The Double Silence (Andas Knutas 7)

were all seated with plates of food in front of them, their glasses filled with red wine. The discussion immediately turned to Bergman.
    ‘Which of his films are your favourites?’ asked Sam eagerly, glancing around at everyone.
    ‘I like
The Magician
best,’ Beata told him.
    ‘Are you serious?’ Sam raised his eyebrows in surprise.
The Magician
was one of Bergman’s earlier films, a suggestive drama that was not among his more accessible works. ‘Why do you think it’s so special?’
    Andrea gave Beata a look of distaste. She probably just wanted to draw attention to herself. Beata took another big sip of her wine.
    ‘The eroticism,’ she said, casting a mischievous glance at Sam. ‘There’s so much repressed lust in that movie, and such an erotic undercurrent. And the love scene between Lars Ekborg and Bibi Andersson, in the hamper with the freshly washed linen … don’t even mention it!’
    She laughed with pleasure. Stina and Andrea exchanged looks. John joined the discussion.
    ‘Personally, I like
Summer with Monica
the best, but I’m sure that’s mostly because I love the Stockholm archipelago, and I think Harriet Andersson is the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen. Well, except for Beata, of course.’
    ‘I thought as much,’ laughed Beata, unconcerned. ‘You little rascal. Didn’t she show her breasts in that movie? Was that what you fell for?’ Then she let loose such a peal of laughter that the glasses on the table clattered. Beata was always referring to sex in one way or another. Andrea didn’t know why.
    An embarrassed silence ensued. Everyone made a show of drinking more wine and praising the food, then talking about the weather and the music.
    ‘To be honest, I’ve never really understood why Bergman is considered so great,’ said Håkan. ‘I think he’s overrated. He’s so strange and difficult. To me, the movies are mostly a hotchpotch, a bunch of disconnected scenes of fear, dark looks, screams and hysterical people.’
    His remarks were met with boos.
    ‘You’re out of your mind,’ exclaimed Beata indignantly. ‘Bergman is world famous, for Christ’s sake.’
    ‘So what?’ countered Håkan. ‘He wouldn’t be the first person to become famous because of his eccentricities.’
    ‘You’re hopeless,’ said Stina with a sigh. ‘Everybody here should realize that they’re listening to a man whose role model is Arnold Schwarzenegger.’ She shook her head. ‘My favourite, at any rate, is
Persona
. In any category. It beats them all.’
    ‘Why’s that?’ asked Sam with interest.
    Stina leaned forward with an intent expression.
    ‘You remember
Persona
, don’t you? With Liv Ullmann as the celebrated actress Elisabeth Vogler who runs away from the spotlight and escapes into silence? She simply stops talking. And Bibi Andersson as her nurse, Alma, who accompanies her to the remote house where she seeks refuge? Alma thinks she’s found a soulmate in Elisabeth, even though she doesn’t say a single word. Alma gradually opens up more and more to Elisabeth – in fact, she bares herself completely, stripping herself naked, revealing her innermost thoughts and darkest secrets. But in the end it turns out that Elisabeth has just been toying with Alma, that she means nothing to her. Elisabeth utterly betrays her. I don’t know, but I think the whole film is one big desperate scream. A cry for help.’
    ‘Exactly,’ muttered Håkan. ‘That’s just what I was saying. They’re all about nothing but screaming.’
    Sam, on the other hand, seemed impressed by what Stina had said. He opened his mouth to say something, but changed his mind.

THE DAY STARTED off fine. The grey skies had cleared and the sun was shining through the thin curtains. Andrea had slept well all night long, except that just after 3 a.m. she was awakened by the young girls in the next room who giggled as they came stumbling up the stairs in the small inn. The wooden floorboards creaked; there was a thud as one of them dropped something, followed by stifled laughter. In addition to film showings, discussions and lectures about the master director, the Bergman festival included a lot of late-night partying.
    She had fallen asleep quickly, only to be awakened this morning by Sam’s snoring. He lay in bed with his mouth open, sound asleep. With every inhalation, a gurgling sound issued from deep in his throat and then rose up to his mouth, where it was transformed into a low growl before