"I know how to breathe and how not to breathe, how to think to avoid fainting or going mad." "He's been carrying on like this for as long as I can remember." "Would you like some more?" "Erik?" "No, thank you." "Hold your fork properly, Erik!" "What's the matter?" "We'll have a chat after dinner, just the two of us." "EVIL" "Based on a novel by Jan Guillou" "Bullying ..." "Physical abuse ..." "Do you understand what I am saying?" "Do you understand the ramifications?" "Never, I repeat never, in all my years as headmaster of this school, have I met such an ill-behaved pupil as you, so inconsiderate." "Erik Ponti!" "Now, you listen to me!" "The fact that some teachers in this school happen to defend your academic ability does not make up for your behaviour, it makes it even worse." "I can't understand it." "It's incomprehensible, it's deeply worrying." "There's only one word for people like you, and that is evil." "Evil in its purest form." "There's no other explanation." "What you need is a good thrashing, and even more." "You'll never be admitted to any grammar school in this country." "Now go." "There's only one word for people like you, and that is evil." "The best thing would be to set up a trust fund for Erik." " Has your husband approved this sale?" " These things belong to me." "I had to ask." "He is the boy's stepfather, after all." " As for your fee, we'll ..." " Let's deal with that after the sale." "Erik?" "Come in, Erik." "You've met Mr Ekengren, our lawyer, haven't you?" "It was a few years ago, you were no bigger than this." "Actually, it was at your father's funeral." "We were old school friends, you know." "Oh, excuse me, be careful." "Mind the door." "Erik, about these thefts ..." "They couldn't prove anything." "In which case you're not guilty, at least not from a purely legal angle." " Is there any other way of being guilty?" " No." "I'll prepare the paperwork as soon as possible, and then I'll be in touch." "Erik, take my card." "You can always phone me if anything comes up." "I'll find my own way out." "Erik, I know." "I know everything." "I suppose that you smoke." "There are so many things I should have done for you." "I've spoken to your form teacher, and she believes in you." "She knows." "I had to explain to her how things have been for you." "She understood." "There's only one year left until you're in the sixth form." "I've arranged for you to ..." "I didn't want to say anything until it was all finalised." "You're going to go to a new school, a boarding school." "There's a train in four hours." "I had to sell a few things, as you can see." "You have to promise me something, Erik." "Look at me." "You have to promise me something." "This is your last chance of reaching the sixth form." "You mustn't make a mess of it." "Promise me that." "By the way, there are some new clothes on your bed." "When's he coming home?" "It'll be all right." "Here, run down and get a haircut." "Erik Ponti?" " Do you ride?" " No." "All the better." "There's no stable here at the school, so it's rather hard work." "One has to go down to the manor, that's why I'm a little late." "Otto Silverhielm." "The head of the student council." "One of my duties is to show new pupils the premises." "And so, onwards to Cassiopeia." "At first, you live a little more simply." "Next year you'll have better quarters, and you'll stay in splendid rooms in Olympia, once you're a sixth former." "I'm only here for a year." "You're in the room at the bottom." "Don't put your feet on the seat." "You're sharing a room with Pierre Tanguy, a good guy, from what I've heard." "Clever." "People say his father is involved in big business abroad." "In Switzerland." "Mind you, Tanguy is hardly the athletic type." " Do you do any sports?" " Yes, swimming." "I swim." "This way." "Let's go to work, boys." "That's good, Birger!" "Pass the ball." "Keep it up, boys!" "Stjärnsberg has the best sports facilities in the country, among the boarding schools." " A freshman?" " A swimmer, he says." "Good afternoon, sir." "In my lessons we use the second person with each other." "Excuse me." "Berg is not so bad, I suppose, but there are rumours that he's a social democrat." " This is about as good as it gets." " Yes, but I stay on dry land." "You should be glad you've ended up here." "If there's anything you want to know, just ask." "Here at Stjärnsberg we believe in team spirit." "Hello!" " Erik." " Pierre." "Welcome." " Do you like Charlie Parker?" " He's OK, but I prefer Elvis." "It seems good here." "Good pool." "What's Berg like?" " So you're one of those sport freaks." " Yes, I guess so." " What about you?" " Guess!" "But I did like Hamrin's goal against Germany." "It was really good." " But it doesn't measure up to a good book." " I like reading as well." "How come you ended up here?" "Are you too posh for normal school or is your father a diplomat?" "Neither, really." "You're going to like him." "Berg, the sports master." "He's quite good, actually, to us useless ones." " What are the teachers like, otherwise?" " They're quite good." " They don't beat you, then?" " No, in this school the students keep order." " That's the whole point of team spirit." " Sounds good." "It is what it is and what it's always been." "Do you have good grades?" "Not exactly." "Especially not in mathematics." "I could do with some private lessons." "I can do that for you at half the price." "If it's no good, you get your money back." " Yes, why not?" " It runs in the family, you know." "That's how my old man got rich." "He made money out of dodgy deals." "Silverhielm said something about your father living down in Switzerland." " So he showed you round, did he?" " He seemed quite a decent sort." " Some people think so." " What about you?" "What do you think?" "I try not to think anything." "It's better not to think anything." "Do you like film?" " There's no one better than James Dean." " What's your favourite scene?" "When they're in the observatory looking at the stars, then they fight with knives." " And yours?" " At the end when his friend dies." "I cry every time I see it." "The headmaster and all the teachers sit there." "Newcomers like you always sit at the bottom end of the table, and every table has a monitor and a vice monitor." "Yours is Silverhielm and the other one is called Dahlén." "Don't speak unless you have to, and mind your table manners." "In the name of Jesus we sit at the table." "May God bless the food we are given and with your benevolent hand bless our home and country." "Amen." "I hear you're going to be in my class." "Johan." "Erik." "You're from Stockholm as well, aren't you?" "I'm from Kungsholmen." "Don't they seat us in our class groups?" "Yes, but they also mix the lower forms with the higher ones, right up to the sixth formers." "Every school has its own traditions." "And here everyone is placed according to the peerage." " What about those who aren't aristocrats?" " They're placed according to their wealth." " And the others?" " They don't belong here." "I suppose you can think what you like about that." "His father's a social democrat." " What's your father, then?" " None of your sodding business." "What did I hear?" "You over there!" "What sort of language is that?" " But it wasn't me." " Don't give me any lip." "Come here!" "You can count on getting the odd pepper-pot." "What's that?" "It's what Karlberg just had." "It's not as bad as it looks." " The one-stitch blow is much worse." " Let's go and smoke." " Are we allowed to?" " Absolutely not." "Are you coming?" "No, I have to study, but I'll see you later." " What if you refuse to have the pepper-pot?" " You have to stand in the dunce's corner." "What if you won't stand in the dunce's corner?" "Weekend detention." "At least then you won't have to go home." "The same with smoking." "You can't refuse weekend detention, you'd get expelled." "I won't get expelled." "I'm going to improve my marks so I can get into the sixth form." "Just make sure you don't stick out too much." "The best thing is to be ordinary." "Damn, I have to go." "Don't forget the pine-needles, I mean so you don't smell." "Pierre, what happens if you hit them back?" "Pierre?" "So we see here the dispersion of the Germanic peoples." "The Germanic tribes differ in many ways from the Slavic tribes that came from the east." "These differences can be seen and traced even today." " Wägner?" " Yes, sir?" "Actually, we have a newcomer here in the class." " Ponti?" " Yes, sir." "Come and stand here so everyone can see you clearly." "A good specimen." "So, what do we see?" "A steady gaze." "Show us your profile." "Straight nose, a powerful chin, a broad jawbone." "Proportional facial features." "Observe the well-developed musculature on the arms and legs." "All in all, this is typical of the Germanic type." "Many of Charles XII's Carolinians would most probably have looked like this." "The blue ones." "Thank you, you can sit down." "And now let's take another example." " Tanguy?" " Yes, sir." "Would you like to come and stand here?" "The best academic mind in this school." "But, but, but ... what do we see here?" "Eyes set deep in the head, poor vision, a fleshy nose, sloping shoulders like the outline of a bottle, the waist like the base of a skittle." "In addition, thin legs, a tendency to flat-footedness." "All this a splendid example of the southern type." "Allez!" "In other words, we can easily distinguish clear differences." "The only question is, how do we act on this insight, this knowledge?" "Any suggestions?" " Are there any others like Melander here?" " Nazis?" "No, he's the only one left." "Jews are being admitted here now." "It wasn't like that 10 or 20 years ago." "The whole school was full of people like him." "Strange that they let him carry on like that." "It's just a lot of bloody crap." "What was that?" " I just thought I heard something." " I'm sorry, maybe I swore." "Over here!" " We were discussing something." " I said come here." " Are you refusing?" " Yes, I'm refusing." "Well, you'll have to stay in the dunce's corner." "I'm afraid I'm going to refuse that as well." " You know what that means." " Yes, weekend detention." "And you, you should know better." "Come here!" "Come, come." "All right?" "Can I swim a couple of lengths?" ""Can I swim a couple of lengths?" You're new here, aren't you?" " This pool is reserved in the evenings." " For whom?" "Sixth formers, members of the council, the school team." "So you'd better leave." "What does it take to get into the school team?" "What's the school record for 50 metres freestyle?" "29.6." "I can do 50 metres in 29 seconds." "OK, Lewenheusen." "Let's see." "You were out by 1/10." "Welcome to the school team." "My name is Karl von Rosen." " Unfortunately I can't congratulate you." " Why, are you jealous?" "Not the least." "The less you stick out the better." "What do you suggest I should do?" "Swim more slowly?" " How do you manage to keep a low profile?" " People see me as a bookworm and a coward." "It's not as much fun punching someone who's a cowardly intellectual." "It's going to be much worse for you." "But you don't understand that yet." "Come in." "Erik Ponti?" "You have to go to Olympia House." " Why?" " It's an order from Dahlén." "What did I say?" "So I'm the winner today." "I got six hits on you, five on him." "It was only four." "Look here!" "Our little swimming boy, who's a bit of a big mouth or maybe just a little stupid." "No, I'm not." "Good." "So I won't have to explain how to polish shoes, then?" " Back in a minute." " Then ... you get started on these." "All these pairs have to pass inspection." "You better get started." "Not on your life." " What the hell are we going to do with him?" " Calm down." "He's new." "Why didn't you just do it?" "You should have." "You have to do as they say." "I know." "I should have polished their damned shoes, but I just couldn't." " At least I didn't fight them." " What do you mean?" " What happens if you hit a council member?" " You'd get expelled." "Shit, I don't want any trouble!" "I came here to get away from trouble." " Can't you just lie low for a while?" " What if you can't?" "Wait a minute, Erik!" "Have you read Gandhi?" " What do you mean, Gandhi?" " He liberated India without any violence." "Good, so we'll just tell everyone that we refuse to be bullied, and everything will be sorted out!" "You've already refused to do two things." "You're going to be punished." "I don't give a shit." "They can give me as many weekend detentions as they want." "Do you think it's possible to resist them non-violently?" " At least that's what I want to think." " Me too." " Shall we say goodnight, then?" " Yeah, let's." "Goodnight." " Erik, are you asleep?" " Yes, almost." "I just wanted to say, you're my friend." "You're my friend too, Pierre." "You're the only friend I've ever had in this school." "Round and round until it actually passes out." "Possibly this behaviour is explained by the intoxication of love." "The urge that is so strong that it disengages the self-protective instincts in the animal." "A capercaillie, Tetrao urogallus, that's displaying, can get into such a pitch of excitement that it starts attacking cattle or even people." "Its sexual instincts, so to speak, make it lose its common sense." "You can read about all this in Schultz, chapters five to eight." "That'll be all for today." "Thanks, my friends." "Thank you, sir." "He's good, Tranströmer." "The Crane is the best teacher in the school." "He was going to be a professor in Lund." "He doctored in something about fatty amino acids." " But someone else got the job." " Look out!" " Apologise!" " For what?" " For behaving like an oaf." " Just do it." "Just apologise and we'll forget it." "Like hell I will." "You stuck-up little shit." " Apologise!" " Never!" "Consider yourself challenged, in the ring, seven o'clock." "What bloody ring?" "They're always two against one." "You have to take as much of a beating as you can." " Otherwise you're a coward." " You have to crawl and beg for mercy." " But you're allowed to hit them back?" " Yes, but you don't stand a chance." "You don't have to do it." "But then you'll be called a rat for the rest of the term." "Everyone wants to see blood, that's the sad thing." "They want blood." "Fight!" "Fight!" "Fight!" "Will you obey from now on?" "Now you're not so cocky, are you?" "Get up!" "Have you had enough?" " I don't understand this." " Let's see." "It's the same thing ..." "Do you want to get beat up?" "Erik, but I ..." " Beg for mercy!" " Mercy!" " What did you say?" " I'm begging for mercy!" " Crawl out of here!" " Crawl!" "Crawl!" "Crawl!" "Crawl!" " Hello!" " Hello, it's me." " Erik!" "Is it really you?" " Is he at home?" "No, Father is in the restaurant." "They are so busy at the moment." " He's not my father." " How are things with you?" "I've been thinking so much about you." "Is everything all right?" " I probably won't be home for a while." " Has anything happened?" " No, I just have to study at the weekends." " I understand." " No one is giving you trouble, I hope?" " I've made a friend." "Pierre, he's called." "That's nice." "I knew things would go well, didn't I say so?" "Next man, Erik Ponti!" "It appears that rat doesn't have the guts to be here." "Rat!" "Rat!" "Rat!" "Let's go and smoke." "Well done!" "It's forbidden to socialise with kitchen staff." " Do you get expelled for that as well?" " Yes, definitely." " Have you done it?" "You know what I mean." " Yes, many times." "No, I haven't." "What about you?" "Rats tend to multiply very quickly, don't they?" "So what's your conclusion?" "If x = 18, then y = -3." "Well done!" "Room search!" "Get out!" "Room search!" "Get out!" "Stand against the wall!" "Well done, Markus, but you need to kick harder as you approach the finishing line!" "Thanks for today, boys." "You really feel at home in the water, don't you?" "Just before Christmas we have the school championships." "Why is it called the Lewenheusen Cup?" "His father endowed the prize." "And obviously his son is supposed to win it this year." "But I think you have a good chance of pipping him at the post." "I don't know." "Erik, do you know what's the worst thing for a sports master?" "It's when you see talent go to waste, promise that never comes to fruition." "Never get like that, even if winning would create enemies for you." " I already have enemies." " So show them." "In an honest battle." "Show them that your name doesn't have to be Lewenheusen to lift the swimming cup." "Just think how good it would be for the lower forms to have their own champion." " You think so?" " Of course I do." "It's never happened before." "Sport is democratic, Erik, think about that." "Listen up!" "The council meets tonight at 20.00." "The following are required to be present," "Bergvall ..." "Lagerros ..." "Leffler   and Rat." "Hello!" " What did you get?" " Three weekend detentions." " What did they say?" " They didn't say anything." "Rat, it's your turn." "Could the secretary please read out the accusation?" "The accused has refused to comply with orders." "On 3rd September at 21.15 he refused an order from Gustaf Dahlén to polish shoes." " Is this correct?" " Yes, factually speaking." " Stand up straight!" " Does the way I stand affect this hearing?" "Your punishment for mouthing off to the council is a weekend of hard labour." "Would the secretary make a note of that?" "Do you have anything to add in your defence when it comes to the main charges?" "Don't you know lower school pupils always have to follow orders from sixth formers?" "Yes, but Dahlén piled up a load of muddy shoes for me to polish." " He was just trying to humiliate me." " We don't need to deliberate further on this." "Yours is a simple case of insubordination, and you have been cheeky in front of the council." "Therefore we are punishing you with two further weekend detentions, and we warn you to shape up in the future." "Do you understand?" "I'll obey orders from council members." "I won't polish any bloody shoes for sixth formers." "That was the second time you used bad language." "Another weekend detention." " Plus we demand an apology." " I've already been given my punishment." "The council sentences you to four weekend detentions and two under house arrest." " Will you now apologise?" " No." "So the punishment will now increase to two weekends with hard labour, eight weekends under house arrest for verbal insubordination and disrespectful behaviour." "You may go." "Lagerros, raking the paths." "Leffler, corridor cleaning." "Bergvall, painting the flagpoles." "You may go." "Rat, come with me." "We need a trench here, exactly one metre long, one metre wide and one metre deep." "Nothing else." "Understood?" "So go to work!" "They say that American swimmers have started working out with weights, rings and all sorts." " You only go stiff." " Yes, but it gets better, they say." "You build up more speed than you ever had before." "So you think this is a good way of training?" "According to the Yanks, anyway." "We'll have to hope they're right." "Go on, speed up a bit, it's going to rain." "Well done!" "Good work!" " Do you know what you're going to do now?" " No, what?" "You have to fill it in again, obviously, before someone falls into it and hurts the mselves." " Did you hear what I said, Rat?" " Yes." "Good." "Get to work!" "Have they forced you to work?" "Because you don't want to fight?" " Partly." " That's not right." "It's known as team spirit." "I've got a brother at home." "He reminds me a little of you." "He doesn't say very much, but he gets really steamed up if anyone does anything unfair." "Mikko is his name." " Where are you from?" "Helsingfors?" " No, Savolaks." "Back home those fine and mighty council members would get lynched." "They wouldn't be allowed to carry on like the whites during the war." " Do you ever miss home?" " I miss my family, of course." "But there aren't any jobs back home." "I like it here." "It's fine." "But I only make 125 crowns a week and I'm not allowed to join the union." "Bye." " What's your name?" " Marja." " Erik." " I know." "I told you that you are not allowed to ..." "I found it." "Savolaks." "It says here it's a province in Finland of great natural beauty." " I've realised what I want to be." " What?" "A writer." "But my dad would never let me do that." " What about you?" " Finnish." "Sounds OK, but it's hardly a job." " A lawyer, then?" " Why not?" "A Finnish lawyer." "Have a nice weekend." "Rat." "Oscar Wilde." "He's a poof, isn't he?" "Wilde." "He's dead." " Have the Swedish masters approved this?" " What, that he's dead or a poof?" "Bloody watch yourself." " Don't you ever have any free time?" " Apparently not, but it doesn't bother me." " Don't you miss your parents?" " Not very much." "Strange." "At home it's proper winter, but here it's warm enough to take an evening walk." "I was going to take a stroll later." "At about seven o'clock." "Where you boys stand around having a smoke." "Like I said, about seven." "Hello." "How did you know we come here?" "You know what you know." " You shouldn't smoke." " That's what my coach says." "That's not what I was thinking about." "I was thinking more about your breath." "Right." "We usually take these pine-needles and chew them." " It makes everything disappear." " Everything?" "Yes, everything." " Even me?" " No, you're here." "But who wants to kiss an anthill?" " Come on, Karlberg!" " What happened?" "Did you do it?" "Stop this." " But what did she do?" " Take the ball, Pierre." "Take up your position." "You're the goalkeeper." "Don't talk too much!" "Nice try, Pierre." " And then there's the Cloister Night." " The Cloister Night?" "What's that?" "A fine old tradition." "Most people get away with a cold shower." "They hoisted one kid up the flagpole." "He was hanging there for hours, screaming like a pig." "So watch yourself." "They always focus on freshmen who stand up for themselves." " What time will they be here, do you think?" " Around midnight." "If they wanted the element of surprise they'd come at three, but they're too impatient." " What are you going to do with that thing?" " Defend myself." "Are you mad?" "It's the whole council all together. 12 men." " If you use that thing you'll be expelled." " You shouldn't be here." "Jakobson is away." "Sleep in his bed." "No, I'm staying." " Are you sleeping?" " Are you mad?" " What are you most afraid of?" " To be expelled." " Then my whole future goes up in smoke." " I meant what they might do to you." "That they knock my teeth out or break my nose." "What about you?" "Forget that I asked." "Be quiet." "Birger, you stand to the left, Olof to the right." "Don't stand so close." "Best wishes from Olympia!" "Sleep well, Rat!" "Fucking hell!" "What a stench!" "I am going to be sick!" " What time is it?" " It has to be three o'clock." " Are you sure about this?" " Absolutely." "I'll be back in ten minutes." "How did it go?" "What did they say?" "They had no proof." "I said it could be anyone." " Even you." " Thanks." "Silverhielm will never let this rest." "I know." "Better to get it over and done with." "In the name of Jesus we sit at the table." "May God bless the food we are given and with your benevolent hand bless our home and country." "Amen." "Strange." "Can anyone smell shit?" "Shit, I smell shit." "Is there someone here who hasn't washed properly?" "I wonder if sixth-form shit tastes better than lower-form shit." "What do you think?" "Shittyhielm." "You!" "I heard that you tried it." "Maybe it was your own shit you were eating." "You're stinking, Shittyhielm." "Even your hands are stinking." "Shittyhielm." "Stop it!" "I think that'll do, boys." "Who are you?" "Really?" "Can we talk about it later?" "I have to sleep." "No talking in the ranks, Karlberg." "Keep the distance, boys." "Nice and easy." " You're not allowed here." " But I want to see you." "Come!" "Out of the way!" "I've got no food for you." " Did you hear me?" " Yes, yes." "Will you come and watch tomorrow?" "Do you want me to?" "I'll be there, then." " Will you win?" " If you come, I'll win." "Do you dare to win?" "The winner of the 200 metre freestyle is Erik Ponti from class 3:5!" "... coming in for the last lap." "I hand over to Headmaster Lindblad." "So now there's only the 300 metre freestyle left." "It's between you and Lewenheusen now." "What are you going to do?" " What do you mean?" " Are you going for it?" "You want me to let Lewenheusen win?" "Then it would be fairer not to enter the race." "This is not about being fair." "Haven't you understood that?" "This is Stjärnsberg." "Just thought I'd check that no one falls and picks up an injury before the last hurdle." "We've got them!" "Be careful not to get disqualified at the start." " Everything has already been decided." " For that very reason!" "Show the bastards." "What'll happen if I win?" "You'll be untouchable." "I promise, it's a matter of honour." "Get set!" "The overall champion and holder of three new school records," "Erik Ponti from class 3:5!" "Don't." " I'm decorating the tree." " I can see that." "I can see that you're decorating the tree." "Erik?" "Sweetheart, welcome home!" "I've missed you so much!" "How is my little boy?" "You look so grown-up." "Doesn't he?" "But what the hell is he wearing?" "He looks like a tram driver, doesn't he?" "You look lovely, really lovely." "Look." " But what have you done?" " Nothing." "Here." "It's wonderful." "We'll keep it here." "Are you hungry?" "We'll be eating in a minute." "Father has brought food back from the restaurant." "Venison." "This is very good." "How many straight A's have you got?" "But what the hell is this?" "C for behaviour." "How does our Stjärnsbergian explain that?" "Has it got something to do with all the weekend detentions?" "Just think, you won the school championships in swimming." "But, my dear, that's not what we're bloody talking about, is it?" "Do you have an explanation?" "I didn't want to be some errand boy for the sixth formers." "I see, you didn't want that." "What did you want to be, then?" " Left in peace." " What?" "Left in peace?" "So you thought your mother should sell off her heirlooms so you could be left in peace?" " Is that it?" " No." "But what the hell do you mean, then?" "I don't understand anything." "How many do you want, Erik?" "Thank you." "Look how wonderful it looks." "Pommes duchesse, marvellous." "Erik, you know whenever there's something I don't understand, we have to have a chat after dinner." "That's what we'll do." "But have some, darling, start." "Haricots, how delicious!" "Oh, sorry." "There we are." " We're friends again." " Friends again." "Marja!" "Marja!" "Marja!" " Hello, Pierre!" " Hello." "Thanks for the record." "Sounds good." " What's this?" " Open it." "THE SWEDISH STATUTE BOOK" "If you're going to be a lawyer you'll need it." "Thanks!" "Not that it applies in this school, but nonetheless." "LAW OF THE COUNTRY OF SWEDEN" "It's quite strange when you think about it." "School rules shouldn't be above the law of the land, should they?" " Would you like some more?" " No, thanks." "You there!" "What?" "I haven't done anything." "Don't give me any lip now." "Come here." " No, I won't." " You'll have to stand in the corner, then." "Why?" "I haven't done anything." "I'm calling you to the council at 7 o'clock." "Understood?" "How did it go?" "What did they say?" " Three weekend detentions." " Why?" "I gave them lip and refused the pepper-pot." "Next time I have to meet them in the ring." "You said it wasn't any fun thumping someone who was a coward and an intellectual." "Room search!" "Stand up straight, Tanguy!" " What the hell are you doing?" " Stand up straight, Tanguy!" "Stand up straight, Tanguy!" "Look at me!" "Good!" "It looks like we have a bed-wetter here." "We'll be back in an hour, Tanguy!" "Don't you understand what this is about?" "They're trying to get at you." "They've just changed their tactics." "Good day, sir." "Good day, sir." "Erik!" "Erik!" "I've been thinking about training this term." "I'm not doing it any more." " I'm not going to swim any more." " What are you saying?" "You can't do that!" "But you're the best swimmer we've ever had." "You said I'd be untouchable, that it was a matter of honour." "But there is no honour in this place, only different ways of making life hell for people." "Every time I ask her to order supplies, she never gets it right." "Never." " Hello!" " You're not allowed to be here." " Don't you want to see me?" " Of course I do, but it's too risky." " I don't give a damn about them." " I don't want to lose my job." " And you could be expelled." " Wait!" "I'm sorry, Erik." "It's not possible." "Not now." "What did he want?" "Marja, tell me!" "Rat!" "Come up for an inspection!" "Rat!" "In here." "Good that you could come, Rat." "We need an independent witness." "Fatty here is just about to admit he's been smoking on the sly." "If you hit him you'll be expelled." "That's quite right." "Paragraph 13." "And smoking indoors is also enough for immediate expulsion." "Paragraph 7." "Who's going to prove that?" "A rat and a pig?" "Dahlén, it's like a bloody zoo in here!" "How about that confession?" "I think it's about time to stub out the cigarette." "Here!" "Stub it out here, you coward!" "What?" "Let's see if it hurts as much as you think." "With your permission, in front of witnesses." "With any bloody permission you like." "You haven't got the guts, asshole!" "Get dressed, Tanguy." "Present yourself in the ring tomorrow at seven o'clock." "You know ..." "None of this really needs to happen at all." "If everyone followed the rules, everything would be much easier." "That's what rules are for." "Why should your friend suffer just because you think you are above everyone else?" "Think about it." "Come on." "I'll help you." "Silverhielm is cruel." "He's an evil human being." "But why?" "Was he born like that or has he been at Stjärnsberg for too long?" "Maybe he was beaten as well when he first came here." "That's how the system works." "The person who's kicked around in the lower form takes his revenge later on." "That's why it just continues." "Does it hurt?" "I just know that people like Silverhielm have to be fought." "Someone like him must never win, not now or ever." "That's just the way it is." " Have you seen Pierre?" " No." " Have you seen Pierre?" " No." " Johan!" "Have you seen Pierre?" " Not since the maths class." "Is it true he's been called to the ring tonight?" " You don't have to do it." " It doesn't matter what you say." "I've already decided." " I'm going to do it." " Why?" "Otherwise it'll just carry on." "If I do it now, maybe they'll leave me alone." "Wasn't that what you said yourself?" " Might as well get it out of the way." " But you're not like me." "I know how to fight." "I can fight harder than you can even imagine." "I've had to fight my whole life, and I know it never ends." " So help me, then!" " How?" " Show me!" "Teach me how to fight." " You can't learn to fight." " Why?" "Am I too weak?" " It's not about that." "It's in your head." "Damn it, let's forget about this." "I'll let them hit me." "You don't seem to understand." "It's too late." "How is you getting beaten up going to help?" "How do you know I will get beaten up?" "You think you're the only one who can fight?" "People like Silverhielm have to be fought, now and for ever." "Who said that?" " I wish I could take your place." " What?" "Why?" "Do you think you're better than me?" "Maybe Silverhielm was right." "You think you're better, because you don't scream when they burn you with a cigarette." "It's sick!" " So what do you want me to do?" " It doesn't matter what you say." "I'm going into the ring anyway." "Be an idiot, then!" "Fight!" "Fight!" "Fight!" "Pierre Tanguy!" "Come and get your punishment!" "Where is your rat friend?" "Come on, Tanguy!" "Come on, little piggy!" "Come on, fatty!" "Tanguy!" "Tanguy!" "Tanguy!" "Fatty!" "Are you going to do as you're told from now on, or carry on being cheeky?" "Don't kick him!" "Do you promise to do as you're told?" "I don't promise anything, you cowardly swine!" " What did you call me?" " A swine!" "A shit-stinking swine!" " Can we hear that again?" " Shittyhielm!" " One more time?" " Shittyhielm!" "Crawl!" "Crawl!" "Never!" " What time is it?" " Almost nine o'clock." " Have you had any sleep?" " Yes." "A bit." "You got in a good punch there." "Have you been practising on the quiet?" "No." "I just lashed out, sort of." "Don't worry." "I'm going to have a word with Silverhielm." "This is all going to stop now." "I have to go to my house arrest now." "See you tonight." "Will you be OK?" "Erik?" " See you later." " Yes, see you later." "Rat!" "One of the boys in 2:5 is sick so you'll have to do his punishment duties." " Don't give me lip!" " I'll take these." "Here!" "These stakes have to be put into the ground in a 2x2 metre square." "They've got to be firm as rock." "And after that you can go up to your arrest." "Understood?" "Good." "Get to work." "A THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS" "You can go and have some food now." "Let me go!" "Let me go!" "Let me go!" "Let me go!" "I hope you put the stakes in properly." "We'll take your dick last of all." "How does it feel, then?" "Are you scared?" "I'm never going to be scared of you, Shittyhielm." "Start with the hot water." "Do it!" "Scald him!" "Come here!" " Do it!" " Pour it on!" " I don't want to!" " It's you or him!" "Do it!" "Looks like you need cooling down, Rat!" "Cold water!" "Let him stay there!" "We can't leave him there!" "He'll freeze to death!" "Shut up!" " Are you still cold?" " Yes, a little." "Dear Erik, by the time you read this letter I'll already have left Stjärnsberg forever." "Please don't think I'm a coward." "I tried to hold out for as long as I could." "There is so much I want to say, but there is no time." "The taxi is coming in a minute." "Anyway, I want you to know that you are the best friend I've ever had." "If you like, you can write to me at my mother's address in Stockholm." "Your affectionate friend, Pierre." "PS, I didn't have space for my collected works of Strindberg and the gramophone." "Please make full use of them ..." "Come in!" "Hello, Erik." " Is this a bad time?" " No." "You've been lying here for four days." "Should I ask the nurse to take a look at you?" "No, I feel much better." "The rumours are flying." "I've heard that Silverhielm went over the top this time." "What exactly happened?" "Nothing." "Too bad what happened to Pierre." "It really was." "Well." "What kind of brutes are you?" "Don't you understand what you have done?" "Pierre was one of the most gifted students we've ever had at Stjärnsberg." "You and he were close friends, Erik." "Why didn't you defend him?" "Couldn't you have defended him?" "At least give me an answer!" "Why didn't you defend him?" "Are you as cowardly as the others?" "You get expelled if you fight with a council member." "The thing that separates humans from animals is not only intelligence." "It's also morality." "The ability to know the difference between good and evil." "You have all behaved like animals." "Like vultures." "It's undignified." "Do you hear me?" "Undignified!" "This has to stop." "I don't think you understand exactly what's happened here, sir." "That'll be all for today." "Thank you." "The ring in one hour." "Bring von Schenken with you." "Erik!" "Erik!" "Erik!" "After much deliberation, Rat has decided to accept the challenge." "I call on the punishment prefects to teach him a good lesson in the true spirit of Stjärnsberg." "You may start." "I've got a simple question about the rules." "Do I have to hit them until both crawl out of the ring, or just one?" "It's over once you crawl out or, hypothetically, if both of the punishment prefects crawl out." "Good." "Just one more question." "Can I hit them as much as I like?" "Fight!" "I was thinking about you, Dahlén." "I thought I might break your nose." "And you!" "Are you left or right-handed?" "Right-handed." "Very well." "I'll break your left arm at the elbow." "Don't talk so bloody much." "Rat!" "We said the nose, didn't we?" " Beg for mercy!" " Mercy!" "Crawl!" "You too!" "Crawl!" "Crawl!" "Hello." "I'd like to talk to Marja." "Can you ask her to come out?" "Marja doesn't work here any more." "She got fired." "Three days ago." "They had no proof, but apparently they didn't need any." "What do you mean, fired?" "For what?" "You should know!" "... and because Linné called this group Cryptogamia or cryptogams, with crypto indicating "hidden" or "obscured", it gives us "hidden wedding" or "hidden fertilization"." "Erik?" " Erik!" " Yes." " Are you all right?" " I'm fine." "And then we have the other group, phanerogams ..." "Von Leiven." "Vinberg." "Ponti." "Ponti has a letter from Finland." "Room search!" "I found it!" "This is even better than I thought." ""Don't worry about me getting with child with you."" "That prostitute can't even put it in proper Swedish. "With child with you."" ""I had my diaphragm on."" "What?" "Did she have the stopper on her head and not in her cunt?" ""I'm sorry it all went so wrong, but I suppose it's both of our fault." ""Maybe it's true that I love you."" ""But I don't think we'll see each other again."" "I don't think so either!" "You've fucked the kitchen whore." "When the headmaster sees this you'll be expelled straightaway!" "Stand up straight." "Please sit down, gentlemen." "Not you, Ponti." "Go to the headmaster straightaway!" "Take your things." "Gentlemen!" "It's November." "6th November, to be precise. 1632." "Lützen." "Dense fog before us." "Come in." "If I understand things right, you've been having problems finding your feet at Stjärnsberg." "Is that right?" "Well, the school rules are very clear on these matters." "I have no alternative but to expel you immediately, without any diploma." "I would prefer to have you off school premises, shall we say by three o'clock tomorrow?" "It's my duty to inform your parents, but I assume you would prefer to have a word first." "The letter, may I have it back?" " What will you do with it, if I may ask?" " Her address." "I'd like to write to her." "The best thing you can do now is to forget about that girl." "I want you to know that you're the best friend I ever had." "Maybe it's true that I love you." "But I don't think we'll see each other again." "Stop!" "Only members of this school are allowed to eat here." "Hello!" "Hello, who is it?" "Erik, hello?" "Erik, is it you?" "Hello, hello ..." "It's just the two of us now, Silverhielm." "It's two kilometres to the stable and even further to the school." "You could try and make a run for it." "You're fairly quick." "If you go now, it will probably take me 100 metres to catch up with you." " What the hell are you talking about?" " Down on your knees!" "You're mad." "I said, down on your knees!" "What do you want." "Money?" "I'll give you 10,000!" " Is that all you're worth?" " Really." "I'll give it to you tomorrow." " I swear on my honour as a nobleman." " Your honour as a nobleman?" "Where was that honour when you tortured Pierre until he couldn't stand it any more?" "When you hit me and I couldn't defend myself?" "You did everything to provoke me!" "You've given me hell!" "That ring, give it to me!" "It's the sort of thing they use to identify a rotten old corpse." "And the teeth, of course." "It'll be difficult to get all your teeth out." "But by then I guarantee you won't feel a thing." "Are you mad?" "They'll give you a life sentence in prison." "I've thought it through." "There'll be no proof once I've burned your blood-stained clothes." "Only Pierre and Marja will know about it." "I won't tell anyone else." "Did you really think I was going to kill you?" "I'm not like you, Silverhielm." "GUNNAR EKENGREN LAWYER" "Four cheers!" "Hip hip!" "Hurrah, hurrah, hurrah, hurrah!" "Dear colleagues." "I'm extremely moved by all this kindness." "And by way of thanks I'd very much like to say on behalf of my wife and myself ..." "I think we have a visitor." "Ponti!" "Are you still here?" "I thought we had concluded any remaining business." " It was just this thing about the letter." " Maybe I didn't make myself clear." "In reference to postal legislation, certain things have not been done correctly here." " Postal legislation?" "What do you mean?" " My right to privacy has been violated." "If you keep the letter, it's a criminal act according to Swedish law." "What are you trying to say?" "I want you to immediately leave the school premises." "Excuse me if I'm interrupting things." " Who are you?" " This is my lawyer." "The name is Ekengren." "Good day to you gentlemen and ..." "Well, this is a rather sorry tale for everyone involved, you might say." "I've just had a long telephone call with a very good friend of mine, who also happens to be a reporter for this very newspaper." "He was very interested to hear about Erik's story." "In fact he would like to come and write a piece on this school, and perhaps flesh out Erik's story a bit more." "May I ask ..." "However, you may not feel this sort of publicity will ultimately be of benefit to the school." "As you can see, I'm rather busy at the moment." "Perhaps we could ..." "The legal implications are already clearly set out here." "I don't know what you think, Erik." "Could we possibly avoid making this a police matter?" "Maybe." "Excuse me, but what is all this about?" "If all the information has not been presented to me, then ..." "Shouldn't the headmaster have access to all the information?" "As I say, if there are certain circumstances of which I have been unaware, then, naturally, I would like to be told of them." "If you'll all excuse me." "Have some cake in the meantime." "The letter." "May I have it back?" " Thanks!" " Behave yourself for the rest of the term." "Get in touch when you come back to town." "It's not my hope but rather my conviction that you'll go into life bearing something that we proudly call the Stjärnsberg spirit." "Good luck!" "Now it all begins, good luck." "Erik, if you see Pierre give him my regards." "Erik, take care of yourself." "With these grades you'll get into any sixth-form college you like." "But he has a D in behaviour." "Is that heading in the right direction, do you think?" "I mean, before he had a C." " Please!" " And now it's a D." "What's your explanation?" "Is it that Finnish whore?" "We've heard all about it." "She was a waitress, just like you." "We'll talk this over after dinner." "What's the matter with you?" "What are you staring at?" "What the hell are you staring at?" "What are you staring at?" "You're coming with me!" "Erik!" "I'm sorry." "Let's get this out of the way." " Please!" " What the hell is going on here?" "It's over!" "You're getting out of here, do you understand?" "In half an hour you'll be in hospital." "You won't be able to see through either of your eyes, your nose will be snapped, your arms will be broken." "You won't dare tell anyone what happened." "You'll say you fell down the stairs." "If you tell the police, they're going to find out what you've been doing to us all these years." "This is going to hurt a hell of a lot." "You're going to scream until you pass out." "I swear I'm really going to do it." "People like you have to be destroyed." "This is the last time, then never again." "I thought you'd be in Savolaks by now." " Where are you going?" " I'm off to school in Geneva." " You know, business." " I thought you were going to be a writer?" "There are a lot of things one wants to do." "What about yourself?" "I've got a job in a legal firm over the summer." "As a messenger boy." "I have to pay you back for my private tuition." "Forget about it." "We're friends." " Money makes no difference to me." " That's because you're rich." " I'll be seeing you, Erik." " I'll be seeing you, Pierre."