"Good morning, Mr. Phelps." "During the past six months, the Grand Duchess Teresa of Trent has come under the domination of a self-proclaimed mystic," "Emile Vautrain." "Vautrain is a sadistic charlatan who plans to use his relationship with Teresa to make himself ruler of the duchy." "If Vautrain succeeds," "Trent will become a cruel dictatorship allied with our enemies." "Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to stop Vautrain." "As always, should you or any member of your IM Force be caught or killed, the Secretary will disavow any knowledge of your actions." "This tape will self-destruct in five seconds." "Good luck, Jim." "The lamp and the vase are exact duplicates of those in Teresa's study, behind the desk to her right, Paris." "Each button controls a separate squib." "Shouldn't be any problem, unless Vautrain never hits me at all." "He will." "He's a good shot." "How did Vautrain manage to gain so much influence over the duchess, Jim?" "Charm, psychology, drugs." "She's always been interested in the mystical and he's capitalised on it." "He makes her sick, he brings her near to death, then he cures her." "And on top of that, she's in love with him." "Women." "You'd think the first minister, Henri Picard, would be more her type." "He was for many years." "But as far as Vautrain is concerned, don't forget that our whole plan is based on the fact that, superficialities aside, there's a remarkable physical resemblance between you two." "And it's those superficialities" " that I'll help along." " Right." "Just how does Vautrain plan to take power?" "Well, there isn't an heir to the throne, Willy." "Teresa will name her own successor." "Once she commits to Vautrain, he'll simply make certain that her next illness is fatal." "This, Paris, is Colonel Benet, police chief." " What's his angle?" " Opportunist." "Soon as he found out which way things were going, he threw in with Vautrain." "How about the electric chair, Barney?" "All set, Jim." "Are you sure Vautrain will be at the performance, Jim?" "Well, he's preoccupied with the bizarre, Willy." "I thought that a show emphasising horror and illusion would appeal to him, and it did." "His aide ordered tickets as soon as the performance was announced." "Then the only thing that we don't know is how Vautrain will try to kill us." "Or how we're going to stop him." "Thank you." "Thank you, ladies and gentlemen." "Throughout history, mankind has had a morbid fascination with that timeless sleep from which none of us ever wakes." "I refer, of course, to death, my friends." "Yes, death." "And it is that same fascination which brings you here tonight, enabling our modest troop to entertain you through your own fears of the unknown and unexplained." "And now, our greatest illusion." "Capital punishment as it is still performed in certain parts of the United States of America." "The electric chair." "You will see it as spectators do in the execution chambers of state prisons." "It is painless, so they say, and yet, we have never had firsthand confirmation of that fact." "One thing we do know for certain, it is very efficient." "Now, when I throw this switch, 10,000 volts of electricity will pour through these terminals." "Death is instantaneous, or so they say." "Now, ladies and gentlemen, is there an electrician in the house?" "An engineer, perhaps?" "Executions are your speciality, Benet." "Have a look." "Yes, this gentleman." "Please come forward, sir." "Right up on the stage, sir." "Yes, thank you." " It is the colonel, is it not?" " Yes, it is." "Will you please face the audience, colonel?" "Now, you are an engineer, sir?" "Well, let's just say that I understand such mechanisms." "The colonel says that he does understand such mechanisms." "Now, colonel, will you please examine the wiring and the chair?" "I will attach this voltmeter, which you may examine." "Now, I throw the switch." "Now, colonel, are you satisfied this circuit does carry 10,000 volts of electricity?" "Yes, I am." " Authentic?" " I would not like to sit in it." "Really?" "Bring on the prisoner." "No, no, please." "Please, no." "Don't." "I'm innocent, I swear." "Please, no, no." "Help." "No, please." "No..." "Help, no." "Please don't do this." "Don't, I swear I'm innocent." "No." "I don't want..." "I beg you." "I don't wanna die." "Don't do this to me, please." "Let me live." "I'm innocent." "Please don't." "Please don't." "And now, the electric chair." "No!" "Quite an interesting trick." "Can't you see what Vautrain is trying to do?" "He's making you a dependent invalid so he can take over the country." "No, Henri." "Emile is trying to make me well." "You were never sick until he came into the picture." "You will not be well until he is out of it." "Are you accusing him of making me ill?" "I am." "He is a power-mad charlatan who wants nothing less than the rule of this duchy." "What proof have you for such malicious slander?" "Why, the dedication of the Peace Room tomorrow." "Who talked you out of attending?" "No one." "I'm too weak." "And who suggested that Vautrain be your substitute?" "It was only natural." "He has taken my place on other state occasions." "Yes, too many times." "Henri, you are forgetting your place." " Teresa, listen..." " Enough." "Do you hear me?" "Enough." "Where did this come from?" "Minister Picard's office." "The curator will add it to the Treaty of Fleury display." "Very well." "Leave it." "I know, Teresa, that we no longer have what we once had." "I accept that." "So I speak not as a discarded lover, but more as a man profoundly troubled for the future of his country." "If I thought otherwise," "I would have demanded your resignation months ago." "But you are so wrong about Emile." "Oh, so terribly wrong." "He understands me as no man ever has." "Yes, Henri." "I know." "We were lovers." "But there is more to love than just the physical." "It must enhance the spirit." "With Emile, I am aware of so many things for the first time." "Of what life and death really mean." "Of what truth is." "Oh, he is a saint." "I can assure you, every security measure you required has been taken." "I am certain of that." "Inspect the podium." "Colonel." " Alert the guards." " Yes, colonel." "You will come with us." "Emile..." "Sometimes I'm terribly frightened." "Frightened of what, Teresa?" "Dying." "The spirit never dies, Teresa." "And if the spirit is strong enough, perhaps even the body is immortal." "Drink, my darling." " Have you been meditating?" " Yes, Emile." " And fasting?" " You know I have, Emile." "I want you to look at me, Teresa." "Look into my eyes." "I'm going to give you some of my strength, Teresa." "I want you to stand." "Emile, I can't." "Yes, Teresa, you can." "Stand." "And come to me." "Come." "Come to me." "Come." "Oh, Emile." "I can." "Yes, Teresa, you're doing it." "You're walking." "Walking to me." "To my arms." "Simple but effective." "The current passes through the hand into the wires around to the other hand and out." "A good illusion." "What are you up to?" "Now look at me." "A remarkable likeness." "Wouldn't you say, Benet?" " Where were you born?" " Belgium." "And I am a native." "For a moment, I thought perhaps we were twins, separated at birth, as in a French romance." "Remarkable." "I presume you are both employees of Henri Picard." "What's the difference?" "It's all over." "Let us go." "We'll leave the country." "Perhaps." "After you tell me Picard's plan." " Turgot, we might as well..." " Jean, shut up." "He gives you bad advice, Jean." "Come." "I will be generous." "Emile, it is obvious." "Picard hired them to discredit you." "Turgot here was to take your place on the podium." "It would appear that you'd been electrocuted and survived." "Then Picard would step forward and expose the fraud." "And where would I be all this time?" "You would have been kidnapped." "It would seem that you disappeared when your scheme had been exposed." "Interesting, but no." "I believe it is something far more subtle." "Monsieur Vautrain's office." "Colonel Benet speaking." "Oh, yes." "Yes, Your Grace." "This is Emile, Your Grace." "I am at your service." "Emile, I should like to see you at once." "It's important." "Very well, Your Grace." "Lock them up." "Well, you really made a mess of it this time." "Don't blame me." "Picard said the room would be safe." "Picard, I wish I had never seen him." "Why do we protect Picard?" "Why don't we just tell Vautrain everything?" "Because then he'd have no further use for us." "He'd kill us both." "Well, if we don't tell him, we'll rot right here." "I want you to help me, Emile." "I want you to make me strong enough for the ceremonies tomorrow." "Teresa, why should you subject yourself to such a strain?" "I am the head of state." "It is my duty." "You're not being honest with me." "There is something else." "Yes." "I want to protect you." " From what?" " The gossipmongers." "They say you want my throne." "That you're making me weak so that you can..." "I know what they say." "And I know that by they, you mean Picard." "He speaks for a great many people." "People?" "Vacuous hypocrites." "Listen to them and they will destroy you." "I want my people to love you, Emile." "That's why I can't bear this slander." "Help me to get through tomorrow." "For you." "You know, Benet was clever." "Why do you suppose Vautrain didn't buy his solution?" "Because there was a big hole in it." "The duchess would never accept Vautrain's disappearance." "Suspicion would fall on Picard." "She'd arrest him and he'd have gained nothing." "Yes." "Too bad." "I've never been friendly with a duchess before." "You wouldn't have had time to be friendly with this one." "I'd have made time." "Picard said she was desperately in love with Vautrain." "I certainly would've taken advantage of that before I withdrew to the monastery." "You in a monastery." "That's a pretty picture." "I wonder when they're gonna give us something to eat." "Emile Vautrain, please." "Yes." "Oh, yes, yes." "I understand." "Thank you." "Colonel Benet, about the security arrangements for the dedication." "Yes, what about them?" "While I was talking to Benet," "I had a premonition." "Of what?" "It was a warning, a foreboding." "Teresa." "I forbid you to go to the dedication tomorrow." "Come in." "Sit down, gentlemen." "Sit down." "I trust you were not too uncomfortable." "Now, correct me if I am wrong." "I was to be kidnapped." "You were to appear in my place and survive an electrocution." "Then, with the duchess in absolute awe of you, you were to suggest that Picard be named her successor." "After that, you were to retire to a monastery." "Vautrain is finished, Picard is in power." "Yes, or no?" "Yes, but you were not gonna be hurt." "Jean, be quiet." "What for?" "He knows." "Picard gave us his word." "You were to be released unharmed." "Yes, naturally." "And how much was Picard paying you?" "A hundred thousand francs." "I want you to go through with your trick." " Go through with it?" " Yes." "You will survive an electrocution." "After which, I will substitute myself for you backstage." "I see." "You blame Picard for the attempted assassination and you execute him." "The duchess, believing that you are immortal, names you as her successor." " Exactly." " You'll have to pay us." "Oh, I am impressed." "I am impressed." "You stand a moment away from death and you bargain." "Very well." "A hundred thousand that Picard promised." " Two hundred." " Turgot." "Agreed." "And Jean does the wiring." "I trust no one else." "This is too much." "Emile, why not dispose of them?" "We have the equipment." "You can do the job yourself." "Ten thousand volts?" "No, no." "No, I would rather pay the 200,000 francs." "Turgot will be held in custody while Jean makes the preparations." "We shall have to kill them afterward." "Of course." "How?" "Let us give it some thought." "Your Grace." "Excuse me, I was just making my rounds." "I'll be through in a moment." "Shall I wait, Your Grace, and lock up?" "Yes, please." " Good night." " Good night, Your Grace." "Then I activate the circuit here just before Turgot throws the switch." " I see." " Now, let us review it again." "I was to be kidnapped on my way to the dedication." " And you were to take my place." " That's right." "That way, Colonel Benet would never know it was me who was arriving instead of you." "Thanks." "Where was this kidnapping to take place?" "Venton Square." "Were you to contact Picard prior to the kidnapping?" "No, only if something went wrong." "Picard must think his plan is working." "You will send a decoy limousine through Venton Square." "I shall leave earlier, following another route." "Send them in." "Everything's ready at the Peace Center." "Excellent." "Here are your instructions." "Goujon and I will be waiting backstage." "After your miraculous survival, you will go there and I will take your place." "And when do we get paid?" "Goujon will pay you backstage." "Lock them up until it is time for them to leave." "How are we going to kill them?" "Pick two good men, issue them silencers." "They are to arrive backstage shortly after the dedication ceremonies begin." "Soon as the charade is over..." "I understand." " I'll use a tranquilliser gun." " Right." "I'm very sorry about the delay, but we're waiting for Monsieur Vautrain." "Have them begin as soon as Turgot arrives." " What's holding up Vautrain?" " Nothing, Picard." "Nothing." "Those of us who were privileged to serve with Her Grace's father knew that he prized peace above all things." "And so this permanent peace exhibit is the special dream of Her Grace, who, unfortunately, is not well enough to be with us today." "Her desire for peace here and throughout the world has guided her life." "To light the display, which commemorates the signing of the Treaty of Fleury, will be Monsieur Vautrain." "Thank you, First Minister Picard." "Honoured guests, ladies and gentlemen," "I bring you greetings from Her Grace." "And in the name of Her Grace," "I hereby dedicate this room as the Hall of World Peace." "Stay away." "Somebody wired the switch to a transformer." "He's taken 10,000 volts." "Whoever among you is responsible for this act of terror, hear me." "I feel sorry for you." "I feel compassion for you." "Close the exits." "I will have a report on Monsieur Vautrain's condition in just a moment." "I'll be at Teresa's at exactly 6:30." "Worked perfectly." "His greatest performance." "Get them out." " Where is Goujon?" " I sent him ahead to the reception." "I'm rather anxious to get there myself." "It should be quite a triumph." "Yes, it will, Emile." "Oh, Emile, your cloak." "Thank you, Antoine." "Turgot, what happened?" "I was shot." "Evidently with a tranquilliser." "So was I." "Then they lied to us." "They betrayed us." "Yes, but not in the way you think." "I am not Turgot." "I am Emile Vautrain." " What?" " Yes." "Your friend Turgot is now masquerading as me." "Turgot, you've finally done it." "You've lost your mind." "Don't you see?" "Turgot and Picard worked this out together." "Benet may be involved too." "They'll probably divide the national treasury between them." "Yes." " What about us?" " They'll kill us." "As soon as they're sure their plan has succeeded." "He is to succeed you, then?" "What happened was a sign from heaven." "Teresa, I beg you, listen to reason." "Hurry." "Hurry." "Benet kept me from getting closer to him afterward." "Why?" "Yes." "Send them in." "Henri, I want your resignation." "Emile." "Your Grace." "I would have come sooner, but the reception..." "I had to reassure everyone." "It came to pass, what you said yesterday about immortality, if the spirit were strong." "I spent hours in meditation before going to the ceremonies this morning." "And it came to me as in a revelation." "I could not die now." "There is work for me to do." "Picard." "Don't go." "Her Grace no longer has any use for me." "You're wrong, Henri." "I want you to do whatever Emile asks." "Thank you, Picard." "Was it an accident, Emile?" "No, I don't believe so." "Benet, brief Her Grace." "First four are live, next two are blank." "And so there is no doubt that the circuit was deliberately wired." "But who would commit such a horrible crime?" "Emile Vautrain has many enemies." "We're tracing the electrical components now." "Let me guess whom you would like to implicate." "I am content to wait for the facts, Picard." "Aren't you?" " Turgot." " Stay where you are." "Teresa." "That man is an actor." "He is part of a monstrous plot." "He was hired by Picard to usurp my identity." "They were going to kill me." "You poor man." "You are deluded." "Teresa, surely you know." "You, more than anyone." "I am Emile." "Surely you believe me." "Colonel Benet, you seem to know this man." "He is an actor, Turgot, who bears a striking resemblance to Emile." "What do you want?" "Teresa, I am not Turgot." "I am Emile." "I'm your adviser." "Your friend." "Come, you are sick." "Put down the gun." "Don't take another step." "Do I detect fear?" "Emile Vautrain is afraid of nothing." "Vautrain is immortal." "Emile." "No." "It is all right." "I will not die." "Then it's true." "It's a trick." "This is another trick." "Benet." "This is Vautrain." "There is a man trying to escape from the building." "He is an actor." "Turgot." "He resembles me." "Stop him." "Pity." "Emile, you are immortal." "No." "No, no one is immortal." "See, I have used tricks." "Many tricks." "They were necessary to enable me to help you." "I want you to keep this as a reminder that things are not always what they appear to be." "And now, I must make my goodbyes." "Your goodbyes?" "Yes, I knew this morning, before the dedication, that this part of my life is over." "I must return to the sanctuary at Clebert." "That is where my work is." "That is why I was spared." "No, Emile, I need you." "Henri Picard will serve you well." "And get rid of Benet." " He is not to be trusted." " I understand." "Your Grace." "Your Grace, excuse me." "Emile." "Emile." "Whoever you are, I thank you."