The Tenth Man Page #3

Yes, I think I could

stay for a while.

I'll get you some socks.

He won't miss them.

There's plenty to do, as you can see,

but the main thing I'll be paying you for

is to keep an eye out for him.

I don't know what

he looks like.

You do.

You can sleep in here.

This is the maid's room.

I suppose so.

Not much of a room, is it?

You should see his.

I can't bear to go in there.

- It's only a room.

- It's full of him.

The smell of his cologne,

the polish of his fine shoes.

There's a bowl of potpourri on the chest.

I wonder who put that there.

His mother... probably.

What are you doing?

I nearly fell over it.

I thought I'd clean it up.

It's a dust trap,

all that fancy carving.

Still, it's a nice frame.

Maybe you'd like to

hang it somewhere.

- Would you like that?

- Why not?

Erm...

Here.

Is this where it went?

Very good.

Yes, that's where it went.

I'm going to market tomorrow.

Anything you want?

A razor?

Shave that beard off,

see what you look like.

No, I like my beard.

You ought to hire a

cart from the village.

It's a long walk,

carrying all that.

I can't ask them in the village.

That's his territory.

- He never had much to do with them.

- How do you know?

I heard him telling your brother.

He said the people here

never felt at ease with him.

I'm not surprised.

Or maybe he said he never

had much to do with them.

You see, as he grew up,

he grew away from them.

Or so he said.

They seem to have

talked a good deal.

Yes.

I think Michel felt he was living

his whole life that night.

"Tell me about my house," he said,

"my garden. "

- Why are you bothering with the bushes?

- They're raspberries and redcurrants.

They're almost ripe. It's crazy

buying all that stuff from the market.

If we clear this garden,

we could...

you could grow all you need.

Making yourself at home,

aren't you?

Sitting here.

Stuck in the kitchen.

What's the point of being rich?

We should have real servants.

Not tramps who

come in off the road.

Does it need salt?

No, it's fine.

Stuck!

- Can't even get to Mass.

- Why?

It's too far.

Even climbing the stairs is like

climbing a mountain for me some days.

Once...

on the 14th of July...

I was dancing in the streets.

I danced all night.

Eight o'clock, we opened up the

shop and I worked in it all day

and I didn't even feel tired.

Your father used to say

that I was like a butterfly.

Butterfly.

We could help you.

You could lean on us.

We'll see.

Don't you want to go in?

I've got nothing to

say to God any more.

Mother wanted to know why I

didn't go to church any more.

Told her I'd lost my faith.

But it's the hate that

keeps me away.

I can't drop my hate at the church door

and pick it up an hour later on the way out.

It goes on and on.

All day and all night.

It's all there is.

Couldn't you try going

out once in a while?

See something new.

People like us don't

do that sort of thing.

We did go to Fontainebleau once,

with Michel.

That was a lovely day.

Mother likes to pretend

but we were as poor as hell.

Chavel made a good living.

He must be a hard,

calculating sort of person.

Why do you say that?

You don't become a

rich lawyer by accident.

You know he inherited

that law practice?

All he ever wanted to do was hurry

back to his house and garden.

Just like a failure,

afraid of...

being found out.

You sound as though

you hate him too.

Hm?

No.

No, I despise him,

just for what he did.

Hey, let's go here.

This way.

His parents.

Both died the same year.

Where did you get those?

They make you look

like an old man.

I found them in the market.

I won't be fobbed off with rotten food now.

I can see what I'm doing.

It was a bit thin in the

market this morning.

Thought we could get

a rabbit or something.

Here's your change.

And the list.

You'd better check it.

- I trust you.

- Your mother doesn't. Here.

That's strange.

Your writing looks familiar.

It's very ordinary writing.

Quite characterless.

Strange.

It's like that feeling you get when you

think you've been somewhere before.

Oh, well.

Could you put the

change in the drawer?

I'm sorry, I...

I couldn't sleep so I came down

to get myself some water.

I thought I heard a noise,

a bird falling down the chimney.

- Maybe it was a rat.

- No rat's been here for three years.

Why don't you clear

all this stuff out?

I couldn't bear to touch it.

But have anything

you like if it fits you.

Silly to leave it rotting here.

Poor thing.

Imagine being the mother

of a monster like that.

You know,

there was a point that night

when he tried to call it off.

He didn't want to go through with it.

- But your brother refused.

- Once.

- He really tried.

- He acted the coward, I agree.

But anyone can play

the coward once.

Many of us do, in fact,

and you forget about it afterwards.

It's just that in his case,

it was so... spectacular.

You mean he was unlucky.

Everyone's tested at some point.

It can happen any time.

And then you discover what you've

been all your life, what you are.

Do you know what

you are, really?

No.

But I will one day.

And I know what he is.

He's a murderer.

All I want is him in front of me,

and me with a gun.

I suppose afterwards you'll go to

confession and you'll feel happy again.

No.

But perhaps I wouldn't feel so tired.

And old.

And afraid of people.

I could start living.

Can I get you some water?

There's no need for that.

I can't sleep anyway.

Are you tired?

- Want a lift?

- No, thank you.

You're Mademoiselle Mangeot,

aren't you?

My name is Roche.

This is Monsieur Perrette.

- I've seen you in the market.

- He's helping us.

You want to be careful.

There's a lot of strangers, funny people.

He's a friend.

You haven't got much to say.

Maybe I should look at your papers.

You sound like a policeman.

It's my business to keep an eye on things,

from Resistance days.

- The war's over.

- Don't you believe it. It's just beginning.

Collaborators creeping out

from their little nests.

He was locked up by the Germans

and knew my brother.

- And you knew Chavel?

- Yes.

- You two must have been friends.

- When we were kids.

Later, well, he was from the big house.

My family are just farmers.

- What was he like?

- Kept himself to himself.

Afraid of the girls,

scared of taking risks.

Why don't they like

us in the village?

It's just that they didn't

believe your story.

They couldn't believe

a man would die for money.

They thought the Germans

must be mixed up in it.

He did it for you, of course.

You won't have any more trouble.

I'll have a word.

We're having a celebration

on Sunday.

Start of the hunting season.

There'll be dancing. Come along.

Maybe.

Go on.

- Would you like an aperitif?

- Oh, no.

Didn't do that in Paris.

Couldn't afford to.

A glass of wine. I can afford it.

I'm paid a fair wage now.

Oh!

Thank you.

It's really strange,

sitting here like a lady of leisure.

Do you ever think about the future,

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes