A Woman's Face Page #8

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exactly what has happened...

...and I don't blame you,

of course, only...

ANNA:

Only what?

TORSTEN:
I had thought you were something

different, something strong, rare...

...exciting, above a stupid, ugly,

commonplace world.

I'm a woman.

Anna, you fool. You coward.

Do you want to sink back into the mob?

Into a dull, safe mediocrity?

Is that what you want? Safety?

Is that what happens when a scar is healed,

that one gets fat and forgets?

Yes, Anna, you are a woman.

And I have the right to say that...

...because I am the man who saw that

when no one else did.

- Or have you forgotten that too?

- No.

No.

You are a woman

but you are something more.

Or at least I'd hoped you were

before this heavenly transformation.

I could kill that doctor.

Why him?

Because he has changed my partner

into a dove.

A tame, cooing dove.

Soft and weak and full of love

for her fellow men.

For the old and the weak

and the unimportant.

You should love your fellow man, you.

Your fellow men loved you, didn't they?

People held out their arms, "Here is love, life

and laughter. Everything a woman wants."

- Oh, you know they didn't.

- I know they didn't.

But who else?

I saw the real Anna.

The hard, shining brightness of you.

There have been women like you before.

They became conquerors, queens,

empresses.

- Oh, Torsten, this is 1941.

- Oh, I apologize. I forgot.

This is 1941. Yes.

The spirit of love has triumphed. Yes.

God's in his heaven. Yes.

[TORSTEN LAUGHS]

No, no, Anna, the times are ripe...

...and I could be...

I could be greater than any Barring

has ever been...

...or ever will be.

You thought I was concerned

about my debts.

That I wanted money so that I, too,

could live safely and comfortably...

...like the other tame pigeons

on this ancestral estate.

You didn't know me, Anna.

No, no one knows me.

I have played

the charming, good-natured fellow...

...the amiable fool,

because I was waiting.

I was waiting to find someone like you,

who had also been cheated.

Yes, Anna, God cheated you

when he gave you that scar.

He cheated me when that boy

was born to take away...

...what was mine by right, because, Anna...

Anna, I can use this power.

What others have done in other countries,

I can do here.

Because, Anna, the world belongs

to the devil...

...and I know how to serve him

if I can only get the power.

Power.

You're hurting me.

Am I?

Forgive me.

I hope I don't have to again.

I don't think you will.

WICKMAN:

Emma. Emma. Where are you?

You are a fine one.

The guests are beginning to arrive.

- He's starting to open his birthday gifts.

- He can't.

EMMA:
I've always been there to open them.

Every year. Here, take these. Run along.

BARRING:
Ah.

- Another pipe.

Thank you, Wickman.

I'll think of you every time I smoke it.

So will I.

May you live to be as old

as your grandfather...

...and he's going to live to be a hundred.

[ALL CHATTERING]

- That's all the gifts.

- Yes.

Good. And now everybody to their sleighs

for a good appetite.

- Where's Miss Paulssen?

- Yes, where is she?

Where is our guardian angel?

- Doctor, what have you done with her?

- Oh, why pick on me?

Come, come, doctor,

you spent the afternoon with her.

I saw her half an hour ago.

BARRING:
Well, go fetch her.

EMMA:
Why should I?

Why do you have to have her?

She wasn't here last year or the year before.

LARS-ERIK:

Here she is.

BARRING:

Well, we almost started without you.

I'm sorry I'm late, sir,

with my birthday present.

Many happy returns.

Oh, a pocket chess set.

Just exactly what I wanted.

How nice of you.

Emma, put this

among the other presents.

And now, off we go.

LARS-ERIK:

I'll be the first.

The consul suggested

that you and I drive together.

- I'll get a coat.

- Oh, there are some warm ones over here.

The consul gave me the chessboard and I

put it among his presents like he told me.

And that's that.

JUDGE:
Well, continue.

You picked up the chessboard.

- That's all. That's all I know.

- And you didn't go on the sleigh ride?

No. I stayed and minded my business

like I've done for 32 years.

But your suspicions

were definitely aroused?

I've told my story.

Miss Kristiansdotter,

you haven't been dismissed.

For mercy's sake, why don't you call

the consul? He's old, waiting all afternoon.

- I tell you, I've told my story.

- Call Consul Barring.

Emma Kristiansdotter,

you swore to tell the truth...

...withholding nothing and adding nothing,

as God is your help in life and soul.

You may stand down.

- Lf you please, Consul Barring.

- Yes?

- The judge is waiting.

- Oh, good.

Good.

Emma...

...what's happened?

What's the matter?

The judge lean over and kiss you?

Maybe that means Anna has confessed.

JUDGE:

And then what, consul?

Well, of course my memory

isn't as good as it used to be.

It isn't bad though.

But as I would remember the events

of that sleigh ride...

[PEOPLE SINGING]

- There she comes.

BARRING:
At last. Good.

I wish I were 60 again.

Tell the doctor to follow us.

Go on.

[SLEIGH BELLS JINGLING]

Where's Lars-Erik?

TORSTEN:

Hey!

- Lars-Erik.

- We're beating you.

Torsten, stop!

[SPEAKING INDISTINCTLY]

Torsten has a good start on our doctor.

Go after them, Wickman.

I like a good race.

[PEOPLE LAUGHING

AND CHATTERING]

[PEOPLE CHEERING]

[HORSE NEIGHING]

The falls.

- The falls. That's where he's going.

- He may be drunk.

No, not drunk. Insane.

But I found that out too late.

I found everything out too late.

I lied to you this afternoon.

I came up here to kill that boy.

But I couldn't do it. I couldn't do it.

I don't love Torsten that much.

I don't love him at all,

but now it's too late.

ANNA:

Torsten.

Torsten, stop.

Lars-Erik. Lars-Erik.

Torsten.

MAN:

Well, now.

[CROWD CHATTERING]

[WOMAN SCREAMS]

LARS-ERIK:

Granddaddy.

- Granddaddy. Granddaddy.

BARRING:
What? What?

- What is it?

LARS-ERIK:
Miss Paulssen.

BARRING:
Miss Paul...

- She shot Uncle Torsten.

Lars-Erik.

You shot Uncle Torsten.

Sir, in my opinion there is no doubt.

The woman is innocent.

But Torsten Barring's horse could have

been running away in the course of a race...

...with Dr. Segert.

- Well, yes.

The motive might have been

to get rid of an accomplice...

...who'd become dangerous.

- I don't believe that.

- Such a deduction is possible.

- Well, I suppose so.

But Consul Barring,

you have evidence of my innocence.

- Silence.

- I'd like...

I beg that you let the prisoner speak.

Consul Barring, have you finished

your testimony?

- Yes, I believe so.

- Oh, but you haven't.

Tell them about the note

I put in your present.

- In the pocket chessboard.

- There was a note?

No. There was no note.

ANNA:
But there was.

It warned you about Torsten.

He must have stolen it before the ride.

And we're to believe that also,

I suppose?

EMMA:

Consul. Consul.

I did it to protect you.

You can discharge me,

but I was right to do it.

You did what?

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