The Swan Page #5

all the more.

Promise me you will.

Yes, mother. All right.

But what is it?

We're going

to invite the tutor

to the ball tonight.

Professor Agi?

Or rather, you're

going to invite him.

I can't invite him.

My dear, I know

he's not one of us,

but god will forgive you,

I'm sure, and god

will forgive me,

and I shall never

forgive the tutor.

But why, mother?

It seems so strange.

It will look

as if suddenly I have

some interest in him.

Is that so terrible,

especially if it

looks the same

to Albert?

Albert?

My dear child,

how do you suppose

I came to marry

your father?

You don't think a man

just gets an idea

into his head

and asks a woman

to marry him?

Of course not.

All your father

ever cared for

was horses.

He wouldn't even look at me,

so I looked once or twice

at the riding master.

Your father proposed

the very next afternoon

on horseback.

Well, I don't have

to go on, do I?

You do understand, don't you?

Yes, mother, I understand.

I would have

sent to Vienna

for a Duke,

but there wasn't time.

A Duke wouldn't have

been as good anyway.

Alexandra, you're not

going to be upset.

All right, mother.

I shall invite him

to the ball.

But not in that tone of voice.

Of course not.

And you'll allow him

to dance with you?

Well, you'll

be wearing gloves,

darling, long ones.

After all, he's

just as much one of god's

creatures as we are...

Or nearly.

Your highness.

Am I disturbing you?

Certainly not.

I was just making up

the list of acceptances

for tonight.

The ball tonight

is in the nature

of a farewell.

His royal highness

is leaving tomorrow.

I understand

that in the evening,

you seldom go out,

that you study in your room.

When the 2 young princes

have gone to bed, yes,

your highness.

What is it you study?

Astronomy?

Among other subjects.

I'm only at the beginning

of most things.

One evening,

then, won't make

so much difference.

Your highness?

You will have

to forego your

studies tonight.

As your highness wishes.

I...

I have expressed

my desire to invite you

to the ball.

I'm so deeply honored.

It will be

a somewhat formal

evening, I'm afraid.

I hope you won't find it stupid.

With your highness present?

You should talk to me

about the stars.

With the greatest of pleasure.

So we shall expect you, then?

Your highness,

I don't need to say

I'd be delighted, but...

What is it?

My clothes--I have

nothing suitable.

Oh, I'm sure Caesar

will attend to it.

At 9:
00, then.

You are most kind,

your highness.

No, professor...

No, not at all.

I'll meet you at the other end.

Ah, the professor.

I'm delighted.

What's he doing here?

Shh!

Won't you join us, professor?

Oh, professor, please.

Cousin Beatrix,

may I have the privilege?

Thank you, Albert.

You promised

to tell me

about the stars.

You remember?

Yes, your highness.

It's difficult

even to visualize them

at this moment.

You were talking

the other evening

about Vega

and some companion star.

Tell me about the other.

Capella.

Yes, your highness.

But they are barely companions--

many millions of miles apart.

See, Capella is

in the constellation

Auriga, the charioteer...

A golden-colored star

of the first magnitude.

The constellation

is in the shape...

Of a pentacle.

You seem to

have opened the ball.

Thank you, Albert.

bum bum bum

would you mind now if we...

Oh, have we finished?

I'm afraid dancing

is really for

you young ones.

Oh, by all means.

You may ask me to dance.

Thank you so much, Albert.

Where's Alexandra?

She's

dancing with

the professor.

So she is.

Ahh, so she is.

Karl, look at the way

he's holding her.

If he has to go

to the slaughter,

at least let him enjoy it.

Beatrix, have you seen them?

I have, yes.

Aunt Symphorosa is

so proud of Alexandra's dancing.

Dances like a queen.

Will you excuse me, Beatrix?

It's always the same,

your highness.

When his

royal highness

sees one,

he just can't resist it.

When he does want

to hug something,

it has to be the bass viol.

That's the last straw.

And the last hope

of rescue gone

for the professor.

Do you have to

keep harping on him?

I suppose

Alexandra's happiness,

the whole family's,

means nothing to you.

My dear, you've

seen me so long

in this rig out,

you forget the meaning of it.

All that matters

to me is the peace

of a man's soul,

and any woman who

can play so lightly

with that...

Well, my dear sister,

she certainly needs

to have a cast-iron

conscience.

Ohh...

Your highness.

I'm sorry. I...

I don't care

to dance any longer.

I want

to drive a little.

May I borrow this?

Your highness, it's a pleasure.

No.

I'll drive myself.

There's no need for you to come.

Your highness can't go alone.

Forgive me.

You don't think

they're going to

stay out there.

Go and signal her

and do something.

You put your money

on a horse, Beatrix.

Let it run.

Ohh...

My brothers are always boasting

that you can speak

on any subject

under the sun.

Is that only in school hours?

I'm sorry, your highness.

I think I was afraid to speak,

lest the mirage disappear.

The mirage?

Have you never

seen a mirage,

your highness?

No, I've never seen one.

I was born in the lowlands.

People see them

quite often in that

part of the country.

I saw one myself once.

We were traveling

on the open plain,

and suddenly, there it was:

A whole city

shimmering

in the sun...

A thousand church spires...

And it was very close...

So close, it seemed, and so real

that you could swear to it.

Another time, it

might be something

beyond imagining,

the shapes and

colors like nothing

in this world,

like something in a dream...

And so beautiful

that no words

can possibly

describe it.

You go towards it eagerly,

and all the time,

you seem to be

getting closer

and closer and closer...

And then it's gone...

And you can never see it again,

just that same vision.

Never.

So when you see

a mirage like that,

you're afraid to turn your head

or blink your eye

or even to speak.

Don't say anything more.

I have to get back.

Dear aunt Symphorosa,

always looking

for wallflowers.

The little botanist.

Yes, captain.

Your royal highness

hasn't forgotten...

There was a memorandum

to be sent.

So there was,

so there was.

Um, Beatrix,

if you'll forgive me

un petit moment...

The palace, a memorandum.

Naturally.

And don't worry about Alexandra.

I'm sure she's still

with the professor.

A memorandum.

There can be

only one destination

for that--the queen--

and only one message--no.

You're jumping to conclusions.

He wouldn't wire her, anyway.

She'll be here in the morning.

Yes, here.

The last few hours,

and Alexandra isn't

even trying any longer.

Where is she?

And where's

that awful young man?

I think I'm going to faint.

Beatrix, I forbid you to.

You have

a ballroom

full of people.

Not the people I want and--

Alexandra's gone

and so is Albert.

If you go, too,

there will really

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