NAPOLEON

NAPOLEON

(laughs)

Good! Good! Then we are both

pleased with each other. How

fortunate we are -- eh? How

fortunate we are!

INT. COMPIEGNE BEDROOM - NIGHT

Napoleon and Marie-Louise in bed, the marriage is about to

be consummated. Her cloistered upbringing has not

prepared her very well for this moment. Each time

Napoleon is about to take her in his arms, she speaks.

MARIE-LOUISE

Do you like music?

NAPOLEON

(gently)

Yes, I do -- very much.

MARIE-LOUISE

Will I be able to play the harp? It

is an instrument of which I am very

fond.

NAPOLEON

Of course, my dear.

MARIE-LOUISE

You are so good to me. Will you

also allow me to have a botanical

garden?

NAPOLEON

You may have anything you wish, my

sweet and lovely Marie-Louise.

MARIE-LOUISE

I am told that Fontainebleau has

many lovely views. I know nothing

more interesting than a lovely

countryside.

NAPOLEON

I am sure you will enjoy the French

countryside.

MARIE-LOUISE

I hope you have patience with me. I

do not know how to dance the

quadrille but, if you desire it, I

will learn.

NAPOLEON

I only desire what gives you

pleasure, my dearest.

MARIE-LOUISE

Will it be possible to have my dog,

Bijou, sent here? I was not allowed

to bring her and I love her so much.

NAPOLEON

Of course, my dear -- how cruel to

have been separated from her. And

how strange it must be for you to be

here, away from your family and

everything you know.

MARIE-LOUISE

Oh, no, I am very happy. But you

must have patience with me... I know

nothing at all of what a wife must

know. And I know nothing about men.

My papa has never allowed me even to

have a pet of the male gender.

NAPOLEON

Did the Emperor or Empress give you

any... instructions of any kind...

before you left?

MARIE-LOUISE

Papa said only to comply with any

request you might make of me.

NAPOLEON

Oh, my dearest child -- you must not

worry about anything. I will teach

you everything that you must know.

Napoleon sits up in bed.

NAPOLEON

(cheerfully)

Do you know the joke about the two

Swiss boys who go to a bordello for

the first time?

MARIE-LOUISE

(giggles)

No.

NAPOLEON

Well, two nice little Swiss boys,

who are virgins, decide they will

save up their money and go to a

bordello.

Marie-Louise giggles.

NAPOLEON

At the door, one of them loses his

nerve and decides to wait in the

street while his more adventuresome

friend goes inside. Fifteen minutes

later his friend comes out.

Napoleon does the dialogue with a heavy Swiss accent.

NAPOLEON

"Well, what was it like?" the timid

one asks. "Oh," his friend

nonchalantly replied, "The movements

are ridiculously simple, but the

feeling is wonderful!"

Marie-Louise shrieks with laughter which persists until

tears run down her cheeks.

Napoleon gently takes her into his arms.

MARIE-LOUISE

(trembling)

Blow out the candle, please.

He does. The screen is black. We hear some heavy

breathing, then Marie-Louise, giggling -- then, themes and

variations of her giggling.

EXT. TUILERIES BALCONY - DAY

Napoleon holds up his son, the infant King of Rome, to the

cheering multitude below. Standing beside him are Marie-

Louise, his mother and entourage.

EXT. MALMAISON ZOO - DAY

Josephine is showing the year-old, King of Rome, the small

Malmaison zoo. She carries him in her arms. Madame de

Montesquiou, a kind woman, the child's governess, walks

along with them.

JOSEPHINE

(wistfully)

Ah, my dear Madame de Montesquiou,

you have no idea what happiness it

brings me to see this child, at

last. I was told the very idea of

such a visit would too much distress

the Empress.

MONTESQUIOU

I am delighted to be of service to

you again, Your Highness. And I can

tell you, my instructions came

directly from the Emperor, with a

caution to be discreet.

JOSEPHINE

Oh... I see. I understand. How

is... the Emperor?

MONTESQUIOU

I rarely see him, Your Highness, but

I believe he is in excellent health,

and he is very happy with the child.

JOSEPHINE

Ah, that is good.

MONTESQUIOU

And, you seem in excellent health,

Your Highness.

JOSEPHINE

Ah, well, my dear Madame de

Montesquiou, peace of mind can

eventually be a substitute for

happiness.

Suddenly, the little boy begins making happy noises about

one of the animals, and Josephine hugs him. Her eyes fill

with tears.

JOSEPHINE

My dear sweet child, one day,

perhaps you will know the sacrifice

I have made for you, and I leave it

to your governess to make you aware

of it.

EXT. TUILERIES GARDEN - DAY

Imperial Guard sergeant proudly carries the King of Rome.

Napoleon and Marie-Louise are seated on a park bench

nearby.

MARIE-LOUISE (V.O.)

My adorable papa, I can announce to

you that your prophesy has been

realized. I am as happy as

possible. My husband loves me

profoundly and I return his

affection. I feel sure that I shall

live happily with him. I assure

you, my dear papa, that the Emperor

is as careful of my health as you

would be.

EXT. TUILERIES GARDEN - DAY

King of Rome, now 1 1/2 years-old, riding in a

magnificently decorated cart, pulled by two lambs,

supervised by Napoleon, Marie-Louise, Duroc and Murat.

INT. TUILERIES NURSERY - DAY

The King of Rome is asleep, holding onto one of Napoleon's

fingers. Letizia looks lovingly at her son and grandson.

Magnificent toys are scattered about the room.

TITLE: DEFEAT

EXT. NARROW RUSSIAN ROAD - DAY

A narrow, sandy track. A French courier, Major Fidon, in

a heavy barouche, is making slow progress. Immediately

behind him is a Russian light kibitka, which has, for some

time, been unsuccessfully trying to pass him. The driver

of the Russian vehicle is impatiently ringing a bell and

cursing.

MAJOR FIDON

(taps on the window)

Stop the carriage!

The French driver brings the horses to a sudden halt,

almost causing a collision from the rear.

The French courier storms out and hurries to the Russian

carriage. Ignoring the driver, he unceremoniously opens

the door and addresses a very distinguished looking

Russian gentleman seated inside.

MAJOR FIDON

(bristling with

anger)

Good day, monsieur. Do you think it

is possible for you to tell your

driver to stop ringing that bell?

RUSSIAN GENTLEMAN

My regrets, my dear Major, but I

believe you have been blocking the

road.

MAJOR FIDON

Are you trying to provoke me,

monsieur?

RUSSIAN GENTLEMAN

No, Major, I merely wish to state

that your vehicle appears to be

somewhat slower and heavier than

mine, and point out that, if you

would be kind enough to pull over to

one side of the road, I could pass

you and be on my way.

MAJOR FIDON

May I inform you, monsieur, that I

am Major Fidon, official courier to

the court of the Emperor Napoleon,

on my way to our Embassy at St.

Petersburg and, in accordance with

the rules of the road, no one may

overtake or pass me.

RUSSIAN GENTLEMAN

Before you quote the rules of the

road to me, Major, may I point out

to you that you are not in France

now, but that you are a guest in

Russia.

MAJOR FIDON

If I have given you any cause to be

insulted, monsieur, may I offer you

immediate satisfaction?

RUSSIAN GENTLEMAN

(pulling his door

closed)

If you wish to put things on that

basis, then I will say good day to

you, monsieur.

The French officer glares at him and walks back to his

carriage. He gets back inside and drives off, still

blocking the road.

Suddenly, the road widens and it becomes possible for the

Russian to pass. The driver seizes the opportunity and

easily passes the French barouche.

MAJOR FIDON

(shouting)

Insolent bastard! Insolent bastard!

In a fury, the French courier pulls out his pistol, leans

out of the window and fires several poorly-aimed shots at

the rapidly diminishing vehicle.

NARRATOR

By 1810, relations between France

and Russia were wearing thin. The

terms Russia had agreed to at

Tilsit, three years earlier, were

proving to be unrealistic and

ruinous to her.

INT. KREMLIN OFFICE - NIGHT

Tsar Alexander and Caulaincourt. Alexander is slightly

drunk.

ALEXANDER

It is a thing entirely unknown in

diplomacy, that one government

should assume a right to dictate to

another, who is upon terms of

equality, the conditions on which

she should conduct her commerce;

and, assuming such a right, second

it by threatening language, in case

of non-compliance.

CAULAINCOURT

But, Your Majesty, the very

substance of the Tilsit treaty was

that you should join the Continental

Blockade, boycott English goods,

suspend all commercial dealings with

her, and be France's ally. Nothing

more is being asked than to comply

with the treaty.

ALEXANDER

My dear Caulaincourt, agreements can

endure only when they allow both

sides to live. Napoleon may believe

it is necessary to injure England

but, before that, he must realize it

is necessary for him to allow his

friends to live. He cannot expect

me to tell my nobles they must ruin

themselves so that he can bring

England to her knees -- and I'm

afraid that is what it has come to.

CAULAINCOURT

I can appreciate what Your Majesty

is saying but the Emperor has staked

everything on this policy. He has

no other way to attack England, and

no one knows more than Your Majesty

how his overtures for peace have

been rejected.

ALEXANDER

It's a fine thing to establish

policies but, when they don't work,

they must be reconsidered. Granted

that you have hurt England, but she

is still on her feet. And to seal

off her trade with Europe, what has

it cost you? You have had to rule

with an iron hand. You have turned

friends into enemies. And even at

that, the result has only been

partly effective. You have never

been able to stop the extensive

cheating, smuggling and corruption

-- even of your own officials. But

I should think the situation in

Spain, alone, would give your policy

a minus balance. You have had to

commit a quarter of a million of

your best troops against the

guerrillas, with no victory in sight.

And you have given England a

dangerous foothold on the Continent,

for her armies.

CAULAINCOURT

I am in no position to debate this

with you, Your Majesty, but can you

imagine what a blow it will be to

the Emperor if you should now desert

his cause? It would mean nothing

less than victory for England.

ALEXANDER

My dear Caulaincourt, you have no

idea of how compromised my own

position has become since Tilsit. I

am blamed by the army for the

military disaster at Austerlitz and

Friedland, by the nobility for

ruining their trade with England, by

the merchants who must accept French

foods at unprofitable prices, and by

the nation for allowing Napoleon to

dictate Russian policy.

Alexander comes up to Caulaincourt and takes his arm. He

speaks slowly and factually.