Original subtitles

[ knocks ]

[ wind whistling ]

Marie-Loup.

My little Marie.

Marie-Loup.

Oh, thank you, my God.

Thank you.

No.

It is not Marie-Loup, Father.

Don't you recognize me? I'm her daughter France.

France?

You got my note.

It was very selfish of me.

[ thunder rumbling ]

But the hope

of seeing you again

has kept me alive.

Thank God.

But first of all...

I don't want this

falling into the hands of strangers.

Your poor mother

wouldn't keep it at the time.

But I was to blame.

I know.

I have read it

a thousand times.

Marie

with the she-wolf's eyes.

Now that I have met you,

I've become my true self.

Before that,

I had a future.

Now...

I have a destiny.

[ wheezing ]

[ coughing ]

Here.

[ France narrating ] 1759,

another life,

another world,

a year when passions ran high.

I was only a child then, living in a country

which in the eyes of history was still in its infancy.

[ man shouting ]

I had no idea that my country was about to be lost

or that, by the grace of God, I would survive.

This hostile, beautiful no-man's-land

ten times bigger than its mother country France--

the same France that was about to sell us

for a handful of islands in the sun.

The English were preparing to attack where I was born.

And when the city of Quebec fell,

England would seize the keys to a new outpost of her empire.

That was our fate

and this is our story.

François.

You're too late, my poor boy.

Your father's just died.

[ watch ticking ]

There you go.

Thank you.

[ horse neighing ]

Tell me, Jean-Baptiste,

did my father leave you some money?

A modest amount, but quite enough for me.

I'm very grateful to him.

I'll double it.

If you thank me, I'll halve it.

Your father gave me instructions.

All the papers are ready

and the notary is waiting for you to call on him.

There are a lot of accounts to go through.

We can't have your debtors

taking advantage of the situation.

Jean-Baptiste, you're not only shaving me,

but you're boring me too.

That's quite enough, no?

- [ dogs barking ] - Man: Come here, you little savage.

Girl: Get away! Get away! Move, quick!

[ people screaming ]

Move! Get away!

[ screams ]

No!

- Girl: Stop it! - [ man screams ]

Is that splendid decoration for your courage? Tell me.

Or were you just trying to baptize her with your holy oil?

[ shouts, spits ]

Man: He's got a knife!

That's enough.

[ baby crying ]

Carry on.

Woman: Go back to where you came from.

[ grunts ]

[ spits ]

[ speaking foreign language ]

- You like her, huh? - Yes.

Good.

Go now.

[ geese honking ]

- Cuckoo! - Madame.

For red blotches and broken veins, madame.

You took quite a risk, my lovely.

Is your sister always this reckless?

She's not my sister. She's my mother.

But she's so young.

I was married when I was 14, madame.

No. I bet your husband

has to keep his eyes open with a spirited girl like you.

He's watching me from on high.

A widow? Already?

How sad.

Apparently you have quite a few tricks up your sleeve.

Is there a cream for getting rid of the first wrinkles?

Not today, madame, but I can make you up a pot.

It's a miraculous remedy.

Mm, payment in advance.

I have love potions too.

Has anyone ever told you what beautiful eyes you have?

Yes.

Sou-- sou--

sou-- s--

sourire.

[ geese honking ]

- What's your name? - France.

François.

My compliments, mademoiselle.

And what's her name?

Marie Carignan.

But everyone calls her Marie-Loup.

It's because she can see in the dark.

Oh.

You're a-- you're a brave woman.

That's not hard when the men are such cowards.

- All the men? - There may be the odd exception.

I must admit, though, I was scared to death.

That's what I mean. Courage goes hand in hand with fear.

You're teaching her to read. That's the best gift.

She deserves it.

Thank you.

To who do I have the honor of speaking?

François le Gardeur, at your service.

Marie Carignan.

I know. You're the miller's daughter.

- François le Gardeur. - Xavier Maillard.

[ both laugh ]

I wasn't sure it was you,

with all those stripes, minus your beard.

Thank you. You arrived just in time.

You mean now or earlier on?

Ha!

[ speaks foreign language ]

Let's have a drink.

Why didn't you tell him the priest was teaching me how to read?

Are you ashamed you don't know how to?

I'm ashamed for your grandfather.

He's never thought studying mattered.

Then I'm going to be more intelligent than you.

- Oh! - [ giggling ]

[ clucking ]

More educated than me.

Intelligence doesn't come from here.

It comes from here.

The only thing I care about, sweetie,

is that you don't grow up ignorant.

- Then you'll be truly free. - [ laughing ]

I love you, you know?

I always forget. You'll have to keep telling me.

- I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. - Tell me again.

- I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. - Again. Tell me more.

I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you.

Don't tell me you've sunk to dabbling in the peasantry.

Bright young girls come to a penny in Quebec,

with all the polish they need to take their place in society.

Especially now, your heritage will attract them like flies.

[ snaps fingers ]

Do you think any of those society girls

would have risked their lives for a little savage?

You haven't changed.

I have a very important message for you.

Intendant Bigot wants to meet you tomorrow night.

- [ thunder crashing ] - An invitation or an order?

Don't be too clever with him.

I warn you, he has no time for braggarts.

That's too bad.

[ thunder rumbling ]

So, the priest?

He's coughing up yellow stuff.

And he's lost some more hair. I'll tell you a secret.

Everyone thinks I'm his servant, but I'm not.

He bought me from a captain in the West Indies.

- No. You're having me on. - Oh, I'm not complaining.

- Santa Clara. - Ora pro nobis.

- Santa Emilia. - Ora pro nobis.

- Santa Francesca. - Ora pro nobis.

Santa-- oh.

Don't tell me he's never touched you.

Never.

It's me who touches him

when he needs a rub down there.

He says it helps him keep impure thoughts at bay.

[ thunder rumbling ]

Especially when he sees you.

We're going to have a big storm.

I love that.

- Santa Theresa. - Ora pro nobis.

- Santa Francesca. - Ora pro nobis.

- Santa Elena. - Ora pro nobis.

Go home, all of you.

You're attracting the evil eye.

And you don't need to be three for God to listen to you.

Marie-Loup. My little Marie-Loup.

Can you drop these in some boiling water?

I always knew you were special,

even when you were only six.

I've loved you like a daughter,

more than a daughter.

Calm yourself, Father. The fever is making you delirious.

- I know. - Marie-Loup.

Careful.

You and your late husband

were married for several years,

but you only had one daughter.

What happened?

Huh? You didn't try to stop having a family, did you?

Gosselin was always in such a hurry,

God rest his soul.

- He should have taken longer. - Oh, yes, yes.

He never went in deep enough.

- He never went deep enough? - Shh.

- Yes, yes. - Calm. Calm. Calm yourself, Father.

The night is for sleeping, François.

I never knew you were so hardworking.

Neither did I.

Tell me, Jean-Baptiste,

all those farms my father took,

the families he turned out of their homes

and the wheelings and dealings with Intendant Bigot--

didn't that keep him awake at night?

Not to my knowledge. He was a strong man.

No. A hard man.

Man: I'm going to have to pass.

- Man #2: I pass as well, I guess. - [ laughing ]

Oh?

[ men exclaim, laugh ]

- Man: Oh! - [ laughs ]

My friends fell for your bluff, as the English say.

But I reckoned you look too honest to be trusted.

Until the return match, young man?

- Your father was luckier than you. - Luckier in cards.

[ both laugh ]

- Good evening. - Gentlemen.

- Monsieur. - Monsieur.

An inheritance like yours entails

obligations as well as privileges.

Obligations with regard to you, monsieur?

To me and to the colony,

in both private and public interests.

For many years, we have called on your father's good offices

for various transactions.

The most important was on the verge of completion when fate--

as soon as you've taken over the reins,

we must tie up this affair.

Time is running out.

Do you mean the war, Monsieur Bigot?

Wars are won, my young friend, and peace is paid for.

Which is the most expensive, hmm?

And let's not forget that France has her wars in Europe.

So as far as the colonies are concerned--

But-- but--

but there's one colony that France will never abandon.

I only hope God agrees with you.

Rumor has it that, instead of losing Canada,

our good King Louis will use her as currency.

Everything can be negotiated,

Monsieur le Gardeur, even a country.

[ laughs ]

Good night, François.

Go.

Man: Aha, here is the minister now.

Good day, Mr. Pitt. I always knew Mr. Franklin

as the American colonies' illustrious representative.

I had no idea he was a remarkable inventor too.

You can see both near and far with them. Ingenious, eh?

I was just pointing out to the general

how I find what I see extremely worrying, both near and far.

My friend is exasperated by France's scheming.

He demands annexation of Canada by Britain.

Aren't we already at war over that very issue?

Precisely, General.

And that is why we must continue the action

your army began at Acadie over the entire territory.

We must rid ourselves

of the Canadians and the savages for good.

By deporting them?

By having them swear allegiance to the crown of England.

[ thunder crashing ]

[ ducks quacking ]

Shh.

[ cow mooing ]

[ speaks foreign language ]

Acoona.

[ cow moos ]

Shh.

- It's beautiful. - Thank you.

But you don't need them, madame.

Thank you.

Some days I do, some days I don't.

I had a very rejuvenating potion this morning,

as it happens.

Ahh.

Let me do something about that.

- For you. - No, I can't accept it.

Do as I say. This is my house. I'm giving the orders.

It's magnificent.

- But why? - Because I'm your friend.

And also because I want you to come to the intendant's ball.

Oh, so that's what this dress is for?

You're so naive.

No, this is for everyday wear.

Wait.

This is for you.

But I keep all the memories still clinging to it.

I thought I heard voices.

An unexpected visitor.

A little wildcat I've taken under my wing.

Oh.

You saw her at the market the other day.

Bigot's asked me to give her to him

for the intendant's ball.

Oh, you're in a hurry to leave all of a sudden.

Bigot's lucky to have such an understanding mistress.

Do you often give him presents like that?

Whenever a pretty girl catches his eye.

But she still has to be interested in his advances.

That girl has quite a strong character.

Good. He knows how to force them if they resist.

- I'm going. - Oh, I could tell you some stories.

You impressed him last night.

And you're in his good books now,

after letting him win.

[ seagulls cawing ]

[ tower bells ringing ]

Good morning, Marie Carignan.

I recognized you from a distance.

Wasn't difficult.

I wasn't expecting to see you here.

Our paths must be destined to cross.

Our paths don't cross, monsieur. They follow each other.

Did Mademoiselle de Roquebrune send you?

I wouldn't have gone there if I had known

I'd see you again today.

But if I hadn't gone, I wouldn't have seen you.

You're seeing me now. What does it change?

A lot of things.

You make me want to look further ahead than the present moment.

You're very friendly with Intendant Bigot, apparently.

Why don't you tell him to stop looting our farms and bleeding us dry?

Tell him yourself.

You've been invited to the palace, haven't you?

A word of advice, if I may.

Don't go.

You obviously feel I don't fit in there.

You fit in Mademoiselle de Roquebrune's good books for sure.

Ever wondered why?

I'll ask her myself when I'll see her at the ball.

Please do.

Maman,

people in town say you're a witch.

They're the first ones to come to me with a toothache.

Don't look after them. That'll teach them.

It wouldn't teach them anything.

You know, evil is one disease that can't be cured.

Let's go eat.

Grandmother's waiting.

Look, over there.

Where? Oh, yes, in the undergrowth. I see him now.

My God, he's enormous. Save me, Maman!

- [ snarling ] - [ squealing ]

Welcome!

- Hi, Grandma. - My dear.

Look, I found you some sarsaparilla roots.

Oh, they're nice. Thank you.

[ rooster crowing ]

Hello, Father.

- Hi, Grandfather. - Hi.

Haven't you forgotten something?

Bread is holy, my girl. Don't you ever forget it.

Bless us, our Lord, and these, Thy fruits

that we are about to receive from Thy bounty.

Aren't you going to make the sign of the cross,

you little savage?

- Don't start all that again, Father. - [ mutters ]

You know she hasn't been baptized. And anyway,

she doesn't think the same way we do. Leave her alone.

Those savages don't have souls until they're baptized.

Go and ask the priest if you don't believe me.

Anyway, he's got nothing to be proud of,

with that dirty Negress of his.

I hardly know you now, Father.

You rant and rave about everything.

You hate the savages. You hate the Negroes.

You have no respect for anyone.

And what's worse, you think you're right about everything.

That's dangerous. Everyone in this house is miserable.

Do you really want to isolate yourself?

Because you are doing just that.

- [ pigs squealing ] - [ men shouting ]

We go through this farce every year.

You accuse us of robbing you, but how do you expect us

to feed the army defending you from the English?

We know all about your scheming, Lavigueur.

You auctioned off my sow instead of feeding the army.

I know. My brother was at the sale and he recognized her.

You should know that all sows look alike.

Same as assholes, Sergeant.

Except that some are shittier than others.

Don't let him get away!

Hello, Monsieur le Gardeur.

Hello, Marie-Loup.

Hello.

[ speaking Latin ]

Shame on you, Basile Lavigueur!

- Good Lord, he's really cured. - If you don't want to go to hell,

- go back to being a butcher. - It's a miracle.

- And stop persecuting the poor. - A witch's trickery, you mean.

I don't make the decisions, Father. I'm only following orders.

Tell the Intendant Bigot for me that the local people

have barely enough food to feed their own families.

He will end up with a revolt on his hands.

Now go. Go!

Let me through. Let me through.

- Let me through. - Go back home, all of you!

That's an order! Or else there's going to be trouble.

You're lucky you're wearing a cassock, Father.

Otherwise I'd show you what people get

for challenging the authorities.

Hey, I'm not wearing a cassock.

- [ chuckles ] - Go ahead, show me.

Very good, very good.

[ clicks tongue ]

Monsieur de Vaudreuil?

Oh, pardon. Monsieur le Gouverneur.

My name will do.

All titles are valueless in the house of the Lord

who wore only a crown of thorns.

Is there anything I can do for you?

Nouvelle-France is in grave danger, Father,

imminent danger.

You can defend Nouvelle-France.

The people here trust you.

Probably because I'm a born-and-bred Canadian,

like them.

It's both my weakness and my strength.

A few months ago you asked me

if I knew anyone you could trust.

Mm-hmm, I remember catching you off-balance.

Since then, however, I've met a brave young man

who has guts and a heart.

- Really? - Mm.

The Major General Wolfe,

who we put in charge of the army invading Canada.

America will be the center of world finance

and commerce before very long.

That's a fact, not a prediction.

What is equally certain is we can only defend our interests

by negotiating the annexation of Canada and the West Indies.

Negotiate? We cannot negotiate an annexation.

It's weakness.

Annexation is won.

The French colonies stretch as far as Louisiana.

It's an insult. [ wheezing ]

No matter. I have control

of the river Saint-Laurent.

And the ships supplying the rebels are all being intercepted.

Not one will get through, not one. [ wheezing ]

[ coughing ]

Calm down, General.

Quebec must be taken before the river freezes!

I will take Louisbourg

and, with your permission, I will take Quebec and Montreal.

If the city refuses to give in,

I will torch it and shell it 24 hours a day.

I will burn the crops upstream and downstream.

I'll destroy the farms. I will slaughter the livestock.

I will leave a trail of famine and devastation behind me!

[ wheezing ]

Excuse me. I think I need some air.

Excuse me, sir. Monsieur le Gardeur.

François le Gardeur.

Greetings.

You were recommended to me by a mutual friend--

Father Blondeau.

He sings your praises.

What do you want with me, monsieur?

I want you to go to Versailles

and talk to Madame de Pompadour.

Me? Go to Paris?

You went to university there, didn't you?

And read political sciences, what's more.

So you must know that France's foreign policy

is run by the marquise.

How can I succeed where you have failed?

An emissary is more eloquent

than letters and reports that get lost.

And what's more, it's high time

that the born-and-bred Canadians

took their destiny into their own hands.

When should I leave?

As soon as possible.

May I suggest you begin your mission

by a visit to Geneva?

- Geneva? - Ferney. It's very close.

I think I can arrange a meeting for you

with France's leading influence in the universe of ideas.

- Voltaire? - Mm-hmm.

But he's violently opposed to the Canadian cause.

Violently opposed,

but not an enemy.

He'll listen to you intelligently.

And besides, he's one of La Pompadour's protégés,

which doesn't hurt.

Come.

I see your disdain for the peasantry has its exceptions.

Like your scorn for the aristocracy.

I hear you're getting on very nicely with Gouverneur Vaudreuil.

Did you give him some beaver pelts?

That would explain it.

Laugh if you like,

but there's nothing laughable about the situation.

We must talk, Xavier.

You know I trust you. Come.

- Ooh, you are beautiful. - So are you.

Come, I'll show you around.

He recognized you and the dress too.

He won't have much difficulty separating one from the other.

Ooh, what wonderfully wide eyes.

Perfect.

He saw you with your daughter the other day.

- I told him she was your sister. - Why?

So you can play at being a pure young girl.

Nothing excites him as much as conquering virgin territory.

He's bored with colonialism.

It takes two to play. Don't count on me.

Hoity-toity. What a little miss.

I expected you to be grateful. Don't disappoint me.

You should be honored

instead of giving yourself airs and graces.

How naive I was ever to believe in your friendship, madame.

Don't be such a little idiot. You won't get very far

and you'll just make a fool of yourself.

I only want what's best for you,

once Bigot's happy, of course.

I know him. He'll handle the whole thing correctly,

so get what you can out of it.

He's capable of anything, even generosity.

I'd rather he saved his generosity for you.

I'll never let myself be treated like that.

Good. He loves being stood up to.

One word of advice, though--

don't use your nails or your teeth

if you don't want them pulled out.

He can be cruel too.

We're here to enjoy ourselves, damn it.

I've got to talk to you about Bigot

and documents I found concerning him among my father's papers.

What sort of documents?

Documents that could send him and the other conspirators

to the Bastille for a very long time.

You're risking your head, spreading slander like that.

If my word isn't enough for you, come to my house and see for yourself.

Why didn't you talk to Gouverneur Vaudreuil about it,

as you're getting along so well?

I already have.

Mind you, any illusions he might have had about Bigot vanished ages ago.

There's a very good chance that I go to Paris

on a confidential mission.

This is strictly between us.

François, you can count on my loyalty.

How could I have forgotten that the Marquis de Vaudreuil

has authority over Bigot?

Come.

You know where to take her. And make sure

she's ready for me when I get there. I'm in no mood for foreplay.

I'll do my best. But I warn you, she's rather stubborn, I'm afraid.

All the better. Truss her up

and I'll ram her. Thank you.

Lucky girl.

Pardon me. Sorry.

[ dings ]

Your attention, please.

Look. Look.

Guard, look.

[ people exclaiming ]

Woman: Wonderful.

Scissors. Scissors.

- [ laughing ] - Bravo.

[ applause ]

This is the way you thank me?

I've never been so humiliated in all my life.

Oh, I know, I should have listened to you.

No, your only mistake was not believing in my friendship.

Friendship? In exchange for what?

You're just like the rest of them.

It's all a game to you.

You really think so?

No, but I wish I did.

You probably think I have nothing to be proud about.

No.

I know I'm not important or influential, monsieur.

But I am my own person.

Oh, you're stronger than me.

Go on, make me. I don't care.

And if you kissed me first,

would you care then?

No. That would change everything.

You're bound to make me suffer sooner or later,

so we might as well get it over with.

Go there right away. Don't waste a minute.

Grab all his father's papers, the registers, bills-- everything.

Shouldn't we arrest him? He must still be around.

I don't want any scandals here. The papers first.

As for your friend, seize him when he gets back home.

I'll interrogate him myself later.

Go.

- Man: Intendant Bigot. - Yes.

I've tried so hard to stop thinking about you

ever since that day.

Love is all I long for.

But I can't give myself by half.

You're saying that to a man

who wants to give you everything.

I've been thinking about you endlessly.

Whenever I close my eyes, I see you.

When I open them,

I look for you.

What can I do to make you trust me?

Kiss me.

Still full of stars in my head.

[ horse neighs ]

Don't go any further, François.

Whoa, whoa.

Bigot's men have searched the house and left guards there.

It's a trap.

They've killed Jean-Baptiste.

What?

Stop, François. You're out of your league.

They've made off with everything--

your father's registers, the deeds-- the lot.

You've got nothing left now.

You're a nobody.

You're a dead man.

You took a risk, warning me like this. Why?

Maybe to remind myself what it's like to feel clean.

Go now. Leave.

They said you're going to pursue the affair in Paris.

You have no time to lose. Don't stay here a minute longer, I beg you.

God bless you, François.

Goodbye.

[ François' voice ] "Nothing has changed.

My plans for our life together

and my love for you are just the same.

Let's go away

and live together forever

under a kinder sky.

Meet me at sunset tomorrow at Anse-au-Foulon,

at the foot of the white cross.

Be very careful

and don't tell anyone.

I love you, Marie-Loup."

- Shh. - [ horse approaching ]

What is it?

[ speaks Latin ]

Amen.

What's wrong, my child?

I need your help.

[ Father's voice ] "My plans for our life together

and my love for you are just the same.

Let's go away and live together forever.

Meet me at sunset tomorrow at Anse-au-Foulon,

at the foot of the white cross.

I love you, Marie-Loup."

Well?

It's a letter that says farewell.

What?

It can't be.

There's a price on his head.

He says he must leave the country immediately.

But he can't go without me.

I told him I'd follow him to the ends of the earth.

You've read it wrong.

Look.

You know this word, my child.

"France."

He begs you to stay here for your daughter's sake.

He refuses to let you share

a life of--

how does he put it?

"A life of pitfalls

and dangers."

How does it finish?

Does he say he loves me?

He says you must forget him.

He doesn't want you to ruin your life for him.

All he asks--

you're not to tell anyone about this letter.

He's underlined it. Look.

He's underlined it.

Pitfalls.

[ geese honking ]

Maman!

Mom!

Maman!

Maman!

He'll come back. I know he will.

I love him. I love him so much.

How can I live without him?

What are you doing here?

Marie-Loup is being watched by the militia.

No need to tell you why.

She was afraid they'd follow her here,

so she asked me to come.

She received your letter, but she can't go with you.

She has to think of her family,

especially little France.

She begs you to not hold it against her.

No, that's impossible.

Please, Father, talk to her.

She trusts you. She told me.

Look at me, for God's sake. You know I can make her happy.

I'm sure you can, my son.

But you know Marie-Loup.

She goes her own way.

I can't make her change her mind,

nor can anyone else.

- I'm not leaving without her. - They're looking everywhere for you.

She could be in danger through your stubbornness.

The militia.

I'm unarmed.

The courageous captain can shoot me down without risk.

Don't tempt me, le Gardeur.

I'm not asking anything for myself, Xavier.

You're a man of honor. See she isn't harassed.

You're a fine one to talk about honor.

Intendant Bigot honored you with his trust,

and you're plotting against him.

Let's talk about your Bigot.

He's lining his pockets while our soldiers are being massacred

for a cause that is lost in advance.

Did you read my father's registers before you handed them over to Bigot?

I did. It's the only reason you're still alive.

You were born on this land, Xavier. So were your men.

They will live here in grinding poverty till the end of their days.

Who deserves your loyalty? Your superiors or your own people?

Save your fine speeches for your funeral.

How do you think you can resist the English

if you can't even stand up to Bigot?

Get out of here.

But I warn you, I'm not giving you a second chance.

Yah! Yah! Yah!

Tell her--

tell her I love her

despite herself and despite myself.

I love her too...

despite herself...

despite myself.

Order! [ bangs table ]

Take heart,

my friends.

Tomorrow

our brave general sets off for the New World.

Why, soldiers?

Why should we be melancholy, boys?

Why, soldiers,

whose business it is

to die?

To our glorious army

and victory.

- God bless our general. - Men: Hear, hear.

- God save the king. - God save the king!

All: God save the king.

[ men shouting ]

[ man shouting ]

Fire!

[ men continue shouting ]

Fire!

Number three, ready!

- Ready? - Number three.

Fire!

Number one ready, sir.

It's true that my weak health

has prevented me from visiting the savages in Canada.

But there is another reason.

The example of our nations fighting out there

has made those savages almost as evil as we are.

Be that as it may,

I don't need to go there to see the obvious.

What is obvious exactly?

You're talking about a country.

I see a continent.

France owns a large slice of it by treaty, I agree.

But tell me,

what is a possession worth if we can't defend it?

War is expensive. And war appalls me,

as I claim that men were made

to learn from each other, not kill each other.

The harsh truth is

that Quebec isn't worth the bones

of a single French grenadier.

You say nothing about the injustice suffered

by the Canadians in this tragedy.

Isn't it the duty of all honest men

to ensure that all injustices

are brought to the ears of all the people?

You're turning my own words against me.

Your conduct should vex me,

but I find your impertinence stimulating.

Monsieur de Vaudreuil was quite right

to suggest you meet Madame de Pompadour.

Would you like me to send her a note in your favor?

Oh, it's more than I ever expected.

God bless you, monsieur.

Don't bring Him into this.

You might pay Jean-Jacques Rousseau a visit in the meantime.

Your tales about your stay with the noble savages

will have him drooling at the mouth.

[ laughing ]

Charge it!

Man: Priming.

- Ready to fire? - Ready!

- Fire! - [ people screaming ]

Fire!

Marie-Loup.

Marie-Loup: Acoona...

[ speaking foreign language ]

Acoona!

France, come.

France: Acoona!

Come, my love. Come.

[ women sobbing ]

France: Acoona.

- Man: It's too heavy. - Acoona.

[ distant explosions ]

Talk to me. Say something.

[ grunting ]

Acoona.

[ speaking foreign language ]

Acoona.

Acoona.

[ speaking foreign language ]

What can I do to forget?

Don't even try.

If you forget her, that means she died for nothing.

I'd rather not think about her anymore.

Then it would stop hurting.

That's not the way it works.

How does it work?

You can keep Acoona alive in your heart.

That way, you can talk to her

and tell her how sad you feel.

Sometimes I feel angry with her.

You can tell her that too.

She'll understand.

I love it when we talk like this.

So do I.

When you were in my tummy,

you and I-- we were the same.

And then when you were born,

you became someone else.

Did it make you feel sad?

At first,

because I didn't know I could feel even closer to you.

Like now.

I love you so much.

To be honest, monsieur,

only yesterday I'd have lent half an ear

to Monsieur de Vaudreuil's request.

But the news I received early this morning

has thrown another light on your undertaking.

News from Canada, madame?

A defeat for our troops at the gates of Quebec

and glory for General Wolfe--

posthumous glory.

Apparently he recited a poem on the battlefield.

[ laughter ]

- You're very silent. - Yes.

I'm thinking of the people I left behind.

Waging two wars at once--

one in Europe

and the other one in America.

People in Quebec may not realize it,

but the financial situation in France

has been put under dire pressure,

with times as they are.

I'm sure it has.

I can't make head or tail of England's calculations.

They're spending more money

tearing Canada from us by force

than the colony will ever bring in.

And our spies inform us

that they're preparing another attack.

Madame, it's not too late to save Nouvelle-France.

Military reinforcements are not the only solution.

There is another way that is just as crucial.

Dismiss the crooks and the bunglers governing the colony immediately.

[ laughing ]

Eliminate the bunglers

from the positions of power.

Sheer genocide.

Seriously, monsieur, I know for a fact

that our garrison in Montreal

can hold out indefinitely

against English provocations.

The English--

for a long time I believed they were Canada's main enemies.

They're the most visible, that's for sure,

which makes them the least dangerous.

I'm very grateful to you for pointing this out to me.

My compliments, madame.

My brothers and sisters,

my friends,

the war is over.

Governor Vaudreuil has signed

the colony's surrender in Montreal.

The English have pledged their word

to respect the inhabitants' rights

to their property and their goods.

The Catholic religion may be worshipped freely

and the inhabitants can gather in churches

and receive the sacraments

with nothing to fear.

In exchange,

the mission of the clergy

is to promote good relations with the conquerors

and respect for their authority.

Nouvelle-France

is no more.

Aren't you going to bed?

I'm not sleepy.

Because of François?

Do you still talk to him?

In your heart, I mean.

No.

I've stopped talking to him.

I'm doing everything I can to forget him.

Doesn't seem to be working.

If I could go back inside your tummy

all tiny again, I would.

Then you'd never feel lonely anymore.

And we could start all over again.

[ dance music playing ]

Have we fallen out?

Why don't you come to warm my bed anymore?

Bonne Année!

Men: Happy New Year!

- Happy New Year. - Happy New Year, Maman.

He's not for us.

You don't seem to be in a party mood.

Here, something for you.

He needs looking after as well.

I don't like cats.

I know you still think of him.

You've lost your lover.

And I've lost my best friend.

He can't be alive anymore.

Otherwise we'd have heard from him.

There's no other explanation.

Let me take care of you.

Marry me.

I'll talk to your father.

Say what you have to say, Xavier Maillard.

But I warn you, the pittance you earn

pen-pushing for the English is not enough to support a family.

So if this is about my daughter,

my answer is no.

You're right.

I'm going to ask you for her hand.

But your answer will be yes.

You drink and you live a wild life.

Giving you my daughter will disgrace my name.

[ chuckling ]

Miller Carignan's reputation--

tell me about it.

Bigot and his henchmen have been thrown into the Bastille.

Did you know that?

Your name has come up in several statements

along with your associate, old le Gardeur.

It would be a real shame

if those documents started circulating in Quebec.

Right?

Times are hard,

my friend.

About her dowry--

it's not the moment to be greedy.

You're not going to marry him, are you?

Life is hard in this country.

Especially for a woman on her own.

You'll be leaving home in a few years' time.

Don't deny it. I know you will.

But I don't want to be on my own.

But you'll be on your own with him.

You frighten me sometimes.

You're growing up too fast.

Not fast enough to stop you from doing something silly.

Father Blondeau: Marie Madeleine Joseph Suzanne Carignan,

do you take Xavier Thomas Maillard

as your lawful wedded husband

and promise to love,

cherish

and obey him before God?

If you consent, say,

"I do."

Yes, I do.

[ wind whistling ]

God, you're beautiful.

I've wanted you for so long, Marie.

And you knew it.

I'm capable of loving you truly.

And you, Marie?

Are you willing to be mine forever?

If you want me,

you'll have to make me yours first.

[ sobbing ]

[ chickens clucking ]

[ yells ]

- Cheep, cheep, cheep! - [ chickens clucking ]

Cheep, cheep, cheep, cheep, cheep!

[ speaking foreign language ]

[ screeching ]

[ mouths ]

Amour, amour.

I was so afraid you'd forget me.

You made me lose count.

So the savages didn't keep you?

They can't be as stupid as they seem.

All that for the hog? It's a good price.

Except you'll take half of it off me.

I must have been drunk

when I signed that damn contract.

Keep the lot, for all I care.

You drink too much.

We can't go on like this.

We must separate.

We should never have gotten married.

I don't love you. I've never loved you.

We'll go and see the priest.

He'll understand.

Marie-Loup.

For the love of God,

what's happened?

- Don't touch me. - Oh, no.

Calm down, Marie-Loup.

- Did Maillard do that? - Surprised?

At least he didn't strike me in the back.

What do you mean? He came to see me.

He's been looking everywhere for you.

He said you've refused him his rights for months.

Yes, I have. He disgusts me.

Conjugal duty is sacred, my child.

I'm not your child.

Isn't your own sin mortal?

I've known you all my life. You've baptized me.

But you took advantage of my ignorance.

You lied to me, lied blatantly,

here in front of the altar, before God!

So he's come back.

Forgive me.

Forgiving you won't wipe out the harm you've done me.

I want a separation

and my share of the property back.

- You'll help me. - I don't have the right.

Resign yourself, Marie-Loup.

Maillard has his faults, but he is your husband.

You must obey and respect him.

Go to hell, Father!

Father Blondeau lent it to me.

I can only understand half of it,

but that doesn't matter.

Just half makes me want to fly up and away.

Does it hurt?

I'm going to tell you a secret,

a real secret.

He's come back.

François?

He's asked me to go away with him

and to bring you with us, if you like.

Why did he say that? Of course I want to.

We'll meet him tomorrow.

Don't tell anyone, not even Grandma.

And pack your things. We won't be back for a long time.

What about Xavier? Won't he stop us?

François will cut through the woods.

We'll wait for him at L'Anse-aux-Rochers.

Whoa, whoa.

Well, we'll wait for him here.

[ horse neighing ]

You'll never have the Carignan girl.

[ screaming ]

The wolves are all you're good for now.

You're dead meat!

[ horse neighs ]

- [ chickens clucking ] - [ fly buzzing ]

[ Xavier groaning ]

Leave, now.

If you ever come back, I'll kill you.

You'll never see your handsome lover again.

- Cuckold's honor. - What did you say?

You heard me.

- Leave. - Go away! Go away!

Filthy little brat.

I hate you both.

You'll pay for this.

- [ man chanting ] - [ kids chattering ]

- [ man chanting ] - [ bones clattering ]

Marie-Loup?

It's me-- Mélodie.

[ pigs squealing ]

[ screams ]

So...

he was found dead in the stable...

with head wounds.

Blows from the horse's hooves, maybe.

- You weren't there? - No.

Maillard was blind drunk yesterday.

You can see the result.

I was scared that he'd start again,

so I came to spend the night here with my daughter.

I found this in your house.

I couldn't ask for your permission, as you weren't there.

It's his hair.

It looks like it.

But if your husband died in the stable,

who brought this into the house?

That's what I'd like to know.

Mm-hmm.

If it's not inconvenient for you, Monsieur Carignan,

I'll have the body brought here for the wake.

I've put her to bed. We've got to do something.

The children have been shouting terrible things at her.

They even threw stones at her.

Mélodie.

Can you do me a favor?

Anything you like.

Go and get my aunt at the hospice--

the nun. You know her. Tell her I need her.

It's urgent.

Don't worry.

[ thunder rumbling ]

They say you slept with the devil to have me.

And that's just a start.

People are so cruel.

I love you.

[ singing in foreign language ]

[ rain pattering ]

- Thank you. - Anytime.

Come, my angel.

You'll be fine. You'll see.

My poor child.

We've got to think about you now.

There are prayers against wickedness,

but I don't know any against stupidity.

They've turned on me as if I was a stranger.

- But I'm one of them. - Oh, no, you're not.

You're from very different stock.

[ breathing heavily ]

They've accused your father of killing your husband.

We've got to do something.

You have no right to do this.

He didn't do anything. It was an accident.

Are you Marie, the late Xavier Maillard's widow?

You are charged with aiding and abetting your late husband's murder.

Carry on.

Make him see sense.

Just because you're wearing their uniform,

it doesn't mean you're not one of us.

No, no, no.

No, no.

No.

I saw them leaving the mill at sunup.

Whom did you see leaving?

Him, with her,

even though they were hurrying so no one would see them.

You saw them leave together.

Then what?

I saw them come back

right after they'd done their dirty work.

Did you see the accused carrying out what you call their dirty work?

How could I? I was in the mill.

The jury will disregard

that last declaration of the witness.

Mademoiselle Grandjean, can you give us any facts

to prove that the defendants

intended to harm Monsieur Maillard?

Harm him? They wanted to do him in.

The day before, Marie-Loup came around,

whining that her husband had beaten her up.

I heard him with my own eyes.

[ laughter ]

We got on all right.

I'm talking about an intimate relationship.

The groom, Dieudonné, says in his statement

that he saw you,

and these are his exact words:

"Do the beast with two backs in the barn with Monsieur Maillard."

It was just to help him.

He-- he thought he couldn't do it anymore

because the witch had cast a spell on his private parts.

The witch? What witch?

Over there.

The she-devil.

That's how she does it.

She stares at us with those white eyes of hers.

No. No.

Stop her.

Don't-- don't let her.

She sets my blood boiling!

[ crowd exclaiming ]

Good God.

Thank you.

What for?

You asked to see me.

I came with the secret hope

that you'd forgiven me.

Hope?

I have no more hope.

I'm ready to hear your confession.

Well, I'm not ready to confess.

It was an excuse to get you here.

Can I ask you to give this to the mother superior at the home?

It's for my daughter.

Nobody knows she's there.

You know how sensitive she is.

She must be kept away from all these horrors.

Confession is not the most important thing.

You just have to say you are sorry from your heart

and I can give you your absolution.

You think I've killed him too.

That's not for me to say, thank God.

But why does your father refuse to speak?

His testimony could change everything.

If only you could make him see sense.

What does it mean-- "make him see sense"?

The less he says, the better.

I'd rather he stay stubborn as a mule.

I don't understand you, Marie-Loup.

Good.

Is that a prayer book, France?

Yes, Aunt.

Ah.

Read me one, then.

"She was from a world where the greatest beauty

has the harshest destiny.

She was a rose, living like a rose,

for a brief morning."

That's not really a prayer.

Yes, Aunt.

When God hears that, it makes Him think.

He's not the only one.

Here, it's for you.

They claim that the victim's wounds

were caused when his horse trampled on him.

It's possible, but highly unlikely.

In my opinion, the wounds were caused

by a sharp instrument.

An ax, for instance.

[ crowd murmuring ]

François.

This is incredible.

I thought you were dead.

And you could be too, if your face is anything to go by.

I don't want to bother you,

but to be quite honest,

I don't know anyone in Quebec now.

Can you help me?

- You still love her? - Yes.

I still love her, yes.

Have you asked to see the judge?

Do you think he'd receive me?

I need someone to speak for me.

I know someone who could influence the court.

- Who? - Governor Murray.

But we must take you in hand first, and we'll have to move fast.

You don't have much time left to help her.

We can't hear you. Speak louder.

She came in

and woke me up at dawn.

She said something bad had happened.

She wanted me to go and see.

You went to her house with her?

We went to see Maillard

in the stables.

He was dead, I'm sure of it,

but not cold.

And what did you do next?

We went back to the mill.

Marie-Loup was afraid

people would think she'd killed him.

So...

she asked me to--

What? Speak louder, please.

Did your daughter lead you to believe

that she was responsible for the death of her husband?

I can't say.

I asked her,

"What really happened?"

And she said,

"He had it coming.

He got what he deserved."

One can never be too careful.

I understand you wanted to shed some light on a certain case.

Yes.

It's about Marie Carignan.

The woman is innocent.

Innocent?

Isn't that rather a contradiction in terms?

This will surprise you, but, contrary to popular opinion,

I don't believe the defendant is guilty.

And you're right. Maillard and a man called Lavigueur

ambushed me in the woods behind the mill.

I fought back and I left Lavigueur's body there

with my dagger in his belly.

I wounded Maillard, but he got away.

So I followed him and I finished him off in his stable.

You see?

Why wasn't the judge informed?

I've always wanted to know who this dagger belonged to.

Thank you.

Been looking for a reason to get you out of Quebec

and now you've served me one up on a plate.

You deserve to go to the gallows

with the wretch you're willing to sacrifice everything for.

A short spell in Salières penal colony

will help you think straight and forget her.

What happens to me

doesn't matter.

You're a gentleman, Governor Murray.

You can't hang a woman when you know she's innocent.

We brought peace to this colony when we got rid of the French.

We have the clergy to thank for the large part of it.

For reasons I don't know, the Episcopal authorities are favorable

to the witch being condemned.

The life of an illiterate little Canadian girl

is a negligible price to pay for the church's wholehearted collaboration

with the state policies, wouldn't you say?

Take him down!

Judge: Guilty of the charge of murder.

Therefore the court sentences her

to be locked in an iron cage

and hung by the neck

at the close of day until she dies.

- [ murmuring ] - Silence in the court!

Does the accused have anything to say?

Yes, Your Honor.

My father spoke the truth.

I killed my husband Xavier Maillard

to put an end to his brutality.

May justice be done.

[ gavel strikes ]

Maman.

Why do you care so much?

This little peasant means nothing to you.

She has three days left to live.

She's confessed to her crime.

She only confessed after she's been tried and found guilty.

What did she have to gain by it?

Why break a silence that leaves room for doubt?

Feminine logic has never been one of my strong points, madam.

Nevertheless, I've disliked this trial from the start.

I'm in a hurry to turn the page.

Does that mean--?

Three minutes to say goodbye. That's two minutes too many.

Put them down on my account, will you?

[ crowd shouting ]

Maman.

Maman.

Maman!

Maman!

Maman! Maman! Non, Maman!

- Darling, come here. - No, no, no! Maman!

I beg you, Marie-Loup.

You'll die in a state of mortal sin.

For the love of God,

my child, confess.

I can't.

I can't.

[ sobbing ]

Father Blondeau: Why did she refuse

absolution?

Why?

But she's not here.

And

no one can answer

in her place.

No one.

I can.

Make one sound

and I'll kill you.

Maman! Maman!

So it was you,

my poor child.

Now I can die

knowing the truth.

Your mother

protected you

all the way to the gallows.

Pray to God to save

a little place for me

up there

at her side.

[ François' voice ] Marie,

I hear your voice in the whisper of the wind,

the murmur of the river

and the song of the birds.

You're in my heart forever.

The wonder will never fade.

Did you say something, Father?

No, nothing.

I talk to her too,

every day the good Lord gives us.

[ slow song playing ]

[ woman singing in French ]

[ instrumental music playing ]