Scaramouche Page #4

The best swordsman in France

against a callow boy?

A blow was struck.

The blow was provoked, you know it,

provoked in cold blood.

lt won't be long now.

De Maynes is the ultimate swordsman.

No rival, no peer.

He practices daily with his private

instructor, the great Doutreval of Dijon.

You should've learned to use a sword

before you turned traitor.

Pick it up.

You shall die with it in your hand.

Yes, you're going to die,

but not by a bullet.

You're going to die as he died,

by the sword.

You'll be driven back, step by step,

until you stand helpless, as he did.

And then l, Andre Moreau,

will kill you as you killed him.

l swear it, Philippe.

By all that l hold sacred...

l swear you this man's death.

Go after him and take him!

Sergeant, to horse!

- Hurry, men. Mount up!

- Take him alive!

Try to remember him living.

The vigor, the zest of him alive.

lt helps.

l know.

Does it?

Thank you. l'll try.

lt may not heal your grief,

but it will cushion it.

You speak of grief as if you knew it well.

Only too well.

l want to apologize.

Apologize?

My behavior in the coach...

it must've seemed strange.

lt did for a moment.

But just for a moment. lt's forgotten.

You're very understanding and generous.

And you are very kind and thoughtful

to come to me now when l need a friend.

l shall never forget it.

l would not have intruded had l not been...

so gravely concerned over your future.

- My future?

- Yes.

What is to become of you, Aline?

- Forgive me.

- lt's quite all right, Andre.

You were saying?

l was saying,

what is to become of a young girl...

left defenseless, alone in the world?

Alone, Andre?

You have friends?

- One or two, but...

- Who are they?

Forgive me.

l seek only to protect you from those...

Undesirables?

Best to be sure.

Can one ever be sure of anyone?

People change so quickly.

However, l would say

that the Marquis de Maynes...

is more reliable than some.

Yes. Her Majesty's appointed him

as my guardian.

l'm afraid l can't discuss it now.

Andre, follow me.

Quickly, this way.

You're young and fair.

May providence guide you

and comfort you.

Search the garden, men.

Sir! There he goes!

Come, men! This way!

Welcome, friend.

A hundred thousand welcomes.

And "shh!" to you.

A hundred thousand...

What's your name?

ls that so? Glad to know you.

What's my name?

Go ahead and ask me. Who am l?

You're not interested.

ln that case...

l shall introduce myself to myself.

Do you know who this is?

Scaramouche.

Scaramouche, yes,

but who is Scaramouche?

And why does he hide his face

behind a mask?

You don't know?

Then l'll show you.

Scaramouche is...

Halt!

He can't be far. Search every house.

Where is Scaramouche? Find him.

Find that lazy,

good-for-nothing Scaramouche.

He can't do this to me.

l'll throw him out. He's sacked.

There you are.

Come along. Bring him up quickly.

The audience is waiting.

Where have you been?

Been drinking again. Don't lie to me.

l can smell it. Come on.

You idiot!

Get back on, you fool!

Scaramouche. Drunk again, huh?

So there you are.

- Do you know who this is?

- Scaramouche!

Scaramouche, yes,

but who is Scaramouche?

And why does he hide his face

behind a mask?

You don't know?

Then l'll tell you.

Scaramouche is a fool.

A genius.

A ne'er-do-well.

A saint.

Fickle, adoring...

false and true together.

Woman's enemy.

And the one thing she can't do without:

a man!

Come on. Kiss me.

You wait...

There!

Bravo! Bravo! Bravissimo!

What a clown!

- What a cheat. What a viper!

- Quiet! l'm talking.

What an artist!

What a performer! l kiss your hand!

- Thank you. You'll excuse me. Pardon me.

- Excuse you?

Knave, wretch, viper, villain!

Cur, dog, serpent, snake!

Stay where you are!

You, open the curtain.

We seek one Andre Moreau, a traitor.

l, sir, am Gaston Binet.

The Gaston Binet

of the Gaston Binet Company...

Shut your mouth.

Who are you?

Harlequin.

Madame Frying Pan.

- Punchinello.

- Pierrette.

Pierrot.

Now, what about you?

Yes, you.

Columbine knows, but will she tell?

l wonder.

What was the name

of the man you are looking for?

Andre Moreau. You know him?

l know a lot of men.

This Andre Moreau,

would you say he looks like Scaramouche?

The same height and build perhaps?

The same brown eyes

waiting to betray you...

and the wicked mouth

that laughs at you and lies.

Now, make him take his mask off.

Take it off.

Take it off before l cut it off!

- Sergeant, bring your men!

- Come on, men!

- You, what's down there?

- Unhand me, sir!

Don't go down there, sir!

Come back, sir! How dare you?

He didn't get far.

Andre Moreau, l think.

But l could've sworn that...

We've wasted enough time on this fool.

Sergeant, bring your men.

We'll block every road.

Follow me!

Here l am, my pet. Don't be nervous.

You saved my life. You love me.

Come to my arms.

- Sit down! l'll send for a doctor.

- A doctor?

Your brain's gone.

Where did you fall, on your head?

- Not exactly, no.

- l hope it hurts.

The pain is exquisite,

but l suffer it gladly...

- knowing that you love me.

- Love you?

l'd as soon love a boa constrictor.

ls that my beloved talking,

or do my ears deceive me?

Listen, you clodpoll...

l may have saved your miserable life

in a moment of madness...

but if you think that means

we're back where we started...

then maybe this

will help you think otherwise!

Magnificent!

lf it isn't my old friend Doutreval.

Give me a lesson now, Doutreval.

Just one more little lesson.

Remember our bargain.

You teach me to fence,

and l teach you to act.

l teach you to fence?

The way you teach the Marquis, Doutreval.

En garde.

The Marquis?

What marquis?

Where did you get this?

Who gave you this?

Don't you remember?

- You gave it to me, Doutreval.

- l?

Don't move. Who are you?

They call me Moreau.

l seek one Doutreval of Dijon,

master swordsman.

What do you want with him?

His skill for my right arm,

his knowledge for my ignorance...

his silence for my safety.

l know nothing of the sword.

l need instruction.

There are many who can teach

a man the sword.

But no one, they say,

like Doutreval of Dijon.

Doutreval serves

only the Marquis de Maynes.

They told me otherwise.

What did they tell you?

That Doutreval would never refuse

a friend of Marcus Brutus.

Mummers and friends, great news!

A certain gentleman of our acquaintance...

has decided to remain in Lacrosse...

and devote his time

to the service of Festus.

Not merely for one night, but indefinitely.

l give you our new Scaramouche.

What a performer!

So now you're my leading lady,

and l'm your leading man.

- Shall we rehearse a little?

- Get out.

When you're placid, you are beautiful...

but when you are angry, you are superb.

You come one step closer,

l'll murder you with this saucepan.

- l can't imagine a more glorious death.

- l'm warning you, Andre.

l know. But if l took any notice,

how insulting it would be.

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