"and they descended upon the earth to strengthen theirranks" "Ludwig..." "Jesus man, what's up?" "Why don't you answerthe phone?" "Asleep, wasn't I?" "We've been grassed on." "Get moving." "is it urgent?" "Yes, make sure I can ring you." "Hey, Camiel." "Everything OK?" " No." "Why don't you pick up the phone?" "Get away from here." "Soon as you can." "Good afternoon, madam." "And?" "I wonderif I could have a bath here." "I'm a bit dirty." "Good afternoon." "You're Mrvan Schendel?" "Yes?" "Could I perhaps just take a bath here?" "Beg pardon?" "A showerwould do." "Don't think so." "You'd be doing me a great favour." "You see, I haven't been able to wash for ages." "That may well be, but you can't." "Wait a minute." "You're turning it into a problem." "I'm just a travellerwho needs a wash." "I don't know you and I don't let strangers in." "I'm Anton Breskens." "Born in Flanders to Dutch parents." "Doesn't sound at all good." "Goodbye." "I know yourwife." "You know my wife?" "Why are you here, you runt?" " Take it easy." "I'm not making any claims." "I can't help knowing yourwife." "Who is it?" "Do you know this man?" " No." "Anton?" " Breskens." "Doesn't ring a bell." "I don't know him." "Come on, Maria." "The hospital." "Remember?" "." "You were my nurse." "I'm not a nurse and I'm not called Maria." "You were then." "Admit it, Maria." " My wife's name is Marina." "Marina, Maria..." "What's the difference?" "She doesn't know you." "You hearme?" "Off with you!" "Marina, you nursed me forthree months." "You read to me at night." "Sometimes you came and lay down with me." "Am I in forit because I knew yourwife?" "If you don't get out ofhere I'll bash yourface in." "Marina, does he have to be so aggressive?" "Don't, Richard." "Bugger off." "Bastard." "Richard..." "Richard!" "Who is that bastard?" "Are you hiding things from me?" "Did you used to be a nurse?" "Of course not." "Who is he?" "Do you know him?" "What do you think?" " Don't wind me up." "Do you know him ornot?" "No, I don't know him." "We promised each other something once." "Yes, to be honest." "I am. I don't know him." "Listen Richard, you laid into a man." "He needs care." "The ship moved away from the quay." "The children waved to theirfather who stood on the poop deck." "He waved back with a small handkerchief." "The ship passed the pier and sailed out to sea." "Theirfather grew smaller and smaller, but he kept waving." "And so did they, of course." "Until they couldn't see each other any longer." "And now to bed." "Darling..." "My little flower..." "My king..." "Sleep tight." "Stornebrink rang." "There's going to be chaos." "I've got to go there." " OK." "I'm here." "Shoes off." "Walk quietly." "Can I trust you?" "Sleep well." "Yes?" "Flu?" "Darling..." "Are you a tiny bit ill?" "We'll be late." "Mum, we're off." " Bye." "I saw a magician." "She's delirious." "She's not running a temperature." "Any chance ofbreakfast together?" "." "I would appreciate it if you left." "I can give you a lift." "Drop you somewhere?" "I have to go?" " Please." "Some soup, one night's sleep, and the damage is bought off?" "It hurts everywhere." "That's terrible." "My husband misbehaved. I'm sorry." "is that all a nurse can say:" "I'm sorry?" "What use is sympathy to me?" "I need nursing." "Nurse me." "What about breakfast?" " l'm not a nurse." "Neverhave been." "I can take you to a private clinic." "At my expense." "I'm not ill, I'm in pain." "Have a heart, Marina. I feel good here." "A deer came to my window in the night." "I don't ask much." "A new bandage now and then, a bit ofiodine." "Just a few days." "Promise you won't show yourself?" "Marina..." "Make peace with yourhusband." "It was to protect you." "That's to be praised." "You have 1 new message." "Has the time come yet?" "No." "Send message." "What came overyou yesterday?" "It just happened." "One thing led to another." "I thought it was quite a big thing." "Why did it scare you?" "Yourfanaticism scared me." "Such a bastard." "He wasn't too bad, I thought." "I didn't." "You nearly kicked him to death." "I'm here." "You were not to show yourself." " Just a question." "This house is off-limits." "I simply long for a bath." "Isolde is asleep." "There's no one else in the house." "You've already had a bath." " That was two days ago." "I am dirty, I stink." "You mustn't become a problem." "I've neverbeen a problem to anyone." "Where's Mummy?" "Mummy's downstairs." "Do you know the story of the white child that floats above the clouds?" "Shall I tell it some time?" "Go back to bed then." "Don't worry. I'll be gone before he's inside." "Follow me." " No, you'd betterfollow me." "Why?" "That's impossible, Richard." "Foryou." "Yes, I can see that." "What am I to do with it?" " Just try it on." "I'm really annoyed that you bought this forme." "The white child stood at the edge of the lake in the forest." "She was very wary." "The lake was perhaps not very large but it was known to be very deep." "Maybe as deep as a block of flats is tall." "And everybody knew that there was something alive in it." "A beast." "A large beast with scales and a beak with five hundred small sharp teeth." "And that beast guarded the golden key to happiness." "The white child cried." "Surely she couldn't dive that deep?" "You're early." "Off with you." "Isolde was crying." "She had a nasty dream." "There was unrest." "Now it's all right." "You're not allowed to be in here." "I want you to take that seriously!" "She was crying." "If I hear a child crying I go and see it." "Stine comes home late, just soaks in the bath." "Richard is asleep." "Nobody looks afterthe children." "Leave through the studio, please." "Richard is in the living room." "This is not what we agreed." "I'm sorry?" "What use is that to me?" "Set the alarm." "I'm off." "Anton!" "What's the matter?" "." "Why are you leaving?" "I'm bored. I want to play." "Don't you want to stay?" "Not if I have to hide." "I want to eat with you at the big table." "Richard will have a fit." "That's why I'm leaving." "You mustn't go." "Can't you come back in another capacity?" "It's possible." "But it will have consequences." "That gardener..." "Do you have a special connection with him?" "No..." "Does he have a wife?" "Yes." "Hey, Camiel." "Brenda!" "Foryou." "Yes, Brenda here." "Are you somewhere?" "No problem." "Got the necessaries?" "The necessaries." "The material." "Two bags of mortar, fourbuckets and a tub to mix it in." "And we need a car." "That's no problem." "You must look civilised. lmmaculate." "I'll ring you about that." "Hello?" "Anyone in here?" "Jesus man, what's the matterwith you?" "I'm not well." "I'll ring a doctor." " No!" "Home first. I want to go home first." "Do you have a car?" "." "Can I take you there?" "Please, please." "Where do you live?" "Oh god, my darling." "Doesnt look good." "I'm going to call the doctor." "The doctoris on the way. I took the liberty ofringing a specialist I know." "A specialist?" "In what?" "Poisoning." "Dr Kaperis a toxicologist." "Poisoning?" "Yourhusband's been poisoned, that's obvious." "Do you think so?" "Yes, I think so." "Poisoned who by in heaven's name?" " l have no idea." "Who could do such a thing?" "My husband is all kindness." "Darling boy..." "Darling boy, don't die please." "If anyone can save yourhusband it is Dr Kaper." "Drinking a lot always helps." "That's right." "Good afternoon, I'm Dr Kaper." "Good afternoon, I'm..." "Very nice of you to come." " No problem." "I brought my daughter along." "We were on ourway to a wedding." "He has just lost consciousness." "You're thinking of poison?" "This man's got to be taken to a hospital double quick." "Everything will be all right, madam." "What are you doing?" "I was looking for sand to mix through my paint. I tripped over." "But darling, you don't need to tidy that up." "That's what the gardeneris for." "The gardenerresigned." "Why?" "It was getting too much forhim, he said." "Just like that?" "Yes, I think his wife is ill." "He didn't want to go into it." "Oh, Richard... I'm so sorry." "You are my only real love." "You know that, don't you?" "Of course I know that." "Sometimes everything seems unreal to me." "Do you think I'm hysterical?" " Not at all." "We must trust each other... I trust you like no other." "...and love each other." "Without you I'd be lost, really." "There is something that surrounds us." "Something that is outside us, but slips in now and then." "Awarmth a pleasant warmth that intoxicates, but also confuses." "The shell of something that means harm." "At least that's what I think. I'm not sure." "That's a delusion a hallucination, it's tiredness." "You work too hard." "I feel so guilty." "We have it so good." "We are fortunate." "And the fortunate must be punished." " Marina darling, that is nonsense." "We were born in the West, and the West happens to be affluent." "We can't help it." "What are you doing?" "What are you doing out ofbed?" " l'm hungry." "We're also hungry." "Come along then." "Look!" "Ludwig and Pascal." "Why didn't you stop?" "Yes, why didn't you stop?" "What are you doing?" "Why didn't you stop?" "Are we out of favour orwhat?" " Tell him he's a dickhead." "You're a dickhead." "I'm not saying that, Ludwig says it." "Oh, and Brenda and llonka do come in handy?" "How often do I have to explain?" "I'm going to hang up." "Why?" "Because you're drivelling like an old woman." "Hey, Camiel." "No, it's Pascal." "I was asleep." "We'll sort it out." "Where's Mummy?" "In the bath." "What a bugger of a day." "Stornebrink?" "He's trying to squeeze me out, the bastard." "Found a new gardeneryet?" "There are five applicants coming tomorrow." "What time?" "From two o'clock on." "I'll take overfrom you." "Why?" "The last gardenerwas your choice." "Now it's my turn." "As you wish, darling." "You'll hearfrom me." "Shall I go?" " No, I'll go." "Hello, sir." "I've come to apply forthe gardenerjob." "Do you have any training?" "Diplomas?" "No, sir." "Then why do you apply?" "Pascal..." "An applicant do you think?" "Can't be." "Fuck..." "Sir..." "Hi, I'm here forthe vacancy of a gardener." "We've already got one." "What the hell is that?" "Again no use?" "A black!" "Yes?" "Good afternoon." "I'm offering my services as a gardener." "Ormaybe you have already found one?" "No, no." "Please, come in." "Come through." "Marina, my wife." "Camiel Borgman." "Quite a garden." "That isn't child's play." "Needs some work done." "May I take a look around?" " Certainly." "There's a blue moped outside the front door." "It belongs to that gentleman." "That gentleman may be ournew gardener." "is our gardener dead?" " No, he has moved." "To Australia." "Please girl..." "Go get some help." "Please." "It needs a lot of pruning." "Some plants and trees will neverthrive here." "Mowing, aerating, fertilising..." "Then we remove everything we get rid of." "How long is it going to take?" "Three weeks." " Can't you do it faster?" "." "I could, but I'd have to sleep here somewhere." "There's no need for anything special." "A mattress on the floorwill do." "The summerhouse." "There's a bed." "Awash basin." "Why?" "We have a guest wing." "Will you two excuse me?" "It may not have yourinterest, but much more could be done in this garden." "What's the big idea?" "Why did you have to make this kaput?" "Why did you have to make this kaput?" "Kaput?" "What did you say?" "Kaput?" " Kaput!" "Yes, and I'm asking you why." "That bearwas lovingly put together by human hands." "Maybe even by children's hands." "Children who haven't a life as good as yours." "Children who can't go to school, orto a doctorwhen they are ill." "That bearwas brought to this country in a plane or on a boat." "And then it went in a van to the city, to the toy shop." "That bearhas travelled an enormous distance." "One day I was looking for a present foryou and I saw this bearing the shop window." "And Mummy had never seen such a sweet bearbefore." "She bought it to make you happy." "But Mummy shouldn't have done that" "Nothing gets deliberately broken in this house!" "Understand?" "Marina..." "What?" "Something wrong?" "Can't I tell off my own daughter?" "." "Do you know better?" "." "Come along, kids." "Isolde..." "Mummy is very tired." "She's overworked." "She doesn't mean it that way." "Darling... I've got something to eat foryou." " Just leave it there." "is Camiel yourreal name, or do you have othernames?" "My name is Camiel." "You must eat something." " l must?" "Not must, but may." "It is good to eat when you're working." "It's rolls." "They dry out quickly in the sun." "If you don't want to eat, tell me and I'll take it away again." "I'm taking it back again." "If you're hungry, let me know." "Shall I leave the waterbottle behind?" "I'll put it in the shade." "I'm putting it down here." "You've got to look, oryou can't find it." "Are you done?" "Don't you have any feelers?" "I am the new gardener." "I have an assignment." "You wanted to play, you said." " l am playing." "I play at being a gardener." "Who are they?" "Haven't they introduced themselves?" " No." "Guys..." "This is Marina." "Ludwig." "Pascal." "When the white child was missed a search was organised." "In the village church, people prayed to Jesus." "But as you know Jesus is a bloody bore, only interested in himself." "That evening, heavily armed divers went down to the bottom of the forest lake." "Fifteen minutes laterthey came up, trembling with fear." "Couldn't speak a word." "What was it?" "What did you see?" "the villagers asked." "It's no use, the eldest diverfinally stammered." "The beast is too big and the white child has been swallowed anyway." "The white child's mother fell to the ground, weeping." "I want my baby back, I want my baby back." "You can't mean that, said the diver." "Your child is in the beast's guts." "It's already half digested." "Now the mother stood up and looked at the villagers." "is no one brave enough to get my baby so that I can give her a decent burial?" "There was a silence." "But not forlong, because Antonius, the cripple, stepped forward." "I will fetch your child, he said." "A chilly breeze started blowing and the motherkissed Antonius's hands." "Why are you doing this?" "Why in God's name?" "What?" "Do you hate me that much?" " l don't hate you at all. I love you." "Oh, it's forlove that you carve up my paintings?" "You're disgusting." " Marina..." "I was asleep." "I don't know what you mean." "I haven't done anything." "Wake up, it's not real." " Don't touch me." "For Christ's sake, it's a dream." " l can't stand you any longer." "Come in." "No, I'm not coming in." "I want you to come here." "I'm watching TV." "I can't bearit any longer, Camiel." "Touch me, please." " lmpossible." "Kiss me." " l can't kiss you." "You are Richard's wife." "Richard is my superior." "He is my boss." "Seriously." "Nevermess around with the boss's wife." "Touch me." "I cannot touch you, Marina." "Not yet." "You've come too soon." " Camiel, it's getting exciting." "The friendly chemist turns out to be a serial killer." "Yes, I'm coming." "Have faith." "And patience." "What's the matter?" "." "Nothing." "What's the time?" "The children..." "Where are the children?" "I don't know, I've got to go." "Wait a minute." "They must go to school." " Doesn't Stine do that?" "Stine has the day off." "You take them." " l'm seeing Stornebrink and I'm late." "Fuck Stornebrink, you're taking the kids to school." "It's too important. lt's make orbreak now." "I can't afford any mistakes." "You never do anything forthe children." "Where is Stine?" " She has a day off." "Who is taking us to school?" " Daddy." "Camiel?" "Look, here's your dog." "Are you back again?" "They're a bit tired." "Shall I put them in front of the TV?" "They had a long day." " Get them to pick a nice film to watch." "If you feel like it." "You could also just walk around." "Guys, this is Arthur." "Can he watch the film with you?" "Glass of wine?" " No thanks." "Tap waterwith ice and lemon." "No wine?" " Didn't I say water?" "." "Has something happened?" " No." "We've got guests?" "The gardeners are eating here." "And Stine." "And herboyfriend." "Aha, Stine's boyfriend?" "That's right." "I'm Arthur Stornebrink." "I'm Richard." "We'll talk later." "I'm going to freshen up first." "Can I help you?" "You could peel the potatoes." "What's Stine got up to?" "Arthur, go and see what she's doing." "I'm looking for Stine." "She's gone to the kitchen with a bunch of flowers." "We must have just missed each other." " That's quite possible." "I'm Arthur." " The soldier." "Yes." "We'll see each other at dinner." "Everything's fine." "Get some fresh air." "Everything's fine?" "Wait a minute." "No wine." "Put those bottles away." "There will be no alcohol served tonight." " Don't be ridiculous." "No alcohol?" "Why?" "We'll take no alcohol so that we all stay sober and emotions don't run high." "What's wrong with emotions?" "Yours are running high without a drop of alcohol." "Have I everlost control of myself?" "You want me to answerthat?" "I am an adult. I decide what I drink." "Yes, but not tonight in this kitchen." "And that's up to you?" "Yes, that's up to me." "I'm leaving." "Don't get all screwed up." "Think of the children, our guests." "Why no alcohol?" "What childish stuffis that?" "We must keep ourwits about us." " l don't want to." "Look at me." "I've been fired." "Arthur, do you still live at home?" "Yes." "And in the barracks of course." "And are yourparents still together?" "." "Yes." "Are you interrogating the boy?" "The boy doesn't mind." "Do you, Arthur?" "." "Not at all, isn't that what I'm here for?" "." "What for?" "." " To be interrogated." "So Stine said." "Well, those weren't my words." "I wanted to get acquainted." "I'm not bothered, you know." "I've got nothing to hide." "What does yourfather do, now that we're at it?" "He's with a TV production company:" "Q-Entertainment." " So he's a big shot?" "So he also fires people?" " He hardly ever does." "Except if there's no other solution." " That right?" "He actually fired a man today." "He told you?" "Yes." "He came home all emotional." "Why?" "The man he sacked was once a friend ofhis." "But recently he turned into an unreliable bastard." "Unreliable bastard." "Did he say that?" "Yes, he did." "He was manipulating my father out of the company." "But he failed?" "Yes, my Dad is not easily foxed." "Yourfatheris a liar." "Why?" "What do you know about it?" "Yourfatheris the unreliable bastard." "Are you a colleague orwhat?" "Tell me what's what." "I won't have my fatherinsulted." "A guest?" "I'll knock his teeth out." "Yourfatherwas playing a sneaky game." "Richard, let it rest." " So you nearly ruined his company." "It was my company, jerk." "Shut up." "Can he help being Stornebrink's son?" "I'll bash yourface in." "No, I'm going to sleep." "The little guy is tired." "No, that's not necessary." "No, thanks." "Daddy was a bit cross." "But that's all overnow." "Right, Daddy?" "Yes, it's all over." "It's Isolde's birthday tomorrow." "So what?" " l want an aquarium." "Nothing is celebrated in this house." "Daddy is sad." "That's why he is saying unpleasant things." "Tomorrow we'll celebrate yourbirthday as usual." "Can I talk to you?" "There's ice-cream in the freezer." "Do you have any idea what's going on?" "I do." " Do you realise what happened today?" "You were fired." "Yes?" "But not in any old way." "Jesus, you have no idea...." "l walked straight into the trap, like a toddler." "I totally underestimated my enemy." " Richard..." "Think of the children, just sitting there." "It's a lot worse." "What is it?" "Yes, what is it?" "How did you get it?" "I'm scared, Marina." "It appeared suddenly." "I've been marked." "Marked?" "Who by?" "Sleep well." "Leo, what's wrong?" "I'm tired. I want to sleep." "Isolde, what's the matter?" "." "Tired as well?" "Yes." "This is not right." "I'm going to phone Doctor Baumgarten." "Yes?" "Dr Baumgarten?" "Yes?" "is it serious?" "Have their summerholidays started?" "Yes, as pertoday." "Just as I thought." "The children are overtired." "Overtired?" "Because of what?" "Because of the modern world." "Don't forget they have a lot to cope with these days:" "TV, internet, school." "In the holidays the child's body will give up." "But all three overtired at the same time..." "that's very strange." "Maybe there's something else?" "Forinstance?" "Tensions in the family?" "There's nothing like that in ourfamily." "Good thing, too." "You lie down, little girl." "On yourtummy, please." "Come along, darling." "It's time forlove." "Time for consolation." "Have you gone crazy?" "!" "Now what have I done?" "Bastard." "That's enough." "You fucking bitch!" "Wake up!" "You disgust me!" "He's got to die, Camiel." "Richard must die." "Please." "If that's what you want." "I want it." "As soon as possible." "Can we get up?" "Are you betternow?" "Yes." "Yes." "Yes." "Just for an hour, and then back to bed." "No, don't." "I've had it removed." "The tattoo?" "Yes." "I feel a lot better." "Richard..." "Camiel." "You're just in time." "I AM" "WE ARE" "Come along, kids." "Would you two like a drink?" "A glass of wine." "Same foryou?" "Can I go and wash my hands?" " Go ahead." "Can we have an ice lolly?" "Of course." "Here, you give this to Dad." "I'll bring the ice lollies." "Isolde..." "Give Daddy a little kiss." "Daddy... ls that forme?" "Thank you, darling." "Shall I give you a kiss?" "Oh, yes please!" "Bye, Daddy." " Bye, darling." "Here's to the garden." "Where are the others?" "Don't they want a drink?" "I could call them, but they're very tired." "I'll leave you two alone then." "Sleep well." "Stine..." "And?" " Nothing yet." "It's started." "Let me have a look." "Marina..." "This is Brenda." "Brenda." "And this is llonka." " Everything will be all right, madam." "Sit down, please." "Marina?" "A drink?" "Pascal knows where it is." "Richard is still there." "Underthe piano." " So I noticed." "Shouldn't he be removed?" "Why?" "Why all these people?" "I want to be with you." "You are with me, aren't you?" "Haven't you got something forme?" "I feel so screwed up." "Orwill it make me apathetic?" "No." "The garden is finished." "You are no longer a gardener." "Not even a kiss?" "To calm me down a bit?" " l just gave you a pill forit." "Camiel..." "Stine comes home late, just soaks in the bath." "Richard is asleep." "Nobody looks afterthe children." "Leave through the studio, please." "Good evening." " Good evening, Pascal." "Do you want to help?" "Yes." "Do you know anything about wine?" "A little." "Pick some nice bottles from the cupboard." "There." "Stine..."