Episode 5 The Musketeers

SHOUTING

HE WAILS

HE WAILS

SHOUTING

Hold them back!

BLADE SLICES

HE GROANS

The denizens of hell will not keep me from my throne!

I am your King!

Appointed by God.

And my kingdom awaits.

-HE CLICKS HIS FINGERS

-You!

Have this place redecorated.

It's my son's birthday today.

It's not fit for a dog...

...let alone a monarch.

What's happening, Marcheaux?

The prisoners attacked a guard and stole his keys. The whole chatelet is wide open.

And they're not going to go back into their cells like nice little sheep.

-You think you can do any better?

-I know we can.

Put a line at the gates!

You are wasting time!

Fall back! Fall back!

The prisoners must not return until the midday bell.

It'll take the Red Guard that long to secure the chatelet.

I'm told the whole place is in chaos.

Chaos is good.

The man with a clear purpose always prevails.

HE CHUCKLES

Alas, my purpose...

HE GROANS ..is to play the fawning uncle

at the Dauphin's birthday party.

The more distractions at the palace, the better.

We will soon have our war chest.

That's all that matters.

And the moment the King is dead,

we can move in with Gaston at the head of an army.

CLANGING

Where are the Musketeers?

Marcheaux's keeping them busy.

We're nearly through to the lower chamber.

Get up!

Leave me alone.

-I have nothing to do with any of this.

-Joubert, you're wrong.

This is all about you.

SHOUTING AND GROANING

How many prisoners have escaped into the streets, Marcheaux?

There's no way of telling. Why don't you go and find out?

SHOUTED ORDERS

Captain Marcheaux, if my men and I pursue those unaccounted for,

I trust this won't descend into street theatre?

Don't bring them back before midday. It's chaos inside.

It'll take time to regain control.

What are we supposed to do with them until then?

You have a garrison.

Use it.

The Red Guard are busy.

Captain?

Fine.

You're wasting precious time, Joubert.

You won't kill me.

You need me alive.

That's what this is about, isn't it?

Your skills are valuable to me.

Your wife, however, is not.

Annabelle.

You wouldn't hurt her?

You really don't want to push me.

Now, give me what I want!

We must transform this little palace into a magical fairyland!

Anything you desire, Majesty.

Money is no object.

As I promised, the Dauphin will remember this birthday for ever.

Yes. He must remember every moment, every detail.

It is not every day a boy turns six.

This is already more than any boy could ever wish for.

Your generosity is greatly appreciated, Governor.

The Governor of Paris has plenty of money. Isn't that right, Feron?

HE MUMBLES

It seems the Dutch Ambassador will be unable to attend today.

The Dutch government are sending the financier Van Laar in his place.

Van Laar?

You know him?

Come, I want to see the presents.

We have so many, we've had to put some in another room.

There is a dangerous situation developing at the chatelet.

I am quite aware of it, Treville.

Yet your men have proved utterly ineffectual in stopping it!

Feron, are you listening?

There are dangerous criminals on the streets of Paris

while you plan party games.

It is expected of me.

Just as it is expected that I pay for all this!

The King doesn't care what is happening out there, Treville.

Today is about one thing.

Open your eyes, look around you.

PANICKED SHOUTING

Save yourself!

SHE SCREAMS

No, it's mine!

-SYLVIE:

-This isn't the kind of world I want to live in,

where a man must steal to feed his family.

There's got to be something better.

That's what my father believed.

That one voice...

..struggles to be heard, but if we speak together...

..surely the King must hear us.

-Look in there!

-Red Guard!

Stay where you are!

All of you!

You got any food?

Warn Constance there'll be more.

They're heading for the refugee camp.

Move!

SCREAMING

Who are you?

What do you want?

You have no business with us here, Musketeers. Now, get out!

-D'ARTAGNAN:

-Four men came this way. Escaped prisoners.

You are the only strangers in here.

You'd better come with me.

Now!

-Still peddling sedition!

-There's nothing written on there that any of us are ashamed of.

They had nothing to do with what happened at the chatelet.

How can you be sure? We both know there's a lot more to this.

You have my word.

Let's leave these two alone, shall we?

Move!

Athos? What will happen to those men?

That is not my decision.

You sound like a Red Guard.

When Aramis told me you gave away your land and titles,

I thought it was because you believed no man to be above any other.

But now I see it was fear.

I just didn't want that life.

What life do you want?

Most of the men you're chasing aren't dangerous but desperate.

The desperate become dangerous.

Governor Feron makes cellmates of the innocent and the guilty.

I will not help you steal the King's gold reserves.

I won't do it. You'll never make me.

Annabelle's locket!

My men have prepared the way for you.

Take him down.

Return to your homes quickly.

It's no longer safe on the streets.

Please take what you've been given and go.

Where are you going?

I'm worried about Annabelle Joubert. She's usually first at the gates.

She's probably just locked her doors and stayed in.

You don't understand. She's blind.

I'm coming with you.

Herr Van Laar, pleasure to see you again.

We're sorry to hear of the Ambassador's incapacity.

Yes, of course, of course.

Er, forgive me, Minister.

I speak as a loyal servant and admirer of the King but, erm...

..the loan that His Majesty took out.

The interest repayment is overdue. A trifle, I'm sure.

There must be some mistake.

No, the repayment schedule is quite clear.

I granted the loan only under the strictest terms.

I believe it was a private arrangement.

A necklace that the King has had made for the Queen.

Governor Feron brokered the transaction.

Feron?

I see.

How much money are we talking about?

A substantial sum.

Two million livres.

HE GROANS

It took me six months to design this lock.

Two smiths a month to construct the door.

It's over a foot thick.

CLATTERING

My tools and plans...

You have until midday to dismantle it.

But if I try to remove any of the individual pieces,

the mechanism I designed will deadlock the door.

HE YELLS

You have to believe me.

If you try to blow it open with gunpowder,

you'll bring down the roof.

Drilling at it might take a week.

Open the vault...

or she dies...

..slowly.

I'll have to make a new key.

How long?

Some time.

It's the only way. I swear it!

I'll need as many keys as you can find.

I can use them to make a new one.

Bring him what he needs.

Annabelle's husband Victor fell ill and got into debt.

They lost everything.

It seems like Paris is full of people that have lost everything.

And the rest are a stroke of bad luck away

from having to choose between stealing and starving.

Here.

If the husband did escape with the others from the chatelet,

he might be desperate.

Annabelle never spoke of him as being violent.

Six months in the wrong company can change any man.

Annabelle?

Something's wrong.

She wouldn't just desert her home.

She didn't.

Some men took her.

Feron!

I've been looking for you.

Now you've found me. Well done!

I just had a very interesting conversation

with your friend Van Laar.

Do not touch me, sir!

You took out a loan with him on the King's behalf?

I should have been told.

Ah! A private affair.

Not your concern.

Everything regarding the King is my concern.

Oh, really?

The King wanted to buy a gift to placate his wife.

But perhaps you'd prefer to question His Majesty yourself

concerning the unfortunate state of his marriage?

You won't object, then, if I deliver these letters to His Majesty

on Van Laar's behalf?

Of course not. Why should I?

SCRAPING

How much longer?

It's a delicate mechanism. The key has to be just right.

-D'ARTAGNAN:

-Don't resist.

There's another one.

You need help?

No. I'll deal with it.

I'll be at the garrison.

Captain!

Minister Treville is waiting in your office.

Make sure the prisoners get food and water before they go back.

Yes, sir.

It's yours, if you want it back.

Is everything under control?

I think so.

We're on our own out there. The Red Guard are nowhere to be seen.

Why are the prisoners here and not in the chatelet?

Marcheaux told us not to return with them until the midday bell.

There's something very wrong about today.

Governor Feron has borrowed two million livres from the Dutch

in the King's name.

-Louis knows nothing about it.

-Tell him.

He won't listen.

Not today.

I've left Van Laar's letters for him to find.

When he does, Feron will be finished.

GRUNTING

FERON GASPS IN RELIEF

Oh, it's you.

Playing a game, Little Majesty, hm?

Well, perhaps now that I've found you,

it would be better if you hid elsewhere. Hm?

As far away as possible, actually,

otherwise we might hide you

somewhere Mama and Papa will never find you, hm?

What are you doing in here, Philippe?

Oh? HE CLEARS HIS THROAT

We were playing a game, Majesty.

My ingenious nephew took some seeking, I can assure you.

Ah, forgive me.

All that exertion, I am a little bit in pain.

You mustn't trouble your uncle.

Oh, don't be too hard on the poor boy.

I just need a moment, you know?

Let's sit.

Hm?

No. No, I have too much to do, as I'm sure you do.

I think it's time he had a rest.

Well, erm, we'll play again soon, Little Majesty.

Good day.

HE GRUNTS

This is where they took her.

Rochelle, you go home now. Leave this to us.

SOBBING

SOBBING

What do you want with me? Please, I have no money.

My locket!

It was a gift from my husband.

BLADE SLASHES

WOOD CRUMBLES

Let's say hello, shall we?

Can we, all five of us,

discuss this as gentlemen?

Just kill them both!

Obviously not.

Constance?

How did you know?

You have the scent of the garrison.

Really?

In a good way.

I'll take that as a compliment...

I think.

-ANNABELLE:

-He's coming! I can hear him!

SHE SCREAMS

BLADE SLASHES

Where have you been?

HE CLEARS HIS THROAT

WOMAN CRIES OUT

HE WHIMPERS

Help me.

I'm frightened.

They are sending assassins to kill me.

I have to take you back to the chatelet.

No!

No. No, no, no, no. Not that place. Please.

Take this.

Take it, take it. I'm not going to hurt you.

Just not back there, please.

You were a soldier?

Was I?

Oh, yes.

Yes, that's right.

And I was a brave one, too.

Reckless, some said.

Really?

That was before...

..he got in there.

In your head?

HE SWALLOWS HARD

Who?

The impostor.

The one who says that he's the King.

I need to get to the palace.

Thieves plot to steal my gold.

On my son's birthday, too!

Perhaps I can help you?

If I find somewhere safe for you to go, will you come with me?

Your Majesty?

Will you come with me?

HE LAUGHS

HE LAUGHS MANICALLY

We need more time.

Have Feron delay the return of the prisoners until the late bell.

We make our escape this evening. Go.

I shouldn't have done that.

You...

You won't take me back to that place?

No.

No, I won't. I want to help you.

Very well.

We will return to the palace.

Very good.

HE CLICKS HIS TONGUE

Three paces behind.

Of course.

All this excitement...

Why are you making such a fuss of this particular birthday?

You're exhausting yourself.

Louis...

..we used to talk together.

Now I feel I hardly know you.

It is you none of us really know, my dear.

So many secrets...

I don't understand.

My son must remember this day.

But there will be many others.

Louis...

..I am your wife.

Will you not speak to me?

Louis?

Please.

-SOFTLY:

-I'm lonely.

Governor?

I've a message from a friend.

Here?

We haven't even got through to the vault yet.

What?!

If we're to escape with the gold as the prisoners are returned to the chatelet, we need more time.

Grimaud says don't send them back in until the late bell this evening.

Do not mention that name here! Now, go before anyone sees you. Get out!

HE SHOUTS: Van Laar!

A word, if you pray?

Governor Feron!

How good it is to see you again.

We had quite a time of it last time we met, hm?

Dear friend, come.

You were expressly told...

..our transaction was a private matter.

There has been some misunderstanding.

Minister Treville is the King's trusted advisor.

Minister Treville is not family.

You must retrieve your grubby letters from him

and leave here at once!

My intention was not to offend His Majesty.

But you have not responded to any of my appeals.

There has been no interest paid on the loan. I must have my money.

I am giving you the chance to leave. Why do you not go?

What is going on, Feron?

What exactly are you trying to prove here?

Perhaps I should speak to the King?

You could just pick up your letters and walk away.

BLADE SLASHES

I gave you the chance.

HE PANTS HEAVILY

Here...take a seat.

-Those men?

-We've gathered most of the prisoners, and we'll soon have the rest back at the chatelet.

Those men, they weren't from the chatelet.

What do you mean?

No convict wears rings on every finger.

One of them had fur around his cuffs. I could feel it.

Then who were they?

What would they want with you?

My husband. I... I think they were using me to get to Victor.

He was once a locksmith for the King. He designed locks for the royal vault.

The King's gold reserves are beneath the chatelet.

Please, help save my husband.

Thank you, sisters.

The voice in my head.

It still hurts me.

You can rest here.

The sisters will look after you.

BOREL CHUCKLES

Yes.

I will make you a comte for this.

-BOREL:

-Hm?

I need more lead! I can't do it without more lead!

Where are we supposed to get the lead? From the roof?

You're armed.

Give me your shot.

I can't put the elements together without it.

You think, by wasting more time, you can save your wife?

No lead, no key.

Give him what he wants. Quickly.

Finish the job!

-PORTHOS:

-Why did you let him go?

I couldn't send him back to the chatelet. He's not a well man.

-Hm?

-I felt for him.

He was at the Siege of Salas, Porthos.

What happened?

The Spanish had that town surrounded for almost a year.

And the people defending it were driven to eating dogs, rats.

-Yeah.

-And each other...

if the rumours are true.

And that's enough to make any man mad.

I'd rather have starved.

Well, you don't know what you're talking about...

-do you?

-BELL RINGS

Hey, you did the right thing.

-RED GUARD:

-The midday bell.

The chatelet is secure now.

Captain Marcheaux has ordered us to escort the prisoners back.

It's about time.

Brujon!

In case you need any more of our help.

Good day.

We've been played for fools! Quickly! We need to find Athos.

They're stealing the King's gold from under the chatelet.

HAMMERING ON DOOR

HE GROANS SOFTLY

HAMMERING CONTINUES

HAMMERING INTENSIFIES

HE SHOUTS: Coming!

Governor?

Georges...

Get rid of them.

What happened here?

Oh, that.

I had hoped it had been a dream.

It's Van Laar.

I'll need you to dispose of him.

HE GASPS

The prisoners?

The midday bell has been rung.

They're being returned to the chatelet, as instructed.

No, we were supposed to delay it.

-I got no message.

-Grimaud needed time!

They should only have been returned at the evening bell.

Oh, Georges, what have we done?

They'll never be able to get out!

HISSING

It's done.

Back to your cells, you vermin.

No.

Open the doors.

The King's gold reserves are under attack!

No-one in or out!

They're bringing the prisoners back.

It's too soon.

If we don't get out now, we'll be trapped in here.

You failed me!

I gave Governor Feron the message, just as you told me. I swear it.

What do you mean to do with me now?

GUN CLICKS

I took your shot, remember?

Musketeers!

Hide!

Lock this door.

KEY TURNS IN LOCK

HE GROANS

It's an escape route.

HE GROANS

Sit him up.

HE GROANS

Psst.

Stop!

SWORD SLASHES

HE GROANS

Secure the chatelet!

Open the door.

That's it, easy, easy.

HE GROANS

Good. Right, right.

I'm going to talk to Minister Treville.

Try and get you out of here and get back to your wife.

Everything the man told me turned out to be true.

-The gold, the robbery, everything.

-Look...

-No?

-Gone!

You're telling me a lunatic is going to reveal who's behind all this?

Yes!

Borel?

-He thinks he's the King.

-Why? Do you know him?

We shared a cell.

Be careful with him.

He seems harmless, but he's not.

He murdered a jailer in front of my eyes.

The nuns!

No. No, no, no. Oh!

What have I done?

My friend, we're too late for them.

We need to find Borel, stop this happening again.

He knows about the Dauphin's party.

The King is determined the party will go ahead.

We need to find this man quickly and quietly.

Captain Marcheaux, have your men search the palace and the grounds.

This man Borel is dangerous?

Yes. He wouldn't be at large if you and your men

had done a better job at the chatelet.

He has already killed three today, perhaps more.

Look, you...you can stay here. I've got this.

You don't need to see the Queen or the Dauphin.

But if you're going, it's my duty.

We shouldn't be doing this.

The Musketeers are here, Your Majesty. You're well protected.

It's not our safety that concerns me, Treville.

What kind of message does all of this send to the people?

That the King loves his son.

And will spend more time indulging him than feeding his subjects.

How about you and d'Artagnan search the gardens?

TAPPING

-COURTIER:

-The King awaits.

Captain.

-I've put the Royal Family at risk.

-No, you haven't.

You couldn't have measured the full consequences of your actions.

Believe me, I know.

Your intentions were good.

That's what matters.

Now, let's find this madman.

Well, it's not much of a throne, is it?

HE CHUCKLES

HE MUTTERS

No-one!

No, no, no, no, no.

No-one!

HE INHALES DEEPLY

HE KISSES

Hm?

Oh, yes.

Hm? Thank you.

Thank you.

My son,

I can barely believe it,

has reached this most important of milestones in a young boy's life -

his sixth birthday!

Such an important day reminds us

of the destiny of every first-born son in the House of Bourbon.

My boy will one day be your King!

HE WHISPERS: Excuse me.

Your many tributes are touching.

But you must show me that you love my son as I love him...

..and swear your loyalty.

First, Philippe Feron,

Governor of Paris.

I...

..Philippe Feron,

pledge my loyalty to the boy with the purest blood

in the whole of France.

HE GROANS

MURMURING

He's embarrassing our son.

Can't you see he's ill?

-Uncle...

-FERON GASPS

I pledge my loyalty

to the future King of France...

HE PANTS HEAVILY

..and may God forgive me.

FERON LAUGHS

Thank you, Philippe.

I need a moment. Alone.

I can't bear this spectacle any longer.

Well, hurry back.

We still have the presents.

Do we know who this is?

Van Laar, the Dutch financier.

Borel's here, in the palace.

-SHE GASPS

-Ssh-ssh-ssh!

Don't, don't, don't, don't.

Don't you know your real husband, my dear?

I have come back for you.

Who are you?

What are you doing in here?

Ssh. We must be careful.

There are impostors at the palace, you know.

And one of them...

HE HUMS

..he whispers to me and he won't stop.

BOREL LAUGHS

And he thinks that he's the King, not me.

Well...

..we must find him.

Perhaps in the grounds?

The grounds?

Mm-hm.

Hm.

BOREL GRUNTS SOFTLY

I will find that creature that's calling himself the King...

..and I'll cut out his heart.

Surely, as King, you might show a little mercy?

Ssh!

Ssh...

I can hear the whispers.

You're against me, aren't you?

-ATHOS:

-What have we got?

The Queen. She's not in her quarters.

She's missing.

If you have a shot, take it.

You knew! You knew he put me into that place!

Nyah-hah-hah!

You let him get inside of my head, didn't you?

No, no, you're wrong. Now, you must calm down. We can talk this through.

-We can talk this through!

-Stop!

Even my Queen is against me!

She's not the Queen!

She's not the Queen!

She's an impostor.

BOREL LAUGHS

No, no, no, no.

-You're trying to trick me.

-No.

-I swear it. She is...

-What?

What?

-She's what?

-She's mine.

Aw...

Now I know you're lying.

-She must die.

-No!

SHE SCREAMS

D'Artagnan!

My comte!

-Your Majesty.

-Your Majesty.

What is this?

Your Majesty, an intruder found his way into the palace.

-He's been dispatched.

-Get away from her!

Are you hurt? Summon a physician.

I am unharmed...

..thanks to the Musketeers.

Treville.

If I get lost, they need only ask you where to find me.

Do sit down.

You heard about the attempted robbery on the vault?

Shocking, wasn't it?

And all the time, we were at the Dauphin's birthday party, oblivious.

Once again, the Red Guard saw and suspected nothing.

Something rotten is at work here, Feron, and I know who's behind it.

Say anything to the King,

and I'll have his secret spread

halfway across Europe before nightfall.

What secret?

HE CHUCKLES SOFTLY

The king is dying,

which leaves a six-year-old on the throne,

and possibly a Spanish queen as Regent

when we are at war with Spain.

Just think of the damage if that gets out.

Riots in the city.

Armies at the gates.

Breathe one word

and I'll bring everything you hold most dear

crashing down.

CLANGING

Today is a day I'd rather forget.

If Treville knows Feron is behind all of this,

why won't he just go to the King?

And say what?

The loan documents were destroyed.

-van Laar is dead.

-He's still a traitor.

He wasn't acting alone.

I shot a sick and desperate man today.

Who wanted to kill the Queen.

Why do I feel like I'm fighting for the wrong side?

Where are you going?

ROMANTIC MUSIC

I should kill you now.

It was not me who ruined our plans.

-It was the Musketeers.

-There will be no army!

The King will die and we have no means to take advantage of it!

We still have Gaston.

We still have his allies.

You need me, Grimaud.

Gaston will not deal with you alone.

Oh...

Yes.

And the Musketeers?

Those four will not stand in my way again.