A Woman's Face Page #5

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But of course. There must have

been some very good reason.

Yes, as a matter of fact, there was.

I should be very interested to hear it.

It did seem a little unfair. You see, l...

You were saying?

What's the matter?

Nothing.

Nothing.

[ANNA LAUGHING]

[BOTH LAUGHING]

[PIANO PLAYING]

TORSTEN:

Why didn't you write from Switzerland?

If the operation hadn't been a success,

I was going to disappear anyway.

Your friend Dalvik

and his merry little group...

...thought you had got the money

for the letters and skipped.

- Have you seen them?

- No.

And I won't.

Why not?

Don't worry.

I'm not on the side of the saints yet.

[CHUCKLES]

- What's that?

- An old weaving song.

It's supposed to represent the movement of

the shuttle through the threads of the loom.

I heard it first up at my dear

uncle's estate at Forssa.

- Nice.

- So is my dear uncle.

- Rich?

- Oh, very.

Who gets it when he dies?

Well, my dear, you present

an extremely interesting problem.

My uncle has a grandson, aged 4.

A charming little brat.

Rather frail.

If that child lives, he inherits everything.

And if he doesn't live?

But, my dear girl,

whatever are we thinking of?

Those are the falls on my uncle's estate.

Very swift.

Very dangerous.

I had a letter today inviting me up there

next month for my uncle's birthday festival.

I hadn't planned on going...

...but if there were someone there

I particularly cared about, I...

Perhaps the boy's new governess.

My uncle asked me

to recommend someone.

You don't know anybody, do you?

ANNA:

No.

I think you do.

My partner.

No.

No.

TORSTEN:

Yes.

Yes, my darling.

Yes.

JUDGE:

And you took the job as governess?

- Yes.

- Dr. Segert was right.

He had created a Frankenstein.

You went there to kill that child,

didn't you?

- Admit the truth.

ATTORNEY:
Sir, this is unnecessary.

ASSOCIATE:
Your motive was murder.

ATTORNEY:
She doesn't have to answer.

JUDGE:
The prisoner will answer.

Did you go up to Forssa...

...for the purpose of doing away

with that child, Lars-Erik Barring?

Well, l...

But don't...

JUDGE:

Answer me.

Yes.

JUDGE:

Go on with your story.

[CROWD MURMURING]

I went up to Forssa in November

under the name of Ingrid Paulssen.

ASSOCIATE:

Who recommended you as governess?

ANNA:
Torsten recommended

me to his uncle...

... who met me at the station himself.

[SLEIGH BELLS JINGLING]

Well, quite a change from the city,

Miss Paulssen, huh?

Yes, sir. But I'm quite warm, thank you,

Consul Barring.

BARRING:

That's our smelter.

We dig the ore right out of our hills

and smelt it on the ground.

The corner building was put up

in my grandfather's time.

Oh, he was a tight-fisted old tyrant,

I tell you.

My father built the rolling mill

and the rest is modern up-to-date.

I rather like this view, don't you?

Oh, those are the famous falls of Forssa.

- You must have heard of them.

ANNA:
Yes.

Tell me, sir.

Do people ride in that car?

BARRING:

Of course they do. Of course they do.

Lars-Erik will take you riding in it

tomorrow.

[SLEIGH BELLS JINGLING]

Wickman, this is Miss Paulssen,

the new governess.

- What's that?

- The new governess.

She's got her work cut out for her.

Mind your business. Ha-ha, ha-ha.

I'm afraid you are going to find this

a rather strange establishment.

As you see, the servants

have no discipline.

We have never had locks on any doors.

But somehow we manage to get along.

Possibly it's because

we all rather like each other.

Emma.

So you finally got here.

Miss Paulssen,

this is Emma Kristiansdotter...

...better known as the terror

of Barring Hall.

But don't let her frighten you.

Beneath that grim exterior

is a heart of gold.

- You've been drinking.

- I have not.

But I soon shall be, thank heaven.

Clean your boots.

Miss Paulssen will have the room

next to Lars-Erik.

WICKMAN:

I know. I know.

Come in, come in, Miss Paulssen.

Get warm by the fire.

If Miss Paulssen wants to say good night,

she better come up now.

- It's past his bedtime.

- Splendid.

We'll present you formally

to his Royal Highness.

EMMA:

Now, don't get him all excited.

BARRING:
As if I didn't know

how to handle children.

EMMA:
You don't.

BARRING:
She thinks I spoil him.

And confidentially, I do.

You must help Emma protect the boy

against me.

- It will be a difficult task.

EMMA:
Lars-Erik.

- What's the matter?

- He's hiding.

[HORN BLARES]

Lars-Erik, come here this minute.

I think I know where he is.

He hid from me two nights ago.

[BO Y YELPS]

I slipped.

You certainly did.

LARS-ERIK:

Mm, don't.

Take off those wet boots.

LARS-ERIK:
Who are you?

ANNA:
Your new governess.

- Do you wanna catch cold on my first night?

- Yes.

- You're a mean one, aren't you?

- Yes.

Well, so am I.

What are you smiling at?

You couldn't be mean.

You're too pretty.

EMMA:

Lars-Erik. Come here.

Hide under the bed. Go on, quickly.

EMMA:

I can't find him.

[HORN BLARES]

[HORN BLARING]

[BARRING LAUGHS]

- Here.

- Lars-Erik.

Lars-Erik, come out of there.

Where have you been?

Hello, Granddaddy.

You rascal, you fooled us, didn't you?

- I did. I certainly did.

- Yes.

My boy, this is Miss Paulssen...

...whose unhappy lot it is

to be your governess.

How do you do, Miss Paulssen?

- How do you do, Lars-Erik?

- It's way past his bedtime.

BARRING:

Oh, yes. That's right. That's right.

In you go.

Will you see that Miss Paulssen

has everything she needs in her room?

Good night, you bad boy.

I fooled you, didn't I?

- Yes.

- Yes.

Come on.

Now I lay me...

Oh, let's see, what comes next?

- Down...

- Down on a tuffet.

No, no, no, that's "Little Miss Muffet."

Oh, I've got it.

Now I lay me down to sleep

I pray the Lord

My soul to keep.

If I should die

BARRING:

Before I wake

LARS-ERIK:
I pray the Lord

BARRING:
I pray the Lord

- My soul to take.

- My soul to take.

Amen.

Now, come on.

Sleep well, my boy.

[KISSES]

- Good night, Miss Paulssen.

- Good night, sir.

- Miss Paulssen.

- Yes?

You didn't kiss me good night.

We're going to have fun, aren't we?

Good night, Lars-Erik.

Good night, Miss Paulssen.

Pleasant dreams.

Pleasant dreams.

[SLEIGH BELLS JINGLING]

[ORCHESTRA PLAYING]

[PEOPLE CHATTERING]

[PEOPLE LAUGHING]

Miss Paulssen, hurry up.

The dancing has started.

- Do hurry.

- How do I look?

Turn around.

I shall be very proud to escort

the prettiest girl at the party.

Thank you, sir.

[WHOOPING AND LAUGHING]

Why, Lars-Erik,

what are you doing down here?

Shall we have some refreshment,

Miss Paulssen?

- You know you're not...

- Take your hands off.

- I've been here for 32 years and...

- I'm sorry.

I'm sorry.

Please don't blame the boy.

I told him he could come down.

Well, well. What's this?

Miss Paulssen didn't have an escort

and she said I could be it.

- And why not? Why not?

- Why not?

Because you said

he couldn't come down.

- Did I? Oh, did I?

- Yes, you did.

But I suppose anything Miss Paulssen does

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