Man on a Tightrope Page #6

Joe, I'm going with you.

What did Barovik

want of you?

Your hide?

He came as a friend.

Ha! A friend.

He gave you a good beating,

all right.

What made you decide

to stop being a man

and turn into

a crawling little worm?

When I first met you,

you were a great man.

Circus Cernik was

famous all over Europe.

Kings and queens asked you

to perform at their courts.

The greatest

circus people came to you.

Ringling, Hagenback, Krone.

They wanted to

study at Circus Cernik,

and maybe steal from it.

And now look at you.

You let Barovik beat you.

You let the police beat you.

Why don't

you stand up to them

like a man? Why? Why?

You haven't even got

enough spirit to answer me.

Jaromir.

What?

Those tent wagons have

gotta move out by 10:00.

Tell them to put

every man they can on it.

Speed up the loading.

All right.

You know why I did that.

You should have

done it a long time ago.

COMMENTATOR ON RADIO:

And swings. He connects.

There it goes.

It's still going.

A long, hard-hit ball.

It's in there.

It's a home run.

SOLDIER:
What happened?

I wonder what that is

they're drinking up there.

Every day the same rations.

Let me take a look.

Here comes scooter

Rizzuto to the plate.

Roe shakes his

head at Campanella.

He seems a little

jittery out there now.

I don't know what it is.

Some kind of Schnapps.

I wonder what it is

they're drinking.

Hello. Hello.

Hello. Three men. Civilians.

Yes? Yes.

All right. Captain, sir.

Three men, civilians,

in a jeep at Sentry

Point 152.

Tell them to find out

who they are.

Yes, sir.

SOLDIER:
All right.

(PHONE RINGING)

What was that?

Must mean they've seen us

from the watchtower.

Hello? Sentry Point 152.

Sentry Point 152.

I must remember that.

They are circus people.

Name is Circus Cernik.

Their papers are in order.

Yes. Yes.

Their papers

are in order.

Their circus will pass later

today along the road from

Volary to Mikulov.

They must always

reconnoiter travel routes

to find suitable places for

resting and watering

the animals.

That's their problem.

Let me eat.

It's all right.

(KAREL WHISTLING)

Just stand facing me

so you can see

down the hill.

Don't keep

looking in one direction.

Give me a cigarette, Jaromir.

(CLEARING THROAT)

We're being

watched from above.

Just chat casually.

That river

is the frontier.

The moment

we go over this crest,

we'll be

plainly visible

from down there.

Those long, low

buildings are

the barracks.

All along the river,

there are rows of

barbed wire,

electrified wire as well.

Mines, too.

The road's clear.

The bridge is clear.

There's a ditch

across the road.

Yeah.

They know it's

utterly impossible

for anyone to

escape at this point.

That's to our advantage.

There's Bavaria.

Bavaria.

Good day to you, sir.

Kopatchin.

I want you to

release the wolves

when you approach

the command post

at the frontier.

Right, sir.

That'll be

the signal for the bomb,

and full speed ahead.

We'll abandon

every vehicle we can.

All the animals

except the cats.

We'll proceed the last stage

of the way on foot.

What's this?

What's this?

Why aren't they busy loading?

Because I don't like it.

You don't like...

Wait.

This is

a fine time to find out

you don't like the work

you've been doing

with me for 20 years.

May I have a word

with you, Mr. Cernik?

Certainly.

Are we moving? Good.

We're moving.

(HARMONICA PLAYING)

Make it quick, Krofta.

We're in a hurry.

Mr. Cernik,

what's the meaning

of all these changes?

We're heading for Mikulov.

We should be

going to Yudice in

the opposite direction.

I have orders to

give a show for troops.

Well, then why isn't Jaromir

going ahead to pick out

the lot,

the way he usually does?

Why aren't I with the

tent wagons where I belong?

Why have you put

Vosdek in my place?

What does he know

about canvas?

No, Mr. Cernik, there's

something going on around

here, and I don't like it.

I haven't time

to explain the whole

thing to you, Krofta.

I made a deal

with Barovik.

A very satisfactory deal.

I have to keep it quiet

for the time being.

So, get on

with your work.

Do the police

know about this?

This is of no interest

to the police.

Have you got a permit

for Mikulov?

Of course I have.

You think I'd be...

Let me see it.

Let me see it.

Krofta, have you forgotten

who's the boss of this troupe?

No, Mr. Cernik.

But I'm afraid you've

forgotten something,

something very important.

These aren't the old days.

You don't own this

circus anymore.

You don't own me.

I'm the leader

of the tent men,

the real workers

in this circus.

And I'm telling you for

your own good, Mr. Cernik.

You're headed for serious

trouble if you don't change

these orders you've give...

(HAMMER THUDS)

(THUDS)

Hmm.

Konradin.

Get some cord.

Tie him up. Gag him.

So he's the one.

Of course he is.

He said the tent men are

the only real workers in

this circus.

That means the rest

of us are parasites.

All we do is

entertain the people.

Poor unhappy people.

My old friend.

Twenty years.

He'd have turned me in.

Shove him

under the tool bench.

Put some canvas over him.

Get these men working.

I want this whole thing

loaded by the time

I get back.

Be about an hour.

MAN:
Where's Krofta?

Vosdek takes

charge of the tent wagons.

That means I get rid of him.

Krofta did me a good turn.

Reminded me I haven't

a travel permit for Mikulov.

I'm going to the district

police station to get it.

So, while I'm away...

Good morning, sir.

I hear you had a visit

from your old friend Barovik.

Not an entirely

friendly visit either.

It was

merely a little argument.

What can I do for you, sir?

Nothing, really.

I just wanted to

have a look around.

Isn't that your mother?

Yes.

I seem to recall she

was a performer, too.

She was once known

as the strongest

woman in Europe.

Didn't she work with lions?

Oh, yes, 18 male lions.

Oh, yes.

I'd really like to

look around a little.

Unfortunately,

we're just about to move.

It's all interesting.

I'll get someone

to show you around.

I'm very sorry, but I have

to go to the district

police station.

Oh.

Why, it's merely a matter of

making out the usual forms

for a travel permit.

Haven't you

a travel permit yet?

Yes. Yes,

but there's been

a change of plan.

We're going

to Mikulov today.

I see.

I'll accompany you

to the police station.

So, good-bye.

Bring him up.

Bring that

circus man up here.

MAN:
Cernik.

I was right.

We looked here

and they looked at

headquarters in Plzen.

We can't find anything

about a change in

route for this circus.

Why do you want

to go to Mikulov?

Circus Barovik

is in that region.

You want to set

up in competition?

No, sir, nothing like that.

Barovik and I are

making some trades.

I have some...

Have you and Barovik

agreed on this?

Yes, sir,

we've agreed

on everything.

But you said you

had a disagreement.

Yes, sir, I know, but...

Why did you

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