Almost Angels Page #4

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Come here, Friedel.

Stand still, will you?

That's right.

Oh, Mitzi, will you marry me?

Ouch,

lsn't she sweet?

May l see you home?

:singing!

:voice cracks!

:voice cracks!

Has it really broken, Peter?

Maybe it's just the top notes.

You could fake them.

No.

lt's gone.

What are you going to do?

You know the part.

Here.

Hey, Toni,

What's the matter?

lt's... lt's Peter.

His voice is gone.

- Gone?

- lt's broken. He can't sing anymore.

- Not at all?

- l heard it. Just now.

But if he can't sing...

He said l'd have to play for him.

l know the part.

Where is Peter?

He ran out. What should we do?

Nothing yet. And don't tell anyone.

:boys singing musical scales!

:boy singing musical scales!

How many vacancies

are there this time?

Only two, l think.

Three.

:boys continue singing!

Hey, Joseph. Have you seen Peter?

Peter? No, l haven't.

:Peter singing with cracked voice!

:Peter continues singing!

:voice cracks!

:continues singing!

:voice cracks!

Peter.

Bet l can beat you to the top.

Bet you can't.

Come on, then.

Go.

What's the matter?

:gasping!

Didn't eat your spinach today?

l'm sorry, Peter.

- What for?

- Ferdy told me.

l don't know what you're talking about.

l heard it, too, just now.

Oh, well.

That happens to all of us

sooner or later.

Are you sure it's gone?

l'm not a choirboy anymore.

That's not everything.

l'll have more time for composing,

learning to conduct.

l'll go to the conservatory.

But, Peter, what about the tour?

You won't be able to go.

Maybe it's just a cold.

Maybe it'll be back tomorrow.

Peter, where are you going?

You can't see Herr Heller,

he's gone downtown.

l'll see him when he comes back, then.

Don't tell him, Peter.

Please don't tell him.

Why not?

l can't sing anymore.

l know, but maybe there's a way.

Anyway, don't tell him yet.

Please, Peter.

l've got to tell him.

We'll think of something.

With the dress rehearsal tomorrow?

Why don't you grow up?

Hello, Peter.

Have you come to lend us a hand?

Sir, l wanted to talk to you.

Right. Won't be a minute.

Hey, catch this cable.

ls it something urgent?

Well...

Now, plug it into the wall, over there.

He'll never get away with it.

They'll notice.

Not if we work it right.

He'll just have to keep his mouth shut

until we leave, that's all.

:all chuckling!

That'll take some doing.

Not if we all help him.

He won't let us. He'll tell Heller.

That's why we've got to hurry.

lt's worth it, isn't it?

To have him on the tour with us.

They'll send him back

as soon as they find out.

All the way from lndia?

What will he do, then? He can't sing.

He can help Herr Heller, look after

the music, that sort of thing.

What about tomorrow, though?

The dress rehearsal?

He has to sing a solo.

That's sure to give him away.

Ferdy's gonna sing for him.

What?

- Shh,

- How?

l've thought it all out.

There's a way.

Sir, l just wanted to...

lt won't take a minute,

then l'll be down.

Yes, sir.

So, that'll do it.

Come and have a look at it

from out front.

Can l say something, please, sir? l...

:Eisinger! Max?

l'd like to check

all the concert dates with you.

- Right now?

- ln my office. Do you mind?

- Of course not.

- Please, sir...

Stay and help them here, Peter.

l'll be right back.

Yes, sir.

Oh, Peter,

l was looking at the song you wrote.

lt's very promising.

Thank you, sir.

Why not put it in as an encore

now and then, Max?

l'd like to. How about it, Peter?

That'd be wonderful, sir.

- Good.

- Come along then, Max.

Hey, hey, what's this?

We just wanted to look

at the stage, sir.

All right, but don't get in the way.

:Toni! Hey, Peter,

- We've got to talk to you.

- What about?

Up in the attic. Come on.

:singing in German to classical music!

Hey.

You're doing great, Peter.

l'm sure they'll think it's you singing.

l'll never keep it up.

Yes, you will. You're doing fine.

Hey,

Hey,

:no singing!

:starts singing!

:stops singing! Hey?

:people murmuring!

ls something wrong?

- l'm sorry, Peter.

- Oh, go away.

l was trying to help you.

And l ended up making a fool of myself,

in front of everybody.

But, if you'd only kept it up...

How could l? He knew, Heller knew,

l'll take the blame. l'll tell him.

Oh, go away. Get out, will you?

Hello, Toni.

lt was my idea.

Peter had nothing to do with it.

l talked the others into it

so he wouldn't miss the tour.

l know.

Why didn't you tell me

about your voice?

We've both known it was going

for some time, haven't we?

lt was just bad luck

it should happen now,

but you should have told me.

l tried to yesterday

when you were fixing the lights.

Then Herr Eisinger came in

and talked about my song.

l see. That did make it tough for you.

lt's not my voice that matters.

That happens to all of us.

lt was being left behind, just when...

Just when what, Peter?

l'd planned to start writing on

the tour. Really work at composition.

- You could do that here.

- l know, but...

But what?

l wanted you to help me. You...

You understand.

And you know what l'm getting at.

Well, maybe when l come back.

Try to see it straight, Peter.

This isn't the end for you,

it's the beginning.

lt's fun being a kid, but...

Well, till now

you've only been rehearsing.

See what l mean?

Anyway, we'll talk about it

some more tomorrow.

Naturally, it's a shame

that this should happen now.

But, for Peter,

there are compensations.

He'll still live here,

he'll work at the music conservatory.

He is talented, no doubt about that.

There's a great promise there,

as Max says.

Which is why l think he deserves

special consideration.

And that's not favoritism.

lt's simply doing our job,

to encourage outstanding talent

when we find it.

l agree with that, of course.

He's still only a boy, don't forget.

He's not sure of himself yet.

He's a little scared of growing up.

So, just for a while,

he still needs other boys around him,

the boys he's worked and played with

for the past four years.

And that's why l say

he should come on this tour.

But, Max, we simply can't afford it.

Not as a passenger.

l'm not suggesting that.

- As what, then?

- As my assistant.

Let him be deputy conductor.

Well, that's certainly

a revolutionary idea.

He could do it.

His knowledge and understanding

are remarkable for his age.

And his technique's not bad at all.

The choir conducted

by one of the boys themselves?

That might be quite effective.

But would it be good?

lt could be.

He wants to conduct and l'd coach him.

And it'd give him the belief in himself

he needs so badly at this moment.

Well, gentlemen,

what's our decision going to be?

:classical music plays!

:classical music plays!

:ship horn blows!

:choir sings!

:song ends!

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