Nightwatching Page #9

to little boys.

They did it to Horatio.

- For Christ's sake!

- Thank you.

So...

...how's the painting?

- It's almost finished.

- Satisfied?

- Yes.

- Then I can go.

- What?

- Well...

I only stayed around long enough

to see you finish the job

I encouraged you to start.

You can put the money away

somewhere safe,

all 4,000 of it.

Half of what I accounted for

is in the red-lacquered

tea-urn in the kitchen.

That's 300 with my stockings

in the chest under the bed,

and Uli's got the rest.

- Uli?

- He won't cheat you.

I made him promise.

With that little nest egg,

Titus can go to Italy to study.

And I...

get a good funeral.

- Oh, Saskia.

- I want to be buried

on the west side,

a long way from Sweelinck.

He was a noisy man.

I want some peace.

(Rembrandt sighing)

And get Geertje

to put me in woolens.

It's cold in that church.

The sun only reaches so far,

they say,

with that plot you bought

for us all,

and it'll probably be damp.

- Oh, God, no.

(sobbing)

No...

you can't.

You're not going anywhere.

- Come on.

(sobbing)

Come on.

I want you now

to make me some China tea.

Yes?

(whimpering and crying)

Get Hendrickje to bring

some hot water,

and Geertje to iron

the long hose.

I want to go to heaven

with warm feet

and no garter marks

on my calves!

And I want to take

my Turkish carpet with me.

(sobbing)

(sighing deeply)

- Egremont!

You're supposed to be

on your way to America,

or Cadiz, or Algiers,

or Manhattan, Calcutta, Macao.

- I find it exotic enough here.

All the world

comes to Amsterdam.

- I am going to put you

in the picture.

In the painting.

Where you should be.

- Where do you sleep?

- Pardon?

What is it to do with you?

You're very forward.

What's my bed, Carl, to you?

- Now you're being silly.

In the house?

- I sleep with Femke

and Luce and Gemte

in the big bed in the attic,

next to the chimney,

where's it's very warm.

- Do you ever walk about the house

in your underclothes?

- Oh, stop it, Carl,

you're being ridiculous.

- Does he see you like that?

- Carl, you're now being offensive.

- It's Hasselburg's helmet.

It's Greek...

and antique.

- I doubt very much, though,

whether it's gold,

but it is very fine.

- Do you ever pose for him?

You know,

without any clothes on?

- All right...

you've gone too far!

- I was drunk, it is true,

but I was not there.

It was raining cats and dogs.

You remember that afternoon?

I was sure the gunpowder

would never go off.

Target practice

was a waste of time.

I sat in the tent...

with some

of those washerwomen.

They were rained off too.

And, Rembrandt,

we got so drunk,

I could not stand up.

Mind you, neither could they.

We all sort of ended up

on the floor,

among the washing.

I gave no orders to fire.

It was Clement Cocq,

Cocq's brother-in-law.

Cocq is not exactly a coward,

but he's a pawn,

a handsome pawn,

and he is besotted with Willem.

And Willem, with those little shits,

Floris and Clement,

they set up the order to fire!

Willem will gain more...

than the lieutenant's position

from this.

Though he's tainted all round,

and knows it.

That's why he's so determined

to show he's a lady's man,

overeager to suggest

he could have nothing to do

with what Cocq wants!

(metal rattling)

Now he can be blackmailed.

In fact, they can all now

be blackmailed.

You could blackmail them.

- Be reasonable, Saskia.

I have to finish this drawing,

for God's sake.

Saskia,

if you are around no more,

then I shall have to look at myself

more often in the mirror.

All right, a mirror was never

so far away, I know.

Saskia.

Saskia, for f***'s sake!

We have not come

all this f***ing way together

for you to goddamn

drop out on me now.

Come bloody back, at once!

Saskia, you go,

and I'll lose bloody everything.

Saskia?

All right, let's say I give in

and agree that you are dead.

This drawing...

says you're still breathing.

Doesn't it?

Does it?

It's curious. This drawing...

forever and ever, will go on saying

that you are sleeping.

Forever and ever.

Can you tell from a drawing

if a body is dead,

or simply asleep?

Which is more correct,

Saskia?

Your body?

This drawing?

(crying)

Saskia...

(crying)

(sobbing)

Oh, Saskia!

(wailing)

(sobbing uncontrollably)

(crying)

Carl, what are you doing here?

- I don't want you to paint me

in the picture.

- You're already in it.

- I don't want to be in it.

You must take me out.

- Whatever for?

Carl, if I can't put your father in,

I can put you in.

- No!

I think you're disreputable.

You're old enough

to be her grandfather!

I've seen the way

you look at her.

- Carl, don't be stupid.

What's happened?

What's the matter?

- I meant what I said.

- Mm.

Ah, Tobias.

(whispering):

Thank you for coming.

Come. Come.

I can't paint you out, Carl.

It's sad

that you feel the way you do -

or maybe we can put you

more in the shadows -

but, Carl, you and Hendrickje

must be friends again. Hmm?

There's enough unhappiness

in this house tonight,

without you making it more so.

You're very young.

Next month, in a few weeks,

you'll have other enthusiasms,

and your world

is not Hendrickje's world.

Marita, come, hold this.

We can show Kemp

that we know about

his pot of scalding hot water.

- No.

I couldn't.

- Very well.

Uh, Marieke,

carry this for your sister.

Be her champion. Hmm?

Now, Carl, kiss Hendrickje.

Hmm?

And then for your sake,

as well as for ours, you must leave.

This painting is dedicated

to your father. Mm?

This painting is the way it is

because of your father.

Come. Come.

(baby crying)

(crying)

(Rembrandt crying)

(all gasping)

Well, my little fat,

hysterical friend.

- Who you calling fat?

- The circle circled.

She's dead.

- Yes, she is.

- You made your bed with her.

- I did.

- No, you didn't.

I made your bed with her,

and then you pissed in it!

- What, I did? How so?

- You got mighty.

- You mean I left you.

- Now this is how it goes from here.

I take over.

- F*** off!

- I've seen the painting,

and you're in trouble, you fool.

- How come

you've seen the painting?

- I can see

what you've been doing.

- How come

you've see the painting?

- I've had that door locked

for four weeks!

You must've snuck in!

- Jorisz took me in via the roof.

- Sneaky bastard!

- You have got to destroy it

and start again,

or else I can't take care

of the circumstances.

You are painting

your death warrant!

- You can't take care

of the circumstances?

What the f***

has it got to do with you?

- Everything, you fool!!

I'll go down

with the rest of them!

I tried to warn you with de Roy,

"The Man in the Red Cloak" -

though he might have

his own little agenda -

and you wouldn't listen!

- I think I've listened

very much, f***ing well enough!

Why don't you... f*** off?!!

You f***ing turncoat c*nt!!!

F*** you!

I didn't want to do

this f***ing painting

in the first place!!

If you've got your mucky

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