Diabolique

1

A certain morality colours...

...every portrait that is tragic...

...and renders what it depicts abhorrent

Barbey d'Aurevilly

Headmaster...

it's about time for the bell

Go ahead. l'll do the unloading

-This stuff's rotten

-You're not paying

Line up. No talking

-Delightful brats

-Roll on end ofterm

Eyes giving you trouble?

l stumbled getting up

You're very early

At four a.m. l heard raised voices

from your room

A virtuous woman does enjoy

the sunrise

You spent too long with the Jesuits

We teachers can't all get sacked

Bastard!

Thank you, my dear

How pretty

We need holidays

to cleanse our systems

l'll spend our three-day break naked.

How about you?

l'm going home to Niort

l know the place

Keeping cool, Headmistress?

lt wafts me the scent of my native land

These rainy days, l prefer

my old umbrella

ln my country you'd exchange it

for a straw sombrero,

and recline in a hammock

Was that true ofyour teacher, Jos?

Yes, sir, and he rode a horse

l'd never get used to that

l was being nice to him

lt was really a mule

Go and play, Joselito

What's up with you?

Ofcourse Michel; who else?

-Quarrelling again?

-He came in at three a.m.

How did you stand him so long?

He made me happy at first

You got your money's worth

Don't try to be nasty;

it's hard enough for us both

l may be old-fashioned,

but l'm amazed by this attitude

The lawful wife drying

the favourite's tears

l must go; l'm supervising break today

With your heart,

you should let others do the work

l've something to show you

What are you up to?

Nothing

As the boys always say

Kiss me

-Haven't you noticed?

-Still cross about that?

No kiss for hubby, Cri-Cri?

Aren't you supervising break today?

-l said not to; she isn't well

-Fresh air is just what she needs

Look at those shoes

l always tell her to buy

good, stout clod-hoppers

-Pretty things aren't for invalids

-l'm not an invalid

You know she's delicate

Arriving from Caracas, she was

Now she's a ruin

She'll bury us all;

ruins are indestructible

Go away and play

She was sniffing a little brown bottle,

and it wasn't scent

They're boozers; that's why

they're always together

-What was in the bottle?

-Whisky, stupid

Please... l don't want to talk about it

Patard, ifyou want to draw,

you can spend the holiday here

Monsieur Patard, you heard

the Headmistress; no holiday for you

l didn't mean to punish him

Then you shouldn't have made

the threat

He did an excellent

English composition

That's no excuse for defacing buildings

l'll feel no remorse

l can't... l hadn't even the courage

to divorce him

So you do still love him?

-No. You wouldn't understand

-Am l so stupid?

Divorce is a mortal sin

Carrying a knife about...

wasn't that a mortal sin?

l was mad with jealousy.

Plotting like this is different

Please yourself, but we'll never have

a better chance

Everyone will think you're in Niort

with me

-You don't believe in hell, do you?

-Not since l was seven

l do

-More fish?

-lt's not more, it's leftovers

Fry me some eggs

l've doused it in vinegar and shallots

The fish still stinks pretty high

No, thank you. l'm not hungry

Sauces are too rich for my liver

May l crave a glass ofwine,

Headmaster?

You've had two

Only one, Headmaster

Very well

-What's wrong? A bone?

-No, l told you l wasn't hungry

Swallow it

l can't get it down

Swallow it

Fish good, Monsieur Raymond?

Excellent, Headmaster

l find it... extremely nourishing

Restive, aren't they?

Silence, or no holiday!

Everyone's looking... swallow it

lt's revolting

l'm not referring to the fish, either

Get those hooligans out of here,

Monsieur Drain

What's this Bolshevism?

Eat your fish and be quiet!

l told you to get them out of here

Go and help, Monsieur Raymond

Growing boys must be properly fed

They should eat what they're given

lt's like a soup kitchen here

l do my best

Making them ill

We couldn't afford delicacies

when l was a kid

l try now, but things are so expensive

Buying cheap, you don't even get

value for your money

lt's not his money;

l pay for everything here

l pay for his women, for you, Nicole

l accept that

But l can't let him make the boys

suffer... l won't stand for that

Calm yourself, darling;

you know it's no use

l wish l could die and be rid of him

Hurry up, then. We'll arrange a nice

funeral and be well rid ofyou

The school won't notice;

l'll feel much better

Well, have fun. l've an early start;

l'm offto pack

l leave at seven a.m.

Enjoy the holiday, darling.

Good night, you

As for enjoying the holiday...

three days of honeymooning

l'll be right down

What are you doing?

Look out below!

For the Pont de Saint-Cloud bus,

raise your hands

-Will your sister be in the bathroom?

-Until ten; there's a peephole

-Give me back my fags

-l'm letting you see my sister starkers

Aren't you coming with us?

We're sharing a taxi

Money to burn, eh?

-Where's your suitcase, De Gasquet?

-lt's the chauffeur's job to carry it

Our chauffeurs aren't doing

theirjob

Enjoy your holiday, Headmaster

lsn't Madame down yet?

The ladies left

as l was ringing the bell

Madame, and Mademoiselle Horner.

l thought you knew, sir

Yes, ofcourse... l had forgotten

lt's annoying, though

One ofyou gentlemen will have to remain

in charge ofthe boys being punished

Do you mind going back... after

your trouble in Niort?

l resigned from the school, that's all

Are your parents alive?

No. l let the first floor to teachers,

a married couple

Someone's living in the house?

l've considered that. There won't be

any problem, l promise you

-You're tired; want me to drive?

-You don't know how

l couldn't afford a car

-Anyway, it stops me from thinking

-Good; save yourselffor tomorrow

-We'll never have the courage

-You don't know me

Yes, l do... very well

You couldn't kill anyone; but you must

sometimes have wished l were dead

He did, not me

"With that heart of hers, it won't be

long", he'd say. "lt'll be our place"

-That's horrible!

-Don't you believe me?

What did you say?

-You want the truth?

-lfyou're capable of it

l hardly knew you...

Don't; l'd rather not know

Mind the step

Mademoiselle Horner...

...what a pleasant surprise

We'll manage

So much luggage!

My husband grumbles

if l have more than a small case

Madame Herboux, this is my

headmistress, Madame Delassalle

Are you remembering the rent?

Forgive me; l was hoping,

in a day or two...

l was banking

on some payments l'm due

But l'll see you tonight, without fail

l'll come up for it tomorrow;

we're rather tired tonight

Madame does look poorly

Make yourselfcomfortable

lt's good to be home

Switch off; no use wasting electricity

-So soon?

-Get it over with

Saint-Cloud, please. This is 242.

Molitor 2745, please

l like to go barefoot

l use ski socks when it's cold

Go ahead

lt won't bite, won't slap you

Who is it, for God's sake?

Oh, it's you. ln Niort?

Well, congratulations

Do you think l can afford petrol

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