#scene 4

MELCHIOR: 

16 October. The question is: Shame. What is its origin? And why are we hounded by its miserable shadow? Does the mare feel Shame as she couples with a stallion? Are they deaf to everything their loins are telling them, until we grant them a marriage certificate? I think not. To my mind, Shame is nothing but a product of Education. Meanwhile, old Father Kaulbach still blindly insists, in every single sermon, that it's deeply rooted in our sinful Human Nature. Which is why I now refuse to go to Church-

FRAU GABOR calls from the hallway.

FRAU GABOR: 

Melchior?

MELCHIOR: Yes, Mom?

FRAU GABOR: 

Moritz Stiefel to see you. 

MELCHIOR sits up. MORITZ comes through the door, looking pale and agitated.

MELCHIOR: 

Moritz?

MORITZ: 

Sorry I'm so late. I yanked on a jacket, ran a brush through my hair, and dashed like some phantom to get here.

MELCHIOR: 

You slept through the day?

MORITZ: 

I'm exhausted, Melchi. I was up till three in the morning-reading that essay you gave me, till I couldn't see straight.

MELCHIOR: Sit. You want a smoke?

MELCHIOR lights and hands MORITZ a cigarette.

MORITZ: 

Look at me-I'm trembling. Last night I prayed like Christ in Gethsemane: "Please, God, give me Consumption and take these sticky dreams away from me."

MELCHIOR: 

With any luck, he'll ignore that prayer.

MORITZ: 

Melchi, I can't focus-on anything. Even now, it seems like ... Well, I see, and hear, and feel, quite clearly. And yet, everything seems so strange…

MELCHIOR: 

But all those illustrations I gave you-didn't they help you get it?

MORITZ: 

They only made everything ten times worse! Instead of just seeing Stockings, now I'm 

Plagued by Labia Majora-

FRAU GABOR comes in with tea and sandwiches. MORITZ frantically puts out the cigarette, while MELCHIOR waves the smoke away.

FRAU GABOR: 

Well, here we are, with tea. Herr Stiefel, how are you?

MORITZ: 

Keen, thank you, Frau Gabor.

FRAU GABOR (Skeptical): 

Yes?

MELCHIOR: 

Just think, Mom. Moritz was up, reading all through the night.

MORITZ: 

Uh, conjugating Greek.

FRAU GABOR: 

You must take care of yourself, Moritz. Surely, your health is more important than Ancient Greek. 

She motions at his books.

Now, what have you been reading, Melchior?

MELCHIOR: 

Goethe's Faust, actually.

FRAU GABOR: 

Really? At your age?

MELCHIOR: It's so beautiful, Mom.

MORITZ (nodding): 

So haunting.

FRAU GABOR: 

Still, I should have thought- But surely, you boys are now of an age to decide for yourselves what is good for you and what is not. (Sighs) If you need anything else, children, call me.

FRAU GABOR walks out.

MORITZ: 

Well, your mother’s swell.

MELCHIOR ("Yes, but"): 

Until she catches her son reading Goethe.

MORITZ: 

I think she meant the story of Gretchen and her illegitimate child.

MELCHIOR: 

Yes. You see how obsessively·everyone fixes on that story. It's as if the entire world was stuck on penis and vagina.

MORITZ: 

Well, I am. Even more, I'm afraid, since reading your essay. What you wrote about the ... female . .. I can't stop thinking about it. 

MORITZ pulls the essay out of his pocket.

 This part here-is it true?

MELCHIOR: 

Absolutely.

MORITZ: 

But, how can you understand that, Melchi? What the girl must feel.

MELCHIOR ("Why not?"): 

Giving yourself over to someone else? ... Defending yourself until, finally, you surrender and feel Heaven break over you? …

MORITZ nods, mystified. 

I just put myself in her place-and imagine …

MORITZ ("You've got to be kidding"):

Really?! 

He flips through the essay, one diagram after another- increasingly mesmerized

What it feels like? for the girl?

A twelve-string guitar sounds-subtle chords, a world of longing. 

MELCHIOR:

Where I go, when I go there,

No more memory anymore­

Only drifting on some ship;

The wind that whispers, of the distance, to shore . ..

MORITZ:

Where I go, when I go there,

No more listening anymore­

Only hymns upon your lips,

A mystic wisdom, rising with them, to shore . ..

Ext. Vineyard - Evening

ERNST and HANSCHEN are studying in the vineyard. ERNST sings out in soliloquy. 

ERNST:

Touch me- just like that.

And that-O, yeah-now, that's heaven.

Now, that I like.

God, that's so nice.

Now lower down, where the figs lie . ..

Int. Bedroom - Evening

MELCHIOR turns back to MORITZ. The scene shifts back to the lamplit bedroom. MORITZ is pouring over the essay.

MORITZ: ... Still, you must admit ... with all the differing ... 

(Mispronouncing, with a "hard g") 

geni ... geni …

MELCHIOR: 

Genitalia?

MORITZ: 

Genitalia. It truly is daunting-I mean, how ... everything might …

MELCHIOR:

 Measure up? 

MORITZ looks stricken.

Fit? 

More stricken.

Moritz, not that I'm saying I myself have ever-

MORITZ: 

Not that I'm saying I wouldn't want ... Would ever want to not- Would ever not want-

MELCHIOR: 

Moritz?

MORITZ: I have to go! 

MORITZ abruptly rushes out.

MELCHIOR: Moritz, wait­! 

(To himself.)

 Moritz-

FRAU GABOR enters and clears the tea.

FRAU GABOR: 

Melchior, what is it? 

MELCHIOR:

Nothing, Mom.

FRAU GABOR: 

Has Moritz gone?

MELCHIOR: 

Yes.

FRAU GABOR: 

Well, he does look awfully pale, don't you think? I wonder, is that Faust really the best thing for him? 

FRAU GABOR exits. MELCHIOR shakes his head. He walks to his bed, and lies down, closing his eyes.

Ext. River - Evening

It’s stormy. OTTO stands on a makeshift boat, drifting down the river.

OTTO:

Where I go, when I go there,

No more shadows anymore­

Only you there in the kiss;

And nothing missing, as you're drifting, to shore…

Ext. Forest - Evening

GEORG wanders in the willow forest through the rain.

GEORG:

Where I go, when I go there,

No more weeping anymore­

Only in and out your lips;

The broken wishes, washing with them, to shore...

Int. Bedrooms - Evening

Three way split screen between MELCHIOR, MORITZ and WENDLA. They each lie in their beds, caressing their bodies.

MELCHIOR, MORITZ and WENDLA:

Touch me-all silent.

Tell me-please-all is forgiven.

Consume my wine.

Consume my mind.

I'll tell you how, how the winds sigh . ..

Int. Bathroom - Evening

MARTHA, in the safety and solitude of the bathtub, undoes her braids.

BOYS AND GIRLS:

Touch me

just try it

Ext. Park - Evening

ANNA and THEA run through the rainy park, hand in hand.

Now there, that’s it

God, oh, that’s heaven

Int. Bedroom - Night

HANSCHEN, in bed, reads The Iliad with a flashlight.

I love your light

I’ll love you right

Int. Bedroom - Evening

MELCHIOR unbuttons his shirt.

Now lower down

Where the sins cry

Int. Priapia - Evening

ILSE, alone, paints a self-portrait.

Touch me

Just try it,

Ext. River - Evening

OTTO paddles along the river.

Now lower down, 

Where the sins lie

Love me,

Just for a bit.

Ext. Hayloft - Evening

GEORG stumbles upon the hayloft.

We’ll wander down,

Where the winds sigh

Where the winds sigh