Counterpoint Page #4

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That's very gallant of you

to let the lady decline.

Captain Klingermann's

in vitation was not so routine.

Excuse me. Mrs. Rice.

- What did Schiller want?

- Me, I suspect.

For openers,

I was invited to dinner tonight.

Why did you turn him down?

Look, the only thing

that can save us is time.

Long and Callaway will need time

to break out and send back help.

My staying behind

in the wine cellar bought time.

Maybe his interest in your

wife will buy us sane more time.

And just who

the hell do you think you are?

How can you be sure of my wife's

ability with Schiller's interest?

It's the sort of problem a beautiful

woman's equipped to cope with.

Brahms, ladies and gentlemen,

from letter B.

Piu andante.

Good luck to you.

We'll be waiting for you.

Come in.

My husband thinks

I should be wearing a price tag.

Are you?

Depends on what's for sale.

Mrs. Rice, I believe we'll have

a delightful evening together.

Champagne. No seduction

would be complete without it.

Caviar. A late supper. Champagne.

The scene is set.

Complete to the musicians

behind the screen.

Though, I must say, your Maestro

could've made a happier choice.

I find it explosive for a scene of

intimacy. Especially the second half.

But I'm sure he has his reasons.

I liked your husband's instincts when

you were in the cellar with Evans.

What was it?

Yes, Schubert's

the Unfinished.

Much more suited to the situation.

Former lover recalling the past.

I wonder how much time we got.

Let's use it.

Here, Sergeant, keep me covered.

I see you in the promised land.

Bring him.

I thought you'd got me up here

to make love to me, not question me.

Every military operations

has its secondary target.

Moreover, the secondary

often becomes the primary.

No thank you, General. That's not

as good an offer as a blind date.

Mrs. Rice.

I wouldn't leave just now.

I'm not so well acquainted

with the selection to know where

exactly The fugue begins.

Appropriate. Fugue.

The musical passage denoting flight.

It could be dangerous.

I don't know. It could've been

that Belgian peasant, Chaminant.

No.

- Had to be someone in the orchestra.

- Why?

Because General Schiller knew

all about you and me.

That's quite a trick. I don't

know all about you and me, myself.

I don't want to die,

Who does?

Aspirin.

The strongest thing I could find.

Calloway might make it yet.

We've still got a chance.

Try and get some sleep.

Conduct that concert for Schiller.

Once I do that, he's won the game.

I'd be signing our death warrant.

Gentlemen, take care that

this is distributed, and report.

We shall rendezvous with Rundstedt

troops and attack west to Namur.

It'll be much faster

with no prisoners.

No prisoners, Herr Arndt.

Such a beautiful day.

You're a man of unceasing activity

and matchless energy.

The new Germany in microcosm.

Please delay the execution until

after I have left this even ing.

Yes, sir.

No. No ersatz.

That's Long's gun, isn't it?

He round it on Calloway's body,

two kilometers west of here.

He stepped on a land mine.

There goes the ball game.

No. We can still break out of here.

They're willing to help us.

They'll stage an attack at 9.

A handful of civilians covering for a

bunch of trombones and French horns?

We don't stand a chance.

As soon as Schiller's tanks are

gassed, the division is pulling out.

Victor, there is no more time left.

Colonel Arndt has

literally dug our graves.

With any luck, a few

of us will make it to the woods.

All right,

I will play your damned concert.

It's been a delightful game,

doubly delightful for the winning.

But my victory puzzles me.

Is it mere coincidence

the morning after an

attempted escape, you capitulate?

- If you don't want the concert...

- Yes, I do, Indeed.

But I must ask myself why. Why now?

The only answer is you feel last

night's fiasco will lead to reprisal.

It might lessen your chances.

Thus anything to delay the inevitable.

I've given you what you wanted.

To see me at your feet.

Now, in return,

I want my orchestra set free.

Conditions.

I want that bus in the yard after,

to take them to the Allied lines.

It'll be there.

It'll be there.

But the Colonel's mass

grave will be there, too.

There's that, too.

I don't really have any choice, do I?

but to trust your word?

Your proposition was not entirely

satisfactory from my point of view.

It hardly puts you at my feet.

There is that, too.

Our electrical generator comes with,

but I'm prepared to improvise

a special lighting

for your performance.

A concert here? Poss ible, I suppose.

In this hall.

Something Wagnerian would be nice.

No. Emphatically, not Wagner.

All right, until this evening then,

eight o'clock.

We can't possibly be

ready until 8:
45.

Not with white tie

and all the trimmings.

Surely appropriate

for a command performance.

I've given orders that the

area be evacuated no later than 9.

But if you wish, all right.

- 8.45.

- Something Wagnerian then.

Now, the Partisans are supposed

to attack at 9 o'clock.

That should be during the

opening selection, the Tanhmauser.

As soon as the firing starts.

we rush Schiller.

An officer with a gun in his back'll

give us some bargaining positions.

Let me have it,

you don't know anything about it.

Put it on safety.

Have each section leader brief

his people at the last moment.

It's still possible

for word to get back to the Germans.

- May I, until after the performance?

- Maybe Schiller meant it.

- Maybe he will let us go.

- Make no mistake.

Hers every intention of murdering us.

as soon as he gets his concert.

He has his orders. At nine o'clock.

- May god be with us.

- I'm sure he will.

Lionel, forgive me. I was wrong.

About what?

About you for one thing.

This isn't real, you know.

This is suspended animation.

Furniture's on the ceiling.

The world's upside down.

When it's over, you are

a married woman with a husband.

That's what's real.

Ladies and gentlemen,

let us practice our profession.

I apologize for the light attendance.

Your hour for con certizing finds

most of my Officers in the field.

Captain Klingermann

and I will be your audience.

Back to headquarters.

Detail, attention.

The Concert is not over, General.

I do not wish to be here

for the end of it.

Let him finish his last performance.

Got a light?

Jordan!

What was the next selection? Verdi.

Yes, the Verdi, everyone.

There's no one out there.

The Germans have gone.

- It's not 9 o'clock yet.

- Schiller meant it. He's letting us go!

- The bus is still there, let's go!

- No.

- There's no guard. Let's go.

- Not till we attack.

Let's go!

Hurry. Don't let them escape!

Over there in front of the ditch.

See if anyone is left inside.

Section fall in.

Bring him with the rest!

Damn it.

Firing squad!

Load your weapons!

Aim!

No, no, you can't.

Not me. You promised me.

Silence.

You said you'd save me.

Back in line.

Fire.

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