All This, and Heaven Too Page #11

how it had to end.

Yes.

We've both known.

Deep in our hearts, we've known

that if ever you go away, I will go too.

- No, monsieur.

- Wherever you go, I will go.

You are desperate.

Yes, I, too, am desperate.

It would be easy to do something

we will regret.

To stay here and see you go,

that I would regret.

I couldn't bear it.

To be here and have you gone,

say your name and not have you answer.

Don't leave me.

If you were to come away with me...

...what could we say

having made them right?

Even if I were to stay,

what might not happen between us?

No, I must go now, monsieur. But you...

Once before, when I was leaving,

you asked me to stay.

It was because of the four in there

you asked it.

Loving them,

we must think of their future.

Of Isabelle and Louise and Berthe,

who will be ready for marriage.

Who must not grow up disgraced

in their society...

...and their church by our doing.

None of this is their fault.

They alone are innocent, actually.

As for ourselves...

...I came into your house,

my dear friend...

...and in your unhappiness,

you reached out your hand for help...

...and in my Ioneliness, I took it.

And we have had such a friendship

as is given to very few.

But where will you go?

What will you do?

I have my work.

There are other positions, other children.

After all...

...everyone can't expect

in all this world...

...to be one singled out

to have one's heart's desire.

See, monsieur.

They wanted me to show it to you.

"Love to mademoiselle.

Isabelle, Louise, Berthe, Raynald.

Melun.

November 2nd, 1846."

I wish my name were included here.

It is.

It always will be.

Will it be any comfort to you to know

that when you're gone...

...my only happiness will be in knowing

that I'm sharing your Ioneliness?

Bless you.

Will you say goodbye

to the children for me?

If you wish.

No. I must.

But I don't know what to tell them.

Mademoiselle, did Papa like it?

Berthe, be quiet.

- Come here, darlings.

- What happened, mademoiselle?

Is anything wrong, mademoiselle?

Papa seemed so strange.

I'm afraid I have some bad news for you.

Did Papa bring it?

Is that it?

No, it's just I have to go away.

Go away?

Where?

Mademoiselle, are you ill?

You look ill.

No, I'm not ill.

It's...

My grandfather is ill.

But you never even told us

you had a grandfather.

Well, I didn't think

it concerned you, dear.

But mademoiselle,

everything that concerns you concerns us.

When must you go?

Tonight. Now.

Mademoiselle.

Mademoiselle, don't go away.

Really, you can't.

How long will you be gone?

I'm afraid, for a very long time.

Please don't cry.

Isabelle, you are the eldest.

I rely on you to look after the little ones.

Mademoiselle.

I'll write.

Is mademoiselle coming back?

I don't know, Raynald.

I hope she will.

All I can say is,

I can't wait on and on and on.

Sorry about the rent.

I never intended to be a burden to you.

And I never intended to let you. Hmp!

Month after month. I suppose there

has to be a first time for every foolishness.

- If you wish me to leave...

- Nonsense. Where would you go?

Henriette, let's be practical.

You know the fix you're in as well as I do.

A governess has one stock-in-trade.

That's her good name.

- You throw yours away.

- Surely you don't believe that.

Well, when I was young, they used to say

that people only threw stones at trees...

...that were loaded with fruit.

But I'm an old friend

and I believe you instead of gossip.

No one else will ever believe you

until you produce a letter from the duchess.

- She promised she'd send me one.

- Yes, so you've told me.

That was November. This is August.

It's a long time to believe in a promise.

I'd be only too glad to give you

a position here tutoring my students...

...but even this poor establishment

has its reputation to think of.

I've written her over and over.

I still believe she intends to send it.

Hand me such a letter

and I'll put you to work at once.

Without it, to state plain facts,

you'll never work here nor any other place.

I know.

I ought to know.

- Henriette?

- Yes.

What does Monsieur le Duc

have to say to all this?

I've never told him.

He thinks I have a position here.

What's this you say? You've let him come

here to see you with the children twice...

...and you've never even told him

about the letter from the duchess?

No.

That's why you've always asked for

the parlor instead of bringing him up here.

Because you know

that he would guess...

...that everything is not as right

as you wish to pretend.

- I'd rather not discuss it.

- Oh.

Well, you better do something about it.

Madame LeMaire...

...will it trouble you too much

if I ask for the parlor again today?

Oh.

Is the duke coming again?

Yes, I had a letter from Louise.

"Hope you are well and happy.

We miss you. Do you miss us?

Papa asks me to tell you

that on the 17th of August...

...we'll come to visit you

on our way back from Melun."

- Today is the 17th.

- So I see. Best dress and everything.

Well, use the parlor,

but this time, use it to some purpose.

- You're good to me. Really good.

- Oh, don't get sentimental. I hate it.

I must say one thing for you, Henriette.

The purse

in which you keep your courage...

...is not as empty as the purse

in which you keep your money.

Mademoiselle!

We were afraid you might not wait.

Oh, but you knew I would.

This is such a pleasure.

We had to take a later train.

We came directly from the station.

It was so sweet of you to bring them all.

You don't know how glad I am too.

How are you?

Thank you, never better.

And you, monsieur? It has been

such a long time since your last visit.

Me?

The days go by, one after the other.

Come along

and see what we've brought you.

Let us go into the parlor.

Oh, mademoiselle,

if only you cold see Melun now.

It is so beautiful there.

Monsieur le Duc?

Him, too, mademoiselle.

I've missed you.

- May I have a word?

- With me?

- Yes.

It concerns our mutual friend.

Mama told us

that we were coming home that day.

Where is Pierre?

He couldn't come.

- He wasn't feeling very well.

I would loved to have seen him.

And Raynald, roses and forget-me-nots.

Berthe, you remembered

how I love mignonette.

Yes, and ferns from the woods too.

And the fruit, mademoiselle.

Grapes and peaches.

- The very largest peaches.

Look at my basket, mademoiselle.

And these are all for you, from Melun.

The strawberries were all gone.

It was early for blackberries.

This melon isn't ripe yet.

But anyways, it's the first off the vines.

Look, mademoiselle.

How sweet of you

to remember me like this.

When are you coming back?

- We must go now. Say your goodbyes.

- But, Papa, we only just came.

It's late,

and I wish to speak to mademoiselle.

- May we come and see you soon?

- Yes. Run along.

- Raynald. Isabelle.

- Good night.

- We'll come back soon.

- Do come to see us.

Good night, mademoiselle.

Why didn't you tell me?

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