The Princess of Montpensier Page #2

Greet us first, scrape later.

Your father would speak to you

privately.

And your uncle awaits you

in the gallery.

Very well.

We shall resume later.

You've lost weight, Chabannes.

I'll shortly give you details

of a decision.

The Guise honour

won't be tarnished!

Take Chabannes under your protection

until the King's ire passes.

And fear that of the Guises.

You have offended me, cousin.

I never forget an offense.

Henri!

I don't understand. Why him?

And his fury?

There's no offense to him.

If anyone, Mayenne...

Precisely.

It's all settled, I told you.

I made an agreement with his father.

You'll marry Montpensier!

No, Father!

You will yield! You must!

I order you!

I will host the Guises tonight.

You will consent before they go,

or everything will wobble.

This marriage suits me.

You will yield, or enter a convent.

I'm prepared to.

I've tamed worse than you!

The Guises leave tomorrow

and you'll forget all this. Yield!

You must! I'm your father!

It's your duty to obey!

My friend.

Leave us, Jeanne.

Control yourself, proud child.

And submit.

I know you are intelligent.

Youth makes you defiant.

Your feelings for Guise

are too conspicuous. Control them.

And let reason guide your future.

Think what marriage to that

dreamer Mayenne would lead to,

bringing you

near the one who desires you.

And to whom you're drawn.

Sooner or later,

you would both yield to temptation

and no good would ensue.

Marry Montpensier.

He's an ordinary brute

with no reputation yet,

either good or bad.

Daughter,

love is the most awkward of things.

I thank heaven every day

your father and I

have been spared such trouble.

Submit.

Don't fight the fate I must endure.

I beg of you.

What do you fear from me?

It's myself I fear.

He sleeps so soundly.

My brother doesn't dream of you.

It's my sleep you haunt.

Give me something of yourself.

Providence spares us great folly

by parting us.

My father wants a wedding

before Michaelmas.

I said yes.

They say the Romans...

or the Greeks, I don't know...

Some people from Italy...

They fed lampreys

like my cook does eels.

He feeds men to your eels?

No, he finely chops

intestines and livers

from poultry and game,

adds a little pork,

making a sort of sausage meat

he throws to the eels which,

in fresh water running over a bed

of fine gravel, fatten in a month.

The one I offer you today

weighed 9 lbs.

A serpent...

How did you prepare it?

Skinned,

browned, spread with anchovy butter,

rolled in fine bread crumbs,

under the grill another ten seconds,

and served with olive oil beaten

with lemon, mustard and hot pepper.

You mother taught you nothing?

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