Original subtitles

Thank you.

Leave him.

It's very cold down here. Good.

Bring the ring from his finger.

Is he safe down there?

No one's safe anywhere, Mr. Rassendale.

Least of all you.

If his majesty's discovered while you're in Streltsar, I wouldn't give much of

your chances.

Or his, the drunken dog.

If your king really is the weak wretch you make him out to be, Colonel, I begin

to feel some sympathy for his brother.

Hoth, brother.

He may not be an elf, both gentlemen, but from what you've told me, I'll wager

he'll make a better monarch.

Oh, ye gods.

If he meant the king any real harm, that wine would have been poison, not a

drug. Otto! Down, boy! You'd be foolish to underestimate Michael, Mr.

Rathendale. He's as ruthless as the cutthroats that surround him.

Yet you say he's the darling of the people. Because he planned it that way.

This is no game we're playing.

If our plan fails, Michael will take the throne, and the king will lie in his

grave tonight.

Shut up!

Oh, damn nation. See to them, Fritz. Keep them away from the lodge.

We should have left before they arrived.

Wouldn't that have aroused suspicion?

We need time, sir. Time.

The guard will stay with us now till we reach the station.

It's less than an hour to the capital.

That gives us only about 40 minutes alone together on the train.

Colonel. Sir.

Well, well, well, Mr.

Rathendale.

What have we here?

The boot, sir. Right.

With your permission, sire.

No! No!

No! No!

Find them listening outside the door.

This is the ward I spoke of, sir.

There are no other servants?

No, sir.

Joseph tells me that it is not from the cellar. He tells me you brought it to

him last night.

Speak up! Damn you.

His Highness told me to. His Highness?

The Duke Michael told me to set the wine before the king. When the king was

weary of all other wines, I prayed the king to drink it for the love he bears

his brother.

Put her in the cellar. No!

It's hard to achieve.

I'm tired now. It's not really necessary.

We must shut her mouth.

We'll return after dark.

See to the king.

If the woman makes trouble, shoot her.

By your leave, Your Majesty.

Do I salute them? No.

And say nothing.

You can ride, I take it.

At that point, Michael will come forward.

You will take his arm until you reach the throne.

Michael will then step back, and the cardinal will address the congregation.

We'll soon be there.

We're almost there, and you've told me nothing yet about the king's background.

What about his family and friends? How do I address them?

Oh, well, I know there's no time now for a lesson in Ruritanian court etiquette.

Fritz and I will be at your side constantly.

We'll indicate everybody you should know.

Just be a civil as butter to everyone.

We'll return to the lodge as soon as the celebrations are over, bringing the

king back to Streltsa under cover of darkness, while you ride like the devil

the frontier.

You are a Catholic, Mr. Asimov?

No.

You gods.

A heretic.

God save the king.

God save them both.

And pray God we're all alive tonight.

Amen to that.

Courage, lad.

You realize I've had no breakfast, you know.

You're an elfberg, Mr. Rathendale.

Every inch of you.

I'll eat.

Good morning, Mark.

I regret to inform Your Majesty that there have been street demonstrations in

some quarters of the old city.

The Chancellor and I felt it prudent to alter the route to the cathedral.

Demonstration? Against Your Majesty.

The procession will pass now along the Grand Boulevard and we shall cross the

river by the Palace Bridge.

The cuirassiers shall remain between Your Majesty and the people at all

I, of course, shall be at your side.

Then Colonel Zapp.

As your principal aide -de -camp, sire.

Colonel Zapp for right and your left.

Your Majesty.

There's an ancient local saying of which I'm sure you're familiar, Marshal. If

he's red, he's white.

Sire? The elf bag red, Marshal.

Today my people shall see that I am right.

Why is your majesty?

Let the people see that king. Trust them.

Cardinal grows impatient.

The king's train must be very late.

Would it be possible, do you suppose, to proclaim a state of martial law right

away?

What is the etiquette in these things, Your Highness?

I've been to so few coronations where the future monarch became the late

before the crown touched his head.

One day, Ensign.

That glib tongue of yours will talk you to the gallows.

Of course.

Once you've assumed regency of the kingdom, the throne shall be yours

week.

There's little point in all these pretty ambassadors going home until they've

presented their credentials.

Mounting one coronation has crippled the Exchequer.

Two within a year.

Unless he collapses, his stomach cramps and the nerves.

Go to the lodge.

He could have died with you. For what? The king is here.

Find out what happened.

And if you know what happened, you didn't drink your damn wine.

Sirs, I here present unto you our most puissant

lead lords and monarch, Rudolf V, your undoubted

king.

If there be any present who dares challenge this title, let him now stand

Wherefore?

All you who have come this day to offer your homage and service, are you willing

to do the same?

And I, Rudolf, do solemnly promise and swear to govern the people of

Ruritania according to their laws and customs, and to cause law

and justice in

Murphy to be executed in all my judgments.

The things I have here before promised I will perform and keep, so help me God.

God save the King.

God save the King!

God save the King!

God save the King!

God save the King!

His Eminence the Cardinal Archbishop.

His Royal Highness, the Duke of Streltow.

Her Royal Highness, the Princess Blavia.

Count Stanislas von Straussen, Chancellor of the Kingdom.

You should not have killed me.

I believe the cardinal was shocked.

Only a slow -blooded man like Michael could have rid us of the temptation.

Somehow you look different today.

More calm.

Is it possible you've begun to take things seriously at last?

Would that please you?

You know my feelings.

Nothing in my life is effectively more than the reception I've been greeted

today.

I don't think Michael was enjoying himself.

He'll be even less happy now that I have what he wants.

Perhaps it's something else he wants.

Something I haven't yet got, but hope to someday.

I'll do enough responsibility on you for one day.

Look to your people.

What a day.

I like this room.

Don't throw so much into the game, old chap.

Crowned king of Ruritania at ease in his palace.

I wouldn't mind being king for a day.

If you think about tomorrow, all this will be a dream and I shall be playing

Rassendale again.

You'll be lucky if you're not the late Mr.

Rassendale.

The danger will be with us every minute you remain in the city.

Come here.

You and the princess had a great deal to say to one another in the coach. What a

beauty she is, Fritz. You should have instructed me about the state of my

affections. I had no idea I'd have to travel with her in the same carriage.

Never mind the woman, sir. You'll not be seeing her again.

Sign this.

How far have matters gone between the king and the slaves? Sign.

What is this? It's our permit to leave the city. As governor, only Michael can

sign it, or the king.

My dear colonel, I may be a passable play actor, but I'm no forger.

If you can't manage a mere Rudolph, sir... Your education has been more

comprehensive than mine.

You do it.

If

this

door is opened by anybody while I'm away, you're not to be alive to tell me

about it.

I need no schooling, Colonel.

Leave it, you knick.

Wear this.

Tonight, you ride as my orderly.

The king's gone to bed, should anybody argue.

No one has to see him before ten o 'clock tomorrow morning. No one. You

understand? Understand.

I suppose Michael can't.

I shall inform him that only princes of the blood are entitled to an audience.

That should please him.

Hide away that tell -tale hair.

Goodbye, Fritz.

Perhaps one day we shall meet in England.

Damn your sentiment, sir.

Are you ready?

I'm ready.

The old king's time.

I knew this way well.

It leads to a street door behind the palace garden.

Keep your head down.

You want it to remain on your shoulders.

Take this!

King is dead.

Long live King.

Thank you.

Thank you.