Bel Ami Page #2

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My money,

to spend on me,

on something I want.

What are you reading?

It's a letter from my father.

Every week he puts on his best suit

and goes to the priest

and the priest writes a letter for him.

And every week it's the same thing.

Your mother sends her blessings.

The pigs have diarrhoea.

- When are you getting married?

- Ooh!

- My father's a peasant.

- Mmm.

He's never left his village.

And he's asking me for money.

I'd like to see where you grew up.

I'd like to see you there.

Promise me something.

- Don't bring your other women here.

- Ha!

I don't have other women.

All men have other women.

Not me.

Honestly?

Don't lie to me.

Honestly and truly.

Champagne!

Hello.

I was talking to your friend here.

Georges?

I think you've mistaken me

for somebody else.

So, I see.

Not so friendly after all, are we?

Now that you're not looking for

a cheap f***.

Clo!

Don't you dare touch me!

It was before I knew you.

Clotilde!

All you had to do

was say hello to me.

Who are you to speak to me?

Who am I?

Beggar.

- Rival?

- Yes.

No.

You still owe me 40.

I need to eat, too.

Why don't you try earning it?

Diary Of A Cavalry Officer.

Whatever happened to that?

Perhaps you can get my wife to write it.

Perhaps you think you can

draw your salary

and she will do your job for you.

Now, I...

I brought you into my home,

I fed you, I clothed you,

and how do you repay me?

By learning to play cup and ball.

I mean, my...

If you'll shut up, I'll write it now.

You will, will you?

There you are, Forestier.

Did you really write this?

Yes.

You write like an errand boy.

Rousset shall see this.

Forestier.

Forestier!

Pompous idiot.

He can talk.

Couldn't even write his own name

without his wife to spell it for him.

You know what they say about her.

What?

You know. Vaudrec.

You shut your mouth.

You don't know her.

Monsieur Rousset regrets to inform you

that your services are

no longer required.

Pack up and get out.

You're on your own, Duroy.

There's no women to help you here.

Madame Rousset.

I hope you'll forgive me for intruding.

Monsieur Duroy.

I wanted to make a gift to you

of these pears

I received from my parents' orchard

in Normandy today.

Oh. How very kind.

Would you care to join us?

I would. Thank you.

Will you eat a pear, Madame Rousset?

Well, Um.

Yes, I think I might.

Head of Gossip.

Head of Gossip?

Ah, Duroy.

You remember my wife.

Monsieur Duroy.

Now, do you remember

Madame de Marelle?

Of course.

Well, Bel ami.

Don't you have a smile

for your old friend?

Let's go into dinner, ladies.

We have pages and pages

of gossip for you.

Madame Forestier.

Bel ami. Ha!

I thought you'd forgotten me.

Impossible.

I missed you so much.

Why didn't you come to me?

I thought you didn't want me anymore.

I always want you.

I must go.

My husband

will be wondering where I am.

My other husband.

Your rich husband.

The father of my daughter.

Will you lace me up?

Don't forget to tie a double bow.

- Like your husband does it?

- Mmm.

Poor Charles.

He won't live to see another spring.

Madeleine has taken him to the sea,

but it won't help.

Poor thing.

She won't be a widow for long.

Thank you for coming.

You're the only one.

How is he?

I brought him to Cannes

to make him better.

But I'll bury him here.

They're my favourite. Thank you.

You've come to see me die.

No. I've just come to escape the city.

Because I'm going to live.

Yes.

I am.

I'm going to live.

Help me.

I want to go for a drive!

You're not strong enough.

Help

I want you to listen

to what I have to say

and try to understand.

Don't be angry.

I only want you to know that

with one word you can make me happy.

You can make me your friend,

your brother,

or you can make me your husband.

My heart and my body are yours.

You have to understand,

I am not like other women.

Marriage to me is partnership,

a contract between equals.

I will not accept authority, jealousy,

or questioning my conduct.

I insist on being free.

Of course.

You must give it more thought.

It is an important decision for us both.

Clo.

Just tell me.

Tell me quickly.

I'm getting married.

Oh.

Of course you must.

Who is she?

Madeleine Forestier.

Oh.

Well,

you've chosen exactly

the woman you need.

Yes.

And you love her?

Clo.

No, no. I'll be fine.

"The government insists

that it has abandoned

"its designs on Morocco. "

No, no, better.

"The government insists it has listened

to the will of its people

"and abandoned its designs on Morocco. "

Shh.

Look, Georges, the papers.

This is so boring.

This endless to and fro.

- They say this, we say that.

- Yes, you're right.

It's as stale as old bread.

Wasn't there a deputy?

Who was it? I know it's here somewhere.

He bet his moustache

the government was lying.

Sarrazin.

We should give Sarrazin's moustache

a column of its own.

Georges,

it's brilliant.

That is brilliant.

Rousset will love it.

I've been thinking.

The Political Editor of

a leading newspaper

should have a more memorable name.

Something...

a bit grand.

Where were your parents from?

My parents are from Canteleu.

You remember?

We didn't have our honeymoon there.

Georges...

Duroy de Canteleu.

No. It's not quite right.

Duroy de Cantel.

Madeleine, I'm from Canteleu.

I prefer that.

No, no, no. Listen.

Georges Duroy de Cantel.

Say it again.

Georges Duroy de Cantel.

Madame Duroy de Cantel.

Sarrazin's moustache.

This is exactly what we need.

Originality of thought. Print!

Sit.

They're for my wife.

Georges.

Oh!

Thank you.

You know how love them.

One can never have too many.

The Comte was just leaving.

Not for my sake, I hope.

No, no. I have business to attend to.

Thank you, Paul. Thank you.

And give my regards to your wife.

I wish her better health.

You are too kind,

Monsieur le comte.

That'll be all.

What did he want?

It's Tuesday.

He always comes on Tuesday.

And when are your politicians arriving?

Ah!

In half an hour.

Half an hour!

Yes.

In half an hour.

- Now, I've invited Laroche.

- Uh-huh.

You must pay special attention to him.

He's going to be foreign minister

one day, I promise.

Georges.

We are going to bring

this government down with one word.

I want the word on the front page

of every newspaper.

I want it on every wall

and every shop window.

I want every man,

woman, and child, to know

that this government is lying.

Forestier can dig something up.

What's that?

What?

You just called me Forestier.

Oh, force of habit.

Don't be offended.

It's an easy mistake to make.

How do you mean?

And we should look into

troop movements.

Logistics.

Yes.

Laroche, you can help us here.

I know a couple of officers

who are sympathetic to our cause.

You can talk to, uh...

Laroche will tell you what to write.

Look at these exports to Algiers.

Why have we gone from shipping

hundreds of tons of grain here to...

Look, look.

Thousands of tons here.

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