Malina Page #4

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Telegraph service.

Urgently need telegram

to return urgently to Vienna.

Thanks, Malina.

I can't breathe!

Please, quit work early.

I'm a prisoner here!

No... never mind... too bad... OK.

It's not me who makes it difficult.

"Around me,

the angels lose their wings,

"they bare me as they bare the sick,

"as they bare them to heaven.

"In a year or two,

"I'll return to the same spot,

"to confuse the place, the time,

"to confuse you, and me...

...and others."

A book on the war!

Mother!

Who is your father?

You're really here.

Why do you repeat "father"?

Cover me, please.

I don't know who my father is.

Do you know who he is?

Stop! For once we're speaking

of him, so who is he?

I don't know!

Swear you don't!

No, i never swear.

Then I'll tell you.

I'll tell you.

No... never tell me.

Never tell me.

Bring me a towel for my head,

it aches.

You will tell me!

You can be sure of it!

Make an effort! Stand up!

Walk a bit!

I long for peace!

You yourself are war!

I want the war to end...

Breathe!

No more hating!

Breathe!

You're better already.

I'm holding you!

We'll go to the window.

Easy...

Don't say anything.

At least have some tea.

You're egg's ready.

How'd it go bad in only two days?

It was in the fridge.

Forgive me, Malina.

For what?

Get dressed.

I don't like talking this early.

Calm down!

It'll pass.

I'm cold.

It's my steel plate.

Remember my accident.

Everyone should have a bit

of steel or plastic

in the body areas

that are most stressed by others.

With you,

it's your shoulders.

You don't go mad that way!

Come, I beg you!

Don't beg me!

I only beg you for this. Come!

I beg you! Ivan must never know!

Promise me!

While I can, I'll do the talking.

Don't tell Ivan!

To whom?

Not a word! To anyone!

Promise me!

Talk to me! How was the dinner

with the Fleissners?

Say something, talk to me,

about anything!

Light candles, turn on lights,

I need light!

I know I need light,

turn on all the lights,

everywhere, all the time...

In fact, Malina...

What? Go to sleep!

You must sleep!

I said a name before...

a man's name?

Leave the light,

don't worry about me.

The man's still alive,

he'll call me. If he does...

tell him...

tell him... no, never mind.

Don't tell him anything.

Tell him I'm out.

What can I do for you?

What could you do?

Hurl myself under a car,

or into the Danube. How are you?

Lots of work... Nothing special.

The kids get used to it.

Did I say I once worked

for a news service?

They really manipulate news!

They just juggle

the stuff pouring off the wire.

Perfect for you!

It gets to you,

chills your blood.

I haven't read a newspaper

in two years.

I can't drink whiskey at night.

You've something to tell me?

I can interpret those dreams...

Why laugh?

I'm not laughing.

You ought to get some sleep!

I'm starting to understand.

I've always distorted words.

Instead of "model role"

I'd read "mortal role".

Could you get up early tomorrow?

I'm dead tired.

If, for once,

you ensure that my egg

isn't undercooked or overcooked,

I'd be grateful.

Water of the Danube and

the Neva must soak them,

so they become statues in ice!

First you must kill

the poor things, no?

Of course not!

If I did, this couple's expressions

of the laws of nature...

...would disappear!

No, I'll spray them alive.

You'll kill them anyway.

Of course not!

Their natural movements

expressing the laws of beauty...

...would disappear!

I'll have them... sprayed... alive.

You'll kill them!

- Certainly not!

You know I've no sister

named Eleonore.

We were close as children.

At school in Vienna,

we'd go to Sunday concerts.

Sometimes we dated the same men.

Were you jealous?

No.

Then she sent me a sad letter,

most unlike her.

What'd she become?

I don't know...

She died abroad.

"What makes such

images valuable

"are the thoughts, mostly grim,

that they breed.

"If someone ill-advised

"seeks to satisfy a sick curiosity,

"I warn him kindly

he'll find nothing to excite

"a sick imagination.

"He'll only find inevitable vice,

"the eyes of the demon lurking

in the darkness."

Animus...

Who's she?

It's January 26!

Everything's rain-washed.

It's stifling here.

Let's go to the window.

Those dreams...

Come!

Those dreams...

Your memories?

At times I'm confused.

No one can be everything to someone.

Exactly.

No one was ever everything to me.

That's what's so sad.

Now you must do this:

dissolve all those persons into one.

But I've been dissolved.

That's true.

You have to live with that.

Or not.

Father! This time you'll

listen to me!

Have you nothing to say?

I know who you are!

He's not my father,

he's my murderer!

Why keep repeating "father"?

It's always war!

A never-ending war.

Sign this.

Here's your letter.

I like the letters...

...you don't give me!

But your mail

must be pleasant.

I do my best.

We'll see. The mail can be a burden.

Wait, I almost forgot...

Here!

You have a sense of humor!

One can feel close to people

one hardly knows. I do with you.

How many letters written

and unmailed?

What've you done to your clothes?

I've broken with myself.

You can't go out like that!

Look at yourself!

God, look at yourself!

What if we went to live elsewhere?

You can't go on like this. Look!

You say it smells of cat's piss here.

I don't understand you anymore.

Here!

Don't start crying!

We're staying here?

Didn't you want to go out?

No!

I'll stay here for good.

You?

Surprised?

Phone first!

I came to hear the radio!

I'm starved for news!

Very chic!

Is it "in"?

- All the way!

Sorry, I have to toss you out!

Sure, toss me out! Ivan...

Want a drink?

Something's happened.

You look as if a tornado had hit you.

I'm still in it.

Nothing to say?

Me? Not a thing.

Just "Ivan".

You've said a bit more.

Ivan... My life.

You are joy,

and you are life.

Believing in you brings eternal life.

What did you say?

Nothing. How long have you

been shortening my life?

When did I die?

My sweet lunatic,

you'll come back to life someday.

Someday I'll tell you something,

once and for all.

Not today, but I will.

Out of smokes?

That's what I meant:

I'm out of smokes!

Sorry, I must leave. I'm sick.

I've forgotten something.

I must've forgotten to turn off

the coffee on the gas...

I mean...

Do you mind?

Of course I don't mind.

Of course you don't!

You must tidy up!

What's that mean?

You've got to remember

your posthumous work...

"Death styles"...

Wait, it's not like that anymore.

Wait... There!

Now it's like this. Read it.

"Death installments"...

I try, but I don't understand you.

Remember the night you wouldn't

plug in the light

and stayed all night in the dark?

I've often been in the dark,

while you were in the light!

You hurt me!

A light tap!

You hurt me!

My lipstick...

Lipstick?

Now I've no more secrets from you.

I'll wear the new black dress

and the new belt.

Put on the colored shawl...

since you never wear the striped dress.

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