The Prisoner of Zenda Page #2

He wants the crown to be

offered to him by the people.

He wants to pose as their savior

from the excesses of an incompetent king.

If he's not crowned today,

he'll never be crowned.

Englishman, I am much older than you.

As a man grows old,

he comes to believe in fate.

Fate sent you here.

- Fate sends you now to Strelsau.

- What?

I'd wager without your moustache,

you could deceive your own brother.

- Oh, you're out of your mind.

- It's a risk, yes...

...against a certainty.

My dear colonel, I came here

on a fishing trip. I like to fish.

I'm an ordinary Englishman.

I couldn't begin to act like a king, even

if I tried. I wouldn't deceive anybody.

What are you smiling at?

It conjures up quite a picture, doesn't it?

The cathedral crowded to the doors...

...the organ booming,

I kneel to be crowned.

Then your friend Michael

steps forward and shouts:

"That isn't the king. That's an Englishman

named Rudolf Rassendyll!"

Oh, no, I'm sorry, gentlemen.

Then Michael sits on the throne tonight,

and the king lies in prison or his grave.

After all, it... It would only

be for today, wouldn't it?

By tonight,

you'll be safely across the border.

And if I fail, what then?

Your life, and mine, and Fritz's here.

Confound it, I'd become

awfully fond of this moustache.

Well, I hope the crown's a better fit.

- Well, what are we going to do?

- We've got to hide him.

We can't chance Michael's men

finding him here.

- The cellar's best. Pick him up.

- If they search...

- Josef will put them off.

- But...

We're not playing. I know the risk.

If they do find him, he'll be no worse off

than if he's not crowned in Strelsau today.

Pick him up.

- I beg your pardon, sir.

- One moment.

- How long have you been caretaker here?

- Ten years.

- Have you the key to the wine cellar?

- Yes, sir.

Open it.

No. No, no.

Drink it.

Drink it!

Tie her up. Better gag her too.

On the night before your coronation,

you had to have wine.

Wine, and more wine.

Remarkable vintage, that '68.

Lock the door.

Sleep well, Your Majesty.

We go to see you crowned.

By heaven, we'll do it yet.

It's not bad. It's not bad at all.

I'll never keep that in.

Look here, you've overlooked one thing.

Yesterday's temples

won't do for today's king.

- You're right. What can we do?

- Well...

...I suggest some bootblacking,

preferably the king's.

I may as well be royal all over.

There. The last detail.

This is to be released

...that the coronation ceremonies

have been canceled.

- Twenty minutes, not before.

- Yes, Your Highness.

And now may I offer you

my congratulations.

A shade premature,

but thank you, Detchard.

Gentlemen, it's time for you

to proceed to your posts.

The hour is almost upon us.

We go in the cause of our country,

and our future sovereign.

Our future sovereign, Queen Flavia.

He looked at you when he said

"our future sovereign."

Have you been lying to me, Michael?

- Is it more than the regency you want?

- No, of course not.

As regent, the sovereign power

will be mine. That's all he meant.

Was it? Is power all you want?

- I'm afraid, Michael.

- For me or for yourself?

You promised to make me your wife.

I want to be your wife.

I want to love you and make you happy.

Once you are regent,

they would never let you marry me.

Michael, take the happiness

we can have together.

- Leave the power to your brother.

- No!

I've played second fiddle

to that drunken sot for the last time.

His mother was a princess

and mine was not...

...so he lived in the royal palace,

he dined with kings.

Well, today the feast is set for Rudolf.

But it's Michael who will sit in his place.

Come in.

Count Rupert of Hentzau

at your service, Your Majesty.

- I'm sorry to interrupt you, Your Majesty.

- Hentzau.

Your Highness.

Your wit is as inopportune

as your appearance.

Why are you not at your post?

How can I witness the coronation of a king

who will be conspicuous by his absence?

Do we want to make it obvious

we knew he would not be there?

Incidentally, the burgomaster of Zenda

is outside to pay his respects...

...at the head of

a delegation of loyal peasants.

I told them you were probably too busy

to see them, as of course you are.

There may come a time, Hentzau...

...when your services

will no longer excuse your impertinence.

I called at your hotel again this morning

and as usual they said you were out.

Curiously enough, you were out for once.

I'm glad you stopped lying to me.

I hate being lied to by women.

They never did before.

I always lied to them.

You and I will never have anything

to lie to each other about.

Never? Somebody once called fidelity

the fading woman's greatest weapon...

...the charming woman's

greatest hypocrisy.

And you're very charming...

...to anyone whose head is not

bowed beneath a borrowed crown.

I thought I heard His Highness order you

to your place at the cathedral.

So you're trying

to put me in my place too.

I love arrogance in a woman.

It's always so amusing to discover

that their arrogance is only a defense.

But you need no defense against me.

You and I are allies.

Michael is plotting to betray us both.

Poor Michael,

how he shortchanges himself...

...deserting a warm, exciting

woman of the world...

...for an insipid wax doll.

That was hardly up to your usual standard,

Count Rupert.

I'd heard you were much more subtle.

What makes you think Michael has

any intention of marrying Princess Flavia?

- How else can he get the crown?

- He doesn't want the crown.

As those in his confidence know.

He wants only to be regent.

He's made you think he only wants

to be the man behind the throne? No.

He wants to sit on it.

And sit on it he never can

unless he sits beside the rightful queen.

And that queen is not you.

Even though you'd make a perfect queen.

I'm glad you believe me at last.

I told you we were allies.

I can even help you to win him back.

I'm the only man who can...

...because I'm the only man

who isn't afraid of him.

All you have to do is to give him

genuine cause to be jealous of me.

Would that be hard?

I, Rudolf, with justice and mercy,

to deal sovereignty.

To guard with vigilance and honor the

welfare of my peoples from all enemies...

No, no. Don't tell me.

From all enemies to defend them...

...and from the throne of my ancestors,

to bear faithful rule, all this do I swear.

A little swift, but you'll do.

Stop shaking, lad.

They'll mistake it for a royal hangover.

Now, let me see.

We're all right till the cathedral.

The princess hasn't seen him

for several years. But Michael...

Yeah. Well, I've told you all I can.

I'll be at your side every minute.

Your capital, Your Majesty.

God save the king!

God save the king!

God save them both. Steady, lad.

It's the day, the hour,

almost the moment.

History is born out of a bottle of wine.

The king.

His Majesty has arrived, Your Highness.

The king? How's it possible?

Ride back to Zenda at once.

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