The Swan Page #2

Yes, of course I do,

but if you keep

telling me,

it's just going

to make me more...

It's time for

my fencing lesson now.

May I go?

Don't worry, mother.

Your highness.

You're late this morning.

Forgive me, your highness.

To speak the truth,

I supposed

your highness would be

too busy this morning.

Busy?

With the visit

of his royal highness.

I thought

there would be no more

fencing lessons...

For the next few days,

at all events.

What--what I meant,

your highness--

should the lessons

be discontinued

at any time,

you will be notified.

Yes, your highness.

En garde.

En quarte.

Allongez Le bras.

Defendez-vous.

Coup droit.

Battement droit.

Marchez, marchez.

Rompez, rompez, defendez-vous.

It's too low.

It should be here.

Point. Left foot flat.

Regardez ainsi.

In retreat.

Parry prime,

seconde, tierce, quarte, quinte,

sixte, septime, octave.

Good. En garde en sixte.

Un, deux, trois.

Doublez.

Doublez.

Good.

Triplez.

Much too low.

Once more.

Fine. En quarte.

En marchant.

Battement dans

la ligne opposee.

Coup droit, parry, riposte. Up.

Alexandra!

Alexandra!

Have you heard it?

Alexandra,

have you heard

the news?

Yes, I heard it.

Your highnesses

will sit down, please.

I shall take you

in a few minutes.

Your highness,

this morning we're

going to practice

the art of making a feint--

the sham attack

followed by a genuine one

in another quarter.

The offenser is always in danger

of revealing

his intentions

to his adversary,

and that he must never do.

His opponent must never know

from one moment

to the next

what he is thinking.

Like everything else,

it's a question

of practice.

No one ever

knows what Alexandra

is thinking anyway.

That can never

be said of you,

Arsene.

Alexandra,

are you going to fence

with cousin Albert?

Of course she isn't.

She might cut

his head off.

I don't know what

mother would say

to that.

There goes our crown.

Be quiet, both of you,

or else I shall cut

your heads off.

Prince George,

prince Arsene,

sit down.

Well, thank you,

brother Sebastian.

All right. I can manage.

I'll wire father guardian

when I need to be rescued.

God bless you, father.

You, too, and you,

Beulah, girl. Caesar.

Your highness.

What a pleasant surprise.

Well, how's the rheumatism, eh?

Did the lemon juice work?

Oh, it didn't do any harm,

but, then, I don't

believe in miracles,

your highness.

Caesar, after all this time,

do I have to

remind you that I'm not

"your highness" anymore?

No, your father--

Uh, father.

Beatrix!

Beatrix!

All right.

Get on with your work.

Beatrix!

Karl.

Oh, Beatrix, dear.

Your manners are a disgrace.

Karl, dear,

I thought

I heard you.

Aunt Symphorosa.

You're looking well,

both of you.

We're a little exhausted.

What do you suppose?

I couldn't tell you

in the wire.

Such wonderful news.

I know all about it.

You do?

The whole countryside knows.

And what are they saying?

Not out here.

Excuse me, father.

Thank you, my son.

That's not all your luggage.

When you renounce

the world, Beatrix,

I'm happy to say

you renounce luggage

along with it.

Later. Later. Do you mind?

Quite enough people.

Karl, I--Karl, if all goes well,

my life's ambition

will be realized.

You don't know

what such a moment

means to a mother.

If I could be sure

Alexandra would sit on a throne,

I'd willingly die this minute.

I very much doubt

if heaven wants you

on those terms.

And where do I come into it?

Oh, you'll be

such a help, Karl.

I know you will.

You must go through

the wine cellars

with the Butler.

Yes. He stays

down there

sometimes,

and it isn't good for him.

And I want you

to talk to the chef.

He's so accustomed

to planning just for us.

Look at these menus--

or have you forgotten

what real food is?

No. I partially tamed

my spirit some years ago,

but my stomach

is still holding out.

And Alexandra--how is she

in the midst of all this?

Oh, Karl,

one can't help

but be proud of her.

Ah.

Remember how

her poor father used

to call her his swan?

Mm-hmm.

"My proud, white swan,"

he used to say,

and that's how she is,

so dignified,

so silent, so regal.

And the boys?

Same as ever--savages.

Except for Arcturus,

they're the 2 most

brilliant stars

in the northern sky.

Now, we should

be able to see them

more clearly tonight

than any other time of the year.

Let me see.

First we're going

to look at Vega.

What are you reading?

Almanac.

On an evening like this?

Mother wants me

to know all about

Albert's relations.

All about all of them?

There's some she's crossed out.

I'm not surprised.

Come outside

and get a little air.

Can you see it?

It's the one with

the bluish light.

It doesn't look very big.

That's only because

of the distance.

A great many

of those stars that

you see up there

are larger

and more brilliant

than our own sun,

but they're so far

away, it's almost

impossible to re--

to realize it.

Would your highness care to see?

Scoot, your highness.

That's Vega, star of

the first magnitude

of the constellation Lyra.

Can you see it, your highness?

I can see several.

Allow me.

There. That's better.

It's the brightest,

in the very center.

It's moved

right across.

How fast it's going.

It's we who are going so fast.

Oh, it's gone.

You see, the earth,

your highness,

we are going through

space at over

68 miles an hour.

68?

68,000.

Forgive me.

Karl, I wondered

what had become

of you.

Oh, what a day.

I'm utterly exhausted.

Alexandra,

what became of your

dear little photograph,

the one in

the sailor blouse?

There's only the frame.

I don't know, mother.

It was awful anyway.

No, it wasn't.

I want to put it

in Albert's bedroom.

To make him seasick?

George, Arsene, up to bed now.

Oh, no, mother--

professor.

And you, too, Alexandra.

Don't forget, you have

to look your very best

in the morning.

We all do.

Good night, boys.

Good night, uncle Karl.

Attention! Eyes right!

I thought

there was to be

no reception.

They wouldn't count

a guard of honor, sir.

Yes, captain?

Does your royal highness

wish to decorate

the engine driver?

Mounted inspection.

Gesundheit.

This way, your royal highness.

Let's hope there's

a bed at the top,

however, after 2 nights

on that train,

I'm prepared to sleep

even on pink marble.

I'm hungry.

It isn't good for anyone

to sleep as long as this,

but, of course,

he was traveling

all yesterday.

Yes?

Not yet.

Bring them after dinner.

3:
30.

Just time for a nap,

and we'll have to start

putting on our tiaras.

Shall we go out?

Ah.

I don't understand it at all.

Perhaps he's ill.

Perhaps he's dead.

Caesar,

in a case like this,

what would you do?

Eat.

Oh, thank you, my son.

For what

we are at last

to receive,

the lord make us

truly thankful.

Amen.

Amen. Amen. Amen.

How can I eat?

I already have

indigestion.

Really,

this is quite

intolerable.

Why does he think

he was invited here

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