Bremer Freiheit Page #4

---

let it go.

I entrusted 1200 thaler to

your first husband

so he could start up a

harness maker's. 1200 thaler!

My money, Geesche, is in

your business,

I have enough, I'll pay

you back.

No, Geesche. I haven't come

to discuss with you,

but to carry a decision

through which I have made.

I can hear what you're saying,

and yet I shall not

obey, Father.

I'm a person like any other,

and I can decide freely,

I'm not looking for a man,

not this one

nor any other.

Should my bosom be longing

for something

like a man,

I shall look for one myself.

Shame! I'm ashamed of

your talk.

If you have to be ashamed

of honesty...

I shall force you, I shall

prove in court

what the rights of a

father are.

Here, drink coffee,

and master yourself.

What use is it to you, cousin,

if the woman does not agree.

No

Yes. - No or yes?

There you are. The cousin,

Father, has brains in his head.

He can judge the situation.

Do you think he'd have a

nice life with a woman

who does not love him?

She'd burn his food

water down his brandy,

and make his coffee bitter,

and in bed she'd be as stiff

as a board.

What does the man get out

of having to lead such a life?

I no longer want this woman,

she's too clever for a man

like me. I want to be

the master of the house.

Here I'd be the servant.

Come, Bohm, let's leave.

You'll have to pay for the

disgrace you bring on me.

You'll pay for it.

You shan't make me pay for

any more, Father.

Never again.

Zimmermann! You could have

frightened me to death.

You are a woman who

does not die easily.

Oh madness, this is good...

I love you.

Come. Let us be sensible.

There'll be visitors...

maybe...

and then...

Oh Geesche, it is terrible.

Terrible? What?

I must tell you, some time.

Speak. Tell me what's

bothering you.

There is always a solution.

Always.

Well, my brother, he...

No...

that isn't how it went.

When my father died

he left 20,000 thalers to

his two sons

so they could build up a

life that fulfils them.

I had my wife's business

and did not need the money.

Now my brother, who is 14

years younger than I,

that's wrong again.

The money which I spoke

about first

is the money I lent to you.

So far so good.

Now my brother

has received an offer

for which he could deposit

20,000 thaler.

Yes, Geesche, this may be

a bitter moment,

but I want to respect

Father's will.

You... are clever

and will be able to understand.

You need your money back,

the 20,000 thaler?

It must be, because

my brother...

I well understand what you

just said. But...

It shan't be possible.

Not possible?

Not possible, Zimmermann.

Look, I have invested

the money

in a new work table,

new tools,

all new things,

Of course, the profit may be

increased,

but this has not been the

case so far,

I don't think you understand

me properly,

this is not a request which

I'm making

but a demand.

A demand,

certainly,

but you cannot take from where

there is nothing.

I want my money back,

you'll have to sell,

I don't mind how you

do it. I want my money.

You love me, don't you?

Wherever money is involved love

must be forgotten quickly.

First I shall ask whether

you love me.

That has nothing to do with

my money,

whether I love you or not.

Drink the coffee,

and let us discuss the problem

in peace

and coolly.

Well then. What do

you suggest?

Look, Zimmermann, it is

quite simple.

In one month the business makes

a profit of ... 800 thaler,

half of that, yes, I need

half for my living, for the

maintenance of the house,

for clothes and so forth.

The other half, 400 thaler,

I can pay you those back

regularly, that's my offer.

Your offer is ridiculous,

that would take...

4,000 thaler a year.

nearly five years, that really

is ridiculous.

Look, Zimmermann,

you gave me the money

and never said a word about

repaying.

That... was... in the fire

of my... love.

a lot is said then, and at

times one does foolish things.

I wish to hear from you by

Friday as to when you want

to pay back the money, three

months, that's as long

as I'll wait,

or I'll have your business

pawned, Geesche,

you'll get to know me.

I wish you good luck.

This house is always in

mourning, Johann.

Forever practically.

You mean, how could

this happen?

The reason I cannot tell

but the sequence - yes.

First my dear husband died,

Johann Gerhard Miltenberger,

of yellow fever,

and shortly after that Mother,

inner inflammation,

then my two children died,

Johanna and Adelheit,

of chest trouble and

nervous fever,

then it was my second husband,

Michael Christoph Gottfried,

after a short sickness,

and finally Father,

without cause,

he had grown old

and must have felt the years

which he had spent in

this world.

You were away so long and

must be shaken

by the sorrow of your family.

I thought I'd find the family

like I left it.

When you're away thoughts

go through your mind like:

how are those getting on

whom you left at home.

I have seen many die at war.

Death does not shake me.

Only the loss,

that is very bad.

Parents, brother in law, nephews.

I am glad that you are

still alive.

Had I returned and

found nobody living,

nobody who remembered me,

how could I have borne that?

My little sister, how much

you had to suffer.

How many tears did these eyes

have to shed.

I only wanted to stay in Bremen

a short while, I meant to

carry on and look for a new

war, but now

I can't leave my sister alone,

leave a woman in charge of

hard work,

I'll take over the business,

you can rely on me.

Oh, you know, Johann,

I had to fight for my

knowledge

and the business. I've had

to learn.

And because fate left me

all alone in this world,

the business...

has now become my life, Johann.

Don't misunderstand

me, you're

to have your share, I don't

want to own what does not

belong to me, but I shan't let

anyone take my work away, please.

Little sister, but you're

a woman.

A woman can learn a great deal

but never find pleasure in work.

You'll get used to it, and

the work in the house

will satisfy you; you'll sing

at the stove;

work only makes you hard,

it spoils the soft traits

of a woman; you want to have

a man in your heart, don't you?

The man...

I want to have in my heart,

I'll tell you what he must

be like, Johann.

This man must agree

that a woman has brains in

her head and sense.

It may be that this man has

not yes been born,

therefore I'll be continent.

Let me finish speaking.

That's why I was on

this earth,

that I may have thoughts

and finish expressing them.

Keep calm, Johann, calm.

Listen to me.

I shan't let the business

out of my hands. Never.

I shall live my life as

I wish.

To live one's own life, Johann,

that ought to be

everybody's aim.

And a woman is a human being

even if there are too few

men and women who are

already aware of it.

You make my head so heavy,

Geesche.

I don't understand what

you're saying.

You'll learn that, Johann,

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes