Pickpocket Page #2

instead of having me shown in.

I brought you the book.

What book?

Ah, yes, Barrington.

Barrington interests you?

Everything interests me.

Of course.

The young writer.

I thought I detected mockery

in his eyes.

He made hooks

that he would slip into pockets.

Here.

A Nuremberg cutler

made 15 of these.

You must excuse me.

Keep it.

Good-bye.

How did I not see it?

It was a trap.

If I hurried,

I might catch them in my room.

Nothing had been moved.

Nothing was out of place.

This trick required no help,

but I hadn't yet acquired

the knack.

Luck was on my side.

A finger circles the strap

to hold it firm,

while the thumb frees it

from the buckle.

I practiced often.

It was Sunday.

I was seeing Jacques.

Jeanne was joining us.

Very smart!

Where's Jeanne?

Downstairs, waiting for us.

Are you sad?

You're not in the real world.

You share no interests

with others.

Are you coming, Jeanne?

Coming, Michel?

- Where are you going?

- On a plane.

You two go. I'll stay here.

Where's Michel?

I was running. I fell.

There you are.

I was so scared.

Scared of what?

Scared.

Explain.

Did you hurt your hand?

A little. It's nothing.

Where's Jeanne?

I saw her home.

But I can go get her again.

You love her. Admit it.

And does she love you?

Buy gifts for her.

Have you thought of gifts?

The watch was beautiful.

I'd become incredibly audacious.

I got on well

with my two accomplices.

It couldn't last.

Where had I seen him?

I should have recognized him.

What on earth is wrong?

Here, read this.

The police have summoned Jeanne.

Why her?

I don't know.

What do you advise?

She has to go.

She has no choice.

Is that all?

You can make arrangements.

What arrangements?

Go now.

You'll make me late.

Had they seen me?

I mustn't seem

to be hiding or fleeing.

I hadn't heard him come up.

It's you?

I came by three days ago.

I waited a while.

I was getting some air.

You're right. It's unhealthy

staying shut up in here,

absorbed in your books.

I know you suspect me.

If you feel you can arrest me,

do it.

Put handcuffs on me.

Get them out, but don't push me.

Stop lurking around me.

I've left you alone, actually.

Toying with me,

making fun of me.

Enough.

Enough!

Don't shout. Calm down.

Control yourself.

Don't get all worked up.

And sit down, will you?

I came...

because of my interest in you.

That means nothing to me.

To inform you of something

I'd been unaware of.

A complaint was lodged

over a year ago now

we hadn't met at the time

by a young woman

at her local precinct.

- What young woman?

- Never mind.

Some money had been stolen

from an elderly neighbor.

The next day,

the complaint was withdrawn.

Why?

Perhaps to avoid trouble

for a relative or friend.

The lady had a son.

Stealing from your mother

isn't really stealing.

Perhaps they pooled their resources.

But one month later, the young man

was caught at the racetrack.

I had doubts, so I let him go.

Frankly, all that

taken together

And who is the young man?

You.

You're mistaken.

I'm not mistaken.

Odd methods!

Leave my methods out of it.

Rather than use psychology,

you could have made sure

by having my room searched

when I called on you.

I did have your room searched

that day, sir.

And what did they find?

Nothing, of course.

All this bores me to tears!

- What do you want?

- To open your eyes.

They're wide open.

To the way you are.

But I'd be wasting my time.

As for the future

your future

Are you some prophet?

Does it concern you?

Actually,

it does concern me a little.

I should have questioned you.

I didn't do my job.

But you don't have to confess.

I don't care.

A simple report is enough.

One word from any one of my men

can put you in jail.

Well, good-bye.

What are your plans?

My plans?

I want to know!

They asked if it was I who withdrew

that complaint, or your mother.

- What did you say?

- That your mother did.

Was it her?

So she knew.

Did you know too, Jeanne?

Did I know what?

But now you know.

Are you all trying

to drive me mad?

The police questioned you

about me.

They never mentioned you.

You see me living

without any income...

at least that I admit to.

And you can't guess?

Think, you idiot.

You?

They're going to arrest me.

My God!

But without proof,

they'll have to let me go.

How could you?

There's nothing worse.

You know that?

Knowing a deed is bad

doesn't stop you.

But why?

To get ahead.

I was frustrated getting nowhere.

There were other ways.

You accept it.

You accept a drunken father

and a mother who walks out on you,

placing all the burden on you.

That's how it is.

How what is?

I don't know.

Perhaps everything has a reason.

Jeanne, are you that nave?

Tell the truth.

Do you think I'm a thief?

Don't lie.

Yes, I think you are.

I won't shake your hand, then.

It's all too horrible.

Are you going away?

That idea suddenly

seemed possible.

I recall

wanting to take a suitcase.

I hardly knew anymore

what I was doing.

Would they let me

reach the station?

I went right to the ticket window.

I'll never forget that minute.

From Milan, I went to Rome

before continuing on to England.

I spent two years in London,

pulling off good jobs.

But I lost my earnings at cards

or wasted them on women.

I ended up in Paris,

drifting and penniless.

I ended up there

almost by accident.

The place seemed empty.

Why was I watching that child?

What did your father say?

He took my sister and left.

He took all I had.

But it's no crime to have a child.

It is. I was mad.

Why didn't you marry?

I didn't want to.

You, Jeanne?

Deceiving a man your whole life,

making him think you love him?

You didn't love him?

No, not enough.

Where is he?

- I haven't seen him in three months.

- Jacques?

Lmpossible.

I'll help you.

I'll look after the child.

You have to leave me

and never come back.

I can be honest.

At least let me try.

I'd lost touch with the police.

I felt at ease.

- You play the horses?

- Me?

- Are you going?

- Perhaps.

Have you won anything?

Nothing. And you?

Look.

Perhaps I was wrong.

Oddly, the winner

wasn't the horse he had backed.

His eyes had an evil gleam.

These walls, these bars

I don't care.

I don't even see them.

It's the idea.

What idea?

I dropped my guard

and got caught.

That idea is unbearable.

You're suffering.

I've confessed everything.

That will help.

But I'll deny it later.

I'll make it hard for them.

Why did you come?

You're all I have.

You want to gloat

over my downfall?

I want no one, nothing.

Stay.

There was something

I hadn't said.

Why go on living?

My mind wasn't made up.

Jeanne didn't come back.

"The baby has been ill.

A high fever

for almost three weeks.

I'm not worried anymore.

Michel, I'll come to see you soon.

Jeanne."

My heart pounded

as I read that letter.

Something lit up her face.

Oh, Jeanne, to reach you at last,

what a strange path I had to take.

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