The Man in the Iron Mask Page #10

MAN IN THE IRON MASK

My confession day! But where is the

other one?

Aramis says something in Latin -- the first words of the

ceremony of absolution -- as the guards lock the door behind

him and move off down the corridor.

MAN IN THE IRON MASK

I know you don't speak my language

-- but is the other one all right?

Please tell me he is not dead too,

or I will have lost everyone.

Aramis goes on mumbling Latin mechanically, for the sake of

the retreating guards. The Man in the Iron Mask is desperate

for someone to talk to.

MAN IN THE IRON MASK

I... tore my Bible. Or someone else

did. But it was all right. "Let the

words of my mouth and the

meditations of my heart be

acceptable in Thy sight, Oh Lord our

God and My Redeemer."

Aramis has stopped talking, and stares transfixed at this

sight of the prisoner, in the iron mask.

MAN IN THE IRON MASK

I'm sorry. You're never seen me

before. I must frighten you.

Aramis puts his finger to his lips.

MAN IN THE IRON MASK

What are you doing? Why do you --

Aramis clamps his hand over the mouth hole, and whispers --

ARAMIS:

I am a friend, here to help you.

Aramis hurriedly removes his robes, revealing the bundle.

MAN IN THE IRON MASK

What -- ?

ARAMIS:

It is an escape. To freedom.

MAN IN THE IRON MASK

Freedom...?

He says it as if the concept is beyond him. Aramis undoes

the bundle, revealing the limp body.

MAN IN THE IRON MASK

Wh-- ? He is dead! Who is he?

ARAMIS:

He is you.

Aramis uncovers the head of the body. It is covered in a

mask, identical to the prisoner's.

INT. PRISON CORRIDOR - CELL

The Guards are sharing a bottle of wine, when they hear --

ARAMIS:

Hey! Hey!

GUARD:

What now?

INT. CELL

The guards enter to find the Man in the Iron Mask slumped on

the floor. Aramis, looking like the fat priest again, stands

over him spouting Italian, as one GUARD translates --

GUARD:

He says he just fell stone dead as

he was reading him the Mass.

HEAD GUARD:

I never thought the bugger would

last this long. But how could he

just keel over and --

Aramis rattles off more Italian, and suddenly the guard who

understands it stops examining the body and backs off.

GUARD:

He says the prisoner has the fever,

just like the little priest does.

HEAD GUARD:

Plague? They brought plague in

here? Get him out of here. Now!

Aramis rattles off a protest in Italian.

GUARD:

No, no last rites! Get away!

EXT. PRISON - DAY

Aramis climbs into the boat; as he sits down his belly stirs,

but the guards don't see it -- they are using poles to push

the boat away, into the sea.

EXT. THE COASTLINE - DAY

Athos and Porthos stand as the boat reaches the shore, and

tucks in among the rocks. Sheltered from the view from the

prison, Aramis steps from the boat and removes his robes.

The prisoner dangles, tied wrist and ankle, from around

Aramis' neck.

ATHOS:

My God...

Athos, Porthos, and the others gawk at the sight of the Man

in the Iron Mask, as Aramis loosens the ropes. As they back

away from him, he sees the sky. Endless blue -- and bright.

He shields his eyes.

ARAMIS:

It's all right. Take your time.

Aramis helps him up, and turn him slowly around, to face...

The fortress/prison, in the distance.

THE PRISONER'S POV FROM WITHIN THE MASK: A vast vista -- the

sky, the sea, and the prison on the island in the middle of

it all. The prisoner falls to his knees, and weeps.

ARAMIS:

Athos... He needs a gentle hand.

Athos moves over hesitantly, and puts his hand on the

shoulder of the Man in the Iron Mask, who holds his hands

against the mask as if to further hide his shame.

INT. THE PRISON - DAY

The guards are standing in the cell, looking down at the body

now wearing the mask, the man they think was their prisoner.

The guards are quiet, alone.

GUARD 1

You ever wonder who he was?

GUARD 2

No... Yes. But I never asked -- and

you better not either.

They wrap the body, still in its mask, in a weighted sack.

EXT. PRISON - DAY

The prison's WARDEN GENERAL stands at the wall of the

fortress high above the sea and watches as his guards throw

off the body, wrapped in canvas weighted with stones. As the

corpse makes a long fall and crashes into the sea, the Warden

writes a message on a royal scroll:

THE UNSEEN PRISONER IS DEAD.

The Warden seals the scroll and hands it to a messenger.

EXT. COUNTRY ESTATE - NIGHT

A carriage pulls into a country estate, isolated among vast

woodlands silver in the moonlight. Mysterious servants with

shielded lanterns converge on the carriage as it stops.

INT. CARRIAGE - NIGHT

Athos reaches for his sword, but Aramis stops his hand.

ARAMIS:

Jesuits.

EXT. MANOR HOUSE COURTYARD - NIGHT

Aramis emerges quickly, whispering directives to the Jesuits;

Athos helps the Man in the Iron Mask from the carriage, his

head shrouded by a cloak.

Aramis has a blacksmith waiting; almost before he realizes it

the Man in the Iron Mask finds his head placed on an anvil;

but as the hammer rises he begins to scream.

MAN IN THE IRON MASK

No! Please!

ARAMIS:

What is wrong? We only mean to free

you from the mask!

But the prisoner is shaking, and Athos understands why.

ATHOS:

Prison was horrible but it was his

home. He's been torn from it by

strangers. He's frightened,

exhausted -- and the mask is

familiar. Let him rest in it

tonight, and remove it tomorrow.

ARAMIS:

Excellent, Athos. You have a keen

sense of this man.

ATHOS:

His plight is obvious, isn't it?

Athos, angry with Aramis' arrogance and insensitivity, leads

the Man in the Iron Mask toward the house; then Aramis spots

Porthos, looking downcast.

ARAMIS:

And why are you so glum?

PORTHOS:

I expected action. There was no

killing, no fighting, I was useless.

In deep depression, Porthos climbs out and shuffles off.

Aramis sighs, shakes his head, and walks to the house.

INT. MANOR HOUSE BEDROOM - NIGHT

Athos helps the Man in the Iron Mask onto the bed; the eyes

behind the slits in the mask are darting, frightened.

ATHOS:

Are you hungry?

MAN IN THE IRON MASK

Just... water.

Athos pours a cupful from the water pitcher on the bed table;

but when he tries to help the prisoner drink the liquid

spills as the cup bumps the mouth hole.

MAN IN THE IRON MASK

This way.

The prisoner manipulates the cup in the way he must to get a

drink, then falls back to the pillow.

MAN IN THE IRON MASK

This place... I once lived in a

country house. I had guardians --

an old man and woman. And tutors.

But no friends. Then when I was

twelve, they came and took me to the

prison.

ATHOS:

Who came?

MAN IN THE IRON MASK

A man in black. I never saw his

face. He took me to the cell. A

blacksmith came and they put me into

the mask. For days I shouted, "What

have I done? Why do you do this to

me?" But no one heard, so I just

stopped shouting.

ATHOS:

And you never knew why?

PRISONER:

I thought... there is something

about my face that men do not want

to see. Something that makes them

cruel. But then I realized they

were cruel even when I was wearing

the mask. I knew there must be some

other reason, but I could not think

what it was.

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