Suez Page #4

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I was hoping you already knew.

Yes, I'm afraid Eugenie also

takes her fortune tellers seriously.

Yes...

He said she'd wear a crown.

Remarkable fellow, that fortune teller.

The waters of the Red Sea are

30 feet higher

than those of the Mediterranean.

If a canal were cut across the isthmus

it would cause the waters of the Red Sea

to flow into the Mediterranean

flooding every port in Southern Europe.

That is the opinion

of my engineering experts.

But that's absurd.

Any schoolboy knows that open seas

the world over seek the same level.

Are you an engineer?

No. But I claim enough elementary physics

and common sense

to know that the Red Sea couldn't flood

the Mediterranean.

I'm afraid you've allowed your enthusiasm

to flood your sense of discretion.

I'm sorry. I must accept the verdict

of my engineers.

I'm inclined to agree with our

excitable young friend.

But we have more important things

before us.

Why haven't you been to see me?

Would I have been welcome?

But of course.

Old friends are always welcome.

Then you do consider me a friend.

I've been worried about you.

Wondering what you thought.

I wanted to explain...

Is it necessary for old friends to explain?

Do come soon.

I want to hear about all you did in Egypt

and the canal, what progress you're making with it.

Why don't you ask your friend

Louis Napoleon about that?

I'm sorry. Eugenie.

I'll come soon.

Contesse.

Yes. Yes, I...

Eugenie, Eugenie...

Eugenie.

Yes, yes, what is it?

You have to dress quickly.

What is it? Is something wrong?

I'm afraid so.

Rioting has broken out all over the city.

Rioting?

Yes.

The Marquis du Brey is waiting.

Louis Napoleon wants you

at the palace immediately.

Yes, of course, I'll come at once.

Hurry.

Victor, I think you know everybody.

Oh, this is my son.

Mr Victor Hugo.

Messieurs, it's 1848 all over again.

Violence breaking out all over the city.

I repeat, messieurs.

Our duty, as members of the Assembly,

is to stand fast.

It is my firm belief that Louis Napoleon

is deliberately provoking all this disorder

to give him an excuse for demanding

the adjournment of the Assembly.

Don't let's forget that Napoleon's argument

all along

has been that the Assembly's refusing to adjourn

is responsible for this rioting.

You will excuse me, messieurs,

I have work to do.

The poor boy has had a cruel disappointment.

I hope he doesn't take it too hard.

The Contesse de Montijo is here, monsieur.

I had to come.

I need your help.

My help?

Yes.

Louis feels you can break

this terrible deadlock in the Assembly.

Oh, I see.

I'm sorry, Eugenie.

If there's a crisis,

Napoleon has only himself to blame.

Oh, but it's all so ridiculous.

Louis doesn't want the throne.

All he wants is a strong, orderly government.

What do you think those people

out there are shouting for?

Monsieur Bonapart the President,

or Louis Napoleon the Emperor?

Ferdinand, he's not responsible for every

crackpot in Paris.

Please listen to me.

I know you dislike him and

I don't blame you.

My dislike is political, not personal.

We must forget even

our political differences now.

Ferdinand, come here.

Look at that.

It's going on all over France.

Riots, bloodshed.

There may even be a civil war.

Don't you see?

It's for the good of France.

That's all Louis is thinking of,

believe me.

But I wouldn't know what to do

even if I wanted to help.

I have no political influence.

But your father has.

Convince him that the Assembly

should adjourn.

Then, when order has been restored,

Louis promises to reconvene it

without taking away any of its power.

My father wouldn't hear of it.

I know how he feels about Napoleon.

He doesn't trust him.

Even with his written promise

that he means what he says?

And if even with this you feel

you can't trust him

you know you can trust me.

Messieurs.

Your attention, please.

I bring you an offer of compromise

direct from Napoleon.

And what is his offer?

First he asks that the Assembly

adjourn at once.

Impossible.

But...

he gives his solemn promise to reconvene it

as soon as the rioting has been stopped.

But don't you realize what he's asking?

That we throw away our one weapon

our strength of numbers.

He'd never dare invade the Assembly

to arrest us.

But separated, disbanded,

we'd be helpless.

An easy prey.

At the mercy of any charge

he might trump up against us.

But Mr de Lesseps...

His promise, he's given his word.

Word of a Bonapart.

The Bonaparts, whatever their ambitions,

have always been men of honor.

Have we the right to gamble our liberties

on the promise of one man?

And on the scratch of a pen

to hold him to it?

On the contrary, sir.

Father, there's so much at stake.

The peace of France.

Maybe the future of all of us.

When I was coming here just now

I saw rioting

bloodshed in the streets.

Frenchmen lifting their hands

against each other.

No one questions your patriotism, sir.

But I love France too.

And believe me, you can best serve

your country and liberty

by doing what Napoleon asks.

Well, messieurs,

what do you say?

I think we should bring this

before the Assembly at once.

And suppose they refuse

to listen to us?

They'll listen to you, sir.

L'Assemble est ajourne.

L'Assemble est ajourne.

The Assembly is adjourned.

I expect you to have every important

member of the opposition

behind bars before morning.

Except, of course, young Mr de Lesseps.

He will find that his Emperor is great.

Gentlemen, you have your instructions.

Louis, you promised me.

You told me I could promise him.

What have you made me do?

Something for France

that I couldn't do myself.

But they'll blame him.

They'll call him a traitor.

I'm sorry, of course.

But it will be only a temporary

unpleasantness.

And he shall have his reward.

I intend to give his canal project

my full support.

Oh, no, Louis, you don't understand.

His family and his honor, they mean

so much to him.

In a crisis, the individual is unimportant.

The State is everything.

The State.

France, floundering in the phallacy

of democracy.

its industry idle,

its army weak,

crippled by the poisonous doctrines of the

Republicans and the Socialists,

has called me to save it from anarchy and ruin.

I had to act swiftly, ruthlessly, but act.

If I have used young de Lesseps badly

it was for a great end.

You have used me too, Louis.

What can I possibly say to him?

What will he think?

The opinion of one man should be

a matter of little concern

to the future Empress of France.

I'm sorry, Vicomte, you're

under arrest.

Arrest?

By whose order?

By order of the Emperor.

Emperor?

Why, in the face of this?

Oh, thank you, Vicomte.

I've been looking for that.

But look here, Du Brey,

Napoleon promised me that...

Have no fear, de Lesseps.

Napoleon keeps his promises.

He's most grateful.

Grateful?

I don't know what he's talking about.

So, that's what it was.

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