The Rose of Versailles Episode 34 "Now 'The Tennis Court Oath'" 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". ********************************************************************** NARRATION In May, 1789, the voice and energy of the People that emerged from poverty and dissatisfaction have won the convening of the Estates-General from the Royal Family. But the assembly was in turmoil (rough) from the beginning, and never seemed to settle down. The delegates from the Third Estate had expectations for a new era. Yet the nobles and clergies tried to protect the old regime. The stormy discussion carried on without any break. ALAIN Robespierre is making an important speech today. ANDRE Robespierre is? I see. He might be able to resolve the situation. ROBESPIERRE Gentlemen! We are the delegates from the commoners which are 96% of France! Thus, WE are the true representatives of France! Our proposal to the delegates of the clergy and nobility is this: You only have 4% representation in all France. If you really would like to become the true representatives of France, you have no choice but to cooperate with us, the Third Estate! DELEGATES Yes, join us! You should work with us for France! Stop representing the interest of some privileged class! We'll let you become one of us! Now, wake up! Your time is over!! NOBLE I agree! I'll work with you! ANDRE Among the nobles, Marquis Lafayette and Duke Orleans' group joined the commoners (Third Estate). ALAIN It's getting interesting. If the Third Estate takes the control of the Estates-General, French politics falls in hands of us commoners. But it's a bit tiring. ANDRE Yeah, it's been a month and a half without any break. ALAIN Where is the Commander? ANDRE Probably patrolling. She walked towards the Versailles Palace alone a short while ago. ALAIN Andre. ANDRE Yeah? ALAIN Your... Commander looks a bit pale. ALAIN I hope it's just from fatigue. OSCAR New France is being born from the Estates-General. My duty is to protect the assembly and delegates for it to be successful. Hang on, Oscar. [coughs up blood] [opening title] {Episode 34: "Now 'The Tennis Court Oath' "} NARRATION On June 17th, the Third Estate, gaining strength by the merger of some nobles and clergies, passed a resolution to declare themselves the "National Assembly". COMMONERS Hurrah! Hurrah! LOUIS 'National Assembly'? What do you mean by 'National Assembly'? NOBLE The peasants set it up by themselves, claiming they're the true representatives of France, by ignoring the First (clergy) and Second (nobility) Estates which constitute the Estates-General. LOUIS Uh... but I heard some nobles and clergy have joined the National Assembly. NOBLES They're no longer nobles nor clergy, but greedy horde who flatter the commoners. Your Majesty, if the Estates-General continues on, the commoners' delegates will take advantage of the situation! OSCAR Close the entrance to the Estates-General?! BOUILLE Close all the doors immediately. This is an order from the King. OSCAR But the delegates won't be able to get inside! BOUILLE That's right. The Estates-General must be suspended. OSCAR That's odd. The convening and dissolution of the Estates-General are decided by the Estates-General (itself). Even if it's an order from the King... BOUILLE That's why I told you to seal it! His Majesty did not say it must dissolve. I've handed you down the order, Brigadier Jarjeyes. Seal as firmly as possible. Don't even let a kitten sneak in! OSCAR I don't mean to argue, General Bouille. But the delegates are the legitimate representatives that French people voted in elections. Doing such thing is nothing but an insult to them. BOUILLE The people depend on His Majesty! So do the delegates! And us, nobles! Isn't it so, Brigadier Jarjeyes? OSCAR But, Your Excellency! BOUILLE Stop, Oscar! I didn't summon you to argue with you, but to give you an order. Remember, it's not you or me who seal the assembly hall. But it's His Majesty's will. You can leave now. I'll hear your report later. OSCAR Yes, Sir! BOUILLE Brigadier Jarjeyes! How is your Father? OSCAR I haven't seen him for a while. BOUILLE I see. OSCAR Excuse me. OSCAR What should I do, Andre? Alain? ALAIN Don't worry, Commander. We've been ordered. There's nothing we can do. But the more dirty tricks they use, the more passionate we, the commoners, will get. CROWD Hey, they're not allowing the delegates in. They won't be able to discuss things!! It's probably a plot of the Royal Family and the nobles! Damn! ROBESPIERRE Let me talk to (see) the person in charge. ROBESPIERRE Listen! The delegates here all came from distant regions, borrowing money for carriage rides and saving lunch money. We have NO time to waste! Open the doors at once and let us get inside! We have a mountain of problems to discuss! MAN#1 Robespierre, it's no use talking to them. They are just dummies obeying orders. MAN#2 Let's gather at the Jeu de Paume then! ROBESPIERRE Jeu de Paume... MAN#1 Yes! It's large enough [for this size of crowd]! ROBESPIERRE I see, the Jeu de Paume. That's a good idea. Everyone! Let's go to the Jeu de Paume! CROWD Jeu de Paume! Jeu de Paume! NARRATION Jeu de Paume... Paume, a predecessor of tennis, became popular in France at that time. Courts for the games were built in many areas of the country. ROBESPIERRE We were driven out of the assembly hall! This is the real intention of the King and the nobles who surround him! But no force can crush our National Assembly! Everyone! Let us pledge with our hearts, hands, and our voices together as one! Our National Assembly, run by the People for the People, will never dissolve until the day comes that Constitution for the People is enacted! NARRATION June 20th, 1789, this was the famous "Tennis Court Oath" which marked the start of the French Revolution. ALAIN Wasn't I right, Commander? The more those who were oppressed suffer, the more they become passionate. You nobles never get that. COLONEL I'm Army Colonel Choisielle la Baume. I have the honor to direct the entrance of the delegates today by command of General Bouille. NARRATION The King summoned the three Estates to assemble again in order to resolve the chaotic situation. And delegates could go in one by one through the only door that was unsealed. COLONEL Next, Bishop Fouche. Please enter. COLONEL Marquis Chatelet, please. Count Dupla Bishop Le Fevre Count Colage Baron Menier Marquis Clair Viscount Rossiar Just a moment, please. You are? DELEGATE Third Estate delegate, Caplegurne COLONEL Sorry but please wait until I call your name. COLONEL Next, Marquis Antoire, please. Your name? DELEGATE Third Estate delegate, Gymnoire. COLONEL I'm sorry. Please wait. NARRATION Soon everyone realized its oddness. CROWD Hey, how come the Third Estate delegates can't go in? Why are they all passed over? They'll be soaked to the skin! Yo! Let our delegates get inside now!! COLONEL Next, Bishop Maye! OSCAR Colonel Choisielle la Baume! Why, why don't you call the Third Estate delegates?! COLONEL It's an order. Only clergy and nobility can get in from the front entrance. I was told to lead the Third Estate delegates to the back door. OSCAR What?! COLONEL Marquis Vienne! OSCAR Colonel la Baume, can't you see? The people waiting here all soaked? COLONEL I'm just doing what I was ordered, Brigadier Jarjeyes. You, too, sealed the doors as you were ordered. COLONEL What are you doing?! ROBESPIERRE Stop. ROBESPIERRE Don't, Monsieur Jarjeyes. Getting wet doesn't bother us at all. Nor we feel chill from the rain. Our passion never dies no matter how hard the rain hits. Our pride of being here for being elected by the People, is solid whatever insult or treatment we will face. But let me make one point clear. We are neither dogs nor beggars. So, we will never go in though the back door. COLONEL Did you hear, Brigadier Jarjeyes? They CHOOSE to be in the rain. It's not my responsibilit... OSCAR All French Guards! Open up all the front doors and guide the delegates inside! ALAIN All right! COLONEL Brigadier Jarjeyes! Are you defying General Bouille's order?! OSCAR I don't mean to, Colonel la Baume. Calm down and observe the crowd. A riot will occur if they wait any longer in the rain. As the person in charge of the security, I took necessary measures to avoid a disaster. Now, go back and report this to General Bouille!! MEMBER Commander, all the delegates have entered the assembly hall. OSCAR Well done. Go back to your stations (positions?). MEMBERS Yes, Ma'am! NOBLE Is everything clear, Your Majesty? NOBLES This is a crisis for the monarchy. Two hundred nobles have joined the commoners already, and they publicly defy the Royal Family. You must dissolve the National Assembly with your effort and dignity!! LOUIS I... I summoned the Estates-General, not something called the "National Assembly". Thus, you should dissolve the National Assembly, and discuss separately according to your class in Estates-General as before. [silence] LOUIS Th-there...fore... Therefore, everyone leave now! BOUILLE What?! Those rebels! DELEGATES We cannot obey the King's order! Right! We will neither dissolve nor leave!! Right! MESSANGER They are sitting in! The clergy and nobility left by the King's order, but the National Assembly group will not budge!! COLONEL Is Brigadier Jarjeyes here?! Is Commander of the French Guards Company B, Brigadier Jarjeyes here?! I will relay the message from General Bouille. Bring your men and report to the headquarters in Versailles immediately! OSCAR Wait here until I come back. ALAIN Commander, wait! We were supposed to guard the assembly hall. Why do they need us here? OSCAR I don't know why either. ALAIN I have a bad feeling about this. ALAIN Hey, Andre. You go with her and see what's going on. ANDRE OK. OSCAR What is it? ANDRE I'll go with you. COLONEL You stay here. Brigadier Jarjeyes, please. BOUILLE You and your French Guards Company B will be dismissed from the current guarding duty. OSCAR Please tell me why! BOUILLE Why? (Your action of) arbitrarily opening the front door of the assembly hall would normally be considered as disobeying (defying?) my order. You would have been arrested and court-martialed (tried in a military court). But I'm forgiving you, and just dismissing you from the guarding duty. OSCAR I'm not afraid of the military court! BOUILLE Your father is an old friend of mine. I didn't hear what you've just said. OSCAR I'd like to leave if that's all there is to tell me. My men are waiting for me. BOUILLE No, you now have a new order! Listen carefully. The French Guards Company B will fully arm itself and immediately head back to the assembly hall, and remove all the members of the National Assembly faction! Use force on those who resist, no matter what they say If you must, you may open fire at them and kill them. OSCAR Fire...and kill them... Your Excellency! They are the representatives of the French People! You're ordering me to point guns at them?! BOUILLE They're no longer the civil representatives! They're mere rebels who defy His Majesty! BOUILLE Brigadier Jarjeyes, equip your men right away and head to the assembly hall. OSCAR I will NOT! BOUILLE Then you leave me no choice. I will have to arrest you for treason. BOUILLE I will give my order directly to your men. Don't let her step out from this room until I give further instructions. COLONEL Yes, Your Excellency! COLONEL Don't move! Stay away from the window. Face this way. OSCAR I will not resist. I just want to see what's out the window, Colonel la Baume. COLONEL All right. Raise your hands then. OSCAR OK. OSCAR I want to see. How my men will react to General Bouille's orders. BOUILLE French Guards Company B, fall in. BOUILLE All right, I give you my orders. Company B will fully equip itself and charge into the Estates-General! And remove all those who occupy the assembly hall illegally. ALAIN What?! BOUILLE Go back to the barracks, equip yourselves, and reassemble here in 10 minutes! Why are you just standing, go now! Run!! ALAIN Wait, everybody! ALAIN We promised our Commander Oscar that we will wait here (for her)! Don't move until she comes back! BOUILLE What are you all doing?! Are you disobeying an order from the highest commander in the Army?! ALAIN I don't care if you're the highest commander. Don't listen to what this jerk says! Only our Commander can command us!! GUARDS Right, I'm staying with (squad leader) Alain! Me, too! I'm staying! Me, too! ALAIN As you see, Your Excellency, Alain de Soisson and 11 others are officially defying your order. BOUILLE All right! I'll show you what military discipline is for! BOUILLE Your men are just as stubborn as you are. You've trained them far too well! OSCAR Where have you taken them ? BOUILLE The prison of Abbey . I will demand all 12 be shot to death in a military court. OSCAR Shot to death?! BOUILLE Brigadier Jarjeyes! You don't have to worry about your men while you yourself are in trouble. As for you, your military commission will be forfeited and you will be detained in the army cell until His Majesty hands down a punishment. Take her away! OSCAR General Bouille! OSCAR Punishing me will suffice. But it's a big mistake to shoot (execute) those 12 men! BOUILLE No, they will serve as a warning to the others. Any further breach of military discipline brews a crisis for the entire French military. OSCAR And one more thing. Charging into the assembly hall with armed force will leave an unforgivable blemish on French History! BOUILLE I think what's more blemish is the sit-in by the National Assembly faction. No need to worry. The Royal Guards will remove the rebels. OSCAR The Royal Guards?! GUARD What are you doing?! OSCAR (Sorry but) You'll have to let me go. [Fight] OSCAR Andre-!! ANDRE Oscar!! [Andre bursts into the room] OSCAR Andre! ANDRE Oscar!! [Oscar and Andre escape] OSCAR Hurry, Andre! The Royal Guards are charging into the assembly hall! We have to stop them! We have to! [ending title] NEXT EPISODE: Jarjeyes stood up to punish Oscar for a treason. A father who raised his daughter dearly as a military officer. A daughter who was splitting apart from her father despite her love and respect for him. Their love and hate swirled between them... Next Episode on the Rose of Versailles: "Oscar Now Splits Away." END - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Bruce Carlson carlsn1@ix.netcom.com Phoenix, AZ