The Visit Page #5

would not be aimed at any one individual.

Show me once in the whole paper your name!

- Don't treat me like a fool!

There's two million on my head!

What's that? A coincidence?

What's that? A new suit...

That's a new desk...

and a new chair.

It's the latest executive type chair.

Very relaxing!

Helps a man do his best. - His best?

The Tribune is now a printed newspaper!

Where did the money come from?

Those people selling things on the square.

Who gave them licenses?

The Town Council. At a special meeting.

- Special meeting? What special meeting?

By the way Miller, we've accepted

your resignation from the Council.

I didn't resign. - And of course,

there's no question of the party

putting you up for mayor. That requires

certain guarantees of moral character,

which you can no longer give.

That is, unless the commission

investigating your past clears you.

Where shall we put the new typewriter?

- Put it over there.

Captain Dobrik, I'm being threatened.

I demand protection.

I demand protection of the law.

Dobrik, I'm talking to you!

Threatened? Did you say

you were being threatened?

Who dares? Come with me.

Now, what's your problem, Miller?

Dobrik, I want to swear out a warrant

for the arrest of Karla Zachanassian.

Arrest? Let me put you straight

about something, Serge.

A common mistake civilians make: You

don't have the right to demand an arrest.

All you can do is, report to the police

what you want charged against a person.

The police decide, if an arrest

is justified. That's the law in Guellen

and most other civilized communities.

- But she's inciting people to kill me!

Let's talk sense, Serge! What is this

so-called incitement? - So-called?

She's offering two million for my life!

- You think, anybody takes that seriously?

Show me one person who doesn't!

Be reasonable, my friend.

This happens to be a field

I'm an expert in.

Now... Let's say, somebody seriously

wanted to get rid of somebody like you.

I don't want to offend you...

But you know what the going price would be

for a job on somebody like you?

- Hm. - A thousand, tops. Two thousand,

if you want to be generous.

Done by professional killers.

Quiet people. They do guaranteed work.

Why should she offer two million for

something she can have for two thousand?

Don't ask me to explain

that woman's psychology!

Dobrik, we're old friends.

Look around you.

Look how people are buying

from those busses. On credit!

How will they pay? How?

- I'm surprised at you.

The leading merchant of Guellen...

opposed to people buying?

Oh Serge, if the faintest suspicion

of a serious threat to you arises,

just the faintest,

from whatever source...

the entire police and constabulary

of Guellen are ready to protect you.

You have my guarantee, Serge.

In the name of the law...

Are those new boots? - Yes.

Sure...

Sure. - Take my advice, Serge.

Take a sedative. You're haggard.

You haven't slept. Right now

you're your own worst enemy.

Come on everybody! Come on.

Quick! Hurry.

Captain, Madame Zachanassian's

panther is loose in the town!

All shops and public places

to be closed! All streets cleared!

All reliable citizens to be

armed at once! Chesco!

Where are you going? - I'm going home.

Some of our reliable citizens are very

poor shots. Especially in the dark.

Madame.

It's alright. They're shooting at a panther.

- No, they're shooting at you!

We'll all be killed!

- It's dangerous for you, my being here.

Shall I go? - Yes, yes!

Perhaps it's better,

because of the child.

Serge... Serge!

I'm sorry. - It's alright.

I know a place where I'll be safe.

Listen you men down there!

Be careful! I don't want him to suffer!

Don't worry, Madame. We'll finish

him up quickly. You can count on us!

Try to get him between the eyes,

that's the quickest way!

Between the eyes! I can't stand

to think of my poor panther suffering.

Trust us, Madame! We'll do it properly!

Karla! Go back on the balcony!

Tell them you have no intention of giving

them the money. Tell them it's all a joke.

But it's not a joke, Serge.

- Karla, I don't want to,

but if you force me to,

I swear, I'll kill you!

What good would that do you? - If I killed

you they'd get no money, would they? - No.

If you kill me, they get nothing.

Do you remember how

it all began, Serge? I do.

I was on a balcony like that one.

It was a soft and warm night.

Like tonight. You stood down there

and stared at me without moving.

I wanted to go back into the room...

where it was safe, but then,

there you stood and stared at me...

Openly, almost angrily,

as if you wanted to hurt me.

Your eyes were lonely

and full of passion.

And then, I don't know why, but I left the

balcony, came down and stood beside you.

You didn't say a word.

Then we walked off together,

as if we talked it all out beforehand.

As if we both knew where we would go...

and what we would do.

Karla, I'm desperate!

I've got to think about my son.

You had another child, Serge.

We had a child.

A girl. Judith.

Judith?

I never thought of the child having a name.

- All babies have names.

I only saw her once,

then she was taken away from me.

I never had a chance

to see the color of her eyes.

Her hair was black.

- Where did she die, Karla?

In some home where they took her.

I don't remember where.

Meningitis, they said. - Oh Karla!

Karla, if you hadn't forced me!

- How? How did I force you, Serge?

By taking me to court, demanding

that I marry you. I couldn't. - Why?

You told me you loved me.

- I wanted to be somebody.

Not like my father, a factory worker.

I wanted to be my own boss,

to have my own store.

- So you bribed two witnesses.

I would have sent you money.

- If only I had been reasonable.

Karla, life is like that!

- Yes. Life is like that.

You pay for your mistakes.

Wild panther! Wildcat!

Wild panther!

Mathilda Kovach!

I would never have suspected!

Well Serge... Will you kill me now?

I'm not a killer, Karla.

Serge!

I would like to help you, Serge.

- But?

Well... Good luck, Serge.

Thanks... Thanks a lot!

Miller! Hey Miller...

Where are you off to?

- To the station. - To the station?

Just like that? - Just like that.

Can I help you with your bag?

- No, thank you. I said, no, thank you!

Taking a trip, Serge? How far? - Not far.

- A short trip? - I'm not sure yet.

We're seeing Miller off. - Where is

he going? - To Australia, maybe.

With such a small box? - With nothing!

No reason to disturb the peace, Serge.

Your friends have just come to see you off.

I didn't ask them. Listen, I wrote

to the Chief Constable at Agrad.

We know, Miller. I held the letter up.

We were hurt by that letter, Miller.

The things you said about your

old friends... - Good news, your honor.

The rail road has just announced

that beginning the first of next month

three stops will be made in Guellen per week.

- Good, things are definitely looking up.

Leaving, Mr. Miller?

The train will be on perfect time.

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