:55:05
Come in, sir. Thank you for coming.
Come in.
:55:08
You shouldn't let him go around
with these on him.
:55:10
He might get himself hurt.
:55:14
Well, what's this?
:55:15
A crippled newsy took 'em away from him.
I made him give 'em back.
:55:22
By gad, sir, you're a chap worth knowing.
An amazing character. Give me your hat.
:55:30
Sit down.
:55:37
-I owe you an apology, sir.
-Never mind that.
:55:40
Let's talk about the black bird.
:55:42
All right, sir, let's.
:55:47
Let's.
:55:49
This is going to be the most astounding
thing you've ever heard of.
:55:52
I say this knowing a man
of your caliber and your profession...
:55:55
...must have known
some astounding things in his time.
:55:59
What do you know of the Order of
the Hospital of Saint John of Jerusalem...
:56:02
...later known as the Knights of Rhodes?
:56:04
-Crusaders or something, weren't they?
-Very good. Sit down.
:56:10
In 1539, these crusading Knights...
:56:12
...persuaded Emperor Charles V
to give them the lsland of Malta.
:56:16
He made but one condition:
:56:17
That they pay him yearly
the tribute of a falcon...
:56:20
...in acknowledgement that Malta
was still under Spain.
:56:23
Do you follow me?
:56:26
Have you any conception of the extreme...
:56:28
...the immeasurable wealth
of the Order of that time?
:56:30
They were pretty well fixed.
:56:32
"Pretty well" is putting it mildly.
They were rolling in wealth, sir.
:56:35
For years they'd taken from the East
nobody knows what spoils of gems...
:56:39
...precious metals, silks, ivory, sir.
:56:41
We all know the Holy Wars to them
were largely a matter of loot.
:56:46
The Knights were profoundly grateful
to the Emperor Charles...
:56:49
...for his generosity toward them.
:56:51
They hit upon the thought of sending...
:56:53
...for his first year's tribute,
not an insignificant live bird...
:56:57
...but a glorious golden falcon...
:56:59
...crusted from head to foot...