"THE HOUSE OF BORIES" "Lise, where are you?" "Laurent!" "Laurent, come here, I see you." " What's happened?" " Nothing." " Where's your sister?" " Oh, she's there." " You know where your sister is." " Yes, there." " So why are you calling her?" " She's hiding." "Hiding?" " Have you quarrelled?" " No." "Come on." "I said come on." "So you haven't quarrelled?" "Maybe it's what I said about Grenoble." "What's that about?" "I'll be in boarding school there next year." " You were listening to us?" " Just for fun." "Your father is right." "I told her she'd be going to England." "To England?" "Why should I be the only one to board?" "Laurent, kindly tell your sister you made it up." "Promise?" "Promise." "Shall I serve the children's tea?" "Yes." "It's not to take too long." "Laurent has to work." "Very good." "Lise!" "Hurry, children." "It's late." "The time, Isabelle?" "I don't know exactly, Julien." "I imagine around quarter to eight." "No darling, it's exactly three minutes to eight." "Laurent, can you bring us the house rules." "I wanted them to make the most of this beautiful day." "I've not had the luxury of noticing whether it was beautiful." "Sir, will you meet the train?" "No, Ludovic, that's for you to do." "He's a young man." "No need for me to meet him." "Hurry up." "Care to read that?" "19:45:" "Children's bedtime." "Dinner:" "Sir and Madam." "Can't you even read properly?" "Nota bene." "NB." "NB." "This timetable should be rigorously adhered to taking account of accidents and force majors." "Doing it deliberately?" "Go and have dinner, Julien." "I'll join you shortly." "Any accident or a force majeure?" "What's an accident or a force majeure?" "Who asked you?" " You know full well..." " I'm waiting." "The timetable is so old-fashioned!" " Where's your sense of humour?" " How are the children to...?" "Marie-Louise will put the children to bed." "Ludovic can start serving." " Off you go." " Bed, children." "We'll play cards with Marie-Louise and go to bed late." "Great!" " Will you have coffee, Julien?" " No." "I hate having the children under my feet when I finish work." "I know you don't have much time for my work on the Vaucluse rocks." "And the hercynian folding in France." "Fortunately, my editor is of a different opinion." "And don't burden my young translator with your sarcasm." "Nor with your children." "He'll soon realise the life they lead here is poor preparation for the discipline of work." "And poor Miss Estienne..." "Anyway." "It will soon be over." "I'll send Laurent to a good boarding school next year." "That'll make him understand." " Want to know what?" " No, Julien, I don't." " Some more fruit?" " No, thank you." "On reflection, I shall have coffee." "I still have work to do." "You're exhausting yourself." "You'd be better off going to bed earlier." "You're right." "Let's go up." "Gone up already?" "The boss has it all his own way." "What is it, Lise?" " Why are you crying?" " I don't want to go to England." "You're not going to England." "Laurent was talking nonsense." "I want to go...to Grenoble with Laurent." " We won't leave Laurent." " Really?" "What is it now?" "Any chance of a single undisturbed night?" "Yes or no?" "She just had a bad dream, that's all." "What is it?" "Nothing, Laurent." "Go right back to sleep, sweetheart." " I'm coming, Julien, don't worry." " I'm not, but I'd like to sleep." "I don't want a lot of commotion in the corridor." "Good night, little man." "Laurent." "Come on." "Laurent..." " What's that turning?" " It's the wind." "Oh, yes, the wind." "Laurent, don't give the dog sugar." "You know it makes them blind." "Poor Marie-Louise, old wives' tales." "It is not scientific." "Morning, Miss Estienne." "Hard with the bike in the wind." "It is, Mr Ludovic." "Where are you off to so early?" " Meeting the Jerry at the station." " That's Mr Durras' guest!" " Guest or not, he's German." " Ah." "Look, here's Miss Estienne." " Good morning, Miss Estienne." " Good morning, Miss." "Good morning, madam." "Good morning, Lise." "What a pretty dress!" "Mummy made it." "Your mother is very talented." " But where's Mr Laurent?" " Lise, go and find him." "Let me take that off you!" ""Whereas she wastes her time on these worthless things..." ""on these worthless things, comma" ""events around her march on." Full stop." ""After a harsh winter"" "comma" ""extreme hunger..." ""brought about by aggressive libel..."" "By what?" ""Aggressive libels..."" "What are libels?" "It's from the Latin." "'Libellus' which means, Laurent?" "Libellus, little book." "Here it means a short defamatory publication which people circulated." "I'll carry on." ""Aggressive libels" comma, threaten to wreck..."" "Come now." " I'm fed up with this dictation." " We're fed up." "That's no way to talk!" "Mr Kürstedt?" "Good morning." "I'm Miss Estienne, the children's governess." "Come and say hello." "Laurent Durras." "I'm Carl-Stéphane." "That's Lise, my sister." "Laurent, you don't say "That's Lise."" "Hello, Mr Carl-Stéphane." "Mr Kürstedt?" "Did you have a good journey?" "Excellent." "Rather long." "I'll tell my husband." " Are you really Daddy's colleague?" " Oh, no, not yet." "I'm just a Geologieassitent , assistant in Geology at Hamburg university." "I'm translating your father's books." "Don't I look as though I could?" "Mr Kürstedt.." "My husband is expecting you, but I'll show you your room first." "Come along, children." "The lesson isn't over." "Sit down." "He's nice, isn't he?" "Laurent, here's your homework for Tuesday." "Come in." "Julien, here's Mr Kürstedt." "The volcano may manifest simply by a swelling or a tumescence of the ground." "A paste-like lava is thrown up and solidifies on ejection." "The mountain forms a steep-sided dome with scarcely any ash." "The Puy-de-Dôme is a typical example." "Whereas in the Puy-de-Monton the lava is injected and consolidated in an elemental mass which has now been worn away." "In France, be it a dome or shield volcano, volcanos subjected to erosion have over time become structures which are more or less preserved..." " What are you smiling at, Isabelle?" " Nothing, Julien." "Did I say something amusing?" "No, Julien." "It was something silly that has nothing to do with you." "Come, Kürstedt, We'll have coffee in my office in peace." "Ludovic, stop playing the fool." "I'm not playing the fool." "I'm Ludovic king of the jugglers." "Marie-Louise, is Mr Kürstedt's room ready?" "Yes, madam." " With the pale blue towels?" " Yes, madam, pale blue." "With the pale blue towels?" "She's all sweetness to him." "A rarity, a handsome young man in the house." "She's just like she always is." "What are you getting out?" "Hey, Laurent." "Do you think Kürstedt is nice?" "Who?" "Carl-Stéphane?" "He seems nice." "He doesn't say much, but he seems nice." "Does your mother think so?" "Mummy?" "Why mummy?" "Ludovic, leave Laurent alone." "When he's older, he'll come onto women too." "Look, leave the boy alone." "Here." " Go and play, Laurent." " I said nothing..." "Laurent." "Are you coming, Laurent?" "We're going to fly the plane." "Anything you need, tell Marie-Louise." "Thank you." "If I may, I'll walk a little." "But of course." "Good evening, Mr Kürstedt." " Good evening, sir." " Good evening, Carl-Stéphane." "Good evening." "Charming young man." "Very well brought up." "Very well brought up." "I thought he'd be older, given the work he's done." "He has a good scientific knowledge though that's not his specialty." " What about the translation?" " He will manage." "He doesn't look like a scientist." "He has the hands of..." "His hands?" "Hands of a Greek shepherd who sculpts." "What does that mean, Isabelle?" "When did you observe the hands of a Greek shepherd who sculpts to be able to generalise about their hands." "Never, Julien." "It was just a remark." "What's the point of these empty phrases?" "Calling him Carl-Stéphane is making you poetic." "He's very young, Julien." "I wanted to put him at his ease." "Does it shock you?" "If it does, I can call him Mr Kürstedt." "It's not important, Isabelle." "No doubt he will court you." "Who's that?" "The pretty young boy, Carl-Stéphane." "Why would he do that?" "Good evening." "Come in." "There you are, Mr Kürstedt." "Sit down." "Forgive me but you have such wonderful children." "Not all that wonderful." "Much is wrong with the life they lead here." "Next year Laurent will go to boarding school unless I resume my post at the faculty, then I'll send him to Henry IV." "But let's get to work." "Let's begin at the beginning." "What about the title?" "Nils was a bit ashamed and listened to the telling off." "What did Tom Thumb say?" "The Troll?" "He said be good and not to annoy the little ones." " Did it work?" " Not at first." "Then he became tiny and left with the geese." "There." "Carl-Stéphane, here's Mummy." "Draw her." "Very good idea." "Don't move, madam." "Don't move, Mummy." "You'll see how well he draws." "Come a little closer, madam." "Closer." "That's it." "Stop." "Carl-Stéphane." "Must you?" "I must." "I have to have something to take back to Lübeck with me." "Take the sketch, leave us the real thing." "You're not leaving yet, are you?" "What if I took the real thing and left you the sketch?" "No, we're keeping the real thing." "So very blue." "Carl-Stéphane..." "The children's tea." "But I haven't finished." "It will make them late and now is not the moment." "My husband isn't in a good mood." "Right, I'll stop." "But I'll pick it up again later." "No, I haven't finished." "I'm allowed to see it because it's of me." " You draw very well." " It's dead good." " It's pretty." " Wash your hands now, children." "At your command." "We'll wash our hands." "What are we having?" "Would you like to eat with the children?" "No, I'll eat with Mr Durras and you, if I may." "While she lays the table, we've time to get the plane." " Poor thing is stuck up the tree." " Let's go." " And wash your hands!" " We'll have time after." "I hope they won't be long." "Sir..." "Marie-Louise!" "The children are so happy." "He makes the place joyful and he's so nice with everyone." "He's very well brought up." "Every parent's dream child." "He's not a child." "He's a man." "I think I'd better go and get them." " Got it, piggy?" " Hang on a mo." " What did you say?" " Be careful." "Is it broken?" "No, it's not broken." "I've got it." "I'll take it." " Have you got the plane?" " Yes." " That's it." " Hurry." "Marie-Louise is waiting." "Coming." " Be careful." " Okay, okay." "Help Carl-Stéphane." "Take the plane." "There." "All fine." "Give me your hand." "Come on." " We're very late, Isabelle." " It's my fault." "I went to help the children with their plane." "Oh, such popularity, Mr Kürstedt." "All well and good but the young ones also need discipline." "Do you fish like this in your country too?" "On holiday when I was young I did." "I'm sort of on holiday here." "For the last few days your father hasn't given me much work." " Laurent, Carl-Stéphane." " It's mummy." "Hello, madam." " Laurent." " What?" "I'm coming down." "Be careful, it's slippery." "The Ancients found it 3,000 years ago on the banks of the Akhates hence the name agate." "This may have adorned the robes of a high priest." "It's magnificent." "Stones have a secret life." "They are the memory of the world and sometimes of man." "Witnesses in some way." "Poetic." "What's poetry got to do with it?" "Witnesses of history." "You've played for too long today." "You need to go to bed soon." "Your father will soon be here." "I think he's making progress in his work but he has nothing for me to translate." " You're making the most of it." " Yes, I am." " Lazybones." " Lise!" "May I take the 2CV tomorrow, madam?" "I'd like to go to Sisteron." " Got a driving licence?" " Of course." "I need to get some sketch pads and to order some books." " May I?" " Of course, Carl Stephane." " We'll come with you." " With Misou." "No, children." "Let Carl-Stéphane have some peace for once." "Carl-Stéphane." "No, you're not coming." " But I'll bring you back something." " What?" " What's this?" " We're waiting for Carl-Stéphane." "Wait on the terrace!" "No, we'll wait here." "Here he is!" " Good journey?" " Very good." " What did you get?" " One second." " Didn't the police arrest you?" " Didn't find anything." "It's not true!" " You promised!" " I don't believe you." " What's in this package?" " Nothing." " Liar!" " Let's see." " Let's see." " He says he hasn't got anything." " Hello." " Good evening." "The traveller returns." "Fantastic, a football." "We'll have some wild matches!" " Aren't you going to open yours?" " I'll look at it all alone." "Don't you want to look at it now?" " Yes." " Well then." " Shall I open it?" " Of course, darling." "A very good choice, Carl Stéphane." "She's in love!" " That's for Misou." " Misou?" "I noticed he had an old collar and I thought..." "You're much too kind." "I'm off to score a goal." "Shit!" "Clever!" "I'm sorry, it's my fault." "What's this ball?" "You know very well I forbid balls." "It was me, sir." "Oh, it was you." "Sporty." "It doesn't matter." "Just a kick and a new pane." "Laurent, did you kick the ball?" ""Yes, Daddy." "Yes, Daddy."" "Talented with the ball and at maths." "What about your homework?" "Done it?" "Or are you just having fun?" " Kindly get this week's homework." " Julien!" "Laurent's homework doesn't interest Mr Kürstedt." "Mr Kürstedt is most interested in Laurent's homework." "Sir, Laurent shouldn't be punished because of me." "It's going to get ugly." "High time the master got involved." "Sit down, Mr Kürstedt." "You need to be sitting down." "A triumphant dictation." "18 lines, 22 mistakes." ""The skylarke" with an 'e'" ""soars singing" 's-o-r-e-s"" ""above the furrowed ground."" "'Furrowed' misspelt, of course." "And so on and so on." "French essay." "We're said to have a talent for this." ""Describe your garden." Listen to this." ""There are green beans I planted all by myself with Mummy's help."" "So not "all by yourself"." ""I planted this variety as they're best."" "We'll gloss over that." ""There are also Savoy cabbages covered in dew" ""when the sun rises behind the potatoes."" "Astronomers will be pleased to hear the sun rises behind the potatoes." ""On the best cabbage is a furry caterpillar", 'f-u-r-i-e'." ""The caterpillar gets engaged to the cabbage to get to her heart."" "Wonderful, Isabelle." "And worthy of your son." " Sir." " Onto arithmetic." "Like to know what your friend Laurent is doing in arithmetic?" "Six of seven divisions wrong." "One problem correct out of six." "Good average." "Look at me, Laurent, not your mother." "Julien, you know he does his best." "He doesn't." "He should be ashamed." " I am ashamed." " Laurent!" "What's that?" "Don't expect me for dinner." "I'm going for a walk." "Please don't cry, madam." "I beg you." "It's all my fault." "Carl-Stéphane, please go and see where Laurent is." "I will." "Mummy, I want to go to bed." "Yes, darling." "We'll go to bed." "I think he's beginning to understand." "Understand what?" " Understand what?" " Marie-Louise." "Take a little broth up for the children and keep my husband's meal hot." "Very good, madam." "Don't you want anything, madam?" "No, Marie-Louise." "I'm not hungry." "Could you see whether Mr Kürstedt needs anything." "Very well, madam." "Thank you, Marie-Louise." "Good night, Ludovic." "Good night, madam." "Ludovic, when Madam says good night you could have the decency to reply." "She'd be better off seeing for herself if he needs anything." "He's bound to need something." "May I have some soup, Marie-Louise?" "Of course, I've kept everything hot." "Good." "Thank you." "All in bed?" "I think so." "Madam went up with the little one some time ago." " What about Mr Kürstedt?" " He went up to his room." "As soon as you left." "Good." "Thank you for waiting for me." "That's what I'm here for." "Lise?" "What are you doing here?" "Can't you sleep?" "What is it?" "Lise, what's wrong?" "What can we do to make Daddy better?" "To stop him being ill." "He isn't ill." "Yes he is." "He's not like us." "But he loves you all very much." "He got angry with Laurent for not working." " That's all." " Why does he make Mummy cry?" "It was because he was angry about the ball." "You see, it's my fault." "You never get told off." "You're smart." " Me?" "I'm not smart at all." " Yes, you are." "All right." "Go back to bed." "I'll keep it for ever." "Laurent, you've missed a line." "Carry on." "I'm going to Sisteron." "We're out of so many things." "Children quiet, men working." "No, Mr Kürstedt left early to go to Sisteron" " On foot?" " Ludovic told him the short cut." "Maybe it is rather late to go." "It can wait till tomorrow." "Who knows what tomorrow may bring." "It's quiet here today." "The children are quiet." "All right, I'm going." "Want to keep walking or want a lift?" "I've walked far enough." "I'll get in if you like." "Mad at me because of yesterday evening?" "Yesterday evening?" "Yes, the ball, it was my fault." "That was just a pretext." "It would have happened anyway." "And Laurent?" "How is he this morning?" "He slept well." "He seems calm." "And you?" "Me?" "Here's your bookshop." "Shall I pick you up here?" "I'll come with you." "All right, but hurry." "I'll be two minutes." " Hello." " Mademoiselle." " A kilo of leeks." " Anything else?" " A pineapple." " I'll get that." "What shall we take the children?" "A rugby ball." "And why not?" "You have to laugh at it, don't you?" "The children aren't allowed a ball." "What then?" "Nothing." "Nothing at all." "My husband is not in favour." "Your husband isn't in favour of anything." "Carl-Stéphane." " Mademoiselle." " Sorry." "Thanks." " How much is that?" " 7.10 francs." " Let me take it." " Thank you." " Have we got everything?" " I think so." " Good." " Let's go." "Can I call you Isabelle?" "No." "I think it best not, Carl-Sté..." "When I go back to Lübeck, nothing will be the same as before." "I'll be a stranger in my home." "My real home is with you." "I'm going to lose you." "Don't be sad, Carl-Stéphane." "One mustn't get too attached." "You're very young." "Move on without getting too attached." "How am I supposed not to love you?" "Please, Carl-Stephane." "Impossible to meet you and not love you." "I want to take you far away from him." " I forbid you to speak of him." " I don't care." "It was you who provoked me." " You're a flirt." " I'm stopping, you're getting out." "If you stop, you know full well what will happen." "What's that?" "What nearly happened the other day by the river." "What would have happened but for Laurent." "So we've stopped." "Well then?" "Let's make a lasting cease-fire?" "Let's make peace." "Thank you for the smile." "So you didn't take the shortcut." "Where the children, Ludovic?" "I don't know." "Miss Estienne left some time ago." "Carl-Stéphane, would you see where the children are." "Could you help me unload, Ludovic?" " Busy in Sisteron?" " As usual." "Why?" "I thought you'd been delayed." "Has my husband been looking for me?" "Is he in the dining room waiting?" "No, he's still in his office." "Then I'm not late, Ludovic." "Put all that away." "I'll be home tomorrow evening or the following morning latest." "I had to go to Paris at some point to sort out this post at faculty." "I'm counting on you to translate the few pages on my desk." "The heat, the atmosphere in the house have prevented me from doing more." "I'll take the 15:30 train." "From Mison." "As you've driven this morning, Ludovic will take me." "My going away may seem rushed but as you weren't here I took the decision." "That was the right thing to do." "And you always take the decisions." "Taking advantage before the matriarch is established." "Set a good example for to the children." "Especially Laurent." "I hope all will be well." "They also have Carl-Stéphane to watch over them." "Of course, sir." "You can count on me." "What have I forgotten?" " Your sponge bag." " No, I've got that." " Nothing then." " Socks, handkerchiefs, pullovers." "It's September and just for two days!" "Don't read too much into what happened yesterday." "I'm tormented by my lack of progress." " This trip will do me good." " I'm sure it will." "But with Laurent, it's getting dire." "He's a child, Julien." "You condone him?" "It's 2:30." "Do you think now is the moment for this discussion." "You're right." "You often are, but I find it hard to acknowledge." "I know, Julien." "That's the way I am." "I still have something to do." "See you downstairs." "Mr Kürstedt." " Carl-Stéphane." " Sir." "This house is an old house home to an old family, a little outdated." "Misou is an old dog." "Misou is an old dog in an old house." "He needs an old collar." "Thank you for the good intention, but it doesn't go with the decor." "I have to leave now." "Carl-Stéphane, I entrust Isabelle and the children to you." "Start with the chapter on erosion." "I have to review the rest." "Ludovic, don't forget the pane in my office." "I ordered one by phone." "I'll see to it right away." " Done?" " Coming to play?" "Coming?" "Hurry up, we're waiting for you." "Coming." "Carl-Stéphane?" "Oh, there you are." " Done?" " All done." "Holiday time." "I'll go to the ravine with the children." "Then we'll all have dinner together." "They will love that." "I'd love to have had dinner with you." "You are, Carl-Stéphane." " Of course." " After dinner we'll go for a walk." "Carl-Stéphane, are you coming?" "Get a move on!" "If you're not coming, we'll go without you." "Coming." " We're waiting." " Good." "Let's go!" " What are you making, Marie-Louise?" " A peach tart." "Miss Estienne brought me some peaches." "There will be a truffle omelette, a leg of lamb, and the peach tart." "Leg of lamb this evening?" "It's a gala dinner." "They're so happy about eating with Mr Kürstedt." "Cut the tart, Carl-Stéphane." "Who's better at geometry here than me?" "Laurent?" "Let me get to work." "But then, everyone zu Bett ." "I promised we'd go to the old farm." "The old farm." "Ah, zum alten Hof." "Vielleicht werden wir..." " Where we going?" " The old farm." " Really?" " Yes, we'll fetch the milk." " Groovy!" " "Groovy", what does that mean?" " Wunderbar." " Again?" "Wunderschön." "A slice of tart." "Why don't we go for a picnic tomorrow?" "It's too hot at midday." " In the evening." " Your father's back then." "Down by the stream?" "It's not hot down there." "Is it, Carl-Stéphane?" "We'll see tomorrow morning." "That means we won't go." "Say we'll go." "Why not, madam?" "We'd all like that." " Even you." " True, even me." "We'll go to bed now." "Lise is already asleep." "I'm not." "I'm listening to Carl-Stéphane's head." " And what does my head say?" " It says you're happy." "Come on, let's get back." "Watch my thumb." "How do you do that?" "If you want to go to the stream tomorrow, bed." " Good night, Lise." " Good night, Mummy." " Good night." " Good night." "Good night, Laurent." " Good night, Carl-Stéphane." " Good night, madam." "Madam." "Yes." " It's half past nine." " So?" "Come down to the terrace with me." "Just the time it takes to have a cigarette." "No." "Yes." "One cigarette." "When the cat's away, the mice will play." "What?" " They are both down..." " What of it?" "Can't they chat and go for a walk?" " Do they need permission?" " It disgusts me." "All it takes is a smooth talker and she's a goner." "Anyone would think you're the one affected." "You're right, it's her business." "I'll take a stroll before I go to bed." "No need to overdramatize." "No point bemoaning one's fate." "When you live with someone who doesn't...match you, you die little by little." "You see, you're being over dramatic." "No, I'm not being overdramatic." "But your husband..." "I'm sorry... he's killing you little by little." "You've no right to say that." "He's a difficult man but he's essentially good." "I'm often at fault." " And then I have the children." " No, they have you." "I'm happy as I am." "I saw you crying yesterday evening." "It was nerves." "The other day at the river, was that nerves too?" "Why ruin our friendship, Carl-Stéphane?" "It's not friendship I feel for you." " Thank you!" " You know precisely what I mean." "No, I don't know at all." "I'm stupid." "Let's go back." "I'd like to take you far away from here...with the children." "It's you who are a child." "Isabelle." "I'll get cross, Carl-Stéphane." "No." "Let's go back." " Good night, Isabelle." " Good night, Carl-Stéphane." "Is our evening at an end?" "What are you doing?" "He's in her room, I'm sure." "What is that to you?" " Get lost." " Go to bed!" " Get lost!" " Go in!" "No!" " Morning, Ludovic." " Morning, Laurent." "Up early." "I wasn't tired." "Not tired?" "I know someone who won't be fresh this morning." "What does that mean?" " Your friend Carl-Stéphane." " What's he done?" "Carl-Stéphane?" "Young man, he slept with your mother." "What did you say?" "Don't be stupid, Laurent!" "Mummy!" "Mummy!" " What is it, Laurent?" " It's not true." "Calm down, darling." "I'm here." " Tell me what happened." " It's Ludovic." "Ludovic?" "What has Ludovic done?" "Excuse me, madam." "I heard a noise." "Is Laurent ill?" "No." "Ludovic has been acting up." "Who has what?" " Do we have to get up?" " No, sweetheart, it's too early." "Carl-Stéphane, take her to her room and shut the door." "I'll see you shortly." "Yes, madam." "Come on, we'll get a bit more sleep." "So, tell me everything." "You can tell me everything." "Go ahead." "I'm listening." "Aren't we having a picnic?" "The picnic, my dear, is scuppered." "Has he come back?" "No, madam." "He's still not back." "But he must know." "Madam..." "No, Marie-Louise, my mind is made up." "Laurent can't encounter him again." "I'd like you to have left when my husband returns." "If only he didn't come back" "I..." "I'd stay with you." "Poor Marie-Louise." "You can't free yourself from a man so easily." "It's so sad to be leaving you." "It hurts me a great deal too, Marie-Louise." "I want you to take the three o'clock bus." "You are banishing me like Ludovic." "Yes, Carl-Stéphane, because you too are dangerous." "I'm dangerous?" "Yes." "Because I love you too much." "Why are you leaving, Carl-Stéphane?" "He already said, he has to go back." "What will Daddy say, Carl-Stéphane?" "Mummy will explain to him." " You'll write to us, won't you?" " Lots." "Isabelle, you should have asked Ludovic to come." "I sent Ludovic away and Marie-Louise." "What's all this about?" "I'll explain." "Couldn't you have waited for me to get back?" "No, Julien, I couldn't." "Carl-Stéphane has also left." "I'm sure you'll understand why." "What do you mean?" "What is this about?" "You're saying I was wrong." "If it was necessary, you were right, but..." "What about Paris?" "We'll move to Paris next year." "There was a post vacant at St-Louis." "I accepted." "That way Laurent can go to the lycée." "In any case this isolation can't go on." "I'll do my best to..." "So will I, Julien." "I'll do my best." "I'll tell you what happened now." "No doubt you saw Carl-Stéphane had a liking for me." "At first I paid no attention." "I considered him a child." "Here's one of them." " Good morning, Mummy." " Good morning, Lise." "And here's the other one." " Good morning, Mummy." " Good morning, Laurent." " Coffee?" " Yes." "Give me your bowl." " Is Miss Estienne coming today?" " I'd forgotten." "Me too." "We'll see." "Any coffee left for a poor geologist?" "Of course." " Here." " Good morning." "Good trip?" "Are you a poor geologist?" "And next year, I'll be a poor Parisian teacher." "We're going to Paris?" " So I won't board?" " No, you'll go the lycée." "And challenge everything, like the rest." "Mummy, won't we come here anymore?" "We will, darling." "It will be our holiday home."