"A SHIP TO INDIA" "Sally?" "Sally!" "Pardon me." "You look just like a girl I know called Sally." " I do?" " I've been away for seven years." "When you're thinking of one person, you expect to bump into her right away." " You did?" "How strange." " I'm not crazy, I can assure you." "I apologize." "I won't bother you any more." "Too bad." "I believe it has stopped raining." " It's clearing up." " Let's go for a swim in the sea." " Just you and me." " Let's leave the others behind." " What's this sailor thinking about?" " I don't want anything today." " Aren't you Johannes?" " Yes, I am." "Don't you recognize old Sofie?" "Good heavens, if it isn't old Sofie!" "I can't believe I didn't recognize you." " I recognized you straight away." " Because of my back?" "Idiot!" "Come back for a cup of coffee." "It's just Selma and me." " I don't want to bother you..." " It's no bother." "I've finished for tonight, and Selma never goes out." "She has rheumatism." "And she's so young!" "I've always said, "Don't go out too early in the spring. "" "How the boy has grown!" "Yes." "And how handsome he looks in his uniform." " And he looks tanned and healthy." " It's a joy to look at him." "Nothing has changed here." "And you two haven't changed either." "Doesn't my back look straighter?" " Yes, it does." " It's quite remarkable." "Seven years ago, I had a hump." "At least I thought so." " Now I just look round-shouldered." " It isn't noticeable." "It probably has something to do with your soul." "You don't know how right you are." " So, Sofie, where is this coffee?" " It's coming right up." "It's a good thing we bought so many biscuits!" " Who lives in there?" " A girl." "It's temporary." " She's probably asleep." " Maybe we should keep it down." " She's been ill for some time." " What's wrong with her?" "I don't know." "She says she's sick, but she looks fine." "I don't think she likes life much." " Do you know what this is?" " No." "Let me see." "I wrote that when I was about seven." "And you still have it?" "Shall I read it to you?" ""Selma is so big and tall, she likes cleaning most of all. "" ""Looks after creatures big and small. "" ""Lives with Sofie down the hall. "" ""Is like a mother to us all. "" "What's all this racket?" "!" " I can't sleep." " Have a cup of coffee." " I don't want one." " Suit yourself." "You're so nasty, Sofie." "If only you had my life." " Come and sit down." " I said no!" "Just ignore her, she'll go back to bed." "She's seems out of it this evening." " Who is that?" " You know her." " Sofie!" " We might as well tell him." "I know." " Don't be sad." " I'm not sad." "That's just life." "Some people are lucky, some aren't." " Isn't that right, Sofie?" " Sure." "That girl never seemed able to make up her mind." " I was in love with her." " We know you were." "She always thought some rich man would turn up, so she ignored you." "She gave me a lot which I will never forget." "I think I might go in and see her." "I know it's silly and sentimental  but I've thought about her every day in the years I've been away." "I didn't recognize you at first." "Then I recognized you." "But I didn't think the old biddies were stupid enough to tell you who I was." "It's nice to see you." "You seem to be blossoming." "There's been terrible thunder tonight." "But it has cleared the air a bit." "It's still warm." "Maybe I'll go outside." "It's been a while." "Seven or eight years, I think." "And you're well?" "You look exactly the same." "Your old man died last year, but you probably know that." " No, I didn't know." " He died of pneumonia." " What about my mum?" " I don't know." "Will you visit her?" " I can't." "We're leaving in the morning." " You are?" "And how are you?" "Me?" "A bit worn out at the moment..." "But generally, very good." "And soon, I'll be really well off." "You poor thing." "I don't need your pity!" "Leave!" " Are you leaving so soon?" " That girl has ruined our evening." " She'd be better off dead!" " That's not very nice." " Won't you stay for some more coffee?" " No thank you, I'm going for a walk." " We'll see each other another evening." " Good bye." "I have to think back to that day seven years ago, when it all began." "Mother, Dad and I lived on the salvage vessel." "We were salvaging a wreck." "I have to think back to that summer's day, lying in the machine room  listening to the men slagging of my father." "I have to think about all of this to free myself of it, once and for all." "To free myself of everything that hurts." " She's sunk on one side again." " That damn Captain Blom..." "Three days' work for nothing." "Just because Captain Blom is out on the town drinking." "He never used to." " What are you doing?" " I'm thinking." " Who are you writing to?" " The liquor authority." "They've cancelled my ration book, and I want to ask them why." "Poor sod." " That damn Captain Blom..." " Do something, then!" " If he's not here tomorrow, I'm going." " You wouldn't dare." "Do you need margins when you're writing to the liquor authority?" "If this continues, we won't get any money." "Why don't we talk to Johannes?" "His dad gets the hump as soon as he speaks." "We could at least talk to him." "Johannes?" " What's wrong?" " Nothing." " Has someone been mean to you?" " Why?" "You're leaving soon." "You only have a few weeks left." " I'll never get to leave." " Of course you will." "The old man will stop me somehow." " I'll help you." " You?" " You don't think I can?" " You can't handle him." " He's not as bad as you think." " He's treats you even worse." " We've been married 25 years." " He doesn't care about us." "He'd leave if he could." "You should hear the way the men talk about him." " What do you want?" " We want to ask..." "Should we start salvaging the wreck without your old man?" "Otherwise, we lose our pay  and both Pecka and myself have families to support." "We could start straight away, without the captain." "You could be our commander and lead the whole thing..." " The old man will go ballistic." " If we all agree, he can't do anything." " He has the keys with him." " We can break the lock to get the gear." "All right." " Johannes!" "Think about this carefully." " You bet I am." "The old man will see that others can do the job just as well as him." "That's nice." "I'll take it." "I'll pay you well for it." "Here you go." "Oh, you want more?" "Keep you sinful trap shut!" "Come on, boys." "My name is Alexander Blom, and you're going to shut up!" "What?" "I'm at the theatre, leave me alone!" "What the hell...?" "Are you insane?" "!" "If you have something to tell me, come back another time!" " You're making a lot of noise." " Aren't I?" " You'd better leave." " Why?" " The coppers will be here soon." " They always have to ruin the fun." " You're crazy." " That's a possibility." "Come with me." " What's wrong?" " I don't know..." "My eyes." " Your eyes?" " It happens sometimes." " Maybe you were punched there." " Maybe." " Will you be back soon?" " I won't be long this time either." "Sally!" " What do you want?" " To ask how you are." "I'm fine." " Did you see a doctor?" " Yes, I did." " Was everything fine?" " Yes, everything was fine." "Is it dangerous?" "It's to do with some nerve, and some fluid which is drying up." "Then everything will go dark." " When will that be?" " He couldn't say." " Personally, I think it will be soon." " What will you do?" " The worst thing is not to go blind." " No, it isn't." " It is to never have seen anything." " What do you mean?" "I'm going to salvage that boat and then we'll leave this place, you and I, and go far away." " I'd like that." " Are you sure?" "Have you seen the manager of the variety show?" "Then you'll understand." "I want to show you something." "This photograph is from Tahiti." "Can you see the palmtrees?" "This is from Ceylon, an island near India." "There are palmtrees there, too." "This is a piece of dried shark skin." "And look at this!" "These are corals and sea shells from the islands in the Pacific." "Pink and white coral, and sea shells of all colours and sizes." "This one is light blue." "And this one changes colour depending on the light." "Listen!" " It's whistling." " That's right." "That's the sea whistling inside it." "I can listen to that sea shell for hours at a time." "Every time I put a shell against my ear it's as if a voice whispers to me  and tells me not to stay here, to go out to sea again." "And each night, the voices around me grow clearer." "Keep it." " I get to keep it all to myself?" " It will speak to you just as clearly." "I know it." "You long for something else too." "Yes, I long for something else." "Ready!" " Ready!" " About time." " Has she slipped down a lot?" " It will probably be a lot of work." " Are you ready?" " Try the pump, and he can go down." "As long as she's not in a worse position." "It was hard to get the chains underneath her last night." " She's probably slipped back down." " Move that chain towards the stern." " I've sorted out the valve." " Are you ready?" "It feels strange to hear the pump when Blom isn't here." "Is that right?" "Is that right?" "But it can't be that strange now  since that damn Captain Blom is here." "Isn't that right, Pecka?" "Am I here or not?" " Answer me!" " The Captain is here." "Say, "that damn Captain Blom is here. "" "That damn Captain Blom is here." "Could Mr. Pecka be so kind as to turn off that pump?" "It's bothering me." "Dad?" "What does a mate want from a simple man who doesn't even run his own ship?" " She keeps sinking to the bottom." " What a shame." " Don't you see..." " Don't shout." "We have company." "Behave yourselves, gentlemen." "There is a guest on board." "Sally!" "This is my boy." "My big boy." "The mate on the ship." "Aren't you going to say hello to the lady?" "Her name is Sally." "Aren't you going to say hello?" "How do you do." "They're not used to seeing people, especially young ladies." " Alexander said your name is Johannes." " Alexander who?" "I'm the only Alexander on board." "Is it fun to be under water and watch the fish swim?" "It isn't polite to ignore a lady when she asks a question." "Is it or isn't it fun to be under water and watch the fish swim?" "Yes, it's fun to see the fish swim." "Did you hear that, Sally?" "He says it's fun." " This is Sally." " How do you do." " Sally is going to help you out." " But I manage just fine." " This way you will have less to do." " I don't understand." " I'll do my best." " That's the spirit." "You take Johannes' bunk, and Johannes will move in with the men." " And if I don't?" " You will." "Their bunks are big enough for both you and your hump." "Johannes!" "Take it easy, Mum." "His day will come." " What time do you think it is?" " Around three." " Can you handle that on your own?" " No problem." "Bye." " Were are you going?" " Into town." " To do what?" " You know what." "You promised me I could go into town and get my passport today." " I don't remember that." " Ask Mum, she was there." "Alice!" "Get in here." "Didn't Dad promise I could go into town and get my passport today?" " Can't you go another day?" " I told you, it will be too late." "We can't spare you today." "We have to salvage that boat soon." " Why this sudden hurry?" " That's none of your business!" " I'm getting the three o'clock boat." " That's interesting." " If you promised him..." " I didn't." "Nobody asked you, so leave." "Wipe your face and come back upstairs, and let's not argue anymore." "No!" "You can't make me!" "I won't let you ruin this opportunity!" "Ruin it?" "Yes." "You ruin everything for me!" " One of these days, I'll drown myself." " What's all the fuss about?" "I suppose you want to be a sailor." "A mate, or even captain of a ship." "I suppose you do know how to navigate." "And now you're going out to sea..." "Before you've learned to shut up, which is crucial at sea." "Discipline, doing what you're told..." "But you still want to become mate, maybe even captain." " Look at that smirk." "I could punch you." " Johannes!" " You'll pay for this." " What a polite boy you've raised, Alice." " He knows how to speak to his father." " That's enough!" "Do you think he would punch me?" "I'm waiting, but it won't happen." "Do you know what I think, Alice?" "I think he's too scared." "Too weak." "Maybe he's worried his father would punch him back." "Our future captain!" " Try to calm down, Johannes." " I couldn't agree more." "Dry your tears, and when you come back up we won't mention this again." "You bastard." "I'll show you!" "It's not enough that I have to see you and your bloody back every day." " Now I have to listen to your rubbish!" " You bloody..." "I've been patient with you because I pity you, but no more!" "Drink." "I said drink!" "No?" "I'll drink it, then." " You're drunk." " Yes, I am." "You're very beautiful." "It must be nice to be beautiful." "You know you're beautiful, don't you?" " You must find me disgusting." " Why would I?" "Mum asked if I'd been with any girls, and I said, "No, I'm rather picky. "" "But if a girl with a hump came along, I'd probably lose my head." "Sally, what are you doing here?" "Isn't there a man to take care of you?" " Isn't there a man you sleep with?" " None of your business!" "Why?" "I could be your man." "Would you like to sleep with me?" " Don't touch me!" " You're so beautiful." " And I'm such a freak." " Don't say that!" "Am I not a freak?" "If you tell me I'm not, you're lying." "Nobody has a larger hump." "Look at it, and then tell me if you would sleep with me." " Tell me I'm a freak!" " Leave me alone." "Tell me I'm a freak!" "Yes, you're a freak." "Good." "It's nice to hear the truth." "No!" "Leave me alone!" "Let me go!" "Johannes, let her go!" " Are you sick?" " No, why?" "I thought you might be hung over, seeing as you drank my cognac." " Hans promised to replace it for me." " How nice of him." "That's that, then." "Tomorrow's weather is meant to be good." "So was yesterday's." "I wonder what the day after tomorrow will be like?" "Or next week, or in ten years' time." " Does anyone want some more?" " You make good porridge, Alice." "Yes, there's nothing wrong with Alice." " If we didn't have her..." " Then what?" "Nothing." "Hans, you're always so talkative." "Don't you have any funny stories?" "No." " I have things to think about." " Like what, if I may ask?" "I'm thinking about you, for example." "Now that you've become a dirty old man  this will be the last vessel that we salvage together." "That means we're thinking the same thing." "That's funny." " Good night." " Good night." "Remember when Johannes was a child and we only had Hans helping us?" "We used a hand pump in those days, and Hans and I took turns pumping." "We salvaged small boats and wrecked goods." "We used bad equipment and we were young." "Do you remember?" "I pumped air into your lungs to keep you alive in the water below me." "I was as if I gave you life every time I turned that wheel." "Do you remember?" "Those were good times." "I can't help the way things are, Alice." "And what's left for me?" "25 years..." "I don't have the energy any more." "I'm getting old." "I've tried, Alice." "I promise you, I have." "I don't quite know what you mean." "I didn't have a life before I met you." "My love for you gave me the strength to carry on through the rough times." " Your joy was my joy." " I know." "I don't think people should try to change things  or turn back." "You just get lost." "I won't turn back." "Can you find your way through the 25 years that are behind us  through days and nights, hours, minutes and seconds, and not get lost?" "My life isn't over." "Not yet." "We are drifting apart." "My words don't reach you, and yours don't reach me." "I have something to tell you." " I'm going blind." " Yes, I know." "In a month or two." "A year at the most." "I know." "I'm going away, and I'm taking Sally with me." "I'm demanding from life all the things I haven't had before." " Do you understand?" " Yes." "Sally is a big part of what I haven't had." "Do you understand?" "Yes." "Sally and I are going far away from here." " Yes." " You have to try to understand." " What will happen after that?" " Happen?" "Nothing." " Will you never come back?" " No." " What will happen to me?" " You'll get a pension from the company." "You'll get a cottage on land." "That has always been your dream." " My dream was to live there with you." " Try to understand." " Hello." " Well, hello!" " Listen..." " Yes?" " About last night..." " Yes?" "Can we just forget about that?" " I understood you." " You did?" "That's good." " You have your own problems." " I suppose I do." "Look!" "Africa, America, India." "You don't know what Africa looks like." "Coming in at night, slowly, after spending months at sea." "Coming in at night to a harbour full of light." "The water dark and calm..." "And the air smells differently to here." "It has a wild smell." "It makes you wild." " How do you know all this?" " I've read about it in books." "And the negroes stare at you with their white eyes." "You hear languages you don't understand." "People are black instead of white." "Everything is new and different." "Strange." "I've never heard you talk so much at once." " Can I show you something on shore?" " Yes." " I come up here sometimes." " Do you sit here on your own?" " No, I don't." " Who do you bring?" "I imagine someone I can talk to about my thoughts and my dreams." " What do you want most of all?" " To be rid of my hump." "It's not a hump." "You're just round-shouldered." " No..." "I've noticed something." " What's that?" " Your eyes." "They look sad." " Do they?" " It makes me wonder why you're sad." " I don't know." "Maybe because I was born into misery." "Both my own and that of others." " You mustn't give up." "I never will." " I know you won't." "But I'm a bit lazy and indifferent." "You're not like that at all." "I'll free myself of all my problems." "You just have to make your mind up." "I never make my mind up." "Do you love my old man?" " Why do you ask?" " It can't be much fun for my mum." " I bet you wish I wasn't here." " I like having you here." " But my mum doesn't." " Don't worry, I don't love your father." "Is there someone else?" "No, there's nobody." "What did you do before the variety show?" "I was poor." "So poor that I decided to do something about it, in my own way." " Which way is that?" " What do you think?" " Does that pay well?" " It sure does." "But it hardens you." "You stop caring about others." "I still believe that there is something which is good and true." "You do?" "Well, you'll see." "Look at me." "I'm quite attractive." "But I have nothing, I am nothing, I know nothing." "Imagine being a rich man, seeing me and thinking, "I want that girl!"" "Imagine asking me, "How much, miss?"" "And me answering, "A nice job." "A good salary, not too much work. "" ""A fur coat, and a dog for my drawing room floor. "" " That's disgusting!" " You can say that, you're not that man." "I consider that agreement to be right and honourable, and it suits my style." "You think I'm no better than a regular whore, admit it!" " You want to slap me." "Just do it!" " You don't care what I think." "I do care what you think." "You're the first person to be nice to me without wanting anything back." "If I could fall in love with anyone, I'd fall in love with you." "You don't realize what you're saying." "You're crazy." "I'm completely mad." "Aren't people allowed to be mad sometimes?" "I've always been alone." "Nobody has ever cared about me." "People shouldn't be alone." "You need someone to take care of." "You need someone to love." "Otherwise, you might as well be dead." "It must be time for breakfast." "I'm bloody hungry." "Come on, Sally." "Well, I'll be damned..." "Can't you hear me?" "It's me, Alice." "Please, open the door." "You need to eat." "I've brought you breakfast." "Open up!" " What's wrong?" " I can't do it any more." " It will pass." " It's hopeless." " Johannes was right to hit him back." " It's never right to hit back." "Imagine if I had hit back all the times I've been hit." " Then you wouldn't have been this tired." " You have to accept the way things are." "No." "You don't have to accept anything." "You don't have to be like an animal that people whip until it dies." "It used to be different." "When Blom and I were young." " But then Johannes came." " And things changed?" " Not for me." " But for Blom?" "He couldn't stand the boy." "That he was a cripple." "I had to protect him so that Blom wouldn't kick him, just like a dog." "Sometimes, when he was drunk, he'd hold Johannes and cry." "You couldn't protect yourself from it." "It was contagious." "Eventually, I saw the hump too." "He was always ill as a boy." "I wanted him to die." "Then he started tormenting me." "He was mean, malicious." "We left him alone, and he kept quiet." "Sometimes, he'd run away and hide and be gone for days." "When we found him, Blom beat him with his belt." "He looked dead." "But he never cried, like other children would have done." "He just went stiff, and he'd go cross-eyed and grind his teeth." "In that case, I'm damn proud that Johannes hit back today." " Do you love Johannes?" " No." " You don't care about anyone." " No." "Maybe I'd like to, but I'm scared." " I don't want to end up like you." " I'm better off than a lot of people." " How can you accept me being here?" " You're not the first." "It will pass." " When he goes blind." " You look forward to that?" "Yes." "I'll take care of him." "We'll get our pension and our cottage." "I think about that every day." " How dreadful." " Is it?" " I'm leaving with Johannes." " What's the point?" "If he stays here, it will end badly." " I'm going to talk to Blom." " He won't let you in." "Yes, he will." "Open up!" "Put my food on the table." " It's done." " Was there anything else?" "I'm leaving tomorrow, and I'm taking Johannes with me." " What did you two get up to?" " Don't talk to me like that." " That's the thanks I get for saving you." " Don't be ridiculous." "So leave, then." "But Johannes stays." "I've decided." " Did you decide he should hit you?" " He'll pay for that, trust me." "You're the one who will pay for what you've done to him and Alice." "Don't be so sure of yourself." "There are things I could tell Johannes." "I already have, so don't bother." "Sally!" "Don't go." "Did you want something?" "Remember when I gave you the sea shell?" "Things were different then." " I didn't know you then." "I do now." " No." "You don't know me at all." "You don't know anything." "You don't know what it's like to go blind." "To wake up in the morning and know that you're one day closer." "To be scared to close your eyes and fall asleep." "To see things and know that it could be over tomorrow." "To see everything without having seen anything." "I've never been on any other boat." "I've been chained to this boat for years with Alice and Johannes." "What do you think that does to you?" "What do you think it makes you want?" "I knew you hadn't seen all those things." "But I felt sorry for you." " People laugh at you." " You think I don't know that?" "I'll show the bastards who laugh at me." "The people who laugh behind my back and are scared when I look at them." " You and Johannes!" " You can't hurt us." "You and Johannes..." "I trusted you more than anyone else." " You can leave now." " You can't hurt us." "We're leaving." "You can stay here." "Sally..." "You were supposed to make everything right." "You're just a wretch." "You're just a wretch!" "Hey." "Answer me!" "Yes?" "Can't we sort this out together?" "No." "I don't think you know me." "I don't think you do." "She hangs over us like a curse." "One of these days, a wire will break or a bolt will loosen  and she'll sink back down and pull us with her." "She'll settle in the mud and never come up again." "What time is it?" "Ten to twelve." "Time for you to go to bed, isn't it?" "I can't sleep." "I lie awake for hours, listening to that ghost ship crack and squeak." "The water has started to erode her." " She's full of mud and seaweed." " There's something scary about her." "I bet thousands of sea shells grow on her, like boils." "As if she contained corpses." "Old boats shouldn't be salvaged after resting for so long." "Still, it has to be done sometimes." "Well, that's not up to me." "Johannes!" "Yes?" "What is it?" " I need to talk to you." " What's wrong?" " I'm frightened." " What?" "Why?" " Everything is wrong." " You mean with the old man?" "It's as if we're waiting for something to happen, but I don't know what." "That will pass." "Sometimes this boat seems to move, but nobody knows where it's going." " I'm frightened." " Of running aground?" "Maybe." "Or of sailing so far away that we never find our way back." "It's better to go away and not find your way back, than to stay still." "Let's take the dinghy at the stern." "Nobody will notice." "We can row into town in three hours." " Johannes, did you hear me?" " Yes, I hear what you're saying." " Let's leave before something happens." " Nothing will happen." "The wreck has to be salvaged." "That's my responsibility." "You see, Sally..." "I'm in charge here now." "But I'm so frightened..." "It's me." "We need to talk." "Hans is ill." "You need to help us." " Who will go down instead of Hans?" " Pecka or I will have to do it." " Pecka can't do it." " Well, I'll go down then." "Good." "I'll be up in a minute." " The third chain has come undone." " I'll take care of it." " Let Pecka, and you work the air pump." " I'll do that." " It's better if Bertil does it." " Are you scared?" " Why do you think that?" " You never know." "Work the air pump, then, and make yourself useful." "Hello, Alexander." "It's been a while." "How is Sally getting on out there?" "Does she put on shows for you?" " He was behaving strangely." " He looked as if something was wrong." "Maybe something has happened to Sally." " The door is shut." " Where is the caretaker with the keys?" "Get out of my way!" "He's blocked the door." "Come with us, Dad." "We understand." "You're not well." "Nobody's mad at you any more." "Let me help you." "I can manage." "Did you know about this room?" " Is there a window here?" " You can see that, can you?" " There's a bit of light." " Shall we continue?" " How is he?" " He'll live." " What do you mean?" " He'll probably be paralysed." "How awful." "I wish I could feel the same." "It's strange..." "Tomorrow it all starts again." "Those old songs, that untuned piano, the damp clothes." "The smell of rats and mould and poverty." "But it's nice of the manager to take me back." "And I'm leaving." "Yes." "You're leaving." "How busy we are tonight!" "Who are you whistling at?" "You whistle at dogs, not at people." " You're not allowed to stand here." " Sally said I could." " Sally can't promise things like that." " Where can I wait for her?" "Wait outside." "We'll only do one show tonight." " So you know Sally?" " Yes." " You know her well?" " Why the interrogation?" "I thought you might know why she's been away for a while." " No, I don't." " Well, in that case." "She came back a few days ago." "She's quite unpredictable, isn't she?" " I wouldn't know." " No, of course." "She's both attractive and talented." "She'll go far in more ways than one." "She's the kind of girl who says, "Sir, look at me. "" "When you ask "How much?", she says:" ""A nice job." "A good salary, not too much work." "A fur coat. "" ""Maybe a car and a dog for my drawing room floor. "" "From Sally's point of view, that attitude is both sound and ethical." "Don't you agree?" "Yes." "It's both sound and ethical." "I'm glad to have her back." "I could do a lot for that girl." "I've already done some." "Sally, dear." "You were adorable this evening." "I know what you're thinking." "I know what you want to say, but don't say anything." "Don't think anything." "Don't be bothered by how disgusting it is." "Nothing is like that between us." "I will take you away from here as soon as I can, I promise." "That's nice." "But don't make promises you can't keep." "Yes, I promise." "I promise you definitely." "I'll wait every day." "I'll think about you all the time." "It will be terribly hard." "I'll never be able to think properly about anything else." "It's strange..." "Tomorrow I'll be getting just what I've wanted all these years." "But I don't feel happy." "You will be." "I know you will." " You have got over so much." " You helped me." "When you arrived, I was a bundle of malice and hatred." "I'm glad to hear you say that, even though I know it's not true." "Why are you crying?" "Let's promise to be faithful and to always love each other." "Let's hold each other tight and feel happy and unhappy." " As long as it lasts." " Of course it will last." "It will for you." "You're the way you should be." "But I'm afraid of tomorrow and all the days after that." "I feel as if there's nothing that lasts." "Not sadness." "Not love." "Not anything painful or beautiful." " Not for me." " Don't say that." "No, I don't want to scare you." "I just know that I love you, and that's all that matters." " Oh my!" "I thought he was dead." " No, he's just drunk." " I fell asleep." "What time is it?" " Around four, I should think." " I'm fine, I can assure you." " Good day, then." " Did I scare you?" " What?" "No." "Did you think I was someone else?" " Don't look at me." " I've been sitting here a while." " How rude." " I want to talk to you about something." "Listen, Sally." "This is important." "We have nothing to say to each other." "Leave me alone!" " I have something important to say." " So say it, and then leave!" " Do you know why I came back?" " How would I know?" "Do you remember what we talked about before I left seven years ago?" "I promised to come and get you as soon as I could." "So what?" "I'm here now." " Put this on and come with me." " I don't want to." "You said you'd been watching me." "You must have seen that it's impossible." " What do you mean?" " You're a bigger idiot than I thought." "I don't want to come!" "Leave me alone, go to hell!" "You want to come, but you're afraid." "Why won't you leave me alone?" "Do you remember when we met?" "How you took my side and helped me?" "Why won't you leave me alone?" "It's my turn to take care of you." "I've missed you during all these years." " I like you as much now as back then." " I don't want anything to do with you!" " What are you doing?" " Having a discussion." " I thought you were slaughtering her." " Close the door." "Sally, listen to me." "We saw what happened to my dad." "That mustn't happen to you." "You have to get out if you're locked in." "You can't just shut the door and be more and more scared." "You have to get through it, even if it seems hopeless." "Otherwise, everything grows around you and becomes impenetrable." "And you end up jumping out a window." "Sally, listen to me." "Sally..." "Open up!" "What is this nonsense?" " Let her stay in there and cry." " Shut up, or I'll punch you." " Open the door!" " He's gone insane." "I'll never come out!" "I'll stay here until your boat leaves." " Open up, or I'll break down the door." " I'll jump out the window." " There's no window in there." " Sofie says there is no window." "What is he doing?" "!" "See?" "You can't get away from me." "Suit yourself." "But you don't want me." "You can't be the judge of that." "I don't know why I'm arguing." "If you want me, you can have me." "I'll leave when you get tired of me." "I promise." "Will you pack her things, please?" "Sally?" "You've always caused a fuss." "THE END"