"You'd given up school?" "Yes." "Why?" "At Christmas, I didn't get a toy like all the others got." "From who?" "The principal." "Why?" "My parents hadn't paid my lunch bill." "What did you do all day?" "This and that, to eat." "I'd sell bits of coal to the deaf and dumb lady, and bring the rest home." "Did you talk to your mother?" "Never." "Or your father?" "No." "Did you know Monsieur Soutier?" "My mother's boyfriend." "And what happened?" "He sent me out for cigarettes as usual." "Pippo, get me some cigarettes." "I knew why, but I didn't give a shit." "A YEAR IN MY LIFE" "And?" "Go on." "When I got back, the police were there." "The ambulance." "Dad woke up and smashed eveything up." "But your parents love you." "I dunno." "Do you love them?" "I dunno." "Are you sad to leave them?" "Make yourself eat." "Didn't you eat?" "You should, at your age." "Are you listening?" "Yes, Madame." "Will you help me make your bed?" "Back to bed, Pippo." "We have a long journey tomorrow." "Where are you from?" "Put your shoe on." "Say goodbye to the lady." "Goodbye, my boy." "Goodbye." " I'm going." " Yes." "Come along." "Why aren't you eating?" "It's good." "Not hungy." "Camille, stop that." "Bedtime, boys!" "Get undressed." "Camille!" "Are you asleep?" "No." "Have you been here long?" "I dunno." "I don't count." "They say farmers come for us." "Farmers?" "Camille!" "Camille!" "Come, please." "Watch my ball." "Camille!" "Are you going away?" "I'm leaving." "Your ball?" "Keep it." "Do like me." "Don't count!" "Bye, Pippo." "Good luck." "Bye." "There." "I hope eveything will go well." "Come in." "We've got cows." "Four." "Hens, too." "Let him find his feet, Cecile." "I was only talking to him." "You're driving too fast." "You know I hate that." "You drive, then!" "You know I'm afraid to drive." "You like the county?" "Those leeks are big." "Not leeks." "Maize." "Yes, maize." "OK, boy?" "Happy?" "He'll perk you up." "I don't know." "He's hardly said a word." "He's not a talker." "So much the better." "Did you see his eyes?" "He's got a funny look." "You never listen to me." "I do." "My leg aches." "The weather's gonna change." "He's still asleep." "Should we wake him?" "Are you Gustave's new boy?" "How old are you?" "Nine." "Put your hands out." "Pretty, eh?" "Why do you keep them in?" "So they won't get out!" "Pierre Dubrac's back." "I saw him." "I know." "Bernadette told me." "Indochina hasn't made him any chattier." "I like Pierre." "He's a nice guy and a darn good worker." "Too handsome for comfort, for some." "Because of Marie Jeanne?" "It's none of my business." "You're like an infant!" "Eat cleanly." "Hands on the table." "I'm not hungy." "I'm going to bed." "You're too hard on the kid." "Give him time to adapt." "Go on, nag me." "That'll do." "Me and Cecile ran off on a bike." "When I think of her dad..." "The face he must've made that Sunday!" "No more bike, no more daughter, no more foreman!" "The crazy things you do for love!" "We rode all night," "Cecile on the handlebars, in my arms." "We must've done 30 miles." "Those were the days." "On you get!" "Well!" "Ready!" "Let'go." "Gustave!" "Mind the hens!" "Right." "I'm going to bed." "I hear you've made some chums." "Like who?" "Bernadette." "She's a pretty lass." "She's a girl." "She's not a chum." "Girl friends are good too." "Do you like it here?" "A shooting star!" "Do you miss the city?" "A bit, sometimes." "It's peaceful here." "The city's peaceful too." "True." "Anywhere peaceful is good." "Seen Pippo?" "I can't find him." "I don't know and I don't care." "He never answers when I need him." "Come closer." "Pippo." "Pippo." "Drink." "It'll warm you up." "You're like a little bird." "Fallen from its nest." "Didn't the locals tell you I'm a witch?" "I like you." "Come back anytime!" "Why d'you do these things?" "It's not nice." "It makes us worry." "Cecile's all upset." "Get in." "Where were you?" "The barn by the pond." "Hanged man's barn?" "Why hanged man's?" "Alphonsine's husband hanged himself there." "She's been a bit cracked ever since." "Do you think she's crazy?" "In any case, don't tell Cecile." "Drive carefully." "Watch the road." "Not bad!" "Where were you?" "I got caught in the storm." "I was scared and took shelter." "A fine state you're in." "You're filthy!" "Get washed and changed." "You know Rene Chassin?" "He had colon surgey." "It was cancer." "They cut out this much." "Wow!" "Bedtime," "Cecile!" "Is Alphonsine really a witch?" "Who said that?" "The things he comes out with!" "Are you sure he's normal?" "Stop it, Cecile." "You asked me that the other day." "Can you manage?" "Pass me the other one." "You should see a doctor." "Doctors, priests!" "By seeing evil eveywhere,they make it happen!" "Here, you do it." "I can't." "This came." "It's your mother." "It happened..." "where they kept her." "Her heart." "All at once." "A cardiac thing." "The doctor told her she was frail." "Good night, Gustave." "How did it go?" "He kissed me good night." "Hello." "I don't want to talk." "You don't?" "No, I don't." "You never say what you saw out there." "It was war." "So?" "Best left unsaid." "Why did you go?" "Because." "You have to spread your wings someday." "Do you talk about your past life?" "Don't you ever want to?" "No." "Some things are best forgotten." "School starts in two days." "Are you glad?" "The wild geese went over." "We're in for an early winter." "Beats me." "I've lost a stack of two by fours." "OK, Pippo?" "You left the hens out." "You sure?" "Yep." "Key's under your bum." "Don't fall down!" " No!" " Leave her alone!" "Says who?" "Just because you were in Indochina?" "You're a little farmhand." "I'm what?" "A little farmhand." "I'm what?" "Little farmhand!" "Bastard!" "Stop that or I'll skewer you!" "Get out of there!" "I'll try not to hurt you." "Pierre isn't scared of you." "I wonder why." "God only knows." "Maybe Pierre has a heart." "You're not scared either." "No, I'm not." "There." "All done." "Come here." "Why are you staring at me?" "Your hair looks sloppy." "Not a hairpin!" "Much prettier." "Get some speed up." "Don't say that!" "Cheer up." "They won't eat you at school." "Well." "Don't get dirty!" "Don't ask questions, just listen." "I've known you for ages, ever since the Ribardieres took you in." "I know you inside out, my little Marie-Jeanne." "You'll have to give up Pierre." "The Ribardieres don't want this marriage and neither does God." "But Father..." "Don't argue, just listen." "Think of Etienne." "He's a good boy." "He'll make a good husband." "Etienne!" "And when his father dies," "he'll have property!" "He'll have Lotas Farm." "That's a quite a farm!" "I'm saying this for your own good and happiness." "Why's he staring at us?" "I dunno." "Line up!" "The girls, as usual." "Don't only girls wear hairpins?" "Stop talking!" "Why are you standing there, muggins?" "What's your name?" "Vella, sir." "First name?" "Pippo." "That's not funny." "Sit down, Pippo." "Move up, Juglaire." "What are you waiting for?" "Right." "Did it go OK?" "I cut you some bread and butter." "Did you say the right things?" "Make any friends?" "Don't get your coat dirty!" "Marie Jeanne's been sent away... to stay with cousins." "What are you up to in there?" "None of your business." "Souvenirs?" "Nice parachute." "Can I have it?" "What for?" "I dunno." "Seven ones are 7, seven twos are 14, seven threes are 21, seven fours are 28... seven fife threes are 5, seven six fours are 28" "Seven sixes?" "42." "Seven sixes are 42," "Seven Sevens... 49." "seven eight fife are 6, seven nine sixes are 3, seventy are seventy." "Good." "What else was there?" "Composition." "What about?" ""My Sunday At Home."" "Go on, read it." "Read it!" ""Gustave's house is a farm." ""The farm belongs to Gustave and Cecile." ""There are four cows and some calves." ""Cecile makes cheese." ""Gustave likes his garden." ""He says it gives him some peace." ""Gustave is good natured." "Cecile..." "Go on." ""Cecile always has headaches and stomach pains." ""Gustave likes the rain." "Gustave likes the sunshine." ""Cecile hates the rain and grumbles a lot when it's hot." ""There are hens too but I don't like them." ""There are guinea fowls, that wake me up." ""and ducks." "That's my Sunday at home with Cecile and Gustave."" "Good." ""Work" ""is often... the father... of pleasure." ""I pity the man..." "burdened with the weight..."" "Since when does pleasure have a "z"?" "Show me your hands." "Wash them!" ""I pity the man... burdened... with the weight of his leisure."" ""Burdened..." "with the weight of his leisure."" "Learn to wash!" "I don't sit with scum." "Say something, Macaroni!" "Chicken!" "Sir!" "You hurt me, you prick!" "Sir, he jammed my fingers in the door on purpose!" "Run water over them." "He's at it again!" "Stop it!" "I'm vey concerned." "I'm not sure we should keep him." "Have you seen the time?" "I didn't notice." "You never do!" "Where were you?" "Down by the river." "Eat while it's hot." "Your teacher came by earlier." "Make an effort." "You mustn't fight at school." "Cecile and I are fond of you but you're a worry to us." "School isn't for fighting." "Don't do it again." "Understood?" "I'm talking to you." "Understood?" "Yes." "Up you get!" "OK?" "Take them to the farrier fetch them after school." "OK." "Off you go." "How's it going with your teacher?" "OK." "Don't dawdle." "He'll tweak your ears if you're late!" "Don't worry." "They know the way." "Well?" "Sorry." "We don't say "Sorry"." "We say?" "I beg your pardon." "We say?" "I beg your pardon, sir." "Right." "Sit down and copy the moral off the board." "All of you!" "It's good of you to take care of me." "Lie still." "Lie still, Alphonsine!" "Yes, OK." "You'll run faster than me." "What are you up to?" "Waiting for the wind." "The wind?" "You'll have a long wait!" "Always out and about?" "Alphonsine's not well." "I know." "Will Marie Jeanne be back soon?" "Yes." " See you tomorrow." " Yes." "Before I give out your marks, we'll do the exercise together." "Pippo will show us at the board." "Pippo." "249 minus 81" "equals 168." "Divided by 3 equals 56." "224." "249 minus 224... 25 kilos, sir." "Sure?" "Yes, sir." "Right." "Sit down." "I came fourth!" "Well done, Sonny!" "Hear that, Cecile?" "I came fourth!" "You had it in you!" "Let me kiss you." "I'll get changed." "Get your work clothes on." "And no more messin' with Pierre!" " Enough of that." " Yes." "Understood?" "Don't make me remind you!" "Aren't you handsome!" "Pippo!" "What?" "Straighten your tie." "Yes." "Bernadette, I gave you money for his lemonade." "Yes!" "Cecile." "Come on." "Don't be back late!" "Isn't Marie Jeanne here?" "Haven't seen her for two days." "Dunno where she is." "I think she's beautiful." "Really beautiful." "Yeah." "Buy you a drink?" "Thanks." "A glass of hooch." "And for my friend?" "Lemonade?" "Lemonade." "Lemonade." "Forgive me." "It's not my fault." "It was the others." "The priest." "I don't understand." "What?" "Anything!" "Leave her alone!" "Stop it!" "Pierre, I need to talk to you." "Sit down, there." "You know, it's..." "It isn't good to drink like that." "It really isn't good." "Confessions are secret." "But sometimes..." "I met your father in 1937, struggling to raise you by himself." "And then he joined the Resistance and was betrayed." " I know all that." " I know." "Before they shot him, he asked to see me." "For sure, your dad was no believer." "But what he had to say was so important..." "Go on, have a drink." "Your dad was... the father of Jacotte Friaud's little girl," "Marie Jeanne." "I'm vey sorry, but it's a fact." "Don't tell Marie Jeanne." "What will you do?" "There's trouble in Algeria." "I'll join up." "Are you sad?" "No." "What did the priest say?" "A load of rubbish!" "Come on." "A number is divisible by three if the sum of its digits is, too." "Example, 1275." "Is 1275 divisible by three?" "Pippo." "Write 100 times:" ""I do not daydream in class."" "I knew you cheated!" "Your good marks." "were all trickey and lies!" "Look at the cheat!" "Stay there and don't move." "Get working!" "Never mind." "Ask Gustave to send you to my school!" "Take that, cheat!" "Pippo, come back!" "I'm waiting." "Whoever hit Juglaire must own up." "I did, sir." "You again." "Come here." "Come here!" "Come here!" "I said come here!" "Be quiet!" "Calm down!" "No school today?" "I got into trouble." "He's sneaky, cheating, and violent." "Very violent." "What can we do?" "I don't know." "Take him to a doctor?" "He's not sick." "It's up to you." "Won't you have a drink?" "No, thanks." "Goodbye." "It never stops." "Come out of there!" "Don't be a fool!" "You hear me?" "I loathe you!" "Both of you!" "You're not my parents!" "1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9..." "Is that you, birdie?" "Yes, Granny." "How do you feel?" "Oh, me..." "I haven't got long to go." "Don't be silly, Alphonsine." "Where would I be without you?" "What about me, eh?" "I love you, you know." "Go on." "Pippo!" "Pippo!" "You must eat." "I'm not hungy." "I know a silly game." "One for me..." "One for you." "You're a smart one." "More?" "Finished!" "Anfongseen." "Out!" "Get out!" "Leave him alone." "What's this?" "A saw." "What's it for?" "Cutting wood." "Wood or poles?" "Say it." "Wood and poles." "See?" "You said it." "I didn't." "Gustave!" "He's all yours." "What goes on in your head?" "I don't care if you cut the poles." "Are Cecile and I really so loathsome?" "I didn't mean to hurt you." "Well, you did." "You did." "Why do I have to see a doctor?" "I'm not ill." "That's how it is." "What's the matter?" "Tell me eveything, Pippo." "We've tried everything." "We can't keep him." "I beg you, Madame." "Don't leave me!" "He calls me Madame." "You're such a dreadful child." "So dreadful to us." "Please!" "I beg you, Cecile." "What can I say, dear?" "It's not fair." "He was happy here." "He told me." "Yeah, well." "That's life." "Can't always do what you want." "Things don't always work out." "Aren't you afraid to drive?" "I didn't know you were sick of me." "You judge and criticize..." "You think it's easy for me?" "Stuck in this hole since my teens..." "You wouldn't understand." "It's more than I can take!" "Why did you ask me to stop?" "Whose car's that?" "Doctor Nelly's." "Is she dead?" "She's OK for now." "She's vey old." "Sonny," "Sonny!" "Sonny." "I couldn't." "You did the right thing." "The right thing."