"Elisabeth Bergner in "ARIANE"" "Ariane Kousnetsova" "Which is your subject?" "Napoleon on St. Helena." "Let's hear it." "When Napoleon on 16." "October 1815 was abducted to St. Helena by the British on board the Bellerophon... the whole world breathed with relief." "The Emperors and Kings which he had removed from their thrones or put on their thrones like chess figures... watched pitilessly and with timorous gratification... the deep fall of this titan." "St. Helena's climate was to kill him within a few years." "Napoleon knew this." "More than once he had the opportunity to escape." "He stayed." "He ferociously accepted his destiny." "And thus he elevated his loneliness, his suffering, his dying... to his last, his highest accomplishment." "Congratulations, Ariane." "You've passed your exam brilliantly." "Thank you." "Well?" "And now you really want to leave us?" "Continue your studies in Berlin?" "Please don't advise me against it!" "I'm longing so... to be free and independent at last, I must go out into the world." "Farewell, Professor." "I thank you." "And I'll be back in the holidays." "Farewell." "Farewell, Ariane." "A good day." "My dear Miss Ariane." "I congratulate you with all my heart to your diploma." "I heard it was a triumph." "How come you know it already?" "We've made some enquiries." "Aunt." "I too have already heard how well you did, my child." "It wasn't such a big deal." "Ariane, my little dove." " Were you nervous?" " Da." "My tummy even hurt." "Uncle asked whether she had been afraid and she told him she had had a little pain in her tummy at the last moment." "There's a letter from your father waiting for you upstairs." "My dear daughter!" "Answering your letter of 12th I'm informing you of my plans." "I don't like it that you want to study at the university." "We already have enough crazy females on our hands..." "I don't think it wise... to let Ariane go on her own to Berlin." "You seem to attach a great deal of importance to Ariane's staying in Zürich." "But my dear!" "You misunderstand me!" "Ariane is close to me, because she is close to you." "After all, she'd been educated in your house... she could almost be your own daughter." "Yes, yes... that's why I know that it's quite useless to try to make Ariane change her mind." "Ariane has a hard little head." "I am powerless." "Ariane is a grown-up person... and, let's not forget... she's a Russian." "I hope and wish that you'll get married soon." "Our friend Peter Borrisovich wishes to marry you." "Another cup, Doctor." "My patients!" "Will you see me tonight?" "I have taken the liberty to come into your room..." "Let go of my foot at once!" "Leave the room this instance!" "Think of me what you will, but I cannot live without you!" "Let go of me!" "I wouldn't have thought that you visited this house because of me." "Adieu!" "The pig!" "Olga!" "Hallo!" "Coming" "Nice news...." "Read this." "...wishes to marry you." "He has a position in business and is capable to offer you a comfortable life." "You mustn't disregard this advantage." "A nice letter, isn't it?" "What will you do?" "Go to Berlin, study at the university." "Thank you." "Please excuse the interruption... but I only arrived in Berlin today... and when I heard about the Don Giovanni performance I rushed here." "But it was sold out." "I can get a seat always and anywhere." "And old lady in the foyer offered me this seat." "You see, it's easy." "Do you always succeed so easily?" "I always get what I want." "Who can tell me where I shall find the cruel man whom I loved despite my shame and who was untrue to me..." "Won't you come to the buffet?" "No thank you, I have already eaten." "I'm starved." "Do me the favour and join me." "...on Saturday... and this poor Don Juan is more of a martyr than a hero of love ..." " Don't you think so?" " I do." "The poor man has no luck." "He searches for pleasure... and finds love." "What was that?" "He searches for pleasure and finds love." "I see." "That's nice ..." "Darling, come to the window, listen to my wooing." "Hurry and soothe my pain." "If you cruelly scorn my love a quick death shall end my life." "Your mouth, sweeter than honey, smiles at me." "Your brother?" "Sweetly your eyes shine at me, like the spring sun." "Your boyfriend?" "Oh, don't let me linger in a lover's pain." "Grant me a look of your eyes, my darling." "That's bad!" "Won't you have supper with me?" " No thank you, I have already eaten." " I see." "Then you'll allow me to take you home." "No, I want to walk." "Excellent." " What are you doing in Berlin?" " I'm studying mathematics." "What?" "Mathematics?" "Yes, why not mathematics?" "A young lady and mathematics?" "But it's very interesting." "I'm impressed." "I have a suggestion." "Let's go together to the "Figaro" performance the day after tomorrow." "I might promise you that." "You won't get any tickets anyway." "But I already told you, young lady..." "I always get what I want." "I see." "Well, this is where I live." "My name is Ariane..." "Kousnetsova." "I beg your pardon." "Michael" "Ariane Kousnetsova." "Russian?" "Russian." "Good night." "Konstantin Michael." "Good night." " Frau..." " Thank you." "...and since we're already old acquaintances, you won't refuse to have supper with me afterwards." "Konstantin Michael" "...which reminds me, how old are you anyway?" "What make you ask me that?" "When I look at you I think you're completely inexperienced." "But when I listen to you... for a woman who has seen something of life..." "I don't understand it." "Is it so important ... to understand a woman?" "At least you know what you're about..." "When I saw you first..." "I thought... you were... still a young girl." "How do you mean?" "I mean..." "I mean a young girl..." "And I'd rather avoid a young girl." "I understand." "I'm sure you understand what I mean." "You... you're a great connoisseur of women." "Shall we dance?" "Why not." "to part from each other forever and now I have no peace, alone." "I feel so miserable without you" "Where are you?" "Why have you vanished, the passions of my youth?" "...of the past days." "Where are you?" "The dreams are broken." "They will never return." "The happiness left behind long ago." "It vanished forever." "Do you know Heinrich Heine's "Travel Impressions"?" "I'm sorry, I don't." "Heine once arrived in a pretty little town... he saw a girl at a window watering her flowers, and he said:" "Yesterday I wasn't here yet... tomorrow I shan't be here any more... but today I am yours." "And the pretty girls gives him a flower." "Ariane Kousnetsova..." "I'm a fanatical supporter of frankness." "I won't be here for long." "But I want to spend the short time with you." "One day I'll leave and I won't return." "We won't form any ties." "We won't ask what had been or what will be." "What could happen to us?" "Nothing at all." "But wait." "I'm forgetting a great danger." "Love." "Perhaps I'll fall in love with you." "Perhaps you'll fall in love with me." "But before that danger... should we flee from it?" "I have the courage." "What about you?" "It's late." "And your lecture had been long." "I want to go home." "Good night." "Till tomorrow then?" "I'll meet you at 5.30 in front of your house." "You'll do me the great pleasure to have tea with me." "I swear I won't." "Good night." "Dear Mr. Konstantin Michael, you said today that you would rather avoid a young girl" "Dear Mr. Konstantin Michael, you are fanatical supporter of frankness, therefore I must tell you that I am  that I have never had tea with a man before." " Won't you take off your coat?" " No!" "No thank you, I prefer to keep on my coat." "Milk, lemon, rum?" " Nothing." " Black?" "Another cup?" "Yes please." "Pardon." "Violets." "Thank you." "No, I want to keep on my coat." " You'll catch a cold." " I won't!" "No, I don't want to." "I don't want to!" "I beg your pardon." "Please!" "I don't understand you!" "There are moments when it's the right thing to defend oneself." "But one must also understand... to render oneself." "But I'm not defending myself." "Don't run about!" "Sit down, or I'll close the door." "I obey." "I have never seen anything like this in my life." "Say..." "Do you have any methylated alcohol?" "Methylated alcohol?" "What do you need methylated alcohol for?" "I must marcel my hair." "Now?" "But you're going home now." "But I can't leave without my hair properly marcelled." "That's great!" "Then you'll stay here." "No thank you." "I don't care for intimacy." "Is that so?" "Do you have any curling irons at all?" " Of course I have." " That's great." "Don't ask so many questions." "Get me some methylated alcohol." "But I don't have any methylated alcohol!" "Perhaps we could use some old Schnapps." "I have a bottle of Jamaica." "Do you think the Schnapps will burn?" "We could try." "It'll burn in your throat." "No, don't get in!" "But I only want to give you the Schnapps." "Thank you." "Please leave the door open." "At least, I want to chat with you." "Now I'm sitting again." "Hallo?" "Do you have any matches?" "On the bedside table." "But be careful, otherwise there'll be an explosion." "You're staying for a fortnight, aren't you?" "Yes little girl." "And then?" "Paris, London, New York..." "I don't know yet." "Do you always live like that?" "I do, at the present." "And I like it." "What's this?" "Did you burn something?" "No no, everything's alright, a small accident." "But it's alright now." "What happened?" " Did you get burned?" " Not at all." "I had been a bit clumsy, that's all." "I'm sorry to have frightened you." "One moment, I'll be back soon." " I only want to check..." " I won't allow..." "Good heavens!" "You've burnt half of the bed." "How did this happen?" "I had been clumsy." "Why didn't you call me?" "But how did it happen?" "I've poured too much..." "Schnapps into the machine." "And I'm not used to such fine methylated alcohol." "And when it burned so brightly I just dropped onto the bed all drunk." "Your presence of mind is a mystery to me." "When will I see you tomorrow?" "Let me check." "You'll have to phone." "Listen to me, little girl!" "I don't like it that you still call me "Sie"." "It's unnatural." "But I never say "du" to such a slight acquaintance." "What fools the men must have been you knew before me." "Tell me, you women, you who know about it:" "Tell me, is it love which is burning here so brightly?" "Bravo." "Wonderful." "And now "Freundliche Vision" by Richard Strauss." "457 in France... but" "I like her." "She's talented, sophisticated, elegant..." "But?" "Well..." "How shall I say?" "First of all, I don't think that a modern young girl suits me at all... and then in this special case... ever since the first day ... we've been fighting a sort of duel ... with hidden weapons." "This becomes tiring after a while." "Don Juan in distress!" "So what!" "When everything's over..." "I'm closing in on my business deals anyway." "Under no circumstances will I prolong my stay here." "Poor little girl." "It won't hurt her much." "I'm not so sure about that." "You're far to occupied with yourself... to know what others feel." "You may congratulate me." "I've passed my final exam today!" " Today?" " Yes?" " After which post..." " With this one." " That's great!" "And only now you're telling me this!" " Professional secret." " We must celebrate this!" " Yes, I want to have a drink." " You want to go out?" "I want to stay in." "Alright, we'll stay in." "Get me the waiter." "I'd like to order supper." "Yes, for two." "What was that?" "Hazel grouse?" " Very good." " Champagne." "20 minutes?" "Champagne." "And a bottle of..." "What's this nice smell?" "I?" "Why?" "I have been in society." "I see." "...33-1 and 8." "That's right." "You've guessed it." "I'm looking forward to the champagne, Grand-Duke." "You must look after me very well, because I've once had an experience when I wasn't looked after while drinking champagne." "You don't say!" "A waiter came flying long" "640 in Welsch-Germany 211 in Germany" "101 in chicque France but in Spain: 1003 already" "No way!" "So, let me hear the story." "What story?" " When nobody looked after you." " When was that?" "When you drank the champagne." "Don't make such a show." "I don't know if I should tell you that." "Shoot." "Don't make be beg you." "No, I'd rather not." "Men get so funny and furious so very easily." "You should have thought of that earlier." "One doesn't start such matters..." "Come on, come on!" "Alright." "I happened in Zürich a year ago." "I had just passed my final exam at the gymnasium and... and in the evening we had a small party among the students." "We had great fun and drank a lot." "Lots of champagne." "Go on, go on!" "At midnight appeared suddenly ... our music professor." "The beautiful Dr. Adam." "Indeed." "And he was so terribly in love with me." "I've heard this before." "Well..." "He sat down next to me... and we danced." "A lot." "And he said:" "Miss Kousnetsova..." "My carriage is waiting in front of the house... with two beautiful horses." "Would you like a drive in the moonlight?" "And I... what's the matter?" "You look annoyed." "But I 'm not annoyed." "I'm listening with pleasure." "Go on, go on..." "No, I won't!" "I won't go on, we'll only quarrel." "But you don't know how the story will affect me..." " I?" "No." " Yes, you!" " No." "Not I." "Come here." "Where?" "Finish the story on my lap." "Come here." "No." "I will." "I will." "Then I won't have to look at you." "Well..." "We raced across the country lanes." "The night air had been hot and humid..." "Hans had put his arm around me." "We didn't speak a word." "Suddenly he said to the coachman:" ""Drive back home."" "You're squeezing me a bit." "Go on, go on!" "First I must drink something." "Drink." "Thank you." "No thank you." "No thank you?" "Well..." "There was a small isolated house." "We went inside..." "He... didn't switch on the light." "Only the moon shone into the room and it was terribly hot..." "But I can't breathe!" "I beg your pardon." "And then?" " And then?" " What happened then?" "Then then then..." "I can't remember." "What happened then?" "Then... then... spare me, the follow-up is too trivial." "What happened then?" "Then..." "Then happened what had to happen." "And I understood that he had been like all the others, except the one I'm in love with now." "Stop it!" "You're not even hurt." "How brutal you are!" "You've thrown me on the floor." "I could have broken my neck." "Thank God I'm elastic." "Shut up and get up!" "Good God!" "You're bleeding!" "Of course I'm bleeding!" "Did you have a glass in your hand?" "Yes!" "Thank you!" "Put some iodine on it." "Yes." "Has the grouse arrived?" "I don't know what kind of game you're playing, you mathematician." "But I'm warning you." "Your calculation will fail at a certain point... for the both of us." "Shrugging your shoulder won't help you here." "Now listen." "Your semester is over now." "My business deals are closed." "I have some spare time left." "Let's leave on a trip." "Really!" "Agreed?" "I don't know." "I couldn't..." "Agreed." "Well... travelling is a weakness of mine, I couldn't possibly resist the temptation." "I'll marry an engine driver any day , it wouldn't be the first time either." "And another boyfriend of mine..." "Hallo." "Herr Michael has left the hotel." "Left?" "To New York?" "No, to Italy." "You don't say." "Thank you." "Signore." "Pronto." "Subito, signorina." "You're taking ten times longer than a woman." "But men have a hard time." " Bon appetito." " Grazie." "Are you hungry?" "Very much so." "Thank you, thank you." "You'll get another dish later." "You're a perfect housewife, Ariane." "Grazie, grazie." "Tante grazie." "Oh, gentilissima." "I wish I had known you as a child." "Why?" "I would have abducted you... and have had you educated according to my will." "I see." "Who has brought you up anyway?" "I haven't been brought up at all." "When I was a child, we used to live in Rome." "My mother was beautiful, elegant, much admired." "I was always alone with my governess, Mlle Victoire." "And the poor woman, good God!" "When we had visitors they dressed me up in a beautiful white dress... and I had to recite fairy tales for the guests." "Being kissed by those powdered ladies was disgusting." "And when they grabbed me, I shouted:" ""Schnipp Schnipp Schnippchen - don't be so motherly with me!"" "Avanti." "Por il signore." "Grazie." "Una telegrama por il signore." "Most noble Grand-Duke... might your unworthy slave know what has happened?" "Did you say something, my child?" "No." "It's getting serious now, my child." "The big moment has come." "Tomorrow I have to leave." "Maria!" "Porta questa telegrama alla posta!" "Domani partiamo." "...signore" "Domani partiamo!" "Tonight we'll have a farewell celebration." "Sure, let's celebrate." "Only I didn't expect it so soon." "So now it's farewell and thank you... and one new experience gained." "And it hasn't been even bad." "You're taking our separation so lightly?" "Light beginning - light ending." "I'm your good pupil, sir." "Attention, in one minute..." "Ariane, won't you join us?" "I don't care to, thanks." "But everybody's waiting for you, why don't you come?" "I haven't seen Olga for such a long time." "Say, what's the matter with you?" "I hope you're not unhappily in love?" "Nonsense, no." "Why?" "I think one catches that illness at your age, not at mine." "Did you separate quarrelling?" "On the contrary." "We drove together to Rome, he even took me to my train." "And since then not a word from him?" "No." "How long?" "84 days." "You..." "I'd like to ask you something." "But you mustn't get angry." "Why didn't you tell him?" "What?" "Well, that you... the truth." "You must be joking." "How could one tell such a thing!" ""I'd rather avoid a young girl"" "he said on the second day of our acquaintance." "He did." "You don't understand." "He was only looking for an adventure... some accommodating young girl... one visits and leaves without any questions asked." "And I've played that girl for him." "Well, I'll survive it." "Only once, only once I want to see him again." "He shall pay me for the humiliation." "I'll know how to take my revenge, you can count on it." "Let's go home, shall we?" " Katja, any letters today?" " Yes, Miss." "A telegram, it's in the dining room." "The insolence!" "The insolence!" ""Arriving in Berlin next week"" ""See you there." "Konstantin Michael"" ""Plaza Hotel"" "Here you are." "Not even some words of greeting." "Just a plain "see you there"." "Just an order, a whistle." "The conceited lout!" "Who does he think I am, I'd like to know." "Does he imagine I'm waiting for him or what?" "He'll be surprised!" "I won't even answer that insolent telegram." "You don't know what you're saying!" "But he wants to see you again!" "Rubbish!" "Come, let's go." "We're leaving." "Hurrah!" "10 franks." "Yes?" "Yes." "One moment." "Miss Kousnetsova." "Miss Kousnetsova, telephone." "Hallo, Kousnetsova." "Konstantin!" "Since when?" "Yes?" "Yes, now?" "Straight away?" "No I couldn't." "I'm with some friends." "No, many friends." "Friends, yes." "From the university." "Yes..." "I don't know, not at the moment..." "I'll try to, but I don't think..." "Gentlemen, excuse me." "I have to go away." "But don't let me disturb you." "No, I must go alone." "You can all stay here." "Yes, it cost me some energy, young lady... to endure the separation from you for so long." "What's this new hairstyle, little girl?" "You don't like it?" "I don't." "I believe you've grown taller still." "It's enough for me if I'm your equal." "You'll never be." "Well, are you glad?" "Yes." "Wasn't it a great idea to plan my itinerary via Berlin?" "Itinerary?" "Where are you going?" "To Cairo, little girl." "We're planning to found some business down there." "And for how long will you stay here?" "Unfortunately only a few days." "And when will you be back?" "Well, little girl... this is uncertain." "From Cairo to New York, San Francisco, Chicago..." "But let's be happy these few days... and not wonder about the future." "Like we did the first time." "Agreed?" "Yes." "Ah yes." "I see." "Yes." "It has been terribly sweet of you." "that you've planned your itinerary via Berlin." "Yes..." "But, you know..." "I think..." "I... eh..." "I'd rather not... start all this... all over from the beginning." "Is that so?" "Why not?" "You'll leave again for New York... without me... like the last time, and... and I'll go on living my life here, in my own way without you" "and it's a good thing too." "And I'm very content." "Why, why... stir all that up again?" "I'm so glad... that I've escaped from the dangers of love, as you used to call them so luckily." "Otherwise how would I stand before you now if I had fallen in love with you at the time despite all precautions?" "I thank God that I have never had to face those terrible dangers." "And I thank you, Grand-Duke, that you've let me go so unbroken from of your hands." "You're a great artist." "Really you are." "Really, really." "Ariane!" "What's the matter with you?" "You're destroying everything between us." "What?" "What's there to destroy?" "I don't love you, and you don't love me... so what's there to destroy?" "You were just been looking for an adventure while passing through town." "And you're looking for another one now." "Let's put this straight once and for all." "Again and again something unspoken stands between us." "Today we'll talk straight, come what may." "Very well." "Today we'll talk straight." "Everything out in the open." "You've tortured me long enough with your allusions." "I want to know everything, the whole truth." "How many?" "How many?" "Eight!" "Eight!" "Eight!" "With the first I was 16." "I just wanted to know what it was like they had been raving so much about." "And with the second I thought I was in love, but I was wrong." "The third had been a student." "The fourth a student." "And the fifth a student." "And the sixth an officer." "And the seventh was in love with my aunt." "And then you came, the eighth." "Your reign lasted longest." "You can be proud and wallow in your glory." "Now you know everything." "You forget Dr. Adam." "Yes." "I forgot him." "Nine." "It was a mistake to travel via Berlin." "I beg your pardon." "I won't stand in the way of your conquests any longer." "Porter." "I'll take the night train to Rome." "Make a reservation for a compartment." "What?" "Yes, yes." "Thank you." "This is the price you pay... for being wiser and more cultured than others." "Do you really not know... that I came to you untouched, that I have never belonged to another man?" "Why did you make a fool of me?" "Why?" "Why?" "Why?" "But you told me you'd always avoid a young girl!" "Come in." "May I take the luggage?" "Yes, it's all packed." "Oranges, tangerines" "Fresh figs, mineral water, cognac."