"I should think so too!" "SMALL WORLD" "Shall we, dear daughter-in-law?" " Gladly." " Off we go!" "My stepmother is fond of my son." "He's still her little Phi-Phi." "You'll have to break that chain, Simone." "And I'm warning you, it's made of steel!" "I pity your poor wife's toes!" "Your father's drunk." "Don't worry." "Liquor is one thing dad can handle." "I think I need a glass of water." "Thank you." "I've been waiting 60 years for this dance." "I married your grandfather not long after your grandmother died." "So at the reception... there wasn't much waltzing." "I'm sure he's happy up there." "And he thinks you're ravishing." "You're the ravishing one!" "Elisabeth?" "How nice of you to come from Boston, my dear." "It's our son's wedding, isn't it?" "To his happiness!" "You know the divorce papers are ready?" "So soon?" "You haven't been struggling, have you?" "My parents together?" "I should get married more often!" "I love Simone." "I hope she'll like it here." "As charming as ever!" "Have you seen Dr Cohen?" "I'll go up soon." "Already?" "My diabetes doesn't enjoy all this." "Smiling people letting their masks down." "I can't take too much truth this late in the evening." " Sorry!" " No." " Sorry, miss." " No, it was me." "It's nothing." "Conrad, champagne doesn't stain." "It's nothing." "Tomi!" "Hello, Koni." " To the library." " Come on, Conrad." "I didn't set fire to the house." "I was changing the flowers when I smelled smoke." "It was all ablaze." "So I ran and ran, I caught a train and I came home." "I don't know how he got in." "I never once moved from the gate." "He must have climbed over the wall." "At his age?" "Same age as you, old pal!" "No, I got in through the secret door." "The pirates' door." "The pirates' door?" "At the bottom of the garden." "It leads to the neighbour's." "I'm not surprised you've forgotten." "It hasn't been used for 50 years." "What a memory he has!" "I'm so happy to be here." "I'm so happy to see you." "Are you leaving?" "Yes." " Go on, Conrad." " In you get now." "It was a lovely evening, Mrs Senn." "Tell me, doctor..." "How far back can one remember?" "I have one very old patient, who suddenly recalled his dachshund dying." "It was his first heartbreak." "He must have been about four." "Your glycaemia is stable." "The older we get, the past comes closer to the present." "Becomes a closer presence!" "I'll do your jab." "I can do it myself." "Very well." "In that case," "I shall bid you goodnight, Mrs Senn." "To you too, doctor." "You're like Conrad." "You think champagne stains." "Who is this Conrad?" "Did he scare you?" "You know that you're very, very sexy when you're afraid." "And when you blush." "You love me when I'm afraid or blushing?" "Yeah." "You didn't answer me." "Who is he?" "A childhood friend of my father." "He wasn't invited." "Well, I don't know him." "They fell out before I was born." "As far as I'm concerned, Conrad... keeps watch over the Trouville house." "He set fire to it." "He's a pyromaniac." "Like me!" "The police are convinced that it was arson." "Only the firewood didn't burn." "You must press charges for the insurance." "You mean he could go to prison?" "My job is to advise, not to feel pity." "I put him in one of the flats near the factory." "So you're advising me to abandon him?" "No one would blame you." "No!" "He's not an arsonist, just an alcoholic." "Did you give him an allowance, as I asked?" "Yes." "I never liked that house, anyway." "Do you hear that?" "It's coming down the chimney." "Hot stuff!" "Will Philippe get his own flat now that he's married?" "Do you think we're too cramped here?" "You enjoy your luxury!" "Get Conrad here too, then!" "Thomas wouldn't allow that." "He'd see Conrad aging." "Like a faded beauty, he hates mirrors." "What youthful vigour!" "It's wonderful." "I hope you're up to it, Scholler." "That little Simone..." "Her vigour is contagious!" "Ladies, you look ravishing." "I talked to Scholler this morning." "We're not going to subsidise that old drunk forever, are we?" "You mean Conrad or you?" "And you're not pressing charges?" "How nice of you." "So he'll get board and lodging with all expenses paid!" "He was raised here." "Should I stick him in a kennel?" "Unlike you, he's suffered." "No more than anyone else." "His mother the maid left him to chase an American." "He was lucky you didn't post him to her!" "Anna wasn't just a maid." "She helped me when your father died." "She met an American." "She should have come back for her son, but never did." "That's the story." "Who wanted to keep Conrad?" "Who wanted to go to school with him, go on holiday, sleep in the same room?" "It was that or being alone, stepmother!" "I had to look after the business, son!" "Then dad grew up, made new friends, and his best friend became a lackey." "I lived my life, he lived his, end of story." "So, are you going on honeymoon?" " No." " Yes." "Really?" "Why?" "Because of Ram's appetite." "Ram?" "What might that be?" "He's an Indian." "He's trying to buy up our group." "These Indians love steel, don't they?" "So we'll go in the spring." "I have to go to work." "And I have to go play golf." "To Conrad!" "Ladies..." "You know, my dear Simone..." "You should get a haircut." "Trust me." "May I?" "Of course." " What do you recommend?" " Another restaurant!" "You want me to go?" "So soon?" "No, I didn't mean that." "There's nothing good here." " Nothing?" " Nothing." "Everything stinks of cabbage." "You've never imagined so many cabbage recipes in your life!" "What were you playing just then?" "Schumann." " Schumann..." " Yes, Schumann." "You haven't changed." "Neither have you, Elisabeth." "Same smile, same hair." "Oh, my hair has changed!" "It's been grey and back again." "But grey looked messy, so..." "You live in America now, so I heard." "In Boston." "I design ladies' underwear." " Is it doing well?" " Guess." "It's doing well." "To the future!" "I don't have a glass." "To the future!" "You're blushing." "Am I?" "Definitely." "What are you staring at?" "What's he waiting for?" "We're all waiting for something." "I, for example, am waiting for you." "Conrad, what are you doing out here?" "You'll catch cold." "I'm Simone." "Philippe's wife." "Don't you remember?" "Simone's a pretty name." "I hate it." "It's like Nina Simone." "Do you know Lilac Wine?" "No." "Philippe's lucky to be married to such a pretty name." "Where's he taking you on honeymoon?" "Venice." "Venice is lovely." " You've been?" " Yes." "Thomas and I went when we were little." "He hurt his knee, chasing pigeons in St Mark's Square." "Mummy Anna fixed him up." "Elvira hates the sight of blood." "She's always been a bit squeamish." "You should go home now." "You should go inside." "Your husband might start wondering." "He's not jealous." "Already?" "Goodnight." "Goodnight." "Have you seen my golf umbrella?" "Sorry, Thomas, I lent it to Conrad." "You lent my golf umbrella to Conrad?" "They have some at the club." "But without that one I lose." "You saw Conrad?" "He was in the grounds all night." "What was he waiting for?" "To set fire to the house!" "That's not funny." "What did you talk about?" "Music." "And Venice." "A trip you made there." "No, not Venice." "He was drunk." "No, he was very precise." "You hurt yourself chasing pigeons." "And you didn't like the sight of blood." "He said you're a bit..." "A bit?" "Squeamish." "We never went to Venice." "I'd remember." "Your wife is bored." "You should find her something to do." "To Conrad!" "17 euros 50, please, sir." "No, just one." "Thanks." "Here." "Thank you." "Goodbye." "Sir, your bags!" "Goodbye." " Thank you." " It suits her." " It does." "When you're young, everything does." "Do you like it?" "Look where you're going!" "You're good." "Yes, I am good." "You still don't recognise me?" "I'm still Philippe's wife." "Oh, yes!" "It's a small world." "Are you all right?" "I was doing some shopping, and then going home." "You only play with one hand?" "My left hand has only ever been able to play what my right hand plays." "That's how it is!" "It follows the other like a dog." "I don't know why." "Conrad." "Don't you live by the factory?" " Yes." "I think it's that way." "Shall I walk you back?" " Yes." "You mislaid this." "Oh, yes." "Thank you." "I like this photo of Thomas and me." "You like Thomas." "He's like my brother." "When we were little he took care of me." "Thanks to him I had a family." "We were never apart." "Whatever went for him, went for me too." "He wanted me to have whatever he had." "When he played tennis, I had to also." "The same with piano lessons." "Is that my mother-in-law?" "Elisabeth?" "Yes." "Did you like her?" "Yes." "But it was better... better for her." "Thomas was better for her." "He was better for her than me." "Are you expecting someone?" "No." "You invited me to dinner." "Did you forget?" "Let's just say that I didn't forget that it was you" "I had invited." "Hello, Simone." "Good evening." "I'll be off." "I have to go, Philippe's waiting." " Give him my love." " Of course." "Goodbye." "Goodbye." "Good evening, Simone." "Elvira went out with Scholler." "I'm dining with some boring people." "It might amuse you." "Thanks, but I'll wait for Philippe." "We haven't dined alone since the wedding." "Philippe isn't here." "He's in London with his Indians." "Oh, yes, I'd forgotten." "I'll just have an early night." "Have a nice evening." "Thanks." "Have a nice boring time!" "What's that?" "What was my daughter-in-law doing here?" "Are you jealous?" "It's snowingl" "Do you know how they make the sky?" "No." "With water?" "Yes." "Coloured water." "Conrad?" "Conrad?" "Don't jab me." "Conrad!" "Conrad!" "What are you doing here?" "Conrad!" "I don't know." "You don't know?" "No, I don't know." "For a while now I..." "I've been having memory lapses." "Big ones." "How do you mean?" "It's like when you go in the kitchen because you've forgotten the ladle." "So you take the ladle." "But then... you've forgotten why you're there." "Maybe you should see someone." "A doctor?" "Yes, maybe." "Yes." "And also... my feet hurt a bit." "Come on." "The surgeon amputated one left toe and two off your right foot." "I've got seven left?" "Seven is my favourite number." "What happened last night?" " Are you a cop?" " No." "A neurologist." "Try to answer my questions quickly." "All right?" "Is this a quiz?" "I like quizzes." "Especially those in Marie Claire." "What day is it?" "I don't know." "Tuesday?" "No, Thursday." "What year?" "1996." "2010." "I could have sworn..." "I know what year it is." "What season?" "Just take a look outside." "Winter." "Good answer." "And where are we?" "Repeat after me." "Ball." "Ball." "Lemon." "Lemon." " 100 minus 7?" " 100 minus 7." "No, do the arithmetic." "93." "Take off another 7." "Another 7... 86." "Very good." "Yes!" "The two words you repeated earlier?" "Two words?" "I had you repeat two words." "The long sobs of autumn's violins" "Wound my heart with a monotonous languor" "Suffocating and wan" "When the hour strikes" "I remember former days..." "And I weep." "I'll give you a pen and paper." "Write a phrase." "Anything." "Anything you like." ""Which of us is off their head?"" "I don't know." "It was very interesting." "Very educational." "But really, that's more than enough." "You walk in, they put you in pyjamas, and you age 10 years per day." "In the mirror I look about 60." "Imagine!" "Conrad, I'm not here to take you home." " Really?" " Not today." "They're keeping you in for more tests." " For how long?" " I don't know." "Anyway, I haven't come in here to die." "I'll apply for baking classes." "That'll come in handy." " I'll come again." " Yes." "Goodbye." "He'll forget everything?" " Anything recent, yes." " How lucky!" "I've been drinking for 40 years to forget the previous night!" "But his childhood memories..." "No." "I'm family." "Sorry." "Excuse me." "Conrad." "It's me, Elisabeth." "You gave me a fright, Conrad." "Come on." "Stop that rocking." "That was smashing!" "I'm fine." "I can fly!" "I flew!" "Come in." "He jumped off rather than come with me." "He doesn't know me." "Give me a sign... and I'll stay." "Goodbye, Conrad." "Goodbye, my beauty." "It'll come back." "It goes in waves." "I go back to the States tomorrow." "What do you want me to do?" "Take him with me?" "I've done enough harm as it is." "Years ago I left him and married Thomas." "I opted for security." "The result was that Conrad was shoved aside." "Night watchman, gardener and so on." "I left him, fool that I am, and now he's leaving me." "But he won't be coming back." "There." "That's how it is." "All right?" "No, I've got stomachache." "You drink too much." "Why did you bring him back here?" "Now we're getting to it!" "I felt sorry for him." "Prove it some other way." "I have nothing left to prove." "A private clinic will be cheaper than keeping him in the grounds." "Look, Conrad's off his trolley." "He needs locking up." "He should be in a state institution." "He'd be better cared for." "Those centres are good." "That's why residents jump off the roof!" "What would people be saying about us if Conrad had died?" "No, he's staying here." "In the guest cottage." "Amen!" "What do you want?" "What are you after?" "The piano lessons, train set and pirate games are over, understand?" "Is it about Elisabeth?" "Are you making me pay for Elisabeth?" "I didn't force her." "She chose me!" "She chose to have a child with me, not with you." "Do you understand?" "Forget me!" "Do you hear me?" "Forget me!" "That's what you do, isn't it?" "He doesn't look very happy." "Who are you talking to?" "To yourself?" "To my oldest friend." "Have you taken your medicine?" "Lucky Conrad." "Forgets whatever he likes." "Right, Mr Lang?" "I sometimes wonder if he's fooling us." "When I look at him," "I wonder if he's taking the mickey!" "What?" "I don't think this is good for plants." "That's what I'm turning into, my beauty." "We'll see about that, gorgeous." "It's snowing!" "It's snowing!" "It's snowing fazzolettil" "Little white handkerchiefs!" "Come, I'll buy you a drink." "Conrad, we're in a cafe." "I know we are, I'm not blind!" "Let's go." "I don't like this place." "But you chose it." "Yes, I know." "But I've put my umbrella up to stop the bad vibes." "Umbrellas don't only protect you from the rain." "Excuse me." "Your umbrella is right." "Let's get out of here." "Yes." "Is this a gift or a loan for the business dinner?" "My grandfather gave it to Elvira for their engagement." "I'm flattered." "Why aren't you staying tonight?" "I've already told you, Conrad." "I'm going to see my son." "I haven't seen him for six months." "Why bother?" "He's a dickhead!" "You don't even know him." "Don't take it personally." "Conrad can be possessive." "See you tomorrow." "All right, Mr Lang?" "Come back!" "My husband would have found you comac." " Comac?" " Comac." "That was his word for women he liked." "Women with self-control." "Like you." "With me, it's because of my diabetes." "By controlling my sugar I ended up controlling everything." "This disease has been my strength." "It made me tough." "If you were that tough, you wouldn't have helped Conrad." "I'm only doing my duty." "Marriage made a respectable woman of me." "I'm trying to live up to that." "Mummy Elvira!" "Mummy Elvira!" "Tell Mummy Anna to go!" "Scholler, do something!" "No, go away!" " I didn't do anything." " Go, miss." "I'll deal with him." "Conrad!" " What?" "Come with me." "I don't want to see Anna ever again!" "If you'd asked me," "I'd have advised against having him here." "I hardly expected he'd be scampering about." "15 over 10." "That's a bit high." "He shouldn't catch cold in his state." "With Alzheimer's, a little bronchitis can become fatal." " Really?" " Yes." "It's not just the memory, it's the immune system too." "Yes?" "I'll let you get some rest." "I'll bid you goodnight." " You too." "Goodnight, doctor." "Goodnight, Scholler." "Is it always the same one?" "Or do you have lots?" " What?" "Your tie." "You never wear any other." "20 years ago you said it suited me." "I gave all my others away, and bought two dozen of this one." "I'm touched." "Now we have a new problem." " Good morning, Simone." " Good morning." "Conrad?" "Conrad..." "Conrad..." "The antibiotics are weakening him and the lack of oxygen confuses him more." "You have to eat, Mr Lang." "Try to get up too." "Move around a bit." "You have to help yourself." "It's all my fault." "I shouldn't have left you, you old bugger." "And you were right." "My son is a dickhead." "Now eat up." "Eat, Conrad." "The goldfish nearly came a cropper." "A goldfish has a memory of only thirty seconds, you know?" "Like me." "It keeps rediscovering the world." "Like me." "So it doesn't mind going round and round all day." "Like me." "I never should have left him alone." "Stop it!" "You have to leave him alone sometimes." "The real problem is, he's getting worse." "What can we do?" "Thomas could talk to him about the past, go over old memories or show him some photos." "Consuela." "Did you taste this wine?" "Yes, sir, as always." "Simone, would you be so good as to wet your lips and tell me what you think?" " Maybe a little corked?" " There!" "From now on, when Simone is around, she will be the wine taster." "And ask Dr Cohen to check your taste-buds!" "Dr Cohen has other fish to fry!" "How was Conrad tonight?" "You could go see him and talk about old times." "Memories make one old." "And one isn't sure of reliving the best moments." "Showing him photos would do him good." "Sorry, but I don't have many photos." "I don't keep them." "I hate photos!" "They show her getting younger every year!" " The past is the past." " Not for Conrad." "There you are!" "As always, ma'am." "What are you doing here?" "A surprise for Elvira's 80th birthday." "A sort of souvenir album." "It's a secret, right?" "I understand, ma'am." "Is madam back at noon?" "Yes, as usual." "Thank you." " Can you manage?" " Yes." "And envelopes?" "A4?" "They're at the counter." "Could I have a drink of water?" "Yes, of course." "I was like that to start with." "I'll get you some water." " Thanks." "Shit, the copies!" "What are you doing by my room?" "I..." "I'm..." "I'm so pleased, Simone." "I'm so happy for you, for all of us." "You'll suddenly feel full of strength." "A woman doesn't need to have had a child to know." "Philippe must be delighted." "I want to be sure before telling him." "Yes, I understand." "You can trust me to keep your secret." "I think I'm in the soup!" "Is that the expression?" "To be in the soup?" "Impregnated by a cheat." "Is that being in the soup?" "Does he know?" "No." "Done it!" "Well done." "I don't know if I'll keep it." "Don't say anything, eh?" "Don't worry." "By tomorrow I'll have forgotten." "What's that?" "Photos." "Let me see." "Photos..." "Look." "That's me." "Me with Tomi," "Mummy Anna and Mummy Elvira." "We're in Venice there." "Are you sure?" "I'm not senile, you know!" "Don't you recognise St Mark's and the pigeons?" "Just ask Thomas." "He doesn't remember going to Venice." "He's losing his marbles." "It's age." "Look!" "There." "How old are you there?" "Three, four?" "The questions you ask!" "It was a long journey." "We went by boat, and then by train..." "We stayed in Venice a long time." "A long time." " OK?" " Yeah, fine." "What do you want?" "Just to be with my wife, go shopping..." "I wanted us to choose a ring to go with the necklace Elvira gave you." "Are you cheating on me?" "Why do you say that?" "Beware of husbands bearing gifts!" "That's after ten years." "Are you coming?" " No." "I'd rather stay with him." " You'd rather stay with him?" " Yes." "You'd rather stay with him?" "Why?" "You don't even know him!" "He's a nutter!" "What do you see in him?" "I think it's unfair." "It's unfair to pretend to love people and then just discard them." "You don't know your family." "I'll see you when you want adult company!" "Shall we carry on?" "What's that?" "The photos we were looking at." "I don't remember any photos, Elisabeth." "I'm Simone." "I had you going there!" "Very funny." "Do you recognise this woman?" "Miss Berg." "No, it's Elvira." "Yes." "Elvira Berg." "Before she married Daddy Director." "Look at the Ford!" "The Ford." "Now that was a car!" "It could do a ton." "And look there..." "Who's that?" "I don't know." "Are you blind?" "Who's that?" "Come here." "The little boy next to the driver." "Who is it?" "Can you see?" "It's TomiKoni." "TomiKoni, TomiKoni, KoniTomi..." "Come in." "Good morning." "How is he?" "So-so." "I talked to Dr Wirth." "She said I should prescribe Galantamine." "A big word!" "Are you the new gardener?" "I'm Dr Cohen, Conrad." "How are you today?" "I don't remember you at all." "Yet I'm pretty good at faces." "It's understandable." "I have a very run-of-the-mill face." "People don't usually remember me." "It's my curse." "I'm despairingly ordinary-looking!" "No!" "There's no need." "I've put on weight." "Hello, Koni." "Hello." "Do you want to play?" "Simone found the set." "I've never played this." "Don't you remember?" "With Daddy Director?" "With who?" "Playing croquet with Daddy Director." "He'd say," ""Put your right hand over your left, and strike!"" "Right hand over left." "That one's mine!" " Who cares?" " It's the rules!" "Don't tell me you don't remember." "Red for Tomi, blue for Koni." "I hit the red!" "But the red is mine." "You, Koni, are blue." "That's how it is." "Blue for Koni, red for Tomi." "You can't change the rules all the time." "What did you call me?" "Koni." "You really are losing it!" "I know what your game is!" "But you won't steal my ball." "The red is for Tomi, the blue is Koni's." "That's the rules." "My turn." "It's pretty weird, this TomiKoni, KoniTomi business." "He's getting worse." "Yes, he is getting worse." "Do you know what he called Elvira?" "Miss Berg." "That means Conrad knew Elvira before she married Senn, when her name was still Elvira Berg." "And there's that photo where he's with Thomas and Mr Senn." "And?" "And Conrad is supposed to have come along after Senn's death." "So?" "So..." "Elvira lied." "Nadia's a better cook than Consuela." "Don't you think?" "Come in." "You asked to see me?" "Enjoy your lunch?" "Yes, thank you." "It was delicious." "A real feast." "But not enough, apparently!" "How was Conrad?" "So-so." "But he seems better." "It's the photos that Simone's showing him." "What photos?" "I don't know." "Photocopies of photos..." "Of you on holiday in Venice, with Thomas and him." "Have some more." "Gladly." "I love these." "The black ones..." "Photocopies of these photos?" "Yes, those." "Are you OK?" "Yes, I'm fine." "You shouldn't smoke." "Especially as..." "What's this?" " Nothing." " How long have you known?" " What?" "I can read." "A line: negative." "A cross: pregnant." "I haven't had a blood test yet." "Why?" "I saw you in town with that girl." "She's not worth mentioning." "She's been after me for years." "She just can't accept that I chose you." "Right." "The poor girl needs a consolation prize, losing a catch like you!" "Why did you marry me?" "For your looks, I suppose." "Is that all?" "Your money, you mean?" "You didn't turn your nose up!" "Look..." "You have to keep this child." "Why?" "For all of this." "What could you give it besides your fortune?" "What did she do to you?" "She's becoming as crazy as that other maniac!" "Good morning, Simone." "Is he asleep?" " Yes." "Sometimes he just drops off." "For a few seconds, a few minutes..." "Like Napoleon." "Yes, like Napoleon." "I'll stay with him." "Go and get some rest." "Come back!" "Come back here right now!" "Come backl" "Hello, madam." "Hello, sweetheart." "Don't you recognise me?" "They jabbed daddy." "Who did?" "Miss Berg and Anna." "They jabbed daddy." "But... you mustn't tell anyone." "I won't say anything." "You can trust me." "Flowers for Mr Lang." "He'll like that." "He's here." "I'm sure he is." "You can leave us alone." "Conrad?" "Conrad?" "Miss Berg!" "You recognise me now?" "What a memory!" "I've always had a really good memory." "Yes..." "To think you even remember Venice." "It's amazing." "You were only four." "Venice..." "St Mark's Square." "You were right." "I didn't like blood." "But I got over it." "Remember the Hotel Danieli?" "The mosaics?" "Yes." "The big mirrors and chandeliers, the angels on the ceiling..." "And those long corridors that I ran down with Koni." "You were so sweet, the two of you." "Just like two brothers, you and Thomas." "TomiKoni, KoniTomi..." "KoniTomi, KoniTomi, KoniTomi..." "That was a fun game." "Yes, TomiKoni..." "Italy!" "My first memory of being free." "Beautiful weather, good wine, handsome men..." "What fun we had." "Lift up your arm." "Yes." "Will you stay with me forever now?" "Yes, forever." "Tomi, I'm glad to see you." "The same here." "I'll be right back." " Promise?" "Yes, I promise." "You have something to tell me." "Scholler's waiting for me." "Let him wait." "Go up." "We're going to have a chat." "Leaving or arriving?" "I've come to say goodbye, Conrad." "You're leaving." "I can't stay." "Living a lie isn't my thing." "I've no place in this house anymore." "Going to America?" "Thomas is a good boy." "I can understand your going with him." "Nadia will stay with you." "She's very fond of you, you know?" "And I'll write to you." "Let's go." "Next door to my house was the sawmill where my father worked." "I loved going there after school." "One of his colleagues had only two fingers on one hand." "I was fascinated by his disability." "He said he was as dextrous as any man." "At the age of 16 I got pregnant and my father threw me out." "I had to find a job." "Goodbye." "Senn hired me as a nanny after his wife died." "I didn't dare tell him I had a son too." "My cousin Anna posed as his mother, and I gave her half my wages." "Arthur Senn became my lover, we got married, but things soon turned sour." "He drank and grew violent." "Anna and I decided to kill him with insulin." "I had plenty." "I had diabetes." "A stroke of luck for me!" "Then we went to Venice with the two boys, and we invented a game." "Koni pretended to be Tomi and vice-versa." "And now Conrad... well, Thomas, the real Thomas, remembers it all." "I wanted to keep my son safe from need." "Elvira is my mother." "I've just found out at the age of 60." "She lied to us and..." "She stole our lives, and I took yours." "Your house, your fortune, everything." "Your life." "You're Thomas." "Of course, Koni." "Look." "In the wood." "Like little veins." "It reminds me of lying in the snow, looking at the tree branches against the sky." "Look, they're like little veins." "Remember?" "Come here, come and have a look." "Look." "In the sky." "One will do anything for a child." "Protect him from everything and everyone." "I didn't want him to be poor, the way I had been." "In Venice..." "In Venice there were lots of pigeons." "I remember..." "I put out my arms like this, you ran into them, and I caught the pigeons." "Do you remember one with a broken leg?" "Yes." "We put a splint on its leg, and took it back with us." "Its droppings got everywhere." "We put it out of its misery." "You strangled it." "No, it was you who twisted its neck." "Come off it!" "Yes, it was you." "You said we couldn't let it suffer." "Maybe, but it was you who did it." "No, I held it like this, and you twisted its neck." "Maybe, yes." "Maybe." "Same difference." "Yes, same difference." "Same difference..." "Yes." "Tomi, I'm going to catch youl" "Your turn." "No, not like that." "Leave the red ball, and hit the blue ball." "There!" "Now you know how to play." "It's strange that Elvira's not here." "Yeah, you're right." "Where could she have got to?" "She's so unpredictable!"