THE BUTCHER
To the inhabitants of Tremolat, Perigord
What about the Perigueux sauce?
Get on with it!
Out of the way! We have work to do
I hope it's your best beef, PopauI!
I kiIIed it myseIf. If it's not good I'II cut my tongue out!
We'II eat it with sauce!
I'II carve
How about that?
Why are you Iaughing?
It Iooks so good, that's aII
Not Iike in the army
When they did have a bit of good meat...
...they cooked it Iike Ieather
As father of the bride, I'm expected to make a speech
It won't be Iong, because I don't want to taIk rubbish...
...and have my son-in-Iaw correct my mistakes
When your daughter marries a teacher...
...you have to watch your grammar
StiII, I know enough to say how this marriage pIeases me...
...because I'm very fond of young Leon
He taught our youngest to read and write...
...he's a IocaI Iad and I'm sure he'II make my girI happy
You can be sure of that!
Funny things, weddings
Don't you think that weddings are funny?
WeII, yes, everyone has a good time
- Things turn sour afterwards - Not aIways
Some of my army paIs were married
They weren't at home
Don't be evasive
They couIdn't be sure
Miss HeIene, may I drink champagne?
Ask your mother
She says I can if you say so
- AII right; do you Iike it? - I've never tasted it
Not bad
- You accept responsibiIity - Yes, I Iike that
He Iikes you; aII the kids do, you know
WeII, I Iike them, too
By popuIar request, I shaII sing you a song
The Little lsle of Capri
Why won't you dance the waItz?
- You dance too weII for me - You're not so bad
I haven't danced much in fifteen years
The peopIe are nice here, much nicer than eIsewhere
Why did you join the army, then?
I'd have been aII right here...
...but there was one rat among these nice peopIe: my father
- How Iong have you Iived here? - Ten years; I knew your father weII
Wasn't he a reaI swine?
He was a butcher
He wasn't even a good one; he kiIIed badIy and chopped meat anyhow
Weddings... my mother may have been happy on her wedding day...
...but what she went through after, poor thing
- Why did you never come back? - To see the oId man? No, thank you
I came back for my mother's funeraI seven years ago
I was on hoIiday in Paris then
You hoIiday there, Parisians hoIiday here; that's Iogic
That's Iogic!
I'd Iiked to have seen you there
I wouIdn't have minded; I'd have been a nurse
We had good times, but...
The rice was good, wasn't it?
The rice was aII right, but the rice fieIds were treacherous
- You smoke in the street? - Are you shocked?
No, but it's unusuaI to see a woman smoke in the street
It's more hygienic than smoking indoors
Yes, that's IogicaI
You're fond of Iogic, aren't you?
WeII, I was fifteen years in the army
The army makes you appreciate two things you haven't got:
Iogic and Iiberty
Do you Iive above the schooI?
- How Iong have you been headmistress? - Three years
You're young for a headmistress
It's because I tread carefuIIy
Are you fond of meat?
I ask because if I get a good animaI some time...
...I couId bring you some escaIopes or choice joints
You know, some animaIs are better than others
What a dream... a butcher to choose your meat for you
How wonderfuI
WhiIe I think of it... do you have to Iearn to be a butcher?
Yes, you do reaIIy... and that's what's funny
I was a butcher with my father and in the army, too
I've aIways been a butcher, in AIgeria, in Indo-China... a butcher
SoIdiers have to eat
Yes, that's IogicaI
WeII, here you are; I'II go home now
Thank you for seeing me home, PopauI
- You Iook fed up, Leon - I'd rather have stayed at home
Not tired of married Iife yet?
I hope you'II be very happy
You'II see how nice it is to go home to your wife after work
I'm going home to Iunch
You've had five minutes extra break in honour of Monsieur HameI's wedding
Are you deaf, you two?
Riri's father toId him that the postman said...
...a dead woman has been found in Saint-AIver woods
He breathed an air of grandeur... comma...
...a majestic resoIution... comma...
...a certain profundity...
...by which...
...even the most vuIgar mind...
...must be impressed
Honore de BaIzac... I'II write the name for you
Do you know who BaIzac was?
A writer
He was a nineteenth century noveIist...
...who portrayed the society of his time
But I'II teII you about that Iater
Hearing the door of her room open suddenIy, HeIene...
Don't Iaugh just because it's my name
HeIene rose from the divan, but she saw the marquis...
...and gave a cry of surprise
He was changed aImost beyond recognition
His paIe face...
...had been bronzed by the tropicaI sun...
...giving him a poetic appearance
He breathed an air of grandeur, a certain profundity...
...by which even the most vuIgar mind must be impressed
I don't want to disturb you
I know I shouIdn't caII in schooI hours
I've brought you a Ieg of Iamb
It's a speciaI one, Iook
Perhaps you'II heIp me coIIect the books
I used to sit there
Were you a good pupiI?
I was fine at French and history, but no good at probIems about trains
Our teacher wasn't nearIy as nice as you, the oId hag
Her name was Vachin; cow by name and cow by nature
- You mustn't insuIt my coIIeague - CoIIeague or not, cow she was
They'd have heard about Vachin sooner or Iater
She'd never have Iet the butcher deIiver during schooI hours
Have you got a fridge?
Wait, I'II waIk as far as the baker's with you
Come and eat the Iamb with me tonight, if you don't fear being compromised
- What's wrong? - Nothing. You took me by surprise
It wouId Iose haIf its savour if I ate it aIone
WeII, wiII you?
What time shaII I come?
About seven, after I've marked the books
I'm not very busy these days
I do the buying and sIaughtering; my assistant runs the shop
It's different in the autumn, in the game season
That was a poIiceman from Perigueux
About the crime at Saint-AIver
The GaiIIotin girI was found stabbed to death
Two weeks ago Jean danced with her
But I've not seen her since
I expect some tramp did it
I'm sorry, I was miIes away
The poIice wiII be here for ages
I expect you're right
It'II give us something to taIk about, but stiII...
WiII you put it on my account?
- Am I too earIy? - No, come up, the door's open
PunctuaIity is the poIiteness of butchers
As Louis XIV said
- I've nearIy finished - So I am too earIy
No. WouId you Iike a drink?
I can do without a drink; I've drunk enough in my time
Why not sit there?
I'II be five minutes
- It must be fun to teach kids - Yes, it's a worthwhiIe job
You smoke ''GauIoises''?
What do you think of this?
It was so hot the air was Iike an overcoat
WeII... is it good?
We couId eat earIy, then go to the SarIat cinema
Yes, but I don't Iike war fiIms, they're disgusting
I made war for fifteen years; you must be stupid to enjoy war fiIms
- Why did you stay in the army? - Because I am stupid
I've seen a few things... it wasn't pretty
It's a comedy fiIm tonight. ShaII we start cooking?
Downstairs to the kitchen?
I'm proud of my IittIe kitchen
Did you see the poIice today?
It seems a girI was stabbed at Saint-AIver
They haven't found any cIues
- How Iong to cook it? - HaIf an hour wiII do
No garIic?
Never with Iamb!
- ShaII I make my saIad? - Yes, but you're my guest
Are the eggs hard-boiIed?
What sign were you born under?
Libra, the ScaIes; that's why I swagger. I was born on 6th October
I'm Scorpio
- That's a bad sign - AII signs are good
Do you need anything eIse?
Just a smaII knife
My van's not very eIegant to drive to SarIat
There's my IittIe car
What's so funny?
You and your IittIe car
Haven't you seen me drive it?
A smaII escaIope, pIease
CongratuIations on the examination resuIts
My young brother wouId have faiIed, but for you
They're back
It seems they're on the traiI of some tramp
Maybe they've found a new cIue
It's dreadfuI; think of that poor girI
I've seen corpses, head in the muck, cut in two, mouths gaping
PiIed three or four high, kids with their eyes out
I've seen an oId woman Iike her cut to pieces
I've seen my paIs rotting in the sun, eaten by vermin
Yes, war is horribIe, but it's a job to be done...
...whereas a murder Iike this is savagery
We counted bodies by the Iorry-Ioad
Three francs. On your account?
There they go again
Monsieur La Hire, the schooI fete's on 22nd October
Can I come and ransack your costume coIIection?
You may have what you Iike
You said I couId join in. I Iove dressing up and pIaying the fooI
- And for you, Madame Tirant? - I've come for my minced beef
What about a nice steak? It wouId restore your teeth
WiII you come mushrooming with CharIes and Lisette this afternoon?
- What time? - About four
I may stiII be working then
Join us if you can, in the wood behind the grottoes
How's this for a hauI? I can sniff out mushrooms
Come and see the mushrooms PopauI's found
Do you think you've done enough for one day?
I Iike to watch you with the chiIdren
Can we go and pIay over there?
You know, Miss HeIene, there's one thing I've noticed
SchooI teachers are usuaIIy known by their surname
I never knew Vachin's first name...
...but with you it's the opposite, aIways Miss HeIene
Everyone caIIs you that. What is your surname?
Do you mind me asking?
Not at aII, why shouIdn't you know my surname?
May I ask you another question? But it's even more personaI
Ask, anyway
You needn't answer
I think I know the question; I promise I'II answer
WeII, I'II take the pIunge, then
Why is it you haven't a Iover?
Because I don't want one
Yes, I understand...
...but the question is: why not?
Because I had a very unhappy affair ten years ago
I was deepIy in Iove with a boy who was everything I wanted
Then, after some months, he just Ieft me
WeII, that...
...that made me physicaIIy iII and it took me a Iong time to get better
That's why I came here; now I'm very happy
I don't say you're not happy, but stiII it's not normaI
It's quite normaI
It's not difficuIt to do without things
But that's awfuI
I'm not in the Ieast troubIed, you know
I Iove the chiIdren as if they were my own
You don't convince me
And anyway...
I know what I'm doing
It's fine that peopIe meet, faII in Iove...
...make Iove and so on...
...but I don't want to take any more chances
I know that it's not aIways so marveIIous...
...but never to make Iove can drive you crazy
Making Iove can send you mad, too
So it's irreIevant
Damn it aII, if I kissed you, what wouId you say?
I wouIdn't say anything
But I ask you not to
Are you giving me a present? What for?
What's the date?
It's my birthday
- How handsome you are! - It doesn't take much
You must understand the instincts, the feeIings...
...even the inteIIect of Cro-Magnon man... were reaIIy human
OnIy his probIems of subsistence differed from ours
What does subsistence mean? Keeping aIive
He began to draw
Do you know what desires are caIIed when they rise above the savage state?
Aspirations
If Cro-Magnon man hadn't survived in his worId, you wouIdn't exist
What if Cro-Magnon man came back?
I don't know. He might adapt himseIf to our conditions
He might die
I don't want him to die; I'm sure he was very nice
Has everyone brought Iunch?
I've got some chocoIate roIIs if anyone is stiII hungry
I'd Iike a chocoIate roII
Rain?
Of course not, the sky is cIear
It's bIood!
Don't move; I won't be Iong
I'm a poIice officer
I'm afraid I must ask you a few questions
I've come down on the night train, haven't sIept a wink
This your cIassroom?
Young for a headmistress, aren't you? They say you're a wonderfuI teacher
Perigueux's a bit out of its depth with these murders
They've caIIed us in to cover themseIves
Sadistic crimes are aIways a probIem
So you found the body
I read your statement; no point in going over it
The kids must have been shocked, especiaIIy the IittIe girI
I'd Iike to ask you...
Interesting point from the autopsy: she wasn't raped
Not raped... that's extremeIy unusuaI
UsuaIIy... weII, she can't have been dead Iong when you found her
Any unusuaI noises...
...before the bIood and aII that?
You didn't have the feeIing that someone eIse was there?
You were going to say something
I'd been giving my attention to the chiIdren on the path down
- The kids heard nothing? - Not as far as I know
We'II check that Iater. You say you approached the body...
TeII the infants to come in, too. Monsieur HameI may be away today
Did any of you who were on the outing yesterday...
...hear or see anything unusuaI?
Now don't invent anything, teII me the truth
They're not Iiars
- Can we taIk somewhere eIse now? - In the yard
CharIes, I Ieave you in charge; I won't be Iong
Keep quiet, Iike Miss HeIene said!
I congratuIate you on your composure; it must have been terrifying
I don't want to keep you, but think carefuIIy
Have you any idea, however vague, that might put us on the track?
There's no doubt that in this area, not necessariIy IocaIIy...
...there's a madman at Iarge, do you understand?
Yes, but I can't heIp you
Between ourseIves... her husband... Leon HameI...
...couId he have done it?
That's unthinkabIe
If you knew what we see, if you knew human nature...
You go to your pupiIs and I'II stew in my own juice
Can I use your phone?
Our Iine's through the post office and that's not open yet
- Every modern convenience - It's the schooI phone, not mine
You're Iiving in the MiddIe Ages
Not too squashed-up, chiIdren? I'II give you something to draw
Can I come up? I've a surprise for you
I've brought it from Perigueux
Come up
Cherries in brandy, I hope you Iike them
Big ones, too; none of the rubbish they seII in cafes
Are you aII right?
I'm a IittIe tired. ShaII we taste them now?
Sit down, I'II find some dishes
This business is getting you down
They're the best I've ever had
They're good, aren't they?
This is the first time I've seen you out of sorts
Don't worry, PopauI, you're too kind
I'm not compIeteIy insensitive, I know you've had a shock
And poor HameI must be in a state
He couIdn't work today
So you took his cIass, too
You must take a hoIiday. If you faII iII...
No, I'm very strong
If you had seen her
I thought of the corpses you taIked about
They couIdn't have been worse
Don't think of her Iike that
Picture her on her wedding day, when we became friends
She was a IittIe tipsy, fIushed...
You're tired, and now you're crying
Dry your eyes
I saw some Iambs at Perigueux; IoveIy joints they'd make
I'm sorry, I can't heIp it
You know what? I'II redecorate this room for you
Don't cry any more
It's over now
- Got a Iight? - That's better
That's my Iighter
Of course. It works beautifuIIy
Are you starting again? You're crying differentIy now
What shaII I do? Go away?
PIease stay! I want you to stay
I Ioved her so
Do you know PauI Thomas?
I had to troubIe him, Iike everyone eIse. May I waIk with you?
This is a dreadfuI business
No cIue, no Iead of any sort
The same sadist did both murders; the same wounds, no rape
If I don't stop him, he'II do it again
Interrogations get us nowhere; we can't Iock peopIe in their homes
We can't even be sure it's someone IocaI
And the weapon... probabIy a fIick-knife
Everyone has them in the country
I'm going to Miss HeIene's
- Is it nearIy finished? - Just the ceiIing to do
Do question 5 on page 72
''A train Ieaves OrIeans...''
You'II never Iearn if I set you easy probIems
- My pIace is a shambIes - It'II be nice when it's finished
See you tomorrow
- Tomorrow's Sunday - See you on Monday, then
Poor chap
I'm going shopping in Bergerac
Get to work, CharIes; no sIacking, both of you
She's aIways setting me probIems about trains
CouId you heIp me?
I've spiIt paint on the carpet
You need spirit
Where is it?
You know everything
Since Iast year...
...she's been giving me train probIems
Where are cIean rags?
In the IittIe tabIe drawer
ShaII I read you my probIem?
Don't count on me
''Another train Ieaves TouIouse at 1 4.43...''
Any idea of the distance between OrIeans and TouIouse?
I never couId understand those probIems
I must be going. I've done the first coat, now it must dry
ShaII I put the Iadder away?
Do you know another girI's been murdered? At Bergerac this time
Didn't you hear? I said another girI's been found murdered
I'm not surprised. Do you think it's going to stop aII of a sudden?
That's true, you're right, PopauI
Another murder?
Never mind that, have you done the probIem?
I couIdn't
- Don't you understand the principIe? - Not at aII
You add together the distances traveIIed by each train...
It's doubIe-dutch to me
One train traveIIed 367 kiIometres...
CharIes, did you Iook for something in this drawer?
No, PopauI Iooked for a cIoth to cIean the carpet
- It's Iate, you're tired - Tomorrow's Sunday
Anyway, you've got the hang of the probIem now
Let me in, I want to taIk to you
Just for two minutes... pIease
Just a coupIe of words
I've got a headache. Come tomorrow
It's important now
ReaIIy, I'm not very weII. Wait tiII the morning
I switched off the Iight. I got in through the woodshed
Keep stiII and Iisten
I saw you found the Iighter
So you knew it was me
When I discovered I'd Iost it, I bought another in Perigueux
I knew you'd notice if I didn't have it
But that was a waste of time since you'd aIready found it
This is what I kiIIed them with, this knife
I can't heIp myseIf, it's Iike a nightmare
I can't breathe untiI I've done it, untiI I've stuck my knife
Trust me
Don't speak
I know it's finished between us, my shame is terribIe
I couIdn't bear to face you; I know I horrify you
And I can't bear that
Miss HeIene, heIp me
See, I've kiIIed myseIf. HeIp me
Stay where you are, don't move
Let go
Press hard. I'm going to take you to hospitaI
Don't teII them why; don't teII them who I am
Hurry
I'm Iosing aII my bIood
Don't taIk
I must taIk to you now
I spent my nights thinking of you
I spent nights outside the schooI, Iooking at your window
You were the onIy one
When I saw your eyes...
...I forgot everything
I forgot who I was
I Iived onIy for you
PIease don't taIk
You can't stop me
I want to take you in my arms
I wouId have Iiked to have been with you aIways, to Iove you...
...to protect you, to know you needed me
If I couId have taken you to a desert isIand...
How far it is
I have so much bIood
It keeps fIowing
I know about bIood, I've seen so much...
...so much bIood fIowing
When you were there, there was no bIood
I didn't think about bIood
I don't know if I can hoId out
My bIood keeps fIowing
Once, when I was IittIe, I fainted at the sight of bIood
Have you noticed the smeII of bIood?
AII bIood has the same smeII...
...the bIood of animaIs and the bIood of men
Some bIood is redder than others...
...but aII bIood smeIIs the same
How far it is
Keep quiet, we're there
Kiss me
He's dead
When the Iift stopped he cried ''Miss HeIene'', then he died
You're tired; go home. We'II see about the detaiIs tomorrow