
The Rose of Versailles

Episode 26 

"I Want to See the Black Knight!"

translated by GinRei

 [] = description of the scenes
 () = alternative translations (feel free to put them or drop them), and
      sometimes my comments or explanations
 {} = translation of what it says on the screen

**********************************************************************
 notes on names:
 Andre should be spelled with "/" accent acute over the "e"
 Francois should be spelled with a cedilla (like "5") under the "c".
 Orlean should be spelled with an accent acute '/' on the 'e'.
**********************************************************************

VOICES
Hmph? My necklace...
My diamond brooch (is gone), too!
The Black Knight! It's the Black Knight!!

PARISIAN
Look, Darling! Gold coins and a diamond ring!
Darling! Now we can afford a doctor for you and bread for the kids!
God bless him! The Black Knight probably had mercy on us.
How merciful...

{Opening Title}

{Episode 26: I Want to See the Black Knight!}

[Nanny locking up the house]

NANNY
Oh, yes, the backdoor!

OSCAR
What is it Nanny? You're making really sure to lock up (the doors and
windows).

NANNY
Of course, Mademoiselle. It's dangerous (/not safe) nowadays...

OSCAR
You mean, the Black Knight?

NANNY
Yes, yes. The rumor says that he only targets houses of the nobility.
How outrageous! The world has become such a nasty place!

OSCAR
Where's Andre? I haven't seen him.

NANNY
Oh, he's gone again tonight? What's up with that child (/What's wrong with
him?)? He goes out somewhere at night lately.

[Andre comes back]

OSCAR
Andre!
What have you been doing this late?

ANDRE
I went out for a little horseriding.

OSCAR
On a cold night like this?

ANDRE
It calms me down.
Well, good night, Oscar.

OSCAR
Good night...

[Versailles]

VOICES
He appeared at Mme.Lamarcaux's ball last night.
He's dressed all in black with a black mask. I heard he's really agile.
I can't even get a good night's sleep!
Who could it be? Someone whose targets are only nobles?
Probably a commoner. Someone who knows inside out about the houses of
nobility. Servants and stablemen, for instance.
The ones who are hired by the house.
No way. They haven't got any will (/guts) or courage to do that.

[flashback]

ANDRE
Ah, Oscar. I found this last night while I was horseriding. I think this
is probably the one that Mme. Lamballe was showing off (/proud of).

OSCAR
I see. I'll return it to her.

[flashback end]

ANDRE
What? Make a schedule for all the balls of the nobles?

OSCAR
Yes. From now on, I'm going to attend every single ball.

ANDRE
Why, all of a sudden?

OSCAR
I'll wait for the Black Knight to appear. He's probably targeting balls.

ANDRE
I see. I'll make the schedule right away.
But Oscar, the police will probably take care of the Black Knight.

OSCAR
Make the schedule right a way.
I want to start it as soon as possible.

ANDRE
OK.

[ball]

OSCAR
The Black Knight hasn't appeared at all...
As if he knows that I'm after him...

ANDRE
Huh? Did you say something?

[next day]

ANDRE
I don't mind going to balls.
But night after night is starting to wear me out.

OSCAR
According to this list, we go to Duke Dangan's (sp?) (house) tonight.

ANDRE
Oscar...

ANDRE
Is it really that necessary to capture him?
He's not particularly harming anyone. And the rumor says he's distributing
the loot to the poor.

OSCAR
A thief is a thief. I can't let it go on.

ANDRE
Well, I guess that's true.

[evening]

OSCAR
Andre! Andre!

NANNY
Mademoiselle...

OSCAR
Ah, Nanny. Have you seen Andre?
It's time to go to the ball.

NANNY
Ah..well, he told me (a short while ago) that he'll be back in an hour or
two.

OSCAR
What!?

NANNY
And I was told to ask you to wait until he returns.

OSCAR
OK...I see...
All right, I'll go to the ball alone tonight.

NANNY
Mademoiselle! It's dangerous to go out alone at night!
Where can Andre possibly be, neglecting our precious Mademoiselle! Stupid
(grand)son!

[Ball]

VOICES
Oh, Madam. Huh? Where's my ring?
Ah, Madam, what happened to your brooch you've (just)been wearing?
Hmph?
Oh! My wallet is gone!

VOICE
The Black Knight!
It's the Black Knight!

OSCAR
Damn!

[Oscar chasing BK]

OSCAR
He's trying to escape into Paris!

OSCAR
That's Palais Royale!
The resident castle of Duke Orleans'!

NARRATION
Duke Orleans was the King's cousin, who secretly tried to usurp the throne.
It was rumored that anti-monarchists were secretly gathering at his resident
castle.

OSCAR
But... what would the Black Knight be doing here...?

[Oscar knocked out]

BLACK KNIGHT
Don't kill her! It's the Royal Guard Regiment Commander.
There'll be too much of a fuss (if we kill her now).
Take her alive and bring her in!

COMRAD
She escaped!

BK
Get her!

MEN
Shit!
Where did she go?
This way! here!

[Oscar faints]

OSCAR in her nightmare
Who are you? Who can you possibly be?!
Andre, is it you? Is that why you saved my life?!
Andre!!

OSCAR
Andre!
ANDRE!!

[Andre falls]

OSCAR
Andre...

PARISIAN
Good! You woke up. (or, I'm glad that you woke up.)
What a surprise last night!
I heard some noises, and there you were all bloody and unconscious by the
door.
But what's (even) more surprising is that this girl knew you!

OSCAR
Rosalie!

ROSALIE
Lady Oscar!

PARISIAN
It sure is a small world!
(lit. The world seems to be a big place but it's quite small!)

ROSALIE
Lady Oscar! I'm glad that you woke up, I really am!
If you remained...

OSCAR
I was just hit (/knocked out) by the edge of a gun.
That's not going to keep me down for long.

OSCAR
But Rosalie, why are you here?
I thought you were living with the Polignac family.

ROSALIE
I left that house.
They only invited me to use me as a tool.
They were going to force me to marry Duke deGuiche...
in place of my dead sister,  Charlotte.
After all, nobles only try to protect their lineage and power.
I couldn't stand it even if I was living with my real mother.
I HATE nobles!
I'm sorry...

OSCAR
Don't be sorry. (or, You shouldn't be.)

ROSALIE
Ah, that madam used to be our neighbor when I lived in Paris before. She's
really nice (to me).

PARISIAN
A hot soup, ready to be served!

ROSALIE
Yes! Here it comes, table #1!
Sorry for the wait!

PARISIAN
Too bad, no ingredients for today, but my heart is well stewed in it!

ROSALIE
Hey, there's NEVER been anything (in it)!

PARISIAN
You spilled the beans!
[lit. "If you say so, 'there's no container nor a lid!"   Japanese
phrase of saying 'That's too direct (/harsh) a way of saying it.' or
'You're too outspoken.' The phrase means there's no container to
hide things that are embarrassing from the others. Thus, it was
embarrassing for them (or at least for the obasan) to let Oscar know that
there's no food.]

ROSALIE
I wish we had beans to spill!

[lit: And also a hush! (or, You win!)]
[Rosalie and obasan are basically making a (bad) pun joke that doesn't work
in English.  Insert your own humor here.]

ROSALIE
I'm sorry. I'm afraid it is not to your taste, but this soup is all we have now.

OSCAR
Why are you apologizing? I haven't had a soup so delicious and warm like
this for a long time.

ROSALIE
I'm working at the market (place) now. It's early in the morning and hard,
but I'm enjoying every day!

OSCAR
Rosalie.

ROSALIE
Yes?

OSCAR
I've kept your room exactly was it was.
It's always ready for your return.

ROSALIE
No, Lady Oscar. I will live (here) in Paris.
I love this city that I grew up in, more than a house of nobility after all.

[Oscar rides on carriage]

STABLEMAN
Where to, Sir?

OSCAR
To Versailles.

[flashback]

PARISIAN
Too bad, no ingredients for today, but (my) heart is well stewed (in it)!

ROSALIE
Hey, there's NEVER been anything (in it)!

CROWD
The Black Knight is our Ally!
Support the Black Knight, Our Hero!
[Couldn't really make out what the crowd was saying here.]

ANDRE
I'm glad your injury was not that serious.
If only you waited a little (longer) until I came back...

OSCAR
Where were you?
You said you'd be out for 1 or 2 hours. Where had you been?!
Not only that night. You were gone several times, saying you were
horseriding.
To where? What were you doing?!
No, I didn't meant to blame you. But, I simply want to know the truth!

ANDRE
I knew you suspected me.
I'll take you to the place where I go horseriding.

ANDRE
That small church is where I come for horseriding. [He mentions the name
of the church, but I couldn't make it our. It sounded something like
"No-white".]
Don't be surprised when you go inside.
There are nobles and farmers inside, all willing to know about the new age
to come.

FATHER
Right now, 97% of the French people are called "the 3rd Estate". Farmers,
merchants, artisans, and all those who are not nobles.
Those 97% suffer from heavy taxes and can't afford bread for everyday.
Who's using those taxes?! That's the remaining 3%, the nobility!
97% working for only 3% of a privileged class! How can it be allowed?!
God created all people equal. (or, as old texts say, "God created all men
equal.")

ANDRE
What should I call it, "a study group"? It's held 2 or 3 times a week in
that church.
I thought I was insensitive and an optimist until recently.
But even someone like me can hear it... the sound of the new age, thundering.
I was raised in a house of an aristocrat and I'm working for the aristocrats.
But I'm not a noble (myself).
At least, I have the right to know what the new age is like; that's how I
feel.

OSCAR
Are you saying that the Black Knight is representing the new age then?

ANDRE
I'm not saying that.  As you've said, a thief is a thief.
But it's true that he's expressing how the People feel about the nobility.

OSCAR
I want to see him!
I want to capture him and reveal what's behind his mask!
To see whether he's a mere thief or not...
Do as you like. I'm not forcing you.

[next day, Oscar in BK's costume]

ANDRE
It won't work with your blond (hair).
You're trying to lure him out with a fake Black Knight, aren't you?
Good idea but hard (to carry out) in reality.
You're a bit slender, too. In that regard (/sense), I'm better suited!

[Andre cuts his hair off!]

ANDRE
How do I look, Oscar?
Compared to the one (/Black Knight) you've seen?

OSCAR
It'd fool me at night.

[Andre active as a fake BK]

SCREAM
The Black Knight!

VOICES
It's terrible! The way Black Knight steals lately...
Absolutely! A whole bunch of my jewels was stolen, two nights in a row!
Oh, me, too!
He used to steal only expensive things. Now, he even steals trinkets!

ANDRE
Say, Oscar. Do you think I'm a talented burglar?

OSCAR
We'll return the jewels to their owners once we capture the Black Knight.
A Knight should act (/have manners) as a knight.

ANDRE
Sure I will! (or, Sure I know!)

OSCAR
After this job is done, you can go to the study group or
whatever everyday.

ANDRE
Frankly speaking, Oscar, the coming age won't be good for the nobles.

OSCAR
You don't have to hesitate when the time (/it) comes.
You're not a noble.

ANDRE in his mind
How can you say that, Oscar?!
Do you think. I'm trying to know the new age just for my sake!?
Do you think I'll neglect (/abandon) you!?
Oscar, I'm doing it for your sake as well!

OSCAR
Andre, it's almost dusk. Let's get ready.

ANDRE
O...K.

[Oscar's drops her teacup]

ANDRE
Are you all right, Oscar?

OSCAR
Yeah...nothing serious.
But I have a bad feeling (/I feel something bad)...like losing something
important (/precious)...

ANDRE
Oh, come on! (lit. What are you saying?)

[The only difference you see between Andre and BK is their eye colors.
 Andre's are green; BK's are blue.]

ANDRE
I'm not only talented...
But perhaps a genius (as well)!

BLACK KNIGHT
A fake Knight who uses my name only for his own self-interest!
You won't get away with it.

ANDRE
So the genuine article finally showed up.  It took you long enough.
[Andre said "Honmono-san", which means lit. "Mr. Genuine"]

BLACK KNIGHT
What?!

OSCAR
Give it up. Don't move!

BLACK KNIGHT
Shit. It was a trap.
I see!

[Andre's left eye gets slashed.]

OSCAR
Andre!

ANDRE
Eye... my eye...!!

OSCAR
ANDRE-!!

NEXT EPISODE:
Who is the Black Knight? What is his purpose? Leaving Andre behind with
a serious injury to his left eye, Oscar sneaks into Palais Royale alone,
where Black Knight disappeared. Is it a salon of the nobles or a den of
evil?
Next episode on The Rose of Versailles:
"Even if I Lose the Light...".

END

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  Bruce Carlson     carlson@indirect.com     Phoenix, AZ


