The Prisoner of Zenda Page #4

- Hentzau.

Your Highness.

Your wit is as inopportune

as your appearance.

Why are you not at your post?

How can I witness the coronation of a king

who will be conspicuous by his absence?

Do we want to make it obvious

we knew he would not be there?

Incidentally, the burgomaster of Zenda

is outside to pay his respects...

...at the head of

a delegation of loyal peasants.

I told them you were probably too busy

to see them, as of course you are.

There may come a time, Hentzau...

...when your services

will no longer excuse your impertinence.

I called at your hotel again this morning

and as usual they said you were out.

Curiously enough, you were out for once.

I'm glad you stopped lying to me.

I hate being lied to by women.

They never did before.

I always lied to them.

You and I will never have anything

to lie to each other about.

Never? Somebody once called fidelity

the fading woman's greatest weapon...

...the charming woman's

greatest hypocrisy.

And you're very charming...

...to anyone whose head is not

bowed beneath a borrowed crown.

I thought I heard His Highness order you

to your place at the cathedral.

So you're trying

to put me in my place too.

I love arrogance in a woman.

It's always so amusing to discover

that their arrogance is only a defense.

But you need no defense against me.

You and I are allies.

Michael is plotting to betray us both.

Poor Michael,

how he shortchanges himself...

...deserting a warm, exciting

woman of the world...

...for an insipid wax doll.

That was hardly up to your usual standard,

Count Rupert.

I'd heard you were much more subtle.

What makes you think Michael has

any intention of marrying Princess Flavia?

- How else can he get the crown?

- He doesn't want the crown.

As those in his confidence know.

He wants only to be regent.

He's made you think he only wants

to be the man behind the throne? No.

He wants to sit on it.

And sit on it he never can

unless he sits beside the rightful queen.

And that queen is not you.

Even though you'd make a perfect queen.

I'm glad you believe me at last.

I told you we were allies.

I can even help you to win him back.

I'm the only man who can...

...because I'm the only man

who isn't afraid of him.

All you have to do is to give him

genuine cause to be jealous of me.

Would that be hard?

I, Rudolf, with justice and mercy,

to deal sovereignty.

To guard with vigilance and honor the

welfare of my peoples from all enemies...

No, no. Don't tell me.

From all enemies to defend them...

...and from the throne of my ancestors,

to bear faithful rule, all this do I swear.

A little swift, but you'll do.

Stop shaking, lad.

They'll mistake it for a royal hangover.

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