The Three Musketeers Page #4

I can't. I have plans.

What about tomorrow?

I have a lot of plans.

- Well, I...

- Look, D'Artagnan.

You may have a new set of clothes

and the King's favor,

but you still act like

a clumsy country boy.

Now excuse me.

And halt!

About face!

And march!

Left! Left, right, left!

Two summons in two days.

Your Majesty honors me.

Cut it out.

Please, think nothing of it.

You're a good fellow, D'Artagnan.

So, how are the ladies

treating you these days?

- Can't complain.

- Yes, indeed.

Well, same here, of course. Thing is...

I've got this friend.

Just a regular chap, like you and me.

He got married very young.

Political alliance, arranged marriage,

you know the sort of thing.

Hardly knew the girl.

- But he likes her?

- Oh, yes.

Mmm-hmm.

Very much.

Well, does she like him?

Well, funny you should say that.

That's the problem.

He's... He's not sure.

Well, he just feels like a fool

when he's around her.

He's always saying the wrong thing.

His palms are sweating.

His heart's pumping so loud

he's afraid she might hear it.

Lt's torture just to look at her.

- Have you ever felt this way?

- Not until recently.

So, what do we do?

I mean, my friend. What does he do?

He should speak his heart.

Be someone who cares for her

and isn't afraid to show it.

Be himself.

Well, that's what I told him.

Well, then he's doubly lucky.

After all, he does have

Your Majesty as a friend.

Yes. Yes. lt's good to have friends.

Will you excuse me just for one moment?

I don't believe it.

How are you?

Very well.

I'm wearing blue.

And you look very handsome in it.

Thank you. Yes, I...

You're looking just very lovely.

In fact, I was only just remarking

to D'Artagnan how...

How beautiful you are.

Thank you, My Lord.

- How did it go?

- Clockwork.

Good.

You'll go back to London

with Buckingham and the diamonds.

And what should I do with them?

Put them in his personal vault,

the most secure location in all of England.

- The Tower of London.

- Yup.

When the scandal breaks,

he'll deny everything.

But once the diamonds

are discovered in his possession...

He would have led England to war

through his indiscretion.

And what of the future of France?

I am France.

One last thing.

I suppose it's quite easy,

perhaps even tempting,

for a double agent to play both sides.

Have I given Your Eminence

any reason to doubt my loyalty?

Spare me the rhetoric.

I know who you are. I know what you are.

You have a gift for corruption

and a penchant for betrayal.

I admire such skills.

But I'll destroy you the moment I suspect

you might be using them against me.

Do we understand one another?

There

is another side to that coin.

Lt's quite easy for an employer

to sever all ties with his operative,

in the event that they are compromised,

leaving them to

rot in jail or on the gallows.

Your point being?

I require a guarantee

that I shall not suffer a similar fate.

An insurance policy, if you will.

My word should suffice.

I'm afraid I'll need something a bit more

substantial.

"It is by my order

and for the good of the State

"that the bearer of this

has done what has been done."

Satisfied?

Immensely.

Your Majesty.

Purple?

Fashion favors the bold.

Here.

Try this for size.

Oh, well.

Do give my regards to the Queen.

I will convey your diplomatic proposal

to King James immediately.

Cardinal Richelieu, a pleasure.

All mine.

Your Eminence.

Richelieu!

Richelieu!

There has been

the most distressing development.

Certain letters,

love letters, were discovered

in the Queen's possession.

Letters from him.

Buckingham, of course! Who else?

Have you spoken to the Queen

about these letters?

No. Of course I haven't.

She'll just deny the whole thing!

Hmm.

I can see Your Majesty's dilemma.

Is there any mention

of a specific encounter? A detail?

- A token of affection, perhaps?

- Yes.

Yes, there is.

A necklace. The one I gave her

for our anniversary. Here.

"I shall always cherish

the 1 2 studded diamonds you gave me,

"the proof of our consummated love."

Does "consummated" mean

what I think it means?

Yes, I'm afraid it does.

Oh, my God!

All Your Majesty has to do is throw a ball.

What? How would that help?

Lt would give Your Majesty the pretext

to suggest to the Queen

that she wear your gift.

Oh, Richelieu, that's very clever.

That's very clever.

So, if she has the diamonds...

Your Majesty can rest easy.

And if she doesn't?

He wants to have a celebration ball,

five days from now.

Send my diamonds to the jeweler's

to be polished.

I want the King's undivided attention

that evening.

I hope I am not interrupting.

Hardly, Your Majesty. To what do I owe...

I know.

Perhaps Your Majesty

would care to be a bit more specific?

I know.

Yeah.

I assume this is the part

where I'm supposed to laugh maniacally

and regale Your Majesty with the details

of some diabolical plot.

However, I regret to inform Your Majesty

that I have no idea of

what you're talking about.

I thought you'd say that.

Then why did you grace me

with the honor of your visit?

To look into your eyes when you said it.

Your Majesty.

All may not be lost yet.

Coming, coming!

Hold your horses!

Lt's not a matter of

life or death, you know?

Actually, it is.

You want me to go to England,

retrieve the diamonds,

which the Queen suspects

might be in Buckingham's possession,

which will naturally involve breaking into

some heavily fortified,

highly impregnable facility?

The Tower of London.

Since the Cardinal's spies

are trying to implicate the Duke,

it is the most logical choice.

Then return to Paris

with every soldier, assassin,

mercenary, bounty hunter,

on both sides of the Channel

out to stop me from doing so.

Did I miss anything?

All in five days.

A minor detail. Anything else?

No.

Well, I really only have

one question for you.

Why in the world would I do that?

England it is.

Diamonds, Buckingham,

Tower of London, five days,

Queen's reputation

and the fate of France as we know it.

Who's with me?

Well, I should imagine

the Queen would be quite generous.

Count Porthos. Hmm? What do you think?

Got a nice ring to it, doesn't it?

Besides, I hear the English women are a

lot like a frosted bottle of champagne.

Ice on the outside,

but once you warm them up...

This isn't a great cause,

but it'll have to do.

Buckingham's there, so is she.

Who?

Countess de Winter.

Charlotte Backson.

Anne de Breuil. Lady Clarick.

Milady.

Milady?

I know her. I saw her with Rochefort.

She's switched sides again.

She's working for the Cardinal, no doubt.

What are you going to do if you catch her?

Musketeers, open up

and surrender by order of the Cardinal!

- You were followed.

- It's Rochefort.

Athos, Porthos, Aramis and D'Artagnan,

surrender your weapons

and no harm will come to you.

The moment they step out,

kill them.

Light the torches!

I'll count to five, then

we'll burn you out!

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