Mayerling Page #2

They`re finally sitting down.

We can rest a bit.

What`s the fun in walking

when he has all those carriages?

These places are

the only diversion left for me.

What about women?

They disgust and bore me.

They pursue me

out of vanity or self-interest.

It`s too easy.

Their own husbands

push them into my bed.

Let`s do an experiment.

What if I went after your daughter?

- My daughter?

- Why not? She`s pretty and young.

Far too young.

Besides, she`s not your type.

She has glasses

and thick ankles.

Don`t worry.

I was only kidding.

Szeps, look at that girl.

She`s gorgeous.

Wait for me here.

All alone, poor darling?

Don`t be frightened, my pet.

I`m really very nice.

How dare you pester

this young lady.

I thought she was alone -

- She`s with me. Is that enough?

- Yes, certainly.

I just thought -

Excuse me.

Please forgive me.

How could you? You don`t even

know me. You told a lie.

Isn`t a little lie better

than a grave impertinence?

- Yes, he was awful.

- See?

- Thank you.

- No, you mustn`t.

You are very young to be

wandering alone in this crowd.

I wasn`t alone,

but I lost my mother, sister

and cousin in the crowd so -

- So we`ll look for them.

- You and me?

If you like.

It`s odd, but I have

the feeling I know you.

Against the wishes

of my father, the king,

I have come to you,

prince of my heart.

Oh, my angel!

Oh, my treasure!

I`ll don my silver armor.

To do what, my lion?

To tell the king of our love.

- God save you.

- God save our love.

Oh, Lord!

Who is this terrible man?

I am the devil,

and I have come for you.

Why?

To roast and toast you,

broil and boil you.

Mr. Devil,

please do not take me.

Such happiness was to be mine.

- All the better!

Happy souls are

all the nicer to torment!

Have mercy, Mr. Devil!

No, no pity!

How sad.

She loved

and she was punished for it.

- It doesn`t seem fair to me.

- No, not very.

Who is it that you remind me of?

Look, they`re so pretty.

- That one looks like you.

- I only wish.

I`ll try to ring it.

Give me some rings.

Three rings for 20 sous.

- You`ll never do it.

- Just wait.

You missed.

Missed again.

He did it!

Amazing.

Sir, you won this taffy.

Thank you.

What luck.

Wait. We`ll divide it equally.

Here - for you.

- Thank you. I love it.

My mother!

She mustn`t see me with a stranger.

- Don`t go. She didn`t see you.

- No, I mustn`t stay. Good-bye.

I realized,

once you weren`t looking at me,

that it`s Archduke Rudolf

that you remind me of.

- Does that bother you?

- Not at all.

Good-bye.

Since when is Your Majesty

fond of taffy?

Taffy?

/t must have been

another /ate night, Your Highness.

/t`s not my fau/t, Loschek.

/ must have some re/ief

from the boredom of my days.

I understand, Your Highness.

Life is no carnival.

Your voice sounds very strange.

Bad news?

Mr. Szeps was here earlier,

before dawn.

Why didn `t you show him in?

I didn`t want to wake you, and he was

very rushed. They closed down his paper.

There`s a warrant out for his arrest.

- Szeps arrested?

No, he managed to escape.

He`s safe.

He said to assure Your Highness

there`s no need to worry.

How dare they?

This time they`ve gone too far.

Come in.

What is it?

His Excellency the prime minister,

Count Taaffe.

- His Highness is not ready -

- Show him in.

You hear me?

Show Count Taaffe in.

His Highness is in the bathroom.

My respects, Your Highness.

To what do I owe this honor?

I`ve come this early

only because I wished to inform you

personally of the measures

ordered by His Majesty

to deal with Szeps and his paper.

I know.

Your Highness is well-informed.

That`s unfortunate for me,

since l`d hoped to demonstrate

my sincerity and devotion.

Never use words

beyond your comprehension.

Your Highness is unfair.

I came in hopes

of reaching an understanding.

Our common goal

is the national interest.

Do you spy on me

in the national interest?

I simply wish to ensure

that Your Highness is protected.

Against what or whom?

I need protection only against you.

Listen carefully:.

I insist that the measures taken

against Szeps be rescinded immediately.

That is beyond my power.

Only His Majesty -

This is not His Majesty`s doing,

but yours.

Let me explain -

- Will you rescind those orders?

- I cannot.

Loschek, my jacket.

Yes or no?

You know that

that`s impossible.

We`ll see about that.

The prince seems on edge.

Lack of sleep, no doubt.

His Highness

gets plenty of sleep.

Loschek,

you know him better than l.

Do you think

I should wait for him?

I think not, Your Excellency.

Tell His Majesty

I must speak to him at once.

- The archduke seems upset today.

- He`s high-strung, like his mother.

How can someone so high-strung

be a dreamer too?

Well? I`m in a hurry.

His Majesty is too busy at present,

Your Highness.

What`s that?

It will be 48 hours

before he can grant an audience.

No audience for 48 hours?

I can`t see my own father?

No audience for 48 hours...

for me, his son.

Your Highness, please.

Loschek, this can`t go on.

These people are killing me.

But what does it really matter,

with my life what it is?

I can`t go where I choose,

see whom I will.

Locked up in a uniform

at the age of eight.

My friend is arrested.

I ask my father for help,

and he replies

through his aide-de-camp.

Etiquette, intrigue, deceit!

Enough!

Your Highness, my poor prince,

don`t torment yourself so.

There`s no one in the world

I can turn to,

someone without ambition or treachery

who`d look beyond my position

and accept me for myself,

a simple human being.

That`s what I need.

Tell me:
.

Am I not a man like any other?

Don`t I too have the right

to a little happiness?

I must be mad.

You can do nothing for me,

my poor old friend.

No one can, not even myself.

Now what?

His Majesty requests your presence

at a gala at the Opera tonight.

The entire court will attend.

His Majesty insists

upon your presence in the royal box.

A gala? The entire court?

They found the answer, Loschek.

A gala at the Opera!

Princess Stephanie

is with the emperor, as usual.

While the archduke -

Who`s that smile for, Edwige?

The archduke`s cousin,

Countess Larisch.

They call her ""the Rattlesnake.``

She`s lethal.

Edwige shouldn`t smile.

Her teeth are as false as her pearls.

What a crowd!

Look, someone new

in the third box to the left.

In white?

That`s Baroness Vetsera`s daughter.

The whole family`s there.

The young lieutenant is her brother.

I must take

the child under my wing.

If she`s not spoken for,

l`ll see to her future.

You can sit down now, Maria.

Georges, the officer

sitting beside the emperor -

That`s Archduke Rudolf,

of course.

Hello, everyone.

No, don`t get up.

I just popped in for a second

before the curtain.

- The countess is so kind.

- A charming dress, as always.

Hello, Georges, Hanna.

And your little cousin.

And Maria, a real lady!

I know that a secluded life

is a happy one,

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