"THE WIDOW OF SAINT PIERRE" "That year, the Newfoundland Banks saw the worst fog in a decade." "For three months, visibility was nil." "Despite the fog bells, a schooner occasionally lost a dory and the men's fate then lay with God or the Devil." "Get to work, damn you!" "Get to your positions!" " What ship?" " The Fernande!" "We've been lost for four days." "I'm Louis Ollivier." "He's Neel Auguste." "Come on up!" "Louis..." "This story is based on events set down in the St Pierre court records." "1849" " St Pierre and Miquelon Second French Republic" "He's fat, I tell you." "Old Coupard is fat!" "He's big!" "We'll soon see!" "Fat, I tell you..." "He's fat!" "Not fat." "Not thin but not fat!" "Fat!" "You see, he's big." "No, he's fat." "Who's there?" "Who is it?" "Fat!" "Big!" "Ready to hoist?" "Ready!" "Hoist away!" "Hoist blocked!" "Nice and easy." "Bring him in." "You've waited so long." "He's a fine animal." "Yes, very fine." "He likes your touch." "You'll have less time for me now." "Are you jealous?" "Of course I'm jealous." "Good, it suits you." "Captain!" "We've got the men who cut up Coupard." "Madame La..." "Where are they?" "Just over there." "How did they do such a hideous deed?" " Will they go in the yard cells?" " Yes." "Why did they do it?" "Neel Auguste, do you hear me?" "I hear you." "Say "Your Honour" and stand to answer." "Your Honour." "Whose idea was it to go to Dog Island?" "Yours?" "Perhaps..." "Mine more like, I live there." "Stand, Louis Ollivier, and speak up." "You were last seen at the Café du Nord, at..." "Well?" "When?" "About ten o'clock exactly, Your Honour." "Did you enter his house?" "No, Your Honour, we didn't." "He came out." "He must have been uneasy." " He had his knife though." " In his hand?" "Stand up!" "Did Coupard have his knife in his hand?" "Are you asking Neel or me?" "You, Ollivier." "Did Coupard have his knife?" "Yes, he did." " What then?" " I got behind him." "Why was that?" "To hold him, Your Honour." "Louis Ollivier was behind him while you were in front?" "Were you afraid of his knife?" "No." "I hit him on the arm." "Show us how." "Like that." "I imagine he dropped the knife." "Did you pick it up?" "Of course." "Why did you pick it up?" "You can't leave a knife on the floor." "Ask if he let him go." "Did you let your old Captain go once he was disarmed?" "He let him go after." "After what?" "After... the knife blow." "At last..." "What knife blow?" "You know, sir..." "The one I gave old Coupard." "A single blow?" "I don't know." "I don't know." "I can't remember." "Stand up!" "You must remain standing!" "What's his name?" "I don't know, he won't tell me." " You must name him." " You do it." "Salt Cod!" " Seriously?" " Very much so." "Don't you like it?" "Oh, yes, I do..." ""Salt Cod" is perfect!" "You don't like my horse." "You're wrong." "If you like him, I do." "Everything you like, I like." "That's how it is, you can't stop me." "What do those killers risk?" "The worst." " The guillotine?" " Probably." "If you wish to get this over and done with, tell us frankly why you tried to cut up old Coupard." "Why did you want to cut him up?" "To see if he was fat!" "Just to see if he was fat!" "We wanted to see... if he was big or fat!" "Big or fat!" "Deliberation!" "They've sentenced them!" "Auguste's for the chop and Ollivier's being transported!" "The verdict's passed!" "Neel's having his head chopped off." "Ollivier's got hard labour!" "This a Republic and the Republic kills killers." "Will you be the Republic's executioner?" "Oh no, certainly not!" "Let's go." "Open the gates." "Move back, please." "Stand aside." "A pity it wasn't me." "Have you seen?" "What?" "He doesn't even look out." "He's better off in the dark." "I'm all for topping him!" "But how?" "We have no guillotine nor the man to do it!" "If we can't behead the devil, how will I look?" "But, Governor, can't we have them sent from Paris?" "Martinique has such facilities!" "They don't care about our cod islands." "If they want justice done, they must give us the means!" "Doctor Guillotin has dumped us in the shit!" "I'm sorry, but before we'd shoot, hang or quarter them..." "Now, we need a guillotine!" "And an executioner!" " Let's make the request." " It will take time!" "Request, reply: mail takes months!" "The rogue's head won't fall for a long while yet." "I'm in a meeting, children." "The lamps, father!" "It was a bit dark, thank you." "Can we go and see the ship from France?" "Yes, tell the sergeant to cover the carriage for rain." "We'll tell him!" "Well then?" "No petition for reprieve?" "So be it." "But you'll have to top him one way or another." "I refuse to be a local laughing-stock." "Port, gentlemen?" "He's looking at my plants." "How long will he stay there, waiting to die?" "I don't know." "Until they get an executioner and a guillotine." " Do you like my new perfume?" " Yes." "So he may wait for months, years..." "Centuries..." "If there's no guillotine, he should be let go." "You're right." "Tomorrow, I'll tell him that he can go." "I'm serious, Jean." "So am I." "Do I look as if I'm joking?" "She wants a word." "My wife wants to talk to you." "You don't have to..." "You understand?" "Go up." "She's waiting." "Hello, sir." "Come in." "Sit down." "Come on, sit down." "Chat together, I'll make tea." "She wants you to do the garden." "Help with the flowers, I mean." "You don't have to, but if you accept, you must do it well." "Do you know about flowers?" "No, nothing." "Forget it then." "You don't have to." "There won't be any tea." "I... it slipped." "I don't need to tell you that plants grow poorly here." "Only ship masts grow." "The climate isn't..." "Would you help me make a garden in the yard?" "Just a tiny greenhouse..." "Do you know what a greenhouse is?" "No." "But that doesn't matter." "I'll show you." "I don't understand..." "Do you agree to help me or not?" "You will?" "Well?" "Thank you." "Thank you, really." "You too, Jean, thank you." "Would you like to eat something?" "You can go then." "You'll get better food." "I don't want to take advantage of you." "Nor does my wife." "If it works, the greenhouse and all that... you'll have a lamp and your things." "We'll see." "Oh, look!" "Real wood fires like at home!" "With good French logs!" "Praise the Governor." "Oh, Madame Venot..." "Children, let me through." "Will the Captain of the detachment ever grace your receptions with his martial presence?" "Aren't you more concerned about the absence of his wife, sir?" "Your head isn't set to tumble, I'm afraid." "Madame La only loves desperate cases:" "first her husband, then the killer, Auguste." "Or vice versa!" "She's just helping others." "And voluntarily too." "I should hope so!" "Your killer's lodged and fed by the state." "Payment for his discharge would be too much!" "My killer!" "Sit down, father." "The Administrator's tongue is sharper than his wit." "This killer is ours, I'm afraid..." " May I..." " I warned you!" "He'll keep his head since we can't remove it." "I made my request three months ago." "It's winter now." "Behead him yourself, if you want." "Why "Madame La"?" "She can't be Madame La Capitaine." "Not on an island of sailors!" "Madame La!" "Oh, very good." "Very clever." "Madame La!" "Why did Madame La relinquish a prominent name for that of a soldier, in your opinion?" "She's in love, for heaven's sake!" "She lets her passions guide her." "Let's hope her "passions" don't take her too far." "I know you were blind drunk..." "the night when..." "Now you can show the people of Dog Island what you're like now that you no longer drink." "It will take time to make them understand." "Killing a man is no mean deed..." "especially like that." "Get on." "I'll pull you." "No, thank you." "Please!" "You're not a servant." "Your trust pleases me." "Why are you doing this?" "Pardon me?" "Madame La, why are you doing this?" "Well, because... we change, whatever we do." "Men can be bad one day and good the next: they change." "I'm sure of that." "Yes, I'm sure of it." "He's filling the hole in widow Malvilain's roof." "It needs it." "And so does she!" "In the meantime, he can take my sledge back." "Remember where my house is?" "If you're after widows, you'll find plenty here!" "Why do they call it Dog Island?" "Because of the seals, the "sea dogs"." "They're all gone now." "Are there a lot of widows?" "Are there..." "Neel, come on!" "She lives this way." "That way, we'd go past Coupard's house." "Open the door." "Stand aside!" "Keep him warm." "No ceremony today, my dear fellow." "This is the warmest room in the place." " Make yourself comfortable." " I am, thank you." "Would you like a glass of port?" "A wonderful wine that warms you up no end." "Tell me, how's your pretty wife?" "Isn't she bored in Saint-Pierre?" "How is Madame La?" "Tell me what you think of this." "Come on, be honest." "I'm not used to it." "Lord, people have no curiosity these days..." "By the way, have you heard about your wife?" "Probably." "Well?" "Do you find it normal?" "What?" "That she should go around with a killer?" "He can escape for all I care..." "But imagine France sends us the guillotine and executioner... and there's no one left to top!" "So, for pity's sake, upset your wife for once and lock up the killer!" "Leave my wife out of this." "You command the detachment along with the prison!" "Exactly." "I'll lead him to the scaffold." "Until then, he's my responsibility." "And until this damn guillotine arrives?" "My task is to keep prisoners healthy." "I'm doing that." "Must he always be in your wife's skirts?" "My wife's skirts are my concern." "Worry about your own..." "Your wife's, I mean, of course." "Your irreverent attitude is a pain in the ass!" "It's nothing new." "Paris did warn me!" "Of what, sir?" "You know." "Forget that now." "I just wanted to warn you of the rumours." "He may be a killer but he's still a man and for some people..." "Your wife has such modern ideas!" "She knows what she's doing." "Anyone who insults her must kill me to save his life." "Well then, that is of course very reassuring." "Let us get to why you sent for me, sir." "That was why." "Here's the prisoner." "He's going to mend your roof." "Very kind of you." "Come in out of the cold." "Come on, Neel." "No, thank you." "They're for you and Emilie." "Want a biscuit, Emilie?" "You're lucky to have a little girl like her." "Don't you have children?" "Now he doesn't drink, that young man is perfect." "I know." "He's not a bad sort." "You know him well?" "Finished?" "Lost your appetite?" "Something bothering you?" "Not hungry, that's all." "I mean, in this cold..." "Bloody winter." "This is no place for someone who doesn't like winter." "I never asked to come." "What about your wife?" "She stands the cold better than you, I hear..." "Just eat your soup, all right." "Gentlemen..." "He's an odd chap." "He's not a chap, he's a captain." "And he always was odd." "Even in Paris." "See: no more hammering!" "No more hammering..." "No more hammering." "No more anything." "No hammering, no Neel and no mother!" "Stop it, Neel." "Say good-bye quickly, I'll wait outside." "If you escaped, it would be terrible." "They'd execute my husband instead." "No danger of that!" "Why do you do everything that I ask?" "You there!" "What the hell are you doing out here on your own?" " Clearing snow." " I'll clear you!" "Drop that!" "Drop it, damn you!" "Your sabre!" "You'll drop it now!" "Out of the way!" "Get back to work." "Were you acting on orders?" "There could be an accident next time." "I don't wish to be responsible for that." "Join my wife at the Plantiers'." "That house there." "For lunch." "I'll go once I finish." "Do you think they can adapt?" "I don't know if I ever could." ""The branches of the trees..."" ""The branches..."" ""Branches"" ""of the trees..."" ""The song..."" ""The song of the nightingale..."" ""The beautiful" ""meadow..."" "Read this to yourself, in silence." "No, on your own." "Just with your eyes." "Don't speak." "Read it to yourself." "No, read it to yourself." ""...of winter..."" ""Rumbles..."" ""That..."" ""bursts..."" "Don't take any risks for me, Jean." "There's no one else." "I don't want you to." "I don't want it." "They can't do anything to harm me." "I have a force they don't have." "What force?" "This... and this... and this too." "He devours his lady with his eyes." "They don't waste their nights snoring." "I'd wager my husband's head on it." "We can't all have a convict around to arouse our men's flagging interest." "If you can't find a convict, try the Captain himself." "No thank you." "He'd probably spoil my spring by loving his wife!" "The first boat of spring had a message for us." "France has agreed to send us a guillotine." "One should never give up on the Republic." "And an executioner?" "Not a word on that topic!" "There's no mention of one." "They're just sending the scaffold and fresh orders to top the man!" "No one to drop the blade." "Where's the guillotine from?" "Martinique." "They're sending us their old one." "Don't they have an executioner?" "No ship's captain will have one on board." "We'll have to find him here then!" "You try to find him." "Let him come forth!" "I fear we won't find anyone." "Exactly!" "And a good job too!" "There's no executioner on Saint-Pierre!" "Madame, do not flaunt your skirts in the smoking-room!" "They already taunt a condemned man!" "I don't quite understand your meaning, sir." "Quite right." "I didn't understand either." "Isn't this our last refuge from the ladies, sir?" "From our wives?" "You said so." "Don't get me in trouble with the Captain." "You mentioned some skirts?" "Not at all..." "The lady's entrance surprised me..." "Here, in the smoking-room." "Nothing more." "Nothing more?" "Still, I would appreciate an apology." "Here and now." "So everyone can hear." "I'd be delighted." "Please accept my sincere apologies, for what you thought you heard and what I didn't mean to say." "Come on, Jean." "You've lost face." "One word will lose you the rest." "Jean, please..." "I'd be delighted if you had the courage to say it." "Too bad." "Some other time then?" "It's been a pleasure..." "one could say." "He cuckolds our men without even screwing us!" "I declare you an honorary member of the Café du Nord for the rest of your long life!" "Sir..." "Judge Venot is at the gate." "He wants a word, sir." "I heard you." "Our heroic convict has done another feat." "He saved the Café du Nord from disaster." "Imagine Saint-Pierre without the Café du Nord!" "Let's walk together, if you agree." "His popularity is a nuisance." "I'd like to discuss it with you." "You're in an awkward position." "In the end, you're the one in charge of his execution." "I too would be a lot happier if it never took place." "This Auguste is too popular!" "We convicted a murderous brute and we're going to top a benefactor!" "Every family here will soon want him at Sunday lunch!" "His head must fall though!" "Paris demands it!" "Your wife is too compassionate." "Seriously, how will we look on that fateful day?" "What will you do with the prisoner when the guillotine arrives?" "Well, Captain?" "He's awaiting his execution." "Set it up, find an executioner and I'll do my duty." "And until then?" "Beware, the Republic is sensitive!" "Thank you for the warning." "Here..." "A gift from your future beheaded man." "The Council should see to the streets, don't you think?" "Emilie, you can eat by yourself." "It's all right." "I like it." "Yours will get cold." "Were you surprised when I said to cut some flowers?" "Yes, but..." "But what?" "I guessed they were for Jeanne-Marie." ""Jeanne-Marie", fancy that!" "Well, "Jeanne-Marie"." "What a declaration." "You're blushing." "If possible Neel and me would like to marry." "It had best be before I get too big." "I'm sorry." "You don't have to apologize." "Public announcement!" ""The Governor's Council wishes" ""to uphold the law and republican justice" ""and so hereby asks every adult male" ""who has never been sentenced in court" ""and who is willing to fulfil the duties of public executioner..." ""with all the advantages of said task..." ""to present himself at Government House!"" "Tell us, what's a "public executioner"?" "Ask the Council." "Is it to chop Neel's head off?" "Perhaps." "I'm not supposed to know." "Anyone wants a boat back to Saint-Pierre?" "They won't find anyone to chop your head off!" "No one could do such a thing." "It's not hard to kill a man, you know." "I know." "Have you heard?" "They want to hire an executioner here on the island!" "They want a local to kill him!" "The bastards!" "Paris wants that!" "Don't worry, there's no executioners here." "Poor folk, but no executioners!" "So you say..." "How much do you want to lop his head off?" "In front of everyone!" "Christ, you won't find me doing that!" "You're no better than us!" "No one here will do the job!" "And we won't take the executioner's money." "The sailors won't take him back to France!" "They've put posters up." "So?" "Posters can be torn down!" "Before God, the source of your love and who will always be with you, you'll now exchange your vows." "Ariel Neel Auguste, do you take" "Leontine Jeanne-Marie Malvilain for your wife?" "It's all right..." "I'm here." "You are now bound by the ties of holy matrimony till death do you part." "Fancy lending the Church's support to this sham!" "Don't speak of a sacrament in such terms!" "The woman could not live in sin!" "This is absurd!" "Auguste will end up opening a shop here!" "Or charting new sea routes!" "Captain, were you..." "Were you allowed to sanction this marriage?" "Do you doubt it?" "How?" "By what right?" "We are on French soil." "Neel Auguste is under my responsibility." "Jeanne-Marie Malvilain is French." "She requested recognition of paternity." "Auguste provided that." "I allowed them to marry in expectation." "If you'll forgive me the pun." "You see!" "You wouldn't heed my advice." "Refusing to pardon Neel Auguste means an extra widow and orphan!" "All the Captain's deeds are designed to plague us!" "What is it, Loïc?" "Just to let you know, ma'am." "A big ship's in the back bay." "It's the Marie Galante." "From Martinique." "With the guillotine." "She's becalmed, with a broken rudder." " Where's the Captain?" " At the harbour." "Wait for me." "What are you doing?" "The Captain doesn't want him going out." "He told you to lock the door?" "What did he say exactly?" "He doesn't want Neel to go out..." "Is that an order?" "Not exactly..." "Don't overdo it then." "Open that door." "But he didn't want..." "I'll see to what my husband wants or not, sergeant." "Open that door and give us some peace!" "The Marie Galante has to be towed into harbour." "Perhaps your long boats could do it." "Do you refuse to help, knowing that the ship carries the guillotine?" "Indeed, I do." "Go and tell your masters that." "What about the sailors?" "The crew is anxious to get into port!" "Let them blow on their sails then!" "Let dump the guillotine overboard!" "Then we'll fetch them!" "Come along, come closer." "The child was born after they left Saint-Malo." "Things didn't work out in Martinique so they're here now." "Welcome our first immigrants in a long while." "The Council's waiting." "Come over here, come on..." "Sit down." "Welcome to Saint-Pierre, Mr Chevassus." "Have you ever been convicted of a crime?" "I don't think so..." "Have you ever been in prison?" "Your word is good enough for us." " No." "I swear." " Good." "Do you need a good job?" "A well-paid job and easy to do requiring dignity and discretion..." "And useful to the Republic!" "In short, will you be our executioner?" "The Governor has very little time to give you." "I suggest you consider the offer." "We shall not make it twice." "Our decision on your status depends on your reply." "Either you can settle among us, which our offer will allow you to, or you're merely requesting asylum and, unless you have enough money..." "Do you have money?" "Too bad." "The Customs Officer must decide." "Without money, impossible." "Do you know how to work with wood?" "Yes, a little." "Good." "In that case, we may as well inform Mr Chevassus of the material advantages of the position of executioner." "Such elements may help him decide." "Now then..." "Free housing, here within the citadel and 2,000 francs paid as follows:" "500 to repair and set up the scaffold," "1,000 for the execution and 500 to dismantle the guillotine." "Which makes 2,000 francs!" "It's all here in black and white." "You may request an advance on signature of this contract." "In other words now." "Answer, damn you, before I leave this room!" "Any indecision is amoral:" "this is a vocation!" "Will you chop heads off or not?" "Right..." "Don't change your mind, Chevassus!" "From now on, you're the executioner... or the victim." "One or the other." "Congratulations, Mr Chevassus." "Your husband has found work." "Your worries are over." "You're lucky!" "Hiring call for sailors!" "To tow in the Marie Galante, the Chief Administrator will pay 4 francs for 4 hours rowing in daylight and 6 francs for 4 hours rowing after sunset!" "Not much to haul in a guillotine!" "Do it yourself, sir!" "With the crier and two gendarmes, you'll fill a dory!" "The Chief Administrator will pay an extra half-shift for a trip out and back!" "6 francs per shift in daylight, 9 francs after sunset!" "What are you doing?" "Are you mad?" "It's for Jeanne-Marie and the baby." "Neel Auguste." "How many shifts?" "All of them." "Go home, Pauline." "Leave him now." "Without sleeping?" "Sign him up." "Come home now!" "You can't help." "Come on home!" "No!" "Stay in line!" "Keep the rhythm!" "Starboard boat, get in line!" "Give it some go!" "Maybe God doesn't want the guillotine to reach the island." "God's not the only one who decides." "Forgive me." "The guillotine is here, we have an executioner and they're going to behead that poor young man." "I for one say that we'll miss him." "My husband was all for a reprieve." " No, my dear..." " You said you were!" "I was against an execution that we could not carry out." "It's different!" "Like you, I think we'll miss him." "We'll go back to our boring old routine." "The island will be so dull!" "Please, Eugénie!" "If you're bored, take up crocheting, say!" "Crocheting?" "Good Lord, you've certainly never tried it!" "My dear fellow, I'm afraid that our wives reflect the feelings at large." "Executioner, do your duty!" "You don't cut off grown-ups!" "See, you say so yourself." "Excuse me." "Are you angry with me?" "Yes." "No..." "What's going to happen?" "I don't know." "Second to starboard, back in line!" " Can you see him?" " No." "Why is he doing this?" "To get to hell sooner." "He's rowed so long without food or drink." "He could row over to the English in Newfoundland." "He could even go so far that we'd never find him." "28!" "29!" "30!" "The ship brought you papers from Paris." "43!" "44!" "Look what he's like now!" "They aren't punishing the man they sentenced." "I know." "It's always like that." "Things are bad in Paris..." "Uprisings..." "Riots..." "Repression..." "Executions even." "That's terrible!" "My superiors have been replaced." "Sir, they need you at the harbour!" "I'm on my way!" "No guillotine on St Pierre!" "Stand aside!" "Go home!" " We won't have Neel killed!" " Don't force me to intervene!" "Order arms!" "You idiot!" "No aggression, whatever happens." "Go on home now!" "Clear the square!" "A guillotine without an executioner is nothing but bits of wood." "You were hungry!" "Tomorrow, we'll take the money to your wife." "A strong man like you could row over to Canada!" "That horrible ship doesn't need any help now." "It can go to hell." "We're taking the money to Jeanne-Marie." "With these things." "That's good." "What's that look?" "The look of a man in love, who can read his wife's mind." "So what do you see?" "Be careful, Pauline." "Thank you, Jean." "I hope they'll have storms!" "You must never wish sailors that." "Give me a rest with your kindness!" "You must review the case of Neel Auguste." "His execution may cause an uprising." "What allows you to burst in here, threatening us with riots?" "Do your superiors allow such liberties?" "Mr Hugo, whose opinion I'm sure you appreciate, once said: "Uprisings strengthen regimes that they don't overthrow."" "Your men would soon bring things under control, wouldn't they, Captain?" "I refuse to take arms against the inhabitants." "So..." "There's the rub!" "Frankly, aren't there sentimental reasons why you and your wife view this execution in too personal a manner?" "Does my wife bother you, sir?" "From now on, abstain." "I came here to inform you that I refuse to support Neel Auguste's execution with the military detachment." "That's that." "My decision is final." "All the same..." "No!" "The prisoner's work for the public good has kept him at the law's disposal." "But the law's the law." "It alone decides what is legal." "You have just placed yourself outside the law." "Your "humanism" will be viewed as tantamount to mutiny in Paris." "Or worse!" "I fear for you." "I discharge you of any sympathy concerning my fate and even allow you to delight in it." "You're aware of the state of mind that reigns in Paris!" " I am." " Don't be so fatalistic!" "Reconsider your decision!" "You'll cause your own ruin!" "Thank you, with all my heart." "He's had it." "Do you trust me, Neel?" "Will you obey me without question?" "Then flee to the English." "I'll send your wife to you." "You can row over to Newfoundland." "You have enough food for two weeks." "Go!" "Save your life!" "I can't do that, Madame La." ""You're so kind, Madame La!" "God bless you, Madame La!"" "I'm sick of being good!" "Sick of it!" "Go on, leave!" "Save your life!" "Were you looking for me?" " Didn't Madame La say anything?" " No." "I escaped." "Why did you come back?" "So as no one would get in trouble." "Too bad." " Madame La came back alone." " So?" " The prisoner isn't here." " He's on his way." "Forgive me, Jean." "Neel obeyed me, he escaped." "Forgive me." "Do you understand?" "All he did was obey you?" "Come and see." "Why?" "I won't lead that man to the guillotine." "Well, is it true?" "Did you accept?" "I'm not allowed to say." "An executioner doesn't talk to anyone." "People won't even take his money." "How will you manage when people find out?" "They bring us everything we need." "We don't have to go out." "The money's good." "Come outside, I have to show you something." "Sir, this is the head that you'll be cutting off." "Do you hear me?" "You'll cut this neck!" "These veins!" "This throat!" "Don't worry, Madame La." "It hasn't been done yet." "You're just like my husband, a fatalist!" "Give it to me!" "Please!" "Father, it's the Captain!" "Shut up!" "Don't look at him." "Carry on with the picnic." "Forget the horse." "Father, eat!" "Don't look at him!" "He cuts a fine figure." "A good horseman." "I've requested his recall for political reasons!" "Political?" "Father, damn and blast it!" "That Cossack scorns your own son as far away as Paris!" "Precisely!" "Balderdash!" "Balderdash?" "Madame La and her husband are as thick as bloody thieves..." "Damn you, Madame!" "Thick as bloody thieves with this Auguste," "I hardly dare step outside for fear of ridicule!" "Do you know what I accused him of in my letter?" "Sedition." "Good Lord, you want him shot..." "Is that it?" "This is perfect." "Ah, you're here?" "We're preparing for winter." "A warship is entering the bay." "Was it planned?" "I'll get into uniform." "Present arms!" "Your superiors require your presence." "Captain Dumontier will be relieving you." "Your orders..." "We'll have the pleasure of travelling together." " When, sir?" " Tomorrow or the day after." "Your wife can accompany us or join you later." "You decide." "I usually let her choose." "Come with me." "I wish to set things straight, man to man." "We shall join the fleet and set sail for our West Indies." "You won't see France for many months." "You and your wife will be free on board ship and in our ports of call." "As my guests, say." "We'll be free?" "Meaning?" "Promise to remain under my command until I hand you over to the disciplinary committee." "A court martial awaits you." "The civilian scum here wants your hide as an example." "In France, two officers await the firing squad." "When power feels threatened, it can be ferocious!" "The Governor and the Administrator have given me a new report." "It's quite damning for you." "Thank you for being so frank, sir." "I'm sorry, Captain." "Truly I am." "Who on earth is this Neel Auguste?" "My wife's protégé." "Please don't speak to her of this." "It's very important for me." "You can count on me." "Your word will suffice." "You have it, sir." "I have to return to Paris." "But what..." "What about Neel?" "We leave in two days." "Will your punishment be severe?" "I won't be promoted in any case." "No, tell me, Jean." "We'll soon see." "It's my fault." "It's not your fault I love you." "I love you for what you are." "I wouldn't change anything." "It's all perfect." "I'm scared." "My love..." "Let me see your face." "Observe your father, you'll learn a great deal." "He'll be yours tonight or tomorrow when he comes back." "Present arms!" "I almost forgot." "His name is "Salt Cod"." "We're getting our honeymoon at last." ""The sail of the ship..."" ""The flowers on the riverbank..."" ""The song of the nightingale..."" ""The beautiful meadow..."" "Neel Auguste never learnt to read properly." "Go on!" "He went to the scaffold with dignity." "He himself probably considered that his sentence was justified." "The guillotine was rusty." "They needed an axe to finish him off." "On my order, attention!" "Present arms." "Arm rifles!" "Take aim!" "They can't do anything to harm us." "I love you." "Fire!" "My husband was charged with sedition and shot." "I'll remain Madame La, his widow, his wife, until my dying day." "As for the public executioner, he vanished mysteriously from the island shortly afterwards." "English subtitles:" "Ian Burley"