"It was the year 1809." "Napoleon was at the apex of his glory and Europe trembled before his might." "In spite of that, Austria dared put up resistance." "Emperor Franz I prays for the victory of his armies." "Even the most horrible slaughter has its most zealous supporters." "The delicacy merchant Wachshuber is one of them." "His daughter Anna has other interests." "There are always curious people who have to take part in everything, like Berger, a carpenter." "Medardus Klähr, student and visionary." "Book dealer's widow, Mrs. Klähr, Medardus's mother." "And his sister Agathe." "Think about it, we have far more reason for sorrow than enthusiasm." "In 1805 your father took part in the horrible Battle of Austerlitz as a militia officer, " "and fell from a shot by a French officer." "Silence yourself!" "It is your love for the Prince of Valois that speaks through you." "He is also a Frenchman, yet he was driven out of his homeland!" "The banished blind, the Duke of Valois, whose rights to the French crown were trampled on by Napoleon." "Helene, his daughter." "Franz, his son." "As we learn from Paris, the emperor's departure has triggered a fierce onslaught of the Legitimists, aiming at the return of the duke from his Viennese exile and his ascension to the throne." "I feel Napoleon won't escape his fate this time." "The road back home and to the throne will be open to us." "Why do you keep our poor father's hopes up?" "His dreams of the royal crown will never be fulfilled." "Napoleon will never fall." "Be silent!" "You've become too bourgeois after falling in love with the daughter of a merchant!" "The daughter of a merchant and the scion of a proud royal family." "Oh, when can we finally acknowledge our love before the whole world?" "Look!" "That's the crazy blind Duke who wants to topple Napoleon!" "I have decided to ask my father to consent to our marriage today." "Love me, have faith in me!" "Medardus's friend and confidant, bookstore assistant Etzelt." "Where were you yet again?" "Don't suspect anything of me, Medardus." "I swear I would blemish neither your nor my name." "Last descendant of King Louis XVI, speaking thus?" "Go away" " You are no longer a Frenchman nor my son." "I'd rather lose my only son than give my consent to a marriage - that would forever stain our glorious coat-of-arms." "On that evening the Klähr family had an unexpected visitor." "I couldn't stay home anymore." "I came to tell you this: " "Tomorrow my father will come to ask for Agathe's hand on my behalf." "Stay with me today." "Early in the morning you'll go away." "Who knows when we'll see each other again." "I can't." "I have promised my friends to bid farewell to them at the Nussbaum before entering the field." "I'm so terribly happy, mom!" "Come back soon!" "Agathe, I lied earlier - my father disapproved." "It's all over." "Oh, farewells..." "Comrades!" "My sister got engaged today!" "Let's drink to the health of the happy couple." "What a tender little pair!" "They kept on embracing each other as we were pulling them out of the Danube." "The young prince..!" "And Agathe!" "Do you see?" "I didn't lie to you, she got engaged!" "But she never told me the wedding would be today!" "You were too low for them!" "That's why they drove you to your death." "You, nobler than any princess!" "Believe me, the fate of your sister moves me as much as that of my son." "However, I have nothing to blame myself for." "May God forgive you - for I can't!" "I have no use for the forgiveness of men, and God will understand me." "The Duke's nephew, the Marquis of Valois, arrives from Paris with urgent tidings from the Legitimists." "The noble ducal family received a heavy blow - the young prince is dead!" "Sisterly love overweighs pride." "Princess Helene comes to take her leave." "Sweet dreams, my poor irrational brother." "Please remove the flowers!" "Here lies a girl, whose soul would tremble under the strain of such a weight." "Off with the flowers, or I'll trample on them!" "Now she is where she belongs:" "In the hands of a Valois, awaiting wilt." "I expect you in the woods by the post office in two hours." "Now..." "The last Valois was covered by earth today." "To preserve our rights to the French crown, - there remains no other option but your marriage to your cousin, the marquis of Valois." "As you will, father." "I'll fulfill your wish." "In the morning..." "I shouldn't have endangered his life." "He is the last hope of his family." "Don't worry, princess." "The marquis has always aimed directly at the heart!" "And the other one?" "He'll most likely be out of the count pretty soon." "The marquis's aim is never bad." "Go to the Klähr house and put these flowers on dead Medardus's pillow." "Please tell the princess that I'm coming to thank her this evening." "She sent me a rose." "Do you know what that means?" "It means she's in love with me." "I'll let the whole world know - that the proud princess of Valois is in my arms." "My revenge for Agathe!" "He wants to come..." "Lock the door!" "Now let him come if he can!" "It's nothing!" "You can go to sleep in peace." "Hide him somewhere - maybe in your room!" "In my room then!" "Hurry up, The marquis is coming!" "If he finds Medardus here, he'll kill him!" "Your father has just informed me that I may ask for your hand, Helene." "I'm very happy about it, for I have loved you for a long time." "You love me?" "We, the Valois, have no right to mourn and no time to think of love." "Right after our marriage you must travel to Paris for the sake of our holy cause, viscount." "I'll exert myself to be worthy of you, Helene." "Fish the key from the basin and wait in front of my door until I free Medardus." "Oh, the proud, murderous fingers!" "When the next day came..." "He's gone, but what to do if he returns?" "Give orders to set the dogs loose in the park every night from now on." "Etzel, my friend, I'm so happy!" "And your revenge?" "Tomorrow I'll go to her again." "Don't fret, my revenge has only been postponed, not forgotten." "Tomorrow I'll finish it." "And a time came when the people, tired of war, greeted Napoleon not as a vanquisher, - but as a liberator from misery and a creator of peace." "The one before whom the whole world quavered." "Good morning, lieutenant!" "Boy are we gonna prepare a hot day for the Viennese!" "Well lad, I wouldn't want to walk in Viennese shoes tomorrow." "If they do not surrender, we'll let French grenades demonstrate our intentions." "At the Viennese stronghold." "The French plan to bombard the city." "The stronghold must be evacuated." "We're still Viennese!" "We won't surrender without a fight!" "If this goes on for long, the city will surrender today." "The townspeople will open the gates themselves and the road to the castle will be open." "I'm sorry for you, Medardus!" "We mustn't let our beautiful city be destroyed!" "You have to raise the white flag!" "Surrender!" "Surrender!" "The white flag." "Vienna submits to the French." "While Napoleon enters the city victoriously, - the Austrian army at Aspern gathers its last strength for a decisive battle." "All the soldiers were declared Napoleon's prisoners." "Spurred on by his longing, Medardus hurries by the city gate to the ducal palace " "where Helene of Valois was just becoming the wife of her cousin before God and men." "Take him to a mental hospital1!" "Let him go!" "Pluck up your courage, Medardus!" "I understand it's the pain over losing your sister -that's making you mad." "that's making you mad." "But make the best of your pain, as I do with mine." "I expect you tonight." "Come!" "A messenger from Paris." "A letter:" "The Legitimist conspiracy led by the Duke of Valois has taken a threatening form - after the departure of Your Majesty." "After the death of the young Duke, the Marquis of Valois is defending - his right to the throne and wants to consolidate his position through a marriage to Princess Helene." "The wedding is to take place on the 14th instant." "Your Highness, there's nothing left to do but to excavate the whole nest." "What a strange idea, dear Rapp." "On the contrary, you are to congratulate the young couple - on my behalf and to invite the whole ducal family to the next court concert." "His Majesty, the Emperor of France, extends the newlyweds his most gracious congratulations - and invites the whole ducal family to the next concert in Schönbrunn." "The Emperor is most gracious!" "Surely, princess, more so because he knows everything." "We're lost!" "The Emperor has been informed, my journey is ruined." "I'll get arrested at the border for sure!" "And I swear to you that you won't touch even the tips of my fingers if you don't make the journey - to our friends, who are waiting for you to start the decisive offensive." "And now..." "It's either Napoleon's life or mine!" "Medardus waits downstairs." "Direct him to me." "I'll travel tonight, as you ordered." "Aren't you going to give me any warm words to strengthen me in danger?" "If it is my lot to give life to the future King of France, " "I will conceive him in your arms, in celestial felicitousness." "Why did you summon me, Princess?" "Is your husband waiting behind the curtains in order to slay me?" "Or are there holes in the roof through which your servants may observe the game of cat-and-mouse?" "If you really thought like that you wouldn't have come." "I love you and want to be happy in your arms." "Intoxication, dream, annihilation - but happiness?" "Between us there's so much that can't be forgotten." "I forget what was and what will be." "Now there's only you and me, and the fact that I love you, Medardus." "Why did I come to know happiness only to lose it?" "Medardus, soon our enemies will separate us for good!" "He'll wipe out my whole family, like that of my uncle, the Duke of Enghien." "My father was also shot by a French officer." "Medardus, assassinate him!" "Free us and the whole world of the tyrant!" "Win the crown of France for me!" "And the reward is your love?" "!" "You feigned suffering in order to buy me." "You silly fool!" "I was just testing you!" "I only want your love, I strive for nothing else." "But be reasonable:" "It is only through Napoleon's death that we can hope to belong to each other forever." "Ah, you want me to become a murderer for the sake of the ambitious dreams of the Duke of Valois, - sacrificing me for your illusions like you sacrificed my sister!" "The imperial concert in Schönbrunn." "Message:" "The enemy tried to reach the left bank of the Danube at two locations." "Both attempts by the weak vanguard failed." "Your highness, it is to be expected that tomorrow will be very trying for our valiant army." "You'll call my attention at 3 o'clock in the morning, General." "We'll go to the Donau." "The concert can be concluded a bit earlier." "Princess, I'm happy for the opportunity to express my admiration of you." "Please accept this pearl clip as my wedding gift." "Really, Your Highness, in your presence I breathe again the blissful air of my dear homeland." "I miss it so" "No one regrets it more than I do." "It's unfortunate that the Dukes of Valois - can never adapt to the altered circumstances in France." "Regardless, maybe I would free the Marquis, if the idea of him returning to your arms wasn't so agonizing." "Your Highness, these arms were designated to the King of France." "The Marquis of Valois, however his destiny is shaped by you, does not exist to these arms." "Excuse me, Princess." "Duty calls!" "But we'll meet again tomorrow." "At three o'clock began the memorable Battle of Aspern, in the course of which Napoleon's - lucky star was falling." "The left wing of the French attack was led by Marshall Lannes." "Notice:" "It is hereby decreed that whoever owns a copy of Schrämbel's Atlas, - is to deliver it for a reward of 400 Guldens." "Eschenbacher, a saddler and brother of Mrs. Klähr." "I'd like to buy a Schrämbel Atlas." "Ah, Mr. Wachshuber." "You'd love to buy the Atlas for 20 Guldens in order to sell it to the French for 400 Guldens" "Wachshuber betrayed us!" "Out with the Atlas!" "I'll hide it in my house!" "Don't worry, my sister." "Nothing's going to happen to me." "Eschenbacher was sentenced to death according to the harsh martial law." "There's nothing you can do about it." "Good bye, Medardus!" "Be a man!" "Following the victory of his army in Aspern, the Emperor opened the palatial gardens of Schönbrunn - to the Viennese public, who saw it as a gesture of peace." "Napoleon's paramour!" "Not a single step more!" "You will not go to your lover!" "I beseech God to give me the strength of Judith!" "This plan came into being in my head - and I'll execute it with my hands." "I swear no one else will bear the guilt for the Emperor's death!" "Medardus Klähr, you have killed the Princess of Valois, but in so doing saved the life of the Emperor." "Your deed was the work of providence!" "I therefore grant you freedom!" "Your Highness, I refuse your mercy." "I have forfeited my life, it is worthless to me." "Please take it!" "I'm sorry for you, Medardus Klähr, but I see that you want to die." "His Highness the Emperor has ordered me to greet the mother of this brave man." "The Emperor wishes that " "Medardus Klähr be buried on hallowed ground with full honours as the last hero of this war." "My poor, dear son!" "Medardus Klähr is dead..." "But world history goes on interminably." "Supplicatory procession for a quick peace." "Peace was struck up on the 14th of October in 1809."