Barry Lyndon Page #10

Roderick walks into Lakenham's room attired in his full

regimentals, and with his hat cocked over his left eye.

RODERICK:

I'm promoted Lieutenant. I've come

to take my leave of you. I intend

to have your papers and purse.

LAKENHAM:

You great scoundrel! You mutinous

dog! What do you mean by dressing

yourself in my regimentals? As sure

as my name's Lakenham, when we get

back to the regiment, I'll have your

soul cut out of your body.

With this, Roderick puts his hand under his pillow, at

which Lakenham gives a scream that might have called the

whole garrison about his ears.

Roderick threatens him with a knife at his throat.

RODERICK:

Hark ye, sir! No more noise, or you

are a dead man!

Roderick, taking his handkerchief, binds it tight round

his mouth, and, pulling forward the sleeves of his shirt,

ties them in a knot together, and so leaves him, removing

the papers and the purse, and wishing him politely a good

day.

EXT. WARBURG FARMHOUSE - STREET - DAY

Lischen, waiting outside the house, with a saddled horse,

throws her arms around him, and makes the tenderest adieu.

Roderick mounts his newly-purchased animal, waves his hat

gallantly, and, prances away down the street.

EXT. ROAD - DAY

Roderick happily riding along a wooded country road,

rounds a blind bend and sees suddenly before him, about

two hundred yards away, a company of Prussian infantry

resting along the sides of the road, together with a dozen

mounted dragoons.

A quick calculation tells him that is is better to proceed

than to turn back, and he rides into their midst,

approaching a group of officers.

He presents himself as Lieutenant Lakenham and asks for

directions to join his regiment. He is told that he is

riding in the wrong direction, and is shown a map.

During the explanation, Captain Galgenstein approaches

with an open, smiling countenance, introduces himself, and

says he, too, is bound for the same place, and asks if

Roderick will honor him with his company.

To avoid suspicion, Roderick readily accepts the offer,

and the two men mount up, and ride off together.

EXT. ROAD - GERMANY - DAY

Roderick and Galgenstein riding together.

Dialogue under voice over.

RODERICK (V.O.)

My companion treated me with great

civility, and asked me a thousand

questions about England, which I

answered as best I might. But this

best, I am bound to say, was bad

enough. I knew nothing about

England, and I invented a thousand

stories which I told him; described

the king and the ministers to him,

said the British ambassador in

Berlin was my uncle, and promised my

acquaintance a letter of

recommendation to him.

CAPTAIN GALGENSTEIN

What is your uncle's name?

RODERICK:

(slowly)

O'Grady.

CAPTAIN GALGENSTEIN

(with a laugh)

Oh, yes, of course, Ambassador

O'Grady...

EXT. DESOLATE GERMAN ROAD - DAY

Roderick and Captain Galgenstein. Their horses' heads

together, jogging on.

They pass a party of recruits under the armed guard of a

red-coated Hanoverian sergeant.

He exchanges signs of recognition with Captain

Galgenstein.

CAPTAIN GALGENSTEIN

It hurts my feelings to be obliged

to commune with such wretches, but

the stern necessities of war demand

men continually, and hence these

recruiters whom you see market in

human flesh. They get five-and-

twenty thaler a man from our

government for every man they bring

in. For fine men -- for men like

you.

(he adds laughing)

They would go as high as hundred.

EXT. DESOLATE GERMAN INN - LATE AFTERNOON

Roderick and Captain Galgenstein approach a very lonely-

looking place.

CAPTAIN GALGENSTEIN

This is a very good inn. Shall we

stop for dinner?

RODERICK:

This may be a very good inn for

Germany, but it would not pass in

old Ireland. Corbach is only a

league off, let us push on for

Corbach.

CAPTAIN GALGENSTEIN

Do you want to see the loveliest

woman in Europe?

Roderick smiles.

CAPTAIN GALGENSTEIN

Ah! You sly rogue, I see that will

influence you.

RODERICK:

The place seems more a farm than an

inn-yard.

CAPTAIN GALGENSTEIN

The people are great farmers, as

well as inn-keepers.

They enter by a great gate into a court, walled round, and

at on end of which is the building, a dingy ruinous place.

A couple of covered wagons are in the courtyard; their

horses are littered under a shed hard by.

Lounging about the place are some men, and a pair of

sergeants in the Prussian uniform, who both touch their

hats to the captain.

The inn has something foreboding about it, and the men

shut the great yard-gates as soon as they enter.

CAPTAIN GALGENSTEIN

(explaining the gate)

Parties of French horsemen are about

the country, and one cannot take too

many precautions against such

villains.

The two sergeant take charge of the horses; the captain

orders one of them to take Roderick's valise to his

bedroom.

Roderick promises the sergeant a glass of schnapps for his

pains.

They enter into supper.

INT. GERMAN INN - LATE AFTERNOON

A dish of fried eggs and bacon is ordered from a hideous

old wench that comes to serve them, in place of the lovely

creature which had been expected; and the captain,

laughing, says:

CAPTAIN GALGENSTEIN

Well, our meal is a frugal one, but

a soldier has many a time a worse.

Taking off his hat, sword-belt, and gloves, with great

ceremony, Galgenstein sits down to eat. Roderick puts his

weapons securely on the old chest of drawers where the

captain's is laid.

The hideous old woman brings in a pot of very sour wine,

at which, and at her ugliness, Roderick feels a

considerable ill-humor.

RODERICK:

(when she leaves)

Where's the beauty you promised me?

CAPTAIN GALGENSTEIN

(laughing and looking

hard at Roderick)

It was my joke. I was tired, and

did not care to go farther. There's

not prettier woman here than that.

If she won't suit your fancy, my

friend, then you must wait awhile.

This increases Roderick's ill-humor.

RODERICK:

(sternly)

Upon my word, sir, I think you have

acted very coolly.

CAPTAIN GALGENSTEIN

I have acted as I think fit.

RODERICK:

Sir, I'm a British officer.

CAPTAIN GALGENSTEIN

It's a lie! You're a deserter!

You're an impostor, sir; Your lies

and folly have confirmed this to me.

You pretend to carry dispatches to a

general who has been dead these ten

months; you have an uncle who is an

ambassador and whose name you don't

know. Will you join and take the

bounty, sir, or will you be given

up?

RODERICK:

Neither!

Springing at him like a tiger.

But, agile as he is, Galgenstein is equally on his guard.

He takes two pistols out of his pockets, fires one off,

and says, from the other end of the table where he stands

dodging Roderick, as it were.

CAPTAIN GALGENSTEIN

Advance a step, and I send this

bullet into your brains!

The door is flung open, and the two sergeants enter, armed

with musket and bayonet to aid their captain.

The game is up. Roderick flings down a knife with which

he had armed himself, for the old hag, on bringing in the

wine, had removed his sword.

RODERICK:

I volunteer.

EXT. A ROAD - DAY

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