The White Ribbon Page #6

will happen to him.

Something terrible?

Like what?

I don't know.

Like what happened to Sigi.

But even worse.

But he's so sweet. He harms no one.

Come on...

It was only a dream.

Don't take it so seriously.

Dreams don't come true.

Let alone that kind.

But sometimes

my dreams do come true.

What do you mean?

Last winter,

before Gustl got sick,

I dreamt

my brother opened his window,

so he'd die.

And his window was opened,

he caught a chill, almost died.

What are you saying?

That's nonsense!

We arranged to meet

at the railway station,

as Eva wanted to avoid

being seen with me.

She was living with distant cousins,

who gave her parents

regular reports on her behavior.

She had become thinner,

which made her even prettier.

I was ravished again

by her mixture of shyness

and almost childlike outspokenness.

So it's not really so awful?

No. But sweeping up hair all day...

The twins were more fun.

But it's all right.

I can't really complain.

No?

No.

Really.

Aside from the twins,

you miss nothing?

Come on, you!

How is the nanny? She only speaks Italian?

That's what the steward says.

I see.

Where are you going?

There's a nice little pond

in the wood.

We can picnic there.

I brought some food.

- I'd rather not.

- Why?

What is it?

Nothing.

Please.

I had no improper intentions.

I just wanted you

to enjoy the picnic.

Please.

How could I disgrace my future wife?

All right then.

I'll turn around.

Thanks.

Accept and drink!

This is the blood

of the New Testament,

shed for you

to forgive your sins.

Here! He's here!

Out of the way!

"For I, the Lord, your God

"am a jealous God

"visiting the iniquity of the fathers

upon the children

unto the third

and fourth generation."

After the atrocities committed

on the retarded boy,

the Baron was finally convinced

it was smarter

to enlist the help

of the county's police force.

So a few days later

two plainclothes policemen arrived,

who, after visiting

several of the crime scenes,

inquired if anyone

had noticed anything suspicious.

When I learnt of Karli's torture,

I didn't think

of what Erna had told me.

When I remembered,

I hesitated to tell the authorities.

Such an absurd coincidence

might jeopardize

the reputation and inner peace

of the steward's family.

But when I heard that Karli

might lose his eyesight,

I made Erna come to the school

and tell the policemen

about her dream.

... we're not as stupid as you think.

But I really dreamt it!

Watch out!

I'll give you one last chance:

tell us who told you

of a plan to torture the boy,

and we won't repeat it to anyone.

All right?

She's already had dreams

that came true.

Is that so?

About what, may I ask?

It was a family matter.

I see! A family matter.

You checked if it was true?

No.

Well,

it may be true.

Maybe she's

an authentic clairvoyant,

and we're luckier than we think.

Stop crying!

Your deceitful whining

won't work with me.

I've got other ways

to make you talk.

I don't believe in witches

and sorcerers,

even less in the hallucinations

of a brat like you.

So make up your mind

to tell me the truth.

I won't let go till you come clean.

Got that?

Now let's go see

what your parents think

of your version of the story.

Can you come with us?

Of course.

Hello, there!

Who do we have here?

Good afternoon.

Good afternoon, sir.

Why do you eavesdrop?

We saw the teacher had visitors.

We didn't want to intrude.

We were waiting to talk to him.

What do you want?

To ask you about Karli.

Like what?

We heard he isn't well.

We wondered if we could help.

You'll be all right...

I know, it hurts.

Be patient...

Everything will be fine again.

It'll be fine.

I have to go now, Karli.

Don't worry.

I'll be back tomorrow.

You'll be all right.

Don't be afraid.

The doctor will be back.

Come in!

Yes?

What is it?

To replace Piepsi.

Because you're so sad.

Thank you.

You're welcome, Father.

- Give me the whistle!

- Sorry?

The whistle!

What whistle?

Give it to me!

What whistle?

Give it, or I'll kill you.

I have no whistle.

Bastard!

Wretch!

For God's sake,

what's got into you?

What has he done?

For the last time, give it to me!

Give you what, Father?

What is it?

What are you talking about?

You know what I mean!

But if he says so!

What's going on?

Please wait!

What did the boy do?

Calm down.

Stay out of it!

I have to go back to the Baron.

Georg! Please, don't!

You'll kill him!

... with the birch-trees in Retenow,

it'll be 6,000 cubic meters.

It'll take them around three weeks.

And now we have 80 extra Poles.

They've been put up in the annex.

We're all out of bedding.

It takes time.

There are lots of kids with them.

In spite of it...

I won't stay here.

What?

I won't stay here.

What does that mean?

That I'm leaving with the children.

What do you mean?

Armin!

That's not so hard to understand.

How do you plan to do all this?

I don't know yet.

But in any case,

we're leaving this place.

"We"?

Yes.

That'll be all, thank you.

Good night, Baroness and Baron.

I only came back

out of fairness to you.

To give us a chance.

You gave me a chance?

Wonderful! And I missed my chance?

Will that help us

to solve the problem?

What?

Your sarcasm.

What is the problem

we have to solve?

You stay here!

You'll only leave when I say so.

Fine.

I was hoping to spare you this.

At Uncle Edoardo's

I fell in love with a man.

He's from Lombardy

and is a banker who advised

Uncle Edoardo financially.

He courted me assiduously

and was very fond of the children.

It was thanks to him

that Sigi has blossomed.

Despite this, we came back.

Because I felt committed to you.

But I can't stand this place

any longer.

Not so much personally,

though life with you

isn't thrilling

for a woman of my age.

I'm leaving so the children

don't grow up in surroundings

that are dominated by malice,

envy,

apathy and brutality.

Sigi's whistle was the last straw.

I'm sick and tired of persecutions,

threats

and perverse acts of revenge.

Did you sleep with him?

You don't understand anything.

Did you sleep with him?

No. I didn't sleep with him.

You're lying, right?

Come in!

Good evening.

Good evening, Baroness.

- Can I talk to you?

- Can't it wait?

No, or I wouldn't have

disturbed you so late.

What is it?

They've assassinated

Archduke Ferdinand in Sarajevo.

The news spread around the village

like wildfire.

What would the consequences be?

The first who said "war",

was severely contradicted.

But once the word had been uttered,

it remained stubbornly

at the center of all our thoughts.

I wanted to go to town quickly

to discuss with Eva

what we should do

if war broke out.

Maybe her father would now agreed

to an earlier marriage.

I asked the Baroness for the bicycle

that Eva had borrowed previously.

I planned to use it

to visit her Sunday.

Friday when I went to pick up

the bicycle,

I witnessed a strange confrontation.

What is it, Mrs Wagner?

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