"I'm Marie-Carmen." "I'm from Toledo," "Spain." "I'm Amparito, from Salamanca." "I'm Marie-Isabel from Segovia." "I like doing housework, ironing..." "I can clean silverware, but I don't enjoy it." "Sure I know how to work," "I adore kids." "I love them!" "Little kids, little girls, little everythings..." "I make great paella, potato and mushroom tortillas." "And croquettes, salmondigas and Spanish omelets, gazpacho..." "French cuisine," "I don't like." "The Women on the 6th Floor" "Hello." "What's going on?" "I'm in a rush, got work to do!" "It's all stopped up." "Thanks." "Germaine, I said boiled eggs take 31/2 minutes!" "Not 10, or 5, or 4..." "Don't bore me with your egg!" "What's it now?" "It's Madame..." "She wants to move Madame's room!" "You realize?" "My mother died 6 months ago, the mournings over." "Not for me." "For me, Madame's still here." "Madame Suzanne hated your mother." "She was very fond of her." "The day after she died she said..." "Shall I tell you?" "Please, don't." "Let me listen to the news." "Hi, Mrs Triboulet." "Mr Joubert, it can't go on." " What is it?" " The Spaniards!" "They partied all night again!" "They shouted and sang!" "I didn't sleep a wink." " Tell the building manager!" " I will, Mrs. Triboulet." " Bye, Madame Triboulet." " Bye, Mr Joubert." "Hi, Maria!" "Auntie!" "At last!" "Such a beauty!" "Great to see you!" "Look, hand it to me..." "The brown one." "Your bag weighs a ton." "Auntie, this is Pilar." " Hi." " Delighted." "We traveled together." "My pal lost a fortune in Algerian oil." "You're mistaken, Mr Pelletier." "You have Aquitaine oil and you're up 100,000 francs." "Old francs?" "No, 100,000 new francs." "I've lost my glasses..." "Mr Pelletier, be right with you." "We'll go to my office." "The stock market baffles me." "How it moves..." "My dad said:" "It's just a market." "But it sells stocks, not veggies." "Come along." "It's a fine house." "Where you off to?" "Hi, Madame Triboulet..." "My niece, Maria." "Just got here." "The elevator's not for you!" "Mrs Triboulet, we have heavy bags." "Elevator's for the owners." "Use the backstairs." "OK." "Let's go, kid." ""Use the backstairs!"" "We'll see about that!" "These hatboxes take up all the room!" " They were for Madame's hats!" " She's in the graveyard!" "You're just in time!" " What is it?" " Germaine!" "She won't empty your mom's room." "Your mom bullied me, I couldn't change a curtain, or a napkin ring!" "You repapered our bedroom." "Now it's my home!" "Germaine must understand!" " I'll talk to her." " Yes, do." "Germaine..." "What's going on?" "Such ingratitude!" "To do that to a mother who adored you." "She never liked anyone, you know that." "Madame Suzanne's meanness killed her!" "You're insane!" "She murdered her!" "You hear her?" "You don't mean that." "Yes, I do!" "Then get out!" "Really, Suzanne!" "What's with you both?" "You're paid to obey!" "I do!" "I wasted my life for thankless people." "Thankless..." "You're a bad mother." "I raised your kids!" "You sent them to boarding-school!" "Don't overdo it, Germaine!" "I slaved years for you Jouberts." "Madame dies, and you fire me!" "No, I'll quit on you!" "So long, folks!" "Maybe it's too old," "I can't make it shine." "I know a trick." "Use toothpaste, spread it well, and rub." "Tooth paste!" "Yes." "I had no idea..." "It's perfect." "Auntie!" "The Frenchwoman's crying." "Let's go see." "What's wrong with her?" "What's going on?" "They kicked me out! "Scram!"" "Don't be sad." "We forget bosses fast." "You'll find a new family." "I don't want one!" "Back in Brittany..." "I have no one there now!" "Maids get hired and fired." "Try this, it's Malaga wine, warms you up." "Who are you?" "She's Maria, my niece." "I got here today." "And know French?" "From the nun's school in Burgos." "We maids must get unionized." "We must unite against the bosses." "Don't listen, she's a Communist!" "Your praying won't help us!" "Shut up!" "I won't." "Religious nuts like you prevent change." "So go to Russia!" "Enough, you two!" "Another shot?" "It's not bad..." "To Spain!" "Hi there!" "It's Germaine Le Bronnec." "I'm going home!" "Be of good cheer!" "Germaine Le Bronnec!" "Darling, I've no shirts left." "They're all dirty!" "How'll I go to the office?" "Wear a sweater!" "A sweater?" "Jean-Louis is going crazy." "We're like castaways!" "Still no news from Brittany." "Brittany maids are over." "They're out!" "We have Spanish maids how." "Right, Colette?" "My Dolores is a pearl." "You even forget she's Spanish." "She's so clean, even works on Sundays." "No French maid gives up her Sunday!" "Not a chance!" "My Dolores insists on one thing... going to Mass... at 6AM." "If that's all..." "A Spanish maid, why not?" "It's simple, their HQ is nearby at the Spanish church." "Go there and pick one." "Some speak no French, others get by." "Many learnt French in convents." "If I were you, I'd avoid city girls..." "Hello, miss." "I'm Mr Joubert, Madame's husband." "My wife spoke of you, Maria, fresh from Spain and here on a try-out?" "If you want to stay here," "I'm a stickler for one thing:" "Boiled eggs." "I'm fussy about that, got it from my dad." "An egg that's too soft or too hard ruins my day." "You understand?" "I think you don't get what I'm saying." "If the egg is perfect, my day is made." "In Spain, we have superstitions, too." "No, it's not a superstition." "It's more like..." "How can I put it..." "It's not a superstition." "NOT at all!" "31/2 minutes." "Hello." "Got the Figaro?" "In the kitchen closet, we store tablecloths, napkins..." "On top, the linen, as it's delicate." "Undersheets aren't mattress covers!" "This is the Limoges china..." "Don't confuse the plain glasses, with the Baccarats!" "Answer the phone, write down the caller's name and number." "Yes, Mrs Joubert." "Call me "Madame"!" "My husband is "Sir"." "And the kids," "Master Bertrand and Master Olivier." "They'll be home in a few weeks." "Get cracking!" "Let's sum up:" "We've dealt with laundry and other chores." "The ironing is urgent:" "We're way behind." "I left you a full list, right?" "Yes, Madame." "Easy on the bleach!" "Or it'll stink like a hospital!" "Got that?" " Yes, Madame." " Fine, Maria." "See you later, thanks!" "Auntie!" "Open up!" "Help me!" "This house is a mess!" "No, I've got too much work." "It's my first day, I can't goof." "OK, but let me enlist some others..." "Dolores!" "What?" "Maria needs help!" "Carmen!" "Let's go down to Maria's floor, she needs help." " OK!" " Teresa!" " What?" " Come help Maria." " Now?" " We're coming, don't worry." "You about through?" "Cut out the noise!" "Yes, Mrs Triboulet." "Thanks, everyone!" "Go down the corridor." "Help me with the dishes." "Auntie, the laundry!" "She was afraid to come out of the locker" "She was as nervous as she could be" "She was afraid to come out of the locker" "She was afraid that someone would see..." "Two, three, four..." "Tell the people what she wore!" "It was an Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie," "Yellow polka dot bikini" "That she wore for the first time today" "Good evening, Madame." "You're a whiz at housework!" "You're hired." "Thanks, Madame." "Monsieur decides your salary." "I had an ex-haus-ting day!" "Run me a bath, Maria?" "Of course, Madame." "Any calls or visits?" "No, Madame." "Who sent me those flowers?" " Hello, Maria." " Hello, sir." "Madame wants to hire you." "All work deserves a salary..." "Germaine got 250 francs... 400 francs!" "400?" "You're mad!" "250 is generous for someone without references." "400 francs." "You realize how much it is?" "400 francs." "You're stubborn." "I'm known as a tough negotiator." "Go to the kitchen, I'll think it over." "OK, Maria, you'll get 400 francs." "Officially, I'll pay you 250." "The rest, not a word to Madame." "See, where there's will there's a way." " See you later, Maria." " Yes." "Maria, when I say that, answer "See you later, sir."" "If you want." "No, it's not what I want, it's what's done." "Very well." "See you later, sir." ""See you later, sir."" "You got 400 francs!" " 400." " Just like that." "Hear that, Carmen?" "Her boss is paying her 400 francs." "Pretty good!" "You're clever." "I asked, and he said yes, that's all." "How long has the red mullet been here?" " Came today!" " No, I don't like its eyes!" "I'll have some sardines." "5 kilos of potatoes!" "What?" "Thanks." "No touching!" "Sorry." "Potatoes!" "My God, it's the big day!" "I'm so excited!" "Very honored." "My office manager, Mr Piquer." "We'll be handling Madame de Brossolette's estate." "Delighted." "Please follow me to my office." "I feel I know you." "Hubert spoke often of you." "Hubert left us too soon..." "Indeed." "We'll create a portfolio of stocks and bonds." "What do you mean bonds?" "I despise anything binding!" "A bond's the reverse of a stock." "A stock is a fragment of..." "A friend tripled her portfolio in a year!" "Stop!" "If you want to speculate, you're in the wrong place." "That's short term:" "Buy today, sell tomorrow." "I'm interested in the long term." "Me, too." "I like things that last." "The linen stays here." "I'll deal with the screen." "There." "We'll manage." "You're moving the Chinese screen?" " It's no use in an office." " An office?" "This will be one." "I've got an office." "It's for me, not you." "For you?" "Yes, for my correspondence, my thoughts." "I want to jot down all my ideas." "Help Maria take all this to the 6th, I'm bushed!" "Here's the key, won't take a minute." "Come with me, Maria." "It's been years since I was up there." "I know this building well:" "I was born here." "Like my parents and grandparents." "The brokerage firm was founded by my grandfather in 1912." "I'm like a farmer who's attached to his village steeple." "My father went to England once." "The crossing made him seasick, coming back, it was worse." "In my family, we never travel far." "Summers we're at our beach house." "Winters, the kids go skiing in the Alps with their mom," "I stay in Paris." "I've spent my whole life in this building." "I left my village when I was 16." "To go off and study?" "No, to the city to work for a family." "Then to work in a factory in Burgos." "A factory?" "A tobacco factory." "We worked 15 hours a day, slept there in a dormitory, with noisy machines running all night." "Here at least, I have a room to myself." "May I see your room?" "No, it's untidy." "Please show it to me." "Where's the wash basin?" "There is none!" "How do you wash?" "We fill a bowl with water and take it to the room." "Cold water?" "Why's he here?" "To store some things." "Good evening." "Good evening, sir." "I'm Dolores, Dolores Carvaillal." "I work for Mrs Bergeret, a friend of your wife's." "Sure!" "My wife plays bridge with her." "I'm Concepcion Garcia, Maria's aunt." "We're delighted with her." "Keep an eye on her!" "Teresa Lopez, of the 5th floor." "Good evening, Miss." "Your name, dear Madame?" "No." "I'm not your dear Madame." "You don't care about us." "You came to snoop around, then return to your fine apartment." "Don't listen to her!" "Let me talk." "You accept it all, I don't!" "Come, sir, I'll show you something." "I see." "We get used to it." "It's no big deal!" "When I need to, I go below, to the toilets in the yard." "Me, too." "Even at night." "Well, I'm so glad we met." "I'm sorry." "Jean-Louis!" "Evening, ma'am." "I came for your toilets." "Plugged up, I hear." "That's news to me." "A cesspool, your husband said." "Please come in." "Good evening, Mr Boulard." "Thanks for coming so fast." "What's with our toilets?" "I'll explain." "Please come with me." "Where to?" "Don't worry, come along." "This way, Mr Boulard." "Hello, sir." "Don't dump things in 'em!" "No, they're just for dumping shit!" "I'm too busy for this!" "I said on the phone, I'd pay you double." "Do your job." "Go on." "Glory be to God!" "Hello, Mr Joubert." "Hello, ladies." "He fixed our toilets." "Hello, Mr Joubert!" "Hello." "And have a good day!" "I don't know why, I'm exhausted!" "I run around all day." "Soon we're off on vacation!" "But sometimes that's worse." "Dear Maria, I really appreciate you." "And you're amazingly clean." "Thanks, Madame." "My husband says you can't wash up there." "We do, Madame." "You can shower in the boys' bathroom." "Thanks, Madame." "You're welcome." "I say!" "Antoine de Montgolfier's getting married!" "What time is it?" "10 AM, Madame." "I'm horribly late for my dressmaker." "Dear Maria, do you have a fiancé?" "You can tell me." "I once did love a man..." "And you never told him!" "Men don't know what they want." "By the time they ask, you're an old maid." "Monsieur didn't want marriage!" "He hesitated, wasn't sure..." "I was a country girl," "I held out and he married me!" "Once you've got a man, never let go of him." "If a man doesn't want me, that's his loss." "Really..." "The strike is over, and the Dunkerque plant's output is up 2()'% ." "Time to buy Usinor Steel." "Usinor, yes." "Mr Piquer, where do you go on holiday?" "To Spain." "I thought so." "Where exactly?" "The Costa Brava." "But what village?" " Palafrugell." " Palafrugell..." "You've mixed with Spaniards?" "A bit, but we French stick together." "Of course." "Is Palafrugell on the coast?" "It's inland, the sea's in the distance." "It's gorgeous." "Little streets with fountains." "Chatillon goes to Deauville." "Bettina takes him to the Casino, he loses it all at the tables." "Still, he bought her an apartment in Cannes." "Who?" "Bettina de Brossolette!" "You don't know her?" "Men are mad for her, she's the new heartthrob." "I said there's no mail for you!" " 3 weeks, no news from my sister!" " Who cares?" "If I ever find those letters you're in trouble!" "What's going on here?" "She says I swipe her mail!" "My sister just had a baby." "Mrs Triboulet doesn't give us our letters, so I don't know how is the baby!" "My sister said she'd write every week." "She swore it." "Know what she did to Maxime de Montbrial?" "She grabbed his Degas, and dumped him overnight!" "Thanks, Maria." "Come, Dolores." "We'll call her." "Miss, put me through to Spain, please." "Name of your village?" " Ponte Vedra." " Ponte Vedra, yes." "562712." "Thanks a lot." "You can speak now." "Hi, José, it's Dolores." "How's my sister?" "She had a girl." "A girl!" "How is she doing?" "How heavy?" "4 kilos!" "Big kiss, and tell her to write." "I'll send her a gift." "Tell her I love her." "Bye!" "Thanks, Mr Joubert." "Thanks so much." "You're a saint." "I'm so happy!" "Thanks, Mr Jean-Louis." "God bless you." "Hi, Carmen." "For urgent phone calls you can come here." "A phone call?" "Like, to your family." "My whole family is dead." "I'm so sorry." "Heard of the Spanish civil war?" "Sure, who hasn't'?" "My father and my mother were murdered." "Franco's men slit their throats in front of me." "Then, they dragged the bodies through the streets." "That was the Spanish civil war." "Good night, sir." "Good night." "They live in tiny rooms, no heating or running water." "It was their choice." "They're up at 6 AM, work all day, get back at 11 PM, dead-tired and don't complain, they're happy." "You never worry about anybody, suddenly you care about Spanish maids!" "They live above us, and we know nothing about them." "You care for those Spanish women, but not about what I did!" "Is today Wednesday?" "At 11 AM you had your feet done, then to the dressmaker's, lunch with Marie-France, at 4 PM to Carette's to buy cakes, then off to play bridge with Colette and Nicole." "Bastard!" "I'll tell your father!" "Who are you?" "I'm Maria." "The new maid." "What's all this?" "Where's Germaine?" "You could say hello, kids!" "Germaine left us." "Sure!" "I bet you fired her!" "That's vile!" "You exploited her for 20 years, then kick her out." "First, we didn't "exploit" her, and she decided to leave." "And who's that one?" ""That one" is Maria." "She's Spanish." "No kidding?" "You hired a Spaniard?" "Absolutely." "And be nice to her!" "For breakfast, we want pâté, salami." " And pancakes." " Right, pancakes." "For our snack, champagne and cakes." "Iron the washing by tomorrow." "Got that?" "She didn't." "Pour me milk, girl." "Pour it yourself!" "I know about rich brats, they don't scare me." "Don't call me girl, and say please." "Tomorrow's Sunday, we sleep late." "Sunday, I go to Mass." "You go to Mass?" "In a way, Germaine was our Mom." "We'll even miss her lousy soups!" "She never said goodbye!" "Gone for good!" "And I never saw her bare-assed!" "Let us pray." "Now we'll pray in silence." "Buy The Daily Worker!" "The paper that fights exploiters!" "It's a disgrace for Spain and all Spaniards!" "I won't force you to become a stockbroker." "I'd rather die!" "Won't follow Dad?" "My French teacher says only manual labor is worthy." "Yet he doesn't work with his hands!" "To him, you're profiteers who milk the system." "Your dad's DO profiteer!" "Who's this French teacher?" "I'll tell Father Basile!" "He says De Gaulle's a degenerate, who betrayed France, lost Algeria..." "Absolutely!" "A dictator, a tyrant!" "If De Gaulle's a tyrant, what's Franco?" "Screw Franco!" "What about the 100,000 executed during the Spanish civil war?" "I can't follow you anymore." "The point is, Bertrand must take over the business." "I'll be a gynecologist." "A gynecologist?" "That's disgusting!" "Sticking your head between women's legs all day?" "Buenos dias, Maria." "Buenos dies, senior." "You want to learn Spanish?" "I like ham..." "Me gusta el jamon." "NO..." ""jamon"." "With a hard "j"." " Jamon." " With a hard" "With a hard "j"." "NO..." "La jota..." "Comes from here." "Say with me..." "Juego." "El juego." "El joven." "No." "El jardin..." "El jueves." "El jamon!" "El jamon." "Very good." "Very good, Mr Joubert." "Are you happy in this house?" "You care, sir?" "Sure." "I must know if you're happy." "Then, yes." "The most important thing between us is trust." "Germaine stayed in this house 25 years, she confided in me." "She was almost family." "Really?" "Where she is now?" "I don't know." "And you say she was family!" "Afternoons, she hangs out with boys in the street, but tells her husband she visited the poor." "Hi, Maria." " Who were you talking about?" " The bosses." "My boss comes out of the bathroom with his robe open," "I mean really open." "So anyone can see his privates!" "He might jump on you!" "Very interesting." "Talk to you later." "Hello?" "Mrs Joubert's out!" "Can I take a message?" "Who is this?" "General De Gaulle?" "Maria, it's not General De Gaulle." "Don't believe all you're told on the phone." "You scared me!" "What are you doing, Maria?" "The silverware." "That's real fun." "What product do you use?" ""Gleamo."" ""Gleamo"..." "Any message?" "Tell Madame I'll meet her at home." "See you later, Maria!" "Goodbye, sir." "To be on time we must leave now." "The theater is close by." "How long is the play?" " Only 2 hours." " Very long!" "Is this Ionesco so funny?" "A genius, they say." "Madame de Brossolette dropped by the office unannounced." "I said you weren't in to get rid of her." "Bettina de Brossolette?" "In person!" "A huge portfolio, several million francs!" "You never said she gave you her portfolio." "I didn't think it'd interest you." "She's a man-eater, fleeces married men, ruins them." "She leaves me cold." "What's Maria up to?" "I'll go get her." "What's going on?" "We're due at the theater." "Sorry, sir." "Be right there." "What happened to you?" "Her husband beats her, takes her money." "Let's call the police." "No, not the police." "Don't do anything, sir." "You're kind!" "Thanks." "Tonight, I'll take her in my room." "We'll manage." "Don't go back to your husband, OK?" "They need me!" "Sorry, sir." "We're off to the theater." "Enjoy, sir." "You too, Maria." ""Losses have been made up by gains, so in spite of the downturn, we're showing a positive balance." "I'll let Mr Joubert conclude..." "Mr Blamond, are you the owner of some buildings on rue Raynouard?" "Yes, on the corner of rue Colignon." "Could you help a friend with a big problem?" "With pleasure!" "I heard of a vacant janitor's apartment." "My friend Pilar'd love to get it." "Your friend Pilar?" "Yes, Pilar Gonzales." "She must leave our building:" "Her husband beats her." "She needs somewhere to go." "Concepcion says a janitor's place..." "Concepcion is Maria's aunt." "They came by bus from Burgos..." "You're rarely home so early." "Who's in the boys' bathroom?" "Maria." "I let her take a shower." " You don't mind?" " No..." "Not now." "I'm checking Tuesday's guest list." "What's on next Tuesday?" "Really!" "We're giving a party!" "I'm inviting your partners, important customers..." "See if anyone's missing." "What do you mean?" "Listen, Jean-Louis." "What's got into you?" " Remember that hotel in Italy?" " Yes." "On Lake Como." " The Vincenzo." " Yes, the Vincenzo." "It was our honeymoon." "That never should've ended..." "Come along!" " Morning, Maria." " Morning, Madame." "My husband is bedridden this morning." "Slept like a baby, but woke up with an upset stomach." "You called a doctor?" "No time, I have an appointment." "You're not staying with him?" "I'm due at a charity sale." "I can't cancel, I'd look silly." "You pamper him, Maria." " See you later." " See you later, Madame." "Come in." "Morning, sir." "Morning, Maria." "I feel a bit queasy." "Madame and I had oysters at a brasserie." "An oyster can be fatal." "Here." "You have no fever." "I know what you need." "You sick, Mr Jean-Louis?" "A stomach ache?" "His liver's swollen." "No, it's gas." "Look!" "It's his liver, he's yellow." "I tell you it's gas." "No, it's his liver." "My grandpa had gas." "Your grandpa was a drunk!" "We'll cure you." "Maria, the cure!" " Open your mouth!" " No, you're kind." "Open your mouth." "Feeling better?" "Yes." "Much better." "The cure worked very well." "Get back into bed." "What are you doing?" "Nothing." "You want to help me?" "Of course!" " He's a gift from heaven." " Maria hit the jackpot!" "Look, Teresa!" "Hey, Brigitte Bardot, take down the trash!" "Dyed your hair blonde for your soldier boy?" "Think he'll marry you?" "With no wig she was cuter." "You're jealous!" "Thanks." "Here, it's for you." "How old is he?" " I don't know." " I mean him." "Your son." "How old is he?" "Hasn't that been done?" "Put the rug in my mother-in-law's room." "Fine." "Get going!" "Answer the door." "Tell me who it is." "I'm busy." "Who is it, Maria?" "Come in." "Hello." "Thanks." "The flowers!" "Get a vase..." "Thanks." "Wait, don't move, don't leave." "There." "Thanks a lot." " Madame Joubert?" " Who are you?" "Rodolphe sent me." "I'm Gérard." "Rodolphe can't come?" "Countess de Morlaix needs him." "He said to replace him here." "He could have warned me!" "Don't worry, I Know my job." "It's a disaster, I'm way behind." "Go to the pantry, take over." "Hi, I'm Gérard." "Your first names?" "I'm Maria." "I'm Dolores." "Spanish?" "Good, I love Spain!" "Wanna watch me bullfight?" "Excuse me." "Goimard!" " How are you?" " Just fine." "My respects." "Champagne, Maria?" "Whisky?" "When did we meet?" "Along time ago." "Too long." "Met him again at the club, 15 years ago." "Same guy!" "Like you." "I made him my broker in a jiffy!" "Best to get stung by a pal!" "You're rough." "Know my friend Goimard?" "Your boarding-school pal." "Absolutely." "How's Marie-Françoise?" "Pleased with Maria?" "Definitely, Nicole." "My maid's touchy, everything miffs her!" "Spaniards aren't touchy, they're proud, that's different." "Proud, fearless..." "Fearless?" "What's fearless about using a floor-mop?" "Try it, Nicole!" "Madame de Brossolette, delighted..." "Stop calling me Madame, it's such a bore." "I'm nuts about Spain." "Chorizo, paella, taboulé." " Taboulé isn't Spanish!" " What?" "Taboulé isn't Spanish!" " Taboulé's not Spanish?" " No." "But Flamenco is!" "Who's that talking to Jean-Louis?" "Bettina de Brossolette." "That's her?" "Sure is." "Here she is..." "Madame de Brossolette, Suzanne, my wife." "Delighted." "Jean-Louis invests brilliantly for me." "He explained it all, but now I've forgotten!" "Stocks, bonds..." "I'm like you, I find it all very complex." "I trust him implicitly." "Whatever happens, he'll protect me." "Yes, he's very protective." " Right?" " Very." "I live far, in the burbs." "And you?" "In the building." "On the 6th with the others?" "Yes." "What room number?" "My room's... number 4." "4!" "My lucky number!" "Maria, cut it out." "Don't listen to her, 4 is my room." "Very cute, gave me her girlfriends room!" "Aren't you bored?" "Alone in your little bed?" "You about through?" "Just kidding." "You know all men need a mommy!" "But I don't want to generalize," "I've only been married 3 times!" "Excuse me." "Listen, Maria, it's for your own good." "I mean no harm." "You're needed in the drawing-room, Gerard." "Certainly, sir." "What do you think of steel today?" "Usinor's going up." "Time to buy?" " Where's that guy?" " Dumping the trash." "Madame wants you." "You can leave now." "I've cleaning to do." "Scram!" "You get it?" "I got it." "She's off limits!" "Hello, sir." "You got here so late." "Madame said I could this morning." "The apartment's a mess." "Because of the party." "Don't mention the party!" "My work wasn't good?" "You know what I mean!" "Think you'll get away with it, because I..." "I warn you, next time you're out!" "What did I do?" "What did you do?" "You're lucky Madame's so fond of you." " Or else..." " In fact, you're just a boss like the others." "Worse than they are!" "Go away." "Get out of my sight!" "He's for Napoleon, she's a royalist." "She's Protestant, he's Catholic..." "He flaunted Bettina in your house!" "For all Paris to see!" "Suzanne, you don't deserve that!" "Think so?" "But Bettina's one of his customers." "He handles her portfolio." "He could've warned you!" "The least he could do, considering her reputation!" "For Jean-Louis, I'm still a country girl." "What he likes are... dazzling Parisian beauties." "Don't say that, you're so delightful." "Anyway..." "Have you seen my cigarettes?" "No." "I left them here." "Hello, Mr Jean-Louis." " You OK?" " Fine." "We're partying at Pilar's place." "Really..." " Join us?" " Yes, do!" "No, thanks." "Don't argue!" "Come along!" "What fun, have a drink!" "Mr Jean-Louis!" "Thanks for this place." "It's so nice." "Come in." "Mr Jean-Louis!" "You're a saint, you'll go to heaven." "You're invited to our party!" "I can't stay." "My wife is waiting for me." "She can come too!" "Madame Joubert is so elegant." "Can I go, Madame?" "Yes, Maria." "Have a nice time." "Good night, Madame." "See you tonight, Bettina" "See, she even got giant gambas!" "He got the place for Pilar." "It's a great place." "Just what I need." "Ask Mr Jean-Louis to help." "Encarnacion paid 1,000 francs to the former janitor for hers." "1,000 francs!" "But it had a shower." "In my house in Spain, I'll have several tubs!" "We've heard that before!" "Does that house even exist?" "Stop it." "Here's proof." "Isn't it?" "Look, Mr Jean-Louis." "It's my husband Fernando." "He's building me a marble bathroom with golden faucets." "I saw them in a store here." "I don't trust tubs, they're dangerous." "In what way?" "Josephine took a bath in her boss's tub, and she got pregnant." "I'd say..." "Josephine... did more than take a bath!" "When I get back to Spain everybody will envy me for my house." "And we'll be bosses." "Sure..." "I'll never go back to Spain." "While that murderer rules, I'll stay here." "Franco won't last forever." "Maria, one day you should make paella at home." "If you wish, sir." "Paella for me." "Good evening!" "This is Mr Armand." "Delighted." "I'm honored, ladies!" "I own the beauty shop near here." "The ritzy one, where the bosses go?" "That very one!" "Stop by, I'll be delighted to do your hair, for half price!" "My head's spinning!" "Good night, Mr Jean-Louis." "I was wrong." "You're not just a boss." "Not in bed?" "No, I waited up for you." " You had dinner?" " Yes, thanks." "You could've warned me." "I'm sorry," "I thought of it, but it went by so fast!" "Sure..." "Where were you?" "You won't believe it." "Go ahead." "You know Pilar, who works for the Dubreuils, on rue Collignon." "No..." "I don't know Pilar." "Doesn't matter." "I got her a place, a stall..." "A stall... at the opera?" "No, for a janitor." "They celebrated it with a little party." "Can't you tell the truth?" "It's true!" "We ate a paella!" "Teresa sang a copia." "Was Bettina there too?" "Bettina?" "Don't deny it, she was there too!" "You're so wrong!" "What's with this Bettina?" "You went to that gallery opening?" "What opening?" "Where were you?" "I dined with the Spanish maids." "Don't talk nonsense!" "Stop it!" "For weeks you've had a smug smile on your face, you strut around!" "I know when something's going on!" "Were you with Bettina?" "Yes or no?" "Yes..." "I was with Bettina." "The humiliation..." "Let's go to bed, I'm exhausted." "No, we're not going to bed." "You must leave this house." "I never want to see you again, get out!" "Go away!" "Hello, ladies." "The hazards of existence force me to leave our family home for what should be a short period." "Fate is capricious, and the female character unpredictable." "I hope to be a discreet and quiet neighbor." "I wish you a good day." "Sorry." "Have a nice day." "It's a nightmare." " You knew it." " No way." "Hi, Mrs Triboulet!" "Please bring up the mail to the 6th floor, room 3." "Slip it under the door." "Good day, Mrs Triboulet!" "Good day." "Don't make my tea, I'm going out." "Listen, Monsieur has left home." "I don't know where he is, and I don't care!" "Take care of his linen." "When the kids are back, he can take them out." "He's unwelcome here." "Very well, Madame." "We don't distrust men enough." "Never forget that." "I have it, Genevieve." "I have it." "Well?" "Isn't this better?" "Hi, Carmen." "Evening." "Hi, Concepcion." "Evening." " How long'll he stay here?" " Don't ask me." "What do you care?" "I don't like having a man up here." "He won't sneak into your room!" "Don't be so sure!" " Hi, Carmen." " Mr Jean-Louis, you're the owner, do as you please." "But we stay in our own corner." "But this is my home." "No, bosses belong with bosses." "Don't mingle with the servants." "Sorry, Carmen." "I'm staying here." "Why?" "It's my first room of my own." "First came boarding school, then the army, then marriage." "I really feel free now." " The 20 I owed you." " Thanks." "Dolores, where's it from?" "Savings I earned with the sweat of my brow." "And you keep it here?" "Yes." "Concepcion, what do you do with your money?" "I send it to my husband for the house." "And the money you don't send?" "I keep it in a shoe-box." "Invest it!" " "Invest it"?" " Well-invested, it earns more!" "What does that mean?" "In the stock market!" "It's simple, I'll explain." "Don't listen." "Capitalists are bandits." "Let him explain." "In the market there are stocks and bonds." "What are stocks?" "Like when you stock up on something?" "In the stock market, it's different." "Let's say, all 5 of you want to buy a restaurant." "Where we serve paella?" "No paella!" "French cuisine!" "You'll need capital, let's say a million francs." "You don't have it, so you issue 10,000 shares." "It's the capital people invest in your restaurant." "Handle it well, Mr Piquer!" "Aquitaine Oil's up 21/2 points." "I don't trust Aquitaine Oil..." "Look, Usinor's up." "That's the one I like." "Hi, Mrs Triboulet." "Thanks for the mail." "Concepcion Ramirez." "Dolores Carvaillal." "Carmen..." "Hi, Mrs Triboulet!" "Any mail for me?" "Yes, sir." " Thanks a lot." " Mr Joubert again." "Yes, Mr Joubert." " There." " That's all." "Have a nice day!" "I'll take the peonies..." "Fine." "And the roses." "In fact, a mixed bouquet." "Very good." "There." "Hello, Mrs Triboulet!" "Hello, Senora Joubert." "Why "Senora"?" "It's because of Mr Joubert." "What about him?" "You don't know?" "He's living up on the 6th, with the Spaniards!" "On the 6th?" "It's common knowledge!" "It's gone on for 2 weeks!" "Have a nice day, Mrs Joubert." "Spanish Without Tears" "Here, Mr Jean-Louis, it's holy water from the Virgin of Lourdes." "You were in Lourdes?" "I went in the grotto, where St Bernadette saw the Virgin." "I closed my eyes, felt her hand on my head." "And she whispered into my ear." "What did she say?" ""In 10 years, you'll have a baby boy." ""He'll be called Javier."" "You can't give birth at 60, Dolores!" "The Virgin Mary performs miracles." "Maybe in the Middle Ages, but not now." "Listen." "Teresa has something to tell you." "The finest day of my life!" "Mr Armand asked me." "What did he ask you?" "To marry him!" "I'm getting married!" "A miracle!" "You'll move out?" "Anyway, I'm through being a maid!" "To work in the beauty shop?" "She'll do shampoos?" "No, handle the cash register!" "At first, I'll stay home and wash the blouses, then I'll iron them, and in the morning I'll moo"