"Good Evening Captain something wrong with you car?"Zeller asks.
"We couldn't get it started" Georg quickly answered.
Zeller snaps his fingers and one of the nazi soldiers walks over"Help the captain start his car. The nazi walks over to Georg gets in the car and it starts immediatly. Georg shrugs his shoulders.The nazi walks over to Zeller and stands next to him.
"I have not asked where you are going and you have not asked why I am here" says Zeller.
"I guess we are both suffering from a lack of curiosity" the Captain says.
"You were sent a telegram from Berlin. They offered you a commision in the Navy. You did not answer it" Zeller inquires.
Georg slams the car door as he walks towards Zeller"I was under the impression that telegrams in Austria are private at least the Austria that I remember." Georg looks over at Maria. She looks into his eyes as if to say be careful. Georg stops and tries to calm down he doesn't want Zeller to think he is challenging him.
"I am here to escort you to Berlin where you will accept your commission" Zeller says.
Georg has to think quickly he looks at Max and has a idea"I am afraid I can't do that as we will be singing in the festival tonight. We were on the way there when the car would not start." Maria looks at him again and she says"We need to go now so that we will not be late."
"You mean to tell me that you Captain will be singing in a festival" seethed Zeller.
Max walks over to Zeller showing him the program.
"It says only the children" questions Zeller.
"It says the Von Trapp family singers and I am the head of the family"Georg quickly answers.
" Herr Zeller this night air is not good for the childrens voices" Maria says.
"Why are you wearing travel clothes?" Zeller asks.
"These are our costumes" Maria says quickly.
Maria and Georg exchange glances once more. Zeller looks at them and says" You can perform tonight it will show that Austria is the same but when you are done you Captain will be taken to Berlin.Maria looks at Georg and he sees the worry in her eyes.
"If you will all get in your car we will escort the family to the festival" says Zeller.As Maria helps the children into the car Georg says"no escort will be necessary."
"We would not want you to get lost in the crowds now would we?" Zeller says as he gets into his car.
Maria goes to get in the car when she looks at Georg. Georg crosses his fingers as if to say don't worry.As they start to drive Georg and Max devise a plan. They will sing three songs the last one being so long farewell at that point they will all go out the side entrance of the theatre. Max will stall long enough for them to get to the abbey where they can borrow a car. They will then drive into Switzerland where Georg has friends to help him.Maria sees the look on Georgs face as he talks to Max. She can tell he is worried about Max. Zeller will surely question Max after he discovers they have escaped. Max assures Georg that he will be fine. Max says he knows people in the government that will help him.The cars in front of them stop. They are at the entrance of the festival area.Max makes sure their car is parked by the side entrance. They all get out of the car just as Zeller walks up.
"Just a reminder Captain, don't try anything funny as we have this building heavily guarded"he says.
Maria and the children go up the steps as the Captain follows. The festival starts as each group performs their numbers. Max tells Georg they are the last group to perform. Max tells Georg something and leaves taking Marias guitar with him.As the last group finishes the family is told they are next. Georg goes first followed by the children with Maria coming last. They lineup in the middle of stage. they sing their first song which is a short version of Do Re Mi. As they sing Georg sees Zeller in the first row he then looks all around the theatre. Zeller was right there are guards everywhere. He looks at Maria and knows that she was looking at the guards also. Georg smiles and nods to her and she smiles back. Maria knows as long as they are together they will be alright. The song finishes and Georg goes to the microphone. He tells the audience he is going away and may not be back. He wants to sing a song about his homeland and tells the audience to keep Austria in their hearts and to never let it die.As he sings the song he fights his emotions.He remembers the first time he sung Edelweiss. He remembers Marias face and how he felt when they looked at each other and he realized he was falling in love with her. The thought of this overwhelmed him and he started to break down. Then he heard her she was coming behind him. She started singing where he had stopped.She took his arm and he started to sing again but this time his children and the audience were singing.The song ended and the audience erupted with applause.