Marius Page #3

- Box my ears.

- Poor kid.

- Miserable wretch.

- Poor boy.

- Shopkeeper!

- All talk and no action.

- You're all hot air.

- If I'd less control...

- If your hair weren't gray.

You want me to tear it out?

Is that it?

You've got customers.

I'm busy!

Thank your lucky stars.

Fanny, business calls.

Will you come over for tea later?

Why not here?

I'll never set foot in this bar again.

People should know their place.

Your Parisian accent

doesn't impress me.

I will expect you later.

Two anisettes

at two francs twenty-five.

That's four francs fifty.

Here's five francs.

Keep the change... waiter.

You shouldn't get worked up

over things that don't concern you.

If I hadn't seen it with my own eyes!

It's shameful what you're doing

to that poor old man.

What poor old man?

You might have killed him.

When he looked down your blouse,

he went as red as a lobster.

You went redder.

Besides, I'm wearing a bra.

- And it's none of your business anyway.

- You're right.

I've got better things to worry about.

I don't like to see you

becoming like your Aunt Zo.

Don't I have a right to marry?

Come on. Think it through.

What does that mean?

Marriage doesn't end at the church.

It's a start.

- And after that?

- The wedding breakfast.

- Then what?

- I'll see.

- He'll kiss you.

- If he must.

He'll kiss you

on the neck and lips.

Don't talk about that.

I have to.

It'll be too late afterwards.

He'll take you in his arms...

the dirty old man.

Dirty bastard!

You can laugh, but it's not true.

What's not true?

You think I'm jealous.

You have to be in love

to be jealous.

Exactly. And I'm not.

We're friends, nothing more.

Mind you,

I could easily have fallen for you.

You're so pretty.

But I didn't want to.

- Can you look after the place a moment?

- What if there's a customer?

I won't be long.

Bartoli will take you on.

- For how long?

- Ten months.

Ten months?

Suez, Aden,

Bombay, Colombo, Makassar,

Sydney.

The same voyage as the Malaisie.

All right.

It's not a sure thing yet.

I've signed on a Corsican.

But if he's not here tonight,

you can take his place.

We sail at midnight.

So soon?

So much the better.

- How will I know?

- I'll come and tell you.

Your papers are in order?

What's the matter?

Just a headache.

Was that why you were crying

all night long too?

Enough of this nonsense.

Tell me the truth.

I'm leaving for Aix tonight,

and I'm not going till you tell me.

Don't worry, Mother. It's nothing.

I suppose it's that worthless Marius.

I've been watching him

for a long time.

You love him?

How stupid can you be?

You can have Monsieur Panisse.

Such a nice man, so kind,

so charming and so rich too.

Yet you weep over a boy

who washes glasses.

Well, if that's what you want,

I won't stop you.

Come on, you little ninny.

Don't cry. If you want him,

you'll have him.

He doesn't want me.

He doesn't want you?

He doesn't want to marry me.

He said that?

When? Where? Why?

Go and tell Panisse to come over

for some champagne.

It's a long way.

It's only a step. Get a move on.

- What will you give me if I go?

- A glass of wine. Now go!

Panisse! Come and have

some champagne with Monsieur Csar.

You damned idiot! You'll have

every drunk in town rushing in here.

Here's some for you.

I didn't see you yesterday.

Let's have some champagne.

Since you ask me,

it would be impolite to refuse.

But I swore I'd never set foot

in this place again.

Why would you swear that?

Your son was very rude.

My son was rude?

Yes, very rude.

Next time I see him,

I will kick him in the backside.

Notice I'm not wearing espadrilles.

I've got shoes on today.

- You say that to me?

- Yes, to you.

Lay a hand on Marius

and I'll kick you so hard

your teeth will chatter.

Lay a finger on Marius

and you'll wake up in the hospital.

You don't scare me.

Touch one hair of his head

and you'll wake up

in the cemetery.

I've knocked out

bigger men than you.

Holy Virgin, it's murder-

but you asked for it.

The champagne!

What a pity. It's not chilled.

Yes, it's a bit warm.

But it's not bad.

I'll put a bottle down the well

for tomorrow.

We'll soon arrange it.

Don't worry.

But if you don't want

Monsieur Panisse,

you should tell him so right away.

I'll speak to Csar, that brute!

No, Mother,

please don't tell anyone.

Let me deal with this myself, please.

Very well. I won't say anything.

I promise.

Though I'd like to give that barman

who rejected you a piece of my mind!

Come on, silly. Eat your soup.

And don't cry into it.

It's salty enough as it is.

Panisse, if you meet Marius,

don't kick him.

You know I won't.

It was only my pride talking.

To your health.

- What did the boy do?

- He provoked me.

He mocked me and my gray hair.

You must have said something.

You picked a quarrel with him.

Why would I do that?

I know I've got a quick temper,

but I'd never start a quarrel

that could end in a massacre.

I wasn't even looking at him

when he pounced on me.

Really?

He tried to strangle me.

If he starts throttling my customers,

what will become of us?

- Something's wrong with that boy.

- Like what?

I don't know.

Haven't you noticed anything?

Yes, that he tried to strangle me.

That's not important.

Do you know if he has a mistress?

No, I don't.

It's a woman, mark my words.

Love makes men so stupid.

You don't think

he fancies Fanny, do you?

Surely not.

They've known each other too long.

I say that because,

when he attacked me,

I was sitting beside Fanny.

- Meaning what?

- Maybe he thought I was courting her.

Who?

You?

Go on. You're joking.

He wouldn't be jealous

of an old man like you.

Look at you.

You're like an old monkey.

No, a woman

must be making him suffer.

I'm afraid it's

Madame Escartefigue.

She's made enough men happy.

She'd hardly turn away

the son of a friend.

Speak to Marius.

I suppose I must.

Marius may be 23,

but I'd still cuff him if need be.

All the same,

I can't talk to him about women.

- It's my stupid modesty.

- Modesty?

Paternal modesty.

You're very fastidious.

You'd feel the same way

if you had a son.

This shoe is pressing on my corn.

Those are fine shoes you have there.

- Are they torpedoes too?

- They're my wedding shoes.

You must have kept them

in mothballs.

They're so tight,

I think they'll burst.

Maybe they won't come off.

I can always use scissors.

No hard feelings, Csar?

Don't worry about your son.

It will pass.

You look like a ballet dancer.

Don't go playing football

in those shoes.

Good-bye, my friend.

She's a fine ship.

Come on board.

Evening, Csar.

Still out at this hour?

I'm leaving on the midnight train

to see my sister.

I came here early

because I wanted to talk to you.

Go ahead.

- It's not that easy.

- What is it?

It's about Fanny.

Fanny... and Marius.

Have a seat.

That's a nice hat.

What will you have to drink?

A mandarin and lemon.

What's up

between Fanny and Marius?

Is it so hard to say?

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