Third Man on the Mountain Page #2

One day that blood's going to boil up,

and you won't be able to stop it any more

than you can... How did you say it?

Any more than you can bottle up the wind.

Bottle up the wind? There's something

going on behind my back.

Now, stop roaring! Do you want Herr

Hempel to think I'm stewing a live bull?

Tell me, what are you in the village, Rudi?

An apprentice guide?

- No, sir.

- What, then?

- I'm a dishwasher.

- The son of Josef Matt?

I take the path, sir,

but first I must ask you a favor.

Will you not tell anyone you saw me?

Not tell anyone? After what happened

today? Why, you're too modest, Rudi.

Please, sir. If my mother and uncle knew,

I would be in great trouble.

- All right, I'll see you don't get into trouble.

- Thank you.

You know, Franz,

perhaps if you spoke to Herr Hempel,

Rudi could work in another part

of the hotel, away from Old Teo.

What's the good? There'd still be Lizbeth.

Mm. It's been on my mind

to speak to Lizbeth.

And risk offending Herr Hempel? No, llse.

Leave her out of it.

Summer will come, the boy will go to

Zrich for his training in the business.

There he'll learn there's another world

beyond the mountains,

forget this stubborn dream

of being a guide.

It's like a disease. A curse.

As if that wicked mountain wanted him, too.

Stop thinking like that, llse.

It'll all work out.

Let me handle him.

I guess I'm late.

It was very busy at the hotel... today.

There were a lot of dishes.

Yes. I saw them.

I also listened to a lot of lies.

Enough for one day.

I don't want to hear any more.

After giving your word, Rudi. Why?

I don't know.

- You don't know?

- I mean I didn't plan it that way.

But from the kitchen,

I could see the sun on the mountains.

The sun on the mountains, but not

the future you can have with Herr Hempel.

- He's so interested in you.

- But I didn't ask him to be interested in me.

No, it was handed to you

on a silver platter.

And not because of you,

but because of who you are.

Your father brought tourists to Kurtal,

climbers from all over the world.

- To him Herr Hempel owes his hotel.

- Don't you see, Rudi?

You have a chance to go farther

than any boy in the village.

Some day you might even be the proprietor

of the Monte D'Oro Hotel.

Can't you see how much better your life

will be than climbing on rocks and ice?

- No.

- Look at me, Rudi.

For 20 years I've been a guide.

One of the best.

Where's it got me?

I haven't saved enough money

to buy a dozen cows.

And look what being a guide

did for Old Teo.

Crippled. Touched in the head.

No matter what you say, he's still

climbed higher than any man in Kurtal.

- He's the only man alive who...

- Rudi.

That's right. Stop and think for a moment

of somebody else.

You could make up to your mother

for a little of what she's suffered.

- Where are you going, Rudi?

- Back to the hotel to finish the dishes.

Captain Winter!

My apologies, Franz.

I looked for you in the village.

Apologies, Captain?

It's an honor for me and my sister.

The honor is mine

to meet the widow of Josef Matt.

- And this is her son, Rudi.

- Hello.

Won't you be seated, Captain?

I just wanted to see if you'd be

available for a climb in the morning.

Of course.

That is, if you don't mean...

No, not the Citadel. I was thinking of

the Wunderhorn. I hear it's a good climb.

- That's true, and it's a fine view.

- It's the view that interests me.

We'd leave about noon, spend the night

at the hut and go up the next morning.

That would mean food and blankets

and probably a porter.

By all means a porter.

What about Rudi here?

The boy works elsewhere,

but I'll find a good man.

Please, Uncle. Just this once?

- Have you forgotten already?

- But this is different.

- To go with Captain Winter.

- Enough!

Rudi, what foolishness is this?

Even if I said yes, you couldn't do it.

But I could. Captain Winter knows

I could. That's why he asked for me.

When did Captain Winter

set eyes on you before?

It seems our secret is out, Rudi.

Rudi and I met on the glacier

this afternoon.

- And he told you he was a porter?

- No, no.

But it's my pleasure to tell you that

this afternoon, this boy saved my life.

Woof, woof, woof, yourself!

What's the matter with you?

Have you lost what little mind you had?

Yes. I mean, no. Wait till you hear.

Tomorrow, I go to the Wunderhorn.

- Rudi!

- He must have hit his head.

- As porter to the great Captain Winter.

- He has hit his head.

I told you they couldn't stop him.

He's running away.

Not this time. My mother and uncle

have given permission.

I've talked to Tony Bassler.

He'll do the dishes for me.

So they've finally given in.

He's going to be a guide after all.

Well, just for tomorrow,

and only because of Captain Winter.

But it'd be worth it

if it was the last day of my life.

It may very well be. Now, you calm down.

Remember,

you've never climbed with a party before.

Who was it used to go

to the practice mountain with us?

Some grumpy old man. I can just hear him.

One foot slowly, then the other.

- Up we go.

- Stay off my cupboard.

Feel for your hold.

A three-legged cow

could do better than you.

All right, break your necks.

Lean back, stop hugging the rock.

Lizbeth, where are you?

- What goes on here?

- We just fell off the Wunderhorn.

In your night clothes?

Get back to your room, Lizbeth.

From Captain Winter. For you.

- Important, he says.

- He's changed his mind.

What does he say?

Read the last part. I want Teo to hear it.

"Only a small token

of admiration and gratitude

of your friend and fellow climber,

John Winter. "

- What can I do for you, boy?

- I have a note, sir.

Oh, good day, miss.

Herr Burgener hasn't got his spectacles

and we're in a great hurry.

This is what it says.

"Dear Rudi, if you will go

to Alex Burgener's shop,

you will find ordered for you

some things that may be useful. "

"They are only a small token

of admiration and gratitude

of your friend and fellow climber,

John Winter. "

Rudi!

There you are.

But are you sure, sir?

These boots, they're the best.

The very best. Captain Winter himself

has been in. They're what he ordered.

Now, I suggest you try 'em on, tramp

around for an hour or so, break 'em in.

Why was there never a rich Englishman

waiting for me in a crevasse?

But for a guide,

he's not too strongly built.

Neither was his father. It's good to see

another Matt going into the mountains.

Morning, Klaus. Nice day for a walk.

- Good day to you, Franz.

- Captain.

To keep you safe.

Come on, Rudi.

Well, Rudi, this is a bit different from

roaming the hills like a mountain goat.

Well done, Rudi.

It seems we're not alone.

No, Johann Fieniger

brought up a party this morning.

Some of your countrymen.

Also a Frenchman and an Italian.

Well, the evening won't be dull.

My friend, if you really want some sport,

you should come to my country.

- All the best climbs are in Italy.

- How many times have I got to tell you?

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