The Only Woman in the Room

Six months later, Hedy has an escape plan. She waits until Fritz leaves for a business trip and then invites Ferdinand Starhemberg for tea, “a man known for his vapidity and lack of foresight” (119). She wears her most form-fitting dressing gown and takes pleasure in his stunned look when he walks in. After offering him schnapps instead of tea, she confesses her love for Ferdinand and kisses him, despite finding him “repugnant” (123). She pulls away and begs him to take her to her friend’s house in Budapest where they can be safely alone. Enamored and lustful, Ferdinand agrees. They take the first-class train to Budapest, but when the train arrives, Fritz is waiting on the platform. After Ferdinand flees wordlessly, Fritz slaps Hedy, pushes her into the back of the car, and rapes her. 

Hedy spends the next six months invisible to her house guests, who still only perceive her as “Fritz’s vapid wife” (127). This, though, allows her to overhear military plans. To Fritz, she is only more visible. His desire undiminished, he “asserted dominion” (127) over her body every night. One night in July of 1937, Fritz tells Hedy that she will not need to attend that evening’s dinner party.