La belle captive

THE BEAUTIFUL CAPTIVE

A lost night, doubtless like

so many others...

...amidst strangers who pretended

to dance, to laugh...

...whose shadows appeared to step

an uncertain tango...

...to vanish later, at once...

I was alone

I was waiting

I knew not since when,

nor for what

I felt empty, translucent, out of

place among these fake dancers

Perhaps I'd idly drunk too much

The Organization no longer used me,

as if it distrusted me, useless me

I was waiting

I'd like a... tomato-vodka

A Bloody Mary. Yes, sir

Watching, thinking of nothing

A pretty, laughing blonde...

...I'd never seen before in this

club, which I often came to

The tipsy stranger was

being provocative

I said to myself:" "Why not?"...

...thinking I'd nothing to lose

I have no name. I'm sorry,

I've lost it

If I find it, I'll tell you

I have a phone, but it's out of order

You can't call me

You'll only hear: "This number

is not listed"

Well, I'll find you...

when I feel like it

Perhaps tonight... perhaps never...

...or perhaps yesterday

Time doesn't exist for me

What horrible thing are you drinking?

No, she wouldn't tell me her name

Nor give me her phone number

No address, no forename,

no surname

She was having me on

I was wasting my time

It was then that Sara called

You're Walter Naime?

You're wanted on the phone

Yes, chief

Right, chief

In fifteen minutes, usual place

The cemetery crossroads

No, I'll leave now,

I don't need to go home

I've never needed to go home,

nor anywhere...

...since no one expects me anywhere

I was free, as required of agents,

however subordinate...

...working for the Organization

No ties whatsoever, and free

to leave any time

While I was phoning,

my partner had gone...

...and I had no way of finding her

Sara Zeitgeist was waiting

to give me my orders

I could not falter

Good evening, chief

You know Henri de Corinthe?

The senator?

The old majority. Contact him

as soon as possible

You'll find any excuse, any excuse

Tonight if you can.

It's a matter of hours

ls someone in danger?

In a sense, yes

Give him this letter. Make sure

he opens it in front of you

Must he give you a reply?

I think it would be best for him

Good luck!

The night road once again...

the briey illuminated trees

absorbed one irresistibly

I put on the 15th Quartet

Are you injured?

Can you hear me?

Is something broken?

Can you understand me?

If you can't speak, give me

a sign with your eyes...

...or your mouth

I'll help you get up

Can you walk?

I'll take you to a doctor

What's this? We'll remove it later

You're safe now. We'll get into

my car

First, I must take care of you

A fairly long drive,

that passed like a dream

At last I saw the lights of a house

Wait a moment

An injured woman's in my car.

May I phone?

We're saved. You can rest until

a doctor comes

Gentlemen, excuse me, I need

to telephone for a doctor

This lady has been hurt

Monsieur, do you understand?

A charming idea...

...to bring her thus,

her hands chained

...barefooted

- Interesting, don't you think?

- Yes, not bad at all.

The most beautiful of captives

offered here tonight

Yes, but what can she do?

Breaking in has its charms

May I make a bid?

- ls it a regular?

- No, it must be a new one

One must honour first fruits

- How much does he want?

- I think he's found a buyer already

Let him state his figure.

You'll do better, I'm sure

Gentlemen, let me through

What is he making her drink?

I must phone for a doctor

I am a doctor. Doctor Morgentodt

Come, let us find a quieter place

Wait here. I'll fetch my bag,

I'll examine that

Try to find some pliers...

...to take this chain off her wrists

Help me, Walter. Come and help me

Closer

The villa seemed ravaged...

...as though struck by a hurricane

during the night...

or rather a tidal wave sweeping

between the porticos and columns...

...leaving debris scattered

as on Atlantic beaches

I vaguely remembered motionless men

in evening dress...

who did not seem to

understand me

Their speech resembled mine, but

their words held no meaning

Neither did I recognize

the sound of my own voice

Outside, the cataclysm...

...left broken branches

and fallen leaves...

...from the storm that had

sprung up after my arrival

Nothing else had happened

Fact is, I had mixed my drinks

in the club

I suddenly remembered

Sara's letter

A vital mission, a message for

the Comte de Corinthe

Well, I'd go now

Anyway, I couldn't have woken him

in the night

The Schubert Quartet cassette

was still in place

"The Pretty Girl and Death",

or "Young Captive"...

...or something like that

I suddenly saw her bound hands...

...her fair face with its

mocking smile

Had I also dreamed of entwining

limbs, this burning body...

...insatiable mouth, carried away

like all else by a great tide?

I no longer knew where I was,

streets too wide, too narrow...

...soon sandy, in this district

I'd often passed through

I saw a cafe. It, too, seemed lost

A strong coffee, please

Kidnapped on eve of marriage.

Henri de Corinthe's fiance vanishes

Fears for politician's health,

stricken by sorrow and illness

The young woman lived with him for

several months. Identity unknown

Weird story, eh?

He must be a drug addict, or

a madman, or he's hiding something

He couldn't tell the police the name

of the girl he's lived with...

...and was to marry today

Are you unwell, sir?

Is anyone there?

Despite the Villa Seconde nameplate

which I'd seen in the night...

...I hardly recognized this

house of assignation...

...where I'd slept with

de Corinthe's fiance...

this beautiful stranger

hunted by the police

Don't wear yourself out pressing that,

the bell hasn't worked for ages

Perhaps the gate doesn't even open

How do you get in?

You don't. In any case,

not for centuries

I've never seen it open in the

three years I've passed twice a day

- But someone lives there?

- Of course not. Who'd want to?

It's absolutely empty

The windows bang in the wind...

...inside it's in ruins, so it seems

If you want information,

ask the neighbour

But I warn you, he's rather odd

Good luck!

Ask the neighbour

But I warn you, he's rather odd

Good luck!

Excuse me... the house next door...

The house next door...

...doesn't exist

The house next door doesn't exist

Excuse me, I wondered...

...if you knew a way of entering

the Villa Seconde, next door

The people next door, they're mad.

Mad!

Sometimes you hear them screaming

all night, screams of...

...hysterical women

Or they fight

They play music, too.

They must dance, or something

What sort of music?

Perhaps it's only the wind that

you hear

Or maybe stray dogs...

...hundreds of stray dogs howling

to death all night long

Calm down

Who is this?

- Excuse me, the house next door...

- What about it?

What are you doing here?

Who let you in?

The house next door has been empty

for at least ten years

- lf it's a rental, see the agency

- What agency?

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