"Ludwig van Beerhoven, rhe man who inherired and increased  rhe immorral fame of Handel and Bach  of Haydn and Mozarr  is now no more." "He was an arrisr." "And who will srand beside him?" "He was an artist." "And what he was, he was only through music." "The rhorns of life had wounded him deeply." "So he held fasr ro his arr  even when rhe gare rhrough which ir enrered was shur." "Music spoke rhrough a deafened ear  ro he who could no longer hear ir." "He carried rhe music in his hearr." "Because he shut himself off from the world, they called him hostile." "They said he was unfeeling and called him callous." "But he was not hard of heart." "It is the finest blades that are most easily blunted bent or broken." "He wirhdrew from his fellow man afrer he had given rhem everyrhing and had received norhing in rerurn." "He lived alone because he found no second self." "Thus he was." "Thus he died." "Thus he will live for all rime." "Which one of you is the thief?" "!" "Produce the money, or I will have you arrested!" "Then arrest me!" "I took him in when nobody could bear his company." "And now you want to get paid" "Bank shares." "Give that to me!" "The money is mine!" "Here is his will." "" l declare that my brothers, Caspar and Johann are the heirs to my fortune, if so it can be called."" "As Caspar is long dead, that leaves me." "Just me!" "Well, give me my money!" "Answer!" "This is his final testament." ""All my music and all the capital of my estate shall go to my sole heir, my immortal Beloved."" "Signed, Ludwig van Beethoven." "A letter is enclosed." "This is...." "Don't keep me in suspense!" "Who is it?" "Nobody." "Not so!" "The letter bears no name." ""To my immortal Beloved."" "" My angel, my all, my other self."" "The maestro was nursing a secret passion." "I never heard such words from his lips." "Who could this be?" "The only love he held was for himself." "I suffered his insults, his temper." "I suffered in silence when he spat the food I made back in my face." "That money is ours!" "lt is not." "It doesn't matter anymore." "He is gone." "We have his music." "Destroy this letter." "It shows his disordered life to the world." "It's his dying wish." "We owe him at least that." "You have no authority in this matter." "I have his authority." "Still the faithful dog?" "He was my friend." "What friend would be so cruel?" "What brother so uncaring?" "You know nothing of my brother!" "Take me to Karlsbad." ""My angel, my all, my orher self." "Jusr a few words roday, and rhar in pencil." "Yours." "Only romorrow will I know where I'll sray." "A worrhless wasre of rime." "Why rhis deep sorrow?" "If we could be unired, we would feel rhis pain no longer. "" "Good afternoon, sir." "Good afternoon, Frau...?" "Streicher." "Herr Schindler." "Let me find your reservation." "I'm afraid I don't have a reservation." "No matter." "We have always room for a gentleman such as yourself." "is this the address of this hotel?" "One moment." "Yes, of course." "Do you know the name Ludwig van Beethoven?" "The composer?" "I knew him." "Did he ever stay here?" "Are you a policeman?" "No!" "Then I will not answer your questions." "Please. I'm trying to conclude his affairs." "Van Beethoven is dead." "Alas, yes." "Best thing for him." "He was a terrible man!" "Then he stayed here?" "A long time ago, too long to remember." "I can remember only the damage." "The damage?" "I was never paid for the damage." "He smashed it all up." "Everything!" "There was a chair, three florins." "Window, five. I had to paint everything." "Frau Streicher would this be sufficient?" "There was a woman." "We had been expecring Herr van Beerhoven for days." "She came insread." "She said he was ro join her." "She regisrered in his room." "Under what name?" "Illegible." "Then rhere was rhis rerrible srorm." "A deluge." "The woman hid in her room  wairing ashamed ro show her face, I'd say." "And rhen rhe lerrer arrived." "You opened rhe lerrer." "I had ro." "How else would I know who ir was for?" "I only read his signarure." "" My angel, my all, my other self." "Just a few words and that in pencil...."" "I senr ir ro her room ar once." "She can'r have liked whar she read." "She Iefr ar once, righr away." "Lefr wirhour a word ro anybody." "And then, of course, Herr van Beethoven arrives." "When he found she was gone, he went mad." "He was like a madman!" "Threw a chair our of rhe window." "I called rhe police." "I was frighrened of him." "Herr van Beethoven!" "Open up!" "Here is her signature." "is that a "J" or a "G"?" "It looks more like an "A" to me." "She was haughty, like a countess." "What did she look like?" "Never gor a look ar her." "I don'r rhink she wanred ro be recognized." "Herr Schindler." "Lock the door." "But countess" "Lock the door!" "We must not be disturbed." "Not everything they say about me is true." "Holz was here with the other one, the weasel." "Johann." "How could Luigi have such a vile brother?" "I hope they were in good health." "They say you have stolen Luigi's money." "They seemed to think you would come here." "Why?" "I told them nothing." "The price for my silence is that you must tell me everything." "I'm afraid that's impossible." "It falls upon me to interrogate you." "And why should I submit to that?" "That is what he wanted." "Who?" "The maestro." "What I shall tell you will never leave this room." "On my word of honour, contessa." "There is substance to the rumours." "I was the great love of Luigi's life." "I firsr heard rhe name Beerhoven when I was 1 7." "I had heard rhar his music aroused such passion as ro be dangerous." "Some rhoughr ir obscene and unsuirable for rhe young." "I wrore ro my cousins, Therese and Josephine." "They lived in Vienna  rhe grear music capiral of rhe world." "Surely rhey would know more." "Indeed, rhey did." "They knew him inrimarely." "More inrimarely rhan rhey admirred ar rhe rime." "Mosr nighrs, I dreamr of him and rhen Farher was posred ro Vienna." "We were invired ro Prince Lichnowsky's palace for a musical evening." "Beerhoven would be rhere." "I knew he musr be so noble, so refined in feeling, so culrured." "I could hardly wair." "I was going ro hear him play." "Thar music affecred me like none I had ever heard before." "And as for Beerhoven I was soon overcome." "I feared I mighr fainr." "Hello." "I didn't see you." "I have to go back." "You are leaving me to listen to that ass who plays like a kitchen maid, all clipped and staccato?" "This music is beautiful." "I was told that the Viennese had superior taste." "Clearly, in your case, it is not true." "You must be Julia Guicciardi." "I hear there's quite a contest for your charms." "Sir, you are rude and offensive. I am leaving." "Do you play the piano?" "What?" "I intend to be your teacher." "I shall call for you tomorrow at 1 0." "You shall be barred from the house." "I could nor believe rhe ourrage." "This ugly man, surely a servanr, had called ar rhe fronr door." "I have an appointment." "She has a piano." "A gentleman is here to see you." "He says he is your new music teacher." "There's been a mistake." "This man is a common oaf." "He accosted me last night." "Send him away at once!" "I will not!" "It would be a shame on our household." "Sir?" "Sir...?" "May I present Ludwig van Beethoven." "You must attend my next recital." "I heard you last week." "I remember." "The music was beautiful." "Surely not that bad." "I found the playing exquisite." "It's that damn Beethoven I can't stand." "People only claim to admire his stuff so as not to seem" "My dear husband, don't confirm your stupidity in front of the guests." "We all speak frankly here." "Tell us your opinion." "I was not looking for flattery." "It was too clipped and staccato." "There was not enough singing tone." "Julia, as you can see, is being taught by the maestro himself." "What?" "He comes every day to the house." "Every day?" "is that wise?" "Why do you say that?" "He's a harsh teacher." "He's a scoundrel and a Republican." "It's said that he's a follower of Napoleon." "He'd have us all in the arms of Madame la Guillotine." "He travels in polite society on his reputation as a virtuoso, but flies into a fit if anyone even dares suggest he sit at the keyboard." "Why would he no longer play?" "Beethoven is a strange and obstinate man." "He says it makes him feel like a servant and he serves no masters." "But he takes the money!" "You think because I did not stop you, that I am not listening." "A mistake is nothing." "But the fact that you thump out the notes without the least sensitivity to their meaning is unforgivable." "And your lack of passion is unforgivable." "I shall have to beat you." "I am writing a new symphony." "It will cause a scandal because of its subject." "Tell me." "Here, take my arm." "Luigi!" "They should make way for us, not us for them!" "Their days are over." "Your world is finished!" "Shut up!" "When I was boy, they would've had you arrested for less." "But now they are scared of what is happening in France." "You know why wigs went out of fashion?" "Too many ended up in the bottom of baskets." "But I am a countess too, Luigi." "They are scared." "Scared of Napoleon." "And that is why Napoleon is the subject of my symphony." "I have here a proposal of marriage from a composer." "Count Gallenburg." "You were thinking of Beethoven?" "The gossip is everywhere." "He also has proposed." "Then there's no contest." "You love Beethoven?" "Yes." "I cannot give my consent." "We are not wealthy, Julia." "He is a man without rank, fortune or permanent engagement." "His character is so peculiar I doubt any would find happiness with him." "He's a genius." "Perhaps." "In the last year, he has not played nor published a single note." "There are those who say there is some infirmity that prevents him." "Untrue gossip." "Lies!" "Has he played for you?" "No." "We made a bargain." "If I could prove Luigi could sriii play Farher would give his consenr." "Obviously, a fine countess." "Dear brother, you are going up in the world!" "Hand it over, you ignoramus!" "As your secretary, it is my solemn duty to read this!" ""Beloved Luigi...." "My farher has raken delivery  of a new pianoforre from Broadwood in London." "Ir is of rhe laresr design and is rhe firsr of irs kind in Vienna." "Tomorrow morning, I will send away rhe servanrs, and we shall all be our." "I have done rhis so rhar you mighr rry rhis new invenrion undisrurbed. "" "What is the meaning of this?" "What kind of trick have you played on me?" "I beg you, calm down." "Now I see." "I see perfectly." "A little test!" "Luigi, wait!" "It is terrible!" "Terrible to rob me in this way of my most treasured feelings!" "Father can go to hell!" "I'll be your wife!" "Julia, it's no use." "He can't hear you!" "He's deaf!" "A month later, I married Count Gallenburg." "And you never heard from him again." "He wrote to me." "It was after the war." "There had been some unpleasantness." "It was a bad time." "They who rhink me hosrile, obsrinare or misanrhropic how unjusr rhey are ro me." "For rhey do nor know rhe secrer reason I appear rhar way." "Ir is nor possible for me ro say, "Speak louder. "" ""Shour." "I am deaf!"" "How can I live if my enemies, who are many believe I no longer possess rhe one sense  rhar should be perfecr ro a higher degree in me rhan in orhers?" "Not so fast." "So what will you do?" "See every shallow countess Ludwig gave a dedication to?" "They are liars who want a piece of him now!" "I have the lady's signature." "I shall study his correspondence to find the hand that matches." "It is illegible!" "You're wasting your time." "No court will uphold this nonsense!" "Help me, then." "Are you mad?" "Help you to cheat me?" "I will tell you this:" "There is no lady at the end of your search." "Ludwig was a woman-hater!" "Look how he behaved with Johanna." "He had every right." "Your brother took a bride of low character." "You are too much under Ludwig's influence to see the truth." "He wanted Caspar under his thumb running his errands." "He hared Johanna because she rook him away." "There she is." "She's so beautiful." "A marvelous creature." "She will be mine." "So you will betray me for that?" "Where is your book?" ""Willingly."" "She can be bought." "All women can be bought." "You are insulting the woman I love." "At first, it will be all enticements." "Then, snap!" "The trap shuts." "There's always a price to pay!" "I would never betray you for one of those creatures." "Brothers, I have some wonderful news!" "She has finally consented." "You are to be wed?" "Yes!" "You explain to him." "May I present my bride?" "is this a joke?" "You cannot be serious." "By all means, copulate with her." "But marriage?" "What for?" "You will be a laughingstock." "Every farmhand in the region has enjoyed her for free." "Why should you pay more?" "I know you cannot hear me, and I don't care." "What I have to say is for Caspar, not you." "I have had lovers but that is not a crime." "I told you it was impossible." "I only want what is right." "He was jealous of his brorher." "Why, she will destroy him." "Jealous of his happiness." "I'm Ludwig van Beethoven, and I need your help." "Break the door down." "What are you playing at?" "!" "Arrest that whore." "Don't touch her!" "Arrest that whore!" "That is slander!" "We were married yesterday." "And she is with child." "Now, leave!" "He behaved no better when I married Therese." "He wanted us both at his beck and call." "Give up the search." "I cannot." "I have my reasons." "I will find this lady." "And she will claim her legacy with the full force of the law." ""The journey was dreadful." "The coach had ro go and break down on such a rerrible road and for no reason, jusr a counrry road." "I have ro see you." "However much you love me I love you more." "Never hide yourself from me. "" "Excuse me, I'm looking for the Countess Erdödy." "I'm looking for the Countess Erdödy!" "Schindler." "You do not recognize me?" "Please sit." "Join me for dinner." "Countess" "Anna Marie." "These are my people. I'm home now." "I don't have to play the countess. I'm free!" "Poor Louis." "I miss him so much." "His death has left a void." "The way they treated him disgusted me." "He was too good for them." "His fire offended their small brains." "But not you." "I could match his temperament." "You gave him rooms at your palace?" "I wanted him near me." "Was he your lover?" "Horns!" "Clarinets!" "From the beginning." "From the beginning." "From the beginning!" "Thar was how I mer Louis and how rhe world learned of his deafness." "I was separared from my husband." "I lived an independenr life in Vienna wirh my rhree children." "I will arrange a housekeeper." "Please." "I had one." "She cheated me." "We had rhoughr of Napoleon as a liberaror a force for change." "Now we saw rhe rrurh." "Bonaparre had declared himself emperor and ser our ro conquer rhe world." "He said he broughr freedom from rhe ryranny of kings." "Bur he was Sarurn, gobbling up his children." "His cannon fired nighr and day  on rhe ciry of Vienna." "Mimi!" "There is a strange gentleman here to see you." "I cannot receive anybody." "I think he's deaf." "He will not go away." "The countess will see you now." "Your son...." "We will speak in music." "Napoleon was vicrorious." "The whole of Europe was ar his feer." "He rook a Hapsburg princess as his bride and ser up courr ar Schönbrunn Palace." "He proved himself no differenr rhan any arisrocrar." "Everybody was berrayed." "This was rhe way of rhe modern world." "The year Louis lived wirh us  was rhe happiesr of my life." "And, I rhink, of his roo." "He opened his hearr ro me." "He called me his farher-confessor." "He rold me everyrhing." "You musr have loved him very, very much." "Wirh all my hearr." "And he, you." "No." "I don't think so, no." "Then he was a fool!" "I like you better drunk." "It's good to talk about him." "is this why you came all this way?" "No, not only." "You said there was unfinished business." "There is." "But how can I help you, Anton?" "Perhaps it's nothing." "But then perhaps it's the key to him." "Perhaps they're right and I should let it go, but I cannot." "It's impossible for me." "But why?" "It was that damned sonata the Kreurzer." "Ar rhe rime, I enrerrained ambirions of a musical career." "I'd gone ro Vienna and was forrunare enough  ro be raken by Schuppanzigh as a pupil." "He and George Bridgerower, rhe virruoso from Africa  were abour ro premiere rhis new Beerhoven sonara ar Counr Razumovsky's rhar evening." "And I was allowed ro arrend rhe rehearsal." "Ir was rhere rhar rhe seed of a mysrery was planred  rhar haunrs me ro rhis day." "Do you like it?" "I cannot hear them but I know they are making a hash of it." "What do you think?" "Music is a dreadful thing." "What is it?" "I don't understand it." "What does it do?" "It exalts the soul." "Utter nonsense!" "If you hear a marching band, is your soul exalted?" "If you hear a waltz, you dance." "If you hear a Mass, you take Communion." "It is the power of music to carry one directly into the mental state of the composer." "The listener has no choice." "It is like hypnotism." "So now what was in my mind when I wrote this?" "A man is trying to reach his lover." "His carriage has broken down in the rain." "The wheels are stuck in the mud." "She will only wait so long." "This is the sound of his agitation." ""This is how ir is"  rhe music is saying." ""Nor how you are used ro being nor how you are used ro rhinking." "Bur like rhis. "" "Who was rhe woman?" "He never rold me." "I knew berrer rhan ro ask." "He made me see rhe world in an enrirely new lighr." "I abandoned my perry ambirions." "I ferched and carried for him." "I wrore his lerrers and smoorhed over his domesric dispures." "I became his secrerary." "The hag has sold it in the market for a souvenir." "It's lost!" "Gone forever." "Here." "Maybe not." "He was sure he'd Iefr rhe skerch for his symphony  in his brorher's safekeeping." "My God." "Uncle!" "The brorhers had barely spoken for eighr years." "This is Herr Schindler." "This is my brother, Caspar and my nephew, young Karl." "Had I realized rhis, I would've sropped him." "It is good to see you." "I need the papers I entrusted to you." "They were all returned to you." "I said your papers are not here!" "You." "Where are my notes?" "I'd rather he not cause a scene in front of the boy." "What did the whore say?" "Get out of my house!" "You've thrown away my music you and this foul slut you call a wife!" "You have betrayed me!" "Maestro, please!" "Stop it!" "Stop it!" "He is sick!" "Leave!" "Never return to this house!" "He has consumption." "Caspar died before rhe year was our bur rhere was no relief in his dearh." "Rarher, ir senr Ludwig on a parh rhar would lead ro his desrrucrion." "That man...." "He rooms with her." "My brother's bed is not yet cold and he is climbing in." "If he says nasty things about me, don't listen." "None of it is true." "Promise?" "I promise." "I will come and see you every day." "Come in!" "is this the lad?" "Yes." "" By order of the Landrechre Ludwig van Beethoven is the legal guardian of his nephew owing to the low moral character of his mother, Johanna van Beethoven." "Righrs of visirarion will be ar rhe discrerion and convenience of rhe legal guardian. "" "Too watery." "Write." "Then we shall have to find someone who can cook." "She has a swinish face anyway." "Were you taught music?" "Yes." "I have a gift for you." "Come." "Can you read?" "Yes." "Let me show you." "You shall be a musician." "I want to be a soldier." "A composer?" "No, a soldier." "I gave my first concert when I was your age." "And I was terrible." "Your grandfather thought that he was going to make a fortune out of me as a child prodigy like Mozart's old man." "Bur I was pigheaded." "I wouldn'r play rhar rinkly, prerry sruff rhar was in vogue rhen." "Bur rhe keyboard was nor up ro ir." "The firsr rime I played a chord, I broke four srrings." "The boy is hardly a Mozart, is he?" "I was 12 bur Farher rold rhem I was 9." "Mother died of consumption and I became the head of the family." "Your papa I loved most of all." "As I love you my dear Karl." "His eyes shone wirh joy when he looked ar rhe boy." "All rhe love in his rich narure seemed ro concenrrare on rhis boy." "There was no more render farher." "You should hear him play." "He's going to be a great virtuoso." "You spoil him." "Schindler tells me you've written nothing." "Well, I have no time." "And besides all the servants that Schindler sends are scoundrels." "You're impossible." "Perhaps." "You and I...." "Could Karl not replace the son that you lost?" "I know what it is to lose a son." "I know the sorrow Johanna feels." "She has no right to him!" "She is his mother!" "She is his mother!" "What new insanity is this?" "It's come to our attention that you've bribed servants in order to have access to the boy in secret." "Herr Beethoven would not allow" "You are talking about my son." "My son who I have not seen for a year." "My son who's been taught to hate me." "The decree of the court states-- -l know what it says." "Can you look me in the eye and tell me that I have no right to see my son?" "I will fight this." "You will lose." "He has many enemies." "The filth was bad enough." "That man is mad." "He cannot hear a thing." "He's always shouting and yelling." "The landlords would chuck him out from his carrying on." "The boy is just as bad." "His uncle encouraged him." "I overheard them discussing how they were going to beat me, so I left." "Was the boy kept clean?" "He'd go a month without fresh underwear." "That man cannot look after himself, let alone a child." "I would now like to call Karl van Beethoven." "Good afternoon, Karl." "Good afternoon." "How does your uncle treat you?" "Well." "He has a hot temper, does he not?" "Yes." "Do you fear his temper?" "No." "Did he ever punish you?" "Only when I deserved it." "Who would you prefer to live with?" "Your uncle or your mother?" "Do you want to stay with your uncle?" "Yes." "Speak up." "Yes." "You don't sound certain." "It would be better if Uncle had someone to be with him because he is hard-of-hearing and can't talk to me." "In fact, he is stone-deaf." "Do you love your mother?" "Yes." "Do you miss her?" "Yes." "Then would you not prefer to live with her?" "Uncle needs me." "What I would prefer is that we might all live together." "This way, gentlemen, please." "Herr Beethoven, our most accomplished composer." "It is an honour." "Chancellor Metternich." "Due to his infirmity, Herr Beethoven has requested that I speak for him." "As you wish." "His case in the magistracy is not going well." "Frau Beethoven has bribed witnesses to testify-- l need your help." "My young nephew, Karl is being corrupted by this woman's poisonous character." "Why should I help you, Beethoven?" "" Metternich is a worse tyrant than Napoleon."" "That was recorded last Tuesday at the Swann Tavern." "" Metternich should be forced to eat my shit."" "And so on and so forth." "There are many forces in Austria that foment revolt." "I'd like a lively discussion as much as anyone but I fear that these days we cannot allow quite so much how can I put it enthusiasm." "Perhaps it would be better if our great artists were more circumspect." "Beethoven proposes that he write a grand oratorio praising Austria and your magnificent diplomacy at the Congress of Vienna that has secured the peace for all of Europe." "This courr has seen fit to ordain that Johanna van Beethoven shall be excluded from" "This court is corrupt!" "Now rhar rhe boy was delivered ro Ludwig, body and soul  rhe deaf genius began whar was ro be his mosr rragic endeavour...." "To make his ward a grear virruoso." "For five long years rhis was his goal." "And in rhose five years, Ludwig wrore norhing." "Nor rhe orarorio, nor rhe Mass for rhe London Philharmonic Sociery nor rhe grear symphony he spoke of endlessly." "Norhing." "In Vienna rhey rhoughr he was finished, deaf, wrirren our." "Rossini had performed The Thieving Magpie, and Iralian opera was rhe rage." "Beerhoven was no longer performed." "It's late." "I'm sorry, sir." "It's disgusting." "Why does she disobey me?" "She knows my bowel's in a terrible state." "You're trying to poison me!" "Well, she might appear plump and pretty to you but she is a vulgar bitch." "Gossips about me all over town." "Yes, sir." "Your food is poison." "You are fired." "You foul old bastard." "Write." "Where are you going?" "Where are you going?" "!" "Away from you." "Well, leave me then." "You're evil, like your mother." "Leave me alone, with no food." "Have you seen Karl?" "You are worthless!" "Worthless!" "I'm sending for the doctor now." "No." "Tomorrow." "Play for me." "Not now." "It will calm me." "Play." "I found this the other day." "" Maestro Ludwig van Beethoven announces a concert which will be the debut of his nephew and ward, Karl van Beethoven a prodigy instructed by the maestro."" "Why, this is wonderful!" "The very thing that will raise his spirits." "You must be excited." "Anton, have you ever heard me play?" "No, but" "You have to help me." "I'm at the end of my tether." "Endless hours at the keyboard." "For what?" "He cannot hear my ham-fisted playing." "He does no work." "All he does is scribble incomprehensible phrases." "Then he bellows this stupid, childish tune at the top of his lungs...." "He says this is the motif of a grand symphony." "I think it's ridiculous." "That cannot be." "But it is." "I think he's going mad." "So I am to abandon my plans?" "I am placing intolerable pressure on Karl, eh?" "He is a a mediocre talent." "There are always these asinine fellows like Schindler with their commonplace opinions from their commonplace minds." "Schindler is right." "Anton Schindler, bad violinist knows more about music than Ludwig van Beethoven." "This is too much." "You're torturing the boy." "I always thought that you were a bore and an ass." "But you had your uses, and now you have none." "Get out." "Get out." "Wake up, bastard!" "Wake up!" "He's gone, on your account." "My Karl shot himself." "A farmer found him in the ruins and carried him here." "I fear the worst." "Uncle, I was expecting you." "Karl was a bungler wirh firearms." "The buller did nor penerrare his skull." "He did nor die." "Bur rhe legend grew in Vienna, of Ludwig's cruelry ro rhe boy  of how he drove him ro a desperare acr." "Those who had silenrly disliked him now shoured rheir derision  from rhe roofrops." "There is a letter." "I must find this lady." "He bequeathed his entire estate to her." "It was not written to me." "Then who?" "It was she who came between us." "I loved him completely, but he could never return that sentiment." "He could not forget her." "Who is she?" "I failed him." "We all failed him." "He gave us so much." "We couldn't even make his life tolerable." "This last wish must be as he wanted." "Tell me." "Tell me her name." "The answer was always in front of you." "While sriii in my bed, my rhoughrs rurn ro you, my Immorral Beloved." "What will you do?" "Some happy, some sad." "I don't know." "Wairing ro see wherher fare will hear us." "I don't know." "I can live only complerely wirh you or nor ar all." "Yes, ir musr be." "Go to her." "It must be." "May we speak in private?" "I have nothing to hide from my workers." "I implore you." "As you can see, I'm very busy." "Frau Beethoven may I see a sample of your handwriting?" "Why?" "Please indulge me." "Here." "is this your handwriting?" "What is this?" "A page from the registry of a hotel in Karlsbad." "I would like you to go." "Signed by you." "Did you ever meet Ludwig in Karlsbad?" "You can hardly be unaware of the manner in which I suffered at his hands." "I find the question insulting and impudent." "What are you implying?" "There can be no peace without the truth." "For you, maybe." "But I have made my peace with Ludwig." "I forgave him because of rhe "Ode ro Joy. "" "When rhey announced rhe premiere of rhe 9rh Symphony  rhe gossip was everywhere." "Ludwig had foughr wirh rhe singers." "He had foughr rhe rhearre." "Even rhough I had hared him for so long  even rhough he had rried ro desrroy me, I wenr." "I had ro go." "I knew ir would be rhe lasr rime." "I could nor see him." "And I imagined some lasr-minure insulr had senr him running home." "Then I saw him." "Everybody saw him." "He had revealed his mosr hidden secrers ro us." "The circle was broken." "I could nor hare rhe man who could wrire such music." "I saw him one more rime, ar his rooms on Schwarzspanier Srrasse." "Thar was where he died." "His belly swelled so much that the surgeon had to make a puncture to drain off the fluid." "The incision became inflamed." "His strength has gone, and I fear the death struggle has begun." "I want him to receive the last rites while he is still conscious." "When I suggested I send for a priest he turned his face to the wall and called me an ass." "Then he asked for you." "I don't know why." "ls he sleeping?" "l don't think so." "He is composing." "The comedy is over." "I once loved him." "He turned his back on me." "He abandoned me." "I never heard a word from him." "I was a fool." "I never meant anything to him." "But the letter...?" "What letter?" "Well...." "Frau Beethoven, I believe this is addressed to you." "My angel, my all my orher self." "Jusr a few words roday, and rhar in pencil." "Yours." "Only romorrow will I know for cerrain where I am ro sray a worrhless wasre of rime and such." "Why rhis deep sorrow?" "If we could be unired, we would feel rhis pain no longer." "Where I am, you are wirh me roo." "Soon we shall live rogerher, and whar a life ir will be!" "We must talk." "Not here." "No, Caspar will come!" "But we must speak." "I'm talking too loudly?" "Meet me in Karlsbad." "This is the address." "I can no longer skulk around like a guilty schoolboy." "I have your child in me." "Go." "The journey was dreadful." "I did nor arrive here unril 4 in rhe morning." "Ar rhe lasr srop, rhey rold me nor ro rravel ar nighr and rried ro frighren me abour a foresr bur rhar only rempred me." "The coach had ro break down on such a rerrible road for no reason." "Jusr a counrry road." "And now I am held up complerely." "Bur I have found anorher, and we will surely see one anorher soon." "Today, I hope." "I have ro see you." "However much you love me, I love you more." "Never hide yourself from me." "Wait!" "While sriii in my bed, my rhoughrs rurn ro you my Immorral Beloved." "Some of rhem happy, some sad  wairing ro see wherher fare will hear us." "I can live only complerely wirh you or nor ar all." "Yes, ir musr be." "I musr go ro sleep now." "Be calm, love." "Today, yesrerday, whar longing wirh rears for you." "You...." "You're my life, my everyrhing." "Farewell, rhen." "Go on loving me." "Ever yours, ever mine, forever." "Subtitles by GELULA  CO., Inc."