Cousin Bette Page #5

- Quack.

[Jenny giggling]

- Jenny, how could you!

- How could I what?

He's practically a dwarf.

Listen... have you got 600,000

for a new house and furniture?

Can you pay me

30,000 francs a year?

Oh, you're crying.

The empire is dying.

[Laughing]

I salute the empire.

Oh... just look how seriously

you take the thing.

Goodness knows, you ought to be

thankful. I'd have ruined you.

You've spent thousands already,

and everyone in Paris knows

you haven't any money.

I have money! I have money.

Please, I have money.

I love you.

Please don't leave me.

Send in Monsieur Crevel

on your way out.

Naturally, Mariette, who has

served us since she was a child,

will stay on,

as will the gardener Bertron.

The rest of you

will have references.

So... to bring this

painful matter to a close,

let me express my regrets...

and pay a small amount,

on account, to each of you.

Mademoiselle Olivier.

- Ah... here is my father!

- Hector! Dear!

HORTENSE:
He'll know what to do.

BETTE:
What happened?

And only last week, a new pair

of boots and a green velvet...

Stop. My dear, creatures like

that don't know what love is.

- Oh, Cousin...

- You're lucky to be rid of her.

And there is your honor

to think of.

My honor?

You're the Baron

Hector Pierre Hulot.

Yes?

Well, you can't let

such an affront pass.

- N-No.

- You must have satisfaction.

Yes.

Yes! I must have satisfaction

from that... that... businessman!

My pistols!

- One!

- Crevel's as good as dead.

He's never held a pistol before.

- Two!

- We could all be in danger.

- Three!

- Why won't you discuss it?

MAN:
Four!

BARON:
You have dishonored me.

- Five!

- And stolen my little songbird.

- Six!

- But...

MAN:
Seven!

CREVEL:
Baron, please!

- Eight!

- I'm half your size!

- Nine!

- There must be another...

Ten! Turn... and fire!

Hector! I'm sorry. I'm so sorry!

BARON:
My knee! My knee!

My friend! What have I done?

Cesar, my friend.

My dear friend.

- Who would like to be first?

- Hector.

[Booing and jeering]

[Applause]

Thank you, Mayor Crevel,

for those kind words.

This is a glorious day.

A day that represents a double

honor for the Hulot family.

Firstly,

the courage of my uncle,

General Pierre Hulot

de Forzheim...

his lifetime of service

to the Emperor Napoleon...

and to our country as a soldier

in the grand army of France.

And this historic occasion

also marks the debut...

of my brilliant and talented

son-in-law...

Count Wenceslas Steinbach.

We have all waited with keen

anticipation for this moment.

And so, without further ado...

Marvelous.

Marvelous!

[Crowd outside gate booing]

After all I've done for you!

Practically bankrupted me

with this studio... for these!

"'A poor piece of work."'

"'Decorative."'

What have you been doing

in here?

An artist can't always

please the rabble.

Rabble?! Rabble?!

These are the opinions

of the critics!

Blockheads. Ignoramuses.

Oh, shut up!

Shut up, or I'll have you

thrown in jail.

You've humiliated me, ruined me!

You must pay back the

commission... every penny of it.

Listen to this.

"'Steinbach should give up

large-scale sculptures...

"'and concentrate

on romantic groups,

"'small figures, jewelry."'

Jewelry!

I'm going to the ministry.

I'll make a personal apology...

and assure my colleagues that

all the money will be repaid.

It's all right. We'll simply

return the commission.

- It's gone.

- Gone?

What do you mean?

Well, surely it's not gone.

You can't have spent 200,000

francs in less than a year!

How do you think

we've been living so well?

If by living well

you mean your imported marble,

your restaurants,

your entertaining,

your flashy wardrobe...

So now it's my fault. I see.

In all this time, I've bought

a baby's pram and a new parasol.

WENCESLAS:
Congratulations.

Perhaps we should announce it

in the paper.

Perhaps you'll find

a few sympathetic readers.

Well, let me make myself

perfectly clear.

If anyone thinks I'll take

responsibility for his debts,

they are mistaken.

I'm already up to my nostrils

in debt because of Father.

I won't be left holding the bag!

WENCESLAS:
I'm sick of it...

...of you, of your family,

of that endlessly crying baby!

You're mean and cruel!

If you're so holy, why don't

you go out and get the money?

- All right. I will.

- Ha!

You want me to get the money?

Because I can get it.

- Do you hear me? I can get it!

- That's a joke!

Artists should never marry.

I know someone

who'll loan you the money.

Oh, what imbecile

would lend me money now?

Someone who has

a special interest in art.

You must come

and meet her personally.

- Her?

- Jenny Cadine.

The baron's mistress?

Hortense would never agree.

Then you must go

without her knowing.

What else can you do?

But listen, Wenceslas,

I love you both too much...

not to warn you of the danger.

If you go, you must hold fast

to your heart.

The woman is a demon.

And I would never

forgive myself...

if you were unfaithful

to my niece.

CREVEL:
Madame!

HORTENSE:
Good morning.

Thank you for coming

at such short notice.

Fair lady, at your service.

My dear, kind Monsieur Crevel...

I've asked you here for a matter

of the greatest importance.

I've thought long and hard

about your offer.

- My offer?

- 200,000 for a glimpse.

- That was a year ago.

- I'm ready.

- But why now?

- Do not ask for explanations.

Only do this one thing for me.

You can be sure there is nothing

my gratitude will withhold.

- One thing?

- Well, give me... give...

No, do not give, but lend.

Lend to the one whom you once

called your little butterfly.

I need 200,000 francs.

Ah. I see.

Get up, my dear.

You need only ask. The daughter

of my dearest friend,

you'll be denied nothing.

You'll have your money

within the hour.

Oh... thank you. Thank you!

BETTE:
Monsieur Crevel,

thank God I've caught you.

CREVEL:
Mademoiselle Fisher,

what is it? Good heavens!

- Hortense told me everything.

- She did?

- Your life is in danger.

- It is?

There... across the street

behind the lamp.

- What?

- Count Steinbach.

- There?

- He knows about you.

- He's in a rage.

- Surely, if I explain...

You know these aristocrats

with their points of honor.

- Yes.

- Go back into the bank.

I'll deal with Wenceslas.

But what about Hortense?

I promised her.

Give me the money...

without him seeing.

And you'll give it to Hortense?

Of course. Brilliant.

[Chorus singing]

[Singing] The eulogy is droning,

you see a reddish glow

You hear a dreadful groaning,

and down the hatch you go

[Chorus singing]

[Cheering and applause]

I look good enough to eat.

My dear, this is my cousin,

Count Wenceslas Steinbach.

Yes, I recognize

Count Steinbach.

I had the pleasure of being

present at your wedding.

How good of you to come.

JENNY:
As I see the composition,

Samson has awakened

with his hair shorn.

Delilah is on her knees,

Iooking adoringly

at the man she has destroyed.

It is her power

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