Jacquou Le Croquant Page #3

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Nansac!

He'll track down anyone

willing or able to lead a revolt...

and eliminate them

one by one.

He's left us alone too long.

He'll come to the village.

He has to.

So please...

be careful, Jacquou.

He's right. Protect yourself.

I'll be careful.

You beat me to it, Knight.

The boy's on the road to forgiveness.

Don't disappoint me.

Go to bed or sit down!

It's no time for dusting.

Thank you, Father.

How do you like my soup?

Rather rough.

But you get used to it.

Jeanne! Plates!

Bring plates!

Curate, the meat!

Nearly done!

Please!

Stop it.

It's Cockeye.

She's bursting for him!

He's no stunner

but he swells my tits!

Ladies, take my body and dance!

She's all twitchy.

Hold your breath.

I haven't finished!

Make yourself useful.

Put your finger there.

Only my finger?

Hold still, Bertille!

You're as soft as a feather bed.

When I get you,

I'll work off 20 pounds!

Can you get wine for the musicians?

The Count's coming.

Why? He never comes here.

Too scared of dung!

And mucking his clothes!

My itchy arse tells me he'll come.

Get a wash!

I'm going to help with the fire.

Quiet! Sit down!

Sit down! Quiet!

Tufty?

Will you ask me to dance?

Musicians, please...

Thank you.

As it's my honor to open the dance,

I put on my best suit.

He's out to get married!

For our annual dance contest...

The raffle!

Not forgetting the raffle...

and its splendid prize!

To pick the lucky winner,

I need a blameless hand.

No blameless hands?

You, little girl!

Come up here.

Pick a number.

- It's pretty!

- It's pretty and it's 138.

Who has the lucky number?

Who wins the piglet?

I have number 138.

Check it.

What's mine is mine.

Can I have it?

What should I do...

if I'm refused what is mine?

If I give it to you,

will you be happy?

Yes!

Then have it.

Do I get a kiss?

There, now.

It was all a misunderstanding.

Please carry on.

I was about to open the dance.

Excellent idea, Knight.

- Stick close to him.

- If that's an order.

Have you announced the good news?

After the dance.

Chaplain,

what's your stand on dances?

The same as on mushrooms.

Even the best ones are worthless.

No dances, no weddings.

More nunneries, more empty pews.

Splendid!

We're in for a witty evening.

Button your breeches.

Non-contestants, leave the stage.

This way.

Contestants, take the stage.

Hold still.

Get into position.

Boys and girls in separate lines,

face to face. Good.

Quiet!

These ladies are the jury.

Their decisions are final.

Count on us, Knight!

Thank you, Fantille.

Musicians, please.

Everybody ready?

Let the dance begin!

- Hello, Lina.

- Hello, Galiote.

May I?

Recognize me?

You saved my life long ago.

Who is this upstart?

You had his father killed in chains.

The grief killed his mother.

How these beasts cling to the past!

Yes, father.

Young lady!

My daughter took your partner.

It's my duty to replace him.

Now's your chance

to be queen of the ball.

Round dance!

Form a ring, please.

You're dancing, Count?

Why not?

It's only a clodhopper's minuet.

Music!

Pasquier, slow! Suzanne, clumsy!

Pasquier, out! Suzanne, out!

Green suit,

ungainly!

Green suit! Step down, please.

Mathieu and Jeanne, out.

- The Count dances well.

- He has enough time to!

Lina's down.

Lina fell!

Lina, out.

The Baron is down.

He's already out!

Hands off!

Stop the music!

Foul play. They tripped her.

I was tripped too.

What say the jury?

- I didn't see.

- Me neither.

Hard to say.

Caught her skirt?

It can happen.

Well, Fantille?

There's a doubt.

Start again.

Start again!

Have to start again.

Lina! Come.

I'm waiting!

Sir Count, would you mind?

Decidedly, this bumpkin

needs to learn a lesson.

Music!

The Count lost the beat!

The Count must step down.

Enough!

But the contest is a tradition...

Enough, I said!

Can't we go on?

We'll win another day.

Give me your hand.

- There's no music.

- Your hand.

We can't!

Nobody dances like this.

Not in public!

Brace yourself. Hand on my shoulder.

You can't allow this fornication!

I feel like I just discovered you.

Now's the time!

Say the word, we'll cut them up.

The whole county wants him dead!

We're sick of waiting.

I'm waiting, aren't I?

Let them go.

Cockeye! Come here.

My uncle's a cardinal.

I'll fight this!

It's no use.

My successor's already on his way.

You would have to appeal to the Pope

and I'm only a parish priest.

The Count has a long arm.

My time is past.

They can't do this!

Your face is as white

as stale cheese.

They can't do it,

but they do.

We don't control our fate.

You'd fight the Bishop and King

with a sheep hook?

Sit down!

You too, Knight. You look no better.

I have some good pt

and one of Fantille's pies.

Help yourselves.

I even have

a decent bottle somewhere.

One more minute.

One more minute, Lord.

We'll petition the Bishop

and Rome, if we have to.

My best wine!

If they'd told me at the seminary

that I'd end up with a freethinker

and a Protestant,

I wouldn't have believed it.

We're your friends.

My friends...

fill me a plate.

Curate!

Open his collar!

Give him air. Sit him up!

No need...

Standing up or lying down,

a priest always dies on his knees.

Jacquou, my boy.

Hang up the lantern. Don't forget.

Hang it in the window,

like every night.

You know why?

You shouldn't speak.

I wouldn't if he answered!

To think this rascal

was my altar boy!

I still have enough strength

to kick your behind.

Do we hang up the lantern to give

warmth and light to us alone?

No, it's like a beacon.

Exactly.

It guides the distant traveler.

It gives him hope.

He cannot feel its heat

but it warms his heart

because he knows it's there.

To you, Jacquou, its light

means life, word of honor,

a sense of freedom.

To me, it has only one name,

but that name embraces everything.

I'll stop.

But I won't stop trying to drum

some Christian feeling into you.

Remember,

I've lost

the right to bear the name,

but I am still a priest.

I know. I'm your crown of thorns.

He's dead.

Quick!

Lina's had an accident!

Recognize me?

That'll stop him dancing.

- What's that?

- Jacquou's horn.

Find him!

Go fetch!

They want to search the castle, Sir.

They have a piece of paper.

Police?

In my house, before prayers!

Like vultures!

How dare you?

Sorry, Sir. It's the Knight.

You have some nerve!

I could throw you out.

You can refuse a favor,

but denying a legitimate doubt

looks suspect.

Beware, Knight.

You're risking your honor and wealth

for a backward little peasant.

Little people in revolt

can cause a revolution

but the nobility's downfall

will be caused by nobles like you.

The smaller the dog,

the louder it barks.

Sorry, Sir

but it's standard practice.

- Quite banal.

- Banal!

Just like you!

Petty, small and dull!

Go on, then.

Take him and his trollop

wherever he wants.

But only them. The others, out!

Out, I said!

Make way for the Knight

and his morals.

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