Traumulus Page #3

---

able to avoid disciplinary action.

And, were I in his shoes, I would advise

myself to get a really capable lawyer.

Much obliged, Commissioner.

Naturally, I see it as my duty to be at

Headmaster Niemeyer's disposal.

Maybe I can show him a bit of gratitude

for all he did for me and my classmates.

Gentlemen, I wish all of you a pleasant

Sunday. Good morning! -Good morning.

These old fraternity brothers...

unpleasant patrons.

Well then. To the health of

the whole society.

Don't exaggerate! Cheers!

If it's any consolation to you, I saw

nothing, I heard nothing.

Cheers! That was great!

-Cheers.

Good morning. -Good morning, Headmaster.

-What! You're coming so late?

Well, I'm not going to leave my little

Sunday get-together in the lurch.

That would be sinful.

-Come take a chair, Headmaster.

(?????) where are you, gentlemen?

Cheers to all German men!

Well, well, you are enjoying

a small pre-celebration.

It smells almost like champagne.

Roses scattered on the path,

and the grief is forgotten.

A short span of time was

allocated to us.

Today, in the dance of Spring,

the boy still hops.

Tomorrow, the death wreath

lies on its grave.

This is really sublime, that you are all

still sitting here so happily.

A small Zeltinger, my child.

It's an honour, Commissioner.

-Morning.

Oh, the sunshine is mellow. Lovely!

Yes, nature.

-Yes, well, as you know, Major,

whoever preserved his heart

for her receptively,

she compensates him for other things.

My flower.

-To you health.

Well?

Assessor, you aren't really lugging

around files on a holy Sunday morning?

Files? No, why?

That paper there looks so

familiar to me. -Ah, yes.

You wouldn't have burdened the gentlemen

with the worthless product of my muse.

As the chairman of our literary

committee, I indeed took the liberty.

All I can say, Headmaster, is that your

poetry made a huge impression on me.

Yes. -Really?

Yes, highly patriotic.

Yes, I certainly enjoyed it.

-Very studious work.

I'm glad. That really makes me happy.

Well, you see, I had the following in

mind:
a performance by professional

actors. Not that I wish to offend our

hard-working state troupe.

With such opportunities,

one always has something...

I want to say mechanically unhallowed.

Therefore, I very secretly made an

attempt to capture in flesh and blood

the fantasy shapes of my piece through

our maturing youths.

The sole female lead role I entrusted to

a talented beginner

from our local stages.

Perhaps for their own great joy, may

I tell the gentlemen that

this attempt was truly exciting for me.

The young enthusiasts took to their

roles with such a love and fire

that I really felt young

and vital again.

I mean, how much more would such a

performance mean to His Majesty,

whom our youth rightfully, as to their

sanctuary and leader, look up to.

I may assume, Commissioner, that

you, too, will have the same impression

of my piece tomorrow evening.

-I doubt that very much.

But I assumed that you would be present.

-I will certainly be present.

That you are a personal adversary of

mine is well known to me, Commissioner.

I sensed that from the first moment,

when I had to start at square one here,

but that you can't separate the personal

from the professional. -Excuse me!

Or do have you something against my opus?

-I don't know it, and I don't want to.

Commissioner Kannewurf!

-It might be better if...

No, no, I ask you gentlemen

to stay inside.

I would like not to speak to the

commissioner in private again.

Or might you have secrets

to share with me?

Secrets? What, the sparrows that

sing from all roofs?

No, no, please, gentlemen, stay. I am

not embarrassed if you witness this.

I also think... -I plead with you

to stay. -But it's embarrassing.

You'd be doing me a service if you stay.

What are the sparrows singing from roofs?

That your resident pupil, the senior,

Kurt von Zedtlitz, was tramping around

with a well-known courtesan in a

nightclub of the most infamous sort.

Zedtlitz?

That's impossible! That must be a

mistake. -A mistake?

Yes, I checked the school at exactly

10 o'clock last night, and found

all pupils in their rooms.

The boy, Zedtlitz, along with seniors

Klausing and Poehlmann, had a break

from Theatre, and all three were reported

as present this morning by my caretaker.

After saying goodnight to good, old

Schimke the youngster took the usual way

over the wall. -His room is on the 3rd

floor, to which only I and the caretaker

have access. -Perhaps, but at your

school there's a rope ladder,

a prop that goes around among your

pupils as required.

How do you know that? -I don't

owe you an answer to that.

You seem to be unaware of the decree,

which orders that the state police

are required to support the school board

in maintaining discipline.

So, you should have told me of

your information immediately.

That I, very deliberately, didn't do

this, I will defend at the proper venue.

I am eager to hear this defense,

Commissioner. -You may be.

But you will in no way succeed in

overcoming the educational example

what, on this night, your pet student

was up to at the Golden Pheasant.

I... I don't know this Golden Pheasant.

-That I believe!

But that's just it! You should be

oriented about where insufficiently

guarded youth has its best abilities.

I am expending great energy

to sit here listening to you.

But at this moment I don't have to

defend myself over what seems to me

completely superficial, but rather my

student:
the best of the my seniors.

A young noble nature that

makes me proud.

That young man couldn't possibly have

been seen at that time in this ugly town.

My informant did see him!

-Well, one can be mistaken.

This mistake was confirmed to me early

this morning on the way to church

by two additional witnesses, in fact

with the greatest insistence.

Chief Commisioner of Reitzenstein and

his war advisor, Becker.

How can such gentlemen visit

such a dubious premises?

That's the gentlemen's issue.

And even if the young man was seen in

such a disreputable dive, and at that

with such a lamentable creature, how can

you always immediately assume the worst?

Well, listen, a young actress, full of 20

Marks' worth of champagne. That's enough!

Now you're saying an actress. Earlier

it was something completely different.

I said exactly the same thing.

-Instead, you said "infamous courtesan".

Well, Ms. Lydia Link from

the city theatre!

This artist is a highly respectable

lady! I can vouch for her.

Well, if you think those two prayed to

the rosary with their bottle of champagne.

The woman is engaged!

-Congratulations!

But even so, she seems to have

a fondness for young flesh.

I wouldn't have thought I would stumble

upon such an attitude from a man

of your social standing.

You ask me to impugn my boys. Based on

some inane gossip you accuse the son of

an old noble family, whose honour up to

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes