Tulip Fever Page #3

- CORNELIS:
Yes, put your brush to capturing my wife.

- Hmm.

- CORNELIS:
How's business?

- JAN:
It is you who are in business, sir.

- CORNELIS:
Granted. Our Dutch republic is the richest nation on Earth. Supply and demand, that's how it goes... Peppercorns or portraits,

- (whispers):
Mouth.

- Nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves, Chinese porcelain, and all more reliable than tulip bulbs. But, of course, my best investment was - my Sophia here.

- Cornelis, how can you?

(loud, raucous chatter)

- See you on the floor.

- First time?

- Hey?

- Buying or selling?

- Are we talking about tulip bulbs?

- We are.

- Buying.

- Right answer. Follow me. I'll waive the formalities.

(overlapping chatter)

- Thank you, Reud.

- Good man.

- DAAN:
Silence please, gentlemen! Let me have your attention! Can't hear myself think.

MARIA:
Willem charged headlong into something he knew only by rumor: the tulip market. It happened in the back rooms of taverns where huge sums of money were made and lost - as people gambled on the color of the blooms. -Done!

(cheering, indistinct shouting)

- Where is this, sir?

- DAAN:
Calm down, gentlemen, please. Quiet!

(woman laughs)

MARIA:
He was risking everything for us.

- DAAN:
Prater, sir, do you accept the bid?

- The bid is accepted.

- Done.

- I thank you!

- Prater's agent for St. Ursula's, the sisters' tulip garden.

- How much have you got to spend?

- 18 florins.

- That might get you a few single colors. Prater's got a parcel of whites coming up.

- Don't be scared to speak up.

- Are they a good investment, whites?

- The whole market's going up. You won't go wrong.

- Parcel of whites offered to the room...

- This is the one.

- By Mr. Prater here.

(people shouting)

- WILLEM:
Where are they?

- In the ground a while yet. It's the certificate of ownership that changes hands.

- Seven at the back.

- Eight up here!

- MAN 1:
Eight!

- MAN 2:
Nine!

- DAAN:
Nine!

- Ten here, sir!

- Ten from the new face at the front.

- Who's got 11? Show me 11.

- WOMEN:
13!

- 13 from the ladies. -13 from the ladies on the stair.

- WILLEM:
14.

- Good.

- DAAN:
15 here.

- WOMAN:
16! -MAN 3: 16!

DAAN:

- 16, 17, anyone?

- MAN 4:
Seventeen.

- Go on.

- 18!

- DAAN:
18!

18 to the young man.

- Can I get 19?

- Do I hear any 19s? No?

Mr. Prater, sir, bidding stands at 18 florins.

- The bid is accepted.

- Yours.

(laughing)

- Well done. Go and get the certificate.

- Mr. Prater, sir.

(coins jingle)

- 18 precisely. Many thank yous.

- Very good.

- Thank you, sir.

- Done.

- ASMUS:
An excellent investment. Congratulations.

- Thank you very much.

- What are you gonna bid on next?

- I bid thee farewell.

- CORNELIS:
Yes, yes. Our church has withdrawn her patronage from painters and now it's our everyday lives which are immortalized in the rich colors of the altarpieces. We stand staring out of our lives. They're paintings of silence.

- Cornelis, let him think. He's an artist.

- Well, I hope so.

- Eyes. Hand. Please don't break the pose. Mm.

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