"I know, the light mists," "The fresh snow of winter mornings." "I could find you," "The white hare who's never seen." "But the bird, the bird has flown away," "And never shall I see him again." "Because I saw, the bird fly," "I saw the bird, I know he was leaving." "I heard him cry," "The beautiful bird chased by the wind." "Pierre Maréchal received an anonymous letter." "Why reveal the contents, to Sylvia, his fiancée, before knowing exactly where it will lead him." "He therefore went to meet the letter writer in Paris and there he learns he has a son he didn't know existed." "But he's still not convinced, understandably, and charges an old family friend, Mr Biard... to question the old man who took in the child at birth." "Very quickly, Mr Biard is obliged to face the facts," "Sébastien is indeed the son of Pierre Maréchal." "As for the child, he welcomes this piece of news with more anxiety than joy." "And Pierre Maréchal returns to Jonquieres." "Hello Thomas, okay?" "Well, so-so ." "If you could take that to my room please." "I'm off to Fontenelle immediately." "If it's to see Miss Sylvia it's not worth it, because... she's left.." "Left?" "Well, yes." "She waited for 3 days, then..." "And I didn't know where to reach you and she either." "And then her father wanted to take her along to see some people with him." "I have to see her." "Well, she didn't say where she was going." "Wait, she left a phone number on a small scrap of paper." "What did I do with it?" "Ah, I know, I left it on your desk." "Come on, let's go." "Ah, you have my scrap of paper." "Ah, so much the better, I was afraid I'd lost it." "There are some things you can't say on the phone." "If you can't call her, you'll have to wait 8 days." "Oh no, it's not possible." "Well, you say that you can't call her then." "In any case it's not worth it, because... she told me that she wouldn't be there in the early morning or evening." "So good, I'll take care of my stuff." "Thomas," "Yes." "You need to have 2 rooms repainted on the first floor." "What, the two which are next to mine?" "That's right." "Why, are you expecting visitors?" "Yes, but it should be done soon, eh?" "It can be done in 2-3 days, okay?" "Yes, that's fine." "In the large room, freshen it up..." "anything you want." "Well, it's blue, shall we leave it blue?" "Yes if you want." "And the small room I'd like..." "I want it to be a little more cheerful, a little more welcoming." "Do you understand?" "Well, no." "Listen, you take Jeannette into town and you get her to choose a wallpaper... with something fun, which she likes." "What, you want to change her room, isn't she happy where she is?" "Of course." "It's not a question of changing rooms." "Then what?" "Being only 14, I think she'll know what appeals to children." "Why, are going to bring a kid to Jonquières?" "Yes." "Okay." "For how long?" "Forever." "What?" "At least, during the holidays, otherwise he'll be at school." "What is it with all these questions?" "Finally, can I ask you a funny question?" "How old is the child?" "Nine." "Okay then, really." "If it's an apprentice, at this age, they're good for nothing, you'd better..." "They arrive in a few days." "How do they arrive?" "Is he coming with his mother?" "No, with his grandfather." "Oh." "At least, his adoptive grandfather." "Oh, right." "Yes, because..." "he's my son." "Oh, ah, he's your... your son?" "His son." "What is a training center?" "It's a place where you train racehorses." "It's a pity all the same, to send a healthy child... alive and kicking, among horses with strangers." "Do you want me to say it, César, it's as if you wanted to get rid of the boy." "We don't do things like that." "Come, come now." "I can give you my opinion anyway." "Who said otherwise?" "Nobody, but you take the decisions and it's me who packs the suitcases." "Well, I don't agree." "It is humiliating to force people to go against their will." "What would you have done in my place?" "I don't know." "However, one way or another a decision had to be made." "And this little one listening to us, I'm embarrassed." "I'll do whatever you tell me to." "Now, now then." "It makes me sick to see a child obeying just like that, he doesn't even know where his family is." "Go for a walk, go on." "If you don't need me here, why don't I go to Canada... with Guillaume, Jean and Angelina?" "Go for a walk, and don't put such nonsense in your head." "Don't you have a heart." "But you'll pack his bags, come what may." "And you'll help me Celestine." "Because it's not good at Sébastien's age... to be cared for by an old man and an old woman." "One day or other, he was bound to leave all this." "That day came sooner than I thought that's all." "What are you afraid of?" "You know I'll be there to judge the man that's his father." "So, how's it going?" "Oh Yes, very well." "It's a little hot for them, unfortunately." "Yes." "Hey... there was a phone call for you earlier." "Was it Sylvia?" "No no, it was the lawyer." "Yes he told me to warn you that your... that the child will arrive tomorrow with his grandfather." "Ah." "Yes." "Do we need to meet them at the station?" "No, no, he'll bring them." "And then he said that there'll be things to work out." "Note, it's true, there is quite a lot." "Yes, obviously." "Then, here too there'll be things to work out, eh?" "Why, the rooms are ready, right?" "Yes but I mean, it's not just the rooms anyway, is it?" "What is it?" "It's the staff." "Should I warn them or what?" "Ah yes." "Maybe you want to talk to them yourself?" "It's a lousy situation." "You can say that again." "Well I'll speak to them this evening." "Ensure they're all gathered in the yard." "Okay." "The whole region will know." "What do you want me to do?" "Even though everyone will know I have a son, I'm not the only one, eh?" "Yes, but most of the time, that comes out a little earlier." "Heck of a thing, Pierrot." "What do you want me to do?" "Close my eyes and ears and leave the kid in the mountain up there?" "By pretending not to know him." "No, you couldn't do that." "All right then." "Yes, really, I don't know." "Maybe you should've waited for Sylvia to get back, to know how she's going to take things." "Sylvia?" "No, she'll understand." "Ah, so much the better." "Oh well so much the better if she understands, ah that's good." "And how do you know she'll understand, did you talk to her on the phone?" "How can I tell her such things over the phone?" "Well yes but..." "She'll understand I had no choice, the kid's waited 9 years, isn't that enough?" "Yes, poor kid, you're right." "When you decide to do something, you do it, that's all." "No, she'll understand." "Or else she'll destroy my life." "And hers at the same time." "At most, what, Thomas." "She can blame me if need be for having had a son but not for recognizing him, now that I know about him." "Otherwise it wouldn't be right" "I couldn't do anything else." "No, you couldn't do otherwise, no." "Good, well..." "I tell the men you have something to say." "Yes." "I'll tell them after training, eh?" "Come on you guys, a circuit at the gallop." "Hey Thomas, what's the boss want to tell us?" "Well... how should I know..." "Grandpa, is it about the guests that he wants to talk about?" "Yes, maybe so, we'll see." "Oh, if you could see the room, the walls are covered in birds." "Mr. Maréchal said it's for a little boy." "Hush, hush, there." "Guys, listen up." "Starting from tomorrow morning, a child's coming to live at Jonquieres." "I ask you all to be there when he arrives." "I'd like him to have a good welcome, so that he feels at home at Jonquieres, because... well, he's my son." "Hello." "Hello Sébastien." "This as you see, is Belle." "She and I are always together." "So I brought her." "You did right." "I hope she doesn't run after horses." "I don't know, she doesn't know them." "At our place there's only a mule, a goat and some sheep." "Get a hold of it..." "Put the horse in its box, dammit!" "Well, as you see, she doesn't like horses." "We'll have to find her a nice quiet corner and leave her tied up, ok?" "You can't tie her up, she wouldn't like that." "And neither would I." "I don't mind keeping her on a lead now and again, if you want." "That's nice, but are you strong enough to hold her if she feels like running?" "Oh no?" "If she wants to run, I'll let her go, Why wouldn't I let her go?" "Just bring in your horses." "That's a little difficult." "And then they too, have the right to run." "And if your dog scares them, they may slip, fall, and get hurt." "The legs of a thoroughbred are delicate, you know." "Oh." "I can't keep her on a leash all the time, you know." "At our house, she's always free." "Eh, César?" "Here, it's better that she's not." "Come on." "Well I don't want to say anything unpleasant, but I think that we should leave." "It's a little early to make that kind of decision, don't you think, Sébastien?" "Pierre, we've a lot to talk about." "Come, César." "Thomas." "Yes, yes." "Take care of the boy, and help him understand that a thoroughbred isn't quite like a mule." "I love my horses and you love your dog, with a little effort, you'll see that we'll eventually get on together." "It just needs you to get a liking for horses, and me used to your dog." "Isn't that it?" "Well, yes, it's a bit like that." "Okay, get acquainted with your new home now." "Okay, I'm going." "Oh, and if your horses aren't there, can I let her run?" "No, not here." "Come in please." "It's a bad start." "Oh that, the boss, he likes to be obeyed, you know, oh yes." "You don't know him." "Here, I'll give you something." "You've got to keep your dog on a leash, and then everything will be for the better, eh?" "All this for horses." "Well, yes." "Come, come with me, I'll show you them." "Take that, and then you can tie up your dog, eh?" "And then I'll show you the horses." "Come with me." "It's straight on, by there, Come on." "Look at that one, look." "Isn't he a beautiful horse, eh?" "You can see that it's a beautiful horse." "Come with me, I'll introduce you to everyone." "You see they're all here." "This here's Jeannette, my grand-daughter." "She works in the kitchen." "I hope she'll be a good companion for you." "It was me who chose the paper for your room." "Do you like birds?" "Yes, thank you." "She's nice, eh?" "Ah, this here's Raymond." "His name's Raymond y'know." "Hello son." "Ah, this is Mario." "Say hello to Mario, here." "And then, this is Toni and then Jacques." "This is Emmanuel and Jean, two brothers." "And seeing them riding will make you want to be a jockey, I bet." "Oh no, I don't think I like horses." "Well... you don't know them yet." "Naturally I'll take responsibility for steps which will allow Mr Maréchal... to formally recognize his son." "I think everything can be sorted out very easily." "And if it doesn't bother anyone," "I'll stay for as long as it takes the boy to feel at home." "Of course, whenever you want." "But as I don't want to be a burden," "I hope there'll be some work for me here." "But César, there's no question of it." "Yes, otherwise it'd be the first time in my life that I'd have nothing to do, and I wouldn't feel at ease." "I know how to clean a stable, so a race horse box, why not." "It's pretty much the same thing and we're always short of men here." "That's settled then." "The boy should learn your business," "In time, he'll get to like it, I hope." "Hey, what are you doing to her?" "Forward a bit, you." "On arrival, she was very young." "Watch, watch them." "It's a bit different than your dog, eh?" "You bet it is." "No, don't try to mount her, Mario." "Leave the the saddle on her and turn her on the longe line." "The boss told you that yesterday." "Why are you so stubborn?" "Oh no, keep hold of your dog, what are you thinking?" "She's nervous enough as it is, it's not the time to let a dog loose near her." "Then, we'll go farther away." "Watch a while, see her run, and in a year you'll see her running on the racetrack." "At the moment, she doesn't care much about racetracks." "We would put her in a meadow, she'd be much happier." "Ah yes, but she has to learn her craft." "I can't see the point." "Ah, you don't mean that, it's because it's the first day, but don't talk like that in front of the boss, to me either, because it wouldn't work between us, eh?" "It won't work anyway." "Why's that?" "Because I don't like horses." "Just because we told you to keep your dog on a leash." "You've a stubborn attitude, you, you're just like your father." "That'll do for today." "Come on, you've seen enough, I've got work in the stables." "You, do you like him, Mr. Maréchal?" "Yes." "Why?" "I don't really know, because I suppose it's like this..." "When you..." "Oh, I don't know why, I'm tired of explaining these things to you." "You can't control feelings." "Well, it's like you." "I've known you for five minutes, you grumble all the time and still... and still I like you." "Get hold of your bear and then come with me, come on." "Ah hold your dog, dammit." "I'm going to get annoyed, me." "Oh dear, you've a stubborn attitude, you, eh?" "You need to pay attention because..." "You see the two horses, there, the first is Monseigneur and the second is Lancelot." "Yes, those two there, they belong to your father," "The others... they nearly all belong to Mr Lambert." "I know you don't like horses, but I can tell you, that Monseigneur and Lancelot," "I take my hat off to them, I really do." "Hey, look at that lovely car." "Come take a look Belle." "Lovely car." "Hello Raymond." "Mr." "Bertrand." "Hey... has your boss got visitors today?" "You could say that, yes." "At least, if you can call them visitors, they'll be more like residents." "It seems they're staying for some time." "Who are they" "Those two there, and there's an old man in the office with the lawyer and boss." "Why the lawyer, is there some news?" "Rather!" "So what are you waiting for, tell me all about it." "Ask him who he is and why he's here." "I'd get into trouble for talking." "You have a nice dog, there." "Yes, but you have a nice car." "So, what are these buttons everywhere?" "It must go really fast." "Quite fast." "What's your name, I don't know you." "That isn't surprising, I don't know you either." "Well tell me your name, and then I'll tell you mine." "Sébastien." "I'm Bertrand." "What's your father's name?" "It seems that it's the man who lives here." "Maréchal?" "And since when has he had a son?" "Well as it happens, not long." "He's had a son for as long as I've had a father, since this morning." "For a piece of news, that's news." "I know someone who'll be quite surprised to learn of it." "If you knew how hot it was in that car." "How's my lovely cousin?" "Fine and you?" "You didn't get bored all alone?" "You know she made me do 500 km at a very fast pace." "I'm exhausted." "It's Pierre's fault." "He really wants to see me." "About Maréchal, have you heard the news?" "What news?" "He didn't call you last night?" "Sure." "He said nothing out of the ordinary." "He wasn't a little embarrassed by any chance?" "He always is, on the phone." "He didn't tell you of his son arriving?" "His son?" "What do you mean exactly, a horse?" "Oh, Sylvia, I'm sorry," "I thought you were aware." "He never told you he had a child?" "A child?" "Really Bertrand what are you playing at, are you mad?" "Really, are you kidding?" "Unfortunately not, and I'm very sorry for you." "Pierre has him at home, right now, a 9 year old kid who's his son." "Since when?" "Since yesterday." "What sort of story is this?" "This is silly." "I don't believe a word he says." "Then ask Maréchal yourself." "and you'll see what his answer is." "No." "AVAN 6 for 16, please." "Pierre Maréchal." "Hold the line, please." "Hello Pierre?" "Yes, I'm back." "That's right." "Come at once, if you can, I'll wait for you." "If you've made this up to separate me from Pierre, I'll never forgive you." "You poor thing." "Why would I make up something that's so easy to check." "Why didn't you ask Maréchal the question?" "These things happen." "They're embarrassing." "He waited until the last moment to tell you about it." "I understand a little, but he should certainly tell you why he reveals the existence of this child... only 3 weeks before your wedding." "He's never lied to me." "He's incapable of lying." "He doesn't know how, he can't." "When he tries, he always fails, he gets confused, he becomes distressed." "So if he's never spoken to me about a child, it's because he doesn't exist." "You misunderstood." "It's a child that's been entrusted to him or something like that." "I hope you don't delude yourself too much about Pierre's frankness." "I know you don't like him." "He had some rather dubious relationships in his youth." "I regret having to remind you, Sylvia." "Does he hide it?" "He told me all the details of the stabbing and the trial," "I don't really care." "I love him." "You imagine that he's only ever loved one woman: you." "And it's true." "Jonquières" "Subtitles by Oliver Sanderson"