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SIX MORAL TALES

CLAIRE'S KNEE

Monday, June 29th

Jerome!

Aurora!

Anything is possible.
- With me it is.

I expected to run into you
when I was in Paris, but not here!

Do you live here now?

I found a room in a village.
I'm on vacation.

Where? Near the lake?

Talloires.

We're neighbours.
Are you in the town?

The end of the lake.

I have a house there,
where I spent vacations as a child.

I'm here to sell it.
I plan to stay three weeks.

I've looked all over for you.

I couldn't find you.
You're not in Paris?

Yes, but I moved.
Are you still in Morocco?

No, I'm in Sweden.
What are you doing on this bridge?

It's called the "Bridge of Love".

My coffee grounds predicted
a meeting, and it was only you.

You hadn't even noticed me.
Have I changed so much?

Not at all! You're prettier
and younger than ever.

But I was steering...

Besides,
I don't look at women any more.

I'm getting married.

I'll tell you everything over lunch,

then I'll take you home,
if you're not afraid.

Strange I haven't seen you since.

Since 1945, we've been spending
vacations in Brittany.

I last played with your brothers
when I was 12.

Philippe was very nice,
but Bernard wasn't.

You were never there.
- I was 15 and despised little boys.

And you never
paid attention to me.

Excuse me, but I remember very well.
You had bouffant hair,

and a blue bicycle.

I always had flat hair,
and a black bicycle.

That was Bernadette Paccard.

That's right. I didn't look at
big girls. They scared me.

And little ones?

I only remember having one
girlfriend. She was 8 and blonde.

Poupinette.

Poupinette,
that's Marie-Thérèse Charvet.

She's my sister-in-law.
She married Bernard.

Oh really, I suspected she was
deceiving me with him.

That's Laura, my daughter.

This is Mr. Montcharvin,
who owns the Villa Catalpas.

"The Catalpas"?

Do you know it?
- Tea dear?

You know the house?

She spent her vacations there
until she was 12.

It's a beautiful house.

Yes, but I'm selling it.

I hope they won't tear it down.

No, I think they'll just restore it.
You used to play there?

One year we ate
all the pears in the garden.

The new owner might be
less indulgent.

That's sad.

Aren't you sorry to sell it?

I'm never in France anymore.

We met in Bucharest,
Jerome and I.

He was the cultural attaché,
6 years ago.

I went to Paris, and you...

To Stockholm. Now I'm in...

And you didn't tell me!
You promised to write!

I hate to write,
and writing to a writer!

I understand.
Being a writer paralyzes me too.

Aren't you here to write?

For me, not my friends.
I don't feel much like writing.

I think I'll decide
to take a vacation, like Laura.

Are you on vacation?

School ends in two days.

I always managed to skip
the last days.

Not me, on the contrary!

We plan to play a trick on
the teacher. She's an old maid.

Not just old, but mean!

She's only happy
when she's made us cry.

It's true!

You should see how she smiles,
it's revolting.

She's mean, really mean,

and we'll play a mean trick on her.

What kind of trick?
Is it a secret?

No, not a secret, but we don't
really know what we'll do yet.

We'll come up with something
at the last minute.

So, she makes you cry?

Not me.
I never cry in front of others.

The sight of a girl crying
always disarms me.

Especially if she's pretty.

So you make the ugly ones cry?

No. Neither the ugly ones
nor the pretty ones.

Just a bit, to see. Aren't you
ashamed to reveal your dark side?

Tuesday, June 30th

It was a Spanish soldier
who painted

the frescoes in this room,
in the 18th century.

Do you recognize him?

Don Quixote, with Sancho. He's on a
wooden horse, but thinks he's flying.

The bellows give the illusion
of wind, and the torch...

Of sun.

That's right, of sun.

They've been blindfolded.

The heroes of a story
are always blindfolded.

Otherwise,
they wouldn't do anything.

It doesn't matter,
because everyone has a blindfold.

Or at least blinders.

Except you, since you write.

Yes, when I write,
I have to keep my eyes open.

And you work the bellows?
- I follow the character's impulses.

Characters have
a logic of their own.

You help.
- No, I never invent, I discover.

Take anything.
I'm getting rid of it all.

A gift. How wonderful!

Dictionary of registration fees
for clerk's offices and mortgages.

But... it's Lucinde!

You knew her!

Yes, but I'd almost
forgotten her face.

Her hair was shorter, and softer.

I think this photo makes
her look hard.

No, she looks good this way.

I didn't think you were capable

of remaining faithful for 6 years.

6 years isn't long,
but a lot has happened.

We've had time
to break up five or six times.

Remember our first fight?
You were in Bucarest.

Just vaguely.

We both thought everything was over,

then, the next year
I found her again in Beirut,

and later in Rabat,
where she was with UNICEF.

We tried to avoid each other,
but couldn't, so why not unite.

I thought you were
very opposed to marriage.

I was against it personally,

but, since despite our efforts
to split, we were unable to...

we had to stay together.

If I marry her, it's because

I know I can live with her.

I'm just recognizing a fact,
not forcing myself.

When something pleases me,
I do it for pleasure.

Why should I tie myself
to a woman, if others interest me.

Since I've lived with Lucinde,
we've both had affairs.

I've come to realize
that other women don't interest me.

I can't even tell one from another.

They're all the same.

Except friends like you.

And you, how's your love life?

Nowhere.

Absolutely nowhere?

I've been alone
for more than a year.

It's very pleasant.

Yes, once in a while,
but it can get too easy.

I'm like you, my dear.

Chance offers you a woman,
so you take her.

Chance insists on offering me
nothing, so I take nothing.

Why try to fight ones destiny?

Solitude not only satisfies me,
I even enjoy it.

Right now,
it's my greatest pleasure.

And you say one should live
according to ones pleasure.

See the garden, it's completely wild.
Something must be done.

You don't want a Versailles here.
It's nice like this.

Here, before
there were tennis courts,

there was a fantastic vineyard.

My grandfather made very good wine.
There's some left, you'll taste it.

I'm looking to see if the little girl
you saw yesterday, Laura,

is coming to play here
at 5 as usual.

It reminds me of an old story

that I wanted to write,
but couldn't finish.

It's about a man
getting on in years...

35 or 40 years old...

a diplomat, very austere,
very stern,

whose conduct is above
all suspicion,

and who watches
the little girls play...

Day after day, he gets ideas.

One day, a tennis ball falls
in his garden.

He puts it in his pocket.

And when the girls come,
he pretends to be looking for it

among the nettles.

When they leave,

he goes to throw the ball back
from that lot,

where they're building a house.

The house belongs
to a crippled old woman,

and it isn't very likely
that she will want to play

with budding young girls.

So, this intrigues the girls...

The gentleman repeats the game
three or four times,

and after this first folly,

slides into total insanity.

What do you think of my story?
How should I finish it?

I don't know.
I think it's beautiful.

I count on you for a suggestion.

You know?

I shouldn't tell you,
but since you're so tough...

Laura is in love with you.

So, that's your novel?

No, she told me.

If she told you, it can't be serious.
But, if it inspires you...

I'm sure you've noticed it,
just by the way she looked at you.

It was very ingenuous.

There are no more ingénues!

She's a child, simple and direct,
which is what's nice about her.

And I haven't the time to notice
every little girl in love.

It's your job to observe.

It's not even a good subject
for a novel, it's old hat.

Say it! I don't inspire you.

It's true.

I never wanted to use you
as a character.

Too dull?

Yes... but one can write a good story
with banal characters.

I seldom draw on things
that are around me.

I'm never around.

You never inspired me all the same.

Even if you slept with a shoolgirl
on the eve of your wedding,

you wouldn't make
a good story for me.

And if I didn't sleep with her?

The story would be better.
Things mustn't happen.

There's always a subject.

It's impossible
to write about every subject.

But this one
troubles me too much.

There's one thing
I'm incapable of now,

telling the story of my life.

You know, I've been
in situations like yours.

I have been interested
in a few young boys,

and my story is similar to yours

inasmuch as I never went through
with anything.

I mean, I was never in love.

I could write this story
in relation to myself,

from what I know about myself,

but transposing it on a friend...

Listen, transpose,
but don't count on me.

You're afraid!

You're afraid, for nothing.
She's just a nice little flirt.

I know, I was one myself.

She'll give up in the end.

All you risk is having her
on your back.

Wednesday, July 1st

It's very quiet here.

It's too beautiful for me
to work well.

Is this our story?

To be written, it must happen.

And since it won't...

Something will happen anyway.

Even if it's only your refusal
that something happens.

So, no matter what,
I'll be your guinea pig.

Are they ripe?

In a few days.

You should come stay with me.
It's bigger, more comfortable.

And you could observe me
at your ease.

It would be unkind to Mrs. Walter.

I see too many writers in Paris,

here I live with normal people,
a good French family...

A young girl, a mother,
even a fiancée...

They're more my guinea pigs
than you are.

I want to observe them.

And how could I dare be with you,

alone, in a big house?

You know that I adore you.

Is this her room?

You see, I'm almost always alone.
The mother works in Annecy,

and the girls,
I guess they'll be rambling around.

That's Claire, the other daughter.

They don't look alike.

They're not sisters.

What do you think?
- Come on, stop it!

You were here?

Are you surprised?
It's about time, I'm on vacation.

I'll leave Laura with you,
I'll go make a fruit salad.

Can't I help?

No, it's a secret recipe.

Vacations make you happy?

No, it's worse than the rest
of the year.

All my friends are gone.

Luckily, next month I'll be
in Cheltenham,

with a family, in England.

In fact,

I'm not sad. It's different.

It's vacations that make me sad.

For me, vacations mean
travelling, moving.

Anyway, I have to wait for Claire.

Claire is my sister.

Well, not really my sister.

My mother married
Claire's father.

My father died.

She'll be here in a few days.

We love each other a lot.

It's a pity mother divorced.

She divorced Claire's father?

Yes! My mother had two husbands,

and now she's all alone!

That looks great.

Vacations depress Laura.
I sympathize.

What depresses me,
is to be back where I grew up.

When I arrived, I felt oppressed.
I almost left.

I have so many memories!

And you don't want to add any?

Certainly not.

Do you like Sweden?

I like it very much, but
it's not so much the country, its...

The weather.

You've said it a thousand times,
the weather agrees with you.

But please,
let's not talk about the weather.

Thursday, July 2nd

Why, yesterday...

did you stop me
from talking about my marriage?

I didn't stop you at all.
What are you talking about?

You know very well.

You cut me off,
and talked about the weather.

But it's true!

You love the cold.
The heat is bad for you.

That's enough.

Why talk about marriage?
You think they're interested?

The role of guinea pig
does not agree with me.

I don't know
what you told that girl,

but when I see her again,
I'll tell her.

Tell her!

Friday, July 3rd

I'm in Sweden
for personal reasons.

I'm getting married next month.

I was not aware of that.

Lucinde works for UNICEF.
Right now she's in Africa.

This separation
must be hard for you.

They'll just be happier to see
each other again. They're used to it.

We've been separated often
in 6 years.

I hope you won't be anymore.
- Or maybe just a little.

Besides, short separations
bring people closer.

It's possible.

I must be too possessive,
I can't stand absence.

That's why I'm alone
after 2 marriages.

Daddy died, it's different.

Whether dead, or gone,
I'm alone.

But it's not your fault.
- I never said it was my fault.

She always contradicts me.

On the contrary,
I don't have the life I deserve.

I'm alone, and I need to love.

My mistake, if it is a mistake,

was perhaps believing
in love too much.

You'll be happier. You don't.
- Me?

For you and people your age,
love is outdated.

I never said that. I don't care
what people my age think.

If girls are stupid,
it's not my fault.

Besides, it's not true. In your day,
there wasn't any more love.

A little more hypocrisy,
maybe... that's all.

Sometimes I think
that you talk nonsense.

You see how she treats me.

I hate small talk.

Anyway, this isn't
a conversation for me.

I'm going.

I don't know what's wrong.

She's never made a scene
in public before.

I think she's bored.
Her friends have left.

She wanted to go to Corsica
with a group.

I refused. I didn't want her to go
so far alone. She's just a child.

Her sister arrives in a few days,
then she'll spend August in England.

So you see,
she has things to do!

2:10! I have to be at the office
by 2:30.

I'm late.

Please remind her that she has
an errand to run at 3.

Thank you very much.

You should go comfort her.
- What?

You have an excuse,
remind her about the errand.

I came to remind you
of the errand for your mother.

Did she send you?

No, Aurora did.

This is a nice spot.

Is it yours?

Yes, when people bother me.
I'm not talking about you or mother.

We adore each other, but she always
twists what I say.

No, she was quite charming,

she apologized for you.

She didn't say I'm difficult?

Not at all.
She said only nice things.

She was even flattering.

I know. With others,
she's very proud of me.

But when I'm there
I'm always wrong. That's how she is,

she has to contradict people.

Usually I go along with her,

she's my mother.

If I argue, I still have to give in
in the end.

Apart from that, we get along.
I love her.

She loves you too.

I shouldn't have left like that.
She must be upset. What did she say?

I don't know...

That you're mad because
she wouldn't let you go to Corsica.

She knows that's not true!
I didn't want to go.

I don't mind being here at all.

It's just a bit oppressive.

When I'm bored,
I'd rather be anywhere than here.

All my friends are gone.
Maybe I should go to Corsica after all.

Funny, I've been feeling
just the opposite lately.

When it is so beautiful,
I can't be bored.

It's beautiful,
but it smothers me.

Climb up there!

When I was little,
Claire and I were always up there.

I know a lot of spots too.
I'll take you climbing one day.

Are you afraid to climb?
- Not at all.

But it's not being closed in
that oppresses me.

It's too beautiful. It's all this beauty
that exhausts me after a while.

One has to get away
now and then.

That's what I was telling you.

In love too, you've got
to get away now and then.

Exactly.

Saturday, July 4th

Aurora went to Geneva.

I can't hear you.

Aurora went to Geneva.

Then you're alone?

You must be bored?

A little.

What are you doing?

Reading.

What?

It's not very interesting.

Come to my house.
I have great books.

All right, I'll get dressed.
I'll be right back.

She's very beautiful,
but a little hard.

I imagined you
with someone less cold.

You don't think
we're well matched?

That's my first impression.

You're right. She's not my type.
But I don't really have a type.

For me looks don't count.

That is, beyond a certain level
of acceptability.

All women are equal.
Only their spirit counts.

But the spirit shows
in the looks.

What do you see?

That you're spiritually different.

You insist! You're right.

At your age, I had
an ideal women, not at all

like Lucinde.

Physically and spiritually
she's not for me.

But then, a woman made for me
would bore me.

She wouldn't interest me.

If I marry Lucinde,
it's for one simple reason.

I've known her for 6 years,
and haven't gotten tired of her,

nor she of me, and I don't see
why it shouldn't last.

You must find this very lacking
in passion?

I like to feel I love someone
the first day,

and not after 6 years.

I don't call that love.
It's more friendship.

You think it's so different?

Basically, love
and friendship are the same.

I'm never friends
with the ones I love.

Loving makes me mean.

Really! Not me.

I don't believe in love
without friendship.

For me friendship comes after.

Before or after,
it doesn't matter.

In friendship, I find something
that's missing in love,

respect for the other's freedom.
It's not possessive.

I'm possessive,
terribly possessive.

Oh yes? Well, you shouldn't be.

You'll ruin your life.

I know.
I was born to be unhappy.

Besides, I won't be unhappy.

I'm very happy.
I only think happy things.

One is unhappy
when one wants to be.

When I have problems,

I think that there are happy times,
and that crying does no good.

I think I'm on the earth,
that it's marvellous,

and that I'm going to have fun.

What do you call having fun?

Having fun is living.

Today, I'm very happy.

Tomorrow I may be sad.

So I make myself think
of something else,

I concentrate
on one precise thing,

I find it fantastic, and I'm happy
for the rest of the day.

But if I'm in love,
maybe... well...

Well what?

When I'm in love,
it affects me totally.

And I forget that
I'm happy to be alive.

But you shouldn't forget, or
sacrifice life and happiness for love.

I think you're smart enough
in that area.

Really?
- Really.

I'm going to tell you a secret.

In fact, I'm not happy
when I'm in love. I hate it.

I stamp my feet,
nothing interests me, I stop living.

It's no fun at all.

You see, I was right!

Wasn't I?

These are beautiful.
I'll make you a nice bouquet.

What will my mother say?

It's very innocent to offer roses.

She'd think it's silly.
Between us, she'd be right.

Offer them yourself.

You do it, when you come over.
- That's what I'd planned.

Give me this one.
- Which one?

This one here.

This one, by itself?
- By itself.

It's not for your mother?

No, I'm going to put it in my room.

What will you say?
- That you gave it to me.

She won't think that's silly?

She'll think just one is charming.

Well...

Well what?
- Well nothing.

Sunday, July 5th

Be careful of the thorns...

Mr. Jacques Desmarais, a friend
and neighbour, Mr. Montcharvin.

Roses from your garden?

They're a bit open,
but they smell nice.

I prefer them like that.

I had a choice of two houses.
This one,

and one on the other side.

I took this one for the view!
Now, I'm sorry.

I don't like living
at the foot of the mountain.

Why?

It makes me uneasy.

I'd prefer to live
on the other side also.

It affords a much better view
of the beautiful mountains.

The Tournette, the Dents de Lanfont,
which are very majestic,

but also impressive.

That majesty stifles me.

I don't agree.

A mountain is more beautiful
seen from underneath.

It's like a cradle.

It seems to protect us.

To threaten us, to crush us.

But anyway, from the house
we're too low to see anything.

I'll show you the best place,
near the Col de I'Aulp. Been there?

Yes, often when I was young.

Why don't we go?

It's not too far.
A three hour walk at the most.

A three hour walk?

All right, if you want to.

She's taking advantage of you.

No, I have nothing to do.
And I'd like to go for a walk.

If we have the time,

we can climb to the top
of the Tournette.

We should leave in the afternoon,

and sleep at the mountain inn.

It opened a few days ago.

Laura, you're going too far.

Really mother, you don't want to let
the two of us sleep at the hotel?

Anyway,
come and get me tomorrow.

Fine.

Have a nice walk.

Never two without three.

I don't know if I should
entrust her to you.

She's in love with you.

She's just playing.

A dangerous game...

She knows I'm getting married.

I'm joking. And anyway,

I'm glad
it's with someone reliable.

I'm not so sure. I hope you count
more on your daughter's reliability.

Someone getting married
in a month should be reliable.

I suppose Laura thinks
the same way.

Let's hope so.

Monday, July 6th

This is the nicest spot.

Exactly in the centre
of the mountains.

You can't see the house.

No, it's behind the pine trees.

Let's stay like this.
Are you comfortable?

Yes, very.

Really?

Really.

Would you rather be
with your fiancée?

Yes.

Why yes? I hope you're happier
with her than with me.

Yes, since
I'll be leaving you for her.

If I were happier with you,
I'd stay with you.

But how can I know
if I'd be happier with you.

Anyway, why compare?

I feel good.

You know, young lady,

I find you very imprudent.

In your shoes,
I wouldn't be so trusting.

I'm not trusting,

but I need to enrich my experience.

I take calculated risks.
You risk more than I do.

You're practically married.
I'm still free.

But I'm free too.

I respect Lucinde's freedom,
and she mine.

I let her do exactly
what she wants,

hoping, or rather knowing

that she won't do anything
that I wouldn't like.

If everything one liked,
displeased the other,

it would be crazy to...
live together, no?

Would she like to know
you're with me?

Of course.

She knows my feelings
are just friendly.

We allow each other
to have friendships.

Aurora, for example?

I really like her.
She's extremely nice.

Have you spoken about me?
- Of course.

What did she say?

That I shouldn't trust you.

Let go of me.

All right.
We can't play anymore?

No, I'd like
to be in love for real.

With a boy who loves me
and whom I love.

You know, you have
your whole life ahead of you.

You sound like my mother.

I always thought I'd get married
very young.

Some girls get married at 16.

It's the exception,
and I don't approve of them.

I don't see why you'd want
to get married now.

Mother's remarrying.

Really?

With last night's dinner guest?

So, I don't think
I could live with them.

Why? You'll have school,
and then you can live alone.

In Grenoble,
in Lyons, or even in Paris.

Of course.

I want to tell you something.

Move away a little.
Don't come too close.

You know, I think I was a little bit
in love with you.

If someone like you comes along,

carries me off
and even loves me,

I think I'd follow him.

What would your mother say?

She'd be delighted.

Not with someone my age!

Age doesn't matter to me.

I've never been able
to fall in love with a boy my age.

Tuesday, July 7th

I don't like people my age.

I don't know why.
I think they're stupid.

You know, I look like a kid,
like a little girl,

but appearances are deceiving.

Actually,
I'm quite old for my age.

After mother divorced,
she began confiding in me.

I soon had much more advanced
ideas than girls my age.

My friends are much more
childish than I am.

I could see myself married.

Which doesn't mean
I'll marry right away.

No!

I don't see why a girl your age
would want to get married.

This is not the time of Louis XIV!

Your mother lets you do
anything you want.

Not so fast. My mother
is stricter than you think.

After all, she's right.

She gives me advice,
it irritates me, it annoys me,

but I find she's often right.

She's right because...

Because?

Because I'm really crazy.

There are times
when I could do anything.

I love my mother very much.

I know it would make her unhappy.

So I'm good, very good.

I send all the boys away.

I've created a tough attitude
for myself.

I could be crazy, too.
It would become me.

For now,
I'm among the sane people,

but with one little step
I could join the crazy ones.

Why don't I do it?

Mother's presence
holds me back a bit.

But if I had a father,

like Claire's, for example...

it would push me
in the other direction.

Then Claire is more crazy?

No, Claire is in love with a boy
who spends the summer here.

You'll see,
they're always together.

I've never been able
to really be in love with any boy.

That's what worries me.

Yes, when I was young...

Very young.

I started to love a boy
when I was twelve and a half.

I can't say I did much with him,
but I loved him.

After him, practically no one.

So, your love life ended
four years ago!

Now I want to really love someone,

but I only see boys my age,

and they scare me.
It's instinctive, I'm scared.

Scared how?

It's instinctive I tell you.

Self-preservation.

The better the boy looks,
the more he frightens me.

You mean you're afraid
you'll give in?

No, it's more vague than that.

Young boys tend
to impose themselves.

A boy is nice,
so I go for a walk with him,

if I'm bored, for instance.

When I'm bored, I think
I'm in love with whoever I'm with.

What bothers me is that,
after a while,

he thinks he's something special.
He tells everyone "she loves me".

He thinks he's a Don Juan.
Then it's over.

With a young boy,
I don't feel secure.

I only feel good with a man
who could be my father.

I must lack fatherly affection.

I find someone older
a little like a father.

I want to share in what he does,
give him my opinion.

I want to always be next to him.

I want to be little with him,
I feel good.

Wednesday, July 8th

Are you Claire?
- Yes.

Laura's not here?

She just left with Vincent.

Who?
- Vincent, a friend.

Is Aurora still in Geneva?

I think so. I haven't seen her.

Then, you're all alone?
- Yes.

You live in Paris?
- Yes.

Today is a nice day.

Very nice, yes.

Well, I think I should
come back this evening.

Yes.

Gilles!
- How are you?

You look great!

Who's that guy?
- A friend of the guest.

Where did you get your suntan?

In Paris, at the pool.
- Fantastic!

Thursday, July 9th

Is that all you'll tell me?

I ran some errands in Geneva,
that's all.

The rest is a top diplomatic secret.

But you must have
a lot to tell me, I hope.

Yes and no.

Nothing happened, or very little.

But since
it's your only inspiration...

Yes sir, I'm mysterious too.

It's a professional secret.

He's my guinea pig.

You'll tell me tomorrow,
with all the details.

Friday, July 10th

Who's she with?

Vincent. He's a friend.

The only way one can get me
is by curiosity.

I wanted to know
if she was making fun of me,

according to your script.

When I kissed her to find out,

I really had to force myself.

You see, when I took her hand...

not as you take the hand
of an old friend or a child,

I thought about the pleasure
of touching it,

and it embarrassed me.

We were walking hand in hand,

and it weighed on me,
not like some sin,

but because it was unnecessary.

By being interested in another woman
I do not betray Lucinde,

I just do something unnecessary.

Lucinde is everything.
You can't add to everything.

Then why did you try it?

To please you.

I obeyed you.

And to see it fail.

One is never sure of anything.

If I kept away from women.
If I didn't let myself talk to them,

or look at them, or even if
I avoided their advances...

then...

my love for Lucinde
would seem to me

a duty rather than a pleasure.

In marrying Lucinde, well...

it's because I enjoy being with her
and not another.

The will has nothing
to do with it.

I'm convinced of that,
even if I wasn't before.

But in all love,
there is some will, inevitably.

I like it to be a very small part.

And discovering, as I did
the other day, just how small it is,

believe me,
it's a delightful feeling.

Saturday, July 11th

I'll be ready in 3 minutes.
Be nice.

With girls, it can only be love?

With girls, it can only be physical,

or if there is friendship,
it's later.

The first contact is physical.

After love comes friendship?

Yes, because it's the absolute,
and it's something else, we don't...

With Laura, for instance?

Laura is different,
I'm not at all her type.

She goes for big, well-built,

rather athletic guys,
and I'm kind of the opposite...

So why are you with her?

We're friends, classmates...

That's not
what it looked like to me.

There is nothing going on,
really nothing.

She's not in love with you!

One more reason
why nothing is going on.

You might...

I haven't thought about it,
and I don't want to.

I know exactly what type she likes,

I don't want to get into her scene,

I want to be liked right away,
I don't want to get into courting her.

But you could charm her,
she might find you...

I just feel
there is no possibility.

Girls can surprise you.

You never know, women are
kind of weird... so far, nothing.

Laura, you're in love with her?

No, we're friends, that's it...

Maybe a tiny bit of affection,
when I look at her, because

I like to make love gently,
you know... touch their noses, all that...

You've got it all mixed up,
love, friendship...

I don't know,
with her it's something special.

Don't listen to him, he's nuts.

Coming?
- How's the water?

Great. Come on!

You're not coming?

No thanks, it's too cold for me.

You took your time.
I hope they'll wait.

I had to finish this letter
to my father.

I can't believe it takes an hour.
I wonder what you write him.

What's it to you! I do what I want.

There's no time to lose.
I warn you, next time I won't wait.

Fine, go by yourself.
You don't need me.

That's great. All right, goodbye.

I'll pick you up at 3.
- Yes, fine.

Come on.

Are you mad?

Very mad?

Sunday, July 12th

Aurora! Put your pen down,

and come share our rural pleasures.

I'll finish this page and join you.

Could you get me another basket?

Are you sure they're ripe?

They're great.

Let me taste.

Here!

They're sour!

Want to taste this one?

It should be good.

This one's great.

I'll put some in my hat.

You want one?

I can't reach them.

Are they ripe?
- They're very good.

One or two in my hat,
to taste them.

They're not bad.

Wait, I'll help you.

Stop it, you'll make me fall.

Is there another one?
- This one's great...

It's too long, that's not quite it.

The Greeks,
they were really something!

Right, the beard
mustn't be too long.

This one.

I don't like it.
- You don't like beards...

I had a fantastic beard once,

but it was too much work...

Tuesday, July 14th

You like the 14th of July?

It's great.

This isn't a dance for me.
I'm too old.

Dance?

Just a few steps?

Thursday, July 16th

You're not playing?
- No, today I'm just a spectator.

Right into the net!

As bad as you!

Yes, it looks familiar.
I bet I win.

That would surprise me.
- You'll see.

What are they doing?

He's getting the ball.

That guy is hopeless.

Friday, July 17th

I prefer your company
and conversation to a tennis game.

Besides, I have to lecture you.
You experiment on me,

but you stay away from any affair.

Yours don't get you very far.

I'm in transit here.
My life is elsewhere.

For you it's serious,
it's your life.

I'm in transit too.

Not for long, I think.

It saddens me to see you lose
the bloom of youth.

The bloom of youth,
it comes and goes.

Listen, get a guy
and stop complaining.

I'll bet you that I find one
at the end of the year.

Who told you that?

My coffee grounds.

A guy. Who? Where?
Where are there guys to get?

Everywhere. There are plenty.
Like on the 14th of July.

Oh, the 14th of July!

Admit you didn't find him
unattractive.

In fact, I find all men attractive.
That's why I can't pick one.

Why one and not another?

I need a reason to choose someone.

Since I can't have them all,
I prefer to do without them.

All that's very unnatural,
very immoral.

Not immoral,
since it keeps me chaste.

You don't want me to fall
into the arms of just anyone?

Where would it lead,
what good would it do?

Not just anyone.

If he's supposed to come,
he'll come.

He'll come here?

Here as well as anywhere.

You'd think I were in a hurry.

To listen to you talk, I'm old.

Old! I'll tell you something.

Last year
I wanted to test my charms

on very young boys.
The new generation, unknown to me,

is incomprehensible,
a total mystery.

I decided on the number 5,
in one week.

Five!

In fact, I had 3.

Very good-looking.

Was it pleasant,
apart from the glory?

It was very nice.
I could have continued,

but since it was a matter of ego,

and the ego is soon satisfied,

in this area, at least,

I prefer to wait.
I know how to wait.

Waiting is pleasant
in and of itself.

Yes, if it doesn't last too long.

Don't worry.

Your story

is really more interesting than mine.

No, your relationships with young
girls are better. They're more vague.

Then you're in luck.
My little affair is evaporating.

Nothing is happening,
I have nothing to tell.

That she tried to make me jealous
with her friend, no...

Her experiment is over,
mine too, period.

She'll take up her old ways,
and I mine.

You know...

What?

Nothing.

It amuses me that you don't
create the story anymore. I do.

I have an idea.
Well, I'm afraid my ideas...

Tell me.

You have to guess.

It's an idea, not a proven fact.

I took my role of guinea pig
so seriously, I overdo it.

Putting myself
in the place of the character,

I thought he could feel something
I don't really feel.

I don't feel anything.

You know, I'm through
running after girls. All of them.

Really, big and little.

At least, personally.

But I've said too much already.
Don't you get it?

You mean you're through, personally,

but I hope the character isn't.
He carries on.

No! I'm speaking of me!

The character is through too,
with that experiment at least.

Then it's all over?

In this case, yes. But...

But what?

After all, I don't see how
you could guess something

which is purely an idea of mine.

Actually, it's not a completely
pure idea.

Laura suspects it, I'm sure.

The problem is that,
in talking about it,

I give it too much importance.

I'd like you to guess it.

But you won't.
I'll give you a hint.

With Laura, it's over.

You said that. So what?

So it's over with Laura.

Claire! My word!

Don't tell me that she too...

It's simply an idea. Not the idea
that she's in love with me, but...

that I'm interested in her.

It's classic, she loves another.

Not only that, if she didn't
interest me, why would I care.

Let's say she troubles me.

Both the character and myself.

So little I wouldn't mention it,
were you not so interested in the little.

She troubles you... How?
Her body?

Yes, the way she looks,
since it's all I know about her.

We've hardly ever spoken.

I'd find it hard to talk to her.

She intimidates you!

I feel absolutely powerless
with girls like that.

You know what I mean?

Some very attractive boys
affect me like that.

I'm amused that you confess
your shyness to me.

But I am very shy.

Usually I don't have
to take the first step.

I've never pursued a girl
if she wasn't favorably disposed.

What about this one?

With this one it's...
very strange.

She arouses in me a real
yet undefined desire,

all the stronger because
it's undefined.

A pure desire.
A desire of nothing.

I don't want to do anything,
but this desire bothers me.

I didn't think I would desire
a woman again.

I don't want her. Even if she
threw herself at me, I'd refuse.

Jealousy?

Even if I don't want her,
I feel I have some sort...

of a claim on her.

A claim born from
the very strength of my desire.

It's a feeling I'd had long ago,

which I suddenly find
very vivid today.

The turmoil she arouses in me

gives me a sort of right over her.

You know,

I'm convinced
I deserve her more than anyone.

You see, yesterday,
for instance, at the court...

I looked at the lovers, and...

I thought that every woman has
a vulnerable point.

For some, it's the nape of the neck,
the waist, the hands.

For Claire, in that position,
in that light,

it was the knee.

It was the magnet of my desire,
the precise point

where, if I could follow
this desire,

I would have put my hand.

It was there that
her boyfriend had his hand.

Innocent and dull.

Above all that hand was dull,
and that shocked me.

But it's easy.
Put your hand on her knee.

That's the exorcism.

You're wrong.
It's the hardest thing to do.

A caress must be accepted.

It would be easier to seduce her.

Monday, July 20th

Basically,
I love thin, delicate girls.

All the girls I've known and loved

were too robust, in my opinion.

Robust?

Lucinde, for example,
is rather athletic.

However, in a way,
I rather like her sporty side.

But, if I had a woman made to order,

I think I'd give Claire's
measurements.

Yes, she has a lovely build.

I think she'll become
a beautiful woman.

I mean she'll fill out
in the right places.

You know, all these slender,
pretty girls,

well, you've noticed,
at 30 very few are still beautiful.

But I think Claire

will resist the onslaught.

It's not too late.

If she suits you,
you're still single,

marry her!

To me, looks are not important.

If she came to me,
as I said, I'd refuse her.

I'd like to refuse her
by my own choice.

But it's been my misfortune that,

every time I've desired
a woman beforehand,

I haven't gotten her.

All my successes
have come by surprise,

to my surprise.

Desire followed attainment.

What's the matter?

Are you hurt?

What's the matter?
Say something.

You hit my finger.

Show me.

It's nothing. I told you to hit it
with your fingertips.

I wasn't being careful.

Show me.
Listen, you shouldn't play...

It hurts?
Aurora'll take care of you.

You can't play!

It hurts.
I caught the ball on my finger.

You're a witch, you'll cure her.

Nothing's broken.
- No, I don't think so.

It's all right.

You should massage it.

Just massage it that's all.

I'll get you some fruit juice.

Does it still hurt?

Oh, a little, it's not bad.

Let's put arnica on it.

Never mind, it will go away.

I had the same thing once.

It got all blue and
they had to cut my finger off.

You weren't too hot
playing volleyball?

There was a little wind.

You like volleyball?
- Not at all.

Then why did you play?

To please Gilles.

To please Gilles!

So, when Gilles
wants something, you do it?

Not always.

Don't do everything boys want.

I don't do everything boys want.

Feel better?

Do you want to play?
- No, later.

All right.

Thursday, July 23rd

Please, get away from the shore...

This is a camping ground.

Get away from the shore, please.

Come on, grampa!

Don't talk to me like that!

Stay away!

Is that your boat?

Tell the people who were aboard
to stay further out.

I'm the camp director,
and I've had complaints.

Listen, I'm very sorry,
I'll take care of it. I'll tell them.

They were also rude to me.

Please excuse them, they're kids,
they don't know.

I told them not to go close
to the shore. It won't happen again.

I'll see to it. Thank you.

What's the matter?

I'm warning you, for the last time,
or there'll be trouble.

The campers complain
that you pass too close.

I'm the camp director.

First of all,
this is private property,

and secondly,
we were 60 feet away.

There were people swimming there.

This is ridiculous.
You're ludicrous.

Watch your language,
or there'll be trouble!

He's stronger than you.
Do you want a fight?

That guy is completely nuts.

We were way out.
I don't know why he's screaming.

I won't lend you the boat any more.

But no!

What do you mean "No!"
You're not being reasonable.

Instead of keeping to the middle
of the lake, you annoy the campers.

We didn't annoy them.

And we were more than
60 feet away.

We were far away...

This guy makes some remarks.

You see you're bothering him,
and you insult him.

If instead of shutting you up...
he'd punched... Claire might...

have gotten hit.

It's not nice to Mrs. Walter.
She doesn't need this...

Mrs. Walter doesn't care.
Isn't that so?

What's mother got to do with you?

Keep out of this. I'm talking
to your sister and Gilles.

He took the boat, I heard.
What did you do with it?

He claims we were too close.
He yelled at us for nothing.

Not for nothing.
He asked you to keep 60 feet away.

There were people swimming.

The campers again! Great!

I hope you annoyed them.

Listen to the brat!

The papers on the lawn,

what they do to the house...
Coming in without permission,

opening the gate.
They're impossible.

You were right.

"You were right!"
No they weren't right.

I'll tell your mother.

Tell her. She agrees with me.

I'm sure she'll side with me.

Never mind,
this is a house full of problems.

A house full of problems?

Anyway, you're a guest here.

Guests have a right to...
- If mother has something to say...

Go back to your homework,
go play, go!

Friday, July 24th

Are you taking the ferry?

No, I'm going right back
to the house.

If you want I'll take you.
Then I can say hello to Aurora.

Aurora went to Annecy.

When do we go boating?
Or mountain climbing?

Last time
it was the Tournette, right?

I'm not free, I'm having lunch
with friends of mother's.

Really?

Then tomorrow, if you like.

I can't tomorrow.

I'm going to England the day after,
and I have to pack.

That's sad.

I'm serious. Our beautiful
friendship didn't last.

We see each other every day.

I don't know
what more you could want.

I hoped for a little more.

I think it's perfect,

and if there wasn't any more,
as you say, it's your fault.

Oh yes?

You always keep to yourself.

I didn't want to bother you.
I saw you with your friends.

You're not that old,
you could have joined us.

I don't like them much.
I think you choose them badly.

You know,
I keep putting Vincent off.

It's not him I mind, it's Gilles.

Gilles is my sister's friend.
I don't discuss her preferences.

Besides, he's fine,
they go well together.

Not at all. She's a hundred times
better than he is.

You hate him because
he's not afraid of you.

You're crazy.
I like people who have character.

But his toughness is fake,
and that's the worst kind.

Claire should drop him.
You open her eyes.

She loves him. She's right.

What's it to you?

I don't know. It's nothing.

You're jealous for nothing,
that's true. If there was...

If there was?

Nothing. Take me home.

Sunday, July 26th

Let me help you.
It's very heavy.

In the trunk?

No, it's too small.
On the back seat.

The little one too?
- Thank you.

When do you leave?

In three days.

Then we won't see each other again.
I'll be in Geneva a week.

So you're getting married?

Well, I wish you much happiness.

Thank you, let me kiss you.

See you soon.

Claire, we're going darling.
- I'm coming.

Be good.
You're in charge of her, Aurora.

We're going?

We're going, darling.

Don't forget my records.

Will you write me?

I never write.

Just a little.

Send me a postcard.
I might answer it.

All right.

You have the number in Geneva.
Call me if you need anything.

Have a good trip.

Tuesday, July 28th

Aurora's not here?
- No, she went for a walk.

Please remind her
we're having dinner tonight.

I'll come pick her up at 8.

You're not going to Annecy
by any chance?

I just came from there.

Why?

Oh, nothing.

Do you want to go?

No, it's not important.

I can take you,
I have another errand.

Sure it doesn't bother you?

Cover up,
the weather's changing.

I'll go get a jacket.

It's becoming overcast.
We'll have to take cover.

I think we'll have
another hour of rain.

And even if it clears up,
I couldn't take you.

You'll miss your appointment...

What appointment?

You did ask me to take you to Annecy.
I thought you had an appointment.

With Gilles... I was supposed
to drop a note at his place.

He's not there?

He left this morning,
to visit his mother in Grenoble.

He'll be back late, and since
he's coming by tomorrow,

I wanted to tell him this evening.
It's nothing important.

You went just for that?

I thought it didn't bother you.
You said you had to go anyway.

It's not very important either.

Maybe it's none of my business,
but I think

you let this boy
take advantage of you.

He didn't ask anything.
I wanted to go.

All the more reason.

For him you'd go
to the end of the world.

You shouldn't let boys
push you around.

Especially ones like yours.

You don't know him.

I know him well enough.

Sure, if you believe
the camp director.

That's not it.
I don't know what you see in him.

He's way beneath you.

He's fine. Your opinion
doesn't interest me at all.

You're right,
I should mind my own business.

I was never interested in you or
your sister and I'm getting married

so I'm absolutely impartial.

But it upsets me

to see such a charming girl
with such an oaf.

If you were in control... You can have
all the boys at your feet.

Take advantage of it!

He's fine.
He doesn't crawl in front of you

like Aurora, mother,
Laura, and the rest.

He has character.
He never bows down to anyone.

Your opinion means little to me.

Does it mean little to you
what Gilles was doing this afternoon?

I didn't want to tell you,
but you should know, for your good.

You love Gilles,
but are you sure he loves you?

What is it to you?
It's none of your business!

Ah, then you're not sure!

Then why was he kissing a girl
this afternoon in Annecy?

What girl?

You know her, she plays tennis,

her name is Marielle.

Muriel, she's a friend,
he has a right to see her.

Of course. I told you,
I saw him this afternoon.

So he lied.
He's not in Grenoble.

He might have been delayed...

If you like.

They were walking along, he held
her close. Nothing wrong in that...

and he didn't have to go to Grenoble.

So forget what I said.

Shut up!

I'll shut up, but you're strange.

You tell me he's in Grenoble,
I see him in Annecy. I'm surprised...

Gilles does what he wants.
It's none of your business.

Look, don't take it like that.
You know, what I said...

Shut up, shut up!

It stopped raining.

We should go home.

She kept crying, couldn't find
a handkerchief. I gave her mine.

She wiped her eyes, handed it back.
I gestured for her to keep it.

I'm sure at that point she hated me.

If I'd tried to touch her,
she'd have cried "leave me alone".

I stayed there, like that,
for a while,

watching her sob, very embarrassed,

pleased that my blow had struck,
but disgusted.

I was ashamed to have made her cry.
Or rather, ashamed for her.

I thought she must be ashamed
to cry in front of a stranger...

it embarassed me all the more, since
I felt she'd refuse any consolation.

She wouldn't have let me

hold her hand,
her shoulder... or her.

At least that's what I thought.

She sat facing me,

one leg stretched out,
the other bent.

Her knee was sharp,
narrow, smooth, delicate,

within reach.
Within reach of my hand.

The way my arm was, I only had
to extend it to touch her knee.

Touching her knee was
the most extravagant thing,

and at the same time the easiest.

Even as I realized
how easy, simple the gesture was,

I also felt it was impossible.
As if you're on the edge of a cliff,

only one step away, but even if
you want to jump, you can't.

It took courage, you know,
really a lot of courage.

I've never done anything so heroic,
or at least so willful.

It's the only time I ever
accomplished an act of pure will.

I've never felt so strongly that
something had to be done.

I had to do it, I had promised you.

All right, go on.

Talk, I won't say anything.

I put my hand on her knee
with a quick move,

which didn't give her
time to react.

The precision of my gesture
prevented her parry.

She simply gave me a look,

an indifferent look,
barely hostile,

but she didn't say anything.
She didn't move my hand or her leg.

I don't know,
I don't understand why.

If I had grazed her with a finger,
if I had tried to caress her brow,

she would certainly have withdrawn.

But my gesture was too unexpected.

She thought it was the beginning
of an attack which never came.

So she felt reassured.

What do you think?

I think that it's very nicely told.

It's a pity I don't know shorthand,
I would have taken it down.

What do you care
what she thought?

You made such a perfect,
sculptural tableau.

What do your thoughts matter?

Well, you know
I hate making girls cry,

but she needed a lesson,
I had to open her eyes.

At the same time,
it was my good deed.

But if I'd felt I was shocking her,
even a little,

I'd have pulled back my hand,

blushing.

But not only did I not shock her,

I even did her some good.

What I thought to be
a gesture of desire,

she took as one of consolation.

A sort of peace came over me,

mixed with the fear
of not controlling that moment.

Your story is charming,

but perfectly harmless.

There is nothing perverse in it,
except what you make out of it.

On the contrary, the results
couldn't be more moral.

On the one hand,
I broke the spell I told you about.

On the other, the girl's body
no longer obsesses me.

It's as if I'd had her,
I'm fulfilled.

Also, I did a good deed. I got her
away from that boy for good.

I couldn't have experienced
such a perfect pleasure

without this idea of a good deed.

She'll find someone worse.

I don't think so.

She learned a lesson.
She'll be more careful.

What amuses me is that
you can't stand the idea

of a woman escaping you.

I admit easily that some women
escape me. You, for example.

I'm not in the game.
- That's what I hold against you.

For you, I'm just a guinea pig,
while to me,

you're a great friend.

By the way, all I've done,
I did out of friendship for you.

Laura was for me?
Claire is for me?

Lucinde isn't, I hope.

What time do you leave tomorrow?

10 o'clock.

You'll come say goodbye!

Of course.

You won't believe me,
but, without you,

nothing would have happened,
even if I'd met the girls another way.

You know I believe you.

Nothing more will happen,
you won't be around.

Thanks to you,
I reached the ultimate delight.

I don't want anything more
to happen,

I'm fulfilled.

Lucinde!

Lucinde, you're coming back
to her. Well, yes...

precisely, now it will all be
for Lucinde.

The rest, the other girls, all that

was swept away, obliterated.

You're a magician!

Did you doubt it?
- No!

Or I wouldn't have put my fate
so imprudently in your hands.

Wednesday, July 29th

Say goodbye to Claire for me.

Should I wake her?

No, I have nothing to say to her.

Be good. Write me.

You be good too.

You'll be alone in Paris,
try to dig up a guy.

Alone, no!

You have a lover?

I have a fiancé.

You say nothing. I tell you everything
and you keep me in the dark.

You never asked.

Anyway, you know him,
I introduced you.

That guy from Geneva?

Not bad.

How are you?

Very well, thank you. And you?

All right.

Claire isn't here?
- I think she's asleep.

Here she comes.

You were awake?

How was Grenoble?
Is your mother feeling better?

I didn't go to Grenoble, finally,

I'll explain...

I had problems with my keys...
I couldn't...

You could have let me know.

I couldn't, and then

I looked at my watch, it was 5.
It wasn't worth it. I called you...

I wasn't going to wait...

No answer. I decided
to stay in Annecy.

I had a dinner to go to,
it was easier.

Why were you with Muriel?

You know how she is,
listen, really!

She told me all her problems,
for one hour.

She was sad and everything,
I consoled her, for an hour, that's all.

You know her as well as I do.

Of course! But that's no excuse.

Listen it doesn't...

Are you mad?
- It doesn't matter...