My Afternoons with Margueritte Page #6

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..to clean her eyes?

- Calm down Germain.

- What'll become of her?

With her peep-holes conked out...

what use'll her books be to her?

Reading's like breathing for her.

So when she stops reading...

- You can read to her

- What?

-Yes, if she can't do it anymore.

- I can't

- You should try.

Let me see.

- it's for her cane.

- Wonderful.

- Can I help you?

I'm looking for a book.

- You're in the right place.

What's the title...author?

- No, any book.

- Non-fiction,...

...fiction ?

- I'd like...

a book that tells a story.

- What sort of story?

- Short.

- A novel?

- That'd be good.

Not too thick

and easy to read.

- A novel...

Not too thick.

Easy to read...

Yes.

- ''How was this floating

street made ?''

Doesn't make sense

but I'm getting there.

''What marries...''

- Mariners.

- Ah...yeah.

''What mariners with the help

of what architects,..

...''built it

in the mid Atlantic...

..''on the surface of the sea,

above a chasm 6000 metres deep.''

Bugger me,

that's deep!

that's 6 kilometres.

- Thanks.

- It doesn't mean the Atlantic

is very high.

''A long street,

slate roofs,..

...''several shops...

...''humble and immutable''.

Sh*t. Now it's started

and I haven't got a dictionary.

- Immutable's when

things don't budge.

Like you when

you disagree.

You're immutable.

- Ah!...immutable...

''How did it stand...

..''without being shaken...''

Shaken?

Oh yes, by the waves...

''Shaken by the waves.

''The child believed...

...''she was the only

little girl in the world.

''She only knew that she was

a little girl?

..'' little girl?''

- What don't you understand?

- It's just...

I'm thinking of that little tot

lost in the middle of nowhere,...

...she's like Margueritte...

a sparrow.

''As if he was living,

loving...

..''and always finding himself...

..''on the point...

..''of dying,..

..''a being..

''cut off for ever in that..

..''watery solitude.''

- Faster.

read it again.

''As if he was living,

loving...

...''and always finding himself

on the point of dying...

..''a being cut off for ever

in that watery solitude''

- Stronger.

- Like when we're making love?

- How?

- You say:
''Faster,

stronger...''

- Stop it, Germain!

- What?

- I like doing it...

but not talking about it.

Go on.

- What are up to now?

You're round the bend!

Give me that.

Give me that.

You're soaking me!

- Let me alone!

Leave me alone!

I'm warning you...

I'll call the police.

- But not yet.

Get back inside.

- Help!

- Get upstairs!

- I'm your mother!

Sh*t!

Get off me!

You're hurting me!

- Stop it! Get upstairs!

Watch your head.

- Ouch!

You're hurting me!

Moron!

I'm so tired!

You wear me out!

- Stretch out.

Like so.

- I'm tired.

- I'll get some coffee.

- I'm going to tell you

who your father is.

It's Luis Mariano!

- I used a soldering iron

to make the eyes black.

Then I sand-papered it.

and polished it with a chamois.

Then I varnished it.

How do you like it?

- I don't hate it.

That's a litotes.

Like when you say "Not bad at all"...

to mean "She's very pretty."

That's a litotes.

I don't hate it..

...means I adore it.

I adore it, Germain.

- Keep your eyes shut...

I have a surprise.

- What is it?

- Close your eyes!.

So...

''What mariners...

''What mariners with the help

of what architects

..

..''built it

in the mid Atlantic...

.. ''on the surface

..''of the sea

above a chasm 6000 metres deep.''

Child of the Deep

- by Jules Supervielle.

Go on.

''A long street,

slate roofs,..

...''several shops...

...humble and immutable''.

''How did it stand...

..''without being shaken...''

You like it?

- Very much.

- Shall I go on?

- Go on.

- Eyes shut.

''The child...

..''believed she was the

only little girl in the world.

''She only knew...

..''that she was a little girl?''

- ''Save-a the world'' ?

When you've finished,..

...have another turn.

Okay ?

Yours.

- Seigneurs,...

Seigneurs,

he calls us!

- No chance to get even?

- I haven't got time.

- No time for what...

to talk with your pals?

What?

You're not drinking.

You use words .

you don't understand...

You walk out on us.

When's it gonna stop?

- You've changed.

We preferred you

the way you were.

- You're not screwing any more.

Poor Annette.

- You're right.

I'm not screwing her any more

We're in love.

If I know a few more words

...bad luck!

If you can't laugh at me,

you're pissed off. And that's not a litotes.

- One special.

- Oh bugger.

She's left all

the lights on.

Couldn't you turn off

downstairs?

- It's Monieur Chazes

- Oh...I forgot about him.

I was expecting you.

My condolences.

Please take a seat.

Let's see now.

Your mother didn't have

any other heirs,..

...the house becomes yours.

Otherwise,

there's an amount...

- The house?

-Her house.

- It was rented,..

- It had been.

She bought it together with...

...Monsieur Blondeau.

By saving every cent...

By working overtime...

Day and night...

And she was right: ..

...suddenly old Blondeau dropped dead.

So it's all...

...yours.

You didn't know?

- No.

There's this box

which I have for you.

I swear...

...I haven't opened it.

Your father?

- They're my parents.

What's this?

- Waht?

- This plastic.

I said i hadn't opened it, but...

When I saw that...

from her,

it's a bit of your umbilical cord...

your umbilical cord.

Can you believe it?

Never mentioned a word.

Never.

Over all those years.

She was devoted to putting

aside money for me.

Can you believe it?

- I can believe it.

- What am I going to do

with this junk?

Apart from the photo...

-Have a look.

- They were young

and good looking.

How long were they in love?

- Oha long time.

Long time...

...at least 5 minutes.

- I'm pregnant.

- Pregnant.

Take it easy!

Look out!

Stop here.

- What?

- Gotta tell Marguerite.

Hang on to the box.

See you tonight.

- She's left.

- What?

- Her family...

...came and fetched her.

- Why?

- They couldn't afford it.

- When did they come?

- This morning.

- Without warning?

- They'd warned us.

Not her.

- Will she ever come back?

- Don't think so.

They took everything...

granny, furniture, books.

- Do they live far away?

-In the middle of nowhere.

- Where's that?

- North-east Belgium, near Holland.

I've got an address and phone number.

- She didn't leave me a note?

- She left this.

- Thanks

Ah Princess...

Lolly, Pierrot.

Chicky, Lucky.

Rickety.

Fatso...you're back.

Marguerite.

I've come

to see Margueritte.

She's not here.

- You're her nephew?

- She doesn't live here.

- Where is she?

- You're...who?

- I'm her friend Germain Chaze.

- Oh yes.

We helped her as much as we could.

We couldn't keep her here.

We're not millionaires.

- So where is she?

- Chou, you've got the address?

We'll give it to you.

- Madame Van de Velt ?

Van de Velt !

Was it polite of you

to run off like that?

It's not done!

- What a lovely surprise.

- Do you have a car?

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