"THE HAND OF THE DEVIL" "What's going on?" "What's wrong?" "I'm as hungry as a wolf, What an establishment!" "You know the road in is cut" "Yes, but my appetite isn't!" "It's from here that the avalanche came and we were there two days ago" "Was it beautiful?" "Oh, There were clouds and we didn't see anything" "To risk death and see nothing..." "What a pain" "But Madame, we will all risk death some day" "I prefer knitting" "Lucienne" "Tomorrow I need a team of volunteers to clear the road." "Meeting at 5." "Pack a lunch." "A quart of schnaps, and no loafers" "Talking about dinner, Sir" "You could perhaps tell us that story you promised yesterday" "I hope it won't be too frightening." "The solicitor has conspired with the boss He must ruin our appetite!" "Tonight I'll tell you the story of Michel Nigelin and the white ladies of Monderval" "Good evening Mr Perrier you're losing patience" "I'm hungry I assure you Madame, I'm ravenous" "Can't you tell?" "What?" "I'm eating you with my eyes" "Oh Mr Perrier But that is an extra" "Ah, here comes the husband" "Ah!" "Here is the Boss!" "When do we eat?" "Can we eat soon?" " It's the same thing everyday!" " I'm dying of starvation" "God!" "This is not a military operation" "You really don't care" "Ladies and Gentlemen ...as an apology, I promise you a surprise." "What's that?" "Rifle shots You've never heard one before?" "Not so close" "Smugglers... again!" "As I was saying" "The horses are half Italian, half French you must admit that the man who pays customs here is an idiot" "So, what is it?" "Nothing." "Nothing at all." "It won't delay dinner, I hope" "Patience, please" "So, the end of this story, your Honour." "Yes, let's see, where was I?" "At the moment where the old man tells Michel" ""Your horse knows the way better than you"" "That's it You heard steps outside someone knocked at the door" "Oh I don't like that" " Is this the Abbey Hostel?" " Yes" "Do you have a room?" "Are you alone, Sir?" "I hope so" "Close the door" "Why are you looking at my hand?" "You've never seen a manchot?" " Which way did you come?" " Is it business?" "If I ask you that it's because the road is cut" " Are you sure?" " Yes" "And you don't have any luggage?" "No, not any more, only this Only this" " That's all?" " Yes" "Where are the ruins?" "Here, the hostel is built on the foundations of the abbey" " And the graveyard?" " There is no graveyard" "There is no graveyard..." "Have there been digs?" "Sir is a lover of graves?" "Archeologist?" "No" "Excuse me sir wouldn't you have just heard two rifle shots?" " No" " It's curious, because..." "Do I look like someone who shoots during the night?" " No Sir" " Or recieve some?" "If Sir would like to fill his registration" "A feather" "Don't touch this" "As you will read anyway" "I prefer to tell you myself" "Roland Brissot" "Thirty-five years old" "You thought I was older?" "No, Sir" "Painter That's it" "How long will you stay?" "What a question, do you know what you will do tomorrow?" "Not me!" "I book until tomorrow" " Show me my room" " This way Sir" "Strange man" "He's maybe a madman" "I wouldn't like to meet him alone in the night" "Ladies and gentlemen" "Wouldn't you have seen a small weird guy around here?" "All in black" " We chased him." "He was carrying a long chest on his back" "We shot at him" "He tried to remove his chest and he escaped this way" "He's not here?" "A traveller arrived but he doesn't correspond at all to the description you give me" "You said... a small guy... in black?" " We didn't see him clearly." " He was running as if he was on fire." "You didn't see him?" "No" "He doesn't bite sir" "I hold him" "Quiet Nick" "Do you want a drink, gentlemen?" "No, not for the moment" "Duty, duty" "If I can't find the man, I'll at least try to find the chest" "Sorry for the trouble, Good evening Ladies and Genlemen" "If Sir wants to follow me, I can show him his room." "We're going to serve dinner" "I don't have the time, I don't need a room any more." "I've got to go" " Where are the ruins?" " Sir, it's night, You can't go there!" "Tomorrow will be another day" "For you, maybe" "Oh well, I'll wait" "So ladies and gentleman, if you want to have dinner" "I'm not hungry any more" " Strange traveller" " Wasn't the dog he was afraid of, I'm sure" "You noticed his expression when I told him about the shots?" "I advise you to lock your doors tonight!" "Oh, prunes again!" " Will that man come down?" " Yes he will, Madame" "And even if he's in trouble, he must eat" "It must be hard, to paint, with his hand" "You're foolish Adelaïde, you don't hold your brush with two hands" "Clémence, have prunes!" "You know why?" "Yes, Mum" "Charming holidays, an avalanche..." " Madman... and, prunes!" "The night is totally ruined." " He's got the room next to ours." "And you, will you sleep?" "Only with one eye, Madame" "I, I'll sleep completely dressed." "Shht, here he comes" "The hand that is missing..." "Did he lose it during the war?" "I wonder what there is in this packet." "Maybe a souvenir of his wife, a glove, a handkerchief, a photograph..." "He looks like a drug addict." "I wouldn't be surprised if there is a kilo of heroin in it." "Sir Brissot!" "You are asked at the phone" "Me?" "Yes, it was for Mr Brissot" "But nobody knows that I..." "You don't know who it is?" "No Sir, he only asked your name." "very polite man." "Very polite..." "Hello!" "Hello!" "Who is this?" "What is this again?" "Be careful, don't upset the glasses!" " Don't move, Nini!" " The light!" "Clémence, where are you?" "Come here" "Candles Mme Denis" "Help!" "I'm choking on prunes" "The light!" "The light!" "Don't upset her!" "It's not too early" "If I knew did this to my wife!" "I was just kicked in the ass, how do you explain that?" "Someone tweaked my nose, that's not the right thing to do" "I felt an animal running on my arm I thought it was a mouse" "What's going on?" "I have no idea, but I don't like that very much" "It must be the fusebox!" "Hello" "I don't understand, the fuse is intact" "It must be the power station!" "And the phone?" "Dead" "Ah, that's what I thought." "It's the station" "Hello" "They'll call you back" "It was a small blackout" "Yes, but the kick I got in the butt didn't came from the power station" "I was robbed!" "I was robbed!" "Who?" "When I was called to the phone" "Who did it?" "Who?" " We didn't see anything!" " We were in the dark" " Mr Denis, grave things are happening here" " If I knew the guy who did this" " What was stolen?" " His box!" "It disappeared" "After everything that happened tonight, I think we have to alert the police" "Mister will have to explain them" "When the lights went out, he was in the phone box" "Where the fuses are" " What do you insinuate?" " They were intact" "The door has been opened and closed" "It would be easier if you told us what was in the box" "It's such an improbable story" "With the tales of the notary, we are used to it, Sir" " No, I can't." " I'm going to call the police!" "No, wait" "The police can't do anything" "Nobody can't do anything for me any more" "Not even a policeman" "Not even a colonel?" "I fear so" "Oh damn it" "Listen gentlemen!" "Believe me if you want" "Judge for yourself" "Report!" "Er..." "No, no "er" Facts!" "It began a little bit more than one year ago" "It's not old but when I talk about it I feel it was twenty years ago" "I had ideas, and even too many" "I've painted a lot of canvas in my head" "I wanted to make a "still life"" "to paint the flowers with their perfume and the vegetables with their vitamins" "Naturally, the dealers refused me politely" "So, I used to ate my vegetables and to offer my flowers to my models" "They thought it was quaint" "I was telling them my ideas lying on my bed and we made gold dreams in the blue smoke of my pipe" "I had also specialized in the study of dogs" "Dogs that had character" "It was my poor dog who worked the hardest" "I had acquired a certain celebrity in the "brasseries" of Montparnasse" "I was taking care of my negligence I changed dirty shirts everyday" "I had adopted a personal hairstyle and was making vertiginous theories" "People watched me in the street not because of my talent, but of my suit" "But it made me happy" "One day, I had a idea of genius" "I went in a glove store" "There were several shop assistants" "Can I help you Sir?" "I would like..." "No" ""What would you like Monsieur?"" "I chose one with this kind of certitude that is called random" "Mademoiselle?" "What would you like Sir?" "Gloves." "White gloves" "But a beautiful white, a little bit green" "With dark glints" "It must have color!" "Excuse my curiosity Sir, what use is it for?" "For a wedding" "In this case, no hesitation we have a very beautiful Swedish article" "But "attention"..." "Excuse me, one second" "Are you sure that it's the best, it will be a huge wedding" "A very huge wedding at the Madeleine with Swiss, red carpets, candles, lots of lights" "And She, with a veil, almost blurred, arms loaded with flowers" "And lastly, the geometric line of the procession and the family" "And all that, in a pair of gloves" "You understand" "So, an advice" "What would you do if you were me?" "Firstly, I wouldn't get married" "You don't believe in marriage?" "Not for me" "Ah..." "Can I still ask your hand?" "What for?" "Don't be scared, I'll give it back to you" "That's funny" "I bet I am the thousandth person to whom you say that" "No you are the first" "Thank you" "I'm only here since yesterday" "Then I'm glad I came today" "I simply want to see your size, not your future" "But I'm not getting married" "You were talking with so much conviction" "You are best man?" "No I'm a painter" "Painter?" "Yes I'm painting a wedding" "You want to paint with white gloves?" "No I want to paint white gloves" "Ah..." "Of course" "It's not your size" "You understand?" "I want to produce in my still life what is living in such a ceremony" "Each finger of these gloves will be animated like a character" "And will poke everyone in the eye" "You understand?" "You are a great painter?" "I'm becoming known at Montparnasse" "And you also paint portraits?" "I'd like to make yours" "I began her portrait ...and her seduction neither of which was progressing" "Irène was discouraging" "And I was stuck, indecisive wondering what colors to paint her with and the gestures or the words that could win her" "And so it was until the day of St Irène" "Ah, at last" "I am late?" "A little hour" "It's awfull" "Something happened to you?" "No." "Someone" "Someone?" "Don't be concerned, we only said unpleasant things to each other" "Flowers!" "What's happening?" "It's your day, Saint Irène" "One year more, charming!" "And that?" "It is a surprise" "What?" "Oh, gloves" "From Sweden" "I see gloves all day, and you serve me some for dinner" "I thought it was a..." "And you were given old stock" "I hope you have kept the reciept, so you can take them back" "Irène these gloves were a symbolic present" "Yes I know, the Madeleine, the Swiss" "Thank you for the symbol!" "There is no point to tell everybody" "Do I speak to loud?" "Does it annoy you that we're watched?" "Chef!" "Chef!" "Come here please!" "Yes Sir" "What is it?" "What is it?" "It's inconceivable Sir" "A soup with so much pepper that your mouth is on fire" "A roast stinking I don't know what" "Sulfur" "A brown sauce thats too salty" "And the bill...!" "A curse, Sir!" "That's all you can say!" "I bring connoisseurs here..." "What do I look like?" "I'm really sorry Sir" "Your bill, you can stick it!" "Why don't you want to marry me?" "Don't ask me" "You would be everything for me" "You would be my wife, my mistress" "You would give me inspiration" "Well, that's my idea" "You don't lack ideas" "For sure!" "Today again, I had a great idea" "My dog gave it to me" "I will paint life as seen by a dog" "That would be a view of the world..." "Absolutely new and almost hallucinating" "And I won't stop there, I will paint men as viewed by a horse, a lark, a fly, a worm" "Unfortunately, worms don't buy paintings" "Oh you know, money, it's not my..." "For sure" "Glory!" "That's the only valuable goal" "There is nothing else" "Tonight I asked someone what he thought of your work" "He didn't even know you" "Yet, this someone..." "He's someone" "He's maybe jealous" "Of you... my dear friend!" "I've got friends who believe in me" "Your friends..." "Do you know what they call you when you're not here?" ""Keep talkin"" "They are envious" "Listen Rolland." "Go back home, and have a look at your studio" "You'll be terrified!" "It's a gallery of flops" "You'll always produce flops, you're lame!" "You're hard" "But you're right!" "You opened my eyes" "Absolutely, until now I had scruples but now, I've understood" "Tomorrow I begin to work." "I'm going to do a big painting of you" "A big portrait." "You'll see it in three months at the salon" "A nude, of course" "A beautiful nude" "Yes, I can see it from here." "The gallery after the bedroom." "It's too late, my little one" "A month ago you had a chance, that's right" "When I saw you I thought" "A painter, why not" "He has talent, I've got ambition" "Together, we'll do someting" "Yes we will" "I've made a mistake" "Give me a few weeks" "I have no time any more" " A few days!" " I won't be shop assistant all my life!" "What do you want?" "If Sir and Madame wanted to order something" "It's becoming late" "What do you have?" "I've got baby goat" "With a glove shape" "No, Madame, chestnuts" "With a delicious "purée of chestnuts"" "It's the speciality of the day" "It's a bad day" "The kid is good!" "People come from far away to eat here." "Wouldn't you have "pecari"?" "Or deer?" "Oh, I'm all fine for deer, I've got some" "Er..." "Give us what you want" "Thank you Sir" "Allow me, it will be great." "You also let people create your menu in life" "Then don't invite anyone to dinner and don't try to make my day" "He wouldn't have offered me gloves... "Him"" "Who's, "Him"?" "Someone" "He never offered me anything by the way" "Not even to marry you I bet" "No, but he was a man, He knew what he wanted" " Me too." "I know what I want!" " What?" "To live!" "Far away from you!" "Get off me!" "You're tall enough to hurt me, but too small to scare me!" "To small?" "Yes, too small!" "You'll always be a small painter, in a small studio" "You'll eat at small tables, you'll love small women in small beds" "And when you'll have finished your small life, you'll be put in a small box" "Goodbye, my "little" one!" "Take it away!" "Give me a digestive" "A digestive for table 12" ".. somethings brewing.." "A digestive from the house" "Taste that" "It warms hearts" "And refreshes ideas" " Can I take a seat?" " If you want" "Santa Madonna, you drink that like water" "To you!" "I don't like to see unhappy customers" "I'm not unhappy" "Everybody is unhappy, everybody!" "Everybody but me" "I am happy, very happy" "Excessively happy" "You don't look so" "Me Sir!" "It's happiness!" " Happiness of what?" " Just happiness" "Look!" "I like you" "I sell it to you" "That's too nice" "Cigarette?" "No thanks, I make my own" "Wow, with the left hand?" "I never managed to roll a cigarette" "It's thanks to the talisman" "You've got a talisman to roll cigarettes?" "Yes Sir" "An extraordinary talisman" "He gives skill, success, talent" "Women" "Everything" "I sell it to you" "You've got a talisman that gives all that and you want to sell it?" "I've got to sell it" "Why?" "Because..." "If I don't sell it before I die" "I'll be damned" "You hear?" "Damned for ever" ""here here"" "And when I stand all day above my stoves" "It's like a foretaste of the flavour of hell" ""Not joking"" "Don't laugh" "If your talisman is as amazing as you pretend" "How can Hell prevent you from finding a buyer" "It is!" "Is it expensive?" "No!" "One penny" "That's not expensive" "I bought it for two pennies, I can only sell it for one" "Why?" "Because you can only sell it for less than you bought it for" "It is funny" "Come and see it" "I have the feeling that you will be interested" "You, an artist" "How do you know I'm an artist?" "Still the talisman, Sir" "Come" "This way, Sir." "I'll show you the way" "Don't buy it Sir!" "Don't buy it" "Shut up, you curse thrower!" "Come with me Sir" "Don't buy it Sir, don't buy it" "Who is this guy?" "A crazy man" "Because his name is Angel, he thinks he's everybody's keeper" "Come in" "Come in, this way" "Sorry for the mess" "Here it is" "Is this your talisman?" "It's only the box, the coffin" "The thing is inside" "Don't be afraid, it won't hurt you" "Will you?" "It's only a hand" "A left hand la sinistra manus" "sinistra" "Admire Sir!" "Close your fist" "Play the piano" "slap fingers" "See by yourself, Sir" "Don't be afraid, it does not scrach" "It's a bizzarre thing" "Buy it, and you will feel a gift, a charm, a strength that penetrates your own hand and make it more expert, more skillful, braver" " You trust this thing?" " And why not Sir?" "A switch, and it's bright in the room" "The phone rings, you answer, and you're told" ""book me a table for six" Why not?" "You switch a button, and you hear the music play very far" " Why not Sir?" " But there is no link!" "It's the hand that give me my genius for cooking" "A few moments ago, your customer seemed to doubt about your genius" "But Sir!" "When Hell watches you" "You don't have the heart to work, or for anything else" "Because I always think I'm going to die" "Today, tomorrow, without having sold it!" "So, my soul!" "All eternity boiling in a pot?" "You Chef" "Buy the hand Sir." "The time has come for me to sell it" " But!" " One penny!" "But Sir, for each one his job." "I'm a painter, not a chef" "The hand can master anything Sir Paint, music" "For a musician, Sir, the fingering is incomparable" "And for the painters?" "Take it, and you'll remake the Joconde even more beautiful" "It's silly but it's cheap" "Think about it Sir." "Happiness, success, fortune!" "Love" "Buy it Sir, buy it" "Don't buy it!" "Don't buy it!" "Everything for one penny!" "Ok" "Santa Madonna!" "Jesus Christ, can heaven forgive me" "I didn't hide anything" "You are warned, you know!" "I know I'm going to lose a penny" "Do like me, sell it before you die, or..." "Hell?" "Shht!" "Don't worry, I neither believe in God nor in the Devil" "Keep quiet!" "He's maybe listening to us" "He's got time to lose" "Here Here is a penny" "Wait" "Give me your left hand" "Sinistra manus" "With the other hand give me the coin and say "I buy it from you"" " What a direction!" " Say it!" "I buy it from you" "What happened?" "The power past to you" "For me it's nothing, I knew it would be like that" " It hurts..." " No, it's good" "The relief..." "Take it" "Listen, Sir" "There is something..." "I'll give you back your box, you'll give me back my coin" "We were kidding Kidding?" "My dead hand?" "Gone?" "Too late, Sir" "Free!" "You bought my hand Sir!" "Thank you Santa Madonna!" "And now, go out!" "Go out with your spells and your curses" "And never come back here" "Vade retro, Satanas!" "Vade retro!" "Go out!" "What is it Tib?" "What's wrong?" "You don't recognize me?" "He ran away as if he had the devil on his heels" "Sir!" "Mister Brissot" "What's happening Mister Brissot?" "What is it?" "Don't be afraid, it's me" "I came cleaning as usual, I found the door open" "I didn't make noise to let you sleep" "And I thought "I have to wake him up"" "I was worried you were sick" "No I'm not sick" "I was told you made noise last night" "The man above complained, he said you were moving furniture spoke loud, walked noisily" "I can't remember" "Of course!" "It smells bad, I'll open the window" "No leave it!" "Oh, well" "Is Mister Brissot here?" "Hello" "Hello" "What's going on?" "Me?" "Nothing" "I forgot to tell you, a man came" "A small round guy, almost bald" "He wanted information about you" "About me?" "The police?" "No, I think it is a Bailiff" "He's still here, come and have a look" "Go, it's maybe an Art dealer" "It's said that fortune comes when you sleep, I wish it for you!" "I don't know him" "What's this box?" "It's beautiful" " Is it for me?" " No" "What is in it?" "Leave it" "Rough!" "You hurt me" "Excuse me, it's a failing of mine" "Keep your secret..." "Eight days ago I asked you to wrap something for me, but you didn't" " Were you making fun of me?" " Maybe" "Did you paint last night?" "Me?" "Ah, yes!" "It's curious" "Is it a monaster?" "You can see it" "In the Alps" "It looks so" "You know the mountain?" "Not at all" "I made it like that" "It's astonishing!" "What a frightening night!" "I don't understand the sweetness of the moonlight" "And this shadow behind the pillar?" "Who is she watching" "I don't know" "You don't know what you wanted to represent?" "And that, what is it?" "It looks like the Pont-Neuf" "The same night" "The same moonlight" "And the character with the hat, what is he holding?" "A knife" "And on the knife?" "It's blood" "The same shadow behind him again!" "Enough!" "But it's very beautiful" "You see that I was right to tell you to work yesterday" "Kiss me" "But I didn't work for you" "What's wrong?" "I've got the right to be proud of you!" "You should sign these canvas right know and bring them to Gibelin" "Gibelin never took anything from me" " It doesn't matter, sign!" "I'll do everything, don't think about anything else" "Men are not able to cope" "You're painting with your left hand?" "You're left-handed?" "It's an old habit" "Tell me Irène" "Being damned" "Does it mean something to you?" "Mmh?" "I was doing my hair, what did you say?" "Nothing" "Have you finished?" "How did you sign?" "Maximus Leo?" "Why Maximus Leo?" "I don't know, I signed without thinking" "Strange pseudonym" "Be careful" "Let me" "It should bring it a lot" "You can sleep on both ears" "I swear you they'll pay for the merchandise!" "The moonlight, the shadow and the knife" "It's not my hand" "Irène!" "My box!" "I beg your pardon, I hope I didn't hurt you" "I was absent-minded, I didn't see you going out, I'm sorry" "Do you want one of my brochures, Sir?" "It doesn't cost anything, the advice is always good, and two opinions are better than one" "It's straight on" "Every man is in his hand and in God's hand also" "This is the hand of Alexander" "Hannibal's one" "Napoleon's one" "If they had known..." "Pasteur's hand" "The one of the murderer of Panzini" "And these two ones?" "These both are only one, Romeo and Juliet" "The past, the present, the future, the eternity, what do you want to know?" "It's fourty francs for everything" "The past" "You have a short memory?" "My hand has such a long life" "Give it to me" "Go out!" "Go out!" "Never come again!" "Are you satisfied?" "The exit is here." "You're impressed!" "And you tell me it's from little Brissot!" "And I have to make you discover it..." "Be quick or we go somewhere else!" "Wait" "Mangier!" "Come here!" "The prince of the reviews" "What do you think about this?" ""What on earth"" "aka Roland Brissot The symbolist" "The painter of perfume and vitamins" "Nothing in common any more" "That's better, we start from scratch." "A revelation is preferable." "I bring it back to you" "How did you find it?" "It's my job" "That's it, sold!" "What?" "What do you think?" "Your canvas!" "They are glad, they ask if you have others!" "Irène" "You will stay here" "Yes" "I'll work on your portrait tonight" "And you'll never leave me again" "Whatever happens" "No" "The weeks passed so fast that we didn't notice" "And one year later" "The same day" "An exhibition by a very successful young painter was opened at the Galerie Gibelin" "Maximus Leo" "It was a truly beautiful pageant" "Full of eminent people" "Two members of the Institute, tired poets..." "Worldly women" "All the socialites and idle Parisians" "And many who were there for the buffet" "The hieroglyphs of poetry" ""It's fantastic"" "It works!" "I've been the first to believe in you" "I always knew you woul have success" " You're happy?" " Very happy" " You're not jealous?" " Jealous?" "Yes, of my success" "But this success is my success, Darling" "In the past you used to tell me" "You will be my wife, my mistress, my inspiration" "I've been all these women" "It's thanks to me that you've become what you are" "By the way, what am I?" "Listen to them, they will tell you" " Absolutely great!" " It's so deep!" "A totally surrealistic vision" "A compostion of the absolute that reminds..." "A moment ago, I heard an old geriatic who was saying" ""And everything with the left hand!"" "Gibelin makes ridiculous press, you'd think I was handicapped" "You're so silly, he's right" "So the lovers" "Are you happy?" "What a long way since last year!" "Thanks to me!" "A little bit thanks to me, no?" "Thanks to you, thanks to me, thanks to us!" "We can't do anything without each other" "Mangier!" "Come here" "Sir Maximus Leo, whom you like the works so much" "Sir Grangier, whose writings you admire" " Sir" " I salute the King of the feast!" "Let me introduce to you the Queen" "She's all the more the Queen that it's her feast today" "Saint Irène, that's me" "Congratulations, Madame" "This spirituality in the dream..." "You're very kind, Sir" "What do you think of my exhibition?" "A real event!" "This big painting here?" "There is a knowledge of the past, A taste of the strange..." "Fifty thousands" "The musketeer?" "A dramatic investigation of the fantastic" " Fifteen thousands" " Only?" "It's a little bit small" "Sir?" "Make sure the cork makes noise!" "To be noticed is the key" "I'm ashamed to be naked in front of all these people" "Naked?" "Yes, on the painting" "Congratulations!" "Very good!" "It's the most beautiful present you could make me for my feast" "You think so?" "Why, are there other ones?" "Mystery..." "Where are they?" "Nothing in my hands, ir in my pockets" "But Irène's day is tonight" "Tonight, both of us, at home..." "Shutter closed, drapes pulled" "Bless you Madame" " Thank you" " Thank you Gibelin" "Poem:" ""A la santé d'Irène"" "Her father was not a king He was from Surennes" "Her mother from Charleroi But her soul is my queen" "And her body is my king" "It's not ambitious but it's kind" "You don't think so?" "Yes?" "Look at this" "You see this small guy?" "When this kind of notary from Province is interested in painting that he doesn't understand, by the way" "It's glory!" "Do you know each other?" "One moment please" "Bravo!" "Congratulations!" "What a success!" " What is this?" " It's an order, Sir" "Who made it?" "A small man in black, very polite" "He told me to deliver it at St Irène's church" "St Irène?" "Yes I thought it was funny, because today it's..." "Yes I know" "Do you want something?" "No, goodbye" "You're welcome" "I don't know where he is" "He's not at your home?" "I've searched you everywhere, I was so worried, where have you been?" "I don't know" "You don't know?" "Gibelin is furious" "I walked" "I was through with his insipid ceremony with these people who don't know what painting is who talk about it, who live from it" "You won't get annoyed with them now that you have success" "My success..." "But that's what you wanted, that's why you struggled" " Irène!" " Yes" "We've got to leave to leave?" "Yes" "I feel we've got to leave" "Let's go..." "I don't know where, let's go to the country" "Let's go anywhere anywhere?" "You love me?" "You're happy?" "Put your arms around me and I'll answer you" "Yes" "Could you renounce to all of this, of Paris, of luxury?" "Did you do something wrong?" "No" "Have we become poor?" "No, we're rich but we must go" " We'll go where you want to" " Thank you" " Let's go tonight" " Tonight?" "But my surprise, the feast you promised me?" "I was looking forward to doing it too" "But it's too late" "Get ready" "You know that if I get undressed we won't go out" "It would be bold" "For both of us?" "What is it?" "It's a man who wants to see you, I couldn't stop him" "It's a madman!" "Maybe" "Ah!" "I beg your pardon, I wanted to meet you so much" "Me too, Sir!" "Happy feast!" "What do you want?" "Why are you spying and skulking around me?" "Oh, Roland Brissot!" "That's not a way you should speak to your creditor!" "Do I owe you something?" "A little something" " What?" " Your soul" "I came today to meet it, to see what it looks like" "Like a landlord who comes to see his harvest" "But you would be..." "The devil is not always at the door of a poor man" "It's impossible!" "Everything is possible!" "It's been a year since you bought the hand, did you sell it?" "No" "Then I guess that it's your soul, Roland Brissot that I'll get once you're dead" "Who pays his debts gets rich." "And silence is approval" "But I don't agree!" "Firstly, my soul, what is it?" "I don't know, I've never seen it You can't sell something you don't know!" "Excuse me!" "The law is categorical, you can't sell something that doesn't exist." "theres a difference" "You're a lawyer?" "I must." "Ever since the beginning men have tried to dupe me" "Resign yourself, you bought it for one pence" "I'm sure you won't sell it at a lower price" "There are half-pennies" "They don't exist any more" "You should be glad to have found someone interested in this tiny part of you." "In which you don't believe anyway" "A moment ago I didn't believe in it" "But a moment ago I didn't believe in you either" "And you're here." "And not by halves" "So..." "I think that life is short" "And that damnation is eternal" "Better to stand than to kneel" "Happiness on Earth is important" "I feel for you" "Do you want to buy your soul back?" "You're making fun of me." "I'm still an angel!" "How much?" " One pence" " Here is it!" "Be warned!" "You'll give me the hand back" "And you'll lose all the advantages which are attached to it" "Ah" "Yes!" "Today you're happy, you're the master of a beautiful woman who loves you..." "and people envy you" "And tomorrow, you'll be a small failure again." "Of course, you should think about it" "So, take your time" "Think about it" "However, I'm not a philantropist." "We're going to make a small deal" "Today one penny, tomorrow two And so on" "It gives you some leeway to make a decision 8 pennies, 16 pennies, 32 pennies, 64 pennies, 128, 256, 512, 1024 always doubling until infinity" "Do you know what infinity is?" "I do." "I've ever been there." "It's very beautiful" "Here it is!" "The hand is inside?" "You don't trust me!" "I know to not trust men" "Yes, that's it" "So!" "I thank you" "Don't thank me now" "We'll see if your soul is worth a ruined life" "I beg your pardon" "I thought you had finished" "Introduce me, please" "An old relation of the family" "My wife" "She's beautiful!" "My fraternal homage" "You've already met last year at my studio" "Please!" "What's wrong?" "Leave me!" "Could you pack me this box?" "Don't be concerned, I leave you to each other and to your happiness" "But let me bring to your feast this modest contribution" "It's not for me, it's not possible..." "Oh!" "A black diamond, it's wonderful!" "You're welcome" "So, this packet?" "You can't package any more?" "For God's sake, leave me alone!" "So?" "You keep it?" "No!" "As you wish!" "Poor thing..." "We will miss you!" " Goodbye Madam!" " Goodbye, Sir!" "Thank you!" "Say something, Roland, You look like a lost soul!" "Thank you infinitely!" "It's nothing Madam, there are so much more under the ground" "See you soon!" "Look!" " Give me this ring!" " Why?" " You can't keep it, it's cursed" " You're mad!" "No I don't want!" "You're jealous now?" "Irène" "I need you to tell me that you believe in me, in my skill" "That you love me" "Like that, on order?" "You don't want me to kiss you?" "If you continue, I'm going to hate you" "Listen to me!" "My hand" "My hand that caressed you" "My hand that painted" "It was not my hand" "It was a gift" "A talisman" "It's another hand, the one from the box" "It's not possible, you've been drinking!" "I've drunk champagne..." "Charming birthday!" "So, I give it back to you?" "Yes!" "You're right!" "Your wife is charming" "She's a beautiful sinner" "Listen, I'm interested in her soul" "Give it to me in exchange, and we'll be quits forever" "What?" "I could speak to her?" "Do you want me to beat you up?" "As you wish!" "But don't forget" "It doubles!" "And how many days ago?" "Three weeks doctor" "It began the night of my birthday" "I'm so worried" "What are the symptoms?" "He is obsessed." "Money." "He's always accounting" "He writes in booklets He put a calendar in his workshop and he crosses out the days" "He maybe has financial deadlines" "I don't think so He shuts himself up in his room" "Yes, he's been sleeping alone for three weeks" "And I can hear him speaking alone" "It doubles" "Yesterday doctor, and that's why I asked you to come" "He accused me of being his daemon" "He jumped on me and tried to strangle me!" "To strangle you?" "Yes doctor" "Then he apologized but..." "I'm so scared..." "We will see that" "But he must not get suspicious, he's so strange!" "Don't be affraid" "No!" "No, don't come in, leave me alone!" "What are you doing here?" "Good evening Mister Brissot" "Hello" "Your wife was worried about her health" "She called me, and..." "It's for me she has called you!" "She thinks I'm mad" "And you believe it too!" "And you' wrong" "It's not my body and my brain that are in danger!" "It's my soul!" "It's my soul, do you hear it?" "And I'm not mad!" "Here you are, at last!" "You seek my presence?" "I was waiting for you" "So?" "Have you thought about it?" "Yes" "Have you made a decision?" "Yes" "You can take your talisman back!" "You don't need it anymore?" "And your paintings?" " Glory?" " Glory!" "I know Art dealers" "Now, I've got a name, I can paint with the left or right hand," "With my feet..." "They don't care!" "And your wife?" "You're not afraid to lose her?" "My wife..." "I lose her a little bit everyday" "She's scared of me" "What's the point selling my soul if I don't even have her body?" "Who is it?" "Do you want to have dinner?" "I'm not hungry!" "Do you need me?" "No!" "As you desire" "So, do you have the money?" "Yes I've got the money" "It's the twenty-third day today, isn't it?" "Let's count" "How much is it in francs?" "209715 francs and twenty cents" " I'll make you a cheque" " No!" "It's saturday!" "Banks are closed now" "I had foreseen it" "I've got cash" "Somebody opened my coffer!" "I'm missing 20000 francs!" "It's not possible..." "Irène!" "Where is the money?" "Mmh?" "What money?" "I'm missing 20000 francs!" "I took it" "You did that?" "It was for my Furrer!" "You don't realize in what situation..." "Roland, you're mad!" "Because of you I'm going to be damned!" "Stop it, you hurt me!" "It's here!" "What, it's here?" "Yes, the Furrer didn't come, it's in the drawer" "How much is there left?" "saved!" "I've got the money!" "Wait..." "Seven hundred..." "Here it is!" "It's 8.20 francs short!" "How do you know it?" "It's my job" "I'll get it, the domestic..." "Sorry!" "Midnight!" "It's not possible!" "And yet!" "Zero minutes 40 seconds" "Time moves fast with me!" "But it's not 209,715 francs and 20 cents that you owe me now" "But 419,430 francs and 40 cents" "See you tomorrow" "Don't forget!" "It doubles!" "Irène!" "Irène!" "400,000 francs..." "I repeat these numbers walking through the streets" "Leafing through the phone book calling friends who were never there" "Friends..." "The..." " He's not here!" " No Sir!" "800,000 francs!" "It was growing and growing, unstoppable" "Mathematically" "Attracted by the smile of the merchant, I tried the national lottery" "Alas!" "And Mélisse" "The chef who had sold me the hand "Closed because of death"" "1,600,000 francs!" "Closed doors everywhere!" "Faces... closed too!" "Alone, one night, I was desperate, when..." "Hello!" "Who?" "Irène?" "Yes, it's me" "I heard you were desperate for money" "I've got some for you" "Yes, a lot of money" "Don't ask me how..." "Hello?" "There is someone on the line, go away!" "Hello, can you hear me?" "Yes, a lot of money." "Come and join me, I took my old room back at The "Hôtel du Poirier"" "Number 23" "Can you hear me?" "Number 23" "Yes Madam, strangled, you can count all the fingers!" " Who was the woman" " I've heard it was a very young woman!" " Was the murderer arrested?" " We don't even know who it is?" "The room is in a mess, bags were searched and the suitcase robbed" " No Sir, you can't go inside" " Why?" "The Police are inside, Sir." "Cannes, Nice, Monte Carlo..." "Winter on the Côte d'Azur..." "It's in the newspaper" "It's publicity!" "No, it's advice" "Advice you should follow" "Go to Monte Carlo You'll make a stop in Nice" "At the "Hôtel du Palmier Nain" ask for Mr Verdure" "Say that I sent you" "Verdure is the boss" "You can play roulette there" "You can take advantage of it" "It's your last chance!" "But who are you?" "You don't remember..." "The dishwasher from Mélisse" "A little bit more than one year ago" "My name is Angel" "You'll remember" "Angel" "I lost one more day with the investigation" "And when I arrived in Monte Carlo, I owed the amount of... 6,510,886 francs and 40 cents" "The game is up, All bets are off!" "The 17, black, blunder" "I was winning" "The chips piled up in front of me" "People were coming around my table, They looked in wonder" "They thought I was good fortune" "I was going to escape from this nightmare" "When an old lady who was sitting at my table..." "I'm cold, suddenly!" "The dice are falling, All bets are off!" "And nothing was going well any more" "The dice had fallen" "And I was down to my last cent" "Under the pitiless rakes of these smoke-jacketed gardeners" "I went out of the room like a spectre" "A manager thought I was going to shoot myself in the head" "You can reassure these gentlemen of the casino" "I've even not the power to kill myself" "You're a croupier?" "Yes Sir." "Naturally, we can give you money for your way back home" "Where do you live?" "In Nice Hôtel du Palmier Nain" "Charming residence!" "You think so?" "During the Carnival..." "Sir!" "Aren't you in the age of games and laughter?" "Go back to Nice" "I'm sure you'll find a nice person with a costume and a little madness, magic can happen" "Unlucky in gambling, but lucky in love!" "I'm not in a mood for such jokes" "Losing money is not a death sentence" "Don't be desperate, believe me Sir!" "Why are you so concerned about me?" "All men support each other, like the links of a chain" "A chain that powers a mysterious machine" "When a link breaks, it breaks the next one and the functioning of the machine suffers from it." "A chain..." "It's curious that you said that" "Me too, I must be part of a chain, a chain reduced to a few men" "But them!" "They've been happy" "They've recieved surerhuman abilites" "And me, the last link" "But for God's sake, should I be punished for all of them?" "Don't blaspheme" "Go and take your seat in the round of the masks" "My packet" " Did you win Sir?" " No" " Lost a lot?" " Everything" "Your key You should have dinner!" " I'm not hungry" " You don't have to be embarrassed" "You paid one week in advance" "Sir!" "You don't want to make a mistake?" "It's a respectable hostel, we tolerate everything, but not that!" "Don't be afraid, I don't even have the right to die" "Ah!" "..." "Have a look inside, look at the funny masks!" "It will change your mind" "Good evening, Roland Brissot" "We are one, my lords and I" "All previous owners of the talisman" "We, the links of the chain" "Unites like the fingers of the hand" "You invoked us a little early, we have answered you" "If there is a trick to do again, I'm in!" "We're not too rusty!" "One, two, three, four, hop" "Gentleman, your servants, I and my invincible sword" "I was a muskateer of the king" "It was the day before a duel and because of my cowardice" "I bought this talisman from a wicked alchemist" "From this moment, I became invincible" "The hand was fighting for me, No one couldn't defeat me" "Until the day..." "Alas!" "I provoked and killed my best friend..." "That's when I sold the hand to a lowly pickpocket who was prowling around the Pont Neuf" "I was this lowly pickpocket" "Thanks to the hand, I became the greatest thief and forger of my time" "I accumulated an immense fortune!" "But I hardly ever used it, because what I liked was to take, to rob, to forge counterfeit!" "to imitate signatures and writings" "My criminal reputation grew" "Until the king entrusted me with the finances of the kingdom" "But one day the people got angry" "Because of my craft, I paid with my life" "But I had time to pass the hand to a Juggler who helped me to balance the budget" "I bought it!" "And I became the greatest juggler of my time" "I always liked balance" "I was already practising when I was a child on the farm" "Gifted with a mysterious power" "I soon became the greatest juggler of my time" "And the kings came specially to see me" "And when I went to the Spanish Court, I was asked to juggle with eggs" "I don't know what mad impulse took me suddenly" "I was hung upside down and then sent to the gallows" "But not before I had time to pass the hand on..." "I bought it!" "And I became the greatest illusionist of my time" "I was invoking spectres I made tables speak" "And I made the stupefied audience fall asleep" "One day, I made the daughter of a prince fall asleep" "But I could not wake her again" "The prince cut off my head" "But before the execution, a surgeon wanted to buy my body" "I refused to sell my body, but I sold him my hand!" "I was this surgeon" "The poor bodies that had suffered all their lives until death became invaluable subjects" "Thanks to them, thanks to me, surgery evolved towards new heights" "Alas, one day, my zeal turned my knife towards my beloved..." "Through my own fault did she die" "I sold the hand to my assistant for a few pence" "I was this young boy!" "It was the debut of boxing" "At the "Foire du Trône" I astonished the onlookers" "The strongest man in the world!" "My manager, who was not a philantropist teached me that with strength, and good publicity..." "You could earn a lot of money" "He teached me the basics of boxing" "And training brought me the breath, the footwork and the stamina that ensure victory" "Finally there were the fights" "The great fights, under the spotlights of the reflectors" "With the yellings of the crowd" "Glory!" "World Champion!" "Not for long, alas!" "I slowly became blind, and during a fight I stunned the referee" "I became miserable" "But I had to live!" "I became a fruit vendor" "I resold the hand to a restauranteur who was going under" "Santa Madonna!" "Mélisse!" "And from this moment, the hand saved me!" "In a big competition of all the chefs" "It made me win the gold medal, that shine like a pan" "And my house became famous" "But the fear of damnation was haunting me" "The roast burned, the sauces turned" "Fortunately, one night, a poor painter devil came" "He had a heartache..." "I am this poor devil and painter" "And I struggle to buy my soul back" "Tonight, I owe more than six million" "And it's midnight soon..." "We are here to help you, each according to his ability" "Because we won't be in peace whilst our hand still lives" "Whilst this cursed hand breeds damnation" "But it doubles everyday!" "We have to raise the ransom for his soul!" " What can a muskateer do these days?" " Or an illusionist!" "?" "A juggler!" "A poor chef with a few miserable beans!" "Luckily I'm here!" "Hello Sir!" "Hello 20th century!" "The time of pickpockets, armed robbery, swindling, the syndicate, blackmail, the black market!" "Hello 20th century!" "Let me do it!" "I'll print your money!" "Do you think you teach me tricks, old friend?" "You think I need play money?" "I, who many call the "Trickster"?" "Believe me, Roland Brissot, give it up!" "Your time has come!" "Slow down a moment, Devil Sir!" " The Alchemist was you!" " I can't hide anything!" "But there is something you're hiding from us!" " What?" " The owner of the hand!" "He's right, where did you get the hand?" "But I..." "Who is he, the man we all took advantage of, but that nobody knows?" "I know who he is!" "He signed my painting, his name is Maximus Leo" "What?" "Maximus Leo!" "Glory to most High and peace on Earth!" "I was born in 1422 the year of grace" "Son of a woodcutter, Maxime the Lion" "Carthusian monks from St Bruno raised me" "And I entered the Abbey of Alvares when very youg in the land of Auphinois, under the name of Maximus Leo" "God had gifted my left hand with an admirable power" "It could have made you the best woodcutter, the best warrior the greatest artist of your time!" "But I lived in the mountain, hidden from the world and from life" "And he's proud of it!" "All my existence, a skulking man in black tried to tempt me and buy my power" "But this admirable hand remained always united to the other one" "United in the prayer" "So he found me in the silence of the tomb in the Abbey of Alvares" "He cut off my hand and took it!" "Impossible!" "And he sold it to me!" "Thief!" "Ungrateful!" "Wasn't it better to satisfy the unsatisfied?" " At the price of their soul?" " No!" " the pact that all of you made with him has no value!" "He didn't sell anything..." "the little trickster..." "You can't sell something that doesn't belong to you!" "Even the Devil can't do it!" "And he knows it!" "Thief!" "Thief!" "I'm saved!" " Your soul is saved!" " Forgive me!" " And take your hand back" " No!" "Let time bring it back to me" "Rest in peace" "Roland Brissot!" "You're the only living man in our circle of illusions" "We are only appearances" "My soul forgave you, but my body remains mutilated" "Return the hand to its grave in the land of Auphinois as the last link of the chain, you will be delivered" "The next morning, I was alone" "There were seven empty covers on the table" "Flasks were knocked over, and chairs displaced" "As if by many hands" "But I was alone" "And instead of my left hand," "I had a stump and a shooting pain" "On the floor, at the place where I had seen the monk" "I picked up the mummified hand that had once belonged to him" "I put it piously in the casket" "And now I'm searching in the mountains" "To find the tomb of Maximus Leo and return it to his dead body" "And bring him his last rest" "And thats the box that was stolen from you?" "There so much unknown to us, an entire invisible world..." "Sir, we are in the 20th century!" "Denis, what do you think?" "We in the mountains don't see things as you do in the city" " And you, Colonel?" " It's shady!" "Your story is murky, Sir!" "As your soul escaped this danger, you should be safe!" "Safe..." "Sir!" "I am the only living man who tricked the trickster!" "And he doesn't forgive those who usurp him!" "My soul is safe, but not my life!" "Not my body!" "He pursues me, Sir!" "He will kill me the same way as Irene!" "Remember what the Borderguards said!" "He is the man with the coffin!" "He's here..." "Impossible!" "Don't open it!" "It's the wind" " It's the branchs of the tree!" " Don't go there!" "Auguste!" "No more a devil there than there is fire from my hand!" "Fire!" "But there is.. on the door!" "A hand print!" "It's real!" "How could that be done!" "There he is!" " What's happening?" " Has he seen something?" "I felt warm air wrapping round my legs!" " He fled!" " As if he had the Devil on his heels!" " Let's follow him!" " Be careful!" "He perhaps runs from his own devils!" "There he is!" "See how he runs!" " Who is with him?" " A little man!" "They're fighting!" "Sacrilege" " What happened?" " Oh my God!" "I don't want to see!" "Is he dead?" "Dead" "Skull is broken" "Poor Devil..." "Did you hear that?" "He's dead, the poor fellow..." "Oh!" "here is the casket!" "It's empty" "Look..." "It's a grave!" "Give us some light, Denis" "Maximus Leo" "It's the grave of the monk!" "The cycle is closed" "The last link of the chain has joined the first..."