THE ROSE OF VERSAILLES
EPISODE 7
"Who Wrote the Love Letter?"
translated by GinRei
typed by Long Lee
edited by Usagi Ninja Team


 [] = description of the scenes 
 () = alternative translations (feel free to put them or drop them), 
      and sometimes my comments or explanations
 {} = translation of writing 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".
 Gerodere should be spelled with "\" accent grave over the second "e".
**********************************************************************

[Crown prince hammering in a forge]

CROWN PRINCE:
This time, it looks good.

NARRATION:
The Crown Prince spent the night at the forge again.  Engrossed in hunting
and locksmithing, Louis-August almost neglected Antoinette.  Husband and
wife in name only, poor Antoinette kept sleeping alone.

[opening title]

{Episode 7:  Who Wrote the Love Letter?}

[Antoinette slips out from her bedroom]

OSCAR:
Lady Antoinette!

OSCAR:
Where are you going?
Are you skipping your study period?

ANTOINETTE:
But that's no fun at all. 
Etiquette, manners, traditions, formalities... !
Say Oscar, can I ride on a horse?

OSCAR:
No!  What if you get injured?!

ANTOINETTE:
Why can't a princess do anything to have even a bit of fun?

OSCAR:
I understand how you feel, but you should ask the Crown Prince first.

ANTOINETTE:
The Crown Prince doesn't care about me!
The only thing he thinks about is being a locksmith.

[Antoinette comes into the forge but coughs]

ANTOINETTE:
Crown Prince!

CROWN PRINCE:
Why, are you h, here...?

ANTOINETTE:
Acting like an artisan, in a place like this everyday!
You don't even talk to me!

CROWN PRINCE:
Ah, w, well, I also have to go to hunting, and it's hard to find time...

ANTOINETTE:
Which is more important, me or hunting?!

CROWN PRINCESS:
O, of course you are...

ANTOINETTE:
Then, why?!

CROWN PRINCE:
Ah, yes!  This is for you!

[Crown prince hands a heart-shaped lock to Antoinette and runs away]

ANTOINETTE:
Are you running away from me!  Crown Prince!  Darn!

[throws the lock to the ground]

ANTOINETTE:
Don't you like me, Crown Prince?!

MERCY:
Don't you see?  You must never act so disgracefully. 
At Versailles, there are a lot of people who will embellish
any gossip about the two of you. 
Don't provide excuses to those people!
Besides, don't push the timid Crown Prince so hard.
Don't you see?  You have to consider your situation...

[Antoinette yawns]

MERCY:
Lady Antoinette!

[DuBarry laughs]

DUBARRY:
Then?  What did the redhead squirt do next?

LADY:
Ah, it was so awful, throwing a hammer to the Crown Prince, breaking the
locks and so on.  A great mess.

DUBARRY:
I can imagine the face of the locksmith.

DUBARRY:
I definitely have to tell such an interesting rumor to the King.

LADY:
It's not only the knives that kill people.
Rumors can be fatal too, depending on the time and situation.

DUBARRY:
Fatal?

LADY:
Yes, for one who highly values dignity.

[DuBarry laughs]

[Crown Prince et al go out for hunting]

CROWN PRINCE:
Oscar, I don't know.

OSCAR:
Sir?

CROWN PRINCE:
She's too pretty and cute, so... I don't know how to talk to her.
Whatever she does or says is wonderful.  On the other hand, I'm short,
short-legged, and fat.  I really love her very much but...
Please don't tell such things to anybody else.

OSCAR:
I understand.
I'm a Royal Guard officer who protects the Crown couple.

VOICE:
A fox!  We've cornered a fox!

OSCAR:
Please hurry, Prince.

CROWN PRINCE:
Y, yes!

OSCAR (in her mind):
(The poor Prince.  His temperament is too different from the Princess's. 
She acts according to her emotions.  
His kindness won't be understood by anyone.

OSCAR:
Go!

[Oscar goes after on a horse]

[Fox furs on the floor]

LADIES:
Wow!
Beautiful!
[multiple voices, hard to hear]
Oh, how wonderful! 
The Crown Prince is really skilled.
Beautiful fur!
Still fresh and warm from the hunt!
These will make nice bonnets and muffs, Princess.
How about a cape, instead?  It will make your fair complexion stand out
even more.

ANTOINETTE:
I have 92 bonnets and 188 capes already.

LADY:
Oh, I envy you! 
You'll look like a Cossack woman if you attend the
masquerade at the Opera House wearing the cape!

ANTOINETTE:
Oh, a masquerade?

[Oscar during the night shift]

MME JARJEYES:
Oscar.

OSCAR:
Mother.

MME JARJEYES:
Lady Antoinette has been waiting a while for you over there.

[Antoinette in a coach]

OSCAR:
Princess, Oscar is here.

ANTOINETTE (whispers):
(Shhhh....)
Oscar!

OSCAR:
Huh?

ANTOINETTE:
I'm going to Paris incognito for some fun. 
To the masquerade at the Opera House!

OSCAR:
No!  Without permission from His Majesty?!

ANTOINETTE:
It'll be OK.  Nobody will notice that I'm the Crown Princess since I'll be
wearing a mask.  Please come with me as a bodyguard.  Oscar?

OSCAR:
Princess, you shouldn't!  I heard that lower-rank people like merchants
and performers will be coming, too.  
Don't go to an indecent place like that!

ANTOINETTE:
I'm only going to take a look at it.  Please go now!

OSCAR:
Princess, please wait!

[The coach leaves]

[Opera House/ Antoinette dancing]

MAN:
Your dancing manner is wonderful!  What is your name?

ANTOINETTE:
Oh, I can't tell you.

MAN:
Ah, I wish I could kidnap you tonight!

[Antoinette notices a handsome nobleman]

ANTOINETTE (in her mind):
(My heart aches so, as if it was going to burst!)
(I never knew that there was such a pleasant world as this!  I can forget the
rank of Crown Princess by being here.  This is like a dream compared to
life at the Court!)

FERSEN:
Excuse me, Miss.
Miss, May I have the next dance.

[Oscar notices Fersen with Antoinette]

FERSEN:
You must be of noble birth.  If I may, could I see the elegant face hidden
beneath your mask?

ANTOINETTE:
N, no, this is...
Ah!

[Fersen rejoices]

FERSEN (in his mind):
(Better than I imagined!  What eyes, what lips, and what complexion!  Who
can this girl possibly be...?!

[Oscar stops Fersen with her sword]

OSCAR:
Youngster, say your name!
Your title? Rank?

ANTOINETTE:
Oscar!

FERSEN:
I think etiquette has it that you tell your name first when you ask
someone for his name.

[Oscar withdraws her sword]

OSCAR:
Oscar Francois de Jarjeyes.  The French Royal Guard Commander.

FERSEN:
I'm Hans Axel von Fersen, a Swede.
My title is Count. 
I'm studying abroad, so I don't have a rank until I return home.

OSCAR:
All right.  Then von Fersen, if you'd like to talk to her, come to the
Versailles Palace and apply formally for an audience.
She is the Crown Princess of France, Lady Marie Antoinette.

FERSEN:
LADY A, Antoinette!
Pardon me for being rude without my knowing.

ANTOINETTE:
Sir Fersen, right?
I'll remember you name.

[Oscar is a bit uneasy]

OSCAR:
Head Maid!  Get the coach ready immediately!

NARRATION:
What was the shine in the gaze between those two when they were both 18
years old?  
This was the first act of the historic love affair between
the Northern nobleman and the beauty in Versailles, who
was only afraid of being bored.
It started without either of them noticing it themselves.

[Versailles]

DUBARRY:
That brat finally revealed her true nature.  She might be of royal birth,
but the things she does is no different than a flashy play girl.

LADIES:
But I'm a little jealous, hearing that Count Fersen is infatuated with her.
Yes, He's good at dancing, and handsome too.  He's wonderful!
This is the third time he's had an audience.
Is it OK?  The Crown Prince lets Lady Antoinette be neglected.
He's here again.  That Swede!
Count Fersen?!
Let's go see him!

[DuBarry laughs]

DUBARRY:
You said that bad rumors can kill people sometime before.

MME:  
If that develops into a scandal, the Crown Princess is finished.
On top of that, if there's sound evidence...

[Audience room]

LADY:
Uh, Monsieur Fersen?  
Does the midnight sun really mean daylight all day long?

FERSEN:
Yes, for a short period of time, that kind of phenomena occurs in the
Northern region.  But I haven't heard any reports of residents becoming
insomniacs.

LADY:
Oh, you're a good speaker!

OSCAR:
Have you noticed something in Lady Antoinette lately?

ANDRE:
Nothing in particular.  Capricious as always.  Scolded by Mme Noailles often
times.

OSCAR:
I see.  If you haven't noticed it, then I guess I don't have to
worry about it yet. 

ANDRE:
You mean, that man named Fersen?

OSCAR:
Lady Antoinette is true to her emotions, which is unusual here at Versailles.
That might put her in a dangerous situation.  At Versailles, if one
behaves naturally like a human, ignoring manners and rules, that implies
isolation or exile.  I hope nothing like that happens.

ANDRE:
Keen as usual.  A woman's intuition.

[Oscar glares at Andre]

ANDRE:
Oops, my mistake.  Oscar Francois de Jarjeyes is that man of men.

OSCAR:  
This is no time for joking!
Andre, you should be with Lady Antoinette, paying more attention than before.
Once a nasty rumor gets started, it's too late.

ANDRE:
Yes.

[Gerodere on night shift]

[DuBarry getting on a coach]

GERODERE:
Why is she dressed up like that this late?

[Gerodere follows]

LAZANI:
You want me to write a love letter, forging this handwriting?

DUBARRY:
A passionate one.

LAZANI:
It's not good handwriting.  Hmm, a difficult job.

DUBARRY:
1200 livre.

LAZANI:
Especially this signature, "Antoinette" is hard.

LADY:
1400!

LAZANI:
It'll take 3 days to come up with a composition.

DUBARRY:
Finish it tonight.  Instead, you'll get 2000 livre!

LAZANI:
Understood.  I'll finish it tonight then.

[Versailles hallway]

LADY:
"...your heart warming words and kind eyes last night..."

[puts the letter on the floor so that the maids would find it]

[Mme Jarjeyes comes out from a room and sees the letter]

MME JARJEYES:
Monsieur Fersen... Antoinette!

[Mme Jarjeyes hides the letter]

[Oscar waiting for Fersen]

OSCAR:
Fersen!

[takes out the letter]

OSCAR:
Fortunately, it was my mother who picked it up, but what do you think
would happen if somebody else saw this?!

FERSEN:
What is this?

OSCAR:
Don't pretend with me!  It's a reply to you from the Princess!

FERSEN:
Eh?!  No, I've never written a letter.

OSCAR:
Bastard!  Without any doubt, it's a reply written addressed to you!

FERSEN (reads the letter):
("I can't forget your heart-warming words and kind eyes last night."
I-impossible!)

OSCAR:
How dare you!  Not only have you played a dirty trick on the Crown
Princess, are you trying to also ridicule her as well?

[Oscar draws the sword]

FERSEN:
Please wait, Oscar!

OSCAR:
Now you're begging for mercy!  How cowardly, Fersen!

FERSEN:
I haven't done anything shameful.  I can swear it to God!

OSCAR:
Then, how do you explain this letter?!
This is the Princess's handwriting without a doubt!

FERSEN:
I don't understand.  But believe me!  I've never met Lady Antoinette
secretly, nor written a love letter!

[Andre and Gerodere arrive on horses]

ANDRE:
OSCAR!
WAIT!

GERODERE:
Commander!  Please withdraw your sword!
That letter is a forgery!

OSCAR:
A forgery?  What do you mean?

[Oscar banging on the door]

OSCAR:
Open up, Lazani!

[Oscar breaks into the room]

[They find Lazani dead on the bed]

OSCAR:
Damn, he's already been silenced.

ANDRE:
There's no witness to investigate.

[Gerodere finds a cramped piece of paper]

GERODERE:
Commander!  Please take a look!

OSCAR (reads the sentence):
("My beloved Sir Fersen, I read your letter with delight.")

GERODERE:
It's the same sentence from that letter.

ANDRE:
We all know he did it, but the dead can't speak.

OSCAR:
No, there's one more witness.

[a Molotov cocktail is thrown in the room]

[fire flames up]

GERODERE:
Damn!  We're trapped!

ANDRE:
Who would do this?!

OSCAR:
The window!  Break the window!!

[throws the chair to the window but a river is down below]

OSCAR:
There's no choice.  Jump into the river!

[they all jump in]

OSCAR:
What a ruthless woman...
She'll use any means in order to destroy evidence.
Probably the other witness is...

[the lady is killed by poisoning.  DuBarry watches her die by the side]

[Versailles]

DUBARRY:
Ah, how are you Commander Oscar?

OSCAR:
Did you know that there was a fire at Fornble yesterday?

DUBARRY:
No, I didn't.  But fires are awful.

OSCAR:
The body of an expert at forging letters,
a man named Lazani, was found burned to death at the site.

DUBARRY:
Oh, how terrible.  And?  What about it?

[Oscar takes the letter]

OSCAR:
This was found at the site.
There's a person who's seen the same thing here at Versailles.

DUBARRY:
What does that have to do with me?

OSCAR:
Doesn't it?  Perhaps not!  But I hope that nothing like it will
ever be found again!

OSCAR:
But let me make one thing clear.
I, Royal Guard Commander Oscar, will protect the Crown Princess from any
conspiracies with my life!

[Oscar leaves]

[Antoinette and Fersen listening to a harp in a terrace]

[Oscar looking at them from afar]

OSCAR (in her mind):
Princess, you're too honest to your emotions.  You're too beautiful and
innocent, like an angel.  There are so many people who try to use your
undoubting mind to plot against you.  I hope things go by without any
troubles...

NEXT EPISODE:
Oscar's concern about Antoinette and Fersen makes Andre feel lonely. 
Where did their friendship, like a young brother and sister, go?  Then, an
order was issued to arrest Andre for causing Antoinette to be injured
Next episode on Rose of Versailles:  "Oscar in My Heart."  See you.

