The Salamander Page #3

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If Rosemonde tells you about her life,

as you say,

would you pay her for that?

That could be arranged.

- Is it too long?

- No, I think it's fine.

- I found the girl!

- Bravo!

- Do you want to meet her?

- Definitely not.

She's a bit alright.

I already knew that.

She's even better than you imagine.

I can't see her with a rifle.

I doubt she fired the shot.

Still, everything points to the

contrary!

This is Vladimir.

He practices here when his

wife can't stand it any longer.

He can keep you company.

Where shall I go?

Up to my room.

You didn't say much on the phone.

But I've got nothing to hide.

You're a journalist?

Yeah. Have I disturbed your dinner?

No, no, I just finished.

I always eat very early.

Is this the famous rifle?

Yes, that's my army rifle.

Isn't it terrible,

to think I was almost killed by it?

The weapon I served with for 30 years?

Through years of looking

after it, one gets attached.

It's become more than just a rifle.

For us, it's almost a symbol of our

freedom.

It means something to us.

To see it turned on you one day...

True, that's somewhat of a paradox.

She had run-ins with the police

before.

It was over a stolen car.

Not to mention, her illegitimate

child.

At seventeen!

She's a bad lot!

My brother's not a bad guy,

but he never did anything with his

life.

Still, it was a big, fine family.

She came from a big family?

Yes, she was put in my care

when she was fifteen,

so that she could go to school in

town.

It meant one less mouth to feed at

home.

At fifteen she ran around with

delinquents,

got up at 10 in the morning,

and finally ended up meddling in

crime.

Did she have any cause?

No, that's just it!

That's what I don't understand.

While she was here, we treated

her like our own daughter.

But she couldn't escape her destiny.

It could well have cost me my life.

- Do you want to see my scar?

- No, it's not necessary.

The worst place is where the bullet

came out.

I get awful pains when we

have our famous north wind.

Unlike the uncle,

Paul liked the wind very much.

Paul waited for two days, but there

was no wind.

I've had it.

After work, I always feel like

yelling or breaking something.

When I feel up to it, I go swimming.

Be patient. In 40 years, you can

retire.

Have you worked there long?

Three months already,

but it feels like a lifetime.

I'll stay six months at the most.

- Will you get a pension?

- No.

That's my big regret.

Sometimes I imagine how

I'd get up at 10, flop around in

slippers,

make some coffee, run a bath, go down

and fetch the paper.

At lunch time I'd rustle up a meal.

What a life!

A monthly pension.

Card games at the pub. A dream!

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