The Passion of Anna Page #3

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never speaks, and has no pets.

I photographed him

a few years ago.

I found the pictures.

Here they are.

He was quite sociable back then

but got involved

in a lawsuit, which he lost.

Since then,

he lives like a hermit.

I've been thinking

about your financial situation.

The loan

you wanted me to sign...

That would be...

I think I can help you.

- Does the light bother you?

- No.

My lawyer can devise

an installment plan.

I would be very grateful.

Is it hot?

No.

There's just one little problem.

You need to make some money

in order to pay the installments.

Any suggestions?

No.

We're not in a hurry right now.

While you're thinking it over,

maybe you'd like to

type up my notes.

I researched that Milan project.

That's a good idea...

Turn your head

a little bit to the left

but look straight

into the camera.

Lower your chin.

Now turn your head

slowly to the right.

A little bit more. Hold it!

Hold it.

Thanks.

- Whiskey?

- No, thanks.

Do you mind

if I have a drink?

No.

I don't believe

I can reach into the soul

with my photography.

I can only register an interplay

of forces large and small.

Then I look at the picture

and let my imagination go.

It's just nonsense.

Games, poems.

You can't read another person

with any claim to certainty.

Not even physical pain

gives you a particular reaction.

She didn't know

I took this picture.

She had a migraine attack.

That's damned interesting.

Sorry to disturb you.

Here's the mail.

Falkman wonders

which thermostats...

He should be able to fix it.

Keep Andreas company.

Andreas?

Yes?

I want you to know

I'm not angry or jealous.

Anna has told me

about you two.

I think she's in love with you.

I think so, but it's hard

to be sure about her feelings.

I'm fond of you both.

I'm fond of you.

I think about you all the time.

My dear.

My dear.

Be careful with Anna.

I can't explain what I mean,

but be careful.

What's wrong?

You look angry.

It's always small things

that make me lose my temper.

Shall we continue,

or are you tired?

No, not at all.

- When will lunch be ready?

- In an hour.

Bye.

You've been in prison?

Yes, I've been in prison.

And?

I panicked.

I was convicted

of forging checks.

Then I was pulled over

for speeding while drunk.

Then I hit a policeman

right in his face.

Now you hide

like a scared dog.

I'm a scared dog.

- Do you bite?

- You'll find out.

No, I don't think so.

Anna and Andreas have been

living together for a few months.

She is a translator,

and he has accepted Elis'proposal.

They are moderately happy,

with no arguments

or passion to speak of.

It is late winter.

One day Anna starts talking

about her marriage.

We lived in perfect harmony.

We thought the same thoughts.

We understood each other.

Do you understand?

I know it sounds silly

and exaggerated when I tell it,

but it's very hard to describe

how two people

can grow so close.

It sounds so trite

and doesn't really express

what we had together.

The boy was an amazing

experience for us,

and everything about him.

I passed my finals

and got a teaching job,

and Andreas became

an associate professor.

We bought a little house out of

town and furnished it by degrees.

We built something together.

I don't know what to call it.

Real security.

Security.

Everybody thought

it was a perfect marriage,

but it wasn't.

We had violent fights,

but we were never suspicious of

or cruel to one another.

We were completely honest.

There wasn't a vestige

of pretense in our relationship.

Andreas was unfaithful once.

You didn't think so?

But he was.

He came straight to me

and told me,

and I felt how much

he loved me and forgave him.

Then we cared

for each other even more.

The worst thing was

when he left me.

I found out where he was,

then he changed his mind

and came back to me.

And then we were closer

than ever before.

We stayed on the island

one weekend with our little boy.

Eva and Elis

loaned us their house.

On Sunday, Andreas took

a nap after lunch.

I wanted to take the car

and see the church ruins.

I got my way, and we set off.

Andreas asked me to drive,

as he'd had a couple of drinks.

I didn't drive fast at all.

We were all in high spirits.

The road was slippery

and the car began to skid.

Andreas tried

to take the wheel...

...but the car shot off the road

down into the ditch

and smashed through

a stone wall and into the trees.

When I woke up,

I saw the wreck of a car...

and a man in it

with his throat cut

and half his body

through the windshield.

A boy lay farther away.

He had been thrown

out the door,

and his head was

in a strange position.

I remember thinking,

"What a horrible accident."

I wondered why nobody came

to help those poor people.

I made my way up to the road

and began to feel a pain

in my side and my leg.

I found myself

dragging one foot behind me.

Then I saw that I was covered

in blood. It was everywhere.

My shinbone poked

through my stocking.

They found us a few hours later.

I never thought

life would be like this.

I never thought

life would be a daily suffering.

...and psychological

and physical violence.

Are you stuck?

Can we help?

They'll kill me.

Why?

Because of cruelty to animals.

This came hurtling

through the window.

"You damn animal killer.

We'll do to you

what you did to the animals."

Through that window...

Me, cruel to animals?

I can speak to the police.

They've been here already.

Can't you go away?

Where would I go?

- Surely something can be done.

- What?

Let me adjust the antenna...

That's good.

There.

Was that a bird?

It might be hurt.

Let's take a look.

I'll get the flashlight.

You'd better put it

out of its misery.

Could it have survived?

No.

It was too badly injured.

Now we can see better.

I wonder why the bird

was flying alone at night.

Perhaps it was afraid

of something.

Admit that you and Eva

had an affair last fall.

Actually, we didn't.

Eva is so defenseless.

Anyone can do

what they like with her.

She doesn't have to

defend herself against me.

I think Eva is a woman

who can't stand the fact

that she has no identity.

She's just a creation of others.

She has no peace of mind

or self-worth.

I think she will try

to commit suicide.

Suicide isn't a solution.

It's just another selfish action.

I hope she'll be saved.

I hope, when she wakes up...

...she will have gone

through something

that releases her from herself,

and that she can look

at her old self with love

but without remorse.

I think she'll decide

to become a teacher

for people who are

hearing-impaired,

because deaf people live

in a deeper isolation

than she has ever done.

I think she will feel relieved...

...and blessed.

And then?

That's all.

I exist here

merely as a formality.

The lamp is going out.

No. You're strangling me.

The warning signs are beneath,

and they manifest themselves

unexpectedly.

Anna recalls

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