"Let's not talk about it." "Researchers exhumed in the town cathedral the remains of Jorg Jenatsch, hero of the liberation of Grisons." "At the beginning of the 17th century, Jenatsch made a remarkable career as leading powers fought to dominate the north-south alpine pass and win sovereignty over Valtelline." "Once a Protestant priest, he later led the rebellion against Spain." "In 1621 he murdered his main political opponent," "Pompejus von Planta." "He led his own regiment of mercenaries and played a great role in the politics of Grisons during the troubled times oft e 30 Years' War." "Towards the end of his short life he converted to Catholicism to become an ally of Austria." "In 1639, he was murdered during carnival in a tavern in Chur." "Dr. Tobler declared that the excavations would at last give information on the violent death of the hero." "In the course of the next months the remains will be analyzed by the Swiss National Museum in Zurich." "Are you the journalist?" "That's right." "Christophe Sprecher." "I called." " You're still there?" "Sit down." "What do you want to know?" "Dr. Tobler, in 1946 you were one of the first anthropologists, who..." " Ask me about Jenatsch." "Jenatsch." "Yes, Jenatsch." "I have seen the newsreel of the exhumation in Chur Cathedral." "That was a sensational discovery." "Ask me about his murder." "Ask me who murdered Jenatsch." "That is the question that interests us." "That is what people want to read about." "So you are asking me how Jenatsch was murdered." "We are at the inn called "Zum staubigen Huetli"." "It's February '39." "1639." "It's carnival." "It's cold." "It's late." "An hour before midnight." "A cold night." "Carnival." "Are you there?" "Jenatsch is sitting... and drinking." "He was a drunkard, you know." "I have proof." "Did I mention there is music playing?" "Never mind." "Someone is playing music." "The room is full of noise and people." "Mercenaries, girls, priests, whores, officers, business men, masked rabble." "Here is a half-masked person." "Female." "Beautiful." "She is accompanied by a man and an old serving maid." "The three of them remain totally still." "They watch Jenatsch." "She is Lucretia con Planta." "This I can prove as well." "Lucretia looks at the door." "It has opened and someone enters" "Someone whom Lucretia has been expecting." "Her smile can be seen under the half mask." "She waits, then she raises her half mask and inspects the newcomer." "She fixes the newcomer with a long look." "A look... that promises everything, but never keeps its promise, a look that desires all, but grants nothing, a look that commands, but would never obey." "She uses this look like puppet strings to lead the new arrival towards Jenatsch, who has his back to him." "Jenatsch does not notice that someone is approaching." "He stares glassily at the crowded room." "Suddenly... he focuses on Lucretia who has entered his field of vision, so as to be opposite him." "Lucretia's eyes leave the newcomer and turn to Jenatsch." "Jenatsch grabs his dagger, looks over his shoulder, sees his adversary, his assailant, with an ace raised high." "He lifts his own dagger, but too late!" "The ace strikes him, with blunted force, on the right ear." "Jenatsch raises his left arm, but the ace is already whistling through the air for the second time." "This time, nothing?" "stands in its way Over his left temple!" "And Jenatsch collapses." "But as he falls, he grabs his murderer and tears something from him..." "Something that he takes with him to his death." "To his death, and to his grave, where 320 years later," "I found it!" "Whoever knows the owner of this bell, knows who murdered Jenatsch." "We know him." "But we won't report it." "Come with me." "I'll show you my collection." "But..." "What has happened?" "You had better leave now." "I'm busy." "Good-bye." "Sayonara." "I knew you'd say that." ""Mrs. N. Sprecher"." "You're pretending to be my wife?" "I don't even tell people I know you." "This reads "Mrs. N. Sprecher"." "It's for your mother." "Oh, by the way, she called." " Now she tells me!" "Hello, Mum." "Yes, that was Nina." "Come off it." "I know you two discuss me for hours." "Yes, tired, but otherwise fine." "No, that's not mine." "No, I don't use a pseudonym." "I can't afford it." "No, he's an anthropologist, not an anthroposophist." "Yes, I probably used the wrong word." "I o ten do that." "Don't be angry, but" "The doorbell went." "Visitors." "No, Nina can't open the door." "She's in the bath." "What are you doing?" "Don't come any closer!" "Stop!" "Let's see if they're right about the Chinese." "It's not the Chinese but the Japanese." "Klaus phoned." "He says you promised him the Swiss Railway article last Monday." "He can go and fuck himself." "Him and his railway article." "He was quite pleasant." "The one who sets the deadline is always pleasant." "It's the one who has to keep to it who's the poor bastard." "You don't keep to it." "That nice Klaus saddled me with an article about an anthropologist." "What's so special about him?" "A quarter of a century ago he discovered Jorg Jenatsch's grave." "Who's that?" "Somebody who died long ago." "You're fascinating when you discuss your work." "You any good at anatomy?" "Is that the left or the right hand?" "Don't you have any better shots of the skull?" "What's so special about the skull?" "Nothing." "Thanks." "Okay." "Read it to me." ""Make up, little Susie. "" "Eye-Lasher, Eye-Flasher, Cheek-Flusher, Lip-Husher, Eyebrow-Crusher." "Do you understand Japanese Face-Art?" "r don't you understand a word?" "Why not relax, make yourself comfortable, and give yourself a long, meter long drink." "Otherwise, ladies, you will be out next season." "How do you like the build-up?" "I like the bit about the drink." "Meterlong?" "Isn't it too much?" "It's not the formulation." "It's the idea." "You don't take me seriously, do you?" "Not as a writer, no." " Why not?" "You don't take me seriously as a reader, do you?" "How do you mean?" "What you've written is rubbish." "It's better than nothing." "And this is nothing." "Did you wipe it?" "If you've wiped it, you re in big trouble." "You've actually wiped it." "Have you gone crazy?" "I've hidden it." " What?" "I changed the file name." "What's its name now?" "Tell me!" "Tell me what it is, I'll tell you what it's called." "It's a scoop about an anthropologist who's nearly 70." "That's no scoop." "But it is." "He's a grave robber." "Now tell me the name." "He's a what?" " A grave robber." "He takes things from graves and keeps them." "He has Jorg Jenatsch's skull." "The genuine one." "They buried a fake" "How do you know?" "I've seen it." "Now come on and tell me the name." "Kiss me." "That's enough now." "That's the name. "Kiss me. "" "Peace?" " Peace." "Tomorrow I go to the glacier for my article." "Are you still coming?" "I can't tomorrow." "I have my deadline." "You know that." "Too bad." "You've had three months to write it, and now it's got to be tomorrow." "I was really looking forward to that trip." "Thank you." "You spoke to Klaus." "He won't wait any longer." " Asshole!" ""Requiescat in pace"." "That's what the?" "wrote on his tomb." "The blasphemer!" "In peace... in faith reborn!" "From Saul to St. Paul!" ""Requiescat In pace!"" "Jenatsch is a traitor, who lost us the region of Valtelline." "He only came to the true Faith to appease the Austrian Archduchess" "and keep sovereignty of Rhazuns." "I say peace be with the soul of the one who split open his skull." "Are you interested in Jenatsch?" "A little." "I'm more interested in his exhumation 25 years ago." "Did you attend it?" " Indeed." "I had the pleasure to be among the first to see his scattered skull." "He took one blow to the right and one to the left." "If you're interested in Jenatsch, you must see the most important object in his life." "You'll find it in Rietberg Castle." "Fraulein con Planta would be delighted to show it to you." "What kind of object?" "An ace." "The one he killed Pompejus con Planta with." "The one which, some years later," "at a lolly carnival in an inn called 'Zum staubigen Huetli"" "split open his own skull." "The good Lord punishes justly." "And, when He cares to, He even adds a touch of irony." "Cheers, Mr. Poet." "What are you doing later?" " Taking the Glacier Express to Brig." "It doesn't leave until morning." "But tomorrow morning is later." "You're very precise." "I love precise men." "Personally, I'm very imprecise." "Will you have a drink?" "The castle must be entirely cut off when it snows." "Or do they clear the roads?" "Do you mind if I open the other window, too?" "You don't mind..." "Fantastic." "Fifty." "But you wait here." "My name is Christophe Sprecher..." " Follow me." "Wait here." "How nice that you came." "The ace is the tower." "May I lead the way, Mr. Sprecher?" "There are lots of steps." "It was the night of February 25, 1621." "A very mild winter." "Pompejus hid in the chimney." "But Jenatsch and his friends found him." "He was killed on this very spot." "Do you know that Jenatsch... was murdered with the same ace twenty years later." "This is the ace of the murderer." "It looks quite new." "It is not old." "May I hold it?" "Do you believe this is the real ace?" " The real ace?" "How do you differentiate between the real and the unreal ace?" "The only difference is the time in which you find it." "I stand here... and next to me are all the others who once stood here." "We are all real." "Only time differentiates us... a little." "Have a drink." "Personally I never drink." "Were you aware... that Pompejus had a daughter who was present when he was murdered." "You didn't know." "Drink." "I have a picture of her." "Somewhere I have a photograph of her." "She is a picture herself." "Do we know what a picture shows?" "You'll have seen the portrait of Jenatsch in the hall." "It shows Jenatsch, doesn't it?" "Yes!" "It shows a split second of the eternity that is Jenatsch." "Which means: nothing." "Do you understand time?" "No..." "Not yet." "Drink." "Tell me about Jenatsch." "Jenatsch..." "His legend is the truth." "There is no absolute truth." "Every reality gums into fiction as soon as it has passed." "What we call history is therefore fiction." "And now you'll have to go." "Thank you very much indeed." "It was extremely interesting." "Good-bye." "We will meet again." "But avoid the crowd." "The plague is nearing Chur." "My taxi just left me here." "Shall we go?" "My car is right here." "Hello, Nina, it's me." "How are you?" "No, I can't guess what happened to you." "Nina, listen." "No." "I'm in Thusis." "No." "I missed the damn train." "No." "Overslept." "I did a little research on the Tobler story." "No, nothing special." "Yes, tomorrow." "Me too." "Yes." "You too, yes." "Nina, listen..." "Come and sit down." "Drink." "Good health." "That's very kind of you." "Where is everybody?" " At home in bed." "We're closed." "I've just had a strange experience." "Drink up." "Your mother called." "I told her you weren't here." "I'll get you some hot milk." "Now, tell me." "There's not much to tell." "But I think I'm sick." "What do you mean, sick?" "I have these experiences." "Sort of like tripping." "What do you mean, like tripping?" "I experience things that don't really happen." "Are you sure?" "Of course I'm sure." "Perhaps they do happen." " No." "They're crazy." "Crazy things do happen." "Yes, but not these." "If they really happened, they'd get on the news." "Well... what kind of things?" "Things out of the past." "Deja vu." "I've had it." "It can be really scary." "Deja vu, yes." "Christophe, you're taking too much on." "And because it's too much, you drink too much, which just exacerbates things." " Rubbish." "Why else would you get these fits of deja vu?" "I get deja vu." "I don't see pin elephants." "They don't exclude each other." " That's fashion-magazine psychology." "Tomorrow you must sleep all day." "If anyone calls," "I'll tell them you're gone to the Rhone glacier." "I forgot to call Mum." "What did she want?" "I'm ready." "Shit!" "I'm sorry." "Wait." "These are my only elegant clothes." " I'll find you something clean." "Come." "I could eat more." " I couldn't." "Christophe, could you order me another soufflé?" "Can't 'you see he's not fee mg too good?" "I'm fine." "You're very pale." "He's got the dejas... the deja vus." "And you have deja booze." "Deja too much booze." "She is sweet." "What a pity she drinks." "He has deja vus." "Horror trips." "He sees into the past." "Go on, tell them." "Please, Nina." " What is a deja vu?" "The feeling of reliving things you've experienced before." "When do you have it?" "Well, for example... right now." "When you urgently send him to the mountains." "Or, as I just said, right now." "In our mountains there are villages that are deep underwater, because the valleys where they are have been dammed and flooded." "Sometimes, in hot, dry summers, they reappear, white with dry clay," "and cast dry shadows, like too sharp memories." "Excuse me." "Had a good time?" "Sleep well." "We left about one o'clock." "Nina stayed behind." "Is that why you're here?" "No." "I came because of old Tobler." "Who is this old Tobler?" "Who is the old Tobler!" "You're the one who saddled me with the story." "The anthropologist who's turning 125." " Oh, excuse me, I forgot." "If you're not getting anywhere, forget it." "It's not that important." " Not that important!" "I've already put a lot into it." "You'll be paid." "He's a funny old guy." "Could make a good story." "I'd rather have the railway article which, by the way, is overdue." "I'm sorry, Christophe, they're waiting." "Editorial meeting." "Can I submit the railway article?" "The old man is a grave robber." "What is he?" " He has taken things from a grave." "What things?" ".Jorg Jenatsch's skull." "Are you kidding?" " I can prove it." "What does he do with it?" " Nothing." "He just keeps it at home." "I've seen it." "Poor Graubünden." "First a Zurich poet turns Jenatsch into a national hero, then his skull is stolen by an anthropologist from Zurich" "I have to go." "Bye." "There's lots more, but I suggest you start by reading Pfister." "He has a very detailed bibliography." "I can't believe it!" "My deja vu real happened In Thusis in 1618." "Nina!" "High Priest Ruska was tortured to death by the court of Thusis." "And Jenatsch had his finger in it." "Nina, I'm going crazy." "It's me who is going crazy." "Me, me, me, me!" "You remember you abandoned me In a restaurant in the middle of the night?" "Or didn't you notice?" "Look at me!" "Am I a deja vu?" "No, goddamn it!" "I'm a jamais vu!" "Don't bother me with your High Priests!" "Have you got that in your skull?" "Shit!" "The mistress awaits you in the tower." "She has been deeply shocked by the gruesome and bloody murder of the poor High Priest." "Terrible things are happening and may God punish the eretics." "I am sitting in the tower room of Rietberg Castle, waiting for Fraulein con Planta, the strange mistress of the castle, who can't seem to differentiate between the past and the present." "Since my last visit" "I have had some experiences, and if there is a living soul who can explain them," "it must be Fraulein con Planta." "The tower in which I find myself, dates back to the sixteenth century and has been in the family's possession ever since." "Nothing happens." "The brass bell, a souvenir of Dr. Tobler, that I want to ask Fraulein con Planta about, just rolled onto the floor." "A group of horsemen just rode into the dusky courtyard." "They are carrying torches." "They are coming." "In the chimney." "And he works well?" "He is too good a journalist to leave a trail when he has found one." "He's been late before, you know." "What shall I do?" "I can't call his mother, it's too late." "But he's a big boy, he knows what he's doing." "I hope so." "More coffee, anybody?" " Yes, please." "No, thank you." "I don't know what to do." "I'm fed up." "Here he is." "We almost called your mother." "What's happened?" "In the chimney." "I'm going to an old man to return an even older brass bell." "So don't look at me as if I'm about to have major surgery." "If you'd rather, we could go tomorrow." "It's nothing to do with me, it's to do with your therapy." "You know that's not true." "There's nobody there." "Do you know where Dr. Tobler is?" "Dr. Tobler... died last night." "Stop here for a moment." " Here?" "Yes, here." "There." "Now drive on, please." "Thank you." "Where's the grave?" " You're standing in front of it." "What?" "That's not how I imagined a grave." "Where was the real one?" " That is the real one." "I mean where did they find it?" " Here." "Directly under this pew." "And the objects they found?" "Over there, under the crypt." "Come on." "And what is that?" "Stop it now." " I have to do this." "Dr. Buache says you have to transpose the affect to the conscious level." "I think it's already helped." "Okay." "That is a scapular." "They used it to transport letters and stuff." "They wore it round their necks under their clothes, rather like today's hitch-hikers wear money belts." "Some believe it proves Jenatsch belonged to a lay Catholic brotherhood." "He was wearing it the night he was murdered." "Do you really believe he was murdered here?" "The original place doesn't exist anymore." "It was not far from here, behind the hotel, where the kitchen is now." "I try to imagine it..." "it's like Robert Kennedy." "Only he wasn't so well loved." "He was buried the day he was killed." "They wanted to get rid of him fast." "I can understand it, both as a man and as a historian." "Why?" "He was an ambitious, unscrupulous, opportunistic, brutal, alcoholic killer" "He was an unethical entrepreneur who made a fortune by buying equipped mercenaries and selling them at a huge profit." "He changed confession..." "you can't imagine today what a shocking thing that was considered then." "Apparently he did it to keep the sovereign authority of Rhazuns under the Catholic Austrians." "Perhaps I'm unfair." "But certainly Jenatsch is irrelevant to world history." "Honestly I can't understand why you're so interested in him." "Christophe's become preoccupied with him and his era, haven't you?" "Since when do you speak Ratoromansch?" "Ratoromansch?" "Excuse me." "Did it get you anywhere?" "Cavelti is nice." "And not too keen on Jenatsch." "I got slightly worried when you left." "But I'm happy that it helped you." "It was really hot in that pub." "Stifling." "If you prefer to take a walk, I'll leave my skates here." "No." "I'm all right again." " Are you sure." "Absolutely." "And meanwhile what will you do?" " I'll picture you skating." "Then come and watch me." "No." "Watching will only disillusion me." "Bye." "I won't be long." "Christophe..." "I don't like leaving you alone." "Forget it." "You had visions, didn't you?" "I know." "Yes." "They're only' memories." "You mustn't let them frighten you" "Yes." "Memories." " Yes." "Windows." "Windows?" " Windows of the soul that open on one's previous lives." " I don't understand." "All of us could recall pictures and events from our past lives, but not all are lucky enough to lead lives that take them to locations leading back to the past." "You're one of the lucky ones." "But then, so am I." "That's why we meet." "You find yourself in your present time, whereas I find myself at the moment in my memories." "But I see you through the window of my soul." "Wine." "Sorry?" "Wine." "How much?" "Three decilitres." "How do I get back to the village?" "There are signs everywhere." "All you have to do is follow the signs." "You must tell me everything to help you get over it." "It wasn't so bad." " Then why are you still shaking?" "It's cold." "I should never have left you alone." "The usual symptoms?" " Weaker." "Wages?" "Very faint." "Alcohol?" "Therapeutic, not prophylactic." "I'm not letting you out of my sight till you're okay." "I love you." "Hello?" "Yes." "One moment." "It's your mother." "Hello, Mum..." "Fred Wenger?" "Yes, of course I remember." "What does he have?" "I don't think you can compare this." "I haven't seen him since my confirmation" "Yes, I'll be careful." "Yes." "Mum, I just got out of the bath." "No, of course you couldn't know." "I'll be careful." "Okay." "Bye." "Who is Fred Wenger?" "He has Pfeiffer's disease." "He has what?" "What's up?" "You look good." "You look satisfied." "Your face is... smooth." "What do you mean?" "You're a lucky girl" "What is it now?" "I picture you fat." " What do you mean, fat?" "I try to figure you if you were fat." "It would suit you." "You like fat men?" "Fat men are comfortable." "Like an eiderdown In a country hotel." "What do you know about fat men?" "You're the first slim man I've known" "How terrible." "Your ice cream, sir." "Eat, darling." "Are you sure you're allowed to drink?" " Nina, come on." "That had something to do with it." "Not much." " You can't do that." "Really?" " Yes." "I'm happy" "So am I." "One more day, then it's over." "It's already over." "Next week I'm planning to laugh about it." "Let's say..." "Thursday." "All right?" "I'm not sure I'll be able to laugh about it." "Sure you will." "I look forward to the old lady." "How do we get there?" "By taxi?" " Normally, yes." "Did you call?" "Where is the portrait of Jenatsch?" " We don't need it any longer." "We have no tours today." "Are you here about the ace?" "I am sorry, but it is not on view at carnival time." "It was never on view at carnival time." "You must return another time." "That would be better." "Then you could also buy some of our wine." "It's expensive, but our own." "Yes." "You had better leave now, and return another time." "Well?" "Well what?" "Disappointed?" "Yes." "But agreeably so." "Let's tape this." " How?" "Your tape recorder is upstairs." "I'll fetch it." "No, I will." "Where is it?" " In your bag upstairs." "In the chimney." "Don't you have anything smaller?" " No." "Okay, wait." "My little murderer."