Traumulus Page #5

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-No...

She was with Director Pausen, Ms.

Hiller... -The female juvenile? -Yes.

And the lieutenant von Bibra.

-In uniform?

No, in civvies.

-There, you see?

Lieutenant von Bibra invited me,

so I went along.

And, uh, then you drank champagne.

At first we drank Pilsner,

and then the others left.

And you stayed behind by yourself.

-Yes.

We spoke of our performance tomorrow,

and Ms. Link insisted that we toast

to a great success.

Who paid the bill?

I still had my Christmas money.

Your Christmas money.

And then you... accompanied Ms. Link.

Yes. To her front door.

And then you went home?

-Yes.

Kurt, are you telling me the truth?

The whole truth?

You can tell me. -I have told

you everything I have to tell.

I believe you.

Well, my dear Kurt, even if the affair

isn't as serious as I initially feared...

I don't want to insult you, but

if you had fallen into the

hands of a strumpet,

who would have dragged you, in your

blossoming youth, through the dirt...

Moral purity is still the cornerstone of

development for the individual

as well as for society.

Oh, you don't even know what kind of

abyss you were standing in front of.

I will remember this moment

for the rest of my life.

Then you must agree that you

have earned a punishment.

I will refer this incident to the

teaching staff, and they will decide.

Until further notice, you will be

confined to your room, and

you also won't be eating with

us at the communal table.

But I will see to it that we spare your

father an exceptional notification.

Go to your room.

Headmaster, I...

-Go, just go!

What did he say?

-Don't put up with anything!

I wouldn't put up with any crap.

Ultimately, he's a baron,

and Traumulus isn't even satisfactory.

The young lady will be here

shortly, Headmaster.

Schimke, come here a second.

Come here, Schimke.

Why did you give me a false

report yesterday? -Me?

You know, I should fire you on the spot.

You are a completely unreliable official!

But, Headmaster, what...

-When did Zedtlitz come home yesterday?

Well, um... that was probably

almost nighttime...

Oh, I can't trust a thing

you say anymore!

But, Headmaster, I felt so sorry

for the young man.

Above all, you have to do your duty. -Yes,

and I won't do it again, but he begged

me so much. -Nonsense! If we all thought

that way, where would discipline go?

Schimke, look at me.

Look at me, Schimke!

There is a rope ladder secreted in

this house.

We did you not report that to me?

I'd have to have seen it first!

-You should have seen it!

But if there isn't one! -There is one.

The students are deceiving you!

The state has no use for men who

can't be depended on!

Do you understand me?

Listen, Schimke, improve yourself.

Oh... -What do you want? Why did

you come in without knocking?

Forgive me. Ms. Link is in the parlour.

-Ms. Link, yes. I'm coming.

Schimke, you can go. -Yes, and I am

very grateful to you, Headmaster.

What would I do with a rope ladder?

Hello, everyone.

-Hello.

There's about to be trouble!

Most gracious Headmaster, I'm the

grateful actress for the celebrated poet.

Ms. Link, I have summoned you for

a rather awkward matter.

You don't want to take my role, do you?

-No, the play has nothing to do with this.

You are scaring me, Headmaster.

You were seen late last night with one of

my pupils in a venue of dubious repute.

I don't know anything about that.

I was with a small party, which Mr. von

Zedtlitz also joined, and we went to

a very nicely appointed restaurant.

I very much enjoyed myself there.

There were, in fact, several

officers there.

But only in civilian clothes.

-What does that matter?

Those gentlemen like to have fun

sometimes, too.

Under no circumstances should one of

my students be in this bar.

My dear Headmaster, you didn't reprove

Mr. von Zedtlitz for that, I hope.

Such a gracious young man.

I could never forgive myself.

So you were the one who invited him?

Yes. We celebrated, most innocuously, in

advance of your lovely poetry reading.

It might have run a little late,

but Mr. von Zedtlitz was chivalrous and

walked me the short distance to my home.

Or should he have been so ungallant

as to not do that?

And to abandon me at the garden gate

to the crudity of nightly passersby?

Headmaster, if someone

had spoken to me...

In the interest of my pupils, I would

have preferred if you had

said your goodbyes in front of the bar.

Headmaster, I find that hilarious.

Headmaster, should I now reveal

to you the horrible details?

Your wonderful young lad even

unlocked the Schladebachian front door.

Isn't that frightful?

But my house key truly is

sometimes too hard to turn.

Miss, your merriment proves to me that

I didn't get you wrong to begin with.

But you have to admit, if

someone had seen you two...

At the very least, I can't spare you

criticism for your sheer carelessness.

Yes, well, I have probably earned

a very small reprimand.

But you wouldn't punish a grown young

man like a little high-school junior.

Headmaster, can I really not help him?

My dear, if it makes you feel better,

inasmuch as you are able to help our

young friend at all, you have done so

already, namely by unknowingly confirming

his confession.

Am I interrupting?

-Most gracious Mrs. Headmaster.

Zedtlitz wants to speak to you again.

So unusual; he's so agitated.

Well, I always have to beg for our young

men when they have to take the rap.

My husband really is too

stern sometimes.

So, may he come in? -Zedtlitz is

confined to his room, but...

...if you think so. I don't

want to be too severe.

Good day, Miss.

-Most gracious lady.

Tell me, what does the county

commissioner have against you?

Mr. Von Kannewurf?

Nothing that I know of.

Well, he made remarks about you

that really appalled me.

Headmaster!

-Please, miss, don't get upset.

You have to tell me right now what

Mr. von Kannewurf said about me.

But I... -What did Mr. von Kannewurf

say about me? -But I beg of you!

I'll sue the man and call you as a

witness. Then you will have to say.

For God's sake, no court hullabaloo!

-I want to know! I must know!

Do you promise not to hold me

responsible for the insult?

Yes, I promise you. -Very well. He

dared to question your good reputation.

And I'm supposed to stand for that?

Seeing that I am engaged!

Now that my luck has changed?

No, I can't do that! And...

...that is too much to ask of me,

Headmaster. -Dear miss, I beg you,

control yourself! The young man

could enter any moment!

Let him come in. He should come in.

I demand that he joins us!

He must confirm in front of both of us

the we had nothing between us!

Not the slightest thing, Headmaster!

-But who claimed that? No one said that!

But yes, you said it! You claimed

it! And I won't countenance that!

Mr. von Zedtlitz.

You will now attest to the fact that

we had nothing at all between us.

Not the slightest thing.

Why are you not coming to my defence?

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