"THE WOMAN NEXT DOOR" "It was still dark when the squad car left Grenoble." "The village is 15 miles away." "The ambulance is probably already there as it left from Chambery." "I am Odile Jouve." "You think I'm a tennis player?" "Well, you're wrong." "If the camera would pull back a little you'll see what I mean." "Go on, pull back!" "Now, you see!" "Let's sit down over there." "No, this will do." "I manage this tennis club." "Its members are from Grenoble and other regions nearby." "They all know each other here, and I know everybody." "It all started six months ago." "You might say it goes back ten years but it was actually six months ago." "In some stories, the main character is a house." "In this one, it's two neighbouring houses." "The first is the home of 32-year-old Bernard Coudray, his 28-year-old wife Arlette and their son, Thomas." "Here they are, posing for a friend." "As for the second house, we'll get back to it later." "As you see, it was still unoccupied when it all started." "All right, Thomas?" "Can I help?" "No, thanks." "So, you've rented the house?" "No, I'm from the real estate agency." "Mr Bauchard is the new tenant." "Philippe Bauchard." "Bernard Coudray." "I must make a phone call." "I'm sorry, but the phone won't be connected till next week." "Use our phone." "May I?" "Of course." "Come on!" "If you run into any problems be sure to call on us." "Is he our new neighbour?" "Yes." "He's moving in next week." "With his Wife?" "I don't know if he's married." "He wears a wedding ring." "Then, we'll have new neighbours." "Come to think of it we'll have to be careful." "No more love-making on the lawn." "We can do it quietly." "No!" "No more outdoor sex." "Anyway, I always catch cold from the damp grass." "I hate it!" "Never again!" "Wait for me, Thomas!" "Can I carry the suitcase?" "Sure." "I'll put it down." "Yes." "Fine." " Is he in your way?" " Not at all." "Thomas, your pal's waiting for you." "They're both called Thomas." "It's funny." "It's a real mess." "Come in." "You probably know the house." "We've never been inside." "You must meet my wife." "Come down!" "That's the trouble with rentals." "You've got to fit your stuff into the new set-up." "Mathilde, my wife." "Mr and Mrs Coudray." "How do you do?" "I'll put the lights out." "Thomas always leaves a trail like the Indians in Arizona." "Some Indian!" "Damn it!" "Did you wake him?" "No." "Is he asleep?" "Their lights are out." "They go to bed earlier than we do." "The pilot's wife is a real beauty." "He's not a pilot." "He's an air controller." "Really?" "Yes, he works at the Grenoble airport." "I steer boats and he guides planes." "Isn't his wife beautiful?" "I think she's rather unusual." "Well, I think she doesn't belong here." "What do you mean?" "Look, we live here because we love the land, the trees, the natural environment." "She just doesn't belong here!" "Bernard, I know you're alone." "Can we talk?" "We can talk anytime." "Of course, but I don't want to embarrass you." "Did you tell your wife about us?" "Did you tell your husband?" "No, but I will." "He trusts me, he's understanding." "He's a wonderful man." "Good for you." "So long!" "Don't hang up." "Wait, wait..." "I'm waiting." "Have I changed much?" "No, you're exactly the same." "You sound nasty." "I didn't move next door on purpose." "Philippe took the house on his own, to surprise me." "If I'd known beforehand, I'd have found a pretext to turn it down." "But since it's a fluke, let's accept it as such." "I've got to go to work." "Wait, tell me about yourself." "There's nothing to tell." "In case you need me, take my number." "No, I don't need anything." "What's wrong?" "Can't you sleep?" "I'm hungry." " Didn't you eat your dinner?" " Yes, I did." "So?" "I'm still hungry." "Why sit in the dark?" "I'll light up." "What's the matter, Bernard?" "You seem worried." "No, but I want to suggest something." "Let's go away for a week or two." "With Thomas." "We could leave around the 8th." "It's out of the question." "Thomas has to go to school." "Besides, they're auditing our books at the lab." "I've got my hands full." "No, it's impossible." "Don't eat the salmon." "Have an apple." "The salmon is for our guests." "What guests?" "I invited our neighbours over for dinner tomorrow." "What did you do that for?" "The wife is very charming." "I thought you'd be pleased!" "Still..." "Do you want me to put it off?" "We can do it some other time." "It's too late to change it now." "Never mind." "Listen!" "It's the cats." "They're fighting." "They're making love like mad!" "So long." " At what time will you be home?" " At 8:00." "Hello, there!" "Just getting up?" "Remember to pick up the groceries." "Don't worry." " Don't forget!" " I won't." "Your briefcase..." "Bernard, your case!" "Going to work?" "Oh, no!" "The door's locked." "I'm locked out!" "It's the inside lock!" "Go in the back way." "I can do it." "Okay, try it." "Slide over to the front." "Hurry up!" "Just press the red button." "Fine." "Come on out." "I'm late." "Hurry UP!" "Remember the store!" "Right!" "I've got the list!" "Don't forget you're coming over tonight!" "Why does the sun circle around like that?" "I wonder what's holding Bernard up." "Thomas!" "Is he bothering you?" "Not at all." "Behave!" "Mr Bauchard..." "Just call me Philippe." "Philippe, won't you sit down?" "No, I sit all day long." "Be back in a second." "I wonder what's happened to Bernard." "He should be home by now." "Sometimes, they work overtime, but not tonight." "I believe your husband works on tankers." "Yes, he's an instructor on heavyweight tankers." "He trains the men on a small lake." "The captains take refresher courses on miniature models." "Miniatures, like toys?" "Not exactly." "They're certainly not toys." "They're actually scale models." "Yes, one-fourth their normal size." "That's about the size of a barge." "Right." "Where on earth is he?" "That must be him!" "Bernard?" "What's going on?" "You could have let me know." "It's Bernard." "He can't make dinner, he's stuck." "Try to get here in time for dessert." "All right." "He asks you to excuse him." "We're expecting you." "Do your best!" "Good bye." "I couldn't help overhearing you and you were lying." "That's not nice!" "Yes, I lied, but I don't make a habit of it." "Well, you were very convincing." "Now, I can blackmail you." "You can buy me off with a bourbon." "It's a deal." "What will you have?" "I don't know." "I'll serve you first." "Do that, dear liar." "Wait, let me explain." "A couple just moved in next door, and Arlette's already invited them over for dinner." "Don't you like them?" "That's not the point, but I'm slow." "I've got to get used to people." "It's a drag." "Tonight we invite them." "Next week, they invite us." "It becomes a ritual." "What do they do?" "Are they nice?" "He's an air controller." "He works at the Grenoble airport." "He's relaxed and phlegmatic like an Englishman." "What about her?" "I don't know she's rather unpredictable." "I think she's the kind who likes to borrow trouble." "I don't know what you mean." "Look, since you're not going home you can share my nosh." "Oh no, Mrs Jouve!" "Come on, it's an off-night." "I'll just grab a cheese sandwich." "Over my dead body!" "We'll share my veal stew." "But first, I've got to feed Benito." "Did you hurt yourself?" "Help me up." "My prosthesis turns some men on." "A few days ago, a man followed me in the street for hours." "I tried to shake him but I couldn't." "Finally, he spoke up." "I might have guessed." "He was a fetishist!" "I'm not surprised." "I saw a movie about that." "The heroine hated a man's arms around her, she just couldn't stand it." "So the man had his arms cut off." "Both arms?" "I'm not sure, one arm, or both." "In any case, he did it for love." "So did I. I did it for love." "For love?" "I heard it was an accident!" "It was a so-called accident." ""An accident" in quotes!" "What did they say?" "That you fell out of an eighth floor window..." "The seventh floor!" "And by luck, you landed on a glass casing, just below." "Right." "It was in Nice and it was above a studio." "If not for that casing, I wouldn't be here today." "But it's ancient history." "it happened 20 years ago at the time of the putsch in Algeria." "I might as well tell you the truth because I like you." "I didn't fall out" "I jumped out of that window!" "That took courage!" "Nonsense!" "It's not a matter of courage." "I was simply desperate." "In love and desperate." "He jilted me and went to New Caledonia." "Like an idiot, I kept on hoping until I learned he'd gotten married." "That did it!" "What did he say when he heard what you'd done?" "I made sure he'd never know." "It's just as well." "That's true." "Men prefer not to know about these things." "They're so right!" "By now, I feel the thing was tragic, but not fatal." "Like in the Piaf song." ""What the hell!" "I've got no regrets!"" "Hey there!" "Are you dreaming?" "No, I'm listening." "I'm glad you came." "It's too bad about Bernard." "Never mind, we enjoyed it." "Right!" "Next time, we'll invite you." "Fine!" "Surprise!" "Do you mind if I walk along?" "I want you to know we had a good time." "Your wife made a delicious meal." "Naturally, we talked about you." "Is your car outside?" "Look, let's get this straight." "That dinner party was her idea." "Maybe so, but we're neighbours now in a tiny village." "So, let's face it." "Besides, we're adults now, aren't we?" "You've got a nice kid." "He looks like you." "You're surely happy." "Yes, I'm happy." "I mean I was, until you turned up." "That's why we've got to talk." "I'm not trying to make you feel guilty but don't forget I went through hell." "One week, you'd leave because you couldn't stand me." "The next, you couldn't live without me." "So I worked up the guts to quit." "If I hadn't, I'd have gone crazy." "Now that we're both over it, can't we be friends?" "I suppose you're right." "I guess I resent hurting you as much as you hurting me." "I'm glad you're happy now." "That's better." "Next week, Philippe and I will invite you to dinner with Arlette, of course." "Promise you won't let us down." "I promise." "I'll be there like Old Faithful." "How about a kiss?" "Sure." "I want to ask for another favour." "Mention my name from time to time." "In the past, I could always tell when you were feeling hostile because you would never call me Mathilde." "You've probably forgotten." "Mathilde." "Will you be all right?" "See?" "You just look at the ball." "There's your mother." "You Okay?" "I love beautiful hair, especially dark hair." "There are too many blondes." "Where?" "Here, or in general?" "Both." "It's because of the movies and TV, but mostly the commercials." "So, here you are!" "Hello, Odile." "Are you here for the day?" "For the whole weekend." "I'll stay at the Pergola." "Are you crazy?" "Call the Pergola right now." "Cancel the room." "You'll stay here!" "Fine!" "He's a gem." "I'd be lost without him." "I can't tell you all the things he's done for me." "Excuse me for not introducing you" "I forgot your name." "I'm Mathilde Bauchard." "We're Bernard's new neighbours." "Oh, of course!" "I've heard about you." "But you don't seem the kind to borrow trouble." "Why?" "Philippe!" "Roland!" "I wasn't sure because of the beard." "Besides, I'm a little older." "How long has it been?" "Four years?" "I think it was five." "This is great!" "Mathilde, come here!" "This is Roland Duguet." "We were teammates in the Corsica rally." "Without him, I doubt..." "This is Mathilde." "Mademoiselle." "Madame!" "Hello." "That's right." "We're married." "Congratulations!" "We were about to play a game." "No, stay here with your friend." "I'll practise." "A local publisher, isn't it tough?" "There are more advantages than drawbacks, Mr Bauchard." "And I was fed up with Paris." "Just call me Philippe." "Of course!" "I always tend to be formal." "Mathilde is beautiful, but she's foreign." "Italian perhaps?" "No, she's from the south of France." "As soon as we met" "I knew she'd be important to me." "I never sought out the ideal woman or any woman, in fact." "But when I met Mathilde, she seemed like a promise." "In fact, I remember thinking," ""Here is my last chance for happiness."" "Mrs Jouve, please." "I'm looking for Mrs Jouve." "What's wrong?" "Can I help?" "No, thanks." "I'll be all right." "You seem upset." "Yes, I got a cable, a rotten cable but I'll ignore it." " Can't I help?" " No, never mind." "If you need me, just call." "Philippe tells me you do children's books." "He's always promoting me!" "He says you're talented, but you lack confidence." "Too true." "I wrote a few stories and illustrated them, but it's amateurish." "I might be interested in an album." "What kind of drawings are they?" "Vignettes?" "No, I use a margin and a 2 or 3 point line." "I work with India ink, I also use four colours for quadrichrome reproduction." "That's hardly amateurish!" "Well, I worked for three months at Okapi's but that was years ago." "I quit because of illness." "There are new techniques now." "Techniques may change, but we can always use a good story." "I'd really like to see your work." "Since you've got no partner, how about a game with me?" "I can't." "I think I hurt my wrist." "Simple as ever, I see." "It's me." "Let's meet tomorrow at 6 p.m., 37 Rue de la Gare." "Don't forget, 6 p.m. at 37 Rue de la Gare" "I made a phone reservation." "Bernard Coudray." "Right." "Number 18." "She took the key." "Go on up." "To the first floor?" "Sir..." "This way..." "Come along, sir." "Look at this mess!" "You had one just like this." "It was shorter." "You were smaller!" "No, you idiot!" "The styles were shorter." "I bet you've forgotten our first meeting." "I have not." "It was at a children's party." "I came through the garden and saw you inside through the window." "You were feeding the children, and that did it." "I fell in love with you right then and there!" "After which you declared your love by getting drunk." "You said, "I'm not drunk, Mathilde." ""I can prove it by my lucid reasoning."" "You reasoned on and on, while I thought, "Why doesn't he just kiss me?"" "Don't talk," "just caress my face." "Wait, wait." "I'm waiting." "What's this?" "How could you?" "Mind your own business, my friend." "I'm not your friend." "I'm your lover, your ex-lover." "Well, my lover thought he had backbone, but it was just a shell." "And when it cracked, he hated Mathilde." "You're right, I truly hated you for a long time, but not any more." "I've changed a lot." "Yes, you have changed." "It was ill-timed." "If we'd met now, we'd make a go of it." "Well, we've just met." "It's not the same," "not the same thing." "You're even more beautiful now." "We were both too young, but now we understand each other." "I don't know." "I don't want to know." " We were in love." " No, I loved you." "You were merely in love." "What's more, you had no faith in me." "You'd say, "I love you because I love you."" "Well?" "Wasn't that a good reason?" "Besides, you were a skirt-chaser, Mister." "I was always intrigued by the wonders they concealed." "And now?" "Sometimes..." "You were tender with me." "So were you." "Wait." "Wait." "I'm waiting." "This looks like a battlefield." "Your hair's a mess." "I just wanted to see that gesture again." "The first time you did it, I thought," ""if he asks me to sleep with him, I will."" "Let's rent this by the month." "Why?" "I resent other couples making love in our bed." "Air-Inter 323." "Next to the right." "Parking B 1." "You're wanted downstairs." "Mrs Jouve's taking a plane." "Will you give this to Mathilde?" " What is it?" " She knows." "Tell her she can reach me at the tennis club all week." "Odile's asked me to keep an eye on things." "It's hard to believe but she's leaving town for a few days." "Take care of Mathilde." "I mean it." "Take good care of her!" "I will." "Have a good time in Paris." "I've got to get back to work." "Are you in charge of our take-off?" "Spare us the fancy pirouettes!" "I see you've allowed for the captions." "I bet you even estimated the copy space." "I admit I was tempted to." "Mr Roland, that man at the bar, he's waiting for Mrs Jouve." "I told him she's out of town." "He was here this morning." "I'll talk to him." "I'll be right back." "He was snooping around when I came to work." "It's very strange." "That man, don't look at him." "He claims he came to see Odile Jouve all the way from New Caledonia." "From New Caledonia?" "Really?" "He claims she knew he was coming." "If she had, she wouldn't have left town." "There he goes!" "Coffee, everybody?" "Not for me, thanks." "Then, three coffees." "Come here." "Tomorrow at 6:00." "I said no!" "Bernard, can you bring the cups." "Here's the coffee." "Let's sit over there." "What's this?" "Your present." "My present?" "I meant to wait." "Your birthday?" "No, it's not my birthday." "It's a separation gift." "What separation?" "I'm leaving for three days." "Mathilde won't come." "She wants to move the furniture around." "God help us!" "Why don't you open it?" "I'm dying to!" "I think I know." "We saw it in a shop," "Mathilde adored it." "So we went in." "She tried it on and..." "I realised I wouldn't dare wear it in public." "It's a lovely dress, it's not shocking." "Not to look at, but..." "Try it on!" " Let them see it." " He's right." "Now?" "Go on." "I'll help you." "Fine." "Let's go up." "This way." "It's really wonderful to hear Mathilde laugh." "When I first met her she was as lovely as she is now, but she never laughed." "At most, a vague smile." "She had just divorced." "Divorced?" "Yes, a blitz divorce after a blitz wedding." "What's going on?" "It's in the street." "Does that happen often?" "Only when a house looks unoccupied." "It's best to always leave the lights on." "It's superb." "I knew it." "Didn't I tell you?" "It's not shocking to me." "I'm sure you won't mind if she wears it while you're away." "She'll wear it where and when she wants to." "I'm not a Latin husband." "Can you help me with the cups?" "I'll see you tomorrow at 6:00." "Where's the key for 18?" "He got here first today." "What's the matter?" "Come in." "Look, Bernard." "You wanted to talk." "Let's talk downstairs." "Why not in the room?" "I know you and I know myself." "And I dislike taking advantage of Philippe's absence." "We need some sugar." "Where is it?" "Can I help you?" "The sugar." "May I borrow it?" "What's this about a marriage?" "I mean the one before Philippe." "You got married after leaving me?" "Yes, I did it to get rid of you to forget you." "I was so hurt I decided to marry the first man who'd ask me." "He was an idiot." "You married an idiot?" "Yes, a blissful idiot." "I sensed it was a mistake, but I had to do it." "It's like the man who says," ""I'll marry the first girl who walks in."" "I meant to divorce at once, but I'd met his whole family." "I was trapped." "It took me six months to get rid of him." "Then, I lived alone until two years ago, until Philippe." "He was determined, he was patient and gentle." "He waited until I trusted him." "So you yielded to his British charm." "A few days ago, we talked of you." "It's true, he really loves you but I can't get over what he said." ""Mathilde made a disastrous marriage" ""to recover from an affair." Now, hear this," ""With a violent manic-depressive."" "Am I the violent manic-depressive?" "Is that how you talk of me?" "He simplified." "He got things mixed up." "He simplified..." "Simplified." "Look, Mathilde." "Let's forget it." "Look at me and listen." "Why not ditch all this and run away together?" "I know we can be happy." "Eight years ago, didn't you know that?" "I was crazy about you, but I'd rather have died than let you know." "Why didn't you say so?" "When I was expecting a baby, why didn't you want it?" "You yourself said it was impossible, that it wasn't right, that we should wait!" "I hoped you'd deny it." "You wanted a child but not with me." "And you've got one now." "No, we'd better stop seeing each other." "Take me home." "Have you got a handkerchief?" "Here." "Wait, it's dirty." "I don't care." "Feeling better?" "Take it back." "Now, it's really dirty." "Thanks, my darling." "Am I hearing right?" "Yes, you're still my darling, even if you don't care." "My darling." "Look, Bernard," "I enjoyed it, but it's the last time." "Dinner's ready!" "Blow on it if it's too hot." "Is it all right?" "Quiet, I can't hear." "Hear what?" "It's just a car." "I'm cold." "I'll get a sweater." "I think it's in the living-room." "It must be upstairs." "I'm taking two hours off." "Are you sick?" "No, just get a man to replace me." "Hello." "You didn't reserve for today." "Room 18 is taken, but I've got another one." "Okay." "Can I make a call?" "It's me." "Where are you?" "At the hotel." "The hotel?" "Yes, our hotel." "How come?" "I was driving by and I thought..." "Listen, come on over!" "No, I can't." "Yes, come on!" "Remember what I said in the car." "Come anyway!" "I really can't." "You can't, or you won't?" "Neither." "You forget we talked it all over." "It's settled." "No, it's not!" "We never have enough time." "How about tonight?" "No, I can't tonight." "Is your husband back?" "No." "Why?" "Where were you last night?" "Last night?" "Wait." "I went to see my publisher." "You expect me to believe you talked business all night?" "It wasn't all night." "Don't kid me!" "At 8:12, your lights were still on." "At 8:20, you drove off in your car." "At a quarter past midnight, the car..." "I was showing Roland my designs." "Are you still there?" "Answer me." "You can't be jealous." "He's not interested in women." "I don't believe you." "You don't?" "No, not a word of it." "I don't care." "I'm through with you." "You scare me!" "I want you to explain." "Why are you scared of me?" "Never mind." "I was just upset." "Is that why you hung up on me?" "I hung up because you insulted me." "You sounded like a cop talking to a thief." "Don't stay there, come in." "You're right, absolutely right..." "With us, it's always all or nothing." "Sit down." "No, I'm so tired I'd fall asleep." "There's something else." "What is it, what did I do?" "I hate lying." "Since we've been meeting" "I'm living a lie." "I meant to tell Philippe everything but I couldn't." "I couldn't do it either." "We can't keep this up." "Next week, I'm going away with Philippe that too, is why I couldn't go to the hotel." "Remember, you used to say to me and it always made me feel miserable." ""Love affairs must have a beginning, a middle," ""and an end."" "It was true!" "You're right, you're absolutely right." "From now on." "I won't bother you." "We'll become friends again, like before." "Like before." "Before what?" "I'd better go home now." "I've got to." "What if Arlette sees you?" "I'll tell her that..." "That you fixed my freezer." "Yes..." "No, I'll tell her I'm feeling better, that I'm breathing again." "I'm breathing." "Here's my Thomas!" "Wait, I'll push you." "What's all this?" "I'm cooking." "No cooking tonight!" "Call the baby-sitter." "We're going to town." "A movie, dinner." "Tonight, we celebrate!" "Some coffee and a decaf." "I'm really glad to see you relaxed." "I'm always relaxed." "Not for the past few weeks." "I felt you wanted to be by yourself." "In fact, I meant to visit my mother with Thomas to give you a break." "Not at all!" "What I'd really like is to take time off and go away with Thomas, on a real vacation." "Look who's here." "I hadn't been to Paris for years!" "It's real hell!" "They're all hysterical." "I want to face Mrs Jouve." "I'm sorry, the chef is gone." "Then, a salad for two." "That's fine." "He's nervous." "Whenever he sees baggage he just goes wild." "I see you took the night off." "We saw a movie." "Which one?" "The Walking Dead." "It's a thriller." "I think I saw it." "It's about a man who's jealous." "For no reason!" "His wife's an angel." "I'm not so sure." "The other guy, the young one, kills the husband." "No!" "The husband commits suicide and makes it look like a murder." "Yes, I saw it!" "It's very clever." "He placed the knife above the door hinge." "Then, he stabbed himself." "The knife's in one room, the body's in the other." "He knew they'd suspect his wife." "Are you sure?" "Of course!" "The knife in one room, the body in the other." "He made it look like murder." "It's explained at the end." "Didn't you hear it?" "Sure, I did." " He was asleep!" " With his eyes open!" "You need a drawing board, now that you're a pro." "Roland told me of a place." "Shall I get one?" "No, I'll go myself." "If this little boy was blond, he'd look like Thomas." "Well, mine has dark hair." "Pictures are fascinating." "I prefer yours to mine." "I'm sorting them: high school, graduation, college, each one brings you closer to me." "You already knew Bernard." "Look." "You're right." "That's him." "This is the only time we met." "My cousin was wild about him!" "Here she is." "Did he love her?" "Why didn't they marry?" "My cousin's father doted on her." "He checked Bernard's background and he told her, "Do as you like, but I know his kind." ""Easy to get but hard to keep."" "You love me?" "Will you always protect me?" "Come, Thomas, for the picture." "Mathilde, we want you in it!" "Closer!" "You see, we can be friends." "You thought we never could." "Smile!" "Friends, may I have your attention." "I'm not going to make a speech, but I'll tell you the reason for this party." "In two hours, Mathilde and I are going away." "You already know that, but you don't know it's a honeymoon trip." "Since we married and settled here we haven't had time for the ritual honeymoon which will consecrate our marriage." "And that's what we're celebrating..." "It's really great." "Two love birds!" "Their plane leaves at 6:00." "I'm taking them to the airport." "I'm beat!" " Sit down." " No, you sit down." "Just lend me your knees." "You're radiant but Bernard looks miserable." "I'd like one of you and Philippe." " Where is he?" " I'll go get him." "Never mind that, Nicole." "Come help me fix my dress." "Need me?" "No, Nicole will do it." "I should have wrapped it around me..." "Mathilde, a call for you!" "There's nobody." "Yes, there's me!" "We must talk!" "Come to the hotel, later." "That's impossible!" "In my car, then." "We must talk!" "We've got nothing to say to each other." "We never have time to talk." "Not so loud!" "I'll talk as loud as I want to!" "I just ask you not to leave tonight or to put off your trip for a while." "I tell you I must speak to you!" "Let me go!" "You're crazy!" "You, go to hell!" "Stop it!" "You're crazy." "Go away!" "You're mad at me." "You must hate me..." "I'm not mad." "I don't hate you." "You must have gone through hell but I can't help being jealous." "Jealous of her, of you, even of your suffering." "And you might have trusted me enough to let me know." "What could I tell you?" ""Arlette, our new neighbour" ""is the lady who drove me nuts eight years ago."" "Why not?" "I thought I'd forgotten her." "Besides, I had no idea we'd see them so often." "A situation like that is bound to be difficult." "It's funny!" "Most of the time she got on my nerves." "I don't understand it." "I really don't." "Come closer, please." "Yes, it was Mathilde eight years ago." "We were no good for each other." "It was all a disaster." "A disaster?" "Yes, a disaster." "It seemed pointless to discuss it and we won't." "It's all over!" "Are you sick?" "What is it?" "What's the matter?" "Take a guess." "You've improved in the past few weeks." "With Roland's help." "But you've got something else in mind." "Yes, we must make new living arrangements." "I asked Mrs Jouve to help us find a flat in town." "That woman's a god-send." "You know what she did last month?" "A former lover of hers who lives in New Caledonia came to see her in Grenoble." "Well, she spent three days in Paris to avoid meeting him..." "So he wouldn't see how she's aged." "You're wrong!" "You're all wrong!" "That man was Odile's only love." "Because of him, she jumped out of a window 20 years ago." "She never let him know that she's a cripple because of him." "She's a remarkable woman, but he never understood it." "Well, neither did I." "Men never understand love." "They're amateurs." "I love you but I don't understand you." "I've never lied in my life, it's too complicated." "But now, I'm living with a liar sleeping with a liar" "and I'm in love with a liar." "Tell me, what's my name?" "What?" "What's my name?" "Philippe!" "Right." "I'm Philippe." "But it's not my name you say in your sleep." "Shall I tell you what name you say?" "No." "Do you remember me?" "Sure." "Room 18." "Could I rent the room by the month?" "No, we only rent by the day." "We're reconverting as an apartment building." "Never mind." "Please excuse me." "Did you reverse it by mistake?" "No, the drawing belongs on the recto page." "We turn profiles towards the outside margin." "I see..." "Do you mind?" "I'm tired." "I love your handwriting." "If we do another book, we'll print your handwriting." "If you like..." "Excuse me." "It's all right." "We've got a problem with the blood stain." "The drawing is very good but the blood stain is too crude too violent for young readers." "I worked out a variant." "You're wrong." "I meant the red to stand out." "If not the drawing's meaningless." "I disagree, it's too morbid." "Look, does this variant betray your meaning?" "Betray." "I'm tired." "I must go." "I'll call you at home." "Hello, Thomas." "How are you?" "I'm thirsty." "Can I go in?" "Sure." "Coming?" "Can I have some water?" "You want some?" "You don't." "What a nice house." "The kitchen, too." "Let me see your room." "You're giving me a guided tour." "Where's your room?" "How nice!" "Come see my toys!" "What are you doing?" "I like that picture." "What is it?" "It's a whale who's crying." "Why is it crying?" "It's unhappy." "What do you know about unhappiness?" "Is this your first book?" "Yes, it's the first." "Although three years ago..." "Never mind." "It's my first." "Can you sign a copy for my niece?" "I leafed through it." "It's very good." "Almost too good for children." "How can you say a thing like that?" "What's going on?" "I'll help you." "Do you know how to use this?" "Were you scared?" "Look at you!" "Go and wash up." "Just look at this mess!" "Did you hear about Marcel?" "I haven't seen him lately." "Did he mention his blonde neighbour?" "Yes, he went for her in a big way." "At first!" "Now, he can't shake her." "I don't get it." "He keeps on meeting her in the elevator." "He'll have to move." "That'll teach him." "Don't ever get involved with a neighbour." "Look." "I'm in love!" "Where's Mathilde?" "Did you see Mathilde?" "I'm looking for Mathilde..." "She's over there." "What's wrong, darling?" "Your husband's coming." "This can't go on..." "No, it can't." "You must eat." "You've lost weight." "I'm ugly..." "I'm skinny..." "I'm rubbish." "I want to die." "What's happening to me?" "Your husband will help you." "I want to understand..." "I've got to understand..." "Contrary to what people believe, a nervous breakdown is a real illness." "What's more, the patient doesn't want to get well." "On the contrary!" "If your wife wanted to, she'd go home in a week." "But she prefers to be sick." "Right now, it's her choice." "What will you do?" "I'll try to convince her it's useless to seek refuge in illness." "By the way, had you noticed this coming on?" "No, she collapsed..." "She simply collapsed!" "True, she was disturbed." "Last week, we were downtown." "There was lots of traffic." "She kept on saying, "Where are they all going?"" "I wanted to see you." "I know it's none of my business but I've got to talk to you about Mathilde." "I don't want to hear about her." "I'll tell you anyway." "I went to the clinic today." "She's in a very bad way." "I'm certain your visit would help." "You can talk to her, reason with her." "The trouble is I know her too well." "If anyone can help, it's surely not me!" "You're wrong, Bernard." "You're well over it, but she's not." "Please, don't insist." "A man to see you." "Who?" "He didn't say." "That's the story." "You can do as you like but when I step into her room the look on her face makes it clear it isn't me she's expecting." "You want me to stay?" "You want me to go?" "You don't care either way." "Ask me why I'm late." "Why are you late?" "Philippe Bauchard came to see me." "He insisted that I visit Mathilde." "She's in a clinic, in therapy." "Yes, I heard." "Is she any better?" "Not really." "They prescribed shock treatment, but Philippe objected." "He's right." "It helps one forget, but there are side effects." "Was she pleased to see you?" "I talked, but she wouldn't answer." "I promised Philippe I'd go back, but I doubt whether it will help." "If I were you, I'd go back." "In such cases, you never know what helps." "She adored him." "When she heard he was going away she said to herself," ""I'll wait for him."" "So I decided to kill my mother!" "What's that?" "That's to see if you're listening." "Back to Mrs Jouve." "When she learned her lover had gotten married she opened the window and jumped out." "Luckily, she landed on a glass roof just below." "That was 20 years ago and now, she's a cripple." "Any comments?" "I'd say the lady was lucky." "You call that luck?" "Yes, it is." "She was lucky to stay alive." "She may fall in love again." "Life has more imagination than we have, you know." "One can love, or be loved more than once." "Only if one is loveable..." "And I'm not..." "I'm just not." "I seem to turn people off." "What about your husband?" "My husband loves me but he's like you." "He pretends he's listening." "He says, "Turn over a new leaf."" "But the leaf weighs a ton!" "Nobody really cares." "Sure, you're paid for it!" "According to all those books" "I should fall in love with you but you leave me cold." "Something's wrong with the treatment." "Never mind, don't talk." "Instead of playing nursemaid put new batteries in my radio." "They're over there." "Time for your medicine." "These pills are just wonderful." "This one makes you hungry." "This one makes you sleep." "I've even got one to cheer me up if you take two, you become hilarious." "You should try one." "No, thanks." "I'm fine." "You think so?" "How's Mrs Jouve?" "She's very well." "These visits give you a pain, don't they?" "Not at all, but..." "See, it's working now." "I'm glad you want to hear the news..." "I only listen to the songs." "They tell the truth even those that sound silly." "Besides, they're not silly." "You know what they say?" "They say," ""Don't Ever Leave Me."" ""Broken-hearted Me"" ""I'm alone because I love you"" "or "Love has no pride,"" "or else "You're nobody till somebody loves you."" "I've got to run now." "I'll be back." "Don't bother, you don't have to." "You can tell them," ""Mission accomplished." "The nut is back to normal."" "Did you find a house?" "No, a flat in town." "It's very nice." "How's Mathilde?" "Much better." "She's her old self." "TO LET" "Well, this is the big day." "I saw the doctor." "We're all set." "Good!" "You brought the pumps." "My favourite shirtwaist!" "It's torn, so I added the blue one." "I don't care, I prefer the white because it's white." "You remembered my raincoat!" "Shall I wear my straight skirt, or the pleated one?" "I like the pleated one." "Take me away." "Take me away, my love." "I had to speak to you." "Wait..." "The squad car arrived at dawn." "The ambulance was already there." "The attendants went in with two stretchers." "The coroner's report stated," ""We found the bodies of a man and a woman." ""The man was on top of the woman's body." ""There was a bullet hole behind his ear" ""and traces of blood on his temple." ""An identical wound on the woman's face" ""was made by the weapon in her hand." ""The woman's legs were spread out." ""Her skirt was raised above her thighs." ""Her head was turned towards the window." ""The deaths probably occurred around 5:30 a.m." ""From the position of the bodies, it may be assumed" ""the two had sex just prior to their death."" "I suspect that Mathilde and Bernard won't be buried together." "If I had to select an epitaph for those two it would be" ""Neither with you, nor without you."" "But I doubt whether I'll be asked."