"Evening, Victorine." " At last!" "Wipe your feet." "Arriving at this time." "That's all you can say after 15 years?" " You haven't changed." "It's like I saw you yesterday." " Really?" "You've always looked older" "When I think of what happened here..." "What a spectacle!" ""Spectacle"?" "Murder, shootings, and all the rest?" "It could've been worse." "You're lucky you weren't arrested straightaway." "You were clearly involved." "Did everybody show up?" "Yes,and on time!" "There?" "You know the way." "Don't ruin my carpets with your cigarettes." "What a memory!" "I hope you didn't marry some poor woman." "Married, divorced and remarried!" "No!" "Not Maruval..." "My name's "Marinval"" "Castille, my brother, our friend, leader." "You deserved a minute of silence." "Fifteen years ago, on this day, in this house a few days before the Liberation, you were shot down by the German police." "All of us witnessed that tragic event," "Which is why we are gathered tonight in this house." "In our former HQ." "It's long overdue." "War and defeat brought us together." "Peace tore us apart." "The Vaillance network, your network." "Has become a cherished part of our lives." "Like a memorable vacation." "We're alumni of sorts." "But although we haven't always kept in touch, we've remained true to your values." "Castille, you're everywhere we go." "We've never stopped thinking about you... and the freedom that cost you your life." "That freedom for which too many died, is a symbol of eternal hope" "And because I know you want us to do this." "I raise my glass to our flower, our good luck charm, and, dare I say it, our heroine, though you abhorred the term." "To Marie-Octobre, who organized this gathering." "And for that, we are very grateful." "Castille, I'm proud and honored to have known you." "To Castille." " To Marie-Octobre" " To good heath." "Marinval, still punctual." "Sorry, I was pulled over by the police." "I couldn't find a cab,so I walked." "I told Renaud Picart I'd be in a meeting." "He chairs the butchers' association." "Aren't you embarrassed?" "Au poteau!" "Il y a longtemps?" "We're like family." "Shall we kiss?" "Of course." "Here." "For me?" "A little something for old times' sake." "There were good days and bad days..." "Oh!" "A led of lamb!" "And a bread card." "How sweet!" "He kept it frozen for 15 years." "The lamb was killed yesterday." "Merci, Victorine." "Recognize me?" "Counselor Simoneau." "I saw your photo in the paper." "You've lost your hair and gained weight." "So now you defend murderers?" "At your service." "I'm an SPCA member." "Self-defense." "Idiot!" "No!" "No!" "Yes." "Le Gueven!" "That's right." "You had a bright future." "All your conquests..." "When did you...?" "Ten years ago." "To think you were a real ladies' man!" "Bernardi,I heard you gave up wrestling." "True." " Did you have dinner?" " I'm starving." "What'd you eat?" "A delicious duck a I'orange" "And fish that tasted like chicken." " The appetizer..." "I want it all!" "Serve Mr. Marinval." "We'll have coffee here." "I set the service in the living room." "Then I'll eat in the living room." "I want to sample everything." "Victorine." "My poor carpets." "C'est pas marrant." "How old is your son?" "Fifteen." "I can't diagnose him at a distance." "Medicine has its limits." "I'm not trying to cheat you out of a consultation fee." "With our programs,we can afford any disease." "Yes, cancer is no longer a luxury." "You didn't invite me." "It was a small wedding." "Et puis?" "You tell your friends just good news,no?" "You're not happy?" "I didn't marry the true love of my life." "Oh, mais j'aime!" "But I love my job,good books and music." "And I really love coffee." "If you want coffee,raise your hand." " I asked for herbal tea." "Here it is." "It's my liver." "People look at me and say:"It's your liver"." " You don't say." "That's the sugar." " Coffee?" "No,never at night." "Piano" "Merci." "Thibaud doesn't belive you own the Marie-Octobre couture house." " Really?" "I didn't make the connection." "For a Parisian doctor..." "I figured you married an explorer, someone like Paul-Emile Victor." "No,I never married." "Why not?" "Who knows?" "The couture house..." " It's a major player,no?" "Indeed.." "Thanks to this gentleman." "Meet my silent partner." "I made a wise investment." "With honorable intentions." "He's defensive." "I didn't say "With honorable intentions." I said,"With honorable intentions"." "Marie has a flawless heart of gold." "And closed." "Love was grand before the war." "How would you know?" "You were 14." "I knew quite a bit." "Simoneau!" "Tell me the truth." " The defendant,yesterday..." "The one I acquitted?" "He was guilty." " He fired the shot." "They couldn't prove it." "You can't believe he was innocent!" "My feelings don't come into play." "He didn't fool me." "He who kills must be killed." "Simplistic reasoning." "Strange profession." "Not yours?" "My clients thank me,yours curse you." " You're fearsome." " Thanks." "But I'm respected." "The guilty get jailed." "I'm proud of my profession." "You are...?" "Civil servant." "A super civil servant!" "Tell him what you do." "Fine." "Then spit it out." "I will!" "Well?" "I'm a tax inspector." "Oh!" "Dur!" "The lowlife!" "Let's watch TV." "There's a great wrestling match tonight." " Interested?" " At my age..." "I'm a rabid wrestling fan." "So you stopped wrestling?" "I quit when I seriously injured my back." "It's a young man's sport." "Shall I call you "Father"?" "Are you kidding?" "Call me Yves," "You haven't lost your touch." "I play saxophone too." "Really?" "Piano" "I'm not particularly fond of that." "I'm into the Romantic composers:" "Berlioz,but especially Wagner." "Tristan,Tannhauser,The Ride of the Valkyries!" "Scientists predict that this device will one day replace the refrigerator." "Right!" "Sounds like science fiction to me." "It's a cultural program." "What time is it?" "Wrestling is on later." "You don't have a TV?" "No,for drama i have my wife." "Thanks,Victorine." "Married?" "Common-law." "You know Linda Bell?" "The singer?" ""Come to my place On the sixth floor" ""Then you'll..."My Panorama." "I've heard her records." "At home,I get to sample..." "... the live version!" "What else?" "I run a nightclub,Sexy Pigalle." "Really?" "How interesting!" "A first class joint." "Authetic stripteases." "You musn't get bored." "I'm never bored at work." "I'd love to take a tour!" "You're welcome to come." "I bought the place in '45.It cost me two million F." "But we feature great artists." "Anyone can put up a sign that says,"Striptease"" " But running a striptease..." "That's right!" "That's swell,no?" "You feel it." "Unlike..." "Say..." "Remember the song we used to sing in '42 or '43?" "Euh..." "No,it was a little silly,yet charming." "You know..." "The Bonaparte St. song." "You used to sing it." "That's it." "You'd play your mandolin." "Oh!" "Keep playing." "Thank you." "My hospital was thriving." "I was making a name for myself" "But then I lost my wife." "No children." "I wanted to pack it in." "But I cared about my patients." "If I lost my wife,I'd be devastated." "I get along with my son." "He helps out at the forge." "I'm worried about my daughter." "She's 14 and in love with me." "And she's so pretty!" "Men shouldn't have daughters." "Shall we do this?" "Go first,then I'll take over." "Can I count on you?" "Sure you won't regret it?" "You know me better than that." "Marie,you owe me this dance." "You promised me,remember?" "In that case..." "That melody..." " Bonaparte St. The small boutique" "Where we sent our letters." " What times!" " Wonderful." " I'd see you every day." "Go on!" "May I cut in?" "Not always the same." "I need to talk to her too." "You were decorated?" " Clients are impressed." "My fees can go up." "And I'm single." " Really?" " Yes." "Like you." "Meaning?" "Just thought I'd mention it." "What's wrong?" "Are you worried?" "No?" "You're up to something." "Yes,actually..." "Four-man tag team match!" "Best of three falls." "The European championship belt is on the line." "The team of Delaporte and Villar..." "Yes,the infamous Delaporte,along with Villar, will try to defeat Zick 400 and King Kong Tavern." "Plenty of action on tap." "The ref's got his work cut out." " We can't hear anything." " Just listen up..." "Later,Victorine." "Now's not the time." "What's going on?" "At the fourth stroke..." "Shut up!" "Haven't you been wondering why." "after 15 years, Marie-Octobre felt the need to see you again?" "Aren't you curious to know?" "She missed us." "I'll tell you." "Fifteen years ago,the Gestapo stormed into this house." "By some miracle,we all escaped unharmed." "Except for Castille." "Castille was killed by a German policeman right where I'm standing." "Our network was dispersed." " Then came the Liberation." " Whew!" "We didn't keep in touch." "Sure,sometimes we'd run into each other." "But with indifference." "Don't exaggerate." "I've often wondered how the Gestapo had been tipped off." "How could it know where and when our meeting was being held?" "That question has remained unanswered for 15 years." "But there is no God for traitors." "What are you saying?" "What information do you have?" "The network was rattled out." "We suspected as much." "By one of its own members." "By one of us." "What?" ""By one of us"?" " Is this a joke?" "How outrageous!" "What nonsense!" "I'd rather watch TV." "It's true:" "One of us ratted out the network to the Gestapo." " Are you...?" " I mean,really!" "A traitor?" "I doubt it." "Can you name him?" "Who is it?" "You." "You." "You." "You." "Everyone and no one." "So what if there's an extra Judas,right?" "Marie-Octobre's accusation must be taken seriously." "Two weeks ago,I released my winter collection." "During the show,a man kept staring at me so intently that after the show,I asked him what he wanted." "And?" ""The name Marie-Octobre",he said." ""The name you gave your shop..."" ""Wasn't it a secret code name during the Occupation?"" ""Why do you ask?"" ""Because Marie-Octobre's network gave me a hard time."" "He was a German buyer." "His name is Wilfrid Muller." "He was a German officer who worked with the Gestapo." "Designers meet interesting people." "What else?" "Then he made a staggering assertion:" ""We uncovered your network thanks solely to a traitor." ""You were rattled out by one of your own members."" ""One of your own members."" "Then he added sincerely,I'm sure," ""Too bad,you didn't deserve it." ""I admired your courage."" "That's it." "No name?" "He didn't give a name?" "He couldn't remember it." "Sounds like malarkey to me!" "He waited 15 years to...?" "No,I don't buy it." "We're victims of a fabrication, an anonymous denunciation or an act of revenge." "But that you,that he,that I..." "No, my friend." "We're upstanding citizens." "In my heart I know..." "Savingthe closing arguments for later." "Supposing... some bastard did talk to the buyer to rat out the network." "He could've pretended to be Marinval or me." "Can I say something?" "Isn't there a statute of limitations?" "Then I'll confess..." "I rattled out the network." "In a moment of madness." "Happy?" "Then let's move on to more serious things." "Et voyons ou en sont ces messieurs!" "Delaporte managed to break the hold." "He's out for blood!" "The ref tries to step in." "Delaporte sends him flying." "He's determined to wreak mayhem in the ring and to..." "What's the big idea?" "I disagree." "Either too much was said or not enough." "We keep complimenting each other:" ""Your're a great guy."Not as great as you."" " So?" " Let's prove we're great guys." "Let's take inventory." "Yes." "If we were to end the evening now, our good-byes would ring hollow." "That seed of doubt has been planted." "Doubt is a cancer without equal,isn't it,doctor?" "You insist on doing this,huh?" "Great." "And the traitor will receive a prize." "We're all gonna have a good time!" "You're being flippant." " I have a right to my opinion." " You have every right." "Sure,horse around at inopportune moments." "He who laughs last..." "You insinuating...?" "Nothing." "You assume...?" "I assume nothing." "I've always shied away from showdowns." "You're twisting yourselves a know over a faraway event." "I leave the past behind me." "But I'm at your service." "Just like your auditors." "Here are my books:" "Marinval plays by the rules." "Yes,tax inspector." "Glad to hear it." "At least you are." "I had to fork over an extra 25% in taxes." "not to mention the fines because of a minor accounting error..." "But you play by the rules?" "I have a clear conscience." "Are you quite sure?" "That's not the point." "He's horsing around again." "You can be so witty!" "All of us,then,get to be the judge and the accused." "Yes,but then what?" "What'll we do with the culprit?" "Good point." "What if I were to confess?" "What then?" "Would I grab my hat and say,"Good night,everyone"?" " Life goes on?" "Traitors were executed in '42." "This isn't 1942." "So it's too late for justice?" "We're past that point." "It's too late to punish anyone." "No,not the culprit." "And he's right here." "He dined with us." "He must be punished." "It happened 15 years ago." "He's changed." "Maybe he can't understand what the past means." "Are you pleading your case?" "I'm not pleading." "I'm praying for everyone." "Le Gueven is right." "We have no right to execute anyone." "I wouldn't have the guts." "And I certainly wouldn't." "A condemned man who was pardoned wrote," ""To kill with a clear conscience,you need faith." ""Or you kill out of fear or revenge,which is repugnant."" "I must admit I don't have much faith tonight." "Besides,before the courts, perhaps a sentence would be given, but surely not enforced." "I see..." "You sure have changed!" "A snitch is a snitch." "Show him no mercy!" "Bravo." "Spoken like a real man." "Let's kill the culprit." "You'll be the hangman." "The "hangman"?" "You judge,you sentence,so you execute." "Certainly,if the accused confesses." "Actually,maybe." "It depends on the circumstances." "So we wipe the state clean?" "The network,Castille..." "Let's write everything off!" "We'll never be able to look at each other again,my friends." "We'll no longer be friends." "We'll be suspects." "You sentenced Simon to death in '43,and I did the dirty work." "If you let the traitor walk, Simon becomes a victim of injustice." "And I become a complete and utter bastard!" "You Pontius Pilates!" "You wash your hands because they're dirty." "We can't allow the situation to persist." "We may not be 13,but there's a Judas among us." "Maybe your brother did it." "Very funny." " I don't know what to do." " I do." "I have a solution." "Suicide." "Do you agree?" "OK.If I disagree,you'll assume I'm guilty,so..." "I agree as well." "After all,a traitor won't rat himself out." "You never know." "I agree." "But I don't." "It's a hypocritical solution." "We can't take justice into our own hands." "If you want something done..." "Please listen to me!" " Let God..." " We've heard it all before." "Your God can't save an innocent life." "Where was He during the Crucifixion?" " God Almighty!" "Sacrilege." "Idiot." "What if the culprit won't kill himself?" "I'll know exactly what to do." "You'll find me in your way." "Fine." "Have you thought about the consequences,Renaud?" "What will you tell the police?" "There'll a corpse in your home." "The traitor's confession and suicide will be on paper." " The corpse's discharge!" " The corpse..." "Whose?" "It's as though we're all innocent!" "Yes,all of us are innocent." " Except for one man." "Or woman!" "I'm sorry,but..." "In short, it's crystal clear:" "One of us won't walkk out of here alive." " Right?" " Dr. Thibaud,you have a call." "Dr. Thibaud?" "Thibaud..." "Let's sit down." "We keep walking around..." "Victorine,fetch the liqueurs." "No,Marinval!" "Before I die,I wanna know who wins!" "Didja see that hold?" "Incredible." "Take a look." "That's a waste of time." "Come along." "My patients are getting antsy." "I should be with them." "Perhaps." "Whisky,raspberry liqueur?" " The last glass." " The last cigarette?" "Thanks." "So how shall we proceed?" "You're the jurist." "Yes,but this is illegal." "Like in '43." "Let's focus on those who had contacts with the Germans:no?" "Dealings with the enemy." "Not necessarily." "During the Occupation,Frenchmen had contacts with the enemy." "I defended them at German trials." "What about you?" "What about me?" "During the Occupation,you had dealings with the Krauts,no?" "That's news to me!" "Black market dealings." "I made sure we had food." "What about the crap?" "What?" "Where was it from?" "You had to grease their palms." "Now that's rich!" "Hear that?" "Who gave you fresh food?" "Who sent parcels to Fresnes?" "The butter tasted great,didn't it?" "You want a statue for your achievements?" "Honor and fat content!" "My goal was to dupe them." " But you obeyed them." ""Obeyed"?" "You were a civil servant!" "I was loyal to my superiors." "You skipped a scheduled meeting." "We were friends and I didn't know what he was planning." "Remeber?" "In February or March 1942." "February 1942?" " Yes." " Saint-Denis subway station." "It's possible." "You never showed." "Why?" "I have no idea." "You'd been arrested." "Yes,that one time." "The Germans had raided my apartment building." " But they arrested you?" " And every single tenant." " They kept you in custody?" " For 48 hours." "ID check." " Then they released you?" " Yes." "Just like that?" "Yes,"just like that."" "What about Costa,Daumont and Verger?" "They were arrested,but never seen again." "So what?" "So there!" "I'm afraid we're starting to stray." "And didn't you used to print German weeklies?" "The publishing house where I worked printed them." "It meant I could make fake IDs." "And leaflets and passports." "Remember?" " You'd give me sketches." " Yes." "The first time I met him,he was speaking German" " with a propaganda officer." " My foreign language." "When you asked about the network, I was convinced you were a spy." "Then I trusted you but I was mostly drawn to you." "We're going nowhere fast." "Let's try to remember what happened the night the Gestapo raided the place." "I must've beaten the world record for the 100-meter dash." "That night's dinner..." "What about it?" "It didn't go down well." "You overeat and don't chew properly." "Dinner was...?" " Coq au vin." "You're still digesting it." "You're not exactly a gourmet!" " Still enjoy coq au vin?" " I still do." "Your culinary tastes haven't changed." "But I'm rather taken aback by..." "How you lusted after young women's thighs!" "I'll never forget that." "It's not true." "But you're still a handsome young man." "When you run into your ex-girlfriends, what do you tell them?" "Leave us the hell alone!" "Don't talk to me like that." "Or they'll think I raised you wrong." "We had all gathered here that night with Castille." "No." "No,not all of us." "Some of us weren't present." "Are you sure?" "Quite." "Then they'll get blamed." "If we need a suspect..." "If I had denounced the network,I would've avoided the meeting." "To avoid a shootout." "But I was present!" "So was I." "So was I." "So was I." "But I wasn't." "Where were you?" "Don't worry,I have an alibi." "Four days earliers,Castille had sent me to Saint-Malo." "It took four days to come back?" "Yes." "Rouen was being bombarded." "Really?" "I don't recall that at all." "But Rouen's citizens haven't forgotten." "Blanchet." "You weren't there that night either." "That's right." " Why not say so?" " I'm telling you!" "I had a very high fever." "My wife insisted I should'nt go,so I stayed in bed." "Why didn't you warn us?" "I called." " You didn't have a phone." " From the next-door bistro!" " So you went out anyway?" " No,my wife phoned." "Who took the call?" "I don't know." "Castille,probably." " He's dead,he won't deny it." " Stop pissing me off!" "My wife called!" "Got it?" "It happened 15 years ago,so..." "But tragic events are never easily forgotten." "True." "You had an altercation... with Castille shortly before he died." "What was behind it?" "An "altercation"?" "Castille and I often quarreled." "We didn't share the same vision for the network." "Castille was a remarkable man, yet profoundly inhuman." "An intransigent doctrinarian." "On the contrary,he exhibited great sensitivity." "I admit I was hotheaded and temperamental." "A loose cannon." "Some squabbles,nothing serious." ""Nothing serious"?" "I jumped in before someone got hurt." "A punch can be a philosophical argument." "Or Christian charity?" "What were you fighting over?" "Wasn't there a rivalry between you?" "Well?" "None that I know of." "I'm sorry,but..." "Don't you think you had something to do with it?" "Le Gueven?" "My feelings for Marie-Octobre were strictly fraternal." "Either you forgot what you were like." "or you have a peculiar notion of the term "fraternal."" "I remember the night we were alone at your place." "And that night,you were most eloquent." "What would've become of us if the air raid warning hadn't sounded?" "Women led you to God." "Le Gueven." "why were you and Castille ready to come to blows?" "It's best to come clean." "Spit it out." "What are you worried about?" "I'm concerned about you,not me." "Aren't you miserable?" "The unjustly accused can't help but be miserable." "I can't tell you that." "Castille claimed you stole three million F." "Is that true?" "Yes,it is." "Three million,back then..." "We had received large sums of money from London to support various network activities." "That's why I went to Saint-Malo." "But the three million F Castille kept with him had disappered." "What was his motive for accusing you?" "I led,in those days,aside from our activities, a rather turbulent and expensive lifestyle." "Spendthrift!" " I was debt-ridden." "But that doesn't mean..." "When Castille confronted me..." "I was belligerent,so I didn't react well." "Luckily,you broke it up." "Makes sense." "What?" "The devil tempted him,but God beckoned him." " If Castille accused you..." " I didn't steal!" "Believe me?" "Not for a second." "You should." "Le Gueven didn't do it." "Castille said so the next day." "The thief was never caught?" "A matter of minutes." "Castille was going to unmask him during the last meeting." "He never got the chance." ""During the last meeting"?" "Castille walked in through that door and told me," ""The thief is here."" "It was a close call for one of us." "Saved by the Gestapo." "Exactly." "It's all water under the bridge." "You don't care,you're alive." "But through no fault of my own." "They missed me three times." "Maybe you're sorry!" "I'm "alive"!" "What if being alive suits me just fine?" "But not me!" "Not until Castille's death is avenged." "I don't know what Castille meant to you, but I've never met anybody like him." "We served in the Corps Francs in 1940." "I survived thanks to him." "I owe him everything!" "Before I met him,I was a lout,a crook." "But he made me a man." "I walk with my head held high!" "If he could hear me," "I'd tell him, "Mr Castille,you'll be avenged tonight!" ""It's an honor to salute you."" "I was very fond of Castille too." "You never wanted to disappoint him." "Yes,you wanted him to think highly of you." "Then let's see this through,to remain true to him." "Whoever ratted us out didn't only betray Castille, he also betrayed all of those we never saw again." " Those who never came back." " Hold on." "Is the theft and betrayal a cause and effect relationship?" "Possibly." "The money was spent somehow!" "He hid it initially,and then..." "You..." "It seems you have a large practice." "Practices are costly." "You were broke then." "You worked in a garage." "Yes,at night." "To pay for my education." "I wanted to lend you some money." "I didn't want to owe anyone." "Your practice opened in '46." "Yes,and it cost over three million." "An inheritance?" "Dr. Carelli's practice." "I married his daughter." "When he retired,I took over his patients." "Your methods aren't tinged with subtlely." "He thinks he's performing again." "Defending blows!" "Like a wrestler." "Stick to slaughter,butcher!" "Bravo!" "How classy!" "Mind you,he knows plenty about the meat market." "By the way, did you also inherit your fine arts shop from your grandmother?" "We all know what you were up to in Puteaux!" "Bernadi!" "I'm sorry,I was way out of line." "Marinval!" "I'd like you to do something." "Go back in time and tell me if you've ever questioned a network member's loyalty." "Simoneau?" " Never." "External betrayals,yes." "Blanchet?" "I had doubts at time,but never any proof." "It's all so long ago." " But I have!" "I suspected someone,and I still do." "You all suspected him too." " His name's on the tip of..." " Who is it?" "No,that'd be too easy." " Have the courage to speak." " I'm keeping the name secret." " So you won't answer?" " Yes." "My way." "Vandamme has voted." "Your turn." "Come on!" "Let's see if we agree." "This is rather..." "But in case anyone..." "Now maybe the truth will finally come out." "You believe in Santa Claus?" "Le Gueven." "I mean..." " You refuse to vote?" " Yes." "The vote will foster hatred." "Count me out." " I don't hate anyone." " Hatred!" "And here comes King Kong, who's intent on teaching Villar a lession he'll never forget." "The blows are raining down..." "Simoneau's got my vote." "That'll teach him to have murderers pardoned." " So?" " No volunteers?" ""Simoneau."" ""Simoneau."" ""Simoneau."" ""Simoneau."" "A blank vote." "Simoneau." "Simoneau." "Simoneau." "So I'm a traitor?" "You think I'm a traitor,don't you?" "It was a secret vote." "True enough." "And one blank vote." "I'll never know whose." "Happy?" "It was mine." "I see." "I had no choice." " Regardless of my conviction." " Your "conviction"?" "You vote white,but think black." "The Last Judgment awaits." "You think I'm a bastard too?" "I can't be sure." " Still,you voted yes." "Like Thibaud." "A wrong diagnosis is serious." "We all agree it's you." "You were all thinking the same thing." "Yet you said nothing." "You were braver back then." "We didn't consult each other." "The result..." "It wasn't premeditated,right?" "A combination of circumstances." "But you need evidence." "Or certain presumptions." "What "presumptions"?" "You know your origins." "My "origins"?" "Yes." "In 1934..." "En 1934,I was a fascist." "That's a fact." " In the Spanish Civil War..." " I supported Franco." "The France-Germany Committee?" "De Brinon!" "Great!" "And after the Armistice,you started,at Sorbonne..." "The France-Germany University Association." "A very busy agenda of politically charged activities." "In 1942,when Germany violated the agreements, I wanted nothing more to do with them." "The Gestapo arrested me!" "Fresnes,a transfer to Drancy..." "That counts for something!" "You know how I escaped from Drancy." "I never hid anything from Castille." "He introduced me to the network." "He shielded me." "Would you question his vigilance?" "If Castille trusted him..." "You suspect me." "But, I have some questions too" "We drew a correlation between the theft and the betrayal." "A hypothesis." "Castille told you Le Gueven wasn't the thief,right?" "Yes." "He was going to unmask the thief,right?" "Yes." "He said the thief was present?" " Yes." "But I was in Rouen!" "..." "One of you is the thief." "I wasn't there either." "I was sick remember?" "He didn't have time." "The Germans came in... 10 minutes after the meeting started." "But during those 10 minutes..." "Let's try to reconstruct that evening,shall we?" "We were sitting at that table." "Castille was right here." "I can still see him..." "I was sitting here." "And me,right here." "During those 10 minutes...?" "First,I read a communication from London about sabotage we were to carry out." "We talked." "Castille needed a map that was in his car." "He ordered me to retrieve it." "That's when it all started." "On the grounds," "I saw parked cars and Germans with machine guns." "So I rushed back here and warned everyone." "Castille ordered us to split" " I went to the kitchen to protect Victorine" "Le Gueven and I ran out through that door." "The three of us hid together." "In a thicket." "And you?" "Who?" "Her?" "She wanted to stay by Castille's side." "Imagine that!" "But Castille had left important documents in that desk." "The London correspondence." " We both ran back inside." "Disaster ensued." "Castille was taking his files." "I was helping him." "The Germans stormed in." "Castille fired two shots, but they fired back and Castille went down." "Five minutes." "If I'd been armed I'd be dead too." "Then what?" "Then they searched the place" "And they took me away." "When they slowed down on Suresnes Bridge," "I bolted from the car and plunged into the Seine." "And come what may." "Shots rang out." "I got hit in the shoulder." "They figured I had drowned." "He showed up at my place,soaking wet,covered in blood..." "He told me off!" "I was busy packing." "I removed the bullet, then we hid in Limousin." "When was Castille killed?" "When the Germans barged in." "How long did it take?" "I don't know..." "Five or six seconds." "Two shots,machine-gun fire..." "Are you sure?" "I almost paid the ultimate price." "Something's not right." "Why?" "Sorry to say,but..." "Something's not right." "Your story is flawed." "How?" "From the time the Germans raided this room and left with you,no shots were fired." ""No shots were fired"?" "No gunshots,no machine-gun fire." "How would you know?" "You weren't there." "I was there." "What?" "No,you weren't!" "You were sick." " Your wife called." " From the bistro." "That's all true." "But that afternoon." "I felt better,and since my wife was running errands..." "That's interesting." "No one saw you." "Naturally." "The Gestapo showed up seconds after I did." "I hid in the rhododendrons." "I witnessed everything." "I was scared stiff!" "Why didn't you tell us that earlier?" "So you wouldn't suspect me, given the circumstances surrounding my arrival." "Why do you feel the need to open up now?" "Some things you can't keep to yourself." "Castille may be dead,but I can't let him down." "Don't you believe me?" "How can we?" "You swore you weren't there,and now..." "My word isn't good enough?" "The first one or the second?" "Do you have proof?" ""Proof"..." "That night,you didn't come by bike,as usual." "Yes." "No." "You came by tandern." "It was next to the front door." "True." "I borrowed it from my brother-in-law." "See?" "But how did Castille die?" "Try to focus!" "I don't know what Blanchet is trying to prove, but I maintain what I said." "Castille fired, the Germans fired back, and Castille went down." "Under a hail of machine-gun fire?" "That's right." "No." "Shots rang out before the Germans stormed in." "They were shooting at you while you scattered." "But when they went in there,there was total silence." "Total!" "But..." "Machine-gun fire causes damage." "Did you see any bullet holes?" "None." "It must've been a replica machine gun." "A toy machine gun." "Say something." "Now I'm not so sure..." "It happened so long ago!" "Try to remember." "Let's see..." "I was right there." "Castille..." "Let me think." "You have nightmares,you wake up,you can't remember them." "It's the same thing." "So Castille..." "The desk..." "Yes..." "Yes,now I remember." "You were right,there was no machine-gun fire." "Men armed with machine guns came in here,but fired no shots." "I made a mistake." "Two plainclothes policemen with handguns came in through that door." "One of them shot Castille in the back." "There you have it." "It's strange that I thought I heard machine-gun fire..." "We make up stuff we think is true." " Through that very door." " No one came in through that door,sir." " How would you know?" "I was behind it." ""Behind it"?" "Yes,behind the door." "When the Germans were spotted,he fetch me in the kitchen." "You wouldn't budge." "On account of my rheumatism." "They wanted to hide in the tank." "A woman my age!" "So my cat and I stayed put." "Poor little creature." "I kept caressing it." "I heard shots in the grounds." ""In the grounds."" "I headed here to see what was going on." "From behind the door,I heard quite a commolition..." "I just stood there while my cat purred." "But then I got scared and I headed to the tank too." "Were any shots fired in the room?" "No,but I heard the stomping of feet." "And shouting." "In Germans." "They made quite a racket!" "What do you say to that?" "I don't know..." "But I witnessed Castille's death." "I wasn't taking notes,so whether they came in through..." "He's right." "We'll come back to that." "Focus on the order of events." "First,the thief." "We forgot about him." "When we unmask him..." "And he's among us." "You were broke back in '44." "I was working." "For a pittance." "I had regular employment!" "You tried scrounging off me a few times to no avail." "You'd need to get up pretty early!" "I lent you money several times." "Small sums,but..." "We'll get to the bottom of this." "So..." "Let me,I'm used to it." "Fiscal inquisition..." "When did you buy your printing house?" "1946." "It's quite a sizable one." "Yes." "How much'd you pay for it?" "None of your business." "Any partners?" "No." "You bought it cash?" "None of your business!" "It is!" "You don't become an owner overnight." "And don't say you won the lottery." "Where'd you find the money?" " I don't have to tell you!" "You know very well I'm innocent." "Then why not answer?" "But what...?" "Well?" "Where'd you get the money?" "A friend lent it to me." "A friend "lent" you money?" "Sometimes friends do lend money to their friends." "What friends?" "You didn't know him." "Did you commit it to paper?" "Not between friends!" "And where can we question this model friend?" " Where does he live?" "At the cemetary,he's dead." "Before getting reimbursed!" "You think we're idiots?" "I'm an honest man." "I'm an honest man!" "If you were us,Rougier, you'd find your answer suspicious too." "In 1943,you were in dire straits." "In 1946,you bought a printing house worth millions, and when asked where you got the money, you conjure up the ghost of an anonymous creditor." "But why suspect me instead of Vandamme or Bernadi?" "Is it our fault if you gave two versions of Castille's death?" "And if those versions contradict Blanchet and Victorine's?" "My word is just as good as theirs!" "Blanchet retracted himself too,but no one suspects him." "Yet he got here just a few seconds before the Gestapo." " "This way,please"!" "What?" "Bastard!" "Let's not get worked up." "Blanchet, didn't you say there were no gunshots between the time the Germans entered the house and they left with Rougier?" "Yes." " You stand by that?" " Absolutely." "It's quite simple,then." "If the Germans didn't murder Castille then he was murdered before their arrival." "A few seconds before." "During the short time he was alone with someone." "What are you implying?" "Admit it." "Admit that you'd figured it out." "You stole the money." "You'd been found out." "Castille was going to unmask you." "But then,a miracle." "You're mad!" "The Gestapo arrived." " Call that a "miracle"?" "The arrival of the Gestapo?" "You could pin the murder on them." "You heard him,he called me a murderer!" "Let it go!" "He's got no proof,no witness!" "Thibaud..." "I came back with a bullet in my shoulder." "Tell them what state I was in when I told you Castille was dead." "Did I look like a murderer?" "Did I look like a murderer?" "Say something,Le Gueven!" "I'm the one who gave the alert the night of the meeting!" "You escaped thanks to me!" "If you're all alive today..." "OK,since I've got no choice..." "Tell them,Marie-Octobre." "Tell them they're wrong." " How can I...?" " Tell them the truth." "What "truth"?" "Brace yourself and tell them." "Tell them... what kind of man Castille was." "I don't understand." "Marie-Octobre..." "I'm defending my honor,maybe even my life!" "Remember when you'd bring your sketches to the printing house." "Every Tuesday." "Remember?" "Yes,so?" "We hit it off right away,no?" "Yes." "I lived alone." "I was withdrawn, yet you found a way to..." "We'd chat away confide in each other." "Then one day I invited you to lunch." "Just a modest lunch." "Then I started thinking about you." "And waiting for Tuesday." ""Marie-Octobre" had become a habit." "You called me "Little Messenger Boy."" ""Little Messenger Boy"..." "Go on." "Continue." "Then you resigned." "You didn't want to work for your magazine anymore." "With good reason!" "I wouldn't see you anymore." "No more Tuesdays for me." "So I asked you to marry me." "You knew it was impossible." ""Lack of money."" "But that wasn't the real reason." "The real reason was that you were in love with someone else,right?" "Tell them." "Fine..." "Marie-Octobre was in love with Castille." "Impossible!" "Marie-Octobre?" "I realized it right away." "As soon as she had me join the network." "That's news to me!" "Women are amazing." "Castille?" "It's true." "I was in love with Castille." "It was love at first sight." "I was his mistress." "I never replaced him." "I'd never have guessed!" "Life is full of surprises!" "Castille knew how to keep a secret!" "All this is irrelevant." "On the contrary." "Your turn now." "You can't keep this quiet any longer." "What do you want me to tell them?" "Tell them who Castille was." "A remarkable man." "A great leader,yes,we already know that." "The embodiment of courage and selflessness." "But he was something else too!" "He had faults,like all men." "In his private life,he was a selfish brute." " Cynical,capricious." "You're lying." "He's lying,don't listen to him." "How dare you speak of him that way?" "Who are we to judge his private life?" "I'm telling the truth!" "I'm defending my hide!" "Castille despised women." "How would you know?" "He never confided in you!" "No,but you did." "You'd come to me when he made you miserable." "How many times did I see you cry?" "It was one humilation after another." ""Humilation"?" "We quarreled sometimes,of course,but..." "The morning of that meeting that went awry..." "Didn't you pay me a visit?" "You were panic-stricken!" "You spoke of suicide" "You'd found out he had another lover, that he wanted to marry her." "You wanted to have one last..." "... discussion with him." "And I did,on that very afternoon." "He asked me to forgive him." " He promised me..." "He promised you nothing." "You have to tell them exactly what happened, after the alert, when Castille ordered us to flee." "But..." "I refused." "I didn't want to leave him." "So you stayed alone with him?" "Yes,I lied earlier." "I wanted to avoid this." "Truth is,I left right behind you." "You were alone with Castille." "He was putting away papers in his briefcase." "Then I remembered the documents in the desk." "I came back here,in this room." "And then..." "No!" "That's not how it happened!" "And then..." "Castille was dead." "There was a gun beside her,on the pedestal table." "Forgive me,Marie-Octobre." "An awkward silence?" "There's orange squash for the thirsty, and whisky for the drunks." "Look me in the eye." "You stand by what you said?" "It's the truth." "Your word of honor?" "Do you swear to it?" "I do." "I must be the traitor,then!" "Me,who summoned you here today." "It's absurd!" "Why?" "Why would I have taken such an initiative?" "A long-forgotten affair that happened 15 years ago!" "Out of recklessness?" "Out of defiance?" "When you put it that way..." "Murderers don't investigate their own crimes!" "Excuse me,but aren't you mistaken about something?" ""Mistaken"?" "Was this meeting really your idea?" "You said so yourself." "Oui." "Enfin, je vous I'ai dit." " Yes,but I meant..." "Actually,wasn't this my idea?" "When that German buyer,Muller,recognized you,I was there." "Yes,you arrived at that very moment." "You were so pale,I thought you'd faint." "You asked Muller to repeat what he'd said before leaving us." "Then I told you," ""We owe it to Castille's memory to find this traitor."" "What did you answer?" "That it'd be impossible to find the members of our network, that it was too late." "My secretary found everyone's address easily enough." "At which point I insisted we call this meeting,right?" "Yes" "Afterward." "I've seen you every day these last 15 years." "And after all this time,I still don't understand you." "Nor have I ever heard about this great love for Castille, this love that explains so many things." "Since we're stirring up old memories," "I'll ask you just one question." "I know you'll answer truthfully." "Marie, did you kill Castille because he was going to leave you?" "I love Castille more than life itself." "And he loved me,he wasn't going to leave me." "Did you kill him?" "No." "I believe you." "We do too,Marie-Octobre." "We believe you." "Friends,I don't know what happened 15 years ago, but I can't take all these accusations seriously." "We're playing a dangerous game,it's beneath us." "It's a losing game..." "Let's tread carefully." "Well,my mind's made up." "That's right." "I've been watching you,listening to you, and here's my conclusion:" "We're all amazing,but we're acting like idiots." "We're all accusing each other of the worst crimes." "We want a culprit,but how absurd is that?" "I don't like big speeches,but we were all part of a great adventure,right?" "We liked beautiful women,fancy dinners,the easy life." "Yet we threw ourselves into a crazy ventures." "We became terrorists,forgers,saboteurs.." "We learned how to use transmitters, parachutes,plastic explosives..." "And for what?" "For nothing!" "For honor." "And honor doesn't pay." "Honestly!" "Have you all forgotten?" "And Marie-Octobre?" "Remember your escape on Des Saussales St.?" "And you,the printer?" "We were glad to go to him for false papers,and the test..." "As for you,Simoneau, If I voted for you earlier,I was wrong and I apologize." "You took great risks,we all did!" "So... let's lay off each other." "There are no traitors here." "Life wasn't a picnic for me either." "I know,you had lots of guts," " Didn't I?" " Lots." "When you'd hide on Chardon-Lagache St., and I'd bring Mr. Marinval's supplies to you..." "And I'd bribe the inspector." "What cheek!" "Sometimes my courage flagged." "Sixth floor and no elevator!" "They'd call you Aramis." ""Aramis",with that mug?" "Great cover!" "Luckily you were never arrested,Victorine." "Yes,once." "You never mentioned it." "'Cause I was at fault." "I had a roast beef for Mr. Aramis." "I decided to give it to my sister-in-law, but I came across some policemen on the way,in civvies!" "Did they question you?" " Naturally." "I thought they were German officers,but on the contrary." ""On the contrary"?" "They said they were Resistance fighters too." ""Too"?" "I'd intimated that I had contacts with the Resistance." " Which led to..." " You mentioned the network?" " Why wouldn't I?" "When did it happen?" "It's simple." "The roast beef was for my sister-in-law's birthday." "Jeanne's birthday is on August 20." "On August 21,the Gestapo barged in here and killed Castille." "And we've been racking out brains for a decade!" "What'd I say?" "You betrayed us,you dumbbell." "Never." "You screwed up big time!" "They were patriots,I say!" "I'm not that stupid!" "Just a few minutes until the European champions are crowned, for,as you can see, there are still four of them left..." "Marinval!" "I know how to hold my tongue!" "You don't open up to just anyone!" "You would've done the same thing." "I knew I could trust them." "Why?" "'Cause they "looked" trustworthy?" ""Why"?" "While we were talking, one of their friends came in and said," "I remember it clearly, that the Canadian landing in Normandy had failed." "He'd received a dispatch." "If you'd seen them!" "They were all shattered." "What a sorry sight!" "That's when they said I could leave." "They were completely distraught!" "See?" ""Canadian landing"?" "Yes." "That took place in August '42." "Yes,August '42." "The Gestapo came here in August '44,two years later." "True enough." "Victorine is therefore exonerated." "See?" "That's what I was saying." "Accusing poor old me,with my rheumatism..." "Anyone can make a mistake,Victorine." "So we're back at square one." "Just great!" "For breakfast tommorow,I'd like two fried eggs and white wine." "What time is it,anyway?" "Excuse me,but I have to drop by the hospital." "Victorine,be nice and get my overcoat." "But,Thibaud..." "It's late,old man." "I gotta be at the office by 8 tomorrow." "Once a pencil pusher...!" "Please,Vandamme!" "Sorry,Marie,but my paper comes off the press at 7..." " Gimme a lift?" " Sure,it's on the way." "Wait,don't leave just yet." "Gimme five more minutes." "We can settle this in five minutes." "I doubt it,but I wouldn't want Marinval to accuse me of putting a wrench in the works..." "I wish we could've settle this among ourselves, and avoid calling in a third party." "But too bad,you asked for it." "An old enemy will therefore judge us." "Only one man saw the face of the person who betrayed us." "Only one man knows him." "His name is Wilfrid Muller, a former Wehrmacht intelligence officer." "Wilfrid Muller is here." "He's waiting upstairs." "Damn!" "There's still time to forgo his involvement." "No?" "So be it." "Mr. Muller,please!" "So it was you, bastard!" "Admit it!" "Admit it!" "No,leave me alone!" "It was a trick,our last resort." "Fess up!" "How much did you sell us out for?" " It wasn't for the money." " No,it was for honor!" "But you'll talk,I guarantee that!" "You piece of shit!" "Why'd you betray us?" "Why?" "For Marie-Octobre." " What?" " I killed Castille for her." "Out of love,I bet!" " Yes." "You think we're fools?" "And you accused her out of love,too?" " Talk or you're dead!" "Stop!" "You've got nothing to lose now,so tell the truth." "I'll help you,I think I've figured it out." ""Help" him?" "With a swift kick in the ass!" "You weren't lying about loving Marie-Octobre." "But between that love and Castille's murder, there was more than betrayal." "There was also the theft of three million." "You're not the first idiot to steal for love, thinking that money will win over a woman, but it doesn't always work." "The proof..." "Who cares why or how?" "There are no extenuating circumstances!" "Let's finish off this scum right now!" "He's half dead anyway." "Have some dignity,Rougier." "Be a man." "You didn't kill Castille because of me,did you?" "He knew I'd stolen money from the network." "When I realized he'd accuse me in front of you..." "You panicked." "So I went to the others." "Those Gestapo swine!" "So they'd get rid of Castille?" "Is that it?" "I'd lost my mind." "It's only when I saw them arrive that night, machine guns in hand, that I realized what I'd done..." "So..." "I tried to make amends." "At least... minimize the damages." "i gave the alert." "And took advantage of the situation to murder Castille?" "You had nothing to lose,you were hedging your bets." "The Germans thought you'd killed a terrorist, and we blamed the Gestapo." "But they still arrested me!" "No,Rougier,they only pretended to." "And you pretended to escape,right?" "Thibaud removed the bullet you shot in your own shoulder." "You're a thief,a traitor ...and a murderer." "Let me go now." "Step aside." "Gimme the car keys,Marinval." "But..." "Move!" "Step aside." "Farther back!" "Move over,OK?" "No,Rougier,you won't get past me." "Please don't make me shoot you." "I beg of you." "Stand back,it'll be your fault if I shoot her." "No!" "No!" "What'll you do with him?" "We all agreed beforehand." "He'll sign the confession,the reason for his sucide." "No." "You have no right!" "You don't..." "Start writing." " No." "No,I don't want to." "You can't make me." "Start writing." "Go on,Rougier." "Your situation is hopeless." "It'll be over in a flash." ""I admit..."" "Go on." ""I admit that I,in August 1944," ""denounced to the Gestapo," ""the Vaillance network." ""I also admit" ""that I killed,by my own hand," ""Comm.Castille." ""leader of the network."" "Just one more sentence." "You can do it." ""Confounded by my former comrades," ""I've resolved..." ""I've resolved... to take'" "'... my own life."" "Sign it." "Sign it!" "In the name of what justice do you condemn him?" "In the name of our own justice." "A justice without pardon,leniecy or mercy?" "Did he show Castille mercy?" " For your own salvation..." "No sermons,please!" "Thibaud,tell them to let me live." "I'm a bastard,but I promise to make amends." "Get up,I can't do anything to help you." "Blanchet..." "You have a wife and kids like me." "What'll happen to them?" " I'm not dog!" "Get away from me!" "Listen to me!" "If you murder this man, ...and it is murder." "Don't count on me to back up your suicide story." "I'll go to the police and testify against you." "Murder and accessory to murder." "You know what that entails." "You already know that,Simoneau." "We'll accept the consequences." "All of them." "All of them." "You'll accept them together,but individually?" "Alone with your conscience,no." "You're not monsters." "You don't execute a man after 15 years,it's appaling!" "Deep down inside,you know this isn't right." "You know it isn't right,but you're afraid to say so." "Isn't that true,Thibaud?" "Blanchet?" "Isn't that true?" "Vandamme?" "And you too, Simoneau." "You know I'm right, just admit it." "You don't like killing Rougier at all!" ""Jacques Castel,of the Vaillance network," ""18, died in the camps." ""Pierre Brunet, Vaillance network," ""33, shot to death." ""Robert Fleuret, Vaillance network," ""54, tortured and shot to death." ""Etienne Godot, Vaillance network," ""... 32, tortured and shot to death." ""Jacqueline Riviere, Valillance network..." ""... 26 ans:" "Deported and hanged." ""Pierre Castille, leader of the Vaillance network:" "Assassinated by a member..."" "Marie-Octobre!" "He's dead." "Hello?" "This is 248" "Give me the police, please." "Hello, police?" "This is the Chesnay estate." "Can you come right away?" "I just killed a man."