John Adams: Your Royal Highness, may I present a compatriot of mine, Mr Frank Rawlinson.
Prince of Wales: At your service, sir.
Frank Rawlinson: [Mr Rawlinson bows to the prince] Your Royal Highness.
John Adams: We have opened a department at the embassy for social relations between our countries, sir. Mr Rawlinson is in charge.
Prince of Wales: How interesting.
Frank Rawlinson: Feelings may have run high in the past, sir, but I can assure you that there are many people at home who have a genuine sympathy for England.
Sir Percy Blakeney: [Indignantly] Indeed!
Prince of Wales: [Clears his throat and turns to the Marquis] While Blakeney attends to the important business of tying my cravat, perhaps you'd care to go on with your story. Monsieur le Marquis was telling us how he escaped from France.
The Marquis de St Serven: There is little to add. The Pimpernel put me aboard the ship which was to bring me to England and then rode off towards Paris again.
Sir Andrew Ffoulkes: What is your impression of the Pimpernel, Monsieur le Marquis?
The Marquis de St Serven: Impression, monsieur?
Lord Richard Hastings: Of the real Pimpernel? The personality behind the disguise?
The Marquis de St Serven: But there was no disguise.
Prince of Wales: Are you trying to tell us that you saw the Pimpernel undisguised?
The Marquis de St Serven: I am, sir.
Lord Richard Hastings: Face to face?
The Marquis de St Serven: Face to face, monsieur.
Sir Andrew Ffoulkes: In broad daylight?
The Marquis de St Serven: In broad daylight, monsieur.
Sir Percy Blakeney: Ah, would you care to describe him to us?
The Marquis de St Serven: But that is impossible because he does not exist.
Prince of Wales: Aw ho ho ho, come now, Monsieur le Marquis!
The Marquis de St Serven: No, sir. You see, the Pimpernel is a woman. And, what is more, a woman with an American accent.
[They all look shocked and Frank Rawlinson lets out a whistle, followed by Sir Percy]