by Richard Wilbur

    At the end a

    "The Prisoner of Zenda，"

    The King being out of danger，

    Stewart Granger

    （As Rudolph Rassendyll）

    Must swallow a bitter pill

    By renouncing¹ his co-star，

    Deborah Kerr.

    It would be poor behavia

    In him and in Princess Flavia

    Were they to put their own

    Concerns before those of the Throne.

    Deborah Kerr must wed²

    The King instead.

    Rassendyll turns to go.

    Must it be so？

    Why can't they have their cake

    And eat it， for heaven's sake？

    Please let them have it both ways，

    The audience prays.

    And yet it is hard to quarrel

    With a plot so moral.

    One redeeming³ factor，

    However， is that the actor

    Who plays the once-dissolute King

    （Who has learned through suffering

    Not to drink or be mean

    To his future Queen），

    Far from being a stranger，

    Is also Stewart Granger.

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