A Time to Love and a Time to Die Page #4

Suppose you were caught here,

it may be all right for them but...

How would they punish me?

Not send me back to the front?

There's nothing to be afraid of.

Not even the prices here?

I've nearly two years' combat pay

with me.

And only two weeks to spend it or so.

Two weeks or so?

That soon?

How much?

Two weeks is a long time.

If you have to ask how much

you don't want my services.

Nice and clear crystal glasses.

I have real soap left over from France.

The finest.

Easy! Remember we're on...

Don't say it. I've sworn to myself,

the next man who reminds me we're on

the same side loses a piece of throat!

Attention!

-Very good.

-Thank you, sir.

To celebrate your homecoming

the Fhrer himself has decreed

Something wrong?

If I drink before eating I'm liable

to fall right under the table!

that every man on leave

is to be given a package of food.

-On wine?

-On anything. I drink so little.

It is a gift for your families as evidence

that the front line troops are cared for

Nonsense.

Here's... Here's to everything

that's been missing from our lives.

and can even bring food home.

See you on the floor!

It is your responsibility

to comfort and cheer...

(Aircraft engine roars)

-ls it good, sir?

-It's wonderful.

(Gasps)

Never mind! They're ours!

It must be, because I'm thinking things

that I haven't thought for a long time.

It is your responsibility to comfort

and cheer your dear ones.

Like dancing.

Divulging of troop movements

or positions is treason.

It's the wine, madam. The sun

that ripened it shines out again.

Idle criticism is treason.

It was a great year for wine, 1 937.

In short, you are to tell them

nothing of the front

That's the way to remember

our great years, Otto.

Nothing.

By their wines, not their wars.

Understood?

Certainly, sir.

(Hiccups)

And now,

men with furloughs to Cologne,

Oh, sorry! Tell me to stop.

raise your hands.

No, go on! I guess that's

one way of enjoying wine.

Cologne is at the present time restricted,

your leaves are cancelled.

I can stop, I know I can.

My whole family is in Cologne.

Has something happened there?

If I concentrate on something...

Men with furloughs to Hamburg

and Bremen, raise your hand!

Look at that

lovely goose liver, Elisabeth.

And that lovely silver

which is not just silver anymore,

and the music's not just music.

Check everybody's papers.

(Hiccups)

Well, whatever it is, I'm drinking to it.

The rest of you, get yourselves

cleaned up and deloused.

And to Reuter the gourmet.

(Indistinct murmuring)

And G.H. von Mumm for his wine.

And to you.

To us.

To us,

but especially to you.

Because your eyes are shining

and you're more beautiful

each time I see you.

Only, right now...

you look like the next time.

(? Accordion plays jaunty music)

-Are we drunk?

-On one glass of wine?

(Sirens start to wail)

Begins to look like home, doesn't it?

I'll be there in time for supper.

Not out of a tin mess kit either -

supper served on real china plates.

(Band plays upbeat music)

The warning alarm, sir.

There was no preliminary alert.

Excuse me.

But please, do not be concerned.

The cellar here is safe.

Drink it down, all of it.

Forget the sirens.

My hiccups have gone.

Verden! All out for Verden!

Doesn't this train go

to the main station of the city?

You'll have to walk the rest of the way.

You've got to hurry, sir.

Madam.

It's that way.

(Restaurant orchestra plays)

The same horse! Hasn't changed

since I was seven years old.

? Life, let us cherish

? While all the lamps aglow... ?

(Explosions)

(Singing continues)

(Whistling of bombs and missiles)

(Explosion)

(Screams)

Ladies and gentlemen, I regret that

the last song was...slightly off tone.

Enjoy the war my friends,

the peace will be awful.

? Life, let us cherish...

(Whistling and rumbling continues)

Everybody out! Quickly! Please!

Our coats. Go up!

Do you want that wall on your head?

Where's number 1 8?

I can't seem to find it.

Where is 1 8? You mean where was 1 8.

Was is the word.

-Don't you know that yet?

-No.

No! In what hole

have you been hibernating?

Help me! Help!

The front. I just got back.

Help me!

The front!

And what do you think this is?

I'm a doctor.

Six raids we've had in ten days.

Six in ten days!

Here, let me.

While you damn front line soldiers

have been running away out there,

-Ssssh. You'll be all right.

-Help!

we couldn't.

This will help until the ambulance comes.

My wife and child couldn't.

They're dead.

(Woman whimpers)

Your hand, Ernst. You burnt it.

1 8 is over there. By that digging.

Just soot that came off my coat.

Let's go.

(Trickling of water)

-Are you sure your hand is all right?

-Mm-hm.

-lt doesn't hurt?

-No.

Then I might as well get started

cleaning your coat.

Are there people buried in there?

No, we're digging for the exercise.

I'm looking for my parents. Gr?ber.

Are they in there?

How would I know?

(Shouting and clanking of metal)

Where did this come from?

(Laughs)

The wine cellars.

Quick! There can't be

much air left in there.

You simply took them?

It is crowded enough for three in here,

you are holding us up.

Why not? A soldier who neglects

an open wine cellar is sick.

But I'm just...

We'll go faster without you.

Now I know why we sew such

big pockets in the Army overcoats.

(Gruff voice) Bend your backs!

Keep working.

This area must be cleared by morning.

This is not 1 8. It's 1 6.

That's 1 8.

(Clunking of picks)

There's nothing over there.

You're wasting your time.

Where are you going?

They're from the concentration camp.

My father may be one of them.

You can see from up here.

Don't get into anything you don't have to.

(Eerie metallic ringing)

(Officer shouts at workers)

No, he's not there, but somewhere

he's in a labour gang too.

And all because he thought

Germany couldn't win the war.

(Faint cry)

One day he said it to the wrong person.

(Cry)

That was his great crime.

-May I have some of that wine, please?

-Of course.

(Cry)

-Elisabeth?

-Yes.

Elisabeth...

Why don't we get married?

It's going to rain.

Didn't you hear me?

(Cat miaows)

There's nothing wrong with my hearing.

It's my sense of humour.

I don't have any about certain things.

I wasn't trying to be funny.

As the wife of a soldier you'd be

entitled to 200 marks a month.

Your papers.

Plus a nice death benefit.

Why make a present of it to the State?

I see.

Then it's settled?

-You lived here? At 1 8?

-I was born here.

Certainly not.

Do you know anything about

my parents? Were they saved?

That's what I like: enthusiasm.

But why not? 200 marks a month.

Who knows?

Maybe they weren't even in the house?

Look on the door over there.

Maybe they left a message?

I don't want it!

I guess you don't.

Well, I can't say that I blame you.

What's a lousy 200 marks

if you have to take me with it...

-Don't say that!

-What would you prefer me to say?

-That you understand.

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