"And they descended upon the earth to strengthen their ranks" "Ludwig..." " Jesus man, what's up?" " Why don't you answer the phone?" " Asleep, wasn't I?" " We've been grassed on." "Get moving." " Is it urgent?" " Yes, make sure I can ring you." " Hey, Camiel." "Everything OK?" " No." "Why don't you pick up the phone?" "Get away from here." "Soon as you can." "Good afternoon, madam." "And?" "I wonder if I could have a bath here." "I'm a bit dirty." "Good afternoon." " You're Mr van Schendel?" " Yes?" "Could I perhaps just take a bath here?" " Beg pardon?" " A shower would do." " Don't think so." " You'd be doing me a great favour." "You see, I haven't been able to wash for ages." "That may well be, but you can't." "Wait a minute." "You're turning it into a problem." "I'm just a traveller who needs a wash." "I don't know you and I don't let strangers in." "I'm Anton Breskens." "Born in Flanders to Dutch parents." "Doesn't sound at all good." "Goodbye." "I know your wife." "You know my wife?" " Why are you here, you runt?" " Take it easy." "I'm not making any claims." "I can't help knowing your wife." "Who is it?" " Do you know this man?" " No." " Anton?" " Breskens." "Doesn't ring a bell." "I don't know him." "Come on, Maria." "The hospital." "Remember?" "You were my nurse." " I'm not a nurse and I'm not called Maria." " You were then." " Admit it, Maria." " My wife's name is Marina." "Marina, Maria..." "What's the difference?" "She doesn't know you." "You hear me?" "Off with you!" "Marina, you nursed me for three months." "You read to me at night." "Sometimes you came and lay down with me." "Am I in for it because I knew your wife?" "If you don't get out of here I'll bash your face in." "Marina, does he have to be so aggressive?" "Don't, Richard." "Bugger off." "Bastard." "Richard..." "Richard!" "Who is that bastard?" "Are you hiding things from me?" "Did you used to be a nurse?" " Of course not." " Who is he?" "Do you know him?" " What do you think?" " Don't wind me up." "Do you know him or not?" "No, I don't know him." "We promised each other something once." "Yes, to be honest." "I am." "I don't know him." "Listen Richard, you laid into a man." "He needs care." "The ship moved away from the quay." "The children waved to their father who stood on the poop deck." "He waved back with a small handkerchief." "The ship passed the pier and sailed out to sea." "Their father grew smaller and smaller, but he kept waving." "And so did they, of course." "Until they couldn't see each other any longer." "And now to bed." "Darling..." "My little flower..." "My king..." "Sleep tight." "Stornebrink rang." "There's going to be chaos." " I've got to go there." " OK." "I'm here." "Shoes off." "Walk quietly." "Can I trust you?" "Sleep well." "Yes?" "Flu?" "Darling..." " Are you a tiny bit ill?" " We'll be late." " Mum, we're off." " Bye." "I saw a magician." "She's delirious." "She's not running a temperature." "Any chance of breakfast together?" "I would appreciate it if you left." "I can give you a lift." "Drop you somewhere?" " I have to go?" " Please." "Some soup, one night's sleep, and the damage is bought off?" "It hurts everywhere." "That's terrible." "My husband misbehaved." "I'm sorry." "Is that all a nurse can say:" "I'm sorry?" "What use is sympathy to me?" "I need nursing." "Nurse me." " What about breakfast?" " I'm not a nurse." "Never have been." "I can take you to a private clinic." "At my expense." "I'm not ill, I'm in pain." "Have a heart, Marina." "I feel good here." "A deer came to my window in the night." "I don't ask much." "A new bandage now and then, a bit of iodine." "Just a few days." "Promise you won't show yourself?" "Marina..." "Make peace with your husband." "It was to protect you." "That's to be praised." "You have 1 new message." "Has the time come yet?" "No." "Send message." "What came over you yesterday?" "It just happened." "One thing led to another." " I thought it was quite a big thing." " Why did it scare you?" "Your fanaticism scared me." "Such a bastard." "He wasn't too bad, I thought." "I didn't." "You nearly kicked him to death." "I'm here." " You were not to show yourself." " Just a question." "This house is off-limits." "I simply long for a bath." "Isolde is asleep." "There's no one else in the house." " You've already had a bath." " That was two days ago." "I am dirty, I stink." "You mustn't become a problem." "I've never been a problem to anyone." "Where's Mummy?" "Mummy's downstairs." "Do you know the story of the white child that floats above the clouds?" "Shall I tell it some time?" "Go back to bed then." "Don't worry." "I'll be gone before he's inside." " Follow me." " No, you'd better follow me." "Why?" "That's impossible, Richard." "For you." "Yes, I can see that." " What am I to do with it?" " Just try it on." "I'm really annoyed that you bought this for me." "The white child stood at the edge of the lake in the forest." "She was very wary." "The lake was perhaps not very large but it was known to be very deep." "Maybe as deep as a block of flats is tall." "And everybody knew that there was something alive in it." "A beast." "A large beast with scales and a beak with five hundred small sharp teeth." "And that beast guarded the golden key to happiness." "The white child cried." "Surely she couldn't dive that deep?" "You're early." "Off with you." "Isolde was crying." "She had a nasty dream." "There was unrest." "Now it's all right." "You're not allowed to be in here." "I want you to take that seriously!" "She was crying." "If I hear a child crying I go and see it." "Stine comes home late, just soaks in the bath." "Richard is asleep." "Nobody looks after the children." "Leave through the studio, please." "Richard is in the living room." "This is not what we agreed." "I'm sorry?" "What use is that to me?" "Set the alarm." "I'm off." "Anton!" "What's the matter?" "Why are you leaving?" "I'm bored." "I want to play." "Don't you want to stay?" "Not if I have to hide." "I want to eat with you at the big table." "Richard will have a fit." "That's why I'm leaving." "You mustn't go." "Can't you come back in another capacity?" "It's possible." "But it will have consequences." "That gardener..." "Do you have a special connection with him?" "No..." " Does he have a wife?" " Yes." "Hey, Camiel." "Brenda!" "For you." "Yes, Brenda here." "Are you somewhere?" "No problem." "Got the necessaries?" "The necessaries." "The material." "Two bags of mortar, four buckets and a tub to mix it in." "And we need a car." "That's no problem." "You must look civilised." "Immaculate." "I'll ring you about that." "Hello?" "Anyone in here?" "Jesus man, what's the matter with you?" "I'm not well." " I'll ring a doctor." " No!" "Home first." "I want to go home first." "Do you have a car?" "Can I take you there?" "Please, please." "Where do you live?" "Oh god, my darling." "Doesn't look good." "I'm going to call the doctor." "The doctor is on the way." "I took the liberty of ringing a specialist I know." "A specialist?" "In what?" "Poisoning." "Dr Kaper is a toxicologist." "Poisoning?" "Your husband's been poisoned, that's obvious." " Do you think so?" " Yes, I think so." " Poisoned who by in heaven's name?" " I have no idea." "Who could do such a thing?" "My husband is all kindness." "Darling boy..." "Darling boy, don't die please." "If anyone can save your husband it is Dr Kaper." "Drinking a lot always helps." "That's right." "Good afternoon, I'm Dr Kaper." "Good afternoon, I'm..." " Very nice of you to come." " No problem." "I brought my daughter along." "We were on our way to a wedding." "He has just lost consciousness." "You're thinking of poison?" "This man's got to be taken to a hospital double quick." "Everything will be all right, madam." "What are you doing?" "I was looking for sand to mix through my paint." "I tripped over." "But darling, you don't need to tidy that up." "That's what the gardener is for." "The gardener resigned." "Why?" "It was getting too much for him, he said." "Just like that?" "Yes, I think his wife is ill." "He didn't want to go into it." "Oh, Richard..." "I'm so sorry." "You are my only real love." "You know that, don't you?" "Of course I know that." "Sometimes everything seems unreal to me." " Do you think I'm hysterical?" " Not at all." "We must trust each other..." "I trust you like no other." " ...and love each other." " Without you I'd be lost, really." "There is something that surrounds us." "Something that is outside us, but slips in now and then." "A warmth a pleasant warmth that intoxicates, but also confuses." "The shell of something that means harm." "At least that's what I think." "I'm not sure." "That's a delusion a hallucination, it's tiredness." "You work too hard." "I feel so guilty." "We have it so good." "We are fortunate." " And the fortunate must be punished." " Marina darling, that is nonsense." "We were born in the West, and the West happens to be affluent." "We can't help it." "What are you doing?" " What are you doing out of bed?" " I'm hungry." "We're also hungry." "Come along then." "Look!" "Ludwig and Pascal." " Why didn't you stop?" " Yes, why didn't you stop?" "What are you doing?" "Why didn't you stop?" " Are we out of favour or what?" " Tell him he's a dickhead." "You're a dickhead." "I'm not saying that, Ludwig says it." "Oh, and Brenda and llonka do come in handy?" "How often do I have to explain?" "I'm going to hang up." "Why?" "Because you're drivelling like an old woman." "Hey, Camiel." "No, it's Pascal." "I was asleep." "We'll sort it out." "Where's Mummy?" "In the bath." "What a bugger of a day." "Stornebrink?" "He's trying to squeeze me out, the bastard." "Found a new gardener yet?" "There are five applicants coming tomorrow." "What time?" "From two o'clock on." "I'll take over from you." "Why?" "The last gardener was your choice." "Now it's my turn." "As you wish, darling." "You'll hear from me." " Shall I go?" " No, I'll go." "Hello, sir." "I've come to apply for the gardener job." "Do you have any training?" "Diplomas?" "No, sir." "Then why do you apply?" "Pascal..." "An applicant do you think?" "Can't be." "Fuck..." "Sir..." "Hi, I'm here for the vacancy of a gardener." "We've already got one." "What the hell is that?" " Again no use?" " A black!" "Yes?" "Good afternoon." "I'm offering my services as a gardener." "Or maybe you have already found one?" "No, no." "Please, come in." "Come through." "Marina, my wife." "Camiel Borgman." "Quite a garden." "That isn't child's play." "Needs some work done." " May I take a look around?" " Certainly." "There's a blue moped outside the front door." "It belongs to that gentleman." "That gentleman may be our new gardener." " Is our gardener dead?" " No, he has moved." "To Australia." "Please girl..." "Go get some help." "Please." "It needs a lot of pruning." "Some plants and trees will never thrive here." "Mowing, aerating, fertilising..." "Then we remove everything we get rid of." "How long is it going to take?" " Three weeks." " Can't you do it faster?" "I could, but I'd have to sleep here somewhere." "There's no need for anything special." "A mattress on the floor will do." "The summer house." "There's a bed." "A wash basin." "Why?" "We have a guest wing." "Will you two excuse me?" "It may not have your interest, but much more could be done in this garden." "What's the big idea?" "Why did you have to make this kaput?" "Why did you have to make this kaput?" " Kaput?" " What did you say?" " Kaput?" " Kaput!" "Yes, and I'm asking you why." "That bear was lovingly put together by human hands." "Maybe even by children's hands." "Children who haven't a life as good as yours." "Children who can't go to school, or to a doctor when they are ill." "That bear was brought to this country in a plane or on a boat." "And then it went in a van to the city, to the toy shop." "That bear has travelled an enormous distance." "One day I was looking for a present for you and I saw this bear in the shop window." "And Mummy had never seen such a sweet bear before." "She bought it to make you happy." "But Mummy shouldn't have done that." "Nothing gets deliberately broken in this house!" "Understand?" "Marina..." "What?" "Something wrong?" "Can't I tell off my own daughter?" "Do you know better?" "Come along, kids." "Isolde..." "Mummy is very tired." "She's overworked." "She doesn't mean it that way." "Darling..." " I've got something to eat for you." " Just leave it there." "Is Camiel your real name, or do you have other names?" "My name is Camiel." " You must eat something." " I must?" "Not must, but may." "It is good to eat when you're working." "It's rolls." "They dry out quickly in the sun." "If you don't want to eat, tell me and I'll take it away again." "I'm taking it back again." "If you're hungry, let me know." "Shall I leave the water bottle behind?" "I'll put it in the shade." "I'm putting it down here." "You've got to look, or you can't find it." "Are you done?" "Don't you have any feelers?" "I am the new gardener." "I have an assignment." " You wanted to play, you said." " I am playing." "I play at being a gardener." "Who are they?" " Haven't they introduced themselves?" " No." "Guys..." "This is Marina." "Ludwig." "Pascal." "When the white child was missed a search was organised." "In the village church, people prayed to Jesus." "But as you know Jesus is a bloody bore, only interested in himself." "That evening, heavily armed divers went down to the bottom of the forest lake." "Fifteen minutes later they came up, trembling with fear." "Couldn't speak a word." "What was it?" "What did you see?" "The villagers asked." "It's no use, the eldest diver finally stammered." "The beast is too big and the white child has been swallowed anyway." "The white child's mother fell to the ground, weeping." "I want my baby back, I want my baby back." "You can't mean that, said the diver." "Your child is in the beast's guts." "It's already half digested." "Now the mother stood up and looked at the villagers." "Is no one brave enough to get my baby so that I can give her a decent burial?" "There was a silence." "But not for long, because Antonius, the cripple, stepped forward." "I will fetch your child, he said." "A chilly breeze started blowing and the mother kissed Antonius's hands." "Why are you doing this?" " Why in God's name?" " What?" " Do you hate me that much?" " I don't hate you at all." "I love you." "Oh, it's for love that you carve up my paintings?" " You're disgusting." " Marina..." "I was asleep." "I don't know what you mean." "I haven't done anything." " Wake up, it's not real." " Don't touch me." " For Christ's sake, it's a dream." " I can't stand you any longer." "Come in." "No, I'm not coming in." "I want you to come here." "I'm watching TV." "I can't bear it any longer, Camiel." " Touch me, please." " Impossible." " Kiss me." " I can't kiss you." "You are Richard's wife." "Richard is my superior." "He is my boss." "Seriously." "Never mess around with the boss's wife." "Touch me." "I cannot touch you, Marina." "Not yet." " You've come too soon." " Camiel, it's getting exciting." "The friendly chemist turns out to be a serial killer." "Yes, I'm coming." "Have faith." "And patience." "What's the matter?" "Nothing." "What's the time?" "The children..." "Where are the children?" " I don't know, I've got to go." " Wait a minute." " They must go to school." " Doesn't Stine do that?" "Stine has the day off." " You take them." " I'm seeing Stornebrink and I'm late." "Fuck Stornebrink, you're taking the kids to school." "It's too important." "It's make or break now." "I can't afford any mistakes." "You never do anything for the children." " Where is Stine?" " She has a day off." " Who is taking us to school?" " Daddy." "Camiel?" "Look, here's your dog." "Are you back again?" "They're a bit tired." "Shall I put them in front of the TV?" " They had a long day." " Get them to pick a nice film to watch." "If you feel like it." "You could also just walk around." "Guys, this is Arthur." "Can he watch the film with you?" " Glass of wine?" " No thanks." "Tap water with ice and lemon." " No wine?" " Didn't I say water?" " Has something happened?" " No." "We've got guests?" "The gardeners are eating here." "And Stine." "And her boyfriend." "Aha, Stine's boyfriend?" "That's right." "I'm Arthur Stornebrink." "I'm Richard." "We'll talk later." "I'm going to freshen up first." "Can I help you?" "You could peel the potatoes." "What's Stine got up to?" "Arthur, go and see what she's doing." "I'm looking for Stine." "She's gone to the kitchen with a bunch of flowers." " We must have just missed each other." " That's quite possible." " I'm Arthur." " The soldier." "Yes." "We'll see each other at dinner." "Everything's fine." "Get some fresh air." "Everything's fine?" "Wait a minute." "No wine." "Put those bottles away." " There will be no alcohol served tonight." " Don't be ridiculous." "No alcohol?" "Why?" "We'll take no alcohol so that we all stay sober and emotions don't run high." "What's wrong with emotions?" "Yours are running high without a drop of alcohol." "Have I ever lost control of myself?" "You want me to answer that?" "I am an adult." "I decide what I drink." "Yes, but not tonight in this kitchen." " And that's up to you?" " Yes, that's up to me." "I'm leaving." "Don't get all screwed up." "Think of the children, our guests." "Why no alcohol?" "What childish stuff is that?" " We must keep our wits about us." " I don't want to." "Look at me." "I've been fired." " Arthur, do you still live at home?" " Yes." "And in the barracks of course." " And are your parents still together?" " Yes." "Are you interrogating the boy?" "The boy doesn't mind." "Do you, Arthur?" "Not at all, isn't that what I'm here for?" " What for?" " To be interrogated." "So Stine said." "Well, those weren't my words." "I wanted to get acquainted." "I'm not bothered, you know." "I've got nothing to hide." "What does your father do, now that we're at it?" "He's with a TV production company:" " Q-Entertainment." " So he's a big shot?" " So he also fires people?" " He hardly ever does." " Except if there's no other solution." " That right?" "He actually fired a man today." " He told you?" " Yes." " He came home all emotional." " Why?" "The man he sacked was once a friend of his." "But recently he turned into an unreliable bastard." "Unreliable bastard." " Did he say that?" " Yes, he did." "He was manipulating my father out of the company." "But he failed?" "Yes, my Dad is not easily foxed." "Your father is a liar." "Why?" "What do you know about it?" "Your father is the unreliable bastard." "Are you a colleague or what?" "Tell me what's what." "I won't have my father insulted." " A guest?" "I'll knock his teeth out." " Your father was playing a sneaky game." " Richard, let it rest." " So you nearly ruined his company." "It was my company, jerk." "Shut up." "Can he help being Stornebrink's son?" "I'll bash your face in." "No, I'm going to sleep." "The little guy is tired." "No, that's not necessary." "No, thanks." "Daddy was a bit cross." " But that's all over now." "Right, Daddy?" " Yes, it's all over." "It's Isolde's birthday tomorrow." " So what?" " I want an aquarium." "Nothing is celebrated in this house." "Daddy is sad." "That's why he is saying unpleasant things." "Tomorrow we'll celebrate your birthday as usual." "Can I talk to you?" "There's ice-cream in the freezer." "Do you have any idea what's going on?" " I do." " Do you realise what happened today?" " You were fired." " Yes?" "But not in any old way." "Jesus, you have no idea..." "I walked straight into the trap, like a toddler." " I totally underestimated my enemy." " Richard..." "Think of the children, just sitting there." "It's a lot worse." " What is it?" " Yes, what is it?" "How did you get it?" "I'm scared, Marina." "It appeared suddenly." "I've been marked." "Marked?" "Who by?" "Sleep well." "Leo, what's wrong?" "I'm tired." "I want to sleep." "Isolde, what's the matter?" "Tired as well?" "Yes." "This is not right." "I'm going to phone Doctor Baumgarten." "Yes?" "Dr Baumgarten?" "Yes?" "Is it serious?" " Have their summer holidays started?" " Yes, as per today." "Just as I thought." "The children are overtired." "Overtired?" "Because of what?" "Because of the modern world." "Don't forget they have a lot to cope with these days:" "TV, internet, school." "In the holidays the child's body will give up." "But all three overtired at the same time... that's very strange." "Maybe there's something else?" "For instance?" "Tensions in the family?" "There's nothing like that in our family." "Good thing, too." "You lie down, little girl." "On your tummy, please." "Come along, darling." "It's time for love." "Time for consolation." "Have you gone crazy?" "!" "Now what have I done?" "Bastard." "That's enough." "You fucking bitch!" " Wake up!" " You disgust me!" "He's got to die, Camiel." "Richard must die." "Please." "If that's what you want." "I want it." "As soon as possible." "Can we get up?" " Are you better now?" " Yes." "Yes." "Yes." "Just for an hour, and then back to bed." "No, don't." "I've had it removed." " The tattoo?" " Yes." "I feel a lot better." "Richard..." " Camiel." " You're just in time." "I AM" " WE ARE" "Come along, kids." "Would you two like a drink?" "A glass of wine." "Same for you?" " Can I go and wash my hands?" " Go ahead." "Can we have an ice lolly?" "Of course." "Here, you give this to Dad." "I'll bring the ice lollies." "Isolde..." "Give Daddy a little kiss." "Daddy..." "Is that for me?" "Thank you, darling." "Shall I give you a kiss?" "Oh, yes please!" " Bye, Daddy." " Bye, darling." "Here's to the garden." "Where are the others?" "Don't they want a drink?" "I could call them, but they're very tired." "I'll leave you two alone then." "Sleep well." "Stine..." " And?" " Nothing yet." "It's started." "Let me have a look." "Marina..." "This is Brenda." "Brenda." " And this is llonka." " Everything will be all right, madam." "Sit down, please." "Marina?" "A drink?" "Pascal knows where it is." "Richard is still there." " Under the piano." " So I noticed." "Shouldn't he be removed?" "Why?" "Why all these people?" " I want to be with you." " You are with me, aren't you?" "Haven't you got something for me?" "I feel so screwed up." "Or will it make me apathetic?" "No." "The garden is finished." "You are no longer a gardener." "Not even a kiss?" " To calm me down a bit?" " I just gave you a pill for it." "Camiel..."