"UNTAMABLE ANGÉLIQUE" "Angélique." "No word describes her better than untamable." "Nothing but love has ever defeated her." "Neither the brigands who attacked her childhood home nor the rough young men of her own rank nor the Prince of Condé, leader of the Fronde rebellion nor the sisters who taught her the classics." "The Archbishop of Toulouse the King's brother various lords roughneck soldiers, they all failed." "The Persian Ambassador Voisin, priestess of the dark arts Madame de Montespan even the King, the young Louis XIV, whose sun lit up the sky." "Everyone failed except for Jeoffrey de Peyrac, Count of Toulouse, her husband whom everyone tried to take from her." "For seven years, she thought him dead." "Then, one night, there he was!" "But he fled." "Now, determined to find him again she has fled Paris and the jealous King's clutches to pursue her one true love." " Where's the island?" " That way." "We'll be there at nightfall." " Faster, Savary!" "Faster!" " Tell the wind, Madame." "I'm doing all I can." "Let me help you, you'll get soaked." "Hurry, Savary!" "The island is inhabited." "He's here!" "I'm afraid not, Madame." "If ever he was here, he is long gone." "But the fire!" "Someone had to light it." "Where is he, Savary?" "I want the truth!" "On my soul, Madame, I know no more than I have told you." "Your husband told me to send news to this island." "That is all." "So he comes here." "It's not deserted." "There must be a trace of him somewhere." "Wait!" "Wait!" "Madame, come no closer!" "Your life is at risk." " Lepers do not fear fire." " Is your master the Count of Peyrac?" " I don't know that name." " He's my husband." "Where is he?" "No." "I won't say a thing to anyone." "If I still have my eyes, my hands, my mouth, it's all thanks to him." " I beg you!" " No." " Must I get down on my knees?" " There's no point, Madame." "I have sworn, I will never betray him." "Never." " God does not exist." " Madame!" "If he did, he wouldn't have separated me from Jeoffrey." "I'll never see him again." "I deserted my sons for nothing." "The best thing you can do, Madame, is go back to Paris." "And end up bedded by the King?" "No, never!" "I shall go to Marseilles, buy a boat, and search for him at every port in the Mediterranean." "In the whole of Marseilles you won't find a willing captain." " Even for gold?" " Everyone is afraid of the corsairs and of ending up as a slave in a Barbary Coast galley." "I shall go all the same!" "Quickly!" "Search everywhere!" "Let no one escape!" "Savary, what's going on?" "Monsieur de Vivonne!" "What are you doing here?" "I have been made superintendent of the galleys." "I am scouring the coast for pirates, Barbary Coast or Christian." "And you, Madame, what are you doing here?" " Who is this man?" " My physician." "An odd crew!" "Madame, you cannot be unaware that the King is looking for you." " I shall have to take you to Marseilles." " No, Monsieur." "I go on business to Candia." "Neither you nor anyone else will stop me." "Really?" "And do you expect to get there in your skiff?" " No, in your galley." " Mine?" "A woman on one of the King's galleys?" "Never!" "Leave us, Savary." "Monsieur de Vivonne, I do not think it is in your interest, nor that of your sister, Madame de Montespan," " that I reappear in Versailles." " Oh, yes?" "Yes, Monsieur, I was witness to a black mass, in which your sister participated." "She also tried to have me poisoned by the Voisin woman." "Would you like the King and me to discuss that?" "What do you say?" "That, all things considered, it is preferable to be your friend." " Your baggage will be put on board." " My physician, too." "But of course!" "If you touch me, your fingers will fall off and your mouth will be a hole without lips." "Speak!" "What are you doing here?" "Whom do you serve?" "Stop it!" " For my sake, let him live." " Madame!" "So be it, but he must first speak." " Tell me who your master is, and live." " I have no need of this life." " I shall not speak." " Then you shall die." "Thank you." "Only one man in the Mediterranean can inspire such loyalty." "The Rescator!" " Will this suit you?" " Perfectly." "But where will you sleep?" "I shall share Captain de Millerand's quarters." "You must be the first woman ever to come on board La Réale." "My galley is even more beautiful than ever." " Taste." " What is it?" "War booty." "A sweetmeat particularly appreciated in harems." "It's exquisite!" "Its name is appropriately pagan and outlandish, rahat loukoum." "You are luxuriously set up here, for a man of war." "You embarked at night, Madame, and via the aftercastle." "When you've seen the rest, you'll understand." "Shall I show you the galley?" "Stay close to me." "They never see women, especially of your quality!" "Well, Madame?" "The mainmast is very high for a galley which has barely any keel." "One of my innovations." "With a following wind we make eight knots." "It takes nature over 100 years to grow such a cedar." "How long does it take you to kill these men?" "It depends." "Some die immediately, others last 20 years." "It's unfathomable." "Yes, the pieces of wood around their necks." " Millerand!" " My Lord?" " Aye, aye!" " The rowing rate right now is 16." "If we go up to 20 or 22, they're ordered to bite the wood!" "Millerand!" "Rate 20!" " Come." " Rate 20!" "Rate 20!" "Bite the wood!" " Is the spectacle not to your liking?" " How can you treat men in this way?" "Millerand, slow down!" "Reduce the rowing rate!" "Hoist the sail!" "It grieves me to have upset you." " Water?" " Enough for 10 days." "1,000 pounds of salt pork, 3,000 pounds of beans." "I bought 200 pounds of limes." "The best thing for scurvy." " I never knew that." " With all due respect, it was already known to the ancient Athenians." " Excuse me." " Well?" "They haven't seen a Christian ship for two months." "Only Barbary Coast galleys." " That is all?" " Yes." "It's only the first port, Monsieur Savary." " Ready to cast off!" "Due north!" " He's missing Sardinia!" "It's an island inhabited by savages." "The perfect hideaway for a fugitive like your husband." "Have no fear, Monsieur Savary." "We shall go to Sardinia." "Good Lord, Madame!" "You're even more beautiful as a woman!" "My dear Duke, I'm sorry to trouble you, but I need a helping hand." "Nothing could give me greater pleasure." "The task I must ask you to perform is that of a chambermaid." "Ask!" "Command!" "I shall do whatever you wish of me." "I managed to dress by myself, to do my hair, but I am unable to remove my boots!" " Be seated." " How embarrassing!" "Believe me, I am more than happy to perform for you a task in which the King himself would have delighted." "Madame, I take the greatest pleasure in overcoming fortifications which are well defended." "May I beg one further favor of you?" "Granted in advance!" "Head south." " Sardinia, Monsieur?" " Yes." "You wish to do battle?" "Perhaps." "The Moors again." "They can smell their brothers." " Yet the lookouts have seen nothing." " Yes, but we're approaching Sardinia." " Shall I double the guard?" " Yes." "Double the guard!" "Go!" " Leave me alone." " Never." " No." " Why?" " I have my reasons." " Bad ones." "You're a widow." "And a woman such as you cannot dislike love." "That's no reason to make love to the first sailor I see!" "I am not just a sailor." "I am Mortemart," "Duke of Vivonne, Admiral of His Majesty's fleet." "Louis XIV is King of France." " I shall not give you what I refused him!" " But have offered to others!" " Get out!" " Never!" " Don't make a spectacle!" " Then let me go!" "You have made a mistake, Monsieur." "You, too." "Now I cannot take you to Sardinia, even less keep you on board." "I shall put you ashore in a Corsican harbor." " Rate 22!" "Double the speed!" " Faster!" " What will become of me there?" " You will take the first boat for Marseilles." "Let us forget our quarrel." "Accept my apologies." "Forget?" "I already have done." " But they will never forget!" " Warship on the starboard bow!" "Warship on the starboard beam!" "A xebec." " The Rescator!" " No, there's no flag." "The broken chains!" "The Rescator!" "Ready to go about!" "Turn to port!" "I want him alive!" "Who's the Rescator?" "Some say he's a Moor, others believe he's a Spaniard." "He attacks our galleys and always manages to slip away mysteriously." " What kind of man is he?" " A dangerous kind." "He frees slaves in the name of liberty and defies the King's navy." "I must have him!" "Triple the speed!" "Rate 22!" "Prime the bow chasers!" "Load the bombards!" "All hands ready for boarding!" "Musketeers at the ready!" "We're catching them." "Rate 22!" "You are about to witness a great event." "The Rescator's downfall!" " They can't keep it up." " They must!" "They don't even feel the whip." "Prepare to ram!" "Long live the Rescator!" "He's led us into a trap!" "Soldiers!" "And once again he gets away!" " Can you swim?" " Yes." "Jump!" "But don't fall into their hands." "You must be pleased." "The Admiral's ship." "La Réale sunk, with all hands." "The Sun King will glow less brightly." " Shall we pick up the rowers?" " No, let us disappear." "The Moors can do it." "I'll buy their freedom later." "My friends, when the King learns of today's defeat, he'll send more boats." "And we shall sink them all!" "Every one!" "Ready to go about!" "Will your vengeance never end?" "It is not vengeance." "I am at war with the King of France." "Hoist the foresail!" "Make fast the outer jib!" "This King who cripples France with taxes, to wage wars that bleed his people dry." "Hoist the mizzen!" "I am against galleys, against torture, against slavery and against despotism." "Yes, but you are alone." "No." "I am simply the first." " Pay to free each galley slave." " Very well." "Be back at dawn." "Stand ready." "Heave the capstan!" "Ready to hoist the mainsail!" "I've brought you Spanish jewels from one of His Most Catholic Majesty's galleons." "I'll give them to you at dinner." "You're sweet." "Who did that?" "Where is her head?" "An accident?" "Yasmine?" "Fetch her." "Why?" "You love her more than me!" "Go." "Go." "Bring the wounded man out." "One of the prisoners from the galley keeps calling for your wife." "Where is he?" "Savary!" "It's me, Peyrac." "Talk to me." " Angélique." " Why were you on board?" "Was she with you?" "She wanted to find you." "She left everything to look for you." "Is she with the Barbary Coast pirates?" " Is she dead?" " No." "A ship went down close to here." "The carrion birds are gathering." "They know what they're about!" "Press on!" "Hoist the topgallant!" "Man overboard!" "Man overboard!" "A galley slave, no value." "The other one looks like an officer." "We should get money for him." "Launch the boat!" "He won't pay for a new hull." "Gentlemen, this man would seem to be a woman!" "Name?" "Angélique, Marquise de Plessis-Belliêre." "Hell's teeth!" "Pierre Mathieu, Marquis d'Escrainville." "You have saved me from an atrocious death." " I thank you." " My pleasure, Madame." " She's freezing to death." " Show the Marquise to my cabin." "I'll get you some mulled wine and dry clothes." "Thank you, Monsieur." " Quite a beauty, eh?" " Yes." "We don't want her catching cold." "Cold?" "I'll warm her up!" "What's so funny?" "Nothing, Captain." "Laughing at nothing is stupid." "Laughing at me is unfortunate." "Come here." "Closer!" " What?" " Nothing." "I thought I heard a murmur." "Have you been smoking opium again?" "You won't be yourself in a minute." "Beware." "I beware of everyone!" "I didn't hear you knock, Monsieur." "I stopped knocking at doors when I left France." "Twenty years ago." "What were you doing on the Admiral's ship?" "Be so good as to leave the cabin so I may dress." "You're not at Court now, Madame." "This is a ship captained by a man whom the King condemned to death." "Like a thief." "Yes." "And because of a woman like you." "She made me steal from the treasury." "She took the spoils before denouncing the thief." " And I loved her." " Why are you telling me?" "You're a woman." " You're drunk." " No, I'm mad!" "Let me go!" "Let me go!" "I'll make you pay for all those who suffered for your beauty, who wished for a glance from you, who prayed God that you would drop your kerchief, that they might pick it up from the dust in your wake." "Women hold no sway here, Madame!" "And I'll prove it to you!" "Look at me!" "For the knife you dropped for Madame de Plessis-Belliêre, you have a choice." "Will you taste my boots or seawater?" "Throw her overboard." "Let her go." "Come down." "Come here." "Quick!" "On your knees!" "Go on!" "Quick!" "No!" "No!" "You're the most despicable creature I have ever known!" "Follow me." "You have no choice." "Open up." "We're below sea level here." " Unchain them all." " No!" "Do as I tell you!" "Yesterday's lesson was not enough." "Freedom!" "No!" "No!" " She's all yours." "Do with her what you will." " No!" "No!" "Out!" "I'll leave the lamp." " You'd enjoy it less in the dark." " No!" "Back!" "Let her go!" "Chain them." "I didn't do it for you, but for myself." "I hate seeing merchandise ruined." "Who gave you permission?" "Your misogyny will be our ruin." "They'd have killed her." "At the Candia auctions, a blonde like her will fetch 20,000 sequins." "We'll be able to afford a new hull, a new ship!" " You're going to sell me?" " To the highest bidder." "But to get a good price you have to be at your best." "So rest, Madame." "She's our last chance." "Leave her!" " Or you'll shoot?" " No one will hold it against me." "Trim the mainsail!" "Schooner in our wake, to starboard!" "What can he want?" "To parley." " Ignore them." " Dangerous." "Prepare to heave to!" " You really don't want an escort?" " He doesn't deserve such respect." "He's coming himself." "Lower the ladder." " To what do I owe the honor?" " I shall tell you." "You were in the waters where the Admiral's galley sank." "Yes, I frequent the scene of shipwrecks." "Rich pickings!" "And little risk." " A pirate, but a coward, too!" " Let's just say I'm attracted to disasters." " Did you pick up any survivors?" " No." "I saw only bodies." " There was a woman on board." " A woman?" "Surprising." "Very beautiful." "Even more surprising." "Did you see her?" "I saw nothing resembling a woman." "Your loss." "I'll pay 50,000 sequins for her." " 50,000?" " And I'll kill whoever harms her." "Spread the word." "With those conditions, if she's still alive, you'll find her." "I intend to." "I'm counting on you." "If you hadn't raped her, we'd have got twice what we'll get at auction." "The Rescator is too dangerous." "We'll get rid of her." "The crew haven't been paid for six months." "We need the money!" "Set sail!" " Do you want to go back in the cabin?" " No." "The air feels so good." "You were delirious for three days and nights." "You kept saying the same name, Jeoffrey." "How are you feeling now, Madame?" " Couldn't be better." " How true." "You'll fetch a pretty penny in Candia." "The greatest slave market in the Mediterranean." " I shan't be sold." " Really?" "I shall disfigure myself first." "Have you heard of the cats of Candia?" "The cats of Candia?" "Today, at the great auction of Candia, Monsieur d'Escrainville is selling..." "It'll be the first time that madman has anything worth buying!" "I want to see." "It's usually just hot air with him!" "What is more, a real French marquise!" " A French marquise?" " Yes." "What's behind all this racket?" "The truth." "There she is!" " There are Christians here!" " Don't count on those scoundrels." "Candia is a town built on slavery." "And you are Escrainville's spoils of war." "No one will help you." " Not even the Knights of Malta?" " Not with their swords." " But with gold?" " Only within the compass of the law." "And they're warrior monks!" "Candia is a powder keg caught between Islam and Christianity." "One false move and it'll go up!" "Get down!" "This is the lower market." "It's not for you." "Follow me." "I'll do my best." "They're all well warmed up." "Word has got around." "And the Rescator?" "He was seen yesterday, sailing for Sardinia." "Madame, it is time to prepare yourself for the sale." "A mistake." "Are you ready to comply or must I use force?" "Just try!" " The dungeon." " We mustn't damage her." "Drugs?" "No, she'd lose all her allure." "No." "This was perfected by Mezzo Morte, purveyor of the King of Meknes' harem." "Help!" "Help!" "Help!" "No!" "Quick, before she's blinded." "Docile now?" "Ready to be displayed?" "Undressed?" "Sold?" "Come, let's make you beautiful." "You'll be damned for this!" "I already am." "5,500." "6,000." "6,500." "8,000." "Sold for 8,000 sequins!" "A couple of whites, starting at 8,000." "8,500." " No problem?" " No, she's tame now." " A big crowd." " Yes, a good sale." "There's the Grand Turk's envoy." "Riom Mizra, minister of the Kingdom of Cherkessia." "His Excellency Mezzo Morte, buyer for the King of Meknes." "What a triumph for whoever buys her for his master!" "Here's the high auctioneer!" " Where is your marvel?" " We're adorning her." " Will you show me?" " With pleasure." "Superb!" "A rare beauty, gentlemen!" "Very beautiful." "Magnificent teeth." "Incomparable hair." "Pin her hair up, that her neck may be seen." "Let's keep a few surprises!" " I have a deal for you." " Really?" "What?" " You want at least 20,000 for me?" " Yes." "Let me talk to the Knights of Malta." "I'll persuade them to pay more for me." "You'll be better off." "30,000." "I'll give you one minute." "I must hurry, I'm the Marquise de Plessis-Belliêre." "Your order is rich, and so am I." "Pay 30,000 sequins for me and I'll pay you back." "It's impossible for us to do that." "You could be whipped for speaking to us." "Do as I say and I swear on my soul that I'll give your order double what you pay for me!" "Well?" "Madame, do you know how much Escrainville hopes to make?" "20,000." "Have no fear, Madame." "I shall bid up to 40,000." " You have my word." " Thank you." "We shall now move on to a real rarity, a pearl from the Kingdom of France, belonging to Monsieur d'Escrainville." "She's a white woman, young, blonde, with blue eyes." "A rare beauty, with perfect teeth!" "So much for her face." "You will now see that her body is no less magnificent." "And now, the most beautiful of all." "The bidding begins at 10,000 sequins!" " 12,000." " 13,000." " 16,000." " 17,000." " 20,000." " 22,000." "26,000." "27,000." "How much for these?" "32,000 sequins." "32,000." " 33,000." " 36,000." " 39,000." " 42,000." "43,000." "And you wanted to kill her!" "50,000." "50,000 sequins!" "Going once!" "50,000 sequins!" "Going twice!" "55,000." " 60,000." " The price of 10,000 horsemen?" "62,000." "65,000." "65,000!" "Going once!" "65,000!" "Going twice!" "100,000 sequins!" "110,000!" "200,000!" "200,000 sequins!" "Going once!" "Going twice!" "Going three times!" "Sold for 200,000 sequins!" "Silence!" "That man is unknown here!" "Let him show proof he can pay!" "Do you have such a sum on you?" "I have 500,000 sequins here, if you want to count it." "Sold!" " You promised me!" " My dear friend, an auction is an auction." "You haven't heard the last of this!" "Jeoffrey!" " Jeoffrey!" " Angélique!" "You know what?" "Your sons take after you." "You miss them." "If they were here," "I'd be totally happy." "You'll have them again, I promise." "For now I'm a wanted man, forced to run, to fight." "I'm sure you enjoy this life of adventure." "I wonder, in fact, how long it'll take you to tire of my presence." "A woman is a burden when you're waging war." "Not you." "Jeoffrey, why do other people enjoy such simple happiness, but not us?" "You know why that is so." "His Majesty the King of France and his interest in us." "Tell me again about that ship, which has so often saved your life." "Her loyalty is absolute." "She never lets me down." " Such passion!" " Justified!" " I owe her everything." " You speak of her as a woman." "As someone who's never betrayed me!" " What do you mean?" " I mean that I can't forget that you were the King's mistress." " You're wrong." "I never yielded to him." " No woman could resist." " I did!" " His wishes are our commands." "I never obeyed that command." "You were alone, you thought me dead." "It's a good excuse." "I have no need of an excuse." "I did not yield!" "Your lies separate us more than our foes could." " You must believe me!" " I cannot." "So why did you buy me back?" "I'd rather never see you again and believe you still love me." " I do love you." " That's not what I hear." "Go back to your ship." "She's your true mistress." "I'm just your wife, and that's not enough for me!" "Go and save your ship." "Go, my love." "Go, my love." "Go!" "Fire!" "By the time he fixes his xebec, we'll be done." "Under way!"