Episode 3 The Musketeers

Did you try to stall them? Write to Lorraine.

Tell my brother-in-law that these letters will reach our friends.

And have my courier meet me at the tavern in Paris.

Go, you idiot! Run!

LOUD KNOCKING

RAPID KNOCKING

You're a heavy sleeper, monsieur.

How dare you wake me in the middle of the night.

The King wants to see you.

Am I in trouble?

All we know is we must get you to the Palace without delay.

-Why such urgency?

-Pull up you your hood.

LAUGHTER AND CHATTER

Come on, Christophe.

Josephine said it would be all right.

My wife has a good heart.

Sylvie and her friends just need a small place to meet in.

Your friends are trouble.

HORSE WHINNIES

Argh!

GROANING

This man has fallen. He needs help.

Get him a chair.

Sit down.

Easy, easy.

Would that Musketeer be one of your friends?

Easy does it. Right, that's OK.

-Away from me!

-Have some wine. Have some wine.

I've been robbed!

Hey!

Come here! Stop, stop!

You cannot kill me!

I am the Duke of Orleans.

The King's brother!

We're leaving now. We won't come back.

Athos is Captain of the Musketeers.

He will keep his word.

Lower your weapons, soldiers.

Get him out of here.

Go.

Get off!

I'm sorry.

Phillipe!

Brother! Praise God!

Oh, it's a family reunion, look.

Gaston!

Welcome, welcome, welcome.

Barely five minutes in Paris and already three men are dead.

Why are you here?

This man is a murderer!

This fool and his friends dragged me from my bed at an ungodly hour

without ceremony or reason, save that the King has sent for me.

The King?

I fall from my horse through near exhaustion,

they force me into that tavern where I'm attacked!

Robbed! I feared for my very life.

Three innocent bystanders are dead because of you.

You did nothing to protect me and the King will hear of it.

Let us see what he wants with you first, shall we?

Together. Come.

The King placed the Duke in our custody.

A decision he may live to regret, don't you think?

Come.

I left a good, clean war for this.

This is madness!

Why bring the Duke of Orleans back after all this time?

It's political insanity.

I'm sure the King has his reasons.

Yes, which I do not have to share. Hurry up!

The Duke will be here soon.

Need I remind Your Majesty,

you exiled him for plotting to overthrow you?

Your own brother!

Treville believes that Gaston cannot be trusted.

I can keep my own counsel on who can and cannot be trusted.

Where are the Musketeers?

No matter. Gaston is here now.

Three years.

What have you been doing in that time?

Hoping for this day above all others, Majesty.

Just to stand in your presence once more.

Of course, I never dared believe it would actually happen, but...

Time to build bridges, brother.

Did you know about this?

No.

But neither did you.

Isn't that interesting? Hm?

FERON LAUGHS

Bravo! Well done!

Congratulations. What a performance, Gaston.

But where are you now?

This mask of innocence and civility does not fit you very well.

I don't understand.

No?

Hm. Of course you don't.

It appears His Majesty intends to keep you with us for a while.

And why not? We are reunited.

I hope so.

But, if not...

..you will come to me.

Hm?

FERON CHUCKLES

Who robbed him?

It was packed to the rafters, it could have been one of many.

He should never have been brought back in the first place.

-Why didn't you inform me?

-You're not the Captain any more.

If I were I'd keep to the garrison

and not ride out with my men at every opportunity.

-The King gave me a direct order.

-The King is not himself!

You need to start thinking like a leader, Athos,

not just a soldier.

And we must tell each other everything.

This inn, the men were all war veterans.

They'll want justice.

I cannot comprehend the King's behaviour these days...

..but I'll try to reason with him.

Stop!

Here. Leave yourself open like that and you're dead.

This is not a game. Do you understand?

Do you understand?

Head over heart, every time. All right?

Good. Good?

Again!

What is your business here?

What is yours, Captain?

My quarters are not your domain.

You will leave this instant.

But, Your Majesty, Governor Feron...

Quiet! I did not give you permission to speak.

I am no fool, Marcheaux.

I know that you spy on me.

And if I see you here again, I will have you arrested.

Your Majesty.

I've never seen you in such a rage, Your Majesty.

You've barely seen me at all.

The garrison keeps me so busy.

Forgive me. Of course it does.

It's just...

I had few friends before Gaston's arrival.

Soon I'll have none.

You'll always have me.

And Treville.

And my Musketeers.

I'm glad they're back.

For your sake.

And d'Artagnan's.

When will the garrison be blessed with its first child?

I'm not sure it ever will.

Why?

I see babies going hungry.

I...tell mothers their husbands aren't coming home from the war.

It's one thing to be a Musketeer's wife.

I don't know if I'm brave enough to be a Musketeer's widow.

And I know I don't want to raise a Musketeer's orphan.

Constance.

I forget how protected I am here in the Palace.

If the Duke would just apologise to these soldiers.

Absolutely not.

-They're animals! Took my money!

-Quite right.

It is the thief who caused this tragedy in the first place.

Root them out, Treville! Recover what was stolen!

That won't be necessary.

I'm afraid I must insist.

Majesty...

Soldiers respect the chain of command, Treville. You know this.

Show them a strong hand.

Find the thief and bring him before me.

Did you see anything?

I saw an aristocrat murder three innocent men

while the four of you just stood by.

That isn't the question.

That's the only question.

What were you doing with a group of soldiers?

I like soldiers.

I see that you do.

Aramis, now is not the time.

We're just talking.

Did you steal the Duke's purse?

Three men are dead and your only concern is the murderer's money?

We have orders from the King.

Orders to do what?

HE GROANS

Terribly interesting.

The King seems to have lost all confidence in his wife.

Rarely have I seen a marriage with so little intimacy.

So little life.

HE GROANS

She must have heard the rumours the King is going to make Gaston

part of the Royal Council.

She must feel terribly alone.

What is Louis up to?

My hands, George.

They're numb.

It will pass.

Will it? Perhaps.

I need your help, Feron, or I'm lost!

My purse contained letters from the Duke of Lorraine and I...

..to our allies across France.

This is the Gaston that I know.

Tell me, these letters,

I imagine they weren't the cordial affairs in which you praised

the King's virtues, hm?

Come on, tell me.

What mischief did you and Lorraine propose?

Extortion? Theft?

Or surely not the raising of an army?

I thought the King was my enemy!

How was I to know we'd be brothers again?

Hm.

Your reunion is going to be short-lived...

..if he ever sees those letters.

We must get them back.

If you help me...

..I will be in your debt.

You'd like that, wouldn't you, Philippe?

You've come to make an arrest?

The King leaves us with no military pension.

His brother murders our friends.

And now this!

You can't demand justice if you won't deliver it yourselves.

The men we bury tomorrow,

they fought for the King with us

on the worst day of the war, at Burgundy.

But later that same day

we learned His Majesty had been buying

thoroughbreds for his stables!

The King is grateful for the infantry's sacrifice at Burgundy.

The thief betrayed us and our friends, Leopold. Remember that.

He is dead to me, Captain.

You're giving in to them?

Holding them to their word.

I'll find the culprit.

But in return...

the King will put his brother on trial.

"The King is grateful"?

What else could I say?

We both know there'll never be a trial.

It seems our visit has stirred the thief's conscience.

They want to hand themselves over to us after the funeral tomorrow.

Along with the Duke's stolen documents.

He didn't lose money. He was lying.

I've told you everything I remember!

I couldn't see who took the purse

and I didn't get anywhere near the Duke!

Who did?

There were so many of them.

Very well.

Inform the Duke's allies that all is well.

Now get out of my sight.

Thank you, Lucien.

The Cerberus is due any day.

I'm negotiating with buyers for our shipment

and you disturb me with this?

Gaston's treachery is of little interest to me,

but his letters...

His letters implicate a dozen supposedly loyal nobles

in a plot against the King.

That's a list of names worth owning.

Mm. You see the opportunity.

If we can acquire them we'll control far more than the Duke.

I think I'll have Marcheaux arrest everybody at the Tavern.

No. Do not confront them on their own territory.

These men are dangerous.

Then what do you suggest?

Strike when they are weakest.

Grief is a great distraction.

-Any idea who this thief could be?

-We'll know soon enough.

Can we pay our respects first?

"With the Lord at your back...

"..you need not fear the destruction that wastes at noon.

"He will cover you with his feathers

"and under his wings you will find refuge.

"You will not fear the terror of night...

"..nor the arrow that flies by day.

"A thousand...

"A thousand men..."

A thousand men may fall at your side.

-HE WHISPERS:

-Excuse me.

That man...

who is he?

Lucien Grimaud.

He kindly met the cost of this service.

A thousand men may fall at your side.

10,000 at your right hand,

but none shall come near you,

because you have made the Lord your refuge...

..and the most high...

..your dwelling place.

This is a house of God!

These men are to be arrested by order of the Duke of Orleans.

You really do have no shame, do you?

The shame belongs to whoever stole from the Duke.

But since they will not come forward,

we'll flog everyone to get the truth.

It is Orleans who should be flogged!

And his bastard brother!

SCREAMING

-No, stop, stop!

-Treason.

-Hold, hold!

Calm down.

-No, no, no, no!

-If we were armed...

Don't give them a reason to fire. Don't!

Enough!

Withdraw, Captain.

I am your Minister and I order you - withdraw!

Christophe... Christophe!

Get your hands off me! You brought that monster into my home!

All this is your fault.

These men are trying to help.

I should never have listened to you!

I should've killed them all when I had the chance.

Four of ours have been taken.

We march on the Palace.

Take one of theirs!

Orleans!

Return to the tavern for the weapons!

We should go after them.

No. Come with me.

If it wasn't for that little wretch,

I'd be next in line to the throne.

Childhood. Such a perilous time.

So much tragedy can just...

..occur.

So far the King has refused to listen to me,

but if all of you bear witness,

he will understand the severity of this situation.

Why is my son out here with you?

Majesty.

The King is asleep,

but he wanted the Dauphin

and his two uncles to become the best of friends.

And how can you be friends when he is over there and you are here?

Who are you to question us?

-She is our Queen, Gaston.

-And you'd do well to remember

that you have only just returned from exile.

While you have gone into a kind of exile, Majesty.

It seems as if the King cares for nothing but his son.

My son and husband share many enthusiasms.

But when he is grown, he may not love the same people as his father.

Majesty.

Treville and his Musketeers, they stopped us.

They've gone to the King.

-I must go, too.

-I'll come with you.

No. Show Her Majesty that you can be friends with the Dauphin.

And try not to frighten the boy.

The Duke ordered the Red Guard to attack that church.

-Did he have your authority?

-But he was robbed!

Majesty, this is about more than money.

Your own war heroes are arming themselves to march on the Palace.

Well, then, we'll slaughter them.

There are men just like these in every borough of Paris.

What will they do when they hear how the King treats their brothers?

Majesty, this is a fire that must never be lit.

Force the Duke to show remorse. Make a public apology.

Enough! You do not tell me what to do, Treville.

Now get these Musketeers out of my quarters, immediately!

COUGHING

When I returned to Paris,

it felt like four years had passed in a moment.

Now it feels like forever.

He's big.

He's grown so tall.

Why are you here?

To stand witness against the Duke of Orleans.

Then do so.

Majesty.

You'd have me give up my own brother!

My first responsibility is to my family! My legacy!

There will be no legacy if any more of these men die at your hands!

If you will not hear me, then dismiss me.

You would abandon me again, Treville?

Many people in Paris think you have abandoned them.

I have not abandoned anybody. It is I who have been abandoned!

I have the white plague, Treville.

This is my last summer.

COUGHING

I was nine years old when my father was assassinated.

I can scarcely recall the sound of his voice.

My son will be just six.

I must spend every possible moment with him or he will forget me.

The Queen would never allow that to happen.

Gaston is my blood.

He will take his place by the Dauphin's side,

make sure the child remembers his heritage and his father.

That's why you brought him back.

Half of Paris hates him already.

The other half will soon follow.

Make a gesture to keep the peace, Treville.

Gaston must never bow down to a mob.

He must stay strong for my son.

And the Queen?

You are a dear friend, Treville.

But if you say anything to her or anyone else...

..I will hang you without a moment's hesitation.

Now, stop this from becoming any more of a disaster.

I am going to spend time with my son.

The King wants me to speak to these men on his behalf.

-That's not a good idea.

-They blame us, Treville.

I have to contain this before it spreads!

I will speak to them as a soldier, not a Minister.

What's happened?

They saw us help them against the Red Guard.

-They'll listen to me.

-You're going alone?

If I go with you it will provoke them.

Go without us, they might kill you.

If they reach the Palace, we'll kill all of them.

I cannot risk any more blood on Royal hands.

I'm coming with you.

I thought we were telling each other everything.

You shouldn't have come here.

No, Christophe! Don't do this.

Minister Treville is the King's closest advisor.

His friend!

He's come to negotiate. You can trust him.

I was a soldier.

Like all of you.

A long time ago.

Listen.

The King regrets all that's happened.

He'll grant compensation.

We want much more than money now.

And we don't need you to get it.

The Palace Guards know you're coming.

It's a suicide mission. They have ten times your number.

They'll wipe you out within 100 paces.

Just cut their throats!

This is not what you do.

You've never seen me in war! You have no idea what I can do.

You cannot win, Christophe.

If we stand down now, no-one will ever know what happened!

Yeah, but we will know.

That's not enough, Josephine. Not any more.

Too many of our men lie in unmarked graves,

or live impoverished in these streets.

We fought, we bled,

we died for this...King.

Don't throw your lives away.

100 paces?

Tell me...

..what would the King give...

..to get his friend back?

Tie them.

Tight.

The Palace.

We're not going to the Palace.

They will come to us.

Get word to the Musketeers' garrison.

Tell them we have the Minister.

How is this going to end?

When I finally get my hands on him.

With the death of the thief who took the Duke's purse.

Where's the Minister and my Musketeer?

You won't see them until you've taken our demands to the King.

This is never going to happen.

It'll happen in one hour, or your friends die.

-Stand down.

-We can still end this peacefully.

This will end!

But whether or not it is peaceful...

that's up to you.

One hour.

Stay here.

If we granted even half of what they're asking for it would ruin us!

A mass?

Full pensions for thousands of injured soldiers

who cannot even work, let alone fight?

Majesty, they were injured fighting for you.

-They want me to go down there?

-Impossible.

Your return has caused chaos!

Men are dead! The King's reputation has been tarnished.

-I am an innocent victim!

-Innocent?

Stop! Both of you!

Give the word, Majesty.

The Red Guard will raze the tavern to the ground

and destroy every one of those traitors.

Porthos and Treville will be killed.

A strong possibility that I will do everything in my power to prevent.

We're running out of time, Majesty.

Give me control of the situation.

You cannot risk Treville's life. He is your friend.

Do not make me go down there, Majesty.

They'll tear me apart!

Good.

It's settled, then.

The Red Guard will attack the barricade

and we'll end this outrage as swiftly as it began.

Before we resort to that, I'd like permission to attempt a rescue.

And if your rescue plan fails, Captain?

You attack them with everything you have.

But try to save Treville.

What does the King intend?

He has agreed to a rescue attempt.

-He'll do everything in his power to protect the Duke.

-Good.

The Governor says that the only way to make sure

that those letters are never found...

is to destroy those men.

Then why are they still breathing?

The Red Guard are only authorised to attack

if the Musketeers' rescue fails.

It will fail. I'll see to that.

There'll be a signal.

Don't attack until you hear it.

Stay calm.

Make sure they can see us at all times,

no sudden movements.

What are you doing? Lower your pistol.

-No-one is to draw a weapon without my order.

-Sorry, sir.

Look to your left.

Now your right.

A Musketeer is never alone, Brujon.

Remember that.

The Duke won't come.

Maybe not.

Aristocrats always stand at the edge of battle,

watching better men lay down their lives.

Hm, yeah.

Yeah, but this isn't what it is, is it?

A battle.

Men like us know the difference.

The fight is all we've got left.

Let Porthos go.

No.

I never walk away from a fight.

This is not how you change things, Christophe.

You both know the enemy never gives you victory.

You have to take it from him.

We're not your enemy.

If I untie you, put a weapon in your hands...

..will you join us?

That's what I thought.

You know they're right.

They're just trying to talk their way out of this.

I don't believe you'd kill them.

Not in cold blood.

You're a good man.

A good man?

I am a man of my word.

And if our demands are not met within one hour,

I'll shoot them both.

Believe that.

I need to know our men are alive, Christophe.

On your feet!

Outside!

Make it quick, Captain.

Treville?

As soon as I give the word,

the King will organise an emergency Council meeting.

Be over soon, my friend.

Until then, be strong, as you were at Alsace.

Tell the King they're alive.

Put the prisoners in the windows.

Good.

Porthos knows. They're ready.

What happened at Alsace?

Porthos got himself captured by a Spanish regiment.

We had to get him out,

so we came in through the tunnels right underneath.

Resourceful.

Reckless.

-Ready?

-Ready.

Stand by, Brujon, it's time.

I knew it!

Return fire!

We need to work on their shooting.

Now!

Still got it, I see.

Most of it.

Let's see what these Musketeers are made of.

LOUD EXPLOSION

That's the signal!

COUGHING AND SPLUTTERING

I see now that the King will give us nothing

Christophe!

No!

Defend yourselves!

Oh, no.

-Let us help them!

-Without us they'll be slaughtered!

Go. Go!

-Covering fire! Fall back!

-Move, move, move!

-Fall back!

Fall back!

Cadet, come here!

Head down! Go! Come on!

Come on, come on, come on!

Marcheaux!

He won't listen.

This attack has no legitimacy!

He has direct orders from the King!

He could kill us all, no questions asked.

We fight him.

Together.

Together.

How much gunpowder do you have?

-Two barrels inside.

-I'll go.

I should be the one in my grave.

This is my fault.

You're the thief.

Christophe believes this place pays for itself.

It never has.

Ever since he was discharged,

the only way to keep debtors at bay is...

To pick pockets of men like Gaston.

Only this time there was no money, just letters.

I meant to give you them after the funeral.

These could bring Orleans down once and for all.

If Christophe finds out what I've been doing all this time,

it'll destroy him.

Yes, well, we may be dead before then.

Keep them firing!

Now!

-They're reloading! Now!

-Fire!

Powder!

I'm out!

Fire!

We're outgunned!

Is there another way out?

We're trapped.

Whatever happens, I've got your back.

I know.

Draw swords!

You are interfering with the King's orders.

A coward hides behind his orders.

A man steps out in front of them.

You are no man, are you?

As you can see, Captain, I am safe now.

Oh, Minister, I am relieved.

Crawl back to the Governor.

SHE WINCES IN PAIN

Josephine!

You're cold.

I always thought I would be the one left alone in the world.

I'm so sorry, Christophe.

You have no reason to be sorry, my love.

You stood by me...

..all these years...

..through all those wars.

I let you down. I...

You fought bravely, Josephine.

You kept your honour.

You both did.

HE SOBS

The Duke was carrying these when he entered the tavern.

He and many others were raising an army against you.

If you won't punish him for what he did to those men,

surely you'll punish him for this?

It is the soldiers who ought to be brought to justice,

rising up in such a way.

This city is full of soldiers.

Take against them

and next time it won't be 20 men who rise up, but 200.

Then a thousand.

Very well. The soldiers will not be punished.

Gaston acted out of fear.

It's still treason.

And he is still my brother.

Surely you're not going to forgive him?

I'm returning to exile?

No, no, you'll be staying here in Paris.

But not here at the Palace.

The Bastille.

By order of Governor Feron.

Who do you think she's come to see?

Athos.

Oh...

Strange choice, that.

Thank you.

Thank you.

I told Christophe you could be trusted.

Took you long enough, but you proved me right in the end.

-You doubted me?

-Not for a second.

I probably shouldn't kiss a captain in front of his men.

Hm...

Most of them are boys, not even men.

KEYS JANGLE

CELL DOOR IS UNLOCKED

Get out, Feron.

I have no need of a bastard's friendship.

Good morning, Gaston.

I am the son of a king,

-just like you.

-You are frail. Weak

True. I also have no heart.

Very, very dangerous combination.

Oh, my dear Gaston,

only a fool would mistake physical infirmity for weakness.

When I'm released, yours is the first throat I'll cut.

You are everything I took you for, Gaston.

And much, much less.

I'll leave you to reflect.

Perhaps I'll name you.

Tell the King how you were only too keen to help me.

And perhaps you will suffocate in your sleep...

..choke on your breakfast,

or bleed out cutting your finger

on one of those letters you love to write.

The future has many possibilities, Gaston,

and all of them end in death.

We should both take this time...

..to consider that.

DOOR SLAMS SHUT