"I was a medical officer, he, an interpreter." "It was a mythical Algeria." "Wanting Arabs to abide by French rules would be a mistake." "They're our partners,..." "The doc is a spy." "Watch his every move." " Bring me all his letters." " I'm in love." "She's here to spy on you." "That's what the Arabs do!" "This is a war of conquest and extermination of Arabs." "Some Parisian newspapers even wrote that we're the barbarians." "Algeria is and must remain a French province." "I hadn't left the army, I had been kicked out for being republican and pro-Arab." "After having conquered this land in the name of France, you will now farm it." "And make it your new home!" "Can't the cross and the crescent get along?" "They have different customs and values." "They're savages!" "You'll all be shot!" "You didn't do too badly during these hard times..." "You want to bite the hand that fed you?" "You write for this rag?" "You sound like those colonialists" "I keep meeting here in Algiers!" "It's easy to be pro-Arab when you live in Paris." "I never betrayed you." "No one must ever know." " He's your son?" " Ours." "I couldn't show my happiness." "I hope we won't regret raising this child as ours." "Why would we?" "My son Aïssa looked so much like Naouel, whom I had loved so much." "What was in store for him?" "L'Algérie des chimères A DREAM OF ALGERIA 3." "THE ARAB KINGDOM" "Welcome, young sir." "Welcome home." "Sir, my wife is dead." "She left me 5 children." "Help me in the name of Allah." "Sir." "Did you see the French officer?" "He stole chickens from a colonist." "He's lucky he only got a fine." "You're so handsome and strong, my son." "You're the one who's beautiful, Mom." " You are." " No." "I'm old now." "Your father doesn't look at me anymore." " He took a new wife." "Very young." " Another one?" "Since you joined the French, he took 2 wives to sire children." "I'm not a good mare." "I only had one son." "You." "I think polygamy is barbaric." "You sound like a Frenchman." "It's the "Kaida." The Prophet had 9 wives." " What's the new wife's name?" " She's from a noble clan." "She is jealous of me." "Wanted me sent to the kitchen." "No way!" "You're coming to Algiers, to stay with me." "No!" "Be reassured, son." "Your father respects and protects me." "Besides, I don't want to be a burden on you." "It's time for you to get married." "I chose a nice girl for you from a good family." "Very pretty and sweet." "Sixteen." "Nice hips, not like me." "She'll give you beautiful kids." " No." " You don't want to get married?" "Your brothers are already engaged, but your father won't let them marry because you're the eldest." "I want to choose my own wife." "You love someone else." "Yes." "A French woman?" "Yes." " Who is she?" " I can't tell you." "Not even to your mother?" "Why?" "I don't know if her parents will allow it." " It's because you're an Arab." " No." "It's more complicated." "No, it isn't." "Be careful Aïssa." "The French are hypocrites." "They're against polygamy, but they all have mistresses." "They won't give you their daughter." "Love can break all barriers." "You're young." "Time erases all... even love." "Your old mother... knows." "When will you be back?" "Abdallah seems to be managing well." "Forgot Arabic?" "I'm not used to it anymore." "You can study here." "I slowly built up a nice library." "I even found manuscripts that belonged to Emir Abdelkader." "May God protect him in exile." "France stole you from us, Aïssa." "You forgot that you gave me to France." "It made me into an officer." "It's like a mother to me." "There are 2 France, Aïssa." "That's what I learned." "In Paris, France made you an officer and freed Italy." "Here, France keeps Algeria under its yoke." "The governor is seizing our land to give to the colonists." "What do they want?" "Herd us in the Sahara?" "I'm certain Napoleon III is against confinement." "Five tribal elders and I are to meet him in Compiègne." "We'll see if he's on our side." " We must trust him." " May God hear you... and inspire him truth and justice." "God shall." "Aïssa was back." "What joy to see my son again after 3 years of absence, now a grown man covered in glory under the French banner." " At Magenta and Solferino?" " Yes." " You lucky devil." " Émile." "War is no joke, except for kings and emperors." "Victory in Solferino cost thousands of lives." "Yes, but we saved the Italians from Austrian occupation." "What a beautiful uniform." "You look handsome." " Dinner is ready." " Let's go." "Tell us all about it." "To Aïssa." "I looked at Aïssa." "He was proof that one could be a good Frenchman and a good a Muslim." "Did he embody the successful union of the East and the West?" "I started to believe in it again." "I don't like the way Aïssa looks at Jeanne." " Going out?" " Yes." "With those goo goo eyes of his." " Didn't you notice?" " No." "Why?" " Suppose he's in love with her." " What are you talking about?" "I hope we won't regret raising this child as ours." "On the contrary." "He's the perfect example of integration." " He's like a Frenchman." " Perhaps." "But he isn't." "He is by the blood he spilled, fighting for France." "That's fine, but I don't want him to touch my daughter." "Don't worry." "He's staying in town and wants to be his own man." "I hope so." "I have something to tell you, Jeanne." "I love war." "I discovered a new homeland:" "the army." "In the army, barriers fall." "I'm not a Muslim among Catholics or an Arab among French." "I'm a soldier among soldiers." "All equal before death." "Only one rule: courage." " Do you understand?" " I don't know." "It's a male world where women have no place." "I'm bored, Aïssa." "I need to do something useful, exciting, unique." "Sometimes I envy the fate of colonist women." "It's dangerous but so exciting." "Jeanne." "Will you marry me?" "Of course." "When we were little, we said we'd get married." "Will your parents let their daughter marry a Muslim?" "I don't know about Dad." "Mother won't." "But I don't care." " Where is Miss Jeanne?" " Outside." "How are you feeling?" "Well." "Why?" "You've been odd, lately." "You can trust me." "Among women, we can understand each other." "Nothing is troubling me." "A mother feels such things." "You're a big girl, Jeanne." "It's time to think about your future." "There're many young officers from good families in Algiers." "I'll invite some for you to meet." " I'm not in a hurry to marry." " Then you'll be an old maid." "Mother!" "What are you driving at?" "I don't want you to fall for just anyone." "That's all." " That's what it is." " Yes." "That's what it is." "You've changed since Aïssa's return." " You have a soft spot for him." " Not a soft spot." "We're in love." "We want to get married." "What?" "Marry an Arab?" "A Muslim?" "No way!" "Marriage is something serious." "You marry someone with the same religion and background." "I forbid you to see this boy." "Understood?" "I forbid you." "Understood?" "Yes." " I knew it." "I told you." " Thank you." "And you thought they were like brother and sister." "I'll call the police if he sets foot in here again." "What's gotten into you?" "We raised him as one or ours." "Unfortunately, yes." "Anyway you always had a soft spot for him." " I don't want him to touch her." " Calm down!" "He won't have the chance anyway." "His regiment is leaving for France, then Mexico." " When?" " I don't know." "Soon." "The Emperor wants Maximilian of Austria in Mexico." "Very good." "How can you say that." "It's war over there." "Just as well." "Maybe he'll get killed." "Is Jeanne there?" "The lady doesn't want to see you." "Go, quick!" "Get out!" "Beat it!" "Never set foot in this house!" "Go away!" " You had no right to stop him." " You do what you're told." "You can't stop me." "I'll leave, come what may." "I'll join him, become a Muslim if need be." " Go to your room!" " Don't touch me!" "Don't you ever, again." " What are you doing here?" " I escaped from home." " Are you out of your mind?" " I came to say goodbye." " What are you doing?" " I want to be yours." ""THE SETTLERS VOICE"" ""Confinement:" "more land, more colonists"" "I can't believe it!" "Look at this!" "See the news?" "Your circumcised pal is taking 5 elders to see the Emperor." " Did you know?" " No." " We're not close anymore." " They are plotting in Compiègne, with General Fleury and the Saint-Simonians." " What do they want?" " Arabize us." "Saïd, come with me." "Take care of yourself!" "Don't worry." "This trip is very important for me." "The Emperor has decided." "He read my books." "He plans a new Algeria policy, my policy." "Can you understand that?" " You'll see the kids at least." " Of course." "I'll write every day and tell you what's happening." ""Dear Bahia, you can't imagine how lavishly" ""the Emperor received our Arab friends at Compiègne."" ""Everything is so wonderful." ""The Emperor held long talks with the elders." ""He promised complete equality between Europeans and Arabs." ""'That's but fair, honorable and right, ' he told them." ""Who were delighted, you can imagine." ""It's truly a revolution."" ""The native chiefs gave the Emperor a black stallion," ""a magnificent offspring of the famous Godolphin Arabian," ""father of all thoroughbreds." ""His Majesty has a special place for it." ""'We'll be able to compete with the British, ' Gen. Fleury said." ""Her Majesty the Empress and the Imperial Prince" ""showed our friends consideration and appreciation." ""The Emperor recognized Aïssa, whom he decorated at Magenta." ""He also introduced him to the Empress." ""His father, Hadj Hamou, was filled with pride." ""Finally, His Majesty did me the honor" ""to explain in detail his project to our friends" ""to turn Algeria into an Arab Kingdom."" "Dear friends, here's the man whose works have inspired the Emperor's policy." "No one can better explain it to you." "I'll give him the floor." "The Emperor asked me to tell you that we didn't come to Algeria to oppress or plunder, but to bring you the blessings of civilization." "He wants to make Algeria an Arab Kingdom." "Henceforth, he'll protect you, as he does the French." "He is both Emperor of the French and King of the Arabs." " In practice, what does it mean?" " Firstly... the Emperor will end the confinement policy." "Your title to traditional tribal lands will be recognized." "No more despoliation." " Will land be ours?" " It will belong to the tribes." "Later, everyone will have a share." "Secondly..." "Following the proclamation of full European-Arab equality, the Emperor shall grant French citizenship to Jews and Arabs who so desire." "We know France brings progress and we are grateful." "But we'd rather live according to our own laws and customs." "For us Muslims, religion rules everything." "You know that." "The Koran is our civil code, our book of science and medicine, the Word of God." "I assure you, all your views will be taken into account." "Let us begin." "The King sounds reasonable." "I can work with him." "We want facts, not words!" "Don't forget he freed Abdelkader, and treated him like a king." "They make promises here, while back in Algiers..." "I agree with Hadj Hamou." "If the King keeps his word, our dignity is restored." "Do you want to become French?" "Let's not talk about it." "We have no choice." "Very well." "Let's see if they keep their word." "What's your impression?" "They are delighted by their stay." "They were also charmed by His Majesty." "I think they'll agree with the Arab Kingdom model, except for Si Kadour, my father-in-law." "We have to handle him carefully." "He's very influential in Kabylia." "In any event, it's imperative for His Majesty to come to Algeria to launch his policy." "It will provoke colonist and military opposition." "He'll come." "It's only a question of timing." "If Pélissier doesn't like it, we'll replace him." ""THE EMPEROR WELCOMES SIX TRIBAL ELDERS"" "There you are." "Talabot has been waiting for you for half an hour." " Paulin, I'm happy to see you." " Odilon." " What are you doing in Algiers?" " Big news, old pal." "Next week, we'll be laying down the last railroad track." "We're also inaugurating the new Blida station." "Marshal Pélissier..." "Everyone will be there." "I hope you'll write a nice article." "Is the paper yours?" "I bought 50% from Roucariès, but it's not doing well." "Sit." "No." "I have to meet Pélissier." "I gave Roucariès all the details." " See you later at the café." " Agreed." "Is Mr. Talabot a Saint-Simonian?" "I heard you were too." "Does this sect still exist?" "They're scattered, but still have influence at the court, among university students and bankers." "Here's the article." "Lately, they've become like the Freemasons." "What do they want?" "The utopians like Toussaint believe in Santa Claus." "The others believe in progress, thinking that with money, factories, mines and railroads, they can solve everything." "The paradox is that they began as socialists, and now they're big capitalists." "I saw Hélie yesterday." "We spoke about you and old times." "It seems you had a falling out?" "We have nothing to say to each other." "He's Gen. Fleury's man." "He heads the pro-Arab camp that wants to sell out Algeria." "We disagree about the future of this country." "You're both wrong." "Hélie thinks that the French and Arabs can live as equals." "You want to turn them into Frenchmen." "That's an illusion." "And you?" "What's your solution?" "I... build." "I build railroads and roads, dig the ground, plant trees." "I represent progress, a sort of charity." "I deal with reality, not dreams." "Do you know what Arabs say about your railroad?" ""Al-rabat sheitan," the devil's cart." "I'm hungry." "Let's have lunch." "Good piece, Benjamin!" "You'll do the next on the army's anti-confinement action." " Look!" "Nice layout." " Yes." "Boy, come here." "It's time I tell him." "I have bad news." " I can guess." " I can't pay you." "You haven't paid him in 2 months." "Droll!" "It's not my fault if we don't have money." "Half the colonists are Spanish and can't read French." " I got an idea." " Really?" "Struck gold?" " Maybe." " Serious?" " Where?" " Here in Algiers." " What is it?" " My dad's pockets." "We're always ready to help our French friends." "From the start of conquest we offered France our services." "We know the Turks and Arabs well, Mr. Hubert." "We've dealt with them for 2 centuries, since my ancestors came from Leghorn to trade between Barbary Coast pirates and Italian merchants." "Please, sit down." "You, pour us some tea!" "We know your father advises Gen. Bugeaud on Arab affairs." "Benjamin told me about your paper's financial difficulties." "That shouldn't be a problem." "My eldest son David, who runs our bank, can help you." "Did you hear me?" "With a special rate for friends." "Thank you very much." "Let me also say how much we appreciate" "Benjamin's intelligence, skills and talents." "Yes, Benjamin." "I sent him to law school in Montpellier." "It cost a bundle, but we wanted him to be our lawyer." "But in France, he caught the political bug." "Politics seals the fate of nations." "It's very important." "Trade is safer." "Business is business, whoever is in power." "Since your paper deals with politics, I've a favor to ask." "Please, tell me." "As head of the Jewish Council," "I'm host to a French Member of Parliament who is concerned about our small community." "His name is Adolphe Crémieux." "I hope he gets French citizenship for Algerian Jews." "I thought you weren't interested in politics." "It's, let's say, about religion." "We'll be glad to interview him." "Tell him to come to the paper." "Thank you." "Actually, thank you for what you're doing for the paper." "It's for a good cause, that of a French Algeria where Jews will play an important role." "Since that is the case, could you arrange a meeting between myself as head of the Jewish Council, and the governor-general?" "The army and I aren't..." "You can see to it with my son Daniel." "Perhaps." " See you tomorrow... 8 AM?" " Yes." "Bahia?" " Had a good trip?" " A bit long." " I missed you." " You too." " Come!" " You're still as beautiful." "Tell me about the kids." "They're well." "They send their love and miss you." "Ahmed got his Ph.D. in law with honors." "Good!" "Now he can practice in Algiers." " I'm not sure he wants to." " Why?" " You'll get upset." " Tell me!" "He thinks he won't make it in Algiers." "He's decided to stay in Paris and changed his name." " He now calls himself Amédée." " My son Ahmed?" "Don't be upset!" "I don't like it, but I can understand him." "In Paris, an Arab name sticks out like a turban." "Many Jews and Poles took French names." "He won't be the first." "Then, why aren't French taking Arab names here?" "It's a religious thing." "The French take saints' names." " I won't have it." " Bahia!" "I'll write him what I think." "Calm down." "Things will change." "Ahmed might too." "The Emperor accepted our proposals." "Algeria will be an Arab Kingdom with equal citizens." "It will be a tough sell." "Everyone is against you." " You must be hungry." " A bit." "Marshal Pélissier will see you." " Some port as you wait?" " No, thanks." "I don't drink." "A cigar?" "I don't smoke." "Besides, it's Ramadan." "Sorry!" "I forgot." "The governor is in a foul mood." "He got orders from Paris, he doesn't like." "I think I know what they are." "So you're here." "Did you put all this nonsense in His Majesty's head?" "My respects, Marshal." "I don't know what you're talking about." "Don't be so coy!" "This letter of instructions from His Majesty," "which he personally signed." "It talks about the end of the confinement policy, about the Arab Kingdom," "and Arab-European equality." "Did you put him up to it?" "It's full of your books' subversive language... and that of your friends, Fleury, David..." "You flatter me thinking I have such influence on His Majesty." "No doubletalk." "Hear this, little fellow!" "I was on the beach when we landed." "I didn't give 30 years of my life to this country to see it given to the Arabs who'll mess it up." "I won't ever accept that!" "Do you hear me?" "Ever!" "May I remind you, Sir." "The country belongs to the Arabs." "No more." "We took it with our blood." "And especially with theirs." "Listen, Toussaint!" "We aren't dreamers, visionaries." "We build." "We're turning Algeria into a modern country bringing comfort to the colonists and progress to the natives." "There is no other viable plan." "All else is idle talk for frustrated intellectuals a bit like you." "You won't build anything without the Algerians." "Toussaint..." "You might be the smartest, but I warn you..." "I shall stop you." "God be my witness!" "I'm the strongest." "I too have connections in the court." "Perhaps you forget that my wife is the Empress' cousin." " May I go, Marshal?" " Get out!" "And don't get in my way or you'll regret it." "My respects, Marshal." "What arrogance!" "I asked the Emperor to remove this good-for-nothing." "He's General Fleury's man and he's backed by the Emperor." "By Jove, we'll see who's the strongest." "Keep your smooth talk for Paris." "When we came here, there was nothing but desert, swamps, flies and dwarf palms." "One third of us died of cholera." "One third gave up and rented the land to the Arabs." "We are the last third." "We survived massacres, disease, drought, grasshoppers." "We won't give in to your Arab Kingdom." "Listen!" "Why end confinement?" "Algeria has 3.5 million people." "It can feed 20." "We have 12 million hectares of uncultivated land." "And you want to stop colonization." "Thousands of colonists can come." "Why leave good land to the Arabs?" "Either their herds destroy it, or they badly farm it." " We produce 6 times they do." " He's right." "It's our land." "We created a new France here." "Friends, the land belongs to the natives, the colonists and the army." "The Emperor declared it an Arab Kingdom, a European colony and a military camp." "Arrant nonsense." "It's crystal clear to me." "First, we're not your friends, Toussaint." "Ruling means choosing." "It's either us or them." "Tell your Emperor that no one will throw us out." "This is our home." "Our enemies want to give power to the Arabs." "If they win, that'll toll the bell for us." " Do you want to become Arab?" " No." "We'll remain French." "We won't bow to Napoleon the puny..." "King of the Arabs!" "We are now 200,000 Europeans." "We can't be dismissed." "We've rallied the colonists, and all true republicans:" "printers, masons, merchants, and architects." " Are the Jews with us?" " Of course." "They might not dare come out, but I'm here." "We'll mobilize the women and demonstrate with you." "Down with the Emperor!" "Long live the Republic!" "We had a feverish month." "Algiers was under siege." "Every day, people heard our call." "Women too." " French Algeria!" "French Algeria!" " Present arms!" "Get ready!" "Let us through." "We're going to the government house." " The street is closed." " Let us through!" "Aim!" " Forward!" " French Algeria!" "The Lieutenant is afraid of a woman." "Take it easy!" "I'm not unhappy about the protests." "They show Paris the futility of its abandonment policy." "Even women are getting into the act." "That's too much." "These people are hotheads a bit quick-tempered, but they cool down as quickly." "Don't forget!" "We're south of Marseille." "Anyway, make sure the troops aren't trigger-happy." "Break some skulls if you must, but no fire." "That's an order." "I don't want any violence." "Understood?" "No more violence." ""THE SETTLERS VOICE:" "Arabs don't want to be French."" "It cooled down after a month." "Mar. Pélissier died from pneumonia." "The Arab Kingdom policy had its first setback." "Neither Jews nor Arabs wanted to give up their special status in exchange for French citizenship." "Only 200 Arabs out of 3 million applied for it." "Aïssa was one of them and had his own reasons." "Good morning!" " Thanks but I don't drink." " Of course." "I came to ask you for Jeanne's hand, officially." "My regiment leaves for Mexico and we would like to be engaged before I leave." "Aïssa." "You and Jeanne cannot marry." "Why?" "You're too young, practically brother and sister." "A Kabyle proverb says, "Marry within your tribe," ""within your village, and if possible, within your family."" "You belong to different worlds." "What?" "I'm French now." "Yes, but you're also Muslim." "Do you know the obstacles you'll be facing?" "Jeanne will want a church wedding." "What will your family say?" " There're other mixed couples." " They're the exception." "Your friend Hélie Toussaint married a Muslim woman." "Yes, but he converted, and now stands disowned by his family." "Listen!" "Let's not beat around the bush." "Is it yes or no?" "Aïssa." "I'd like to say yes but it's impossible." "Believe me." "Trust me." "It's no, then." "What if we eloped without your permission?" "I forbid you." "I get it." "My Arab blood was acceptable on the battlefield." "In Paris, they saw fit to grant me French citizenship." "But they forgot to tell me it was a second class passport, because here in Algiers, I'm always an outsider, a native." "Even for you." "It's all clear now." "I'll wait for you." "When you return, I'll be of age." "I'll leave home." "We'll marry and live in France." "We still have to wait." "I'll wait for as long as it takes." "Napoleon III came to Algeria twice to proclaim himself King of the Arabs." "He was delighted." "He ate ostrich eggs, roasted gazelle and lion meat." "Everywhere, huge Arab crowds cheered him." "Our paper had to concede his great success, organized, it must be said, by the Arab Office." "Hélie acted as his interpreter throughout his stay." "It was his hour of glory." "He thought he'd seen the dawn of the Arab Kingdom." "History decided otherwise." "Look at this!" "Four years of drought, famine, cholera, and grasshoppers." "All at once in just 4 years." "Look!" "They're eating grass, roots and even leaves." "People are dropping like flies from hunger and cholera." "Where are the French doctors?" "Cholera isn't racist." "Frenchmen have died from it too." "Even Bugeaud died from it in Paris." " Who is she?" " My mother." "You can't let her die like that!" "She has cholera." "May Allah protect her from it." "I have already lost 2 sons." "Why should you care?" "Go!" "Continue your journey!" "Bring a stretcher and take her to the citadel." "Did you see how the peasant treated me?" "When you privatized collective land, you broke up the tribe," "It's the price of progress and of a fairer, modern society." "Do you know what they did with the arid land you gave them?" "They sold it to the colonists for a pittance." "People here are superstitious." "They're saying the Arab Kingdom has the evil eye." "I'm sorry, but all you've done for us is turning against us." "All the same, you can't blame us for drought, grasshoppers, and disease." "Bad luck hounds us." "People say it's God's vengeance because we didn't defend our land against the infidels." "Tell the governor that if France does nothing, there'll be war." " Warn him." " I will." "Tell him that I lost a son... to cholera, and that my youngest might go into the mountains." " You know what that means?" " Yes, I do." " How is she?" " It's cholera." "Go!" "Quick." "She's being waiting for you for 2 days." "My son... apple of my eye." " You came to say farewell." " I'm here." "You'll pull through." "It's too late." "God picks the hour and mine has come." "I've a secret to tell you." "A secret?" "Yes, Aïssa." "One that I've carried in my heart since you were born." "Odilon is your father." "You mustn't marry Jeanne." "Forgive me, Aïssa!" "I mixed infidel blood... with that of the true warriors of the faith." "I was young, a harem slave." "During the Tafna peace," "Odilon was Abdelkader's doctor." "You were born after that." "Hadj Hamou raised you." "He taught you to walk, to ride a horse, and to use a sword and rifle." "He taught you right from wrong, and courage." "He taught you the true religion." "He's your father too." "Forgive me." "It's my fault." "It is written." "Allah rules." "He rules everything." "He's my master." "Yours too." "Mother!" "Stay with me!" "Stay!" "I had made a promise." "I will always be fond of Jeanne." "Promise me never to tell her." "I promise." "Going back to France?" "You don't need to go that far to find war." "It'll soon reach us." "If it does, I'll fight by your side." "You can't, Aïssa." "That'd give you away." "Have you forsaken your religion?" "I haven't." "One day, France will allow its citizens to be Catholic," "Jewish or Muslim." "France... maybe." "But we won't here, son, not on Muslim soil." "You're French now." "You must leave and fulfill your destiny." "I am French." "But my heart will forever be in Algeria." "Go, son." "It is written." "You're hiding something." "What's going on?" "Is it another woman?" "Is that it?" "Be honest." "I'm getting married." "What?" "My mother has chosen my future wife." "I cannot refuse." "It's tradition, you see." "I don't believe you." "I don't believe you." "I don't care." "What'll you do, all alone in Paris?" "Where will you stay?" "With Aunt Inès." "I'll take a job as a nurse." "I'll treat the wounded on the front." "I'll defend France." "You're lying." "You want to go with him." "You want to be with your Arab!" "Throwing yourself at him like that!" "How dare you?" "Look at yourself." "A Kabyle raped your grandmother!" "You're an Arab too!" "The bad Arabs like raping women like you!" "Jeanne..." "FRENCH DEFEATS" "Our armies are getting defeated everywhere:" "Wissembourg, Reichshoffen-Froeschwiller..." "What a disgrace!" "What possessed the Emperor to wage war on Prussia?" "Bismarck was waiting for it." "New headline!" "The Emperor was captured and abdicated." "Gambetta declared a new republic." "A new republic, my friends!" "Follow me!" "Saïd?" "I couldn't believe it." "The Emperor had been captured." "They'd declared a new republic." "My old dream had finally come true!" "I'm the lieutenant commander!" "Arrest him!" "Traitor!" "You should leave before my friends get here." "Listen to them." "They're jubilant." "Don't be a hero, it's best you flee." "Where's Toussaint?" "Where's that sly fox?" "Vanished." "We'll get him sooner or later." "While the French are fighting each other," " let's throw them into the sea." " No." "We must save the Arab Kingdom." "There's no more Arab Kingdom or Empire." "It's time for a Republic." "It's better." "They say they're republicans, but you know them." "They're colonialists, arabophobes..." "We won't interfere." "It's a French matter." "Let's rouse the tribes and drive the French out!" "You want our ruin?" "France is stronger." "They'll band together and defeat us again!" " Cowards!" " Listen to me!" "Let's all go home and see what happens next." "We've talked enough." "I'll rouse my troops and fight!" "Come with me to Oran, Bahia." "You can't stay in Algiers." "No." "I won't leave without him." "Bahia!" "Bahia..." "I beg you..." "Do this for me." "It's too dangerous here." "I'll try to go to Paris on my own." "Meet me there." "I love you." "The French government has fled to Tours." "By God, France is collapsing!" "We should declare independence." "Send us Garibaldi and Algeria will take care of itself, just like Italy." "You want us to fight 3 million Arabs all by ourselves?" " What are the other wires?" " Nothing important." "Say, what do you think of..." "What's wrong?" ""On the front, the incredible bravery" ""of the 'Chasseurs d'Afrique, ' Algerian soldiers and Zouaves," ""cost them dearly." ""The second 'Turcos' was bled dry." ""Its officers were killed in action."" "Shit." "The second "Turcos..." That's Aïssa's regiment!" "Friends..." "Military rule is over." "Algeria has been split into 3 departments governed by French law." "The departments will be run by a prefect and by members of Parliament." "The governor-general must now be a civilian, under the Ministry of the Interior." "We've won, my friends!" "Algeria is both civilian and French!" "A French Algeria!" "A French Algeria!" " Long live French Algeria!" " Wait." "Settle down." "There's more." "The 33,000 Algerian Jews are now automatically French." " Will we be allowed to vote?" " Of course." " What about the Arabs?" " Not for now." "Phew!" "My heart stopped." "Shut up!" "Thousands of "Turcos" and Zouaves died on the battlefield." "They voted with their blood." "A minute of silence for our Muslim brothers who died for France." "Why did you keep that from me?" "I had made a promise." "How could you keep such a secret to yourself this long?" ""Dear father," ""you reading this letter means I was killed in action."" ""Don't cry." ""I'll gladly give France the life you've given me" ""that has nothing left in store for me." ""I will finally rest in peace" ""under the watchful eye of the 2 Gods who ruled" ""over my life and death."" ""The almighty God of the Arabs, who controls good and evil" ""and the merciful Christian God" ""who can forgive every sin."" ""I'm writing you to remind you of your promise."" ""Jeanne..." ""must never find out."" ""Never."" ""Farewell." ""Your son, Aïssa."" "What happened?" "Why did he reject me?" "Hey Arab!" "Stay where you are!" "Don't move, Arab!" "Who is it?" " Hide me!" " Go away or I'll call the army!" "I curse you and your family!" " Yes?" " Open up!" "I didn't know where else to go." "Come in." "Oh, it's you." "Where's Bahia?" "She went to Oran with her father." "Why didn't you take her with you?" "I'd have looked after her." "Have you eaten?" "No." "I'm not hungry." "I'll go make your bed." "You can't stay in Algeria." "They'll kill you." "You can spend the night here." "Tomorrow, I'll put you on a boat to Spain." "I paid half already." "Give them the rest when you arrive." "This is a safe-conduct." "Just in case." "And a pistol." "It could come in handy." "Thank you." " What a beautiful country." " Our country." " What happened to us, Odilon?" " Life." "Do you remember Ménilmontant?" "Uniting the East and the West?" "Why did you forsake our ideals?" "They were utopian." "The Arab Kingdom is not utopian." "Just the opposite." "It's realistic." "You'll see it too one day." "Why do you force your ideals on me?" "Mine are as good as yours." "I want this land to become a part of France, of Republican France." "Freedom, equality, fraternity." "Freedom?" "Or the right for the strong to oppress the weak!" "Not necessarily." "Republican education will turn these Arabs into good French citizens." "It'll take time, but I'm optimistic." "Hogwash!" "They should become good Algerian citizens, instead!" "You're bound to fail!" "The future will decide." " God will decide." " Insha'Allah." "What happened to Toussaint?" "I never saw him again." "I'm told he went back to Algeria." "How come?" "He followed his own path, alone, which doesn't surprise me." "You never saw him again?" "Wasn't he a friend?" "You see, we never parted ways." "You know, we need utopians, dreamers." "The world couldn't exist without them." "Excuse me, I must go now." "It's rather cold in here, wouldn't you agree?" "It is." "After a while, the cold gets to you." "It's just awful." "Translation:" "Épilogue"