The Flute Concert of Sans-souci
- What if they see us? - The night is discreet.
- And what if they hear us? - The violins are playing fortissimo.
What about my husband?
He's sitting at the gambling table, winning.
You haven't been in Dresden long, young man?
No, madame.
You've arrived straight from Paris?
Yes, madame.
Did you have any affairs in Paris?
No, madame.
So you had!
Yes, madame.
You'll take me home now,
and we'll have a cup of chocolate together...
Then you'll tell me all about your Paris adventures.
Yes, madame.
But... what will Mama say?
Your Mama? She's dancing inside with the dancer of the Spanish stagione.
Come along.
You are a regular correspondent of the Daily Courrant?
Yes sir, I am making a tour of the German cities for our paper.
Is that so?
What will you write about Dresden?
That its prime minister, Count Brühl is Europe's most generous host,
that he owns 200 lackeys and 635 snuff boxes,
and that he wears all his coats just once.
You know Count Brühl personally?
No, but I think he's a great diplomat.
Why so?
If a prime minister gives a masked ball in August
and invites all the envoys of Europe to this ball,
then he must be a very skillful diplomat.
Why?
Because the heat will force the gentlemen
to take off their masks earlier than they intended.
You are attaching a far too great importance to a harmless masquerade.
Count Brühl adores amusements.
And hates the king of Prussia.
His politics...
Behind a harmless summer fête
you are imagining a political intrigue against Prussia?
No no, he hates Frederick II.
And this hatred dictates each of his actions.
And you won't report anything about
the count's beneficial accomplishments for his country?
Our paper only publishes articles based on the truth.
Play the menuet galant. B.
Menuet galant!
Menuet galant.
Greetings, field marshall.
Do you know why Count Brühl asked us here at this hour?
I don't, but it isn't hard to guess.
Who's missing?
Our host.
His Excellency, the Imperial Count von Brühl.
I welcome you, gentlemen,
and I thank you for coming.
You can be assured that I wouldn't have spoiled your amusement
if it hadn't been for something of utmost importance.
You must excuse my being late, I was detained by an English journalist.
Since when do you give interviews, Your Excellency?
Since I learned that one can hide a lot by talking.
Besides, that newspaper scribe had no idea that he was talking to me.
It was Count Brühl.
He thought I hadn't noticed that it was him.
But on this occasion he gave me a very revealing interview.
Lately, my secret negotiations
with the ambassadors of Austria, France and Russia
have attracted a lot of interest in Potsdam.
And I don't want them to have any idea in Potsdam
that we are negotiating
and what about.
Your Excellency.
My private secretary Menzel.
The dispatches from Vienna.
The deciphered copy. The original has been filed.
Thank you.
His Excellency, the Austrian chancellor, lets me know...
that the treaty between France, Austria and Russia has finally been signed
The allied powers pledge
to attack the kingdom of Prussia without any delay
should Prussia start war with one of the allied powers.
Saxony has been asked to join that alliance.
I don't have to tell you, the envoys of the allied powers,
that Saxony will answer to this appeal.
Should the kingdom of Prussia attack.
The sly fox in Potsdam will know better than that.
One has to lure the fox out of his hole.
The Austrian chancellor writes about that too:
The bordering state of Saxony must find a pretext
to start war against the kingdom of Prussia.
Such a pretext will easily be found.
For instance, Mecklenburg-Schwerin.
Why pretexts? Haven't we got reasons enough?
Silesia.
You see, we can prepare everything with leisure.
The philosopher of Sans-Souci hasn't got a clue.
He builds opera houses and picture galleries
for brilliant conversations at his dinner table.
Menzel!
Take this document and go.
By the way...
It's not without a certain piquant charm
that we have come to our agreement against Prussia
right under our beloved Prussian envoy's nose.
Maltzahn is on the ball, too?
He stands near the buffet and tells anecdotes about his great king.
And when the king came to Halberstadt one day,
to his amazement there wasn't any salute fired from the cannons.
The rather piqued king asked the mayor about it.
This was the mayor's answer:
"Your majesty,
unfortunately we couldn't fire the salute, for three reasons:
The first reason: we don't have any cannons."
To this the king replied:
"This first reason is so weighty that I can dispense with the other two."
Excellent, excellent!
Do you have a few more nice anecdotes, Excellency?
One moment, I'll be back in a second.
Your Excellency...
Do you have something for me, Menzel?
Copies of the dispatches from Vienna, Your Excellency.
In chiffre?
As usual, with the old code.
You have to wait a little for the unmasking.
What's his price?
As much as Your Excellency cares to give.
This ought to be sufficient.
It remains most important that Potsdam learns nothing about this
until we have finished our military preparations.
It would be a grave mistake to take off one's mask too early.
Take off your masks!
Sing again, please!
My ladies, I'm sorry.
I can't anymore, I must go.
Lindeneck, will you play a game of piquet with me?
At your command, Your Excellency.
For pleasure, Lindeneck.
Be careful, Lindeneck.
Keep absolutely quiet.
I have the document hidden in my left sleeve, understand?
At your command, Excellency.
I'll slip it to you after my first trick.
- Is the courier relay service ready? - At your command, Excellency.
- How many horses? - Eight horses.
From the city moat via Meißen, Mühlberg, Torgau, Korwitz, Jüterborg, Luckenwalde,
Trebbin, to Potsdam.
Nine of spades, careful! Now.
I'll hand over the game to the Count and then ride off.
But be careful.
So, Lindeneck?
The Prussian envoy's musician plays piquet instead of the flute?
His king in Potsdam better doesn't hear about it.
What the count says is very true, Lindeneck.
Hand over the game and look after the ladies.
- Here you are, Count. - Thank you, musician.
I'll gladly take over the game.
Off you go, Lindeneck, one ought to profit from the hours till morning.
At your command, Your Excellency
What game did Lindeneck declare?
How do you like this evening, Your Excellency?
Amusing and diverting, as always at the Palais Brühl.
But you haven't danced at all.
I preferred to chat.
Is that so? What about, if one may ask?
About fashion, love, the theatre, society...
About anything.
Except politics.
But that's politics, too: not to talk about politics.
- What's the time? - After midnight.
Quick. my coat.
- God's speed! - Good luck, major!
One sees Your Excellency more in the company of musicians than of diplomats.
I find the intercourse with them more harmonious.
That's possible.
But for real life, I find them rather superfluous,
those musicians.
Again you've won.
- You're in luck, Your Excellency. - Not luck, just courage.
- Will you give me a chance to get even? - But of course, Count.
Let's play eight rounds, if you like.
Fine. Eight rounds.
That was the first round, Count.
Again you've won.
So to speak, at a gallop.
Seven rounds more.
I hope you aren't tired already, Your Excellency?
Not at all, Count.
I'll sit through those seven rounds.
Jack of Spades.
By the way...
I have been told about a lonely rider
who has been observed for some months
between Dresden and the Prussian border.
Between Dresden and the Prussian border there's surely more than one rider...
Taken!
The peasants are convinced that this rider has the devil inside.
His horse is said to be able to fly.
Why should someone need a horse that can fly?
Perhaps in order to deliver messages of highest importance
from one place to another.
But that ought to be very important messages, Count.
But the strange thing is:
the peasants firmly claim that this devilish rider
was attached to the Prussian legation in Dresden.
But surely the Prussian envoy would know about that, too?
Besides, I wouldn't know what messages of highest importance
the Prussian envoy should have to send across the border
that he would need a flying rider for it.
Isn't that true, Count?
We're at peace, aren't we?
At deep peace.
Of course, yes.
You have to show your colours, Count.
Beg your pardon?
If I counted correctly, you must have another club.
Pardon, Your Excellency. A blunder.
I almost made a mistake.
Besides, at the Saxon border they know how to handle such suspicious subjects.
Hey, border guard!
That damned musician,
and again in the early hours.
I have to play in Trebbin; there's a wedding at the mayor's.
Here, my papers.
Keep that old scrap of paper.
It's falling apart from so much use.
Because you've rubbed your greasy fingers on it too often, border guard.
Only for you I'll wear silk gloves next time.
Fredersdorff!
Have it deciphered.
- How long? - Eight hours, Your Majesty.
Half an hour longer than last time.
At your command, Your Majesty, in Korwitz, at the fourth relay post,
the stable boy wasn't at hand.
If this happens again, the guy will make the relay service by foot
with a sack of turnips on his back.
At your command, Your Majesty.
Tired?
Yes, from dancing, Your Majesty.
So they are still dancing in Dresden?
Yes, Your Majesty.
Go home now, and stay with your wife for a week.
At your command, Your Majesty.
Come!
Count Finkenstein!
The minister.
What's the news, Finkenstein?
Your majesty, the Russian envoy asks for an audience.
Show him in.
Envoy, what's the reason for asking for the audience?
Get off that chair, dame.
Sire, I have a complaint against the Berlin newspapers.
Were you insulted personally?
What is easier than slandering the great?
It's about an article that has just appeared
in one of the newspapers privileged by your majesty.
The article is called "The history of the Roman Emperors".
You can almost sum up the whole article in one sentence:
How does that sentence go?
One murders another, and was himself murdered by another.
But that refers to the Roman emperors.
And you are the envoy of Russia.
The article secretly alludes to Russia.
All you have to do is to replace "Roman" with "Russian", and the whole
is revealed as an insolent criticism of the Russian state of affairs.
Healthy criticism can be very instructive, envoy.
I ask you for exemplary punishment of the anonymous author.
I can only punish to incite ambition,
not to humiliate the punished person.
Besides, there is a decree guaranteeing freedom of speech to the Berlin press.
Go ahead, Finkenstein.
His majesty expressly affirmed in the year '40
that the local newspaper writers have unlimited freedom of opinion.
All the same I ask, I even dare to demand that...
Please go on, envoy.
I repeat that the article is obviously directed against Russia
and in the interest of the good relations between Russia and Prussia...
One moment, envoy.
... and Saxony. The Russian council of war
intends to attack Prussia with 80.000 men.
The distribution of the conquered provinces...
What were you saying, envoy?
In the interest of the good relations between Russia and Prussia,
I appeal to Your majesty's understanding,
and urgently request to curtail future attacks in the newspapers.
Sure, yes.
In the interest of the good relations.
I will hand over the case to my cabinet council.
In any case, I ask you to remember me to your august sovereign, the Empress,
with my best wishes, and assure her of my constant admiration.
Now Russia, Austria and France are against us.
Two crowned queens have joined forces with an uncrowned queen.
Read this, Finkenstein.
These are the latest dispatches the flying musician brought from Dresden.
The conquered Prussian provinces shall be distributed according to
the secret treaties: East Prussia will fall to Russia, Silesia to Austria,
the remaining...
Ask Winterfeldt, Schwerin, Retzow and Zieten to come here.
Good morning, Quantz.
The flute doesn't sound pure.
Your Majesty, the flute was made out of the finest wood.
I myself drilled the holes.
But it doesn't sound pure all the same.
Allow me, Your Majesty.
The flute does sound pure.
But it doesn't sound pure.
If a sovereign could bear to hear the truth,
then Your Majesty would know at once that it isn't the flute's fault.
What, I cannot bear the truth? Out with the truth, then!
I've told Your Majesty several times
that after playing you had better place the flute on the table
instead of carrying it under your arm.
Since Your Majesty doesn't want to listen to me,
the flute must sound impure.
But he still is mistaken, Quantz, it's not my fault, it's the flute's.
Blanche!
If you desire me,
oh, do not hide it from me,
Where shall I visit you?
where shall I finally find you,
you, who makes my desire strong and immortal.
what does this sighing mouth convey?
What does this eye express?
Oh, by the way...
This is Herr Kent, an acquaintance of mine.
A good acquaintance; he reads me Klopstock's poems.
It's so boring to be alone.
I am delighted to meet my charming acquaintance's husband.
The honour is all mine, Herr ...
Kent, if you please.
Kent of the Berlin Porcellain Manufacture,
at Wilhelm Caspar Wegely's in... in the Neue Friedrichstraße.
You know it for sure.
And that's where we met.
Yes, in the manufacture.
It was a most charming meeting.
Madame enters the shop one day, by accident I find myself there, too,
Among ourselves, you must know I'm not working as a salesman for Wegely.
So there I stand.
Madame confers vividly with the apprentice about a coffee set for four,
the apprentice says that he only has a set for 5 persons,
but Madame says she only needs a set for four persons,
because she only invites three lady friends to her afternoon coffee,
and... and then I step forward,
introduce myself, and propose
to become the fifth guest at one of the next coffee gatherings,
so that the coffee set would serve its purpose,
and thus...
And thus we met.
Through the coffee set.
I am delighted that you find the time to entertain my wife during my absence.
With greatest pleasure.
Only Madame regrets that you are away on business so often.
Well, I shall take my leave now. I still have to...
That is I want... I... Allow me....
I thank you.
Madame, I thank you for the invitation. Bonjour, Monsieur.
Again, bonjour.
I am all surprised that you have already come back today.
I only expected you tomorrow.
And now I haven't cooked or prepared anything.
there is nothing in the kitchen, no meat, no eggs, no vegetables...
Say, where is the coffee set you bought in the manufacture?
Would you like to see it? It's in the cupboard.
Beautiful, isn't it?
Very pretty! Really.
Very pretty.
Listen, if I come back next time and see that porcelain peddler here again,
then he'll go out of the window like the set just did.
You're a tyrant, you won't grant me the slightest of pleasures!
What am I to do all alone, and you always with your Dresden envoy.
I am not allowed to speak to another person,
you won't allow me the slightest diversion.
Don't cry, I didn't mean it like that!
who knows how you amuse yourself in Dresden,
and I am not even allowed to have coffee.
You want to lock me up so that no one can see me,
and you can indulge in your passions.
Aunt Charlotte always said that you're a suspicious character.
Leave Aunt Charlotte out of this.
All's well now, I am here, I am staying, I have eight days leave.
Eight days and eight nights, Blanche.
Blanche, look what I brought you!
You brought me something?
What did you bring me?
Close your eyes.
Open your eyes.
Oh, how beautiful!
Real rubies!
They will go beautifully with my new dress.
And the fact that I'm staying with you for eight days,
you're not pleased about that, either?
I am.
He is right, Quantz. It's not the flute's fault, it's my own.
- I don't think the partisans can hold their ground. - Me, neither.
The Austrians have formed an alliance with the Russians and the French.
They want to have Silesia, and a few more provinces.
Shall we let Austria attack us? Or shall we attack ourselves?
Retzow?
What does he think?
Your majesty promised in the treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle
not to undertake any attacks.
Promised, promised...
He who is drawn into European politics can hardly keep up his high principles.
The Empress has signed the treaty, too, but still she conspires against us.
The Empress is a woman.
But that's the madness of it!
It's well known how much I respect all ladies,
but I am forced to open war against them.
Those three first ...
Finkenstein, I know what I'm saying, you don't have to cough.
Those three first ladies of Europe join forces and mercilessly fight a man
who ought to be completely indifferent to them.
So, Retzow, what does he advise?
As much as our Prussian troops have proven themselves in war,
I would not advise to set them against an overwhelming enemy force right now.
That is my opinion, Your Majesty.
He has been talking to my brothers.
Tell my brothers, General:
If our enemies force us into war
we don't have to ask how many they are, but where they stand.
If we attack, we'll soon have all Europe against us, Your Majesty.
The attacker isn't the one who fires the first shot,
but the one who plans to attack his neighbour.
We'll never be able to prove that, Sire.
Ah, you think so?
Finkenstein, show the gentlemen the dispatches from Dresden.
You wanted proof, Retzow. Is that proof enough?
Again about Silesia.
Silesia, fiddlesticks!
This war will be about self-assertion or complete fall.
Now that we know what Count Brühl really thinks,
how that gentleman does nothing but scheme and lie,
I have no other choice but to disarm the Saxon troops.
Isn't it a shame that a peaceful people will have to suffer
just because of one man's ambitions.
But we need absolutely certain proof
that the allies plan an attack on Prussia
I don't think these documents are sufficient.
They are talking about a plan, not about a decision.
I ask your majesty to consider that.
But the Austrians have asked Brühl to find a pretext for war!
And I am sure Brühl has already found that pretext.
The document is certainly already on its way to Vienna.
We must get hold of that document,
it'll justify us in the eyes of Europe.
Fredersdorff.
Rataplan, rataplan, rataplan,
he wanted so much to go to bed,
rataplan, rataplan, rataplan,
why was that not allowed to happen,
rataplan, rataplan, rataplan.
First comes the omelette,
rataplan, rataplan, rataplan.
and only then the bed comes, unfortunately,
rataplan, rataplan, rataplan.
Off you go, peel some potatoes.
He was henpecked,
rataplan, rataplan, rataplan,
and peeled the potatoes,
rataplan, rataplan, rataplan.
If Your Highness pleases, dinner is served.
- S'il vous plait, monsieur! - Après vous, madame!
C'est gentil de votre part, monsieur.
- N'est-ce pas, madame? - Oui.
Does Madame Lindeneck know on what mission her husband is in Dresden?
No, Your Majesty.
The major strictly obeys the order to keep silent about it.
Good. The dames gossip too much.
Very well, your majesty.
By the way, how long has Lindeneck been married?
Hardly a year, Your Majesty.
And he's been at home only half of that year.
Yes, Your Majesty.
And what does madame say about it?
I think she imagined a marriage to be different, and...
What is it, Fredersdorff?
I mean, she...
Out with it!
I have been told, madame is about to...
forget about conjugal fidelity.
Is that so?
- Is she pretty? - Madame Lindeneck is very pretty,
and there is said to be a young fop in the porcellain manufacture...
Should letters arrive for me,
he is to forward them to my Berlin address.
And I'll be back next week, anyway.
Carry my luggage upstairs again.
I am staying.
The baron is staying. Carry the suitcases upstairs again.
When Voltaire used to sit at this table, Maitre Noel's pâtés were tastier.
Did he fear the great philosopher's criticism more than mine?
One should call Voltaire back, Your Majesty.
So that the pâtés will be tastier again; is that it, Marquis?
I'd rather eat bad pastries.
Please, I ask you... I am certainly right this time.
Don't contradict me, I'm certainly right in this case.
What's all this excitement, gentlemen? What are you discussing about?
About marriage, Your Mayesty.
An important topic nowadays.
It's absurd, but Count Alvarotti thinks
that women have as much right to infidelity as men have.
And who grants men the right to infidelity, Baron Pöllnitz?
But that's a natural law, Your Majesty.
Marriage is a contract
which can only be dissolved if both parties agree to it.
But as long as this contract is valid it must not be broken,
neither by the husband, nor by the wife.
Madame stands all alone, rataplan, rataplan, rataplan,
you know who I mean, rataplan, rataplan, rataplan.
He cares little about his little wife, rataplan, rataplan, rataplan,
his king comes first for him, rataplan, rataplan, rataplan.
So she's pretty, Fredersdorff?
- Who, Your Majesty? - Well, that Madame Lindeneck.
I saw her once on her Sunday walk, she's charming.
Lindeneck must be in Dresden by now.
If he rides back tomorrow, he can only be here tomorrow evening.
Very well, Your Majesty.
Remind me of Madame Lindeneck tomorrow.
Very well, Your Majesty.
I've been informed accurately.
That alleged musician had been away since the night of the ball
and only returned this morning at dawn.
But you cannot seriously believe, my dear count, that this Lindeneck
can ride the distance Dresden-Potsdam and back in barely 24 hours?
I think he needs even less than 24 hours.
- Then he would have to fly. - One should think so.
And what would be that flying musician's mission?
Is that so hard to guess?
Espionage.
Indeed.
Espionage.
Lindeneck.
I am sorry to wake him up.
At your command, Your Excellency. I'll ride.
When this job is done he'll get a month's leave, I promise.
If only count Brühl would let us in peace.
I'm afraid, Brühl will not refrain just because of you, Lindeneck.
He ought to listen to my wife's complaints,
perhaps he'd reconsider.
Off you go, Lindeneck, every minute counts.
Menzel has done a good job this time.
At your command, Your Excellency.
Your Excellency, an order by Brühl was issued to the borders.
They are searching for the flying musician.
But then you can't go!
They won't catch me, Your Excellency, I'll ride
We cannot take that risk, too much is at stake.
- What shall be done, then? - Someone less suspicious must ride.
Give me those documents.
I am at your disposal, Your Excellency.
This document is of utmost importance to the king.
It must be in Sans-Souci today at any cost.
Your Excellency, give me those documents, I'll ride.
He stays! The courier rides.
How is the relay service set up, major?
- Your Excellency, I must ride! - I don't doubt your courage, Lindeneck.
But sending you would be putting all eggs in one basket.
Explain the relay service route to the courier.
Eight horses.
Meißen, Mühlberg, Torgau,
Korwitz, Jüterborg, Luckenwalde, Trebbin.
The position?
Always the first inn when you enter the village.
The parole?
Sans-souci.
Your Excellency, may I have the documents.
Here you are. Don't forget, you are riding for Prussia.
We will invite at once
a few attachés of the embassies to lunch, and you will attend.
Then no one will search for the flying musician on the roads.
Understood?
At your command, Your Excellency.
He'd rather sit on his horse?
On the way to Potsdam, isn't that so?
But he'll return to his wife in time.
What is madame, his wife, doing?
She sits at home, and...
I expect you tonight at 7 o'clock. A carriage will fetch you.
Do come, no one will see you. Kent
Such insolence.
Let me tell you an anecdote which has an error in reasoning to it
and which makes the whole story impossible.
In the church of Notre Dame, the wedding of the Duke of Clandel
and the Princess of Navarre is taking place.
Everyone laughs about this marriage,
because the duke is seventy years old, and the princess is only twenty.
The priest puts the stole on their hands and asks the question of the sacrament.
At this moment,
the duke suddenly realizes the great injustice
he is about to commit by binding the young princess to himself.
He is seized by an incredible excitement,
he wants to shout out "no",
but before he can utter one word,
he suddenly drops down dead.
Where is the error in reasoning in this anecdote?
The duke of Clandel could never have married in Notre Dame
because his lineage was extinct in the 11th century already,
and the church of Notre Dame was only built 100 years later.
I beg your pardon, my dear vicomte, but that's not the correct answer.
You could replace Notre Dame with any other church already built by the time.
The story is improbable
because the cardinal has to ascertain the couple's agreement to the marriage,
before he binds the couple's hands with the stole.
No, my dear baron, that isn't the correct answer, either.
But I'll tell you, gentlemen, where the error of reasoning lies in this story.
How could anybody have known
that the senile duke was going to say "no"
if he dropped dead before he could open his lips?
Gentlemen, may I tell you a story now?
A friend of mine writes to me from Potsdam.
He's in love with a young woman
who is left alone by her husband all the time.
The young lonely woman is pretty, very pretty,
and, unfortunately, true to her husband.
All my friend's efforts have so far been in vain.
The young wife is unwavering,
the young wife remains unwavering,
and the young wife will eternally be unwavering.
Gentlemen, does this story have an error of reasoning?
No, there is not one error of reasoning, there are three!
Because a pretty woman is not unwavering,
does not remain unwavering,
and will not remain unwavering eternally.
Especially...
especially if her skin is as white as her name:
"Blanche".
Count!
I must ask you to give me that letter.
How dare you!
But Lindeneck, what's the matter?
I must ask you again to give me that letter.
Your excellency, please take that presumptuous fool off my back.
I'll order Lindeneck to apologize to you at once, Count.
Stable boy!
Major? You here?
His horse! I am riding the relay.
Major, the documents!
Ah yes, the documents.
And he definitely thinks that madame will come?
Otherwise, would I have prepared the dinner with so much care?
Then take care that madame won't encounter anyone on the stairs.
Everything's been taken care of.
When shall I send the carriage?
It's now half past seven. So now is the time for it to go.
It will be done at once.
Mount your horses! The spy is riding towards the border!
Hey, border guard!
Madame!
Madame, the carriage.
Coming!
Junk.
Don't you feel that...?
Coachman!
Innkeeper! Innkeeper!
Has the coachman gone crazy?
Coachman, halt!
We've passed the inn already!
Coachman, why doesn't he stop?
Stop the carriage!
Coachman, why doesn't he stop?
Innkeeper!
Halt! I want to get out!
Coachman, halt! I want to get out!
You mustn't drive on!
I want to get out! Halt!
You are all fools! Utterly stupid fools!
I want the carriage back here in 5 minutes!
Or I'll forget who I am!
May I help you to get out, madame?
But I...
- Let me take your hand, madame. - But I don't know what..
I didn't want to come here.
We're in the right place now.
I want to go home!
But why...no... I want to go home.
I have taken the liberty to have Madame brought here to have supper with her.
If it suits you, Madame.
Where might Madame be running to?
well I... but I am...
Invited elsewhere, yes, yes, I know.
But all the same I took the liberty to arrange things otherwise.
Or is it disagreeable to you to have supper with me, madame?
Your Majesty.
I hope you'll find my cuisine just as tasty as that at the inn.
Certainly, Your Majesty.
Because I don't like it
when my officers' ladies forget about their duties as wives,
while their husbands are on duty in my service.
Doesn't Madame understand?
But I only wanted to...
Major von Lindeneck is one of my most reliable officers,
and it would be delightful if his wife were just as reliable as he is.
Then he shouldn't leave me alone so often, Your Majesty.
I can explain that too, madame.
There's an officer, he plays the lute like a troubadour,
and he sits on his horse like a Pandur hussar.
That officer once exchanged his sword with the lute
and stayed a good soldier in spite of it.
- And that officer... - ... is your husband, little wife.
He's now riding from Dresden to Potsdam
because he can ride like no other of my officers, day and night.
He rides the flying relay service
from one saddle to another, eight hours or even more,
always sits straight in his saddle and... thinks of his wife.
From Dresden to Potsdam in one night?
In one night; many horses, but only one rider.
- But then he must arrive very soon! - He will.
That's why I asked you here, little wife,
to save your husband from disagreeable surprises.
Your Majesty.
Otherwise, I wonder where Major Lindeneck would have found his wife ?
I think I owed that small service to my officer.
Didn't I, madame?
Supper is served.
If you please.
Leave the other partridge in the casserole,
perhaps Madame will come after all.
But certainly, sir.
Madame is nowhere to be found, as if she vanished off the face of the earth.
Then I'll have the other partridge as well.
With pleasure.
Yes, my dear madame, everyone who loves had better look after himself.
One shouldn't sacrifice everything to one's passion.
One mustn't get too soft,
not being able to suppress such a passion anymore,
a passion sometimes leading to follies one will have to regret later on.
But Madame doesn't drink?
À votre santé.
Did Madame understand me?
How does Your Majesty mean?
I mean what I said about committing follies.
Yes, yes, I totally agree, Your Majesty.
One shouldn't be foolish.
- Then we agree, don't we? - Completely, Your Majesty.
By the way, how do you like my casserole?
It's delicious, Your Majesty.
A secret recipe of the royal kitchen?
Not secret for you, madame.
You take one half of Turkish wheat,
one half of Parmesan cheese,
you add the juice of squeezed garlic,
and then you bake it in butter till a hard crust forms,
about as thick as a finger.
That is, not like my finger,
more like this one.
I didn't know Your Majesty knew so much about cooking.
Men know much more about cooking than women.
Why have all the famous chefs been men, not women?
Your Majesty, I have a secret, too.
That's impossible!
- The coffee cake. - Really?
If Your Majesty came to visit me for a cup of coffee...
- No, better not. - Why not?
My husband would throw another coffee set out of the window.
He doesn't like it if strange gentlemen have coffee with me.
He's terribly jealous.
But he wouldn't be jealous because of me.
But why not? Especially of Your Majesty, I'm sure of it.
Really? Why do you think so?
Because your majesty isn't such a woman-hater as people always say.
Are the people saying that?
Yes, of course.
That is, only those who don't know Your Majesty.
I think Your Majesty can be very charming with women.
That's very kind, madame.
I think your majesty are like a....
Like an old uncle, you were going to say, weren't you?
Yes, like an uncle...
who is delighted to have made the acquaintance of such a charming niece.
To your health, my dear niece!
To your health... Your Majesty!
- Pardon, I... - You just finish your champagne.
For the time being you don't have to be afraid.
Madame will excuse me for a minute.
Have it deciphered.
How long?
7 1/2 hours, Your Majesty.
Half an hour less than last time.
Yes, Your Majesty.
Tired?
I ask him, is he tired?
No, Your Majesty.
He may ask for a favour.
I ask for permission to leave, Your Majesty.
Why the hurry? Why doesn't he stay here?
Have supper with me, he must be hungry.
I don't want to eat, Your Majesty. I want to leave
What the devil, might he be longing for his wife?
She'll wait.
If you please, Your Majesty, I'm not so sure about that.
A wife must wait till the husband comes home, basta!
- And what if she doesn't? - Then he should chase her away.
That's what I'm going to do as soon as I know whether she has an affair.
And what if she does have an affair?
What, for instance, would he do
with the man who has been together with his wife tonight, all alone?
I'd beat him to pulp!
Really?
Go in there. Somebody's waiting for him inside.
Blanche!
Your M ajesty, the Austrian and Russian envoys ask for an immediate audience.
What do they want?
They ask for a personal consultation with Your Majesty.
I think they know about our military preparations.
An audience is impossible right now.
Your Majesty, I cannot send the envoys away.
Do as you see fit, Finkenstein.
I couldn't possible see the envoys
until I know about the contents of those Dresden documents.
It will take at least an hour to decipher those documents.
Then the envoys will have to wait that long.
But what am I to tell them?
Tell them I don't have any time, I have some other business to attend to.
But that would only make those gentlemen suspicious.
Finkenstein...
Tell my sister that I ask her and her ladies to the concert room,
as well as the Marquis d'Argent,
Pöllnitz, Winterfeldt, and Quantz.
Tell them I am busy performing my concert.
That won't make the envoys suspicious, will it?
No, it won't.
Where did he get that scar?
At Hohenfriedberg, Your Majesty.
- Where did he fight? - In the duke of Bevern's regiment.
It's better at home, isn't it?
And even if it's a hundred times better at home,
we'll have to march out again, we'll have to defend ourselves.
Otherwise you soon won't have a home on this soil any longer.
How is our mother?
She's afraid you're overexerting yourself, sire.
Tell our mother my principle to always overexert myself remains unchanged.
My profession demands hard work.
It is not necessary that I live, but it is very necessary that I work hard.
I ask the generals to come to the parole room.
Excuse me, gentlemen.
My mistake.
Within four weeks the armament of the allied forces will be complete.
The attack will start at the same time from France, Austria, Russia and Saxony.
Bötzow.
Your Majesty?
The Duke of Brunswick's and the Duke of Bevern's regiments
are to be ready to move.
Tell Seydlitz to come.
The area west of the Havel river is to be closed off by the guard
within a perimeter of a half-day's march.
- Is that clear, Seydlitz? - At your command, Your Majesty.
History will speak of this concert.
Finkenstein.
To the Austrian and French envoys, declarations of war at once!
Gentlemen.
The Austrians have appointed generals,
and their army has received the marching order.
My envoy in Vienna has asked the empress and queen
whether she entered into a pact with France and Russia against me.
The empress answered 'no'.
The treaty exists all the same, and was signed in Versailles.
This means war!
Against all principles of war,
I'll attack enemy forces five times stronger than our own.
I must do it, otherwise all is lost.
if we keep waiting with arms folded, we'll be crushed to death.
There's not a moment to be lost.
The glory of Prussia's arms and my people's welfare make me act,
and will guide me until my death.
The End.
Subtitles by serdar202. Adapted by Tommaso.