The Last Express (1997 Video Game)

Karl-Heinz Teuber: August Schmidt

Quotes 

• August Schmidt : [Cath is preparing to detach the Restaurant Car from the sleeping carriages]  Now I see. You think you can hijack this train and get my merchandise with paying for it?

  Robert Cath : [occurs if you don't read August's letter to Baron Unruh]  Goodbye, August.

  Robert Cath : [if you do...]  August, let me tell you something: Faulein Wolff is a spy. Your friends back in Germany said you'd have to get caught smuggling arms.

  August Schmidt : Fraulein Wolff, a spy? And me, August Schmidt, betrayed? This can not be!

  August Schmidt : [as the cars slowly pull apart]  Tyler Whitney! We will meet again!

  Robert Cath : Oh and there's just one more thing: My name isn't Whitney, it's Cath. Robert Cath.

  August Schmidt : [checking his right ear]  WHAT?

  Robert Cath : MY NAME IS ROBERT CATH!

• Anna Wolff : And you were with an English woman. Was she your wife?

  August Schmidt : Um, yes, um. That is, eh... Ah, Miss Wolf, may I present my colleague from America, Mr. Tyler Whitney. Herr Whitney, Miss Anna Wolf.

  Anna Wolff : I - I'm sorry, I didn't catch the name.

  Robert Cath : Tyler Whitney, have we met before?

  Anna Wolff : I seem to remember hearing of a Mr. Whitney years ago in New York. You were trying to raise money to start a revolution in Cuba, isn't that right?

  Robert Cath : Mexico. And it wasn't me. It must've been some place else that we've met.

  August Schmidt : Herr Whitney is well known as a champion of freedom and justice in countries other than his own. But please don't let us interrupt your dinner.

  Anna Wolff : Not at all. You're both very kind. One does get so bored on these long journeys. Good evening.

  August Schmidt : [In the smoking salon]  A beautiful woman.

  Robert Cath : Is she?

  August Schmidt : And a brilliant performer. To look at her, you would never think she was Jewish. Until Munich, sir!

• Kronos : [In the smoking room, Tatiana, Alexei, Abbot and Cath turn their heads in silence to the arrival of Prince Kronos and Kahina who meets Anna Wolff and August Schmidt]  Fraulein Wolff, it is a privilege to meet so talented artist. My name is Kronos.

  Anna Wolff : Your Excellency, you do me a great honor.

  Kronos : [sniff's Anna's left hand and sits down at her table]  My car is equipped with a piano. I wonder if you would do me the favor of joining me in a duet. It will help pass the time on this rather long journey.

  August Schmidt : What a splendid idea!

  Anna Wolff : Shall we say... three o'clock?

  Kronos : I shall count the minutes until then.

  Kronos : [leaves]  Good day.

• August Schmidt : [meeting Robert Cath for the very first time in the Restaurant Car]  Ah, Herr Whitney, you are different then I'd imagined.

  Robert Cath : Sorry to keep you waiting, I ran across an old friend.

  August Schmidt : One does have the most unexpected encounters on trains. Shall we get down to business? Have you brought the gold...? First you kept me waiting, now you don't answer me! I have fulfilled my half of the bargain, if something has gone wrong, I would like to know it.

  Robert Cath : Nothing has gone wrong.

  August Schmidt : I'm glad. I trust you will mind if I ask to see the gold?

  Robert Cath : I trust you won't mind either I ask to see what I'm buying.

  August Schmidt : To see it? But you know that is impossible. The merchandise will be put on the train at Munich, it is what we agreed!

  Robert Cath : Good then we're even. Herr Schmidt, it's been a pleasure. We'll talk again after Munich.

  [leaves the table] 

• George Abbot : [in the salon]  Excuse me, I couldn't help noticing you are by yourself. Mind if I join you?

  August Schmidt : Please.

  George Abbot : Normally, one doesn't go about introducing oneself to complete strangers, but we lone travelers are a sort of fellowship, aren't we? George Abbot, Empire Chemicals.

  August Schmidt : My name is August Schmidt.

  George Abbot : Not the August Schmidt? The rising young industrialist? A. B. Schmidt and Co, munitions, transport, artillery? One of the stars of the new German industry? Ha, ha. I must say, I'm very pleased to meet you.

  August Schmidt : You embarrass me, sir. It is true we do quite a bit of business in England.

  George Abbot : Yes, wasn't it your firm that just shipped I-I believe it was forty thousand rifles and a million cartridges into Ulster?

  August Schmidt : No, that was not us.

  George Abbot : Oh well, I must be thinking of a different German firm. One of your competitors perhaps. Whoever it is, they must be feeling rather disappointed. It doesn't look like we're in for a civil war after all. Not this week anyway.

  August Schmidt : All these troubles in Ireland, it is unfortunate.

  George Abbot : Yes, yes, it's awful. But really sir, I must congratulate you. The recent industrial growth in Germany, most impressive.

  August Schmidt : Really?

  George Abbot : Oh, yes. Our English businessmen could stand to learn a few things from, uh, entrepreneurs like yourself. All this political posturing aside, I really feel we're witnessing the birth of a new Europe, where business is the true international language. And the Orient Express... really quite remarkable if you stop to think about it. Here we are, we've just crossed from Germany into Austria and not so much as a customs check to let you know we've crossed the border. Now that's the new Europe. Another year or two and frontiers will be a mere formality, a relic of the past. We'll be able to travel from England to Germany as easily as going from one end of London to the other.

  [chuckles] 

  August Schmidt : You would not believe sometime the troubles I sometimes have to explain to people. I have to keep up with what is happening abroad. To act quickly when the opportunity presents.

  George Abbot : Oh, I assure you half the time home office thinks I'm just travelling on a lark. Old-fashioned attitude of course.

  August Schmidt : Yes, still I do find myself sometimes quite tired in the evening. Mein Vater... my father had a small factory, he never left his little town. He was perhaps not much of a business man, but in the end of the day he would sleep in his own bed and he would be at peace. I sometimes wonder if we have really gained so much.

  George Abbot : I couldn't help noticing you with Miss Wolf at lunch. You made quite a striking pair. May I ask if you've known her long?

  August Schmidt : Long? He, he... Well, you know, I am a great admirer of her music. Ha, ha, ha.

  George Abbot : Aren't we all. But you seem to have a special connection with her. Am I wrong? Come on! You can speak freely, we're all gentlemen here.

  August Schmidt : In-in that case, I will admit that travelling has its compensations.

  George Abbot : [they laugh]  You can trust me, I won't breathe a word. The souls of discretion. By the way, what do you make of this Austrian-Hungarian ultimatum? It looks like a rather nasty business.

  August Schmidt : The note is harsh, but I believe necessary. These Balkan regions have always needed a strong hand to bring stability.

  George Abbot : Stability, yes. That's just where we must stand together. Of course we all have our little differences, but I can't help feeling that on some fundamental level the goals of England and Germany are not so very far apart.

  August Schmidt : I'm glad to hear you say it.

  George Abbot : But do tell me, I'd be quite fascinated to know: How did you begin your career?

• Robert Cath : [In the smoking salon before Vienna]  Mind if I join you?

  August Schmidt : Of course. Cigar? The best Havana!

  Robert Cath : No thanks.

  August Schmidt : Americans don't know how to have pleasure. How can there be a life of the spirit if the body is not fed?

  Robert Cath : How's Fraulein Wolff?

  August Schmidt : I shall dine with her this evening.

  Robert Cath : Tell me, August, how did a spiritual person like yourself end up as a munitions maker?

  August Schmidt : You would find that quite difficult to understand. Unlike you, Herr Whitney, I am not motivated only by gold. I am always thinking of the higher interest of my fatherland.

  Robert Cath : Where does the fatherland's interest lie in arming a band of Serbian terrorists?

  August Schmidt : Terrorists? You surprise me. I had thought you would at least keep up the pretense of sympathy with the group that is paying you.

  Robert Cath : I never said I wasn't sympathetic. I said they were terrorists. And you haven't answered my question. The last time I looked at a newspaper Serbia was allied to Russia and France.

  August Schmidt : Your question is not a bad one. I leave it to you to find the answer.

• August Schmidt : [plays if Cath shows August the Firebird egg]  Have you brought the gold?

  Robert Cath : I brought this.

  August Schmidt : What is this?

  Robert Cath : Something more precious than gold.

  August Schmidt : Herr Whitney, I am not a Jewish pawnbroker! Our terms of payment were precise! If you cannot fulfill them, I shall consider our agreement broken and your reputation greatly overrated. Good day!

• August Schmidt : [in the Restaurant Car]  Ah, Miss Wolff. Let me help you.

  Anna Wolff : Oh, thank you.

  August Schmidt : Are you comfortable? Yes, I am so glad. Everybody wanted to sit in your seat. I have been like a soldier fighting them away. I would not let anybody sit here. Ha ha ha. What shall we order... hmm. Shall we get some wine?

  Anna Wolff : That would be lovely.

  August Schmidt : I think good red wine, yes? Forgive me, perhaps you would like something lighter?

  Anna Wolff : My father drank red wine and I'm afraid I picked up the habit. I know it's not very "ladylike".

  August Schmidt : Nonsense.

  [laughs] 

  August Schmidt : We will be able to share a bottle. I hope I will not get drunk!

  Anna Wolff : [laughs]  Why?

  August Schmidt : I'm turning into a happy little devil, especially when I'm surrounded by a beautiful lady.

  Anna Wolff : You're a charmer.

  Anna Wolff : [later]  and Also you know I can carry my violin anywhere I go.

  August Schmidt : With a piano it's a little bit more difficult.

  Anna Wolff : [in German]  But Herr Schmidt, I really am interested in what you do.

  [in English] 

  Anna Wolff : What is your business anyway? You make it sound so mysterious.

  August Schmidt : I'm afraid you would find it very boring. But without going into detail... I will say that my work here is not only commerce and that in my own small way I am doing my part for the fatherland.

  August Schmidt : [later]  I have drunk too much wine, I am a little bit dizzy.

  August Schmidt : [they laugh]  But you-you also have drunk, Fraulein Wolff... I'm impressed.

  Anna Wolff : I know I don't show it.

  August Schmidt : Shall we have our coffee in the smoking car?

  Anna Wolff : That would be lovely.

• Anna Wolff : [in the smoking parlor]  Is it very tiresome, your business in Vienna?

  August Schmidt : Oh well, you know, you always hope that a man will keep his word. When he does not, one hates to lose a good bit of business, but...

  August Schmidt : [in German]  ... one has no choice.

  Anna Wolff : [in German]  Then your deal isn't happening? It's been called off?

  August Schmidt : I too studied music in my youth. If I may say so, I was not without promise. Alas! Life had other plans for me.

  Anna Wolff : We are none of us free to choose our own destiny, Herr Schmidt.

  August Schmidt : Ah, but when you play, Madame, you make us all feel that we ARE free and that we can fly, with wings!

• Anna Wolff : Oh, I'd better get ready for the concert.

  August Schmidt : I will be in the front row.

  Anna Wolff : You're very kind Herr Schmidt.

  August Schmidt : Please, call me August.