"But did you know that Dostoyevsky came to Spa to gamble, not to write ?" "A mad life." "A mad voice." "And in the peat moors of Wallonia we hear another voice." "The even more famed voice of Apollinaire whose words ring in our memory :" ""Overwhelming grief"" ""Strangled my heart in the desolate fens"" ""Life twists itself around strong trees"" ""Life takes bites of death by degrees"" "Thank you for your attention." "Thank you very much." "Will you be publishing those poems ?" "No, they're by Apollinaire." " Shame." "Bravo, Mathieu, it was wonderful." "Victor is taking me home." " See you tomorrow." "Why your interest in the fens ?" " My father was from the fens." "Have you written much about them ?" " Yes, all my life." "Where will it be published ?" " I have a publisher in Liege." "You're miles away." "I wonder if I ran over an animal this evening." "On the Grande Fagne moors." "What were you doing there ?" "I felt like driving around." "Did Victor take you home ?" "He found your examples remarkable." "When we drove through Verviers, he asked me if I'd like a drink." "Redcurrants or raspberries ?" " Cherries, Marie." "He drives on the left when he's been drinking so I said :" ""Let's have a drink at home and wait for Mathieu."" "Why do you always wear brown stockings ?" " Because you like them." "It's the other guy who likes them." "I prefer light stockings." " That's news to me." "Brown stockings are aggressive and common." "Light stockings are distinguished." "Everyone knows that." "Some more brown bread ?" "It's not brown bread." "It's sourdough bread from Stoumont." "White bread is distinguished." "Sourdough bread is common." "Everyone knows that." "Did the other guy teach you that ?" " Bread and stockings, it's the same." "Mad." "She's out of her mind." "It's dripping, Jeanne." " OK, it's dripping..." "I'll finish this first." "Otherwise I can't control the sugar to milk ratio." "I've been saying this for twenty years." "Mind the drip." "What did Victor want ?" "I asked him in." "As you know..." " Yes, he drives on the left." "So you let him in." "Yes, he wanted to show me his module." " His module ?" "Did Victor show you his module ?" "Quiet, or she'll never finish the story." "Milk ?" "He wanted to show me the new module for the Town Council." "Are you listening ?" " Of course." "Will you take me or can I have the car ?" "Here." "What a night, eh ?" "There." "Now eat." "Eat." "I feel very well." "We're meeting at eleven, remember ?" "We're meeting at eleven." " Go and choose furniture." "You won't lose everything." "I'm leaving my cat behind." "You can keep your cat, because you don't have another one." "Okay, okay." "Can I have the car for 10 minutes ?" " When we get to the museum." "Could it have been a dream ?" " Tell me, Marie..." "Yes ?" "You could wear long skirts." "You don't have to show your thighs to the world." "John likes it." " "John likes it"." "Are you going to find the animal ?" "Do you know where it is ?" "It can't have gone far." "Come along, they're waiting for me." "65,925." "Good morning, Vincent." " Mr Victor is here." "Where is he ?" " In the archive." "He's lost in the archive." "I'm not in for anyone, Vincent." "I've a problem with my anthology of legends from the Ardennes." "I'd like your opinion." "In the archive of Verviers I found an original act from 1813." "It's so extraordinary that I wonder if I should include it in the historical section." "I know." "What do you know ?" "Jeanne told me everything." " Everything ?" "That you are awful and that you drive on the left." "She's confused." "She's mixing things up." "Listen, this is my problem." ""In memory of the late brothers Henri and Renard, wretchedly murdered at the unspeakable place that is Pont Noir," "I, Martin le Podestat, their father, have had written, in their memory..."" "However, Henri had the reputation of being unspeakable himself because of the evil eye." "He died when he drowned in a pool at Pont Noir." "But then... do you follow me ?" "Why does their father say "wretchedly murdered" ?" "It's contradictory, you see ?" "I've never liked modern art." "Is this dog yours ?" "Don't be afraid." "I am sorry about last night." "I didn't see him." "It was a sharp bend." "I thought I had hit a deer." "You're not from around here ?" "No, wait, I want to help you." "You can't leave the dog like that." "If you're scared..." "Damn." "Look, here..." "How did it go in Liege ?" "Extraordinary." "Yes." "Extraordinary." ""Gales and gusts Trapped in the hollows of the dead fens"" ""And undone in..." "Gales and gusts", superb alliteration." "One of my colleagues in Verviers said to me only last night :" ""Of all the poets of the fen, Mathieu Gregoire has the finest pen."" "That's nice, eh ?" "And then : "Creature of the moors Girl as dark as night"" "So simple, so sublime." "Allow me to tell you, Jeanne..." " Don't hold back, Victor." "Without you, this source would be less bountiful." "That's beautifully put." "Just one more." "Here." "The more so since the book is dedicated to Marie, and without me, Marie..." "We chose the furniture this morning." " She's still not back." "Victor, you must have thought of something for your presentation." "I was talking to Jeanne about it." "If I may..." "You may, Victor." "He was thinking of something modern." "Russian writers." "Tolstoy and so on." "Solzhe..." "Solzhenitsyn." "His traditional side, his revolutionary side..." "Our audience..." " Jeanne, the plum liqueur ?" "Our audience is a fairly mixed one." "We have to find the modulus." "And it's a good thing that..." "Drenched." "I am drenched." ""In bitter gall and deadly poison."" "Sorry ?" ""The sweetness of love is drenched in bitter gall and deadly poison."" "Maurice Sceve, sixteenth century." "I'm going to discuss Louise Labe." "Labe ?" "The Beautiful Rope Maker lover of ice and fire." "Sixteenth-century sonnets." ""I live, I die, I burn and I drown."" ""Labbe", did you say ?" " One "B"." "Aren't you afraid that's too obscure for most people ?" "Physical love is their bread and butter." "This is delicious." "Sour plums from our own garden." "Distilled in the abbey." " No, no more." "You're on foot today." " That's true." "Well, I'm going to say goodbye, dear friends." "They can wait a little longer." " I have no one waiting for me." "I was suddenly thinking..." "Who will be reading Louise Labe's poems ?" "An actress ?" "You could find an actress, Victor." "I'll get an actress from Liege then, to prevent local jealousy." "Goodnight, dear Jeanne." ""Gales and gusts"" ""Trapped in the hollows of dead forests" Mathieu..." "Sometimes I miss teaching." "Don't forget the actress." "She's still not back." " She'll come." "Can't they just take the last train ?" " You know they like to take the road." "We can't sit and wait for her all night." "She has her key." "I have to wait and lock up." "I've done that for fifteen years." "In my own house." "And it's over with Victor." "Victor ?" "Do you think I'm blind ?" ""May I say, my dear Jeanne..."" "To your hands and your eyes I hold no surprise" "Marie knows what she's doing." "And John is not a bad young man." "Don't look so worried." "Go to sleep." "I'll join you later." "Good night, Mathieu." "Good night, Jeanne." "I'm not going to wait till daybreak." "I won't wait all night until madam comes home." "It's always the same." "In the past it was girl friends and now..." "I'll bolt the door and switch off the lights." "I'm going up to Jeanne." "Keep your cat." "You don't have another." "I'm cross." "Very cross." "She's not too old for a beating." "Incredible." "Juliette..." "Come here, come." "Come, Juliette." "See you tomorrow." " Yes, tomorrow." "Don't forget to bolt the door." "Can I borrow the Volvo ?" " Yes, of course." "Don't forget." "Lock the door." "Lock it." "Lock the door." "She no longer has a dog." "She's lost it." "She doesn't have her dog any more." "Her dog is dead." "She's lost her dog." "Cat and dog... no." "No, it's a foreigner." "She's lost her dog." "You see ?" "She hasn't got her dog now." "A dog and a cat." "No, no." "He's a foreigner, you see ?" "A foreigner." "Hello ?" "Hello ?" "I couldn't just leave you here." "No, there's no need to be afraid." "I didn't know what to do." "Maybe you need my help ?" "Why are you here ?" "It's going to get very cold." "But that's none of my business." "It's your business." "Do you understand me ?" "No ?" "That cape isn't going to keep you warm." "You're running a temperature." "Your feet must be freezing." "I'll be back with medication." "Medication." "My name is Mathieu Gregoire." "Go on then." "That's better, isn't it ?" "Hello, Mr Gregoire." "We'd given up waiting for you." "Will you take my place ?" "We don't see you very often now, Mathieu." "I expect that suits you, doesn't it ?" "I found a young, charming actress." "She's very cultured." "We talked about Louise Labe and she knows her work." "What a terrific choice :" ""Kiss me again and kiss me more"" ""A luscious kiss alive with your love"" "Wonderful, isn't it ?" "Ask the Deputy." "Victor, you've lost." "So what are you complaining about ?" "Are they getting married soon ?" " There's no rush." "We were 19 when we got married." ""Time flies by", as Marot said." "Or was it Ronsard ?" "Alas, time may freeze But we never cease" "You were out a long time." "We thought you might be here." "I was copying documents for Vincent." "What are you writing now ?" "One only knows when it's finished, Marie." "We'd like to get married at the end of November." "A civil wedding." "All right." "When is the contract signed ?" "A week before the wedding ?" "The day before." "Belle ?" "Come here." "Come on." "You are Belle." "Yes, Belle." "I won't ask anything more of you." "Never speak to me." "I don't want to know who you are." "Come on." "Everything's all right." "Listen." "Belle." "Listen." "Belle." "Gales and gusts" "Trapped in the hollows of dead forests And undone in your hair" "I don't know why." "A poet reciting his own work." "that's ridiculous." "I can tell you everything because you understand nothing and say nothing." "It's settled for November 28th." "On November 24th we sign at the notary's office." "Bring the wood in." "The wood." "Where have you been all this time ?" "I forgot the salt." "Can I use the Volvo for a few hours ?" "Can I use the Volvo ?" "I have to be in Liege at eleven." " I'll be back at ten." "You're always late." " Ten sharp at the kiosk, OK ?" "Where have you been all this time ?" "I didn't see you at the museum." "I wanted to let you know that I think, if I may say so" "I've found a new classification method for the fen legends." "For my volume of legends, remember ?" "Are you listening, Mathieu ?" "I wanted to ask you if I could use the same method for the library filing cards." "I'm in a hurry, I'm waiting for my car." "But couldn't we..." "Yes." "An important appointment in Liege." "My publisher is very punctual." "You're having a lot of success in Liege." "Right, Mathieu ?" "Don't you know what time it is ?" "What will they say in Liege ?" "Could you give me a lift to Liege ?" "I have to go somewhere else first." "Belle ?" "You mustn't worry so much when I'm late." "What... ?" "Here." "Belle." "Thank you." "I will ask Thomart to do the catering." "Does he do catering ?" " Yes." "He did the wedding at the Collignon's." "And then I went to the bank." "The money seems to be going fast." "I bought some reference books on the 16th century." "And the repairs on the Volvo also cost a pretty penny." "You know, Mathieu, I never ask anything of you." "Is your talk progressing well ?" "Yes and no." "Are you worrying about Marie ?" "I will introduce you to the audience at six o'clock." "And at eight there's a discussion." "Can you give me a lift ?" "Who is that man ?" "Why did you run away ?" "Where did he come from ?" "How did he find you again ?" "I asked Thomart what it would cost, but he hasn't replied yet." "If it's more than 25,000, I'll say no." "Refurbishing the living room will also cost a packet." "Are you listening, Mathieu ?" "I don't want to take all the responsibility on my own." "It concerns you too !" "Mathieu, are you listening ?" "Mathieu, listen to me !" "What's got into you ?" "Why don't you answer ?" "I'm not just an animal, am I ?" "No, don't touch me." "No." "Do you want to leave ?" "Do you want us to leave ?" "Belle ?" "Tell me..." "Is that man your husband ?" "Your boyfriend ?" "An accomplice ?" "Or is he a rebel ?" "Tell me." "It can't go on like this." "We have to put an end to it." "We have a few minutes to decide." "I have to give a talk at six o'clock." "At six." "It's no use running away." "He will find us." "Or we'd have to leave the country." "Go very far away." "We'd need money." "It's ridiculous." "You have to break with that guy." "Make it clear to him." "I'm going to talk to him." "Where is he ?" "Oh, God, no !" "Damn !" "Belle, he's gone, with my car !" "All my papers are in it !" "My talk..." "They're already waiting for me !" "Wait till I get hold of him !" "Sort this out once and for all !" "We've got to kill him !" "Kill him !" "Presents." "Tinned food." "Wine." "Pineapple." "Trinkets from Spa." "Mathieu Gregoire." "Present." "It's madness." "He's been driving through my town in my Volvo !" "He's gone to shops where they know me !" "Now everybody knows !" "He's going to ruin us !" "You base creature !" "See what I do with your present !" "What happened ?" " Car broke down." "Nothing serious." "I'm sorry." "It was nothing, really." "May I introduce Mariette Mirmont ?" "Mathieu ?" "I haven't seen your paper." "What am I to read ?" "And in what style ?" "The love sonnets of Louise Labe, the Beautiful Rope Maker." "We are less familiar with her Debate between Folly and Love or her elegies in which she admits having been struck early by the darts of love." ""Not sixteen winters had I seen When first love's perils took me in"" "But the young soldier who seduced her went to war." "And then she had other lovers." "The 16th century seems far removed from us." "You will find that Louise Labe, just like Maurice Sceve at first sight seems to drown us in unusual language." "Simple thoughts, which we all know well but which we do not recognize at first sight." "Knowledge and recognition." "Allow me to make a musical comparison." "This is the national interpretation by a distant people of a tune well-known to our southern neighbours." "I wonder if you will recognize it." "So you recognized it." "Who did you, O Diana, meet on the way" "Who took your bow and arrows away ?" "I teased, says she, a passer-by" "At whom I cast my shafts in vain" "And last my bow." "He took them up" "And shooting, broke my heart in twain" "Bravo." "Louise confidently opposes the folly of love with everyday life." "But is lost in the arms of her lover in Sonnet Xlll." "If I hold him close to me" "The way the ivy clasps the tree" "Death comes, in envy of my bliss" "Of kiss upon still sweeter kiss" "Then will I die, in ecstasy" "No, not "If I hold him, death comes"." "It's "If as I hold him, death comes"." "If death came while he gave me kiss upon sweeter kiss" "I would die in ecstasy." "Isn't that it ?" "I would die happy." ""Never without love" could have been her motto." "But also "never without pain"." "Because in the 16th century there are few more moving words :" "I live, I die, I burn and drown" "I quake with cold and perish with heat" "My life so hard and yet so sweet" "At once I shrivel and I..." "Who has a question for the speaker ?" "What's so special about that 16th-century author ?" "It is a timeless expression of love." "Why are you speaking on a subject that doesn't interest us ?" "Bravo, Mr Gregoire, it went very well." "Are you mad ?" "You will pay for this." "I'm calling the police." "I was mistaken." "I am truly sorry." "I want the police." "I'm going to lodge a complaint." "I am from Robertville." ""If I were clutched unto his chest" If." ""If his arms would grasp me tight And if he said :" "Let us delight"" "You see why I stress the "if" ?" "Jeanne, we must try to persuade the man to drop the charges." ""If I hold him close to me"" "It's very subtle." "Those people upset him." "It's unbelievable." "I will make sure Mathieu explains." "Congratulations, Mr Gregoire, I enjoyed your talk very much." "A pity today's youngsters are so rude." "I tried explaining it to that charming foreigner in your car." "He didn't understand me." "Didn't speak German or French." "Thank you, Mrs Jolite." " For a foreigner he was very friendly." "Again, congratulations and thank you." "If you should ever need me, I am at your service." "It's a promise, I'll call you." "I was saying to Mr Gregoire, today's youngsters are so rude." "But I did enjoy the evening and wanted to congratulate him." "I did like your presentation, Mr Gregoire." "And I wonder and so does Marie whether your approach to the aspect... the poetic aspect as seen through the biography of the poet reveals the essence of her work." "I mean to say, what you wished to demonstrate." "That's why I brought you a small present." "A collection of articles by Genette." "Gerard Genette." "Do you know him ?" "And a collection of texts by Barthes." "I thought..." " Of course, thank you." "Right." "Everybody here wants to think for me." "Let it be, Mathieu." "Let's go." "Come." "What's she like, the woman in Liege ?" "Brunette ?" "Blonde ?" "A pert behind ?" "Is she naughty ?" "Does she bite ?" "She's great, good friend." "A horse." " A horse ?" "Yes, shaped like this." "And that." "She scratches." "And she has a wonderful curve to her waist." "Like the finest Rubens." " Rubens ?" "Mathieu, my friend." "Welcome back, brother." "The whole city lies at my feet." "I want to meet her." "Take me along." "What ?" "You idiot." "Scum !" "Bastards !" "Let us sleep." "I will prove to you that I love women." "To you alone." "Come along to my house." " What ?" "My collection." "Come." "Coarse, dark hair." "For the hollow in the hips and the curve of the buttocks." "Supple hairs tightly packed for in between." "Soft, blonde hairs." "Perfect for the gentle stimulation" "of the tender inner thigh." "My Belle." "It doesn't work with that man here." "Either he goes or we go." "We cannot go, so he has to go whether he likes it or not." "I won't leave without you, that's certain." "This is unbearable." "Nobody in the area knows him." "And no one has seen him." "Except in Spa perhaps." "Did he go into town again ?" "Into town ?" "Then there's no risk." "We must force him to go." "He will come back." "We can't stop him from coming back." "And compromising us." "There's no point talking to him." "If it has to be done..." "Belle, at the firebreak." "There." "Tomorrow four o'clock sharp." "The edge of the forest." "The firebreak." "You will come with him." "Understood ?" "Why did you do that ?" "Volvo." "Keep out of sight." "We must go far away." "But not now." "Most of all we must be careful." "We mustn't arouse suspicion." "We mustn't meet for a few days." "You'll have food." "Monday, after the wedding, I'll get money from the bank." "We will cross the border at night through the forest." "Four o'clock." "If I'm not there, you hide and wait for me." "But don't act suspicious." "She'll be back, you'll see." "She'll come and see us soon." "At first life will be difficult for her and then..." "She'll manage all right." "She's happy." "And you ?" "I'm not unhappy." "I love you, Jeanne." "I love you." "I have never stopped loving you." "I have never loved you so much." "I have to go." "Leave this place." "Stop writing." "Life is passing me by." "It has no purpose." "Excuse me." "Excuse me, don't take any notice." "Annie." "How beautiful you look." "Hello, Marcel." "Thank you for the flowers." "They're wonderful." "I'm so glad to see you." "You look so radiant." " Thank you." "How is Mathieu ?" " Shouldn't you be asking after Marie ?" "Yes, that's true." "Where is she ?" "She's busy packing suitcases." "Thank you." "I'm going to publish Folly and Love with a new preface." "It will be interesting in connection with what they're doing in Verviers." "May I congratulate you ?" " You may, Victor." "Very beautiful, the..." "I shall go and say hello to Jeanne." "I didn't notice you, I'm sorry." "Good afternoon." "Don't worry." "I'll call him." "Marcel wishes to speak to you." " Only for a moment." "I apologize." "I shouldn't disturb you on a day like this but I have to talk to you." "It's an insignificant thing." "I'm sure you know what I mean." "I'll come and see you in the museum on Monday afternoon." "In Belgium, you can only publish poetry at your own expense or in magazines." "Up to the age of six she was very quiet, like her father." "But once she went to school she changed." "She had such good teachers." "She really flourished then." "Very delicate." "Must be a good year." "It's a Chateau La Conseillante from '38." "We also drank it at Marie's First Communion." "Well, have a good journey." " Do you have some money ?" "I'd like to buy something on the way." "Come on, Belle, we're going away." "Right now." "Right now." "Money, Mathieu." "Money." "That's true." "What was I thinking ?" "Money." "Will you play for us, Jeanne ?" " No, it's too long since I've played." "Please." " Jeanne, don't make us beg." "Just play something." "I was on the way to the museum and now I bump into you." "We're always chasing behind and time flies by." "Or we never cease, as you put it." "Everything all right with Jeanne ?" "Yes, thank you." "It's not serious." "Just a matter of routine." "The man from Robertville that you hit did lodge a complaint." "Now I have to ask you some questions." "I didn't want to spoil the fun at the wedding." "Of course." "Perhaps we could go to Robertville together ?" "I have to take those gentlemen there too, for a different case." "Do you mean now ?" "As you wish." "To avoid any unpleasantness." "All right." "Thanks, Marcel." "But quickly because I have other commitments." "I'll come in your car." "Would you rather I'd been on my own ?" "No, no." "Which road do you want to take to Robertville ?" "Doesn't matter." "Take the road you know best." "Over there." "The body is in a hole." "Since when, Mathieu ?" "Thursday." "But it's a dog." "I must be mistaken." "ldiot." "Wait for me in the car." "What does this mean ?" "I received a note from the German authorities." "A young smuggler was found near the border." "For our friendship's sake I tried to keep you out of it." "You've been tricked somehow." "You're not making it easy for me." "What kind of game is this ?" "If he's still alive why is she still waiting for me ?" "They robbed me." "tricked me from the start." "Thoroughly." "They're already long gone." "She couldn't do it." "She didn't trick me." "She killed him for me." "together with me." "We carried him together." "Drowned him together." "In one of the pools at Pont Noir." "A pool at Pont Noir." "She really did it for me." "It's all true." "It's all true." "She didn't deceive me." "As long as she comes back." "As long as she comes back."