In Secret Page #3

Why dwell on it?

It's sad.

Come on, let's go.

I don't know how

to make Therese happy.

Isn't she happy?

I don't even know

how to tell anymore.

Just love her, Camille.

It just seemed so much easier

back in Vernon.

Just love her.

See if she comes around.

Come on, let's go.

I want to fall asleep in your arms.

I wish that could happen.

I want to touch your body

while you sleep.

I want to wake up

with your tongue inside me.

Therese.

Therese, I made you

some chamomile tea.

Go. Get under my skirts.

Therese?

Open your legs.

- No.

- I can't breathe.

I don't care.

Were you dozing, dear?

I thought I heard you muttering.

Maybe I was.

I don't remember.

- Tea?

- Yes, please.

How's your head?

Still agonizing?

It comes and goes.

Perhaps I should rub your neck.

Oh, you know,

I don't think that's--

Oh, it always helped

when you were small.

You know, you've had

so many headaches lately.

Perhaps we should

talk to the doctor.

I need you by my side, dear,

down in the shop.

My brother was an officer

He went away to sea

He met someone,

somewhere, somehow

And brought you home to me

- Is that better?

- Oh, yes.

Thank you.

You should start getting packing

material from Fragnet's shop.

What for?

We're moving back to Vernon.

What?

Paris is so bad for my health.

All the filth and soot.

But your job, the shop?

Both easily replaced in Vernon.

Camille, Camille.

When were you going

to discuss this with me?

I like Paris.

Well, Mother says you've been getting

terrible migraines every afternoon,

so it's better for you, too.

The air is much cleaner in Vernon.

God, what's gotten into you?

I'm the husband.

I make the decisions.

Yeah, but we have friends here

and our business.

Therese!

I'm not asking you.

I'm telling you.

We will live out our lives together

away from this filthy city

and all will be fine.

Therese, it's time for bed.

Therese?

Yes?

What are you doing?

Uh...

Uh, checking that the door is locked.

Go to bed this instant.

It's late.

Good evening,

Monsieur Jeanneau.

Oh, I can't live without you

any longer.

If only he'd go away.

Well, people don't just go away.

Sometimes they do.

But it's...

it's dangerous for...

people they leave behind.

Not if the going away

is an accident.

People have accidents

every day and...

sometimes they

just don't come back.

That's all.

I have to go.

Therese.

Do I own you?

Completely.

Do I own you?

Yes. Yes.

For you.

They're supposed to go

into water, Therese.

Oh, and don't tell mother.

She'll be jealous.

Feels like summer's nearly over.

The leaves will be falling

before we know it.

Why does that happen?

Listen.

What?

I hear water.

Ah. Maybe it's the leaves

drifting down.

It's the river,

beyond those trees over there.

Oh, why don't we rent a boat

and row out into the sunset?

Just-just let me

sit down for a moment.

Are you tired?

Oh, I'm exhausted.

I couldn't have trudged

another step.

Just let me catch up

with a couple of winks.

Therese.

Notice this, Laurent.

If you get married, you'll find yourself

with a portable pillow.

Don't flaunt your good fortune,

my friend.

Oh, we must have

walked 20 miles.

Maybe two.

I'm getting old.

What an odd thought.

Are you warm enough?

Camille?

Camille?

Shh.

Don't.

I have to touch you.

Oh, my God.

I know.

No, you don't know.

There, clomping through the leaves.

Isn't that Therese?

Oh, look.

It's Laurent and Therese.

- Hello.

- Laurent!

One, one boat.

Shh.

Oh. Sorry.

Is he sick?

Oh, no.

He's napping.

- Oh.

- On the damp ground?

His mother would have a heart attack.

I won't tell if you won't.

What happened to your foot?

Oh. A blister.

I got one, too.

I told you this walk was too far.

Well, we're leaving now,

aren't we, darling?

Without doing the single thing

we came to do.

If you want to rent a boat, Suzanne,

and row out into the fading light,

be my guest.

I'm going home.

Good afternoon.

Can I tell you something, Therese?

All men are pigs.

Why can't you two

be civil to one another?

She wants to go on a boat.

Wait! Olivier, please!

Wait for me!

Will you control your temper?

Have a good afternoon.

I was ready to go

in the boat this Sunday,

but somebody had taken their time

choosing the right dress.

Let's have a lovely walk

by the river.

We should go.

- Where?

- Back.

To what?

I'd never make a sailor.

Go easy.

Want to know why?

I'm terrified of water.

Don't be such a baby.

If God had intended us

to conquer the waves,

he'd have fitted us with pontoons

instead of feet.

Look, just sit down.

Don't stand in the boat.

Sit.

When we were little,

remember, Therese,

you'd make me play that game.

Remember?

We'd sit in our room

and the sun would go down,

and you'd say,

"Don't light a candle yet."

The light would fade.

But we could still just

make out things in the room--

the table, the rug, the vase.

Then they lost their color.

Then their edges.

Therese?

When it was completely dark...

Get in the boat.

It'd feel like there was almost

someone else with us there in the room.

I wanted to strike a match,

but you called me a baby.

- Remember?

- I love you.

Well, at least I'm not afraid of boats,

like some babies I could mention.

Is there anything as depressingly calm

as a Sunday afternoon?

Camille!

Man over!

Camille! I have to go back in!

- Laurent!

- Camille?

Laurent.

Oh, my goodness!

My dear! What's wrong?

I have to save him!

Camille!

Therese, shh.

Therese, shh. Therese.

I told him to stop dancing round

in the boat.

I told him.

And then the boat tipped over.

You did all

that was humanly possible.

She's got a fever.

He kept shouting,

"Save my Therese."

You die just like that,

in the twinkle of an eye.

Horrible, just horrible.

A report will have to be filed.

Certainly someone saw something.

And they will find the body.

No, wait here.

You've been through enough

today, dear boy.

I'll take over now.

I should go to Madame.

We have a long way to go.

You can never leave me now.

Be strong.

I think you should come in now.

No, no, no, no, no!

- Shh, shh.

- Oh, no, no!

Therese,

Madame needs you now.

Oh, no. Oh, no.

I miss my boy!

I miss my boy!

No, no, no, no!

Oh, no, no, no!

My boy!

- Shh, shh, shh.

- I miss my boy!

Oh, no!

Anima eius et animae omnius

fidelium defunctorum

per misericordiam def

requiescant in pace.

Amen.

Amen.

I'm so sorry, Madame.

I'm so sorry.

I'd do it all again if I had to.

I love you.

Therese, please, let me do it.

No, I want to keep busy.

I see him sometimes

breaking the surface.

Have some tea, Madame.

Swelling and...

bursting apart.

Madame, I beg you.

And other times...

Other times,

I see the boat tipping

and I see him falling.

And then I see him

swimming away.

Flopping up onto a bank,

exhausted but happy.

And I wonder,

why couldn't it be that way?

Tea, Madame.

Have my son bring it to me.

Therese.

Madame, you should come inside.

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