The Song of Songs

Wind's from the south.

Gonna rain.

Tonight, maybe.

Don't you worry.

I'll take care

of your father's grave.

Train's coming soon.

I was in Berlin once.

Thirty years ago.

Big place.

No end to it.

Well, Lily...

go to church every Sunday,

and obey your aunt.

She's all you got.

Yes, she's the last.

Well, then...

goodbye.

Thank you, Miss.

Are you Lily?

Yes, Tante Rasmussen.

Did you have to arrive

in the middle of the night?

The train doesn't leave

until 7:
00 in the evening.

Huh. Well, haven't you got a kiss

for your old aunt?

There, there, there,

there, there, there, there, now.

Let's have a look at you.

I'd forgotten people wore clothes

like that.

- What have you got there?

- My things.

Well, bring 'em here.

I'm going to give you

my daughters' room-

My ungrateful,

unnatural daughters...

who deserted

their old mother.

But I tore them

out of my heart.

I've torn them out

by the roots.

And all my love

shall be for you.

Not as my niece, no.

As my own child.

Yes, Tante Rasmussen.

Why, what's this?

- A Bible?

- It was his.

Is that all your scamp

of a father left you, a Bible?

He wasn't a scamp.

He was a good man.

I don't know

what he was good for.

Leaving you a charge

on your old aunt.

However, he taught you to read.

That's something.

Maybe you'll be of some use

about the shop after all.

My father was a good man.

Every night I read to him

from this Bible.

The Lamentations of Job,

no doubt.

No. The Song of Solomon.

He loved it best.

I don't remember

the Song of Solomon...

but knowing your father,

I imagine there was something dirty in it.

The Song of Songs

is beautiful.

That's more than I can say

for your get-up.

- He was a good man.

- All right, all right.

He was a good man.

Take that black pancake

off your head...

and climb out

of that shroud.

See if these

will fit you.

They belonged to Anna.

- Have you had your supper?

- I'm not hungry, thanks.

Good. Then you might

as well go to bed.

And in the morning I'll start

teaching you about the books.

I'll lock up tonight,

but after this you'll do it.

Yes, Tante Rasmussen.

We open the shop at 6:00

and breakfast is at 7:00.

And you'll have a good home here

if you behave.

But you might as well understand

right now I'll tolerate no nonsense.

No, Tante Rasmussen.

Mercy! How many

of those things do you wear?

What, another?

I've never seen a girl

unpeel herself like an onion before.

This is the last.

A figure like that will get you

into trouble if you're not careful.

You'll bear watching.

Go to bed.

Goodnight.

My precious brother.

Isn't it like him?

Dies and leaves me

his daughter...

with nine petticoats

and a Bible.

Does he leave any money?

Not a pfennig.

A daughter and a Bible.

Always was a restless,

good-for-nothing, no-account chap.

"By night on my bed...

"I sought him...

"whom my soul loveth.

"I sought him,

but I found him not.

"I will rise now...

"and go about the city.

"In the streets

and in the broad ways...

"I will seek him

whom my soul loveth.

I will seek him

whom my soul loveth."

- Are you looking for a book, sir?

- What?

I said, are you

looking for a book?

Well, I'll tell you.

When a man goes into a book shop...

he's usually

looking for a book.

Of course, he might be looking

for the fountain of youth...

but I don't think

you sell that.

I meant, is there some special book

you're looking for?

Ha!

There is nothing special.

Everything is just the same

as everything else.

Well, I'm afraid

I can't help you.

No. No, I'm afraid

you can't.

Oh!

No. No, no!

Stand up again.

- Stand up. I want to see you.

- No, I will not.

Oh, I see. You think

I'm interested in your legs.

Well, I'm not-

at least, not just as legs.

My dear child, if you'd seen

as many legs as I have...

you'd get more excited

about a pair of crutches.

I'm a sculptor, my dear,

a sculptor-

or that is,

I'm supposed to be...

and there was something

about you as you stood there that-

that was almost an idea.

Are you the sculptor

that lives across the street?

I'm the sculptor

that's going crazy across the street!

Why? What's the matter?

- I'm stuck.

- Stuck?

- Yes. Stuck.

- You mean- You mean-

- I mean I'm stuck.

- Yes, I know, but-

Oh, don't say you know

and then say "but."

If you can't talk straight,

don't talk at all.

Now, come on, please.

Stand up.

This is a book store...

and if you don't want

to buy a book...

then better go back and-

and be stuck.

I don't have to go back.

I'm just as stuck here. That's the trouble.

The trouble is,

you're probably no good anyway.

Ho! Do you know,

I never thought of that.

I tell you what.

You come over

and pose for me.

- Perhaps you'll bring me inspiration.

- No, thank you.

- How about 8:
00, hmm?

- I wouldn't wait, if I were you.

Oh, no, no, no.

But you must come.

You know, I believe I could

get something really interesting.

Oh-Oh, please come.

Please come, won't you?

- You must be crazy.

- Well, what's that got to do with it?

I don't know you.

Well, I don't know you either,

but I've got to sculpt you.

Now, when will you come?

Tonight?

Certainly not.

You know, really,

I should have thought...

that living here as you do,

among all these marvellous books...

you would have had

some sympathy for art.

If you'll come,

I'll buy a book.

- Oh, you will?

- I-I'll even read the blessed thing.

It's no use. I couldn't-

- I shall expect you.

- You are crazy.

- Tonight at 8:
00.

- Please go away.

- Oh, please come. Please come.

- Never.

Well, I shall expect you.

Auf Wiedersehen.

What did he want?

Oh, nothing.

- Didn't he take a book?

- No. He was just looking.

Well, you get on with your work. And don't you

let me catch you carrying on with any young men.

No, Tante Rasmussen.

Come in.

Come in, come in.

I don't believe it!

I only came to-

Oh, never mind

why you came.

You're here,

that's the main thing.

Oh, come in, come in.

It was wrong of me to come.

It was charming-

charming of you.

Here. Here,

let me take this.

If Tante Rasmussen

should find out-

You know, I believe you're scared of her.

Well, so am I.

Are you still stuck?

Well, I was, but hope

has come in now, hasn't she?

I've been making

a sketch of you.

- You want to see yourself?

- Oh, yes!

- Oh! I haven't any clothes on!

- Clothes?

Do you think I model people

with their clothes on?

But how did you know

I was like that?

And just what

does that mean?

I mean it is me and-and it isn't me.

I mean it's-

Go on. This begins to sound like

art criticism of the highest order.

Oh, it's wonderful.

I mean, it's the way

I want to be.

- It's me as I dream of me.

- Oh, ho.

It's the girl

in the Song of Songs.

- Who?

- The girl in the Song of Songs.

- She's in the Bible.

- The Bible?

She's the girl who

feels in her heart...

that somewhere the perfect love

is waiting for her.

She says, "I sleep,

but my heart waketh.

"It is the voice

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