"Well?" "Nothing." "Where was it?" "In a plastic bag on the porch." "What's wrong?" "He must have been there." "Come inside." "I'll ask the Rochants and Beaufays if they saw anybody hanging around." "I called Antoine." "He saw nothing." "I got Marie's answering machine." "The tape runs for over 2 hours." "When did you leave?" "I don't know." "Not long after you." "Around 8.45." " Francois called..." " There." "Give it here." "How come I didn't see him?" "It'll remain a mystery." "Maybe the camera was in a car." "It doesn't look filmed through a window." "Or someplace on that house." "It's dumb." "I don't know what to say." "Whose idea of a joke could this be?" "We should eat before it's totally ruined." "Maybe a friend of Pierrot's." "Some idiot playing games on his pal's bobo parents." "I doubt it." "It's not particularly funny." "That's for sure." "Where is he anyway?" " Who?" " Pierrot." "No idea." "He'll be home soon." "Was it in there?" " What?" " The tape." "No, in a supermarket bag." "Where is it?" "I've no idea." "Through there, on the dining table, or in the hall." "Wasn't there a note or anything?" "Nothing's stopping you taking a look." "Can you bring the salad?" "No great shakes tonight." "That the bag it was in?" "I'm not a complete idiot, y'know!" "You could have missed something." "Eject the tape, maybe I missed a label or something." "I'm only trying to..." "The sonny boy!" "Better late than never." "Hi there." "Hi." "Sit down, Pierrot, I'll get you a plate." "Where were you?" "At Yves'." "Why?" "Why?" "I want to know." "Do I need a reason?" " Evening, Pierrot." " Evening, Mom." "Well?" "Tuesdays, I go to Yves'." "Wednesdays, we have geometry and he helps with my homework." "Maybe it's one of your fans." "Pierrot, don't breathe in the breakout." "Andre, same for you." "Don't breathe in the breakout." "What?" "Hold your breath in the breakout." "Thomas, think about your kick." "Pierrot, too shallow on the turn." "More depth." "Andre, that's good but you went too deep." "Too much depth." "Thomas, watch your breathing." "See you at the same time in two weeks for another Round Table." "Until then, good reading and thanks to all the new viewers tuning in every week." "Goodnight." "Stay seated while the credits roll, please!" "Thank you everybody!" "The tape was wrapped in it." "What's up?" "What's wrong?" "Georges?" "What?" "Nothing." "Nothing, I..." "I'm tired." "What should we do now?" "What do you mean?" "You want to call the police?" "Yes..." "No..." "I don't know." "Let me see the drawing again." "Maybe we should report it now." "It looks like a child's drawing." "I've no idea, I couldn't say." "Should I ask Pierrot?" "No, what's the use?" "You think his pals would stay out all night to spy on us?" "How stupid would that be?" "Why'd you stop the tape?" "How come?" "What more do you want to see?" "It's dumb but it scares me." "Did you talk to Pierrot?" "No, do you think we should?" "I don't know." "I don't buy the schoolboy prank theory." "What then?" "What then?" "How should I know!" "You missed him by a couple of minutes." "Sorry." "He took it." "I saw him." "Great, thank you." "Who is this?" "Who are you?" "What do you want?" "Your wife called." "Can you call her back?" "OK, thank you." "What's this?" "It was in the mail." "Watch out, dickhead!" "What?" "Can't you be more careful, Idiot!" "Forget it." "Say that again." "Repeat what you just said." "Don't you have eyes in your head?" "I must be dreaming!" "Which moron stepped out without looking?" "But who's going the wrong way down a one-way?" "Yell at me some more." "C'mon, yell at me!" "OK, let's not fight about it." "You weren't looking and we weren't looking, OK?" "Keep your big mouth shut, will ya!" "I'm sorry." "In any case..." "We know now we're on our own." "Until he torches the house or sends us bombs instead of tapes everything's dandy." "Please, Georges." "Hi, Dad." "Hi, Pierrot." " What's up?" " What do you mean?" "Why are you picking me up?" "I was free." "I thought you'd appreciate it." "Right." "No, I dropped Mom at work and I wanted us to talk." "How come?" "Where'd she been?" "We had stuff to do." "That's why I wanted to talk to you, too." "Right." "What's with that card you sent?" "What card?" "This one." "Teacher gave it to me at recess." "She didn't get the freaky drawing but said it's weird you sending me cards at school." "Sitting right at the far end, near the mirror, you know." "Never make a lady wait, specially an elderly lady, so I go over." "I give my name and ask why she wants to see me." "She apologizes for summoning me like that." "She offers me a seat." "She seemed very emotional so I sit beside her." "She says she's never been here before and doesn't ever talk to strangers but I remind her of someone and she couldn't help herself." "It was someone she was very close to." "What could I do?" "She was in her 70s." "It was touching, her hands trembled." "Anyway..." "You know I'm not a sentimental guy." "But she'd gotten to me." "So I'm eagerly waiting to hear about this guy I remind her of." "Who do you think it was?" "Her lover?" "Father?" "Husband?" "It was her dog." "Exactly." "I stand up and I say..." ""Excellent, you've had your fun." And I turn to go." "Straight-faced, she begs me to sit down." "She says she knows it sounds ridiculous but I must stay a bit longer and hear her out." "She wouldn't dare make fun of me." "It was weird but she seemed so desperate" "I sat back down." "And she begins her story." "How her dog died in an accident in '64." "That's funny, I say, I was born in '64." "She seemed offended that I wasn't taking her seriously." "She looked at me sadly and said" ""He was run over by a van on April 17, 1964 as we were about to cross the road."" "April 17 is my birthday." "No way!" "That's precisely what I said." "So she fills me in on the details." "She stepped out with her dog but a high vehicle hid the van which ran over the dog." "The bumper hit its neck." "The wound was deep." "The dog died soon after." "You won't believe this." "Give me your hand." "I have a scar in the exact same place." "C'mon, is it true or not?" "Not bad." "Who told you that one?" "You don't believe me?" "You know Frederic called me?" "Simone's better." "The op was last week." "We've hardly been to see her recently." "To be honest, we were never close." "She was always so distant." "It's hard to develop a bond." " And Frederic?" " He's writing a film." "About that?" "No, but Maubert bought it." "Where's her daughter while she's in hospital?" "With him and his girlfriend." "What's she like?" "Nice." "It's tough when friends break up and you have to take sides." "Frederic's changed." "He's more congenial since he met Marianne." " Her name's Marianne?" " Yes." "Marianne." "What's the script about?" "What script?" "Isn't Frederic writing one?" "Oh, yeah." "I've no idea." "More guests?" "I'll go see." "Who can it be at this time?" " No idea." " One of his fans." "The price of fame." "Groupies desperate for..." "Who's there?" "Who's there?" "What's this all about?" "Show yourself, you coward!" "Show yourself and say what you want!" "Pathetic!" "Apparently, it plays till the 15th..." " Well?" " Nothing." " Nothing?" " There was nobody." "There was nobody outside." "OK then..." "You're spoiling us." "I'll have to diet for 3 weeks." "Why were you out there so long?" "It's OK." "Everything's OK." "There's no problem." "I'm not some kind of jealous wife who suspects hubby's cheating on her." " Thank you." " Sorry." "I'm on edge because in the last few days we've received anonymous parcels and phone calls." "When the doorbell rings, I think it's our asshole stalker." "What kind of calls?" "I don't know how to describe them." "You went to the police?" "Of course." "And?" "And nothing." "They'll move when he attacks us." "It's outrageous!" "It's a fact." "Tuck in before it goes cold." "So what was it?" "What's up with him?" "Since Anne has decided to share the good news with you" "I won't hide it." "Are you happy now?" "It's not very entertaining." "We receive shots of our house presumably to show us we're under surveillance." "With all Anne's comings-and-goings." "Mine, Pierrot's..." "You've no idea who's filming and how?" "For now, no." " Let's see." " Here goes." "What's that?" "The house where I grew up." "Will you still be needing me?" " No, thank you." " Right." "Goodnight." "Don't just stand there." "Sit down." "Don't look so shocked." "She's there just in case, that's all." "I'm sorry." " What for?" " I didn't know." "Stop that." "It's ridiculous." "Tell me how you're doing." "Fine." "Since we spoke on the phone, nothing's changed." "Pierrot's battling with puberty." "Anne's overworked." "Me, too." "And that's about it." "Aunt Julie wrote me a letter." "From Marseille." "She never misses your show on TV." "She says she envies me having a son like you." "That's nice." "She'll hit 80 this year." "Really?" "What's wrong?" "You're all pent up." "What is it?" "Nothing." "I'm fine." "I don't enjoy seeing you unwell." "What do you mean, "unwell"?" "Don't bother spouting nonsense like that." "Isn't it lonely if you can't go out?" "How come?" "How are you less lonely because you can sit in the garden?" "Do you feel less lonely in the Metro than at home?" "Well then!" "Anyway, I have my family friend." "With remote control." "Whenever they annoy me, I just shut it down." "I miss not hearing the piano." "Ever since your Dad died." "Do you still play?" "I don't have time, you know." "Shame." "And Pierrot, is he gifted?" "He's not interested." "He prefers to hang out." "He's 12 now, isn't he?" "What brings you down here?" "I'm going to Aix for a special on Francois Weyergans." "He's publishing a new novel, his first in ages." "Really?" "You know who I dreamed about?" "Majid." "Who's Majid?" "You know!" "Majid!" "You've lost me." "Hashem's son." "The kid you planned to adopt!" "I see." "Bizarre, isn't it?" "What's bizarre?" "After so many years." "Nothing bizarre about it." "I often dream of my childhood." "It comes with age." "Sure, but I'm not that old." "It goes faster than you think." "Do you ever think about him?" "About who?" "Majid." "How come?" ""How come"?" "How come you don't think about him ever?" "It was a big thing for you and Dad at the time." "It was a long time ago." "And it's not a happy memory." "As you know only too well." "What did you dream?" "Stupid stuff, but it brought him back to mind." "I'd forgotten him." "What does Anne do?" "She's well." "She still works for the same publishers." "She runs her own schedule." "Her boss is a friend of ours." "Very handy." "I don't know what more I can tell you." "We hardly see each other and when we do, I've nothing special to tell you." "Mostly, we chug along." "No great highs or lows." "I'm fine." "Anne's fine." "Pierrot's fine." "As far as I can tell, at least." "We're all very busy and that's about it." "But I get the feeling you're not fine." "You're bizarre, Georges." "Listening to you, I'm worried about you." "What's going on?" "What do you mean?" "Come on..." "No, seriously?" "When are you leaving?" "Tomorrow morning." "I have to be in Aix by 12." "You'll have to leave early then." "Shall I ask Mrs. Arnaud to prepare breakfast for us?" "You're up that early?" "I don't sleep much now." "That's one of the benefits of old age." "I need my bed." "I'm dead." "Goodnight." "Can I get you something?" "You need anything?" "No, I'm fine." "I have all I need." "What time for breakfast?" "7 o'clock?" "Shall I tell her?" "Light off?" "He's not a baby any more." "I like not having him around some days." "He can be a little macho prick." "Yes, I wonder who he gets it from." "When will you be home?" "Can you pick him up at school?" "I can't tomorrow, we have to pack away here." "It was our last launch in this noble location." "Yes, there's a lot of people." "It's swarming, in fact." "Yes, I'll tell him." "Love you too." "Morning, Mom." "There was a street sign." "I can't make it out." "Le... nin?" "Wouldn't you say?" "Avenue Lenin." "Yes, Avenue Lenin." "But where?" "Can you get the map?" "Hold on." "Romain..." "Romainville!" "Try Romainville." "See if there's an Avenue Lenin." "Hold on." "Got it!" "Near Mairie des Lilas Metro station." "Line 11." "Right there." "What are you going to do?" "Go over there." "It's near Guillaume's place." "And?" "I'll go over, knock on the door and see what happens." "As simple as that?" "Sure, as simple as that." "Got a better idea?" "Why not the police?" "We got the hallway, the street." "Take a cop with you." "It's the least they can do." "What if it's a bluff, a practical joke?" "You believe that?" "Seriously?" "What does the tape show?" "A street and a low-rent hallway." "They'll just say, "Try knocking on the door and if someone half kills you, come see us again."" "Who knows the house where you grew up?" "I don't know." "Do you recognize the building?" "Right, we'll..." "We'll hire a private detective." "You watch too many TV crime movies." "You're impossible to talk to." "Do it your way." "I have a hunch." "What?" "I think I know who it is." "You know who it is?" "I think I know." "And?" "And I have to make sure." "What's wrong with you?" "Maybe you could share your great wisdom." "Perhaps this concerns me, too." "I can't tell you because I don't know." "It's only a hunch." "You can't let me in on it?" "Gee, I don't know what I..." "You realize what you're saying?" "Please, it's not what you think." "What do I think?" "Will you cut it out?" "I have a vague hunch." "I can't say any more until I'm sure." "It's not your concern." "It's not my concern?" "I guess I just dreamt it all!" "I thought it was my concern, being terrorized by anonymous calls and these fucking videos!" "Being too scared to go out!" "Not my concern?" "Awake all night worrying about Pierrot and you, and all this crap!" "If it's not my concern, business as usual." "Would you like dinner or perhaps I can get you a drink?" "Please, if I'd known..." "What would you have done?" "Kept your mouth shut?" "Please..." "D'you realize the bullshit you talk?" "You never heard of trust?" "You realize you're doing exactly what he wants?" "He wants to wreck our lives." "You're reacting exactly as he wants." "Can't you just trust me?" "I have to trust you?" "Why not the other way round for once?" "How about you trust me?" "Who refused to give trust here?" "Imagine the boot's on the other foot." "Imagine I say..." ""I may know who's terrorizing us but I can't tell you." Great!" "That's your idea of a sound relationship "based on mutual trust"?" "If you could hear yourself!" "Sorry, I was in the middle of..." "Look who it is!" "Who are you?" "Wanna come in?" "After you." "Take a seat." "I was making lunch." "What do you want from me?" "What do I want?" "Me?" "Do you want money?" " Money?" " What then?" "Mind saying how you found me?" "It's a game, is that it?" "I don't want to play." "I've grown up." "I see that." "So, what's the point of your actions?" " What actions?" " Don't bullshit me!" "Mind telling me why you're here?" "How did you find me?" " What's this?" " Don't act dumb." "Well?" "Sit down, won't you?" "Don't believe I didn't expect to see you but it's true." "You're the last person I expected at my door." "Right." "I'll play along to see where it gets us." "I could also report you to the police quite simply." "So, you had no idea and you're amazed to see me." "Who do you think drew me here?" "Who's been terrorizing my family?" "I don't know." "Why do you talk like we're strangers?" "You wouldn't have recognized me, huh?" "Outside, you'd have walked right past me." "At first, I wasn't sure either." "When I tuned into your show by chance ...a few years ago." "The show with the two chairs stuck together." "You sat up close to your guests, face to face." "I wasn't sure either." "I just had a nasty feeling in my gut." "Bizarre, isn't it?" "I felt nauseous and I didn't know why." "When your name came up, I began to understand." "And then..." "The nose." "How d'you wind up on TV?" "You didn't take over the estate?" "Tell me what you want." "Nothing." "What could I want from you?" "What do you suppose?" "Money?" "You barge in accusing me of trying to blackmail you." "You haven't changed." "What can I blackmail you with?" "Who sent me the tapes?" "The tapes?" "Strange, isn't it?" "I haven't fought since I was a child." "I find it repugnant." "And right now..." " Stop this stupid game." " Or you'll kick my ass?" "That shouldn't be hard." "You're a lot bigger than the last time." "Kicking my ass won't leave you any wiser about me." "Even if you beat me to death." "But you're too refined for that." "Above all, you have too much to lose." "What?" "That's not true?" "I think it is." "What wouldn't we do not to lose what's ours?" "You were older and stronger than me." "I had no choice." "Right then." "Your Mom's sick." "Where do you get that from?" "It's not hard to guess, is it?" "What do you want?" "Revenge?" "She was a very kind lady." "I was very grateful to her, you know." "To your father, too." "I'm going to leave now." "If you try to interfere in my life scare my family or damage me you'll regret it, I swear." "You're threatening me?" "Yes, I'm threatening you." "Believe me, I mean it." "I believe you." "But you don't believe me." "I didn't want anything from you." "I never sent you a tape or anything else." "Not this either." "I'm glad you came." "This is Georges Laurent." "Could I speak to my wife?" "Thank you." "Hi, it's me." "I went round." "Nobody was in." "No, it was just one in a row of doors." "It was locked." "I did." "He said it was unoccupied." "It must be a storeroom or something like that." "She was a very kind lady." "I was very grateful to her, you know." "To your father, too." "I'm going to leave now, but you can be sure of something." "If you try to interfere in my life scare my family or damage me you'll regret it, I swear." "You're threatening me?" "Yes, I'm threatening you." "Believe me, I mean it." "I believe you." "But you don't believe me." "I didn't want anything from you." "I never sent you a tape or anything else." "Not this either." "I'm glad you came." "That's it." "It runs for 1 hour if you want to watch how he feels." "I'm sorry." "What for?" "What now?" "It was dumb of me to lie to you." "I apologize." "I don't get it." "I'm sorry!" "I don't get your attitude." "You say sorry and everything's OK, right?" "Do you want me to beg?" "What's so terrible?" "I lied to save you more stress." "Has the world stopped spinning?" "I'm sorry." "I suspected it was him." "Not at first but after the tape of Mom's house." "I wanted to spare you." "His parents worked for us." "Dad liked them." "I guess they were good workers." "In October '61, the FLN called all Algerians to a demonstration in Paris." "October 17, 1961." "Enough said." "Papon." "The police massacre." "They drowned about 200 Arabs in the Seine." "Including Majid's parents most likely." "They never came back." "Dad went to Paris to look for them." "They said he should be glad to be rid of a couple of jigaboos." "And then?" "My parents decided to adopt the boy." "I don't know why." "They felt responsible in some way." "And then?" "It annoyed me." "I didn't want him at home." "He had his own room." "I had to share, see." "I was 6!" "So what did you do?" "Nothing." "I told tales on him." "You told tales on him?" "That's all?" "So now he wants revenge?" "Apparently." "You threatened him." "Not particularly intelligent of me." "Not particularly intelligent?" "Stupid, I know." "I was out of my depth." "I don't think he's lying." "What do you mean?" "He was genuinely surprised." "But the tape?" "Which one?" "You think it's staged?" "He'd have to be very smart." "Who else could it be?" "I can't read his mind." "Why send us it?" "To keep me informed." "Unlike you." " So who sent the others?" " How should I know?" "What kind of tales?" "I don't know." "The usual stuff kids tell tales about." "Things you make up." "Stupid stuff." " Well?" " Well what?" "Stop acting the idiot!" "If it was over a teddy he wouldn't want revenge 40 years on." "I don't remember!" "You don't want to tell me, you mean?" "What do you want?" "I've no idea." "I don't remember." "You remember stuff you did aged 6?" "What happened to him?" "He was sent away." "He was sick." "To a hospital or a children's home, I don't know which." "I was glad he was gone." "I forgot all about it." "It's natural." "And your parents?" "Forgot it too, I guess." "It was only an interlude of a few months." "An interlude?" "What should I call?" "A tragedy?" "Maybe it was a tragedy, I don't know." "I don't feel responsible for it." "Why should I?" "It's all so absurd." "You mentioned it to your mother?" "Sure." "Nice to see there's someone you trust." "Jesus!" "She knows about him." "I didn't mention the tapes." "Well?" "What did she say?" "Nothing." "She's getting old." "She can't remember." "Or doesn't want to, I don't know." "It's too unpleasant for her." "Thanks for being so quick." "How's things?" "Great, thanks." "And you?" "Snowed under, you know what it's like." "Please, take a seat." "How's your wife?" "I haven't seen her for ages." "She's very well." "They just published Pereira's book on globalization." "It was her baby and it's a hit." "Good." "I must buy it but you know how it is, never the time." "Give her my regards." "Of course." "Thank you." "Coffee?" "No, thanks, I've had my fill for today" "I'll cut to the chase." "I guess you think you're here to talk about the concept for your new show." "That'll have to wait." "The Head of Programs is sitting tight till summer." "The decision was due by May 15." "I know but what can I say." "The Lord works in mysterious ways." "Public TV even more so." "Don't worry." "We always talk them round, don't we?" "May God hear you!" "Sadly, polytheism reigns here." "But as I said, don't worry." "It'll work out." "With your prestige and viewing figures!" "Yeah, sure." "Anyway..." "I wanted to see you about a silly matter that I'm not sure how to deal with." "Yesterday, my secretary left a tape on my desk." "Addressed to me but with no covering letter." "Usually, she wouldn't even show me it just take a quick look and toss it in the trash." "I've no interest in the crap your fanclub sends in." "But she thought I should see it." "The tape shows you having a private conversation with a man in a kind of flat." "The subject isn't apparent and I didn't want to be indiscreet but it's clearly a hidden camera." "I wanted to ask if you knew about it and, if you do, what you think." "I'm sorry you got dragged into this." "The guy's the son of Algerian farmhands who worked for my parents." "He has a pathological hatred of my family and he tries to hurt me with this stuff." "Sorry." "That's OK, it can't be very pleasant for you." "You told the police?" "They won't do anything as long as it remains "harmless."" "Apparently, he's out to wreck your career." "God knows who he sent the tape to." "That's true." "Why's he so bitter?" "Sorry to pry but he didn't appear very aggressive." "Yes, I know." "I'm the aggressive one on the tape." "My visit was the consequence of his campaign of terror." "My wife and I are very worried naturally." "I'm not surprised." "You've no idea what's driving him?" "None at all." "He's convinced my family and I mistreated him." "In fact, the last time I saw him, I was 6." "He's crazy." "You have my sympathy." "It's quite awful." "I hope it's resolved soon." "It would be unfortunate if news of this leaked out." "I know." "I'll put a lawyer on the case." "Do so." "Good idea." "Don't worry about the new show, I'll keep at them." "Great, thanks." "Not at all." "You know how highly I rate you." "Thank you." "Can I have the tape?" "The tape?" "I destroyed it to stop it falling into the wrong hands." "I see." "You'd have done the same." "Open up!" "Open the damn door!" "What else could he do?" "What else could he do?" "That's great." "You'd have bullshitted Mathilde like that?" "People talk to each other, don't they?" "Calm down." "Calm down, it's OK." "Time to get back to the office." "But the Governor of Nassiriyah province an Italian appointed by the Americans, Barbara Contini demands greater openness on the subject." "The Italians come under British command as the official occupying power." "It's vital all coalition countries who have joined in this mission operate under the same rules of engagement." "This will ensure greater homogeneity and better coordination." "Ultimately, the Italian President Ciampi..." "About time!" "Where have you been?" "I ate out with Pierre." "Without telling me?" "Why switch your cell off?" "Why?" "Do you tell me everything you do?" "Don't start that!" "Don't you start!" "Is Pierrot in bed?" "I thought he was with you." "With me?" "I was at work, don't you know?" "He was going round to Yves' after school." "You have his number?" "He was going to swim practice at 5 with Yves and Yves' Dad was picking them up." "This is Anne Laurent." "I wanted to ask if you've seen Pierrot." "Really?" "Did he say anything?" "If you don't mind, can I talk to him in person?" "Hello, Yves." "Did Pierrot tell you where he was going?" "No, that's the point." "Were you doing anything after?" "Did you fall out?" "I don't know." "OK, I see." "If you hear anything, can you call?" "You have our number?" "OK, thank you." "Goodbye." "He left Yves' house around 6.30." "He said he'd be away with us for the Ascension weekend." "I'll go look in his room." "Well?" "I don't know." "We have to call the police." "What if something's happened to him" " What?" " I don't know." "What if he's been hit by a car or..." "Open up!" "Police!" " What's up" " Where's the boy?" "What boy?" "Is that him?" "Any sign of him?" "I'm going with them to the station." "I've got no idea." "He has a son." "It must have been him who made the tapes." "They claim that they don't even know who Pierrot is." "No, they only looked for Pierrot." "They investigate kidnapping, not the tapes." "Did anybody call?" "I was just asking, you never know." "I have to go." "If there's any news, call me." "Of course." "You'd better go home now." "You have an early flight tomorrow." "Don't worry, I packed yesterday." "You know me." "You've been really sweet but I prefer to be alone now." "On your own, you'll imagine the worst." "C'mon, let's go." "If you need anything, just call." "Promise?" "You can call any time." "I know." "Corsica isn't another planet." "See you, sweetheart." " Well?" " No news." "It probably wasn't an accident." "No reports from the hospitals." "And the 2 guys?" "They claim they don't know him." "What about the tapes?" "They deny it." "Look, just drop it." "The police aren't interested except in the kidnapping." "For the tapes, we need proof." "File a report, lawyer..." "The cops don't care if it's linked." "So they released them?" "Don't you want to come in?" " We're leaving." " We'd be in the way." "Don't talk crap." "Come on in." "I asked them to go." "I was exhausted and wanted to be alone." "I'm sorry." "All this is..." "It makes you puke." "No, they kept them in custody." "The kid started yelling, so they locked him up." "That got his Dad started so now they're both in the cage for the night." " And then?" " They'll let them go." "If there's no proof, they have to." "There's suspicion, nothing more." "What will you do now?" "Now, I..." "I'm going to grab some food." "I didn't eat all day." "What the hell got into you?" "I'm sorry." "Anne Laurent." "Thank you very much." "Come in, please." "No, thanks." "I'm badly parked." "I called my husband, who's also delighted and says thank you." "It's the least I could do." "Come on in." "No, I have to go." "I just wanted to be sure he got home." "What do you mean?" "I owe you an apology." "Whatever for?" "I work nights at the hospital so I'm not always around." "When Francois has friends over..." "We're quite laidback." "I didn't know your son hadn't called." "I got in at 7..." "It's not your fault if..." "You're sure you won't come in?" "I don't know how... to express my gratitude." "It's nothing." "I'm sorry you had such a fright." "Thanks again." "Why don't you say anything?" "What's there to say?" "That's true." " What's wrong?" " Nothing." "Come on!" "What could be wrong?" "Why didn't you say you were staying with this Francois guy?" "Didn't you think we'd be worried if you just vanished?" "What's the problem, do you think?" "I don't know." "Stop being so pig-headed!" "What's the problem?" "If you don't know, I don't see what we can do about it." "There is no problem!" "Why should there be one?" "You know better than me." "Leave me alone!" "What do you mean, I know better?" "Ask Pierre." "He always knows everything!" "What are you trying to say?" "Nothing!" "Why did you say it then?" "Are you jealous?" "What have you got into your head?" "That Pierre and me..." "That's absurd!" "Because we call each other a lot?" "He's a friend." "A friend of mine and your Dad's." "Why would you..." "Stay here, I'm talking to you!" "Stop being so sullen." "You've no reason to act like that!" "I swear you've got it wrong." "I wonder how you could even think that." "I love you." "Really..." "I love you." "We were sick with worry when you didn't come home." "You find that so..." "So absurd?" "Maybe we weren't sick but we freaked." "Because we love you." "Tomorrow, I'm interviewing the author of The Smart Gang." "You loved the book, if memory serves me right." "If you give me your copy, I'll ask him to sign it, OK?" "You'd like that?" "Are you OK?" "I'm glad you're home." "Using Berrichon as a pseudonym." "Isabelle kept total control over Rimbaud's work" " It was a money-spinner." " That's right." "She began to create this aura ...of a pious nun." "Like a builder constructs a wall garden." "Then, she began to meddle with Rimbaud's work." "We know that the poems that shocked her went on the fire." "I can agree with the portrait you draw of Isabelle." "It's the same as I had before I began the book." "We agree, both of us, on that point." "At the same time I'd like to raise a few..." "Stop, it's getting too theoretical." "Cut at "we agree on that point."" "And go to when Teul talks about homosexuality." "It's around..." "Around 30." " It wouldn't matter." " It's poetic license." "But I think Rimbaud is..." "On "I think" let's try... slotting it in..." "What do you want now?" "What's going on?" "Thanks for coming." "Come in." "What's this all about?" "Sit down." "No, I won't." "What do you want?" "I truly had no idea about the tapes." "Is that all?" "I called you because I wanted you to be present..." "It's me." "Please, try to get rid of them." "I'm in the bedroom." "Something terrible's happened." "I can't face them right now." "Hurry, please." "What's going on?" "Majid committed suicide." " I was there." "He slit his throat." " What?" "Yes, exactly." "Sadly, it's no joke." "What are you saying?" "I'm saying I was there." "He asked me round so he could explain about the tapes." " So I went round." " And?" "And nothing." "He said, "I wanted you to be present" and cut his throat." "You can't be serious..." "Try to get rid of them." "We need to talk." "What can I tell them?" "I don't know." "What did you say when I called?" "That it was the anonymous caller asking for you." " And?" " Nothing." "I excused myself and left." "I don't know." "Tell them you don't feel well, that Pierrot's sick." "Please!" " They're gone." " I saw." "Not the light." "What did you tell them?" "That I'd lied to them." "That it was you on the phone." "That I had to meet you because you had a problem." "They didn't offer to come?" "You want a transcript of the conversation?" "Sorry." "What happened?" "It's like I told you." "I arrived." "He asked me in and killed himself." "There was a lot of blood." "Afterwards, I just ran." "You went for help?" "How come?" "No, he died immediately." "What are you going to do?" " Was anybody else around?" " No, why?" "Come on!" "What time did it happen?" "This afternoon around 4, I guess." "So you went to the police or what?" "No." "What have you been doing?" "Where were you?" "Nowhere." "In town." "You'd better report it." "If anyone saw you, you'd be a suspect." "Then he'd have got what he wanted." "What?" "Do you have another explanation?" "What for?" "Why else did he ask me round?" "What did you do to him?" "What?" " When?" " Back then." "It takes a really sick mind!" "First, he sends all those damn tapes." "You remember the drawings?" "They must have been some kind of forewarning, huh?" "Georges!" "I told Mom he coughed up blood." "They didn't believe me, you see?" "The doctor examined him, didn't find anything." "He was an old fool." "Our family doctor, see?" "Then I told him Dad wanted him to kill the rooster." "It was a cranky bird." "Evil, always attacking us." "And he did it." "He cut its head off." "The rooster flapped." "Majid was covered in blood." "I told them he did it to scare me." "Slitting his own throat for that..." "A heck of a twisted joke, don't you think?" "What were they doing here?" "Who?" "Pierre and Mathilda." "It was planned." "We were going to watch your show." "I'd forgotten." "I thought they were in Corsica." "Just one week." "They got back yesterday." "Hi, how are you?" "Fine." "And you?" "I didn't forget your book." " I called but it's not arrived." " There's no rush." "Maybe it's in today's mail." " You saw Malembert?" " He'll bring you the file." " May I have a word, please?" " What do you want?" "I'd like to talk with you." "I don't have time." "Goodbye." "What do you want?" "Why are you so scared, sir?" "What d'you want?" "Why are you here?" "You'd have let me in your house?" "I've no time, I said." "I don't believe you, sir." "If you refuse to find time, I'll create a real scene and tell people things they shouldn't hear." "I can't believe you'd want that." "Is that a threat?" "I have nothing to hide." "Really?" "Young man, your father's death must hurt but I refuse to be incriminated by you." "Be right there." "The police corroborated my statement." "It was suicide." "So, please, get out of my face." "I'd advise you to desist from terrorizing us with stupid tapes." "They were nothing to do with me." "Before he died, your father insisted it wasn't him." "Believe what you want, I'm not lying." "I'd like to talk to you, please." "I won't argue with you in public." "Say your piece and leave or I'll call the police to get you ejected." "You know you're not allowed in here." "I'm listening." "Why so tetchy?" "What did I do to you?" "What did you do to me?" "You terrorize my family and me with your damn tapes!" "I know you were behind them!" "Your father wasn't capable of that." "Why would I do that, sir?" "Cut the dumbass politeness, OK?" "You deprived my father of a good education." "The orphanage teaches hatred not politeness." "But my father raised me well." "I won't forget that for you." "We're not finished." "What do you want?" "A fight?" "If you insist." "You're probably stronger than me." "Go ahead, hit me!" "Know what?" "You're sick." "You're as sick as your father." "I don't know what dumb obsession he fed you but I can tell you this:" "You'll never give me a bad conscience about your father's sad or wrecked life." "I'm not to blame!" "Do you get that?" "If ever you try to hurt me or my family, you'll regret it." "I guarantee it." "I'm sick of your crap!" "Treats." "You're very good at those." "Do you expect me to apologize?" "To who?" "Me?" "So what do you want?" "Nothing anymore." "I wondered how it feels, a man's life on your conscience." "That's all." "Now I know." "Great, everything's OK then." "Do you mind if I go now?" "Be my guest." "Hi, how's things?" "I'm just calling to say I'm going to bed." "No, I came home early." "I'm drained." "I must have picked up some kind of bug." "No, please, not that." "Anyway, I wasn't needed in the office." "Everything's as good as it can be." "I just feel wiped out." "Don't wake me when you get in, I've taken 2 pills." "When's Pierrot home?" "You'll be back by then." "Tell him to go easy on his poor old Dad." "I love you." "Come back!" "Let go of me!" "I don't wanna go!"