"My respects, Madam." "Frank Poupart, from the Special Offers Department." "Buzz off!" "We don't need your junk." "No." "I think there's a mistake, here." "No, no." "I'm only looking for one of my clients, Mr. Tikides." "Andreas Constantin Tikides." "Someone told me he was working at your place." "He owes you money, right?" "Not at all..." "Not at all." "No, no..." "How should I put it?" "It's the other way around." "He made an extra payment and, naturally, we want to reimburse him." "Don't waste your time, young man." "Have you any idea what he did, the little bastard?" "I hired him to fix up my rabbit cages." "When I gave him what I owed him he pretended that I had taken advantage of him." "Last night he came back and opened all my rabbit hutches." "Seventeen rabbits, do you realize?" "So, never fear, young man." "I'll tell you exactly where you can nail the bastard." "At the gymnasium the second street after the railroad overpass." "Yes, I see." "And fleece him with my blessing." "Thanks madam." "Do you know what your hutches could really use, madam?" "Two or three large, sturdy, old-fashioned padlocks." "Chromed brass, imported from Switzerland." "Note our unlimited one year warrantee on all hardware and appliances." "Spare me your sales-pitches!" "Come on, now." "Take a peek, Madam no obligations." "Just look at that." "Products for all your beauty needs in a leather and synthetic case." "Nothing." "I don't have money to throw away." "And, and the Miss..." "Your daughter, maybe she is looking for a little something." "Not my daughter." "She's my niece." "Your niece." "She's pretty your niece." "Indeed, wow!" "Yes." "Oh, yes." "I saw her up there." "Speaking for myself, that I would buy." "Perhaps we can make an arrangement?" "Yeah, I'll give you something." " Well all right!" "Like what, money?" "Money, money, money." "There's more to life than that, isn't there?" "Do you have any dressing gowns?" "Dressing gowns?" "Well that's one of our specials: straight from Austria, pure Pyrenees wool..." "And you're in luck." "I probably have one right here that will fit you." "Wait here for just a moment." "Wait?" "Don't be a sucker." "Not this time." "Miss?" "Ah!" "Ah!" "This must be your little bedroom." "It's simple, really nice a little rough here and there." "Excuse me, but your dress has fallen off." "I'm sorry." "I'll leave." "What's your name?" "Mona." "Has she been making you do this for a while now?" "My goodness... for a dressing gown you shouldn't do that." "It isn't right at your age." "How old are you?" "There are other ways, aren't there?" "Come on, name one job like this, at random it will always be better than this." "What do we do now?" "What?" "Make up your mind." "Now or never?" "Mona" "Dumb fucks!" "Do you need some help?" "Do you?" "Yes or no?" "Are you being forced or not?" "Allright, allright, allright." "Okay." "Damn!" "Damn." "Don't freak out." "Damn, I've had enough." "I'm leaving." "You'll come back?" "Huh?" " You'll come back?" "Ah!" "She's found her voice!" "And just exactly why should I come back...?" "To do what?" "Sure." "Sure." "I'll be back." "You don't think it makes me look fat?" "A little?" "But not at all." "You're as is slim as an ace of spades." "Coats!" "Do you have any coats?" "Woah!" "What next?" "There are limits, you know." "Next time." "You might bring me a nice coat for the winter." "Mona..." "Even if you're one hell of a gorgeous chick," "I'd better watch my ass." "I may never come back." "Mona, mona... ." "Life's a bitch..." "a bitch past menopause." "Forty quids in the teeth!" "Right on!" "You're on the right track, old man." "Shit shit shit, shit shit shit," "Shit, shit!" "Sure it's legal." "Would I dare take such steps, if everything weren't perfectly legal?" "I have a contract here, Mister for a three-piece suit with a wage garnishment clause in case of no payments." "It's all spelled out." "Alright." "Okay." "How much do I owe you?" "Forty quid... eh..." "Forty francs." "Tikides." "Yes sir." "I hate this kind of rubbish." "This is the last time you set foot in here." "As for your pay...you see it?" "Well, I'm giving it to this little piece of shit here." "Poupart, you son of a bitch!" "Excuse me!" "I'm in a rush." "And one dressing gown...." "One." "Let's go... report to duty." "Oh no, oh no, no." "No." "Not him." "Not tonight." "That should do it." "Just like that." "A little bugspray'll do it." "Taplin?" "Poupart calling." "So... have you tracked down this Tikides?" "Ah no." "No, no, no, no." "Not yet." "But wait." "Get this... pay attention." "A dressing gown." "Paid in full." "Great, but it would be better if you'd nabbed this deadbeat." "Come on, boss." "Give me some time." "Don't be rash." "So what?" "Come on... honestly!" "A little time... okay." "Very little." "Let's say, until tomorrow..." "that's the last delay." "Best of luck, Frank." "Tikides!" "So pal... what blows?" "Calm down!" "Calm down!" "This isn't the wild west here." "This is a civilized country!" "Fuck!" " Robber!" "You're just a robber!" "That suit of yours tore right away." "Robber!" "Robber!" "Robber!" "Rapist!" "Rapist!" "Rapist!" "Tikides is a rapist!" "Down with Tikides the rapist!" "What?" "Rapist?" "That's right." "Play innocent." "Mona!" "At the old rabbit skin's place." "Ring a bell?" "She's a minor..." "...and here's the kicker:" "To the clink, Tikides!" "With your mug, the cops won't show you any favors!" "So, blonde beau..." "You snatch them in the cradle?" "Well old man?" "Yes or no?" "Make up your mind." "Shit!" "Hey fatty." "What are you doing down there?" "Splayed on the ground." "Heh?" "And just where it's the most disgusting, of course." "Go on... come." "Come on." "Come on." "Feeling alright?" "Alright?" "Alright?" "Hold on." "Alright?" "Hold on." "Here." "Go on." "Here." "I'm sorry about your job." "Let's go." "Here take this." "Go on." "Take it." "Take it, I'm telling you." "There." "Go on." "What?" "It's no use searching me with those eyes of the Zouaves of Alma Bridge." "Search me, I'm found." "But you see... when I let my defenses down," "I'm mostly a good guy..." "a real Saint Bernard my heart on my sleeve, my hands in my pockets." "I have no choice." "It all goes with my job." "Good evening all the same." "Polite as ever, I see." "Well, well..." "You're right, I don't come through any more." "I can spend all of my time cleaning and it's still dirty." "Nothing works in this cruddy house." "And even the sink's clogged again..." "so..." "But it was the same at the place on Brives!" "It was the same on Carnot." "Everywhere!" "Everywhere the same." "Not true...." "We've never had a real house, doll." "We always live in the slums, and here it's even worse." "With you, every house becomes a pigsty." "Hold on." "If you'd only seen my mother how she managed, with water on the landing..." "With... no vacuum cleaner." " I am not your mother!" "And you brag about it." "Alright." "Agreed." "Okay." "I know." "It would be easier if I earned more dough and if you found a job again." "Shit!" "It's not my fault." "Jeanne, I'm... worn out." "Dead beat." "Be nice." "Fix me something to eat." "Jeanne." "I've apologized..." "You heard me?" "Jeanne..." "Are you listening to me?" "I'm asking you..." "Politely to cook for me." "Po-lite-ly." "You understand what I mean?" "Take a peep at this chick." "Look at this bird." "Think you're Kiki Caron?" "Is it fine?" "I've got a run in my stockings." "It was my last pair." "There are plenty in my briefcase, help yourself!" "You know they don't fit me." "Fuck it, I'll go like this." "Where are you going?" "I will be back." "You can kiss me if you want." "Hey, youngsters." "Hey, bean." "So much fun at Marrakesh!" "Do you want something?" "Yes, your mouth, baby." "Ah, no!" "Not my hair!" "Do you have a light?" "Buy yourself some matches, grandpa." "They have them in the cafe around the corner." "Hi boss." "How's it going?" "Hello, little Frank." "No..." "I ask you." "Put it out, okay?" "Excuse me." "Do excuse me..." "Boss." "Here you go." "The fruits of labor." "I'm disappointed, Frank." "You're disappointing me a lot." "In my day, we did things with a little discretion and finesse." "What's this?" "What have I done now?" "The employer, ex-employer I should say of this Andreas Contantin Tikides called yesterday." "Just after you telephoned." "I get the idea that he really feels like he's been swindled." "Not at all!" "I..." "I... no, not at all!" "Calm down." "Calm down." "I assured him that you acted undoubtedly in conformity with the law." "What's more, I might tell him that it was me who I... you were ripping off." "Good." "Okay." "Now we come to the "great confession"." "I borrowed forty bucks from the till." "I'll return it at the end of the week." "And the rest?" "There isn't any rest... what else?" "Spare me you grotesque faces." "I only had to take a small, random audit to uncover a good ten instances of falsifications." "It's because of this shitty rain." "I've sweated blood all week." "How much Franck?" "A thousand?" "Two thousand?" "Oh, boss..." " Let's say fifteen hundred?" "Fifteen hundred?" "As you're an honest boy, I expect my money back." "Got it?" "Maybe I could give you a check?" "Come, come." "Ah shit, Taplin!" "If... if..." "Are you fucking kidding me?" "Even if I could have, I wouldn't have helped myself to the take." "It's obvious." "Sorry but I'll have to file a complaint against you." "I assure you..." "It's not right." "You've got me all wrong." "You'll see, my little Frank." "A little jail time will knock some sense into you." "Who know?" "You might find a solution?" "Listen... boss give me a chance." "At least three weeks." "I'll work sixteen hours a day." "I'll manage." "What?" "Fifteen quid?" "It's not the end of the world, not that..." "I'm telling you, it's for your own good!" "Marcel!" "This is Marcel." "He's..." "Inspector of Police, a friend..." "You'll see." "He'll settle this right for us." "Well gramps seems those dainty hands of yours have been dipping into the tills." "Oh you... cops!" "It has to be considered." "Do you... do you have a warrant at least?" "Smart guy." "He knows all his classics." "It's great." "Come, come..." "Come!" "Come on my chick." "Come on pussy, sweetly." "Calm yourself." "No more fuss." "Come on." "Let's go." "Come on." "There." "Be nice." "Calm down." "So I'm really in the cooler." "Hey!" "You think I'll stay stuck in a cage?" "Me, Frank Poupart." "You didn't look at yourself." "Do you hear me?" "It's not going to go down this way." "I'll blow all of you to pieces." "You'll go fizz, pop, pow!" "Just a phone call and you'll all find yourselves in in... in... what's it called... in in Biribi, in Tataouine." "Let me out!" "Let me out!" "Let me out!" "Let me out!" "Let me out!" "Poupart." "Ah... my little Frank." "How happy I am that they released you so fast." "Fast?" "You call that fast, do you?" "Let go of me." "You're hurting me." "What is this?" "Lay off." "Just an hour ago, your wife reimbursed me." "She brought an envelope by this morning." "I immediately called Marcel." "I only guessed she was your wife because she came and ran so I didn't have time to talk to her." "And who would you want her to be?" " I don't know." "You don't seem to be in the know?" "Yes, yes... very well." "I don't know how she came up with the dough so quickly, that's all." "There were several of your clients calling this morning." "They were expecting deliveries..." "so I told them what's been going on." "Why not?" "Why not publish it in the newspaper while you were at it?" " Not at all..." "No, what I was saying is that your wife..." "She didn't call." "Or at least I don't believe so." "So what?" "Why would she have called you?" "To find out what's going on." "How stupid I am." "You probably called her from the police station." "Obviously." "Good." "Well here we are." "See you around, huh?" "You're not going to let us down, Frank?" "I'm sure after all of this that you'll prove trustworthy." "And, here." "I'm giving you with a little advance." "To get started again." "As fit as a fiddle." "Mona?" "What's happening?" "What are you doing here?" "No." "I'm alone." "Don't be afraid." "Come." " So, we're going?" "Going?" "Are you going nuts?" "Mona?" "Come on." "It's freezing out here." "Come on." "It was you who paid off my boss?" "You have as much dough as that?" "Did you borrow it?" "What does it mean?" "You didn't steal it, did you?" "Hats off!" "Who did you steal it from?" "Your aunt?" "It gets even better." "Why did you do it?" "For starters: how did you learn that I owed money to my boss?" "I called." "You called!" "Staplin?" "Why?" "You... you felt like talking to me?" "You needed me?" "You'd promised to come back." "Well done again." "And what will happen if..." "if your aunt finds out?" "We must go at once." "And why me?" "For God's sake, Mona, why?" "Why me?" "Why'd you do that for me?" "Because I didn't fuck you the other day?" "Mona... no, no... don't get mad." "Don't get mad!" "Don't get mad." "Good." "That's enough fun for today." "I'll take you home." "As for me, in fifteen days I'll give you back what you gave to my boss." "And then?" "Cool... fine." "Arm in arm." "But for fuck's sake, Mona..." "Think a little." "One can't live on fifty quid." "We'll just have to take the rest." " The rest?" "What rest?" "There's still a lot of that kind?" "Careful, Mona." "Careful." "Let's not get nervous." "No panic." "What do you mean by a lot?" "Ten million." "Fuck." "Dirty fucking miser." "Anyway, I must take you home." "Have any neighbors?" " No." "You aren't afraid?" "Two helpless women?" "Alone?" "In these seedy suburbs?" "She's got a gun." "So now you're telling me?" "So it seems you know how to spring a surprise." "Oh no, no." "It's too risky." "Oh la la la!" "I don't like gunplay." "That's bad." "N-no." "That's too much..." "Stop playing with my nerves." "You drive me crazy, running off this way and that, nonstop." "For a yes, for a no." "I need to get organized." "Give me until Sunday night." "Let's meet tomorrow, Saturday three o'clock, on the passageway behind your place." "Jeanne." "Jeanne, Jeanne, Jeanne, Jeanne, Jeanne." "Don't leave me here all alone." "Don't do that to me." "What God damned shit!" "Isn't it over these dirty games?" "Your ass is so hot that it's like "The Towering Inferno"." "Sorry, Mona..." "These things happen." "Perhaps you excite me too much." "Fix your clothes." "I'll take you back." "What do you want now?" "Shit!" "I'm not a clairvoyant, Mona!" "Express yourself, speak." "Don't leave me hanging." "Give it back to me at once." "Leave me in peace, bloody hell!" "I don't have four arms!" "Tough luck!" "I can't do everything at once." "Listen, Mona." "It's no use getting upset." "So, give the key and I'll take you back." "Oh, no, no, no!" "Don't start running off again." "That, too." "No more of it." "You thought I'd chicken out?" "Huh?" "If you want, I could write it all down on certified paper?" "I told you, tomorrow night will be tomorrow night." "So..." "Let me take care of it and don't nip my heels." "Yes?" "And where is the old bag's gun?" "In her room." "Jerk..." "Come on, get lost gramps." "Get lost." "By the time you see me next, you're already nailed." "Above all be sensitive don't turn round." "Oh, the moron." "He's seen me." "He had to see me that jerk." "Hey, Tikides, come here!" "Come here!" "Come spaghetti face." "Come, you freak." "Tonight, we party." "Just us two." "Don't you think?" "You're truly a cool guy, Poupart." "It beats running wild with the cops on your ass." "They catch you and it's fifteen years:" "raping a minor." "Minimum." "You're not starting that again?" "I never raped a minor..." "Oh no... naturally." "It was she who raped you." "It was part of my pay." "I'm telling the truth." ""Cross my heart and hope to die"." "For God's sake, Tikides, got soft cheese in your head for brains, or what?" "And the old bitch, you really killed her critters, did you?" "She wouldn't pay me the rest." "Indeed, yes!" "That's why she swore to have your hide, got it?" "She went to the cops and she told all that you had threatened them that you forced the girl into bed." "It's your word against an old lady's." "Hoplessly screwed, my good man." "So what?" "Everybody knows what she makes of that slut." "If they start arresting everyone who rode on her soon there won't be anybody left around here." "Can you prove it?" "Do you have witnesses?" "Take any photos?" "Get her signature on paper?" "You're skinned, poor bunny." "Into the stewpot, Tikides." "What'll become of you?" "Frank, what's going on?" "You're not well?" "It's nothing." "Nothing." "Leave me be." "Excuse me." "I'm going to leave." "Oh, no no." "Don't worry old man." "Indeed Tikides." "I come off like that clothes... ,house, car." "But I'm fucked over, too." "My wife took off and I'll probably get sacked at work." "So, you see?" "You and I, we're in the same boat." "God damn it!" "I swear." "I really feel like chucking it all out." "Frank let's get drunk." "Do you have any Calvados?" "A Calvados Scotch for my buddy." "A sack of whiskey made in le Scotland le velvet of le stomach." "Good night." "Me as ever." "I make the first move." "I do something to soothe her." "Well..." "I take her in my arms." "And then, get a grip on this she manages to fall backwards into the bathtub fully dressed." "On purpose." "Aw... shit." "Incredible." "On purpose." "Only to piss me off." "Well then," "I help her get out." "I start to dry her off." "I'm sorry about her dress." "I'll buy her another one and so on." "Really, really piece of shit I helped her out... good." "Well she took off just the same." "After trashing all my stuff." "Fuck." "Whenever I think of it, I feel like bailing." "Tikides." "I can't stand it any more." "I need a woman." "Oh, oh dear!" "The ladies!" "What I'd do for the little one at the old bag's." "Me, I'm good for nothing without a woman." "I want her, the little one." "At once." "I'm going." "I have to go." " No, no, no." "Stop it!" " No, no..." "Stop, I want her!" " No." "Hey, Frank... hey." "Go take a bath, Frank." "Calm down." "I'll make some coffee." "For Christ's sake!" "It's been a long time since I heard that song." "Who sang it, again?" "I think itwas Gilbert Becaud?" "Again?" "You think?" " Yes." "Wasn't it the Etienne Sisters?" "Where is he going?" "Yeah... go on." "And why not the Peters Sisters?" "The day the rain will come." "Well..." "Where duty calls, we must follow." "You're getting on my nerves, Tikides." "What a mess!" "What a bloody mess." "See, see what a lousy Sunday." "We're both here getting sloshed like old faggots." "We're worth more than this, aren't we?" "Sure!" "Hey." "Tikiki!" "Do you hear me?" "You hear me?" "So..." "You staying with us?" "Don't you go." "Yes." "Hey..." "Go on!" "What's up in there?" "What's up?" " Think." "If both of us were to go to the old woman's place?" "Like this... sweetly." "Maybe she'd let us play with the little one?" "What do you think?" "There it is... it begins again." "I need a chick, guy." "I told you." "I'm good for nothing without a woman." "Give it up." "Well shit!" "That's easy for you to say." "You did the little one." "Was it worth the price?" "Wasn't it worth it?" "Ah... yes, yes..." "Fun fair for my dick." "What about me?" "Why should I go without?" "Listen, kiki:" "Let's get going... to pump the little one and trash the dump and then it's lights out, okay?" "It sounds disgusting." "I'd like it a lot." " Ah... there we go!" "Let's get going." "We'll charge right in." "Let's go." "Wait." "Listen." "We're drunk as dead rats." "I'll make more coffee and we can talk." "Bastard." "Bastard." "Shove off." "Feeling better?" "Come on." "Let's just go." "Thinking it over, there are too many risks." "I'm against it." "Okay." "Getting cold feet?" "Suit yourself." "I'm off." "No, Frank." "Listen to me, it's too dangerous." "Frank, listen to me." "It's too dangerous." "There you're right." "You can bet that it is not for chicks." "But Frank!" "Don't worry." "I'll manage by myself." "Allright." "Agreed." "I'm going with you." "Go get fucked Greek-style." "Huh?" "Such a cheekless asshole." "But Frank." "Take me with you." " No." "Out of the question!" "Hands off." "Remove your dirty hands from my car." "There." "Frank!" "You're so hard-headed..." "What am I supposed to say to you?" "Frank, don't leave me alone, please." "Don't you understand that this is a setup?" "Get it now?" "For two days, I've been trying to drag you over there." "Let's get going." "Full steam ahead!" "Look out, old bitch." "Let's go." "Listen carefully, damned idiot." "I won't repeat it twice." "It's not the old bitch who wants your hide." "It's me." "Me." "Frank Poupart... ." "Puppet-head to my nearest and dearest." "She sleeps there on a big heap of cash, the old bag." "So, I do intend to waste her and to see to it you wear the cap." "Bravo Captain." "That's just the kind of plan I like." "Let's go." "Stop snickering, foolish moron." "It's the genuine truth I've been telling you." "Good." "Let's go, chief." "We deploy, the forward contingent!" "You're going to see, the girl is worth the trip." "Get going." "Go." "On our way." "Poor Sunday customer." "Frank." "I'd like to ask you...." "Listen gramps if you're coming along, shut your trap." "Good." "I'll go first." "Wait 'til I call you." "Listen to you, just a little business." "At bottom, you don't budge from here." ""The day the rain will come..."" "So, young man." "You've brought my coat?" "Have you left it in the car?" "Don't stand there motionless like a broomstick!" "What are you waiting for?" "Fetch it!" "Go on, get going." "Hurry up!" "The little one's in bed." "I get into my coat and you you get into the little one." "Wait!" "Wait?" "Wait, not now." "Where's the gun?" "Where's her gun?" "Mona, where's her gun?" "It's locked!" "Mona!" "It's locked." "Mona?" "Where's the key?" "The key." "The key, the key." "And where'd she put it?" "Good." "Which is it?" "Quick, quick, quick." "Get a move on!" "Well, it doesn't matter." "Go find the money." "Don't stand there!" "Go and fetch the dough!" "Congratulations!" "Speak of the devil!" "A 45." "And it's loaded as well." "Tikides?" "Tikides?" "It's done, you can come." "I'm coming, boss." "It's not true." "Totally nuts, your scheme." "Frank?" "Frank, are you there?" "The girl is upstairs." "She may come down again." "Don't move." "The girl, I can go for her now." "Shut your mouth." "Frank?" "What is it now?" "It's silly but it was on my mind all that time in the car." "What?" "It's the words from the end of the song." "When we sang Lalalala." "What are the words?" "Good god." "That's what you want to know?" "Frank?" "Tikides?" "You near a light?" "A light?" "Why?" "Light, I'm telling you." "Where is it?" "There." "Just to your left." "There." "Tikides?" "I remember the words." "The end is:" ""We will be,"" ""you and me,"" ""the happiest in the world,"" ""the wealthiest in the world..."" "But... stop!" "It was this or nothing, Mona!" "What are you thinking?" "What else could we do?" "Besides, he raped you." "He raped you, right?" "He was a piece of shit." "What shit." "Come on, Mona." "Snap out of it a little." "Help me." "Come on." "It's getting better and better." "It's really time for me to take a vacation." "In a quarter hour you're going to alert the cops." "In the middle of the night you woke to a horrible racket, gunshots." "You found the tall Greek there..." "Wait for two or three weeks until things die down and off we go to Istanbul or Constantinople the two of us." "The Department of Special Offers presents Frank Poupart!" "Puppy to his dearest and nearest." "in the deal of the year a hundred thousand francs, tax free." "They know my weak spot, you know?" "With my luck as usual I'll have somebody rip me off." "I need to find a hideout." "Against the wind and the current crying through the ordeal but never beaten." "Good evening, Puppy." "What the fuck are you doing here?" "I still have my key, don't I?" "So what?" "If you've got a stamp you send a letter on the spot?" "And if you've got a telephone you make a call?" "If you've got a gun you shoot everything that moves?" "Please." "This is already difficult." "Ah?" "It's difficult enough for you?" "And for me, it's so easy, huh?" "What about that?" "That made my life easier?" "And now..." "And now, the leading attraction of our show!" "And here it is the tutu jacket suave and virile entirely hand-tailored." "Take a feel..." "Take a feel." "There you go... all the women go wild for them." "Stop it, Frank." "Please, stop..." "I must talk to you...." "Listen!" "Listen!" "I'm fed up, listening to others talk!" "You are going to listen to me." " No!" "It's over." "Over!" "I'll hear no more." "Frank?" "Go ahead." "Go ahead, I hear you." "Come on." "Speak." "Shit, Jeanne." "Don't stand there like a fencepost." "You're going to take root." "Come and sit." "No!" "Not so far, move closer to me." "You really want me near you?" "Of course, naturally." "Here I am." "Yes, yes." "Right here." "You don't want to know where I went?" "I don't know." "Your mother's place?" "A hotel in Paris, in the 14th." "I needed to think things over to be in a quiet place especially now." "What's the problem?" "Oh, Frank." "I'm the only one to blame." "Me." "I knew what I was doing." "Do you understand?" "Listen darling." "Let's not start a quarrel about our respective wrongs." "But since you've brought the question up what can you possibly mean?" "You had to know what you were doing." "Don't take it like that..." "You think I'm demented don't you?" "You think I'm dead crazy." "Frank Poupart, completely schizomaniac" "That's it." "That's what you think." "That's what you think in your little head." "God damn!" "Shit!" "With all the rotten luck, I'm stuck with." "Still, luckily, luckily" "I don't go around with a fool's cap on my head." "Yes, yes." "If it's not one thing, it's another." "They stay up all night..." "Admit that at the very least!" "Admit that I've never been lucky!" "Like everybody else, you know." "Like everybody else, shit." "Name me one guy who got as fucked as me" "Come on, name one." "I've come back now." "Huh?" "So everything will be different, you'll see." "Everything will work out." "Oh, croissants!" "Oh, the newspaper!" "Oh... just like in the good old days." "Haven't you noticed anything?" "Here dressed, hair done, make-up on, at 8 am." "You're magnificient." "Honey, you're amazing." "Really." "Beautiful." "You're coming back over tonight?" "Of course." "Why?" "Only to know." "To have dinner ready." "Now scram, you're going to be late." ""Elderly lady kills her aggressor" ""...before succumbing to her wounds..." ""after falling down the stairs."" "Hot damn, Mona!" "They'll be screwed; they'll be had." "You... my little Mona." "You, my little Mona my little ray of tralala..." "Poor chick." "What am I going to do with her?" "A little tart like that is just good at pissing you off all blessed day long." "Just look at how she jumped on me." "All the same..." "One won't make up for the other." "Unlike her, Jeanne doesn't suck cock in the public toilets." "Time." "Ok." "Work to do." "Here's my day's eight hours." "To hell with the rat race." "Well my friend, a cutlery set, two deep fryers and three pressure cookers." "And everything in cash!" "So what are your customers up to?" "Opening restaurants, or...?" "Well..." "I've got the touch, boss." "By the way, did you see the story about Evreux Street the old lady and the Greek?" " Oh, yes, yes, yes..." "I read about it in a rag." "They were both your customers, right?" " Yes, too true." "It's a pity it doesn't happen more often." "If they could all die with an open mouth one after the other in line." "My God." "If all of our customers were to die a violent death we'd never hear the end of it." "Since we're on it was there anything that struck you as a little unusual?" "No." "Nothing." "You mustn't have read carefully your paper." "The old woman was penniless." "And last week she bought a dressing gown costing 375 francs." "And so what?" " So doesn't it seem a bit weirder than weird to you?" "Listen boss." " Yes." "I'm going to tell you, okay?" "I'm not paid to ... to psycho... uh uh, shit analyze bums like your shitty customers." "Anyway, they're all crazy and feeble-minded." "Otherwise, they wouldn't buy your junk." "The only thing that interests me is the thirty-three per cent period." "With that said, good evening." "Congratulations!" "You're talking like a real salesman." "Good night." "Frank!" " What do you want now?" "You're oddly nervous." "Did I say something to upset you?" "Well..." "I'm tired, Taplin." "Tired!" "I've had my fill, I'm tired off my ass." "You feel remorse." " I feel what?" "Remorse." "You feel responsible." "Excuse me?" "It was the old woman who gave you the Greek's address, right?" "He must have found out and sought revenge." "So what?" "All's well that ends well." "Now they're in the cooler, nothing else." "You have a rock where your heart should be little Frank." "Go." "No, no." "He knows nothing." "It's only his usual trick, to bust my balls." "Come on, my good little man." "We're going home." "No, no, no, Puppy." "No!" "I saw it, the money, when you put it in the suitcase." "There's too much of it." "Franck?" "What have you done, Frank?" "No, Frank!" "No, no." "Not this." "No!" "Don't cry Jeanne." "Please." "I don't want you to cry!" "No crying!" "Enough!" "I meant to tell you about the money, but..." "I'm not sure yet that I'm going to keep it." "I didn't want to give you false hope." "Later..." "I found it." "Stop it." "I'm begging you to stop." "Stop lying to me." "I'm not lying, Jeanne!" "I can't lie to you, as you know very well." "I know it's beyond belief, but I found it!" "It's the whole truth, nothing but the truth." "I found it Friday night at a client's who'd taken off without paying." "I found it when I went into his apartment." "You went in..." "but why did you go in?" "I... but... but... because!" "I..." "I..." "I was looking for evidence." "An indication." " What indication?" "Well if you want to know let me have my say!" "Explain yourself." "Go on." "I'm listening to you." "Thanks!" "An indication of where he'd gone." "A phone number an address on an envelope." "So I search his apartment." "Nothing!" "But it's so nothing that it's fishy." "As if as if great pains have been taken to leave no trace." "It peaks my curiosity." "I continue and at last, in a cabinet..." "I stood shaking like custard." "What did you say your customer's name was?" "Estil." "Robert Estil!" "I'll go look for his file, if you want." "No." "No." "That's not necessary." "Come on." "I'm at your service." "How much money is there?" "I don't know not exactly... 20 or 30,000 francs." "Maybe more." "It's probably stolen money." "There you go!" "Right there." "There you go!" "You go, you go, you go." "Instantly!" "Why should it instantly be stolen money?" "It has to be taken to the police." "That would be good ...and get grilled by the cops until they make me confess I've pulled a fast one." "Thanks but... shit, no thanks!" "Don't you know what kind of bullies they are?" "They won't hesitate to search noon for 2:15." "But since you're bringing the money back..." " Just so!" "Just so!" "They'll be overjoyed." "A willing sucker into the bargain." "They wouldn't even attempt to believe me." "For starters it's true it sounds unbelievable." "That's exactly the kind of story that no one ever believes." "Particularly when it's true." "As a matter of fact you're the first not to believe it." "I do believe you." "Well, you say so but you know I'd understand if you didn't believe me." "Jeanne... you and me we've never had a chance between us." "So we'd better face things for starters, beginning again from zero on a good footing." "We could we could try." "Besides we could even..." "Well..." "You know very well what what..." "I'm not against making little Pouparts if we can bring them up decently." "Little Frankoo Pouparoos." "You are so kind sometimes." ""Niece of murdered elderly woman taken in by public welfare agency."" "What kind of mess now?" "Calm yourself." "There's no need to panic." "They'll find it hard to make her talk, anyway." "No a chatterbox, Mona." "You've scared stiff, all the same." "A flinching zero, god damn you." "If she blabs five minutes, she puts it all in your lap." "Cuntery!" "I'm talking to myself now." "Better and better." "Better and better, Frankie." "Keep up like this and you'll take my place." "Everything else okay?" "Of course." "So much the better for you!" "What are you up to, Taplin?" "What are you doing to me here?" "With me?" "Nothing at all?" "But I'm annoying you." "Go home." "Since I'm saying you must be tired after such a day..." "Don't hesitate." "Go home." "Now we're done for." "I'm sure you have the cops on your tail." "That's just what they were waiting for." "You go to the store and fetch me." "Unbelievable!" "We had an agreement, no?" "We were to wait a few days before meeting up." "That's it, brat." "Go." "Go ahead." "Go get screwed by the cops." "Bitch!" "Great!" "This way I keep it all for myself." "You won't see a cent from the old woman." "Do you hear me?" "Not a cent!" "Anyhow, you don't give a fuck for the cash." "You've got your head in the clouds!" "You're deluded." "Why don't you give a fuck for the money?" "After all, you're just a little slut." "It's because of the money that you came after me, isn't it?" "Isn't it?" "Isn't that what you wanted?" "That's what turns you on, no?" "Say it!" "Say it: it's the only thing that turns you on." "Certainly, it wasn't me." "You don't give a fuck for a jerk like me!" "Jerk!" "Poor jerk!" "Poor jerk!" "Mona..." "But why?" "Why me?" "I love you Mona." "I love you so much." "I've never loved someone like I love you." "What's wrong with you?" " I want to stay with you." "Naturally." "We'd be out of luck otherwise." "Good." "Good." "And besides since things are the way they are, let's take off immediately." "Alley-oop!" "In the car, Gertrude!" "Listen, Mona..." "I just need to go to my place to fetch the bread and my toothbrush." "I'll drop you off at a movie theater and come for you later." "No." "Why not?" "You can't come to my place." "It's too risky." "There are limits to everything, aren't there?" "Frank." "Yes, Jeanne?" "I'll be back at once." "Just a minute." "Frank!" "Yes..." "I'm coming." "Can't anybody shit in peace?" "This time truly I say no." "Frank!" "Enough!" "What's the hurry?" "Shit!" "There's no fire to put out!" "I need to know." "Stop lying." "How did you get this money?" "But I told you, honey." "I've explained it all a hundred times." "No, you're lying." "Where were you on Sunday?" "What happened?" "You haven't told me the truth." "Jeanne." "Is that a reason to accuse me of lying?" "You drank here all day on Sunday with somebody else, then you went out." "And you came back with the money." "What did you do, Frank?" "What have you done?" " Nothing." "Jeanne, just a little Belote with my buddies." "That's all." "Then I took them home." "Shit!" "Something else happened." "Something very serious." "You have to believe me, Jeanne." "You have to." "I'm not lying." "I'm protecting you." "Why on that evening, a Sunday, did you come back with all that money?" "You're tired, dear Jeanne." "Go to bed." "What did you have to do with this morning's newspaper?" "What's your connection with this awful story?" "What story?" "You know very well, it's being gossiped about in all the stores." "She's dead, that old lady!" "Let me handle it, Jeanne." "Please." "I want to know." "I need to." "But what's the trouble?" "I haven't done anything to you." "Why are you picking on me?" "I have a right to know." "I'm your wife!" "Don't ask me about it any more, Jeanne." "Don't." "I'm begging you!" "I'm begging you." "It's an award for valor that I won for rescuing someone, if you must know!" "Where were you Sunday night?" "Shut up, Jeanne." "Don't you realize that I'm trying to save you, too?" "What happened Sunday night?" "Give me some peace!" "For god's sake!" "The truth?" "Don't hold back." "Say what you think of me." "Come, come." "Pour out your awful thoughts." "I killed..." "I killed the old crone with my bare hands and I dropped the other one with a revolver." "That's it." "What you're implying?" "I would have done this, me?" "No." "Don't kill me." "I'm pregnant." "Don't scream!" "Don't scream, Jeanne." "Don't scream." "You're not going to cry out, are you?" "First you're not going to call strangers not against your own husband." "You wouldn't do that, Jeanne." "No my Jeanne, my dear." "No, my dear." "You wouldn't do that." "You couldn't do that." "You wouldn't be able to." "There..." "It will be alright now you'll see." "So what?" "So what?" "What are you looking at me like that for?" "Here I am, Jeanne." "I'm coming." "Good evening, little Frank." "You don't seem very pleased to see me, Mr. Poupart." "Won't you invite me to sit down?" "It's really cozy, your place." "A genuine Louis XV living room." "I want everything." "Everything you've amassed." "Thanks to two murders." "Two murders among the most idiotic that have ever been known." "I must confess that I don't exactly understand what got into your head." "Indeed, I don't want to know." "But to get so deeply into shit like this a hell of a nest egg must have been at stake." "The old bag probably had a devout sense of economy." "No." "It's a love story." "A terrible love story." "First about the dough." "How else can you explain that, since that famous night you've had miraculous days while you don't even visit a single customer?" "So, all kidding aside where's the money." " There isn't any." "Not much." "There are... there are fewer savings than what I..." "I..." "It's stashed." "I hid it in a vacant lot." "We can go fetch it, if you wish..." "Willingly." "But I must warn you that I left a letter with one of my friends and, if I don't get back to his place before midnight he'll take it to the police." "Yes, my little Frank." "This is how everything's going to end." "You're going to give me the money now, right away." "Be careful, Frank." "I can't offer much of a fight." "Hit me." "To each his own." "But don't forget the letter." "Where's the money?" "Magnificent." "I would suggest that you take a share, but..." "I know you, you'd refuse." "Please, Taplin." "Leave me some." " No, no, no..." "I'm begging you." "Don't talk nonsense." "Come." "Just a little. 2000 francs." " No, no, no..." "To get away." "To try my luck." " No, no." "I deserve it." "I was the one who did everything." " No, no, no..." "No." "That would be putting the money in a bad place." "Here." "Let me give you some advice." "Don't think that your problems are the kind that money can solve." ""By the skin of the teeth," as the saying you've often quoted goes." "Come on, come on, something." " No, no, no..." "Two or three small bills." "Come on !" "It's not that I'm bored but my cheeks are burning," "See you around, my little Frank..." "see you." "I forgot, you girlfriend." "Make her come inside." "She'll catch her death waiting out in the street." "And you seem so lonely." "Go ahead." "Go on..." "It's the big day." "We're going to have a moonlight fiesta beneath the coconut trees." "Everything's going well, huh?" "I've got the money." "The suitcase is stuffed with it." "Everything's fine now." "We have nothing more to be afraid of." "Mona?" "Tell me that we have nothing more to be afraid of." "Tell me, Mona." "Tell me that we have nothing more to be afraid of any more." "Just tell me that we have nothing more to be afraid of." "Go on, tell me, Mona, we have nothing more to be afraid of." "Tell me." "Tell me, we have nothing more to be afraid of." "We have nothing more to be afraid of now." "We have nothing more to be afraid of now." "We have nothing more to be afraid of now, Mona." "We have nothing more to be afraid of now."