The Miniaturist

What were you thinking, Marin?

A girl in Assendelft died trying to lose a baby with poison.

How far gone are you?

6...

7 months...

Perhaps mare...

How did you hide it'?

I let out my skirts.

I bound my breasts.

Soaked my rags in animal blood so Cornelia wouldn't suspect.

Tell me...

is it Frans'?

He was just angry about the sugar, Marin, he loves you.

Tell him about this.

Once he knows he will not harm Johannes

because it'd endanger his child.

You don't understand.

If he survives...

this child will be...

stained with his mother's sin, with his father's sin.

It's a baby,

not a devil.

Animal blood on her rags to fool us...

She always was clever.

The crib...

Did you know?

No, of course not.

Then why is the doll of Madame Marin carrying a child?

What are you talking about?

How could you betray us like this?

You know how rumours spread. I didn't order it. It just came.

Then who is it that's spying on us?

I don't think she's a spy. She?

She sees our lives.

I think she's trying to help us, trying to warn us.

How has she helped us?

The Seigneur is gone, Otto too,

and now Marin carries the shame of the man who wishes to destroy us.

Look.

This was white when it arrived.

This is witchcraft.

She's not a witch.

How dare she send you things like this?

What else does she know?

Open up!

It's the militia!

Marin, they cannot see you like this. Especially Frans. Cornelia!

St George's Militia. Open up!

We've come for Johannes Brandt.

He's not here, Seigneur. He's travelling.

Don't lie. We know he's here.

You don't want to make a fuss on your doorstep.

Good day.

Frans! Tell them! It's out of my hands.

We're here under the jurisdiction of Schout Slabbaert.

A young man's been attacked on the Eastern islands

and there are witnesses to back it up, now go and fetch your master.

I said good day.

I told you he's not here!

Frans, all of you, you're better than this!

Go and catch your thieves, your murderers.

My husband has helped make this Republic great.

What he is is a sodomite.

All the money in Amsterdam won't save him.

Get out of my way! Search the house!

Frans! Search every room!

Frans!

Frans, please!

Listen to me!

Sir, they've found him!

They've found him! Where?

On a ship by the docks, about to set sail.

They're taking him to the Stadhuis now.

To the Stadhuis!

Madame!

Madame, you cannot! Let go of me, Cornelia!

No, I will not hear of it! You can't go, Madame! Please!

Cornelia's right.

If you follow them you'll be arrested as well.

Where is your heart, Marin? I would never abandon my brother!

To fight them in the open is to invite certain defeat.

Then I will find another way.

How do I look?

Like a serving girl on an errand.

You really think a disguise is necessary?

If the Burgomasters find out his wife's trying to deal in sugar

who knows what they will do?

I still don't think you should go to the Eastern islands alone.

Johannes is in a cell, and you need to stay here with Marin.

We may be able to bribe Jack to change his story.

I will visit Johannes afterwards if they let me in.

Is there a message you'd like me to send?

There's nothing I can say. Marin...

Hope is dangerous.

Hope is all we have.

Hope and sugar.

Bribing officials...

We need all the friends we can get.

Thank you.

They seem to think food is an option here.

What have they done to you?

It's nothing.

Tell me...

was it love?

I don't know.

By telling me lies he made me see the truth.

The way sometimes a painting is more beautiful than the thing itself.

It was a painting of love,

but I couldn't tell the difference.

Nor did I care to.

You can fight this, Johannes.

You're powerful, rich...

You said it yourself, Burgomasters cannot touch you.

They have a name for it.

The unmentionable sin.

Two men together, an act which only God has the power to forgive.

To do nothing would be to condone it. Then...

we make Frans Meermans change his mind.

I've let his anger stew, now he's determined to take his revenge.

Jack, then. Nella!

I'll pay him off. Nella!

It won't make any difference.

What if we had a child?

To prove the lie.

Where will we get one of those in a couple of weeks?

I'm glad you came, Nella.

I don't deserve you.

I wish I'd been enough.

You have been a miracle.

Rezeki.

Take her everywhere I go.

The red's gone...

from the wound.

I don't understand.

Must have worn it off.

What on Earth?

Madame Marin ordered it.

It came in a big crate today.

It's the same one as the Miniaturist sent me.

I know.

Marin!

What were you thinking?

If the neighbours saw this arrive, what would they think?

The same as you.

I know you want this child for yourself.

Marin, that's not true.

But it would be convenient, no?

Well...

So what if we did pretend the child was mine?

Would that be so awful?

It would prove that Johannes has the same desires as other men.

Don't you want him to live? This child will be far from convenient.

But no one will take it away from me. No one.

Ah, he's kicking me!

We need a midwife soon.

Do you know the law?

A midwife must write down the name of the father.

If we don't tell her, she'll report that, too.

Talk to Frans, Marin.

Tell him about his child.

You speak of things of which you know nothing.

Do you want to know the truth?

Johannes stopped my marriage.

But it wasn't his decision.

It was mine.

I told him, too.

You?

By the time I was a woman I ran this household.

And with Johannes away, I was head of it.

Was I supposed to give up my freedom for a man?

I thought it a kindness

to let Frans believe I was forbidden,

than to know I didn't love him enough to sacrifice my liberty.

I never meant it to twist this way.

It is his child you're carrying though...

isn't it?

I've taken things from my brother I was not meant to take.

Don”: let sweet weapons stray.

Hanna?

Hanna!

I hadn't expected there to be so much.

Imagine it transformed into guilders.

Some of it is rotten. Very little,

Madame.

A few were refined in Suriname, but the rest were refined here.

In the city.

How much for the Amsterdam stock?

There are 750 loaves from the city at 40 guilders each,

30,000 guilders.

Impossible.

We are bakers of cakes, not sellers of sugar.

Its quality alone will guarantee it sells.

The craving for sugar shows no sign of abating.

The more the Burgomasters forbid it, the more people will yearn for it.

The prices will rise.

100 Amsterdam loaves for 900 guilders.

If it makes a profit we'll be back for more.

3,500.

1,100. 2,000.

I have other buyers coming this afternoon.