Topaze Page #13

Let me defend myself

before condemning me.

You who were pure conscience,

who pushed scruples to obsession.

I can say that for ten years,

with strength, courage and faith,

I worked hard, I tried to be useful.

For ten years,

I was paid 1 7,500 francs a month.

Then one day,

because he requested an injustice,

the honest Mr. Muche threw me out.

I'll explain later

how fate led me here

and how I did illegal dealings

despite myself.

As I fearfully awaited punishment,

I was given the reward

my humble services could not obtain.

You were decorated?

Yes, and you?

Not yet.

You see, Tamise,

I may have left the right path,

but I'm rich and respected.

Sophism! You're respected,

for your baseness is unknown.

That's not true.

You said a perfectly honest man

informed you. Was it Muche?

Yes. You'd blush if you heard

what he said about you.

This perfectly honest man

came to see me.

I told him the truth.

He offered to give me

false evidence,

his daughter's hand,

and the presidency

of the awards committee.

The presidency? Why?

Because I have money.

You imagine that for money...

Yes, innocent child that you are.

That day, the champion of morals

only wanted 500,000 francs.

Money. You don't know the value.

Open your eyes, look around you.

Look at your contemporaries.

Money buys everything.

You can have anything.

If I want a modern house,

an invisible fake tooth,

permission to eat meat on Fridays,

praise in the papers,

or a woman in my bed,

will I get it with prayers,

devotion and virtue?

You need only open this safe

and say:
"How much?"

Power rules the world.

And these little paper rectangles

are the modern form

of power.

Thank goodness

you stopped teaching,

for if you were to teach

ethics again...

You know what I'd tell my students?

Children, the proverbs you see

on this wall

might have corresponded

in days gone by to a lost reality.

Today it seems their only purpose

is to put you on the wrong track

while smarter ones divide the prey.

In our era, scorning these proverbs

means the start of a fortune.

If teachers had the slightest notion

of reality,

that is what they'd teach.

And you wouldn't be a poor bugger.

I might be a bugger,

but I'm not poor.

You?

You're so poor you don't know it.

I may not have the means

for many material pleasures,

but they're the lowest ones.

You know I'm very happy.

You'd be much happier

if you could enjoy progress.

Yet progress was created

by people with brains, like you.

Come now.

- You know I invented nothing.

- I know.

You didn't feed the flame,

but you protect it with your hands.

It infuriates me to see

holes in this silk thread,

because you can't afford

the leather gloves

Iined with rabbit, that you've been

eyeing for three years.

Yes, it's true,

but they're 800 francs.

I can't steal them.

You're the one who's been robbed.

You deserve them.

Come on, make money!

Like you? No thanks.

I don't have the same motivation.

- What's that?

- Your theory,

I know where it comes from.

You love a woman who wants money.

She's right.

You see, I told you.

She's a chorus girl.

A chorus girl

who doesn't even dance.

That costs a lot.

Do you know women

who love poor men?

You can't say

they're all calculating.

I say that, in general,

they prefer men who have money.

It's natural, in prehistoric days,

while men carved up animals

and fought over the pieces,

women watched from afar.

And when the males broke up,

each with his share,

what did the women do?

They lovingly followed the one

with the biggest chunk.

Topaze, that's blasphemy.

Even if you're right,

I don't want to believe it.

If you're not completely corrupt,

make an effort, save yourself.

Leave this woman who's caused

your fall, come with me.

You're a good man.

But I don't need saving, you do.

You want to leave Muche?

You want to work with me?

When you do honest business.

My new business will be honest,

but not to you.

To make money,

you have to take it from someone.

In that case, there won't be

any honest people left.

Yes, there will be you.

Come see me tomorrow,

we'll see if we can't change that.

Oh no, especially not

if I'm the last one.

Maybe they'll give me a pension.

Oh, you're busy?

Everything's settled,

I'll wait for you.

So she's the Delilah who shaved you.

She's beautiful.

- Can you come back tomorrow?

- Yes, it's Thursday.

- Then goodbye, please excuse me.

- Go ahead.

Hello?

Yes, Minister.

No, Minister, the director is out.

Yes, tomorrow morning, Minister.

Very well, Minister.

Excuse me, miss,

you're quite numerous here.

Five typists.

And who's the director's secretary?

He doesn't have one.

He doesn't have a secretary.

He doesn't have a secretary.

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