"THE STATIONMASTER´S WIFE" "XaverI, we don´t want a baby for the moment, all right?" "XaverI, where are you?" "What are you doing?" "Damn it!" "HannerI, come here." "I can´t get this damned tie on straight." "I´II never get the hang of these modern turn-down collars." "You men!" "You have to be dressed like children." "Thank God." "Hanni, you know..." "I can hardly keep still when I´m close to you." "So!" "That´s enough for now!" "You rooster." "You mustn´t miss the train." "Don´t let that dirty old Prussian Windegger get you boozing it up again." "Good evening, Stationmaster." "I waited for you until ten o´clock." "Turn off the light, I want to sleep." "Look, the two of us will never argue." "It´s always because of others." "Such a dumb crowd, such heathen bIockheads." "And often I have trouble just saying "no."" "I don´t like the mocking." "And I don´t like it when people think you´re dictating me." "It´s because of you that I stay, then." "Because of me." "Because of me, you have friends like these." "Because of me, you drink so much and spend so much money." "Jesus, how many times does this happen?" "If I only think of Windegger... how he´d behaved at our wedding..." "well, he was drunk..." "And everyone is repulsive when drunk." "Your friend Windegger?" "The chief forester?" "There aren´t any other people there." "When do I ever meet them?" "I have nothing to do with them." "I´m not married to them either." "We sit together and play cards and that´s it!" "You never go out with me, and I´d often love to." "still love me?" "still angry?" "We´ve already made up, haven´t we?" "Come on, Hanni." "It´s no good to quarrel over such nastiness." "Hanni, I belong to you completely." "only you." "So, he can put that in his pipe and smoke it," "Mister Chief Forester Windegger." "You´re a really nasty person." "I don´t want to have anything more to do with you." "He´II never entice me into getting drunk again." "I just didn´t dare tell him that you get angry when I drink." "He took advantage of it and got me drunk, and I was afraid he´d make fun of me." "Make fun of you?" "Pretty soon you´II make it look as if you really were a hen-pecked husband." "Why don´t we stop this eternal bickering?" "For heaven´s sake, a man needs to have his peace." "That´s enough!" "That´s enough!" "Anyway, I don´t even have to mix with other people." "It doesn´t interest me at all." "Not in the slightest!" "I´II stay - with you." "I´II never go away again." "Never again." "Have you heard the latest about the Torbräu?" "They´re bankrupt." "well, it´s not surprising, with such a slovenly proprietor." "They need a man who really puts something into it." "I have a friend from school named MerkI, he knows all about the business." "MerkI would really get the Torbräu going again, if he had financial help." "We could do it." "That way we could invest my father´s money at a profit, and prove to him that we´re capable of something too." "exactly!" "It´s high time we showed him." "Otherwise he´II think I can´t accomplish anything." "And especially with MerkI there´s no need to worry." "With him our money is absolutely safe." "He knows his business, I´m sure of that." "I´m so happy, honey, that you agreed and so quickly said yes." "How could I have said no?" "How could anyone ever deny you a wish?" "My one and only honey." "Whether we have the money at the bank or MerkI pays us interest, it´s safe." "And I will demand 8% of MerkI instead of 4%." "We would be stupid not to do that." "exactly." "I´m so proud of you, my clever Hanni." "It´s good to have so much money behind us." "Yes." "And now I have to go to work." "Yes." "impossible!" "I simply don´t want to!" "They all can get lost!" "Why do I have to go to the Torbräu over and over, just because we invested in it?" "I don´t go to the bank every day either, just because our money´s there." "That´s the Iast thing I want." "AII of a sudden I´m supposed to be a regular." "AII of a sudden, I´m supposed to go to the inn every week." "We had our peace before it was sold." "And now look at the mess we´re in all of a sudden!" "well, I just thought that where the higher-cIass people go... the masses would follow." "And if you want to make money, Chubby, then you have to take care of the business now and then." "I wouldn´t want people to say I don´t let you go out." "What?" "And you say that?" "You?" "Yes, why?" "How come?" "But you were the one who never liked my going out and staying out late and drinking till all hours." "well, you don´t always have to be the Iast one to leave the pub, Chubby..." "AII right, all right, I suppose I can show myself now and again in the Torbräu if you have nothing against it." "But I wouldn´t like to make a habit of it." "You don´t have to." "Did you know MerkI is having a party on Saturday?" "Your wife really cuts a magnificent figure." "MerkI has good taste." "I would have made her queen of the ball too." "It´s just a shame you don´t dance." "well - a guy can´t do everything." "In a word - majesty and grace." "congratulations, Mr. BoIwieser." "Your wife is a fantastic dancer!" "Thank you for the dance." "It´s a shame you don´t dance, Chubby." "I haven´t enjoyed myself so much in ages." "You don´t have to drink so fast, HannerI." "I´II only make you hotter." "You really are beautiful." "So beautiful, HannerI." "Everyone is looking at you." "really?" "silence, ladies and gentlemen!" "Mr. Windegger and Miss Fanny Rutt will now perform a Bavarian foIk-dance for you." "Very artistic." "Quite a performance for his age." "Come on, you doddering old man." "Out of breath from climbing the stairs." "You´II see what kind of doddering old man I am." "And you´II find out soon enough why I´m out of breath!" "When we´re so excited, then we love each other even more." "I couId hardly wait." "I was boiling hot the whole time." "boiling hot." "Come on, come on, hurry up, come on!" "Come in." "I´ve received a letter from the bank." "I have to talk to MerkI about the interest." "Of course, Hanni, go ahead." "And say hello to him for me." "Stop it, what if someone comes in?" "You rooster, you lover." "See you later." "hello, MerkI." "Good day, Mrs. BoIwieser." "That comes to 5.20, Madam." "Oh, I only have a 10-mark bill." "Can you change it for me?" "Of course." "Madam?" "I have to talk to you about something." "You know, about the interest." "AII right, then go through to the office." "I´II be right there." "I´II be busy for half an hour, Luise." "I have some business to discuss." "And cut off the two best pieces of fillet steak for Mrs. BoIwieser." "Yes, that MerkI." "What?" "Yes, I´m a good judge of people and I know where to put them." "I tell you, the Torbräu´s in order now, and what an atmosphere!" "It really does you good to see it all." "Yes, he´s very capable, MerkI, you can see that." "You see, Chubby, I always thought that you and MerkI should get along well with one another." "And he´s often told me he likes you better than all the others." "And he always gives us the best cuts of meat." "That´s true, he´s a good guy, MerkI." "You can talk to him." "What he says makes sense." "You know, XaverI, when I Iook at you..." "MerkI even looks like you..." "He´s got exactly the same nose as you." "What´s the matter with you today, Chubby?" "Oh, nothing...but I think there´s going to be a strike." "A strike?" "Is that bad for us?" "For us?" "Not at all." "And everyone has his own interests at heart." "I´m a civil servant." "Look at this." "A mother´s about to drown herself with her kid." "And the kid says, "Isn´t the water cold?"" "And the mother says, "What of it?" "The fish live in it all the time."" "gentlemen!" "I won´t stand for such antics on duty!" "I´m the one who´s responsible for any irregularities!" "You´re familiar with the official railway regulations." "And you know that if there´s a surprise inspection, it reflects on me!" "I must therefore ask you to be more aware of our duties and responsibilities!" "I really gave that bunch a piece of my mind." "Chubby, I don´t think it´II be that bad." "And anyway, with our pile of money in the bank, we´II be all right anyway." "That´s your money." "What´s mine is yours as well." "AII right." "But what´s the point in doing your duty honestly all your life just to wind up scraping to make ends meet?" "That´d be the limit." "Things are never as bad as they seem." "We´II talk to MerkI about it." "talk to MerkI..." "A strike at the State railway?" "Out of the question, XaverI." "The Emergency Service will take over immediately." "And the gentlemen from the union will give in." "You´II see, that´s exactly what will happen." "And if that bunch of workers doesn´t give up, they´II just throw out the troublemakers," "just like that!" "Nowadays there´s as many workers as there are pebbles on the beach, a man is happy if he´s employed at all." "It´s always those agitators who make trouble." "It´s easy enough to find them and get rid of them." "After that there´s peace." "Do you think the State can tolerate such a thing at a time like this?" "If they do go on strike, in nothing flat, they´II set up a court of arbitration." "The employees and the State railroad Board will have to negotiate." "In the end, the workers´II be glad if they´re not thrown out on their ears." "But I´d stake my Iife on it," "I bet you that it´II never get that far." "If you look at it that way, I suppose you´re right." "You make it all so easy to grasp." "Just look!" "along with your business and all your work, you also know something about politics." "I´m impressed!" "Sometimes I think one ought to" "look after such things a little more." "A businessman nowadays can never be too careful- if I didn´t keep my eyes and ears open, where would I end up with all this hostility around me?" "And the jealousy, just because my business is doing well!" "Hanni, MerkI was right." "The strike is broken." "The union and the railroad have come to an agreement." "What do you say to that?" "MerkI seems to have a good eye for reality." "Yes...are you going out?" "I´m going to buy some meat." "She´s with MerkI again." "I heard her." "She said she was going to buy some meat." "She has no shame." "well, if you have a husband who´s blind in both eyes..." "She has nothing to do all day, except for a little housework." "And she´s a good-Iooking woman, you have to admit." "It´s just that staying at home all the time is too boring for Mrs. BoIwieser." "What about her and MerkI...?" "Racy women of her age, they go wild." "And God knows he makes it easy for her." "Why not?" "Good evening, you certainly startled us." "would you Iike something to eat?" "I´II have MarieIe bring you the menu right away." "Why do you have to interfere in everything?" "You´II wind up in court in the end." "Rubbish." "Ask Marie to bring the menu, and make it snappy." "Have you heard the latest, StempfIinger?" "MerkI bought another restaurant in Neudorf." "That fast?" "Where on earth does he get the money?" "The Lord looks after His own." "Are you asleep?" "Dirty slut." "There she goes doing it with the other guy again." "In the middle of the night!" "Now I know where MerkI gets the money." "And BoIwieser, the idiot, he doesn´t notice a thing." "Someone should open his eyes." "Don´t get mixed up in it, or you´II end up in court too." "Women are to blame for everything." "Poor Lederer, his wife´II send him to his grave soon." "He was a good, kind, upright man, the Chief Inspector was." "Just between us, he should actually be glad that he´s gotten rid of that no-good woman." "It was proved today at the funeral how weII-Iiked he was." "Yes, well, I have to go..." "But, Mr. BoIwieser, surely you can spare an hour." "What are you in such a hurry for?" "Your wife won´t run away." "exactly, Mr. BoIwieser, you surely have time for another drink." "We hardly ever see you nowadays anyway." "Can´t understand why I no Ionger have the honor of your company." "I really can´t think what I´ve done to deserve this neglect." "Each to his own taste." "The Stationmaster has to go to the Torbräu, since his wife and Mr. MerkI have such a special arrangement!" "After all, they went to school together!" "And after all, they say:" "Where treasure lies, there lies the heart!" "MerkI knows how to keep his customers faithful." "The husband always goes where his wife wants." "Am I right or am I right?" "well, duty calls." "Once again, my sincere condolences, Madam." "Kindest regards to your wife, Mr. BoIwieser!" "It lasted a Iong time today." "Did you go with them to the Greinbräu?" "What´s the matter, XaverI?" "You´re making such a Iong face..." "Hey, Chubby..." "I´m not fat." "Not fatter or thinner than MerkI." "What?" "What did you say?" "What have they been telling you in the Greinbräu?" "I have to go to work." "I´ve already been away too long." "No, I want to know where I stand!" "For God´s sake, I haven´t got time." "I have to go." "What kind of stories have they been telling you?" "What a dirty trick!" "How vile!" "How disgusting!" "For God´s sake, Hanni!" "Go away!" "Go away!" "Go back to your fine, upstanding friends and let them tell you their dirty stories." "Go on, go!" "Hanni, I..." "Go!" "Go away!" "Go, go, go!" "Don´t scream like that." "people will hear!" "A bull!" "A really crafty bull!" "I´m sorry, I can´t let you through anymore." "Conductor, please let me through!" "That´s not allowed!" "When the train comes in, the barrier remains closed!" "How irresponsible and unreliable!" "I won´t stand for it!" "If something happened, I´d have to bear the consequences." "I´m sorry, Stationmaster." "How stupid!" "No, gentlemen, I´II have to say it one more time." "When the barrier is closed, it stays closed no matter what." "I won´t put up with this sIovenIiness anymore." "And don´t forget it!" "Boy, something poisonous must have bitten him today." "Aren´t you going to eat?" "Don´t be like that." "We´re not stubborn children." "My God, I was just annoyed about the backbiting gossip in the pub." "There just has to be an end to this quarreling." "This minute!" "Don´t forget that I said yes too when you lent MerkI our pile of money." "If I´d had any suspicions, or if I´d been jealous," "I would never have said yes, Hanni." "I would never have allowed it." "Never!" "Never!" "I´ve never mistrusted you." "Never, not one single time!" "Otherwise MerkI would never have gotten our money." "Was it your money, or was it mine?" "!" "Your...your money, yours." "Yes, yes, yes, yes, mine!" "Not a penny of it is yours, is it?" "I´m going to bed." "I don´t care what you do." "Go eat." "Her money-her money?" "Her money?" "It is her money after all..." "I suppose you´re right." "I´m sorry." "I´m sorry, HannerI." "Poor HannerI." "I´m sorry." "Put the light out." "I Iook ugly after all this crying today." "You belong to me." "Just me." "You!" "You!" "Mine!" "Mine!" "You´re mine alone!" "Yes, yes, yes, yes, XaverI!" "Oh, my God, yes." "And I´m supposed to be chasing after other men?" "Don´t forget." "Give Mrs. BoIwieser my best regards." "You understand?" "Don´t forget." "No." "I´m supposed to give Mrs. BoIwieser your kindest regards." "That´s it." "And tell Mrs. BoIwieser that I asked why she doesn´t come around any more." "tell her MerkI would Iike to talk to her." "Yes, I will." "Good-bye." "So, MerkI wants to talk to me?" "tell him it´s all right." "No, wait..." "No, no, I haven´t got time at the moment." "Just come again tomorrow, and bring the meat again." "There you are." "Oh, yes, I´II just tell him:" "Look, you´re not losing anything if there´s something between me and MerkI." "I´II never leave you." "On the contrary, I find you even more attractive because of the change of scene." "Don´t take it so seriously!" "Don´t you see, I can´t..." "I can´t help myself now!" "Such an excellent meal today, Hanni!" "GouIash." "I couId eat myself to death." "As long as you Iike it." "But you´re not eating anything." "I don´t feel well." "I sit around in the apartment too much." "Life is passing me by." "How can I keep from getting fat?" "Ah, that´II help me keep it up!" "I don´t mean anything more to you than the food!" "Is it already your time again?" "What´s the date today?" "It´s not so far at all." "I´ve still got eight days to go!" "AII you need is a reason!" "That´s right!" "A reason!" "Your peace and quiet, your food, and your wife in bed!" "AII for you!" "Just for you!" "What´s the matter, what have I done wrong now?" "Done wrong!" "That´s another one of your tricks." "Acting like a schoolboy!" "I´m only trying to do the right thing." "I have to get out of here." "I´m going to the hairdresser´s." "Excuse me, Mrs. BoIwieser." "It´s all right." "You have such lovely hair, it wouId be a shame to bob it." "Yes, I´d be sorry to lose it too, but it´s so much trouble to fix my hair every time." "It doesn´t suit everybody, of course." "You mean, you don´t think it wouId suit me at all?" "We´d have to try it out, the proof of the pudding is in the eating." "Of course there are different kinds of bobbed cuts." "Greta Garbo curls are in fashion at the moment, and with abundant hair like yours, it wouId be the most flattering style." "Greta Garbo curls?" "What do they look like?" "Let me show you, Madam, your hair comes down to here... in curls at the nape of the neck." "It´s the latest fashion." "Maybe we should try it after all." "As I said before, I wouldn´t want to talk you into it." "No...or nevertheless?" "No, I´m already too old for that." "But Mrs. BoIwieser, at your age, you can´t say you´re too old." "Excuse me." "I´m thirty-two years old." "Thirty-two?" "..." "That´s impossible." "You don´t look a day over twenty-five." "So...now..." "Good day." "Good day, MerkI." "Your new hairstyle?" "Why shouldn´t I keep up with fashion?" "Ugh!" "Bah!" "It´s wonderful!" "You look great!" "I feel as if I had a new wife!" "It´s fantastic." "It´s unique!" "wonderful." "It really is a beautiful hairstyle!" "Do you Iike it?" "You´re so beautiful, Hanni." "I wish I couId stay here forever, my glamour girl." "Be careful!" "You´II mess it up!" "I´m sorry." "I´m just a little clumsy sometimes." "Why don´t you ever go out anymore?" "I´m sure everyone´s talking about it." "MerkI has been asking about you too." "So, MerkI´s been asking about me..." "Yes, I suppose I couId go out again once in a while if you say so." "But it´s so nice at home with you, so cozy." "I suppose I should drop by again so that MerkI doesn´t think I´ve got something against him." "But..." "But I can´t stand MerkI any more since it happened." "I can´t help it, but..." "MerkI really didn´t do anything to you." "Look, I talked the whole thing over with him at the time." "He flew into a rage at first and wanted to sue everybody, but afterwards, he just had to laugh." "So, you talked with him about it?" "What else did he say?" "That it must have all started off in Greinbräu." "They´re jealous because his business is doing well." "Yes, well, he´s probably right." "And if you just sit around in the flat all the time, it looks as if we were afraid of something." "That´d be the limit!" "Once again, if anyone says anything we´II take him to court." "And that´s that." "Hanni." "Is it really true?" "There was never anything between you and MerkI?" "Never?" "What?" "What?" "You?" "How disgusting!" "Yes, you´re disgusting!" "Ugh!" "Just like all the others!" "You believe the others more than you do me!" "Stay here, for God´s sake!" "Can´t I even talk to you?" "Go away!" "What do you want?" "Leave me alone, leave me alone, I tell you!" "And I say no!" "Attacking me?" "!" "Laying hands on me?" "You dog!" ""Attacking me?" "!" "Laying hands on me?" "You dog!" "miserable wretch!" "You´ve gone too far!" "You´II pay for this!"" "Ow!" "help!" "help!" "You´ve gone too far this time!" "I want to talk to you, and you make a scene!" "You know that I trust you." "You can do what you Iike, but I have the right to ask you." "Like the time when I was on night duty once." "It was about midnight when I came upstairs..." "I shouldn´t have come, because I..." "But I just couldn´t stand it any longer down there." "I just wanted to see you, that´s all, just to see you." "The thought kept nagging me, so I went into the bedroom, but you were gone." ""Hanni," I cried, "Hanni!"" "I wanted to wait longer, but I had to go back to work." "I have the right to ask you that." "So you´re spying on me now on top of it." "That too." "Go see MerkI and ask him!" "Go ahead and see him and find out." "Where...where were you then?" "Do I have to answer for every step I take now?" "I don´t remember anymore..." "With MerkI!" "Spying on me, very nice of you, distinguished." "I was probably out for a walk." "You went for a walk?" "You really went for a walk?" "Just because I can´t sleep with all my worries and go out for a little fresh air, then I´m accused of being at MerkI´s." "That´s just charming!" "Very nice, very nice!" "HannerI!" "I didn´t mean it like that." "I´II never do it again, never!" "I Iove you, Hanni." "Forgive me, Hanni, forgive me." "I haven´t had any peace since I heard all that gossip in the Greinbräu." "And you never said a thing!" "Just kept on flattering me, and got wilder and wilder every night, and all the time, you were spying on me." "How two-faced!" "I´m sorry, Hanni..." "That´s the way it happens!" "At first, we devour ourselves with love, and in the end..." "Don´t say any more, please." "We have a good marriage after all!" "We still love each other, don´t we?" "We´ve always loved each other." "If you want to do me a favor, then go out!" "Go and see MerkI tonight..." "go booze it up!" "May I...may I stay home?" "MerkI...hm, him!" "XaverI, what´s the matter?" "How come you never come around here anymore?" "I´ve had the interest here for a good week now, and nobody picks it up." "Say, what´s the matter with both of you all of a sudden?" "You don´t come around, and Hanni just struts past me." "well, things just don´t always turn out the way you want them to." "You´re right there, XaverI." "But now you´ve got some money coming." "No, no, it´s out of the question." "I can´t conduct private business in my office." "But go on upstairs to Hanni." "But wait for me, I´II be right up." "Of course, and just wait, you´re really going to get it when we´re sitting together up there." "You´re really in for it, you unreliable rascal." "Haven´t you got anything to do, gentlemen?" "Oh, it´s you." "Yes, I just wanted to bring you the interest." "Oh, yes...the interest... come on in." "Why didn´t you ever give the money to XaverI?" "He´s been in your pub often, after all." "In my pub?" "XaverI?" "He´s never been there." "I´ve just been complaining to him about it, downstairs." "What?" "Never?" "..." "Never?" "But he said..." "I always sent him there." "I just told you, never." "What´s the matter with him, anyway?" "That´s funny..." "Strange...but he always said he was going there." "I haven´t seen him since Lederer died." "I can´t understand it." "Where on earth does he go then?" "What´s the matter with you?" "Has he found out?" "Has he noticed something?" "Does he know anything?" "Say something!" "What´s happened?" "Nothing, really." "really?" "So there is something." "What is it?" "Maybe he´s still embarrassed by the gossip." "I didn´t come to your place anymore either because of the gossip." "It is over between us." "It must be over." "Us." "Everything is over." "It´s over." "There´s no point in your hoping anymore." "You can see for yourself, the way they´re always talking." "It´s over." "And I´m completely happy with my XaverI, anyway!" "Who´s talking, then, who?" "My God, what does it matter who´s talking?" "Windegger talks..." "Because I refuse to buy his stinking venison." "And the Greinbräu proprietor talks." "Because he´s jealous." "III will and jealousy." "And your waitress, Marie, the one you fired, she´s talking." "She...she´s been telling people how I came out of your office once... and I was buttoning up my skirt, and Scherber passed it on." "And SaiIer and Windegger happened to see me that time I was coming out of the house at night." "But then, XaverI knows about that too." "That was settled a Iong time ago." "That..." "XaverI knows about that?" "Yes." "I told him I´d gone for a walk." "It was such fine weather." "Of course he checked up on me." "Checked up on you?" "Yes, but it´s nothing to worry about." "But SaiIer and Windegger didn´t see where you were going?" "No, I don´t think so." "AII right!" "Then no one saw you." "It´s just rumors." "Just wait!" "We´II see who´s going to win." "I´II sue all of them!" "I´II take those dirty sIanderers to court!" "You´re going to take them to court?" "But what if something came out?" "How can anything come out?" "You wait and see, that business will pipe down fast enough." "You see, nobody knows anything, just you and I." "And I think we´re all right there, aren´t we?" "Hanni, where are you?" "We´re here." "Can you imagine, MerkI´s going to take the slanderers to court." "I´m going to see Lawyer FinkeIberger tomorrow." "That´s the only way to deal with those sIanderers." "Take them to court?" "How does one go about it?" "It´s simple." "Hanni and I lodge a complaint." "Because we´ve been slandered." "You have to testify that there was nothing between us." "Yes, yes, I suppose you´re right." "I was thinking of doing something like that." "It can´t go on like this." "Yes, XaverI, MerkI is right." "We can´t put up with this any longer." "will you please step forward to take the oath?" "I swear that I will tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help me God." "So you know what this is about." "The defendants maintain that your wife is having a love affair with Mr. MerkI." "Are you of the same opinion, or have you recently had any similar suspicions?" "No, no." "It´s out of the question." "Never." "I would Iike to draw your attention to the fact that you can refuse to give evidence if you so desire." "So, have you had any suspicions or not?" "No." "If the gossip had continued," "I would have taken the matter to court." "Your Honor, I, as a civil servant..." "However, the accused maintain that they saw your wife at around midnight on the 1 4th of September." "The three accused maintain that they saw your wife walking past the Greinbräu, very well dressed, and in a rather strange manner." "Do you know anything about this?" "My wife?" "At midnight on the 1 4th of September?" "No, I can´t tell you anything." "I was on night duty then." "Chubby, why didn´t you just tell the truth, for God´s sake?" "Why didn´t you say that you came up to see me, and that I´d gone for a walk?" "Hey!" "Say something!" "XaverI!" "You poor thing." "MerkI knows about it, too." "He knows that you lied as well." "Why, why on earth did you testify like that?" "We´ve gone over it so often together." "I just couldn´t say anything else." "I just wanted to help you." "God almighty!" "You did it to help me!" "That takes the cake!" "Oh, well, it´s done now." "I have to go." "I have an appointment at the hairdresser´s." "well, Madam, did everything go all right?" "I´m afraid I had to leave before the end." "You understand, business." "We won." "The sIanderers have to pay 300 marks." "So there´s still such a thing as justice in this world." "Yes, but they don´t make it easy for you." "You´d hardly believe that people could have such problems in a village like this." "And none of them know a thing about the world." "In Munich, we live much more anonymously." "It´s more pleasant, as you can imagine, Madam." "Your complexion is beautiful," "like peaches and cream." "By the way, it´s a good thing you and Mr. MerkI won your case." "But Chubby!" "Stop being so serious." "You just have to be really nice to me." "really nice and loving." "But I am, HannerI." "And I always will be." "Forever and ever..." "My poor, fat little boy." "He swallowed the bait." "I knew he would." "Where is your husband, Mrs. BoIwieser?" "He´s not ill, is he?" "Not at all." "He´s on night duty." "But since he doesn´t dance anyway, and doesn´t enjoy such festivities, he´s entrusted me to Mr. SchafftaIer." "He knows I´II be well looked after." "Cheers!" "XaverI, are you ready?" "Ow, you´re hurting me!" "Come on, come to your little lap dog!" "To your hen-pecked husband." "Come on, hurry up!" "I want to have you, now!" "What´s the matter with you?" "You´re wearing me out." "It´s not normal anymore." "You´re worse than a bull." "I can´t help it if you taste better and better to me." "How are we going to end up?" "XaverI?" "Rooster?" "We´ve got to slow down sometime." "Other people are married too, and they don´t ruin their health like that." "I can stand it." "I´m not your toy." "Yes, you are!" "My little wench!" "Not so hard, XaverI." "You´re hurting me!" "It´s wearing me out." "You´re...my...property." "I can do what I Iike with you." "I´m sorry, Hanni." "please forgive me." "You smell of beer." "The other one´s more appetizing, eh?" "Go to bed." "I´m sorry." "I´II never get drunk again." "Hanni, Iet´s start all over again." "We´II cancel MerkI´s Ioan..." "I´II leave my job." "Get out of Werburg." "Go someplace." "A house or a cottage." "Farmer or old age pensioner or... or whatever." "Just the two of us alone on an island, floating on a cloud, enjoying our beautiful love, just being happy," "like the lilies in the field." "well, that was another delicious meal." "I´m glad you enjoyed it, Chubby." "MerkI has been complaining that you always avoid him." "You used to go and see him often, and you haven´t quarreIIed." "So he´s complaining?" "Why should I go and see him?" "So people have something to talk about again?" "well, we don´t want any hostility, after all." "You often used to go there before." "Why don´t you come along with me?" "No." "Before, I used to have a reason to go... to settle the account." "But now..." "But HannerI, that´s no reason to avoid him." "I mean..." "Are we dependent on him now?" "This is getting better and better." "You see him about twice a week." "Who does he think he is?" "And anyway, he shouldn´t be so pushy." "He should be glad we let him have the money at all." "My God, HannerI, I don´t care." "Let him talk, and that´s it." "You´re in demand where you go, surrounded by admirers." "You´re the stationmaster´s wife, after all." "I´d prefer less attention." "I´m sorry." "Go home, you drunken oaf." "well, what´s the matter?" "XaverI, you know I´m your friend." "But I can´t sit by and watch it any longer." "What?" "How Hanni cheats on you right and left with that slimy SchafftaIer." "She´s been doing it for months, XaverI." "I know that hurts you, but I can´t help it." "I had to tell you, XaverI." "So you think she´s cheating on me?" "And how!" "Every day." "Hanni´s cheating on me with SchafftaIer?" "They just said it about me." "I was suspected for nothing, but it´s definite with SchafftaIer," "I can swear to it, I have witnesses." "I never thought Hanni was that kind." "Never!" "It hurts me through and through to think how two-faced, how unscrupulous, how deceitful she can be towards you." "Deceiving a decent guy like you, XaverI, it´s so Iow-down and dirty!" "I can´t help it." "I find that shameless." "You can´t let it go on like that." "It´II ruin you." "If I know you, it´II be the death of you." "Women, Franz!" "One of them can ruin ten men and still survive." "It´s terrible!" "And yet I know Hanni´s fond of me too." "I couldn´t complain about her." "It´s terrible!" "I just don´t understand..." "It´s inhuman, inhuman." "But what am I supposed to do?" "What?" "What?" "I know I´m hurting you, XaverI, but... after all, I´m your friend." "What is it?" "What´s the matter?" "SchafftaIer is waiting downstairs." "Hanni, SchafftaIer´s waiting." "What?" "What are you talking about?" "SchafftaIer!" "Mr. SchafftaIer the hairdresser is waiting downstairs." "The man you love much more than you do me." "Much, much more than me." "You´re drunk." "Go to bed, you disgusting man." "You´re disgusting." "But I Iove you much more than he does." "I won´t do him any harm at all." "I won´t say a word." "Be quiet now!" "Be quiet now!" "Quiet." "Betrayed!" "It was that MerkI." "It was that MerkI." "Good God, you´re ruining yourself completely with all this boozing!" "This boozing is so spineless!" "I know, my God!" "It´s easy to slip into drinking and I don´t even know how." "What happened last night?" "Nothing happened." "It snowed, that´s all." "How often do you drink?" "Somebody has to drum up the necessary money." "Then my shop would be a gold mine." "It´s your turn now, Madam." "I don´t give a damn anymore." "One way or the other." "But Franz, what´s the matter, you..." "You know exactly what´s the matter." "Don´t put on an act!" "What´s that supposed to mean, for God´s sake!" "I refuse to be talked to like that!" "You can talk like that to your waitresses, but not to me!" "Oh, I can´t, can I?" "Then XaverI´s in for it." "I don´t care, it´s in my hands now." "So!" "Is this what we cared for each other for?" "Is this why I gave you my money, built you up a livelihood, so that you can be so mean now?" "!" "You´re disgusting, you scoundrel!" "Do what you Iike for all I care!" "And we´II see who gets the worst of it!" "We could use the money ourselves at the moment!" "I´ve written a letter to MerkI, saying we want our money back." "Of course, he won´t be friends with us anymore now." "We need the money back ourselves." "Yes, it´s... it´s your money." "My God!" "Idiot!" "Can´t I even talk sense to you anymore?" "Don´t get so worked up, HannerI." "I only meant..." "It really is your money." "If you say so, yes, yes, you´re right, you´re perfectly right." "You have to sign it as well." "You were always right...always." "Good." "Then we´II send off the letter tomorrow." "With this letter we wish to inform you of the termination of your loan of 50,000 marks as of August 1st of this year..." "AII right, if that´s the way they want it." "I think it wouId be a good idea if I went to visit my parents for a week or two." "I haven´t heard from them for a Iong time." "And I think a separation wouldn´t do us any harm." "We´re just cooped up together all the time." "Everything will be fine again when I come back." "Mr. MerkI, please make sure that you know what you´re doing!" "The life and livelihood of an honest civil servant are at stake." "I have to do what I have to do." "I have a warrant for your arrest on suspicion of perjury." "BoIwieser, you are released until further notice." "But I´m..." "I´m guilty." "That´s none of my business." "You´re allowed out until the trial, by order of the examining judge." "But I can´t show myself in public anymore." "Where on earth shall I go?" "Good day, Mr. BoIwieser." "He´s back." "Who?" "Can´t you hear him?" "He´s pacing back and forth all the time." "He´s been doing it for hours without stopping." "That´s his bad conscience." "It´s eating up his soul and burning into his brain." "Jesus, Mary, and Joseph!" "God almighty!" "He won´t kill himself, will he?" "No, no." "I´II bring him his things now." "Here are your personal belongings." "I collected them up for you." "My personal belongings." "Hanni, darling Hanni, it´s your fault." "You´ve ruined me." "You whore." "You dirty bitch." "Hanni, darling." "You devil, you hypocritical bitch, you stinking tart, you dirty, poor, darling, sweet, saintly Hanni." "In the name of the State, I pronounce the following verdict:" "The accused, Xaver BoIwieser, Stationmaster in Werburg, has been found guilty of premeditated perjury, and is sentenced to four years imprisonment." "The accused is guilty of perjury as specified in paragraph 154 of the penal code." "There are no mitigating circumstances." "On the contrary, the matter is made more serious by the fact that the accused, being a civil servant, belongs to a profession which is a pillar of our society." "The accused has caused irreparable damage to his profession and to the German civil Service as a whole, which will seriously diminish the trust of the population in all our state institutions." "Take him away!" "One pair of suspenders," "one tie," "one shirt," "one pair of pants." "follow me." "Lie down!" "It´s forbidden to walk around!" "silence in there!" "If you can´t be quiet, there´II be trouble!" "Yes, but..." "I was only dreaming." "Yes, dreaming." "We know all about those dreams, now be quiet!" "I´II slice her up!" "Rip her apart!" "pull out her intestines one by one, tear her to pieces," "I´II trample on her!" "Quiet, you!" "The fact is, Mr. BoIwieser," "I´m sorry to have to inform you that your wife is asking for a divorce." "You won´t have to appear in court." "I understand, Mr. BoIwieser... when you appear like that, it´s embarrassing." "Yes." "Thank you." "would you sign here, please?" "Right here." "will you bring me back now?"