The Serpent's Egg Page #2

I just cant figure it out.

Last night they were beating a man.

The police just turned their backs.

Abel, listen to me now.

Youre awfully tired.

Youve been drinking

much too much lately.

Im going to look after you now.

In a few days everything

will be much better. Youll see.

Well talk things over.

But now I must hurry.

I have to go to work.

Work?

Yeah, I have two jobs.

- This time of the morning?

- Yeah, this time of the morning.

- I cant be late.

- What sort of job?

Well, I dont know exactly.

Itss secret anyway.

- Secret?

- No, I was joking.

- Its an office. I stick stamps...

- What kind of office?

Its import and export.

Imm not really sure.

Whats the name of the company?

What the hell

is the name of the company?

Ferkel. Ferkel und Sohn.

Where is this office?

In Bayerstrasse.

Stop nagging me.

You sound like a jealous husband.

Ill be home around 2:00

and welll have dinner together.

Try and get hold of some meat

while we still have the money.

- Twenty-two bucks.

- Were rich.

- Herr Rosenberg?

- Yes?

Would you mind

coming in here for a moment?

My name is Frau Holle.

I am Manuelas landlady.

Manuela just had time

to tell me about you on her way out.

You are welcome to stay here

with me for a short time.

These sudden changes in weather

make my back ache,

so I must stay in bed all the day.

Still, its nice with a peep

of sun in November,

isnt it, Herr Rosenberg?

Would you care

for a glass of sherry?

I am very attached to Manuela.

If you forgive my saying so,

I am as fond of her

as if she were my own daughter.

Prosit, Herr Rosenberg.

She is so kind and naive.

Its as if all the terrible things going on

around us didntt concern her.

I think your sister-in-law is heading

for trouble, Herr Rosenberg.

The odd thing about Manuela

is that she doesnt defend herself.

Nothing must happen to her.

Take this new job now.

Theres something odd about it.

The Society for Church Democracy-

what is that, Herr Rosenberg?

It isnt even in the phone book.

I must go now, Frau Holle.

How much is the rent?

Should I pay in advance?

It doesnt matter.

But if you have money,

I dont mind.

You have dollars, havent you?

Shall we say $3 a month?

Or is that too much?

No, of course not.

Have you been crying?

No. Why?

It just seemed so.

Forgive me, Herr Rosenberg.

Good-bye, Frau Holle.

Good-bye, Herr Rosenberg.

We have been waiting for you.

May I ask you

where youve been all night?

I couldnt very well

sleep in that room.

- Where have you been?

- With my sister-in-law.

She lives at 35 Bergmannstrasse,

doesnt she?

- Yes, I think so.

- Think?

- I think its number 35.

- Well, now you know.

- May I pack some things?

- Not yet, Rosenberg.

I must ask you to come with us

to the morgue to identify someone.

- I have to?

- Im afraid I must insist.

Well, then, wed better get going.

Id advise you to smoke

down there. It helps.

- Do you recognize that girl?

- Yes.

- Who is she?

- Greta Hofer.

- How do you happen to know her?

- She was engaged to my brother.

- When did you see her last?

- A week ago.

- Was your brother on good terms...

- Yes, I think so.

Frulein Hofers been assaulted.

Cause of death... drowning.

Do you recognize this man?

No.

- Are you quite sure?

- No.

Think hard, Rosenberg.

Its important.

- Hes like someone.

- Who?

Hes like my father.

- You can do better than that.

- Thats all.

Hes like my father.

My father died five years ago.

Someone stuck a very thin hypodermic

needle into this mans heart.

A liquid of some sort was injected

into the left ventricle,

a poison that must have caused him

hideous pain before he died,

which probably took several hours.

So you havent seen

this man before?

Have you seen this woman before?

Yes.

Who is she?

I dont know.

- But Ive seen her.

- Where?

I think she delivered papers.

I used to meet her

at Frau Hemses boardinghouse.

Once, she helped me up the stairs

when I was too drunk

to make it on my own.

- Her name is Maria Stern.

- I didnt know her name.

She hanged herself

in the basement room

where she lived with her

husband and two children.

But she left a very strange letter.

Totally muddled.

She said she had been

frightened to death

and that the pain was unbearable.

I dont think I can take this.

Come along.

Come on!

Have you ever seen this boy?

No.

He worked at the cabaret.

You never saw him there?

No.

He used to stand near the entrance

working the spotlight.

You must have seen him.

Yes, its possible.

We are not certain

how he was killed.

He seems to have been

run over by a truck,

but something tells us hed been

assaulted or tortured first.

Why do you want me

to see all this?

During the last month, seven

mysterious deaths have occurred...

in your vicinity, Herr Rosenberg.

You dont suspect me?

I think we need a cup of coffee.

This cant be called coffee,

but itss something.

Not very chatty,

are you, Rosenberg?

Can you account

for the movements

on the evening

of Sunday, October 28th?

- You cant?

- I was drunk.

Ask me about October 19th.

I was drunk then, too.

Ive been drunk every night

since I left the circus.

Something doesnt add up.

No?

If you were so well known-

good income, good reputation-

why did you start drinking?

Im an alcoholic.

Famous trapeze artist...

alcoholic?

Maybe I didnt feel welcome

in your beautiful city.

Why do I have to stay here?

You may be able to help me

with seven unsolved deaths.

Tomorrow everythings

gonna disappear.

Why bother with a few murders?

Ill tell you, Rosenberg.

I bother for my own sake.

I know that the catastrophe

could be here in a few hours.

They say the rate of exchange

for the dollar is five billion marks.

The French have occupied the Ruhr.

We have just paid a billion

in gold to the British.

On every damned job

there are Bolshevik agitators.

In Munich, a Herr Hitler

is preparing a putsch

with thousands of starving soldiers

and madmen in uniform.

We have a government that

doesnt know which way to turn.

Everyones afraid.

So am I.

I cant sleep for fear.

Nothing works properly except fear.

On Friday I wanted to go to Stettin

to see my old mother.

Shell be 80. But there was

no timetable anymore.

There was a train that might go,

but no timetable, Rosenberg.

Imagine!

A Germany without timetables!

So what does Inspector Bauer do?

Inspector Bauer does his job.

He tries to create a little

patch of order and reason

in the midst of chaos.

And hes not alone, Rosenberg.

All over Germany,

millions and millions

of petty officials,

just as terrified,

are doing exactly the same.

You get drunk every day, huh?

Thats also respectable, Rosenberg.

But Id be happier if you swung

on your trapeze with your pals.

That way youd fight

your fear more effectively.

So now you know why I sit here

investigating something

I think is extremely odd,

not to say horrible.

And now I must ask you

to keep quiet for a few minutes

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