Broken Lullaby Page #3

Ah! My heart isn't

with you any longer, old men!

My heart's with the young.

Dead and living.

Everywhere, anywhere.

I stood in front of this hotel

when my son marched by

He was going to his death

and I cheered.

Excuse me.

You were a friend of Walter Holderlin's,

weren't you?

Yes.

May I introduce myself?

Schultz is my name.

You're from Paris, aren't you?

I am.

Going back soon?

I don't know.

Oh, want to stay here.

Of course.

I guess Paris is a great city.

Lots of fun there.

Pretty girls, eh?

But then I guess there's nothing wrong with our girls.

Listen, you're not having such a bad time here.

How about it?

If you say one more word...

Schultz!

Yes, sir?

My bill, please, I'm checking out.

Yes, sir. Right away.

Has Paul come?

Now, father, will you lie down?

I'll tell you when he comes.

You've had a very exciting day.

Aha. Yes. I told them.

What time is it?

Mother...

Have you ever stopped to think

that someday Paul may leave us?

No.

Elsa...

I know. I know.

But when I first met you

you were living in Dresden,

now you're living in Fallsburg.

Are you going to lie down or aren't you?

Good afternoon, Herr Paul!

Good afternoon.

How are you, my boy?

How are you?

Let go of your coat.

Elsa?

Elsa!

Yes, father?

Paul!

Elsa!

Pretty, eh?

Beautiful!

I'm very happy.

Elsa...

Yes, Paul?

I'm going away.

You're going away?

I came to say goodbye.

You're going away?

Why?

Elsa!

Yes, mother?

That's what worries me

-Fix the mind... -Thank you, mother.

-...Now is the next thing.

What is it, Paul?

Tell me.

I...

I have to go to Paris.

But... But you're coming back.

No.

Look at me, Paul.

Now... Tell me.

I don't belong here.

Go on.

The whole town will tell you.

What?

Elsa, I've got to go.

I have no right to be here.

Who has it better than you?

I love you, Paul.

No! Elsa, it can't be.

You don't know what you're saying.

And you love me too. And you know it.

God help me. It's true.

What are you afraid of?

I'm not afraid.

My conscience is clear

I'm willing to face everybody.

I'll walk up the streets

with you, arm in arm.

Let them open their windows and doors.

Let them look!

I'll tell them:

"Yes, we love each other.

Yes, the war is over".

Yes, the war is over

and he's dead,

buried under the ground,

and I'm alive in his house

and in love with his...

And what of it?

Dearest Elsa,

this is his last letter.

It was written the day...

The day he died.

the 22nd of October.

It was found on his body.

He wrote it to me,

but he meant it for both of us.

Here I am in the trenches.

Any moment an attack might begin.

I have a revolver, a gun,

a bayonet and a hand grenade.

But, before God, I don't know why.

Whom am I going to kill and for what?

For two years I lived in Paris

and I loved the French

and now I am told to kill them.

The noise is getting awful.

How much longer will I live?

And when I die, who will benefit by it?

Elsa, promise me this:

if anything should happen to me, Elsa,

if I thought your happiness would be ruined,

then indeed death would be better.

Don't show this letter to father and mother,

it might frighten them.

Maybe it will never reach you, anyway.

The noise is getting worse,

you can't imagine,

the French have opened up,

it's going to be a terrific battle,

but they can't kill everybody.

Some of us will be left, maybe...

Maybe I'll be lucky,

I can't write anymore.

The earth is shaking.

Auf Wiedersehen.

Auf Wiedersehen!

You read this letter before!

When? Where?

I read it,

I read it in the trenches.

Who are you?

Answer me!

I didn't know who he was.

He was a German soldier,

I was a French soldier.

There was an attack...

You? You?

Yes.

I killed him.

Now may I go?

Why did you come here?

What did you want from us?

Forgiveness, mercy...

I wanted to confess, but I couldn't.

Why did you stay here?

Why didn't you go away the next day,

the day after that?

Mrs. Holderlin, there's something

that I want to say to you.

Yes, Paul?

I'll say it for him.

Sit down, mother.

Mother.

For three years you've suffered.

There's been nothing for you

but grief and emptiness

but mother, it's over, it's over now.

That is what Paul wanted to tell you.

His life, too, was shattered by the war,

he had nothing to live for

and then... he came here...

like a blessing.

And you, mother,

you opened your doors wide,

you took him into your arms

and he... he returned your embrace.

Mother, you smiled again.

He took you out of hell into heaven

and he's not going to drop you back again.

No, mother!

Paul loves you.

Paul is going to stay here.

Father, father!

They must never know the truth.

They must never guess it.

Let me go, Elsa

Run away, kill yourself, that's easy

and leave them behind with two sons to forget.

Well, I won't let you!

You are not going to kill Walter a second time.

You're going to live for them.

Live? Here in this house?

Yes!

Face them every day?

You've got to do it!

And you'll be here looking at me, keeping me.

Oh, I don't mind it and neither do you.

It's them we have to think of.

My son...

You mustn't be afraid to make it happy.

Take it, my boy.

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