"MONOPOLY" "Mads Skjern wants to build a new clothes factory." "He buys a plot of land with the help of secretary Lund,   whose economy is refinanced by the District Bank in return." "To help the mayor to forget about an earlier proviso for a park, " " Mads gets the well-known artist Ernst Nyborg to paint a portrait." "Only the mayor knows that Mads is the anonymous benefactor." "Ernst Nyborg changes the bourgeois life of the Varnæs family." "He is Maude's old art teacher, and she used to have a crush on him." "His stay in town seems to perk up Maude." "Everyday life at the Varnæs home is also disturbed by the fact   that Jørgen is staying over with Birgitte Graae, a friend of Nyborg   and of Baron Von Rydtger, the head of the local art society." "Jørgen plans to sell his part of the summer cottage to pay off debts." "He discovers that his brother has trouble with Ulla Jacobsen,   who helps him with his overtime." "Mr. Schwann, who rents a room from Ulla's aunt, Madam Violet,   knows about the affair too." "Maude wants to spend Ernt's last evening in Korsbæk with him." "Bit she is too late." "Birgitte Graae has beaten her to it." "BUT WHAT ABOUT THE DRESSER" "This is it." "She inherited it from her aunt." " Can we go in?" " She's coming with the key." " There's a privy, you know." " That's what we have." "You're used to a w.c. at the Varnæs's." " l'll kick the habit." " What a choice." "Me or flushing." "Isn't that Mrs. Larsen?" "So you're Agnes and Lauritz Jensen." "When I inherited it, Larsen suddenly wanted to move to town." " But we're staying put." " He can't have pigs here." "The pig trade doesn't matter so much since we got pig rationing." "But why should we leave the country?" " It's a nice room." " There's also a small bedroom." "It's not big, but you are young." "The kitchen's not much either." " Auntie did get the water connected." " Who lives in the other apartment?" "He's a sailor and hardly ever at home." "So he won't give you trouble." "His wife is dead." "This could be nice." "Lauritz has a table and chairs, I have a dresser." "It's going to stand right there." "But what does it cost, Mrs. Larsen?" "The sailor pays 25 kroner a month." "We've just done the property up." "And there's a back garden   where you can keep chickens." " It's one fifth of what I earn." " I could get a cleaning job ..." "At 45 øre an hour, yeah." "You can have it for 20 kroner." "After all, I got it for free." "Can we, Mrs. Larsen?" "Then we'll be able to afford a sideboard." " You're forgetting my bookcase." " We won't fill the room with that." "They can be in crates in the attic." "The publications and manifestos." "The china is more important." "The sideboard can wait, Lauritz." "There's room for the bookcase." "Of course there is. I have to go." "You've got time, right?" " You're not going now?" " There's a meeting." "Let him go." "You have to give your man plenty of rope." " Then he'll always come home." " lt's the Party." " Your cooking is better, I hope." " There are more and more meetings." "There's more to discuss." "Our German comrades are being hunted like dogs." "And before long, something will happen in Spain." " But it's so far away." " Goodbye, Mrs. Larsen." "You haven't seen the basement or the shed." "He won't have to go to the washroom and the pantry anyway." "Come along." "There's a brand-new kettle." " So the end's in sight." " It was quite a mouthful." "My bank manager talking." "The District Bank never had such a loan." "And Korsbæk Bank never involved itself so deeply." "Daring never was their strong point." " It wasn't here." " We lived over there, Mother." " We had a view of the railway." " The railway is over there, Mother." "Then why can't I see it?" "Because of the building that's owned by those gentlemen." "Then tell them they'll have to remove it." "Goodbye." "You'll have to get rid of it." "That monstrosity over there." " Unfortunately it can't be moved." " This is the site of Fernando's park." " I don't know anything about that." " But you will." "Misse, push!" "Yes, we're going home, Mother." "I'm not going home, I'm going to the bank." "I had a money box like this since I was seven." " It was always our children's model." " Have you seen the District Bank's?" "Why do you think all the children are putting their coins across the street?" " Why?" " Hans Christian!" " Aunt Møhge, what an honor." " Sit down!" "Please." " Is he a new messenger boy?" " It's Skjold Hansen, the lawyer." " I want to go to my safe." " To take some of your jewelry?" " No, to see what's written." " About what?" " About Fernando's park." " What park?" "Mother means the park Father wanted laid out   to preserve the view." " That must be before my time." " It was written when he sold it." "Then it must still be written." "Mother's really upset about that big building." " Do you mean Mr. Skjern's factory?" " It'll have to be pulled down." " That won't be easy." " My paper is in the safe." "They promised a bust of Fernando, too." "I think this will take some time." "We had finished, so if you ..." "I'm listening with interest." "So your husband got a proviso on the plot when he sold it to the town?" " A paper was written ..." " The plot the town sold to Skjern." " They couldn't sell Fernando's land." " Well, it was sold." "Why don't we help Mrs. Møhge find that note in the safe?" " Yes?" " Well ..." "I've come to give notice from the first." " But Agnes, is anything ...?" " Only that I'm getting married." " Already?" "You're not very old." " Yes, I'm 24." " You haven't been engaged for long." " For more than two years." " We got an apartment near the pond." " We've been so pleased with you." "And the children will miss you, now that they don't have my sister." " Have you really thought about it?" " I'd like to have my own home." "And children." "But you can always send for me." "It will never be the same." "How long have you been here?" " Seven years in November." " Think of Laura." "She's been here for 18 years, I think." " Well, I wouldn't like ..." " What?" "To find Ulrik and Regitze playing parcheesi for me." "Parcheesi?" "This must be it, from 1898." ""Horse and corn dealer Fernando Møhge gives up plots 28 B, C and E   and plots 29 C through H in Korsbæk town with the proviso   that the area is laid out as a park to preserve the view from his home."" "The house was demolished long ago." "It was a bit neglected, and expensive to heat." "We were always cold." "Excuse me." "Yes, Maude?" "Has she?" "It's not the end of the world." "I'm busy right now." "Nonsense, there are lots of maids." "It'll have to wait till I come home." "I'm in a meeting." "Thank you, Maude." " The maid is getting married." " She's probably pregnant." " Is that note registered?" " They'll know that at the Town Hall." "Here's a footnote." "The buyer, Korsbæk town, has a similar note,   obliging it to pay you 100 kroner a month as long as you live,   and after that, Misse until the time of her death." " Do you still get that money?" " Yes, on every first of the month." "This is very strange." "Madam, will you let me look into this?" " Does he know about these things?" " Mr. Skjold Hansen is a lawyer." "So he's not the bank's messenger boy." "Isn't it too much trouble?" "As Aunt Møhge's godson, I could ..." "It'll be a pleasure. I think we've got something we can use against them." " What's he mumbling about?" " That everything will be all right." "As long as he sees to it that that monstrosity is pulled down." " What union did you say?" " Female Domestic Workers' Union." "Isn't it enough to run around with Social Democrats?" " What do your employers say?" " They don't interfere with that." "Sir and madam should hear this." "Not only does Agnes have a kind of Cossack on the hay box, he's a man." "You can expect anything of men." "Now women disturb the peace, too." "Gudrun's sitting very quietly." "That's what you get from working for people without real class." "Mr. and Mrs. Skjern are nice." "And she doesn't have germs on her mind." "Agnes will have to watch her mouth." "Maybe it's best that she's leaving." "Who's going to sew the curtains?" "Gudrun gets the fabric cheap from Skjern." "You will help me, Laura?" " Maybe." "Unless they're red." " No." " I'll have my own sewing machine." " No, don't." "The more you get, the more you have to do." "Cook, wash, clean the privy, do the oven, light the fire." " Everything." " Yes, but they're my own." " And you'll have lots of children." " Yes." "From the moment Red moves your dresser you'll never have a day off." " It'll be work, all the time." " Not when it's all your own." " What is it then?" " Then it's really living." " So it's not registered?" " No." "The register shows that." " But it could be an oversight." " Yes, a promise was a promise then." "Yes, and that's what's interesting." "But the note has disappeared." "Godtfred Lund doesn't know anything, and the Mayor is senile." " Wasn't Godtfred Lund a customer?" " Until you put pressure on him." " What happened to his accounts?" " Paid up, I guess." "But Stein will know that." "Debts, unpaid bills, interest." "Then he suddenly pays everything." "3,557.40 kroner on April 1 1934." "That was when the land was sold to Skjern." "The two things don't have to be connected. lt's unthinkable ..." "Nothing is unthinkable to me." "Where would a debt-ridden town clerk suddenly get 3,500?" "As long as the money comes in, the bank is satisfied." "The bank, yes." "This is something else." " Anything else?" " No, thank you, Mr. Stein." "I can smell when there's something fishy." "And I'll find it." "Aren't you spending too much energy on Mrs. Møhge?" "Who's talking about that old crone?" "I'm talking about us." "Korsbæk Bank." "Don't you understand?" " Your visit seems strange to me." " lt's a purely informal visit." "To hear why you broke off relations with the bank so suddenly." "After all, it had supported you beyond reason." "I didn't like the tone of the last letters the bank sent me." "How did you get the District Bank ..." "Kristen Skjern ..." " He's no fool." " What are you driving at?" "I'd like to know how you could raise such a big cash loan." "Maybe the District Bank had more confidence in me." "I also know about your economy as a lawyer, having collected debts." " And now ..." " Now?" "Now I also know about the mystery of a missing note   in connection with the sale of land to Mads Skjern." "What's that got to do with my private situation?" "Are you threatening me?" "What if I offered you to return to Korsbæk Bank?" "Your family were co-founders." "I could offer to pay the debts   which you no doubt have in the District Bank." " So you could come back." " That's out of the question." "Why?" "Has Mads Skjern got something on you?" " Be careful. I studied law too." " But you never graduated." "Get out of my house!" "Now!" " What now, Mr. Schwann?" " I'd like the money from last week." "And the membership money, and I have a new one from the upholsterer." " Well, it's actually old, too." " I'll ask my wife." "Come in, Mr. Schwann." "Well, Mr. Schwann?" " Did you get your money?" " I don't see why I had to come in." " His wife wasn't home." " Debt-collecting can't be easy." "You're quite right." "The things people buy without being able to pay." "But the town clerk must have a good salary." "That's not what counts." "Ordinary people don't have debts." " It's the others who want it all." " I thought Lund was better off now." "I thought so, too." "Suddenly, I didn't have to go there all the time." "Now it's as bad as ever:" "Craftsmen, memberships, the baker, the grocer." " And the draper, no doubt?" " No, oddly enough." "No draper's bills. lt's not like when they came to the Ladies' Store." "They probably go to Skjern now and get long-term credit." "Skjern doesn't give credit." "Not normally." "I know that much." "Excuse me, I have to go in here." "It was nice meeting you. I may have some debts to collect for you too." "Thank you very much ..." "It's about the burial fund." " I think this is nice." " Why not this?" " You don't use curtains like that." " I don't want a posh home." " We can get this at cost price." " Can you come to an agreement?" " Lauritz wants this." " It's nice for small windows." "Laura won't sew them with red in them." " Then we'll make them." " But that costs money." "We can say it's a gift for my mother's tenants and Gudrun's friends." " That's far too much." " Just give us the measurements." "TROUBLE OVER SKJERN'S building" "Have you seen the paper?" ""Trouble over Skjern's building." The Consul asks about a vanished note." " A note about what?" " The plot was intended for a park." " They're virtually hinting at bribery." " Unwise of Karlsen to print this." "We've got free speech, Mads." "If there's going to be a debate ..." "It's not in Karlsen's interest to stop progress. I'll speak to him." "Who do you think you are?" "Mr. Money Bags?" "Not yet." "But I'm the main advertizer." " We certainly hit the front page." " The Consul won't get anywhere." " The Mayor will brush him off." " I had a visitor from the Town Hall." " A very worried town clerk." " I hope you didn't give him a loan." " Yes, I did, dear brother." " You shouldn't have done that." " I've decided to close his account." " You haven't heard his story yet." "He's had a visit from Korsbæk Bank's gray eminence, Skjold Hansen." "He's looking for the missing note, or rather a copy." "He's found the original in Mrs. Møhge's safe." " He claims to represent her." " She can't live much longer." "No, but Skjold Hansen can. I'll go to the paper and talk to Karlsen." " Why?" " For our sake, and the bank's." " I'd better be off too." " Kristen?" "Is there something fishy about this?" "There's nothing fishy about starting a building project, creating jobs." "The other thing is a silly idea, imagined by a senile brain." " What idea?" " About a park. lt's made for industry." "Why do you think Korsbæk Bank bought the plot next to it?" " And a consortium the other plot?" " Skjold Hansen is Korsbæk Bank." "And the Consul is in the consortium." "It's against their own interests." " Unless ..." " Unless what?" "Unless they want to destroy us." "Maybe that's what they want." "They can't." "Then you don't know Mads." "You must say goodbye to Agnes." "When you're back, she'll be gone." "She's not going far away." " Goodbye." " Goodbye, you little rascal." " I'll miss you." " I'll miss you, too." " Just look at us ..." " Why can't you stay here?" " I'm getting my own home." " It's not as sad as all that." "Remember when you were young, and we went to the park?" " What did we have?" " Secrets." " You'll come and visit me, right?" " Yes, and we'll have secrets again." "Right, off you go." " Exit Agnes." " God knows who we'll get now." " The new maid's coming at noon ..." " Sorry for interrupting, Maude." "You knew that art professor, who was a skillful painter ..." "Yes, why do you ask?" "At the bank we wondered who financed the painting of the mayor." " Oh, that ..." " He never mentioned it to you?" "You were on quite intimate terms." "Your old teacher and all that ..." "Perhaps he said something." "No ..." "But the night after the vernissage when he was going to arrange it ..." " He left with Mads Skjern." " Are you sure?" "Well, I hadn't thought about it." "But he knows the baron too." " Maybe he just gave him a lift." " But the benefactor could be Skjern?" "Why would he pay to have the mayor painted?" "Do you think those people understand art?" "If you cry any more you'll soil the dress." "Mrs. Varnæs gave it to you so you'd look a proper bride." " It always suited her so well." " There you see ... what was it?" "Oda." "When you serve in a good home and behave well,   you can end up in a Paris dress." "Oda's dresser is in the way." " Lauritz hasn't fetched mine yet." " Get changed and you two'll do it." " Will you sit around all morning?" " It's not 12 o'clock yet." "Here we don't look at the time, and idle hands are the Devil's work." "We'd better move mine first." "Please notice how clean the room is." "That's the way we keep things here." "Where's the bride?" "She's showing the new girl how to set the table." "She's got a lot to learn." " It makes me shudder." " Well, you did take her on yourself." "Miss Friis is coming as well, I gather." " Lauritz promised to get it." " That's menfolk for you." " They're waiting with the Madeira." " Where are you going?" " You said there was Madeira." " Not for you there isn't." "See to the lunch table." "Hello, Elisabeth." "Hello, Hans Christian." "Here's the bride." " But it's not until tomorrow, is it?" " Yes, but ..." " She wanted you to see her." " She looks great, eh, Maude?" " You'll do your fiancé proud." " Here you go." "Here you go." "Well, Agnes ..." "Agnes, we always thought you'd stay with us forever." "Just like Laura." "My wife and I, and my sister-in-law, clearly remember the day you came." "Barely 1 7, weren't you?" "You sat in the kitchen crying, not daring to go upstairs." "Many things have changed." " You soon found your tongue." " Almost too well." "No, Agnes has always been a cheerful spirit in this house." "As she'll be in her own home for her own children, like she's been for ours." "Now, your future husband has fetched your dresser." " No, not yet." " May we hope to keep you, then?" " I doubt it." " Only joking." "We'll give up hope and present you with this, with our best wishes   for you and the lucky man who's taking you away from this house." " I hope he'll take good care of you." " Thank you." "Thank you, Mr. Varnæs, thank you, Mrs. Varnæs ..." " Crying again!" "Mind your dress." " Thank you very much." "It's a table cloth and some napkins." "You've laid the table so often for us." "Thank you." " But ..." " 100 kroner ..." "Good gracious!" "You'd better put it back before you tempt Laura to leave." "It's so lovely being together where the railway path is even ..." " You'll put me off my food." " Tell the composer." " Has there been a phone call for me?" " Several times." " From the Worker's Daily?" " No, from the bride-to-be." "About a dresser." " A round on me." " I understood it was urgent." "I have to wait for that call." "Three beers." "Extreme Unction." "It'll be tap water from now on." "Bringing home the dough to the slim maiden who'll grow fat and unkind." " Pregnant every nine months ..." " A case of sour grapes?" "Hello?" " Just a minute." "From Copenhagen." " It's for me!" "Hello?" "Hello, Alvilda." "Will you?" "I'm glad." "The day after tomorrow?" "It's just that I'm getting married tomorrow ..." "Yes, of course." "Give them my regards." "Goodbye." "They want me to write an article on Staunings's betrayal of the workers." "That's quite a mouthful." "Oda, the tray." "Oda, that's her name." "We'll have to get used to it." "I'd better have a look at the lunch table." "You are staying for lunch, aren't you?" "It's so nice to have you here." " We don't see much of you." " Well, I have my teaching." " And your friends." " Yes, who doesn't?" " Of course, that's your right." " Though you don't share my taste." "Let's forget all that." "But there is something that interests me." " These Skjerns ... the brother ..." " I don't know him." " But are they interested in art?" " Kristen has excellent taste." "It's the other one." "People claim he's behind that portrait of the mayor." " I have no idea." "Can that be true?" " They say it's him." "It sheds a whole new light on the man. I'd like to know." "If it'll change your opinion of the the family, I'll certainly ask." "Not like that." "Like this." "Damn!" " Do you swear?" " l cut myself." "And you've been at a dean's house!" "I always had to pluck chickens when there was a service." "I can see I'll have to make up for that." " Isn't he coming soon?" " I have no idea where he is." " ln the pub, probably." " Boldt said he was writing an article." " The day before his wedding?" " I've got to go to my mother's." "Go before it gets dark." "I'll deal with him." "Goodbye." "Bye." "See you at the Town Hall." "I hope he's turned up by then." " Did he collect the dresser?" " Don't worry, he'll come." " We can't keep the mayor waiting." " It's an unchristian place to marry." " Lauritz doesn't believe in God." " You can always get your job back." " Do sit down." " How long can a call take?" "The line's always busy at this hour." "There it is." "Hello?" "Yes, Alvilda." "Are you ready?" "I'm getting married, you see." "When?" "Now!" "Yes, the article is ready." "I'll dictate it slowly." "The headline is: "By Express Train to Nazi Germany, by Lauritz Jensen."" ""Danish nationalism blooms, now that Stauning has given us   both a bridge over the Little Belt and new fast express trains."" "They're red ... those trains." ""Well, isn't that wonderful progress:"" ""You can whiz from the capital to Hamburg in seven hours   down to Adolf Hitler's boot-trodden Europe."" ""lt's high time that the Danish unions bring the train to a halt."" "Yes, Alvilda, say goodbye to Lauritz the bachelor." "Thank you." "Lauritz Jensen, did you remember the flowers?" "Thanks, Boldt." "You're a friend of the people, after all." "There he is!" " I thought you'd never come." " Well, here I am!" "Long live Red and Agnes ... hurrah, hurrah, hurrah." "And may they prosper for many years for many, many years." "Cheers." "To the bride and groom." "Thank you, Mrs. Larsen, for the lovely pork." "And to Laura, who cooked it in the bank manager's oven." "Well, you've tried quite a few things from there, Lauritz Jensen." "Now he'll be eating at home, unless he'll eat twice, like Fatty." "Your health, Red." " Need a hand?" " There's just room for one and a half." "That's all right." "We're not having a cook or a maid." "There's just room for one and a half in the bedroom too." " There's plenty of room for us." " Good thing Red isn't Fatty's size." "I wasn't very fat when we got married." "It's usually the wives who put on weight when they get married." "But the wives lose it again, which is more than can be said for you." "Bull's eye." " That was lovely." " Thank you." " Anyway, it was a good film." " Gigli sings beautifully." " Just think if we could hear him live." " Perhaps he'll come here." " We could go to Milan." " Is that an invitation?" "Yes, of course." "Don't you think we could do with a vacation together?" "Yes. I'll just get the coffee." "SEVEN gothic TALES" " You should read it. lt's fantastic." " Isak Dinesen ..." "Who's he?" "Don't ask me." "Some people say it's a woman." "By the way, Kristen?" " Yes, dear?" "." " I don't know your brother very well." " No, unfortunately not." " I hear he's interested in art." "Mads?" "They say he paid for Ernst Nyborg's portrait of the mayor." "Oh, it's got out then?" "Yes, he did." "He's not a philistine, you know." "I never said he was, he just doesn't like me." "But his choice of artist ..." "That does him credit." "So does the fact that he hasn't boasted about it." " l'm pleased you think so." " You're very fond of your brother." " Yes, is that so strange?" " I don't know him." "If you knew him, if you were related to him, he'd do anything for you." "He's faithful to the people he can trust, even generous." " And to those who're not his friends?" " He doesn't owe them anything." " Is he a friend of the mayor's?" " I don't think so." " I'm hot. I need another beer, Red." " For the music, too!" " lt's nice sitting down." " We could sing a song." "We need to wet our whistles first." "Here." "Won't you, Lauritz?" "Give us a song." " He's great." " Let's have a song, Red." " The one about the three musicians." " Okay." "Frederik, set the tone!" "One of them played the banjo, the other the mandolin the third one made strange noises with his accordion they walked along the road stopped at every yard and played the songs that go to the hearts of girls the one who played the banjo was black of skin and hair" "he was born in Congo some or other year his ma was a black heathen his pa a missionary and the guy who played the banjo had a bit of both in him the second man who played the mandolin so well" "was as pure as daylight blond and fair and fine his father was an earl you see his mother a gypsy tart the guy who played the mandolin had a bit of both in him the third man in the band who play'd the accordion" "he had sixteen fathers from day number one and although all sixteen denied their fatherhood the guy with the accordion had a bit of each in him the three of them would play for people all around they played for all the womenfolk and for the menfolk, too" "but mostly for the girls who laughed when they got close there was one all three of them did love equally warm she loved the banjo player the mandolin player too and not least the sweet sound of the accordion when they reached the town where their sweetheart did live" "they stayed there for three nights that way they got one each then came the time of year when flowers are in bloom beside her soft loins there lay the cutest little mite a boy quite sound in form but also somewhat strange" "you see the little baby boy had a bit of each in him he grew up and got bigger the way that babies do when they have healthy mothers who can laugh and love but when the three musicians felt their hour had come" "he got the instruments they had been playing all their life then he played the banjo and the mandolin so well and made the strangest noises with his accordion he died when he got old my song is over now about the three musicians who became one genius!" "Now we're all going to dance." "Yes, let's!" "Can you play a tango?" "Let's have a kicking mazurka instead." "A kicking mazurka." "Can't you dance the mazurka?" "Mother and I can." " Oh, Larsen ..." " Play this one, Frederik ..." "On the kitchen table is the jellied eel ..." "Come on, Katrine, lift up your skirts and let's show them ..." "Come on." "What a lame bridal couple!" "I owe you a dance, Laura." "If you promise to collect the dresser tomorrow." "We'd better leave the young couple alone." "Mother's staying here tonight." "We've borrowed a camp bed." "A camp bed?" "It'll be just like the Army, madam." "No, Mother's got a bad back, so she's sleeping with me." "And you call that a wedding night?" "We've got so many wedding nights ahead of us, right, Lauritz?" "It's all right for you, you don't have to get children off to school at 8 o'clock." "As long as she gets me off to the railway by 7 o'clock." "So the railways transport those pigs too." "Doing their bit for Nazism." "Nobody will swallow that in Korsbæk." "There's a couple of the local idiots." "Welcome." "Heil!" "Nobody takes them seriously." "Now the two of us are going for a lovely walk." "Good heavens." "Look at that, Mrs. Skjern." " What's the matter?" "Are you ill?" " No." "You can go, Gudrun." "And there's this statement." "What about tonight?" "I'm only asking." "Otherwise I'll visit my aunt." "Violet Vinter." "But Saturday or Sunday perhaps?" "I could have a meeting in Copenhagen." " On a Sunday?" "Nobody'll believe it." " I could get my brother to call me." "Hello?" "Yes, Maude." "No, I'm not working late tonight." "Did Elisabeth say that?" "ls she sure?" "Yes, of course he must know." "No, we can eat at half past six." "Thanks for calling, Maude." "So now we know how Mads Skjern got in with the mayor." "Excuse me. I have to get hold of the Consul and Skjold-Hansen." " What ever is that?" " Nazism has come to Korsbæk." " Are they Nazi's?" " Yes, the dregs of Denmark." "They look quite harmless, almost pitiable." "Not at all the way Gustav described them." "He was so enthusiastic." "Our little brother?" " He's seen them in Germany." " And he was enthusiastic?" "Yes, about their discipline and industriousness." "Gustav has always been a fool." " What time is it?" " 1 1 ." " Why hasn't he come?" " Don't ask me, I didn't marry him." " I hope nothing's happened to him." " You might as well learn." "The place to ask is at his pub." "Glad to be of service." "The bride couldn't find her groom." "But I shed some light on the mystery." " Where is he?" " He's carrying the red banner." "So now they're here, too. I've seen quite a bit of them in Germany." " Their goose step's better there." " Yes." " Have you been there?" " Me?" "No." "Christ, no." "Of course you haven't, Mr. Stein ..." "Yes." " Yes, Mr. Vinter." " It's the town clerk." " Yes, I'd like to see what he owes." " He's here." "He says it's important." "If it's very important, show him in." " We're in trouble." " "We"?" " The land business could get tricky." " The paper won't write any more." " The Consul's seen the mayor." " They're fellow party members." "Afterwards he poured insinuations over my head ... the Consul." "Of the most slanderous kind." "He says I've been manipulated by you." "Didn't you ask for proof?" "The mayor told him that I'd arranged the contact about the picture." "The painting." "People know that you're the benefactor." "If the mayor's told people that, he's more senile than I thought." " It's not the mayor who said it." " Then who is it?" " Did you tell her or not?" " She asked out of ordinary interest." "Where does that interest come from?" "You're stupid when it comes to her!" "Don't speak about Elisabeth Friis that way in my house." "Your house?" "Everything can collapse because of this!" " You're exaggerating." " I can end up where they want me!" " Who?" " Your girlfriend among others." " You don't know her." " You don't know her." "She's probably just hung onto you to spy on us for her brother-in-law." "She asked you last night." "This afternoon the Consul took action." "I suppose Skjold-Hansen is behind him." "They're leaving in an hour." "127." "Yes, please." "Yes?" "Where are you?" "I can't." "Holger, you mustn't." "For Ellen's sake?" "Where?" "At the right of the platform." "Only ten minutes, then." "Goodbye." "So soon?" "Come on in." "Dr. Hansen's been delayed." " Take off your coat." " No thanks, I'm leaving again." " I just came to ask you a question." " Oh no, not the usual one." "No, because now I know why you won't marry me." " Do you?" " Yes, you had other plans with me." " Please explain yourself." " Is your family satisfied now?" "With the information I so stupidly gave you yesterday?" " About what?" " Why are you pretending?" "Didn't your brother-in-law ask you to find out if Mads paid for that picture?" " Why are you so angry about that?" " It's part of a plan to destroy Mads." " And me, for that matter." " Oh, Kristen, you don't think that?" "Well, what ..." "What do you want me to think?" "Not that." "Not you and I." "But you must answer me." "It's hopeless." "I'm sorry if I've ... believe me ..." "That doesn't make it less hopeless." "It's always been hopeless." "I've always said so." " Ingeborg." " What do you want?" " I want to explain." " I guess you want money." " No. I have my pride." " That's something new." "They wouldn't have me in Canada because of my prison record." "But I found a job with a greengrocer who got me in to the Party." " The Party?" " I've found my self-respect again." " By becoming a Nazi?" " I'm working for a better Denmark." "You and Ellen will be proud of me." "One day Ellen will point at me and say: "That's my father!"" "Ellen's not your daughter any more." "Try to understand." "Leave us alone." "One day, Ingeborg." "Those men and I ..." "We're the future." " There's Lauritz Jensen's bride." " Is he here?" " He's on the platform." " He got off at ten." "He promised to fetch my dresser." "Might I enquire if the wedding night was satisfactory?" "Mind your own business." "There he is!" "What are you doing here?" "You promised to fetch my dresser." " He's been fighting for his ideals." " Well, you haven't got any." " I have to think of business." " We must collect that dresser." "We have to wait for the 5:24 from Copenhagen." "Two coffees, please." " Why must we?" " I'll explain later." "5:24, there it is." "Stay here." "I just have to ..." ""l just have to ..." lt'll be his epitaph." " Disappearing already, is he?" " Oh no, he isn't!" "What about your coffee?" "I'll have it." " Herbert Schmidt?" " Yes." " And you're Lauritz Jensen?" " Yes, welcome." "Thank you very much." " That's ... my wife." " Delighted to meet you." " That's Herbert Schmidt." " Who's he?" " A German poet." "A refugee." " What's he doing here in Korsbæk?" " He's going to stay with us." " With us?" "He can help me carry the dresser." "One really doesn't feel much like playing, the way things are." " Everything's wrong." " Yes." "And they accept it." "The politicians and papers invite the madness in." "Hartvig Frisch says so here." "It's spreading, but nobody does anything to stop it." "People laugh at those wretched peasants marching in the street." "They're ridiculous, the colonel says." "But they're carrying the plague." "The politicians and papers, they've all caught it." "They talk of war as something unavoidable." "When war comes, they say, not if." "Nobody tries to prevent it." "They're sure it'll take place somewhere else and be over quickly." "I can't stand listening to it." "Everyone just thinks of himself." "What do I care about the plague?" "Nobody shoots me or locks me up." "Let each man save his bacon ..." "Elisabeth?" " Yes, sorry." " No, I'm sorry." "I didn't know that ..." "I wasn't listening at all." "Forgive me." " Do you want me to leave?" " No, please stay." "If you can stand me." " Where have you been?" " I went for a walk." " And you?" " I had a bone to pick with Kristen." " About what?" " His naiveté in a certain matter." " I'll put the kettle on for tea." " Yes, please." "At last!" "They're picking up the dresser." " Can you keep up, Agnes?" " Yes. I was just thinking ..." "It's a good thing we've got that camp bed."