The Scarlet Empress Page #2

all contempt, Your Excellency.

The stables are probably better

than the quarters assigned to us.

I'm sorry, Your Highness.

If you prefer the stables,

I can arrange to have the horses

quartered in your bedroom.

Barbarian!

You're going to sleep

in my room tonight.

It is cold. At least you have something

to warm you when you get to Moscow;

That is, if your husband

isn't completely made of ice.

A basket of fruit

with Her Majesty's compliments,

and these flowers

from the grand duke,

who instructed me to ride day and night

for a week to be here in time.

Welcome home, Your Excellency.

We've missed you.

So, this is Little Sophie,

Sophia Frederica.

Hardly a name for a future empress.

- You don't like your name, do you?

- I do, Your Majesty.

You will be called Catherine Alexina,

a good Russian name.

We've arranged a special ceremony

to receive you into our church.

- Haven't we, Simeon?

- Yes, little mother, we've arranged a ceremony.

Come here.

So, this is the mother.

You've raised a pretty child.

Your Majesty, I've come to lay at your

feet feelings of the deepest gratitude...

for the benefactions which your bounty

has heaped upon my house,

and of which many instances are given me

at every step I take into your realms.

Tush, tush! Apretty speech.

What I have done is nothing

in comparison with what I shall do.

- My own blood is no more dear to me than yours.

- Is that the grand duke?

Shh.

This is the order of St. Catherine.

May you both wear it in good health.

Be careful it doesn't scratch you.

Pin this on Catherine.

What do you think of Catherine?

I can only admire

your judgment, Your Majesty.

That's the chancellor. Steals more money

in a week than I collect in taxes in a year.

Doctor, come here.

What do you think of my taste in women?

Looks healthy, doesn't she?

Just what we need

to breed sons for Russia.

With your permission,

Your Highness.

- How was the journey? Comfortable?

- Yes, Your Majesty.

Are you happy to be here?

Yes, Your Majesty.

- Are you going to love your new country?

- Yes, Your Majesty.

- Do you promise to be a loyal subject?

- Yes, Your Majesty.

Don't make too many new friends, and no intrigue

and gossip. I have my hands full now.

Perfect, Your Majesty.

She will give us no trouble.

Your Highness.

Someday I'll have every doctor

thrown out of the country.

Catherine, before you go to your rooms,

is there any wish I can grant you?

I would like to see

the grand duke.

His Imperial Highness,

Grand Duke Peter.

That's a fine way to receive your bride!

I suppose you had more important things to do.

I told you to be on time.

Go on, kiss each other.

Remember, Catherine,

the first child must be a boy.

A fine, bouncing, healthy heir.

You understand me, Catherine?

These are your ladies-in-waiting.

They represent illustrious houses

of our most important domains.

Step forward, Natacha.

She is the daughter

of Prince Dolgoruki.

Natacha, come here.

This is your mistress of the wardrobe.

She has charge of the beds and laces.

I must show her

my new invention.

I'm in a hurry.

I must witness an execution.

I suggest that you

wait in the next room.

Perhaps I shouldn't

have lied to you.

Forgive me, won't you?

His Imperial Highness

sent me for his soldiers.

I hope I haven't

disturbed you.

That's Countess Varonsoff. She's always

picking up the grand duke's soldiers,

which I'm beginning to suspect

he leaves intentionally.

Don't bother. Don't bother.

Go on with your work.

Doesn't Sophia, I mean, Catherine, look

beautiful? I always forget the new name.

Just see what's

being done to her hair!

That's exactly what

I'm looking at.

How's she going to wear the headdress?

Where is the headdress?

- Where is the headdress?

- Where's the headdress?

We must make you very beautiful,

Catherine, very, very beautiful...

so that my nephew

will fall in love with you.

I expect you two to behave like love birds

so Russia will have an heir to the throne.

Remember, I want a boy, not a girl.

Nothing less than a boy will do.

We don't want any more women

on the throne.

But Your Majesty, what would we

have done if you had been born a boy?

I would have had less trouble in Russia

if I'd been born a man instead of woman.

We women are too much creatures

of the heart, aren't we, Catherine?

Yes, Your Majesty.

"Grant them of the fruit

of their bodies fair children,

"concord of soul and body.

"exalt them like

the cedars of Lebanon.

"like a luxuriant vine, give them seed

in number like full ears of grain...

"that they may abound in every work that

is good and acceptable unto Thee;

"and let them behold their children's children

like a newly planted olive orchard,

"round about their table that

obtaining favor in Thy sight,

they may shine

like the stars of heaven. "

Blessed be this bed.

Your Imperial Majesty,

before the bridal pair retire,

I wish to propose a toast...

to Her Imperial Highness,

the grand duchess Catherine.

May our new bride from far away

be forever happy...

and learn to know the love we have

in our Russian hearts for her...

and the hope this vast,

imperishable empire has...

for an heir to the throne.

You have made me

very happy today, Catherine,

and i hope you will continue

to make me happy.

Now, I'm going to bed.

I'm very tired.

And I know that most of you...

are

are also very tired.

May I inquire how Her Imperial Highness

deigns to feel this morning?

Her Highness feels as

well as can be expected...

after her romantic marriage.

And how is His Excellency?

His Excellency is distressed because you've

been avoiding him for an eternity.

- I haven't been avoiding you.

- You have.

I've tried again and again

to see you alone...

- and you've made it impossible.

- If you must know,

I haven't had enough time

to recover from the shock...

of finding my husband a trifle different

than you described him.

I had a duty to my country

and a loyalty to my sovereign.

Had I described

the grand duke correctly,

you might not have come here.

I would have obeyed my mother

even if you had told the truth.

How could I have known of such

a degree of filial respect?

Anyway, I would have taken no chances,

because from the moment I saw you,

- I wanted you to come to Russia.

- Please, be careful.

- My husband will be told.

- Your husband doesn't mean a thing to you.

He does. I'll always

be faithful to him.

Those ideas are old-fashioned.

This is the eighteenth century.

But I'm not a Russian.

I'm going now.

I told you I wanted to see you alone.

I won't wait any longer.

I'll be at the stables tomorrow

when you go for your ride.

Maybe I won't care to ride anymore.

- I'll be there, and you'd better be there too.

- I will not!

Furthermore, I'm going

to tell my mother all about you.

One moment more,

Your Imperial Highness.

On the reverse side of this miniature

is a diamond. Don't lose the diamond.

What are you doing here

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