"# They'll have the memory, # of a tear or a smile." "# And in their luggage, # perhaps a picture, # but they leave without remorse." "# I think that the sailors go away, # to listen to the song, # of the mermaid with long hair, # and I think that she sang for them." "Sébastien is in love with Sophie Virginie who he calls Siza, with much familiarity." "But perhaps also with Clarisse." "Clarisse who is so beautiful in her own way and so strange." "Clarisse who lives entirely in the memory of Gilles Maréchal who died 25 years ago." "Sébastien wishes she'd think of something else." "So he "treats" her, as he says." "And then, he's become attached to his great uncle." "Louis Maréchal and Sébastien, have a discreet affection for each other which is rarely expressed." "But when news breaks out about the fire aboard the Narval," "Sébastien is there beside his uncle." "And Louis Maréchal realizes that this needless small presence, has become very important to him." "Wouldn't you think he'd avoid involving the child in all this?" "We'll call you back, sir." "Thank you." "It's aboard the Narval, Captain Maréchal, that you should be." "I'd like to be there, indeed." "[Maréchal - murderer]" "Hello." "Who informed them about all this?" "Nobody." "Bad news travels faster than we'd like." "Yes." "Insults too." "Draw down the blinds, Sébastien." "Do you know the sailors café?" "Yes, we went there not long ago." "Go fetch me a packet of tobacco." "I'll go, Captain." "Why, are you afraid?" "No, why would I be afraid?" "You could." "It wouldn't be dishonorable." "Go on." "Hello, yes!" "I have Saint-Lys on the line." "Hello, Louis Maréchal here." "The Surcouf has just received a message from the Narval." "There are five wounded on board, plus Lemoigne and the radio operator." "Dutertre gave the order to abandon ship." "They'll put to sea in the lifeboats." "No way, it's an impossible risk in heavy weather." "Warn Dutertre." "We can't get through at the moment, Captain." "The helicopters are looking for them." "They're in contact with the Surcouf." "I'll call you as soon as we spot the Narval." "Thanks." "He should have put all men to fighting the fire, and then waited on board for rescue." "Dutertre's lost his mind, he's scared." "I'd like a packet of tobacco for Captain Louis Maréchal." "Rolling tobacco, then." "I think so." "Hey, kid!" "Do they have any news over there, at the shipyard?" "The fire." "You haven't heard anything about the Narval?" "Don't say anything to them, they don't need to know, it doesn't concern them." "I don't know." "Leave him alone." "You can see he doesn't know anything." "Thank you, ma'am." "Go on, quick now!" "Why are you following me?" "[Maréchal - murderer]" "Wipe it off." "Didn't you hear, I said wipe it off!" "You want me to smash your face?" "Calm down." "Enough!" "If you want a beating, you've just got to ask." "What's going on here?" "You want me to get involved?" "Go on, get up!" "That's smart." "I'd like to have seen his face if we'd told him why we were fighting." "It shouldn't bother you." "Why didn't you say anything?" "I'm not a sneak!" "Perhaps I should thank you?" "You're going too far, people could see it." "I wrote it so it could be seen." "Why are you doing this?" "I've just told you." "So why did you do it in front of me?" "So that you speak about it." "Are you completely nuts or what?" "Okay!" "I've had enough, go play marbles!" "It's cowardly... what you wrote and it's not even true." "What do you know about it?" "Listen, my name's also Maréchal." "It's my uncle who you're treating like a murderer." "You again?" "You've no right to write lies, even if you hate him." "You can't judge him, you don't know his life." "He's really brainwashed you, in any case." "I'd defend him even if everyone was against him." "Well, defend him and leave me in peace!" "But you're completely insane, my uncle hasn't killed anyone!" "Clear off!" "I'm tired of you!" "You're a coward!" "When one accuses somebody, they give an explanation." "Are you gonna clear off!" "Or do you want the hiding you've been looking for?" "Why do you write lies on the walls?" "Now, get lost." "What happened to the Narval, isn't my uncle's fault!" "Not his fault?" "My father yelled in his ears that he had no confidence in that ship." "It's rotten, ancient." "There's nothing of what's needed on it." "If that's true, why did he go out on it?" "I wonder." "Because with us, when we don't fish, we starve!" "It's not your uncle who would have fed the 60 guys that would have remained ashore." "He never felt sorry for anybody." "It's not true!" "He's a scoundrel, your uncle." "At the moment, he's thinking about his rotten ship and cargo of fish he'll lose." "He doesn't care about men." "It's not true!" "You've no idea." "I'm telling you." "My name's Bernard Lemoigne." "Go and repeat that to him, he'll understand." "Your father's Captain Lemoigne?" "Yeah." "Why didn't you say?" "You know, there are aircraft that went to help the Narval." "And there's a ship, too." "There's a ship going to his rescue." "By the time it gets there it'll be too late." "No way." "It's an escort ship they sent." "They go fast, you know." "In stormy weather, you're joking!" "It'll barely do 4 or 5 knots, it's the other side of the world." "I don't know about knots." "In any case, it'll arrive." "And when it arrives, they'll have already put out the fire." "And there's a doctor, for your father, on the escort ship." "They'll all be saved." "Your father too, your father first." "And how will they get them off?" "You know, they're used to shipwrecks." "They know their business." "You can't draw alongside a ship in heavy seas." "The waves are as high as houses, out there." "They break over the deck and those who are washed overboard, are done for." "And the lifeboats?" "Lifeboats?" "you're talking nonsense!" "And how would my father board a lifeboat, he can't even move." "They'll carry him." "They'll save themselves, yes." "You don't think of others, at these times." "You don't know, you can't predict anything." "There's certainly one of them who'll carry your father, even two." "The apprentice is also injured." "His name's Dédé, he's a friend of my sister." "Whoever replaces your father will sort things out." "Dutertre?" "He's worthless." "If it had been Gwen, perhaps." "Well, it will be Gwen." "You must be joking!" "Once more your uncle, that too, he wouldn't give Gwen a chance." "If he'd ever succeeded, the old man would have burst with rage." "He's a great guy, Gwen Théphanie." "Well, his father, it's your uncle who killed him." "It's not true, I know!" "He fell off the cliff." "Yes." "Because of your uncle, for old tall tales!" "Do you know him?" "Who?" "Gwen Théphanie." "Everyone knows him here, and we're proud to know him." "He hates my uncle." "Oh, I don't know." "He never talks about it." "He's above that." "So?" "Are you going to tell your uncle what I told you?" "Do it yourself." "Give me your chalk." "Don't worry, I've plenty in my pockets." "Anyway, you can give me a bit." "What for?" "To play marbles!" "If you can't give me a piece of chalk..." "Here." "Thank you very much." "A little patience." "Nothing is known yet." "You must speak to them, Captain." "They have a right to know." "Please, Captain!" "The families, really, they can't bear it any more." "I can speak to them myself." "I forbid it!" "But they'll end up throwing stones at the office, and they'll make you responsible for everything." "It's their right." "I can't work in this place any more!" "Siza!" "That's right, I'm on their side, not yours!" "Why didn't you tell them that the fire is out." "We could at least reassure them." "That's enough!" "Where have you come from?" "Well..." "What happened to you?" "Nothing." "Come on, now!" "I fell over." "I don't want to work here any more." "I can't stand it anymore." "Me, I'm on your side." "But if there's good news of the Narval, I think we should tell them." "I'll talk to them when I'm sure it's good news, understand." "Isn't it true that the fire is out?" "A plane flew over the Narval." "Her deck is covered with black smoke." "It's assumed that the fire is out, because men are still on board, but..." "They'll have to wait." "Hello!" "Saint-Lys calling you." "The report from Jean Guérin," "Commander aboard the Surcouf, has just reached me." "The escort ship reached the Narval at 9 h 18." "And at 10 h 40, he came alongside them." "The ship to ship transfer went well." "Tell me sir, you haven't seen Bernard Lemoigne?" "Over there, on the pier." "Thank you, sir." "Bernard!" "They've taken everyone aboard the escort ship." "Your father first." "It seems that he's doing great." "The apprentice is okay too, you can tell that to your sister." "Gwen Théphanie and 2 guys stayed on the ship." "On purpose, it's voluntary, to extinguish the fire." "They're trying to bring her back." "I wanted to tell it to you, first." "Thanks kid." "Don't mention it, mate." "[Serious damage aboard the Narval]" "[Shipowner Louis Maréchal gave orders to the crew to abandon the Narval]" "[Insubordination of the mate of the Narval, Gwen Théphanie]" "[Gwen Théphanie, will he succeed?" "]" "[Public opinion is passionate about this young lieutenant of 26,] [who so vehemently took a stand against the orders of his shipowner.]" "And this is the last message from Gwen Théphanie." "My mother got it via Saint-Lys station." "Just listen to it." "This is the trawler F-N-O-O." "7 h 50, Universal Time." "Damage repaired." "Heading on a course 160° back to France." "Isn't that great, a guy like that?" "It's made me hungry, all this news." "Okay!" "Wait for me!" "It's good!" "Aren't you eating?" "No, I'm not hungry." "Did you see what it said in Commander Guérin's report?" ""Captain Lemoigne's condition, very serious."" "I heard M. Walther, he said it was a..." "A what?" "A Concussion." "It's very serious, but it's treatable." "Good." "Well eat." "I'm not hungry." "Ah, Soizic." "A bottle of cider, please." "And the best, eh!" "You'll see, it's great." "Sweet, but really fizzy!" "Thanks." "There." "Right, to your father!" "Right!" "To Gwen Théphanie!" "Yeah, if you want." "He'll have to explain himself on returning, that one." "Who?" "Well, Gwen." "Hey, careful!" "It goes to your head." "Well, I have to drink a toast to my uncle." "Somebody's got to do it." "Come on..." "No!" "Eat." "What, they're no good, the pancakes?" "Yes, but they're filling." "Why won't you drink to my uncle?" "What?" "Why won't you drink to my uncle?" "Well... okay." "Okay, a drink for me." "A drink for you..." "Okay!" "Right." "Oh no!" "Hey!" "We must think about Dédé too." "Yes, that's true." "Poor Dédé!" "Here's to Dédé." "Right!" "finished." "Are we going already?" "Well..." "It might be better." "Oh no, I'll pay." "Are you kidding?" "No, no." "Then we share, so it's right." "Oh, damn!" "I don't have enough." "Here." "Of course not!" "Yes, yes." "No!" "Come on..." "I feel sleepy, now!" "So you can't hold your drink, next time, I'll give you milk." "What?" "!" "Nothing." "I'll take you back to Morsan." "On foot?" "Hey!" "I don't have a coach." "Come on." "Feeling better?" "Yes." "So much the better." "I have to go back there." "Why?" "I forgot to tell my uncle that I was going home." "I'll tell him." "You're going to see him?" "It's necessary." "You're a sport, you know." "You'll see, he won't eat you." "But he doesn't make me want to laugh." "You're not coming with me to the end?" "No." "Why?" "I don't like this house." "Okay, goodbye." "And go to bed..." "Bernard!" "What?" "Goodbye." "Hey!" "Jonathan!" "Hey!" "Hey!" "Jonathan!" "Hey!" "Jonathan!" "You could have taken me." "You were sleeping." "That's no excuse." "Did the Captain return for lunch?" "Yes." "And he left again long ago." "To the shipyard?" "No." "Back at sea, with the Mary-Morgane." "You can see yourself she's not here." "He promised to take me as soon as he could." "You were sleeping!" "I was drinking cider with Bernard Lemoigne." "And was it the cider that put you in this state?" "Well... yes." "It wouldn't hurt a fly, cider." "It seems that I'm not normal as it puts me to sleep." "Dammit!" "Sodding stone!" "Accursed thing!" "You're not in a good mood." "Perhaps I should jump for joy... with everything that's happening at the moment?" "You know what you are?" "A pessimist." "What's that?" "It means you see everything in black." "Where did you see that word?" "In the dictionary." "Where did you find a dictionary?" "In the library at Morsan." "You're still poking around everywhere!" "You shouldn't leave me alone at home." "Even Clarisse has left." "Clarisse left?" "That's what I said." "I've looked everywhere." "You don't know where she is?" "At church, probably." "It's not Sunday." "She sometimes goes on weekdays." "A way that she has of hiding." "I was talking with your uncle about all this misfortune at sea." "She must have heard us." "It will have got her worked up again." "Has she gone to Saint-Marc?" "Yes, it's there that she goes." "Okay." "Goodbye." "Did you close the door and put the key under the flowerpot?" "Yes, I remembered!" "# I think that the sailors go away, # to listen to the song, # of the mermaid with long hair, # and I think that she sang for them." "# However, if I were a sailor, # maybe one fine morning, # on lifting the trawl net, # like you don't see anymore," "# I would catch the mermaid, # the mermaid with long hair."