Monsieur Batignole Page #6

- Me, too.

When I find my father...

I hate you! You're a big fat idiot!

Want another?

Brat!

Don't listen to Gerard.

It's rabbit, not cat.

That's not why she's crying.

Don't you start.

She's exhausted.

Come on, Colette.

I'll tell Sarah to come up.

Stay with me.

Sometimes I slap Martin, too.

That doesn't mean

I don't love him.

Your brother doesn't seem

easy to handle.

He's not my brother.

I said he was my father

to trick the enemy.

- Who is he?

- A goy.

- A what?

- In yourterms, a non-Jew.

He's a neighbor.

His name's Batignole.

My parents were arrested

because of him.

What's that?

A smoke. Want some?

It's strong.

You were saying...

About Batifiole?

"Batignole." He stole our apartment.

He's got our money.

Did he steal a lot?

He's got 130,000 francs in his bag.

I counted it.

He'll probably lose you

in the mountains and keep the money.

Take another hit.

It's not so bad.

Go on.

When I got home,

he had the Nazis there.

Last month, a guy like him

was dealing with the Krauts.

He was strung up by his feet,

they slashed his balls

and let him bleed.

Who killed him?

- The guys in the Resistance.

- Of course.

Do you even know

what the Resistance is?

They kill people.

Not just anybody.

The Krauts.

Or other scum.

Like your so-called father.

Know anyone in the Resistance?

Plenty.

Do they have guns?

A lot.

They come from America.

What do they have?

Machine guns and canons.

What about planes?

Planes and tanks.

How do you know?

- Can you keep a secret?

- Sure.

My brother.

He's one of the head guys.

He's gonna kick the Krauts

out of France and free my father.

My parents, too?

Yeah, but first we have to kill

bastards like Batignole.

We need him to help us

go to Switzerland.

My brother can take you.

Those are my dad's glasses.

They're getting some use.

Night, Mom.

Good night.

- You smoked.

- I didn't.

Liar! I can smell it a mile away.

Up to bed.

Good night, son.

Kids aren't easy.

The girls don't give me

too much trouble.

The boy's causing me grief.

I shouldn't have slapped him.

- He'll live.

- You're right.

- How can I say...

- I know.

They're not your kids.

It was just by chance.

You're very courageous.

That was by chance, too.

But here I am.

I have laundry to take in.

That's dry.

Into the basket.

That's dry.

That's dry.

And that?

Martin, I just wanted to say...

Batignole did help us, too.

Once a bastard, always a bastard!

Don't let yourself get mushy.

Tomorrow we'll see my brother

in Bizot,

and by noon,

Batignole will be strung up.

Look Daddy, I found a snail.

Wonderful.

Did you sleep well girls?

No. Simon threw up all over.

I'll see how he's doing.

He left with Martin this morning.

I told him not to leave.

I said that, too.

- Where did they go?

- I don't know.

Simon took your bag with the money.

- Why didn't you tell me?

- Where were you?

Where did you sleep?

I slept outside.

Why didn't you dummies tell me?

- I'll see if they're any eggs.

- Me too.

- Stop copying me.

- What you do is so interesting.

Did you and your cousins

come alone from Paris?

No.

They came with some guy

named Batignole.

He's a lowlife collaborator.

Tell him what you said last night.

Did you kill a collaborator?

That's what you told me.

Is it true or not?

Back to business.

What do you have?

Not much.

You said you had 130,000 francs.

I need some for later.

How about 50,000?

For my cousins too?

Yeah. Is it a deal?

And you kill Batignole?

Don't bother.

He's a bastard.

Pierre-Jean was the real bastard.

He was the collaborator.

Batignole killed him.

He's part of the Resistance, too.

Last night you agreed.

Last night I was schlamiel.

That means I was stupid.

Last Yom Kippur, I smoked, I drank

and I danced on the table.

It was the same last night.

I smoked yourthing.

I was just babbling.

Batignole's a nice guy.

Not a lot of French help us.

They denounce us.

I gotta go.

Come on.

Come with me!

You stay. We don't know you.

French police. Come with me.

Not so fast.

What do we have here?

Who's that guy?

- A spy.

- Where's he taking him?

- To the cops.

- Do something.

What can I do?

You're part of the resistance.

You want me to attack

with Dad's rifle?

You said you had machine guns.

We're just getting started!

At Deedee's party,

you said you had tanks.

I was drunk.

- I told Simon.

- You shouldn't have.

- I look like an idiot!

- Go home and forget it.

You a**hole!

Edmond, hurry!

What's going on?

My cousin's chief of police in Bizot.

Simon's at the station.

- What's he doing there?

- I don't know.

Bring his papers.

They want to check them.

Thanks.

- Can I borrow your car?

- If you can find gas.

You think it's clever

to take your father's money.

Why did you take it?

I don't know.

- Who were you giving it to?

- Nobody.

So you were stealing it!

Here's the kid I told you about.

What's your name?

Gerard Louvier.

He's a good kid.

- I'll leave you.

- Thanks.

- Hands made forthe piano.

- I play violin.

I got an award at the Conservatory

in Mrs. Rosenfeld's class.

I've been with her for 5 years.

Is your dad a musician?

He owns the Batignole butcher shop.

He was catering for German officers.

A collaborator?

A real one.

Is that your father's name?

No. Louvier.

The Batignoles are the old owners.

My father's name is Louvier.

Edmond Louvier. Rue Sivel.

We're on vacation here.

They're staying with my cousin.

They come once a year.

They're good people.

Daddy!

- What are you doing?

- I'll tell you later.

You really scared me, Gerard.

He's a menace.

Kids, you never know

what gets into their heads.

Let's go.

Hold on.

- May I see his papers?

- Of course.

- Wait for me outside.

- No.

Thanks.

- And yours?

- I wasn't told to bring them.

He's my father.

The resemblance isn't striking.

He's the image of his mother.

My wife died last year.

I know them.

They go to my cousin's every year.

Fortheir health.

Does your cousin knowJews?

- We're not Jewish.

- Your son was stopped in a caf,

because he was talking

in Jewish terms,

where he was acting like a fool.

What were you doing?

Answer Simon!

- Simon?

- His second name.

A Jewish name.

- I didn't know that.

- And "schlemiel"?

Schlamiel is German for jerk.

He must've heard it

at a German party.

I organize buffets.

I'm a butcher.

I told you he worked with Germans.

With the French, too.

I have a buffet for200 people

coming up.

High-level administration people.

Wait in here.

One last question.

Does your son play music?

Absolutely.

What instrument?

The violin.

He's constantly bending

our ears with it.

- No talent?

- You said it.

He said he was

at the top of his class.

A small local school.

I preferred the accordion,

but since his mother's a violinist.

Isn't she dead?

Isn't yourwife dead?

It's as if she's still alive for me.

Such a wonderful woman.

You know the way life is.

His teacher's name?

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