Barry Lyndon Page #11

Prussian troops on the march. Roderick is now one of

them.

Captain Galgenstein rides by.

RODERICK (V.O.)

At the close of the Seven Years' War,

the Prussian army, so renowned for

its disciplined valor, was

officered and under-officered by

native Prussians, it is true, but

was composed for the most part of

men hired or stolen, like myself,

from almost every nation in Europe.

The deserting to and fro was

prodigious.

EXT. A FIELD - DAY

Prussian punishment gauntlet.

RODERICK (V.O.)

The life the private soldier led was

a frightful one to any but the men

of iron courage and endurance. The

punishment was incessant.

EXT. VARIOUS RURAL LOCATIONS - DAY

RODERICK (V.O.)

I was not near so unhappy, in spite

of all, as I had been on my first

enlisting in Ireland. At least,

there will be no one of my

acquaintance who will witness my

shame, and that is the point which I

have always cared for most.

Rape, pillage and burn.

Brief thematic repeat of British army version.

RODERICK (V.O.)

I reasoned with myself thus: "Now

you are caught, there is no use in

repining -- make the best of your

situation, and get all the pleasure

you can out of it. There are a

thousand opportunities of plunder,

offered to the soldier in war time,

out of which he can get both

pleasure and profit; make use of

these, and be happy."

EXT. BATTLEFIELD - FRAGMENT

Prussians against Austrians, or French, or Saxons.

Roderick fighting.

RODERICK (V.O.)

I do not intend to make a history of

battles in the Prussian any more

than in the English service. I did

my duty in them as well as another,

and there was not a braver,

cleverer, handsomer, and, I must

own, wickeder soldier in the

Prussian army.

EXT. BATTLEFIELD - ACTION - DAY

RODERICK:

I had formed myself to the condition

of the proper fighting beast; on a

day of action, I was savage and

happy.

Roderick saves Captain Galgenstein's life.

EXT. FIELD - DAY

Roderick is decorated by Colonel Bulow for his heroism in

saving Captain Galgenstein.

Colonel Bulow gives Roderick two Frederic d'or in front of

the regiment.

COLONEL BULOW:

You are a gallant soldier, and have

evidently come of good stock; but

you are idle, dissolute, and

unprincipled; you have done a deal

of harm to the men; and, for all

your talents and bravery, I am sure

you will come to no good.

RODERICK:

I hope Colonel Bulow is mistaken

regarding my character. I have

fallen into bad company, it is true;

but I have only done as other

soldiers have done; and, above all,

I have never had a kind friend and

protector before, to whom I might

show that I was worthy of better

things. The Colonel may say I am a

ruined lad, and send me to the

devil; but be sure of this, I would

go to the devil to serve the

regiment.

Captain Galgenstein looks pleased with Roderick's

performance.

BERLIN - 1763

RODERICK (V.O.)

Soon after the war ended, our

regiment was garrisoned in the

capital, the least dull, perhaps, of

all the towns of Prussia; but that

does not say much for its gaiety.

INT. ANTE-ROOM - CAPTAIN GALGENSTEIN'S OFFICE - DAY

Roderick enters and approaches the Captain's sergeant.

RODERICK:

Private Roderick James. First

Hanoverian Guards. Captain

Galgenstein sent for me.

PRUSSIAN SERGEANT

You may wait.

RODERICK:

Thank you, sir.

Roderick stands stiffly. We can make out the sound of

loud talking behind the closed door.

Enter a private huffing and puffing.

PRIVATE:

Sergeant, the wagon has arrived with

the Captain's furniture, but the

driver says he is not supposed to

unload it. Is it possible for you

to talk to him?

Exit the sergeant, muttering. Roderick, now alone in the

office, walks closer to the door so that he can hear what

is being said.

MINISTER GALGENSTEIN (O.S.)

Give him his discharge! Bon Dieu!

You are a model of probity! You'll

never succeed to my place, my dear

nephew, if you are no wiser than you

are just now. Make the fellow as

useful to you as you please. You

say he has a good manner and a frank

countenance, that he can lie with

assurance, and fight, you say, on a

pinch. The scoundrel does not want

for good qualities. As long as you

have the regiment in terrorem over

him, you can do as you like with

him. Once let him loose, and the lad

is likely to give you the slip.

Keep on promising him; promise to

make him a general, if you like.

What the deuce do I care? There are

spies enough to be had in this town

without him.

Roderick hears the sergeant returning and walks back to

the door.

Then the office door opens, Captain Galgenstein looks out,

sees Roderick, smiles and say:

CAPTAIN GALGENSTEIN

Good morning, Private James. Please

come in. I should like you to meet

my uncle, Herr Minister of Police

Galgenstein.

RODERICK:

How do you do, sir?

The Minister nods.

RODERICK (V.O.)

The captain was the nephew and heir

of the Minister of Police, Herr

Galgenstein, a relationship which,

no doubt, aided in the younger

gentlemen's promotion.

CAPTAIN GALGENSTEIN

Your loyalty to me and your service

to the regiment has pleased me very

well -- and now there is another

occasion on which you may make

yourself useful to us; if you

succeed, depend on it, your reward

will be your discharge from the

army, and a bounty of 100 guineas.

RODERICK:

What is the service, sir?

CAPTAIN GALGENSTEIN

There is lately come to Berlin a

gentleman in the service of the

Empress Queen, who calls himself the

Chevalier de Belle Fast, and wears

the red riband and star of the

pope's order of the Spur. He is

made for good society, polished,

obliging, a libertine, without

prejudices, fond of women, of good

food, of high play, prudent and

discreet.

The Captain smiles at Roderick.

CAPTAIN GALGENSTEIN

He speaks Italian and French

indifferently; but we have some

reason to fancy this Monsieur de

Belle Fast is a native of your

country of Ireland, and that he has

come here as a spy.

The Captain rises and begins to pace back and forth.

CAPTAIN GALGENSTEIN

Naturally, your knowledge of English

makes you an ideal choice to go into

his service. Of course, you will

not know a word of English; and if

the Chevalier asks as to the

particularity of your accent, say

you are Hungarian. The servant who

came with him will be turned away

today, and the person to whom he has

applied for a faithful fellow will

recommend you.

Roderick nods.

CAPTAIN GALGENSTEIN

You are a Hungarian; you served in

the army, and left on account of

weakness in the loins. He gambles a

great deal, and wins. Do you know

the cards well?

RODERICK:

Only a very little, as soldiers do.

CAPTAIN GALGENSTEIN

I had thought you more expert. You

must find out if the Chevalier

cheats. He sees the English and

Austrian envoys continually, and the

young men of either ministry sup

repeatedly at his house. Find out

what they talk of, for how much each

plays, especially if any of them

play on parole. If you are able to,

read his private letters, though

about those which go to the post,

you need not trouble yourself -- we

look at them there. But never see

him write a note without finding out

to whom it goes, and by what channel

or messenger. He sleeps with the

keys of his dispatch-box with a

string around his neck -- twenty

frederics, if you get an impression

of the keys.

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