Diabolique Page #3

start unpacking

We'll manage. We're late already,

aren't we?

That's done it

On the count oftwo...

l'll start up

You've been a great help,

Monsieur Herboux

Here's a little something for the road.

Mind the holiday traffic

There'll be gendarmes everywhere

-We made it this time

-Sooner or later...

lt can only end one way.

We're monstrous

You can say that again about him;

the rest l'll keep for Sunday School

-Everyone else is sold out

-Not surprising with this traffic

Come along, l'll get your change

-Are you going to Tours?

-No

Couldn't you help?

The bus driver wouldn't let me on

He's anti-militarist, like me

We've no room

A private doesn't take up much room

lf l'm not back in time for muster,

it's the cells for me

Go away, you're drunk

Listen, l asked you politely

Just for that, l'm going

to get into the back

Don't you dare. Will you get out?

lt's all right, l know him.

He's drunk, but harmless

Aren't you ashamed, Robert?

Out, or l'll throw you out

The dirty beast!

l'll mop that up for you

Never mind, we're in a hurry

The nylon tore

-Sounded like the Headmaster

-So he's turned up, has he?

ls all that noise wise?

lt's Michel's signal; ifwe just ring,

Plantiveau won't open up

-He sleeps like a log

-l'll wake him

l thought it was the Headmaster

ls he away?

How should l know?

-You look tired

-ls that so surprising?

Sorry we woke you. Good night

We don't need spotlights for our scene

Or music

The lavatories

Pasquel... he goes every night

He might look out

Can you see him?

No, the water's too dirty,

or it's too far away

There's nothing to see

Why stay there? We don't find him

lt stinks in here

-The Head's not back

-He's out chasing skirt

-Aren't two birds enough for him?

-l'll have heaps when l grow up

Just like Napolon and Louis XlV

-Think you're Napolon?

-Me? l'm Hawkeye

-Stop playing the goat, Moinet

-l'm not a goat, l'm a redskin

Take twenty lines: "My foolish remarks

rouse my fellows to hilarity"

What's this l hear? The Head absent?

Yes... three meals

with undoctored wine

Where can he be?

l saw him at eight a.m. two days ago;

by midday, he was gone

And hasn't reappeared?

How strange; that isn't like him

Poor Madame Delassalle

had problems enough

lfshe feels like me, he can stay where

he is. But he'll be back soon enough

So will our watered wine

You'd think he was not seeing it

on purpose

The body sank

-Will it come up?

-l'm sure of it

-How soon?

-Who knows? Tonight, tomorrow

l can'tjust wait

We can't have the pool emptied

Why not, ifthe water's dirty?

With what's in there?

l'll take the responsibility

You're being childish

This is hopeless: no marks

You're so calm...

l've marked this wrongly

-Rub it out

-l haven't a rubber

All right, l'll have it emptied

tomorrow

l hope we won't regret it

Don't bite your nails

That's what l've been waiting for

-Don't look

-Do something... you promised

Give me your keys;

we'll get things going

You'd better get the vaulting pole

Here, Soudieu...

...let's see how fast you can run

Not much good at throwing,

are you, Mademoiselle?

lt's lucky l'm a champion frogman

-l forbid it

-He's a champion

-He's taking his time

-Maybe he's drowning

l saw this shining

The Head's lighter? No keys?

lt's dark down there

Get dressed before you catch cold

l think we'll have to empty the pool

That's right

Send Plantiveau to me

The bell's gone; offyou go

-lt's deep where you are

-l can swim

lt's swimmers who drown;

non-swimmers keep away

l want the pool cleaned

Now? l'm not dressed for it;

l was going to the barber's

lt's urgent. Do it for me, Plantiveau

Very well, but it takes an hour

just to drain

Behave yourselves; she's upset

Why are you staring at me?

Now we'll continue with the problem

about the hexagon

l'm waiting

Get out your exercise books

l'll be right back

lt's impossible;

l must have been mistaken

You weren't mistaken

-He's not there any more?

-No, he's not

The doctor

lt's the void, the empty pool

Agoraphobia... makes you dizzy

Nature abhors a void

Better a full bottle; right, Plantiveau?

ls the Headmistress feeling better?

Doctor Loisy's with her

Prep for her class, Monsieur Raymond;

keep an eye on mine, Monsieur Drain

Madame Delassalle may need me

She's giving the orders, you notice

Wear and tear:
comes to all of us

Where's her husband?

He'd better hurry back

Meanwhile, no excitement;

keep her very quiet

Do you think a specialist...

l'll call Bridoux, ifyou like

Not young, but a good man.

Keeps a good table, too

You can give her digitalis

-The doctor said...

-l don't care. Close the shutters. Go

Oh no, that's too easy

Do you think a bodyjust walks away?

Someone moved him, and Plantiveau

says he didn't open the gate

-Why should he lie?

-l didn't say he lied

But l've searched everywhere

Attic, cellars, garden...

no body, nor signs ofdigging

The whole thing's insane

lt has been all along. lt was one

ofyour silly maths problems...

...about taps running and tanks filling,

and you turned it into a crime

That's what's insane: baths filling

and pools emptying in real life

l was mad to have listened to you

lt's the suit the Headmaster wore

these last few days

His Prince ofWales

-Who brought it?

-A dry cleaner

l don't know which one.

A delivery tricycle, it was

Conscientious lad...

made sure he had the right address

From Monsieur Delassalle, he said

"You saw Monsieur Delassalle?"

l asked

"No", he said, "l was just told

that it was urgent"

Shall l hang it up?

Leave it there

lt's his

lt's enough to drive one mad

Wait...

Did you deliver a suit

in Saint-Cloud this morning?

-What name?

-Madame Delassalle

ls something wrong?

No, but who left it?

A Prince ofWales suit

We get lots ofthose

l remember:
a thin gentleman, very

dark, with a bamboo cigarette-holder

Wait... that foolish boy forgot

to take this

lt was in the hip pocket

Eden Hotel

Room 9

Funny life your husband leads

The boy could return the key

-Do you know the hotel?

-lt's furnished apartments; very plush

First on the right, number 27

-Suppose they ask questions?

-Unlikely in this place

lt's a trap... a blackmailer

At least we'll know who he is

-What are you doing here?

-l'm looking for Monsieur Delasalle

He's never here in the daytime

When does he come in?

Who knows? His bed's never slept in

You see? No clothes, no suitcase.

Nothing

Funny sort oftenant

Have you seen him?

Never; nor has the night porter

Why all the questions?

He's my husband

Poor lady... you won't find him here

He's somewhere else

What's happening to us?

l don't know. lt makes no sense

An unpaid bill, two years old.

l can see the bailiffs in the offing

Send them half, keep them quiet

-Was he really dead?

-You should know, better than me

-What do you mean by that?

-You killed him, didn't you?

You planned the whole thing

We planned it,

and you telephoned him

l wouldn't have known

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