"THE YEAR OF THE JELLYFISH" "BASED ON THE NOVEL "THE YEAR OF THE JELLYFISH" BY C. FRANK" "SONG PERFORMED BY NINA HAGEN" ""Not yet." "Not before noon"" "You're sleeping?" "Vic called." "He wants us to have lunch with Marianne." "You're coming?" "I don't know." " I'm thirsty." "What can I get you?" "I'm trying to last until noon at least." "I'm going swimming." " Already?" "How is it going, Salome?" " You fell out of bed?" "I never made it to bed." "This is Dorothy." "Hi, your name's Salome?" " No." "If you want to have lunch, reserve." "There is an arrival." "No, thanks." "We're having lunch at "Le 80"." "How're you doing?" "Who's that?" " I don't know." "Let's eat." "It's too hot." " Ten minutes." "At 30, you'll be an old, wrinkled, dried up thing." "Too bad." "It's Guttaz." "Do you know how lucky you are?" "(Speaking German)" "Two Oranginas?" "It's paid for." " Oh, yes?" "By whom?" "Nice, but..." " They want to eat with you?" "I'll do it." " Wait..." "Yeah?" " Maybe." "Okay?" " Okay." "What do you mean?" "You'd rather eat fries on the public beach?" "Where will you go?" "I didn't know." "You should have told me." "Buddy, I can't tell you anything." "You must ask me first." "Understand?" "Okay." "You buy them drinks and you let me operate." "Get it?" "I'm listening." "A beer and fries." " Two." "Good job with your "maybes"." " Can't you leave me alone." "First year we came, there was absolutely nothing." "The bay was such a beauty!" "Yes, dad." "The commoners have seized your paradise." "So, why come back?" " I ask myself." "To pick up girls." " Come on, Chris!" "She's right." "It's for the memories too." "Tell us about your friend, the politician's wife." "Lolotte?" " Oh no!" "My son is not amused." "Well, how about the casino tonight?" "Don't count me in." " I'll go." "You're not legal." " I can use a fake ID." "You can lend me one of your granny dresses." "Thank you." "You want to play?" " Win." "Miss, we borrowed your newspaper." "That's all right." "We read it." "Keep it." "Come on." "How about my recipe cards!" "You never use them." "Peter Casteline, my wife, Barbara." "Chris Riveaut." "My mother." "Nice to meet you." " You're going swimming?" "No." "I'm tanning." "Then, see you." " See you." "No." "Hey, look!" "Not like that." "Go get the ball." "Go hard with the racket." "It's all in the shoulder." "I am useless, you know." " No, no, no." "Look at the movement." "You keep it going." "Don't panic." "I'm coming." "I'll help you later." "Let's start over." "Cream please." " Here it is." "Feeling better?" " I'm all right." "Drink this." " What is it?" "Gin Fizz." "Exceptional." "Without my wife here, that was bound to happen" "Thank you." " Is it true what they say?" "What?" " That a jellyfish stung you." "I'm giving a 6:00PM press conference at the bar." "Will that be all right?" " I don't know if I can come." "Who's she?" "A bimbo." " Thank you." "I had noticed." "Yes?" " Twenty minutes." "Okay?" "No problem." "You're coming?" "We're coming." " Did you make the decision, Vic?" "No, he did." "I think he feels he has to watch his father." "If he had to impose him on you, he felt he had to suffer too." "What a pain." " Yeah." "See you soon." "I'm old." "Stop your bullshit." "Yes, I'm old." "Inside." "Nothing's like before anymore." "You're only 38." "I don't care." "I'm afraid." "Afraid of what?" "Of not being able to hang it up." "Will you tell me when it's time." "I will." "What's the matter with you tonight?" "I don't know." "13 red." " 16 black." "No more bets." "No." "Another, please" "Is that you, Claude?" " Mr. Guttaz." "Pierre is here?" " No." "He's working?" "Do you know Romain?" "I've seen him." "You're Salome's mom, right?" "Come over here." "I heard you got stung by a jellyfish." "Yeah." " Show me." "What are you doing, Chris?" "Do you know it will never go away." " I know." "And you don't care." "You're right." "Can I dance with your mom?" " Anybody you wish, except me." "It goes without saying." "Let's go my dear lady." "I'm going back." "Can you hold them for me?" "It's a waltz." " Yes." "So what?" "How well do you know Guttaz?" "I know his vices." " Then you know him well." "No, the Guttaz labs can't be only known for the sexual escapades." "How about you?" "You know him well?" "Neither vice, nor virtue." "My husband had many business deals with him." "I believe he respects him." "And where's your husband?" " In Paris." "Poor guy." "Oh, not at all." "He does not know how to relax." "Why did you want to dance with me?" "Stupid question?" " Yes." "May I know why you call my daughter Salome?" "No, you may not." "We talked about your husband and now your daughter." "I don't like to dance with several people at once." "You're forgetting Guttaz." " I'm not." "I used Guttaz to meet you, so I can't count him as an undesirable." "You did what?" " Later." "Where's the other one?" "Here it is." "Sleep tight." "Romain is a strange guy." "He's a pimp." "A what?" " A pimp." "Don't exaggerate." "A bit of a player for sure." "He hunts the girls on the beach." "He's a provider." "What?" "He's a provider?" "Yes, on the port, in the villas." "He's a pimp." "How do you know this?" "Everybody knows." "I thought you had stopped." "Me too." "Can't sleep?" "Never before dawn." "Really." "Since when?" "A few years." "How about you?" "I don't know." "I'm stressed." "Call her a taxi." "That's all." "I'll take the train." " Not on Sundays." "It's full of punks." "Let's give her a ride." " Sure." "We'll drop her off." " Nice of you, but..." "That's no problem." "You'll miss your plane." "Well." "Goodbye." "You can turn on the radio." " No, thank you." "Very well." "You had a plan." "That's why you wanted to take the train?" "No, no." " You wanted to go home alone?" "No." "It's on the right over there." "You would rather nobody saw me drop you off?" "I have to go." "Hello, hello." " It's me." "Who's "me"?" " Vic." "Hi." "I thought you were with my parents." "I call from the restaurant." "Really." "Mom forgot something?" "No, no." " Hello." "Chris." " Yes." "We'll meet?" "I don't know." "If you come up later and I'm not in bed..." "Well." "I have to go." "Don't mention this call to your mother." "Okay." "How about you, Vic?" "Excuse me?" "You're in a dream." "Is she pretty at least?" "Coffee, brandy?" " The bill." "The bill." "Shall we have a drink at home?" " Yes, but just one." "Poor thing." "He really can't hear any longer?" "Nothing at all." " He's old." "In a way, it is restful." "How's everything with Chris?" " Fine." "At least, better than last year." "There's always a bad year." "For Christine it was 8th grade." "I go pee and we're going." "Hi." " Hello." "Danny." "She is a hall monitor at St Jeanne." "Teacher's aide." " Don't be a pain." "She is sometimes nice too." "Shall we go?" "Who lives here?" " Danny." "When she's in Paris." "I had planned everything." "She changed her mind at the last minute." "She didn't want me here?" " Yeah." "She doesn't like the idea." " Of course." "Are you crazy or what?" " What?" "I didn't think you would do this." " What?" "There's only cold water in this fucking room." "I thought that..." "Well." "I believed..." "I have to ask my mother for the pill." "If you think that's easy." "Oh, shit." "It's freezing." "I'm sorry." "Yes." " It's me." "Can you come?" "Where?" " At home." "They went out." "I'm going to try." "I have to pick up a file at the office." "Now?" "They moved up the project to Monday." "I would not be ready otherwise." "I'll be back in 45 minutes." "Where are they?" " At the theater." "What's wrong?" "Nothing." " Regrets?" "Maybe." "I wonder if you'll remember this a few years from now." "Or if you will erase everything." "Why would I erase this." "I don't know." "That's the way it is." "I wonder..." " Why are you so serious?" "It can't be the first time?" "Yes." " Really?" "This is not like me." "I always despised those who do this." "Really." "Why?" "Because of your father?" "Yes." "Is that you, dad?" "No." "Nobody called." "Who?" "Okay." "If he calls, I'll tell him." "No, nothing." "I'm reading." "This is the intermission?" "All right." "I kiss you." "No." "It's not for a man." " What?" "I don't like it." " That's not what you said." "But that's what I wanted to say." "It's Danny, the teacher's aide?" " She can go to hell." "I can't stand to be uptight." "Can't do this, can't do that." "Where you go?" "Whom you write to?" "You call me Sunday?" "You love me?" "Let me look at you." "I'll stay with you, I'll watch you pee." "You're me, you're my daughter." "Everything I've never had." "I've had it!" "If you don't love, don't you have at least a shred of compassion?" "You should talk." "She called your wife last week." "When?" " Wednesday." "That's why I could not call you." "She spoke to Marianne?" " Yes." "Or rather no." "She hung up when I promised never to see you again." "Your wife must be waiting for you." "Claude called me." " Yes." "She is at her wits' end." " Why?" "Keep it for yourself." "She made me swear not to talk about it." "Her daughter is pregnant." "Chris?" "Are you joking?" "16." "Can you imagine." "A good thing we don't have daughters." "What will she do?" "What you do in this situation." "What else?" "Who's the father?" "They don't know." "She won't say." "Probably some other kid." "What do you think?" "With or without a necklace?" " Without." "What are you doing here?" " Get in." "You're smoking now?" " Yes." "I know." " Good for you." "Why didn't you say anything?" " What for?" "I could have..." " No, nothing at all." "I had to tell my mom." "I like it better that way." "Why?" " That's the way it is." "Do you blame me?" " This is where it ends, Vic." "Next time, I'll just be the daughter of your friends." "Don't try to talk or look at me." "Don't call or write me, okay?" "Leave me there." "I'll take the train." "Listen..." " I like it better this way." "Come on, don't make this long face." "Say hello to your wife." "I was looking for you." " Really?" "Of course." " Your bike is so cool." "It's cool all right, but it's not mine." "Get on." "Champagne." " You have a gift for observation." "Have you ever wondered at night whether you'd see the sun again?" "No." " No?" "I do wonder." "That's my Viking side." "Did you know Vikings thought the earth was flat?" "That's why they did not sail at night or in foggy weather." "Why's that?" " They would drop anchor and get drunk." "To forget about their fear." " Fear of what?" "The fear of void." " I don't see the point between us." "It's better that way." "What are you thinking about?" " A friend." "A friend?" "It's great." "Guttaz and his lab." "I talked to you about him." "The guys on the beach?" "Do you see the boat over there?" "Where I can see the light?" "Do you know why there is a light?" " No." "He's not sleeping." "You know why?" "No." " He's not sleeping because he's lonely." "Really." "You know what we're going to do?" "You're going to see him." " Me?" "What am I going to tell him?" "That I sent you." "Do it for me." "You don't object, do you?" "Will I see you after?" " Of course." "Yes." " It's late, isn't it?" "Or early." "What's the matter?" "An idea." " I'm listening." "Breakfast on the port." " No." "Then I'm coming up." " No, again." "That's enough." " I'm downstairs." "So what?" " Well, nothing, but it's dumb." "Sorry you came for nothing." "Can I sleep now?" " It's out of the question." "Just hang up, but you won't sleep." "I could call the hotel management." " Yes, you can." "But you won't." "Well?" " Here's an idea." "Be positive for once." "We don't know or talk to each other." "There's another idea." "Very bad, unsatisfying, negative, cowardly." "Cowardly?" " Cowardly." "I'm coming up." " No." "We're going in circles." "This booth is stuffy." "Nobody's forcing you." "I'm coming up for five minutes." " No." "One minute." " Neither." "15 seconds" "What's the use for you?" "To see you." "We saw each other earlier." "Alone." " No." "I've had it." " Me too." "Let's get over it." "15 seconds." " Not one over." "Are you happy?" "Have you ever wondered at night whether you would see the sun again?" "No." " I do." "It's my Viking side." "The Vikings thought the earth was flat." " What are you?" "What do you mean?" "I mean, what do you do?" " Oh, yes." "Well?" " Your 15 seconds have elapsed." "What I do has nothing to do with you." "What do you mean?" "You're too old." "That's nice." "They left with the current." "Jellyfish come and go." "Go ahead." "It's all clear right now." "Thank you." "Slept well, Aldo?" " Alone." "Sorry." " Don't be." "What do you want?" " A coffee." "At the restaurant." " Please, my dear Aldo." "Stop it." "I'm not in the mood." "Can you give me a ride." "I don't have a car." "Thank you." "At last." "I invited the Germans to lunch." "Plus Vic and Marianne." " I'm not hungry." "I bought some fruits." "I'll take your diets seriously when you stop the scotch." "What were you doing with Kalides?" "His name is Kalides?" "I gave him a ride." "He's Greek?" "Can you handle Vic?" "He is pulling a long face." "It's about time." "How're you doing?" " Very well." "Isn't that right?" "Happy." "Happy to have lunch with you." "Isn't that right." "Tell me about you." "Is this Vic?" " He's by himself." "Aren't they cute?" "Please, may I have a Kir." "She felt she had a duty toward her peers." "To share herself among them." "Having understood that giving oneself was an illusion and what you give is just that." "She had carefully studied the tool you call postponement." "Excuse me." "She couldn't imagine at the end of this meal as she was showing off her art that this year there was a shadow hanging over her." "She had felt danger and danger had a face." "If a man with a machine gun shoots aimlessly at a target, he would miss feeling the joy of leaving innocent bodies on the sidewalk." "Chris was enjoying that kind of satisfaction." "Here it is." " Very good!" "Yes, quite." "You're going swimming?" "How is he doing?" " Not great." "It's hard at first." "It took Jerome a week." "It would take Jerome a week even in bed with a girl." "You're so mean." " I'll be back." "You're driving too fast." " You're right, you're right." "Here." "Jean will pick it up tonight." "Aldo, shit." "What the hell are you doing?" "My friend and I have been waiting 20 minutes." "What do you want?" " A "baby"." "Make it two." "Thank you." " For having tricked you." "Your frankness is refreshing." "I am a refreshing type of guy." "To us." " To us for what?" "To us." "Maybe you were expecting an old woman." "You should have listened better." "I did not say "old", I said "too old"." "So we're dealing with a disinterested endeavor." "I dare say, not professional." "Calm down." " I am very calm." "You're chomping at the bit." " Not at all." "Careful, 24 pushing on 80." "Adrenaline." "Too bad." "I want it too much." "I'm going to kiss you." "Are you out of your mind!" "Well." "Nine, tonight at Fernand's?" "If I shave, she'll come." " No." "Yes she will." "She will come." "Who will come where?" "Stop." "You wet my shirt." "Answer." "Stop it Salome." "I'm talking to your mother." "Why do you call her Salome?" "Ask her." " He won't tell me either." "Dad's on the phone." " What?" "Your husband, Pierre Riveault." "Know him?" "Couldn't you say something earlier?" "What do you want with my mother?" " Go build sandcastles." "I'm too old." "I found other games." " I know." "Don't you want to play?" "John the Baptist lost his head over this." "Don't know him." "Where will you be tonight?" "Not with you." "What are you doing?" " I'm giving you a hard on." "Are you feeling anything?" "No." "So go build a sandcastle." "I saw Jean-Marc and Pamela." "They're saying "hi"." "And..." "That's all." " When is he coming?" "Chris is asking when you are coming." "Okay." "Kiss you." "When is he coming?" " He doesn't know yet." "Soon." "Why this sudden interest in your father?" "Need your daddy?" "At least he did not break it." "I'd like to see you try." "Not too far." "We're leaving in an hour." "One hour." "Already." "We hardly saw each other." "I don't understand." " What?" "What you want." " You." "Are you sure?" "Still so serious." "Shall we see each other tonight?" "I don't know." "Eleven." "Here." "That's smart." "What am I going to look like now?" "You look fine." "Will you come?" "Go swim." "It will "cool" you off." "Wow." "You're so dark!" " No flattery." "I assure you." "You're gorgeous." "It's true you want to go back to work." "I'm thinking about it." "Kids are grown up." "I'm a bit bored." "It's a good idea." "You should do it." "Don't suck up, will you." " But that's what I think." "Feeling better?" " He wasn't feeling well?" "He was a bit too hot." "He won't come." " What do you know?" "He called." " Called who?" "Aldo." "Why didn't Aldo tell me?" " He told me." "Why you?" "Why didn't he ask for me?" "Don't worry." " Leave me alone." "Leave some for others." "Are you paying for it?" "Are you home?" " Yes." "What's that?" "What is "that"?" "The white jacket." "You're going out?" "Where?" "At Lamotte's." " Again?" "He invited some people." "I said we would go." "I'm not going." "What people?" "A writer, I think, and a doctor." "Go without me." "I'm going to get changed." "So." "It's your first time here?" " You're kidding." "I'm here all the time." "Really." "I'm his daughter's godfather." " Who?" "Fernand." "When I first met her she was that high." "Now, she is a little lady." "Can you help me with my button here?" "Am I scaring you?" " Absolutely." "Must be my advanced age." " It intimidates me." "Thank you." "I'm happy you came." "What?" "Nothing." "I didn't think you would come." "Why?" "It would not be the first time." "What do you mean?" "Forget about it." "Chris, it was you..." " I know." "I did." "I took the first steps." "I even spared you the breakup." "What a sucker!" "Listen, Chris." "It was going nowhere." "It was hopeless." "I would have followed you anywhere if I had thought that..." "No." "Not here." "Not like that." "What did you tell your wife?" "That I had a meeting with someone about my work." "Do you think she believed you?" " Yes." "With my mother and their friends she probably don't think about it." "Your mother?" " Yes." "She is at your house." "No." " What do you mean "no"?" "She's not at the villa." "At least not tonight." "Why?" "You thought she was coming?" "It doesn't matter." "You must go home." "We have all the time in the world." "I'll call you." "Come." "Can I drive you home?" " I borrowed a moped." "Think of me." "No, no, no." "I recognized the child." "First, he was beautiful." " You're buying wholesale." "You can't refuse a child." "This was before or after the poker game?" "That was love." "I was riding motorcycles." "In Sardegna?" "Well, yes..." "In Sardegna." "And you sold the bikes to buy the laundromat in Dijon?" "I sold the laundromat to buy the bikes." "I had won the laundromat..." " At poker?" "At poker." "It's that simple." " Yes." "Very simple." "Where's that boat?" " Over there." "She's got three." "There is a detail that I don't get." "The Thai woman you married in Stockholm." " Yes." "Where did you meet her?" "In Paris." "While you were in law school." "Stop." "I hate to talk about myself." "Here." "Look." "Well." "Having scruples?" "No, I thought..." " Yes?" "No, nothing." "What are you doing?" " We're not staying here." "We're not?" "It was her." "Excuse me?" "Yes." "It was Salome in the harbor." "Should I take you home?" "No." "We're staying right here." "Are you planning to stay this far away all night?" "No." "Not at all." "I was planning to do it discreetly during the conversation." "Forget discretion." "Start the conversation." "What are you thinking about?" "You wouldn't believe me." "Say it anyway." "About my Mother." "What my Mother said about love." ""I don't understand all this fuss and such a waste of time for a matter of orifice"" "Yeah." "Is she dead?" "Yeah, yeah." "A long time ago." "Say." "Weren't you here last year?" "Yes, but on another beach." "I spent two months in the hospital." "An accident?" " No." "A wasp." "What?" "I have an allergic nature." "Stung twice in one year." "I ended up in the oxygen tent and the rest." "That stinks." " That's the way it is." "Do you see the boat over there?" "Terzian's boat." "The one all lit up?" "It's lit up because he doesn't sleep." "Do you know why he doesn't sleep?" "Because he's alone?" "Shall we swim." " You would not dare." "No." "I wouldn't dare." "Shall I walk you back to your car?" "Don't think so." "I suppose this is it?" "Are you saying or are you asking?" "It's hard for me to leave." "Not easy." "Right?" "Thank you." "We don't have breakfast together that often." "That's nice." "I ordered American style." "Eggs, sausages, cereal, pancakes, maple syrup." "I don't know if I can." "Oh, yes." "French breakfast is notoriously insufficient." "Is there coffee at least?" " Yeah." "Your dinner finished late?" "There was no dinner." "Really?" " No." "The guests canceled." "Please, some sugar." "When Marianne called, they may have lost the message downstairs." "That stinks." "You must complain." "I left, and guess who I ran into passing through the port." "Who?" " Romain." "Kalides?" "With his pals?" " No, alone." "He's never alone." "He was." "Are there croissants?" "Eggs, sausages, or pancakes." "Pancakes." "Don't put anything on it." "Just a little..." " No, nothing." "Plain pancake." "Well?" "He invited me to have dinner." "He's funny that guy." "Yeah." "Did you know he's allergic?" "Everybody knows it." "Wasps." "He spent some time in the hospital for that." "You knew him last year?" "Longer than that." "Two years." "He was going to Colombes and he water-skied at "L'ile Rouge"." "The year before last." "Really?" "They all teased him about the wasp thing." "He freaks out when he sees one far away." "Imagine how he feels about the jellyfish." "He won't go in the water for days." "Poor guy." "Yeah." "You want that sausage?" " No." "Be my guest." "Don't you eat that with a fork and a knife?" "Yes." "You're going to see him again?" "See whom?" "Romain." "I don't know." "Why?" "I don't know." "Are you sleeping, old woman?" " Yes." "Didn't sleep long enough last night?" "No, not enough." "Let's go to lunch?" " Yes." "Not right away." "I called dad." "When?" " Just now." "Why?" " I wanted to." "Does it bother you?" "No." "Where did you call him from?" "From the restaurant." "He's trying to join us." "Very well." "We're having lunch together?" "With Romain." "Do you know you are beautiful?" "Too fat." " That's not true." "Isn't she gorgeous?" " Of course." "(Speaking German)" " People speak French here." "Okay." " You're eating lunch with us." "Yes, but..." " No "buts"." "Couples mustn't be alone all the time." "Mom, this nice little couple is joining us for lunch." "Fine." "Whatever the conversation," "Chris made that Barbara got all attention, encouraging her dialog with Romain and disengaging to start another with her mother, skillfully including Peter." "She created a kind of partition, dividing the table into 2 bubbles cut from each other where Chris could navigate in and out at will." "Romain waited a while." "Then started to destroy her tactics." "A sort of duel started, with no obvious hostility and no staring at each other." "Then Romain took over, laid down the law and Chris stopped talking." "She could fight anything, except those who had made her fight." "Romain could have won, but Chris got an unexpected ally." "They were in row with their full uniforms..." "We started releasing the mooring ropes." "We saw a guy coming..." "The ugliest guy in the port." "And then..." "Chris." " That's fine." "It's not a big deal, just ask for ice." "Romain's laugh swept everything, partitions, plots and alliances." "Nothing remained." "The score was a tie." "I have a dinner tonight." " With whom?" "Jacques Monestier." " Who's that?" "He works with dad." "When did that happen?" " Earlier." "Show me who he is." " He left." "He had an appointment at "Le 80"." "Oh, yes." "You showered without your top?" "Yes." "Why?" "Nothing." "Mom." " Yes." "You remember what you asked me the other night?" "That I should tell you when it's time..." "To hang it up." " Yes." "I remember and so..." "I think it's time." "Well, thank you." " You're welcome." "Hey, are you doing something tonight?" "Nothing special." " I'm inviting you." "With your Mother?" " No, my mother's going out." "I'm inviting you." "8:30 at the hotel?" "Dress nice." "We're going clubbing afterwards." "I promise, we won't be bored." "There." "You're gorgeous." "Really?" "I understood something else at the beach." "I was joking." "Not many women your age look that good." "It's true." "I'm proud of you." "Listen." " Yes." "You're acting weird this year." "Tense." " No, I'm fine." "Go." "You're going to be late." "Hurry." "Don't let Mr. Monestier wait." "What are you going to do?" "Don't worry about me." "I'll take you back to your hotel." "Not bad." "Cozy little pad." "How's the bed?" "Are you waiting to kick me out?" "Is that what you want?" " No, it's as you wish." "Why are you staying there?" "Chris is vulnerable." "Last year for example..." "She had a good year in Pontoise." "She could return to Victor Drury." "We were happy." "All was well." "Then Howard died." " Howard?" "The dog." "He was old, deaf." "He farted all the time." "One night we found him dead in the living room." "Chris found him." "What was bizarre is that she never really took care of Howard." "She never took him out." "You know, like all children." "Are you done?" "Little by little she calmed down." "How do you do it?" " What do you mean?" "To start over so quickly?" " It's my job." "Go on." "You're a piece of garbage." "This proves that she is more sensitive than people think." "And more secretive too." "Why are you smiling?" "Nothing." "You don't understand a thing." "What do you mean?" "I know my daughter better than you." "No." "Hello." "Hello." " Hypocrite." "Excuse me?" " You knew it was me." "Yes." " Are you alone?" "No." "Now?" "With your wife or you are cheating." "With my father." " Kiss him for me." "Will you tell him that I like him?" " No." "Bastard." "Married son of a bitch." "I'm coming." "But..." " No "buts"." "I'm coming." "Meet you at the chapel." "Like in the novels." "I'll wear a cape with nothing under." "Okay with you?" "When?" " 20 minutes." "Come closer." " What?" "Do you love me?" " Yes." "So tell me what you like." "What's the matter?" "You don't want to answer me?" " No." "You would not like the answer." "By the way." "Me neither." "Something wrong?" "No." "Everything's going wrong." "What about getting married?" "We would have children together." "They would be more handsome and intelligent than yours." "We would have a garden." "And dogs too." "What do you think?" "It's all right." "I'm leaving." "Why?" "No, I'm leaving you." "I'm leaving you to your wife, children, father." "To your villa, to your shitty comfort." "To your shitty life." "Now, I don't understand." "It's just as well." "No." "You have to understand." "If I had wanted to, Vic, you would have left them." "Wife, children, everything." "I could have used tears and sex, wrapped you around my little finger." "That's not difficult." "You're weak." "You don't know what you want." "I'm only 18, but I'm older than you." "Because no one ever dictated my dreams." "I build them all alone like a grownup." "That's how I turned you on the other day." "For no purpose." "To see if you learned something." "You learned nothing." "You've aged." "You took money in." "You stayed in your cozy, little life." "I just had to do "this" for you to dive back in." "Apart from that, you have soft hands." "You give nice caresses." "Good-bye." "Do you hate me?" " No." "Then, I was no use to you." "You were waiting for me?" "Dad's arriving at 10." "We'd better sleep a little, right?" "Are you happy, then?" " Very." "How about you?" " What a question?" "You had fun?" " Not bad." "How about Mr. Monestier?" " Nice man." "But a bit boring." "All alone?" "My father's here." "He's been on the phone all day." "He left." " Who?" "We were feeling bad this morning because of what..." "You shouldn't have." "Peter wanted..." "What's wrong?" "Peter wanted to return to Germany right away." "I said no." "And then?" " He thought that..." "He shouted a lot, his suitcases, his money." "I don't know." "Why didn't you want to leave with him?" "Come on." "Tell me." "By the way." "I wanted to ask Chris." " What?" "Why did she call me?" "You'll know where to find me." " Aldo!" "A Scotch." "Straight up." " Are you nuts?" "Not for me, stupid." "Tell me." "Why did you call me?" "I wanted to see you." "Is that illegal?" "See you." "You're going swimming?" " When?" "Whenever." "Here." "I'm leaving." "I'll take the plane in Nice." "I'll be home before him." " Yes." "Why not?" "It may not be that simple." " What?" "No." "Nothing." "What do you mean?" "Do you really believe he left because of last night?" "Don't you think it might be an excuse?" "An excuse for what?" "For leaving you." "Those last three days he followed me everywhere." "At the restaurants, the shops, at the bar." "Why?" "He told me he no longer loved you." "He did not know how to tell you." "He's the one who asked me to set this up." "He said he would see me again in Paris." "When I refused, he said he would leave you." "Sorry." "I did not want to tell you." "You better know the truth before you take the next plane back." "Lunch?" " Barbara will have lunch with us." "Very well." "What's wrong?" " Nothing, it will pass." "We called their hotel." "He hadn't left yet." "Not only did we miss the plane, but we had to spend the night in the airport." "That's what you said." " What?" "Nothing." "I'm happy to see you." "Really?" "You seem surprised at saying that." "A little." "Yes." "He's having trouble." " Who's that?" "Our local pimp." "Do you know his customers?" "Fernucci, Von HaffenSchultz, Delfonso, and Yves Nickel." "They are acquiring the majority shares in the group." "Mrs. Rivault, there's a call for you." "How come he left all of a sudden?" " I don't know." "The house feels empty now." "Won't you come for dinner?" " Don't know." "Pierre just got here." "I'm going to ask him." "Don't hang up, okay?" "Vic and Marianne just left." "He feels a little lonely." "Tonight it's only the two of us." "Okay." "Another time." "Fine." "Good bye, Claude." "Are you okay?" " Dear Mrs. Rivault." "Shall I kiss you?" " No." "Weren't you looking for a little share?" "Not so much." "I've got what I need." "Shall I introduce you?" " Not necessary." "Three coffees." " That's about time." "Here." " Shit." "Nothing smaller?" "No." "Nothing smaller." "Do you miss me?" "No." "Good." "I'm going now." " Bye." "I'm kissing you." " I'm sucking you." "Here." "I put them on their tab." "That's not my money." " I don't care." "You're right." "That makes their coffee over 20 bucks a piece." "They've got money" " You're right." "Do you want to meet them?" " They're drunk." "They're losing at being famous." "Yes." " Yes, what?" "I miss you." "I was looking for you." "No kidding." "What an event?" "Shall we open a bottle?" "Stop the irony." "You don't know." "What do you mean?" " Friends who would like to meet you." "Let me introduce you." "I was waiting for you." "Well." " I just wanted to confirm." "That's all." "Confirm what?" " That we're going out tonight." "I'm not free." "Cancel your date." "We're going out tonight." "Or else?" "Or else, I tell my father everything." "I don't care." "You could use this as an alibi." "Alibi for what?" "For you." "I'm protecting the mother." "Not, I want to go out with the daughter." "I want to go out with the daughter?" " Yes." "Drop it." "No." "If you refuse, I'll tell everything." "I swear." "You have to, Romain." "10PM at the Citadel." " Okay." "Whose piece of crap?" " A fianc?" "lent it to me." "Another old hag." "See you tonight." "As the moon shone over the roofs, the vineyard and the lemon trees," "The jellyfish were creeping in by the thousands." "Discreetly invading the shore like a chorus walking on stage before the opening of the curtain." "You thought I wasn't coming, right?" " No." "Here." "Happy?" " Very." "Where are we going?" "Well." "You can choose." "The phantom train, the rocket of death." "I want you to have fun." "I'm going back." "Fantastic, right?" "Let's go to the next one." "Come." "Let's go." " Already?" "Not having fun?" "Not having fun." "Okay." "Where do you want to go?" "On your boat." "Poor Salome." "Poor Salome who tried everything for the last two years." "She follows me, tracks me down, owns me, snubs me." "She flirts with me." "In short, she waits for me." "First it was a 16 year old Salome, then 17 and now 18." "Still here, beautiful." " Yes." "I thought she would tire of this, but no." "She did not tire of it." " No." "I guess not." "Well then." "What are we going to do?" "Why did you screw my mother?" " Because I wanted to." "No." "I like her." " No." "Tell me the truth." "If you want." "When the moment's right." "You don't interest me." "And you can't be of any use to me." "Is that clear?" "You scare me." "You're so predictable, ordinary, obvious." "It's pathetic." "Chris, my beautiful." "I know what you will become." "Really?" "What will I become?" "You really want to know?" "In a few years you'll be married to a strong, dependable guy." "You'll have two kids." "A nice pad." "A couple of domestics." "An elegant dog." "You'll be less beautiful than today, but you'll be elegant, a pain in the ass." "You'll never have your mother's charm and intensity." "Never." "You'll be a wife, a mother, a socialite." "You'll only know power games leaving you as dry as a diet biscuit." "And worse of all, beautiful Salome." "You'll be happy." "I swear." "You'll be a pain to your son when he sucks at math." "Dress your daughter nicely." "And spend your summer on the Island of Re." "Your husband will play tennis, sail, water-ski." "You'll fuck once in a while for maintenance." "But deep down, it will appeal to you less and less." "At 40, if you ever meet a guy like me, you'll spit on him." "I know all this." "It's my job to know." "Your job is to fuck chicks." "So, fuck me." "No." "I love you." " No." "You can't even say it right." "If you call me Salome, I must be her type." "That's how I see her." "She performed a dance, right?" " Yes, she danced." "Do you know why she danced?" "To have a man murdered." "It was short." " Short, but good." "What's the matter?" " I love you." "Really?" " Yes." "It's funny, isn't it?" "Shall I walk you to your car?" " No." "Chris must be sleeping." " Let's go see." "Isn't she beautiful?" " Yes." "See you soon." "We'll be home in a couple of days." "Really?" " Yes." "Call me when you get there." "On the beach?" " Why not." "If you want." "You won't do it." "That's all right." "It stings!" "Romain has disappeared." " Really?" "His boat was found, stranded." " He wasn't in it?" "No." "He must have done something stupid and crashed the boat." "It's not the first time." "Hi." " How're you doing?" "Fine." " No husband today?" "No." " What a day!" "We can't swim." "It's full of jellyfish." "I know." "What a pain." "Already?" "No news about Romain?" " No." "Aldo." "Two cokes, Aldo." "Well, my dear." "We're leaving." " What do you mean?" "I want to leave." " When?" "I don't know." "Today." "Okay?" "Tonight then." "I have to do something." "What "something"?" " Something." "Tonight it is." "I'll make reservations." "You do that." "How are you doing?" " Fine." "This is Barbara." "She is very nice." "Hello." " Hello." "Well." "Coffee, alcohol, Schweppes." "Schweppes for me, alcohol for her." " No, thanks." "Don't argue." "Cognac." " Just what she needs." "Are you coming?" " Go." "It's 80 in there." "Thank you." "Bathing suits are not allowed here." "Don't be silly." "Here." "Tell me what you think." "Very good." " You too." "My friend is cute." "Isn't she?" " Very cute." "With this type of body, you don't have a place to hang on to." "Please." "Usually there's a hefty side, short legs, low butt." "Stop." " But here..." "Your mother called me earlier." " Really?" "Is she better?" " Yes." "She will be." "We're leaving." " You too?" "We are." " When are you leaving?" "Right away." "Tonight." "Can Barbara stay a little longer?" " Of course." "We're going." " What's the matter?" "Romain's dead." " That's impossible." "Yes." "He fell off his boat." "I don't know." " It can't be what..." "A jellyfish." "Shit." "Let's go." "We're going to be late." "Today Chris is married to a young doctor, and has two children." "She is among thousands like her." "She is satisfied with her ordinary life." "Of the events reported here she has nothing left." "But for two scars, one on her right shoulder and the other on her left breast."