Episode 8 Versailles

I shall ride ahead and announce His Majesty's arrival.

No. I shall announce my own arrival.

A little surprise will do them a world of good.

May I ask what this is about?

Her Majesty did not confide in me, Madame.

You mean, you know, but you won't tell me?

The Marquise de Montespan.

Her Majesty has summoned me here for a reason, I imagine.

Yes. It relates to your debts.

I was not aware that I had any.

A new carriage, 40,000.

A silver locket, 7,000.

Wine, 2,000.

All of these were placed against the king's account.

They total over £100,000 and should have been paid one month ago.

Well, I am sure when the king returns,

he will settle any outstanding debts.

As you know, anyone unable to pay their debts loses their allowance

and is automatically banished from court.

Her Majesty seems ignorant of the fact that we are not in Spain,

and we do not have Inquisitions in France!

Sire. It is a pleasure to see you return.

-Where is Her Majesty?

-She is in conference, Sire.

The King!

Clear the room!

HE COUGHS

The Marquise de Montespan shall remain.

You have been missed. By none more so than myself.

I missed you, too.

You did not reply to my letters. May I ask why?

While I was at war, I thought back to the vision I had

when they laid the first stones of this palace.

The dream of an eternal empire with Versailles at its centre.

And I realised that my dream was suffocating.

Versailles was dying, and I was dying with it.

And the person who had been my companion for so long

was blinding me to my true purpose.

His Majesty is weary, perhaps.

I would be alone.

# I'm the king of my own land

# Facing tempests of dust

# I'll fight until the end

# Creatures of my dreams raise up and dance with me

# Now and forever

# I'm your king. #

Solange, please close the door.

No doubt the war has taken its toll and he is in need of rest.

-He was in good spirits?

-Indeed.

Keen to throw himself back into matters of state

and the construction of the palace.

Well, no doubt he was delighted to see you.

Solange, please ask the maid to prepare my bath.

Of course, Madame.

He loves me, and I will give him the attention

and affection that he needs.

Of course.

His Majesty must be tired after such a long journey.

Tired, yet reinvigorated.

When I last saw you, Sire, you seemed...

Lost?

Now I am found.

I want you to organise a banquet for this evening.

Send out invitations.

The entire court will attend.

A fine idea, Sire.

But first, tell me news.

All that has happened in my absence.

Hide nothing.

And your husband?

He grows sicker by the day.

The last few weeks are the worst.

It is too late to regret what you have done.

I regret nothing.

But I will live the rest of my life a murderer.

No.

You will live the rest of your life as a woman who defended herself!

Go.

The prodigal brother is returned.

I understand you made a fine monarch in my absence.

I did my best, though, of course, I could not fill your shoes.

Anyway, I thank you for your efforts.

You drove a good bargain and we now have a foothold in India.

All for the sake of France.

How was the war?

Exhilarating?

Educational.

I left to escape my foes here

and to confront another foe on the field of battle.

But I realised my only true enemy had accompanied me all the way.

Who is that?

Huh!

Welcome home, brother.

You've changed.

Though I cannot yet see how.

You soon will.

How is your wife?

Oh, you know her. Bouncing through life.

SHE RETCHES

Well, that was fun(!)

I can't possibly see the king now, unless he likes being vomited upon.

You must see a doctor.

Tell His Highness to come immediately.

It's really not necessary.

I'm certain it was the pastries I had last night.

Your Highness, you must see a doctor,

given all that's happened of late.

Oh, I see.

Yes, perhaps you should call for a doctor.

An invitation from the king.

An invitation from the king.

You must send a message to my dressmaker

and Monsieur Cornereau in Paris.

Tell them they must come to the palace immediately.

-Monsieur Cornereau?

-He makes fireworks, you idiot!

Queen of Versailles, that's what he called me.

And I'm going to show him how queens welcome home their kings.

This is most heartening news, Sire.

I was deaf to your advice.

I shall not be again.

Even the Lord Jesus was lost in the wilderness.

In three weeks, we shall celebrate Easter, Sire.

You shall receive Communion,

and all the children of God will rejoice.

As shall I.

And what does His Majesty intend

for the unfortunate object of his...previous affection?

I shall forget her.

And the Lord will forgive her.

In return, I insist on the Church's unconditional support

in my war against the Dutch.

-And you shall have it.

-It is my goal to drive out the Protestant scourge

and create a Catholic empire

with justice and enlightenment at its centre.

I need Rome by my side,

not blocking my path.

SHE WINCES

The quill?

That...hurts!

The blood's been contaminated, Your Highness.

By the process of purging and xenotransfusion,

the humours will be returned to their normal state.

"Xenotransfusion", meaning...?

The introduction of the blood of another species.

In this case?

The blood of a sheep.

I shall return later today.

-Do you believe that she's been poisoned?

-I do.

Nausea, vomiting,

general feeling of weakness.

Those are common symptoms, yes.

And do you believe that this is the best course of treatment?

I do.

-HE GRUNTS, BOWL CLATTERS

-You'd better pray you're right.

Because if you're not, and something happens to her,

I'm going to stick that quill right through your eye.

Was it you?

-Was what me?

-How did you do it?

Did you slip poison into her wine?

What are you talking about?!

My wife!

She's been poisoned and I think I know who did it!

Don't be ridiculous!

You yourself said you would declare war on her.

I may dislike her clothes, I may mock her,

I may hate her for stealing you from me,

and in the dark of night, I have wished her dead.

But I would not go so far as to...MAKE her dead.

HE STIFLES SOBS

I'm sorry.

You should be.

I believe it to be the only option left open to us, Sire.

-The only option?

-Sire, Bonn has fallen.

We have received word that William's army has crossed the Rhine!

If we sue for peace now,

at least we shall do so from a position of relative strength.

No. Give orders for Turenne to bolster his position.

And the Palatinate, Sire?

An invasion is imminent.

Our forces are greatly outnumbered

and the army of the Palatinate is too weak to defend itself.

Do whatever is necessary.

I'm not certain I understand, Sire.

Do whatever is necessary!

You requested my presence, Sire.

Follow me, gentlemen.

France is sullied...

..by events here at the palace,

by our reverses in Holland.

I want the people of France to see their king and country

in a better light.

Whatever setbacks we may suffer in the war,

they will read of nothing but epic victories

and I want you to describe them.

Trumpet them to the world with every fine phrase

and heroic simile at your disposal.

-Sire, if I may...

-Now, look around you, gentlemen.

What do you see?

Furniture.

-Yes.

-Walls.

Yes.

Furniture, walls, curtains, candles...

What else?

Darkness.

Precisely.

I dreamed of creating a hallway ten times the size of this room.

A room without darkness.

On one side, windows looking out to the gardens.

On the other, mirrors.

A hall of blinding light that would make the palace famous

throughout the world and for time eternal.

Let us now turn this dream into reality.

It is Her Highness, Sire.

She is taken ill.

Talk to me, Doctor!

I beg for your patience, Sire.

-QUIETLY:

-It would rather scupper your plans, wouldn't it,

if she died?

She will not die.

As well as having the death of both my wives on your conscience...

Henriette's death had nothing to do with me.

I beg to differ.

There is a certain test I wish to perform.

Here.

What is this for?

Urine, Your Highness.

Of course.

SHE SIGHS

Your staring at me is not making this any easier.

TRICKLING

-SHE CLEARS HER THROAT

-Ah!

Thank you.

Wine?

FIZZING

Well?!

Her Highness is pregnant.

ALL SIGH WITH RELIEF

PHILIPPE LAUGHS

Congratulations!

My heartfelt congratulations to you both.

We did it.

From the Comtesse de Brochet.

-Still nothing from the Maquets?

-They already paid once.

And they shall pay again. Put another note under their door.

HE GRUNTS

HE CHUCKLES

-ANGRILY:

-I am in no mood for tenderness!

You will stand behind the hedge and you will wait for my signal.

Yes, madame.

When I raise my hand, you will begin.

How much longer?

Two hours, madame.

You do not have two hours. You have one.

Stupid girl!

Go and find out what time the King is expected to make his entrance.

Yes, madame.

SHE EXHALES

BAROQUE MUSIC PLAYS NEARBY

-I had forgotten.

-What?

How exquisite you are.

Don't ever go away again.

MUSIC PLAYS

INDISTINCT CONVERSATION

Monsieur et Madame Maquet.

Did you hear the latest news about the Comte de Valette?

No.

A very sad affair.

Despite several reminders from his creditor,

he refused to pay his debts.

The King was informed.

Sentenced him ten years in prison.

I...thought you should know.

Ah, if it isn't France's favourite couple!

On the right, the Duc d'Orleans sporting a delicious spring outfit,

and on the left, looking in fine fettle...

My wife is pregnant.

Oh.

-BONTEMPS:

-The King!

HUM OF CONVERSATION

INDIAN MUSIC PLAYS

Look at me.

Each and every one of you.

You all have a choice to make...

..and now is the moment to make it.

To live the dream of Versailles.

Or to betray it.

If you choose to betray the dream,

you will end your days in the gutter of history.

But if you choose to follow me,

here, now,

tonight.

CASSEL COUGHS

There is no limit to what we can achieve.

Tomorrow is the equinox,

when the hours of the sun are longer than the hours of the night

and the shoots of branch and blossom are reborn.

Let us banish the shadows that have haunted this palace for too long.

CASSEL CONTINUES TO COUGH

Let us now be reborn.

FIREWORKS FIZZ AND POP

FIREWORKS ROAR

GASPS AND MURMURS

APPLAUSE

You have forgotten your place.

ALL MURMUR

-WHISPERS:

-She had it coming to her.

HUSHED WHISPERS AND MURMURS

How the mighty have fallen.

FIREWORKS POP IN DISTANCE

CASSEL COUGHS AND SPLUTTERS

HE COUGHS

Inform the Duc de Luxembourg my collar needs adjusting...

..and tell the Duc de Cassel to retire to his rooms.

-Go to your rooms.

-CASSEL GRUNTS

Apparently, the Dutch are attacking Utrecht.

-I want to send someone I trust.

-It would be an honour, Sire.

< SCREAMING

Heavens above!

HUSHED WHISPERS

AGITATED MURMURS

ALL WHISPER

The forest warden tells me he returns here every day

to pay his respects at Mademoiselle Masson's grave.

She was murdered shortly after leaving His Majesty's service.

I would speak with him alone.

Why did you bury her here?

She used to walk here as a child...

..studying the plants and flowers.

I am sorry for her death.

I wish I could have done something.

You could have.

Who killed her?

She was investigating the poisons being used at the palace.

She must have discovered something she was not meant to.

I need you.

I wish you to return to my service.

FABIEN SIGHS

It is not an order.

It is a request.

You must take up where you left off. The poisonings continue.

They must be stopped. Once and for all.

They can be and they shall be, Sire.

But on one condition.

-That I trust your judgment?

-Yes, Sire.

I have always trusted your judgment.

It was my own that fell by the wayside.

The King is easily influenced.

We must act swiftly before she twists his mind back in her favour.

What does Her Majesty propose?

He listens neither to you nor to me.

Madame Scarron, what do you say?

I believe we are good when we are surrounded by good people.

Yet I find it hard to believe that His Majesty

could be so easily influenced by a woman.

It depends on the woman.

We must place someone else in his life,

someone chaste and devout,

who will show him the path of moderation.

But who?

I'm not sure I understand.

Madame Scarron will befriend him

and influence him with her modesty and piety.

And impress upon him the benefits of marriage and fidelity.

I fear you overestimate my abilities.

Perhaps it's you that underestimates them.

Do this for me.

And for the King. Do you accept?

-I am sorry, Your Majes...

-FORCEFULLY:

-Do you accept?

"No murder comes without a cost."

Never a truer word spoken.

What do you make of it?

They were being blackmailed for murder.

They were unable to pay so they decided to end their lives

in order to save the family honour.

The murder of whom?

I'm willing to wager that a relative of this family died recently.

But I'll need you to give me the records of deaths to confirm it.

Of course.

Yes?

Monsieur Marchal?

Yes?

The palace is a safer place...

and we shall sleep better in our beds now that you've returned.

LOUIS: (NEARBY) Remember, geometry and symmetry are paramount.

I want no line that is not straight, no number that is not even.

Cyclamens, lilies, hyacinths, leading down as far as the bosquet.

And here...

Yes?

I would like a rose bed with orange roses.

-Of course, Your Majesty.

-I did not know you liked gardens.

Perhaps you would allow me to give you a tour. I designed them myself.

Please do not be offended, Sire,

but I am more interested in people than in plants.

If His Majesty were to tell me of his experiences at war,

I would find that far more fascinating.

Let us talk of war some other time.

I should like to ask your advice

on a delicate matter.

I would be honoured.

It concerns the Marquise de Montespan.

I see.

As you know, we have been close for some time.

I have decided that we should see less of each other.

But I remain unsure whether it is a wise idea.

I want nothing more in the world than to see my friend happy.

However, it is my belief that intimate relations

between a man and a woman should remain

within the confines of marriage.

I believe your decision is for the best.

For God.

For her.

And for His Majesty.

I hope this is important.

You know how much I hate mornings.

Please, you have to talk to him.

Why me?

Because you suffer at his hands as much as I do.

He forced you to marry for politics, he rejects me to please the Church,

and you are the only person that he will listen to.

I fail to see what argument could possibly change his mind.

Love is stronger than any argument, is it not?

HE LAUGHS

My brother seems more guided by duty than love or argument these days.

Of course.

I've decided to set up a new trading company in the East Indies.

I will personally invest £3 million in the company.

The rest we shall sell as shares to the value of one million each.

Very wise, Your Majesty.

As for trade within France, the Crown will receive a 10% import fee

on all goods brought into the country

and 40% of the transportation tariffs from the Canal du Midi.

HE CLEARS HIS THROAT

Something bothers you?

It is merely that the levy imposed on all transportation

on the Canal du Midi has already been claimed.

-By whom?

-By His Majesty's brother?

In his position as proprietor of the area of Languedoc.

I see.

HE COUGHS

DOOR CLOSES

Was that the doctor?

Oh, it's you...

-You're suffering, aren't you?

-CASSEL GROANS

Yes,

from an imbalance in the humours

caused by an excess of yellow bile.

HE SCOFFS Or so he says...

-Well, nothing a course of leeches can't cure.

-Indeed.

And speaking of leeches... THOMAS CHUCKLES

No doubt you were praying that I had been torn apart

by a Dutch cannonball.

Hope springs eternal.

Now then, I trust you have some useful information for me?

I do not.

And yet, I happen to know

you were of the presence of the King just this morning.

The answer is no. And it will remain no.

Why?

Because I am no longer in a condition

to fulfil my duties as a minister.

Now, I've decided to spend the rest of my days in quiet repose.

HE COUGHS

May I remind you, dear friend,

that should you betray me to the King,

I will find out and then I will kill you.

Not without a certain degree of pleasure, I might add.

Ah.

DOOR CLOSES

HE COUGHS

He was most insistent, Sire, that we should all be present.

This really is highly irregular.

Though this is hardly the first time he could be accused of THAT.

DOOR OPENS

COUGHING

Your Majesty,

I have sinned against you.

For five years, I was part of a conspiracy to have you overthrown.

Why do you tell me this?

Because you did me the honour

of trusting me when others did not and...

..I wish to show my gratitude.

And why now?

I am tired, Sire.

No longer fit to serve you.

You realise I should have you executed for this?

I trust His Majesty to do what is just and right.

But I have no plans to leave the palace.

I can be found in my rooms.

One more thing.

Your historian, Thomas.

What of him?

He knew of my involvement in the plot against you.

He's been blackmailing me for secret information ever since he arrived.

He's not to be trusted.

HE COUGHS VIOLENTLY

Tell my brother I would like to see him.

While I applaud your new passion for the world of commerce,

I cannot let personal interests override those of France.

Yours, you mean!

My interests ARE those of France.

All I can be is king, you still do not seem to understand that.

And all I seek is a place of my own.

A little spot in the corner where I shall not be trodden upon.

-Is that too much to ask?

-The Canal du Midi serves all of France.

You cannot own it any more than I can.

COINS JANGLE

What's this for?

To save you having to steal it from me.

There is one way you could retain your commercial interests.

It would require you performing a service for me.

A service.

The historian, Thomas -

you know him well?

I know him.

Get to know him better.

I want him to trust you implicitly.

Why?

Because he's a spy.

HUBBUB AND CHATTER

INAUDIBLE CONVERSATION

BABY CRIES NEARBY >

Come on, now. >

BABY CRIES

CRIES FADE

Are you Mathilde?

SHE SNIFFLES

Yes, but I'm not on duty.

I'd like to have a word with you.

I'm a friend of Mademoiselle Masson,

the doctor.

A kind soul.

Whatever happened to her?

She was murdered.

The day before she died,

she came here looking for poison.

-Poison?!

-Yes.

The kind that kill innocent young doctors.

I don't know anything about poison, and even if I did,

I wouldn't say anything.

If you want to survive around here, you see nothing,

you hear nothing and you say nothing.

You gave your child to the Church?

Yes.

To Saint Genevieve's.

-Saint Genevieve's?

-Yes.

A refuge for orphans and foundlings just outside of Paris.

They feed them,

clothe them...

..teach them a trade.

VOICE BREAKING: Hopefully something not the same as mine.

Hm.

Here.

Take another day off.

COINS JANGLE

My saucy little Hector!

SHE LAUGHS

HUM OF CONVERSATION

-MAN:

-Yes!

I think I may return to my rooms.

No. You will stay here with me.

Otherwise, I shall have no-one to talk to

-and that would be embarrassing.

-As you wish.

Bitch!

Oh!

I believe you've delivered this to the wrong person.

No. I have delivered it to the Marquise de Maintenon.

My heartfelt congratulations.

I don't understand.

Inside, you will find the deeds of title to the Maintenon estate

that the King himself offers you in your name.

This is absurd. I have no taste for titles and such things.

You soon will have.

Gaston de Foix's new-found wealth.

Where does it come from?

Certainly not the gambling tables.

His losses this past month have gone into thousands.

Though he has always paid on time.

By the way, I encountered a friend of yours yesterday in Paris.

Oh, yes? And who was that?

He goes by the name of Hector?

Well-dressed, well-spoken, a grave manner.

Spitting image of you, in fact.

Are you referring to what I think you...?

To what do you think I'm referring?

Every so often, I pay a visit to a friend of mine.

We have tea and converse.

For reasons I do not understand

and with no encouragement on my part,

she likes to call me Hector.

-"Tea"?

-Tea.

Of course.

Don't worry.

-DRYLY:

-The King will know nothing of these tea parties...

..Hector.

I have not yet found the opportunity. You must be patient.

I cannot be patient.

I know him.

If I wait, he will find another.

But not your equal.

But you agree.

He will find someone else.

Hm.

This is the first time.

What?

That I've seen you like this.

Not the cold and distant goddess that breaks every man's heart

and strikes fear into everyone in the salon. But...

soft.

Human.

Vulnerable.

And broken.

Go and see him.

Confront him.

Tell him your feelings.

You're wasting your time waiting and hoping.

If he accepts you back,

then you have reaped the rewards of your courage.

And if he rejects me?

Go.

Thank you.

COURTIERS MURMUR

Get out!

Do you still love me?

I gave you my reasons.

Do you still love me?

Say, "I do not love you."

Say it.

SAY IT!

I do not love you.

You're a liar.

You did the right thing coming to see me.

I do not have anyone else.

You say it is the Church

-that has persuaded the King to renounce his love for you?

-Yes.

You have beauty, wit, intelligence...

Yet none of these have proved strong enough to retain the King's love.

Only one course remains open to you.

What do I have to do?

There is someone you should meet.

Who?

His name is Guibourg.

-Who is he?

-He's a friend and he sees the world as we do.

Where shall I find him?

SHE KNOCKS

Monsieur Guibourg?

Yes?

I need your help.

Who are you?

Who are you?!

I am the Marquise de Montespan.

HE EXHALES

And how may I help you?

I need to reclaim a man's love.

-The King's?

-Yes.

And you've come to me because all other efforts have...failed.

I have.

How far are you willing to go to reclaim his love,

to own it forever?

As far as I need.