"LOVERS ON A TIGHTROPE" "'Everything had started 13 days earlier...'" "I love you, I love you, love you, love you, love you..." "I love you." " I love you too, darling." "What are you doing?" "Are you in bed?" "It would be so good if we were together." "What's the matter?" "Some pig stuck his chewing gum on the phone." "But it's gross." "What a shame you're not here." "Aren't you going to ask me why?" " No, why?" "Because you always ask me why." "And because we could be kissing and then..." "Come on, you can see it's busy." "Hello." " Hello." "Who are you talking to?" " Some guy who gave me a real scare." "I thought it was my husband." " He's there?" " Of course he is, he's busy working." "Didn't you know you can do business in a club at 11 p." "M?" "A Dutchman's proposed something or other to him so he's got his lawyer here to discuss the file." "That way he can take me out and do business at the same time." "Listen, he won't be home for lunch tomorrow," "I'll pick you up if you're free." " It would be all we need for me to run off..." "Right, I'll be there around noon?" "I have to hang up." "Kiss me hard." "I'm kissing you too." "Well, you don't give up do you?" "If you're that scared, madam, it must mean you don't have a clear conscience." "I was beginning to wonder what could have happened to you." "There's not much that could have happened to me." "Did you make a phone call?" "Definitely not." "Another whisky please." "Not for you, really?" " No, I'm drinking water." "And for madam?" " I'm fine thank you." "It's all part of the roles we play in this family." "Please excuse me." "I'll be right back." "Mademoiselle, there you are." "Do you want some change?" " No, I want to know if a young woman in a light-coloured suit and a..." " Who made a phone call 15 minutes ago." "Great, that's what I wanted to know." "You didn't dial the number for her by any chance?" "No, I'm sorry, sir, but we're on automatic dial, except for the provinces." "Come on, we're going home." " Already?" " I don't feel very well." "Seriously?" " Oh, everyone's sick these days." "Just have to recognize it." "A migraine." "Comes from the solar plexus." "Not enough care given to the solar plexus." "Make an exception for this evening." "You can sleep in tomorrow." "No, the hours of sleep before midnight count for double." "My dear sir..." "And now it's Roger Duchesne, with the nightly program 'Service de Nuit'." "Who did you call?" "No-one." "I didn't call anyone." "You're lying." "Daniel." "Daniel." "Daniel." "Daniel." "Daniel?" "It's a bit early." "Oh please." "I'm thirsty." "Wine never quenched anyone's thirst." "Well goodness me, I'm married to the sage of the ages." "You're going to ruin yourself in for ever." "Who would complain?" "Well, I would, of course." "That's part of the fun." "Who did you call tonight?" "Leave me alone." " Tell me who you called." "Tell me who you called." "I've a right to know who it was." "Hairdressers close long before 11 p.m." " O.K., yes, I made a call." "O.K., but it's not a crime to phone someone." "I can still phone someone." "So why tell tales, Cora?" "Why lie?" "Why invent complicated stories?" "It's a waste of time, dear..." "Listen, Daniel..." " Because I know everything." "You don't know anything, because there's nothing to know." "You've done this to me so many times." "You're not using your head, you just do it because you can and you like to." "If you're not happy with me, you know we can get a divorce." "You can call your lawyer right now, you know where to find him." "I'm not a dog." "So, does the lifeguard have nice muscles?" " Not bad..." "So, what did that young man have to say to you?" "Oh, you'd make a good, little examining magistrate wouldn't you." "Look, someone is watching us." " Who?" "Over there." "Someone." "Oh, there are folks who like to watch other people kissing." "Not necessarily cops." "He really doesn't have an army of detectives." "He couldn't afford it." "You shouldn't joke about it, Henri." "He'll never divorce me." "We've been all through it." "He had the opportunity again yesterday." "He's jealous, not crazy." "The money's yours." "Put yourself in his shoes." "What can he do?" "He's decided to hurt us." "He can't help himself." "He's still looking for the moment." "He has doubts but no proof yet but once he does, he'll be capable of anything." "I'd be surprised." " No, Henri, I'm sure of it." "Well then, we'll defend ourselves like adults." "We'll seek police protection." "Oh, I've got another sunburn." "What I'm going to say is pretty nasty but I can say it to you." "Of course, as soon as I get a certain idea in my head, I chase it out." "And tell myself that Fate always takes care of things." "Do you know what I mean?" "Yes, I do, but Fate operates more slowly than you think, you have to give it a hand." "I would never have the courage to do that, not in cold blood." "I would hope not." "You read too many thrillers." "It's not good for women, it messes up your pretty little brains." "Doesn't it, Mrs. Lambert?" " Oh, don't keep saying that." "Do you have a light, please?" "Step on it a bit." "I'm going to be late." " So what?" "Tell him you had to wait at the hairdresser's." "Have you seen my hair?" " Exactly." "There were so many people you finally had to leave." "I've had enough of being hounded like this." " You enjoy it." "That's what you say." "O.K., let's admit he's doing me a favour." "But I'm making sacrifices too." "Today I might have missed selling a new English car to some sucker." "You're not the only one in the garage." "You've got salesmen." "Too honest." "They don't have the touch, so the sucker hesitates and won't buy the piece of junk." "But don't worry, I'd give anything to have you in my arms again tonight." "Henri, that car..." "It's been following us since the beach." "We'll see about that." "See, I said you read too many thrillers." "Where shall I drop you?" "At home?" " Are you crazy?" "At a taxi." "As you like." "I have to meet him one of these days." "I'll call you as soon as I can." " Here, read this, it's not bad." "Did my husband come home?" "Yes, he came in about 6 o'clock." "6 p.m." "6 p.m." " Did he go out again?" "Did he say when he'd be back?" "No, madam, he didn't say anything." "The master said nothing, nothing." "Hello." "I came by around 6 o'clock." "I wanted to take you to Bagatelle." "I'm sorry." " Me too." "Oh, you have a sunburn." "Shall we have dinner?" " Whenever you like." "Didn't you want to make a phone call?" " Definitely not." "Are you free?" "Am I disturbing you?" " I was waiting for you." "I tried to call you all morning." "It was always busy." "Thank you." "You wanted to warn me that you couldn't have lunch with me." "Am I right?" "Isabelle begged me to go shopping with her." "She can't buy anything on her own, poor thing." "So we're going to have a bite in a snack bar." "Understand?" "Oh yes, I understand." "There's no-one more understanding than me." "I understand everything." "Absolutely everything." "You're lucky to have such an understanding husband." "Can Isabelle say the same about hers?" "Did you earn a lot of money this morning?" "Can I be extravagant?" "I sold caviar in Egypt that I bought in Prague." "A stroke of luck that the Koran has nothing against caviar." "Right." "Well then, see you this evening." "No..." "Not like that." "Try not to come home too late." "Darling." " Darling." "Ah, my little Cora." " Oh, you startled me." "So that's how you come to visit now, without saying hello to me?" "Anyway, why not?" "Between you and me," "I find Daniel really cranky at the moment." " You too?" "I'm really worried about him." "Shall we let each other know if anything happens?" "You'll keep in touch with me?" "Goodbye." " Goodbye." "Darling." "I'm late." " No problem." "What'll you have?" "A hotdog?" " Oh no, I'll follow my diet." "A slice of Gruyere and Bordeaux." "See you soon." " Alright." "Goodbye, my dear." "Taxi." "Hello, it's me." "Hey boss, the La Ronde's battery is flat." "Shall I put a new one in?" "No, the one from the 403." " But its customer's coming this evening." "O.K., then use the one from the Frigate." "A cigar?" "No, thank you." "No, thank you." "Just a minute, excuse me, I'm coming back." "Just a minute." "Come on, what are you doing?" "We're waiting for you." "Whatever you do, don't get annoyed." "I'm getting out of here." "Are you crazy?" "I've my two Belgians and three Dutchmen to look after." "Do you have a date?" "So now holding me to account, for goodness sake." " She can wait." " No." "And if she doesn't, that's just too bad." " Listen, Daniel." "You and me, there's no difference, I have every confidence in you." "Oh, I get it." "I earn the money and you spend it." "I'm sorry, gentlemen, but I have to leave town immediately for important personal business." "I'm asking you to postpone our meeting until next Tuesday." "I'm really sorry, but I'm obliged to go away for a very important and personal business." "Excuse me." "Good evening." " Goodbye, goodbye." "Come in." "What on earth are you doing here?" " Well..." "You worry me." "It's bad news when you start off like that." "What's up?" "Today, she went to..." "Hermes, Dior, Schiaparelli, Cartier." " And where else?" "It's not my job to prevent her going to these stores." " Was she on her own?" "No, she was with a woman, the same one all the time." "And you accompanied her back to the house?" " Not really, but she should be there by now." " Should be there." "Call home, please." "If madam isn't home, I'll break the contract, do you hear?" "There's no professional pride anywhere, even where you'd most expect to find it." "Hello, is madam there?" "Madam." " No, sir, madam isn't here." "Madam hasn't been home since this morning." "THE WIDOW..." "This novel you lent me isn't bad." " A title to dream about." "You know, I met Pierre just now." "My dear brother has forgotten about me for far too long." "I've still got a debt of 5 million on the garage." "Where does he think I can find that?" "Guardian angel watching over me," "Oh, my angel, take pity on me," "You are my guardian, grant me..." "Are you thinking of going on holiday?" " Why?" "That suitcase." " Everyone needs a suitcase around the house." "There's already at least a dozen in the cupboard." "They're old." "I like suitcases." "And this one could be good for you too." "That hat's ridiculous." "No, really." "I ask you what does it look like?" "A helmet." "Is your lover a soldier?" "Daniel." "And this." "What's it worth?" "You told me this morning that you had sold tons of caviar." "Who is it intended to please?" " It's to be pretty, to honour you." " Please don't use words that you don't know the meaning of." "You like mystery stories, cops?" "Who are they for?" " Who do you think?" "They're for you." "The same as Simon's, English ties." "Do you like them?" "I don't need any ties," "I didn't ask you for any ties." "If I want ties I can buy them myself." "Besides, I've always thought Simon's ties horrible, like everything else he wears." "If I tell him I like them it's just so that he'll leave me alone..." "What time shall I serve you dinner?" "My husband will have it right after his bath." "Yes, we're all dying of heat." " We'll let you know." "I've had a letter from my mother." "She's ill." "I have to go and see her for 4 or 5 days." "I'm going to be away too." "You'll have to manage by yourself." "Or perhaps your lover is a chef." "I'll let you know if we need anything." "You're leaving on a trip?" " Soon." "First I've heard of it." "I could take your suitcase..." "if you're not using it." "It's with great surprise that French exporters..." "Is that you?" " Yes." "Has he gone out?" " No, he's having a bath." "A bath... he'll be as clean as a whistle after that." "Do you think it's wise?" " To have a bath?" "No, to phone me while he's home." "Oh, when he has a bath he's busy for at least a quarter of an hour." "I wanted to let you know." "It's like Christmas in the middle of summer, guess what..." "I'm not very good at riddles." "He's going on a trip." "What's the matter?" "Nothing." "We're going to have a holiday, just for us." "A short one, but with no time for us to argue." "I've really earned it, because here right now it's hell." "Where were you?" "I was looking for you." "Were you afraid I'd drowned?" "How nice of you." "Bathtub accidents are horrible, you know." "Yes?" " It's your brother, he wants to see you." "What." "He's here." " Shall I tell him to wait?" "No, have him come in." "Thank you." "Sorry for disturbing you." "Even though I've formally forbidden you to set foot in here." "Since you never come by the garage, we never get much chance to meet." "It's not like we're members of the same club." "How much do you want?" "500 would do it." "So things not going well for used cars at the moment?" "Suckers are few and far between." "200, that's it." "It's just that I wouldn't want to bother you a second time." "Is that you?" " Yes." "Has he gone out?" " No, he's having a bath." " A bath..." "He'll be as clean as a whistle after that." "Do you think it's wise?" "To have a bath?" " No, to phone me while he's home." "Oh, when he has a bath..." "Has he gone out?" " No, he's having a bath." "He'll be as clean as a whistle after that." "Do you think it's wise?" "To have a bath?" " No, to phone me while he's home." "He'll be as clean as a whistle after that." "Do you think it's wise?" "To have a bath?" " No, to phone me while he's home." "Do you need me?" "No." "No, not exactly." "Right." "See you tomorrow." "Is the little celebration at your house still on?" "In theory, yes." "You could decide to wear your ribbon now that's it's all official." "That's very nice of you, my dear doctor." " Well, you're in top form." "Receiving honours suits you." "Cora." "What'll you have, champagne, whisky?" "Whisky." "My compliments, my dear lady, and naturally my very best wishes." "But what can you wish for the wife of a brand new chevalier?" "The rosette for his lapel." " But other than that?" "Nothing for me." "That's good." "Some people are wise enough to only wish for what they already have." "Don't be too sure, doctor." "People only rarely say what they really wish for." "I'm heading for Lyons this evening." "A business trip?" " Yes, a reserve from a vineyard, a really big deal for anyone who's on top of it." "You see that you haven't lost any of your fighting spirit." "Can we make a toast with orangeade?" "I'll allow you to stretch your diet, a glass of Bordeaux a day, one or two whiskeys a week." "You think so?" "Good evening." "Oh, is that for Daniel?" "Look what's written on it." "No, it's for you." " That's so nice." "You don't know what's in it." " It doesn't matter, I love all packages." "Even if there's nothing in them?" " Oh, you wouldn't do that." "That's the whole problem, my dear fellow." "The Americans could have told the Russians sooner." "Then we wouldn't be at this point." "Proboscidean mammal, commonly known as an elephant." " Can I see?" "Look what Pierre has given me, just like that, for no reason." "How lucky that we have friends." "You don't spoil her yourself?" "A husband's gifts always seem a bit forced and sad." "That's why I don't get married." "You'll have to excuse me, but my patients need me." "My compliments, madam." " I'll see you out." "Oh, Pierre, I haven't even asked you what you'd like to drink." "Champagne, whisky?" "What's the matter with Daniel?" "Is he crazy or what?" "So tell me, Daniel." " Impossible to get hold of you." "Well, my dear fellow, are you leaving us?" "You should be looking after our friends." "Well, he's pleasant." "Isabelle is looking for you." "An unexpected opportunity to see her, wouldn't you say?" "Pleasant but so strange." "I wanted to thank you." "But..." "Whatever for, my dear fellow?" " Well, for spoiling Cora." "Don't mention it." " But I wanted to thank you for everything." "Absolutely everything." "Whatever's the matter with you all of a sudden?" "A true friend is so rare." "Listen, Daniel..." " What." "You don't get the Legion of Honour every day." "Without friends, there's nothing." "Nothing." "I hate all this." "Fake celebrations, sullen shopkeepers, rented aristocrats." "Just a facade but if you scratch, it's all rotten." "Great epidemics must serve some purpose." "That's so like you." "You don't believe a word you're saying." " You're wrong." "Among all these beautiful people there's a certain number who should be killed off." "As a precautionary measure." "Don't you think it would be better if you took the train?" " No." "You can't drive, the roads will be slippery." "Calm down, I've got good insurance." "What time are you leaving?" " I'll have a bath and then I'll take off." "In an hour you'll be free, sweetie, finally free." "A whole week for you to see Isabelle as much as you like." "Don't you want anything to eat?" " No, it all makes me sick." "Just make me some coffee in a thermos for the road." "Really strong, that's all." "Daniel." "Daniel." "What are you doing?" "I'm having fun." " You're crazy, that's real porcelain, it's expensive." "There's no price on having fun." "The little elephant Pierre gave me." "The little elephant Pierre gave me." "The little elephant Pierre gave me." "First of all, who said he could give you any elephants?" "I've had enough of him." "It's 3 years now I've had enough." "What about the coffee?" " It's filtering. 5 more minutes." "Thank you." "Quarter to 10." "I've 471 kilometres to go." "I'll get there at 3 in the morning." "Wouldn't you prefer to stop en route?" "No," "I've got a meeting first thing." "Don't fall asleep at the wheel." " With your coffee, I'll be fine." "Daniel." "Oh, please." "Hello." "Could I please speak to Mr. Simon?" "He isn't back yet." "Phone a bit later." "Good evening." "Fill it up?" " Yes." "Can I make a phone call?" " Yes, sir, in the office on your right." "Wow, you're already here." " Did you change cars again?" "It's not mine." "You know I prefer to use my customers' cars." "Did you have a problem?" "Oh, nothing much." "I like to see what these old cars have under the hood." "Good evening, Ernest." " Good evening, sir." "Well?" " Yes." "You're amazing." "So it's a deal." " I've already had quite a bit to drink." "Oh, I don't doubt it." "One more reason." "It helps." "Darling." " The goodbyes weren't too upsetting?" "Well..." "Very short, very abrupt." "Well done." "I got his thermos of coffee ready and then..." " It's a real pain." "It's wonderful to think that this night will end without our having to separate." "It's the first time." "Be nice, reach out your hand and pass me my cigarettes." "What are you thinking about?" "Do you love me?" "Don't keep asking me that question?" "Of course I love you." "It would be the last straw if I didn't." "You'd be all alone in the world if I didn't love you." "All alone, quite alone." "But you're here, my darling." "You're here." "Did you throw the packet of sleeping pills away?" "The sleeping pills?" "Why would you want me to throw them away?" "Oh, she's amazing." "She could go straight to God without a confession." "I don't understand what you're saying." "That's right, my little sweetheart." "Drink up." "7 metres 10." " Come on, keep rolling." "Well, it's not nice to see." " You'll get used to it." "It's strange though, a good straight road like this." "Straight lines can be deceiving." "It's dangerous. 80% of accidents are on straight roads." "The driver must've had a problem." "The speedometer is stuck at 130." "Daniel Lambert, Import-Export." "Who do we let know?" " Give the Parisian police the car licence number." "Any indication of what caused the accident?" " Nothing I can say." "No, absolutely nothing." " One more question." "Were the roads in good shape?" " Excellent." "Perfect visibility, no icy patches." "Look, a thermos." "Coffee I'd say." "Here, put it in the report and send it to the lab." "You never know." "Mrs. Lambert?" " That's me." "Was your husband the owner of a Chambord, licence number 8025 HH 75?" "Oh, you're scaring me." "The car had a serious accident on the National 7 at 2:30 this morning." "The driver has been taken to the hospital in Nevers." "He's in very serious condition." "An inquest has been started." "Nevers. 5 minutes stop." "Nevers. 5 minutes stop." "Madam, what do you want?" " I've come to see Mr. Lambert." "Don't know him." " He was in during the night, a highway accident." "Oh, the guy from 4 a.m." "Well, I don't know the names." "I wasn't on duty overnight." "Anyway, it's not visiting hour." "Please, I've come from Paris." "I'm so worried, I'm his wife." "Well, in that case, it's the second building on the left." "See the nurse on duty." "Mr. Lambert's room, please." "I couldn't tell you." "See the head nurse." " My husband had a car accident last night." "Oh, the brain surgery." "I pushed the gurney." "5 hours on the table." "Is he alive?" " Yes." "The supervisor will be able to tell you more." "Madam has come for the guy who had brain surgery." " Are you his wife?" "He's in a private room, madam, because of his serious condition." "Is there any hope of saving him?" "We can't say at the moment." "His head went through the windshield, his chest was crushed by the steering wheel, he has 7 broken ribs." "We had to give him 9 blood transfusions." "Luckily his heart's in good shape." " Can I see him?" "For a few moments, if you like." "He's still under the effects of the anaesthetic." "He won't wake up for several hours." "Now, you need to let him rest." "The doctor won't be pleased." "Would you please wait a moment, sir?" "Madam, you need courage, a lot of courage." "No." " Yes, madam." "His heart." "An embolism." "He didn't suffer." "You can go and see him." "So, there we are." "I can't get over it." "Me neither." "When I think that it could have been Daniel." " It should have been Daniel." "Why did Pierre take that car?" "What are you going to do?" "What do you want me to do?" "I'm going to go home." " And Daniel?" "I don't know." " What's he doing?" "Where is he?" "Why doesn't he give some sign of life?" "Don't you think he's going to start having serious doubts again?" "All these questions, I don't know." " But it's really important, Cora." "Do you have a passport?" "It's out of date." "Why?" " Give it to me." "You never know." "Come with me, please, I can't cope with any more." "And the thermos, did they get their hands on it?" "What difference does that make?" " You want me to draw you a picture?" "Come on." "Oh, it's you, Maria." " Oh, Madam is home." "My husband?" "He isn't here?" "Is my husband home?" "Is my husband home?" " No, madam." "Maria, do you know what happened to the packet of pills?" "No, madam." "LANGUEDOC INSURANCE COMPANY" "As for file 18,990, we're awaiting the imminent arrival of the analysis of the coffee in the thermos." "We have also thought it advisable to ask for an autopsy of the victim." "Whatever happens, Mr. Lambert's liability insurance is in force." "Well, the technicians..." "That must be the Medical-Legal Institute's lab." "Hello." "I look so good for meetings." "I want to be Prime Minister." "But he was your brother, Henri." "I don't see how you can joke like that." "Oh, we never had much of a sense of family." "Still no sign of life from your dear husband?" " No, nothing." "He doesn't have much sense of family either." "It's sorted." "The passports will be ready tomorrow." "We can leave in the evening." "Have you lost your mind?" "You're the one who's refusing to face up to things as they really are." "But, what have we done?" "It was an accident." "A terrible accident, but still an accident." " Tell someone else." "You'll look good saying that to the investigating magistrate." "He will have had the kind of funeral I like." "Very moving and very simple." "What about all those young ladies?" "Are they clients?" "Admirers?" "He was well loved." "What surprises me most about your husband is he hasn't even phoned since the accident." "If he hasn't heard about it, what could that mean?" "The inquest still hasn't shown up anything new?" "I couldn't get in touch with you, I'm sorry." "At the last moment I had to ask poor Simon to go to Lyons in my place." "Life hangs by a thread." "I should have been the one in that grave." "Not here, obviously, but then all cemeteries are alike." "What are you doing here?" "Offering my condolences." "So, how did you spend your precious little week, if it's not too much to ask?" "Not too many worries I hope." "Not too lonely?" "Thank you." "Daniel Lambert." "My condolences, sir." "Are you coming?" "It's over now, we're not needed any more." "It's not very nice of you to leave like that." "We need to rally round the poor chap." "After all he's just lost the support of his family." "I've taken the liberty of waiting for you." " I'm very touched." "It's amazing how much your voice sounds like your brother's." "Did anyone ever tell you?" "Yes, occasionally." "Pierre and I were very close." "He had never spoken to me about you." "We weren't on very good terms." "A cigar?" " No." "We're not in the city now." "I like to put a face to a voice that I know well." "Such a shame these painful circumstances were needed for me to get to know you." "Cora is very secretive." "But it's true." " But what do you want?" "I don't understand and I've nothing to say." "When I thought that the bastard who had poisoned my life was Pierre" "I wanted to surprise him with Cora when I came back from Lyons." "But at the last minute it was more than I could handle." "I didn't want to let them have a single peaceful night together." "So just to see the look on his face I asked Pierre to go to Lyons in my place." "But then there was the accident." "Except it wasn't an accident." "It was a crime and the murderer was aiming for a different victim." "Ask Cora, not me." "She's the one who hatched the scheme." "She's the one who drugged the coffee." " Henri." "She told me all about it." "But you're going to talk, you're going to talk now." "What's inside that thick skull of yours?" " No." "I found the packet of sleeping pills." "It's unopened." "And the autopsy showed nothing." "I'll make you spit out a confession." "You committed this crime." "The car, you sabotaged it." "Child's play for you." "Except the inquest just revealed it." "Piece of shit." "With me gone you meant to run off to the coast with the wealthy widow." "You'll need a really good lawyer to get you out of this." "You have no escape." "I've let the police know." "Where is he?" " Over there in the bell tower." "Hello, it's me." " Oh hello." " I'm in a hurry." "Why?" " Daniel's leaving tomorrow for Bordeaux." "Oh, he's always travelling." " I'll come and get you after lunch." "We'll buy some pretty things." " Yes, we will." "I'll take you to a new shop." " I must hurry, he's waiting for me." "O.K., I'll leave you." " Hugs and kisses." " Goodbye." "Who did you call?" " Oh, don't start that again." "And don't make that face, darling." "You know very well who I was calling." " No." "Isabelle of course." "Subtitles:" "Nocturne, Corvusalbus"