The Fury (De Helleveeg)

THE FURY

We nicknamed my aunt "Tiny Scrub".

But never said it to her herself.

Aunt Tiny got her cloths from the humpback.

Handmade by the prison inmates.

If Aunt Tiny didn't like something, she would be ruthless.

Once, when she was caught smoking...

...she forgot that her apron was man-made fibre.

Her experimental toothpaste had been a free gift...

...and she'd rather have inflamed gums than throw half of it away.

My mother was Tinvs sister. 1 often stayed with my grandparents.

Aunt Tiny knew lots of exciting stories.

Tiny was such a good liar that she believed her own fibs.

Only years later I discovered why she had such an odd character...

...and what had motivated her a“ her We.

Tiny!

Tiny!

The slave is called to the job but this slave stays in bed.

Let the tyrants make their own coffee.

Young Albert, where are you?

Do you know where Tiny is?

Must we discuss it again? - We've never discussed it decently.

Talk decently about something indecent? Not in front of the boy.

You go and see if grandpa's cigars are in his coat pocket.

And if they're not, go and find them upstairs.

And hurry up.

What you've done is so disgraceful, there are no words for it.

I'll shout it from the roofs. I do have words for it.

And you'll only be sorry.

You're not going to the funfair and that's it.

You know no limits. You're staying in.

Hear me? I'll say it once more: You're staying here.

No cigars.

So, you've got big plans I see.

I have to hand in my whole salary to those slave drivers.

But what I earn this way, I keep.

Young Albert is staying with us. He can help with the lacing.

Here...

Don't you want a boyfriend?

They're scared of you, did you know that?

Scared? Why? - You slap them.

As a joke.

But you should see your face when you pinch someone.

OK, I won't pinch or slap again.

Young Albert, want a cigarette? - No.

You're Hasje van der Serckt, aren't you?

Off to where? - Amsterdam.

Amsterdam no less.

Did you get fed up, house painting with Verstegen?

Yes.

So you're going to be an artist?

Get in, we'll give you a lilt in the right direction.

What's got into the lad?

Oh, we've seen much worse than this.

I've come to see how Hasje is doing.

Is he gone? - Yes.

He'd be a good match. You can see him as often as you like.

Only in the house of course.

Not much progress, is there?

Is this where you are? - Well spotted.

Wasn't Henneman here? - He's gone, it's off.

Is it off?

It's off. - What?

It's off. I have no more to say about it.

At last there's a good man, a superintendent to be...

Tiny, you never learn for God's sake.

Hello... It's off. - Off?

Broke it off with Henneman. - Be free to meddle.

I can't go home, I'm helping Aunt.

Don't let this one go or I'll never get you another one.

And don't you hit or pinch him either.

He's worth his weight in gold.

I hope he's as fat as a pig.

Still got a headache, young Albert?

Come and I'll take you out.

No wonder you've got a headache: all those letters! They would blind me.

I want to marry him.

So you're a hotel porter.

That means you're dependent on a tip here and there.

On top of my regular wages. I know they don't amount to much...

...but the tips do add up.

It's not a secure job. - Very insecure.

There's always a chance of promotion.

I want to end up being the manager.

Then you won't be in a draught.

Tiny, how serious is it between you?

We are intending to get engaged.

Isn't that a bit hasty?

An engagement is fine, but she can't marry until she's twenty.

She's eighteen.

We've always agreed that she wouldn't leave home until she's twenty.

Tell him the reason why.

We never will.

Then I'll tell him. - You'll do nothing of the kind.

If there's something I should know... It is an engagement after all.

I'll tell you what: you get engaged whenever you like, I pay for the party...

...and we keep quiet about everything else.

Including why she can't marry until she's twenty.

Or this other thing that Tiny mentioned.

So there we were. What a story, eh?

I'm getting all hot and bothered.

Hey, when I'm engaged you can't come into my bed any more.

He doesn't want me to have other men in my bed. You must see that, young Albert.

Tiny, get the coffee going.

Our Tiny is getting engaged. I pay for the party and you're all invited.

Who to? - Peter Walraven.

Pete the Porter.

He's always got cystitis from being in the draught.

Whining on and on and on. Just like that violinist.

He gets rat poison in his coffee. No one will notice.

Only when he drops down dead. But they won't know it's the coffee.

Have you got rat poison?

Won't he taste it? - Not if I stir it well.

Otherwise it might taste funny.

But just don't say that as a visitor. You say: "That's a real nice cuppa."

And then he's under the table: dead.

I say, Tiny, are you getting engaged?

Nothing in my coffee. I drink it black.

As black as my dirty nails.

Nico is a funny guy.

He once threw a meatball straight into the mouth of a man who was yawning.

He did. - Yes, that's me all over.

He nearly choked to death on it.

For Christ's sake.

Tiny, what were you doing?

You want one of my shirts? - They would never fit me.

That man Van Dartel hasn't left yet.

I should have let him drink the rat poison.

He'd have gone in the hearse by now.

Don't. Go away.

You stink.

I can't smell anything.

I stink. - I don't think so.

It's that monthly nasty business.

I don't know if I have real periods now.

Or ever will have again.

I used to. I started when I was twelve and it stopped at fourteen.

That is to say there are a few drops, but very irregularly.

I don't know if it's real periods or unhealthy blood loss.

Do you ever go to a doctor?

I daren't. Isn't that stupid?

I'm scared that they'll discover something.

What does Grandma say?

Do you think I can talk about it to that woman?

I might as well talk to the door.

At least it talks sense, when it creaks in the draught.

What did he want? - Who?

Henneman, of course.

What did he say?

It was about you. That you broke it off with him.

I shoved him aside, for you.

It's the way how that matters.

Simple. I put a stop to it. I make no bones about it.

He came to warn me. - Warn me?

He wanted to marry you and have children.

And you told him that you are... infertile.

That's what he warned me about.

That's how much I care for you.

My parents wanted me to marry him and he knew that.

But then I met you.

It was the only way to get rid of him.

The boss thinks you ought to leave.

I lied to Henneman.

So you're not infertile? - No, silly boy. I was lying.

To get rid of him because I want to marry you.

And have babies.

Can you imagine what a shock it was? I wanted to break it off.

I'll show you that it was a lie. Next week is a good time of the month.

Come along.

Your grandma is so ill she can't do any housework.

I'm pregnant again.

For God's sake, couldn't you have sent the child out of the room?

Albert, go and play upstairs. I'll call you when we eat.

Dear Lord, the misfortunes cast upon this house...

And now?

Now it's no longer a case of whether I want to marry Peter.

I will have to marry Peter.

But how? - Just quickly, before it shows.

How could you let that happen? We've always kept such a close eye on you.

You know damn well how it happens. Don't pretend you're innocence itself.

Don't make me say it was a dirty toilet seat.

Peter is the father and we've been, well... careless.

Does he know? - He'll be here tomorrow to talk about it.

I'm so ashamed. - Be ashamed about something else.

We've always set a good example.

Another option is to get rid of it. - That I should live to see the day!

I'm fetching Albert. He doesn't know what's going on and he hasn't eaten yet.

How's the courtship going?

I don't approve of what you've done. - Done what?

Making up a story to create a break between Tiny and me.

What you mean "making up"?

It's a dirty trick, especially for a policeman, to dream up a story.

The truth, and nothing but the truth.

She's not infertile. She's pregnant.

Here, this belongs to Tiny.

There is no letter. What's more, I've never been examined.

I'm as fertile as anything. I get pregnant from sitting in wet grass.

Henneman asked me to give you this.

Infertile as a result of inflammations... - Enough.

What it boils down to is that you told Henneman the truth...