"Well, she's up against the register" "With an apron and a spatula" "Yesterday's deliveries" "And tickets for the bachelors" "She's a moving violation" "From her conk down to her shoes" "Well, it's just an invitation" "To the blues" "And you feel just like Cagney" "She looks like Rita Hayworth" "At the counter of the Schwab's drugstore" "You wonder if she might be single" "She's a loner Likes to mingle" "Got to be patient" "Try and pick up a clue" "She said "How you gonna like 'em?"" "Over medium or scrambled" "You say, "Any way's the only way"" "Be careful not to gamble" "Oh, Stefan, I'm sorry." "You will call, hmm?" "It's not really like going away." "For you." "Oh, Alex." "I've done something stupid." "Alex?" " Oh, God, I'm tired." " Tired or drunk?" "I wanted to say good-bye." "You said it exceptionally well the other night." "That's right." "Pissed." " Milena, what do you" " How else could I get myself ready?" "God, good-bye, you- Oh, Alex, please don't go." "I wanted us to have a real good-bye." "Alex?" " You the husband?" " No." " A relation?" " No." "Any idea what she took?" " Was this full before?" " I wouldn't know, Doctor." "This'll kill you in the end." "If we're gonna meet, might as well be now." "Could be right." "Then again, why spoil the mystery?" "Mystery?" "If we don't meet, there's always the possibility it could have been perfect." "Hey, Alex." "Alex, come on." "To tell you the truth, I'm not sure what I meant." " It's okay." " Excuse me." "Took you a little longer than I thought." "I'm afraid it's gonna take a little longer than that." "I'm leaving." "Road's wet." "It wasn't raining when I got here." "No?" "Too bad." "If you'll let me by, I'll drive carefully." "If that's the way you like it." " Are you gonna let me by?" " Hmm?" "Mmm." "Wrote my number on it." "Call me." "Please." "Bye." "Bye." " Husband?" " No." " Relation?" " No." "Uh, boyfriend?" "Look... what connection do you have with her?" "You could say I'm a friend." "Oh." "Were you there when she swallowed the pills?" " No." " Please, this way." "Ja." "Good." "Please sit down." "And, uh, how did you happen to be there afterwards?" " Did somebody call you?" " She did." "What, the girl?" "Yes, she phoned." " After she took the pills or before?" " How would I know?" "She called and said, "I'll be dead in a minute." "I wanted to say good-bye."" " That's all?" " That's all." "And what did you say?" " Did you try to" " Nothing." "I hung up." "Cigarettes?" "Thanks." "I only smoke these." "Oh, Alex, it's true this time." "I've done something stupid." "Really stupid." "Milena, what are you " "What time did she phone you?" " I don't remember." " Try to think." "Did you go to bed?" "Were you asleep?" "No." "I was working." " Was it very late?" " I told you, I don't remember." "12:00?" "1:00?" "I didn't look at the clock." "Use whatever time you want." "It is now 2:00." "You called for the ambulance at half past 1:00?" "How did her voice sound on the phone?" "Normal?" "Upset?" "Did she have any difficulty speaking?" "I don't." " But " " No, it's just that..." "I wanted to see you." "This was the only chance I got." "I didn't want to wait." "You tell the truth about a lie beautifully." "Take me to your favorite place in Vienna." "Oh" "Who is this Linden?" "The fellow who brought her here." " Bit of a pain." "Bad temper." " Why?" "You combine that with traces of various drugs, none of them harmful enough in themselves... but with the overdose she consumed tonight you have a very advanced toxic condition." "This place is - I mean, really!" "I want it!" "Alex!" " It's mine!" " Give it to me!" " How does it work?" " I'll show you." "No, no!" "Come on." "Where are they?" " Cards are in the back." " Here they are." "But you need a neutral field." "This is not really good." "That's why we need to go home." "Here." "Do it here." "No, I don't wanna go." "We have to do it now, right " " Pick your favorite color, the one you're most sympathetic to." " Favorite." "Here it is." " And the second." " Okay." "Here." "All right." "Got it." " Slow down." " No, no, I already know which ones I want." " I like... this one." " Don't associate it with anything." " This one." " Slow down." " Turn 'em over now." " Okay." "There." "There." "What does it mean?" " Hang on." " Tell me!" "I wanna know right now, Alex." " Just a second." " Tell me!" " Tell me!" "What does it say?" " Hang on." "Hang on." " What?" " Mmm!" "What?" "Tell me!" "Is it bad?" " I don't think you should spend too much time alone." " Oh, Alex!" ""What is it men in women do require?" ""The lineaments of gratified desire." ""What is it women do in men require?" "The lineaments of gratified desire."" "Hmm." "That's good." "I like that." "I like that." "Gotta take a pee." "In all the old familiar places" "That" "This heart of mine embraces" "All day through" "Alex, come here." "I wanna try something." "Like them." "They're happy." "That's because they don't know each other well enough yet." "Oh, come on." "You don't really believe that, do you?" "What does it matter?" "Definitely happy." "At least I hope so." "Twice?" "Mmm." "That's good." "Once when I was 18." "Again last year." "Shit." "Oh." "Both times I- I wanted a child, but... at the last minute I changed my mind." "And how do you feel about it now?" "It's done." "I did what I chose." "And the fathers?" "The first was happy." "The second... he was mad at me." "Oh!" "Oh, God, I've spilled it all over." "It hurts!" "Oh, God." "Maybe we could get something at the café." "Let's." "It's burning my pussy, Alex." "Gonna have to do something about this, quickly." "All right." "Let me just turn off the road." "You're hung like an ape, Konrad." "You belong in a zoo." " Du bist." "It's always you who makes me do this." "You know how dainty I am." "Move on, Konrad." "Move on." " Asshole." " I suppose he has one." "Who are they?" " Oh, friends, crazy people." " In what way?" "They do crazy things." "Anyway, you're sexy." "That's better!" "Could you comment on sex with crazy people?" "Yecch." "Cold." "How come you're so cold?" "Yes, but I'm referring to the whole manifestation of curiosity." "You see, through the gratification of curiosity one acquires knowledge." "Excuse me." "Could you tell me if Dr. Linden is here?" " Yes." "In the library." " Will you tell him Miss Flaherty is here to see him?" " Of course, my dear." " Thank you." " Moment." " I'll be in the other room." "One would ask the question, what is a kiss?" "And the answer is merely an inquiry on the second floor as to whether the first is free." " But it's really simplis " " Excuse me, Dr. Linden." " There's a young lady to see you." " Thank you." "Excuse me." "No." "No, you can't " "Tell me, Doctor, is there any chance for us?" " No." " No?" "Come here, you!" "Clear." "I've just been drinking." "Fuck." "For practice, I mean." "Yeah." "Why?" "What?" "Yeah, why?" "What?" " She's been drinking a lot, hasn't she?" " The past few months, maybe." "Please wait there." "God, prices today." "A ticket to Fidelio" " Whew." "Who could afford it?" "Poor, silly girl." "How old is this girl?" "Just a question." "Twenty-four- five." "Nice age." "She had difficulty speaking?" "She seemed normal." "Sounded like a joke." "But it wasn't normal." "How do you know?" " Someone rings you " " They ring you." "They telephone me." "Sorry." "I'm a little tired." "Yes." "Someone rings you, says she's going to kill herself- now, that isn't normal." "At least for normal people." "Would you agree?" "I've spent a good part of my life trying to understand what normal means." "I still don't." "Would you say she sounded... excited?" "Say whatever you like." "No, Dr. Linden, what you would like." "Excited." "What area do you work in, Dr. Linden?" "Surgery?" "No." "I'm a research psychoanalyst." " Research?" " I teach." "Was your girlfriend a bit mad?" ""Mad" is an expression I never use." "I see." "It's quite simple." "If you say so." "Yes, but I must first know who I am before I know what I'm capable of." "How we come into this world and how we go out... is different for every one of us." "We are constantly in isolation... watching... spying on everyone and everything around us." "In birth, chance seems to be merely the visible part of an as-yet unknown... and uncomprehended natural law... which links us up with the central area of today's inquiry- secrecy and spying, or- call it what you will -watching." "So I give you the first spy." "And the first to be spied on." "Some famous spies... two of whom might be called political voyeurs." "Could you not as well put your picture up there, or mine?" " I could." " Then you are saying we are all spies?" "Well, I prefer to label myself... an observer." "Now, the guilt-ridden voyeur is usually a political conservative." "Anyway, I had time to think about it, and I feel I was wrong." "I wanted to apologize... for being too nosy." "Hey, I want to apologize too." "Guess I did get a little... tipsy." "Yeah, you did." "I don't want to embarrass you, Alex." "I do things when I drink too much." "I guess I think you're not happy with me anymore." "It makes me nervous." "Still seeing that actor?" "Let's get some air." "I'm not seeing him or anyone." "I just went out with him a couple times." "Once or twice." "Maybe three times." "You don't own me, I don't own you." "You are seeing him." "Is that why you called - to apologize?" "I missed you." "Missed you too." "It's just, I can't stand these dumb arguments anymore, Alex." "Move in with me." "You'll see." "It'll be great." "Can't." "But we've been practically living together." "Maybe later." "Why can't we get it back to how it was in the beginning?" "You know?" "I don't know." "For now, why don't we just keep it, you know " "I'm gonna take a walk." "Catch a bus." "Talk to you later." "Okay?" "Hello?" "Hello?" "Whoa!" "The whole family!" "I hate Barcelona!" "Come on!" "I've got to go to work now, darling." "See you." "Love you." "Ladies and gentlemen, and now the lovely Ulla!" "Ooh, ooh" "Which party shall I go to" "Tonight" "Now tell me, whose mug shall I smile at tonight" "I'm gonna look for it I'm gonna lie for it" "I'm gonna swing for it I'm gonna shout" "Mmm." "Better than words, eh?" "So you like Ulla, do you?" " Just get here?" " Yeah." "Yeah?" "I was just gonna call you." "We're on our way to another place." " All?" " Yeah, my friends." "I thought we'd be alone." "Oh, come on." "Be with us." "I'd rather be with you." "Yeah?" " Okay." "Come on." " Really?" "First read." "Then sign, please." "So " "It's all right." "It's a formality." "Of course." "Huh!" "Read first, please." "I know someone who could get two tickets to Fidelio." "So, is that what they mean by university education?" "Hmm." "Maybe." "All right if I go out and pick up some cigarettes?" "Yes, you can do anything you like." "There's an all-night bar around the corner, near the bridge." "Ask for the ale." " Superior to the beer." " Thanks." "Dr. Linden." "Will you be coming back here or going home... after the cigarettes?" "I thought I was free to do whatever I like." "Absolutely." "It's just to know where, later on, to give you any news, if necessary." "I'll be back." "Sure." "But I thought you said he was in the army, your father." "It's a rather strange envelope, no?" "It's normal for him." "He works for a wire service in San Francisco." "Left the army three years ago." "Mother loved it there." "I miss her terribly." "She was only 46 when she died." "Can I have a cigarette?" "Married again last year." "She's nice." "Teaches." "I drifted back- drifted back here where Daddy was stationed when I was little." "Actually, Paris first." "That's where we were all together last." "I worked at this and that." "I worked for one guy, had 20,000 bees, and he didn't even like honey." "He wasn't very funny either." "So my brother died in an auto accident." "Daddy could hardly get himself together." "Guess with he and Mother gone we weren't much of a family anymore." "Just... people on our own." "Ever been married?" "Nope." "I hate these sheets." "I hope that I won't be that wrong" "Anymore" "And maybe I've learned this time" "I hope that I find" "What I'm reaching for" "The way that it is in my mind" "Someday" "I'll get over you" "I'll live" "To see it all through" "But I'll always miss" "Dreaming my dreams with you" "No, I won't let it chain me" "Not if I can" "I'd rather believe" "In love" "And give it away" "Just as much as I can" "To those that I'm fondest of" "Someday" "I'll get over you" "I'll live" "To see it all through" "But I'll always miss" "Dreaming my dreams with you" "Hi." "Danke schön." "How you doin'?" "What happened?" " You don't like it." "Do you?" " Don't like what?" " My outfit." "The way I look." " You look fine." " Oh. come on." "I look better than that, don't I?" " Right." "You look real fine." "Bought it for you." "Aren't you happy?" "Couldn't be happier." " You're a day late." " Hey, I wired you, didn't I?" "Yeah." "It was waiting for me when I got back." "Alex, I'm moving in with you." "Can't we just " "Just do one thing for me." "Never force yourself to be different from who you are." "Well, how am I then?" "Huh?" "You tell me." "How am I?" "You're just fine if you forget someone was waiting." "Look, can't we just forget all that?" "What, forget that 'cause you got on something pretty, it changes who you are?" "I was gonna tell you something." "I was " "I'm sorry." "Milena, I'm sorry." " Where are you going?" " Nowhere!" "Hiya, Doc." "Colonel Taylor here." "I hear you're thinking of going to New York." "Confirm one way or another, because we've got some important profile work coming up." "Oh, by the way, the NATO people were delighted with what you did... on those two files yester" "Hi, sweet." "It's Amy here." "Um, I just got back from L.A., so give me a call when you've got ti " " You got a whole department here." " You oughta see what we got in Italy." "You said this is a rush job, right?" "Yeah." "Otherwise I'd have used one of our regulars." "But, as you can see, we're working full blast." "Got some people coming in soon - Files, Inga." "Need some up-to-date psychological reports." "You know, the usual." " She's Viennese?" "I thought " " Born in America of Austrian parents." "Regular army through and through." "One of us." "You'll find everything you need to know about these two guys in here." " Or maybe you won't." " Any idea what it's for?" "Come on." "For all I know, it could be because their names both begin with the same initials." "You just work out whether either one of them is likely to sniff coke or play with little girls... or boys." "I don't know what any of it's for." "Maybe they forward it to American Express for credit ratings." "I'm just cleared for taking them out of the cabinet and putting them back in the cabinet." " All yours, Doctor." " Doctor." "Inga." "No, no, it wasn't anything so shadowy or complicated." "Why would she marry him?" "Listen, I've had men in my life... and only one would I have liked to marry." "But there are problems." "You know?" "But marry him?" "Sure." "Why not?" "Did he want to marry her?" "Why not?" "As for him and intelligence work, it's ridiculous." "I think he would be flattered someone he didn't know was analyzing him." "Though I'm sure he'd be as amazed as he would amused." "Of course, everything I say has to be taken in the context of who I am." "I'm only joking." "Suddenly so sad, so silent?" " Mmm." " So sad, so silent." " That's me." " Here." "Have some." "You know I hate this stuff." "Mmm." "Mmm." "Why didn't you tell me you were married?" "I, um... didn't " "You sort of lied, though." "A relative is what you said was over the border." "If I told you I was married... you'd think it meant your way, and it wasn't like that." "So better I " "I don't think it was a lie." "It was words." "It's not important." " Not important?" " Nope." "To whom?" "Not important to whom?" "To whom?" "To whom?" "Huh?" "To whom?" "To whom?" "Not important to whom?" "To whom?" "It's over." "Took time to get out." "And for how long out?" "A week?" "A month?" "A day?" "For good." "You still love him?" "I married him." "Of course I loved him." "I don't anymore." "He's what I needed then." "He's almost 30 years older than you." "You think you're not?" " Are you cold?" "Mm-hmm?" " Yeah, I am cold." "Why is everybody so nosy over nothing?" "Hmm?" "I know something much better." "I'm not everybody." "No, you're not." "Anybody home?" "Yoo-hoo!" "Alex!" " Hi!" " Hi, darling." " How you doin'?" " I'm great." "Good." "Mmm!" "Where are we going tonight?" " I'll tell you about it." " Better be exciting." "I'm in an exciting mood." " You're in the mood, huh?" " Yeah." " All right." "Let's go." " Where?" "Tonight I thought I would take you to the library." "The what?" "You've got lipstick all over you." "Well, it's just that..." "Stefan lived through the... going here and there... doing crazy things on a whim." "Oh, he'd do them for me." "I tried to please him." "Stopped doing whatever it was I felt at the moment." "Oh, I don't know." "Seems the more rules I make for myself, the unhappier I get." "You like me, huh?" " I like you." " How much?" "This much." "Is that all?" "All right." "Find me charming too?" "I am immune to your charms." " Who said that?" " Guess." "Oh, a certain shrink I know." " Wrong." " Who?" "You don't know, huh?" "How do you keep a moron in suspense?" " How?" " I'll tell you later." "I love you, honey, but I don't know why." "I am going to fix us a terrific cheese omelet." "That is, if I can." "Even a not-so-terrific one would be great." "You got it." "What did you think of the play tonight?" "Well, coach?" "The drama?" "Dr. Linden.!" " Dr. Linden?" " No, we don't need Dr. Linden now." "Rest." "Rest." "Smoke." "Soon we'll have a chance to speak." " What?" " With me." "Who is the doctor who took over when the woman was brought in?" "Dr. Schneider." " See if I can have a word with her on the telephone." " Ja, ja." "Well, Doctor... is there hope for us?" "Yes." "Yes." "Yes." "Yes." "Passaplatz." "Yes, I need some information on, uh " "Yes?" "On what?" "Divorce in your country." "I have " "Stairway to the second floor, first door on the right." "Danke schön." "Please." "Essentially, what I'm asking is... how does one go about getting a divorce in your country?" "In my country, as anywhere else... the first step is to ask for one." "But how does such a question come to be asked by you?" "Someone I know - a friend, an American - is married to a Czech." "It would seem, then, that the problem, if there is one... is not properly one of your concern." "I asked you not to go." "You could cause trouble for Stefan." "Milena, either you're married or divorced." "You can't be in-between." "To be in-between is to be no place at all." "I don't get it." "I can't find anything around here anymore." "I put something down, I go to look for it, it's gone." "Could spend more time at your place." "My place is getting to look exactly like your place." "This must be his car." "It's open." "About 14 minutes." "Let's say a comfortable quarter of an hour." "Yes, but if there was traffic " "Traffic." "1:00 in the morning?" "Nonsense." "Well, well, the radio is on." "That's the, uh, late station." "So that's what you do at night -you listen to music instead of your communications band." " Never." " What time does it start?" " Never!" " The late station, Gudagast." "The late station." "Around midnight, I think." "Oh, he thinks." "It was open." "Right again." "Like?" "Incredible." "I was just thinking, if I'm not nice to you, if I'm mean, it'd be easy for you to leave me." "Look." "Look at the kitchen." "Oh!" "Look." "Your favorite sheets." " That's great." " Yeah." "Alex." "Not now." " What's wrong?" " Nothing." " What is it?" " Nothing." "It's just that I don't want to." "What do you wanna do then?" "What's so urgent?" "We can just sit and talk, be with each other." "Relax." "You're so tense these days." "Hey, we're okay." "I'll talk." "It's just that you don't want to face the things I want to talk about." " I daren't talk." " Oh, honey." "Please." "Come sit down." "Okay, what do you wanna talk about?" "Haven't we anything else left?" "I just wanted us to be nice together, that's all." "You say you wanna be nice." " I'd like you to be this and " " Is that the only way I can be nice to you?" "You know that's not true." "Do I?" "Anyway, I have to go soon." "Why do you have to go?" "I have things - some stuff I was gonna do." "What if we'd made love?" "But we didn't." "Anyway, I really can't stay." "I'm sorry if I spoiled things." "Alex, don't go." "Wait." " Why are you lying to yourself all the time?" " I'm not." "I have to go." "Wait." "Wait a minute, Alex." "Look" "You gotta understand me, the way I am." "I mean... there's nobody else - they're all in your head." "But I must be who I am." "You know, to be with people you don't like... and, I don't know, get up when I want to get up... and eat when I want to eat... drink when I want to drink and fuck when I want to fuck!" "I'm sure you will." "You do everything only when you want to." "See ya tomorrow, same time, same place." "Fuck you." "Wait a minute." "Wait!" "Alex!" "Wait!" "Alex!" "Alex." "Alex." "You want me?" "Huh?" "Huh?" "Come on." "Come on." "Do it now, Alex." "Do it now." "Here it is, Alex." "Here it is." "Look at it, Alex.!" "Alex!" "Don't you want it?" "Huh?" "There it is, Alex!" "Come here!" "Come here!" "Come here and take it." "That's what you want." "Here it is.!" "Come on!" "Huh?" "Don't you want it?" "Then do it now.!" "Fuck me.!" "Fuck me right here and now, goddamn it!" " I'll fuck you." " Huh?" "There you go." "Huh?" "Stick in it there then, huh?" "That's it." "Oh, God." " Oh, God." " That's all it is, huh?" "That's all it is, huh?" "Huh?" "Oh, God." "Love me." "Love me!" "Love me!" "Love me.!" "Damn it!" "Oh, fuck." "Oh, fuck!" "Good night." "Right again." "What a mess." "Just like my sister's." "Nothing.!" "Nothing." "Come back!" "Uh-uh-uh." "Bonjour, monsieur." "Notre voiture est en panne." "Nous allons a Ouarzazate." "Pouvez-vous nous aider, s'il vous plaît?" " Ouarzazate?" " Oui." " Ouarzazate c'est lá-bas." " Oui." " Nous allons ici." " Je vous en prie, monsieur." " Qui est-il?" " Il est mon frère seulement." " Bon." "Vous" " Ah." "Merci." "Vous montez derrière." "Il y a une seule place ici pour votre soeur." "C'est très, très beau." "What's happening?" " A deux semaines." " Ai, yi, yi, yi, yi." "American." "Beautiful!" " Merci." " Shake the guy." " Come on." "D'accord?" " Oui." "Oui." "Shake the guy." "Monsieur." "Monsieur." "Enough." "Enough." "Oui." "Oui." "Whoo!" "I remember in New York... across from us, on the other side of the park... there was this beautiful, old mansion." "It was very elegant, aristocratic." "It made me feel good knowing something so beautiful... was so close." "Around it were lots of other lovely buildings, mostly built, I think... around the turn of the century." "One by one, they went down... and one by one, up went mostly monstrosities." "But that one building remained." "It was there." "Someone said an eccentric millionaire owned it." "At night, as a kid, when I'd walk across the park..." "I'd use it to guide me." "Then later, when I graduated, started to teach... it was still there." "One day I had to go to Boston." "That was Friday." "When I got back on Tuesday, it was gone." "Gone, like that." "What?" "Nothing." "I found this on the floor." "Hi!" "Mmm." "Mmm." "I missed you!" " I've been shopping." " New York?" "I have an option to renew my contract with the university, which I won't." "But I say we go back, we get married, we build something solid to " "What about now?" " What do you mean "now"?" " Here, right now." "This minute, this second." "Look where we are." "Milena, did you miss that I asked you just now to marry me?" "No." "Well, what are you talking about?" "I'm asking you to marry me." " What are you " " I've loved these days." " I've loved them." " I don't get it." " Well, weren't you happy?" " Yes!" " You had to be happy." "I felt it." " I am happy." "I was happy." " It can be that way from now on." " I am happy." "When I'm with you, I'm with you." "I love being with you." "Milena, what does that mean?" ""With me," "not with me."" " You have a husband you don't want, but you " " I just" " My own life." "My own time." "You can be a part of it, the biggest part of it." "You are the biggest part of it." "I love you." "Come on." "Okay?" "Look at where we are." "Look at this." " Yes?" " Dr. Alex Linden?" " Yes." " Your call to Bratislava is ready." " Do you still want it?" " Yes, I want it." "Fine." "We'll put you through as requested." " Hold the line." " Yes." "Yes." " Uh, my name is, uh " " Yes?" "Yes, Alex Linden." "You've heard of me?" "To be sure." "Look, this is as embarrassing for me as it must be for you." "Listen, Mr. Linden." "Please come to the point... and tell me what I owe this communication to." "Milena." "She hasn't been seen for almost a week." "I haven't seen her, and I'm worried, and I thought you " "I thought maybe you knew where she was." "You there?" "Did you hear me?" "Yes, I heard you, Mr. Linden, and, no, I don't know." "Please help me." "Someplace, someone she might - that you know." "Believe me, Dr. Linden." "I would most certainly tell you if I knew... because what I want more than anything is for Milena to get bored with you... as soon as possible - and it may come as a surprise to you, more for her sake than for mine." "So why don't you just bugger off!" "This Stefan Vognic- He's her husband, is he not?" " I think so." " Then there's a question in your mind?" "He's her husband." "Do you know him?" "We spoke on the phone." "Does Mr. Vognic " "He is aware of the relationship that exists between you and his wife, is he not?" " What relationship is that?" " You tell me." "I told him." "I told you already." "I'm a friend." "Ah, yes." "Forgive me." "Of course." "A friend." "And this is why she telephoned you when " "But as I understand, you didn't believe her... because this wasn't the first time she telephoned you, threatening to kill herself." "Is that a correct assessment of the truth?" "It is, but I went all the same." "Without, however, taking the business very seriously." "Right?" "Say good-bye." "Right." "I see." "You went to make sure... but you were convinced you would find Mrs. Vognic alive and well, as usual." "Am I right?" "You like Superman?" " Superman?" " It's Superman." "Why you say "Superman"?" "It's not a bad book." "Would you excuse me?" " You going to Hummels's party?" " Ciao." "Bye-bye." "Lost your tan." " You've lost your tan." " More than a month." "It fades." "Doesn't matter." "You look good, tan or no tan." "Heard you've been trying to find me." " Why didn't you call me?" " I did, five, 10 times." "I didn't know, did I?" "I guess it was " "I guess it was as difficult for you as it was for me." "But maybe if you would have... left a message or something." "Maybe " "Alex, some interesting papers arrived from America." " Let's have a coffee and talk, hmm?" " Sure." "Who's the guy?" "Does it matter?" "Why did you come here?" "I don't know, Alex." "I " "Guess I was - Maybe I wanted to stumble into you." "I " "Sounds reasonable, but how can I believe you?" "What are you afraid of, Alex?" "Let's not argue." "You're calling me a liar." "He's not the guy in the photo, is he?" "What photo?" "You and someone at a lake." "You took them?" "Stefan I know, but that someone at the lake " "It wasn't him... or him." "Would it really matter if I told you?" "Who?" "The lake was in California." "And the boy was my fucking brother." "You don't believe me, do you?" "You think I'm lying." "Think?" "You'll never change, Milena." "Never." "If you weren't who you are, I wouldn't have to." "Oh, God, I'm" "I'm glad you decided to get rid of me, Alex." "You know that?" "Because I did love you, and..." "I couldn't " "Oh, geez, I " " Fuck off." " You're drunk." " Disappear." " Milena, I want to explain." "Tell it to your students." "It's just that I can't stand to think of you with anyone else." "Please." "I'm tired." "I had too much." "I need sleep." "Please, just go." "Milena, I love you." "Please." "I waited all night out there in the car." "It's fucking daylight." "You want me to tell you I slept with someone?" "Is that what you want?" "We fucked?" "Would you believe that?" "Is that what you want to believe?" "What do you want to know?" "The truth?" "No, you'd only call it a lie." "What do you want to do, go up and make love?" "Go up and fuck?" "You want us to do that?" "You want me to do that?" "What is it you want?" "Okay." "I love you." "I don't love you." "What do you want me to say?" "What do you want me to do because of that?" "Kill myself?" "Would you be sure then, huh?" "Would you?" "Would you?" "What do I want?" "What do you want?" "I want you to be mine." "No, you don't." "You want to own me and dump me." "Well, I don't want to be yours or anyone's." "Greedy bastard." "You got everything." "You had everything." "Know everything." "I don't want any fucking thing of mine... let alone yours." "I'm not ambitious." "I'm not a fucking artist... or a poet... or a philosopher... or a goddamn revolutionary." "I don't want to have to pretend I am for anybody." "I just want to be allowed... to give where I can... how I can... to whom I can." "For Christ's sake, don't ever use that word "love" again... and I promise I won't." "You want me to give you a great big present, Alex?" "Yes, I did do it!" "I did it!" "But you made me do it." "You're driving me crazy!" "Why did I ever meet you anyway?" "What?" "Did you know that Mrs. Vognic took drugs?" "No." "Tests made before the operation reveal considerable traces... of amphetamine in her blood." "Amphetamine." "She may have taken stimulants." "She suffered at times from severe depressions." "Drugs aren't so unusual, are they?" "You wouldn't recommend them, would you, Doctor?" "I'm not her doctor." "I'm a friend." "That's it." "Of course." "Did you get her the prescription?" " I'm a friend." "That's it." " Of course." "You did tell us that." "Yes." "Another?" "You may smoke if you like." "This, Dr. Linden... is an extract from our archives." "The Germans have always been very good at archives." "This is Austria." ""On the fifth of May..." ""a disturbance was reported by various neighbors..." ""living in the Schonbrunner Schlossstrasse." ""Complaints were filed against Milena Vognic..." ""for drunken and disorderly conduct." ""After additional inquiries it was learned that the party receiving the attack..." ""of verbal abuse was..." ""Dr. Alex Linden... currently on the faculty."" "So what does that mean?" "Of course... but what caused that?" "That?" "I told you, she's a very erratic person." "We decided not to see each other after that... for a while, at least." "Why did you decide not to see each other?" "How, Dr. Linden, would you account for a young girl... getting into a state " "drugs, depressions?" "Oh, you love" " Oh!" " Yes" " Alex?" " Um " " Yeah." "Alex, um, I think I've done something stupid." " What are you up to?" " Nothing." "Is someone there?" " No." "Nobody's here." " There isn't, is there?" "No, and, Milena, I really want to talk to you." "I've been thinking about things." "Oh, yeah?" "Really, we ought to talk." "No one there, huh?" "Listen, it's a little late for drunken phone calls." "Oh, Christ, the usual lecture." "Jesus, Alex!" "Why don't you just fuck me to death?" "I've done it, Alex." "I feel so strange and fucked up and confused in my head." ""No one there." You are a creep." " It's none of your business." " You creep!" "You liar!" "Why don't you just fuck off!" "Milena, your scenes are boring, dull and stupid." "Stupid?" "Not according to that orange file of yours." "Not according to that, huh?" "You know, you really are a prick." "Don't worry." "I won't embarrass you anymore." "You'll be able to close that file, Alex Linden." "Milena, I wanted to talk to you about all this." "I hate to be hung up on." "She wouldn't do anything stupid." "I don't know." "I don't know." "Milena?" "Milena?" "Welcome to the wake!" "Ehh!" "Chains, so you can lock me up, and I'll forever be yours." "Did you bring your orange file for protection?" "Huh?" "Huh?" "Oh, don't worry about it." "It doesn't matter." " You've won." " I've won?" "We are celebrating the death of the Milena you don't want... and the birth of the Milena you do want." "Don't I look pretty?" "Don't you like" " Mmm-mmm!" "Ehh!" "Here!" "For you." "The only one, sir." "The only one chains for which you have the only key!" "For you." "For Milena's freedom." "Leave, and you've killed me!" "Leave, and I'm dead!" "Don't go." "Help me!" "I need you now!" "I need you, please!" "Me?" "You need me now?" "Milena, you have so many friends." "Call 'em." "Call 'em now." " I'll throw myself out the window!" " Be my guest." "Alex!" "Alex, no, don't go!" "Alex, please, don't!" "Alex!" "Alex!" "Alex!" "Where are you?" "Come here, you" "Alex.!" "Alex.!" "Alex!" "Alex!" "Come on there, you.!" "You hear me?" "There you are!" "Get you!" "You'd like me to do it, wouldn't you?" "Admit it.!" "Admit it.!" "You'd like to see me dead.!" "Oh.!" " Shit!" "Shit!" "Shit!" " Milena." " Milena!" " Why ruin your neat little existence, Alex?" " Why?" " Stop that, you crazy bitch!" "That's what you wanted!" "Neaten up your little fucking life!" "Get clear of it!" "Fucker!" "I hate you!" "I'll jump.!" "I'll do it.!" " I'll do it!" " Stop that.!" "Oh, blow it out your ass!" "Fuck you!" "Fuck you!" "I hate your fucking guts!" "Don't go away." "Watch!" "I'm going to do it, Alex!" "I'm going to do it for you!" "Alex!" "Don't go." "Watch me!" "That's what you want, isn't it?" "I'll jump." "I'll jump." "I'll jump." "I'll jump." "God!" "Who are you" "Who, who, who, who" "Who are you" "Who, who, who, who" "Who are you" "Who, who, who, who" "Who are you" "Who, who, who, who" "I woke up in a Soho doorway" "Apoliceman knew my name" "He said, you can go sleep at home tonight" "If you can get up and walk away" "I staggered back to the underground" "And the breeze blew back my hair" "I remember throwing'punches around" "And preaching'from my chair" " Well, who are you" " Who are you" "Who, who, who, who" ""The said, et cetera, et cetera, telephoned me at about 1:30."" "I can't remember the time with any precision." "But I'm not asking you for the precise time." "So could it have been half past 12:00 perhaps?" " 10:00?" "11:00?" "Midnight?" " No." "You see, it wasn't 11:00, it wasn't midnight." " Could it have been 1:00?" " Wrong again." "If you know I'm wrong, then you must know what the correct answer is." " It wasn't 1:00." " Later or earlier?" "Which?" "Later?" "Earlier?" "Later, naturally." ""Naturally"?" " Not 2:00?" " Obviously." ""Obviously."" "Yes?" "I " "I wanted to say good-bye." "You said it exceptionally well the other night, Milena." "Alex, please " "Alex?" "I didn't mean to." "I " "Oh, Alex, please don't go." "Alex?" "Please?" "Oh, God." "I wanted " "I wanted us to have a real good-bye." "I wanted " "I wanted us to have a real good-bye." "Oh, God, I'm tired." "Very tired." "Tired or drunk?" "That's right." "Pissed." "How else could I get myself ready?" "God" " Good-bye to you." "No, Alex." "I've done something stupid." "Really stupid." "What did you do after you got the call?" " Did you have to dress?" " No." "I was working." "I put on my jacket and tie." "Your tie?" "Then you went to your car?" "Like this, or faster?" "Or slower?" "More or less like now." " Was the radio playing?" " What does that mean?" "While you were on your way to see... whether Mrs. Vognic had" "Stop calling her "Mrs. Vognic."" "While on your way to see whether there had or had not been a suicide... you switched the car radio on." "It was still on an hour ago when I went for the first time... to look at her apartment." "You wouldn't, by chance, remember what was playing?" "I don't know." "Music." "A news bulletin maybe." "Do you have a light?" "Maybe it was the late station." "No, it wasn't the late station." "The radio was tuned to the second station." "I switched it off myself." "Thanks." " Herr Hauptmann." " Hauptmann Netusil." " Go up." "I'll join you in a minute." "Stay here." " Hauptmann Netusil." "Hauptmann Netusil." " Hauptmann Netusil." " Yes." "Speaking." "What?" "Alex?" "You came." "Well, we've decided it took me about 20 minutes to drive here." "Where was she when you entered?" "Mrs. Vognic rang you between 1:00 and 1:30... which means she was in a condition to dial and talk." "So?" "She arrived at the hospital about one hour later in a state of advanced coma." " So?" " So?" "An abnormally rapid toxic process, wouldn't you say?" " Hmm?" " Not my branch." "Ask a specialist." "I have." "When Mrs. Vognic reached the hospital, she had swallowed the pills... at least three or four hours before." "If she swallowed the poison, let's say, between 10:30 and 11:30... then at 1:30 she was in no condition to ring anybody... or even move a finger." "You follow me?" "Maybe she phoned earlier." "I don't know." "Maybe I didn't leave that quickly." " I wasn't convinced." " Hmm." "I probably was " "It must have been half an hour before I got here." "I mean, she'd threatened before." "And there's that business about your radio being tuned to the second station." "You know, don't you, that the second station ends at midnight?" "Now, please, Dr. Linden... be kind enough to tell me... exactly what did occur when you received her call." "You're not gonna scare me, Milena... not with a weak gesture like this." "Why don't you scare Konrad, that slob you kissed at that café?" "He'd laugh at you now, throw a bomb at somebody." "Or Giavanni, although he's probably at the theater tonight." "If only you could've gotten yourself together." "We could have " "It could have been good." "But you couldn't get it together." "My sweet, you've been drunk before." "You've handled it then, you will now on your own... without help." "Who would you call anyway?" "That young guy in the photo?" "Your brother?" "Your brother." "I'm here." "We don't need anybody else." "Just you and me." "Help me." "Louder." "Help." "It's better this way." "Believe me... there was no other way." "If you arrived here, let's say, two or three hours... before you said you did" "Which I didn't." "Of course." "Only detection." "What is it if not a process of elimination?" "Why I chose this profession - a puzzle." "Certainly the law doesn't interest me." "But, uh" " Hmm." "When I see " "When I see " "And, well " "I see you." "Ah." "Hmm." "Hmm." "Where was I?" "You were making incorrect assumptions." "Yes, yes." "Anyway, if- if... then you would have to explain... why you allowed all that time to elapse... before calling for an ambulance." "But what about all those Marlboro butts?" "You smoked quite a few last night waiting for the ambulance." "They could have been there for weeks." "One could never accuse Mrs. Vognic of an obsession with cleanliness." " Ask the portress." " I have." "What I need is a confession." "Would you like to confess, Dr. Linden?" "To what?" "The truth of the matter, Dr. Linden, is... that no one cares about Article 139B." "Suicide." "It has little, if any, indictable application to this case." "But Article 205- ravishment." "There we have quite another apple, do we not?" "You know, I ordered a vaginal swab taken... as detection demands." "Wake up, Milena." "Don't sleep." "Wake up." "Tell me!" "We're alone here." "No witnesses." "Tell you." "A sort of confirmation." "Tell you what?" "About ravishment." "I haven't the slightest idea what you're talking about." "Difficult, the law." "Difficult." "In this area... it's not as clear as it could be." "Ravishment." "It has to do with... when... well, in - in a sense " "in a sense, you take advantage of someone's love." "You disguise your feelings of- of hatred." "Somehow I have the feeling we're talking about you and not me." "We are not unalike." "I could understand." "People who live in this sort of disorder... this sort of moral and physical sewer... they spread it around them like an infectious disease." "Dangerous creatures... to themselves and others." "They envy our strength... our capacity to fight... our will to master reality." "What do they do?" "They try to drag us into their confusion... their chaos." "Anything to get you." "Anything to get you back- back the way it was." "I love you." "I love you." "I love you." "I love you, Milena." "I love you, Milena." "I love you." "I love you." "Hello." "We need an ambulance." "It's urgent." "What?" "Schonbrunner Schlossstrasse." "Confess." "Please, Dr. Linden." "As a personal favor." "Personal favor." "You see, a swab would prove nothing." "I fear I am not so good a detective." "But" " But what is detection if not confession?" "Confess between us." "It might help." "Help who?" "You." "I can help you, Dr. Linden." "Confess, between us." "Tell me what you... dare not." "I had a phone call before... in the car." " Is she dead?" " Hmm." "No." "She will live." "Then you don't need me anymore." "Everything you need you can get from her." "Excellent." "Thankful news." "But for me, perhaps, it arrived a moment too early." "I trust... both you gentlemen will... make yourselves available to me for the next few days." "What did you get from her, Dr. Linden?" "Not enough, I think." "You must understand, you see, it's not enough to love a woman... when she is so difficult." "You must love her tremendously." "More even than one's own dignity." "Don't you agree?" "I've got to take two with me this afternoon." "Ann, those are the strangest " "They're not mine." "Milena." " Milena!" " Call me." "The same old story" "It's as old as the stars above" "The same old story" "Of a boy and a girl in love" "The scenes say more moonlight" "The times say moreJune light" "Romance's the thing" "Two hearts away" "Deep in a dream" "The same old story" "It's been told much too much before" "The same old story" "But it's worth telling just once more" "It's all fun and laughter" "They lived ever after" "In ecstasy" "The same old story" "But it's new to me"