"The time is out of joint!" "O cursed spite" "That ever I was born to set it right!" "Mr. Valombreuse..." "Hi, Fred." "How's it going?" " I think she's still asleep." " That's life!" "Pierre?" "No, someone else..." "I hope it fades fast." "I hope it doesn't..." "Yes, Marie." "Me too, a very deep sleep." "This afternoon..." "You'll be there?" "Me too." "She sends her love." "Hurry up." "Must I stay dirty because you're in love!" "My poor, poor little brother." "I'm waiting." "This colour's gloomy." "My love..." "Look!" "Who is Aladin?" ""In the Light" The novel of a generation" " Augusto!" " Hello, Pierre." " Okay?" " Yes." "Marie!" "Hello, my sister." "Hello, my brother." "You're careful on your father's bike?" "With myself or the bike?" "Both of you !" "He was so fond of it." "You're handsome today, my brother." "Is it love?" "I love you." "Yes, but what if I'd been born "deformed"?" "No, stop it!" "Stop!" "What was it?" "I don't know." "No one..." "A breath..." "That happens." "Are you worried?" "It's happened several times recently." "You didn't tell me." "Probably one of your countless suitors..." "A coward!" "I don't like it..." "My sister..." "Best to accept life's little mysteries, isn't it?" "The huge rock rested on its corner, A breath taking sight!" "He call edit the Terror Stone for he had never had the courage or rather the mad imprudence to crawl into the gap," "The saurus recklessness" "...the mad recklessness..." "You seem absorbed." "Oh, family papers..." "I want things in order before the wedding." "We'll have to see our lawyer about your father's estate." "If you like." "Why did he keep everything?" "The cellar's filled with boxes of papers." "From when he was a diplomat in Eastern Europe?" "Remarkable accounts... the horrors he witnessed... the people he knew, helped..." "saved in some cases." "Would you say he returned..." "transformed?" "I was waiting at the station." "I could see he had changed..." "but no, he hadn't..." "For if he had, I don't know what I'd have done." "I'd decided to spend my life with that man, so... he couldn't change." "It's odd to realize that at 23 I'd understood what a couple has to be." "What's on your mind?" "Him..." "You..." "The two of you..." "Me..." "The three of us..." "You must think of Lucie now." "Don't I get a last cigarette?" "No." "I love to smoke." "How's the relationship between you?" "Lucie?" "Physical?" "Fine, I think." "She's..." "like a child." "What is it?" "My love?" "I'm at my computer." "How did your Classes go?" "Yes, he replied, a young, irrevocable love," "Then, everything will fall into place, A couple!" "This meadow has seen the three of us grow." "He's back, you know." "Thibault?" "I had a letter from him yesterday, a very generous letter." "I didn't get one." "You'll have to see him." "Of course, I'll see him." "What's the matter?" "Is it Thibault?" "My Lucie..." "Tell me." "Tell me more about the dream." "Your new dream with the face." "The face?" "I've told you everything I remember." "You haven't told me the whole truth, Pierre." "I can sense that." "It scares me." "This face... who is it?" "I'm not hiding anything." "The girl doesn't exist." "She's ageless..." "She comes from who knows where..." "It's a face." "Not even..." "I couldn't draw her." "Long hair, dark, tangled..." "A wanderer..." "A presence, a breath..." "And she just appeared in your dreams, a few weeks ago?" "It's hard to believe." "What can I do?" "I should never have mentioned it." "I was stupid to think love shouldn't keep secrets." "Never say that!" "If I thought you had secrets, it would be over." "Swear you'll never hide anything from me." "Swear, Pierre!" "Stop it, Lucie!" "I've missed you too, Thibault." "The "three inseparables", separated." "Two plus one." "But it's my fault, I took that job far away..." "Far from you both..." ""We shall never be as we were."" "Why do you say that?" "We'll see." "How is she?" " Well, I think." " You think?" "And you?" "We're getting married." "I'll be your best man, I hope?" "Much more than that, I hope." "A brother, cousin..." "as you've always been." "A pack of lights, please." "You know, Chicago's one of the world's biggest stock exchanges." "I may move back for good in January." "What's wrong?" "There's a weird girl with long, dark hair, sort of spying on us." "Behind me?" "Look." "See, she's running off." "Strange..." "For now, I'm moving into Aunt Maxine's Paris apartment." "There's a floor free if you and Lucie want it." "Thank you." "Thibault, excuse me, I have to check something..." "That girl." " That girl?" " Yes, I'll explain." "Come and see us at the chateau." "I'll call you." "I'm sorry." "Perfect." "The whole world's after you, my brother!" "The whole world?" "Lucie, Thibault... and I." "My phone's on the blink." "I had to go to the hospital for a few stitches." "The bike skidded, it's nothing." "Skidded?" "Believe me, it's nothing." "On the phone, he mentioned a girl..." "Some vagrant with dark hair." "Apparently, you followed her." "Yes..." "No... I just wanted..." "You're mumbling, brother!" "Explain." "Do you remember, about a month ago..." "We were walking home one night." "We found a strange girl going through our trash..." "She ran off when she saw us?" "So?" "I think I saw her today." "Her?" "But that's absurd!" "How could you know?" "A silhouette, in the dark!" "I know." "Why did you follow her?" "No reason..." "To see..." "But she had vanished." "It's absurd!" "Again?" "I'll answer from now on if you want..." "Why, you think it's for you?" "Why, no..." "I..." "My love... I was about to call you." "Ah, Thibault told you..." "Face, I know at last whence you've come!" "But why you, a specter seen in the night a few weeks ago," "Do you know what time it is, Mister?" "I woke up exhausted." "I don't know why." "I'm here." "I know." "We're due at the club in half-an-hour." "Marie, I don't think..." "You can't leave me with all those men !" "Okay..." "I'll take a shower and meet you there." "Promise?" "I spoke to Father VidaIi, We've seta date for the wedding," "September 6," "So soon?" "Why not?" "That leaves us enough time," "All right..." "Fine..." "Well, aren't you eager to call Lucie?" "Yes, but I'd rather tell her in person." "I'll go now." "But, there's no ferry now!" "I'll take the bridge!" "Excuse me." "Don't be afraid." "I want to talk to you." "I saw you the other day... I won't harm you." "Wait!" "Who are you?" "Who are you?" "Pierre..." "Come near to me." "You know my name?" "You are not the only child." "You must believe me." "I am your sister, Isabelle." "What's this lie?" "My life..." "You must know." "How it Started?" "I not remember." "Had I father, mother?" "No." "Always, I was alone, alone." "I see old house, black, wicked house." "Where?" "What country?" "I not remember." "My hands always cold... me very little and house very big." "Outside, the forest, with trees twisted like this... I very afraid of those trees." "Never, I see a person." "Only old man and old woman, like ghosts in the house." "They give me food but say no words to me, never." "So, I was alone... alone..." "After, man from France come to us." "He speak to me... but I not understand words from his country." "He gave me the coat and the doll." "And I go away with him." "After, I not remember." "After, another country..." "Rich country." "Big white house... rich." "And the man, he live with his wife." "She is beautiful." "Golden hair... I have pretty room and very good bed." "There is a big green garden with much, much light." "But I am afraid, always afraid." "And I cannot speak, never." "After, the woman, she is getting big." "And after, after... in the house, the little baby." "And I'm very afraid!" "But this child... when he grow a little, he call me to play with him." "With him... I know I am same... as trees, earth, the animals." "I live." "So if it rains, I know: this is rain... and I am Isabelle!" "But the woman, when I kiss the child, she is very angry." "She says that I attack the little child!" "Like a dog !" "I cry loud!" "I roll on the floor!" "And I must go... again." "Because I... I am very bad person !" "After... new country." "I stay in village with woman from village." "I call her Aunt." "Aunt Ziba." "I live with her children." "I work the cows, the land." "It is good... the land is good for me." "Only after, after, everyone get crazy." "Completely crazy!" "All over, fire." "All over, bombs fall!" "And men kill men..." "women... children... and even kill corpses!" "After, our village burn." "We leave and we walk, walk, walk." "And all over, corpses." "And we cross borders at night." "And Aunt Ziba, she tells me and I understand:" "My mother... she died... when I am born." "And the man from France is my father." "So I go away to France, alone." "Till here, till your house... my brother." "But now... I don't know... who I am." "Please..." "Forgive." "Well?" "Nothing." "I'm worn out, going to bed." "What do you mean, nothing?" "Lucie called!" "I'll go to see her tomorrow." "You're hiding things." "You've never hidden anything from me before... or I've been blind." "Be careful, Pierre." "Sort things out quickly or I... I told to you the truth." "Isabelle?" "Yes, here." "No harm will come to you ever again." "That's all over, understand?" "I'm here now." "I said to you already." "I want nothing... but you believe me." "If I believe you, I... I believe you." "I believe you." " Lucie wonders why you..." " l know!" "Are you awake?" "I have to go away." "I've found out... there's... someone." "I have to go away." "I'm in here." "Are you going to tell me?" "Me?" "I'm leaving..." "Today." "To live in Paris." "With Lucie?" "Without Lucie." "Alone?" ""In the Light"" "Stop!" "Stop it!" "There's nothing !" "What did you expect?" "What do you want in here?" "It's dangerous." "Where have you been?" "Who have you been talking to?" "What have you imagined?" "That... she exists?" "What?" "What did you say?" "Augusto!" "Has anyone been wandering around here recently?" "Has Pierre talked to you?" "Speak!" "Open your mouth or you'll see what mine can come out with !" "Listen..." "I've made up my mind." "It's the only solution." "We're going to live together." "No, Pierre." "It's wrong." "No, it's not!" "No one must know that you're..." "For the world, you'll be my wife." "All my life, I've waited for something... that would push me beyond all this." "I've started a new book." "We'll have money." "Watch the child, please." "Don't let her put her feet on the seat." "What do you mean?" "Her feet aren't on the seat!" "Calm down, sir." "I think I asked politely." "I don't think you did." "This is the end of the boulevard." " You didn't start at the beginning." " l did, sir." "No, I'd have recognized the building." "Go round again, please." "I'll leave you here, that's enough." "Go round again, please!" "Who'd you think you are?" " Your friends aren't clean." " What did you say?" "What are you doing?" "Stop!" "You're going to apologise!" "Apologise!" "Turn round and apologise." "It burns!" "Let me see..." " What's going on?" " It's tear gas." " l didn't mean to." " Is it your cab?" "Where's the gas?" " In my pocket." " Freeze!" "Want to go to the hospital?" "How long have you been in France?" " 15 years." " The car's registration." "In the glove-box." "Get it for me." "Who's she?" "Get out, please." " Got any ID?" " You know her?" "Yes, she's with me." "Got any ID, miss?" "It's nothing, Isabelle." "Don't worry." "Got any ID, sir?" "Me?" "Of course." "Give me your ID!" "Come on !" "Are you crazy?" "They wouldn't let me wait inside." "Are you okay?" "My face?" "Don't worry, nothing serious." "Come on." "I guess she was scared of the police." "What about you?" "Do you have the right papers?" "I'm okay." "This is it." "I'd like to see Thibault." "He's not here." "I'm his cousin, he said I could stay." "He's not here, sorry." " What happened, Pierre?" " Where's Thibault?" "Through there." "I'm coming !" "Where is he?" "Sorry to turn up like this." "I need your help." "It's important." "Can we talk?" "Who is he?" "Who let him in?" "It's urgent, I need you." ""It's urgent"?" "But who is he?" "Someone show him out." "Music!" "You're fucking with me?" "I don't understand but I'm Starting to see your true face!" " What's he talking about?" " You know full well!" "At last, a little truth, cousin !" "What an impostor!" "Out with him !" "Bastard!" "I'm throwing you out!" "Of my life!" "For good!" "Isabelle, it's okay." "What would you like to do today?" "Go look at animals with you?" "Animals?" "Big garden with many animals." "That's a little baby monkey." "Big baboon." "Family?" "Yes, family." "Mummy monkey with baby monkey." "E-le-phant." "Look, he hates us all." "He thinks humans stink." "See you tomorrow?" "Yes... tomorrow." "You want to stay?" "Not on the street then." "Here." "You stink." "You stink." "Pierre, it's me..." "Can I come in?" "Always, Isabelle." "Very dark here." "Dark?" "Come here, near me." "My sister..." "You have not Start to write your new book?" "It's my fault." "No, not at all!" "Belle..." "I'm another Pierre now." "Thanks to you." "Yes, I owe you everything." "The ideas I had at home for a second novel make no sense now." "What's in this?" "Sincerity?" "I was blind!" "Now, I need new tools, understand?" "Raging torrents, volcanoes..." "The stuff for a true book!" "I want to see what's hidden and live my hidden life to the full." "Then I'll be able to write that book... worse than the worst disease known to man !" "The real truth..." "Yes, I'll write that!" "But..." "I'm not ready yet." "Pierre..." "What are you talking about?" "Belle, I'm scared..." "Come to me." "I feel sick!" "Brother..." "My little brother." "Don't call me that anymore!" "Marguerite!" "Pierre, my boy." " I'm happy to see you." " Me too." "How are we?" "Marguerite, I need money." "You?" "As for your new novel, you'd like an advance." "I'd be glad to give you one..." "But everything you've told me sounds terribly confused." "You worry me, Pierre." "Your appearance... your conversation... I barely recognize you." "This need to spit the world's sinister truth in its face is as old as the world itself!" "You know what Musil wrote:" ""One can't resent one's era without being swiftly punished by it."" "Be careful!" "You dream of writing a mature work but your charm lies in your thorough immaturity!" "You dream of setting fire to God knows what, of rising above your times like a dazzling cloud, leaving everyone terrified and admiring." "But you weren't born for that, Pierre!" "You don't even believe it yourself." "Here he is!" "She's been waiting for hours." "She was out of her mind with worry." "She's right there." "Forgive me." "I walked and walked..." "The fuses have blown, she's sure it's her fault." "Forgive me." "You stink." "What?" "What's wrong?" "She fell, her head." "Her head!" "Have you called a doctor?" "She throw up and after she feel better." "She threw up?" "She's not hot?" "No." "We'll call a doctor tomorrow anyway." "Quick!" "In Petrutsa's room !" "Pierre... we must not call police." "No one." "If not, Petrutsa have to leave France." "It's okay..." "Let's try it." "What are you thinking?" "The little girl..." "Everything." "Come." "What an idiot I am !" "I wanted to do right." ""To do right."" "What a hoax!" "I don't understand." "I wanted to give you everything, but I have nothing." "We're together, that's everything." "But where?" "Where are we?" "Outside it all." "Still no official figures for the bomb blasting the metro an hour ago," "Three corpses have been recovered so far," "Here's our correspondent," "Corpses..." "Yes, an estimate of three dead," "The tunnel is dark, the air suffocating," "The metro car, a mass of mangled metal," "Only one word can describe the situation,:" "Hell," "What's the matter?" "There were corpses..." "More corpses, and you were there!" "Who told you that?" "My poor Belle..." "You suffer so much." "I was at the cafe with the group's leader." "He'll be a good model for my novel." "He knows it well... the great lie... hidden behind everything." "She'd hired a detective to find you." "Your lawyer's looking for you too, to settle your inheritance." "I don't want anything to do with it, Augusto." "What about Lucie, Miss de Boisieux..." "Have you had news?" "She's been ill." "III?" "Your cousin, Mr. ThibauIt, is looking after her." ""Mr. ThibauIt"." "Fine." "Shall I tell him where you are?" "Never!" "Not on your life!" "Scum !" "Stop, Fred!" "That bastard can wait." "Save Lucie first." "Lucie, come home with us!" "Let go of me!" "Let her go, you shits!" " Keep out of it." " You want to destroy her?" "I don't need to account for my actions!" "Stay out of this." "It's family business." "We'll be back!" "We'll get Lucie out of here!" "Yes, Pierre!" "We'll haunt you !" "That's her?" "How did you find me?" "I've come to live with you." "I must be here." "That's impossible." "They think I'm mad but I'm not." "Let me live near you." "I know nothing but I can guess... like a sacrifice." "I won't ask your secrets." "I'II keep my feelings hidden." "You're in danger, I have to be here." "We'll say you're my cousin." "Let's try it." "I want only you." "You !" "I am not enough for you?" "Don't be afraid..." "She's been very ill." "She'll stay with us a while." "Poor thing, she imagines I'm a saint." "Either you've told her our secret, or..." "No!" "The secret's still a secret." "Then she's mad!" "And you, Pierre?" "You're my sister... whom I adore." "Yes, Pierre." "No, keep it." "You need it to write." "You're very ill." "Lucie, you'll die if you stay here with us." "No, I'm alive here." "This fever's nothing." "I have it every winter." "I've sent three chapters of my new book to a publisher, under a pen-name." "If I get an advance, we'll move away." "When I'm better, I'll give lessons in the city." "That will bring in a little." "Do you want a hot drink, Lucie?" "No, thank you." "I'II try to sleep a while." "I want to work too." "I can find money for us." "Still no mail for me?" "No, nothing." "Are you sure?" "For Mr. Roc." "Maybe your father put it aside." "No, we always put it there." "No, Pierre." "But I may be able to solve your problem." "You know how the mystery that we created around you and the name Aladin has helped the book's sales..." "Let's stick to our agreement." "After shadows and secrecy:" "exposure, full light." "That's her." "Go back now." "You don't have to do it." "Yes, I do." "Don't go..." "He's doing it for you, Lucie." "Everything will be fine." "Good evening and welcome." "You're about to discover the face and the true identity of the man hidden behind the pen-name "Aladin", author of "In The Light", the young generation's cult novel." "Sales up to 200,000 copies." "And now, lights!" "Our viewers are now discovering your face." "So, you are Aladin?" "Can I ask you your real name?" "Pierre VaIombreuse." "Any relation to Georges VaIombreuse, the well-known diplomat of the 70s?" "I was his son, yes." "I can't remember where the idea came from," "Could we say your novel, "In the Light', is a," "What motivated that choice?" "Let's get back to the book," "The family, the couple, the power of love," "impostor I can't" "Believe it or not... today, I wrote joyful pages!" "Georges Valombreuse "Rise and Fall of a Diplomat"" "Look!" "It's him." "But it's him !" "Let's go!" "Is it deep, down there?" "Deep?" "No doubt." "Are there corpses, down there?" "Perhaps friends of mine?" "Yes, my only friends are down there!" "What about Petrutsa?" "And us?" "You !" "You, Lucie, are you my friend?" "Here, in the secret of your heart, are you my friend?" "And you, Pierre!" "You know," "I cut you off from any happiness!" "She'll be okay." "They're keeping her overnight." "I doubted her." "She's going to die." "She's going to die." "Pierre!" "Where are you?" "Will you be able to sleep?" "Sometimes, I regret almost my whole life." "...my little brother..." "Don't be afraid." "I'm Pierre's cousin." "I was waiting for you to come round." "I'd like to talk to you." "We haven't seen you lately." "This came a few days ago." "Dear "Mr. Roc'," "I'm afraid your three chapters form a raving morass that reeks of plagiarism," "Belle!" "I was on my way to visit you." "Too late." "But someone else came." "Someone else?" "I'll be at home all day, alone," "Leave your cult and come without your bitch or hounds," "You saw him?" "What did you tell him?" "Nothing." "But he knows about us." "He knows?" "How?" "And he told me about her." "I know who she is." "You deceived me." "And Lucie too!" "Only normal, I'm an impostor!" "He didn't hurt you?" "He didn't touch you?" "Where is the truth, Isabelle?" "Where?" "Imposture!" "Nothing's left to save." "Don't go there." "He wants to take everything from you." "I'm leaving !" "You're rid of me!" "VaIombreuse!" "Look at him !" "Truth incarnate!" "Open it." "We're the last." "It'll be good to kill you." "He's my brother!" "My brother!" "Can you hear me?" "Are you with us?" "I have always told you truth."