The Man in the Iron Mask Page #17

D'Artagnan notices the King's reaction -- though he did not

see the glimpse of the iron mask -- and is just as baffled as

everyone else when the King turns and staggers away.

D'ARTAGNAN

Your Majesty...?

LOUIS:

... tired. Must... lie down.

The music splatters to an awkward stop; Louis hurries out,

leaving his partner abandoned in the center of the ballroom,

with everyone staring as if she just ruined the party.

D'ARTAGNAN

Carry on, everyone...

The music begins again, and the party goers, not knowing what

else to do, politely continue.

Athos draws Phillippe away from the ballroom, into a side

corridor.

AT THE FOOT OF THE STAIRS TO THE BALCONY

Porthos waddles down stairs, and meets Aramis.

ARAMIS:

Quick, to the passages.

They hurry in the same direction Athos and Phillippe went.

INT. PALACE HALLWAY - OUTSIDE THE KING'S BEDROOM - NIGHT

D'Artagnan catches up to the King as he is entering the door

of his royal apartment.

D'ARTAGNAN

Your Majesty, is there anything -- ?

The King shuts the door in d'Artagnan's face.

INT. THE KING'S BEDROOM - NIGHT

The King falls upon his bed, pressing his hands to his head.

INT. PALACE CORRIDOR - NIGHT

The three Musketeers and Phillippe move quietly up a stairway

and to the door of a room. Phillippe whispers...

PHILLIPPE:

The room of the King's favorite

mistress?

ATHOS:

She will be at the ball.

INT. MICHELLE'S APARTMENT - NIGHT

The door opens and they move in; it is in fact empty, though

a mess. They move to the wall, where Aramis, after a little

looking, locates the levers to open the wall/door to the

King's secret passageway. Aramis enters first, the others

follow. We half expect Michelle to pop up at any moment, but

the Musketeers enter the passage without incident.

INT. SECRET PASSAGES - NIGHT

Aramis silently leads the others through the secret passage,

to the portal into the King's bedroom.

INT. KING'S BEDCHAMBER - NIGHT

The King is lying on the bed; we see him from the POV of

someone approaching him slowly, silently. When his eyes open

in panic, it is too late... We see Aramis, Athos, Porthos

from the KING'S POV as they swarm him.

ARAMIS:

It is Judgment Day.

His fist drops into frame... Louis loses consciousness.

LOUIS' POV

as consciousness returns. He see Phillippe in Louis'

clothes. Aramis, Athos and Porthos bow and say...

MUSKETEERS:

Your Majesty.

LOUIS, still on his bed, now wears Phillippe's clothes.

LOUIS:

Wh-- Wha--

ARAMIS:

Don't look so shocked, Phillippe.

Come, you're going back to prison.

LOUIS:

Phillippe?! Why do you call me --

Now Louis understands everything. He tries to struggle, but

instantly Porthos shoves a rag into his mouth.

Aramis opens the main door a crack, and sees d'Artagnan has

entered his room down the corridor, through whose open door

he can guard the approaches to the King's rooms. Aramis

shuts the door again and turns to the others.

ARAMIS:

D'Artagnan guards the hallway! You

must go back the way we came!

Athos puts his hands on Phillippe's shoulders.

ATHOS:

Now, your Majesty. It is time.

Aramis and Porthos bow again to Phillippe -- now dressed and

looking exactly like the King. Phillippe's mouth is dry; he

swallows hard, and follows Athos up the hidden stairs.

INT. MICHELLE'S BEDCHAMBER

Athos and Phillippe move to the door; they stop there, and

Athos adjusts Phillippe's costume one more time.

ATHOS:

You know the way.

Phillippe nods, tremendously nervous.

ATHOS:

You have your note?

Phillippe pats his pocket, like a boy being sent off to his

first day at school. He surprises Athos, hugging him. Then

Phillippe opens the door and walks slowly down the hallway.

Athos stands at the door and watches him go, all alone.

Athos whispers, though Phillippe can't hear...

ATHOS:

You have the heart of a king.

Reluctantly, he shuts the door behind Phillippe.

IN THE HALLWAY, FOLLOWING PHILLIPPE

as he conducts himself through the ornate corridor, down the

gilded staircase... and into --

INT. BALLROOM - NIGHT

Phillippe enters the ballroom, and the reappearance of the

"King" draws new attention. Everyone in the dazzling

ballroom seems to stop and look straight at Phillippe.

Phillippe freezes. Stares, everywhere, stares! For what

seems an eternity, he can't move.

But then he raises his hand and says --

PHILLIPPE:

Continue.

As if by magic the music plays, the dancing resumes.

Phillippe moves to the throne and takes his place upon it.

He seems to have made it; people glance -- dancing ladies,

young Musketeers, old advisors -- but no one gives him a

second look. For a moment, Phillippe feels safe.

And then he sees Michelle, her eyes glassy and riveted upon

him. She wears her most beautiful gown -- the first one

Louis gave her -- but one shoulder strap dangles sloppily.

Her lips and cheeks are awkwardly rouged, her hair is mussed;

she is drunk. She weaves her way to him and curtsies

elaborately.

MICHELLE:

My gracious noble lord...

Phillippe's heart is pounding; he looks around for help. He

can only guess who this woman is. The advisors have now

noticed her; Claude quickly dispatches orders to keep the

party going along, and waves guards over.

PHILLIPPE:

How are you... Michelle?

She doesn't react, so he must have guessed right; but

Phillippe knows nothing of what happened just before the

ball, and he's ambushed by her anger.

MICHELLE:

How should I be? I came to give

this back to you.

She starts tearing off her dress. Claude and the guards

reach her; the young Musketeers grabbing her.

CLAUDE:

Fret not with this, your Majesty --

But Michelle fights, slapping, clawing -- and when one of the

young Musketeers grabs her from behind, his arm to her

throat, Phillippe jumps up.

PHILLIPPE:

Stop! You're hurting her!

Phillippe's face shows something Louis' never did:

compassion. He looks into Michelle's eyes.

PHILLIPPE:

However I have wronged you I will

make amends. Whatever the cost.

Phillippe could not have said anything more unlike Louis;

everyone who heard the remark -- Claude, the guards, and

especially Michelle -- stare at him in frozen amazement.

Phillippe realizes his blunder; they've caught him.

The MUSIC STOPS. But the attention is not directed at the

throne; all eyes shift to the main doorway, where Anne has

appeared. She is indescribably beautiful; she wears a bright

gown, her hair is brushed and bejeweled, she radiates the

light of a woman who felt old at thirty and who has

discovered, at forty, that she is more stunning than ever.

Her arrival draws even more attention than the reappearance

of the King; everyone watches transfixed as she approaches.

Phillippe sees her -- his mother. He stands on legs that

seem to have no bones. His mother.

She moves to him, her eyes filling with tears. When she is

almost to the throne, Phillippe falls to his knees before her

and kisses her hand.

No one can believe it, not from this King. Yet the moment

strikes them as beautiful, and they applaud happily.

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