"WHITE WEDDING" "Late February" "What do you think the unconscious is in a psychological sense?" "Well?" "Someone unaware of their actions" "Not knowing the consequences of their actions?" "I meant in a psychological sense" "It's like someone in a coma" "You're surpassing yourself" "You look tired" "Any other ideas?" "We only have ten minutes" "Miss Tessier" "Mathilde." "I don't like being called by my surname" "You're 45 minutes late" "And If I'm right, you've missed maths." "Still, you're more punctual than usual" "When did you last attend my class?" "Over two weeks ago." "Seventeen days to be precise" "You could wait for my permission to sit down" "You don't apologise for being late" "You just tell me not to call you Tessier" "What does the unconscious mean to you?" "Carpentier?" " She's just arrived" " True" "But do you think Miss Te..." "Sorry, Mathilde" "Do you think Mathilde could answer if she'd been on time?" "It's not her fault" "So, Mathilde" "What terrible disaster justifies your being late and missing so many classes" "Get out." "And don't come back until you know the answer" "Write this down..." "Before our next class please find out how the classics then Bergson and later Freud defined the unconscious" "She's so pale" " What's wrong?" " She was crying and then she fainted" " Shall we call the police?" " No, leave it to me" "Are you a teacher?" "Don't worry" "I'm not worried" " I'll take you back to school" " No, back home" "Where's that?" "I'll show you" "Can you get up?" "Do you have a doctor?" "I just need some sleep" "I can't just leave you" "I'll come back later, after the class" "Keys in my pocket." "Lock the door" "Do you need anything?" " So?" " Doctor's appointment" " Where's your certificate?" " I don't have it" "Headmaster's office" " How are you?" " And you?" " Do you have Tessier's file?" " More problems?" "No, it's my fault" " How old is she?" " 17" "Parents?" "They live and work in Paris." "She has two brothers" "She came to us in January last year" " Didn't her Paris school send her file" " No, I asked them twice" "Never attends classes" " Why did she move here?" " She's very secretive" "Has she no family here?" " She lives alone?" " Without family anyway" "How did she end up in the sixth form with this file?" "Thanks to Fleurier, her French teacher" "The others were furious" "The students' representatives and a couple of teachers won the vote" "Mathilde is gifted but fragile Her dad is neglectful her mum suicidal" "Her brothers have been in trouble with the police What can we do?" "Her problems are out of our control Jacques Fleurier" "What happened to Fleurier?" "A breakdown." "The department agreed to a quick transfer" " What do you think of her?" " She's quite a character" "Are you interested in her?" "Be careful" "Why do you say that?" " Can I keep this?" " Yes, but the Head needs it tomorrow" "Doctor's surgery" "This is François Hainaut." "Is doctor..." "Really, there's no need" "Take your coat off and sit down" "Are you feeling better?" "Thanks for looking after me." "I hadn't slept" "I'm sorry I made you cry this morning" "It wasn't you." "It happens when I think about my life" "Don't go" "I'm expected" "Please" "I'm afraid to be on my own now." "Don't you ever need to talk to someone" "You won't go, will you?" "That's my file" "I'm intrigued by you" "That means I exist" "Why did you leave Paris?" "Well?" "My mother..." "I was sick of visiting her in hospital every time her new lover left her" "What was wrong with her?" "She kept trying to kill herself" "My father could either leave me here in St-Etienne or with mum." "So here I am" " Couldn't he find somewhere closer?" " You don't know her" "Your father is a doctor?" "A psychiatrist." "I'm a child of the failed revolution" "In '68, the proletariat disappointed my parents." "So what did they turn to?" "Hindu philosophy." "The world, life, everything is but an illusion" "As a philosophy teacher, you must know all about it" "So dad stopped caring about everything that bothered him, like us" "My mother became so detached from things she sees her 'god' every two months" "Joking aside, he's OK." "But she's a madwoman and a bitch" "That's a contradiction in terms" "Not with her" "And your brothers?" "How many times a month do you screw?" "Or should I say a year?" " Forgive me" " Why?" "You can ask questions too" "What does your wife do?" "She manages her own bookshop." "She also writes articles for the regional paper" "She loves you?" " Of course" " Don't fib" "I know many couples" "Let me take you to dinner" "I'm expected" "Call them" "Don't worry." "I've no tears left to cry" "You've been kind to me." "It's been rare lately" "You've reached Catherine and François Hainaut Please leave a message" "Catherine, I'll be home late" "Don't worry" "Love you" "Let's go" "Why resent your parents?" "We're all children and it's hard when our illusions are shattered" "They made me." "I didn't ask them" "It's not easy having children" "Is that why you haven't?" "You've ruined your schooling enough" "Please try to put your problems aside and study" "What for?" "You're born, you rush around and then you die" "Culture and diplomas would help you rush around better and more pleasantly" " You believe that?" " That's why I teach" "Life is so much richer than you could ever expect" "Despair is a form of vanity in disguise" "I don't know if it's a form of vanity, but when you catch it, it really hurts" "You're young" "Learn to approach life with an open mind" "Keep your money." "You hardly ate" "I've never eaten much and you intimidate me" "I like you" "Because you're like me." "Alone" "Why do you say that?" "I have a wife, friends, students..." "What about you?" "Don't you have a boyfriend?" "Why see someone I won't even remember in ten years' time?" "And the spectacle of others' illusions make me lose my own" "What do you mean by that?" "Isn't it clear enough?" "You're an unusual person" "It's rare to see a girl your age who's so disillusioned" "I was going to say so lucid" "Please don't miss any more classes, study and you'll pass your exams" "If you like" " It would be silly to ruin your life" " Won't you come in?" "Thank you for helping me" "Be early." "I set some homework" "Hi it's Catherine" "I've come across some fascinating books in Tours I'm checking them out" "Then I've an article to write I'll stay in a hotel I love you" "I was missing you" " What about your article?" " Wake me up early tomorrow" " Class A3?" " Yes" "Meeting at 3pm to discuss Miss Tessier" "Sorry, the maths teacher kept me." "May I stay?" "What about the unconscious?" "Have you thought about it?" "I feel Briseville has something to say" "Still in a coma?" "Anyone else?" "For the classics and Bergson, the unconscious doesn't exist" "It's the sum of buried memories you can retrieve if you try" "I only find Racine interesting." "Once struck by passion, his characters are dominated and manipulated by forces, as if possessed" "These forces come from God, but are the same as in the Freudian unconscious" "Miss Mathilde, take my place" "In the late 19th century, there's Freud" "He defined the unconscious based on his medical experience" "The unconscious is the sum of all the subject's repressed memories which sometimes reappear as symptom" "We're all ruled by forces we're totally unaware of, as in 'fate neuroses'" "Meaning?" "Some people are prisoners of their fate always blighted by the same dramas." "It's like they're victims of fate" "For psychoanalysts, they're prisoners of their unconscious" "What is psychoanalysis?" "Freud tried to treat patients suffering conditions which had no physical cause" "They were in fact prisoners of repressed, therefore unconscious ideas and desires which Freud unlocked" "Finally conscious of his traumatic memories, the patient discusses them and the symptoms vanish" "Does it always work?" "I'll give you the subject of your next essay tomorrow" "A word, please" "You were fantastic." "Can you explain the difference..." " You were outstanding" " My dad is a psychiatrist" "Maybe, but you've grasped the subject perfectly" "I need a word with your classmate" "We're meeting to discuss your case" " The maths teacher wants me expelled" " Not just her" " I've not seen a single essay" " Are you going?" "Yes, at 3 o'clock" "Will you still be here?" "No, but you can call me to let me know Come to my place if you like" "Will you promise to work hard?" "For you, I'll do it" "For me?" "I'll bring you that file in half an hour" "What shall we do with her?" "We have to give this girl one last chance" "I'm counting on you" " Let's give her one more chance" " No way" "In English she hasn't said a word all year" " Same thing for History and Geography" " I never see her either" "They give you until Easter" "I stuck my neck out." "I'll help you" " Are you hopeless at English?" " I've been fluent since I was five" "I spent my childhood in London" " Don't you ever speak in class?" " To show off to a useless teacher?" "What about maths?" "That's a different story" "Let's get started then." "Your syllabus is easy." "Give me your book" "I don't have one" "What else are you missing?" "I have nothing" "Not even a folder?" " Nothing" " And you think it's funny?" "If X is between 1.5 and infinity..." "Write down the subject of the next essay" "Once the Freudian unconscious becomes part of modern psychology what happens to human freedom?" "And what role can it play?" "Not so fast" "Listen, Miss" "Don't be so formal" " Forget it" " They're calling Noé" "That's you, I suppose" "Yes, my dad calls me Noé" "Who's that guy?" "What did he want?" "Money." "He's a childhood friend" "From Paris?" "What does he do?" "Nothing" " What does he live on?" " I'm not his mother" "Do you have to hide to give him money?" "Shall we get back to work?" "See you tomorrow" "You know what someone wanted today?" "Something wrong?" "I'm fine" "So, what did they want?" "Your book: "Simone Weil's Mystical Philosophy" by François Hainaut" "Would you sell one of your last copies" " Who wants it?" " A young man" "Hello may I speak to Mr Hainaut please?" "Hold on" "It's for you" "I just called to say good night" "You've got my number?" "It's in the phonebook I'm going to bed now Love you lots and lots" "Good night" "So, your book?" "Problems?" "What's bothering you?" "Nothing" "What's special about your student?" "Which one?" "The one you're so familiar with" "There's not much to say" "Tell me anyway" "She's quite amazing" "At first you think she might as well not be at school" "Then you realise she's amazing" "Sometimes when you're marking essays you come across a brilliant passage" "So you forget the essay's weaknesses and give an excellent grade in the excitement of the moment" "For the first time in my life, I feel I've met a truly exceptional person" "At only 17 she's deeply aware of the futility of human life" "And she cuts through to what really matters" "Is she that brilliant?" "She's behind in spelling and maths." "But it's superficial" "At first I just helped her to stay at school" "Then your enthusiasm led to familiarity" "No, only afterwards" "Sometimes I want to push her further on the path to wisdom" "You never do that with me now" "You don't need it any more" "Are you in love with her?" "You're so silly" "Promise me it won't happen" "You're so silly" "No need to promise." "I've never fancied young girls" "You're the only one for me" "Who was it?" "You get it" "Hello." "How are you?" "Did you sleep well" "Do you need anything?" "Just to say hello Lots of love See you in a minute" "All right" "Your student?" "Tell her not to hang up when I pick up" "Why do you think it's her?" "Essay Can the unconscious be considered another self?" "You still have 90 minutes" "It's good, but it's riddled with spelling mistakes" "Honestly!" "Here, here and here" " Anything for wiping the board?" " There" "It was you?" "I've started reading it." "It's beautiful" ""God waits like a beggar standing still..." ""...before someone he hopes will give him some bread" ""Time is God's patience as he begs for our love" ""Modest beggars are in His own image"" "The philosopher is a citizen who couldn't exist without the concept of policing." "Politics is the expression of policing" "Man is a man when he belongs to the city and defines himself as a citizen" "Any idea why Miss Tessier isn't here?" "May I carry on?" "What's going on?" "Why weren't you at school?" "Don't say you were ill" " Someone will hear" " Let them hear" "Who's the guy who's just left?" "Are you jealous?" "I'm glad" "Did they stay the night?" "Don't be cross." "They often do" "Do you take me for a fool?" "Come on." "Don't be afraid" "I hadn't felt like this since childhood" "When X is between infinity and 15 and F' of X is negative" "See you tomorrow at eight" "Won't you stay?" "No, I have to go home" " You're here?" " Yes, every night." "How are you?" "Still looking after your schoolgirl?" "What do you mean?" " Are you in love?" " Why do you say that?" "FRANÇOIS LO VES ANO THER WOMAN" "It'll be a paranoid or resentful student we're all delighted with Miss Tessier's spectacular progress" "I wish you all a good holiday" "You were right." "Mathilde has hugely improved in English" " Really?" "Congratulations" " Thank you" "We're so happy about what you did for Mathilde" "What's that?" "We thought she was going to sink." "But she got a grip on herself thanks to you" " It's really thanks to her - 'Bye." "Are you going away?" "Enjoy the break anyway" "Are you going away with Catherine?" " You've changed" " For the better?" "I don't recognise you." "Do you need some help?" " I'm fine." "Do you want a lift?" " I've a call to make first" "You're crazy" " What are you doing here?" " I want to make love" " Don't you want to know what they said?" " I don't care" "You're crazy." "What if they see us?" "I'm happy." "We're going to be together for two weeks" "If you like we can go to the country." "The weather's nice" "I'm starting to need you" "Hi Noé" "Hi, what's up?" "Your mum's in hospital again You must come up at once Promise me" "See you tomorrow" " All right" " Love you" "What's up?" "Mum's tried to kill herself again." "That was dad" "Is it serious?" "It must be, for dad to have called" "Will you go?" "I can go with you." "I finish work in two days" " Do your brothers know?" " We can't contact them" "They went to Columbia, then India." "Since then, not a word" "They were in trouble with the police?" "They were 15" "They dealt drugs to get their daily fix" "They got caught and were forced to go into rehab" "Hadn't your father noticed?" "What about you?" "Me?" "I was 11 and I was like them" "You took drugs too?" "They got me started" "Weren't you caught by the police?" "I was 11." "They never suspected" "They supplied you?" "What happened when they were in rehab?" "I went into prostitution" "I got into a network." "There were other young girls" "There were meetings where men came, sometimes with their wives" "You mustn't think it was tough or traumatic" "We just got on with it" "How long did it last?" "Two years." "No, three" "Then I managed to stop by myself" "I can be very strong for some things" "Don't be angry" "I'm telling you because I trust you" "Do you understand?" "I've heard all drug addicts become liars" "They all say that's it, they're going to stop" "Aren't I right?" "Why would you be different?" "I swear it to you" "I know I don't lie" "If you don't believe me, tough" "Do you want my number in Paris?" "What's the point?" "Wait" "Stop it." "You're too good at this" "It hasn't stopped ringing" "They hang up when I pick up" "Any idea who it is?" "Did you ask her about the letter?" "Well?" "Maybe you wrote it to sound me out" "Not the damsel in distress!" "Jealous at your age?" "I've had it" "I need to think." "We should spend a few days apart, just the holidays" "I'll go." "Do what you like, but have a good think" "I'll stay at the bookshop" "These calls will have to stop." "If you won't do anything about it, I will" "Have a good holiday" "Don't forget the essay" "Hello how are you?" "It's good to hear your voice." "I tried to call, but it was always engaged" "I miss you" "How's your mum?" "She slit her wrists in the bath It was serious this time" "You know what she said when she woke up?" ""It was beautiful like a huge ocean" ""I was melting into it It was lovely"" "Shall I come up?" "Bad idea One of my brothers is back We don't know where the other one is" "I'm looking after everyone especially my dad" "I'm sorry about what happened before you left" " I miss you" " I miss you too" "I have to go I'll be back as soon as I can" "We'll need to talk" "'Bye I love you" "Me too" "Try to call again" "It's good to hear your voice" "It's Mathilde Are you alone?" "Go to your front door" "I need you so much." "How I missed you!" "I was scared suddenly." "Scared you had left" "In Paris I could only think of you" "I was going mad." "I kept wanting to call" "I didn't care about anyone" "Not even my mother disfigured by pain" "Not even my father or my brothers" "I can't live without you any more" "Throw your wife out" "I can't" "Then leave her" "Come and live with me." "It's small, but we can move" "We can't" "Because of school?" "You're 17" "So what?" "In ten years I'll be an old man" "You already are when you talk like that" "Do you know many couples who last?" "Look around you" "I love you" "Whether you're old, fat, skinny or sick it won't change anything" "It's deeply rooted in me" "Who knows where we'll be in ten years?" "We might be dead." "You might be" "Or me" "I love you like I've never loved before" "You made a woman of me" "Can't you see I'm begging you?" "What would we live on?" "Love alone?" "It would be romantic" "What do you mean?" "No one will ever condone a teacher my age seeing his student" "Especially since you're a minor" "Ask to be transferred to another town" "I'll pretend to be your daughter" "Or I'll hide" "So no one can see me, I'll live like a recluse" "I've no pride left" "So long as I'm with you" "It wouldn't last two months" "One day you told me no one knew what life had in store for them and despair was a sign of vanity" "You said we should approach life with open minds." "So?" "People can think what they like." "We're different" "We need to find our own way" "Have faith in me and life" "I've no right to your life" "That means you don't have the courage to leave your wife and live with me" "We're going to make love one last time" "Then there'll be nothing left if we still need to see each other" "Are you hurting?" "You've stopped seeing her?" "It's better for you" "What would you know?" "You'll get over it in time" "Won't you talk to me?" "She wanted me to leave you" "Why didn't you follow her?" "Because of me?" "Because she was 17?" "Cut the chatter" "I hope you had a good break and you finished your essays" "Carpentier will collect them" "For Nietzsche, pure thought doesn't exist" "In the same way, philosophy's claim to stating pure truth is a mystification" "For Nietzsche, a metaphysician is someone who's chosen death" "Someone dedicated to metaphysics God and perfection, but who doesn't want to live" "He can't bear life" "So he discards it with great philosophical elegance" "And he invents a new one which he calls the other side, God, the other life morals with a capital 'M'" "But let's not be fooled." "This whole philosophical construction only serves to hide this unconscious notion" "I can't bear it." "I can't bear life" "So I invent another one for very concrete, mundane reasons" "This whole philosophical construction only serves to hide a wretched existence" "The tired life of the philosopher who denied his own life" "Sorry, were you talking to me?" "Stand up, please" "Can you repeat what I said?" "Why weren't you listening?" "I was..." " But I couldn't hear" " See me after the class" "I can't." "I'm seeing the counsellor" "I'll make your excuses" "I also have to see the bursar" "I'm not asking you." "I'm telling you" "I need a word in private" "I'm sorry, sir" "But we wanted to tell you that Mathild has a new address" "We're living together at my place" "You can speak." "Don't mind him" "He advises me and will always take care of me" "Get out" "I thought you'd be pleased" "Get out, I said" "For a teacher, you could be more polite" "Who's this one?" "You whore" "Forget it" "You've no right to hit students, sir" "Only to punish them if you can prove they're in the wrong" "Who was it?" "Guess" "Impossible" "I got a call after you left this morning" "It was her" "She called me a bitch" "She promised she'd kill me" "I had a similar message two days ago" "On top of the night calls, that's too much" "Come here, please." "I need you" "Come on, students." "Upstairs" "You too, Miss Tessier" "Can I have a word?" "Expel her" "Or put her in another class" "On what pretext?" "There are only a few weeks to go." "You're not a boy" "Sometimes I wonder" "It's your wife." "She says it's serious" "Tell me" "The Hainaut woman is an old bitch" "Who did that?" "Two guys on motorbikes" "That's not all." "When I took the car earlier, a guy in a van bumped into me" "As if he'd been waiting for me." "One bump wasn't enough, so he did it again" "I thought he was going to kill me" "Any witnesses?" "When people arrived, the driver ran off, leaving the van behind" "What time was that?" "9.15" "There's more" "My editor has received threats" " They're telling him to fire me or else" " That's ludicrous" "Maybe, but there have been bomb alerts so he's delaying publishing my article" "It's her" " She was at school" " Then she has accomplices" "Things can't go on like this" "I can't take any more" " Where are the A3?" " English." "Room 512" "Miss Tessier, come with me" "Are you coming?" "Is this going to last long?" "I love you" " What do you want?" " My bag..." "Come back later." "The door is locked." "I'll get the key" "Have you seen Hainaut?" "The head wants to see him and Miss Tessier" "It's serious" "He must be in the staff room or in a classroom" "Or maybe outside." "Come with me" "Hey, there's a teacher screwing a naked girl" "Mathilde's mother died the next day" "She went back to Paris after trying to see François again" "He was rebuked by the department and quickly transferred to Dunkirk" "Catherine deeply hurt didn't forgive him They separated and he left her the house" "Mathilde vanished from their lives" "Over a year passed" "Mr François Hainaut?" "This is police officer Gabaston Can you come to 6 rue Lombard now?" "We've found the body of a young girl Miss Tessier" "Hello are you still there?" " Here?" "In Dunkirk?" " Yes here in Dunkirk" "Do you recognise her?" "Poor girl" "Can you imagine?" "She let herself die" "She took this room two months ago" "She didn't go out." "She didn't see anyone" "She lived as a recluse" "She used to sit all day Looking out the window" "I did her shopping every other day" "That's your address and phone number, right?" "So, you must have seen her sometimes" "You didn't even know she lived here?" "Sorry" "You're François, aren't you?" "So, what did she mean?" "THERE'S THE OCEAN, FRANÇOIS"