All language subtitles for Blood on His Sword (Le miracle des loups) 1961

The city of Dijon celebrates the
accession to the throne of the
fourth Duke of Burgundy: Charles the Bold.

Charles wanted the revelry and festivities,
to which he invited his cousin,

King Louis the Xlth of France,

to be sumptuous in order to dazzle
all the great nobles in the kingdom.

They end with a great tournament,
in which the young Duke

hopes for a striking victory of his party.

This day�s tournament will pit
the knights designated by the King

against the knights designated
by the Duke of Burgundy.

The first joust will match three knights
from France

against three knights from Burgundy.

This is not too bad a start, my lord.

Heaven doesn�t seem to favour
our arms, sire.

The second joust

will pit the last three knights
from France still in the lists

to three knights from Burgundy.

We didn�t have to wait long
for our victory, my lord.

Your knights were unlucky, cousin.

But I wouldn�t want to leave you
with such a bad impression.

I shall therefore parlay
Burgundy�s victory...

should one of your knights
be bold enough to claim it from me.

Will you allow me to take up
the challenge, sire?

I know of no knight more worthy
than you, my dear Neville.

of flying our colours

Of course, cousin, should
Sir Neville defeat your two champions,

you�ll be allowed to pit him against
a last opponent:

the outcome of their fight
will determine the final victory.

He just has another opponent to beat.

- No doubt.
- You don�t seem very pleased, godfather.

You�re pleased for both of us,
aren�t you?

He won�t give much trouble to Gamay.

Would my lord the Duke of Burgundy

please designate the last fighter
to pit against the knight of Neville.

- It will be me!
- Oh, no, my lord.

I know of no good lance that I do not
care to break, my lady.

And should heaven want me to triumph,

I�ll have the joy to crown the Queen
of this tournament with my very hands.

Be strong, sir knight.
The Duke is a tough opponent

and the good name of the crown
of France is in your hands.

May luck be on your side.

Well, we lost a tournament.
Losing a war would be worse.

Duke Charles doesn�t triumph humbly.

Wherever pride rides ahead,
shame and damage follow closely.

Bring me the golden crown, so that I can
offer it to the Queen of this tournament.

Thank you, cousin.
Mine is enough for me.

I fail to understand what happened.
His lance barely grazed my shield.

No, don�t be so agitated, sir knight,
please. And drink this.

Thank you.

- I�ll be a laughing-stock.
- You must stay absolutely motionless.

In a few days, everything will be
back in its place.

You won�t feel it anymore.
Providing you�re a good boy.

This is quite inconvenient.
How many days?

Just a few, and...

Oh, you, my lady.

My lady, you came.
And I so undeserving of your concern.

- What must you think of me?
- I think that your hurt, sir,

- and suffering...
- This is nothing, my lady.

What I�m obsessed with is the King�s
disappointment. And yours...

Now you�re at it again. If you have
any influence over Sir Neville, my lady,

please have him calm down
and make an effort to be patient.

The King was worried about you, Sir,
and I have to reassure him.

I�ll leave you in more beautiful hands
than mine.

Please sit down, my lady.

The most beautiful hands in the
whole kingdom of France.

And I�m being forced to part
with them.

I�m condemned to stay here,
brooding, in enemy territory,

for I know not how many days.

Away from you... Jeanne.

I couldn�t be more severely punished
for my defeat.

That was no defeat but an accident.

An accident or a defeat, who cares?

The awful thing in a failure

is the image it gives you in the view
of others.

The image you�re going to keep of me.

Why do you belittle my feelings for you?

- Do I?
- It�s a fine love, really,

that can be weakened by the chance
of a tournament.

And should mine be that way, would I
still want to become your wife?

I do not dare to believe the King
will ever consent to it.

He has higher goals for you.

The king loves me. He has no goal
but my happiness.

Trust in me. You�ll see.

Beware, my lady.
Somebody�s coming.

- Oh, sorry. Sorry, Sir.
- What�s the matter?

Look.
Look at your saddle strap.

It�s been severed on more than
half its width. Perfidy was involved.

That is more like it.
Thank you.

So your victory was stolen from you.

Let this ring that the King gave me

make up for the laurels he would
have handed over to you.

- When do you leave for Paris?
- Tomorrow morning.

- So soon?
- That is too bad.

Uncle, do you think the King
would allow me to leave him?

You know that the King is like me
as far as you�re concerned:

he�s as weak with his ward
as I am with my niece.

- Sire, I feel terribly tired.
- Go and rest, my child.

A long ride awaits us tomorrow
when we get back to Paris.

Are you leaving us, my lady?

You�ll deprive this party of what�s in my
view its most pleasant ornament.

Please do not add to my
embarrassment, my lord.

Believe me: I really hate myself for not
being able to go on celebrating with you

your so quick and so... fair victory over
one of our most valorous knights.

Charles! My dear friend, I�ll be leaving
for Paris at the crack of dawn,

but I won�t leave you tonight

without a token of my gratitude
for your gracious hospitality.

Oh, this is not a gift, mind you,
its far too insignificant to be.

No, let�s say it�s a guarantee,

and a symbol of the peace between us...
and of our oh so pure friendship.

By the way, I�m sure those birds
will be dearer to your heart

when you know that Jeanne,
my ward, raised them.

Oh, Catherine...
Were you praying for him?

- And also for you.
- For us.

- Did you see his squire?
- Yes, my lady.

The knight was transfered to
a bedroom in the H�tel-Dieu.

Don�t you worry. He�ll surely be
healed for the hunting party

that the King will attend
at your uncle�s in Clermont.

- Did you have my letter taken to him?
- Yes, my lady,

and I guess it will cure him faster
than any panacea in the world.

Do you have any other desire
to express, my lord?

- No, thank you. Go, all of you.
- Yes, my lord.

You may come in.

Well, what are the King�s intentions?

Will he he give me his ward�s hand
in marriage,yes or no?

- He tricked you, my lord.
- What did he say?

That he had other views for her.
As he rubbed his hands, laughing.

By Jove! I�ll wipe his laugh
right off his face!

Please act, my lord! Answer the insult
with a demonstration of strength.

I�ve just signed a peace
with the King.

He thanks you with an outrage.
What do you care about a fake peace?

All of the great barons, all of the church
dignitaries are set against the King.

You just have to say the word and they
will depose him then put you in his place.

Should they not be with you, you�ve power
enough, to do it without them anyway.

So here�s what I suggest, my lord.

In a few days, a great hunt will
take place, that the King will attend,

in count Hesselin�s castle in Clermont...

I thought you loved me more
than that, Godfather.

My feelings are irrelevant to
the Kingdom�s politics.

- We�re talking about mine.
- They are too.

As far as public affairs are concerned,
you�re not a person, my ward.

No more than I or my daughters.

You�re one of the Crown�s
most powerful domains.

Well let�s talk politics then, since you
don�t care about my happiness.

I�m not saying I don�t care about it,

but I�ll take it in account only as far as
it doesn�t jeopardize the Kingdom�s unity.

I fail to see how Sir Neville could
jeopardize it,

should I bring my inheritance
to him as my dowry.

You do not have more faithful
a servant.

In Beauvais, I don�t need
a faithful servant

but a powerful ally who will
support me with his other forces.

Can you ever trust an ally,
especially a powerful one?

You can if you have enough guarantees.
I have some experience in that field.

And I�ll write the stipulations
of your contract myself.

- You�ll never have the opportunity.
- What?

Before you condemn me to despair,
please think again.

- What�s the use?
- I beseech you.

- No.
- Was that your last word?

The last!
You won�t marry Sir Neville.

I know what I must do then.

If you�re thinking about a convent,
we have excellent ones back home.

- May God�s holy will be done.
- And the King�s.

They�re one and the same
as far as France in concerned.

- You have no heart.
- The heart. Always the heart.

Will they ever leave me alone
with their heart?

Ah, Hesselin. You should scold your niece.
She just made me really angry.

- What did she do, sire?
- I�ll tell you later. Come with me.

Perhaps a good game of chess
will calm me down.

I thought my ward was the least foolish
woman there was, for I know of no wise one,

but I must admit I was wrong,
my dear friend.

Oh, Catherine... The King...

I know, my lady. I was behind
the door, I heard it all.

- Did you see Sir Neville?
- Yes, my lady,

he�ll wait for you in the woods,
near the pond.

He didn�t yield either to my prayers
or my reasoning. I hate him.

- Don�t say that. You know you don�t.
- Maybe. I don�t know anymore.

I don�t want to lose you.

Appease yourself, my love.

You never wanted to see the obvious.

How many times did I tell you
that everything sets us apart?

Where are you going?

First to Paris then to Cerdanya,
in the army.

My God! So far from here?
We�ll be so far apart!

And I won�t hear from you anymore.

- Robert... Swear... Swear...
- What, my love?

Swear that you won�t put yourself
to useless risk.

I need courage and I won�t have any
if I don�t know you�re alive.

- Swear.
- I swear.

And I swear in turn that I never
shall belong to another man

and, when the day comes,
shall escape my fate

by retiring to a cloister.

So I too shall be the cause
of your unhappiness.

Only God will soothe me.

Alas, I must now tear myself
away from you.

Goodbye, my dear love.

May God keep you from harm.

Goodbye.

You here with me. You two there.

And you two on the other side
to attack him from behind.

Let me go by. I�m a King�s officer.

We do not serve the King.
Let�s go, lads!

He won�t come up any time soon.

Don�t you know that I�ve got more
pressing problems to solve

than your niece�s infatuations?

Why did not the King tell me
about those?

I will during the next council.

Where is the Earl of S�nac?
I haven�t seen him the whole evening.

Your majesty knows that he wants to
station the guards himself

- and inspect them several times.
- That�s right. I like his watchfulness:

it makes me feel comfortable.
Come on, your move, if you please.

What is the matter?

Sire, the Earl of S�nac
wishes to speak with Your Majesty.

- Does he bring me a letter?
- No, Sire.

But the Countess of Beauvais�
Lady-in-Waiting is with him.

- Is she?
- Catherine? What does this mean?

Let them come.

What is the matter, my dear S�nac?

A serious matter, Sire.

Sir Neville kidnapped
the Countess of Beauvais.

- What did you say?
- Do you have proof?

At the very least, she fled
in his company.

I was finishing my last patrol
in the park, Sire,

When I met Miss du Tillais who
searched in vain for her mistress.

In the park?
In the middle of the night?

Why the park?

The Countess had a rendez-vous there
with Sir Neville.

She was supposed to stay only
a few minutes.

I waited more than one hour for her then,
as I was worried to death I...

You knew my niece would meet
with Sir Neville

and you didn�t come and warn me?

The Countess wanted to say
farewell to him, my lord.

- I didn�t think that was so bad.
- Well you were wrong.

Who cares? Now we must act.

Send a group of riders in every
direction. I want them found.

My ward will be brought back here
under escort. As for Sir Neville,

I want him arrested on charges of perfidy
and rebellion against his King.

You�ll throw him in the dungeons
of my castle in Loches,

where I�ll put him on trial.
And I swear to you by God, my lords,

that I do not rate highly his chances
to keep his head.

Go, now!

By the Virgin! I hate losing!

- I�ll have you punished by the King!
- We do not serve the King, my lady.

- Your supper, my lady.
- Take it back.

You�re being unreasonable, my lady.

If you insist in refusing any food,
you�re going to wither.

I�ll always be strong enough to tell
your master what I think of him.

Has he given notice of his coming?

I think my lord the Duke will be
here in three days.

The Duchy�s business kept him in Dijon

but he sent his usual musicians ahead
of him, so they can be yours to command.

- He really is too good to me.
- Would you fancy hearing them?

No.

Are we far from the land of France?

Very close to it, on the contrary.
You can see it from here.

The woodland on yonder hill belongs
to the Kingdom.

The wind is even blowing
from France today.

Do you require anything, my lady?
If it doesn�t conflict with my orders...

I�d like you to leave me alone.

A good thing it is that I walked
along the river.

Yes, or the unfortunate man
would be dead.

And he never regained conciousness
since then?

No, never. We did all we could
but his condition seems serious.

So you came, mister Surgeon.
My thanks.

- I obeyed your instructions.
- You talked to no one?

- No, my lady. But why the mystery?
- Follow me, I�ll explain.

It�s important that you do not say
a word to anybody. Do you hear me?

- Silence on all of this.
- Do not fear. We remember your kindness.

May Heaven help you.

Please go down quietly.

I can�t hide the truth from you,
my lady.

- Is he lost?
- It�s quite serious.

But I think we may still hope.

I�ve got nothing more to say to you!

I allowed you to talk without
interrupting you, my lady.

I was expecting your anger,
your indignation.

Yes, it couldn�t be any other way:
I have no excuse in your view.

So you admit it?

But listen to me now, and maybe
you�ll forgive me afterwards.

- I don�t think so.
- I used violence, for which I�m sorry.

- You hardly seem so.
- It was against my wish, my lady,

and because I didn�t have any
other solution.

To what, pray?

To the attraction that pulls me toward you
since the first moment I saw you.

To the obsessive need of your presence
since you left Dijon.

To the desire I entertain to
conquer you, and keep you near me.

- Now, my lord, are you mad?
- Maybe I am,

but who�s responsible for that? You who
refuse a love worthy of a Royal princess.

The King who won�t give me
your hand.

That puny knight for whom
you have a soft spot

and whom my cousin Louis,
I�m well informed

wisely sent to his death in battle.

Shut up!
What will you do anyway?

keep me here, a prisoner, until I yield
to you through either fear or weariness?

Oh no! Neither fear nor weariness:
through persuasion.

You�ll persuade me I have
to love you?

- Who knows?
- You�ll have to be patient.

Hope will make me so.

No doubt you also hope that the King
will never learn of my whereabouts,

and will thank you for the outrage.

The King knows only his own
interest, my lady.

- Meaning?
- Meaning this:

Edward of England offers me
his sister in marriage

in order to enlist my help against France.

Having learned your Godfather�s
lessons, I delayed my answer,

in order to wait for yours.

You see: you won�t matter much
compared to this threat:

the King will be only too happy to give
you away himself in my good cathedral

when I make you the Duchess
of Burgundy.

And yourself, my lady?

Would you rather see your country
unhappy than being so yourself?

You�ll think about it.

Oh, I almost forgot.
Come in.

Do you remember those birds you raised
and that the King gave me in Dijon?

I thought you�d be happy
to see them again.

As you may see, even the hardest heart
can sometimes show kindness.

Send this order to all constabularies now.

And have it known that
I shall treble the reward.

After more than one month,

being still without any word
of the fugitives is unacceptable.

Alas, Sire, I�m disheartened.

Have you secretly informed the
friends we have in every foreign court?

- Yes, Sire. Except in Burgundy.
- Why?

Sir Neville was aware of the
Duke�s feelings for the Countess.

Burgundy is the last country
where he would seek a refuge.

Quite true. And from other countries,
didn�t you get any news?

No, Sire, none.

I�m in the castle of Neuilly,
a prisoner of the Duke of Burgundy.

You can�t leave now, Robert,
you�re barely healed.

The note is a call for help.
Time is of the essence.

You�ve been condemned, you�re wanted.
You might be captured or killed.

Who cares? I beseech you not to say
a word about all this!

Even to Count Hesselin when he
comes back from Paris.

I can succeed only if
an absolute secret is kept.

The Duke surely has spies
at the court of France.

They would inform him, he would
then change Jeanne�s residence

and I wouldn�t know where
to find her anymore.

But should I not be back with her
in three weeks, go and tell the King.

Alright, Sir. But how can you hope,
going there alone...

I won�t be alone for long.

When it comes to fighting injustice,
the land of France never lacks soldiers.

Follow me. They spared nothing,
not even the house of the Lord.

Follow me, my children, follow me.

Come on, children, calm down,
do not despair.

- What happened, Father?
- Who are you?

Sir Robert of Neville. I serve the King.

Then go and tell him what the
Duke Charles� ruffians did to his subjects.

Describe what they call reprisals

for a so-called cattle theft
near the Burgundian frontier.

They took with them all of
the able men

who couldn�t flee, in order to
draft them in their army.

And they hanged my husband
and my brother.

- Stole our crops and our property.
- They burned down our village.

Massacred our children.

Justice, sir!
We call for the King�s justice.

We can take justice into our own
hands now, if you have the courage.

Yes, my lord! Death to looters,
arsonists, murderers!

- Who among you will follow me?
- Me! Me! All of us!

Beware, my lord.
Those people aren�t from here.

True, we�re not from here, my lord.

Our lot is to go from town to town,
from castle to village,

and entertain people with our tricks
and our juggling.

But the ruffians burned our carts
and murdered our parents.

- We want revenge.
- We�re with you, if you�ll have us.

Good.
Follow me, all of you.

Do you know which way
the looters went?

Yes, sir. We can catch up with them
if we go over the plateau.

- Do you have any horses left?
- Yes, my lord.

We managed to hide ten of them
in the neighbouring woods.

Let�s go then.

- Prepare to send the carts!
- Yes, my lord.

This is where we can best
surprise them, my lord.

Look! Here they are,
on the valley road.

Fasten your ropes to the rocks.

Come on, my friends. Quick.
Let�s go.

Launch the carts!

Now for their rearguard!

They�re free! Let�s go!

My friends, I haven�t told you
everything.

I have a mission to accomplish
in Burgundy.

- I need a few resolute companions.
- Me! Me! All of us!

Now that you freed our brothers,
wherever you need us,

- you�ll find us at your side!
- Thank you my friends.

Agree to attend the feast for
the Duke�s saint�s name-day tomorrow.
Robert.

Stop! What is this?

We�re acrobats and jugglers that the Duke
sent for, to perform during tonight�s feast.

Right. Let them pass.

Your turn. Here.

My lady.

Do you like him? He�s very dexterous.

This one makes fifteen.

- Hey, look, look!
- Here I am, here I am!

Careful! Here.

And now sixteen!

Did you tell your fellows they
could come?

Yes, they�ll lead the horses
to the stables then join us.

Come with us and drink
our lord the Duke�s health!

Saint Charles� day must be
joyfully celebrated.

Here is a gift from our lord the Duke
to his men-at-arms.

A barrel of brandy.
And the best brandy there is.

Hurray for the Duke!

Hey, you, come here!

Didn�t you hear something
falling down around here?

- No.
- Yes: here!

- Did the show entertain you?
- Yes, very much.

They�re brilliant.

Why do you hide behind that mask?

Please forgive him for not answering,
my lord. The man was born a mute.

And his terribly scorched face
would make you faint in horror.

But this man is so strong and so nimble
that nobody

- ever won a wrestling contest against him.
- I think he�ll find worthy opponents here.

- Will you allow me, my lord?
- Go, my dear Gamay.

And prove to this lout that one doesn�t
challenge the lords of Burgundy in vain.

This is humiliating, my lord,
don�t you think?

Yes, very much so.

And after what he just did,
I can see no one here

capable of teaching him the lesson
he deserves. Except yourself.

- You flatter me, my lady.
- Nay! Your exploits are well known.

Unfortunately, you couldn�t
possibly do it.

The Duke of Burgundy cannot
wrestle a peasant.

Regrettable.
I would have liked that a lot.

- Would you really?
- Let�s forget it, my lord.

My lady, I certainly will not refuse you
the first wish you care to express.

I hope you�re joking.
You�re not going to...

I am. It will be a joke indeed, my lady,
and for the love of you.

You who dares outraging me so,
in whose service are you?

In the service of justice.

No! Let me chastise him!
I�ll kill him myself.

Someone call for the guard!

Be sure to protect
the Countess of Beauvais.

Come quick, my lady.

Come, quick!
Come.

Come on, hurry up! The Duke has been
wounded! The castle in under attack.

Our weapons have been stolen!
We are betrayed!

We can�t go further.
We must wait for Sir Neville.

We must obey his orders, my lady,
and they�re quite clear:

we must take you as soon as possible
to the agreed-upon place.

But we can�t leave him here.

We must obey his orders, my lady.
Trust in us. Come.

Let�s go. Hurry up! Quick!
What�s going on?

Our horses have been stolen.
No more horses!

Where are the horses?

Stop fighting! Let�s all meet
at the agreed-upon place!

Thank you, Olivier. You may go.

S�nac! Please give orders for
our departure in the afternoon.

Yes, Sire.

You too, my good Hesselin, are going
to put on your travelling boots.

Does the King want me
to accompany him?

- No. No but you�re leaving for Li�ge.
- Li�ge?

Yes, so you�ll have the opportunity
to see how much

the people there love my
Burgundian cousin.

And once I have, Sire?

Well, you�ll react as I do,
beautiful friend.

Seeing them so close to rebellion
will fill you with fear.

For the love of God, let them
wait a little more.

Afterwards...

Sedition during my stay in P�ronne
would yield tragic consequences for me.

The Duke would accuse me of
provoking him and all hope would be lost.

- Maybe even more than that.
- Maybe, yes.

Here is a message that you�ll give
to the notables in Li�ge.

In it I express my wish to see them keep
the most faithful and quiet relations

with their lord and master,
my beloved cousin the Duke of Burgundy.

Don�t leave so soon then, Sire.
Wait till I get to Li�ge.

- My friend, time is of the essence.
- It would be safer.

No, no, do as I said. I planned everything,
even your post houses from here to Li�ge.

Your first stop, tonight, will be at your
own place, your castle in Clermont.

As you can see, I leave nothing
to chance.

Why is happiness so seldom total?

How I would relish the joy
of having found you again,

should I not worry so much
about the King.

So nothing you said could persuade
him of not leaving for P�ronne

Nothing. Especially since S�nac agreed
with him and strenghtened his resolve.

The Earl of S�nac took up
very great a responsability.

I fear the King will be in
great danger in P�ronne.

- And I�m unwittingly responsible for it.
- But why?

Because, in the view of
the Duke of Burgundy,

your escape could only be the result
of an order from the King.

He�s not the kind of man to swallow
such a humiliation,

and should he crave revenge,
the King is in his power.

Send a messenger in secret, Uncle.
Now.

- Yes. And I�ll be the messenger.
- You? Never.

No, not you, Sir knight.
Don�t forget you�re wanted in France.

And there must be a
price on your head in Burgundy.

But you know very well, you, Sir,
that time is running out,

- and that nobody here, but me...
- Yes, I know.

We�ll leave tomorrow at the
break of dawn.

You for P�ronne, and us for Li�ge,

for I don�t want to be parted
with Jeanne so soon.

Long live the King!
Long live King Louis!

Sire, I want to thank you for honoring us
and our good town of P�ronne,

in which I�m happy to welcome
Your Majesty.

I thank you, cousin.

How is your beautiful ward, Sire?
Did you see her lately?

Alas! Do not rekindle my grief,
Charles, please.

I swore to myself, when I came here, that
I would keep any unhappy thought far from us

and would in no way darken
the pleasure of seeing you again.

I fail to get your meaning.

What? You don�t know that my ward
was taken away in Clermont

three weeks after your accession
to your title?

Taken away?
Do you mean God...

No, not by God. By a man.

Should God have called her back to him,

I probably would have shed
less bitter tears.

One just has to yield
to the Almighty�s decisions.

But God indeed won�t allow such
an infamy to stay unpunished.

I do hope that one day, he�ll give me
the power to chastise the criminal myself.

I�m hurting you, my good friend.

I remember how violent your feelings
for the Countess were,

how you wanted her to become your wife.

Ah! How I regret hesitating like I did.

- She would have welcomed me with you today.
- And you couldn�t find her trail?

- No.
- Really?

Why would I hide it from you?

I have no more secrets for you
than you have for me.

Why didn�t you inform me then?

I could have helped you
search for her.

That�s true. But I always think
that you know what happens

better than I do,
in the Kingdom of France.

I tell you, cousin, you should have
insisted more in Dijon.

You would have convinced me
in the end.

J�r�me, you know P�ronne well,
don�t you?

I was born there, Sir,
and there I learned my trade.

I even worked in the castle
for a long while.

Will you go there with me?
I�m warning you: there is danger.

With you, I don�t fear anything, Sir.

Come then.
Wait for us here.

You�re wrong, my lord:

I assure you the King had nothing to do
with the Countess of Beauvais�s escape.

He isn�t aware of it, as I wasn�t
before you told me what happened.

He still thinks his ward was the victim
or the accomplice of Sir Neville.

Who�s body was at the bottom
of the river, if memory serves.

I must give you credit for
one thing, my dear:

your dead men are very healthy.

Give me credit for another thing, my lord,
and without irony this time.

I brought you the King. He�s here,
in your hands, at your mercy.

His fate now only depends
on what happens in Li�ge,

and should your men be
active enough there...

So they�ve been, all the reports
agree about that.

And they were taken for
the King�s agents.

I�m waiting for a new messenger
momentarily.

I wager that, at this hour,

the riot they plotted has already
erected its barricades in Li�ge

and that people are fighting
in the streets.

Let�s stop here, J�r�me.

We�ll leave the horses here,
we�ll be less conspicuous.

Alright, J�r�me, come.

So we agree about the towns
along the river Somme?

Your Majesty leaves them to me
as a security for one full year?

We agree completely, cousin.

It just goes to show that if rulers met

face to face more often to decide
the interests of their people,

the world would probably be
a better place.

Will Your Majesty excuse me?
A messenger has just arrived from Li�ge.

He says he brings important news

and asks if my lord the Duke
would agree to see him now.

- With your permission, Sire.
- Let him come in.

Who sent you?

Nobody, my lord. I took upon myself
to ride flat out to you.

The people from Li�ge have rebelled,
they massacred your garrison.

- Did you hear that?
- I�m as dismayed as you are, Charles.

- From the bottom of my heart.
- I don�t think so!

Beg your pardon?

We�re going to see if you�re sincere.

- Why this riot?
- People say...

Come on, speak! If you�re really
from Li�ge and telling the truth,

you may speak without fear.
Say everything you know.

People say the rebels
obey orders from the King.

Who say that? Who?
This is really too easy.

Where were you when the
rebellion started?

- In town, my lord.
- And what were the rebels screaming?

They screamed...

Long live the King!
Death to the Duke of Burgundy.

- It�s a lie!
- Very well, you may go.

- Treason, cousin.
- You took the words from my mouth!

Some enemies want to destroy
our good relations.

Don�t ever mention
our good relations again!

Never would I have thought you
capable of such perfidy

It�s not worthy of a King.
And deserves the hardest punishment.

What? You would molest your guest?
Your King?

Do you forget that you guaranteed
my life and freedom?:

Your blood is too hot, Charles!
Please think before you lose your temper.

If I wanted to make your subjects
rise up against you �

although God knows I don�t � I would at
least wait to be out of your reach to do so.

- What do you think I am? A fool?
- On the contrary.

That�s exactly what you counted on.

You thought I could never think you guilty
if you put yourself at my mercy.

- What do you think I am? A nincompoop?
- I insist that you�re being tricked.

But, better than protestations,
I�ve got proof of my good faith.

Just before leaving Paris, I entrusted
Count Hesselin with a message

in my own handwriting to the
notables in Li�ge,

- advising a complete obedience to you.
- What?

The road from Paris to Li�ge
runs a few miles from P�ronne.

Should Hesselin have respected my schedule,
he should be now crossing the Ardennes.

Send a rider to him,
he�ll give the message to you.

Will the King allow me to find
our friend Hesselin?

I�ll be back tomorrow,
with the document.

Then you won�t be able to doubt
His Majesty�s word again.

- What does the King say?
- Go, my friend, and be swift about it.

But, to take all suspicion
out of your mind,

I�ll be glad if the Earl of S�nac
doesn�t go alone.

Let some of your faithful guards go
with him, so they can be witnesses.

Agreed.

In the meantime, I guess we don�t have
much to say to each other anymore.

I salute you, cousin.

That was unexpected, my dear S�nac.

Should there really be a message,
bringing it here is out of the question...

...as is Hesselin�s coming here
to testify for the King.

The Ardennes forest is unsafe, my lord.
Hesselin could be attacked.

- The King fell into a trap.
- As for the document...

...it should be easy to replace it
with another.

What do you say, my lord?

I say that, once again,
you�ve served me well...

- �and I won�t forget it.
- Quick, J�r�me, come.

Fetch our friends at the camp, J�r�me,

then all of you meet me as soon
as possible on the road to Li�ge.

- You can�t go alone. Wait for us.
- Time is running out.

- Aren�t you tired, my child?
- No, Uncle,

I�m so happy to travel with you.

We shall soon reach the post house
where we can rest for a while.

Oh... Wolves.

Sir Hesselin! Sir Hesselin!
Riders are following us.

But... I seem to recognize
the Earl of S�nac.

- With a Burgundian party.
- So it is...

Wait for them with your men
and make sure of what they want.

Halt!

Charge!

Faster, faster, we�re being chased.

Come on, run!

Let�s go.

Here is the King�s letter.
I entrust it to you.

Let�s take advantage of
our headstart:

as soon as we pass yonder curb,

you�ll get out and run to the woods
where you will hide.

Here�s a purse:

in some village, you�re bound to find
a cart to bring to you to Li�ge.

- What about you, Uncle?
- I�ll stay on the road

and lead them away from you.

We must, my child!
We owe everything to the King.

Our lives are his.
May God protect you.

- Goodbye.
- Farewell, my child, God bless you.

The coach overturned. They�re ours!

- You, S�nac, a traitor to your King?
- Yes.

What do you want?

The message the King asked you
to take to Li�ge.

I have no message.

I�ll tell you everything
if you spare my life, my lord.

I give you my word.

Countess Jeanne of Beauvais
was in the coach.

- She ran into the forest.
- Let�s ride!

Halt!
Let�s follow these tracks.

Here! This way!

Did you see a group of riders
going this way?

Yes, Sir. A while ago.
They were riding swiftly.

Alright, come.

- What about the woman?
- The wolves did our work for us.

Let�s get the horses and go back
to P�ronne.

Go to the palace now!

Tell my lord the Duke I�ll be with him
in a few moments.

Gislain. Master writer.

So, master Gislain, is it done?

Yes, my lord. And well done, I think.
You may check.

My lord seems happy.

Yes. I�m thinking of somebody�s
bafflement.

Somebody who�ll read in his own
handwriting a letter he never wrote.

As you can see, master Gislain,
silence is well paid,

but if you had the misfortune
of breaking it...

Don�t be afraid, my lord.
I write but do not talk.

Ah! This time, you�re giving me
a real hard time, cousin.

This trap of yours is clever.

I won�t get out of it easily.

Already here, my good friend?
You rode posthaste.

Here is the document, Sire.

Unfortunately, I�ve got very sad news
for the King.

- A terrible accident occured...
- This is not the document

I gave to Count Hesselin.

- But, I assure you...
- Please give me that.

"My counsel on this day,

in order to preserve the legitimate
interest of the city of Li�ge

and fight the tyranny of the
Duke of Burgundy,

is to escalate your struggle, up to
a genuine insurrection if need be.

You have my consent and my support
in this rightful cause. "

Here is, in your handwriting,
the proof of your duplicity.

Baseness is not on my side,
you know it better than anybody.

I�m ashamed for you.

With the help of a scoundrel
who took advantage of my trust,

you laid a trap for me,
but if Hesselin still lives,

I�ll prove this is a conspiracy.

As for you, pray to God that I do not
escape the tragic fate

you probably prepared for me:
my verdict will be merciless.

No! No more lies!
No more threats, please!

Now you can only deny the obvious,
and you won�t fail to do so.

But it�s over! Over for ever!

In my wiew, he�s not fit to be the King
anymore, he who commits perjury,

betrays his allies and have his
subjects� blood spilled uselessly.

All the high lords in the Kingdom are
weary of your plots and of your perfidy.

and the same goes for the
Church�s great dignitaries.

As far as I�m concerned,
you�re no longer the King.

Tomorrow, I�ll call together
a great clerical council

which will destitute you in front
of the assembled vassals of the Kingdom.

And since the King charges you
in order to try and clear himself,

I�ll take care of you.
Come, my friend.

You may go.

Count S�nac. Do you have anything
to add to what those two witnesses said?

The two men who escorted me
told Your Eminences everything.

The overturned coach

The scattered bodies of my
unfortunate friend, Count Hesselin...

- Unfortunate to have you for a friend.
- Please, sire.

...of my unfortunate friend, Count Hesselin,
and his companions.

The King�s letter in the snow.

Our fight against the wolves
who kept going at the victims.

And finally the Countess of Beauvais�
awful death, as the beasts tore at her body.

I won�t repeat it.

So I brought the piece of parchment
to the King.

He took it from me, kept it in his
hand for one second,

then violently threw it on the floor
without having broken its seals.

I then had the painful surprise
to hear the King call me a traitor.

We thank you.

Sire, we beseech you: please agree
to explain your gesture.

My lord Archbishop, you made me
the King of France.

Since then, I�m only answerable to God

and do not have to account for my actions
before any earthly court.

But, I worship our mother the Church

and its holy representatives
too much to refuse you.

First let it be known that your King

is the victim of a terrible
conspiracy here,

which was wholly plotted by
my cousin and ally, the Duke of Burgundy,

in order to conquer the crown of France,
with the support of my enemies

and the complicity of the Earl of S�nac,

whom I today accuse before you
of being a base traitor.

Do not reverse the roles.
You are being questioned...

Since when does a vassal keep his seat
when addressing his King?

You�re being asked a precise question.
Then you may accuse. If you can.

Then Your Eminence must learn this:

the message I asked Count Hesselin
to bring to the notables in Li�ge

had red seals and a red ribbon.

The one that the Earl of S�nac brought me
had green seals and a green ribbon.

How simple!
So this is the defense you coined?

What? You offer to bring proof
of your loyalty.

Somebody goes and fetches it!
You reject it as a fake.

And now you want to trick us
with the unverifiable story of a ribbon?

Red or Green.

I�ll leave the judgement to
Your Eminences.

My lord Earl of S�nac.
We consider the King�s word sacred.

So I must ask you to swear.

Do you swear on the Cross

that the piece of parchment
that you gave your King

is the one that you found near
Count Hesselin�s body?

I do.

You lied!

Seize this man! He must be punished
as a criminal.

I�m no criminal.
Some people here know me.

Chief among them our good King,
of whom I am the humble servant.

And also the Duke of Burgundy,

who kept the Countess Jeanne de Beauvais
in his castle of Mailly

and cannot deny that I freed her

The piece of parchment around my arrow

is the one the King gave Count Hesselin.
Let Your Eminence read it.

The document is in the same handwriting
and bears the same seals

as the one I read aloud earlier,

but the ribbon and the seals are red.

And, unlike the other one, it advises
the notables in Li�ge

to submittingly obey
the Duke of Burgundy.

How did you come into its possession?

The Countess of Beauvais, who fled before
the Earl of S�nac caught up with the coach

and murdered Count Hesselin...

The Countess of Beauvais gave me
the message.

Imposture! This cannot be!
This second document is the fake!

How could the Countess of Beauvais,

whom we saw being attacked by wolves,
her throat ripped open,

- have...
- She�ll tell you herself.

- Godfather!
- My child.

Come, my child... Tell them.

The wolves came up to me,
Your Eminence.

I fell on my knees in the snow
and prayed to the Holy Virgin.

So the wolves didn�t touch me,
as if, on the contrary,

they came there to protect me
against those who wanted to kill me.

And once the murderers fled,
the wolves lay down around me.

They rose again when Sir Neville
came near and,

as if they understood that they didn�t
need to protect me anymore,

they slowly vanished in the woods.

This is a strange story, my lady.
Do you claim that there was a miracle?

I do not claim anything, Your Eminence.

I told you everything the way
it happened.

I prayed with all my soul and I didn�t
go unheard.

I assume that nobody here doubt
the efficiency of prayer

or the supreme might of God.

Alas! We do not doubt the might
of demonic forces either.

Everybody knows that wolves are
devilish beasts, obeying only Satan!

Did you really pray to the Virgin,
the mother of God?

To the Holy Virgin, yes.
And to our Lord.

No!
Your Eminence sees clearly.

The Countess doesn�t owe her life
to a miracle but to infernal doings.

There is no other possible explanation.

I ask Your Eminences to put the
Countess of Beauvais to the question.

- Never.
- I oppose that too.

Isn�t there another solution
to this dispute, Your Eminence?

Since we are in this praetorium,
in front of holy men of God,

since opposites are fighting here without
any other proof than their sworn faith,

since our King is involved,
as well as his sacred word,

since some dare to sully the honour
of a great lady of France

and threaten her with a witch�s stake,

I ask with due respect the
clerical council

to leave it to God to settle the matter.

I want God�s Judgement to take place
right now,

and I claim the honour of bearing arms
to defend the King

and his ward, the Countess of Beauvais.

What do the adversaries say?

It would be a shame for anybody,
in such circumstances,

to dare refuse God�s Judgement.

May Heaven�s will be done.

If it pleases my lord the Duke
of Burgundy

to nominate the man who�ll fight
for the prosecution�s cause.

I only wish for the triumph of truth.

For that reason, I nominate
a French lord.

I nominate to bear the arms
of the prosecution

the man who accused before this court

the Countess of Beauvais
of being a witch.

God�s Judgement is now commanded.

A fight to the death will tomorrow pit,
with arms in hand,

the Earl Jean de S�nac
and the knight Sir Robert of Neville.

May our Lord, in His omnipotence
and infinite perceptiveness,

give victory to the one who�ll fight
for truth against lie,

for loyalty against perfidy
and for justice.

The combat will be to the death,
and fought with an unmasked face.

The three weapons available
to each fighter

have been determined by chance,

according to the rules of
God�s Judgement.

One battle axe, one mace

and one two-handed sword
for the Earl Jean of S�nac.

One battle axe, one flail

and one two-handed sword
for Sir Robert of Neville.

By my order, the crossbowmen
will immediately slay with their bolts

any fighter who should fail
to respect the rules.

Let the fight begin!

Bring him his sword!

God wouldn�t allow the King
to lose his crown.

God could change his mind.
It�s not unheard of.

What about Sir Neville, my lord?

Too bad he�s not on our side.

Translation: Goupil66