"It's freezing." "Shall I close the window?" "Your father was always in a draught too." "What's your heating bill?" " 25,000." " I wonder why!" "They cure pneumonia these days." "If your father was still alive..." "How did Aunt Lucie die?" "I never remember." "Coronary thrombosis." "And she left everything to you, even though I was a relation too." " She knew I wasn't rich." " And your allowance?" " Hardly a fortune." " This flat's worth 30m francs." "Not that again." "Daddy died here, I shan't sell." " The furniture's ghastly." " It reminds me of him." " It reminds me of his mistresses." " You were divorced." "That's no excuse." "That'll be Pierre." "Could you let him in?" " It's the laundry!" " In the hall." " Have you got 100 francs?" " In the ashtray on the piano." "I thought you were the laundry man." "My compliments, madame." " I paid." " Geneviève is ready." "Just my hat and I'm all yours." "We're late." " Plenty of time." " And the traffic?" " Not in the morning." " Are you sure?" "Is she always scared of being late?" "Common sense is a virtue in a single woman." "My hat-pin pricked me!" "And if you want my opinion, women should not live alone." "I'm not exactly a spinster." "If it makes you happy, we've decided to get married in the spring." " You announce it just like that?" " How else?" "I'm always the last to know such things." "She wanted to know before we did." "Come on, we'll miss the train." " It isn't a joke?" " It's under serious consideration." "I forgot to turn off the gas." "You do it and give Mme Pia the keys." "Bye, Mme Pia!" "Back in two days!" " Bye!" "She's going away?" " To take up her inheritance." " Is it very much?" " Possibly." "I hope she won't move away." "Nice young ladies are rare nowadays." "Not much business on the railways." " It's not leaving for 25 minutes." " I'll have plenty of room." " Wish I was coming too." " You have to work, darling." "48 hours isn't very long, but I've a new boss since Monday." "Two days is nothing." "Are you in a hurry?" "Yes." " I still wish I was coming." " Me too." "Bye, darling." "Have a good journey." "HOTEL ENTRANCE" " Do you have a room?" " For how long?" "One or two days." "Single or double?" "I'm on my own, aren't I?" "I'll give you number ten." "Yes." "Hold on." "First floor, on the right." "Sorry." "Monsieur!" " There's been an accident!" " Accident?" " One of your customers." " Which one?" " Number six." " Really?" " How do you know?" " I mixed up the room numbers." " Your key opened number six?" " Take a look." "It's not my business." " Number six?" " Yes, six." "Two times three." "Wake up!" "I don't think he will." "If that's what he's done..." "That's all I need." "I'll have to call the police." " It doesn't turn very easily." " Just as well it did, or he'd be dead." "And he will be soon." "Renaud Sarti, student." "He doesn't look young enough." " You saw his id?" " He copied it out in front of me." "He probably destroyed it." "The number's a fake." " Take a closer look next time." " Yes, inspector." "He'll pull through." "He'd only been here three hours before madame found him." "Do you know the man?" "Madame or mademoiselle?" "Mademoiselle." "Of course I don't know him." " Did you get here today?" " By the 2.50 p.m. train." " From Paris too?" " Yes." " You'd never seen this man before?" " No, I told you." "I'm here to settle the affairs of my aunt, Mme Lescure, with her lawyer, Mr Varangé." ""Six:" "A property situated in 80 hectares of fruit orchards in Longvic..."" "I'll keep the domestic appliance shops but not the real estate." "I'll sell the Treasury bonds too." "I'd rather have shares." "I was going to offer you advice, but you don't need it." "I don't want to do anything silly." "The real..." "All in good time." "First we must sign the deeds." "8 p. m. already." "After you've signed, may I invite you to dinner?" " We can talk further." " I'm not usually late." "Nothing ever happens here, so finding a suicide was unexpected." "Nothing happens to me either but here I am, a millionaire and St Bernard all at once." " So where do I sign?" " Here and here." " And to drink?" " Sorry." " A good Burgundy?" " With grouse..." "A Volnay?" " One second." " A Pommard." "Please..." "Grouse..." " Chambertin." " '45?" " Don't you have the '49?" " Of course, it's the best." "I know." "A little more robust." "Preferable, I think." "So what am I dealing with?" "How much could I get for the real estate?" " About ten million." " Not enough." "There's nothing I can do." "Pechiney, the bonds, the real estate..." "If I may ask, why choose to realise almost two-thirds of your capital?" "To work." "I want a business to keep me busy." " Aren't you getting married?" " Exactly." "I want something to do." " Something interesting." " So why get married, child?" "You haven't answered me." "I think ten is like six, and if ten didn't open six..." "I was thinking of my suicide, waking up in hospital with no money or papers, who'd thought it was all over." "I was told to ask you about Mr Sarti, the man who tried..." " Are you a relative?" " No, I found him." "I wanted..." " You?" "This way." " I don't want to see him, I just..." "He's expecting you." "He wants to meet the woman who gave him his life back." "He's given you all sorts of names." "Girl Guide, guardian angel, St Bernard, nanny, St Geneviève..." "It's funny." "Since he recovered, he hasn't stopped joking." "Here she is." "You were right, she came." "The angel." "So how are you after all this upset?" "I'm all right." "What about you?" "What can I say?" "I'm in very good health." "I'm glad you're pretty." "You could have been a travelling salesman." " I'd rather it was you." " I didn't mean to." "I opened the wrong door." "God gave me life but wouldn't take it back, even at a knock-down price." "He could have had it for nothing." "He loses nothing by waiting, since I will die one day." " Don't cry any more." " Is there anything you need?" "Absolutely nothing, thank you." "You've already done too much." "How long will they keep you?" "It seems they got me in time." "They're not keeping me in." "But if you leave, you don't have..." "Have you contacted your family?" "A friend?" " You can take care of him." " I can't, I just..." " Wait in the corridor." " But nurse..." " You're not tired?" " I'm absolutely fine." "I'm in a very good mood." " Got any cigarettes?" " I don't smoke." "Is that briefcase heavy?" "My toothbrush and Don Quixote, my bed-time reading." " I like noble deeds too." " I told you, it was a mistake." "If it hadn't been for you, my soul would have flown up there." "You'd better get used to it." "My soul is all yours." "A bit of a burden, perhaps." "You can always throw it away." "It's not asking for anything, from you or anyone." "It doesn't give a damn." "Got any cigarettes?" " Not since last time." " Oh, that's right." "Sorry." "I'll have quail after the hors d'oeuvre." " Monsieur has chosen?" " A yoghurt." " As a starter?" " Yes." " And some noodles." " We don't have any." "Monsieur is on a diet." "We have rice with the fatted chicken." " Rice and a wing of cold chicken." " And a yoghurt." " Another yoghurt?" " Yes." "And to drink?" "Mineral water?" "A dry white." "I'd like to see that prescription." "It interests you?" "Show it to me." "You don't like my hair-style." "I like your hair." "The only thing about you that isn't well-behaved." " Madame has finished?" " Yes, thank you." " Coffee?" " Yes." "You too?" " Yes." " Two strong coffees." " Liqueurs?" " A cognac." "Two!" "So you haven't read the prescription." " My God!" " What?" "My train!" " "My train!", not "My God!"" " Don't joke." "Waiter!" " I've got 15 minutes." " I wasn't joking." "Waiter!" "Missed it." " My first time." " There may be another train one day." "10.33 tomorrow." "3.20 p.m., 10.33 a.m., today, tomorrow, May 1st, July 14th." "Does it matter?" "We've no reason to be alive." " Speak for yourself." " I do." "I have something to do, in any case." "I'm going to see my inheritance." "Let's go and see your inheritance." "This is where my aunt lived." "I've always loved this house." "Renaud!" "Renaud!" " This'll keep us going 24 hours." " We're not staying here." " Why not?" " Because." "I don't know." "I do." "You're thinking of your reputation." " I couldn't care less." " That's a lie." "When you got your case from the hotel, you left me in the taxi on the corner." "You were scared we'd be seen together." "You'd be more comfortable if you slept there." " Too small." "I like big beds." " Take the bedroom." "I'll stay here." "Please go, Renaud." "Please." "I couldn't sleep." "I wanted to see you with your hair undone." "I thought you were in bed." "Go away, Renaud." "Let your hair down and I'll go." "You have a lover." " Don't you like him looking at you?" " I turn out the light." " You make me say terrible things." " The truth." "That's all." "Stand up." "Your lovers are fools." " I still haven't kissed you." " I own your soul." "That's all." "You've inherited mind, body and soul." "It's a job lot." "It's hardly the place." "We were alone for 24 hours..." "There are places to go for that sort of thing!" " What will you do now?" " You know." "Live." " Where will you go?" " Don't know." " You'll go somewhere." " No." " You came from somewhere." " Nowhere." "I wiped everything out when I entered that room." " Officially, I'm a dead man." " A very stubborn dead man." "Come on, Tino." " Mlle Geneviève." "A good trip?" " Very good." "I'd like my keys." " The inheritance?" " Everything's fine." "He's singing!" "Mlle Le Theil, too." "Just like the rest." "I'd never have believed it." "You shouldn't have put your arm round me." " Why not?" " lt'll be common knowledge in an hour." "I don't mind." "Locks like that tempt burglars." "You'd better keep that quiet." "Blast!" "Hello?" "Yes?" "Mother..." "You were due backyesterday." "You could have phoned." "I'm fine." "I missed the train." "You missed the train?" "Well!" "Come for dinner and tell me everything." "I'm..." "I'm a bit tired." " You said you were fine." " Y es, but I'm tired." "Then I'll bring dinner over to you." "It's not..." "I promised Pierre I'd have dinner with him." "I thought you were tired." "You're talking nonsense." "Phone me when you're feeling better." "But don't leave it a week." "I'd like to hear your news." "I'll call you tomorrow." "No crime novels?" "There should be some Simenon." "That's psychology, not crime." "Isn't there a bed?" "The bedroom's there." " Agatha Christie's better than nothing." " Don't you want to see my patio?" "I don't care about the scenery." "Anyway, we're shut in." " You'd be just as happy in jail." " I wouldn't get a bed like this." "This bed's a miracle." "They're usually far too small." " My father had it made to measure." " And there are no girls in prison." "Thank you." "How do people know you've just got home?" " Hello, Geneviève." " Hello, Pierre." " I phonedyesterday." " It took longer than I thought." " I'll come round." " Mother just called." "She insists we have dinner together." "I can't get out of it." "Yes, it wasn't so straightforward." "I'll have to make arrangements." "It'd take too long to explain." " No, I'm fine." " Your voice is odd." " No, it isn't." " I knowyou." "I don't know." "Maybe it's the journey." "What are you saying?" "How could the journey change your voice?" " Something must have happened." " No." "Don't have any qualms about asking me for help ifyou need it." " I'll call you tomorrow." " Y es." " Goodnight, darling." " Goodnight." " Here." "Lying m ust be very tiring." " No, thank you." "I couldn't exactly let him come over here." "Tonight or tomorrow." " lt'll be different tomorrow." " What will be different?" "You won't be here." "I couldn't leave you in the street but you have to find a place to live." "No one, not even my fiancé, has slept in this bed." " Why not?" " Because it's not done." " It's not done?" " Not here." "But somewhere else." "I really wish I hadn't opened the wrong door." "That's a lie." "Ever since yesterday, I feel as if I'm constantly telling lies." " I don't understand." " Come here." "Come here." "You take no pleasure." " I've never been so happy." " Not really." "Don't blush." "It's the same for lots of women." "It's a matter of time." "Yes." " No science-fiction?" " I didn't know you liked it." " I do." " I'll get some tomorrow." "Gagarin here..." "Is it lunchtime?" " What's up?" " Lunchtime!" " What's funny?" " It must be at least 9 p. m." "I've no idea." "The clock's stopped." "Again!" "You've put a jinx on all the clocks." "You think so?" "Here." "Damn!" "That was the last one." " The fifth one this week." " Buy metal ones." "In the Girl Guides I was known as the Busy Bee." "That's very charming." " Amazing." "I've no time to do anything." " Do what?" "Tidy up, see my friends," "look after my affairs, go to the theatre, see exhibitions..." "That's what you call doing something?" " Yes." " I see." "We can't eat dinner in this pigsty." " Take your clothes off." " I've done no housework for two days." " Do the housework with no clothes on." " Are you mad?" "Not at all." "I want you to do the housework naked." "You've got weird ideas." "Everyone does, but they're kept hidden." "I don't hide them." "I'm honest." " You don't want to?" " No!" "Renaud!" "I got pneumonia at the age of 14." "Each morning, my cousin came to clean the room." "To pass the time, I used to imagine she was naked." "14-year-olds are always a bit depraved." "I was ashamed and I didn't ask her to take off her dress." "I was right to wait." "She wasn't half as pretty as you." "What were you doing in the dark?" " I was doing the accounts." " In the dark?" "Armand!" "Yes, Armand." " My crockery!" " The crockery!" "Stay there, I'll make the bed." "If my mother could see me." "No chance of that but the neighbour's a different matter." "How awful!" "The shutters were open." "What's awful?" "Being naked?" "Have you read the Bible?" "Your body's not obscene." "What's obscene is how he looked at you and what he thought." "Stay where you are, young woman of principles." "When I think what I was like ten days ago," "I'd hardly recognise myself in the street." "I'm not even capable of shame." "If you're in love, just be capable of loving being in love." "Or else keep quiet." "Why are you laughing?" "That's the tragedy..." "You're a woman, a real woman, for the first time." "I think that's rather joyful." "Dry your tears." "Smile." "It's not such a drama." " Don't make a meal out of it." " Why did you laugh at me?" "I wasn't laughing at you." "Explanation:" "I was laughing at your vocabulary." "You shouted, "Renaud, I love you."" "I laughed because you call that love." "It's true that I love you." "How can I do otherwise?" "If I could, I'd stop at once." "It's true, I'm a pain where vocabulary is concerned." "One day, I'll write a thesis." "I'll call it On Love." "It already exists but it needs a total re-think." "I'll call it On Love and I'll argue against." "Have a drink." "What have you got against love?" "What's it done to you?" "Have I been hurt by love?" "Answer: no." "Comments: what do you think?" "I frighten it away?" "You know that's not true." "I want to die and when I do, what do I find?" "Love." "Drowned, filled and saturated with love." "I'll never say I love you again." "I'd sooner rip out my tongue." "Don't look like that." "All the people I know like me, or rather like the old me, do you think they pass themselves by, without ever knowing anything?" "It's as if I'm from a different planet, I don't recognise anything." "Five." " Six." " What are you counting?" "The telephone." "Twelve is the record." "Eight." "Nine." "Ten." "Eleven." "Twelve." "Twelve and a half." "A new record." "I knew you were there." "Didn't you want to answer?" "I'm begging you, don't invent more excuses not to see me." "Something serious has happened." "You must tell me." "I can't wait any longer." "The situation is becoming ridiculous and hateful." "Listen..." "If you won't come here, I'll wait for you in the lane." "You can walk 100 yards." "Come right now, I'm begging you." "Listen, I have to go out." "See you later." "You've changed." "I know." "Is it someone else?" "Yes." "I thought so." "Did you meet him on your trip?" "Yes." "Geneviève!" "You're making a mistake." "You're not yourself." " Don't confuse pleasure with love." " What do you call love?" "You know, Geneviève." "You loved me." "You told me so." "Tell me what you call love." "Being happy and unhappy together." "Thinking of one other, being a couple." "And?" " You don't know what you're saying." " No doubt." "This man is destroying you." "I don't know him but I need only look at you." "One day you'll realise I'm right." "If you need me, don't hesitate." " You know I'm still your friend." " Yes." "Damn!" "Damned bitch!" "Did you bring any drink?" "We've run out." "I didn't bring any drink." "Sorry, I wasn't in the mood." "I've just broken with my past." "And even with my future." "You still have the present." "What present?" "Let's talk about it." " What are you doing?" " Putting on my jacket." "Why?" "I shouldn't be here." "But I love you!" "What they call love, I swear..." "All right, leave!" "Get out!" "Hope you find a better position, you pimp!" "What did I do, Renaud?" "What did I say?" " Renaud, come back." " Leave me alone." " Please." " With what conditions?" "There are no conditions, you know that." "Tell me what you want me to do." "I'll do what you want." "You don't want anything." "You don't give a damn about what I can give." " I love you." " I don't need to be loved." "But I need you." " What do you need?" " You." " Me what?" " I need you to be there." "That's vague." " I need..." " Need...?" "You." " That's what you want?" " Yes." " Then why not say so?" " You never say anything!" "Because I'm afraid I couldn't care less." "The more I think, the less I care." "The less I care, the more I think." "If you don't care, why not come back?" "At least you'd be useful." "The truth is out!" "That's the way." "I like to be useful, even for little things." " It makes me feel I exist." " Let's go home." "I've had enough." "Yes, sweetheart." "I'll follow you like a blind man." "Since that's what you want." "Take a good look at me." "You never really look at me." "You always look at yourself." "Don't you understand?" "There's nothing underneath." "I don't care." "Listen." "I'm no good at being a nurse or a Boy Scout." "I won't tell you again." "Run!" "Go!" "Get out!" " I won't do you any good." " I don't care." "That's what you say, but you'll regret it one day." "Run." "Get out." "Don't look back." "No." "You've thought it through?" "Yes." "Then follow me." "You're right." "We must fight." "For Monaco, Denmark, Corsica." "Anything, but we must fight." "Blood must run." " He's leaving?" " You've convinced him to sign up." " Let's go, they're closing." " You're right." " Daddy!" " Where've you been?" "In a bed." "Made to measure, with rivers, oceans and continents." "I see." "Fernand, I'll have the same." "So haven't you become manager yet?" " May I introduce myself?" "Katov." " Geneviève Le Theil." " You're not his father?" " God forbid!" " Where did you dig him up?" " In Dijon." "Dijon?" "Why the hell did he go there?" " To die." " Why?" "I hoped you might tell me." "He had to try that one day or another, to go the whole way." " Have you known him long?" " Since the Occupation." "I came out of the blue and found him." " He wanted to be in the Resistance." " I still am." " He was an idealist in those days." " Renaud, an idealist?" " Unexpected." " With him, nothing's normal." "Attractive, dangerous, self-destructive." "And he destroys everything he touches." " Know how to kill a spider?" " No." "Do you?" "I know how to kill a spider." "I'll show you." " Has he always drunk this much?" " How much?" "I don't know." "He must drink in secret." "I've spent 40,000 Fr on whisky in two weeks." "I drink in secret, she does the sums behind my back." " What a lovely couple." " Thanks to you, I'm going to be rich." " I'm a sculptor." " Alas!" "About two weeks ago, my studio was burgled." "I told the police, it was a big fuss." "Three days later, my statues turned up in the marshalling yard at St Georges." "Renaud had hired a van and paid its driver." "Poor guy was so scared of going to jail he told me everything." "Picture in the paper, show's a success," "I'm a celebrity." "You're due 1 m francs in commission." "Since art stopped being art, it sells like hot cakes." "You would have sold anyway, I just put the wheels in motion." "I'll never get my cheque." "He's too mean." " I was starting to get cold." " Raphaële, you'll like her." " Is she yours?" " I met her after you disappeared." " I adore her." " You're a hopeless case." "Hopeful or hopeless, what does it matter?" "Hello." "So, you're not dead." "I planned to wait till you called, but you are my daughter." "I was worried, you see." " You could have been ill." " I'm not ill." "I'm..." "I've..." "What? "I'm, I've..." You've what?" " You've started smoking?" " No." "Yes." "You look like death warmed up." "And you're obviously just out of bed." "At midday." " You'd do better to tell the truth." " I was just going to say..." " Listen, there's someone there." " Sorry." "You could have warned me." " That isn't Pierre." " No, it isn't Pierre." "Whether it's Pierre or not, this flat has seen plenty of lovers already." " The father's adultery." " Mme Pia won't be surprised." "The concierge, too." " You're over 21." " The law." " My concern is foryour health." " Her wellbeing." " And this pigsty is not reassuring." " Order!" " Coffee?" " I've taken enough of your time." "But when can I see you?" "We have things to discuss." " Shall I come tomorrow?" " Well..." " So this situation is permanent?" " For the moment..." "Permanent for the moment." "Perfect." "Well, it's your business." "Goodbye, my girl." "Come round tomorrow and we'll talk." "Yes." "I never knew my mother." "She died giving me life." "Too late." "I was there." " On an empty stomach!" " It's cleansing." " I don't know if you'll ever stop." " Me neither." "Things a bit frosty with your mother?" " Did you cover up?" " No time." " Renaud!" " "Renaud!" Hypocrite." "Come closer." "It's only shocking from a distance." "Leave me in peace, damn it!" "If you want me to leave you in peace, lend me 50,000 francs." " I said no, damn it." " Just till tomorrow, I swear." "Piss off." "He's a total drunk." "If I lent him the money, he'd be dead by morning." " Renaud calls him Doctor." " He was struck off 20 years ago." "I didn't know Renaud liked classical music." "He fell asleep at a concert and started snoring." "I almost died of shame." "With my million I'll buy a lorry-load of cashmere jerseys." "Or a calculator." " To calculate what?" " The future." "I'll advise men of state and invent wars that don't exist, so they're obliged to fight them." "Coco, tell me what you're writing." "He's a very great poet." "The last poet on earth." ""Blue, colour of blood" "Red love Green hate" "White sun of the insane The rainbow is in our eyes"" " I'll buy it." " I don't sell my work." " For 1 m francs." " You haven't got it." "It's to the bearer." "You can cash it." "Goodbye calculator, but it's a safe investment." "Art is worth more today than Suez or an oil field." "You're going to be very rich." "I know." "It's in my horoscope." "Maybe he does love you, after all." "You have to be the strongest." " If you could make him do something." " It's impossible." "Who knows." " Let's go to the Blue Note." " Or Katov's place?" "That's not a bad idea." "You're starting too?" "That guy slays me." "He plays piano, speaks English, knows about jazz..." "I'm not up to it." "I've had it." " Come on!" " I can't dance to that!" "It's easy!" "Look at Jimmy." " Where?" " Too late." "He kept looking at you." " Didn't you notice?" " No." " I think he's very handsome." " He doesn't speak a word of French." "What does that matter?" "Janine!" "That's enough!" "Leave me the car keys." "Forget it." "He makes me sick." " She's got a nerve." " I don't think so." " The guy's an idiot." " People have the right to be jealous." "There's no such thing as jealousy." "It's just another name for hurt pride." "If you loved me and saw me with a man, you wouldn't care?" "Seeing you happy should make me suffer?" "Is that love?" " Yes." " You think only of yourself." "It's indecent." "You're mine." "I'm yours." "We're ours." " What about respect for the individual?" " Respect?" "Of course." "We could stop eating or swimming in the name of love." "They're pleasures too." "What is it this time?" " He speaks Chinese too?" " I've no respect for the individual." "He says I won't let him eat, or swim in the sea..." "Help!" "I can't turn off the tap!" "It's overflowing!" "I know about taps." "Help!" "No thanks." "There." "In you get." "Shit, that bass." "It's cool." "Shit." "It's cool." " Take me home, I'm begging you." " Look." " It's Don Quixote." "An allegory." " Take me home." "You know sometimes you dream and you can't wake up?" "So in your dream, you go to bed so you can wake up properly." "I'd like to be in my bed and close my eyes." "Your statue is very beautiful." "Yes." "Renaud!" "I've told you not to do that." "Looks like they don't like gruyère anyway." "So what will you do with your million?" " Have you got money troubles?" " I've hardly touched my inheritance." "If we don't work, your inheritance will melt away?" "No, I'm just asking you a question." "I've invested my million." ""Blue, colour of blood" "Red love Green hate" "White sun of the insane The rainbow is in our eyes"" " What's that?" " My investment." "I bought this from Coco for a million." " I don't believe you." " Am I in the habit of lying?" "He's mad." " If I ever doubted, now I'm sure." " Really?" "Totally mad!" "You should be locked up!" "You are mad!" "Mad!" "Stop or I'll start to believe it." "I could have bought you a present." "Can you see me with a fur coat?" "Look, sweetie, this is for you." "On the other hand, it's not enough to keep you." "You're too rich." "Would you like me to make money, for the principle?" "Nothing could be easier." "I'll write detective novels." "I know the formula:" "sadism, mystery and sex." "I'll write two a month." "I know where to sell them." "I wouldn't like you to compromise yourself." "That's so very you." "Compromise what?" "Myself?" "Me?" "Me nothing." "There's nothing to compromise." "Crime novels are less compromising than literature." "Blow me!" "Do you think I can't see what you're getting at?" "If it makes you happy, I can at least give you that." " I need a bigger table." " The desk..." " No, I hate it in there." " We can bring the desk in here." "That desk?" "No, I need a flat table." "Hey." "Let's christen it." "Let's go." " So have you read this novel?" " When it's finished." " I know no more than you do." " I'm correcting the last chapter." "You could work in Florence." "There's no better inspiration than Tuscany in spring." "I've rented an old monastery." " Beautiful." " Florence or Paris." " Caracas." " Livry-Gargan." "I know, it's all the same." "But I like Florence." "I'll call for you at 7 a. m. tomorrow and stuff you in the car in pyjamas." " None left." " There's a bottle in the desk." "Coco died yesterday." "I have his will." "CHAPTER 1" "THE marquise WENT OUT AT five O'CLOCK..." " What's the time?" " Not even 11 p.m." " It must be midnight somewhere." " Wherever you like." "Midnight or not, I'm going home to pack." "And we leave at dawn." "Let's go, Raphaële." "I know you." "You won't wake up." "Haven't you had enough?" "Enough of what?" "Of all this." " Of all this what?" " Of all this what?" " You should throw me and the table out." " What's wrong?" "Have you read my complete works?" "Tell me the truth." ""Renaud, you're washed up."" " No!" " Washed up!" " Say it!" " It's not true!" " Say it!" " It's not true!" "It's not true!" "I've had enough!" "I've had enough!" "Enough!" "The Marquise went out at five o'clock." "You don't give a damn about me!" "Get out!" "You're kind." "But you can do nothing for me." "You're good for nothing." "Your love, your charity, your pity..." "I've had enough." "I'm tired, worn out, empty..." "I'm 90 years old tonight." "We have to celebrate." "Pour me a drink." "But you've broken everything." " It was stupid, I'm sorry." " Unimportant." "It'll mend." "Renaud..." "Don't worry, I haven't taken my toothbrush." " Bravo!" "Is he ready?" " He's been out all night." "He's run away again?" " He'll come back." " Some day." " Come in." " I can't." "I must be in Florence tomorrow morning." "I'm sorry, but I can't." "Forget about him." "Come." "I know Renaud." "He's falling seriously in love." "Sometimes I think he hates me." "There are two Renauds." "Renaud who loves you and Renaud who hates the one who loves you." "He's fighting against it." "He's afraid." "He doesn't want to accept it." "He's making you pay ever more dearly." "I don't know how far he's capable of going." "Are you brave enough to see it through to the very end?" "There's nothing else I can do." "Chief." "Thank you." " Yes?" " I have Mr Sarti's papers." " He lives with you?" " Yes." " Are you a relative?" " No." "You can have him back." "He was drunk as a lord." "Just as well or you might never have seen him again." "This isn't a jail, it's a fish tank." "His manners are enough to make a whore blush." "You were lucky this time, you bastard." "But don't come back." "She's obviously not fussy, that one." "I think I love you." "It's horrible." "That's enough, damn it!" "I didn't ask you to sing!" "Sorry, that song reminds me of something." "The war." "Come on, we're leaving." "It's extraordinary." "You women are all the same." "I don't know what came over me." "That damned guitarist was getting on my nerves." "What's he looking at?" "Damn it..." "I've spotted the bar." "Saint Geneviève." "After you." "I see the woman of my dreams." "Her heart is bursting and she's thirsty." " What's wrong with my hands?" " You have beautiful hands." "Stop." "You can't stand up straight." "Your health, young man." "Veronica Lake..." "Too beautiful for tonight." "She's asking for 10,000 lire." "She's worth it, isn't she?" "Let's go." "You can't do this to me." "You've no right." "I'm bored with love tonight." "It's my right." "I want a whore." "It's my right." "You really want a whore?" "You will always be a charming well-bred girl." "A girl like you doesn't sell herself, she loves." "Or if need be, she buys." "Here, take it." "I'm cold." "Decide, quickly." "Who is it?" " Renaud's not here?" " No." " Where are you going?" " To make coffee." "You need it." "In Paris you said you were ready to see it through to the end." "With Renaud, there is no end." "There never will be." "You learned to love him." "You can learn to forget him." "I don't want to forget him." "Earlier, in front of those girls," "I felt as if something had changed." "Just like that, in a second." "You know, like when you're a child and you draw a house in the sand." "You say, "That's the door", and you're outside." "I love him." "I'm no longer the same." "He's pushed me out." "And if he comes back?" "I don't know." "The sun..." "You're going to carry on?" "I love him." "But I know it'll never be the same again." "It's like giving birth." "As if I now have the strength to live for myself." "To act for myself." "To love for myself." "I'm unhappy." "Katov!" "It's Hotel San Michele in Florence!" "No!" "That's enough!" "120,000 lire in three days." "He's taking the mickey." "I'm not paying." "He can go to hell!" "Know Renaud Sarti?" "Thank God for it." "He's been drinking Tuscany dry for three days and sending me the bill." " That's the fifth call." " It's not a bill, it's Baron Avenzo." "Oh, I see." "Renaud will turn up soon, when we least expect it." "Here or elsewhere, what's the difference?" " Are you still in his garden?" " Yes, and I've closed the gate." "A cloud garden." "One day you'll blow on it and it'll disappear." " Blowing isn't playing." " You sound like him." "I've had enough." "Can I move?" "Yes, it's OK." "I've broken a cup!" "A cup?" "My Venus!" "Vandal!" "You've never been so beautiful." "If you'd said three days ago I could live without Renaud," "I'd have screamed." "Scream!" " Are you cured?" " Of Renaud?" "No." "On the contrary." "I understand him better than ever." "But I'm me, you see." "And it feels wonderful." "Daddy!" "Renaud Sarti." "Look at him." "There's nothing more to say." "Sire, I thought you dead." "Or mad?" "I'm both." " The manager of the mad house?" " The manager says piss off." "Is he angry?" "Then let's go." "The horses are ready." "Is he really angry?" "I forgive him." "Where's the Girl Guide?" "The Florentine angel?" "Where's St Bernard?" " She's here?" " Yes." " Where is she?" " Leave her in peace." "What peace?" "I've nothing to give." "She's stolen everything." "Look, I'm a wreck." "Leave her in peace." "She's injected her love like a virus." "I'm bleeding, Katov." "I've filled my veins with booze for three days." "A complete transfusion." "No good." "I'm still bleeding." "Where is she?" "You see, I've four solutions." "Laugh..." "That doesn't work." "Melodrama..." "Jump out, clutching revolvers in both hands and waving them about..." "No, it would end in farce." "Suicide..." "Too dangerous." "You never know how it will end." "And I've tried it already..." "Or suffer in silence." "It has a certain grandeur." "But it's rather mundane." "And you choose?" "Nothingness." "Nothingness through whisky." "A complete transfusion." "Let's have a drink." "I've been looking for you all night!" "I give in!" "I surrender!" "I've had enough!" "I'm throwing in the towel." "I'm tired." "I want to rest." "Take me prisoner." "Take me." "Pick me up off the floor." "Give me the handcuffs." "I don't want my freedom." "Freedom for nothing!" "I want to be part of the human race." "The damned human race." "Marry me!" "Marry me!" "Never let me go." "Force me to live, that's all I ask." "I mean it, I promise." "Marry me."