TSAR'S DAUGHTER MARIE（31）

【原創電影劇本英文版】

INT. UNDERGROUND PASSAGE -- IPATIVE HOUSE -- NIGHT

Holding a lighted candlestick in one hand and a hammer in the other, Victor inches his way forward along the passage. He searches the place thoroughly, hammering the wall and the ground and listening to the echoing noise all the way. He finds the passage linked with the sewer.

EXT. STREETS -- CATHEDRAL -- NIGHT

Victor crawls out of the sewer through a manhole and runs on the street toward the Cathedral.

EXT. COURTYARD -- IPATIEV HOUSE -- JUNE 27 -- DAY

Members of the Special Detachment file in and out of the courtyard and the corridor to make their regular afternoon shift change.

INT. SECONDARY STAIRCASE -- DAY

Victor and Marie descend to the floor below, using the secondary staircase with a balustrade of turned wooden spindles and oak posts.

MARIE

I can't believe I'm now nineteen years old.

VICTOR

(humorously)

Nineteen? Oops, you're old indeed. Happy birthday.

At the bottom of the stair, Marie spreads a handkerchief on the floor for Victor to place a cake on it. They sit on the floor, cut the cake and feed to each other, chuckling.

Victor places a WREATH made of fresh FLOWERS on Marie's head. With her fingers, Marie tries to wipe the crumbs and cream off Victor's mouth. Victor kisses Marie so as to smear her face with crumbs and cream too. Marie laughs and hammers Victor on the chest with her fists. Victor grabs hold of Marie's hands and gazes at her.

VICTOR (CONT'D)

You look so beautiful.

MARIE

My family will hold a birthday party for me this evening. Will you come?

VICTOR

I don't know. Maybe not. So, let's celebrate right now.

MARIE

Victor, is it likely to be my last birthday?

VICTOR

What? What do you mean?

MARIE

I mean, I might be killed. I might die of...

VICTOR

Nonsense. I won't let you die. I've got my way to save you. Tell you good news, I've found the exit.

MARIE

You've found the exit of the underground passage? It's great.

VICTOR

The underground passage is connected to the sewer under the streets near the Cathedral. So...

MARIE

So, we can get out of here and take shelter in the Cathedral?

VICTOR

Yes, yes, you're right.

MARIE

But, if we failed and were captured again.

VICTOR

Don't worry, everything will be alright. Be happy now. Let's dance, come on, cheer up.

Victor pulls Marie in his arms and slowly waltzes her round the narrow space, humming Tchaikovsky. Victor looks at his necklace on Marie's neck. Marie fondles her button on Victor's coat.

MARIE

I feel so happy.

VICTOR

Many happy returns.

INT. IPATIEV HOUSE -- DAY

Beloborodov and Goloshchokin lead a group of Cheka officers arrive, bustling about to inspect the house. The rooms and the corridors echo with the noisy click of boots as Beloborodov and Goloshchokin make their way through the house.

INT. SECONDARY STAIRCASE -- DAY

Footsteps approach. Victor and Marie are startled and stop dancing and humming, looking at each other in silence.

The Cheka officers step downstairs and catch Victor and Marie clinging together.  One officer comes near and separates Victor and Marie by force. Another officer knocks Victor to the ground with a sharp blow. Victor kicks against the cruel beat. The officers suppress him and take him out of the house.

Marie bursts into tears and runs after Victor. The wreath drops from Marie's head and bounces on the floor. The officers push Marie aside roughly and trample on the wreath one by one, leaving the floor strewed with PETALS.

BELOBORODOV

What a shocking scandal. It's annoying to see a Bolshevik soldier consort with a former grand duchess.

GOLOSHCHOKIN

It's made an evil reputation, a disgrace for the revolutionary Urals. It's an immorality, a corruption, a betrayal.

BELOBORODOV

Avdayev, where are you? Come here.

AVDAYEV

I'm here, comrade Beloborodov.

BELOBORODOV

You must be cautious with the prisoners. You has allowed too much. Things have gone too far.

GOLOSHCHOKIN

This discovery provides irrefutable evidence that the security at the Ipatiev House has completely collapsed.

BELOBORODOV

The guards here are no longer reliable.

GOLOSHCHOKIN

Put him in jail. Such a rat should be severely punished to give the other guards a bloody lesson.