"Where's Amphitheatre C?" "Over there." "Going on a trip?" "Poison Friends" "I'll also be giving you oral exercises." "Good afternoon." "I'm sorry sir, I..." "just got off the train." "Why not off the previous one?" "There wasn't one." "Not even yesterday?" "Go take your seat." " Go take your seat." " Pardon?" "Pardon?" "What did you say?" "I'm sorry, sir..." "I'm not being rude, I do it automatically." "Sorry." "Please accept my apologies." "So if all goes well, our forthcoming classes will each begin with an oral presentation by one of you, on a topic of his or her choosing." "Obviously, for today, I understand..." "Excuse me sir." "Yes, Morney?" "I accept the challenge." "Really?" "You wouldn't rather wait until next week?" "No, I can do it now." "Very well." "You may take my seat." "What is your topic, Morney?" "Writing." "Whether writing is necessary." "We're listening." ""To restrain with might, our eagerness to write."" "That is, writing must be justified." "Writing must be necessary." "Writing isn't justified, and has no meaning, unless it is vital." "If we can live without it, if we can even conceive of not writing, then to do so is an imposture and a sickness to be treated." "The critic's role is to diagnose the writing sickness and conversely, to identify genuine writing, that is necessary writing." "That is why the critic is an essential contribution to the existence of literature." " Going to stand there long?" " Sorry." " Pardon?" " I'm sorry." "What are you doing?" "Just sit down." "Quick!" "You may continue." "Actually I'd finished." "Very good." "Thank you for having begun our year with this brilliant and impromptu presentation." "All right..." "So, are there any volunteers for the following weeks?" "No one..." "Well, I'll let you digest this first experience but next week" "I'll have to choose someone." "Excuse me." "Yes?" "I'll do it." "Next week?" "Yes." "Good." "What's your name?" "Duhaut, Eloi." "Duhaut?" "Very good." "Please don't let me disturb you, Morney." "Sorry!" "Leo Spitzer, in his Essays on Stylistics, demonstrates that the Racinian..." "Is this your seat?" "I was working on something." "...between magnifying procedures of hyperbole and techniques of "muted" expression." "Look." "Suzanne's writing in her diary." "How do you know?" "I can tell by her pose." "That pretty tilt to her head." "Everyone here writes." "A diary, or something else." "Short stories, novels, poems." "What a waste." " Do you write?" " Me?" "Not even a diary?" "Letters to a dear friend?" "Any love letters you never sent?" "No?" " Nothing at all?" " No." "Then you're a decent guy." "You know what Karl Kraus wrote?" ""Why do some people write?" "Because they're too weak not to write."" "So why did he?" "To say exactly that." "Hey, are you related to Florence Duhaut?" "Franchon, please." "My mother." "Really?" "Please, you haven't read a single one of her novels." "Have you read that new book," " "Caviar Literature"?" " No." "You should." "Know the enemy's claims." "I don't call them claims." "Title of a forthcoming drama:" "Slander, Insult, Deception and Vulgarity..." "Alexandre Ferrière?" " Hi." " Andrè Morney, your neighbour." " I know." "Mortier's class." " Oh yeah!" "The imitator." "Good presentation." "Yes, I just tried to clarify things." "As if those prigs understood." "Do you know who all these books belong to?" "Me!" "They put you in my annex." "Do you mind?" "This isn't my room." "It is." "We're neighbours." "I just expanded a bit." "How?" "Do you have keys?" "I've got a pass." "Come see." "What are you doing?" "I'm writing." "Writing what?" "It's pretty bad." "I want to write a play but it's not going too well." "You've got the itch too?" "You're all the same." "You want to write without reading." "It's pitiful." "Yes, it's pitiful." ""Why do some people write?" "Because they're too weak not to write."" "THE END" "Three months later" "Snatched, snatched from sleep." "Hi there." " Have you got insomnia?" " No, why?" "Because it's 3 a.m." "I haven't finished preparing for tomorrow." "What's your topic?" ""Britannicus", Act 2, Scene 2." " Nero's monologue?" " Yes." "How banal can you get?" "I really like this text." "Well, that's a relief." ""I really like this text"!" "The things you hear sometimes." "Read the preface?" "Yes, I did." "That's all you need." "Read it before bed, you'll be fine." "There's the preface from 1670 and the one from 1676." " Is this yours?" " Yeah." " It's gross." " It's not great." "Here." " Good night, Alexandre." " Night, André." "Preface..." ""I beheld her arrive at the palace." "Forlorn, raising moistened eyes to the skies, her tears shimmering through the torches and weapons." "Lovely, unadorned, in the simple dress of a beauty torn from sleep." "What can I say?" "I know not if this disarray and the shadows, torches, cries and silences, the grim demeanour of..."" "Are you guys deaf?" "Can't you hear?" "Listen to this, listen!" "Go on." "I'm sorry." " All done?" " Yes." "National Conservatory of Dramatic Arts" "Registration for Auditions" "Hang on." "I can't concentrate with this thing." "Under "Work Experience", using capitals..." "We delete all this." "I'm adding a sub-heading:" "Directing." "I've never directed." "So?" "A good actor must also be a director." "So let's see... 1999... at the Main D'Or Theatre in Namur." "Does that exist?" "Absolutely!" "Maeterlinck premiered "Princess Maleine" there." "Main D'Or Theatre, Namur." ""The Komodo Dragons."" ""The Komodo Dragons", by..." "By you." "Alexandre Ferrière." "What if they ask to read it?" "Then you can pawn off your iambic pentameter crap." "But I haven't written anything on Komodo dragons." "Exactly!" "You'll seem modern." "Trust me, shallow modernism is in." "Bourgeois lap it up, teachers are charmed!" "What more could you ask?" " I can't write a play." " Sure you can." "Listen:" "Kraus said, why do some people write?" "Because they're too weak not to." "This time it's ok to be pathetic!" "If you can't do it, I'll help." "I'll write it for you overnight." "Ok, print." "Caviar Literature" "Recommended by your bookseller" "We're closing." "What?" "Are you Florence Duhaut?" "Yes." "So what?" "I love what you write." "Can I pay, please?" "You shouldn't read this." "Do you recommend it or not?" "Well then?" "Keep the change." "Are you asleep, Eloi?" "Yes." "Look at this." "They even published my tax return." "Where did you get that?" "Someone gave it to me." "Who?" "My editor." "I'm the laughing stock of Paris." ""Caviar Literature."" "Eloi!" " What are you doing?" " Nothing." "Come to a party with us." " But our exam?" " There's time!" " It's tomorrow." " Exactly." "You study best between 3 and 5 a.m. It's been proven." " Give me that!" " Cut it out." " Are you reading all this tonight?" " Just parts." "One must read everything." "You listened to me." " What is it?" " Piss off." "You'll be fascinated by how bad it is." "I know what it is." "One more word and you go on alone." "Ok, relax!" " Do you use "St Clotilde" library?" " Yes." "Ever tried "Paris 3"?" " No, why?" " You'll find out why tonight." "Come on in." "Now do you get it?" "I'm getting a library card tomorrow at dawn." "How beautiful she is." "How beddable." "Don't you think?" "Yes, she's beautiful." "Lucky bastard Franchon." "But it's Eloi she's looking at." "It's true." "She's eating you up!" "She's yours." "Careful." "If you don't make a move, someone else will." "The truth is, you're too sure of yourself." "There you go." "It's already too late." "Here comes the poo-etess." "Or Georges Sand's ugly stepsister." "How can you befriend such a twat?" "Hi Suzanne." "Hi." " Hi Franchon." " Suzanne!" "How are you?" "Hey, congratulations on your short story." "You write on top of your studies." "Where do you find the time?" "Edited by Souston and Bardet, too - very chic!" "It's nothing, really." "How does it work?" "Did you go see them and propose your text?" "That's right." "Did you actually meet them in their office?" " May I see?" " Of course I think." " It's nothing." " Give me that." " You got paid?" " Obviously." "Liar." "Kraus, we need you now." "Spare us." " Want a sip?" " Yes..." "I mean, no, I should go." "Wouldn't you rather kiss me?" "Sorry, I'm in a hurry." "What about Marguerite?" "Could you tell her I didn't feel well?" "He's not getting away with this." "Alex!" "Let's go." "Goodnight." "Isn't there enough bullshit out there?" "You had to add yours, just to jump the librarian?" "How low can you sink?" "Hey, that's Marguerite's copy." "You should thank me for not leaving it with those idiots." "Literature my ass!" "Look, you're right, I wanted to impress her." "I figured, she worked with books, so I had to publish." "It was just bluff, ok?" "I don't give a damn." "Like hell you don't." "You put your soul into this rag, along with your pathetic literary pretensions." "And you use your sexual vices to mask your pitiful desire to be a writer." "I know you." "You don't care about sex." "You want to create, to play the artist." " You just won't admit it." " Not at all." "It's even called "Meta-narrative", see?" "It's an idea, not an actual work." "Jesus. "Meta-narrative"!" "This is revolting." "You've just added pedantry to pretension." "Meta-bullshit!" "Meta-jerk!" "You need a diaper, you bloody incontinent poet!" "Get lost." "Go piss your vile poetry elsewhere." "Don't touch me!" "Just leave him." "Come on, let's go." "I'm sorry but I can't stand arrogance." " Is there coffee at home?" " Yes." "Let's have coffee." "Don't even try to follow us!" "I have to go home too!" "Don't look at me like that." "If he had any self-respect, he wouldn't ply his pen when he has utterly nothing to say." "He's repulsive." "Pretty nice, huh?" "Yeah, it's great." "Get lost!" "Aren't we having coffee?" "So, who's going to screw the librarian?" "Alexandre, I'm not sure your shoes plead in your favour." " What's wrong with them?" " They're vile." "No, thanks." " You don't take sugar?" " No." "Coffee without sugar simply isn't coffee." "Jesus, I have to teach you guys everything." "Ok, well, I should go." "Hang on." "Take this." "I'll lend it to you." " What is it?" " A book for you." "Mortier wrote a book on Ellroy?" "He writes on everything." "It's the only French study." "Everyone studies the New Yorkers." "But Ellroy's the great one." "You should go for it." "Why don't you?" "Thanks, but Fitzgerald keeps me busy." "See you later." "To André" "I did my part, now it's your turn." "Shit." "Oh, you were here?" "Is that Mortier's book?" "Yeah." "It's really hard to find." "I know." "Are you staying?" "No, I'm leaving." "Excuse me." "What's the matter with you?" "Nothing." "What are you doing?" "Taking out the trash." "Now?" "I'll be right back." ""Where was your sense of duty in Athens?" "I am to share your pain but you never partook of mine." "Well, my heart is greater than yours for my suffering has been long and I know what pain is." "You say you beat me because you cared." "Well, my mockery is kind." "Receive it with goodwill." "I'll plead your case but if they won't send you home" "I'll keep you as a friend." "For I'm not like you," "I can't be happy at your expense."" ""I'm not like you, I can't be happy at your expense..."" " You wrote her a love letter?" " Yes." " Why?" " Because I want to go out with her." "One should never write, not even a single word." "Love letters are the worst." "So what should I do?" "Talk to her." "But my letter..." "What about it?" "She's going to receive it." "You mailed it?" "No, I put it in her mailbox." "Then be like Kafka." "Burn it." "Set her mailbox on fire." " But her mail..." " Not important." "Hi, how are you?" " Good, and you?" " Fine." "Ok, I'm going." " Will he do it?" " Wanna bet?" "Where's the audition?" "That way." "Quiet, they've begun." "Thanks." ""In this world or any other that fills my cup..."" "Young man!" "Do you mind!" "Sorry." "Come here." "Please continue." "He's next." ""What heart, what god could have, for me, the deepness of a lake?" "Nothing..."" "What will you be performing, Mr. Ferrière?" "The role of Nero in Act 2, Scene 3 of Jean Racine's "Britannicus"." "Fine." "Please go ahead, Mr. Ferriére." ""You are troubled, Madam, and turn pale." "Do you read some dark presage in my eyes?"" ""Sir, I cannot conceal from you my error." "I sought Octavia, not the emperor."" ""I knew it to be so, Madam." "And I could not but envy your kindness to her."" ""You, my lord?"" ""Think you that in these halls" "Octavia alone has eyes for you?"" ""Whom else, my lord, could I implore?" "Whom should I ask to name my unknown crime?" "Since you punish me you must know what it is." "My lord, I beg you, tell me my offence."" "There they are." "Didn't I tell you?" "You're an actor, Alexandre!" "One of the greats." "Thanks to you." " Bravo, Alice." " Thanks." " I have to go." " Meeting someone?" " Mortier." " So this is it?" "Yes, I'm proposing Ellroy." "He wants Mortier to direct his thesis." "He may not accept, he's pretty busy." "Just do exactly as I say." "Talk about his book, it'll flatter him." "Then cut to Ellroy." "No chatting:" "It's that or nothing." "Ok." "I'm off." "Hang on." "You're meeting Mortier like that?" "Yeah, why?" "Do me a favour, take this." "Go, or you'll be late again." "Thanks." "Aren't you meeting Mortier too?" "Not meeting." "Lunching with." "Actually until now I wanted to work on Faulkner." "But I read your book and now I'd like to do my thesis on Ellroy." "You read my book?" "I'm very flattered, but..." "Where did you find it?" "It's ancient history now." "André told me to read it." "Morney." "You know, given the reigning intellectual paucity," "I'd have stopped teaching but for students like him." " You're friends, aren't you?" " Yes." "Coming?" "Professor?" "I'm sorry but... would you accept to be my thesis supervisor?" "Of course." "I thought it was a given." "Thank you." "Don't thank me." "I'm doing it because you interest me." "Excuse my asking, but I'm concerned for your mother." "I hope she wasn't upset by that silly book." "No, she's above all that." "Yes." "Goodbye." "Those pipsqueaks think I'm finished." "I'll show them what the old lady can do." "What are you doing?" "I'm working." "If those assholes think I'm giving up, they'd better watch out." "They won't know what hit them." "Aren't you tired?" "It's 3 a.m." "No." "There." "I'm going to bed." "I'll have 3 chapters by tomorrow." "Can you read them for Friday?" "I'll try." "I hope you're joking." "What're you doing?" "Nothing, it's, it's..." "What am I doing?" "It's just administrative stuff." "All done!" "Hey." "See you later." "Gorgeous day." "It's like paradise." "I'll let you both get to work." "Bye, André." "I'll get my briefcase." "Thank you for lunch, it was delicious." "Take care." "I finished reading the new version of your thesis last night." "And frankly, I think you're taking the piss out of me." "Why give me, as if it were a new version, the exact same text I read and commented 6 months ago?" "It's not the same text." "I made changes." "Perhaps." "But nothing that justifies 6 months' worth of work." "And nothing that makes this anything more than an outline." "It's brilliant, like all your work." "But well below the minimal requirements of what we call university research." "Tell me what to do." "I'll work nonstop." "It's too late." "I'm no longer supervising your thesis." "I had more faith in you than in any of my students." "You repaid that faith with neglect and disregard." "You'll see how wrong you are." "Goodbye." "Goodbye, Morney." "I've entirely rewritten the 3rd section!" "You can't write a thesis overnight." "Please don't do this to me!" "What's going on?" "Have you lost all dignity?" "Why this humiliation?" "You know I won't change my mind." "The best thing I can suggest is that you re-enrol with me in the program." "We'II spend a year working on your thesis until we have something worthy of you and of me." "Just give me my degree." "You must be mad." "What are you doing?" "Fine, if that's what you want." "You can pick up your diploma tomorrow morning." "And for America?" "Good God." "How could I have been so mistaken?" "That's strange." "What?" "Did you use the computer?" "No." "I've lost a file." "Sure you didn't touch anything?" "Of course I'm sure." "It's just disappeared." " Was there a blackout?" " Don't think so." "I don't understand." "You must have caught a virus." "I have to go back to work." "Did you see the time?" "Oh my God." " Is that necessary?" " What?" "That hat." "You're such an asshole!" "Marguerite?" "Are you ok?" "It was gone." "Just gone!" "Don't worry, it's in here." "Where?" "Everywhere." "We have to reconstitute it." "Nothing's ever lost." "There's a place where everything's saved." "That's where we are." "Your text is here, but in a thousand pieces..." "Will it take long?" "There are 867 pages." "I'll need you to identify the pieces." "We'll be here all night." "Yeah." "There." "That's it." "It's a novel?" "No, it's... just a short story." "Oh." "Can you promise me something?" "Sure." "André doesn't know about it." "I won't tell him." "Thanks." "How can I thank you?" "It's nothing." "You must've erased it." "I don't think so." "Well, it says here that it was deleted at 12:14." "I wasn't even home." " What time's your class?" " 8 a.m." "You should sleep here." "What about André?" "He's not coming." "Anyway, you're friends." "Goodnight." "Are you asleep?" "Yes." "I liked your story." " Really?" " Yes." "I feel much younger than those morons." "And they'll soon agree." "You've got a plan." "I've never gone in for satire but things have changed." " Revenge!" " Exactly." "Eloi, where were you?" "Taking care of my wife." "Hi." "So what do you think?" "About what?" "Marguerite's story." "Don't take me for a fool." "Did you like it?" "I don't know." "You read and reread it all night long." "I thought it was good." "You must be joking." "It's crap." "It's narcissistic crap." "Narcissistic crap." "You read it?" "Are you surprised?" "No." "Even the first line was crap." "But that's not why I'm here!" "Haven't you got news for us?" "No." "You sly dog." "What's this about?" "This is about the POL Editions 2005 catalogue." "The Virtue of Necessity" "This is impossible." "It was you?" "Aren't you happy?" "They love your manuscript." "I threw it out." "You shouldn't have." "You took it out of the trash?" "Yes." "But I haven't signed anything." "Actually..." "What?" "I signed for you." "I'll sue you." "I'll take you to court." "Excuse me for interrupting, but" "I thought you didn't write." "I stopped." "I got rid of it." "Since when?" "I tried to make you into someone worthy." "If only I'd known." "You lied to me, my friend." "Kraus was right:" "Why do some people write?" "Because they're too weak not to write, André." "You say this to me?" "No one is as justified to write as you." "You're sure you didn't use the computer?" "I already said no." "Did anyone come over?" "No." "Did you go out?" "Hey, are you from the police?" "I just want to know." "Look, you got your story back, so lay off me, ok?" "You erased it." "Yes." "You're joking, right?" "You meant to save it." "I know this might seem ridiculous but" "I never joke about literature." "You can't understand." "Not only do you know nothing about literature, but you don't even care about it, that's obvious." "So what are you going to do?" "Not submit it to an editor, I hope." "Oh, but she will." "Did Eloi suggest Mummy's editor?" "What a disgrace." "Get out." "I don't want to see you." "Exactly." "I'm your guilty conscience." "Sir!" "You forgot this." "It's not mine." "She took it out of the garbage." "Look Eloi, I'm not saying you're lying, but I do have this contract." "Signed by you." "She signed for me." "I'm sorry, but that's not what she told me." "You know she's crazy." "What do you want to do exactly?" "Sue your mother?" "Sign her up for a psychiatric test?" "So I can't do anything." "This book is good!" "Why not publish it?" "You may criticize your mother, but she knows good writing." "Mortier's sending me to Berkeley." " To America?" " Yup." "Really?" "Will you get paid?" "Mortier got me a job updating the Fitzgerald archives." "And your thesis?" "I'll knock off the archive job, then work for myself." "You're one lucky bastard." "Yeah." "But don't soften up because I won't be here." "You'll be ok:" "A philosopher actor, like Aristophanes." "As for you, Eloi, if you don't become the authority on Ellroy, you're not worthy of us." "Are we agreed?" "Promise me." "I promise." "Hey!" "You don't have to cry." "I'm coming back." "Be happy for me." "I can't spend my life looking after your butts." "Two coffees." "A liqueur, boys?" " No thanks." " Me neither." "And you, André?" "Pardon?" "How about a Schnapps?" "No thanks, Françoise." "What's the matter?" "André's going to America." "So why the sad face?" "If only I could go to America!" " Here." " No thanks." "B ye, Françoise." " Happy America." " Thanks." "Good luck!" "Come back and see me." "Be good!" "Bye, Alex." "Bye, Eloi." "See you soon." "I have something to tell you." "Mortier and I are creating a Lit review." "You could write us an article on Ellroy." "For real?" "Hey, I don't only look out for myself." "Things will go twice as fast over there." "Bet you Ellroy invites me to lunch in a month!" "You're an idiot." "Yes, Alexandre?" "Something to add?" "No, I just wanted to say goodbye." "You've already said goodbye." "Well, I saw you guys talking, so I thought..." "Yeah." "Goodbye, Alexandre." "You didn't mention the review." "Did you have a fight?" "'Course not." "But he's an actor now." "He's chosen a different path." "Don't worry." "I'll send you good news soon." "See you soon." "Goodbye, friend." "How's your friend André doing?" "He went to America." "Lucky guy." " When's he coming back?" " In a year." " Do you miss him?" " Yeah." "It's more that I'm jealous of him." "Why?" "What does he have that you don't?" "He's brilliant." "He's good at everything." "Don't worry, Mortier likes you." "You'll go to America too." " You think so?" " Of course." "But Andrè and I are so different." "If you saw how Mortier talks to him..." "It's like he's a colleague." "He's his disciple." "Hi Eloi." " These are the books you want?" " Yes." ""Madam, I will kill him, I say." "Then strike, scoundrel."" "Whack." ""In the Heart, you struck me in the Heart." "Excellent." "Beloved Rodolfo, your hand." "You have saved me."" "Excuse me!" "Thanks." ""Strike!" "Madam, I will kill him, I say." "Then strike..."" "Any news from André?" "You'd know before me." "He only left three days ago." "It sucks." "Here we are like losers while he's there with Ellroy." "Thanks a lot." "Eloi, can I see you?" "Sure." ""Beloved Rodolfo..."" " Look." " What is it?" "Did you write this?" "Yes, I gave it you just now." "And this?" " Sorry." " What for?" "In the "The Misanthrope" Molière has Alceste declare that one needs to exercise control over the desire one has to write." "That is, writing must be justified." "Writing must be necessary." "17th century writers such as Boileau and Molière frequently use terms such as "itch"," "or "treatment"." "For these authors, the act of writing was a sickness to be cured." "If writing isn't a vital need..." "Karl Kraus..." "What's he doing?" "How would I know?" "What do we do?" "I can't tell you how sick I am of hamburgers and Coke." "I don't know how they get so fat, all that crap makes me puke." " How's work going?" " Well." "Really well, actually." "Oh, I didn't tell you!" " What?" " I did it." "I met him." " Who?" " Ellroy." " Really?" " Yup." "Actually, he's a bit of a jerk." "Better in print than in person." "I guess it was a childish idea, meeting the master, soaking up his wise words, all that crap." "You bond with the masters in their books." "So I didn't even try to contact him again." "I just work nonstop." "I don't do shit at my job, but I'm flying through my thesis." "I haven't even had sex." "No, maybe I have." "How about you guys?" "Things have been ok, we can't complain." "Brunette?" "Blonde?" "Redhead?" "Brunette." "You're very silent, Eloi." "Don't tell me you've been chaste." "No." "I'm relieved." "I think." "All's well, my lords?" "Very well, innkeeper." "Lord Andrè, slow down on my Angelus." "It's not lemonade, you know." "What's she doing here?" "Who?" "Alice." "She's with me." "You're screwing her?" "Yes." "Well, I wouldn't put it like that." "Well done." "But she's not joining us, is she?" "Yes, I told her to drop by." "But I was so happy to see you." " Sorry but it's too late." " Get down." " Quick!" " This is stupid!" "She's going to see me." "Eloi will find an excuse." " I can't." " Don't be such a saint, go stop her." "She sees you every day." "I may not see you again for a year." "Ok, I'll go." "What will you say?" "The truth." "That we want to be alone." "Ok, stay there." "Christ, I have to do everything myself." "Stay down!" "Hi." " You ok?" " Where's Alex?" "What's he saying to her?" "Didn't you see him?" "What?" "He left." "To meet you, I thought." "No, I didn't see him." "Damn." "Where did he go?" "I don't know." "We were talking and he just left." " He didn't explain?" " He left too quickly." "Did he see me?" "I don't think so." "Or he'd be here." "Care to join us?" "No." "Are you sure?" " He might come back." " No." "I wish I could help, Alice." "Bye." "You can come out now." "What did you tell her?" "Your rehearsal went late, so you couldn't come." "You'll drop by her place later." "Was she ok with it?" "She didn't want to spend the evening with 3 guys anyway." "To us!" " Thanks for the meal." " Showbiz is good to you." "Where are you staying?" "At a hotel?" " You can stay at my place." " No, I can't." " Why not?" " I'm leaving." " Tonight?" " Yeah, tonight." "Already?" " But I'll come back." " We hope so!" " When's your plane?" " My plane?" "Were you going to swim back?" "It's at two, I think." "I'll drop you." "It's ok, I'll take a taxi." "The car's right here." "It'll take you an hour." "It'll take 5 minutes." "Bye, André." " Wish we'd had longer." " When's next time?" "I don't know exactly." "But if I come, it's to see you guys." "You weren't always this emotional." "Yeah, I'm getting older." " Aren't you going to be late?" " You're right." "Bye, André." "See you." "Let's go." "So where are your bags?" "I left them at the airport, in storage." "Why'd you do that?" "I don't even know." "Are you sure it's Orly?" "For the USA, it's usually Roissy airport." "It's a special flight." "Andrè, can I tell you something?" "Yeah." "Have you seen Marguerite since you left?" " Give me 20 euros." " What?" " Give me 20 euros!" " I think I only have 5!" " That's all?" " I'll withdraw more." " Forget it." " What are you...?" "There's the Air France bus!" "See you!" "Can I help you?" "It's me." "It's André." "Eloi, it's for you!" "Who was it?" "No one." "Some guy with an American accent." "Eckhart had an appointment, so he delayed the rehearsal." "Open the door." " Fuck off!" " Come on, Alice." "Leave me alone!" "Alexandre, it's André." "Listen, I missed my plane." "It's no big deal, but it means I have nowhere to sleep." "So since you offered, I was thinking I could stop by Alice's and pick up your keys." "I'm sure you two aren't sleeping yet." "I'll call back, but just in case here's the phone booth number:" "43 56 05 24." "Ok, hope to talk to you soon." "Shit." "Hi." "Wait." "Wait." "What?" "You have nothing to say?" "Oh, I'm over that." "You're forgiven." "Me?" "I'm forgiven?" "What, I was harsh?" "You were an ass." "I won't apologize for forming you." "Now please move, I have to sleep." "So you're going to teach." "See how you've progressed?" "A teacher, huh?" "Not a meta-teacher?" "Yes, Colonel." "Cadet Morney has returned." "Yes, sir." "Understood." "Next time we call the cops." "Get it?" "Congratulations." "You've got your thesis argument and key developments." "You just need a concluding idea." "But don't worry, you've got a whole month left." " Could I defend it in June?" " Sure." " Put those there." " Here?" "What are your plans for next year?" " I thought I'd do a Masters." " In American Lit?" "Yes." "On Ellroy, if possible." "Here's your whisky, Eloi." "Thanks." " Claude." " Thank you, Anna." "Let's eat." "Why don't you sit here?" "How about going to the States for a year to write your thesis?" "We have an exchange program with Berkeley." "We send our best students there." "I'd love that." "I'm telling you now because you'd have to apply shortly." "Speaking of which, how's André?" "I don't know." "Why do you mention André?" "You sent him there too." "Me?" "You must be joking." "I didn't even know he was there." "Aren't you directing his thesis?" "His thesis?" "He went there to write it." "I see that there certain things Mr. Morney hasn't told you." "So I must say I'm uncomfortable discussing them with you in his place." " More?" " Yes please." "Eloi, I heard you'd written a novel." " Am I wrong?" " No, I'm just not sure what to do." "Isn't it coming out this fall?" "My mother submitted it, not me." "I want to withdraw it, but I don't know how." "She copied my signature." " She didn't." " She did." "But why withdraw it?" "Because I'm not a writer." "How do you know?" "One question about André." "If you must." "What'll happen to the Lit review?" "Will you do it without him?" "What on earth has he been telling you?" "There's no review?" "Of course not." "And no Masters, and no America." "You mean he's not at Berkeley?" "What?" "André's not in America." " Where is he?" " I don't know." "He's not even working with Mortier." "I can't believe it." " Mortier told you this?" " Yes." "He actually slapped him to get his degree." "Look Eloi, rehearsals start tomorrow, I need to memorize my lines." " Aren't you upset?" " About what?" "He lied to us." "It's in the past, who cares?" "Are you joking?" "Look, I got over Andrè Morney a long time ago." "You never told me." "Why ruin your great friendship?" "Anyway, you wouldn't have listened." "Yes?" "Are you ok?" "What?" "Are you ok?" "It's the proofs of my book." "That's great." "I don't know." "The title's not right." "Show me." "Three months later" "Time to go home." "You've been taken off sweeping today." "You'll be driving the colonel into town." "He's going to the town hall." "No funny stuff, ok?" "I'm counting on you." "I'll be about an hour." "You can read my newspaper." "Thank you, sir." "Good afternoon, sir." "Eloi Duhaut Receives Prize for Novel" ""Poison Friends" will be read at the Theatre Athénée by Alexandre Ferriére." "A book signing will follow the reading." "Next." "Three tickets." "Did you reserve?" " No, I'm the author." " Pardon?" "I'm Eloi Duhaut." "You're the author!" "I'm sorry." "How are you?" "Fine." " No stagefright?" " No." "I don't want to do this!" " How about you?" " I'm ok." "He's about to vomit but that's ok." "What's wrong?" "I thought I saw André." " Me too." " Really?" " Yeah, he was driving a Cadillac." " Shut up." " Give it a rest with Andrè." " No!" "He lectured us for years when actually he was just a loser." "I admired him so much." "I was such an idiot." "Look who's here." "Edouard." "Franchon." "The meta-jerk himself." "Do you have another invite?" "You brought someone?" "He brought poetry along." "Hi everyone." "I was really touched that you guys thought of me." "I don't know what Morney thinks, but you guys rock." "Have you seen Morney?" "No." "Isn't he invited?" "Not really, no." "He'd rather die than come." "Of course..." "I forgot he lay into me for way less than this." "Did you know he slept over last month?" "Who?" "André." "You're kidding." "No." "He appeared one night, completely haggard, and asked if he could stay." "I almost threw him out but" "I felt sorry for him." "I swear, he was so pitiful." "He stank, too!" "He looked like a tramp." "Where is he now?" "I don't know, he left at dawn, I didn't even hear him." "Wasn't he going to America?" "To think that asshole cut off our balls." "To think that asshole cut off our balls." "I should go." " Break a leg." " See you soon." "Wait." "Here." "That way you'll be wearing my colours." " This is ridiculous." " Yeah." "Congratulations." "I'll leave you to it." "May I have an autograph too, please?" "Sure." "Signed by me." "Be nice to your old mum." "Suddenly you've got principles." "Here." "Thank you." "May I, Florence?" "Claude!" "We have serious things to say." "Sir, if you would be so kind." "I also ventured to write this modest commentary." "Thank you very much." "Well, go on!" "Hurry up and sign." "It was great." "I really enjoyed it." "Really." "Cedric?" " With a "c" at the end." " Ok." " What name should I put?" " Morney." "You were here?" "No, I just arrived." "We looked for you everywhere." "At Berkeley, the Sorbonne..." "I wasn't there." "I was here, in the country." "I teach general culture on an army base." " Won't you write something?" " Sure." "Here." "Why do some people write?" "Thanks." "Rochefort is in the Charente Maritime region, right?" "It must be beautiful." "Yes, the sea's nearby." " How many students do you have?" " A dozen." "Piece of cake." "Yeah, piece of cake." "Are they in uniform?" "No, I'm the only one in uniform." "He's not coming with us, is he?" "You bet." "He wouldn't miss this for the world." "Aren't you supposed to be in America?" "I thought you were." "You've lost weight." "I'm happy to see you all the same." "You won't sit down?" "No, I'm not sitting down." "I knew it would be like this." "I was expecting this from you guys." "You've been pretending to be interested in me." "But actually, you pity me." "You pity me and you resent me for it." "Not at all." "Come on." "It's unbelievable." "I didn't pity you when I met you." "But you weren't much to look at." "You weren't as glorious as you are now." "So I'm shallow, I'm a loser." "So what?" "What difference does it make to you?" "Does it make you any less successful?" "Maybe there's something I don't understand." "I disappointed you, is that it?" "You lied to us." "Of course I lied to you." "I lied because you needed those lies." "You were cowards, you needed a master." "Too bad if the master embarrasses you now." "And don't tell me I'm still young." "I'm not young at all." "I'm the oldest of men..." "I'm a failure."