The White Ribbon Page #5

flabby and have bad breath.

Will that do?

The cover has to be sterilized.

Don't sit there

looking like death warmed over.

The world won't collapse.

Not on you,

or on me.

I can't go on with this, that's all.

I've really tried...

to think of another woman

while making love to you.

One who smells good,

who's young, less decrepit than you,

but my imagination can't manage it.

In the end, it's you again

and then I feel like puking,

and am embarrassed at myself.

So what's the point?

Are you through?

I have been for ages.

You must be very unhappy

to be so mean.

Please, not that routine!

I know I'm not much to look at.

My bad breath comes from my ulcer,

you know that.

It didn't bother you in the past.

I had it when your wife was alive.

Spare me these sordid details.

Let me reassure you:

it always disgusted me.

After Julie's death,

I wanted to ease my pain

with anyone.

I could have screwed a cow!

Whores are too far from here,

and once every two months

isn't enough for me,

even though I'm getting on.

So skip acting like a martyr,

and scram.

Why are you only noticing this now?

When should I have noticed it?

At the hospital,

I forgot how tiresome you are.

One grows sentimental when in pain.

Get out! Don't you have any pride?

There's no room for any with you.

That's true.

What if I do something silly?

Go ahead.

It'd surprise me. But be careful:

it may be painful.

I know, I'm ridiculous.

You wouldn't care anyway.

Well...

Why do you despise me?

For helping to raise the boy?

For watching you

finger your daughter

and saying nothing?

For helping you to deceive yourself?

For listening to you

claim how you loved Julie,

when everyone knew

you treated her as badly as me?

For loving you,

when I know you can't stand

being loved?

That's it.

Now get up. I have work to do.

You can't afford to get rid of me.

Who'll do the dirty work for you,

who'll help you with the kids,

and your practice?

You don't mean what you're saying.

I want to see how far you can go:

"Will she take it?

Can I drag her even lower?"

I'm tired too.

I've got two retarded kids:

Karli and you.

You're the most troublesome one.

My God, why don't you just die?

The year ended with fine weather.

The snowy landscape

sparkled so brightly

that it hurt the eyes.

None of us suspected

it'd be our last New Year

in an era of peace,

and that this year

would bring a radical change,

of a magnitude we couldn't foresee.

Despite the strange events

that had unsettled the village,

we thought of ourselves

as united in the belief

that life in our community

was God's will, and worth living.

... Christ's body

as bread and as wine.

May the period of preparation

for your confirmation

be one of happiness

and enrichment.

You, Martin,

will now be free

not only of that ribbon,

but of those nightly ties

that kept you from yielding to

the temptations of your young body.

I trust you, my beloved children,

and wish you

a profitable and happy new year.

Shortly after Easter,

in the last week of April,

the Baroness came back

with the children.

She was accompanied by a new nanny.

My secret hope

that Eva could come back here,

was definitely dashed.

The new nanny was an Italian woman

who came from the area

on the Mediterranean coast

where the Baroness

had spent the winter.

Sigi!

Hi, Ferdinand!

Wait!

I'll come down!

Stay here, Sigi!

You can see the boys later.

Let him go, Madam.

He's so happy to be back home!

All right, go.

But don't be too long.

Marie-Luise?

Where are you?

Sigi!

Won't you come say hello to your father?

Watch out, he's coming!

Be quiet!

For God's sake! Be quiet!

Quiet!

What's going on here?

Why are you still here?

There's a divinity class now!

Get going!

How about a good-bye?

Good bye, sir!

Good bye, Pastor!

I'm sorry, Pastor.

It won't happen again.

Good bye, Pastor.

Good bye.

Let us pray.

Our Father, who art in heaven

hallowed by Thy name,

Thy kingdom come,

Thy will be done

on earth as it is in Heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread

and forgive us our trespasses

as we forgive those

who trespass against us.

And lead us not into temptation

but deliver us from evil

for Thine is the kingdom, the power

and the glory

for ever and ever.

Amen.

Sit down.

This is a very sad day for me.

In a few weeks, we all want

to celebrate your confirmation.

For months I've tried

to bring God's word closer to you,

and make responsible

human beings out of you.

Who do I face today?

Yelling monkeys,

undisciplined, as childish

as your 7-year-old classmates!

But to me,

what is even sadder

is that my own daughter

plays the leading role

in this pitiful display.

Last year

I tied a white ribbon in her hair.

White, as you all know,

is the color of innocence.

The ribbon was meant

to help Klara avoid sin,

selfishness,

envy,

indecency, lies and sloth.

At the start of the year,

I navely believed

that she was now mature enough

not to need that ribbon any more.

That she'd become

responsible enough,

as the daughter

of the spiritual leader of...

Anni?

Anni? Where are you?

Anni?

Rudi? What are you doing here?

Why aren't you in bed?

I can't go to sleep.

Is that why you're wandering around?

I woke up and you weren't there.

Dad has pierced my earlobes.

Does it hurt?

Yes, a bit.

Is that why you're crying?

I'm not crying any more.

Beauty has to suffer.

That's what they say.

Go back to bed.

Anni's coming.

I haven't worn earrings in ages,

so the holes closed up.

For Whitsun,

I'm getting Mom's.

The pretty ones,

you know?

A few days

after Klara's fainting fit,

that frightened us all,

and left her feverish and weakened,

I went to see the steward,

on the eve of Whitsun

to borrow the carriage again.

Since my marriage proposal,

Eva wrote me once a week.

I felt she was alone

and lost in the city,

and was hinting for me

to come see her as soon as I could.

I wanted to spend Saturday with her

and be back on Sunday

to prepare the confirmation ceremony

with the pastor.

The steward had gone to the sawmill,

but was due back any minute.

Good morning, sir.

Hello, Erna.

He's cute.

Do you like him?

Yes. Very much.

He was quite sick last winter,

I was told.

Yes. Very sick.

But the doctor cured him, thank God.

Maybe I'll come back this evening.

I'm sure Father will come for coffee

at four.

Then I'll sit down again.

Can I get you something? A coffee?

It must be ready.

No, thanks.

I'll just sit and wait.

Sir!

Can dreams come true?

That depends.

On what?

On what does it depend?

If you dream of being

first in your class, and study hard,

your dream may come true.

- I didn't mean that.

- Then what?

I mean, if you dream of something,

really dream it in your sleep,

can it come true?

Why, what did you dream?

Tell me.

You have something on your mind.

So tell me.

I dreamt that Karli...

- the odd little boy of the...

- I know.

Something terrible

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