Jean De Florette Page #6

it won't help you.

You'd need a river

to water so much squash.

This is no life for you,

and that's the truth!

This is all very interesting.

A man like you belongs in the city.

With your education,

you could be a teacher or a postman,

with a nice clean outfit.

That's what you were meant for!

If you stay here,

you'll kill yourself.

I know you're out of money.

It's nothing to be ashamed of.

But you don't eat enough

for this kind of work,

and you drink too much wine!

One day you'll drop dead.

How will your wife

and little girl manage then?

They're already sickly.

I've noticed.

- What's my farm worth?

- To rent or sell?

- To sell!

- Just a minute!

It's hard to say.

I've never thought about it.

It's no summer villa

and, without water,

it's no use to a farmer.

The second cistern

will add to its value.

Perhaps...

7,000.

Is that all?

- 8,000.

- You'd sell your mother's house?

It's a perfectly reasonable price!

That way I can ask the notary

for a 4,000-franc mortgage!

- So you won't sell?

- Of course not!

I'll never sell the house

where I hope to live forever

a rich man!

We can get by quite well

on 4,000 francs!

I'll buy a mule,

a load of miner's tools,

and some dynamite

to blast this damn rock!

In a year, I'll pay off the mortgage

and we'll be set!

Know what a mortgage is?

It's when the notary lends money

to honest people.

What honest people?

They'll make him sign papers,

and if he doesn't pay on time,

they'll repossess his farm.

Okay, ten minutes.

Now leave us alone.

There's good and bad in what you say.

The bad news is that,

if he's got 4,000 francs,

his operation just may succeed.

On the other hand,

since he's a born loser,

a lot of things can go wrong.

And, as you know,

dynamite and drinking don't mix.

In any case, a mortgage

is the best solution for us.

I'll finance his mortgage myself.

If he succeeds, he'll pay me interest

and repay the loan.

But if he fails,

we get the farm.

You're smart, Papet. Really smart!

I'm smart... Because I've got money!

It's all set!

You do the honours!

Fetch Mama!

I want her to see the water shoot up!

Go on!

What happened?

Did you have an accident,

Monsieur Jean?

It's my fault.

I ran to see the water shoot up

but some rocks

that'd been blown high in the sky

landed on my head.

If you can talk, it can't be too bad.

This way, doctor.

Will he be all right?

It was only a small rock.

When he tried to speak just now,

he ground his teeth.

He didn't suffer

before he passed away.

A rock must have fractured

a cervical vertebra.

Even if I'd come sooner,

it was hopeless.

I just stopped the clock

in Monsieur Jean's house.

Is that why you're crying?

It's not me that's crying.

It's my eyes!

What will they do now?

They must have relatives.

And they can sell the farm.

And you might be kind enough

to buy it.

- How much do you think it's worth?

- Not much.

In any case,

it wasn't worth a man's life!

8,000 francs is more than generous.

If there was a water source,

it'd be worth twice that.

But there's only a cistern.

The house is old and remote.

Once you pay off your mortgage

and we deduct interest and fees,

you'll be left with 3,880 francs.

Sign here, please.

And initial these.

I hope you realize that the buyer

has been very generous.

You can live here

as long as you like.

This gentleman bought it

so I could rent it and farm the land.

It's your home.

I'll never come in without knocking!

For me, it's Monsieur Jean's house.

I've clowned around enough.

They're leaving anyway.

Let's go!

Hold on, I think I've got it!

There must be lots

of water down there.

Carnations, Galinette!

15,000 francs a year!

It's liquid gold!

What was that?

Nothing.

Just a buzzard making a kill.

In the name of the Father,

the Son and the Holy Ghost,

I hereby name you

the King of Carnations!

End of part one

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