Nelly & Monsieur Arnaud Page #5

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He's not a do-gooder.|He called me back.

Sorry, I promised Jacqueline.

Have you met Vincent?

- Can we help?|- No thanks.

In fact you haven't met.

You're ridding Pierre of his books.

You're publishing his.

You lived in Lisbon, right?

I was just there.|It's beautiful.

Where is Jacqueline?

There was a problem.

Where's Mommy?

In the bathroom.

I'll be back.

Come in and close it.

What's wrong?

It's all right now.

What is it?

Tayeb's ex-wife.

''Ex''...

He sees her twice a year.

His?

The Pope's!

He claims she trapped him.|How easy...

Maybe. What do we know?

Oh, please.

He told me|as he gave me a pair of earrings.

These.

You find it funny?

He's honest. He told you.

What trust!

Imagine what it's like.

I feel so dumb.

He loves you. He proved it.

That's proof all right.

No wedding in white for us.

Marry an old man like me.

You'd have liberty,|security and... austerity.

Come on out now.

I am coming.

It's harder on me.

You look good.

I've stepped back.

So have I.

I have no comments|about the last batch.

You reassure me.

But I never see you.

We have a go-between.

I never thanked you.|You sent her my way.

Not with that intention.

You're not sorry.

She could have done worse.

But I thought|you were a confirmed bachelor.

So did I.

Another drink?

Your whole life has changed.

Do you want to know|my intentions?

That's none of my business.

We haven't discussed a thing.

It's an adventure.

That's the beauty of it.

Do you still need me?

No... Thank you, Madeleine.

Madame called to confirm...

I know...

I'll see you on Monday.

What were you saying?

The part about your letter|of resignation.

''It sat on my desk|for several days.

''One day|I reread it and tore it up.''

It's good,|but it happens too fast.

Maybe... yes.

You seem elsewhere.

Yes, excuse me.

Do you want to stop?

No, I'm a little...

I mentioned the man|who lived with my wife in Geneva.

I didn't want|to bother you with this...

He died a few days ago.

He was just buried.

You didn't go?

What would I have done?

I bear no grudges.|It's beyond that.

But I feel very strange.

Do you understand?

I think so.

Lucie is coming tomorrow|for a few days.

What were you saying?

What goes too fast?

Yes, it might be interesting to...

Excuse me.

I'm busy working.

Did you get my note?

Sorry, I didn't call back.

Anyway, I was in Honfleur.

I couldn't get to the bank.

Can you come back tomorrow?

What time?

End of the morning.

A little earlier?

If you prefer.

See you tomorrow.

Who is he? Mr. Dola...

Dolabella.

Yes, he stopped by...

You had to endure him.

How do you find him?

Pretty weird.

So you've know him for years.

I have.

He's a sort of... survivor.

What did he survive?

The years I did business.

The fun and games|were the nice side.

Sometimes it was like a snare.

It can make you

a different person.

Once I worked with Dolabella.

He got me in the business world.

He used to be a lawyer.|He was clever and charming.

Very naive too.

We struck it rich in real estate,|making Paris ugly.

We really did trust each other.

Then everything collapsed.|Via the company,

and behind my back,|he was embezzling funds.

It became a big scandal.

Everyone sued us, from the State|to small-time investors.

I was exhibit number one.

You fought it...

Yes, and I was quickly acquitted.

He could have got off better too.|People do worse things.

But let me finish.

You'll see what I'm capable of.

I was cleared.|I could have given up.

No. I had to destroy him,

finish him off,|wipe him out for good.

Covertly, methodically, I pitted|banks and judges against him.

I was hungry, vehement.

Soon he had nowhere to turn.

Stripped of his rights, bankrupt,

and sentenced to 3 years in prison,

he no longer existed.

And I felt nothing.

Isn't that heinous?

Why did you tell me this?

There's more to me than you know:

lousy father, lousy husband...

interested in others|only of late.

There's that too.

That dirt.

Did you tell your wife?

I never told anyone.

Maybe you felt humiliated.

Maybe.

Or maybe it's murkier.

After prison, he left France.

Reportedly dead.

Two years ago, he popped back up.

He rang at my door.

He was a human wreck.

He stared into my eyes.

I thought he'd come to kill me.

He'd come for money.

He gambles. It keeps him busy.|So I give him money.

That's why he comes.|For his weekly cash allotment.

Is he blackmailing you?

He thinks he is.

He shows me compromising documents.

They're childish forgeries.

I've ended up sharing|a strange camaraderie with him.

Before you,|I thought his visits entertained me.

Let's stop working today.

Enjoy the day.

It's nice out.

Baroli's book is doing well.

There are more articles to come.|I'm happy.

It's in all the bookstores.

Can I have the check?

I visited an apartment yesterday.

It's nice. Rue Vintimille.|Three rooms.

One big one. It needs work, but...

You should go see it.

I didn't know you're looking.

Not avidly. It's just a good deal.

You don't seem...

Vincent, I don't know...

We're fine the way we are.

You don't want to live together.

My mistake. Sorry.

I don't want that now.

I can't lie about it.

I like howwe see each other...

Stolen moments.

Stolen from whom?

Maybe you love your husband.

I'm searching.

Vincent,

living together as a couple

may not be...

Good for me either?

I'm sorry.

I'm happy as things are.

Stick to yourself.|It's more comfortable.

Call it what you want.

Or call it fear.|What are you scared of?

Stop it, please.

We'll keep on seeing each other|just like now.

I'll be honest with you too.|Let's call it quits.

I want to go.

Let's take a walk.

You go.

Go on.

It's Nelly.

I'm sorry. It's late.

No, come in.

I was reading.

Would you like a drink?

I can understand.

I don't know him well.

He closed up. It's normal.

He rushed things.

No, I was the awful one.

I could hear myself speaking, but...

I don't want to bore you with this.|I already have.

I don't knowwhat to say.

With my track record.

I haven't had much experience|recently.

We all want love,|but when we find it, we pull back.

It scares us off.

You're tired.

I don't want to go home.

Can I...

Stay here? Of course.

There are plenty of rooms.

There's one|in front of the bathroom.

You can't sleep?

I'll be going.

No, stay.

Just for a minute.

Come in.

You're not too tired?

No, I'm fine.

I'm very sorry...

You told me he wasn't well, but...

Yes, it happened suddenly.

How old was he?

Sixty.

That's young.

Was Isabelle there?

Yes, fortunately.

There was the service,|the cremation,

all the formalities.

She was a great help.

You're unfair with her.

I know.

Do you want some tea?

How are you?

You seem well.

Yes, my frailty|has hit its cruising speed.

So, no more books.

They're all gone.

No financial trouble?

The young woman who works with me|spent the night.

In the guestroom.

What hotel are you at?

The Saint Simon.

Are you staying long?

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