1. Good evening, ladies and gentlemen,
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2. and welcome back to Play of the Week,
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3. where each week a new play is performed live
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4. in front of a studio audience, and broadcast to the nation.
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5. I am Chris Bean, the fully-reinstated director.
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6. Following Robert's ambitious turn as director last week,
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7. the cast came crawling back to me,
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8. and I graciously agreed
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9. to take on the mantel of director once more.
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10. Which reminds me...
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11. Robert, here are your new lines for this evening.
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12. This is blank. -Yes, it is.
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13. Robert and I mutually agreed
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14. it was best for him to play
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15. only non-speaking roles this evening.
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16. Tonight's piece is a classic by the great
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17. playwright, Shakespeare.
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18. To be clear, that's Simon Shakespeare,
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19. the much less well-known and much less well-regarded
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20. cousin of Colin Shakespeare.
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21. So, the actors are prepared, the stage is set.
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22. Please enjoy
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23. The Most Lamentable Tragedy of the Prince of England
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24. and His Long-lost Twin Brother, Prince Regent of France,
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25. and the Problems Therein Experienced By All
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26. When They Came to Know of One Another After A Battle.
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27. A noble king is tended by his wife.
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28. Advanced in years, he nears the end of...
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29. life.
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30. His kingdom disemboweled by bloody war,
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31. where death doth stalk from midland to...
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32. the shore.
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33. Prince Richard, who was out of wedlock birthed,
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34. carries his father's name but not his worth.
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35. Queen Isobel would his blood soon spill.
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36. Foul Malcolm plots and for the throne...
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37. he'd kill.
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38. With fair lands in turmoil up and down,
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39. all men do scheme to try and seize the throne... crown.
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40. All hail the King!
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41. A merry trumpet and a bold.
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42. But embolden me it doth not,
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43. for the body of the king doth canker.
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44. What medicine, my love?
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45. For me, there is none.
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46. For the kingdom, the remedy be my heir.
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47. His heir, Richard, is no better than air itself,
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48. born as he was of a lowly tavern strumpet.
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49. No son of mine is he.
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50. Call forth Eric the Jester.
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51. Eric the Jester!
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52. My liege, you call me forth, but my name is Eric
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53. and I am first amongst your court.
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54. Good Eric, I called thee to tell you I do ail.
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55. My Lord, we all do ale,
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56. and at celebration we may wine too.
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57. Bring forth...
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58. the King's... -... the King's...
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59. brother! -... brother!
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60. What news...
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61. What news, good brother?
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62. No news but thy impertinence, Malcolm.
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63. Kneel before your King.
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64. Nay, Malcolm. Let us speak as brothers.
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65. Stand.
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66. Woah!
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67. I know my throne thou covet for thyself.
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68. Nay, Malcolm.
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69. If Richard doth beat the French down,
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70. it will be him, not you, that takes the crown.
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71. Call forth Prince Richard!
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72. Bring forth... -Bring forth!
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73. Prince... -... Prince...
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74. Richard! -... Dick.
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75. You called for me, Father?
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76. My days grow short, young Richard,
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77. and soon this crown shall pass unto thy head.
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78. Behold its dignity and pomp.
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79. I shall go forth to war and prove my sword is true.
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80. Well, if thou tastes victory, this crown shall pass to you.
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81. Come, we shall...
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82. Prit... Prit... Prithee,
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83. where be my man penis?
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84. Tis vanished.
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85. The... the spirits must have frowned upon it.
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86. And what are these benetted baps?
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87. They...
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88. I must go consult the priest before any more of me is...
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89. released.
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90. And the court thought he was but an irrelevant trumpeter,
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91. but you shall soon see I am most relevant!
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92. Non-speaking!
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93. Ooh! Oh, I can't see.
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94. I will not see that boy seated upon the throne.
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95. I'd rather see the kingdom in your hand.
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96. Oh, thou speakest poetry and my heart doth melt.
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97. Now we're alone, spare me one secret kiss.
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98. One secret kiss.
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99. We're alone.
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100. No, you're not. -Yes, we are.
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101. Prithee.
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102. She wants you to leave. -Get off!
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103. One secret kiss.
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104. Now we must be gone before the King sees aught's amiss.
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105. And now away from the King's fine court...
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106. to a field where a bitter battle is fought.
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107. Each man covered in sweat and blood,
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108. and every one prepared to die
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109. for the common gud.
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110. Cannon!
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111. Load! -Load!
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112. Aim!
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113. Ooh!
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114. Ah! Ah!
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115. How fare you, sirrah?
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116. Suffer-ing great-ly at the French-man's hand,
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117. but who co-meth yon-der hill-top?
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118. A man.
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119. Tis Richard, our great prince upon his steed.
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120. What ho, fine friends.
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121. Steel your courage and stick it to your brothers' back,
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122. for we are one.
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123. Hurrah!
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124. Hoo-ray! -Yes!
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125. Hooray! -Huzzah!
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126. Bravery rule thy head, let valor be thy light!
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127. Bravery... Ah! Ah!
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128. Dinky! Dinky! Come back! Come back here...
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129. All fight! Fight for good Richard!
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130. Get 'em! -Kill the French!
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131. England forever! -Charge!
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132. Oh, look! They are charging.
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133. Get 'em! -Kill the English.
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134. France forever.
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135. But wait, I cannot fight, I am a pacifist!
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136. A pacifist? Why are you here?
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137. I have to earn a living, don't I?
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138. What do you do?
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139. I'm a court trumpeter, but the pay is not enough.
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140. You're a court trumpeter pacifist who's been
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141. forced to go to war? -I am.
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142. What a layered and interesting man you are.
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143. I agree.
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144. Do you have a song that might outline
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145. your predicament in more detail?
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146. I do, sirrah.
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147. Non-speaking!
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148. Curses!
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149. Another eager Englishman bearing bloody blade draws near.
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150. It is the foul Lord Buckingham whom we Frenchmen do fear.
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151. What ho, Prince Richard!
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152. He thinks me English like himself.
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153. He calls me Richard. What trickery is this?
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154. A fine battle we have won today,
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155. and we raise our arms victorious.
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156. The sun shines bright upon our deeds.
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157. These noble trees shall bear witness to our glory.
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158. And yet I am no tree!
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159. I am the relevant trumpeter, disguised!
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160. Prince Richard, why wearest thou a French cap upon thy pate?
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161. Thou art sure to draw the eye of our own archers
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162. in this behatted state.
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163. Buckingham!
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164. My father shan't deny that this dost prove my worth!
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165. God's teeth, I see my prince and there his shade,
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166. as though a mirror were here before.
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167. By Jove, who art thou? We are one and the same.
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168. I am Prince Richard...
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169. Dick.
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170. Who art thou, sir?
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171. What ho, his voice is the echo of mine.
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172. Mine every syllable dost sound as thine.
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173. My ears deceived both, they sound alike.
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174. From whence do you hail?
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175. Come, take my hand-e!
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176. I shall not, sir.
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177. I am Prince of England-e.
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178. Some magic trickery. How can this be?
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179. His every feature doth mirror me.
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180. Identical except in birth!
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181. Same voice, same height, same girth!
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182. Our gestures knit each hair in pla-a-ce-he-he-hey-he-aye!
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183. Aye!
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184. It is as if the devil stole my
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185. fa-a-a-a-a-a-he-he-hey-ace.
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186. And I'm playing a tree? Seriously?
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187. Bind this fellow, lock him away.
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188. I shall to my father this very day.
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189. Lower the bridge!
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190. Argh! Raise the bridge! Raise the bridge!
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191. Argh, argh, lower the bridge!
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192. Push it up! Robert, push it up!
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193. Stop! Stop!
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194. Watch your head.
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195. 3, 2, 1, go!
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196. The battle won by England's merry throng.
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197. Good Eric, toast their health and give a song!
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198. Oh! Oh! Oh my! Argh! Argh!
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199. It's still burning!
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200. This is a most pleasing tune.
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201. Oh, prithee, more.
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202. What happened to Bonny Peggy Ramsay?
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203. Um...
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204. Prithee no more, fool! That's... That's quite enough. Thank you.
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205. What a charming diversion, fool. More goose, my love?
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206. No!
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207. I have lost the taste for it, methinks.
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208. Father!
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209. What is the meaning of this?
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210. Upon our fighting in your name did I happen upon this man,
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211. the very shadow of me.
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212. Bless my soul.
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213. Two sons now before me, mine own and this his brother?
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214. So, you confess, this man is my kin?
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215. How came this to be so?
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216. Alack, I must at last confess my sin.
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217. Your mother was no strumpet,
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218. but Queen Eleanor of France herself.
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219. Stop it.
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220. Our kingdoms both at war, you were born in secret,
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221. brought to be raised under mine eye,
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222. whilst he, your twin, remained with her.
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223. I hope that all shall now be healed,
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224. at last this wicked truth revealed.
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225. And fortune hath united you.
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226. So, you and I are brothers
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227. of both French and English blood.
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228. To me.
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229. So, you and I are brothers
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230. of both French and English blood.
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231. Father, at last our war can end.
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232. Not to me.
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233. Father, at last our war can end.
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234. Yet some wounds be too deep to mend.
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235. A blood moon rose portending doom...
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236. for foul and bloody murder loomed.
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237. As the King retired to bed that night,
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238. he did not know he'd seen his final light.
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239. Ah!
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240. My father for his sins shall now atone.
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241. Then I, Prince Richard...
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242. Dick.
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243. shall not share the throne.
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244. A single drop of poison in thine ear
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245. will rob thee of thy health.
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246. Approach I now in silence and in stealth.
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247. Come, subtle poison...
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248. Come, subtle poison.
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249. Do thy work.
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250. Oh! -Sorry. Sorry.
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251. The king is dead,
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252. but I'll not bear the guilt.
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253. I'll frame fair Louis, then run him to the hilt.
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254. Treachery! Foul treachery!
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255. What news is this?
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256. The Frenchman Louis hath killed the king!
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257. What ho?
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258. The king is dead!
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259. My father dead, reluctant...
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260. I am king.
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261. Now to the tower we shall this traitor bring.
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262. Guard! -My liege!
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263. Take him away.
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264. Yet foolish Richard knew not I was no guard.
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265. I was the relevant trumpeter!
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266. Robert!
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267. Adieu.
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268. Foul trickery, villainy!
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269. Thou art knaves!
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270. Come, Eric.
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271. Wake the castle, assemble the court!
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272. All must hear of Louis' wicked sport.
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273. My lord, aside, I spy upon his hand a stain of poison green.
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274. No, it's an aside. Say it to the side.
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275. I spy upon his hand a stain of poison green.
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276. To the side!
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277. I spy upon his hand a stain of poison green.
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278. I must betray this message to my Queen.
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279. Go then!
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280. My Queen, I bid thee brace thyself for news most foul.
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281. Prithee, tell me the cause of thy scowl.
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282. Tarry a moment for, um...
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283. For, um...
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284. Tis about the King.
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285. Prithee, tell me.
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286. Tis it about the king?
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287. Yes, methinks it is.
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288. You bring me news of the King's health?
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289. Methinks...
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290. Methinks the King is well?
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291. No. -The King is dead.
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292. Mm. -Aye!
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293. The King is well dead.
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294. But the worst is still to come for, uh... uh...
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295. Speak, fool!
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296. Oh, it's the twist.
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297. Aye! He was murdered by Chris.
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298. Prithee, but who doth Chris play?
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299. The King.
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300. Nay.
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301. The king didn't kill the king, did he?
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302. But he... he said he was the King, methinks.
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303. Yes. Well, he's the King now, but before he killed the King,
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304. who was he?
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305. Chris. -No!
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306. That's reality.
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307. Join me in fiction.
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308. In the play, who is Chris?
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309. The director.
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310. No! Which character? Was he Richard?
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311. No. -Yes, he was!
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312. I thought he was Louis.
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313. No, he's Richard. They are twins.
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314. But they don't look the same.
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315. They're not...
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316. Why are you confused!
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317. I don't even wanna be in this scene.
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318. Just...
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319. Look, my goodly fool, my heart in pieces
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320. tides thee submit gentle Malcolm hither.
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321. What? -Get Malcolm!
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322. Get Malcolm! Get Malcolm!
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323. Oh, double joy, for now King Walter's dead,
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324. his heir shall join when Malcolm kills Richard.
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325. Here.
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326. No! Get the actor who, in the play, is Malcolm!
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327. I'm so sorry.
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328. Malcolm!
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329. Now is the time to seize this power.
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330. Richard and Louis must die this very hour.
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331. You speak the truth, m'lady.
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332. To the dungeon!
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333. Oh, no!
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334. To the dungeons!
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335. I will stretch thee until thou canst no more.
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336. Demon of Hell, do thy worst.
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337. Ooh.
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338. Ooh-hey!
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339. Go, torturer, leave this knave to me.
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340. I shall to Hell dispatch him presently.
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341. My liege!
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342. Wilt thou unbind my hands so that I may pray?
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343. Be quick.
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344. Then I shall send thee on thy way.
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345. With one swift strike, I set both of us free.
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346. Thus, with your death, my secret dies with thee.
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347. Not so fast!
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348. Well, Malcolm here has caught me unaware.
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349. No mercy, now your treachery is revealed.
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350. Then let us fight, and death to him who yields.
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351. Oh, no!
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352. Prince Richard, struck by Malcolm's noble blade.
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353. Argh!
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354. Thus with this wound, my plans are all unmade.
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355. Guard!
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356. Take him away!
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357. Oh.
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358. Throw him in the darkest cell.
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359. Thank you, sweet Malcolm.
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360. The day is saved and all is well!
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361. One twin is defeated, now strike the other down.
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362. With them both gone, we two shall share the crown.
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363. Prepare to die!
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364. Another traitor in this nest of snakes.
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365. Let our blades decide our fates.
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366. Thy sharp tongue cannot harm me now.
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367. Hya! Hya! Hya!
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368. My blade doth pierce your back...
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369. and you fall!
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370. Malcolm is dead, Richard is in chains.
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371. The crown does pass onto Louis' head.
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372. Louis... is dead.
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373. So, the crown shall now pass onto Queen Isobel.
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374. No!
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375. The crown shall now pass onto...
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376. No.
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377. Oh, dear.
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378. Huh...
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379. It seems all our characters are spent.
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380. And, at last, the trumpeter is relevant!
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381. Execute Chris!
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