"THE BUTCHER" "To the inhabitants of Tremolat, Périgord" "What about the Périgueux sauce?" "Get on with it!" "Out of the way!" "We have work to do" "I hope it's your best beef, Popaul!" "I killed it myself." "If it's not good I'll cut my tongue out!" "We'll eat it with sauce!" "I'll carve" "How about that?" "Why are you laughing?" "It looks so good, that's all" "Not like in the army" "When they did have a bit of good meat they cooked it like leather" "As father of the bride, I'm expected to make a speech" "It won't be long, because I don't want to talk rubbish and have my son-in-law correct my mistakes" "When your daughter marries a teacher you have to watch your grammar" "Still, I know enough to say how this marriage pleases me because I'm very fond of young Léon" "He taught our youngest to read and write he's a local lad and I'm sure he'll make my girl happy" "You can be sure of that!" "Funny things, weddings" "Don't you think that weddings are funny?" "Well, yes, everyone has a good time" " Things turn sour afterwards" " Not always" "Some of my army pals were married" "They weren't at home" "Don't be evasive" "They couldn't be sure" "Miss Héléne, may I drink champagne?" "Ask your mother" "She says I can if you say so" " All right; do you like it?" " I've never tasted it" "Not bad" " You accept responsibility" " Yes, I like that" "He likes you; all the kids do, you know" "Well, I like them, too" "By popular request, I shall sing you a song" "The Little Isle of Capri" "Why won't you dance the waltz?" " You dance too well for me" " You're not so bad" "I haven't danced much in fifteen years" "The people are nice here, much nicer than elsewhere" "Why did you join the army, then?" "I'd have been all right here but there was one rat among these nice people:" "My father" " How long have you lived here?" " Ten years;" "I knew your father well" "Wasn't he a real swine?" "He was a butcher" "He wasn't even a good one; he killed badly and chopped meat anyhow" "Weddings... my mother may have been happy on her wedding day but what she went through after, poor thing" " Why did you never come back?" " To see the old man?" "No, thank you" "I came back for my mother's funeral seven years ago" "I was on holiday in Paris then" "You holiday there, Parisians holiday here; that's logic" "That's logic!" "I'd liked to have seen you there" "I wouldn't have minded;" "I'd have been a nurse" "We had good times, but..." "The rice was good, wasn't it?" "The rice was all right, but the rice fields were treacherous" " You smoke in the street?" " Are you shocked?" "No, but it's unusual to see a woman smoke in the street" "It's more hygienic than smoking indoors" "Yes, that's logical" "You're fond of logic, aren't you?" "Well, I was fifteen years in the army" "The army makes you appreciate two things you haven't got:" "Logic and liberty" "Do you live above the school?" " How long have you been headmistress?" " Three years" "You're young for a headmistress" "It's because I tread carefully" "Are you fond of meat?" "I ask because if I get a good animal some time I could bring you some escalopes or choice joints" "You know, some animals are better than others" "What a dream... a butcher to choose your meat for you" "How wonderful" "While I think of it... do you have to learn to be a butcher?" "Yes, you do really..." "and that's what's funny" "I was a butcher with my father and in the army, too" "I've always been a butcher, in Algeria, in Indo-China... a butcher" "Soldiers have to eat" "Yes, that's logical" "Well, here you are;" "I'll go home now" "Thank you for seeing me home, Popaul" " You look fed up, Léon" " I'd rather have stayed at home" "Not tired of married life yet?" "I hope you'll be very happy" "You'll see how nice it is to go home to your wife after work" "I'm going home to lunch" "You've had five minutes extra break in honour of Monsieur Hamel's wedding" "Are you deaf, you two?" "Riri's father told him that the postman said a dead woman has been found in Saint-Alver woods" "He breathed an air of grandeur..." "comma a majestic resolution... comma a certain profundity by which even the most vulgar mind must be impressed" "Honoré de Balzac..." "I'll write the name for you" "Do you know who Balzac was?" "A writer" "He was a nineteenth century novelist who portrayed the society of his time" "But I'll tell you about that later" "Hearing the door of her room open suddenly, Héléne..." "Don't laugh just because it's my name" "Héléne rose from the divan, but she saw the marquis and gave a cry of surprise" "He was changed almost beyond recognition" "His pale face had been bronzed by the tropical sun giving him a poetic appearance" "He breathed an air of grandeur, a certain profundity by which even the most vulgar mind must be impressed" "I don't want to disturb you" "I know I shouldn't call in school hours" "I've brought you a leg of lamb" "It's a special one, look" "Perhaps you'll help me collect the books" "I used to sit there" "Were you a good pupil?" "I was fine at French and history, but no good at problems about trains" "Our teacher wasn't nearly as nice as you, the old hag" "Her name was Vachin;" "cow by name and cow by nature" " You mustn't insult my colleague" " Colleague or not, cow she was" "They'd have heard about Vachin sooner or later" "She'd never have let the butcher deliver during school hours" "Have you got a fridge?" "Wait, I'll walk as far as the baker's with you" "Come and eat the lamb with me tonight, if you don't fear being compromised" " What's wrong?" " Nothing." "You took me by surprise" "It would lose half its savour if I ate it alone" "Well, will you?" "What time shall I come?" "About seven, after I've marked the books" "I'm not very busy these days" "I do the buying and slaughtering;" "my assistant runs the shop" "It's different in the autumn, in the game season" "That was a policeman from Périgueux" "About the crime at Saint-Alver" "The Gaillotin girl was found stabbed to death" "Two weeks ago Jean danced with her" "But I've not seen her since" "I expect some tramp did it" "I'm sorry, I was miles away" "The police will be here for ages" "I expect you're right" "It'll give us something to talk about, but still..." "Will you put it on my account?" " Am I too early?" " No, come up, the door's open" "Punctuality is the politeness of butchers" "As Louis XIV said" " I've nearly finished" " So I am too early" "No." "Would you like a drink?" "I can do without a drink;" "I've drunk enough in my time" "Why not sit there?" "I'll be five minutes" " It must be fun to teach kids" " Yes, it's a worthwhile job" "You smoke "Gauloises"?" "What do you think of this?" "It was so hot the air was like an overcoat" "Well... is it good?" "We could eat early, then go to the Sarlat cinema" "Yes, but I don't like war films, they're disgusting" "I made war for fifteen years; you must be stupid to enjoy war films" " Why did you stay in the army?" " Because I am stupid" "I've seen a few things..." "it wasn't pretty" "It's a comedy film tonight." "Shall we start cooking?" "Downstairs to the kitchen?" "I'm proud of my little kitchen" "Did you see the police today?" "It seems a girl was stabbed at Saint-Alver" "They haven't found any clues" " How long to cook it?" " Half an hour will do" "No garlic?" "Never with lamb!" " Shall I make my salad?" " Yes, but you're my guest" "Are the eggs hard-boiled?" "What sign were you born under?" "Libra, the Scales; that's why I swagger." "I was born on 6th October" "I'm Scorpio" " That's a bad sign" " All signs are good" "Do you need anything else?" "Just a small knife" "My van's not very elegant to drive to Sarlat" "There's my little car" "What's so funny?" "You and your little car" "Haven't you seen me drive it?" "A small escalope, please" "Congratulations on the examination results" "My young brother would have failed, but for you" "They're back" "It seems they're on the trail of some tramp" "Maybe they've found a new clue" "It's dreadful; think of that poor girl" "I've seen corpses, head in the muck, cut in two, mouths gaping" "Piled three or four high, kids with their eyes out" "I've seen an old woman like her cut to pieces" "I've seen my pals rotting in the sun, eaten by vermin" "Yes, war is horrible, but it's a job to be done whereas a murder like this is savagery" "We counted bodies by the lorry-Ioad" "Three francs." "On your account?" "There they go again" "Monsieur La Hire, the school fête's on 22nd October" "Can I come and ransack your costume collection?" "You may have what you like" "You said I could join in." "I love dressing up and playing the fool" " And for you, Madame Tirant?" " I've come for my minced beef" "What about a nice steak?" "It would restore your teeth" "Will you come mushrooming with Charles and Lisette this afternoon?" " What time?" " About four" "I may still be working then" "Join us if you can, in the wood behind the grottoes" "How's this for a haul?" "I can sniff out mushrooms" "Come and see the mushrooms Popaul's found" "Do you think you've done enough for one day?" "I like to watch you with the children" "Can we go and play over there?" "You know, Miss Héléne, there's one thing I've noticed" "School teachers are usually known by their surname" "I never knew Vachin's first name but with you it's the opposite, always Miss Héléne" "Everyone calls you that." "What is your surname?" "Do you mind me asking?" "Not at all, why shouldn't you know my surname?" "May I ask you another question?" "But it's even more personal" "Ask, anyway" "You needn't answer" "I think I know the question;" "I promise I'll answer" "Well, I'll take the plunge, then" "Why is it you haven't a lover?" "Because I don't want one" "Yes, I understand but the question is:" "Why not?" "Because I had a very unhappy affair ten years ago" "I was deeply in love with a boy who was everything I wanted" "Then, after some months, he just left me" "Well, that that made me physically ill and it took me a long time to get better" "That's why I came here;" "now I'm very happy" "I don't say you're not happy, but still it's not normal" "It's quite normal" "It's not difficult to do without things" "But that's awful" "I'm not in the least troubled, you know" "I love the children as if they were my own" "You don't convince me" "And anyway..." "I know what I'm doing" "It's fine that people meet, fall in love make love and so on but I don't want to take any more chances" "I know that it's not always so marvellous but never to make love can drive you crazy" "Making love can send you mad, too" "So it's irrelevant" "Damn it all, if I kissed you, what would you say?" "I wouldn't say anything" "But I ask you not to" "Are you giving me a present?" "What for?" "What's the date?" "It's my birthday" " How handsome you are!" " It doesn't take much" "You must understand the instincts, the feelings even the intellect of Cro-Magnon man... were really human" "Only his problems of subsistence differed from ours" "What does subsistence mean?" "Keeping alive" "He began to draw" "Do you know what desires are called when they rise above the savage state?" "Aspirations" "If Cro-Magnon man hadn't survived in his world, you wouldn't exist" "What if Cro-Magnon man came back?" "I don't know." "He might adapt himself to our conditions" "He might die" "I don't want him to die;" "I'm sure he was very nice" "Has everyone brought lunch?" "I've got some chocolate rolls if anyone is still hungry" "I'd like a chocolate roll" "Rain?" "Of course not, the sky is clear" "It's blood!" "Don't move;" "I won't be long" "I'm a police officer" "I'm afraid I must ask you a few questions" "I've come down on the night train, haven't slept a wink" "This your classroom?" "Young for a headmistress, aren't you?" "They say you're a wonderful teacher" "Périgueux's a bit out of its depth with these murders" "They've called us in to cover themselves" "Sadistic crimes are always a problem" "So you found the body" "I read your statement;" "no point in going over it" "The kids must have been shocked, especially the little girl" "I'd like to ask you..." "Interesting point from the autopsy:" "She wasn't raped" "Not raped... that's extremely unusual" "Usually... well, she can't have been dead long when you found her" "Any unusual noises before the blood and all that?" "You didn't have the feeling that someone else was there?" "You were going to say something" "I'd been giving my attention to the children on the path down" " The kids heard nothing?" " Not as far as I know" "We'll check that later." "You say you approached the body..." "Tell the infants to come in, too." "Monsieur Hamel may be away today" "Did any of you who were on the outing yesterday hear or see anything unusual?" "Now don't invent anything, tell me the truth" "They're not liars" " Can we talk somewhere else now?" " In the yard" "Charles, I leave you in charge;" "I won't be long" "Keep quiet, like Miss Héléne said!" "I congratulate you on your composure;" "it must have been terrifying" "I don't want to keep you, but think carefully" "Have you any idea, however vague, that might put us on the track?" "There's no doubt that in this area, not necessarily locally there's a madman at large, do you understand?" "Yes, but I can't help you" "Between ourselves... her husband..." "Léon Hamel could he have done it?" "That's unthinkable" "If you knew what we see, if you knew human nature..." "You go to your pupils and I'll stew in my own juice" "Can I use your phone?" "Our line's through the post office and that's not open yet" " Every modern convenience" " It's the school phone, not mine" "You're living in the Middle Ages" "Not too squashed-up, children?" "I'll give you something to draw" "Can I come up?" "I've a surprise for you" "I've brought it from Périgueux" "Come up" "Cherries in brandy, I hope you like them" "Big ones, too; none of the rubbish they sell in cafés" "Are you all right?" "I'm a little tired." "Shall we taste them now?" "Sit down, I'll find some dishes" "This business is getting you down" "They're the best I've ever had" "They're good, aren't they?" "This is the first time I've seen you out of sorts" "Don't worry, Popaul, you're too kind" "I'm not completely insensitive, I know you've had a shock" "And poor Hamel must be in a state" "He couldn't work today" "So you took his class, too" "You must take a holiday." "If you fall ill..." "No, I'm very strong" "If you had seen her" "I thought of the corpses you talked about" "They couldn't have been worse" "Don't think of her like that" "Picture her on her wedding day, when we became friends" "She was a little tipsy, flushed..." "You're tired, and now you're crying" "Dry your eyes" "I saw some lambs at Périgueux;" "lovely joints they'd make" "I'm sorry, I can't help it" "You know what?" "I'll redecorate this room for you" "Don't cry any more" "It's over now" " Got a light?" " That's better" "That's my lighter" "Of course." "It works beautifully" "Are you starting again?" "You're crying differently now" "What shall I do?" "Go away?" "Please stay!" "I want you to stay" "I loved her so" "Do you know Paul Thomas?" "I had to trouble him, like everyone else." "May I walk with you?" "This is a dreadful business" "No clue, no lead of any sort" "The same sadist did both murders;" "the same wounds, no rape" "If I don't stop him, he'll do it again" "Interrogations get us nowhere;" "we can't lock people in their homes" "We can't even be sure it's someone local" "And the weapon..." "probably a flick-knife" "Everyone has them in the country" "I'm going to Miss Héléne's" " Is it nearly finished?" " Just the ceiling to do" "Do question 5 on page 72" ""A train leaves Orléans..."" "You'll never learn if I set you easy problems" " My place is a shambles" " It'll be nice when it's finished" "See you tomorrow" " Tomorrow's Sunday" " See you on Monday, then" "Poor chap" "I'm going shopping in Bergerac" "Get to work, Charles;" "no slacking, both of you" "She's always setting me problems about trains" "Could you help me?" "I've spilt paint on the carpet" "You need spirit" "Where is it?" "You know everything" "Since last year she's been giving me train problems" "Where are clean rags?" "In the little table drawer" "Shall I read you my problem?" "Don't count on me" ""Another train leaves Toulouse at 14.43..."" "Any idea of the distance between Orléans and Toulouse?" "I never could understand those problems" "I must be going." "I've done the first coat, now it must dry" "Shall I put the ladder away?" "Do you know another girl's been murdered?" "At Bergerac this time" "Didn't you hear?" "I said another girl's been found murdered" "I'm not surprised." "Do you think it's going to stop all of a sudden?" "That's true, you're right, Popaul" "Another murder?" "Never mind that, have you done the problem?" "I couldn't" " Don't you understand the principle?" " Not at all" "You add together the distances travelled by each train..." "It's double-dutch to me" "One train travelled 367 kilometres..." "Charles, did you look for something in this drawer?" "No, Popaul looked for a cloth to clean the carpet" " It's late, you're tired" " Tomorrow's Sunday" "Anyway, you've got the hang of the problem now" "Let me in, I want to talk to you" "Just for two minutes... please" "Just a couple of words" "I've got a headache." "Come tomorrow" "It's important now" "Really, I'm not very well." "Wait till the morning" "I switched off the light." "I got in through the woodshed" "Keep still and listen" "I saw you found the lighter" "So you knew it was me" "When I discovered I'd lost it, I bought another in Périgueux" "I knew you'd notice if I didn't have it" "But that was a waste of time since you'd already found it" "This is what I killed them with, this knife" "I can't help myself, it's like a nightmare" "I can't breathe until I've done it, until I've stuck my knife" "Trust me" "Don't speak" "I know it's finished between us, my shame is terrible" "I couldn't bear to face you;" "I know I horrify you" "And I can't bear that" "Miss Héléne, help me" "See, I've killed myself." "Help me" "Stay where you are, don't move" "Let go" "Press hard." "I'm going to take you to hospital" "Don't tell them why;" "don't tell them who I am" "Hurry" "I'm losing all my blood" "Don't talk" "I must talk to you now" "I spent my nights thinking of you" "I spent nights outside the school, looking at your window" "You were the only one" "When I saw your eyes I forgot everything" "I forgot who I was" "I lived only for you" "Please don't talk" "You can't stop me" "I want to take you in my arms" "I would have liked to have been with you always, to love you to protect you, to know you needed me" "If I could have taken you to a desert island..." "How far it is" "I have so much blood" "It keeps flowing" "I know about blood, I've seen so much so much blood flowing" "When you were there, there was no blood" "I didn't think about blood" "I don't know if I can hold out" "My blood keeps flowing" "Once, when I was little, I fainted at the sight of blood" "Have you noticed the smell of blood?" "All blood has the same smell the blood of animals and the blood of men" "Some blood is redder than others but all blood smells the same" "How far it is" "Keep quiet, we're there" "Kiss me" "He's dead" "When the lift stopped he cried "Miss Héléne", then he died" "You're tired; go home." "We'll see about the details tomorrow"