Gently Continental (5 page)

Are you a widow, Mrs Breske?

MRS BRESKE

Ach, who can tell me that? He ran off to Berlin with a blonde hair-dresser. Perhaps the Nazis got hold of him. He was, you know – was ist ein Schmetterling?

GENTLY

Butterfly.

MRS BRESKE

Ja, ein butterfly. A woman can do what she likes with him, he has no character, is a child. But good-looking, ach yes! I do not wish him any evil.

GENTLY

Your two daughters are very unlike.

MRS BRESKE

(Sharply.)

They are both his, that is true. Trudi takes after her father, is nothing erstaunlich about that.

GENTLY

He was tall, then.

MRS BRESKE

Ja, ja, he was not altogether short. Und Trudi has his eyes, his nose, ja, is very much like him.

GENTLY

(Pointing.)

Would that be his sister on that photograph?

MRS BRESKE

(Turning quickly, so that the chair swings.)

Was ist – nein, nein, er hat keine Schwester – jene ist Frau Lindemann – sie ist tot.

GENTLY

A relative?

MRS BRESKE

Oh, ja. She is my sister, Mitzi Lindemann. She married Herr Professor Hermann Lindemann. They are both dead before the war.

GENTLY

Then that's where Trudi gets her looks.

MRS BRESKE

Ja, is possible, is in the family. The Nazis killed Herr Professor. He is born the wrong side of the bridge.

GENTLY

What bridge?

MRS BRESKE

The Radetsky Bridge. Das heisst, he is a Jew. Also, he is known to be a Marxist. Is enough. They shoot him.

GENTLY

And your sister?

MRS BRESKE

(Shrugs.)

She is already sick at that time. Ach, what do you know in your island? The sea out there is still all round you.

She snatches her head and stares, protuberantly, at the same circumfluent sea, where it lies, patched with emerald, purple and gamboge, but hard blue, beyond her window. Edith Breske, who had seen no sea till those nightmare months of '37, to whom it is, will ever be, a roaring desert of separation; never soothing, never inviting, but God's mighty current dividing the land. She stares, daughter of muddy Danube, alien-eyed, at prison bars.

GENTLY

So perhaps the American had a wife. That is all you can tell me about him. Now, Mrs Breske, I want you to remember what you can about Tuesday evening. Did you see the American go out?

MRS BRESKE

(Shakes her head.)

I see the poor man at dinner. After that, I don't know. I think I do not see him again.

GENTLY

Who sat at his table?

MRS BRESKE

He has a table by himself.

GENTLY

Always?

MRS BRESKE

Ja, always. He ask for the little window table.

GENTLY

That's the window overlooking the drive.

MRS BRESKE

Ja, and he has the room just above it. At first I give him a front room, but he says the noise of the sea keep him awake. That is all right, other people like it, I am quite happy he shall move.

GENTLY

So he had a room and a table overlooking the drive. It was almost as though he expected a visitor.

MRS BRESKE

(Hoists her shoulders.)

GENTLY

Did he have one?

MRS BRESKE

A thousand times I tell you, no! He is alone, that man. He does not talk, make friends. He sits in his room, walks on the beach, eats his food, listens to the music. You do not know he is there. He does not make any complaint. He seems content, he smiles at you. But he does not open his mouth.

GENTLY

Did that never strike you as odd?

MRS BRESKE

Odd? Himmel, they are all odd! I am too busy, I do not notice. Ach, he pays his bill, nicht wahr?

GENTLY

But you did notice.

MRS BRESKE

Is all the same! Other people are funny too.

GENTLY

Not quite so funny.

MRS BRESKE

Pfoo, pfoo.

GENTLY

Are they?

MRS BRESKE

(An impatient gesture.)

GENTLY

Going back to Tuesday evening. You saw the American at dinner. Who served him?

MRS BRESKE

Ja – Franz. Franz is serving the little table.

GENTLY

Who is he?

MRS BRESKE

Who? A waiter. Franz Klapper. Is from Ischl.

GENTLY

A regular waiter?

MRS BRESKE

Oh, ja. Is here from two, three seasons.

GENTLY

What time would you have finished dinner?

MRS BRESKE

Ach, the service is over at nine. But people sit there, you know, there is the music, good wine. Till ten or eleven it is sometimes. The orchestra go off at eleven.

GENTLY

And the American kept sitting there?

MRS BRESKE

I do not know that myself. Frieda says he is still there at a quarter past ten.

GENTLY

Drinking?

MRS BRESKE

Ja, that is certain. He is served six whiskies.

GENTLY

He listens to the music, and drinks.

MRS BRESKE

Ja. It is his way.

Gently is silent. Mrs Breske slides a look at him. Is not so terrible, this Herr Oberinspektor, though perhaps shrewd, ach yes! Now he arranges in his capacious mind (does he not resemble the great Willi, that chef, the favourite of crowned heads, whose disciple she is proud to be; who, as she is fond of telling, could break two dozen eggs in twenty seconds, the shells falling in a neat pile in a pan placed there to receive them – One does not break eggs, Fraulein Tichtel, one introduces them – ?) her words, not one of which he has forgotten or failed to give its full significance. What then? He can make nothing of them to the discredit of Edith Breske, or of the Hotel Continental, its staff, and its forty-four guests. He will ask his fill, no doubt, and write a long, highly official report, which will satisfy everybody concerned, and tie the matter up neatly; that is his business as a Herr Oberinspektor; but he can do no more. The great Willi, without eggs, could not make a Spanish omelette. Mrs Breske stares large-eyed, rocks sedately, waits.

GENTLY

So then the American goes out.

MRS BRESKE

Ja, he often does this before retiring.

GENTLY

Always alone.

MRS BRESKE

Is what they say. I do not myself keep late hours.

GENTLY

When did you retire, Mrs Breske?

MRS BRESKE

Ach, nine, a half after. It is very tiring, you understand, I am a long time in the kitchen.

GENTLY

And then?

MRS BRESKE

Ja?

GENTLY

What followed?

MRS BRESKE

(Stares at him, her teeth showing.)

GENTLY

When you had gone up, what followed?

MRS BRESKE

Was? I undress, go to bed!

GENTLY

And then?

MRS BRESKE

Then? Ich weiss nicht! – what do you mean, and then?

GENTLY

(Shakes his head.)

MRS BRESKE

(Her mouth crumples.)

GENTLY

It won't do, Mrs Breske. This is a murder investigation. I have to know what people were doing, how far they can be eliminated. You told Inspector Shelton you slept alone. The waiter, Gordini, says he slept alone. Other people have said you slept together. If you did, you must tell me.

MRS BRESKE

(In tears.)

Is not fair to ask this!

GENTLY

Don't forget it clears Gordini.

MRS BRESKE

(Passionately.)

Ach, Carlo! As though you believe – ! What could Carlo know about this?

GENTLY

(Shrugs.)

He's a strong boy, perhaps has a knife.

MRS BRESKE

Ach, Gott, Sie sind verrückt! Next it is me, is Trudi, is Frieda – are plenty of knives in the kitchen!

GENTLY

So.

MRS BRESKE

(Crying.)

Is not fair! Why must I tell you? Carlo is gentle, like an angel. Franz, ja, he has a temper – but Carlo, Carlo! Is all madness!

GENTLY

(Waits.)

MRS BRESKE

(Still crying.)

Carlo is kind, you understand?

GENTLY

I haven't accused him.

MRS BRESKE

Carlo loves me. Ach, a woman needs to be loved! You ask if I am a widow. Ja, jawohl, I am a widow! All these years I have no husband, no one to sleep at my side. Is too much, is not right, a woman cannot do like that.

GENTLY

I'm not here to blame you, Mrs Breske.

MRS BRESKE

She needs a man, all the time. Is not alive, you understand, is not living, without a man. Ach, to be a lonely woman! How can one tell a man of this? Is nothing inside her, is all hollow. Without loving is no good!

GENTLY

Well.

MRS BRESKE

Is not right! You do not need to ask this.

GENTLY

I must know your movements.

MRS BRESKE

Oh, ja, ja!

GENTLY

You saw as much of the American as anyone.

MRS BRESKE

(She dashes angrily at the tears on her tallowy cheeks, seems about to give an explosive answer, then, surprisingly does not.)

Are all the same, diese Polizisten. English, deutsch, it does not matter.

GENTLY

Gordini slept with you, didn't he.

MRS BRESKE

Gut, so! What then?

GENTLY

When did he come, when did he leave?

MRS BRESKE

Und was tat er dort, you would like to know?

GENTLY

Just what I'm asking.

MRS BRESKE

Oh, ja. He brought up my night-cap, it is ten hours.

GENTLY

And stayed.

MRS BRESKE

Ja, and slept.

GENTLY

Till.

MRS BRESKE

Ach, I am not sure. Is all this business, everyone awake. He was in my room till after six hours.

GENTLY

From ten p.m. to six a.m.

MRS BRESKE

Ja, is certain, I can say.

GENTLY

That's all about that, Mrs Breske. Thank you for being frank with me.

MRS BRESKE

(Does not look very grateful for Gently's thanks. She makes a manner of humming sound through her nose, rather like an angry cat.)

GENTLY

(As though half to himself.)

Of course . . . all this was very upsetting for you.

MRS BRESKE

You do not care about that. People's feelings do not matter.

GENTLY

But you were upset, weren't you?

MRS BRESKE

Ach, Gott, am I not to be? One of my guests has been killed – a good advertisement is it, ja?

GENTLY

And this it was that upset you?

MRS BRESKE

Is not enough? Ach, this man!

GENTLY

But wasn't it making matters worse – to be hysterical over it in front of your guests?

MRS BRESKE

(Gapes for a moment.)

I cry a little, nothing more! This man is killed who I have known – I cry, ja – I have my feelings.

GENTLY

So it wasn't just the bad advertisement.

MRS BRESKE

Ja – nein! I am not a stone.

GENTLY

Yet you spoke to him only twice.

MRS BRESKE

Es macht nichts – is my way!

GENTLY

(A faint shrug.)

Perhaps, without noticing, you had become fond of him.

MRS BRESKE

Nein, I tell you – I do not care! Is nothing to me, is only a guest – Number 7, does not complain.

GENTLY

But you cry.

MRS BRESKE

Ach, ach!

GENTLY

Could it be you were afraid?

MRS BRESKE

(Says nothing, rocks her chair, stares, showing her bunched teeth.)

GENTLY

You may remember something later on. People often do that. Now I'd like to talk to some other people, Mrs Breske. First, I think, to your daughter.

MRS BRESKE

Ja . . . Frieda.

GENTLY

Yes.

MRS BRESKE

I will find her, send her to you.

A
ND NOW MRS
Breske, leaving her parlour, coming into the hall, where guests sit waiting, is much less easy in her mind about the Herr Oberinspektor and his shrewdness: so much so that her first act, after scowling distantly at the guests, is to enter the bar and to order a neat brandy from Rudi, the bartender. She drinks it quickly. Ach, Rudi! Rudi is a youngster from Hochstadtbei-Zoom. He has brown eyes and a bee-stung mouth and may one day serve night-caps. Ach, Rudi! Ja, 'dige Frau? Mrs Breske shakes her head. She cannot put her uneasiness in words, either English or German. And Rudi gazes at her doe-eyed, troubled by Frau Breske's trouble, wondering if the occasion of it is some sin or omission of his own. You knew the American, Rudi? Absurd question! Of course he did. So? Another shake of the head. Ach, Rudi! – is all. Then she stands turning the brandy-glass, looking at Rudi without seeing him, till the lad becomes embarrassed and starts to blush round the ears. What is the matter with Frau Breske? Rudi is used to a different approach.