The Prisoner of Zenda Page #7

- Any other men who can fight?

Only His Highness

and Count Rupert tonight.

Three against six.

Well, tell madame that we'll be on

the shore at 2:
00, waiting for her signal...

...then I will swim the moat.

The others will wait

until you lower the bridge.

Good luck.

But why three against six?

Surely we can take our men.

- We don't dare if the secret's to be kept.

- No, the odds are too great.

We must have help at hand if we need it.

Tell them to come.

Well, I think I should be

the one to swim that moat.

Right, lad.

We can't afford to lose both our kings.

You'll lose one king tonight,

whatever takes place.

If anything should happen to him

and not me, your game's up anyway.

I've been an impostor for your sake,

I'll not be one for my own.

No, Fritz, I swim that moat.

If we do lose you both,

what's to become of us who are left?

They'll serve Queen Flavia.

I would to God I could be one of them.

Go now. Give Mr. Rassendyll

time to hide in the passage.

Open the doors

and let down the bridge.

I hope I can work

the mechanism, madame.

I certainly hope you can.

The duke has retired for the night.

Hentzau is in charge of the guards.

I was hoping I'd meet that fellow again.

The crash of the bridge

will arouse the castle.

The guards'll follow the orders and kill

the king before your men can get to him.

- Unless...

- Unless I can handle the two of them...

...until my men get down to me? That's it?

- Exactly.

You see, I've trusted you, your word.

- No harm to Michael.

- We're all agreed.

It means exile, I'm afraid...

...but that's what you wanted, isn't it?

- Yes.

Down the steps

is the passage to the guardroom.

Across the guardroom is the door

to the dungeon and the king.

- What was that?

- It must've been somebody shutting a door.

Probably madame's.

- What's wrong? You're 10 minutes early.

- Duke's as nervous as a cat on hot bricks.

What's he afraid of, burglars?

- Is it true that he sent for more men?

- Yes, a whole garrison.

Let's hope he gives us

an eight-hour watch after this.

- Twelve hours is too long on guard.

- Keeps you out of mischief.

You run in and out as you like.

We've got to stay in that dirty hole.

I'm gonna make the rounds of

the doors and bridge before I turn in.

It was very careless of you

to leave your door ajar.

Very careless...

...and very inviting.

- Yes.

Come now, admit I've been patient.

And patience is a virtue I generally lack.

You never lack audacity, Rupert.

Had it occurred to you

I might not be alone?

I always accept the risks.

I'm prepared for them.

You...

You really shouldn't be here, you know.

Of course...

...I shouldn't.

Always inopportune, Michael,

but always in time.

The moat can hold more than a king.

Not without making a splash that

would be heard all over the kingdom.

Michael!

Michael? Michael.

I would never have betrayed you.

I did it only to save you, my darling.

Michael.

De Gautet, Lauengram, rouse the castle!

De Gautet! Lauengram!

The drawbridge!

I caught a servant trying to lower the bridge.

Must've been bribed. Go outside, guard it.

You better be quiet and get some sleep.

Kill the prisoner!

I'll help you.

Cousin Rudolf.

- It's all right, Your Majesty. You're safe.

- Cousin Rudolf.

Mr. Rassendyll.

Thought you were more at home

with a knife.

My knife turned out to be

more at home in Michael.

We got in each other's way once too often,

just as you and I have.

May I trouble you for those keys?

Thank you.

You've settled Krafstein, I see.

Bersonin too, I presume?

I almost hate to see you join them

with only a bullet in you.

Wait a minute.

How do you know it's Bersonin I threw

into the moat, and not the king?

Oh, no. You've worn the queen's uniform

and the old school tie.

- You'd never use my methods.

- Oh, I don't know.

Faced with death, I might.

May I have a last cigarette

while we review the situation?

Half my kingdom!

For a match.

You've got your eye on Michael's castle

and estates, or at least so you tell me.

Yes. You found it very amusing

I remember.

I'm scarcely in the position

to laugh at it now.

Oh, I don't know.

At least this time you'll die laughing.

Thank you.

I can't get used to fighting

with furniture.

- Where did you learn it?

- On the playing fields of Eton.

I see how much I missed

by not going to Eton.

Nevertheless, you did them

one great service.

Yes? What was that?

You didn't go to Eton.

All right, this will be

your last fencing lesson.

Look out for your head.

Why not stand your ground

and fight?

"He who fights

and runs away," remember?

You wanna get to the bridge.

I killed a man for trying that.

- An unarmed man, of course.

- Of course.

It's beginning to sound

too much like the playing fields of Eton.

I'll return to fight another day too.

Goodbye, play-actor!

All right, stand by in the courtyard!

The king?

The king lives.

Do you know, it seems a hundred years...

...since I struck you in the face.

Please forgive me...

...and be my guide,

as you were my father's.

Thank you, Your Majesty.

And now, we mustn't keep him waiting.

I've tried to wear it with honor,

Your Majesty.

I can't talk very much yet.

You're my best and nearest friend,

Cousin Rudolf.

I... I wanted to keep you with me.

To tell everybody what you'd done.

But Zapt says the secret must be kept.

He's right, Your Majesty.

My work here is done.

Yes, it's done.

As no one but you could have done it.

I... I don't know

when I shall see you again.

- If ever I can serve you, Your Majesty...

- You could never serve me better, cousin.

You've taught me how to be a king.

Is she here?

- Does she know everything?

- Everything.

- What did she say?

- Nothing.

She wants to see you.

Your Highness.

I sent for you to thank you...

...for the service you have done

this kingdom and its king.

No one can know better than myself...

...how conscientiously

you have played your role.

I love you. With my whole

heart and soul, I love you.

In all else I've been an impostor,

but not in that.

From the first moment I saw you

in the cathedral...

...I knew you were the only woman

in the world for me.

As I stand here now, I know

there never can be any other.

It would have made no difference

if I'd known.

It was always you, never the king.

Is it true that you're

going home to England?

Tonight.

Come with me.

I won't let them stand in the way

of our happiness!

- If only I could...

- Oh, my darling.

There's a world outside. Our world.

Think, you'll be free.

Free of these cares and duties...

...free to live as joyously and ha...

What is it, Flavia?

I was born to these cares

and duties, Rudolf.

Help me to do what I was born to.

Help me to do what I must.

How can I, my darling? I love you.

But is love the only thing?

If love were all, I could follow you in rags

to the end of the world.

But if love were all, you would have

left the king to die in his cell.

Honor binds a woman too, Rudolf.

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