Original subtitles

"Rain started to fall right before the battle."

"It was not Warwick`s habit to dismount during the fight..."

"He tended to mount a horse after leaving his people in the middle of it..."

"If everything went well, he joined the fighting..."

-"But if it went badly..." -How do you feel, count?

Thank you, well enough.

Then we may continue for a bit longer!

"If everything went well, he joined the fighting, but if it went badly, he was sure to flee on time..."

"This time, his brother marquis de Montague, a knight of great courage, forced him to dismount..."

"... and so it happened that the brother perished together with..."

The duke!

The duke of Anjou!

Yes, it is him!

Based on a novel by Alexandre Dumas (père)

La Dame de Monsoreau

Episode 21

Damn it!

Remove this.

Monseigneur, please forgive me for not receiving you in the manner befitting your station.

Stay seated, please.

My wound does not permit me to greet you properly.

Monseigneur, I can barely believe my eyes - you, in this pathetic abode!

Too much of a honor for such an insignificant individual as I!

I just came to visit a suffering friend.

To inquire... about his health.

P-prince, forgive me, h-have I heard right, did you say "friend"?

Have I heard right?

Yes... this is what I said, dear count.

How do you feel?

Much improved.

I am enjoying excellent treatment!

Maitre Remy claims that I will be able to walk and resume my duties in less than a week!

Remy?

Is this not the name of monsieur de Bussy`s physician?

Yes, it is him.

Monsieur de Bussy let me borrow him for the duration of my sickness.

You must be close friends with Bussy then!

Yes. He is my best... or should I say "only" friend, Monseigneur.

Well, speaking of friends... As there is no topic more pleasant to me, let me introduce mine!

Aurilly must be familiar to you...

And this is madame Gabrielle.

She is a very close friend of my sister`s, the queen of Navarre...

Monsieur de Monsoreau, I have been interested in you greatly ever since you joined the court!

So many exciting rumors and legends surround you, please satisfy my curiosity...

Please tell me some tales of hunting...

Most lovely... lovely madame Diana, I am glad to see you again!

To be honest, I was disappointed in the extreme...

...upon hearing that you departed for Paris.

I was not myself...

More than that - your departure hastened my own return!

To show how much I value your friendship, please allow me to give you this pretty trifle.

-Er, I... -Tell me, count, no false modesty!

Aurilly!

What is it?

What is it, Monseigneur? I would like to see it!

Of course. It is just a stiletto.

The countess cannot accept such an expensive gift from you!

But it is just a trifle!

No, Monseigneur - it is too great a sign of appreciation from you.

Do you think so?

Very well, if this is so important to you...

Accept it yourself!

You are a hunter after all.

Any weapon would fit you.

Thank you, Monseigneur.

Maybe we should hire a carriage?

To the right now!

We have arrived, messieurs!

How do you like it?

Not bad.

-The light might be just right! -A pretty place indeed!

Look, messieurs, how firmly one stands on this ground!

Yes, true!

Then I hope everyone agrees to use this location?

My friends and I thought you would like to join us here...

...in a few days to support monsieur de Bussy.

As he did us the great honour of challenging all four of us at once.

Bussy? He has not mentioned this to us!

What?

But we hope this changes nothing!

I assume you will agree... messieurs Angevins?

-Of course we agree! -This is a great honour indeed.

Excellent!

And now we should each select an opponent, if you will.

-Oh I will, and I choose... -No, Livarot!

Let us leave the choosing to the Lord!

-We will draw lots. -Lots?

Why not, we agree.

Yes, but before choosing any opponents we must agree on the conditions of the duel!

It is unseemly to agree on rules after selecting opponents.

We have no objections, monsieur de Bussy! You are well-versed in all the intricacies of duelling.

What is there to agree on? It is quite simple!

We will fight to the death...

...as monsieur de St. Luc said.

Of course to the death! But with which weapons?

I suppose rapiers and daggers - we are all very familiar with those.

-On foot? -What do you need a horse for?

-It will only get in the way of movement! -Then without a mount.

Forgive me, messieurs... which day for the duel?

-The sooner the better! -Bravo!

No, messieurs, if you allow. As for me, I have a thousand matters to attend to before that!

Such as making a will...

Forgive me, but I would prefer to wait!

I suppose that three or four days more would even increase our appetite!

Thus speaks a brave man!

Yes to all, messieurs. As we are agreed, we should finally draw lots!

Yes, as monsieur de Quelus kindly pointed out, I am truly an expert in such matters.

I thought of something fitting for this case.

-I hope you trust me, messieurs? -Of course.

We fully rely on your expertise, monsieur de Bussy.

Then kindly call one of your pages here, monsieur de Quelus.

-As you wish. Jean-Paul! -Orville!

-I am here! -Yes, monsieur!

Did you prepare everything as instructed?

Yes, monsieur le Comte!

You see, messieurs...

Here are our names.

And here... go your...

...names. You may start!

Schomberg.

And now you.

Livarot!

Quelus!

d`Antraguet!

Maugiron!

Riberac!

d`Epernon!

de Bussy!

Well then, messieurs... The lots have been drawn, we must respect the results.

From now on to the day of the battle we belong to each other.

We are friends in life and death.

On this momentous occasion I am inviting all of you to dinner!

Monsieur de St. Luc showed me a wonderful tavern recently - it is quite close to the Louvre.

I assume that shrine will shelter us until morning!

Praise the Lord, they are playing by the book this time.

This reminds me - I must visit another... duellist!

Are you aware, count, that many have asked the king to transfer your position to them?

On what grounds?

They claimed you were dead!

But you did tell them I was alive, did you not?

I did not - you are burying yourself after all! It follows that you are dead.

You live in such a hovel, where one cannot even properly receive guests.

And the Chief Huntsman of France must hold receptions, keep servants and a nice equipage...

Yes, all of this is true. But I do not like guests, they are far too noisy.

I cannot change my habits, even if I lose that position!

Is this so?

There are more important things in my life.

So you have no ambitions then?

What can I do? Such is my nature.

If this is your nature, you surely would not mind the king knowing this?

-Who will tell him? -Damn it!

Should he ask, I will certainly have to tell him of our conversation!

Well, Monseigneur...

If one would tell the king of everything that is spoken of in Paris, his two ears would not suffice!

What do they speak of in Paris then?

How should I, poor injured man, know this?

Life is what happens there, outside of the walls of this house...

I see its shadow but rarely.

If the king is dissatisfied with how I do my duty, he is being unjust.

How so?

Because he is partly to blame for what happened to me!

What do you mean?!

Consider then, Monseigneur - is St. Luc not one of the king´s close friends?

Was it not the king who taught him that secret blow that left a hole in my chest?

Could the king himself not have asked St. Luc to quarrel with me?!

Is all of this that unlikely?

You are right.

You... are right.

But a king remains a king.

Only until he stops being one.

Good day, count.

-Did he leave? -Yes, monsieur.

Remy!

Be careful, monsieur!

What are you doing?!

-Standing up! Standing up, damn it! -You should not, monsieur!

As I wish to protect my own wife!

I did not save her from that monster`s claws in Meridor only to have him devour her in Paris!

Monsieur... Your stay in Spain was clearly too long.

Jealousy is not in fashion in Paris.

Since when have you been such a fine expert on Parisian fashions, madame?

On the other hand... You are superficial and vain like all women, I do not blame you.

But it seems that the persistent attentions of a royal scoundrel flatter your vanity!

And you are wrong if you assume you hide it successfully!

If you think that any of his feelings for you are real - passion or even love...

...then you are wrong as well!

I will explain to you then, that to this vile dog of a man filthy lusts replace any honest feeling!

Monsieur, you are wasting your strength for no reason! Sit.

Sit down at once, monsieur!!!

Please sit.

And calmly tell us... what you intend to do.

Prepare for a journey, madame.

We are leaving Paris.

We will go to Angers, to my own estate.

Believe me, there is a proper castle there - more difficult to access than this house!

Monsieur le Comte, but you cannot leave Paris!

Whyever not?

You will lose your position then!

Yes... Perhaps.

But even so I will save my wife.

-Monsieur le Comte... -What?!

Forgive me. There is a man at the door - he looks like a nobleman, but calls himself simply Chicot...

He wants to see you!

Chicot, the royal jester! That annoying fly buzzing around and stinging to make himself respected!

Oh, what a pleasure would it be to order a servant to throw him down the stairs!

But he could only have come here on king`s orders.

Invite him in.

Monsieur de Monsoreau. Countess, good day.

Oh! What a lovely little bird!

Such a pretty one!

How tiny you are!

-I adore little birds... in cages. -Did an important matter bring you here?

No.

But we could maybe talk...

Please leave us.

What a lovely view you have here!

I like it as well.

But I suspect you are not here to admire the view from my windows.

We have arrived, messieurs! Please follow me.

Hey you, out of the way!

I do know this lovely place!

-Monsieur de Quelus? -Yes?

Is this not the same place where your servants were screaming "Death to him"?

Leave the old offenses for the horse market - we have come to enjoy ourselves, damn it!

Come in, messieurs! Follow me!

Your custom is a great honour to us!

-I am glad to serve you! -Do you know who I am then?

How could I not, who does not know of you?

I would have considered myself a simpleton if I did not know commander de Bussy!

Then do me a favour, dear innkeeper!

Serve your finest meal for my friends.

Where should I lay the table?

Over there!

Will be done at once, monsieur!

All of you - come here! Move!

Dear monsieur de Monsoreau... Recently I heard some rumors at court...

...claiming that you were dead!

And this news saddened us deeply.

Then they started saying you were alive, but gravely injured...

The king had enough of the gossip at last and sent me to find out the truth of the matter.

Well, I do hope you no longer have any doubts on the matter of my life or death.

Of course count - now I have all reasons not to believe those rumors of your demise!

Although you are very pale... With an alarming flush on your cheeks!

Red spots on your neck and glittering eyes...

All these are clear signs of fever!

And everything I know of medicine taught me a corpse cannot have fever!

You are certainly alive, count.

I am glad you have arrived at such a conclusion, monsieur Chicot!

Please tell His Majesty I will be able to resume Chief Huntsman`s duties in a few days.

This would be most convenient, count!

You know, recently His Majesty took a keen interest in your whereabouts.

Yes, you heard right!

You left for Anjou so suddenly!

Monsieur Chicot...

You see, I lo-

-Please help me stand! -Of course!

Thank you. I love His Majesty, the king of France, with all my heart!

But, at the same time, I am fully loyal to the duke of Anjou.

I am not close enough to His Majesty to give advice...

So I hastened to inform the duke of Anjou of the deep sorrow His Majesty felt...

...due to the feud unleashed by the enemies of the House Valois!

And the prince... took your words to heart?!

Of course! Our dear prince... has a heart of gold!

He said he was ready to sacrifice all his ambition for brotherly love.

-Monsieur le Comte... -Yes?

I have assumed you were only our Chief Huntsman!

But it looks like you are also the prince`s advisor in family matters!

Please allow me to take my leave now, monsieur de Monsoreau -

I will hasten to inform the king of your undying loyalty - and readiness to resume your duties.

Here you go, monsieur.

This one is ill in truth - and incapable of proper intrigue at the moment.

I wonder what my king`s favourite brother is up to.

Where are you going, madame?

To start preparations for our departure.

We will not leave.

I will not give up my position as Chief Huntsman.

I will continue as usual with my duties.

And I swear to you, madame...

I will protect you from that scum`s pursuit -

I have means of containing him.

Share your sorrows with me, Monseigneur?

I have been thinking of my dear France - under the rule of a weak-willed libertine!

Oh, my prince. You will have power in abundance to change her fate soon!

Your victory in Anjou encouraged your allies, both secret and open.

Yes. But in their minds, my cause is connected to the machinations of the Guises!

And another thing - this Monsoreau is in my way too.

Sometimes I think he is a Spanish spy!

Really, my prince? This would be an acceptable reason for sending Monsoreau to the gallows!

Yes.

But we should not be too hasty.

This is merely an assumption...

However... I will not rest until I can take revenge!

Revenge for his treachery, for the insolence with which he laughed at me, his master!

By the way, his wife is in need of a good lesson taught as well -

How haughty she was with me!

That little provincial noble...

She did not even deign to thank me for the gift!

Monseigneur!

I wish that all your plans may come to fruition!

Hey, you there!

Bring that hellish brew here at once!

I will drink you all under the table - alone!

We will be drinking till morning...

Until devils carry us off... from here... by the horns!

By the horns!

I have always liked you, monsieur de Quelus.

And I deeply regret that we have found ourselves on different sides... of the table.

I have always felt sympathy for you as well... Comte de Bussy!

To be honest, I have envied you a little.

-You? -Yes, I.

Envy, for me?

You.

Yes, I must seem happy to most.

I took from life everything there was to take -

...war, glory, damn it... Even love!

But...

I foresee many bleak years, with me living off memories of my life`s best moments.

You are an intelligent man, I am certain you understand the sentiment.

I do not think it would be as gloomy as you predict, Comte de Bussy.

Praise the Lord, it is not in our power to change the law which governs all of humanity.

The Creator gives each a measure of their own.

And if you were gifted beyond measure, dare to rise...

...and you will take the place that is due to you!

If not in this world, then the next.

Our best wine!

-Good day, Mariquita! -Good day, monsieur Chicot!

Forgive me!

Maitre Bonhomet, good day! What is happening here?

Is monsieur Bussy marrying your niece, perchance?

What an idea! What made you think that, monsieur Chicot?

But... I will tell you - if he married her, he would have no reason to regret it!

What perfidy! Maitre Bonhomet, you promised her to me!

-I did? -Yes, who else!

Well, if you say so.

Just a moment, messieurs! Bring more Jerez!

I wonder, what is the occasion for such gastronomical manoeuvres, for all the fountains of Jerez?!

Monsieur de Bussy and those noble gentlemen made peace...

And decided to celebrate with a dinner.

A most sumptuous dinner, I tell you! Trust me!

I trust you on that.

Well then, maitre Bonhomet...

Best of luck to you!

Adieu.

"See you soon!" would be better, monsieur Chicot! On my way, messieurs!

This is not possible! They are sworn enemies!

Had they been friends, there would have been no need to get drunk together!

Those scoundrels!

Blackguards!!!

Calm down, Henri. It is truly foolish of you to get so upset over people like those!

They laugh, they feast, they criticize your laws!

Retaliate as a philosopher would.

They laugh? Let us laugh as well!

They dine? Have something tasty served to us too!

They criticize your laws? Let us go to sleep.

My son...

Patience is such a lovely virtue... If one has no others!

I have been betrayed!

Betrayed!

These people have no concept of conduct worthy of a nobleman!

I do not understand you, Henri!

You worry about your friends, you mourn them as if they were dead...

But when told that they are alive, you still continue suffering and lamenting!

You are incorrigible.

You never cease whining, Henri!

Let us eat something, yes?

Today you are disagreeable... and annoy me, monsieur Chicot!

Would you have preferred a couple of rapier blows to the stomach for each of them?

Be consistent, at least!

I would have preferred friends I could rely on!

I swear by all saints - rely on me then!

Out!!!

Out of my sight!

Out with all of you!!!

Messieurs, the king has dismissed you!

-Sire, we wanted to tell you... -What?!

Tell me that you are sober now, are you not?

Forgive us, but you are wrong not to listen, Your Majesty.

I am not. I was not the one drinking Anjou`s wine!

At least allow us to explain!

I abhor... drunkards and traitors!

-Sire, please listen... -Be quiet!

-Please, listen to us, Your Majesty! -Patience, messieurs.

His Majesty slept badly and saw nightmares.

But I am certain that if he deigns to listen, his mood will improve greatly.

-Sire, please listen to what we have to say! -Your Majesty, please!

-We beg you, Sire... -Begone!!!

Speak, but keep it short.

I could keep it short, Sire...

...but it would be difficult.

Of course - to respond to certain accusations, you will have have to beat about the bush!

No evasion, Sire, I will be straightforward.

Your Majesty only knows of one half of what occurred.

And I dare say the least interesting half!

Yes, we dined with monsieur de Bussy.

None of us would deny it.

-And dined excellently, damn it! -The dinner was exceptional!

There was a wine there... beyond belief!

That disgusting German!

He has a weakness for wine, as I have always suspected!

And I have even been certain - after seeing him drunk at least twenty times!

This is irrelevant, Sire - we are dealing with a matter of utmost importance here.

He is right...

If His Majesty deems the lives of eight valiant nobles worthy of his consideration.

What do you mean?

We are waiting for the king... to confirm that he would listen.

Very well. I will listen.

You may speak, Quelus.

As I have already mentioned... we had a most serious conversation, and here is the result:

The king`s power has weakened.

It is under threat.

It bears similarity to those strange ancient gods...

...who aged, but did not die.

Walking ceaselessly towards immortality, but taking the path of extreme decrepitude...

...they could only discard those decaying shells and return their youth by means of a sacrifice!

Self-sacrifice of a devoted fanatic.

Then, thus renewed by this young and hot blood they would once again become...

...strong and powerful, and live once again!

Same with your power, Sire.

For it is as those gods were.

It can only regain life and potency at the price of a sacrifice!

What a mouthful, Quelus! You could easily preach on the streets of Paris!

And I would take any bet that you could outshine even that barrel of eloquence, Gorenflot!

Continue, Quelus - as you see, I am listening this time.

Translated by Grafinyademonsoro on Tumblr