The date of the next entry is written. December Fifth.
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CATHEDRAL - AFTERNOON
POPRISHCHIN is sitting on the far end of a park bench reading the "Northern Bee". He is talking to an unseen person sitting offscreen on the other end of the bench. The CAMERA SLOWLY TRACKS AWAY from the park bench. At the scene’s conclusion, the bench is in the extreme LOWER SCREEN RIGHT CORNER with St. Nicholas Cathedral looming in the UPPER SCREEN LEFT CORNER.
POPRISHCHIN
Strange things are happening in Spain. Even I can't understand it. They write that the throne has been vacated and that the ranking Grandees are having difficulty in selecting an heir. It seems there's discontent. Seems very strange to me. How can a throne be vacant? They even write that some 'Donna' may inherit the Kingdom. Well, a girl cannot inherit a Kingdom, a King must inherit a Kingdom, but they say there is no king.
Poprishchin stands up from the bench and paces SCREEN LEFT.
POPRISHCHIN
But there must be a King, a Kingdom cannot exist without... a King! Oh, there's a King all right, but.... he's hiding.
Poprishchin sits.
POPRISHCHIN
He's hiding somewhere... for family reasons...
Poprishchin jumps back up.
POPRISHCHIN
...or, no, he's hiding somewhere for fear of some foreign power such as France!!
Poprishchin exits SCREEN RIGHT.
POPRISHCHIN
(offscreen)
Or there may be other reasons...
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