A Woman's Face Page #4

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Will the prisoner now come forward

and give her testimony?

Do you solemnly promise and swear

by God and his Holy Scriptures...

...to tell the truth, withholding and adding

nothing, as God is your help in life and soul?

I swear.

In your examination before the police,

you were frank.

I trust you speak with similar honesty here.

Tell your story, if you please.

I was born in the north. We were poor.

My mother died when I was 3.

My father had a brilliant mind,

I am told, too brilliant.

He drank too much, constantly.

One night when I was 5, he was too drunk

to know he'd set fire to my carpet.

When he came to,

he saved me but not himself.

For 22 years after that,

I cursed him for saving me.

No one could look at me

without shuddering.

There was no place I could work, so on

my 16th birthday, I came to a decision.

The world was against me? All right.

All right, I'd be against it.

I came to the city.

I was able to get along fairly successfully.

You've heard how.

I had no friends.

I didn't think I needed any.

Then I met Torsten Barring.

For the first time a man...

You've heard about that meeting.

The very next day

I received a note from him.

An invitation to come to his apartment.

JUDGE:
That was before Mrs. Segert

came to your offices in the city?

ANNA:
That was before anything except

my first meeting with Torsten Barring.

JUDGE:
Had he written you

as to the purpose of this visit?

ANNA:
No.

JUDGE:
But you weren't worried?

ANNA:

What was there for me to worry about?

[PIANO PLAYING]

[BUZZER SOUNDS]

TORSTEN:

How nice.

Do come in.

No one saw me come here.

That's a pity.

It would have added to my reputation.

- Your reputation as what?

- As a most fortunate man.

Please, your coat.

- I'll keep it on, if you don't mind.

- But I do mind.

Last night you were the proprietor.

Tonight you are a guest.

And we Barrings have a reputation

for chivalry toward our guests.

Thank you.

I was playing when you arrived.

Are you interested in music?

- I am.

- Piano?

The piano, among other things.

Symphonies? Concertos?

Most symphonies. Some concertos.

And Chopin?

Yes, the early Chopin, before he was made

soft and sentimental by George Sand.

But really now, that's very interesting.

Have you read the love letters of Chopin

and George Sand?

I've read every love letter ever published.

[STRIKES KEYS]

That's what I think of all love letters.

But a wonder girl.

You play the piano too.

I play the piano and the violin.

The wonder girl has also tried

painting, poetry and alcohol.

What dirty work

do you want me to do?

But, my dear Miss Holm,

we were talking about music.

Please play some more.

I was invited here for one purpose.

I see no reason for pretending any other.

Might we not argue about that,

perhaps over a glass of liqueur?

Oh, no.

- You would need to drink too much.

- And you?

I don't drink anymore.

It's too dangerous in my vocation.

Restaurant keeping?

No, blackmail.

Restaurant keeping is my avocation.

I like you, Anna Holm.

- I don't enjoy being made fun of.

- I like you because I know you.

I don't care for pity either.

We are both proud.

Both wretched.

What sort of trouble are you in?

I don't think I am in any trouble now,

Anna Holm.

You might just be some kindly

deity's answer to my prayer.

The devil's answer, if you don't mind.

I don't know anything else.

You took Mrs. Segert's letters

out of that coat, didn't you?

Yes.

Skl, Satan.

So I took the glass

and I toasted him back.

JUDGE:
That was the beginning

of your friendship?

- Yes.

- I protest at attaching...

...the name of friendship

to this relationship.

You were madly infatuated

with this man, weren't you?

I loved him.

PROSECUTOR:
Love. He owned you

body and soul, didn't he?

No.

PROSECUTOR:
Tell me this. You submitted

to an operation on your face, didn't you?

I submitted to many.

PROSECUTOR:
Because of him, wasn't it?

- Yes.

PROSECUTOR:
So that you could better

assist him in your criminal pursuits.

No.

No, that wasn't the reason.

PROSECUTOR:

What was the reason?

Well, l...

I wanted...

ATTORNEY:
You wanted to look like

other women, didn't you?

Yes.

You wanted to be like other women,

not warped and twisted and bitter?

- Yes.

- There's no proof of that.

ATTORNEY:
Did Torsten Barring

take you to the hospital?

I went alone.

ATTORNEY:

Did Barring know you were at the hospital?

I was alone. Nobody knew.

ATTORNEY:

How many operations did you submit to?

Twelve.

SEGERT:
The failure in this case would be

due only to the limitations of nature...

...or the inability of the patient to withstand

the severe nervous strain or physical shock.

But, gentlemen, it's not yet time

to speak of failure.

Within a month we may see...

...whether our rather extraordinary hopes

have been justified.

- What's that for?

- You'll find out.

It's today.

- I know it.

- Now, quiet down.

The bandages do come off today.

Now, you mustn't worry too much.

- Don't they?

- Dr. Segert's very hopeful.

How sweet of him.

- Good day, Miss Holm.

- Good day.

How do you feel?

It is today, isn't it?

Yes. How do you feel?

How do you think I feel?

- Well, let's have a look.

- Wait.

- Lf this isn't a success...

- We'll find out.

But if it isn't a success...

...I want you to know that...

- Well, that...

- Don't spoil it.

Don't spoil what?

Since the day I met you,

you presented a perfect picture...

...of the most ruthless, terrifying,

cold-blooded creature I've met.

It's been a picture

which has fascinated me.

Now, unless I missed my guess, you were

about to say something sentimental.

Something about gratitude and so forth?

Don't.

All right.

Now, as I was about to say,

I unveil my Galatea.

Or my Frankenstein.

All right, come on. Let's get it over with.

Tell me this, Miss Holm, I'm...

I'm worried.

You're worried?

If this operation's a success,

I've created a monster.

A beautiful face and no heart.

In distinction, I suppose,

to all other women with beautiful faces.

We'll remove the bandages now.

No?

Give Miss Holm a mirror.

JUDGE:

Will the prisoner take off her hat?

And then what?

Then, after two weeks,

I felt strong enough to leave the hospital.

ATTORNEY:

And it's as I said, you felt reborn.

Yes.

Yes.

ATTORNEY:
After all your agony,

life was beginning anew.

ANNA:

Yes.

ATTORNEY:
You left the hospital

with confidence to face a new world.

A world that would no longer

turn away from you.

ANNA:

Yes, sir. That is so.

TORSTEN:

No. Not really.

After this long silence.

I've been in Switzerland.

Well, am I welcome?

But of course, of course.

Even without flowers,

you would be welcome. Come in.

You were the first person

to ever bring me flowers.

And now we are even?

The account is closed?

Is that what you would wish?

I wouldn't blame you.

Well, I hadn't expected that my partner

would be quite such a silent one.

Now you're not even going to ask me

to take off my coat or my hat?

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