The Third Man Page #5

- Oh, that was nine years ago.

- Tell me more.

[ Clears Throat ]

Well, it's very difficult.

You knew Harry.

We didn't do anything

very amusing.

He just made everything

seem like such fun.

- Was he clever when he was a boy ?

- He could fix anything.

- What sort of things ?

- Oh, little things.

How to put your temperature up

before exam. The best crib.

How to avoid this and that.

He fixed my papers for me.

He heard the Russians

were repatriating people like me

who came from Czechoslovakia.

He knew the right person

straightaway for forging stamps.

Yeah.

When he was 14, he taught me

the three-card trick.

- That's growing up fast.

- He never grew up.

The world grew up

around him, that's all.

And buried him.

Anna, you'll

fall in love again.

Don't you see

l don't want to ?

l don't ever want to.

Come on out and have a drink.

Why did you say that ?

Seemed like a good idea.

lt was just what he used to say.

Well, uh, l didn't

learn that from him.

lf we have to see the porter,

we'd better go.

What's the hurry ? Can't we talk

quietly for a couple of minutes ?

- l thought you wanted--

- A moment ago, you said you

didn't want to see the porter.

- We're both in it, Harry.

- Holly.

l'm so sorry.

lt's all right.

You might get my name right.

You know, you ought

to find yourself a girl.

His English is so very bad,

we'll let him talk German.

- lf you'll be good enough to trans--

- Look.

- That's Harry's place, isn't it ?

- Yes.

- Let's go away.

- What's the matter ?

- Let's not get into any more trouble.

- Wait here.

What's the matter ?

Uh, what is, los ?

- [ Speaking German ]

- l-l don't understand.

Um, porter, uh, dead.

Kaputt.

The porter is odraht. Kaputt.

- Porter ?

- He's murdered.

Papa !

[ Both Speaking German ]

Ja, Papa !

[ Boy Continues Shouting ln German ]

[ Speaking German ]

l, uh, don't understand.

[ Continues Shouting ln German ]

- What is it ?

- The porter's been murdered.

[ Chattering ln German ]

They think you did it.

[ Boy Continues Shouting ln German ]

[ Speaking German ]

Hello ?

- Papa !

- [ Man Shouts ln German ]

[ lndistinct ]

[ Man Shouts ln German ]

[ Movie Soundtrack ln German ]

Sneak out the other way

and go back to your theater.

l'd better not see you again.

- What are you going to do ?

- l wish l knew.

Be sensible.

Tell Major Calloway.

[ Movie Soundtrack Continues ]

[ Speaking German ]

[ Horn Honking ]

- Get me Major Callaghan on the phone.

- Oh, Mr. Martins.

- lt's very urgent.

Just get him on the telephone.

- Do you know his number ?

- No, l don't know his number.

- l'll look it up for you.

- ls there a car here ?

- Of course.

There's one waiting for you.

- [ Speaking German ]

- Never mind about the number.

Take me to the headquarters--

Hold on ! l haven't even

told you where to take me yet !

- [ Speaking German ]

- [ Tires Screeching ]

- Driver ! Driver !

- [ Tires Screeching ]

- Slow down !

- [ Horn Honking ]

Have you got orders to kill me ?

[ Horn Honks, Tires Screeching ]

[ Tires Skidding ]

[ Speaking German ]

Ah, ah, ah ! Ah, Mr. Martins !

What a relief to see you.

l was beginning to think

something had happened to you.

Everything's ready for you.

l was frantic in case you hadn't got...

my message at the hotel.

Porters out here

are so unreliable.

We're all set

for a wonderful meeting.

You'll find the audience

most appreciative.

Oh, let me take your coat.

l've got it.

There'll be refreshments afterwards.

Come along. Follow me.

Well, here we are,

ladies and gentlemen.

Would you look after those ?

Thank you.

Would you like to sit there ?

That's right.

l have much pleasure in introducing

Mr. Holly Martins from the other side.

[ Applause ]

Well--

[ Clears Throat ]

Bring the car and anyone

else who would like to come.

Don't be long. Hmm.

Yeah, well, l-- l suppose

that is what l meant to say.

Of course, of course.

Do you believe, Mr. Martins,

in the stream of consciousness ?

Stream of consciousness ?

Well, uh-- Well, uh--

- Well, uh--

- What author

has chiefly influenced you ?

- Grey.

- Grey ? What Grey ?

- Zane Grey.

- That's Mr. Martins'

little joke, of course.

We know perfectly well Zane Grey

wrote what we call westerns.

Cowboys and bandits.

[ Man ] Mr. James Joyce--

Now, where would you put him ?

Oh, uh, would you mind

repeating that question ?

l said, where would you put

Mr. James Joyce ?

ln what category ?

Can l ask, is Mr. Martins

engaged on a new book ?

Yes. lt's called The Third Man.

- A novel, Mr. Martins ?

- lt's a murder story.

l've just started it.

lt's based on fact.

Why, it's Mr. Popescu !

Oh, very great pleasure to see you here.

As you know, Mr. Popescu

is a very great supporter

of one of our medical charities.

Are you a slow writer,

Mr. Martins ?

Not when l get interested.

l'd say you were doing something

pretty dangerous this time.

- Yeah ?

- Mixing fact and fiction.

- Should l make it all fact ?

- Why, no, Mr. Martins.

l'd say stick to fiction.

Straight fiction.

l'm too far along

with the book, Mr. Popescu.

- Haven't you ever

scrapped a book, Mr. Martins ?

- Never.

Pity.

[ Chattering ln German ]

Ladies and gentlemen,

if there are no more questions,

l think l can call the meeting

officially closed.

That's him.

[ Clattering, Moaning ]

Who's there ?

Who is it ? Who is it ?

[ Moaning Continues ]

lt's all right.

lt's all right.

[ Squawking ]

- [ Squawking Continues ]

- [ Footsteps Approaching ]

[ Train Whistle Blows ]

l told you

to go away, Martins.

This isn't Santa Fe, l'm not a sheriff

and you aren't a cowboy.

You've been blundering around with

the worst bunch of racketeers in Vienna,

Harry's friends,

and now you're wanted for murder.

- Put down drunk and disorderly too.

- l have.

- What's the matter with your hand ?

- Parrot bit me.

Oh, stop behaving

like a fool, Martins.

l'm only a little fool. l'm an amateur

at it. You're a professional.

You've been shaking your

cap and bells all over town.

Get me the Harry Lime file,

and get Mr. Martins a whiskey.

l don't need

your drinks, Calloway.

You will. l don't want

another murder in this case,

so you're going to hear

the facts.

You haven't told me

a single one yet.

Have you ever heard

of penicillin ?

Well ?

ln Vienna, there hasn't been

enough penicillin to go around.

So a nice trade started here:

Stealing penicillin

from the military hospitals,

diluting it to make it go further,

and selling it to patients.

Do you see what that means ?

Are you too busy chasing a few tubes

of penicillin to investigate a murder ?

These were murders.

Men with gangrened legs,

women in childbirth,

and there were children too.

They used some of this diluted

penicillin against meningitis.

The lucky children died.

The unlucky ones went off their heads.

You can see them now in the mental ward.

That was the racket

Harry Lime organized.

Calloway, you haven't shown me

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