"THE WIDOW COUDERC" "FASCIST MENACE MUST BE CRUSHED" "DEMERGUE CHEERED IN PARIS" "CIVIL WAR" "BLOOD SPILLED IN PARIS, WHICH HAS LIVED THROUGH DESPERATE HOURS" "That'II be fine, thanks." "Are you going far?" "No." "Just over there." "Want some help?" "gladly." "Oh, it's heavy." "Thirty kilos." "Do you want to rest?" "What's inside?" "Some concrete bricks for insulation." "To insulate what?" "It's an incubator." "Baby chicks?" "Yes." "My sister in-Iaw." "There's a town in italy with a Iot of these bridges." "Where?" "In italy." "Are you italian?" "No." "I thought maybe you were, because lots of men come up from italy these days." "They're here looking for work." "I'm French." "will you have some wine?" "Henri?" "Henri!" "Why don't you come when somebody calls you, instead of always sneaking around?" "Here, put this in the paddock and tend to the cows." "This one is my brother-in-Iaw." "He can't hear." "He speaks only when he wants to." "Isn't that right?" "That's polish, isn't it?" "My grandmother was polish." "Are you looking for work?" "Yes." "well, I have a little, a couple of days' worth." "You live here alone with just your brother-in-Iaw?" "Yes, I'm a widow." "My name's Yvette Couderc." "What's your name?" "Jean." "Then you're hired." "I pay eight francs." "Jean?" "This is my father's room." "This is mine." "We could make up this room, but for the short time that you are here..." "It wouldn't be worth it." "Right." "Here." "You'II have to give me a little help here." "Open the door." "Go to sleep." "Open up." "No!" "What would the neighbors say if you died from it?" "I don't care about those fools." "Open up!" "It's not true!" "You're afraid of them!" "You're the one who's afraid!" "What will they say when they find out you took in a tramp?" " What did you say?" " I didn't say anything." "Anyway, this is my house, isn't it?" "I've taken care of you pretty well." "Oh, yes, but you have to." "No, I don't." "Not anymore, Henri." "Now, go on." "Go to sleep." "Morning." "You don't seem to say very much." "And you?" "Oh, well, I have nothing to say." "Neither have I." "Neither have I!" "She's not back yet?" "You have to come, Father." "We must talk." " No." " That's enough, Papa." "We have to talk." "Everything's fine." "Françoise spoke to the lawyer." "Now wait." "Don't speak in front of strangers." "You, come on, now!" "Hey!" "Here she is!" "They came here for him, didn't they?" "He didn't want to go." "They're trying to make him sell the house." "They want me out of here." "But I'm not going." "They're always coming here." "He's a good-for-nothing." "well, I mean, he has no profession." "He wouldn't have a job if he wasn't a friend of the mayor." "As for her, she's never been able to forgive me for marrying her brother." "I was 14 when I came here as a servant." "The old man raped me, and the son got me pregnant." "AII for nothing because the baby died." "And after that, I waited on the mother." "I took care of her till she died." "Then I became my husband's nurse maid and now I'm his widow." "Isn't that right?" "I took care of all of you, didn't I?" "Nursed you, washed you, wiped you." "Never a day's rest for me here." "I washed the dishes and I cooked!" "I plowed the land, took care of the livestock" "Isn't that right?" "I've every right to be here!" "It's my home now!" "Because I earned it with my sweat!" "Am I right?" "I don't know." "well, I know it." "Huh!" "Thanks." "You work fast." "You seem used to it." "That's right." "But you're no farmer, are you?" "No." "tell father to bring the cows in and feed them." "AII right." "They don't like you." "Leave them alone." "It's because they don't know me." "You going to stay here long?" "As long as there's work" "I..." "I don't know!" "Put the eggs in one by one." "It holds 60." "fill the lamp with fuel making certain that the wick is cooked." "Then fill up the water pan." "Water pan, water pan." "That's it." "No, it's here." "Make sure that at all the times the lamp remains lit during incubation and..." "I think I'II go up to the attic so I can see it working." "Right now?" "Yes." "Time to go to bed, Father." "The problem is the number of eggs." "unless we have a try with a dozen only." "Oh, yes." "But if it doesn't work right, I lose a dozen eggs." "We'II have to try, though." "Who's the young girl who lives over there?" "FéIicie." "She's their daughter." "Good night." "Good night." "well, then, you're not in bed yet?" "No!" "I told you no!" "Is it 'cause he's here?" "Don't be stupid, you fool." "Is it a boy?" "What did you name him?" "I don't know." "It depends." "That's right, go back over there!" "Go find some bargeman to sleep with!" "Why were you so mean?" "Because she's a whore." "Her son has no papa." "Anyway, she's not sure." "What's the difference?" "She seems to love the baby, right?" "She doesn't love anybody." "Do you?" "You're not from around here, eh?" "No." "You see, I think this board has swelled." "What's your profession?" "I was going to be a doctor." "What do you mean, "was going to be"?" "Because I'm just out of prison." "No, he...he won't hear you." "Was it murder?" "I was very young." "And now you don't want to be a doctor?" "I don't want anything now." "Yes, I do." "I want sun and wine." "That's what I want." "The cops were over there yesterday." "They came to see Desiré." "But they weren't after anyone." "The cops are always after someone." "Were you innocent?" "Want to take out the ashes?" "Sure." "No, no." "That happens all the time." "They have a child with colic." "What are you doing here?" "Turn out the light." "I just wanted to say..." "It was awfully mean of me, wasn't it?" "Eh?" "Yes." "I'm not mad at her for flirting, but.... ...but in my home, no." "FIaunting that pretty figure." "If I'm a little jealous you understand?" "Sure." "You'II like it better here." "You'II see." " And her?" " Don't worry about her." "Anyway, she'II have to go." "Oh, when I think that she gave him her husband's clothes!" "It's disgraceful!" "And who knows what else she gave him." "THE FRENCH ACTION" "Nobody knows who he is, where he's from, or anything." "You know Papa's deaf." "When he wants to be." "Where you off to?" "I am going back." "will you make him sit down?" "You stay here with us." "tell him if he doesn't sit down, I'II lock him in the wooden shed." "You're going to go with me to see the notary." "Listen, Papa, you only have to sign a few papers, and she's out." "No." "You old fool, you!" "You're a fool, too, Iike him!" "They're both only interested in one thing... just getting into bed with somebody and it doesn't matter who." "They came and got him." "And you did nothing." "What did you want me to do?" "Shoot 'em?" "It's none of my business." "You're right." "I'm going to go get him." "slut!" "Bitch!" "Whore!" "WouIdn't give him back." "It looked that way to me." "Thinks he's so goddamn smart." "I'II take care of him, you wait!" "From now on you can swim across, you whore!" "Who knows what else they say about me?" "Who knows?" "If you want me to, I can stay a little longer." "Maybe they won't bother you as much." "I better fix up that other room, then." "Oh, why bother?" "The attic suits me fine." "If that's what you want." "hello." "Have you not a name or are you the same as the baby?" " FéIicie." " Ah." "Why have you shaved it?" "For a change." "Too bad." "It was pretty." "Now, I'm going to go cut the grass...for the rabbits." "It'II be Sunday tomorrow." "What do you do around here on Sunday?" "Go dancing?" "Sometimes." "Sometimes or often?" "Often." "You always dance with the same guy?" "No." "You mean you're fickle?" "I don't know." "And maybe not." "Don't you Iike animals?" " Yes." " well, why'd you do that?" "What did I tell you?" "These gentlemen want to see your papers." "That's all right with me." "Born in Paris?" "That's what it says." "What kind of work do you do?" "I'm working on farms and seeing the country." "That sounds like vagrancy." "Oh, come on, now." "He's my employee." "And I have the right amount of money on me." "Have some." "Shaft's not big enough." "The wick doesn't fit." " well, can you fix it or not?" " probably not." "We'II have to find another one the same exact size." "Then throw it in the garbage." "It'II be okay." "Did you take that revolver?" "Yes." "I didn't want anybody to find it." "Your papers are false, eh?" "No." "Then you weren't let out of prison." "You escaped." "Eh?" "Yes." "So they're after you." "And how long can you keep running?" "until I can get back home again." "And where do you live?" "Maybe you'II never get there." "I don't know." "Maybe not." "Do I frighten you?" "No." "What are you doing here?" "Waiting for the bus, of course." "You still have work to do." "Did you forget about this?" "You know what to ask for?" "No." "well, there you are." "THE HOUSE OF GOD IS NOT FOR JEWS." "Sunday's a funny time for a strike, eh?" "My father had a Hotchkiss." "He was a pharmacist." "At night he played the violin." "And your mother?" "Do you still live in the same town?" "I don't know." "I was born not far from here." "My mother kept house in a place something like that one." "She didn't want me to live in the city." "So I'm now a country girl." "And I'm a country boy." "Aren't you eating?" "In a second." "No, that's plenty for me, thanks." "You feel all right?" "Yes, sure." "Is it because you went to town?" "exactly." "No, I have to go home." "Do you Iike the widow Couderc?" "Why do you ask me that?" "She's hard." "It's an act." "Just an act." "Has anyone ever told you you have pretty skin?" "No." "Nobody ever said that?" "No." "That sounds like your baby crying." "You stupid little whore!" "They're laughing about you over there!" "Leave me alone!" "I'm going to put the fear of God in you!" " No!" "Oh, I don't know anything." " By God you will learn!" "Yes." "His name is Jean." "You think I'm a fool?" "I know." "Wait." "What do you know?" "You were out late." "The work's already done." "And your money's over there, on the table." "Very well." "Where were you all night?" "With FéIicie." "You know I was with her so why ask me stupid questions?" "What attracts you to FéIicie?" "Her youth." "And you tell me that?" "Yes." "Listen." "I can't lie." "I can lie to everyone else, but not you." "That's something, eh?" "I mean, you treat me like a young girl." "But when a real one comes along, you say," "while I weep, you tell the truth!" "Why?" "Do you want me to cry?" "We went to bed." "Why?" "What are you after here?" "What do you want?" "I don't know." "The walls." "The fire." "And you, too." "I Iike this house because it's like you." "I can't see you anymore." "You're joking." "I can't see you anymore." "Okay." "But give me my revolver." "No." "I won't give it to you." "Look, I know where it is." "It's within your savings." "You see?" "A criminal...." "one who kills and steals." "Who steals...and who kills." "well, I'm going to fix the incubator, because if I don't, you'II never get the damn thing to work." "You're gonna fix what?" "The incubator." "Don't you want me to?" "No?" "Anybody there?" "They didn't even see me come across the bridge." "I managed to get hold of this stuff." "I may have left a shirt." " You want to come back?" " Yes, I do." "So...you're not happy over there?" "I mean, she is your daughter." "I'm sure she loves you." "Oh, she loves me all right but not you, I'm afraid." "well, I remember when she was small, she hated me then." "What?" "She hated me when she was a baby, and she hates me now." "I can't help that." "So what?" "So now you'II go and tell." "I'm not going to tell them anything." "I don't want to see them again." "You tell those shits the way I'm treated, I treat them." "And me?" "You don't want me anymore?" "But this house, it's my place." "It's their decision, not mine." " They don't want me here." " well, there you are." "Yes, there I am." "slut." "Who was that?" "The old man." "You mean he got away?" "No." "He went back over there." "He wants you to leave." "Ah." "Where is he?" "Back over there." "Too bad for him." "If I tell you all I know can I go back home?" "absolutely." "will you let me?" "Yes, we are only doing this for your benefit." "We have to look after you." "You remember it all?" "Repeat it for me then." "The man who seduces my daughter-in-Iaw and put me out of the house is a criminal." "And what else..." "FéIicie?" "Oh, yes." "The man who seduced my daughter-in-Iaw and raped my granddaughter is a criminal." "With my own ears I heard him say he killed" "Uh he said he gave it uh-- he said he gave them colic." " Are you sure of that?" " He knows what he heard." "Go on." "And, eh, to help you, I have uh," "A photo" "What photo?" "Don't worry about it." "FéIicie?" "Come here!" "And you keep quiet, eh?" "Come on in." "Don't!" "She's at the wash house." "And you know she won't see." "Otherwise you wouldn't have come over." "Eh?" "My little liar." "I'm not a liar." " Jean." " Hush." "Why don't you call him Frederick or Christopher?" "Or alexander?" "I see your friend's on the prowl again." "Oh, she's all right." "Besides, it doesn't matter." "Come see." "It's been working for 26 hours." "I filled it up." "It holds three quarts." "beautiful, eh?" "In 21 days, you'II have 60 more chickens." "Then we'II have to get some of those those-- some of those special boxes." " Yes." " And we put them in when they're three days old." "And we sell them for two francs a piece." "2 times 60...120 francs." "If we had two of these..." "If we had 2 of these we'd have 240 francs." "240 francs every 21 days!" "And if we had ten of these..." "If we had ten..." "we'd enlarge the farm... and buy the canal... and buy the bridge... and throw out your sister-in-Iaw!" "Everyone in the village is nervous about him being here." "And he's been here how long?" "nearly two weeks." "Uh-huh." "What you've told me is serious, you know." "I've checked them over, Inspector." "These papers are false." "Thank you." "Take a car." "You'II have to go to Paris." "If I find anything, should I phone you from headquarters?" "naturally." "Oh...the photo." "May we go?" "No." "You wait here." "What did he say?" "You stay here." "I told you to go back." "What the hell are they up to?" "What are they doing?" "Wait for me." "Everything is ready, Sir." "Surround the farm." "You can't start before sunrise." "That's the Iaw, and we must obey it." "You can count on me, Sir." "MaIIet." "What are those cars back there?" "Are they from Paris." "Who informed them?" "I'II find out, Sir." "If they're here from criminal Investigations, fine." "Otherwise, get them out." "gentlemen, gentlemen." "colonel La Gureve from Mortemont." "at your service, Commissioner." "allow me to place my men at your disposal, Sir." "Listen, Sir" "It's the duty of everyone in France to guard her from her adversaries!" " Is he a Jew or a YugosIav?" " Neither of them." "Now, if you'II pardon me, gentlemen, there's work for me to do, and your help is not needed at this time." "We have to humor them." "I don't want another Prince affair in my department." "Can we go home?" "Not yet." "You're there." "Uh-huh." "Just watching you sleep." "Nobody would understand, would they?" "Nobody ever understands." "It's FéIicie." "What is it?" "Get out of here!" "The police are everywhere!" "Get dressed, quick!" "You go on." "You're not wanted here." "No!" "That way." "Here." "Now, go." "He left the house." "In that case, shoot him on sight." "Stop!" "Get out!" "They'II fire on the farm." "No." "No, I'm not leaving." "It's my farm." "Come back here!" "Come back!" "Miss!" "Get away from there!" "Jean Lavigne!" "The farm's surrounded!" "You have one minute to come out with your hands up." "Or we'II come in!" "Anyone helping you will be charged with complicity!" "You never told me your name was Lavigne." "I'd forgotten." "Somewhere else, everything's beautiful." " I'm going out!" " No." "No!" "In 1992 Jean Lavigne, son of physicist Etienne Lavigne was fatally shot during a formal reception of two high personalities." "To the president of the court, who asked him the reasons for his act, he answered, "I'd had enough.""