Original subtitles

Oh, my sweet child.

I think I fell.

Be glad I came by, otherwise you would've been here for a long time.

- When are you due? - In two or three weeks.

That soon? You shouldn't be running around in the middle of the night, then.

The choir needs more altos.

They also need new tenors, I heard,

but I haven't signed up yet.

I'll take you home, nice and easy, and then we'll call Dr. Levin.

That's not necessary, I think. Everything's fine.

- Can you walk on your own? - Yes.

My sweet child.

Arctander! Arctander!

- Arctander, come here! - Arctander!

Arctander!

- What has happened? - She had a fall on the mountain.

I'll take it from here. I'll take her.

Let's hope the doctor will be here soon.

Can you call and see if the telephone exchange has gotten hold of him?

That's fine. Go. Go now.

There, there...

- I do love Jesus so. - Don't talk.

I've been thinking of Him all evening. Do you think He will help me?

- He has to help me! - Easy now.

Take deep breaths.

- Is Dr. Levin on his way? - Yes.

You better call the exchange again and ask when he will be here.

You don't think we're about to lose her? That must not happen.

- Make that call. - I can't lose her.

- Of course not. Relax. - Please do everything you possibly can.

Please hurry!

There's a lot of blood.

That's good. Push as hard as you can!

That's good. As hard as you can, as hard as you can!

Ruth. Come on. Come on, Ruth. Come on. Yes, that's good.

Yes, that's good. More.

Pull yourself together!

- I've never seen anything like this. - It's rare, but it happens sometimes.

We have to stop the bleeding. Careful.

We've lost her.

- Abraham. We've lost her. - No!

Abraham!

There, there...

I'm so sorry. I really did all I could.

I'm so sorry.

But the child is alive.

I can understand that you're upset, but...

Is it... alive?

I mean, will it survive?

Yes. It's... premature, but the vital signs are normal.

Just wait a few days. She will shed it.

Take it away.

That's not a child.

It's a lynx.

- My dear Gustav, I assure you... - Take it away, I say.

Monster.

And I'm not "dear Gustav" to you. Or to anyone else around here.

Do you need anything?

- Something to eat? A beer, perhaps? - No.

Is there anyone I should call? A friend? A relative?

No.

I don't have any family... that's still alive.

They all died.

It's just me now.

About your newborn daughter,

the Birgersons have offered to take care of her the first few days,

if you'd like.

Okay...

So she's fed and cared for.

- Yes. - Until you've...

...had the chance to deal with the practical side of things.

Can you turn off the light on your way out?

Let me help you, miss.

You don't have to salute me.

I'm Ruth Johansen, the new music educator.

- I'm Stationmaster Arctander. - A pleasure.

- What are you going to name the child? - Gustav?

What are you going to name the child?

I... don't know.

- You don't know? - No. You see, I...

I've got so many other things to think about now.

- Gustav, I really do need a name. - Yes, I understand.

Of course.

What about Ruth, after her mother?

No, never!

I won't have that. It's too much to bear.

- What about Eva? - Abraham!

It's true that it's a biblical name, the name of everybody's foremother.

But if science is correct, everybody's foremother was,

several thousand years ago, not unlike this child.

Eve did not look like a monkey!

- Excuse me, Father. What are you saying? - What, indeed?

Eva?

Eva might not be such a bad name.

Eva.

Well, it is a good name, after all.

Eva...

I baptize you in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.

We must hurry. They've come for Ruth.

They say there's something not right with that baby.

Swammerdamm.

- So, what do you make of it? - Make of what?

Program with watermarked paper,

banners and guards and-- it's just odd.

I suppose it's his way of expressing his grief.

Maybe so. The stationmaster's grief. Do you really think so?

We all have our way of coping.

Do you know what I think? I'll tell you.

I think this isn't a funeral, but a diversion.

That's what it is.

You're such a pretty little girl.

You're such a pretty, pretty, little girl.

You are. Yes, you are.

Good evening.

- Right... - Mrs. Birgerson asked me to tell you

that your daughter is tucked up in a basket...

in our bedroom.

Gustav, she's becoming attached to the child.

Yes, and Mrs. Birgerson isn't getting any younger, so...

Has it fallen out?

Is there really nothing you can do?

Unfortunately not. It's most unusual.

We just have to hope that it'll shed off.

Dr. Levin has found a wet nurse.

The girl is only 17 years old and is in quite a difficult situation.

Her child died at only three days old.

The father of the child is unknown,

and her parents want nothing to do with her.

They're Free Church, you see. She desperately needs this position.

It's so lovely here.

I've never had my own room before.

- Okay... - At home there're so many of us.

There's not really enough space for it.

If you need anything, you'll find me downstairs.

- Good morning. - Hi.

This is baby Eva.

Take good care of her.

I'll see you soon.

- Yes? - I--

I was looking for the stationmaster. I just wanted to--

He's doing a line inspection, or something.

- Do you want me to give him a message? - No, that's fine.

Well... Cantor Swammerdamm.

I'll come back another day.

- Swammerdamm? You look flustered. - Flustered?

You've been at the stationmaster's place, haven't you?

Yes, I...

What has made you so flustered? You're not usually this jittery.

Has all the piano playing made you delicate?

- No, of course not. - What is it, Swammerdamm?

You have no idea what I've just seen.

I knocked on the stationmaster's door.

It was-- well, it was a human child.

So it's true what people say?

- Did she have eyes like a snake? - Like a snake? No.

- No fangs? - No, no, no. Are you crazy?

I think Tidende has to write a few lines about this.

What? No.

No, no, I told you this in confidence. You can't write it in the newspaper.

- Have a good evening, cantor. - I beg you.

- Have a good evening. - I beg you as a friend.

"After serious consideration, the editorial staff

has found it necessary to put a dampener on the speculations

that have arisen recently."

A STRANGE NATURAL EVENT

"Gossip and rumors are, as we all know, a nuisance,

and our newspaper is, like all serious journalistic entities...

in opposition to that kind of unvirtuous activity.

However, occasionally certain private incidents might occur

that are of such a special nature

that the gossip itself calls for dutiful journalistic attention."

Have you seen it?

- Like an animal? - Yes, hair all over its body.

Have you seen this child?

Never answer the door with the child on your arm.

I'm sorry, sir--

I'm a civil servant of the National Railways Company!

I don't want any kind of menagerie here!

This is as close to the window as she should ever get!

- Is that understood? - I understand.

Furthermore, under no circumstance do I want to see her in my office,

in the telegraph office, or anywhere in the station building.

And not on the platform either. Is that understood?

They'll probably leave when they realize there's nothing to see.

Have you noticed if anything has fallen out? On the pillow or other places?

- No. - All right.

Mr. Stationmaster? It's not my place to say--

I mean, I've no right to suggest this, not at all, but...

Continue.

Well, I was thinking about Eva.

I think it's a shame that she doesn't get any fresh air.

She's turning very pale.

She's not eating much, and she doesn't sleep well.

And she's whimpering a lot.

So I was thinking that if I could take a stroll with her

down on Main Street or up to Fredheim each day--

I'll think about it, Hannah. Good night.

I've drawn a little map. This is the route you can take.

There is no one on the platform at 10:15 a.m.

Then you can take the pram to the end of the platform.

From there you can go over the railway crossing to this empty lot.

There you'll find a small path, partially covered by a board,

that leads to this engine shed.

By the engine shed there's a sunny wall with a small bench.

You can sit there for a while.

If there's nobody around, of course.

If you want to be outside for an hour, until after 11:15 a.m.,

you can walk back the way you came.

But if you want to be outside for a shorter while,

you have to walk around the whole town.

Then there'll be no time to stop for anything.

Anything other than this is strictly forbidden.

She laughed today.

Don't you want to hold her?

No, it's better if you take care of that.

It's too late today, but tomorrow...

Do you have a watch?

Gustav!

A letter! From the Board of Health.

Oh, so they know about this in the capital as well?

Yes. I simply had to report it.

Otherwise, I'd be in trouble myself. Read it.

"This is such a rare condition that there has only been a handful of known cases...

in the last 400 years.

Your letter has therefore attracted a great deal of interest..."

- They're coming here! - Yes, they are.

- Dr. Stroem? - Yes.

- Dr. Levin. - I'd like my baggage brought down.

Stationmaster Arctander. I am the child's father. It's this way.

Fantastic. Incredible!

She's smiling and making the same sounds as other children.

As far as I know.

Have you seen this before?

No, never. Never. It's unique.

I've seen cases where it has been found on certain parts of the body.

- What is wrong with her? - There's nothing wrong. Nothing.

We all have hair follicles on our bodies, Arctander.

Before the seventh month in the development of the fetus,

the hair follicles all over the body-- and all of them at once--

produce a significant hair growth.

As if the organism is making sure they're all in working order.

Then... in the seventh month, the fetus sheds them all.

But your little girl, on the other hand, her hair has just kept on...

growing and growing and growing.

I see. So she has just kept them?

Yes, indeed. Yes.

But what can we do to make the hair disappear faster?

We can't do anything.

But you must not-- you must not shave her.

The hairs will grow back, and eventually they'll become stiff, like beard stubble.

We have to maintain the connection, Arctander.

And if you-- Levin, is it?

- Yes. - If you can provide ongoing reports?

And I need the camera.

But all those hairs, when do they disappear?

They'll never disappear.

What a rarity. A curiosity.

I'll take a picture, if you don't mind.

I know that I don't look like you.

Neither in the eyes, nor anything else.

When I look at myself in the mirror, I don't look like anything else.

I know it very well.

Other people have faces, but I don't.

Eva, maybe we should let the picture hang where it's supposed to.

It's not a good picture.

She didn't really look like that.

Look! Look!

No!

No, no!

No!

Look at me!

Now, you have to sit in here until you decide to do as I say.

- No! - Go inside!

Eight plus eight plus eight equals 24.

Five times five equals 25.

Six divided by six equals one.

One, two, three, four, five...

Wow, look at that!

It'll be the prettiest tree we've ever had.

It reminds me of the Christmas tree parties in Fredheim when I was young.

What's a "Christmas tree party"?

You don't know?

A party for the Christmas tree, perhaps?

The Christmas tree party was the greatest day of the whole year.

Even greater than Christmas Eve.

It was in January.

We were saying goodbye to the tree, sort of.

It was three times as big as this.

And it was so beautifully decorated.

- Did it have baubles? - Gold baubles.

Real gold?

Maybe we should get the decorating done instead?

And I was wearing my most beautiful dress.

It was red all over, with blue velvet ribbons.

And my mother had put silver buckles on my shoes.

They sparkled just like the tree.

Did you look like a princess?

I think I did. I looked really lovely.

And then we danced around the Christmas tree,

and afterwards the magician came.

- That's what we looked forward to most. - Hannah--

He made flowers appear out of thin air. And feathers and--

Hannah!

Isn't there something missing up there?

Eva?

- I'll be back in a little while. - Okay.

I'll be 40 minutes at the most.

At night, I dream of you.

Sometimes. Not often.

You're more beautiful than in the picture.

And your eyes are so brown.

Your voice is soft and warm.

You're smiling and saying things to me.

Things I don't remember when I wake up.

Yet I love those dreams.

Once I dreamt that you had hair on your face and that I didn't.

But when I woke up, everything was the same as before.

I wish that it wasn't like that.

How long is Hannah staying with her family?

Hannah? Until the third day of Christmas.

Aren't you excited about opening your presents later?

Can we please go to the Christmas tree party, Dad?

No. Those things are not for us.

But Hannah said that it was for everybody.

Hannah! "Hannah said..."

She's putting a lot of ideas into your head.

Eva...

I've told you how people can behave.

Yes. Never mind.

- Good night. - Good night.

Did you have a Christmas tree before I was born?

Of course, we did. You know that.

It was your mother who made the angels, the stars,

and all the other things that are hanging on the tree.

Did she think about me, do you think,

when she made the decorations?

About you?

No, I don't think she did that.

No, I need a shoe that's more closed off.

I mean, something... like that.

Yes.

- Thank you so much! - Say thank you to Hannah, too.

Thank you.

You can borrow this for the evening.

I wore it when I was a little girl.

Are you ready?

You look like a princess.

Look how it glitters, Eva.

Is it hot?

That's what I thought.

Hi! Hi.

You look so pretty.

- And you've got new boots. - Dad bought the silver buckles.

And what a pretty dress you're wearing. Here, have some cake.

Yes.

Ladies and gentlemen! Boys and girls!

Welcome to this little moment of magic, sorcery and miracles.

Are you prepared to see things that you have never seen before?

Yes!

Let us see if our invisible hen...

can lay some eggs for us.

Me! Me! Me! Pick me!

Can you say "cluck, cluck" into the bag?

How about you, dear?

Good God!

That is-- that is quite a wonderful Yule goat mask you're wearing, my dear.

That's no mask. That's how she looks!

Oh, I see. Then it's the Yule goat itself, I suppose.

Can the Yule goat talk?

Good doggie!

That's not an egg. It's a stone!

What did I tell you? We're leaving.

What's wrong? What is it?

Stop it! What are you doing? That's no way to behave!

Can you draw a picture of me, Dad?

- You're so good at drawing. - Thank you.

Please.

Some other time. What are you doing?

Tomorrow?

Come.

Well, hello there.

There's someone here who wants to give you something.

Oh, yeah? Wow, that's nice. Thank you very much.

You're welcome.

Why do they call you "Sparky"?

Probably because they think my hair looks like sparks.

Whoops, look at this.

We have to let Sparky get back to work, Eva.

No, no, no. Come here. It's just getting exciting.

Come here and take a look. It's Karolius who's writing.

Should I answer him and say that I'm visited by two young, pretty ladies?

"You're bragging as always.

I'm sure it's just some old hens."

Rude, isn't he? Shall we write back to him?

Come on, you can join me. There we go.

What should we say? That he's an old fox? Should we do that?

Now we're writing that.

Do you know the letters?

Look. We'll take this. And then you see, we call the spots "dots"

and we call the lines "dashes."

It's just short and long taps. Dot and dash. Dot and dash.

Down. Down. Duck down, Eva. Hurry up, hide!

Hurry and hide!

Yes. Hi.

"The Pacific Ocean connects with the Arctic Ocean via the Bering Strait.

The size... is described 100 years--"

There's a letter for you.

- For me? - I believe so, yes.

"Dear Eva, you did so well the other day that I thought you would enjoy this.

Sincerely yours, your friend Sparky."

Look.

It's the whole Morse alphabet.

It says, "Your friend Sparky."

The revolution had to happen.

The Russian people have lived like animals.

They have starved for hundreds of years.

But my sweet Elsa! Is that any way to take responsibility?

To topple the social organization, take the law into your own hands

and kill your opponents? It only creates total chaos.

I've heard that the trains are not even running down there.

Not a single train runs on schedule.

"On schedule," Gustav?

The Russian people have been a patriotic myth,

but now they've risen and become a terrifying reality.

And Trotsky predicted this.

Trotsky is the man for the future. Mark my words. The man for the future.

Well, I never.

Well, I never...

- I want to be a telegraph operator. - What did you say?

A lot of women are telegraph operators. Sparky said so.

Yes, why not, Gustav?

- Thank you. See you later. - The pleasure was mine.

You've been at the telegraph office without my permission! Never again!

- She needs to meet people. - I'll be the judge of that, not you.

She can't be alone all the time! It's not healthy!

She's not lonely. She has us.

But she's a child, Arctander.

She needs to be with children her own age.

Can't you please let her attend school?

Have you already forgotten what happened at the Christmas party?

Do you think we should continue to expose ourselves to such things?

That's all for today, Hannah.

Gustav, can you give me my comb?

Are you going to draw afterwards, Dad?

Maybe.

What are you going to draw?

It's a new train model that I'm trying to get the hang of.

An ore train.

Where's Hannah?

I don't know.

When is she coming back?

I don't know.

Who's going to take care of me if Hannah isn't doing it?

I don't know!

Will you stop asking questions all the time?

What are you doing?

I thought I could go get Hannah if I didn't have any hair.

What is this foolishness?! Do you want a beard all over your body?

And this-- don't touch this. It's mine. Do you understand?

Do you understand?

Wipe it off now.

Foolishness.

All right, I'll... I'll get straight to the point.

Hannah, you are very much missed at home.

I would like to listen to your demands for your return.

- Is it mine? - Yes.

It's connected to the telegraph downstairs.

That way, you and I can talk to each other.

Should we try it now? Do you want to? You sit here, and I'll run downstairs.

Well, I never.

Welcome back.

"Sparky to Eva.

Pay attention to the 2:30 p.m. train. There's a actual Negro man on board!

And on the 3:45 train, there's a merry-go-round!"

"Eva calling Sparky.

Is it legal for Dr. Levin and Dad to decide I will never attend school?"

But, my dear Hannah, I can't go against Arctander's decision.

He's the father of the child. And I have to say that I agree with him.

But she needs to learn things at the same rate as other children,

together with other children.

- The school board... - I'll deal with the school board.

A physician's word is law, you know.

It must be lovely to be in that position, of course.

Well, what do I know?

But since I now live at a railway station,

I've noticed that they distribute letters regarding legislation there.

To the county magistrate and vicar.

- You shouldn't get too involved in this. - Well, what do I know?

I only completed elementary school.

I was just thinking that when I was a kid and someone was forced to stay at home,

the magistrate came calling.

So, I was just wondering what Arctander and the doctor would've done then?

We're off to school.

Do you think the other children have learned a lot about Mesopotamian history?

Perhaps.

Come.

Okay, today we are going to learn the letter "I."

Does anybody know a word that starts with "I"?

- Yes? - "Ice."

"Ice." Good.

- Take her satchel. - Flea trap!

- Get her! - Tear out her hair!

- Tear out her hair! - Yes!

How did it go at school today?

It went well.

Very well.

- Kjersti Borgli? - Here.

Kristine Gulbrandsen?

- You're late. - Yes.

Speaking of which, I got a letter from Miss Hadeland.

She says you've been away from school a lot lately.

She was worried about your absences and so am I.

- Is it possible to get an explanation? - Miss Hadeland, maybe?

There has also come an inquiry from Professor Stroem

regarding a dermatology conference in Copenhagen next month.

There will be doctors and scientists from all over the world there,

and we're invited to participate.

Are we going?

Yes. Maybe it's not such a bad idea to get away from here for a little while.

Maybe they'll invent a cure for me.

Have a really nice trip. Take care of yourself.

- Have a nice trip, Eva. - Thank you.

Have a nice trip.

A little something for your journey.

Did you get a new pocket watch, Dad?

Well, I don't know if it's that new.

A little bit, perhaps.

It's so beautiful.

Well, we have to look our best when we're going on a long trip.

I thought we might eat dinner in the dining car tonight.

But Hannah packed food for us. We don't have to be around other people.

I think we've eaten enough of Hannah's food, eh?

Come, let's go!

- Good evening. - Good evening. Arctander is my name.

- Hello? - Yes.

- We've made a reservation. - Of course.

Yes, uh... Arctander. That's right.

This way.

- The menu. - Thank you very much.

What is there to consider? We're having the best. Head waiter!

Let's see... we'll start with two orders of the soup of the day.

And then the roast. That should be it for now.

But this is just to get started, so don't wander off.

Thank you.

Also, a glass of apple cider for my daughter

- and half a bottle of Bordeaux for me. - Thank you.

Don't mind them.

Well, now, so we wound up on a trip together, you and I.

A really long trip abroad.

"Miss and Mr. Stationmaster Arctander."

Cheers.

- Have I told you I've been to Copenhagen? - No.

Then, too, I was in the company of a young lady.

This was a long time before I met your mother, so...

She and I strolled along the most beautiful promenade I've ever seen.

And I would like to do that one more time.

Maybe I sense something I do not know yet.

That long trips can have such an effect on people.

The minute trains or ships are in motion,

it's as if life as they know it lets go of them.

And they are filled with life as it ought to be.

For a moment, they turn into the person they should've been.

The one they could've been.

They are free

and will gladly order another bottle of Bordeaux,

as well as a wonderful bowl of ice cream for their daughter.

Miss Arctander, is it possible to get a short interview?

It's only two nights.

- Miss Arctander, look this way. - How long will you be staying?

- I'm sure it will go well, Dad. - Take good care of her!

Professor Stroem, is there any hope for a cure for Miss Arctander?

Miss Arctander, over here. Thank you. Just one photograph.

Good evening, young lady.

I assume we're delegates at the same convention.

Andrej Bor, at your service.

But you may call me Andreas if you like.

Eva Arctander.

Now that we're acquainted, would you like to join me, Miss Eva?

So we can have a little chat.

You are, of course, this convention's absolute highlight.

You'll have to excuse me if I startled you.

I'm often awake at night because my skin hurts.

My misfortune.

Are you in pain, Miss Highlight?

No, it's not painful.

Lucky for you.

You've met Professor Joachim, I presume?

He's a doctor?

That's a good one.

No, no. He is the director of a traveling troupe.

He's got a whole menagerie of people of our kind.

Lilliputian humans and Siamese twins, fat ladies and strong men.

A man with two heads, and a lizard man.

That's me.

His troupe is very successful. It's famous all over Europe.

Perhaps you think you are lonely?

Because no one else is like you.

In a troupe like Professor Joachim's, you will never be lonely.

Because there'll always be many others who are in a similar situation as yours.

You will feel quite normal.

And you might find happiness, for I will say this to you-- cheers.

Among us peculiar people, there are a lot of happy marriages.

You are quite hideous. You will never be cured.

And you will never win the heart of a normal man.

No man that can give you what you dream of.

Not out there in their world.

But, in our world...

you can experience happiness.

You can be desired and loved.

And you could desire and love in return.

You can't ask more of life than the basic preconditions allow.

That's a lesson that most people learn too late.

But we learn it early.

Let's drink to that.

I'm sorry.

You're freezing, my dear.

Isn't that better?

Now, get a good night's sleep.

And tomorrow morning, you'll have a nice breakfast.

And only because an ambiguity of the gender

or other distorting or pathological physical traits

are seen at the same time...

Okay...

You feel much better now, don't you?

I got the message. What has happened? It's not serious, is it?

No, no, she fainted, that's all. But she's much better now.

It may have been the long train journey and strange surroundings.

But we're about to start again soon, aren't we?

I'm so tired.

Everything has gone according to schedule. That might be the reason she's tired.

Come with me.

We're putting an end to this right now.

But why? It will be a great pity for the conference if we can't continue.

What happened at the hospital, Eva?

Nothing.

Hi! How was your trip?

Hi, Eva.

There is something odd about the entries in these books, Arctander.

What do you have to say about it?

What could it be...?

Oh, well...

Just give me some time, Knudzon, and I'll find a solution to this.

Okay, you have until August. But then I have to report this.

After all, they want to hold someone responsible for this.

- Kristian Guttormsen? - Present.

Arvid Hansen?

Arvid Hansen?

So this is where you disappear to?

Shouldn't I have come here?

No.

Oh, well...

A drop of coffee would taste good now.

I don't drink coffee.

I've been drinking coffee all my life.

My dad says it's not good for children.

You're not a child.

It's best with plenty of sugar.

Good?

Very.

Do you go swimming here?

It's far too cold.

Come on in! It's hardly cold at all.

You could've told me that you couldn't swim.

I thought I could now.

You're funny.

But in a nice way.

As you probably know, the auditors are here

because some money has disappeared.

But we can surely come to an amicable arrangement.

You mean-- are you putting the blame on me?

I would like to come to an amicable arrangement, yes.

Melvig! Melvig, Melvig. Sit down.

I know you're fond of Eva.

She needs her home.

Where else would she live? At least she can telegraph here.

Eva doesn't want to be a telegraph operator anymore.

She wants to study mathematics. To do that, she has to go to the capital.

She's much too gifted to sit in the telegraph office.

A university education with an exam is something I could never pay for.

Besides, I doubt any university would accept her.

And where would she live?

Melvig...

she needs her home.

For Eva's sake.

I just don't get it.

Look. If the diameter of a circle is 1, the circumference is 3,14.

- Always? - Always.

In America, they tried to pass a law to round pi up to 4.

Then, no bridge would remain standing. Luckily, there was a professor present.

You're so smooth.

I think you're pretty.

Can I skive off with you again some other time?

- Can I? - Arvid. Bye-bye.

You're exhausted, Gustav. Nothing serious, but you need to rest.

I'm going to write a referral to a health resort that has shown good results.

- Eva can come also. - To a health resort?

What was Knudzon talking about before we left, Dad?

He seemed so serious.

No, no, it was nothing.

Knudzon and I have been friends a long time.

If there's a problem, we sort it out between us.

I didn't mean to disturb you,

but I don't have anything to do all day while my husband gets his treatments.

So I come down here to paint autogamy flowers.

By the way, it's proper for the younger to introduce herself to the older first.

Eva Arctander.

My name is also Eva.

Eva Grjothornet.

I think you're pretty.

Do you really think I'm pretty?

You're the prettiest.

It's no picnic to stay pretty.

In the autumn, it is I who go to health resorts.

These days, I go to Dr. Lebedew Kumatsch for his snail-bath treatment.

Snail treatment?

This Bulgarian doctor has discovered

that the Anatolian fig leaf snail produces a secretion

that is very vitalizing for the skin and dermis.

The treatment consists of the patient being undressed

and then rubbed with a balsam consisting of ground leaves and bark,

creating a thin, even layer.

The snails eat by means of a tongue located beneath their tube feet.

And the tongue is full of small, sharp teeth

that remove dead skin cells and blemishes.

After a little while, they start to produce their vitalizing secretion again.

I have, of course, tried a number of other treatments.

From bathing in lamb's blood to the usual electric baths and ionization chambers.

I've even bathed in whale secretion.

That... was no fun.

Do you think I could ever get an ordinary man?

But you have a boyfriend, don't you?

He's beautiful... like you.

I try to have a conversation going when I'm with him,

but when I told him that Norway's first female doctor went to Paris

to meet Einstein and Marie Curie, he wasn't very interested.

If only I had been as pretty as you.

You believe when you're young, as I did, that beauty is life itself.

It's the goal and meaning of everything. Everything strives for it, seeks it.

But what is beauty, really?

Now it's slowly disappearing, even for me.

In spite of snails and treatments.

So you should not be sad, but observant.

For you have a quite different and much freer starting point.

Promise me that you'll use it wisely.

My dad's been called home ahead of time.

There seems to be a serious matter at home at the station.

So we're leaving shortly.

It's been lovely to get to know you.

Likewise.

You have a long journey ahead of you.

Do you think so?

Little friend. Bon voyage.

Sparky! Arvid has--

Dad!

Hannah! Where's Sparky?

Hannah!

Are you leaving, Sparky? Wait!

You have to stop this! You can't let him leave!

Can you pass the salt, please?

Sparky's standing outside on the platform waiting for the train!

You can't pin the blame on him!

I'm not pinning the blame on him. He chose to leave.

- And why did he resign voluntarily? - Don't take that tone, young lady.

The auditors did an internal audit.

Various sums of the government's money have disappeared, as you probably know.

Can you pass the salt, Hannah?

- And? - And?

He laid his cards on the table, and then he took the blame.

Knudzon and I have put in a good word for him,

so the case was settled in a good way.

- But he loses his job. - He loses his job, yes.

But that was part of our agreement.

That way, we avoided going to trial with this.

That would've been terribly sad.

- For you and the station. - For everyone.

And especially for you.

Eva.

I realize this isn't easy for you.

He was a good friend, and you liked him a lot.

And he was kind to you. I know that.

- But you have to try to-- - Try to do what?

Well, you have to try to look at it in a philosophical manner.

Philosophical? That's a great idea.

Don't take that tone with me, as I said before.

Irony doesn't help.

These things happen in life. Such is life sometimes, Eva.

So, then... let's not talk about this anymore.

- What are we going to talk about, then? - Well, I don't know!

You can't do this!

Thank you, Hannah. I'm done.

Sparky!

Sparky!

Eva?

Eva, don't you want to come over here and take a look?

I'm reading.

Listen... it's someone's birthday soon.

- Maybe you need some new clothes. - That might be.

- What do you want, then? - A crystal goniometer.

I see. So what is that used for?

It's rather hard to explain.

It's used to determine the reciprocal relationships between angles in a crystal.

And with that, establish which crystal order it belongs to.

Otherwise, they can't be determined.

Well, well.

- You really are one of a kind, Eva. - Fine, then!

A crystal...

- Goniometer. - Goniometer?

Crystal goniometer?

Do you have any crystals to measure, then?

- Do you remember Sparky? - Yes.

Sparky and I were supposed to go up to the molybdenum mine and look for more.

That was the plan, at least.

Yes, indeed. I understand.

And on my birthday, I don't want to go to the graveyard like usual.

Okay. But we've always done that.

It's a waste of time. I'd much rather go see a show at Fredheim.

They have some sort of variety show there.

This is going to be really exciting. Variety show, you said?

Oh, well. As long as it's not that Ibsen chap. He's so tiresome.

Ladies and gentlemen!

We are proud today to introduce

the most spectacular and most diverse image of human life.

Is that an ape?

We've got one of those ourselves!

TO HANNAH

THANK YOU.

A PRESENTATION OF HUMAN DIVERSITY ONE NIGHT ONLY

...but the lion's death at their hands

provided them with an incredible inspiration!

- When do you ever get used to it? - You never get used to it.

Small rooms, large rooms.

Rooms that come and go. Towns that come and go.

Stages, fairgrounds, beer joints.

Only I stand still while everything and everyone else is in motion,

making sounds and laughing.

I see now how akin and close man is to numbers and thoughts.

They are our real fathers and mothers.

Our only true friends who are always there.

Ladies and gentlemen.

It is our pleasure today to present to you...

Professor Eva Arctander.

She is going to tell us about her work on modular forms

and on the Ramanujan Formula.

My dear colleagues.

What has brought me here, to this very beautiful room

full of extraordinary minds?

A mathematical constant,

the most important number, the most fascinating number in history--

Pi.

Does it have anything to do with my birth gift?

This luxurious fur coat for which some women

would pay an obscene amount of money to wear?

Maybe, maybe not.

What's more interesting is the formula I will now present to you.

Thank you very much. That's fine, thank you.

Excuse me.

- Eva Arctander? - Excuse me.

Thank you.

Excuse me, may I help you?

Eva!

My God, you are so beautiful.

It's strange to be here without him around.

Yes, he...

he was old and full of days.

He was ready.

"And forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us.

Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.

For Thine is the kingdom,

the power, and the glory,

forever and ever. Amen."

- None of his clothes? - No.

The cufflinks and the gold watch, do you want them?

No, thanks, Hannah. It's okay.

But the dinner service your parents received as a wedding present...

- do you want me to pack it and send it? - No, thanks, Hannah. I'm fine.

I have everything I need.

Okay, then I'll tend to the rest of this later.

And we'll have a glass of sherry.

I brought this from Paris.

It came out a few years ago.

You apply it to your nails. They'll be red, like this.

You can use it if you go to a party or feel like dressing up.

But remember to blow on it, otherwise it can stick to your clothes.

I hope you're glad that you came to say goodbye to him.

He was so anxious for you to have this.