A Very Long Engagement Page #3

I'm looking for Tina Lombardi.

l knew her when she was little...

Ladies, l'm Tina Lombardi's uncle

and l'd like to know...

Excuse me...

l look after

the Lombardi family's interests

and I'm looking for Tina.

She's come into some money.

You're the one

looking for Tina Lombardi?

Well, actually...

Ever been to Corsica?

Very pretty, very picturesque.

But Tina's walking the street

somewhere else.

Luckily,

a highly-placed member of the Police

picked up her trail in Bar-Le-Duc.

Valentina Emilia Maria Lombardi,

aka Tina,

was registered in 1916

near the 23rd regiment's camp

of Marseilles.

Since the Armistice,

the chick has flown the coop!

I've lost her trail,

but I've been busy.

She's disappeared into thin air.

So, you're giving up.

Not at all.

Pire never admits defeat.

Pire is stubborn.

Pire's peer doesn't exist.

Perfect! Thank you.

Just a little bit.

Not my eyes.

Careful with that!

What can l get you?

This is my fianc.

And him,

the carpenter...

l think you know him.

My throat's dry.

- "Good glass of wine..."

- "Keeps the doctor in line."

My great-aunt's motto.

Died in 1911 in Besanon,

she was 99.

Never sick a day...

Good luck.

Touch wood.

The war?

A hyena in the Botanical Gardens.

I was showing off, stroking it.

Bastoche and Biscuit made this.

Biscuit?

His best friend. They met in 1910

during the floods,

saving a lady's life.

Bastoche was talented

but Biscuit... a genius.

A magician with a chisel!

He pegged all the articulations.

This is for you.

"Louis,

tell Vro I'm thinking of her.

"Shame she won't talk to me.

"Saw Biscuit, we patched things up.

"Adieu, my friend. Bastoche."

To patch things up means

they'd argued. You know why?

A mystery.

They went through hell together,

the Marne, the Wovre, the Somme...

Then one day, and who knows why,

they stopped talking.

Biscuit was transferred.

He died

in a military hospital bombing.

I'm glad they finally

patched things up.

They won't be queuing up outside,

today.

Pour me one?

She's thirsty!

A wooden hand, a heart of gold.

To love.

True love!

But who was Vro?

Vronique Passavant.

His regular, his woman.

They often came in together.

Why would they have argued?

He may have strayed

and she wouldn't forgive him.

There you go. '17, this way.

What exactly are the red files?

Secret defence.

You need a mandate

from someone high up.

Of course, they're upstairs!

Go and help him.

Let's say

you were someone high up...

then you could give us the mandate.

lf l thought like that,

l wouldn't be an officer.

Consider yourself lucky

you've been allowed in.

It usually takes months.

lt looks tidy

but it's really a mess.

So, the Somme...

The Bouchavesnes sector,

trench 1 08.

What a state...

Look at this. Appalling!

May l help?

Thank you for replying favourably

to the General...

We're very good friends.

Bouchavesnes...

two friends of mine died there.

Dreadful,

the battles in that trench...

Paris wasn't much better.

Couldn't even find a taxi

after the opera.

So l heard!

We'd like information on trench 108.

Posting slips, trenches 104, 105.

Trench 107. Where's 106?

Trench 108.

How annoying,

it's written on both sides!

Trench 108.

"Dug by the Germans,

taken by us in 1916 and renamed

"Bingo Crpuscule."

Why not Yippee doodle-doo?

"January 6th, nothing to report.

"The 7th, heavy combat with losses.

"Killed in action:

Capt. Favourier, history teacher.

"Lt Benot Estrangin,

insurance agent.

"Corporal..."

Strange.

Certain losses

are filed confidential.

Confidential? You mean...

Sorry.

Can't you...

Sorry, we can't look any further.

Not even the General.

Please.

Thank you for the time you've taken.

You're welcome.

Nothing here of interest.

Posting slips, commissary bills.

The routine.

I assumed as much.

lt was to be expected.

You've gone too far!

l do hope this paper

wasn't filed secret defence!

You must tell me if it's important.

lt's nothing.

Just a leave.

From the President?

That's right.

President Poincar

sometimes granted a leave

to a deserving soldier.

End of story!

I'll see you out.

Corporal Bouquet Klber...

Corporal Gaignard Francis...

Private Notre Dame Benot...

Private Bassignano Angel...

Private Langonnet Manech...

For self-mutilation,

you are sentenced to death.

lf, before the count of 7,

the train hasn't entered the tunnel,

or the ticket inspector hasn't come,

Manech is dead!

1, 2, 3,

4, 5, 6...

Ticket, please!

April fool!

When the newspaper strike is over,

we can place your ad.

"Reward for information concerning

Bingo Crpuscule."

Encouraging her

won't bring back her appetite.

Take her to the Quimper Fair.

What for?

A change of scenery.

You might meet a nice boy.

What for?

To get married and have children.

Tell her!

Can you pour me one?

You drink now?

"Glass of wine

keeps the doctor in line."

Where's that from?

Dead-Hand barman

with a wooden hand.

His aunt's motto. Died at a hundred,

in Besanon, 1911.

Repeat that?

In Besanon, in 1911,

a 99 year-old lady left behind

a wooden-handed nephew,

owner of the Dead-Hand bar,

in Golden Hand St,

to whom she often said

what Sylvain just asked me.

She's already drunk!

Look!

An albatross is stubborn.

He knows he can outlast the wind.

Hey, my gravel!

My gravel!

Vronique Passavant,

17th of July, 1920.

l'm writing from Little Louis' bar.

He told me about you.

l must tell you about an encounter

which left me quite shaken up.

l headed for Bastoche's workshop.

l was feeling down.

I want to talk to Bastoche.

Bastoche?

He died. At the Front in the Somme.

Didn't you know?

l know something else.

What?

From the hospital,

where l care for dying syphilitics,

a patient sends you this.

If you don't want to die, covered

with oozing sores, answer me!

The comrade hiding

with your Bastoche...

Tell me...

tell me he's Corsican.

l was already traumatized by nuns

when l was little!

Tina Lombardi

knows something we don't.

What?

The Lombardi girl...

she knows something we don't.

That would prove

Bastoche had escaped.

With another condemned prisoner.

That hussy obviously thinks

it's her Angel.

But if Bastoche had escaped,

he'd have looked out for Manech.

If he escaped...

Give me that.

With "ifs",

a flea could carry an elephant.

Maybe.

But without "ifs",

might as well hang myself.

Thanks to you, l spend my time

picking gravel out of the lawn!

When I see gravel, I make it a point

of arriving in style.

For the Miss.

Leprince Hardware,

Paris, 25th of July, 1920.

Sunday lends itself to writing.

l'm replying regarding

Clestin Poux and other survivors

from Bingo Crpuscule.

l knew the fellow.

The smartest thief l ever met.

Thanks to him,

l never went without!

Olivier Nergeton,

Animated Toys.

Clestin Poux was our salvation,

aka the Mess Hall Marauder

or Justa Bit More.

He falsified losses,

making up numbers

to give double rations.

lf you should see him,

tell him we'll never forget him.

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