The Man Between

Thank you.

'Bea British European ainnays announce the arrival

'of their viking flight number be460 from London.'

- How long do you stay? - Three weeks.

- How much money do you have? - £4.

- For three weeks? - I'm staying with my brother and his wife.

Thank you.

- Susanne? - Bettina!

Hello, susanne. Welcome to Berlin.

Martin was so sorry he couldn't get here.

- It's so wonderful to see you at last. - He had to be on duty at the hospital.

Come, get your luggage and we'll start for home.

They're refugees from the east.

Taxi.

- You don't speak any German at all? - Westge/d? Ostge/d?

- Ne/n, ne/n, danke schén. - What was that?

Nothing, a money changer. East marks into west.

Bernardstrasse 8.

- I never imagined it like this. - I wanted to show you something nice.

They say first impressions last longer.

This is the brandenburger Tor.

It's the east-west frontier now. If you cross there, you are in the east.

- The Russian sector. - Don't expect it to be too exciting.

Quite a lot happens every day but you only learn it from the newspapers.

- This is near your home? - Right here. There.

Hallo?

Ne/n.

Ne/n.

Ne/n.

Some people like nothing but to gossip all day.

- This is new to me, this style. - It's very attractive.

Do you think so? I'm still not sure. I shall leave it to Martin.

So far it's been a week and he hasn't even noticed it.

But where is he? Your brother works too hard.

- He always did. - Don't look too closely.

Some things are old, others we have just bought.

- Have you lived here for long? - Yes, yes, since I was a child.

It's a lot to look after, though.

This is your room in there.

You know, you look much younger than in your photograph.

Martin promised to clear his clothes away this morning before he left.

- Won't he mind being turned out? - No, no, of course not.

Before, we only had a view of the houses opposite.

That was all built up, all the way to the east-west frontier.

- Over there. - It's near, isn't it?

- Near enough. - (Martin) Susanne?

Martin!

Darling, I'm sorry I couldn't get to the airport.

- I got held up. - Oh, that's all right.

- The plane must've got in on time. - Yes, it did.

- How smart you look, and grown up too. - Thank you for asking me.

- You found bettina. - We found each other.

- Hello, darling. - Hello.

- Did you have a good flight? - I was too excited to pay much attention.

- Everybody all right at home? - They're fine.

I've got this evening off. We'll all go out somewhere.

Isn't it wonderful that she's here at last, just the three of us together?

- Oh, what a fool, look. - Take this.

No, no, no, I'll ask the maid in the cloakroom.

I won't be a moment. Why don't you dance with susanne?

- Are you going to insist on dancing? - Not unless you're better than you were.

Do you like it in Berlin?

If I hadn't come, I shouldn't have met bettina.

She's lovely, Martin.

- Bettina says you work too hard. - The last few weeks have been a rush.

The army have lent me to help out at a refugee camp.

There have been one or two cases of typhoid among the refugees.

I'm afraid I shall be glad when I can get back to england.

We passed the eastern sector today. We didn't go in, of course.

You can go in, you know.

- Really? I must before I go home. - I wouldn't go wandering in alone.

Susanne wants to see the eastern sector. Will you take her across?

Of course, if she wants to see it.

Martin, I have the most terrible headache. You don't mind if I go home?

Oh, darling, I am sorry. Shall we all go?

Oh, no, it's susanne's first night and you've only seen part of the show.

- Bettina, I don't mind. - Of course she doesn't.

- She's tired after the journey anyway. - I'll take a cab and you can stay.

Martin works so hard, he hardly ever goes out.

Nonsense, darling. We'd much rather go, really.

Really, we needn't all go.

Susanne?

- Would you like to walk for a bit? - No, thank you. It's better already.

I think night-club air must be the same all over the world.

They probably bottle it and ship it from country to country.

What was that, a race or a chase?

Oh, more like a chase. They're heading for tiergartenstrasse.

They'll be there in a moment, then over the frontier, poor devil.

They've picked up someone who's wanted in the east.

Oh, Martin, Martin, please.

You don't know what happened.

Sorry, darling. I was just telling susanne

- that sometimes people... - All right, don't go on.

I'll go and get the car.

Things like that don't happen every day.

You'll be bored with Berlin before you leave, you'll see.

Oh, it's you, bettina.

Susanne!

- What are you doing? - I heard a sort of noise outside.

Nonsense. You are tired, probably overtired.

I thought I heard something.

Of course. I should have told you about it.

It's the owl in the ruins of the Italian embassy across the street.

The sound came from the street, didn't it?

Aren't you cold here? I should get you another blanket.

I'm sorry you were disturbed. Shall I close the window?

No, I like it open.

I couldn't sleep and then I started to worry about the front door.

I didn't want to disturb Martin.

Now get some sleep. You mustn't be tired tomorrow.

You wanted to see the eastern sector, remember?

Good night.

- What are they looking for? - Newspapers, books, propaganda.

Also, the eastern Mark is cheaper

so people try to buy food here and smuggle it across.

Tell me, if it's so easy for them to get across,

why don't they go?

They have homes here or families and...

Ivo! Ivo!

Would you like to move on? Herr ober!

Guten tag.

My sister-in-law miss mallison, mr ivo kern.

So this is the long-expected visitor from London.

How kind of bettina to brighten our dull eastern sector by bringing you.

I am delighted to see even your principles are subject to revision and change.

Susanne wanted to see the sector.

- Ah, then your views have not changed. - Ne/n.

We, bettina and I, do not see eye to eye about some things,

this part of Berlin, for instance. But we are old friends

and it is our privilege to quarrel over little things,

little things like war and peace, the division of our country,

the fate of the world, trifles.

- You speak German? - No, I'm sorry.

Germans always had to learn languages. The army never knew where it was going.

We still learn English in our schools.

It might be rather a waste. Who knows?

What do you think?

I/ie/le/chz'.

- Is this your first visit to Berlin? - Yes.

Do you find it amusing?

- It's sad to see all this destruction. - There isn't much else.

The ruins are a familiar part of the city.

The berliner no longer notices them, doesn't even see them. Right?

You are a berliner still, if no longer in name.

I suppose so. It's a subject I don't think about much.

- How is your husband? - Fine. He works, as usual.

Your brother is an exceptional person, a military man who is also an idealist.

He works too hard. We're going to stop him.

- (Ivo) Admirable, very sisterly. - I think we have to go.

Herr ober! Martin will be back and...

I have eastern marks. No, let me pay.

They don't often buy anything so pleasant as a meeting like this.

What a pity one ever has to come out of doors.

Inside with the curtains closed, it's possible to forget the present,

turn your back to the future and face the past with confidence.

Well, we'll be going this way to the frontier.

Good bye.

Goodbye, bettina. Miss mallison, it's refreshing to speak English again.

If you need a guide familiar with Berlin in all its glory, please call on me.

- You have my number I think. - Yes, I think so.

I look foward to hearing from you.

Auf w/edersehen.

Auf w/edersehen.

You know how it is in large cities.

People don't meet for a long time and then suddenly run into each other.

Yes, of course.

What does he do?

I don't really know nowadays. He had...

We are coming to the frontier. It's better if we don't speak English.

Did all these come over from the east during the weekend?

Yes, just under 3,000,

about twice as many as we've got accommodation for.

Here is waiting for food papers, medical papers, job papers,

police papers, all papers.

And then you start again.

Please, in here.

- Martin? - Susanne!

- What are you doing here? - Bettina asked me to bring you these.

- Razor blades. How sweet of her. - (Phone rings)

- Sorry. - Of course.

All right, I'll wait.

We missed you last night. We hoped you'd get home.

Went into the eastern sector yesterday.

Went to a restaurant, met a friend of bettina's.

- Oh? Who was it? - A man named ivo kern.

Oh, yes. He's an old friend of bettina's.

Martin, are you always as busy as this?

Must be so difficult for her to fill up her days.

She's all right. She's a berliner. She has friends here.

You don't think you leave her alone too much?

Perhaps one day people will fall ill between nine and five.

Things will ease up in a day or two.

Hello? Yes, speaking.

Yes, I wanted to ask you about that.

No, the intake, that's not the point...

- Susanne! - Ah, there you are.

I have been waiting patiently.

- For me? - To offer my services as a guide.

- If you are free tonight? - How was Martin? Did you see him?

He may have to stay there tonight. He said he'd phone you.