Boy In The Striped Pyjamas, The Page #4

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that the camp has to offer.

Organised sport is very popular.

Those that don't play

certainly enjoy watching.

At the end of the working day,

the centrally located caf

is the ideal place

for friends and families to join together

for a hearty and nutritious meal.

The children, in particular,

enjoy the pastries and cakes on offer.

In the evenings,

the occasional music concerts,

either by visiting orchestras

or, indeed, by talented musicians

from within the camp itself,

are always well attended.

Other recreations include

reading in the library,

pottery, cookery, art and horticulture

for adult and child alike.

Almost any activity one could wish for

is available within the camp.

Splendid.

- Bravo. Excellent.

- Thank you.

Goodbye, little man.

Shmuel! Shmuel!

I don't understand.

I saw a film about the camp,

and it looked so nice.

I don't know why I did it.

Gretel and everyone

were saying all these things,

and that soldier's so scary.

Been coming here for days,

but you were never here.

I thought maybe

we weren't friends any more.

Shmuel, I'm really sorry for what I did.

We are still friends, aren't we?

Where's Kurt these days?

I haven't seen him for ages.

- Who's Kurt?

- Lieutenant Kotler.

He's been moved to the front.

It was felt that

his youth and enthusiasm

would be put to better use there.

Herr Kommandant, telephone.

In actual fact, Gretel, he was sent there

because he failed

to inform the authorities

of his father's

lack of loyalty to the Party.

Which was his duty, I might add.

- Which was his bad luck.

- Bad luck?

Well, bad luck that it was his father

who was disloyal, and not his mother.

One presumably

doesn't have to report one's mother.

- What?

- When will Pavel be back?

- Mum?

- Never, stupid.

It's Father. They've been bombed.

Grandmother's dead.

"...the victory

which You have obtained for us

"and for all who sleep in Him,

"keep us who are still in the body

in everlasting fellowship

"with all that wait for Thee on earth,

"and with all that are around Thee

in heaven,

"in union with Him

who is the resurrection

"and the life, who liveth and reigneth

with Thee and the Holy Ghost,

"ever one God, world without end.

Amen."

He can't have that on there.

She wouldn't have wanted it.

He does.

"Almighty God, who by the death of..."

Have you ever been to a funeral?

My grandma and grandpa both died

just after we got here,

but there weren't any funerals.

That one there to there.

They both died at the same time?

What of?

I don't know.

Papa said they must have caught

something on the way here.

They had to go to a hospital

as soon as we arrived.

We didn't see them again.

This is fun.

Wish we could do something

a bit more exciting, though.

- That one there to there.

- This one?

- This one?

- No, that one.

- This one to here?

- No, there!

- To here?

- No.

- Here?

- No.

- I don't want you to go away again.

- No. Neither do I.

You can't behave like this!

- You're questioning my behaviour?

- It can't continue!

I know.

I can't stand this any more, Ralf.

I can't stay here and be a part of this.

Don't you think there will be questions?

- Questions?

- Well, now, what does it say

about my ability to carry out my work

if I cannot control my own family?

- Work? Is that what you call it?

- Pull yourself together, woman.

Right. Just ignore it. Ignore it.

Ignore the fact

that the man I married is a monster!

Even your own mother

couldn't love you.

Are you happy here?

Yes. Very.

And you, Gretel?

Well, I was, but I do miss home.

I miss my friends.

Yes, I'm sure. And you, too, Bruno.

You must miss those friends of yours.

No. Not any more, really.

I suppose the real question is,

if the opportunity arose,

would you prefer

to live somewhere else?

- Back home?

- No. Not Berlin. Not yet.

Somewhere safe, say Aunt Lottie's

in Heidelberg, for example.

All of us? You as well?

No. That won't be possible just yet,

I'm afraid.

I must stay

and complete my work here.

See, at the moment,

your mother is finding it...

She just feels right now you need

to spend some time elsewhere.

Would you like that?

I'm afraid, Bruno, in life, we often

have to do things we don't want to do.

The important thing is

your mother does not feel

that this is an appropriate place for you

to be spending your childhood,

and the more I think about it, the more

I realise she's very probably right.

- But, Dad...

- No!

It's time for you to move away.

Is everything all right?

We can't find Papa.

He went on a different work duty

with some of the men,

and they haven't come back.

I've got some bad news, too.

I'm going away.

How long for this time?

That's why it's bad. It's forever, I think.

Mum says this is no place for children,

which is just stupid.

- When do you go?

- Tomorrow. After lunch.

So, I won't ever see you again?

Yes, you will. You can come on holiday

to Berlin if you like,

when everybody's getting on

with each other again.

I wish I could've helped you

find your dad.

I really want to make up

for letting you down like I did.

That would have done it, wouldn't it?

Helping you find your dad?

Would've been great.

Like a secret mission.

- I could dig under.

- What? With that?

- No, but I could bring something.

- You don't want to come over here.

Look.

- I could come through to your side.

- What's the point in that?

Your dad's not going to be over here,

is he?

But I'd stick out though, wouldn't I,

if I came through?

I don't look like you.

You could look like me, though.

If you dressed like me

and shaved your hair off.

I'm not shaving my hair off.

- You could cover it with a cap.

- My pyjamas are a different colour.

I could bring some.

There's a hut full of them,

thousands of them.

Would you do it, though?

- I want to do it.

- Would you dare do it, though?

- I want to help you find your dad.

- I've got to go.

Tomorrow, then?

I'll bring an extra-big sandwich.

And don't forget the pyjamas!

Bruno?

Mum, can I go and play on the swing?

- Bruno...

- It's my last chance.

All right. Go on then.

- I thought you weren't coming!

- I'm sorry. It wasn't easy to get away.

I'm not meant to be out here today.

You forgot the pyjamas!

- Did you bring the sandwich?

- Would I let you down?

Shmuel.

Here.

How do I look?

Right. Let's get going.

Bruno?

That's enough.

Let's go and find your dad.

Come on!

Master Bruno?

Shmuel.

- Can we go to the caf or something?

- Caf?

- Maybe I should go home.

- What about Papa?

Yeah.

We'll check our hut first.

Bruno?

Come on.

Papa?

Up! Up! Get up!

- What's happening?

- I don't know.

We go on marches sometimes.

Move! Up, up!

Move, move!

Bruno!

He must still be

outside somewhere, ma'am.

Bruno!

Bruno?

- Move!

- Quickly!

Get up!

Get up. You must!

Move them out!

...which means that

our weekly capabilities

would be almost tripled,

so, therefore,

by the end of the summer...

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