The Emperor's Candlesticks

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Good or bad news?

He arrived in Vienna

3 hours ago.

He's on his way now, with his

aide, colonel baron Suroff,

incognito, of course.

- Now we'll have action.

- Does anyone know?

- Not even the police.

- Well, how will we recognize him?

He'll be masked, and none of

us has ever seen him before.

You underestimate me, Korum,

I happen to know his costume.

He's coming as Romeo, and I have

the number of his reservation..

Proscenium box

number two on the right.

What a splendid target

he'd make from here.

Yes. If this were a shooting

gallery and not the opera ball.

They just arrived in the lobby.

They know how to do

these things in Vienna.

Here.

I must say, this crowd

is very mixed.

Perhaps we better go to

our box, your highness.

Don't call me that, Suroff.

We'll be spotted.

Oh, heaven forbid.

Will you follow me, sir?

Here...

There's a pretty girl.

Really, sir.

Furthermore,

my knees are cold.

I must say, there's much

to be said for trousers.

Usher, this gentleman is baron

Hogart, and I am herr Von Blech.

- Oh, is that so, sir?

- It certainly is so.

If anyone should inquire,

this box is taken by

baron Hogart and herr Von Blech.

Very well, sir.

Well, I can't imagine a better

way of arousing suspicion.

No, we can't be too

careful, your highness.

Our appearance is much distincted.

People are sure to inquire who we are.

Well, what if they do?

Oh. If your imperial father

should hear of this escapade,

it would be none too

pleasant for me.

Well, even if they do spot me,

they'll never recognize you.

No?

I've never seen a more

perfect Hamlet in my life.

Oh, you really

think so?

Well, I noticed a number of people looking

at me with quite considerable interest.

- Excuse me, this is a private box.

- Please forgive me, I'm being followed.

- I must hide, please allow me...

- It's quite out of the question.

- Oh, please.

- No, furthermore, Madame...

- you're committing a trespass.

- Is Juliet?

Look at her, Suroff.

- What?

- She's Juliet.

- Romeo?

- Juliet?

Oh, this is

absolute nonsense.

- Juliet, you may stay here forever.

- Certainly not.

Here.

Please take no notice of my

very militant Danish friend.

- I'm not taking any notice of him, Romeo.

- Splendid.

Look here, madame...

This is a very amusing

coincidence, no doubt,

But it can go no further.

- Will you dance with me?

- I would adore to.

I forbid it.

- Is this gentleman your father, Romeo?

- Certainly not.

- We'll take no notice of him, Juliet.

- Stop, sir.

Do you want me to explain our

real position to this young lady?

- Don't be an ass, Suroff.

- You give me no alternative.

Perhaps I had better go.

I don't want to get poor

little Romeo into trouble.

Oh, it isn't so.

No, no. You must do as the

kind gentleman tells you.

- Please don't go.

- Good-bye.

- I say...

- Good-bye.

Does your highness want

me to be exiled to Siberia?

- I sometimes wonder.

- Oh?

Usher, Usher...

Here, Usher...

- Juliet?

- Romeo.

There's something

wrong, isn't there?

Yes...

It's the balcony.

We're in the wrong places.

Yes, exactly reversed.

- You want to come up?

- You want to come down?

Not if you're coming up.

Are you?

Not if you're

coming down.

- Can this door be locked?

- Certainly not, sir.

This is an opera house.

Well, I'm perfectly aware of that.

What do you think I thought it was?

Well, uh, that's not

for me to say, sir.

Yes. Well, now,

don't be impertinent.

Look here...

I don't want anybody to enter

that box, and nobody to leave.

- Is that understood?

- Quite, sir.

Yes, nobody in and nobody out, nobody.

Nobody in, nobody out.

- Yes, and no exceptions.

- No one, sir.

Madame...

- Open the door.

- Nobody in, nobody out.

You fool, it's me, open the door.

Nobody in, nobody out.

- I'll have you put in jail for this.

- Nobody in, nobody out.

Oh...

- May I?

- Thank you.

Listen...

it's midnight, time to unmask.

If you wish it.

Juliet, you are lovely.

Thank you.

I'm afraid you're going to be frightfully

disappointed when you

behold your Romeo, though.

I can't be disappointed.

- Why do you say that?

- Because I know exactly what you look like,

your imperial highness.

- Who are you?

- Your servant, your imperial highness.

What is the meaning

of this?

I regret I'm not at liberty to

give any information whatsoever.

It was very easy.

- You won't need me any longer?

- No, my dear.

- There'll be no violence?

- That rests with the gentleman.

Let's have him in here.

Might I ask the meaning of this?

You'll be good enough to write a letter

to his majesty the czar at our dictation.

Indeed.

And might I ask who it is that

makes this extraordinary request?

I'm afraid your highness doesn't

quite realize the situation.

You're not only a prisoner, sir,

but you must submit to any

demands we make upon you.

- Why, that's blackmail.

- No, your highness.

Something rather more important.

Will your highness be kind enough to

sit down there and write what we request?

What do you want me to do?

I suppose I'm to write my imperial

father and ask him to send you

a few hundred thousand rubles

in order to obtain my release.

I'm afraid your highness misjudges us.

If you'll allow me...

Well, then,

what is it?

I'll read you a copy of the

letter we require you to write.

"Your imperial majesty or my dear father,"

whichever you choose.

"I am in the hands of

a group of Polish nationalists...

- So that's ti.

- Exactly.

"Who have made it their duty

"to secure the immediate release of

their friend and leader, Thaddeus Orlich,

"who is to be executed by your order

in St. Petersburg in 15 days."

That is unfortunate, but

what has it to do with me?

You and your father and your father's father

for 150 years have throttled our country...

You've tortured and imprisoned us

and now at the moment when...

We do not for a moment suggest your highness

that you have any responsibility in this crime.

Nonetheless, we require what we hope

may prove your effective assistance.

Go on.

This man, Orlich, has given his entire

life for the freedom of his country.

For this alone, he has now

been condemned to death

by the servants of your imperial father.

And I might tell your highness,

there is not a man in

this room at this moment

who would not gladly give his

life that Orlich's might be saved.

True.

But surely a petition for his release

through the ordinary channels...

We've already sent 3

petitions to his majesty.

But the secret police have

seen to it that your father

was spared the labor

of their examination.

As a matter of fact, we'll probably

have the greatest of difficulty in

getting even this letter

to him personally.

You needn't tell me that.

Perhaps you'll write

as we dictate?

- Suppose I refuse?

- In that case, your highness...

Perhaps I shouldn't asked that question.

However, gentlemen,

I'm not afraid of threats,

but I infinitely prefer them to

the means you used to get me here.

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