - how?

I was a guard to the courier.

Courier? He goes to Paris

each night. He has two guards.

Lock him up.

Courier and two guards, hey?

We can get three men inside the

castle but what good will that do?

It would take 1,000 men

to rescue the King.

If there were 1,000 like you!

1,000! Yes, why not? Yes.

There must be other sons of the

Musketeers. How will we find them?

There's Lafevre and Voisin.

And Dufrey.

They must know five or six others.

INAUDIBLE:

Henri Lamont, er, Georges du Clau.

Charles Vien, Alexandre Vierpot,

Emile Gaudier.

Porthos brought five.

I've already lost count!

Good, we're ready.

Inform these men of their duties.

We have a rendezvous in one hour.

There's one more thing to be done.

In the attack

the King will be in danger.

Some of us must go into

the castle and guard him.

How? By using the Countess

as she used you.

Oh!

Sons of the Musketeers, this is

what we've been waiting for - the

future of France is in our hands.

The honour of saving the King -

and therefore France -

has been bestowed upon us.

To achieve this

we have pledged our lives.

I know you won't fail your fathers

or your King.

You know what is to be done - do it.

God be with you.

Goodbye, my darling. Good luck.

Now to pick up our bait.

So, monsieur,

you've come to your senses.

We have no alternative but to

accept defeat and trust your word.

In return for your freedom,

Lavalle will grant us ours?

Have no fear,

he will grant this favour.

HORSE APPROACHING

They're coming!

Get the courier's outfit for me.

The Countess Claudine for the Duke.

GUARD:
Open the gates!

How is the King?

Better than he'll be tomorrow.

He is too excited

and has sent for his sister.

He thinks we are leaving for Paris?

Aren't we? Of course, WE are.

GUARD:
My Lord. Yes.

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