- Johan Borg: The old ones called it "the hour of the wolf". It is the hour when most people die, when most children are born. Now is when nightmares come to us. And if we are awake -...
- Alma Borg: We're afraid.
- Johan Borg: We're afraid.
- Johan Borg: A minute can seem like an eternity. It's beginning now... ten seconds... Oh, those seconds... how long they last... the minute isn't up yet... Now it has gone.
- Johan Borg: There was a time when the nights were for sleeping. Deep, dreamless sleep. To sleep and wake unafraid.
- Baron von Merkens: "The Magic Flute" is the great example and I shall prove it to you at once. Tamino's guides have just left him in the dark courtyard outside the temple of wisdom and the youth calls out in the deepest despair, "O endless night, when will you be gone? When will the daylight greet my sight?" Seriously ill, Mozart feels these words with a secret intensity. And the chorus and orchestra answer with "Soon, fair youth or never." The loveliest and perhaps the most disturbing music that has ever been written. Tamino asks, "Does Pamina still live?" The invisible chorus replies, "Pamina still lives." Listen to the strange, illogical but brilliant division: Pami-na. Pami-na. It's no longer the name of a young woman. It's a formula, an incantation, a naive text. In short, a work composed to order and yet the high manifestation of art.
- Johan Borg: I thank you. The limit has at last been reached. The glass is shattered, but what do the splinters reflect? Can you tell me that?
- Baron von Merkens: Does our artist not agree?
- Johan Borg: Forgive me. I call myself an artist for lack of a better name. In my creative work there is nothing implicit except compulsion. Through no fault of mine, I've been pointed out as something quite extraordinary, a calf with five legs, a monster. I have never fought to attain that position and I shall not fight to keep it. Megalomania? Yes I've felt it waft about my brow at times, but I think I'm immune . I have only to think of the utter unimportance of art in the world we live in to bring it down to earth , although the compulsion is there all the same.
- Corinne von Merkens: There speaks an artist!
- Alma Borg: There's one thing I've been puzzling over. Are you in a big hurry? I'd like to ask you something. It's this. Is it true that a woman who lives a long time with a man, eventually winds up being like that man? I mean, she loves him and tries to think like him and see like him. They say that it can change a person.
- [last lines]
- Alma Borg: So many questions. Sometimes I don't know which way to turn, and I become quite - -
- [turns away and back again]
- Johan Borg: I know!
- Alma Borg: What?
- Johan Borg: I shall draw you.
- Alma Borg: No!
- Johan Borg: Oh, let me,
- Alma Borg: No.
- Johan Borg: Come on.
- Alma Borg: No.
- Johan Borg: Go and sit over there.
- Alma Borg: No.
- Johan Borg: Up you get, fatty.
- Alma Borg: Here?
- Johan Borg: No, a little bit further back. There. Are you chilly?
- Alma Borg: No.
- Johan Borg: Now sit - the way you always do. Don't straighten up. And bare your shoulders. That's it. Hold your hair up a little so I can see your neck better. There. Just like that.
- Veronica Vogler: I must talk to you about something. I've had a letter. I must show you. I got it yesterday. This is what it says: "You can't see us, but we see you. Awful things can happen. Some dreams can be made known. The end is near. The springs will go dry and then the fluids will dampen your hot white thighs. So it has been decided." I felt sick when I read it. How hot your hands are. Do you have a fever? I always get worked up when I'm going to see you. Isn't that funny? I go about in a dream all afternoon. Everything I do is unreal and meaningless. Help me with my zipper.
- Alma Borg: I thought I was so close to him. Sometimes he said he felt close to me. One time he told me definitely.
- Gamla Fru von Merkens: No, no. Don't go. Please help me take off my stockings. You like touching me. I feel that plainly.
- Lindhorst: [alternate translation] You are yourself and yet, not yourself - the ideal state for an amorous encounter.
- Corinne von Merkens: My husband is rather jealous. He is a splendid lover.
- [lifts her dress to show her upper, inner thigh]
- Corinne von Merkens: Look at this mark, by the way. It's a scar from another man's, shall we say, "advances." A perpetual source of renewed excitement. It's all very trivial, of course, but to me it's stimulating. Soon I'll have to think up something new. This mark can't keep its fascination forever. Can you help me?
- Alma Borg: That's not what it says in your diary. "My obsession with Veronica became a torment for us both. I shadowed her on the road and spied on her jealously. I think my passion stimulated her, but she was always passive and undecided. Once or twice it came to frightening scenes utterly devoid of reason. We moved from town to town in an effort to escape her relatives and lawyers. We carried out the word of the Bible, that man and woman 'shall be of one flesh.' Then her husband came and took her away."
- Alma Borg: Do you think I like to watch you running after that woman, talking to your ridiculous ghosts, having to guard myself the whole time?
- Gamla Fru von Merkens: This is my supper, you see. Lindhorst, who knows the world, says that old harlots have a morbid desire to satisfy their mouths and stomachs.
- Gamla Fru von Merkens: Look at my feet, dear artist. Have you ever seen younger and firmer arches? Take a good look. Look at the heel. So nice and smooth. Such strong toes and such pretty nails. Kiss my foot. That's the way.
- Johan Borg: Remember that day I came home and said I'd been bitten by a snake?
- Alma Borg: Yes.
- Johan Borg: It was no snake bite.
- Alma Borg: It wasn't a snake bite?
- Johan Borg: I never thought I'd tell anybody. I don't even know if...
- Alma Borg: You need to tell me.
- Johan Borg: You can never tell anybody.
- Alma Borg: No, I promise. I'll never tell anybody.
- Old Lady with Hat: Such lovely music. I think I must remove my hat, so I can hear better.
- [the old lady takes off her hat and then pulls off her face]
- Corinne von Merkens: It really smells of glue. Though she insists it's all synthetic. But regular glue is what it is. She doesn't fool me.
- [the old lady plucks out her eyes and puts them in wine glasses]
- Heerbrand: There is something that scares me to death. I meet a stranger on the road. We converse about this and that. Suddenly he turns towards me and delivers a hard blow to my cheek. His face is deathly pale, his eyes filled with hate. I don't understand anything. I just feel sick and get a nosebleed. I sputter some silly excuses... Terribly shaken. And after the man has disappeared, I ask myself, 'Is this how it is? Does it have to be like this?' I'll never forget the man's eyes. The punch was horrible, but his eyes were the worst.
- Veronica Vogler: [exposing her breast to Johan] Do you see this mark? You have to be more careful, my love, or it will end in disaster. Don't you remember? I was going to a party and I was wearing my green brocade dress. And afterwards I had trouble putting up my hair again. And I forgot my gloves. I have something I need to speak to you about. I've received a letter that I need to show you. It was sent yesterday. It goes like this: 'You don't see us, but we see you. The worst can happen. Dreams can be revealed. The end is near. The wells will run dry, and other liquids will moisten your white loins. So it has been decided.' I nearly got ill reading it. Your hands are really hot. Do you have a fever? I always get so excited when I'm going to meet you. Can you understand that? It's as if I'm in a dream all afternoon. All chores feel unreal and meaningless. Be so sweet and help me with my zipper. It always gets stuck.
- Johan Borg: Now we've kept watch every night until dawn. This hour is the most difficult. Do you know what it's called?
- Alma Borg: No.
- Johan Borg: Old people used to call it the hour of the wolf. It's the hour when the most people die, when the most babies are born. It's the hour when nightmares come to us. And if we are awake...
- Alma Borg: We are afraid.
- Johan Borg: We are afraid.
- Heerbrand: Good morning. Sorry to disturb you. A thousand pardons. It looks like a storm is coming, so I thought I'd stop in for a while. I have an errand as well. May I sit down? I promise I won't be long-winded. I'm here with an invitation from the castle. We're going to have a little party. Nothing big at all. Just something to distract those poor people a bit. They sit there year round and harp on each other. As I said, not a large party. But it will interest you. Veronica Vogler has accepted. She'll be there. And you'll come as well, won't you? Then it's agreed. By the way, Von Merkens and I discussed the other day your ability to defend yourself. I mean, against all the small game on the island.
- [Heerbrand places a gun on the table]
- Heerbrand: That's all for the moment. Good morning, dear friends. Hope to see you at our little party.
- Corinne von Merkens: [showing Johan's painting of Veronica Vogler to Alma and Johan] Alma, you're going to see something very beautiful your husband has made. Here's the painting, directly across from my bed. I can see it every morning and night. It's become part of my lonely life. I love her.
- Corinne von Merkens: [to Johan] How long did you live together? Forgive me for asking something so personal.
- Alma Borg: Five years.
- Corinne von Merkens: Really? He's told you? He loved her, didn't he? I don't need to ask. It was a first-rate scandal at the time. But so romantic. Jealous?
- Alma Borg: I don't believe so.
- Corinne von Merkens: My husband is quite jealous. He's an excellent lover.
- Corinne von Merkens: [lifting her dress to expose her thigh] Look at this mark, by the way. It's a scar from another man's, shall we say, advances. An eternal spring of renewed excitement. All of it is very trivial, of course, but for me it's stimulating. Soon I'll have to come up with something new. That scar won't remain fascinating forever. Can you help me? Alma, dear, don't get angry. I'm only kidding. It was a silly joke. Come now. Let's go join the others. I have at least bought a fairly significant piece of your husband. Don't you think?
- Johan Borg: Look here. I haven't shown these to anybody. You see, I've drawn them. This is the most common figure. He's almost harmless. I think he's homosexual. Then there's the old lady. Who's always threatening to take off her hat. You know what happens then?
- Alma Borg: No.
- Johan Borg: Her face comes off with it, you see. Here. This is the worst one. I call him the Bird Man. I don't know if it's a real beak or if it's only a mask. He's so remarkably fast. He must be related to Papageno from The Magic Flute. The others. The flesh eaters, the insects... and especially the spider men. Here. The schoolmaster with the pointing stick in his trousers. And the... chattering, hard-as-metal women. You have to stay awake a while. In an hour or so it'll be day. Then I can sleep.
- Baron von Merkens: Let us speak candidly. You're here looking for Veronica Vogler. I should mention, before you meet her, that Veronica has been my lover for years. Your shared past has kindly been detailed for me. I can assure you I'm suffering. Tonight I shall be by your bed. Every word, every kiss, every movement of your bodies... I will be spared nothing. Come, I'll show you the way.
- [the baron walks up the wall and onto the ceiling, then begins sobbing]
- Baron von Merkens: It's only my jealousy. Please go away.
- Lindhorst: We know our tricks, don't we? Let's see if we're presentable. You're so pale, dear friend. What a sight you are. Your lips are as blue as blueberries. We have to do something about that. Sit. Let's see what we can come up with. Yes!
- Lindhorst: [applying lipstick to Johan's lips] A beautiful Cupid's bow... and a sensually full lower lip is very evocative. The eyes are bloodshot and swollen. Here, dab the eyes. Like that. Oh, my dear.
- Lindhorst: [applying mascara to Johan's eyelids] We'll draw a few lines on your eyelids. There we are. A healthier skin color wouldn't hurt.
- [Lindhorst powders Johan's face]
- Lindhorst: What should we come up with now? Yes, borrow my morning robe.
- [Johan puts on a robe]
- Lindhorst: There and there. There we are. There we are. It suits you, it suits you. Wait. Nice pajamas are needed for occasions like this. A lovely fragrance? No? You prefer to smell of yourself, of course. Each to his own scent, but a little puff of fragrance anyway.
- [Lindhorst sprays some perfume on Johan]
- Lindhorst: I knew it. Take a look in the mirror. Now you are yourself, and yet not yourself. The ideal requirement for a tryst.
- Alma Borg: You once said... that the nice thing about me was that God had made me in one piece. That I had whole feelings and whole thoughts. You said it was important that there were people like me. I thought it sounded so lovely. It made me so happy. I was wrong. I don't understand a thing. I don't understand a thing. I don't understand you. Now I'm only frightened. Do you think I want to stay here and possibly be killed? Do you think I want to see you running after that woman, talking to ghosts, while I defend myself constantly? Do you think I want that? But here I am.
- Old Lady with Hat: Don't look so frightened, dear child. I'm not dangerous. Give me your hand. Well? Can you feel my hand now? My fingers, the veins under my skin. At my age, the hands are a bit cold. I'm 216 years old after all. No, what am I saying? 76, I mean. No, I better move on. Wait! What was it I was going to say? Yes, now I remember. In his black satchel under the bed, is his sketchbook with the drawings... He wants to tear them up. Tell him not to do it. And one more thing. He hides his diary in that same satchel. Read it.
- Johan Borg: There was a time when nights were for sleep. A deep, dreamless sleep. Imagine, sleeping. Waking up without fear.
- Corinne von Merkens: Don't you think Veronica has waited long enough? She started to prepare for your visit early this morning. She's become even more beautiful. My husband is suffering. He's jealous. And your touching little companion... Three shots, one of which was fatal.
- Alma Borg: Is it not true that old people, who've spent a lifetime together, start to resemble each other? Eventually they have so much in common that they not only have the same thoughts, but the same facial expressions. Why do you think that is? I hope we become so old that we share each other's thoughts... and that we get little, dry and completely identical wrinkled faces. What do you think of that?
- Alma Borg: I should tell you that I've read your diary, and I'm almost sick with fear. Wait! Let me finish talking. I want you to hear what I've been thinking these past few days. This is what I've been thinking. I can see something is going to happen, something evil. I don't know what to call it. But if you think I'm going to run away... I'm not going to run away, no matter how frightened I am. And one more thing. They want to separate us. They want you for themselves. As long as I'm with you, it'll be more difficult. Johan. I'm not going to run away, no matter what they try. I'll stay, I will. I'll stay. Johan, answer me!
- Heerbrand: [walking rapidly to keep up with Johan, who is rapidly walking away from him] It's really windy, but beautiful, don't you think? This has to be a dream spot for painting. You've lived here for quite some time. You return to the scene of the crime, so to speak. And commit new crimes. You look tired. Don't overexert yourself. I mean, at our age some caution is advised. Youth is much hardier. I know what I'm talking about. My name is Heerbrand, school counselor. I probe people's souls and turn the inside out. And what do we see? Well, I don't need to tell you. You're an artist, you know the human heart. Who hasn't seen your facial studies, not to mention your self-portraits? Why do you look at me like that? Are you angry? Are your nerves all right? Is something bothering you?
- [Johan slaps Heerbrand in the face, causing Heerbrand to fall to the ground]
- Johan Borg: Shut up! Shut up!
- Johan Borg: I just thought of something from my childhood. It was some sort of punishment, you see. They threw me in the closet and shut the door. It got dark and quiet. I became terribly frightened. I kicked and I pounded, because they had told me that a little person lived in that closet. And he could gnaw the toes off of naughty children. When I stopped pounding, I heard something rattling in the corner, and I knew my time had come. And in some sort of silent panic, I started climbing on shoe boxes and shelves. I tried pulling myself up by my hands, clothes falling all around me, I lost my grip and I fell. I swung my fists wildly all around me to defend myself against that little creature. And the entire time, I screamed in horror and asked for forgiveness. Finally the door opened and I could step out... into the daylight. My father said, 'Mother tells me that you beg for forgiveness.' And I said, 'Yes, I beg so much for forgiveness.' 'Prepare the couch then,' he said. I went to the green couch in my father's room, picked up some pillows and stacked them on top of each other. Then I went and fetched the cane, unbuttoned my pants and laid down over the pillows. Father asked, 'How many strokes do you deserve?' And I said, 'As many strokes as possible.' And he struck me with the cane, pretty hard, but not unbearable. When the punishment was over, I turned towards Mother and asked, 'Can Mother forgive me now?' And she cried, and said, 'Of course I forgive you.' Then she offered me her hand... and I kissed it.
- Baron von Merkens: I bought a painting from a then well-known artist... No comments, dear Ernst. Then I hung it upside down in my salon and invited the artist over with others who appreciated a good joke. We had a good laugh at the time. God, how we laughed. What do you say, Mr. Artist? Wasn't that a funny joke?
- Alma Borg: Can you believe that it's pitch-black out there still? Do you hear how quiet it is? It's strange when the sea is completely calm. Scary somehow. Don't you think?
- Johan Borg: Are you crying?
- Alma Borg: No, I'm not. I'm thinking of the child... and of this great, silent darkness. It's almost as if it will never be light again.
- Alma Borg: I've been wondering one thing. Are you in a hurry? I'd like to ask something. It's like this... Isn't it true that when a woman has lived with a man for a long time... Isn't it true that she eventually becomes like the man? I mean, she loves him, tries to think like him, and see things like him. It's said that it can change a person. Is that why I began seeing those spirits? Or were they there regardless? I mean, had I loved him less, and not cared so much about the things surrounding him... would I have been able to protect him better? Or was it that I didn't love him enough... that made me jealous? Was it because of those 'man eaters,' as he called them... Was it because of them it went so horribly bad for us? I thought I was so close to him. Sometimes he also said that he was close to me. Once he said it with conviction. If only I could have followed him all the time. There are so many things to ponder. So many questions... Sometimes you don't know up from down, and you get completely...
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