"The film you are about to see was made many years ago." "Today's cinematic technology was not available to Marcel Pagnol." "This explains certain imperfections in the image and sound." "This, however, does not affect the moving freshness of this story." "This film was made in the Lycée de Marseille, thanks to the university authorities." "Arispuru." "Down there, on the coast of France" "With a huge expanse of sea" "In the sunshine of the Riviera" "There is a small piece... of paradise!" "Robert, Pannard, Lapierre, Rossi, Rellys," "Arispuru, Fougeray, Prudhomme, Raymond," "Bronté, Olivier, Aneusèbe, Blavette," "Couder, Bouteillet, Pons," "Brun Lucien, Brun Ernest, Brun Jules." "To the visiting room!" "Bernard." "Bernard..." "Bernard..." "I must tell you that young Bernard will be in detention on 5th January." "Lucien!" "ls this true?" "Oh, yes, madam." "He was caught cheating, copying his history essay." "He had a book open on his lap under the desk." "Young Bernard should really have been in detention tomorrow." "But as it's Christmas the Headmaster decided to postpone his punishment." "Not for him, because he was indeed guilty, but we didn't want to punish his family, especially his mother." "Thank you." "You should thank the Headmaster." "See you soon, Bernard." "And don't get indigestion!" "How many are staying at school for the holiday?" "Twenty or thirty." "Villepontoux." "Has anyone come for you?" "I want to get out." "You want to get out?" "See if there's a letter." "Villepontoux..." "Well, you're not going out this time." "Not till next time." "Yes, your mother thought it best to leave you here over Christmas." "Why?" "Did you get bad marks?" "First in Latin and second in French." "He's a very good pupil." "Not one punishment all term." "And your father?" "Did he write?" "He'd have let me out of school." "But he can't." "He's dead." " So I can't go out?" " No, my friend." "You'll stay here, since it's the wish, no doubt justified, of Mrs Villepontoux." "She's not called that any more." "Now she's Mrs Lavigne." "Go and play with your pals." "Don't waste time in here." "Don't be too sad." "After all, we have fun here at Christmas." "I only wanted to be like the others." "But if I have to go to the Lavigne house," "I might as well stay here." " Poor kid." " Yes, poor kid." "But what can we do?" "Come now, let's not have any tears." "You're a young man." "No, I'm not." "I'm 12." "Well, 12 is already quite old." "12-year-olds don't cry." "I didn't when I was 12." "Your mum hadn't remarried." "No." "When I was 12 she was dead." "And that's a lot worse." "You'll see your mother again." "Yes." "She's beautiful too." "So was mine." "Like all mothers." "Only I'll never see mine again." "But I don't cry." "So come on, be a man." "Take life as it comes." "Now go and play with your pals." "Thank you." "Not many customers today." "They're all saving themselves to eat at home." " Are you going?" " Don't know." "So why are you all dressed?" "Poor kid!" "It's here if anyone wants any!" "What was that?" " It wasn't me." " I saw you!" "A parabola described by a ball passing directly through the point in space that is occupied by a hat, even mine, is not such a dramatic event." "I see in it no evil design." "It would in fact be surprising if, having aimed for it, you did in fact hit it." "Your mistake begins with your lie." "Do not lie, sir." "Say, "I didn't do it on purpose."" "Don't say, "It wasn't me."" "The lie is written across your face." "And disfigures it." "Turn around." "On my part this is not revenge." "It is not even a punishment." "It's a lesson." "Learn it well." "If it's between Mr Delattre and Mr Blanchard, who both qualify for promotion, you prefer Delattre?" "By far, Mr Headmaster." "Mr Blanchard hasn't been here long..." "But he has 24 years' experience." "Digne," "Toulon," "Montpellier, Aix..." "Yes, I know." "But so has Mr Delattre." "And he's a fine teacher." "Precise, conscientious, pleasant..." "With connections!" "His brother-in-law is in the ministry." "Yes, but that isn't why..." "I know." "But I had a letter from the brother-in-law." "But for Mr Blanchard the promotion is more important." "If he doesn't get it this year, when he retires his pension will be much lower than the best he could hope for." "With the promotion he's almost assured of the maximum." "Yes, that's a point we should consider." "But Mr Delattre is interesting too." "Do you have anything against Mr Blanchard?" "No, I wouldn't go so far as to say that." "But I must tell you that he has a very nasty temper." "Yes, so I've heard." "Ten days after he arrived here, there was a violent incident with a parent, a butcher." "He said that his son had been unjustly punished, adding," ""One-eyed masters distribute punishments blindly!"" "Nicely phrased!" "Mr Blanchard replied with a couple of slaps, heard in the playground." "The butcher couldn't see to leave." "Mr Blanchard was wrong, very wrong, to do that." "But why wasn't I officially informed?" "As I was writing my report, the butcher came to me." "He'd found out that Mr Blanchard's eye injury was a war wound." "He apologised to him and asked me to let it drop." "He was right to." "A decent butcher." "But when it got around about him hitting butchers, his colleagues took him for a savage." "And I have to say they're not completely wrong." "All he ever does is moan." "Today, when he was told he'd be taking prep on Christmas Eve, he protested violently." "He said he'd come to you." "He didn't come, though." "No, he didn't, and I know he'll do his duty." "Is he a success with the pupils?" "His classes are very orderly." "The discipline is perfect." "But the boys don't like him." "He's one-eyed, ugly..." "I'm sure he would much prefer to be handsome." "I know, I know..." "I'm not blaming him for not being an Adonis." "No, I'm trying to explain..." "the atmosphere around him." "He's ugly." "And, being single, he's quite..." "Well, he looks dirty." "The pupils call him Merlusse." "Merlusse?" "Why?" "They say he stinks of cod." "How odd." "Does he smell of cod?" "I don't think so." "He smells more like a wet dog." "But he isn't nice to the boys." "In fact, he terrorises them." "Too many punishments?" "No." "The way he looks, he doesn't need to punish." "His pupils are more afraid of being thumped than getting detention." "No, he's never struck a boy!" "But the boys feel he'd be capable of it." "Those are my impressions of him." "Precise, conscientious, but not very friendly with his colleagues, and hated by the boys." "And if I ever see him outside the school, he never greets me." "I won't be taken for a fool!" "But, Blanchard, it's the custom here." "The newest teacher takes prep the night before a holiday." "And you're the newest teacher." "But I'm not some beginner!" "I may be the newest here, but I've got 24 years of experience." "Until some other teacher arrives, I'll always be the newest." "I've done prep for the weak pupils," "I've done the second half of recreation, 4 till 5, when it's dark in winter," "I've done Sunday duty," "I've policed art classes, and now, rather than adding my name to the service roster," "I'm given prep for Christmas Eve." "Someone's having a laugh at me!" "The Head!" "Yes, someone's having a laugh." "Look, Blanchard, if you do it Christmas Eve, you won't do it at Easter," "Whitsun or 14th July." "I don't care about doing prep." "I do it as well as anything." "But I don't like being laughed at." "That's my point." "Where is it, anyway?" "You'll have to go and ask." "And anyway, there'll only be 20 or 30 pupils." "Oh, the pupils don't scare me." "No, he scares them!" "Can you go out every day?" "Every afternoon from tomorrow." "Me too, but I told him not to come every day." "I'm really behind in Greek and I have to get stuck in." " In Greek?" " Yes." "What good will that do you?" "Are you going to be a bishop?" "I'll give you this one too." "It's really rare." "But not for me, because my dad's in Abysinnia, so I get one with every letter." " Here, keep it." " Thanks." "Where's your dad?" "Far away." "It takes 35 days by boat." "What does he do?" "Mine sells ivory." "Elephant tusks." "And yours?" "If you swear not to tell anyone, I'll tell you." "Go on, swear." "I swear." "Cross my heart and hope to die." "Well, my dad is a king." "No, he's not!" "I'm telling you, my father is a king." "Look, I know that's not true." "If he was a king, you'd have all the holidays you wanted." "Kings' kids don't do anything." "They just have their slaves whipped." "My father doesn't have anyone whipped." "Then he's not a king." "And if he was, you'd have all the stamps you wanted." "A king can even make stamps." "Yes, he can." "As many as he wants." "Didn't you know?" "My father doesn't make stamps." "Anyway, I've never seen him do so." "Then he's not a king." "Hey, Gastin!" "Listen." "He says his dad's a king." "The king of what?" "Of my country." "Looking like you, king of the monkeys!" "I'd have you skewered on a bamboo pole!" "If you skewered me on a pole, I'd kick you up the arse!" "You swore you wouldn't say." "If it had been true." "But it was a lie, so I did." "It's not a lie, it's the truth." "My father has a palace six times bigger than this school." "And he has 50 wives." "They must give him a hard time!" "Why?" "My dad married the maid." "Only one wife, but she drives him mad!" "Where's the supervisor?" "Over there." "Who is it?" "Philippard." "He can't see us, then." "Will he be taking prep?" "Of course he will." "We'll play a trick." "Pic, come here." " Not going out?" " No." "Look." "You see this?" "Know what it is?" " An arse-pin." " Take it." "Go to the prep room and put it on the teacher's chair." " What if I'm caught?" " Never." "Or if someone sees me?" "No chance." " Are you chicken?" " No, I'm not chicken." "Why don't you go?" "I'm too old for these games." "I'm just doing it for you, so you'll have fun." "Now go!" "All right." "Sorry, dear colleague, I was held up." "It doesn't matter." "They're over there." "Except for him." "He's a stubborn one." "Well, see you after the holiday." "See you then." " What are you doing?" " Mr Philippard put me here." "Go to the inner courtyard." "Sir, I'd rather stay here." "Why?" "In case I get called to go out." "Aguesset, Ben Mohamed, Pouperon, Contendin," "Brousier, Leporichon, Voltérat..." "To the visiting room!" "There, see, you weren't called!" "To the inner courtyard." "Quick!" "I grabbed her waist and kissed her on the mouth." "Just like that?" "Full of authority." "You should see her letters to me." "Wild!" "She writes to you here?" "No, poste restante." "I go on Thursdays." "I've got loads!" " Got them here?" " The latest one." ""My Darling..."" "Look." ""My Darling," ""I'm in class..."" "She's at the girls' school." ""The other day when we met" ""but I couldn't speak because of my mum," ""my heart beat so fast..."" "Her heart beat fast." ""And as you walked away, I watched with emotion" ""your wide shoulders and calm stride."" "What about that, eh?" " She thinks you're a tough guy." " So?" "I may not be like Carnia, but no one had better mess with me!" "True." "Coming!" "Hold me up!" "You think that's funny?" "Just you wait!" "I'll show you!" "Coming!" "What's all this?" "This game is forbidden." "By the Deputy Head." "Go and play elsewhere." "You're smoking!" "No?" "Galubert." "In 1 st A." " Your name?" " Catusse." "Catusse." " Form?" " 1 st B2." "1 st B2." "Go over to the bench." "I want you all where I can see you!" "Everyone in the inner courtyard." "Look at his face." "He's a swine!" "The biggest swine in the world." "I should know, I've had him before." "The worst in the school." "Why "Merlusse"?" "He stinks of cod." "I can't smell him." "Because you're outside." "Indoors you will." "He stinks of cod." "As long as he doesn't hurt us." "What can he do to us?" "If he sees your stamps, he'll nick them." "I haven't got any stamps." "What else can he do?" "What can he do?" "He can scare you." "And that's horrible!" "He'll only stay till 7." "Who said so?" "Every holiday, the teacher gets replaced by a supervisor at 7." "Which supervisor?" "That depends." "Maybe Père, maybe Sernin." "A young one." "You can do what you want." "Yeah, but he won't eat us, will he?" " No, but he's still a swine." " Why?" " Are you in 5th?" " Yes." "Have you done Medusa yet?" "That turns you to stone?" "That's just an old story." "Don't be so sure." "It's in books!" "Books?" "Yeah, right!" "Books have got the better of you." "Books can really mess you up, but you can't hurt them." "And that Medusa story is true." "That man there is Medusa's head." "If you look into his eyes..." " His eye." "He's only got one." " His eye." "You'll be frozen stiff." "Yeah, right!" "It's the truth, pal." "Are you going out tonight?" "Not me, no." "I am." "Well, be careful." "Because for the tiniest thing, even if he imagines it, he'll stop you." " Even if someone comes for me?" " Yes." "He'll tear up your slip." "It shouldn't be allowed." "They say a pupil put his eye out, at Avignon school." " Who told you that?" " A big boy." "Throwing stones in the playground." "Now he hates all pupils." "He'd kill them if he could." "No joke!" "It's the truth." "I'm worried about the arse-pin." "It would have been funny, but with him it'll be a disaster." "I didn't put it there." "Nor did I. It was Pic." "You told me to!" "Perhaps." "But if I were you, I'd be worried." "Don't cry." "No one knows it was you." "But if he finds out, he'll put me in prison." "Prison?" "No, he can't do that." "But he might kill you." "If he comes to my country I'll skewer him." "Too far away." "And shut up about your country." "You're always saying, "If you come to my country..."" "Well, no one goes there, not even you!" "Everyone line up!" "Little ones at the front, big ones behind." "Come on!" "You're taking a long time!" "All done?" "Galubert, Catusse, front desk." "Nothing to do?" "I'm going out, sir." "Are you sure?" "If you don't study, you don't go out." "Understand?" "Ledru, Le Coq, Factorovich, Pollack," "Sarnette, Tescadille!" "To the visiting room!" "What's going on?" "Back to your seats!" "Go and fetch him." "Take off your beret or I will!" "Can't you bring the passes all the way to me?" "Go on." "Ledru, Le Coq," "Factorovich..." "Hurry!" "Pollack," "Sarnette," "Tescadille." "Out you go." "On tiptoe!" "On Christmas Eve," "I thank whoever it was who was so kind as to leave me a little Christmas present." "It was a kind thought which I shall never forget." "Wait!" "Can't!" "My train leaves at five." " What's that?" " Christmas prep." "Who's taking it?" "Merlusse." "It would be rude not to say goodbye." "One, two, three..." "It stinks of Merlusse!" "The students' rag." " Coming this way?" " Definitely." "They're ragging Merlusse." "But we'll get in trouble." "Oh, what a stink!" "It stinks of cod!" "You laugh, sir?" "You laugh!" "You're wrong to." "They rag me without knowing me." "They're far away." "But you're here." "Hostages." "You shouldn't be laughing." "I should." "Because I have hostages." "Sir..." "The Deputy Head wants you." "My dear friend, something serious has come up." "Mr Sernin was going to replace you..." " Was going to?" " He can't now." "His mother's seriously ill." "He had a telegram." "Is this true?" "Mr Blanchard!" "Because when I was a supervisor in a boarding school," "I used that trick." "Unfortunately, I believe it's true." "I'm at your disposal." "But until when?" "Mr Sernin was going to take over prep, then do refectory and dormitory." "If he goes now, there'll be no one else here, except for you and me." "Of course." "If we let Mr Sernin go to his mother's bedside, we have to share the duties." "We could, for example..." "Look, it's simple." "I'll take prep until eight..." "Thank you." "I'll take the boys to the refectory, you replace me while I go and dine in town, then I'll stay the night." "You're doing me a great favour." "You don't have to." "You have the right to leave." "Yes, but if it's necessary..." "Anyway, it reminds me of when I was a young master in Digne." " Thank you." " Not at all." "You can go, Mr Sernin." " Thank you." " Goodbye." " See you in the refectory." " See you there." "Oh, yes." "I'm pleased to be able to tell you that I'll be on dormitory duty." "Sir..." "Can I go?" "Where?" "Out." "I'm going out." "Well, I'm not." "No one here is." " I am." " Really?" "I've been invited to dinner." "In society, no doubt." "Oh, no." "It's just a Christmas dinner." "What about this?" "Isn't this a Christmas dinner?" "Stay until dessert." "It's on the table." "I served it at the same time." "Warm those plates up again." "Take off those silly cuffs, and that collar." "Put your apron on and serve." "He has to shout at someone!" "Go to dinner, dear colleague." "I'll take over." "Thank you." "Well, boys, you're allowed to talk!" "Glad he's gone!" "I'd lost my appetite." "He'll be back, though." "More's the pity!" "I don't understand." "He shouldn't be staying." "Didn't you hear?" "He's standing in for Sernin." "Do you want my piece?" "Because of Merlusse?" "No, I want to save my appetite for later." "For what, later?" "Someone will come for me." "They'd have come by now." "Sometimes they come at the last minute." "My mum won't leave me here." "Mums have other things to do, you know." "Pic's mum dances naked at Vichy Casino." "I saw a photograph of her." "Mine doesn't do that!" "Not my mum." "I know my own mother." "What are hostages?" "Hostages?" "They're like prisoners." "If you and me were at war, for example, we'd take prisoners." "I'd kill them." "Then you'd be a moron!" "You can't use them if they're dead." "Just bury them." "But you can if you keep them alive." "How?" "You say to the enemy," ""If you kill my man, I'll kill yours." ""If you burn this town, I have 50 of your soldiers," ""and I'll shove matchsticks under their toenails," ""and spiky fish up their backsides!"" "So the enemy behaves himself." "Like a decent enemy." "That's hostages." "I know what they are now." "In my country, this bandit once took hostages." "White men." "He had friends in prison." "So he said to the governor," ""Set my friends free or the hostages will die."" "The governor wouldn't set his friends free, so the bandit took the hostages and cut them in half!" " Top and bottom?" " Lengthways!" "Excuse me, Mr Deputy Head." "I had to pick up some night things." "Don't apologise, my friend." "I'll be back tomorrow morning." "Probably with Mr Pontier, who'll be relieving you." "Perfect." "What time do I get them up?" "Well, for Christmas, not at six." " Let's say eight." " Fine." "No, at nine." "Oh, whenever they wake!" "Goodnight." "And thanks again." "Goodnight." "Goodnight, boys." "Goodnight, sir." "What are you waiting for?" "Someone to come for me." "Maybe tomorrow, but not tonight." "My mum's coming." "Well, you can always get dressed again." "He doesn't scare me." "Look." "Under my pillow." "If he makes a move tonight, if he tries to hurt anyone," "I'll have his other eye out!" "How miserable!" "All the others are at home, and we're stuck here." "Our only consolation is looking at his face!" "Evenos is an orphan." "That's sad, being an orphan." "But at least you have a reason for your parents not coming." "If they were alive, they would have." "Whereas with us..." "What?" "We're here because we want to be." "We can tell the others that." "But I just feel like an orphan who still has parents!" "Only girls cry!" "Quiet, please!" "Sleeping Beauty!" "Flea-bitten beard!" "Stinks of cod!" "No talking!" "And no snoring either." "The first one to fool about will stand in the corner all night." "In the toilets." "You've been warned." "Stinks of cod!" "I'm switching the light out." "Evenos." "He's gone out." " I didn't hear him." " He's wearing slippers." "He went to the washrooms." "What shall we do?" "I'd like to lie in, but I'm hungry." "And you?" "I'm bored." "I want to go in the playground." "Can we get up?" "I don't know." "Try and you'll find out." "Look!" " What is it?" " A plane!" "My mum sent it." " Who brought it in?" " The concierge." "She must have told him to." "You too, look!" "Fantastic!" "Everyone's got something." "All of us!" "Look, Celtiques!" " Four packets." " Like we were smoking yesterday." "I've got some too." "Look!" "What did you get?" "I got this." "The Deputy Head!" "The Deputy Head." " What's this?" " I found it in my shoes." "Well, well..." "Pic told the Deputy Head!" "You're an idiot, a moron!" "What did I do?" "You told him." "Now he'll get the sack." " Who?" " Him!" " The Deputy Head?" " No." "Beardy!" "He gave us the presents." "I thought it was Father Christmas." " You believe in Father Christmas?" " Yes, he does, and so do I." "I've seen him." " Last night?" " No, at home." "Did he have a white beard?" "No, he didn't." "He had a pair of tits like this, and looked just like my mum!" "You think it was Merlusse?" "Not Merlusse." "Mr Blanchard." "The first one to call him Merlusse will get my boot up his backside." " Understood?" " I don't think it was him." "You'd better believe it." "Because I saw him." " That's awful, then." " Why?" "Because he's poor." "He gave us all he could." "And all we've ever given him is an arse-pin." "It makes me feel bad." "Let's put some presents in his shoes." "Yes, we'll do that!" "Go and watch at the door in case he comes back." "All of us give something." "But quick!" "Look at the size of these!" "Forty-seven!" "Come up for the post." "I've made up my mind about the promotion." "Mr Headmaster, I didn't tell you about this unusual initiative in order to harm Mr Blanchard." "Playing Father Christmas is against the rules." "I know, but I never thought this unexpected fantasy" " especially from him - could have such a decisive effect on his career." " Why decisive?" " I'm thinking of his pension." "Without this promotion, he won't get the full pension." "It was I who told you that!" "For the academic inspectors." "And tell Mr Blanchard that I want to see him." "The die is cast." "And it's partly my fault." "Well, I don't know him." "When I talked about him yesterday" "I don't know if I was influenced by personal antipathy." "An antipathy born, perhaps, of pathetic wounded pride." "Just because he didn't say hello to me in the street." "And this small-mindedness..." "Anyway, I'm not proud of myself." "This is ivory." "My dad sent it." "Smashing!" "Good." "Is this real?" "From my uncle." "An emerald." "Maybe that's too nice." "It doesn't matter." "I don't like that uncle." "So I don't care." "Maybe you shouldn't give it, then." "It shouldn't be something precious, but something you like." "Your favourite possession." "Lend me your fountain pen." "I've got a better idea." "If he comes to my country..." " You'll skewer him." " No!" "But if one day I'm king, he'll be my prime minister." "Because he's scary but he has a heart of gold." "There, I've written it down." "Put it in the shoe." "What are you giving?" "My knife." "More like a sword!" "Some toffees, but they're a bit stuck." "That doesn't matter." " What's that?" " A really rare stamp." " What country?" " No one knows." "So how do you know it's rare?" "Rare means you don't see many." "So, as this one's unknown, it's even rarer than rare." " Perfect." " And you?" "I've already given you my cigarette holder." " What about you?" " I'll show you." "Your love letter?" "It's something I wouldn't sell for millions." "Well, it's his." "Because, as he's not handsome, maybe he's never had one." "He's coming!" "He hasn't noticed." "He will when he goes to put his shoes on." " I hope he doesn't shout at us." " That'd take the biscuit!" "What if it was the Deputy Head who left the presents?" "Come off it!" "He's too stingy." "Here he comes." "Whom do I have to thank?" "Father Christmas." "He doesn't come here often, but when he does he has gifts for everyone." "What is it?" "Mr Pontier is here." "And the Headmaster wants to see you." "Right." "That's another story." "Did you have a good evening?" "Off you go." "Mr Blanchard, I understand you took dormitory duty last night." "I thank you." "It was nothing." "No, it was not." "You did not have to do it." "But what you should not have done either was play Father Christmas." "It's no crime!" "Please wait your turn to speak." "Mr Blanchard, I must stress with all my authority the importance, nay, the enormity of your gesture." "It was ill considered." "That's true." "Mr Headmaster..." "You gave gifts to a king's son?" "That child's father could buy his son two or three luxury liners." "And you buy him paper flowers and a little bag of rice?" "Do you understand how inappropriate that was?" " I do, sir." " Good." "Maybe you two understand, but I don't understand at all!" "His father could buy liners, but he doesn't even buy a stamp to send him a letter with their writing that looks like fly droppings." "That wouldn't be hard." "I'm astonished." "You know how carefully we've been asked to treat his son." "The Prefect keeps the king informed." "If His Majesty heard about this, he could be annoyed." "He's a friend of France." "He won't be annoyed." "I won't say another word." "You gave them all gifts?" "All of them." "Are you a millionaire?" "No, not a millionaire, not even a thousandaire." "So you bought those presents from your own salary?" " Yes." " But why?" "Are the boys nice to you?" " Oh, no." " Then why?" "Maybe he loves them." "If not them, whom would I love?" "Those in particular:" "sons of bankers and kings." "Who, like me, have no one." "The boys think he's horrible?" "Yes, they do." "Why?" "They're nasty to me." "They say I'm a brute but I've never hit a pupil." "They say I give out detentions willy-nilly, but in 24 years as a teacher I have never given a single punishment." "Oh, I've said," ""You'll be in hot water, my lad!"" "or, "I won't tolerate cheek!"" "or, "I'll give you what for!"" "But I've never reported a pupil, or deprived one of a single minute of his freedom." "If I had done," "I wouldn't sleep at night." " So why are they afraid of you?" " Because I'm afraid of them." "So I use my loud voice, perhaps too loud, because I fear being overwhelmed." "That's why, when one speaks out of line," "I come across like a wild beast, because if I let it go I'd never be able to stop it." "I'd just have to get up and leave." "They think I'm fierce but if they knew me they'd pee in my pockets!" "Perhaps so." "Children don't understand goodness." "Yesterday, on my chair, they put a pin held point upwards by a folded piece of paper." "They call it an arse-pin." " And it got me." " Really?" "Really." "Yes." "Really." "But it's not the pin that hurts." "There's something they don't consider." "That pin, too often, pierces the heart." "But they're children, they don't know." "Mr Headmaster, couldn't you telephone the academic inspectors?" " To stop the letter you sent?" " No." "That would be pointless." " For the promotion?" " Exactly." "The Headmaster made a decision which saddens me." "I don't care about the promotion." "Because this morning, in my shoes," "I got something else." "Three marbles, including an agate," "a watch missing a hand, barely sucked toffees, a St Christopher" "and a promise of a post as prime minister to our pupil the king-to-be!" "Father Christmas again." "No, much better than that." "Father Christmas is old and almost as ugly as me." "They who filled my shoes were Christmas children." "And..." "Look at this stamp." "Isn't it beautiful?" "Do you collect them?" "Not at all." "I have no idea of what it would cost." "But I know its worth." "It's from Villepontoux." "And he told the others that it's rare." "Well, I should think it is!" "An old torn stamp, given like a treasure by a child..." "Better than any promotion!" "Well, you'll get your promotion next year." "No." "He'll never get that promotion now." "Why?" "Because he's already got it!" "I sent his nomination earlier." "I even recommended a decoration." "Mr Headmaster!" "You could have told me!" " Mr Headmaster..." " Mr Merlusse." "They won't call me that any more." " They'll call me Mr Blanchard." " Yes." "Then it's what we'll call you from now on..." "Merlusse!" "Subtitles by Howard Bonsor" "Subtitling:" "CMC" " Paris"