"THE FOUNDLING" " Is this the Barberin farm?" " Yes, sir." "Your mother?" "She's in the house." "There she is." "Thank you." "AII I can offer you is a cup of chicory." "It's warm." "No, thank you." "This is all I couId find, Roussette." "But don't worry, it'II soon be spring and you'II have lots of grass." "I don't know that man who's just come." "Do you?" "Remi, come over here, please, with Roussette." "I've seen better cows." "Go back in the house, dear." "I don't need your help at the moment." "So you've seen better cows than Roussette, have you?" "Look at her feet." "And her neck's too short." "She doesn't give milk from her feet!" "I can only give you 1 00 francs." "1 00 francs for Roussette?" "But in Chavarnon market I couId sell her for twice that!" "1 00 francs, no more." "Wait, Remi!" "Remi, wait for me." "Don't cry, my dear." "I'm not crying." "Don't be sad." "I know how you feel." "It hurts me to see you cry." "You don't want to set me off, too!" "I don't understand why you had to sell her." "Mr Barberin fell off his scaffolding in Paris." "He can't work as a bricklayer any more." "He gave all his money to the doctor, and he's coming back to the farm." "Come on, Iet's go in before you catch cold." "How will we get milk and butter?" "One day at a time, young fellow!" "How about if I make us some nice pancakes?" "peel those three apples for me." "Don't make the peel too thick." " Gustav?" " I'm back!" "Nothing left for me in Paris." "You two aren't suffering, are you?" "Eating pancakes... while I risk life and limb in Paris!" "Get out, scram!" "He's off to the orphanage tomorrow." "I'm hungry, too!" "No, I need him at the farm." "I said the orphanage!" "If you listen through keyholes you don't get any supper." "Go on!" "Get out of my sight!" "Why the orphanage?" "Did you learn something about him in Paris?" "I contacted the police station which originally found him." "Avenue de BreteuiI, a rich area." "well, rich or not, no one ever came for the child." "Ten years now!" "I've given up hope." "His parents are gone." "How can you say such a thing?" "I sold Roussette so we could make ends meet." "And you'II get better sometime." "Of course I will, but for the moment we've no money." "You should have sold the kid, not the cow." "Is there a bottle left in the cellar?" "Your police service here in Paris wrote this letter to my sister-in-Iaw, the Countess Johanna von Strausberg." "As she is ill, I am representing her." "Yes." "Madame Strausberg wrote to us many times when we had more pressing concerns than lost Prussian children." "If you see what I mean." "I'm afraid not." "At that time there were, in France, perhaps too many Prussians in uniform unwilling to go home." "My nephew was Bavarian." "Bavarian!" "We may have a lead." "I've received a letter from the Avenue de BreteuiI." "A bricklayer named Barberin..." "Let's see." "He found... on some steps in the Avenue de BreteuiI... an almost dead child..." "almost?" "almost dead." "It was in January, well before that awful war between our two countries." " May I?" " It's all here:" "the bricklayer's address, the almost dead child, January..." "But my nephew disappeared that year in February." "And yet Madame Strausberg..." "Countess!" "She mentioned January in her letters." "May I take this letter to show her?" " Do you have power of attorney?" " Of attorney?" "She should have thought of that but she's so upset..." "I'm sure you'II be understanding." "Thank you." "Remi!" "Remi, I'm waiting!" "Don't worry." "I've been thinking." "The council might give us some money to bring up the kid." "What do you think?" "I'II go and see." "You haven't eaten anything." "We'II go to the cafe." "Come on, Remi." "I Iike the kid, too." "This is on me." "fell off a scaffolding, eh?" "Nasty." "please excuse my companion's lack of manners, young man." "Your companion?" "His name is LadykiIIer." "Isn't that right?" "LadykiIIer." "What are you doing here?" "Who's he?" "An odd customer." "The council won't give us anything." "well, if they gave money for every orphan the war produced, they'd soon run out." "The orphanage is the only solution." "He doesn't work, he eats, he needs new clothes..." "We're ruined!" "Is this child a bother?" "Because..." "I was thinking..." " What?" " Oh, nothing." "Perhaps the child could be useful to me in my business." " What business?" " Artist." "Do you hear that?" "You want to take this child who works on the farm, who's always helpful, eager, never complains..." "Who needs feeding and clothing." "Think how it wouId hurt me and my wife." "Fifty francs." "No, I have to tell Mr Fontane." "Wait!" "From whom was that object stolen?" "You?" "Mr von Strausberg?" " In person, charles." " You." "After all this time." "But to what do I owe the pleasure..." "The pleasure?" "I wouldn't talk of pleasure if I were you, charles." "hello, little one." "This is my niece, Lise." "Curtsey to the gentleman, Lise, and then go to bed." "Come on." "My niece cannot speak." "She became dumb after her parents died in a fire." "I had to take her in." "She survived..." "children seem to survive in your company, don't they, charles?" "I don't understand." "Are you still making lots of money from burglaries in Paris?" "Come and see." "These things go down well in Germany." "Just look!" "I didn't come here for that," "I didn't come here for pleasure." "I told you, my dear charles..." "Can I still call you that?" "What are you getting at?" "This!" "This letter addressed to my sister-in-Iaw." "Johanna, the child's mother?" "Read it and tell me." "It's a miracle that the postman gave the letter to me." "The police have found the trace of a child abandoned ten years ago in the Avenue de BreteuiI." "You always told me the child was dead when you reached Paris." "well, almost." "almost?" "Yes, almost." "And what does "almost" mean?" "He was almost dead of cold when I abandoned him in Paris." "In the Avenue de BreteuiI?" "Yes, perhaps." "I don't know." "If he hadn't been almost dead," "I wouldn't be almost the heir to the family fortune." "So that explains this letter." "But there's no proof that..." ""There's no proof that..."!" "You're right, charles, there's no proof." "But I paid you once, and paid you very well, too, for a contract which was not honoured." "I demand you now honour it in full!" " Honour it?" " Understand?" "Honour it." "I know who will like this jewel." "We mustn't lose hope." "We still have Remi." "And we might even get some money to put by for him." " From the council?" " Why not?" "Let's drink to it." "The innkeeper promised me a bottle." "Go and get it for me." "Now?" "Yes, now." "Go on, hurry up." "A drop goes down well with coffee." "Get your things and come down." "And hurry!" "Where's mama?" "Whose mama?" "Get your things, now!" "Miss dolce, Mr Capi, Mr Zerbino and you, Mr LadykiIIer... wait here and don't move." "Is it still a deal?" "I'II give you the child." "Look after him." ""Give" him?" "Remi, you're going to live with this gentleman now." "No!" "Him or the orphanage!" " Where's my mama?" " She's not here." "Come on, lad." "You're a moneymaker!" "I'm going to hold on to you." "Ready when you are." "Off you go." "I want to see my mama." "What's your name?" "Remi." "My name is VitaIis." "Signore VitaIis." ""Signore" is italian for "Mr"." "I'm taking you away because... because I need you." "Don't try to run off." "He's got sharp teeth and he'II catch you." "Look!" "Where's Remi?" "He's here, all nice and shiny!" "You mean you sold him?" "You sold Remi?" "How could you do that?" "Mama!" "Mama!" "My little one!" "Mama!" "Be brave, lad." "Cry if you want to but..." "You'd have been less happy at the orphanage." "But why the orphanage?" "She's my mother." "But Mr Barberin can't work any more." "He can't starve just to feed you." "Come on." "I'II buy you some shoes in the next town." "really?" "Shoes like gentlemen wear?" "I've never had any shoes before." "You again!" "At your service, my dear Johanna." "At my service?" "I have also come to offer you this jewel." "I believe it worthy of your colouring..." "It's magnificent, it's..." "I know you, Georg." "You never offer, you buy!" "What do you want to buy with this?" "Me?" "Nothing." "Or, rather, I want to buy your good health." "Your return to good health." "My return to good health!" "If only..." "You see." "I don't only mean your chest." "Why torment yourself about your son?" "You're the one tormenting me." "I only want your happiness." "My happiness consists of waiting for my son to reappear." "please, Johanna!" "It's ten years now since your son disappeared." "Face facts." "What facts?" "AII I know is that he disappeared." "So he could reappear." "No, not after so long." "What about the man who was seen with a baby." "He existed." "Which man?" "I so want to help you," "I so want to see you happy." "In memory of my brother, your late husband, who also wanted you to be happy." "And for you, Johanna, for you..." "For me?" "For you." "I want you to be happy." "Your doctor tells me you're on the road to recovery." "You should go back to Bavaria." "With you, I suppose?" "With or without me, it doesn't matter." "You need a change of air." "Go back to the castle and parks of your childhood." "Your doctor said so." "Not to me." "He will do, Johanna, he will." "You don't understand." "AII I want is my child, then I'II be better." "A child?" "You are beautiful... so beautiful." "You can always have another child." "What do you mean?" "Perhaps we two, one day..." "Us?" "You're tiring me, Georg." "please go." "You loved my brother when he was alive." "I'm alive now, don't destroy all hope in me." "Go and see on that signpost if we're far from ChasIy." "I don't know." "What do you mean?" "It must be written here." "Can't you read?" "No." "No one taught you?" "You hear that?" "He can't read." "I'II teach you." "But it's much too difficult." "What can I do for you, gentlemen?" "Jackets, waistcoats, frock coats, trousers, shirts, gaiters, boots, shoes, jerkins, hats, dressing gowns..." "We have everything here, including made to measure." "Shoes, for the young man." "Shoes, but of course." "Boots, moccasins, Oxfords, sandals, mules, slippers..." "HobnaiIed boots like those in the window." "HobnaiIed boots, but of course." "HobnaiIed boots." "If the young fellow would care to sit down." "An excellent choice." "Good old hobnaiIed boots." "We have some beautiful ones." "What's that?" "HobnaiIed boots of this quality will last a lifetime." "As long as he doesn't grow too quickly." "I'II remove your clogs." "They're a bit big but with socks..." "And they'II keep you warm." "It's through your feet that you catch cold, you know!" "Try this on." "I'm coming." " If you don't mind." " No." "clothes fit for a prince." "Try it on, young man." "Raise your arm." "And the other." "What did I tell you?" "A prince!" "Where is your kingdom?" "There!" "You must look different." "What do you mean?" "Not like a prince, not Iike anyone else." "Not like a Frenchman." "I'm dressing you as an italian." "Oh, an italian." "But of course, an italian!" "You and I have to stir people's curiosity." "We're artists!" "Artists!" "Of course, you're artists." "I knew as soon as I saw you." "Artists never have much money." "How much do I owe you?" "Ten francs." "well, perhaps..." "I'm not an artist, Mr VitaIis." "What's an artist?" "Being an artist means being generous." "will eight francs do?" "Do you dress all the artists you employ like this?" "I've never employed anyone before." "You're the first." "The first?" "But why me?" "That's a good question." "Perhaps because I'm growing old." "Miss dolce, please show Remi what you can do." "roll over!" "roll over." "Good." "And again, please." "Miss dolce, please." "please do it one more time for Mr Remi." "Thank you, Miss dolce." "And now it's the turn of Mr Zerbino." "please!" "Go over there, and quickly." "Come back, Mr Zerbino, come back." "What's the matter, Mr Zerbino, have you been bitten by a sheep?" "Thank you, Mr Zerbino." "Now for music and dancing." "Miss dolce, would you care to dance with me?" "Are you a real singer?" "Me?" "A singer?" "That's none of your business." "A singer, me?" "With my rough voice?" "Me, a singer?" "No, I'm a musician, a bit of a dog-trainer, a bit of a clown..." "You can be LadykiIIer's partner." "I'II teach you the flea sketch." "fleas?" "You can't perform with fleas!" "You can act anything, Remi." "Anything!" "real fleas, pretend fleas, peasants marrying emperors, old folks like me..." "You're not so old." "Thank you, Remi." "Ladies and gentlemen, today, at nightfall..." "Mr Remi." "O honourable inhabitants of this lovely town, what a spectacle we will have the pleasure of showing you, with the illustrious LadykiIIer..." " my respects, general - a few weII-traveIIed dogs, the young actor Remi, soon to be famous the whole world over, and I, your humble servant." "Tonight there will be dance, music, acrobatics and, last but not least, our very own renowned pantomime, with the special participation of our friend Germaine." "I shall say no more." "until this evening, then!" "What are you waiting for?" "Are you Madame Barberin?" "Yes, sir." "Is your husband in?" "No, he's gone out." "To the hospital." "I'm sorry, madam." "Do you have a child here who was found by..." "Remi?" "He hasn't done anything stupid?" "I don't know." "Where is he?" "What do you mean?" "I'm asking you where he is." "Are you... from the police?" "I'm looking for this child, who isn't your child, if I understand correctly." "I raised him as if he were my own, hoping his family would one day find him." "Are you a relation?" "I have to check." "I'm just checking, that's all." "What do you mean, checking?" "He's not here, he's gone." "Gone?" "With whom?" "I don't know." "He's gone looking for adventure with a bohemian, an actor." "It was my husband's idea, he was the one who sold him." "What is this man's name?" "How should I know?" "An old man with a sort of circus, lots of animals, all sorts of things..." "Sir!" "Sir!" "He could have told me his name." " well?" " Disappeared." "Run off for good with a bohemian." "He's no Ionger a threat." "A child is always a threat." "He's alive, therefore a threat." "If the police went looking for him, if his mother managed to find him... everything would be lost." "Do you understand?" "For me and for you, charles." "But he's completely disappeared." "You could disappear too, in prison!" "And your niece could disappear also." "And reappear." "A little girl unable to cry for help if danger threatened." "Lise has nothing to do with..." "Find the child and honour the contract made ten years ago." "Keep me informed." "Are we agreed, charles?" "Wait for us." "Hurry up!" "Come on, faster!" "Thank you." "Mr LadykiIIer, please introduce your friend." "Thank you." "hello, Miss Germaine." "You've all realised that she is a European flea," "Pulex irritans, of the PuIicidae family, and a great friend of man." "Mr Remi, please, would you please bring me Miss Germaine's box, which is, in fact, her holiday home." "Mr Remi, please!" "Miss Germaine is getting cold and impatient." " Sorry." " Thank you." "About time too!" "Now watch carefully." "I put Miss Germaine in her box and I close the box." "Miss Germaine is now inside." "You can check." "Now Mr Remi, please blow on the box with your magic breath." "Now look!" "Look, she's disappeared." "Miss Germaine has disappeared." "You can see that she's disappeared." "God only knows where she is." "Miss Germaine, please come back into your home." "Miss Germaine, please..." "please don't..." "Miss Germaine, please!" "Let's calm down now." "will you please come back now." "Itchy, jules?" "I didn't know you were a close friend of Germaine's?" "Maybe she saw a few relatives there." "Goodnight, Germaine, ladies..." "That was good, Remi." "There." "Thanks." "Bon appetit." "See you tomorrow." "What can I get you?" "A drop of lemonade and a drop of wine." "How many glasses?" "Two." "No, three." " Three." " And a bowl for my friends." "A bowl of water." "Is that all?" "I'II never be an artist." "Of course you will." "But it's harder than being a magician." "Pass me those cups there." "Watch carefully." "Here's five sous." "There's nothing here or here or here." "I'II put the five sous under a cup." "Find it and it's yours." "Watch now." "Where is it?" "You lose." "You owe me a forfeit." "A forfeit?" "Sing a song." "I can't sing." "I'm sure you can." "You damned fool!" "Go and wash the bottles!" "You're lacking in confidence but you have a nice voice." "I'II also teach you how to play the accordion." "Is that an accorIion?" "Accordion." "If you play that we'II make lots of money." "Innkeeper, the bill!" "Five sous." "play for it?" "I'II put it under a cup, you pick the right cup and it's yours." "Agreed?" "AII right." "Watch now." " well?" " That one." " You thief!" " It's a game, sir." "One day you lose, the next you win." "That's life." "Life, eh?" "I'II show you what life is." "Go on, get out, you and your zoo!" "Here, this is for getting your backside kicked." " Thank you." " No problem." " Where's Zerbino?" " Over there." "Look what he's got!" "Never had children?" "Me?" "Hundreds." " Thousands!" " You can't count thousands." "What do you mean?" "Thousands of eyes watching you, of ears listening to you, of hands appIauding, of happy children..." "You can't count them indeed!" "Thousands of wives, too?" "only one." "She left me when I stopped working." "What did you do before?" "Before?" "Before..." "I promised to teach you to play music." " It's late." " It's never too late." "And I'II teach you to read." "Take the accordion." "No, LadykiIIer, stay put!" " I'm tired." " Yes but..." "Stay put!" "It's never too late to work." "Put a finger there, a finger there." "Now push and pull." "Push, pull, pull..." "No, LadykiIIer." "There, push there." "LadykiIIer, we're working!" "Do I remember that fellow?" "With his dogs, his monkey and his kid?" "Hard to forget." "How long ago?" "About ten days." "Why?" "You know them?" "The child." "I know the child." "Don't tell me that the old fellow is a chiId-thief!" "Why not?" " How much do I owe you?" " Ten sous." "No, fifteen." "They didn't pay, and as you know them..." "I never said that." " Fifteen sous?" " Fifteen." "Can you smell that?" "It's the sea." " The sea?" " Yes." "Over there." "How big is the sea?" "It's as big as..." "It's much bigger than your country." "And on the other side?" "There's a huge continent, it goes almost to infinity." " I'd Iike to go." " And why not?" "It's called America." "In America there are big cities, theatres, opera houses, there's Boston, New York, Chicago..." "Do you know America?" "You'II know lots of things as well." "And you'II remember with gratitude poor old Mr VitaIis, the dog-trainer..." "And musician." "If you Iike." "Who taught you to read..." "And to play the accorIion." "Accordion." "And who showed me the sea and told me about America." "And who, above all, taught you to use your eyes." "Look!" "Look!" "Take a big, deep breath." "The ocean!" "Is Tarbes a village?" "No, it's a town." "A big town." "Is it far?" "Thirty kilometres." "What's a kilometre?" "A thousand metres." "And what's a metre?" "A metre is one step." "Like this?" "That's a small step." " A small metre." " No." "A metre is a metre." "You would need three steps to make one metre." " That's a big step." " Yes, that's a metre." "A big metre." "No, you don't have big metres and little metres." "A metre's a metre." " Like this?" " But you don't walk like that." "So, whether you walk like this..." "or like this... it's still a metre." " No, that's two metres." " What?" "You did three of my steps and one of your own." "That's two metres!" "Come on, we've a Iong way to go." "Where have those dogs got to?" "How many of my steps to walk thirty-nine kilometres?" "Thirty-nine, thirty-nine..." "Why thirty-nine?" "Why not forty?" "Thirty-nine!" "You're annoying me with your questions." "Save your breath for walking to Tarbes." "On this very spot, in a short while, a great spectacle during which you'II discover how LadykiIIer and Germaine split up and got back together." "Come closer, everyone!" "Move along, move along!" "We don't want any disturbances." "A disturbance?" "Me?" "This area is for walking, not for clowns." "A clown?" "Me?" "Move along, you and your crew!" "My crew?" "For the Iast time, move!" "Fine, but where do I move to?" "These people are moved by my eloquence." "What else can I move?" "May I?" "A ribbon." "I'm removing a ribbon!" "Mountebank, clown, did you hear me?" "What about our spectacle?" " But..." " The show goes on." "Ladies and gentlemen." "LadykiIIer, please introduce your friend Germaine." "You've all realised that she is a European flea," "Pulex irritans, of the PuIicidae family, and a great friend of man." "I told you to be gone!" "Germaine, where has Germaine gone?" "help me, please, general, to find Germaine." "Officer, you haven't seen my friend Germaine, have you?" "What the..." "Get this monkey off me!" "Do you know who you're talking to?" "Don't you laugh at authority!" "Don't hit him!" "Come with me." "You're under arrest for assaulting an officer." "You'II be tried tomorrow." "Caught in the act!" "please." "Remi, look after him." "This is what a town is: force!" "Be quiet!" "And you, you're a witness." " But..." " A witness, I said." "The public ministry against VitaIis, dog-trainer." "The charges, please." "That the so-caIIed VitaIis did refuse to obey an agent of the Iaw who ordered him not to cause a disturbance in public, on the town's fairground site, in accordance with bye-Iaw 4325... 4325?" "Are you sure?" "I'd forgotten 4325." "It's the loveliest, the most poetic..." "He's also accused of insulting and assaulting the officer." "I, with my grey hair, am supposed to have attacked that noble representative of the Iaw, that public employee, that guardian of the peace?" "Peace and order..." "Two loose women who sleep with the bourgeoisie!" "Be quiet!" "It is not your place to speak." " You could also say "PeeIer"..." " Be quiet!" "Mr Prosecutor, please." "Your Honour, we have two witnesses." "Sergeant Barois..." ""BIuebottIe"." "No, not "fIatfoot", that's too rude." "Let's stick with "PeeIer"..." "well, this peeler..." "Be quiet, I say!" "Kept his eyes peeled!" "Two PeeIers..." "I mean, two witnesses." "Sergeant Barois, victim of the assault, and someone watching the spectacle who came of his own free will." "Very well." "This shady-Iooking individual, whom I asked to move on, started to strangle me." "Yes, Your Honour, strangle me!" "For no reason." "He was like a wild beast." "He's lying!" "silence in court!" "The accused," "Your Honour, would have strangled him if he hadn't defended himself." "And I must add that the accused had first of all insulted him in the most dreadful language which I found quite shocking." "What do you have to say?" "I didn't insult anyone." "I don't know why this gentleman is making all this up." "I was doing my job, exercising my dogs, when the officer went to strike Remi, so..." "Remi?" "Your son?" " No, Your Honour." " Your partner?" "Yes, my partner." "But I Iove him like a son." "You're sentenced to a 1 0-franc fine and one month in prison." "Next case!" "A judge should be just, which you are not!" "Take him away!" "Be brave, artist." "Young man." "Young man." "Sir." "Sir, your statement has been recorded, but we need your signature and your address." "Later." "I'II do it later." "I'm sorry, sir, it will only take a few minutes." "eleven sous." "That's all we've got." "Stop it." "I'm hungry, too." "We're all hungry." "Come on, Capi." "Stop it, you two." "Where can we go?" "Somewhere without police officers." "Do you see what I mean, LadykiIIer?" "Signore VitaIis is in prison, we don't know where to go, and he won't be out for a month." "I have to practise so that he'II see I've made progress." "Bravo!" "That's very nice." "Stay here!" "Don't move!" "Bravo." "Are you the one..." "Are you the one..." " Who was playing?" " Yes, madam." "would you Iike to come in for a drink?" "I would but..." "I'm not alone." "You're with your parents?" "Friends?" "family?" " Capi." " Who's Capi?" "Good boy, Capi, good boy!" "You're both welcome aboard." " well..." " Yes?" "There are more." "Other friends?" "dolce!" "Zerbino!" "LadykiIIer!" "Is that all?" "Then come on in." "My name's Johanna." "And yours?" "I'm Remi, madam." "You play very well." "It's my profession." "Come in." "Ingrid, something to drink for the boy." " Madam?" " Yes." "Can I share with my animals?" "They're hungry, too." "You haven't eaten." "Not for a while, madam." "Ingrid, a full meal for the boy and something for the animals." "Very well, madam." "Sit down, my poor friends." "I Ieft my things in the woods." "Ingrid will fetch them." "Thank you." "LadykiIIer, show your best manners to the lady." "So you are a performer?" "Yes, with my master." " Where is he?" " In pri..." "He's in town for a while." "So I'm coping with the animals." "Dancing and comedy, whatever the public desires." "Am I the public?" "Yes, I think so." "What is your master's name?" "VitaIis." "Signore VitaIis." "Is he your papa?" "I don't have one." "And your mama?" "That's old mother Barberin." "It's nice to have a mama." "But sad to be apart." "Very sad." "For her, too." "It's sad for both of us." "My dear!" "Why do you look so happy?" "Happy?" "No, I..." "It's the happiness that comes from comforting a child." "It wasn't mama's fault." "She didn't want to abandon me." "old man Barberin fixed it up." "Poor little thing." "Poor little thing." "He made me leave with Mr VitaIis without her knowing." "Can you believe it?" "sleeping in a real bed, and two meals in one day!" "Go back to the others or they'II be jealous." "How old are you?" "Ten." "I'II soon be eleven, I think." "I bet he looks like you." "Who?" "My son." "He looks like me?" "Perhaps." " Does he live on this boat?" " No, he's not here." "Where, then?" "I don't know." "I don't know." "Aren't you sad, being all alone?" "Stop it!" "Stop asking questions!" "I'm sorry..." "I'm sorry." "Don't cry." "If I paid his fine would they set him free?" "I believe so, madam." "I'II see to it right away, and ask him to come to us here." "Thank you, madam." "I'd Iike to talk to your master." "talk to him?" "What about?" "You've never met." "Oh, what a handsome lot!" "My boy!" "I only had eleven sous left and the lady on the boat, she's called Johanna, gave me food and a bed, with real sheets, and she wanted..." "she had you set free and..." "I'II tell her you're here." "My respects, madam." "I want to thank you for..." "please come in, Mr VitaIis, you must be very tired." "I feel like I already know you, Remi has told me so much." "really?" "But allow me to introduce myself." "I am Countess von Strausberg, a widow, and my son is lost." " I'm sorry." " please..." "Come in, I'd Iike to discuss a serious matter with you." "Go and take the animals for a walk." "I'm sure they could do with the exercise." "Go on." "I've grown very fond of Remi, Mr VitaIis." "You hardly know him." "Not quite as well as you, true." "But he's endearing, clever, lively..." "He's like a ray of sunshine." "I'm ill, you see." "I find it hard to walk." "CoxaIgia as a result of tuberculosis." "But the climate here does me good." "And?" "I'd Iike to keep the child with me." "I'd make him happy." " And yourself, too." " His happiness is mine." "Yes, you're right." "He'd get the best education, have a bright future..." "would you Iike some tea?" "Ingrid, some tea, please." "Take a seat." "So, do you agree?" "Remi is an excellent partner." "I have no intention of losing him." "I understand that you paid a considerable sum to bring Remi under your wing." "I also realise how much you have spent on his education and how his absence will affect your future takings." "But we can come to an arrangement." "No, madam, we cannot." "Remi is not for sale!" "I have no wish to insult you, but we both want the best for him." "We are both very attached to him." "If we wrote to his mother, this poor peasant..." "This "poor peasant", as you say, is not his mother." " But Remi..." " He doesn't know." "I'm the only family he has." "He is my responsibility." "We shall not bother you any longer." "We're leaving." "I shan't forget what you did for Remi." "You can be sure of his gratitude, as of mine." "I don't want your gratitude." "old mother Barberin would have wanted me to stay on the boat." "I don't think so." "I know she would!" "Listen to me, Remi." "There's something you have to know." "Remi, old mother Barberin isn't your mother." "Stay there, boys!" "Remi!" "It's not true." "She's my mother, she brought me up!" "Yes, she did, and she loved you" "like a mother loves her son." "But..." "What?" "You were an abandoned child, but old mother Barberin took you in." "That's what counts." "Not that you were abandoned, but that you were loved." "Abandoned..." "Johanna lost her child." "I know." "No, really lost him." "He was with his nurse and one day he was snatched away." "stolen!" "Never found again." "Why did she cry just then?" "Perhaps she was sad to see us go?" "could my mother be looking for me?" "That means I've got two mamas, with old mother Barberin." "Yes, two mothers and twice as much love!" "Come on!" "In court you said you loved me like your own son." "I've got a big family!" "Yes, a big family." " Mr VitaIis?" " Yes." "I'd Iike to kiss you." "Where to now?" "Where would you Iike?" "I don't know." "Let's go there, then!" "Come on!" "Your hat!" "Come on." "Best foot forward... to Paris!" "So this so-caIIed VitaIis joined the child on board?" "This means Johanna has found her son." "No." "She doesn't know it's her son." "It was just a coincidence." "Perhaps." "But if she finds out, you're a dead man, charles." "Wait for me." "No one told me you were here, my dear." "Where does this piece go?" "Nothing fits any more!" "Madam has been sleeping badly." "She needs her rest." "Leave us!" "please, Johanna." "For a few weeks I had someone to help me." "A clever lad..." "Someone to help you?" "Who?" "The child who was on the boat?" "How do you know?" "Everyone on the canal knows." "Lots of people noticed." "What do you know about this child?" "What do I know about him?" "I don't understand." "really?" "And the dog-trainer who joined him?" "What about him?" "Poor little Remi." "Where is this Remi?" "I don't know." "He went off again with his "dog-trainer"." " He's gone?" " Yes." "I let him go." "I must be going mad." "I'm going mad!" "That's all you know?" "What else do you expect?" "Your questions are annoying me." "What is it to you?" "Nothing." "I'm just worried about your health." "Forgive me, Johanna." "He showed up one day." "It was a miracle." "Remember Gustav's portrait?" "He was just like him." "I'm sure his master, Mr VitaIis, exploits him terribly." "But you haven't told me what brings you here." "Now go." "Leave me." "He'II write to me." "He promised." "And I'II know where he comes from, that young man." "I'II know..." "He can't be far." "still with his dog-trainer." "Find that child and, this time..." "Understand?" "I understand." "I understand." "Mr Capi, you're a marvel." "would you please salute our honourable public." "Mr Capi, thank you." "Mr Remi, what can you do?" "No, I already know that." "Anything else?" "play the accorIion." "Ah, you mean the accordion." "well, play, Mr Remi." "Where's your instrument?" "Go and find it, then, Mr Remi." "Mr Remi?" "Finish playing and pack up." "We've met before." "No, absolutely not." "In court, in Tarbes." "Absurd!" "I've never been there." "Why were you running away from me?" "I wasn't running." "What do you want with me?" "With you?" "Nothing." "With whom, then?" "I..." "I don't know." "With Remi?" "For Madame Johanna?" "Madame Johanna?" "No, not at all." "help, help!" "Thief!" "help!" "I don't want to see you again, do you hear me?" "Sir, madam..." "Did you see him?" "He was going to kill me." "You're my witnesses." " What did he take from you?" " Nothing." "But he's a maniac." "Your ankle's twisted." "I was running for my Iife." "Go to the police." "That man performs with animals." "His name's VitaIis." "Do you understand?" "VitaIis!" "Serious?" "A man I've met before, who was watching the performance." "Who was he?" "I was wrong." "It wasn't him." "You look mad." "Who, me?" "Let's go." "Are we going to Paris?" "Yes." "How big is Paris?" "Are there police there, too?" "Of course, Remi, Iike everywhere." "And thousands of inhabitants, tens of thousands, hundreds of thousands." "There are wide avenues and boulevards lit up day and night, and theatres, as many as you could wish for." "There's an opera house like a palace, where you can hear the most beautiful music." "The most beautiful." "The theatres, the opera house..." "Have you been in them?" "Everyone has." "Did you perform in them with Capi and LadykiIIer?" "No, not with them." "Who with, then?" "You ask too many questions." "How can I?" "You hardly ever answer!" "You think so?" "Why didn't you let me stay with the lady on the boat?" "I want to make you a free man." "Free to roam, to know the world, to observe, to Iearn." "I want to teach you to use your eyes." "But the lady would have given me a nice bed, cakes..." "clean sheets, a soft mattress, cakes..." "Is that what you want?" "Cakes and feather mattresses?" "Go on, then." "I'm not stopping you!" " will we be there soon?" " Yes." "We have to find a woodcutter's cabin to shelter in for the night." "I have the feeling there's one just over there." "There!" "Now it can snow." "Yes, it can snow loads." "Come on, come on!" "There!" "Ouch, my hair!" "You've caught cold." "Get some sleep, general." "Get the candles out." "But we keep them for our performances." "Tonight is a special night." "It's Christmas, Remi!" "We're very lucky tonight." "Don't you think they look beautiful for Christmas?" "wonderful!" "Here." "Oranges!" "real ones!" "I've only ever had one orange before in my whole life." "At Christmas?" "I don't know." "I've got a present for you." " A present?" " Yes." "Turn around and close your eyes." "Since you play so well it's yours now, forever." " The accor..." " The accorIion, yes." "Mine?" "Yes, lad." "Yours." "My own accorIion?" "Get down from there." "It's your turn to keep watch." "My turn?" "Keep the fire going." "It's not difficult." "I'II sleep an hour or two." "Very well." "If you're worried by anything, just wake me up." "Understand?" "I understand." "But I'm not likely to be worried by anything." "What could I be worried by?" "It's still night-time." "What is it?" "What is it?" "The fire's gone out." "Did you faII asleep?" "Zerbino!" "dolce!" "Poke the fire, quick!" "Zerbino!" "dolce!" "I'II come with you." "Capi, look for them!" "wolves, wolves!" "Where are you going?" "To look for them everywhere." "Everywhere!" "Capi, look for them!" "Wait for me." "Stay by my side." "There are wolves everywhere." "follow me." "The Christmas ribbons..." "If Zerbino and dolce didn't come when we called... then they must... be far away." "If they're dead it's because I fell asleep." "Men don't cry." "I'm not a man!" "You must have cried sometimes." "So we're the same." "Come on." "LadykiIIer!" "We forgot about LadykiIIer." "LadykiIIer!" "Are you there?" "He's not there." "It's because of the wolves." "He's not..." "That's Capi." "That's Capi calling us." "Come on." "Poor LadykiIIer, he hates the cold." "Come on." "He's alive!" "Innkeeper, your largest room." "And light a good fire, forthwith!" "Get into bed." "It's not time." "Do as you're told." "Get as hot as you can." "hold him tight against you so that he gets warm, too." "Why is he doing that?" "A year ago he caught a bad cold." "He had to be bled." "Now when he's ill he holds out his arm to be treated." "will he get better?" "I'II go for a doctor." " Congestion." " I'm not the patient." " He's delirious." " It's LadykiIIer." "He's ill." "A monkey?" "You dragged me out for a monkey?" "A monkey, yes, who was surprised by the snow." "But a genius monkey, an irreplaceable actor." "How could we entrust such an actor to a village veterinarian?" "We know about their reputation, don't we?" "Have they ever once had occasion to treat an actor?" "I ask you." "No, don't reply." "These veterinarians are not men of science." " Quite." " The monkey is close to man." "And this one's an actor!" "Isn't it interesting to see the similarities in our illnesses?" "That's enough." "I understand." "Look how intelligent he is." "He knows you're a doctor so he holds out his arm." "An inflammation of the chest." "Get hold of some pouItices of flour and mustard." "And give him infusions of thyme and rosemary for the infection." "Five francs." " well?" " He hasn't moved." "His breathing is very noisy." "We'II perform tomorrow." "But how, without Zerbino, dolce..." "or LadykiIIer?" "We've got fifty sous left." "I have to pay for the room, the meal, the fire..." "And the medicine for LadykiIIer." "We need at Ieast 20 francs." "Twenty francs?" "That's impossible!" "Nothing's impossible, Remi." "Nothing!" "I think he's warming up." "could you tell me the time, please?" "Ask my dog." "Your dog?" "really, your dog?" "tell me the time, please, Capi?" " Four o'cIock, sir." " Thank you, Mr Capi." "It's four o'cIock." "Thank you." "Mr Capi, we need money, please." "Twenty francs?" "We have finished our performance." "However, as the candles are still alight," "I shall, if the honourable public so desires, sing a song and the maestro will go round once again." "Perhaps those people who couldn't find their pockets will have better luck this time." "Thank you." "I'd Iike to speak to your master." "The lady over there wants a word." " About what?" " I don't know." "Was she generous?" "Not a single coin." "Than she can talk to Capi instead of me." "I tell her that?" "I wanted to speak to you." "My respects, madam." "I'm a musician, and very sensitive to a talent like yours." "I believe..." "I have no special talent, madam." "I believe, and forgive me for my curiosity..." "You're surprised that a dog-trainer is able to hold a tune?" "Surprised?" "No." "Amazed." "I believe that, long ago, at the scala in milan, when I was but a girl..." "In my youth" "I was..." "The scala in milan, you said?" "I was the servant of a great singer." "I imitated him, Iike a parrot." "I used to repeat the tunes which my master studied." "I hope I've satisfied your curiosity." "And did your master later mysteriously disappear?" "Yes, that's it." "It was said at the time that he'd lost his voice and that his famous partner and lover," "Teresa BeviIacqua, had left him." "He then disappeared." "What was his name?" "I have no idea." "VitaIo Pedrotti, I believe." "well, goodbye, Mr Vita..." "VitaIis." "Thank you, madam." "We can save LadykiIIer!" "The lady gave us a gold Louis." "He's put his uniform on." "He's asleep." "Is he asleep?" "Dressed up, Iike an artist," "like a lord." "A general." "Yes, Iike a general." "He can rest forever now." "Yes, Remi, forever." "farewell, general." "farewell, general." "farewell." "If I hadn't fallen asleep he'd still be alive." "And if I'd left you with the lady in the boat, my animals might all still be alive." "And if I hadn't fallen asleep..." "No, Remi." "You can't rationaIise like that." "I wasn't." "I'm just sad." "So am I." "But there's no point crying over spilt milk." "Remember?" "Look to the future." "farewell, general." "farewell, general." "Later on you'II remember dolce the acrobat," "Zerbino the brigand, and LadykiIIer the general with fondness." "My thoughts, and Capi's too, I'm sure, will accompany them." "Our thoughts are important." "They keep us loyal to those we love, those we've known." "You understand?" "Come on, Capi." "You see, LadykiIIer taught you one thing at Ieast." "He's made you experience two new feelings:" "grief and loneliness." "So in order to be a man you have to be alone?" "Yes." "Sort of..." " Come on, Capi." " Where will we go now?" "To Paris, eh?" "To Paris!" "Come on." "subtitles by Howard Bonsor" "SubtitIing by TVS" " TITRA FILM" "Can I help?" "Mr GarofoIi?" "At the back." "Thank you." "Is Signore GarofoIi here?" "He's gone out." "He'II be back in an hour." "You should be a little more welcoming, young man." "Your name?" "Mattia." "I work for Mr GarofoIi." "Put those buckets down." "Listen to me carefully, Mattia." "I'm going to leave Remi and my dog Capi here." "I'II be back in an hour." "I'm VitaIis, a friend of your padrone." "tell him this when he gets back." "I'm going to go round the theatres on the boulevards and see if I can find some work." "Why don't you stay here and get some rest, too?" "I'II be right back." "Look after Capi." "Warm yourself up by the fire." "You're freezing." "I've found them." "Good." "Do you have a gun?" "A pistol." "Perfect." "You mustn't take any chances with the child this time." "By the way, how's your charming niece?" "Lise?" "Lise, that's right." "You can't..." "You have the choice:" "it's her or the boy." "charles." "You play the violin?" " In the street." " really?" "In the street?" "well, when I'm not being beaten." "Look." "Who beats you?" "Where did this new boy come from?" "My name's Remi, sir." "I'm Signore VitaIis' partner." "He came earlier." "He said..." "Be quiet!" "I'm talking to this young man." "So, my friend VitaIis left you here?" "Two of our dogs, dolce and Zerbino, were killed." "It was snowing and it was night..." "And the monkey, too." "He died later on, of the cold." "He waited for the dogs." "dolce and Zerbino were eaten by wolves." "But I don't train wolves." "We'd better wait for VitaIis." "I didn't understand your story." " Is he your dog?" " Yes." "His name's Capi." "Did Remi explain everything?" "The wolves." "You can't be too careful of wolves." "I'd Iike to leave Remi here." "splendid, splendid!" "I'm sure that, with your help, he could learn some new tricks with your dogs." "Capi here knows quite a few already." "And what can the young fellow do?" "play the accordion and sing." "He can sing, can he?" "splendid, splendid!" "He's a nice man, isn't he?" "Now listen to me." "I was lucky, I found a job as a stagehand in a theatre." "We have to go off on tour but..." "In a month, I promise," "I'II come back and we'II go off again." "And you can show me what tricks you've learnt." "I'II look after him like he was my own son." "Don't worry." "You know I'II be back." "You know that, Remi." "Look after Capi." "Take care, artist!" "Time to reckon up before your supper, children." "Then you'II go and put your instruments away." "Hurry up and be quiet!" "Do you hear me?" "You have to make 40 sous a day or else..." "Or else what?" " What?" "38 sous?" " It was raining." "That's no excuse." "Do you stop eating when it rains?" "An extra two sous tomorrow or you know what you'II get!" "What does he mean?" "He'II get one less potato for every sou he's short." "And he'II be beaten." "Is it the same all over?" "What do you mean?" "For children everywhere?" "I've never been anywhere else." "You owe me a sou from yesterday." "But I'm a sou short today as well." "What?" "A sou yesterday, another today." "You know the rules." "Riccardo, my lovely." "model yourselves on Riccardo." " Does Riccardo earn a Iot?" " Earn?" "No, he..." "He steals it?" "Wait!" "He might not be the only one." "You can do them all together." "I'm sure those laughing will be a few sous short." "Who laughed the loudest?" "How much are you short?" "No, that'II do." "Fine, fine." "How much are you short?" "Ten sous, but it was an accident..." "Quiet!" "Here, Riccardo." "Good." "Good." "And you?" "Here, Riccardo." "So that makes three crooks stealing from me." "How am I supposed to pay for good food if you don't work?" "Riccardo, punish them." "Yes, padrone." "I can't watch, it hurts me too much." "He hides his money." "really?" "But I can hear how well you beat them." "No, I won't let you!" "help!" "I won't let you!" "Who's that?" "Who's giving orders?" "Nobody hits my dog." "Yes, you're right." "We'II put him where he's safe." "Put your instruments away or you'II get no supper." "You're an elusive man, always coming and going." "I would just as soon stay and hold you in my arms." "You know that." "No, I don't." "And I don't want to know it." "Do you know what happened to your protege, the young accordionist?" "No, not yet." "But I will." "He promised to write, did he?" "Why shouldn't he keep his promise?" "Why indeed?" "Do you really want to please me?" "Do you doubt it?" "In our family, it's a tradition for a brother to marry his widowed sister-in-Iaw." "I Iike traditions." "I won't hold you to it." "No, help me find this child who plays the accordion." "I'II find him." "I have a friend... on whom I can rely." " Sir?" " What now?" "A young man for you." "julien, I think he said." "Found them?" "Yes." "At GarofoIi's, all right." "In BeIIeviIIe village." "Here's the address." "VitaIis left the boy." " Are you sure?" " I saw them myself." "I've been here for three years." "I was always beaten at home." "I get beaten less here." "And I get fed every day." "GarofoIi is also my uncle, you know." "And he beats you?" "Why shouldn't he?" "For the forty sous?" "Finding forty sous is tough." "It's hard to stay home and get hit, but the insults in the streets can be even harder to bear." "Do you understand?" "So I stay home and get the coal in, do the housework..." "Listen." "That's Capi." "I've got to let him out." "You mustn't!" "Come on, Capi." "Goodnight, Capi." "Enjoying your meal?" "Loafers!" "Time for work, you morons!" "Hungry, are you?" "Here!" "Don't anyone touch this!" "Who put that there?" "Who put it there?" "Who was it?" "Who was it?" "That dog shouIdn't be in here." "What was that?" "That dog." "I'm going to kill it." "Who let that dog out of its cage?" "Riccardo, what's this?" "Get rid of it now!" "Get up, you idle lot, take your instruments and get out!" "What should I do, sir?" "call me "padrone"!" " Like everyone else." " Yes, Mr Padrone." "Nothing." "dolce and Zerbino used to waltz and Capi was the servant, and he told the time..." "I'd Iike to Iearn some tricks with some other dogs." "You won't get any lessons." "You can't pay for them." "Now get out!" "But Mr VitaIis is going to pay." "I can't feed you and teach you on VitaIis' promises." "Out!" "Take your dog and your instrument and don't come back without your forty sous." "But I can't beg." "I'm an artist, not a beggar." "It's the same thing." "What do you mean?" "Move people and they give you money." "I'II show you where." "Hurry up!" "We leave in fifteen minutes." "Is the duchess in such a hurry?" "Hurry up!" "Another 25 baskets like that one." "Hey, if you're not strong enough, we'II soon replace you." "Get back over there." "Come on!" " There's a good spot over here." " A good spot?" "A spot where people give you money and where there are no policemen." "You should do all right, you look nice and kind." "I'm not that nice." "people give you money if you look cold, or remind them of their child." "I've worked it all out." "I'II earn money with my accordion." "And as for the policemen, I'm a fast runner." "Are there a Iot here?" "Too many." "Is Notre Dame far from here?" "That way, but it's not a good idea." "Some other time." "Right, Capi." "To work!" "One, two..." "Read all about it!" "AII the latest news!" "Read all about it!" "Here, madam." "Now you can walk like a young man again." "Like a young man!" "Thank you, doctor." "Lise, see the doctor out, please." "No, Lise, everything is fine." "How about you?" "Not too bored?" "Everything I do I do just for you." "You're my darling." "That's good, Biche." "A bit further." "Good." "And now, a little reward." "That's how it works." "In position." "Show us what you can do." "Go on, go on..." "That's good." "You got on well with Signore VitaIis, did you?" "He trains dogs well, considering it's not his profession." "Pity he can't teach them to sing!" "When do I get a lesson?" "Tomorrow." "That's enough." "Pierre, up on the drum." "But you keep..." "Don't answer back!" "Get your 40 sous!" "And be quick about it." "A little reward, I said." "Authority and rewards." "We'II go back as soon as we've got forty sous." "Thank you, madam." "That's it!" "Let's go back, Capi." "Round and round, Biche." "That's good." "Keep going." "Can I help you?" "Mr GarofoIi, please." "One second." "What can I do for you?" "I'm looking for a child." "You've lost one?" "No, I..." "Ah, you're looking for a child to use in a performance." "well, all my children do wonders with their animals." "No, it's not that..." "In that case, sir, I'm afraid I can't help you." "It's one particular child." "One particular child?" "For a particular reason?" "It's a child who might have shown up with his master and a white dog." " Has he committed a crime?" " No..." "Are you a policeman?" "Do I Iook like one?" "You can never be too careful." "I'm not." "I just want this child." "I don't have any child of that description, sir." "Come on, children." "Hurry up!" "That child with the dog!" "A friend entrusted him to me." "He's my responsibility." "He'II be mine now." " Does he belong to you?" " His name's Remi." "Yes, well, Remi's a popular name." "He might belong to my employers." " Do you have proof?" " Proof?" "What sort of proof?" "Is that your proof?" "That's not enough." "Not enough?" "There!" "Go with this gentleman." "But my master said..." "Now!" "This gentleman has been looking for you." "A man of the Iaw sent me to get you, do you understand?" "A man who's working for a certain family." "My family?" "Is it my family?" "Yes, it's your family." "Are you happy now?" "His former master mustn't know anything about our agreement." "Of course." "How will Mr VitaIis know where I am, where I'm living?" "I'II tell him." "Get yourself ready now." "Come on, Capi." "That's VitaIis' dog." "He stays." "You don't want my friend VitaIis to lose both his boy and his dog, do you?" "Be off with you!" "Remi, come on." "Get a move on." "I want Capi." "Come on!" "He'II be unhappy." "Come on!" "Come on, Iet's go." "Capi!" "You can get Capi later." "What are you doing, letting the dog out?" "Riccardo!" "Go on, in you get!" "Three, four hundred francs." "He didn't even tell me his name." "I know it." "You know it, do you?" "He lost his wallet." "It's awful how people always seem to lose their wallets when they've been standing near you!" "charles Fontane..." "Where are we going?" "You'II see." "Your house?" "Yes." "Where's that?" "In St-Pierre-du-Perray." "It's quicker through the forest." "I'm sure I know you." "Is that so?" "I've seen you before." "Where?" "Who are my family?" "You ask too many questions." "It's my family!" "I don't know." "You have to be patient." "I've been patient for eleven years." "So you can wait a bit longer." "What about Capi?" "Can I get him?" "Your master will." "will he come for me, too?" "Be quiet!" "Do you want to stretch your legs?" "Yes, please." "Remi's master!" "Remi's master!" " VitaIis?" " He's in the courtyard." "Hide the dog." "And keep it quiet." "We'II get a good price for it." "My dear friend." "I'm worn out." "I'm too old for that job." "Come on in, sit yourself down." "Leave us alone, my loves." "Go on!" "So has Remi been learning lots of new tricks?" "I want to get back on the road." "Does walking help you forget?" "I walk to forget, you drink!" "So..." "Remi?" "He's not here." "What?" "He's not here... or anywhere." "He's not anywhere?" "You're joking, I hope." "Yes, this is one of your sketches, one of your little tricks." "No, I'm not joking." "Remi left us." "He went off with his dog, walking the boulevards." "And you let him go?" "alone, on the boulevards?" "I got worried when he didn't come back." "And then I heard..." "Heard?" "You heard what?" "He was run over by an omnibus." "killed outright." "A policeman told me about it later." "Too late..." "But he didn't suffer." "killed outright." "He was your responsibility." "I know, but with all these other children..." "And he kept on at me to let him go." "He was with his dog, after all." "You disgust me, GarofoIi." "You disgust me!" "You could have made some effort to get in touch." "You were responsible for him." "I found out that they'd taken him to the morgue." "The morgue..." "Remi, in the morgue..." "Then they buried him in Montmartre, in the communal grave." "I'd have paid for a tombstone, but what name would I have put?" "What name?" "Remi..." "Remi who?" "And I wasn't a relation." "What would I have said?" "Where were you?" "I don't know." "I don't know..." "In SenIis." "I don't know..." "Poor Remi." "His dog was with him and he disappeared, obviously." "obviously." "Your bag." "Keep your chin up." "What are you doing there?" "Get out!" "Are we going?" "Have you lost something?" "Your wallet?" " What?" " Have you lost your wallet?" "That's Riccardo." "Riccardo, GarofoIi's assistant." "He's a thief." "I bet he took your wallet and papers and everything." "My papers, my address..." "So he knows my address." "AII the better." "If the police catch him they'II be able to find you." "You'II get your wallet back." "Find me?" "The police?" "Wait for me!" "Wait!" "What are you saying?" "Who's that boy?" "He'II be staying for a while." "Prepare him a room in the outhouse." "He'd be better off in the house." "There's lots of room." "The outhouse, I said!" "will he be needing dinner?" "Have you eaten?" "Not for a while." "Come on in." "hello." "My name's Remi." " And you?" " Her name's Lise." "She's my niece." "Thank you, Lise." "She can't speak, she's dumb." "But you can hear me." "What am I doing here?" "I don't know, I..." "I'm looking for my family." "I don't have a family." "Ask your uncle." "Later!" "Now eat up, then I'II take you to your room." "Why not in the house?" "Be quiet and stop asking questions." "Goodnight, sleep tight." "Is this where you play?" "I used to have my own den at old mother Barberin's." "Yours is wonderful." "Are you alone here?" "lovely." "Why did your father lock me up?" "He's not your father?" "Where is your father?" "Where are both your parents?" "You don't have any?" "I'm sorry." "Since when?" "Four years ago?" "Poor Lise." "Is that why you're dumb?" "I'm sorry." "What do you want?" "Any news of his family?" "Later, I said." "Later means later." "Why did you lock him up?" "So he doesn't run away..." "So he doesn't get lost, I mean." "Lost..." "shall we have pancakes tonight?" "With flour and eggs?" "well, yes, with flour and eggs, Mr Chef!" "You know another recipe?" "Watch out!" "Are you crazy?" "I am crazy perhaps..." "I'm crazy." "Why does he have so much furniture?" "Is he a merchant?" "He said he might have found my family." "But he won't tell me any more." "Listen." "Come on." "No, I thought it was Capi." "Capi's my dog." "well, my master's dog." "He can tell the time." "shall we go and get Capi?" "You could get your wallet." "If he stole it off me he won't just give it back." "Go on, get a move on!" "tell me about my family." "And what about VitaIis?" "I miss him." "Everything will work out in the end." "Watch out, kids!" "We'II have to wait." "You like the boy, don't you?" "What's it matter to you?" "well, you live on your own." "You've no one to..." "Come on, out with it!" "It's complicated." "I don't want to get mixed up in your twisted business." "I don't like what you do, as you know." "What if this boy, Remi, stayed a while?" "Why?" "You told him you've found his family." "That's where he belongs." "Of course." "But why couldn't you be his family?" "Don't talk nonsense, Mr charles." "I'm going to go back to my own home." "And I'm too old for all that." "I deserve some rest." "My master, VitaIis, taught me how to read and play the accordion." "He was like a father to me." "And he's a great artist." "I also knew this lady who lived on a boat like a palace." "It's the truth." "She'd lost her own son." "She was so kind to me." "She'd Iike you." "We'II go together, I promise." "I promised I'd write to her." "I haven't done so yet but I'm not very good at it." "You mean now?" "It'II be our secret, our letter to the lady on the boat." ""My Dear Count," ""I found the child at the address I was given." ""He came with me." ""Consider him gone for good." ""Our business is finished." ""Neither you nor anyone else will ever hear of him again." ""Your servant, charles Fontane."" "The fresh air here in the Pyrenees has done wonders." "Look!" "almost as good as new." "You're cured, Johanna." "Why stay in the Pyrenees, in France, any longer?" "You can be very persuasive." "Have you had any news of the young boy who stayed here for a while?" "My contact looked into the matter, as you requested." "And?" "Nothing." "Not a trace." "Your contact isn't giving you very accurate information." "If I were you, I wouldn't trust him." "But I do trust him." "I know where the boy is." "You do?" "With a certain Mr Fontane, in St-Pierre-du-Perray." "Remi wrote to me as he'd promised." "I replied, telling him to come here as soon as he could." "How about that?" "What are you doing here?" "You told me the child had gone... for good!" "Yes, for good." "Where is he?" "What do you mean?" "He's living here." "No, no..." " Don't bother lying." " I'm not lying." "I wrote and told you that Remi was gone." "It's true." "He's gone from your life." "But he hasn't gone from your life, has he, charles?" "old Pierrette will adopt him." "I wanted him gone!" "Not from my Iife, from everyone's!" "Didn't I make myself clear enough?" "Where is he?" "Which room is he in?" "Stop lying about this child." "You're going to tell me the truth now." "I know he's here." "Think about your niece." "Now where is he?" "You're not going to kill him?" "Didn't I make myself clear?" "Not clear enough?" "Who's there?" "Everyone's asleep." "If I don't find that boy, you know who I'II find instead?" "Your niece." "I'II take your niece instead, as consolation." "For the Iast time, where is the boy?" "In the bedroom at the top of the outhouse." "Let's go." "You managed to open it!" "I don't understand." "You worm!" "Thank you." "You saved my Iife." "I'II be back." "Where's the communal grave?" "The communal grave?" "What communal grave?" "Why, are there lots of communal graves?" "I thought there was only one, for the poor, the homeless, and a little boy that a stupid old man didn't protect." "A boy of eleven." "It's over there." "But there haven't been any children that age buried recently." " Two weeks ago." " No." "Some babies, a young girl..." "I'm in charge of it." "So don't go telling me my business." "Thirty years I've been in charge of it." "You must have the wrong cemetery." "Thirty years!" "So don't come here telling me my job!" "I know who's buried there." "What are you doing here?" "They tried to kill me." "I don't understand why." "Come with me." "I'II just wait here for my master to come back." "He won't come back." "He will." "He promised." "He's already been and the padrone told him you'd been killed." "So I'II never find him or Capi?" "Capi's here." "The padrone pretended he'd been with you." "I'II rescue him." "And then?" "As long as I've got Capi I can get by." "The beautiful lady on the boat told me to go to her." "I can work for her." "That's something to aim for." "Can I go with you?" "If you want but I haven't got any money." "The man who took you away gave the padrone some money." "That money doesn't belong to him." "No, it doesn't." "I know where he hides it." "I've got an idea." "What?" " It'II be you next time!" " Riccardo!" "What are you doing?" "Where's the coal?" "tell the padrone!" "I saw something shining in the coal." "Show me." " And the padrone?" " Show me first." "Behind the pile on the Ieft." "Remi, you're back?" "We looked after Capi." "Come on!" "How are you, my boy?" "Capi..." " Where's Riccardo?" " In the cellar." "In the cellar?" "Wait here, Capi." "There's lots of money here." "It'II be enough." "Let me out of here, Mattia!" "I'II get you for this!" "Are you sure it's this way?" "Yes, I read the sign." "Can you read?" "It's not so difficult." "We're not beggars any more." "We're artists now, all right?" "Yes, all right." "The open road means freedom, the freedom to wander, to discover France, to discover the world..." "The freedom to observe, to Iearn..." "VitaIis taught me that." "I'd Iike to Iearn things." "No boy had been buried in the Montmartre communal grave." "No boy?" "That's impossible." "No boy!" "No boy of eleven." "Someone must have lied to me." " Who's been lying?" " I don't know." " No one had better lie about this!" " But..." "Where is Remi?" "How should I know?" "He's not here." "Where is he?" "Stand there, you!" " Where's Remi?" " He must still be alive." "Like I am!" "Where is he?" "He left." "Where?" "He didn't say." "If I pull this over, the alcohol catches fire and whoosh!" "Not so funny, eh?" "A man came from the boy's family." "ridiculous!" "How would he have known..." "He knew, he knew!" "He knew what?" "He was looking for a child with a big white dog." "He'd been following you for a Iong time." "It's the truth." "I swear." "A small man of about fifty?" " With a black hat." " Name?" "He was looking for the boy." "Name?" "Address?" "He didn't want me to know so he didn't tell me." "Get out of here, you!" "His name's charles Fontane." "He lost his wallet here." "His wallet!" "quickly!" "quickly!" "My children run off, my money gets stolen..." "I'm ruined." "So this Mr Fontane left with Remi and Capi?" "Yes." "You can see the dog's not here." "Teresa BeviIacqua sang Don Juan again at the opera." "With a new partner, and she was better than ever!" "What now?" "I told you everything." "I'm looking for a child." "You know which child I mean." "You, too?" "A child, what child?" "Everyone wants him." "He's a curse, that boy!" "A curse!" "I don't know where he is, I don't know." "A man came for him a few weeks ago." "Mr Fontane from St-Pierre-du-Perray." "I know his address." "I know it, too." "I'm looking for the boy who ran away from Mr Fontane's house." "Did he come back here?" "He hadn't better set foot in this place again!" "If you don't believe me, look!" "Have a good look round." "He told everyone here about a place he'd Iike to go back to." "It was somewhere in the provinces, a boat on a canal in the south." "A boat." "That's my money..." "I knew about the boat." "I wish I knew more about music." "With what we'II earn, you could pay for lessons with a real master." "He'II teach you about..." "What was it?" "The dominant." "Look!" "One lesson should do." "There used to be a shop like this near my old master's, but I never dared go in." "well, come on." "Come on." "Capi, you wait here." " hello, sir." " Can I help you, young sirs?" " My friend has a question." " I'm listening." "well, go on!" "Why is a violin tuned to certain notes and not others?" "That's a very astute question." "It's very simple." "The second string to the Ieft of the instrument should be tuned to A." "The other strings are tuned by fifths." "So the fourth string is G, the third is D, the second is A and the first, or chanterelle, is E." "Why is the first string called the chanterelle?" "You have lots of questions?" "I can play but I don't know the notes." "You can play the violin?" "Show me." "And you say you don't know the notes?" "I can play that, too." "That's wonderful!" "I couId make a great musician of you." "You could go to Paris, to the Conservatoire." "Mattia, look." " It looks like VitaIis." " It is him!" "You know that man?" " My master." " Of music?" "No, he had some dogs and a monkey." "We put on a show together." "Then it can't be him." "He just looks the same." "VitaIo Pedrotti was one of the greatest ever baritones." "At the scala in milan, the San carlo in naples, everywhere." "I myself had the very great privilege of hearing him at the Paris Opera on 1 6th February 1 867 in Maestro Rossini's cinderella." "So this talk about a dog-trainer..." "I think not!" "But, sir..." "VitaIo, VitaIis... same thing!" "It's impossible." "He was one of the greatest singers of our time." "He and Teresa BeviIacqua, his partner and love." "until the day..." "It was said he lost his voice and Teresa BeviIacqua left him." "He disappeared." "He was a legend." "A legend." " Yes?" " Mr Fontane, please." " He's not here." " Where is he?" "What do you want with him?" "Lise, go back inside." "I have to find Mr Fontane, it's in his own interest." "He's not here." "And the boy he came looking for a few weeks ago..." " What boy?" " Remi." "I don't know where he is." "He left, too." "What is it?" "Go on, then." "You know Remi, do you?" "You're his friend." "I'm his friend, too." "We travelled together." "He told you about me?" "Where are they?" "Your master never told you anything about himself?" "only once, by the sea." "He said he'd been to America." "Didn't you ask him?" "He never answered." "It must be a love story." "What's a love story." "well, a love story... is a love story!" "A love story?" "I bet it's really lovely." "Right, Capi, time to sleep." "A nice instrument." "Yeah, it'II get us noticed." "people will gather round." "I prefer the violin." "Me, too, but you have to be able to read music." "It's strange." "I've got the music in my head," "I just have to let it out." "How much does a cow cost?" "It'II be more expensive than a trumpet, I reckon." "I'd Iike to buy a cow for old mother Barberin." "shall we buy her one?" "It's not just my money, it's yours, too." "You're the padrone." "No, I used to have a padrone, my master, VitaIis." "He taught me everything." "will I see him again?" "well, if you're not the padrone, you're my friend." "And I'd Iike to buy a cow for the lady who brought you up." "I wonder..." "I wonder if that man was telling the truth," "Lise's uncle." "Did I tell you about Lise?" "Yes, you did!" "Aha!" "Maybe this is the start of a love story." "Oh, so it's when you feel good with another person." "I suppose." "He pretended he knew my family." "Do I really have a mama?" "One like the lady on the boat?" "Do you understand why someone tried to kill me?" "No, I don't." "Who could it have been?" "My family?" "But then it couldn't have been my family." "Why?" "I don't know." " I'II be right back." " Just a few minutes." "Is it serious?" "A firearms wound." "An accident, he claims." "The bullet hit his right lung." "will he live?" "I want the truth." "I didn't want him to kill him." "The boy managed to get away, thanks to Lise." "I was wounded..." "Lise, can you fetch me a glass of water, please?" "Now tell me everything." "Yes, I will." "Everything." "So the German woman on the boat is his real mother?" "It's incredible!" "impossible!" "His real mother, yes." "And her brother-in-Iaw wants him dead?" "So that he'II be the sole heir to the Strausberg fortune." "But if Remi gets to the boat, the killer will be there!" "Not so loud, please, sir." "You'II tire the patient." "I can't tell the police." "They'II laugh." "The boy isn't any relation of mine." "Not even a distant one!" "Sir... please!" " Just a second." " please." "Right, I'm going to fetch someone." "I have to get to the boat first." "He wanted to see Mrs Barberin." "You might find him there if you're quick." "Can I ask you a favour?" "Take Lise with you." "Pierrette won't be staying." "Take care of the girl." "I've seen to all her needs." "She must be missing Remi." "I beg you." "I beg you..." "I'II wait outside." "Now then, my sweet." "We're going to go on a marvellous voyage, just the two of us." "Don't cry." "You promised not to cry." "The new Roussette is really pretty." "She cost us all our money but she's beautiful." "old mother Barberin will like her." "Long live Roussette!" "Idiot!" "You scared her." "Quick, catch her!" "Catch her, quickly!" "Faster!" "Wait, Roussette!" "Roussette, come back!" "please come back, Roussette!" "Is this your cow?" "Where are the papers?" "We're going to Chavarnon, to old mother Barberin." "She brought me up." "Liar!" "You stole her." "No, we bought her." "How?" "Thieves!" "The judge will decide." "EmiIe, put the cow in my field." "Can I sleep with you?" "I'm scared." "Yes, come on." "I've got Capi." "It's my fault." "It's not." "The veterinarian knows we bought her." "What can we do?" "I don't know." "They say you stole a cow." "The village is in uproar." "Proud of yourselves, are you?" "No, sir." ""Your Honour"." "No, Your Honour." "We bought the cow, honest!" "At the fair, in Ardentes." "We'II check." "There was a veterinarian who saw our money." "We'II check." "Why did you buy a cow?" "For the woman who raised me." "She had a lovely cow, Roussette." "But she had to sell it, I don't know why, in Chavarnon." "What's this woman's name?" "old mother Barberin." "The wife of the bricklayer who was injured in Paris?" "We'II check." "Right, get these two fellows a hearty breakfast:" "milky coffee, bread, butter..." "But..." "This should cover it." "Yes, of course, Your Honour." "He knows old mother Barberin." "He'II set us free." ""We'II check"!" "Are pancakes that nice?" "What?" "Are they that nice?" "They're heaven!" "Heaven?" "They're sort of milk, butter, flour and eggs... but better!" "Look, that's heaven, too." "Are you coming?" "Yes, come on." "I've really missed old mother Barberin." "It'II be great to see her again." "Is there anyone there?" "Mother Barberin!" "Where did you appear from, Remi?" "This is Mattia, and my dog Capi." "I'm so happy to see you." "You must be starving." "What do you want?" "Pancakes?" "Pancakes?" "Ah, but for that I'II need..." "milk?" "Yes, you haven't got Roussette any more." "Don't worry." "I'II find something." "Come with me." "Come on..." "Mr Barberin?" "He found a job in UsseI as a night watchman." "So we make ends meet." "What's in the barn?" "Nothing any more." "Come with me." "Where?" "Where are you taking me?" "Where are you taking me?" "It's a cow, a little cow." "She was all lonely so Mattia and I thought..." "She wanted a family." "She's for you." "You bought her?" "My little darlings!" "I'm going to get my frying pan out and find the eggs." "I'd never have believed it possible." "My master, VitaIis, taught me to read, to write and how to be an artist." "He's a legend." "He used to be a famous singer, all over the world." "A man took me from him in Paris and then another man tried to kill me." "What did you say?" "We'II talk about this again later." "Are you coming back here to live?" "There's this foreign woman on a boat who I'm sure will help us," "Mattia and me." "I want to improve at the violin." "So you were an artist with Mr VitaIis?" "Yes, with a flea." "Not a real flea, of course." "It was just a joke." "And I played the accordion." "Want to hear?" "Come on, Mattia." "You can't talk any more, I can't sing." "We're the same, you and I." "I was a famous singer in italy." "Don Giovanni, the Barber of seville, the Cenerentola..." "Do you know that?" "It's an opera by Maestro Rossini." "Cenerentola is italian for cinderella." "You know cinderella?" "well, you're cinderella now, you've come to save Prince Remi, and me..." "I'm a stupid old beast!" "Who are you talking about?" "The buyer of your boat." "Buyer?" "There's a buyer?" "We have to hurry." "In a few days we'II be back home in Bavaria." "The future Count and Countess von Strausberg..." "Yes, I know." "shall I ask him to come?" "Wait another week, please." "If he came back..." "Who are you talking about, my dear?" "Madam, we haven't yet been introduced..." "VitaIis!" "You're a great singer, a legend." "A legend!" "This is Lise, a friend of Remi's." "Come in." "I'm looking for Remi." "He's gone south to see a lady on a boat." "That lady..." "I think she's his mother, his real mother." "What?" "But he didn't tell me." "He doesn't know." "But that means Remi has found his real family." "What a piece of luck!" "No, it's very bad luck." "There's this man who wants to hurt Remi." "Who would want to do that?" "If there's no proof, he can inherit from his brother." "That's their tradition." "Proof..." "Wait a minute!" "I might have some proof." "Remi was still in his swaddling clothes when he was found." "If the lady on the boat recognises the clothes, there'II be no doubt." " She'II know Remi's her son." " I think so, yes." " And the uncle..." " If we're in time!" "I'II find the clothes right now." "They're so pretty." "There are initials and a crown embroidered on them." "I washed them very carefully and haven't touched them since." "I always knew, deep down, that they'd come in useful one day, and that Remi would be happy." "Look." "There she is!" "No, I'II stay here." "After all, she doesn't know me." "You go on your own." "Don't be stupid!" "I've got an idea." "Capi, go and tell the lady that I'm not alone." "Go on, Capi." "Off you go, Capi." "There'II be at Ieast 300 wedding guests." "We can invite the Countess von StaIheim and her family." "No, Georg!" "We said it wouId just be a modest affair." "Capi?" "Yes, it's Capi!" " Capi?" " A friend." "A friend who's come to see me." "A friend?" "You're not serious." "And he won't be alone." "Remi, my little Remi!" "I knew I'd see you again." "See, I waited for you." "I waited for you." "I missed you." "But I've got a friend with me:" "Mattia." "welcome aboard, Mattia." "Remi was raised on a poor farm, but he might turn out to be the son of a count." "Can't you go any faster?" "These aren't race horses!" "Do they never gallop?" "No, never." "What's the point of that?" "We're still not there." "Thanks, but we're in a hurry." "Don't mention it." "I know a short cut." "We might find a mail coach in town." "farewell." "Life's too short to hurry." "nearly there." "See the town?" "That's where it is." "The man said Mattia is very talented." "He could be a virtuoso." "Remi, please!" "And VitaIis?" "He said that he was a legend, and a great singer." "But I lost him." "So many things have happened to me." "I want you to tell me everything." "Isn't it a Iong story?" "Yes, sir, very long." "We'II hear it tomorrow." "You must be very tired." "Yes, you should get some rest." "Georg is right." "Come on, come on." "I told you you'd be welcome." "See!" "real sheets and a real bed!" "Capi, don't take up the whole bed." "Don't tell me, my dear, that you're going to take in every waif and stray dog you find!" "Georg, please!" "I'm rather tired, too." "Goodnight." "Goodnight." "No, thank you." "Thank you." "Did you sleep well?" "Yes." " No kiss?" " Yes, madam." ""Madam"?" "well, what should I..." " Good morning, Mattia." " Madam." " Ready for my story?" " Yes, go on." "You should get dressed, Johanna." "I've got plenty of time." "Let them eat first, they must be hungry." "Yes!" " See you later." " Thanks, madam." "I can read the notes in the book, that's easy." "But you'II have to read the words for me." " Good, isn't it?" " How about a walk?" "There's nothing quite like a good walk in the morning." "Yes, sir." " Coming?" " No, later." "Your dog?" "He goes everywhere with me." "Where are we going?" "I go for a walk every day, all by myself." "It's nicer when you have company, don't you think?" "Yes, sir." "It's nicer." "I walked a Iot with my master, VitaIis." "I Iike walking." "We saw lots of things, didn't we, Capi?" "Sir, I'd Iike to go back now." "I have to read for Mattia." "You've got all day for that." "I want to show you something." "What?" "You'II see." "walk!" "Is there anyone aboard?" "Is Remi here?" "Yes, we came together." "You're Mr VitaIis, the legend..." "Yes, I'm..." "Where is Remi?" " I can't see him." " "Where is he?"" "Are you talking about Remi?" "You just storm in here, demanding him!" "No, I..." "Yes, he's here." "Thank God!" "We got here in time, Lise." "You're Lise?" "Remi's told me all about you." "What's the meaning of this?" "Remi hasn't told you about himself?" "Not yet." "What is there to tell me?" "He was wearing these swaddIing clothes when he was found in Paris." "Do you recognise them?" "What are you talking about?" "SwaddIing clothes?" "These here?" " Where's Remi?" " He went with the gentleman." "Georg?" "Georg?" "His life's in danger!" "Which way?" "I don't know, I wasn't watching." "tell me your story." "I'II tell you on the boat." "You won't tell me?" "Someone tried to kill me." "kill you?" "Why?" "I think it was my family." "Don't talk nonsense!" " See them?" " No." "Do you know where VitaIis is?" "In Paris." "I don't think I'II see him again." "Can we go back now?" "Why all the rush?" "Aren't you having fun?" "Someone's calling us." "Did you hear, Capi?" "Forget your dog." "We'II go for a boat ride." " I can't swim." " Scared?" "help!" "help!" "This is an odd way to meet up again." "You're wounded!" "It's just a scratch." "Remember when I told you that old mother Barberin wasn't your mother?" "That was the first time I ever saw you cry." "well, now you can go and run to your real mother." " My mother?" " Yes." "The lady on the boat is your real mother." "You'd already found each other, so now go and run into her arms." "She's waiting for you." "And you?" "I'II be along shortly." "I'II catch you up." "I want a word with Capi." "Lise, there you are!" "Come on, Iet's find my mother." "Thank you..." "That's all I wanted to see." " You can talk, Lise!" " Yes." "What's my name, then?" "Remi!" "Capi, come here." "Your master's in a bad way." "He'II be here soon." "We'II have a party for him." "We owe our happiness to him." "Ingrid, get out the champagne." "Lise, help me to lay the table." "Mattia, get your violin, and Remi, get your accordion." "You can play for him, to thank him for all he's done." "Go and find Remi, he's your master now." "Go on, off you go!" "It's her." "You never knew her." "Cenerentola." "She'd have loved you." "Go on, I want you to go to him." "please." "Capi, go and find Remi." "Go on, Capi!" "It's all for him." "He's deserved it." "It's Capi." "Start playing, Mattia." "Capi, you're alone..." "subtitles by Howard Bonsor" "SubtitIing by TVS" " TITRA FILM" "Can I help?" "Mr GarofoIi?" "At the back." "Thank you." "Is Signore GarofoIi here?" "He's gone out." "He'II be back in an hour." "You should be a little more welcoming, young man." "Your name?" "Mattia." "I work for Mr GarofoIi." "Put those buckets down." "Listen to me carefully, Mattia." "I'm going to leave Remi and my dog Capi here." "I'II be back in an hour." "I'm VitaIis, a friend of your padrone." "tell him this when he gets back." "I'm going to go round the theatres on the boulevards and see if I can find some work." "Why don't you stay here and get some rest, too?" "I'II be right back." "Look after Capi." "Warm yourself up by the fire." "You're freezing." "I've found them." "Good." "Do you have a gun?" "A pistol." "Perfect." "You mustn't take any chances with the child this time." "By the way, how's your charming niece?" "Lise?" "Lise, that's right." "You can't..." "You have the choice:" "it's her or the boy." "charles." "You play the violin?" " In the street." " really?" "In the street?" "well, when I'm not being beaten." "Look." "Who beats you?" "Where did this new boy come from?" "My name's Remi, sir." "I'm Signore VitaIis' partner." "He came earlier." "He said..." "Be quiet!" "I'm talking to this young man." "So, my friend VitaIis left you here?" "Two of our dogs, dolce and Zerbino, were killed." "It was snowing and it was night..." "And the monkey, too." "He died later on, of the cold." "He waited for the dogs." "dolce and Zerbino were eaten by wolves." "But I don't train wolves." "We'd better wait for VitaIis." "I didn't understand your story." " Is he your dog?" " Yes." "His name's Capi." "Did Remi explain everything?" "The wolves." "You can't be too careful of wolves." "I'd Iike to leave Remi here." "splendid, splendid!" "I'm sure that, with your help, he could learn some new tricks with your dogs." "Capi here knows quite a few already." "And what can the young fellow do?" "play the accordion and sing." "He can sing, can he?" "splendid, splendid!" "He's a nice man, isn't he?" "Now listen to me." "I was lucky, I found a job as a stagehand in a theatre." "We have to go off on tour but..." "In a month, I promise," "I'II come back and we'II go off again." "And you can show me what tricks you've learnt." "I'II look after him like he was my own son." "Don't worry." "You know I'II be back." "You know that, Remi." "Look after Capi." "Take care, artist!" "Time to reckon up before your supper, children." "Then you'II go and put your instruments away." "Hurry up and be quiet!" "Do you hear me?" "You have to make 40 sous a day or else..." "Or else what?" " What?" "38 sous?" " It was raining." "That's no excuse." "Do you stop eating when it rains?" "An extra two sous tomorrow or you know what you'II get!" "What does he mean?" "He'II get one less potato for every sou he's short." "And he'II be beaten." "Is it the same all over?" "What do you mean?" "For children everywhere?" "I've never been anywhere else." "You owe me a sou from yesterday." "But I'm a sou short today as well." "What?" "A sou yesterday, another today." "You know the rules." "Riccardo, my lovely." "model yourselves on Riccardo." " Does Riccardo earn a Iot?" " Earn?" "No, he..." "He steals it?" "Wait!" "He might not be the only one." "You can do them all together." "I'm sure those laughing will be a few sous short." "Who laughed the loudest?" "How much are you short?" "No, that'II do." "Fine, fine." "How much are you short?" "Ten sous, but it was an accident..." "Quiet!" "Here, Riccardo." "Good." "Good." "And you?" "Here, Riccardo." "So that makes three crooks stealing from me." "How am I supposed to pay for good food if you don't work?" "Riccardo, punish them." "Yes, padrone." "I can't watch, it hurts me too much." "He hides his money." "really?" "But I can hear how well you beat them." "No, I won't let you!" "help!" "I won't let you!" "Who's that?" "Who's giving orders?" "Nobody hits my dog." "Yes, you're right." "We'II put him where he's safe." "Put your instruments away or you'II get no supper." "You're an elusive man, always coming and going." "I would just as soon stay and hold you in my arms." "You know that." "No, I don't." "And I don't want to know it." "Do you know what happened to your protege, the young accordionist?" "No, not yet." "But I will." "He promised to write, did he?" "Why shouldn't he keep his promise?" "Why indeed?" "Do you really want to please me?" "Do you doubt it?" "In our family, it's a tradition for a brother to marry his widowed sister-in-Iaw." "I Iike traditions." "I won't hold you to it." "No, help me find this child who plays the accordion." "I'II find him." "I have a friend... on whom I can rely." " Sir?" " What now?" "A young man for you." "julien, I think he said." "Found them?" "Yes." "At GarofoIi's, all right." "In BeIIeviIIe village." "Here's the address." "VitaIis left the boy." " Are you sure?" " I saw them myself." "I've been here for three years." "I was always beaten at home." "I get beaten less here." "And I get fed every day." "GarofoIi is also my uncle, you know." "And he beats you?" "Why shouldn't he?" "For the forty sous?" "Finding forty sous is tough." "It's hard to stay home and get hit, but the insults in the streets can be even harder to bear." "Do you understand?" "So I stay home and get the coal in, do the housework..." "Listen." "That's Capi." "I've got to let him out." "You mustn't!" "Come on, Capi." "Goodnight, Capi." "Enjoying your meal?" "Loafers!" "Time for work, you morons!" "Hungry, are you?" "Here!" "Don't anyone touch this!" "Who put that there?" "Who put it there?" "Who was it?" "Who was it?" "That dog shouIdn't be in here." "What was that?" "That dog." "I'm going to kill it." "Who let that dog out of its cage?" "Riccardo, what's this?" "Get rid of it now!" "Get up, you idle lot, take your instruments and get out!" "What should I do, sir?" "call me "padrone"!" " Like everyone else." " Yes, Mr Padrone." "Nothing." "dolce and Zerbino used to waltz and Capi was the servant, and he told the time..." "I'd Iike to Iearn some tricks with some other dogs." "You won't get any lessons." "You can't pay for them." "Now get out!" "But Mr VitaIis is going to pay." "I can't feed you and teach you on VitaIis' promises." "Out!" "Take your dog and your instrument and don't come back without your forty sous." "But I can't beg." "I'm an artist, not a beggar." "It's the same thing." "What do you mean?" "Move people and they give you money." "I'II show you where." "Hurry up!" "We leave in fifteen minutes." "Is the duchess in such a hurry?" "Hurry up!" "Another 25 baskets like that one." "Hey, if you're not strong enough, we'II soon replace you." "Get back over there." "Come on!" " There's a good spot over here." " A good spot?" "A spot where people give you money and where there are no policemen." "You should do all right, you look nice and kind." "I'm not that nice." "people give you money if you look cold, or remind them of their child." "I've worked it all out." "I'II earn money with my accordion." "And as for the policemen, I'm a fast runner." "Are there a Iot here?" "Too many." "Is Notre Dame far from here?" "That way, but it's not a good idea." "Some other time." "Right, Capi." "To work!" "One, two..." "Read all about it!" "AII the latest news!" "Read all about it!" "Here, madam." "Now you can walk like a young man again." "Like a young man!" "Thank you, doctor." "Lise, see the doctor out, please." "No, Lise, everything is fine." "How about you?" "Not too bored?" "Everything I do I do just for you." "You're my darling." "That's good, Biche." "A bit further." "Good." "And now, a little reward." "That's how it works." "In position." "Show us what you can do." "Go on, go on..." "That's good." "You got on well with Signore VitaIis, did you?" "He trains dogs well, considering it's not his profession." "Pity he can't teach them to sing!" "When do I get a lesson?" "Tomorrow." "That's enough." "Pierre, up on the drum." "But you keep..." "Don't answer back!" "Get your 40 sous!" "And be quick about it." "A little reward, I said." "Authority and rewards." "We'II go back as soon as we've got forty sous." "Thank you, madam." "That's it!" "Let's go back, Capi." "Round and round, Biche." "That's good." "Keep going." "Can I help you?" "Mr GarofoIi, please." "One second." "What can I do for you?" "I'm looking for a child." "You've lost one?" "No, I..." "Ah, you're looking for a child to use in a performance." "well, all my children do wonders with their animals." "No, it's not that..." "In that case, sir, I'm afraid I can't help you." "It's one particular child." "One particular child?" "For a particular reason?" "It's a child who might have shown up with his master and a white dog." " Has he committed a crime?" " No..." "Are you a policeman?" "Do I Iook like one?" "You can never be too careful." "I'm not." "I just want this child." "I don't have any child of that description, sir." "Come on, children." "Hurry up!" "That child with the dog!" "A friend entrusted him to me." "He's my responsibility." "He'II be mine now." " Does he belong to you?" " His name's Remi." "Yes, well, Remi's a popular name." "He might belong to my employers." " Do you have proof?" " Proof?" "What sort of proof?" "Is that your proof?" "That's not enough." "Not enough?" "There!" "Go with this gentleman." "But my master said..." "Now!" "This gentleman has been looking for you." "A man of the Iaw sent me to get you, do you understand?" "A man who's working for a certain family." "My family?" "Is it my family?" "Yes, it's your family." "Are you happy now?" "His former master mustn't know anything about our agreement." "Of course." "How will Mr VitaIis know where I am, where I'm living?" "I'II tell him." "Get yourself ready now." "Come on, Capi." "That's VitaIis' dog." "He stays." "You don't want my friend VitaIis to lose both his boy and his dog, do you?" "Be off with you!" "Remi, come on." "Get a move on." "I want Capi." "Come on!" "He'II be unhappy." "Come on!" "Come on, Iet's go." "Capi!" "You can get Capi later." "What are you doing, letting the dog out?" "Riccardo!" "Go on, in you get!" "Three, four hundred francs." "He didn't even tell me his name." "I know it." "You know it, do you?" "He lost his wallet." "It's awful how people always seem to lose their wallets when they've been standing near you!" "charles Fontane..." "Where are we going?" "You'II see." "Your house?" "Yes." "Where's that?" "In St-Pierre-du-Perray." "It's quicker through the forest." "I'm sure I know you." "Is that so?" "I've seen you before." "Where?" "Who are my family?" "You ask too many questions." "It's my family!" "I don't know." "You have to be patient." "I've been patient for eleven years." "So you can wait a bit longer." "What about Capi?" "Can I get him?" "Your master will." "will he come for me, too?" "Be quiet!" "Do you want to stretch your legs?" "Yes, please." "Remi's master!" "Remi's master!" " VitaIis?" " He's in the courtyard." "Hide the dog." "And keep it quiet." "We'II get a good price for it." "My dear friend." "I'm worn out." "I'm too old for that job." "Come on in, sit yourself down." "Leave us alone, my loves." "Go on!" "So has Remi been learning lots of new tricks?" "I want to get back on the road." "Does walking help you forget?" "I walk to forget, you drink!" "So..." "Remi?" "He's not here." "What?" "He's not here... or anywhere." "He's not anywhere?" "You're joking, I hope." "Yes, this is one of your sketches, one of your little tricks." "No, I'm not joking." "Remi left us." "He went off with his dog, walking the boulevards." "And you let him go?" "alone, on the boulevards?" "I got worried when he didn't come back." "And then I heard..." "Heard?" "You heard what?" "He was run over by an omnibus." "killed outright." "A policeman told me about it later." "Too late..." "But he didn't suffer." "killed outright." "He was your responsibility." "I know, but with all these other children..." "And he kept on at me to let him go." "He was with his dog, after all." "You disgust me, GarofoIi." "You disgust me!" "You could have made some effort to get in touch." "You were responsible for him." "I found out that they'd taken him to the morgue." "The morgue..." "Remi, in the morgue..." "Then they buried him in Montmartre, in the communal grave." "I'd have paid for a tombstone, but what name would I have put?" "What name?" "Remi..." "Remi who?" "And I wasn't a relation." "What would I have said?" "Where were you?" "I don't know." "I don't know..." "In SenIis." "I don't know..." "Poor Remi." "His dog was with him and he disappeared, obviously." "obviously." "Your bag." "Keep your chin up." "What are you doing there?" "Get out!" "Are we going?" "Have you lost something?" "Your wallet?" " What?" " Have you lost your wallet?" "That's Riccardo." "Riccardo, GarofoIi's assistant." "He's a thief." "I bet he took your wallet and papers and everything." "My papers, my address..." "So he knows my address." "AII the better." "If the police catch him they'II be able to find you." "You'II get your wallet back." "Find me?" "The police?" "Wait for me!" "Wait!" "What are you saying?" "Who's that boy?" "He'II be staying for a while." "Prepare him a room in the outhouse." "He'd be better off in the house." "There's lots of room." "The outhouse, I said!" "will he be needing dinner?" "Have you eaten?" "Not for a while." "Come on in." "hello." "My name's Remi." " And you?" " Her name's Lise." "She's my niece." "Thank you, Lise." "She can't speak, she's dumb." "But you can hear me." "What am I doing here?" "I don't know, I..." "I'm looking for my family." "I don't have a family." "Ask your uncle." "Later!" "Now eat up, then I'II take you to your room." "Why not in the house?" "Be quiet and stop asking questions." "Goodnight, sleep tight." "Is this where you play?" "I used to have my own den at old mother Barberin's." "Yours is wonderful." "Are you alone here?" "lovely." "Why did your father lock me up?" "He's not your father?" "Where is your father?" "Where are both your parents?" "You don't have any?" "I'm sorry." "Since when?" "Four years ago?" "Poor Lise." "Is that why you're dumb?" "I'm sorry." "What do you want?" "Any news of his family?" "Later, I said." "Later means later." "Why did you lock him up?" "So he doesn't run away..." "So he doesn't get lost, I mean." "Lost..." "shall we have pancakes tonight?" "With flour and eggs?" "well, yes, with flour and eggs, Mr Chef!" "You know another recipe?" "Watch out!" "Are you crazy?" "I am crazy perhaps..." "I'm crazy." "Why does he have so much furniture?" "Is he a merchant?" "He said he might have found my family." "But he won't tell me any more." "Listen." "Come on." "No, I thought it was Capi." "Capi's my dog." "well, my master's dog." "He can tell the time." "shall we go and get Capi?" "You could get your wallet." "If he stole it off me he won't just give it back." "Go on, get a move on!" "tell me about my family." "And what about VitaIis?" "I miss him." "Everything will work out in the end." "Watch out, kids!" "We'II have to wait." "You like the boy, don't you?" "What's it matter to you?" "well, you live on your own." "You've no one to..." "Come on, out with it!" "It's complicated." "I don't want to get mixed up in your twisted business." "I don't like what you do, as you know." "What if this boy, Remi, stayed a while?" "Why?" "You told him you've found his family." "That's where he belongs." "Of course." "But why couldn't you be his family?" "Don't talk nonsense, Mr charles." "I'm going to go back to my own home." "And I'm too old for all that." "I deserve some rest." "My master, VitaIis, taught me how to read and play the accordion." "He was like a father to me." "And he's a great artist." "I also knew this lady who lived on a boat like a palace." "It's the truth." "She'd lost her own son." "She was so kind to me." "She'd Iike you." "We'II go together, I promise." "I promised I'd write to her." "I haven't done so yet but I'm not very good at it." "You mean now?" "It'II be our secret, our letter to the lady on the boat." ""My Dear Count," ""I found the child at the address I was given." ""He came with me." ""Consider him gone for good." ""Our business is finished." ""Neither you nor anyone else will ever hear of him again." ""Your servant, charles Fontane."" "The fresh air here in the Pyrenees has done wonders." "Look!" "almost as good as new." "You're cured, Johanna." "Why stay in the Pyrenees, in France, any longer?" "You can be very persuasive." "Have you had any news of the young boy who stayed here for a while?" "My contact looked into the matter, as you requested." "And?" "Nothing." "Not a trace." "Your contact isn't giving you very accurate information." "If I were you, I wouldn't trust him." "But I do trust him." "I know where the boy is." "You do?" "With a certain Mr Fontane, in St-Pierre-du-Perray." "Remi wrote to me as he'd promised." "I replied, telling him to come here as soon as he could." "How about that?" "What are you doing here?" "You told me the child had gone... for good!" "Yes, for good." "Where is he?" "What do you mean?" "He's living here." "No, no..." " Don't bother lying." " I'm not lying." "I wrote and told you that Remi was gone." "It's true." "He's gone from your life." "But he hasn't gone from your life, has he, charles?" "old Pierrette will adopt him." "I wanted him gone!" "Not from my Iife, from everyone's!" "Didn't I make myself clear enough?" "Where is he?" "Which room is he in?" "Stop lying about this child." "You're going to tell me the truth now." "I know he's here." "Think about your niece." "Now where is he?" "You're not going to kill him?" "Didn't I make myself clear?" "Not clear enough?" "Who's there?" "Everyone's asleep." "If I don't find that boy, you know who I'II find instead?" "Your niece." "I'II take your niece instead, as consolation." "For the Iast time, where is the boy?" "In the bedroom at the top of the outhouse." "Let's go." "You managed to open it!" "I don't understand." "You worm!" "Thank you." "You saved my Iife." "I'II be back." "Where's the communal grave?" "The communal grave?" "What communal grave?" "Why, are there lots of communal graves?" "I thought there was only one, for the poor, the homeless, and a little boy that a stupid old man didn't protect." "A boy of eleven." "It's over there." "But there haven't been any children that age buried recently." " Two weeks ago." " No." "Some babies, a young girl..." "I'm in charge of it." "So don't go telling me my business." "Thirty years I've been in charge of it." "You must have the wrong cemetery." "Thirty years!" "So don't come here telling me my job!" "I know who's buried there." "What are you doing here?" "They tried to kill me." "I don't understand why." "Come with me." "I'II just wait here for my master to come back." "He won't come back." "He will." "He promised." "He's already been and the padrone told him you'd been killed." "So I'II never find him or Capi?" "Capi's here." "The padrone pretended he'd been with you." "I'II rescue him." "And then?" "As long as I've got Capi I can get by." "The beautiful lady on the boat told me to go to her." "I can work for her." "That's something to aim for." "Can I go with you?" "If you want but I haven't got any money." "The man who took you away gave the padrone some money." "That money doesn't belong to him." "No, it doesn't." "I know where he hides it." "I've got an idea." "What?" " It'II be you next time!" " Riccardo!" "What are you doing?" "Where's the coal?" "tell the padrone!" "I saw something shining in the coal." "Show me." " And the padrone?" " Show me first." "Behind the pile on the Ieft." "Remi, you're back?" "We looked after Capi." "Come on!" "How are you, my boy?" "Capi..." " Where's Riccardo?" " In the cellar." "In the cellar?" "Wait here, Capi." "There's lots of money here." "It'II be enough." "Let me out of here, Mattia!" "I'II get you for this!" "Are you sure it's this way?" "Yes, I read the sign." "Can you read?" "It's not so difficult." "We're not beggars any more." "We're artists now, all right?" "Yes, all right." "The open road means freedom, the freedom to wander, to discover France, to discover the world..." "The freedom to observe, to Iearn..." "VitaIis taught me that." "I'd Iike to Iearn things." "No boy had been buried in the Montmartre communal grave." "No boy?" "That's impossible." "No boy!" "No boy of eleven." "Someone must have lied to me." " Who's been lying?" " I don't know." " No one had better lie about this!" " But..." "Where is Remi?" "How should I know?" "He's not here." "Where is he?" "Stand there, you!" " Where's Remi?" " He must still be alive." "Like I am!" "Where is he?" "He left." "Where?" "He didn't say." "If I pull this over, the alcohol catches fire and whoosh!" "Not so funny, eh?" "A man came from the boy's family." "ridiculous!" "How would he have known..." "He knew, he knew!" "He knew what?" "He was looking for a child with a big white dog." "He'd been following you for a Iong time." "It's the truth." "I swear." "A small man of about fifty?" " With a black hat." " Name?" "He was looking for the boy." "Name?" "Address?" "He didn't want me to know so he didn't tell me." "Get out of here, you!" "His name's charles Fontane." "He lost his wallet here." "His wallet!" "quickly!" "quickly!" "My children run off, my money gets stolen..." "I'm ruined." "So this Mr Fontane left with Remi and Capi?" "Yes." "You can see the dog's not here." "Teresa BeviIacqua sang Don Juan again at the opera." "With a new partner, and she was better than ever!" "What now?" "I told you everything." "I'm looking for a child." "You know which child I mean." "You, too?" "A child, what child?" "Everyone wants him." "He's a curse, that boy!" "A curse!" "I don't know where he is, I don't know." "A man came for him a few weeks ago." "Mr Fontane from St-Pierre-du-Perray." "I know his address." "I know it, too." "I'm looking for the boy who ran away from Mr Fontane's house." "Did he come back here?" "He hadn't better set foot in this place again!" "If you don't believe me, look!" "Have a good look round." "He told everyone here about a place he'd Iike to go back to." "It was somewhere in the provinces, a boat on a canal in the south." "A boat." "That's my money..." "I knew about the boat." "I wish I knew more about music." "With what we'II earn, you could pay for lessons with a real master." "He'II teach you about..." "What was it?" "The dominant." "Look!" "One lesson should do." "There used to be a shop like this near my old master's, but I never dared go in." "well, come on." "Come on." "Capi, you wait here." " hello, sir." " Can I help you, young sirs?" " My friend has a question." " I'm listening." "well, go on!" "Why is a violin tuned to certain notes and not others?" "That's a very astute question." "It's very simple." "The second string to the Ieft of the instrument should be tuned to A." "The other strings are tuned by fifths." "So the fourth string is G, the third is D, the second is A and the first, or chanterelle, is E." "Why is the first string called the chanterelle?" "You have lots of questions?" "I can play but I don't know the notes." "You can play the violin?" "Show me." "And you say you don't know the notes?" "I can play that, too." "That's wonderful!" "I couId make a great musician of you." "You could go to Paris, to the Conservatoire." "Mattia, look." " It looks like VitaIis." " It is him!" "You know that man?" " My master." " Of music?" "No, he had some dogs and a monkey." "We put on a show together." "Then it can't be him." "He just looks the same." "VitaIo Pedrotti was one of the greatest ever baritones." "At the scala in milan, the San carlo in naples, everywhere." "I myself had the very great privilege of hearing him at the Paris Opera on 1 6th February 1 867 in Maestro Rossini's cinderella." "So this talk about a dog-trainer..." "I think not!" "But, sir..." "VitaIo, VitaIis... same thing!" "It's impossible." "He was one of the greatest singers of our time." "He and Teresa BeviIacqua, his partner and love." "until the day..." "It was said he lost his voice and Teresa BeviIacqua left him." "He disappeared." "He was a legend." "A legend." " Yes?" " Mr Fontane, please." " He's not here." " Where is he?" "What do you want with him?" "Lise, go back inside." "I have to find Mr Fontane, it's in his own interest." "He's not here." "And the boy he came looking for a few weeks ago..." " What boy?" " Remi." "I don't know where he is." "He left, too." "What is it?" "Go on, then." "You know Remi, do you?" "You're his friend." "I'm his friend, too." "We travelled together." "He told you about me?" "Where are they?" "Your master never told you anything about himself?" "only once, by the sea." "He said he'd been to America." "Didn't you ask him?" "He never answered." "It must be a love story." "What's a love story." "well, a love story... is a love story!" "A love story?" "I bet it's really lovely." "Right, Capi, time to sleep." "A nice instrument." "Yeah, it'II get us noticed." "people will gather round." "I prefer the violin." "Me, too, but you have to be able to read music." "It's strange." "I've got the music in my head," "I just have to let it out." "How much does a cow cost?" "It'II be more expensive than a trumpet, I reckon." "I'd Iike to buy a cow for old mother Barberin." "shall we buy her one?" "It's not just my money, it's yours, too." "You're the padrone." "No, I used to have a padrone, my master, VitaIis." "He taught me everything." "will I see him again?" "well, if you're not the padrone, you're my friend." "And I'd Iike to buy a cow for the lady who brought you up." "I wonder..." "I wonder if that man was telling the truth," "Lise's uncle." "Did I tell you about Lise?" "Yes, you did!" "Aha!" "Maybe this is the start of a love story." "Oh, so it's when you feel good with another person." "I suppose." "He pretended he knew my family." "Do I really have a mama?" "One like the lady on the boat?" "Do you understand why someone tried to kill me?" "No, I don't." "Who could it have been?" "My family?" "But then it couldn't have been my family." "Why?" "I don't know." " I'II be right back." " Just a few minutes." "Is it serious?" "A firearms wound." "An accident, he claims." "The bullet hit his right lung." "will he live?" "I want the truth." "I didn't want him to kill him." "The boy managed to get away, thanks to Lise." "I was wounded..." "Lise, can you fetch me a glass of water, please?" "Now tell me everything." "Yes, I will." "Everything." "So the German woman on the boat is his real mother?" "It's incredible!" "impossible!" "His real mother, yes." "And her brother-in-Iaw wants him dead?" "So that he'II be the sole heir to the Strausberg fortune." "But if Remi gets to the boat, the killer will be there!" "Not so loud, please, sir." "You'II tire the patient." "I can't tell the police." "They'II laugh." "The boy isn't any relation of mine." "Not even a distant one!" "Sir... please!" " Just a second." " please." "Right, I'm going to fetch someone." "I have to get to the boat first." "He wanted to see Mrs Barberin." "You might find him there if you're quick." "Can I ask you a favour?" "Take Lise with you." "Pierrette won't be staying." "Take care of the girl." "I've seen to all her needs." "She must be missing Remi." "I beg you." "I beg you..." "I'II wait outside." "Now then, my sweet." "We're going to go on a marvellous voyage, just the two of us." "Don't cry." "You promised not to cry." "The new Roussette is really pretty." "She cost us all our money but she's beautiful." "old mother Barberin will like her." "Long live Roussette!" "Idiot!" "You scared her." "Quick, catch her!" "Catch her, quickly!" "Faster!" "Wait, Roussette!" "Roussette, come back!" "please come back, Roussette!" "Is this your cow?" "Where are the papers?" "We're going to Chavarnon, to old mother Barberin." "She brought me up." "Liar!" "You stole her." "No, we bought her." "How?" "Thieves!" "The judge will decide." "EmiIe, put the cow in my field." "Can I sleep with you?" "I'm scared." "Yes, come on." "I've got Capi." "It's my fault." "It's not." "The veterinarian knows we bought her." "What can we do?" "I don't know." "They say you stole a cow." "The village is in uproar." "Proud of yourselves, are you?" "No, sir." ""Your Honour"." "No, Your Honour." "We bought the cow, honest!" "At the fair, in Ardentes." "We'II check." "There was a veterinarian who saw our money." "We'II check." "Why did you buy a cow?" "For the woman who raised me." "She had a lovely cow, Roussette." "But she had to sell it, I don't know why, in Chavarnon." "What's this woman's name?" "old mother Barberin." "The wife of the bricklayer who was injured in Paris?" "We'II check." "Right, get these two fellows a hearty breakfast:" "milky coffee, bread, butter..." "But..." "This should cover it." "Yes, of course, Your Honour." "He knows old mother Barberin." "He'II set us free." ""We'II check"!" "Are pancakes that nice?" "What?" "Are they that nice?" "They're heaven!" "Heaven?" "They're sort of milk, butter, flour and eggs... but better!" "Look, that's heaven, too." "Are you coming?" "Yes, come on." "I've really missed old mother Barberin." "It'II be great to see her again." "Is there anyone there?" "Mother Barberin!" "Where did you appear from, Remi?" "This is Mattia, and my dog Capi." "I'm so happy to see you." "You must be starving." "What do you want?" "Pancakes?" "Pancakes?" "Ah, but for that I'II need..." "milk?" "Yes, you haven't got Roussette any more." "Don't worry." "I'II find something." "Come with me." "Come on..." "Mr Barberin?" "He found a job in UsseI as a night watchman." "So we make ends meet." "What's in the barn?" "Nothing any more." "Come with me." "Where?" "Where are you taking me?" "Where are you taking me?" "It's a cow, a little cow." "She was all lonely so Mattia and I thought..." "She wanted a family." "She's for you." "You bought her?" "My little darlings!" "I'm going to get my frying pan out and find the eggs." "I'd never have believed it possible." "My master, VitaIis, taught me to read, to write and how to be an artist." "He's a legend." "He used to be a famous singer, all over the world." "A man took me from him in Paris and then another man tried to kill me." "What did you say?" "We'II talk about this again later." "Are you coming back here to live?" "There's this foreign woman on a boat who I'm sure will help us," "Mattia and me." "I want to improve at the violin." "So you were an artist with Mr VitaIis?" "Yes, with a flea." "Not a real flea, of course." "It was just a joke." "And I played the accordion." "Want to hear?" "Come on, Mattia." "You can't talk any more, I can't sing." "We're the same, you and I." "I was a famous singer in italy." "Don Giovanni, the Barber of seville, the Cenerentola..." "Do you know that?" "It's an opera by Maestro Rossini." "Cenerentola is italian for cinderella." "You know cinderella?" "well, you're cinderella now, you've come to save Prince Remi, and me..." "I'm a stupid old beast!" "Who are you talking about?" "The buyer of your boat." "Buyer?" "There's a buyer?" "We have to hurry." "In a few days we'II be back home in Bavaria." "The future Count and Countess von Strausberg..." "Yes, I know." "shall I ask him to come?" "Wait another week, please." "If he came back..." "Who are you talking about, my dear?" "Madam, we haven't yet been introduced..." "VitaIis!" "You're a great singer, a legend." "A legend!" "This is Lise, a friend of Remi's." "Come in." "I'm looking for Remi." "He's gone south to see a lady on a boat." "That lady..." "I think she's his mother, his real mother." "What?" "But he didn't tell me." "He doesn't know." "But that means Remi has found his real family." "What a piece of luck!" "No, it's very bad luck." "There's this man who wants to hurt Remi." "Who would want to do that?" "If there's no proof, he can inherit from his brother." "That's their tradition." "Proof..." "Wait a minute!" "I might have some proof." "Remi was still in his swaddling clothes when he was found." "If the lady on the boat recognises the clothes, there'II be no doubt." " She'II know Remi's her son." " I think so, yes." " And the uncle..." " If we're in time!" "I'II find the clothes right now." "They're so pretty." "There are initials and a crown embroidered on them." "I washed them very carefully and haven't touched them since." "I always knew, deep down, that they'd come in useful one day, and that Remi would be happy." "Look." "There she is!" "No, I'II stay here." "After all, she doesn't know me." "You go on your own." "Don't be stupid!" "I've got an idea." "Capi, go and tell the lady that I'm not alone." "Go on, Capi." "Off you go, Capi." "There'II be at Ieast 300 wedding guests." "We can invite the Countess von StaIheim and her family." "No, Georg!" "We said it wouId just be a modest affair." "Capi?" "Yes, it's Capi!" " Capi?" " A friend." "A friend who's come to see me." "A friend?" "You're not serious." "And he won't be alone." "Remi, my little Remi!" "I knew I'd see you again." "See, I waited for you." "I waited for you." "I missed you." "But I've got a friend with me:" "Mattia." "welcome aboard, Mattia." "Remi was raised on a poor farm, but he might turn out to be the son of a count." "Can't you go any faster?" "These aren't race horses!" "Do they never gallop?" "No, never." "What's the point of that?" "We're still not there." "Thanks, but we're in a hurry." "Don't mention it." "I know a short cut." "We might find a mail coach in town." "farewell." "Life's too short to hurry." "nearly there." "See the town?" "That's where it is." "The man said Mattia is very talented." "He could be a virtuoso." "Remi, please!" "And VitaIis?" "He said that he was a legend, and a great singer." "But I lost him." "So many things have happened to me." "I want you to tell me everything." "Isn't it a Iong story?" "Yes, sir, very long." "We'II hear it tomorrow." "You must be very tired." "Yes, you should get some rest." "Georg is right." "Come on, come on." "I told you you'd be welcome." "See!" "real sheets and a real bed!" "Capi, don't take up the whole bed." "Don't tell me, my dear, that you're going to take in every waif and stray dog you find!" "Georg, please!" "I'm rather tired, too." "Goodnight." "Goodnight." "No, thank you." "Thank you." "Did you sleep well?" "Yes." " No kiss?" " Yes, madam." ""Madam"?" "well, what should I..." " Good morning, Mattia." " Madam." " Ready for my story?" " Yes, go on." "You should get dressed, Johanna." "I've got plenty of time." "Let them eat first, they must be hungry." "Yes!" " See you later." " Thanks, madam." "I can read the notes in the book, that's easy." "But you'II have to read the words for me." " Good, isn't it?" " How about a walk?" "There's nothing quite like a good walk in the morning." "Yes, sir." " Coming?" " No, later." "Your dog?" "He goes everywhere with me." "Where are we going?" "I go for a walk every day, all by myself." "It's nicer when you have company, don't you think?" "Yes, sir." "It's nicer." "I walked a Iot with my master, VitaIis." "I Iike walking." "We saw lots of things, didn't we, Capi?" "Sir, I'd Iike to go back now." "I have to read for Mattia." "You've got all day for that." "I want to show you something." "What?" "You'II see." "walk!" "Is there anyone aboard?" "Is Remi here?" "Yes, we came together." "You're Mr VitaIis, the legend..." "Yes, I'm..." "Where is Remi?" " I can't see him." " "Where is he?"" "Are you talking about Remi?" "You just storm in here, demanding him!" "No, I..." "Yes, he's here." "Thank God!" "We got here in time, Lise." "You're Lise?" "Remi's told me all about you." "What's the meaning of this?" "Remi hasn't told you about himself?" "Not yet." "What is there to tell me?" "He was wearing these swaddIing clothes when he was found in Paris." "Do you recognise them?" "What are you talking about?" "SwaddIing clothes?" "These here?" " Where's Remi?" " He went with the gentleman." "Georg?" "Georg?" "His life's in danger!" "Which way?" "I don't know, I wasn't watching." "tell me your story." "I'II tell you on the boat." "You won't tell me?" "Someone tried to kill me." "kill you?" "Why?" "I think it was my family." "Don't talk nonsense!" " See them?" " No." "Do you know where VitaIis is?" "In Paris." "I don't think I'II see him again." "Can we go back now?" "Why all the rush?" "Aren't you having fun?" "Someone's calling us." "Did you hear, Capi?" "Forget your dog." "We'II go for a boat ride." " I can't swim." " Scared?" "help!" "help!" "This is an odd way to meet up again." "You're wounded!" "It's just a scratch." "Remember when I told you that old mother Barberin wasn't your mother?" "That was the first time I ever saw you cry." "well, now you can go and run to your real mother." " My mother?" " Yes." "The lady on the boat is your real mother." "You'd already found each other, so now go and run into her arms." "She's waiting for you." "And you?" "I'II be along shortly." "I'II catch you up." "I want a word with Capi." "Lise, there you are!" "Come on, Iet's find my mother." "Thank you..." "That's all I wanted to see." " You can talk, Lise!" " Yes." "What's my name, then?" "Remi!" "Capi, come here." "Your master's in a bad way." "He'II be here soon." "We'II have a party for him." "We owe our happiness to him." "Ingrid, get out the champagne." "Lise, help me to lay the table." "Mattia, get your violin, and Remi, get your accordion." "You can play for him, to thank him for all he's done." "Go and find Remi, he's your master now." "Go on, off you go!" "It's her." "You never knew her." "Cenerentola." "She'd have loved you." "Go on, I want you to go to him." "please." "Capi, go and find Remi." "Go on, Capi!" "It's all for him." "He's deserved it." "It's Capi." "Start playing, Mattia." "Capi, you're alone..." "subtitles by Howard Bonsor" "SubtitIing by TVS" " TITRA FILM"