Le grand Meaulnes Page #3

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Where are you going?

As you see,

he only had to cross the street.

He'd come into shop:

"What' s new, Mr. Gougeon?

What rare piece do you have today?"

But he's left.

A great loss for me, you know.

Better than a client...

A connoisseur.

Don't you know where to reach them?

People like that have houses

all over the place, even abroad.

Say...

There's someone who might

be able to help.

I often saw her hanging

around the gate.

She must know one of the servants.

That is when the Congress of Vienna,

after Napoleon's fall,

redistributed his conquests.

Russia recovered territory,

especially in Poland.

Austria dominated

northern Italy and Prussia.

Good. You've made up for

the time you wasted last year.

Your mother must be waiting.

I doubt they'll test you on

the Congress of Vienna. Too hard.

I'm very pleased.

Honey?

If you get your certificate,

you can train as a teacher

without going to the Normal School.

It will save you a lot of time.

It smells good.

Not opening it?

What's the rush?

"The Galais mansion

is on Place des Vosges

"in a spacious inner courtyard.

"There is a girl who supposedly

knew the family...

"so I asked her about them. "

Everything's set for auction,

but we can rummage.

So let's rummage.

Looking for what? Books?

Anyway, I haven't a cent.

It's more out of curiosity.

Loads of books.

You know the people selling?

Sort of. I worked for them.

I work in fashion.

Head seamstress at Delphine Monnier's.

Know it? The hat shop's next door.

You must be new in town.

Their name is De Galais.

Very rich.

Then why sell?

The rich are like that. Buying, selling.

And weddings are costly.

Weddings?

But the son didn't marry.

Who's talking about the son?

The daughter.

Yvonne?

Yvonne married?

Married. And a trousseau

for someone like that...

You can't imagine its worth.

Plus the dowry.

Not bad.

What do you think?

"She told me that our Yvonne

"had married.

"Franois, my friend,

I'm in such despair.

"Forget about me now.

"Forget those people.

Forget it all.

"Life is elsewhere.

Mine is, in any case."

- In fact, you looked for me?

- In fact, I did.

You mentioned a milliner's shop.

It was easy to find.

A pity. I wish it had been

horribly complicated,

like in the days of chivalry.

Still, it's sweet of you to look for me.

So you work as a printer?

Usually their hands are all black.

I don't work a machine.

I proofread.

I correct mistakes on the proofs.

If I find any.

- As I figured:
You're educated.

- More than the boss.

Look.

How do I look?

Terrific.

Buy me some cotton candy?

I'll have meringues.

Why you were at the manor that day?

I was there for a friend.

He wanted to find

the one who got married.

De Galais's daughter?

I saw her once.

Very beautiful.

So it's sort of because of her

that we met.

Do you believe in chance?

I did once.

Enjoy yourselves, lovers.

I don't like where you work.

At Delphine's?

- It's not respectable.

- What makes you say that?

The men waiting outside every night.

- The workers' husbands.

- In carriages?

Tickets?

Why the silence?

I hate being spied on.

I'm interested in you.

Interested in me...

You don't say!

You may be wrong.

I might not be interesting at all.

Hey, watch out!

You're splashing me!

And if I rock the boat?

Cut it out!

It's dangerous!

Stop, Valentine!

Getting familiar now?

Is this what you want?

- Some nerve!

- Don't like it?

You will join the valiant ranks

of your predecessors,

You will join the valiant ranks

of your predecessors,

soon to be your colleagues,

dispensers of Republican education

in 546 primary schools

throughout the department.

Here are the 14 students who have earned

their teaching certificate,

eight of whom have a father or mother

who belong to the great family

of educators.

Sometimes even both.

First, I would like to congratulate

young Ferdinand Bonpain,

whose father teaches at Blazy,

for his remarkable essay in French.

Congratulations as well

to Laurent Morche,

whose parents teach at La Bruyre.

I also congratulate young Seurel,

son of Emilie and Charles Seurel,

for his excellent exam results,

except his essay

on the Congress of Vienna.

His father teaches Senior Class

at the Sainte- Agathe school,

where his wife also teaches.

Please rise.

Stand up.

To you, my boy.

After these honours, Uncle Florentin

hosted me for a few days.

Please! Franois first.

Try to get appointed near here.

The teacher in Neuville is retiring.

I know the mayor.

What about me?

It's far from home.

Nothing's close to everything at once.

It's time to let go

of your mother's skirts.

Neuville is nice.

I'll take you there.

It's near Quarry House.

The quarry is around here?

But the sand pit was abandoned.

I mean the chteau.

The original one.

The Lebertons go back 100 years.

I know who started operating

the sand pit.

Madeleine Leberton's grandfather.

She married Mr. de Galais.

- De Galais?

- You know him?

By name.

His son and daughter-in-law

died in a fire.

He raised their two children.

Elodie, serve the pie, please.

A bad business deal

and a wedding sank him.

His grandson Frantz's wedding.

It didn't even take place.

We went.

It was beautiful!

Is the chteau far from here?

The turret!

Looking for someone, sir?

My name is Seurel.

Franois Seurel.

I'm spending vacation at my uncle's.

I may be...

I may do my teacher training

in Neuville, so I'm visiting families.

I see. Hello, Mr. Seurel.

Come in and tell me about it.

Come in.

They'll look nice in this vase.

So you did Normal School?

I studied with my father at St. Agathe.

I got my certificate with honours.

Congratulations.

We'll be neighbours.

I haven't been appointed

to Neuville yet.

I haven't been there yet.

You're my first visit.

You play the piano, I see.

How do you know it's me who plays?

You seem musical.

- And you?

- Not the piano.

I tried the violin. Teacher training

left no time to practice.

Teaching...

Grandfather forbade me,

because of my health.

He thinks holding class is exhausting.

It's not a concert piano,

but it has a lovely sound.

A very old sound.

I can teach you, if you like.

It's easier than you think.

If you're here for the watches,

young man,

the best were sold.

These are all we have left.

Mr. Seurel may be the new teacher

at Neuville. He's training.

How nice.

But there are no children here.

I knew that.

I mean, I figured.

I began with you out of courtesy.

Have you any idea

what an airplane costs?

That couldn't interest...

On the contrary.

Young people today

all have their head in the clouds.

They're expensive.

And very fragile.

We now have the Excelsior 5.

You do know what "excelsior" means?

Higher still.

That's the motto of my grandson,

Frantz, the aviator.

You must come again.

We're quite isolated here.

We used to have the Paris house.

He worries about Frantz, my brother.

I didn't quite understand

"excelsior" and all that.

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