The Painted Veil

Now, you wait right here until I take care of mother.

Please, may I?

I thought you said you couldn't come to the wedding.

I was afraid if I'd said yes, you'd make me an Usher.

You're coming to the party.

- Oh, I don't know... - oh, of course, come on in.

All right, then.

- Was I all right, Katrin? - You were very sweet.

My voice sounded so queer when I gave the answers,

it's like it wasn't my own.

It got you married, so don't worry.

Katrin, you like Heinrich now, don't you?

I adore Heinrich.

He looked nice in his wedding clothes, didn't he?

Oh, just like a fashion plate.

And you don't still think his hair stands up

- like a porcupine? - No.

You made him look like a dream.

You know... You could even make a gentleman out of Fritz,

if you wanted to.

- Oh, you think so? - Yes, I do.

Or gene, or even Thomas.

Hm... think of all the pork chops I could have

if I married Thomas... and all the nice bridgework, with gene.

- Katrin, you're awful. - And don't forget Herr Blucher.

Maybe now that I'm gone, father could afford

to send you to Paris.

You know, the men ought to be different there.

Don't you worry about me... I'll have a statue made of me.

The oldest inhabitant in the little quaint town of Gratz.

Isn't it strange, Katrin?

Soon, I'll be leaving this house never to live here again.

But you'll be near.

And you'll like it so much better when you're not living...

Living in it, hm.

Oh, I forgot.

My present for you.

But don't you tell mother, she'll think it's wicked.

Oh, it's lovely.

- But isn't it... - wicked?

- Oh, of course it's wicked... - are you ready, Olga?

Don't you think she'd better take a hot water bottle along?

They say it's freezing cold in those mountains.

I've already put the hot water bottle in, mother.

And the cotton for her ears, and the flannel nightgown,

all-weather driving mitts.

Let me look at you, my baby.

She hasn't slept out of this room

one single night in 18 years.

Don't worry, mother, I'll stay with you for another 25 years.

That's no joke.

If you keep on turning up your nose at every man...

no, not on my wedding day!

Are you ready, baby?

Yes, papa.

Well, well, well, she's ready to leave us.

She hasn't been away from us for...

a single night in 18 years.

Are you all ready, darling?

You are sure you haven't forgotten anything?

Yes, papa, I'm all ready.

All right.

But it you have, you just write to us

and we'll send it to you.

You'll take good care of her, won't you?

I'll do that, frau Katrin.

The car is waiting, it'll catch us if we don't hurry.

Come on, mother, hurry up.

Come with us to the crossroads.

No, darling, let's just say goodbye here,

where we've always been together.

Hurry, Olga!

- Oof! - Oh, I am so sorry!

Did I hurt you... I'm so, so sorry.

I was waiting for your father, he's there.

Yes, I see him.

It's raining.

So it is.

No, I mean, it's raining, and he's got an umbrella.

Not really.

No, no, I mean it's open and he isn't using it.

Oh, poor father doesn't even know it's raining.

You'll be frightfully lonely, I dare say.

Yes... well, we decided that the other evening.

Oh, sorry... oh, so we did, yes, we did, didn't we?

Yes, that we did.

Stupid of me to forget.

And how are the 13 Guinea pigs?

They're doing nicely.

And the white mice?

They're doing nicely, too, and they're forever immune

from yellow fever.

I'm sure they're grateful.

I must have bored you terribly.

I certainly was well educated in a very short time.

I promise not to do it again.

Goodbye, goodbye.

My goodness, my goodness, what do they want of me?

I'm not the bride.

Oh, Katrin, thank heaven that's over.

Oh, I don't mean because my little girl went away,

you know... I'm dizzy in the head!

Oh, of course you're glad she's gone.

I see tears of happiness.

Look at your glasses.

You can't see through glasses when they're wet, you know.

- It's the rain. - Oh, certainly.

Well, Walter, what about some work?

Well, Dr. Fane might like to stay and dance

with the girls tonight, he may not want to work.

Walter, not want to work?

In all my years at the university,

never a pupil like that.

You don't want to dance, do you, Walter?

Oh, no, I'd, I'd prefer to work.

Oh, of course.

He brings me problems all the way from China,

and then I have weddings.

We leave the dancing for the young people.

So happy I still have you, Katrin.

Hm.

Come along, Walter.

- So long. - So long.

How long are you going to keep that light on, Katrin?

It's after midnight.

I was reading, mother, I forgot the time.

I'll go to bed right now.

It's time you got some sleep.

Oh, I'll sleep.

I wonder where Olga is.

I guess she's asleep, mother.

She's in the alps by now, I suppose.

No, I think she must have passed the alps by now.

Heinrich is a good boy.

Hm, he works hard, too.

He will make Olga a good husband.

And a good husband is what every girl...

well, what more do you want than a good husband,

I'd like to know?

Must he be good, mother?

It's not very exciting to be good.

Katrin, go to sleep.

Did you love father very much when you married him?

Huh, what a question... of course I did.

Your father was a fine man.

Brilliant one, wasn't he?

He took a prize every year at the university.

Handsome, too, wasn't he?

Wasn't he?

He was as fine a figure... As fine a...

Don't you want me to wait for a man like father?

You hungry, too?

Oh... a cup of tea.

Where do they keep tea?

I suppose in some kind of a box.

Oh, but don't bother.

Ah, you British, you and your tea.

Ah, here's some real food.

How did this escape the celebration?

And beer!

You'll have some of this, it'll stick to your ribs.

Tea, huh!

I've had tea in this house every day for three weeks.

Did our infernal racket wake you up?

No, I wasn't asleep.

Now what are you looking for?

Tea for Johnny Poole.

Tea?

Excuse me, Dr. Fane, tea.

Oh!

When did everybody go?

Hours ago.

So sorry to bother you.

Not at all, I'll make you some tea.

You go to bed, father.

Oh, why aren't you asleep?

I don't know... I was thinking, I guess.

You should sleep, you can think tomorrow.

Oh my, my, no Alger in the house, I forgot.

- Goodnight. - Goodnight, sir.

- Goodnight, Katrin. - Goodnight, father.

Oh!

Now, you take your beer, but not this.

You know it makes you unhappy.

Uh-uh.

Oh, no Alger, no liverwurst.

Oh, this kitchen is a mess.

Is it, really?

Whole house is stuffy.

I'm going to get a breath of air.

Why don't you go upstairs, I'll bring you the tea.

I'd like a breath of air, too.

Well, the water has to boil.

They say the more you watch it, the longer it takes.

It's lovely, isn't it?

Yes, quite.

There were only two tiny stars a little while ago,

and now, millions.

Just like your little Chinese bugs.

- Yes, quite. - Oh, quite.