"Shut up!" "THIS MAN MUST DIE" "michel!" "I would have killed a man." "I know neither name, address nor looks" "But I'II find him and kill him." "Were you sick?" "Yes, in a way." "Nothing serious, I hope?" "No..." "not as you mean." "In that hospital, they'd revive a corpse." "My sister's brother-in-Iaw" "I'm living with them works in there as a male nurse." "A tall red head." "Andre DupIessis." "Know him?" "Their Dr. Duverger is A-1 ." "And the food, first-cIass too." "The prices, of course" "You're lucky all the same." "The swine!" "Sorry?" "I meant that signpost." "3 months ago, a kid was killed here." "They could've thought about it before." "Authorities, you know" "There was some mizzIe, as usual." "You hurt your feet, it seems." "You had the curtains cleaned." "Good." "Where's my boat?" "A mast fell down." "old Coudec is repairing it." "Very good." "You've repaired that." "Now listen carefully." "This is very important." "Never speak about "that"." "Not the slightest reference." "You promise?" "If, some day, you have to talk about him" "do it at the present tense," "As if" "I know it's stupid but I prefer it." "Let's drop that." "Did you obey my orders?" "Is his room empty?" "Yes." "I gave everything to my niece's son." "And the toys?" "I couldn't!" "No, I couldn't!" "It may take 6 months, one or two years but I'II find him." "I'II make friends with him" "I'II wait patiently." "When he's trapped, I'II look at him with a smile." "directly in the eye" "And I'II make him deserve his death!" "I've some work to do." "Let no one disturb me." "If the phone rings I'm not here" "I said I had work to do!" "But, sir" "Leave me alone!" "But... it's the police." "gentlemen." "Come in, gentlemen." "please sit down." "Sit down" "Just one moment." " well?" " The investigation is going on." "VainIy, of course?" "We've put ads throughout the region." "To inform everyone" "Every garage in the area has been visited." "The collision surely damaged the car." "We've been inquiring about repairs." "The pump assistants were questioned." "My men went everywhere." "Nothing." "I expected as much." "Might as well look for a needle in a haystack." "In a haystack?" "I wouldn't put it in a haystack." "I'd hide it in a needIe-case." "Meaning?" "The best way to hide a small dent is to cause a bigger one." "What would I do to hide an accident?" "I'd create a second." "I'd drive into a wall, a tree, anything." "It'd cover the first collision." "Yes, we must find out if another accident happened that day." "We took care of that." "The idea isn't new." "There are different possibilities." "Perhaps the car hasn't been damaged which is unlikely." "Or maybe the guy put it in a private garage." "In that case, it's still there" "Or he might have repaired it himself." "If this hypothesis is right does it inform us about the man?" "It does." "If he repaired the car himself it means he's an expert and has the necessary tools." "You straighten a wing with a hammer." "But he must have worked during the night" "Because hammering...at night..." "makes a ruckus" "The noise would've woken the neighbours." "A wing can be removed and then replaced." "Let me go on." "If he replaced himself a wing or a head-Iight he's a good mechanic." "He's likely to work in a garage." "Or" "Perhaps he's the owner of a garage and can use his spare parts without having to tell anyone." "A bit imaginary." "No, no... wait." "My son was crossing from left to right." "He was thrown to the Ieft." "Then the Ieft wing was damaged." "We must find a left front wing!" "May I help you?" "Yes." "I've a little trouble with my car" "Where's your car?" "At my place." "You'd better bring it here, don't you think?" "No, no, it's not much." "I can do it myself." "If you've a front wing." "Oh a wing!" "What kind of car is it?" "A 404." "I've no wings for A 404." "No wings!" "well... if you had some old parts" "I might find what I need." "An old stock of wings?" "We fix them and throw out the junk" "We don't keep them." "I've no wings." "What would we do with them?" "My apologies" "Sorry." "I'd have liked to help you." "It's okay." "Thank you." "I've found it." "Take it, then." "Yes... that's it." "careful with my tools." "But that's completely ruined!" "Less than mine." "I'II put it right." "Didn't you say a left wing?" "Yes" "That's a right wing." "The result is rather disappointing." "Five exhausting weeks for nothing." "Or almost nothing." "Dead ends." "false hopes which leave me desperate." "I realize that my search is limitless." "I'm only a human being tracking another." "My only arm is my patience." "I have all the time." "I have all my Iife." "And all his." "unless chance interferes." "Chance is wonderful." "And it exists." "It's the only thing that exists." "The point of my pen on this paper is like everything in the world a coincidence." "I bet you're stuck." "You're not the first." "Same thing every time it rains." "There's always one to get stuck." "And sometimes, even two or three." "What can we do?" "Do you know anything about cars?" "hell, no!" "I don't either." "Wow...say...well" "Last time, it happened to someone important an actress, a movie star a fine girl." "She was in a sports car." "A Mustang, my son said." "A swell girl!" "The guy with her, he fumed because the front of the car was damaged" "I remember it well." "It was on the 3rd of January." "Yes, the night of January 3rd" "On January 3rd?" "Yes, January 3rd." "What a fine girl!" "And not proud." "She was a bit wiry." "She was crying." "I said: "Don't take it so badly." "Nobody's hurt"" "What was her name?" "That I can't tell you." "I saw her on the telly." "In a programme... that was called" "It was called..." "I forget that too!" "Too bad." "But my son knows all about that." "He knows all the stars." "He knows too many." "Why?" "Are you interested?" "Yes, it's amusing to think that a star." "When are you going home?" "Why don't we go right now ok?" "A glass of wine would cheer you up." "Then I'II pull your car out with my tractor." "Okay, Iet's go." "Say, you're a Parisian?" "Where's Jean-Franois?" "At the dairy." "tell him to come here." "Be careful, it isn't very clean." "Make yourself at home." "Sit down." "I'II go and get my son." "Come this way." "January 3rd." "It'd be a weird coincidence." "I never thought it could be a woman." "But I won't have any scruples with her either." "I can see her." "She drives right into the mud, on purpose to wash away my son's blood." "will you get away!" "tell the lady's name to this gentleman." "helen Lanson." "Don't know her." "You don't know helen Lanson?" "No." "I never go to the movies, and have no t.v." "I'II show you her photo, You've seen her no doubt." "Let's have a drink." "will you join me?" "They don't show enough poetry on the TV." "helen Lanson... yes." "the name of the programme?" ""The Cathari"." "You were right..." "A fine girl." "On the other hand, the guy was rotten." "what a fine car!" "And the man..." "what was his name?" "I don't know." "But he was sure most rude." "He kept giving her hell." "And... how can I say he had a tough gaze." "That's it... a tough gaze." "Her husband, do you think?" "Her husband dare I say, right!" "How do you know?" "She doesn't like the guy, don't know why" "She didn't even see him" "Your health!" "I wonder what you see in that girl." "I've told you." "She's exactly like the girl in my screenplay." "Working for the movies, now?" "Like everybody else?" "Why not?" "It won't keep me from writing whenever I feel like it." "What time does she arrive?" "I don't even know if she'II come." "usually, this is her last call." "Another drink?" "Two scotches." "Yeah." "Poor helen!" "She could be rather good if she had interesting parts." "But she never she was never given her chance?" "She hasn't got any herself." "She's a Jonah." "A... what?" "A Jonah." "Got it?" "Here she comes." "Let's go and dance." "You're late!" "cool isn't it?" "How are you?" "Okay?" "How are you doing?" "The fair helen of Troy!" " Very funny." " It's an old joke." "You're just in time." "You've got a new admirer." "I don't believe you" "well, sit down." "He looks rooted to the spot!" "Have a drink." "His name's Marc, a talented author." "It was not very hard." "The lady isn't shy at all." "And not dumb either." "She's even subtle and amusing." "So far she hasn't made an error." "That's a nice place." "The best restaurant in Paris." "The cooking is fine, isn't it?" "Sometimes, she seems to wonder about my aims." "I let the mystery drag" "I never made the least advance to her." "She must be at a loss." "If she only knew!" "I gave her only my pseudonym" ""Marc Andrieux", my pen-name." "Who would think I'm charles Thenier whose son was killed in Bretane?" "I'm waiting for her." "It's the first time she comes over" "I don't know how I'm going to act." "Not for a second will my resolution weaken." "If she is guilty she will die." "I would prefer" "Come in." "How are you?" "Give that to me." "Go in." "Sit down." "Do you want a drink?" " Yes" " Whiskey?" "Whiskey" "With or without" "Without." "filthy weather, isn't it?" "There's no more spring, summer" "fall, winter." "No more" " If I were God" " Marc!" "What are you getting at?" "What do you mean?" "You take me to restaurants," "Why?" "I think it's very pleasant." "Don't you?" "well, then?" "You talked about a screenplay." "Is there one?" "I'm working on it." "I jot down notes." "I think about it a Iot" "Show them to me." "Yes... of course." "That's too stupid" "They must be" "My secretary must have" " Marc!" " Yes" "Let's be frank." "What do you want of me?" "well..." "Listen" "You're not a little girl, after all." "It's not very" "Hard to...to understand" "Pretend I'm a little girl and tell me." "well, since you want me to say pIatitudes" "I'II tell you that you're lovely." "You're charming" "I Iike you a Iot." "And?" "From the day you came into my Iife" "I haven't slept" "I haven't eaten" "I don't drink much" "The birds' songs and the flowers smell stuffy." "Satisfied?" "No." "Didn't know this kind of man still existed" "It's not what you think." "Are you married... or virtuous?" "Neither." "Do you want to kiss me?" "yes" "Funny guy!" "Tea or coffee?" "Tea." "With fried eggs and jam?" "Yes..." "I'm hungry!" "Yes, hold this." "Put it there." "It smells good!" "It's nothing." "Some day, I'II cook a peppered sauce hare or a shepherd's pie, you'II see!" "Where are the spoons?" "Here." "Sorry." "Make your choice." "They're not very pretty." "Aren't you well off?" "No." "But anyway I'm a bachelor." "I Iive in lodgings." "Why?" "Because I travel a Iot." "That's why I haven't" "Objects make me sick!" "Me too." "Less so out here" "I'd Iike to live in the country" "Where are you from?" "Can't you ask me nicely?" "I was born in Brittany" "Got some relatives there?" "My grandmother and my sister." "And... any friends?" "Not many." "My brother-in-Iaw." "Isn't he a member of your family?" "Yes..." "No matter." "Where does he live?" "In Quimper." "He owns a garage." "Very clever!" "Sorry." "I never learned to use all 1 0 fingers." "What were we saying?" "Yes, you said he has a garage." "Who?" "Your brother-in-Iaw." "Yes." "And he's got lots of money." "It's the biggest garage in the country" "What's his name?" "Maybe I know him, I often" "Go to Brittany, in the region where I Iove" "paul Decourt." "It would surprise me if you knew him" "No, I don't." "You said he's a funny guy." "Funny?" "No, he isn't funny." "He's rather unpleasant." "I don't see why he interests you." "Everything that concerns you interests me very much" "That's nice." "The only nice thing since.." "this morning" "You see him often?" "Who?" "Your brother-in-Iaw." "No." "I don't see him much, almost never" "Why?" "I can't figure him out" "He's a nervous wreck" "He makes one laugh, but it's not funny" "No." "I don't find it funny either." "I'm not laughing" "Are you annoyed?" "I am and I don't wish to talk about it." "Got any cigarettes?" "Yes, in my room." "On the writing-desk." "Is that your teddy bear?" " Drop that!" " Why?" "Give it to me." "Drop it!" "Drop it!" "It's a priceless gift" "Are you crazy?" "Give that to me!" "I'II give it back once you tell me who it belongs to?" "It's my nephew's, he's dead." "It means a Iot." "Give it back" "Wait a minute." "give it to me!" "Why can't I touch your nephew's teddy bear?" "Because give me that" "To you, I'm dirty girl." "You want to see what I think of this bear?" "Stop !" "You want to kill me?" "please forgive me." "Me too" "I acted like a fool." "I should've controlled myself." "That bear, impregnated with my son's kisses... is nothing but horsehair and plush." "I'm strangely taken by this rash girl" "Her nervous break-down proves she's more a victim than at fault." "Which doesn't mean unfavorabIy that" "I plan on giving up my scheme" "I've come to conclude" "That under close examination" "Consciousness is paid more dearly than anything in the world" "I succeeded in persuading her." "We are going to Quimper." "I showed anxiety, for my love of brittany" "And I returned her wish to be introduced to her family." "That made her extremely happy." "I'm ashamed to think she believed in my love" "I thought your in-Iaw was a mechanic" "It's no reason to sleep between 2 pumps" "He lives here." "The garage is in town." "Hurry, we're late." "Something we forgot concerning your sister." "WouIdn't it be better if I stayed at a hotel?" "Don't worry." "She knows me." "That's good to hear." "Idiot" "little sis who lives and works in Paris isn't a nun in a convent." "Besides, she doesn't care." "And if you're shy, there are 1 5 rooms in this dump" "How are you?" "Hi Madame." "Marc Andrieux." "Jeanne" "I'II show you your rooms." "You'II have yours and Marc, in the small one adjoining." "Here's your room." "I hope you'II like it." "Yes, I Iike it a Iot." "Yes, very much" "I'II leave you." "Friends are over for dinner." "paul is coming soon." "Ok, I'II just change and I'II catch up, thank you." "I never saw anything so crappy." "Come I'II introduce you." "philip, my son." "Stop now." "Your father'II be home" "Mrs Decourt, my mother-in-Iaw." "Jacques Ferrand, paul's partner." "And his wife Anna." " What can I get you?" " please, Porto, Whisky?" "Nice city, Quimper" "A bit too calm." "specially in winter." "In summer, it's okay." "But it's better in spring." "The conditions are very pleasant" "The fields are covered with flowers." "only in the spring does It happen so often" "Autumn, too, is charming here." "When I came here last fall there were shades" "Of yellows, reds and" "golden light" "Yes, and blues." "beautiful." "You live in Paris?" "It's more lively than here." "Yes, a little too much for my taste." "We were there three weeks ago." "The traffic is becoming impossible." "Yes, specially at rush hour." "From MadeIaine to Porte MaiIIot, two hours." "It's crazy no?" "And the noise is godawful!" "I've read in a police report it could reach" "I don't know how many decibels between 6 and 8 pm." "And the pollution is nasty." "It appears to be a real national problem." "And even international." "Who knows how it's all gonna end?" "Yes, I see many young people." "They're distressed." "Did you have a nice summer?" "Are you kidding?" "Lousy!" "AII the tourists ran away to Spain." "It was catastrophic" "And that wasn't because of the weather." "The sun shines here too." "believe me the Authorities are largely responsible." "AII poIicaI advertisement needs to be reviewed." "I don't know what your calling is, sir?" "I write a little." "Oh of course!" "Remind me your name?" "I read your last novel." "What was it called ?" "I Ioved the end." "When the old maid runs to open..." "No, I write fairy tales for children." "wonderful!" "Another drink?" "No, thank you." "although it's very good 1 5 years of age." "If I may, what do you think of the new novels?" "It bores some people." "But I find It's an interesting attempt to renew the form." "It reconciles time and space." " Don't you find?" " Yes...sure" "nathalie Sarraute, Butor, Robbe-GriIIet one may like them or not and it goes far." "Yes, very far." "Indeed." "I think so too." "Here's paul." "Hey bitch, it's a nice cushy life isn't it?" "Because we've been too nice to you you take it easy." "But you're not there, far from it" "Don't laugh." "You'd better not." "It's not my hand you're gonna feel, it's my foot." "And it's gonna hurt." "You dumb-beII!" "already here?" "Sorry I'm late, I had a meeting" "Why the Iong faces?" "This stew is simply disgusting." "The sauce is watery." "Why didn't you time it?" "It boiled for 4 hours." "5 or 6, I don't care!" "I've told you before, when the meat's cooked, keep it warm" "And the sauce, you cook separately in a pan" "separately, in a pan." "Haven't I said it." "separately" "You a gourmet?" "Yes, on my time" "So you understand me." "They always do what they can to make me complain." "And I hate wasting merchandise" "Imagine what I pay per month for meat only 1 00,000 francs" "Cooking is the only art which doesn't lie." "You can fuck up on paintings, music but cooking is no trifle, it's either good or bad." "only, my wife prefers to lock herself in her room to write her trash." "So in the morning I, clic!" "Don't miss a good opportunity." ""O moon of hope, valley of tears"" ""my heart under the bodice black"" "paul, please... stop!" ""souls of the gods, elixir of the world's youth"" ""To great works in the spring of all things"" "That's not bad." ""Dances of my heart on the mauve..."" "Wait..." "What is it?" ""Dances of my heart on the mauve asphodeIs"" ""while a last revolt from black Erebus"" ""Jogs the very seat of my ego."" "She locks herself in her room to shake her seat." "What do you think of that?" "Madame, it fully justifies abandoning your duties." "You're very kind, but paul is only teasing me." "You know I Iike you, sweet peach!" "I've nothing against poetry." "I'm all for culture you shit, can't you be more careful?" "See what you made me do, asshole." "Get out of here!" "You hear me?" "Get out!" "A monstrous being a caricature of a perfectly evil man such as one hopes never to meet in life" "I feared I'd find a friendly guy" "Now my joy to eliminate, it will be." "You said you'd Iike to visit my garage?" "Yes, with pleasure." "What are you writing, a book?" "I'd have liked to do that." "It's an easy job and brings in dough." "What?" "You don't want me to read it?" "Not really  I don't like to show it." "Why because it's dirty?" "No, not at all." "It's a question of, I don't know... how it'II end" "It's the story of a man looking for another" "A detective story?" "Yes, in a way, yes." "I thought you wrote stuff for kids." "well, yes." "It's a story about a child." "Are you afraid of thieves?" "Do you always hide it like that?" "Sorry, it's a matter of talking, I don't like..." "I can lend you the key to my safe if you fear inquisiters." "I know what it means to keep precious things." "We could dig a hole and put a slab over it" "If your kids book is so important." "That's lousy!" "It's for the runs." "I hope you never have one like it." "Surprised?" "It's huge." "Mr Andrieux, what a pleasure!" "He asked to visit the garage." "Can't think why." "Everything interests a writer." "He may be looking for a new setting" "In dirty oil and grease?" "I know him." "He does it out of politeness" "Everything interests him." "Workers disturbed make your bill major" "You understand chics?" "She wants to paint." "I hire a professor, wonderful guy who taught in colleges." "One week later,painting's out" "She stays in her room reading spiritual junk horoscopes, Zen, Hinduism" "Buddhism, Brahma, Shiva, whatever else" "Now she takes to writing poetry." "I'm just worried the boy will turn out like her." "Perhaps she's trying to escape." "I work myself to death so she's got everything!" "That's in the family." "helen's the same." "She could cry about a Iot shit.." "specially to me." "I couId tell you about it 'tiI dooms day." "But I'm not here to confide." "What are you doing digging around in that filth." "What are you handling this trash for?" "Nothing... nothing." "You know a sculptor named Ceasar?" "He adores car-bodies." "He says there's a soul in each shape" "He says that?" "Aren't you a bit loopy too?" "splendid soul!" "Why do car sellers always kick the tires?" "Why do movie makers always do this?" "It's a trade habit." "I kick the wheels" "If you want a car, that's an exceptional ride." "Thanks, I've got one." "Not like this one." "I don't say that because I own the garage." "This one was mine." "A good old car." "I have to get rid of it." "Why?" "Why do you have to get rid of it?" "I'm not asking if your grandmother rides a bike?" "Why the hell are you doing here?" "Don't hurry, we're just waiting!" "I Iooked for you everywhere" "What for" "You have to sign my note-book." "What do you have in History?" "The cards were against me" "I studied the Directory, but we got the Empire" " Leave me alone!" " That's enough!" "Okay, we're not gonna fight about bullshit" "After all, we're brothers-in-Iaw!" "You're almost a member of the family." "Not quite." "phillip!" "He's a jerk, a lousy pig!" "I hope he croaks!" "He's your father." "I don't care!" "Why don't you kill him?" "Why don't you kill him?" "What you're asking is crazy!" "Do you realize that?" "Yes." "I can tell what you were thinking." "If you don't do it, I will." "What will you do?" "I will do it." "I got one twice as big!" "What a charming family scene!" "Think so?" "Look, phillip!" "Oh beautiful children, a spider crab!" "I told you to show your skin, bitch!" " I'm cold." " I'II warm you up" "What about Jeanne?" "She doesn't care." "And Anna's husband?" "He doesn't care either." "I adore you!" "No, paul, not now!" "Come and see!" "Look!" "What is it?" "Why are you looking at me like that ?" "You slept with him too?" "Who "him"?" "You know very well who I mean" "It's my most shameful memory." "You forgive me?" "I've nothing to forgive you for." "Are you hiding anything else?" "Isn't that enough?" "You're sure you're not hiding something else?" "Marc, have pity on me!" "What I confessed today is already too much." "Look, Jeanne, this ordinary shellfish is a wild marine gastropod with an extraordinary strength." "Come on you hunters, it's high tide, Iet's go home." "They say it's hard to roast country plums here." "I'II put you up for a good bargain if you Iike." "I'm no businessman" "Don't be silly!" "You'd get 2 million for a capital of 1 0." "It means 20%/0." "You don't give that away" "An old girl owns this land, 3 miles from here." "I wanna turn it into a golf course, but she won't sell it." "We could easily ruin her." "And I'd have the land for nothing if." "She entrusted me with bonds, there's no proof." "No receipt" "I'm talking seriously." "Want to see that land?" "It's not far." "Shake a leg, you Iazybones!" "Look, look at that!" "help!" "I can't hold on!" "I'm going to break my neck..." "help!" "You can't let me fall..." "help!" "Do something!" "What happened?" "Lay off!" "Let's go!" "I'm fed up of your bloody fishing!" "Turn it on." "Why did you help him?" "Who?" "You should've let him smash on the rocks." "Quiet." "He doesn't deserve to live." "I know." "I don't like him either." "Lovers often hesitate, not out of shyness but to prolong their awaiting happiness." "I, full of hatred am savouring what awaits me." "His killing will only be a gesture of a man throwing away the useless peel of a fruit slowly enjoyed to the pit." "He can't swim." "His son told me." "I spend hours walking with phillip." "I must convince Decourt to go boating." "I'II rent a very small boat." "I'II wait for the day with a southwest wind." "We'II sail before the wind, up to the cape." "From there, we'II go against the wind." "Then the time will have come." "I'II wait for a strong squall to put the helm hard over then we'II stall" "and the boat will capsize." "InfaIIibIy." "generally, they don't rent." "They make 'em per order." "The boss is a friend of mine, he'II do us a favor" "I couId buy one if necessary" "Just for one outing?" "You're extravagant!" "He's never in, that dope!" "This one isn't bad." "Not bad at all." "A mere cockIe-sheII!" "Don't count on me to accompany you in it!" " Why are you scared?" " No, but I Iove life" "There's ten times more risk crossing the street." " Like it, charles?" " Oh sure" "You're calling me charles now" "We know each other pretty well." "No?" "And I hate standing on ceremony." "I might be a bit harsh, but it's because I'm up front." "But honestly, spending 3 or 4 millions on this is just stupid." "No, it's not stupid." "So what do you think?" "I don't give a damn!" "Most people prefer the Odyssey." "But the iliad is the most sublime ever written." "Later on, when you read Kafka, you'II see it's similar" "But Homer is much better" "There's a town..." "which is mentioned" "And no one ever enters" "Hundreds and hundreds of young heroes fight and die for that inaccessible and unreal thing." "It's a very simple story but with remarkable poeticaI details." "When a bad poet describes death, he automatically uses cliches." "He writes about eyes frowning at the sweat beading on the forehead" "Of the ghastly inhuman grin" "There's none of that in Homer." "Every death he describes is particular" "real even" "I remember a part where a young Trojan, chased by Dionysus receives the javelin in the nape of his neck" "The point comes out through his mouth" "like a tongue of metal." "And he rolls around on the ground biting the cold steel." "beautiful no ?" "You're very kind to help me." "I was lost with those Greeks and Trojans" "It embarrasses me to tell you but I Iike you very much." "I'm embarrassed from you telling me but I'm happy to hear it" "Too bad you're not" "Not what?" "That you're not my father." "You think it's bad to judge one's parents?" "You know" "In truth it's rather difficult not to." "But you're better of think about something else." "Then ignore them?" "Is that right?" "Yes, that's about right." "I would have rather liked having a father to think about." "That too is hard to prevent thinking" "I think of him and I'm mortified." "I know how children are made." "half of my blood flowing in my veins, my skin, my hair, my eyes" "Shut up!" "Anyway, your blood is your blood." "It's yours" "Your eyes are yours." "You see, you look, you think, you act, you..." "AII right, go on." "Tomorrow 's sunday." "will you take me boating ?" "No." "I invited your father in fact." "He hates it." "He has the jitters." "He wasn't pleased the other day on the cliff." "For having been..." "scared in front of everyone." "Why did you invite him?" "Why?" "Because he...introduced me to..." "the man who sold me the boat." "Thanks to him, I got a bargain." "So it's it's the least I couId do." "Come on." "Back to work!" "I have a errand to do." "II'II be back in 1 5." "Don't delay too much, the tide is rising." "Put on oiIskins." "Don't want you to catch cold." "I'II dress like a sea lion." "Be careful, Marc." "paul isn't exactly a sailor." "I'm not a baby!" " You've always hated water." " Except with Pastis" "Come on, slow coach!" "I just heard the weather-report." "It isn't great" "No but there's only a little wind a little rain toward the Cape." "Otherwise it's very nice and calm" " Be careful my dear." " Yes, don't worry" " Don't sail too far." " No I better not in all case" "What do you mean you better not?" "AII right, go on." "Say, don't you think it's getting a little choppy?" "No, on the contrary, the sea is perfect." " Where are we going?" " Right to the cape and back" "The Cape!" "You're crazy, it's full of stones and terrible currents." "Don't be afraid." "God damn it." "Stop saying that, I'm not afraid!" "only, I don't like being stupid." "That's all." "I'm here." "Are you all right?" "Want to hold the helm?" "No, I know nothing about it." "Easy." "You go right, you go left." "Let it go when there's wind" "The sail infIates and holds." "You scared?" "Stop bugging me!" "I'm not a kid, I just don't like it." "Okay, then try." "Why come on a boat if you don't try?" "Let me pass." "You see, it's not voodoo." "It isn't that difficult." "Yes, it's easy." "Why do they make such a fuss of it!" "I told you" "What do I do now?" "Ease off" "Let it ease off!" "Let it." "I'm fed up." "Take this shit back." "Duck!" "Let go." "Don't pull on it" "Enough with your helm!" "Take it back." " Let go!" "Let go" " It's gonna come off" "Just let it go." "The joke's over." "Now we go back." "No, the fun's just beginning." "We're going back!" "What's going on?" "Are you mad?" "Don't try any nasty tricks or else!" "We'II croak together buddy" "What trick?" "Don't argue." "Do as I say." "You should've hidden your diary better." "Poor dope, you think I'm that stupid?" "Because you write kids' tales, you think everyone else is a nitwit?" "When I saw the fuss you made first thing I did was read your filthy diary." "I'II have an accident if you're not careful." "You'd better not." "Because your diary is at my lawyer's now." "If anything happens to me, your little black book will go right to the police." "That was my little errand, back there." "I was crackin' up." "You think I'm a jerk ?" "Why didn't you go straight to the police?" "Because you knew you'd spend years in jail?" "Don't worry, I won't denounce you." "On the contrary!" "I want to get your skin... your bastard skin... and I'II get it." "It's as good as done and you can do nothing." "I won't be worried in the least." "You're as good as dead" "Fuck you, you bastard!" "Dirt bag!" "Lousy bum!" "Rotten swine!" "Fuck you, d'you hear!" "Fuck you...you shit!" "Rotten, disgraceful, trash, trash, trash !" "Never set foot in my house again!" "Got me Mr. Artist?" "And if I find you I'II throw you out the window!" "I'II just take my bag." "Ask your bitch to do it for you!" "Are you cold?" "shall I close it?" "No, it's not worth it" "Anyway, we'II stop soon." "We'II pig out." "You want to pig out?" "More than ever!" "Here, try this." "What are you thinking about?" "Nothing." "I don't want to think." "I wonder how you can eat." "You know, I too am trying not to think." "until now, it hasn't spoiled my appetite." "On the contrary!" "May I serve the duck?" "Yes, please." "You know the young boy" "the one you ran over on the road" "he was my son." "It took me a Iong time to find you." "And my real name is charles Thenier." "You can imagine, when you ask me to accompany you to Brittany my only aim was" "to meet paul and kill him." "That's not why we met?" "At first, it was." "You can't imagine what I've endured." "You may not believe me, but" "I didn't dare talk." "I'm a coward" "I don't love myself." "You've already told me that." "Let's go back there." "You'II kill him?" "I'II help you." "Now some sad news.:" "the violent death" "Listen." "Of a well-known person, Paul Decourt whose body was found in his bathroom." "The death seems due to poisoning." "The point in question is, an accident or a suicide." "Mr. Decourt was a well-known garage owner brother in-law of an actress whom we often see on our screens.:" "Helen Lanson." "Miss Lanson was, in fact, visiting soon before the tragedy together with the writer, Marc Andrieux the best-selling author for the young." "We presume they're both on the road to Paris." "If they are listening, please come back at once?" "And now, here are the first pictures of the family drama" "A cruel rictus." "Something really horrid to see." "It's him." "He killed him!" "please sit down, Madame." "I'm Superintendent Constant." "How do you do, charles Thenier" "You see, he introduced himself under a false name." "You understand?" "please, Madame, you'II speak in your turn" "Swine!" "What happened exactly?" "The maid discovered the body around 7 p.m." "In other words, shortly after you left, I guess" "Yes, that's right." "He'd dragged himself and collapsed on the basin breaking it in his fall." "How sad!" "Sit down." "I want to talk to you." "We have the postmortem results." "It might interest you." "Let me have a drink." "You know he used to take a medicine for his intestines?" "I had hardly arrived, I'd been here one or two days... when he kindly informed me." "Some was found in his stomach together with poison." "There was nothing else." "What sort of poison?" "A compound containing arsenious acids." "It's used to destroy vermin." "It's commonly named "rat poison"." "It causes atrocious agony." "The nerve centres are paralysed." "One hour before death, the body Iurches... as in epilepsy." "Breathing becomes impossible." "paul Decourt suffered abominabIy." "I'm dreadfully sorry, Superintendent!" "unfortunately rat poison has an awful taste." "Poisoners can't put it into soup or tea." "But it escapes notice in bitter medicine." "Therefore it's not impossible that it was put into the bottle." "Don't listen to that bastard!" "please, Madame, keep quiet!" "But the bottle has vanished." "No clues, no prints, nothing." "Any ideas, Mr Thenier?" "None." "Why should I have?" "Of course." "And now, Iet's talk about your... diary." "Of course we have it." "And of course I read it." "I hope you admired the quality of my style!" "Among other things, yes." "I understand your motives." "We're not monsters but I represent the Law." "That diary constitutes overwhelming evidence against you." "really?" "How?" "You write at length that your aim is to kill paul Decourt." "planning a crime" " isn't a crime." " You want him dead, that's obvious." "That isn't a crime either." "Yes, I admit it." "I admit I wanted to kill him." "I also admit that the news you give me makes me very happy" "and I regret only one thing that he suffered so little." "For I have suffered since January" "At least you're honest" "But it makes you more of a suspect." "Perhaps." "But I didn't kill him!" "Anyway, everybody wanted him dead." "Everybody hated him!" "Don't exaggerate." "Except his mother, maybe because she's like him." "I'd go even further:" "you should take me off your list of suspects." "I knew he had my diary and would have it taken to the police if anything happened to him." "I'm not fool enough to kill him and put my head... in the lion's mouth!" "Yes, of course." "I've thought about that, you know." "I'II examine these people." "especially Miss Lanson." "And then we'II continue this interview, Mr Thenier." "Take Mr Thenier to my office." "Go down to the hotel next door and I'II join." "Bastard!" "A cow in two letters?" "I..." "O." "Yes, "I..." "O"." "Come along, Mr Thenier." "Sit down." "I saw everybody and I've come to some conclusions." "You would be most foolish to kill when everything is against you." "But you're the opposite of a fool." "A man like you couldn't have killed paul Decourt." "unless unless he plays the part of an idiot." "I'm listening." "Go on." "Suppose you decide to arouse Decourt's suspicion on purpose." "You excite his curiosity." "You plan for him to find your diary." "You incite him to take precautions and these precautions will destroy him." "He's sure that the threatening charges will stop you killing him." "That's a mistake" "The opposite happens." "But that's only a supposition." "Let me go on:" "if one considers your diary as a confession made to yourself, you're quite right." "It puts you last on the list." "But let's suppose it's the main part the prime motive in your plan." "What do you say?" "Nothing." "I'm listening." "Mr Thenier, I think your diary was written only to be discovered." "It was." "Then there was no obstacle to the killing of Decourt." "But I don't understand you there." "It was easier to do it under my false name." "We'd have found out soon enough." "Whereas if you didn't hide if you acted in full daylight" "you cut the ground from under our feet, right?" "I'm afraid I have to put you under arrest." "Now tell me frankly:" "where's the bottle?" "Young philip Decourt wishes to see you." "He says it's important." "Bring him in." "Come, philip, don't be afraid." "What is it?" "You've something to tell me?" "I'm bringing this." "It contains the poison." "I'd hidden it in the cellar." "I killed dad." "You realize what you're saying?" "Yes." "It's me." "Marc didn't do anything." "Father was cruel and vile." "I found rat poison in the garage." "I poured it into his medicine." "Dad drank it, then put it back in the cupboard." "Later, I took the bottle back." "And I hid it in case my finger prints showed." "You swear this is true?" "I do." "Look at me, philip." "You swear it's true?" "Your life is ruined." "Do you realize that?" "well?" "Don't talk about it now." "Tomorrow." "Tomorrow I'II tell you the whole story." "Now I want to sleep." "I want to sleep" "helen, my darling forgive me." "Last night, philip accused himself of cold blood murder." "I said nothing." "And I Ieft the police Station freely." "What a fine revenge, wasn't it?" "Worthy of a Greek drama!" "A man kills a child and that man's son kills him." "Poor philip!" "He had a merciless hatred of his father, almost equal to mine." "Perhaps his friendship for me was born of that common feeling." "I couId have suggested to him what he should do to kill his father." "I am sure nothing could have stopped him." "Maybe he would have loved me better still." "tell the Superintendent that the boy lied... that I am guilty." "I, and I alone." "philip lied only to save me." "Understand, I hated that abject man so much... that I refused to ruin my Iife for him." "The Superintendent guessed right:" "my diary hinted that I missed my revenge... while I was preparing it." "Forgive me." "I cannot let philip pay for me." "Yet I thought I had become as cold as steel." "But it takes a Iong time for a heart to die." "philip mustn't get into trouble." "helen, if we had not been carried away by this..." "I would have loved you!" "Now I am going to set sail." "I will go far and never return." "I will disappear helen, erase myself" "I acted like a coward, yesterday." "The prison scared me." "And I accepted philip's sacrifice." "I shall choose my own punishment." "Brahms wrote a song paraphrasing EccIesiastes." "It says: "The Beast must die."" ""But the Man too."" ""One and the other must die"" "farewell."