Traumulus Page #9

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Don't worry, he'll come. You should be

used to that from your seniors' night.

If only I had believed him.

It's the first time that I was tough.

My God, you're acting as if the boy had

already cut off his own head.

Get me the curling iron.

He's a nice person with good manners,

but we have had many like that.

No, we haven't had one quite like him.

You really can't judge it.

-Well, if I can't judge it...

That's fine, Olga. You can go.

Don't make me nervous.

I really don't have any time to

talk about these childish matters.

I have to go to the casino ball.

One thing I know for sure:

If the boy doesn't come back...

If the worst has really happened...

I couldn't stomach it.

Then it's all over for me.

Then I'm finished.

What's that supposed to mean?!

Are you saying you would hand

in your resignation? -Yes.

That's delightful. And what is to

become of us then?

We'll just have to bear our fate.

-We?! You are comical!

What can we do about it?

Surely you can't expect us to be

victims of your sentimentality.

How can you speak to me like that?

You seem to think retirement

is awfully easy.

You're going to get half of what

we've been getting up until now.

We don't have a fortune, but

we have debts. -Debts?

Where do we have debts? With whom?

Oh, you are truly naive!

Do you think the reduction of your

income would leave us untouched?

On which planet are you living?

And then you are surprised that you ruin

not only yourself, but your surroundings.

You just admitted it yourself. Poor

Zedtlitz is also on your conscience.

Shut up! I'm shaking here over

the life of a human being.

I'm ripping my heart out. And you dicker

over miserable pennies like a gold digger.

For you, I put up with all this rubbish,

all this stuff, all these years.

I sat here many nights and calculated

how I would manage.

For your sake, I took on the private school

under which I suffered, like no one else.

I saddled myself with it as if whipping

myself with a riding crop.

And now... you, from whom I had hoped to

find my last foothold, my refuge,

in this difficult night, you are the

first to abandon me.

I despise you.

What, you despise me?

Listen, you!

So this is the thanks I get for

sacrificing my youth for you?

That I tolerated for five years a man

whose son could be my brother!

Do you want more?

Oh, that's what you're waiting for?

No, I won't tell you anything!

And I made you my wife.

It was a misdeed of yours, that you

chained my little zest for life to your

50 years. And while your talented son

Fritz wastes his life, he blackmails me,

because I can't pay my clothing bills.

-Keep talking...

A nice gentleman, your sweet son from

your first loving wife! -Keep going!

Yes, keep going so that you finally

learn all about it.

The woman you despise kept your boy

out of jail. -What?

I paid off a counterfit bill.

-What, my son's? -Yes, your son's!

You even misjudged your son!

I wish you hadn't told me that today.

Jadwiga!

Fritz, don't tell him I told you.

I shouldn't have told you that.

I was just being imprudent. He should

have just cashed in a debt of honour.

Get away from here, Fritz!

-But why?

Gosh, what a sweet mommy I have.

-Leave me alone!

But why?

-Your father!

Oh, good evening, Daddy.

What's going on here? A beer

forum is in session, huh?

Go to your room.

He's upstairs.

-We have to speak to him urgently.

Zedtlitz?

-Yes, he's here.

We found him.

-Where? Where is he?

He was spotted.

-Well, why didn't you bring him?

Why don't you come down?

Where is he? -Up here!

Well, where is he? Why

didn't you bring him?

He walked past me when I went

through the Naundorf Gate.

That was less than 15 minutes ago.

Well, where is he? I have to go to him!

But whatever could have happened

has long since already happened.

We're coming right from the police station.

Inspector Hoppe drove away immediately.

And your boys even ran into him.

-No, I have to search for him myself.

No, please, you stay here. As a doctor,

I forbid you to expose yourself to (?????).

Please have just a little patience.

The worst is over with now.

Anyway, you have to start

thinking about yourself.

And about your family.

-My family...

I am...

It's as if I am shattered.

Who of us would have ever

thought that the

old teacher would seek solace

from one of his students.

Dear Headmaster, you make me happy.

It serves me right.

Why was I so blind?

He's still alive.

Right? He's still alive.

You are convinced

that he's still alive.

He's really alive. You have...

You ensured me that he's still alive.

You, Falk.

You're not keeping something from me,

are you, friend?

No, dear Headmaster, listen to me. We

guarantee that he's coming back.

Yes? You see, I want to

start a new life.

Falk, I want... my life is still

in front of me.

Imagine all that I can still accomplish.

My 55 years are not old, after all.

No, today should be a beneficial

lesson for me.

Yes, I'm almost standing up again.

I have found myself again.

Well then, despite everything,

today is your lucky day.

Yes. Yes, Falk, that it is!

Whether you want to or not,

this hour must be celebrated.

This afternoon we missed our

bottle of Burgundy,

so we'll break it open now.

"Hurray to children", in bottle form.

And the Greeks, drunk with victory,

richly laden with the spoils,

...sat atop the tall ship,

along the Hellespontos beach.

Yeah, it's so nice that you

remembered that, my friend,

but don't think that I'm

just a bookworm.

So, my dear Falk...

To a fresh fight and a breezy victory.

No, I can't.

-What's wrong?

I can't. The glass will shatter.

-But Headmaster, you are superstitious.

No, call it what you want. It

seems sacrilegious to me.

No, no, this is all lunacy. It's...

It's all lunacy. The police, Hoppe...

I shouldn't have stayed here.

I should have continued...

What is it?

-Did you hear? What was that?

I didn't hear anything. There was

nothing. Really! -But, yes. Yes!

Listen!

Yes. It's still ringing in the air.

It's still trembling.

It was like a bang. Very distinct.

Falk, you're lying to me.

I may not be worth much anymore, but

my hearing is still good.

Dearest Headmaster, regain your composure.

You're fantasizing. It's nothing.

He'll be here in a few moments!

In a few seconds he'll appear!

No, you're lying to me!

Falk, it was... it was

something terrible.

No! No!

No!

Helmets off for prayer!

So you did come back

to me, Kurt von Zedtlitz.

Even though I sent you away and

forbade you to return here.

What a curiously disobedient senior.

Did you really know of no other

way to apologize,

other than this silent reaction, to

which no one has an answer?

This way, you ended up being right.

I am at fault for your death. -Please,

Headmaster, nobody here is at fault.

This is a terrible accident.

We shouldn't create a furor,

especially now.

No, Mr. von Kannewurf, I

alone am at fault.

Tomorrow I will vacate my office.

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