Le divorce de Patrick Page #5

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Thank you.

Mesdames, messieurs,

ladies and gentlemen, bienvenue.

Welcome. Thank you for coming.

We are very, very lucky to have

as our reader Roxeanne de Persand...

...who, as you know, is a very fine poet

in her own right.

And of course, it takes a poet

to do justice to the work of other poets.

You also probably know, and if not,

you can read it in my introduction...

Buy the book!

...that for these last decades...

...our women poets have really

come into their own.

But they have been always with us.

Right from Anne Bradstreet

in the 1 7th century...

...whose beautiful poem of marital love

is one that Roxeanne will read today.

I have a question.

I think it's probably better

to have questions after the reading.

-Come on. Let's go outside.

-We are planning to do that.

It's very important. It's very important

that I speak to her. It's urgent!

I have as much right to be here

as anyone else.

Let's go! Come on.

This one's by Anne Bradstreet...

...and it's called:

"To My Dear and Loving Husband."'

If ever two were one, then surely we

If ever man were loved by wife, then thee

If ever wife was happy in a man

Compare with me, ye women, if you can

Thy love is such I can no way repay

The heavens reward the manifold

-I pray

-I pray

Then while we live,

In love let's so persevere

That when we live no more,

We may live ever

I have something to bring up

that is a little delicate.

My son Antoine has surprised us all...

...by suggesting that it would be improper...

...to send the painting of Saint Ursula

to that Getty Museum in California.

Not until the lawyers have decided

on its ownership.

Its ownership?.

Saint Ursula belongs to our family.

We inherited her.

My dear, we shouldn't

even be discussing this.

It's entirely up to the lawyers.

But it is a French painting after all.

Poor Charles. Oh, my son has a league

of troubles of his own.

Roxeanne's lawyer is very determined.

And the husband of this petite amie

is very unpleasant.

Well, shall we say,

these are the wages of sin.

She had a Hermes bag. Red crocodile.

-A Kelly bag?.

-It's obvious where it came from.

I know my brother.

Faithful only to Hermes.

If ever he was faithful.

And I know his type.

Permanent smile, little white suit,

fancy undergarments.

-He adores that.

-Your imagination is carrying you away.

At his age!.

Doesn't he get tired of this?

Charlotte, honey...

-...call Amelie, for once.

-No, Mother. Call Aunt Amelie yourself.

-She'll think I'm angry.

-Mother?. It's me.

We'll both call her,

as representatives of the family.

But we should call Edgar first,

shouldn't we?.

Remind him that a member

of our family has acted--

-Badly.

-Towards a member of her family.

With this divorce on our hands...

-...if he gets involved, we all suffer.

-I'll tell him.

Edgar?. Are you alone?.

Yes, I am. Why?

-ls the American there?.

-You mean Roxy?

-You must mean the other American.

-Yes, Isabel.

Mother said she's showing off

an expensive Hermes bag.

A bag you gave her. You know,

with Charles-Henri's divorce....

What are you getting at?.

It's unseemly. That's what Mother says.

Tell your mother to call me herself.

If you prefer.

-Are you alone?.

-Yes, why?

-ls the American with you?.

-I said I'm alone.

Good, then listen to me.

Seducing my daughter-in-law's sister now--

Why not now?

Your nephew has acted like a lout

with her sister.

How is that my fault?.

I'm thinking of the family.

Custody, division of property...

...alimony payments.

Consider what you're doing.

We'll see you on Sunday, I trust.

Goodbye.

Saint Ursula belonged to our great-uncle

who left it to our father...

...and your family

has absolutely no say in it.

Who is Saint Ursula?.

The patron saint of schoolgirls.

The painting means nothing to your family...

...except to be split 50-50 in a divorce.

We're not going to quarrel

about Roxeanne's ugly saint.

I've told you, a purse of this kind

is not suitable for every occasion.

I'd suggest a small, black evening bag.

You can talk about everything else.

My evening bag.

Then go on TV...

...talk about religion, morality...

...sex.

Why not about money?.

Is money an unmentionable subject

with you?.

No, it's not a La Tour. It's obvious.

"ln the manner of" at the very best.

Of no interest to us.

I may not be a specialist,

but it's not obvious to me.

If the Getty Museum sees a resemblance

to La Tour...

...how can you be so sure?.

Why would we supplement our collection

of French paintings...

...with family heirlooms...

...from an American attic?.

It's of no interest to the Louvre...

...at all.

It's just so tacky, Charles-Henri

taking Roxy's painting.

I would never try to take something

from him that he grew up with.

-Oh, excuse me.

-Sorry.

-I'm very sorry. I didn't mean to.

-I'll get it.

Why are you doing this now?. Couldn't you

have waited until her baby's born?.

Well, there has to be a valuation

before there can be a division and sale.

Charles-Henri should want his kids

to have the furniture and painting...

...not some strangers buying them.

He's just being a terrible sh*t.

Or he's getting bad advice.

Charles-Henri has left this up to me.

You then are being a terrible sh*t.

And if it really were a La Tour?.

That would be a different matter.

But you have a nice commode,

Louis XV-XVl.

How much is it worth?.

About 50,000. More if it's stamped.

Let's pull it out and check.

-Just get rid of him, Roxy.

-Let him divorce me. I can't stop him.

But I will never divorce him.

I'd think you'd want to be free of him.

And let him marry his slut?. No.

You have a choice.

You can accuse Charles-Henri of adultery

and make him pay what he should.

Papa.

Why did we have to meet here?.

You always liked to come here

and watch Gennie on the carousel.

Of course.

But I didn't realize it would be so cold.

You know, I've been thinking about names.

What do you think of Henri-Luc?.

Is it a boy?.

-Did you have one of those tests?.

-No, I'd never do that.

It's like peeking at your present

before Christmas.

Roxy, you should know this.

The lawyers say that if you don't agree

to a mutual consent, no-fault divorce...

...you might not be allowed

to use my name.

-And our children?.

-Naturally, they would be de Persand.

I have to have the same name

as my children.

French court usually awards custody

to the French parent.

You can't do this.

-You can't destroy your own family.

-lt is you who are destroying me.

After all you've always said about

freedom of individual to live and love.

It was only words with you. Empty words.

Yes, it was.

I didn't realize that when you really love,

there's no freedom at all.

Except to die.

Come on, no more dramatics, please.

Just think about what I told you.

-Do you have this in blue?.

-ls blue denim okay?.

I'm Magda's husband.

Magda, the other woman.

She's screwing your husband.

Don't be another dumb American b*tch.

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