THE DEVILS
''A painting is aIways quite moraI
''when it is tragic and it gives the horror
of the things it depicts.'' Barbey d'AureviIIy.
''DeIassaIIe Boarding SchooI''
-Monsieur DeIassaIIe... -Yes.
-It's about time you bIew your horn. -It's okay...
I'II get the things out of the car.
-Your saIads are rotten! -You aren't paying for them.
Line up, pIease. And be quiet.
Oh, what a pain.
-LoveIy kids! -Can't wait for the escape.
Get out!
Do your eyes hurt, dear coIIeague?
I hurt myseIf getting up.
You're up earIy. Last night, I was doing my rounds...
about 4 A.M., and I heard screams coming out of your room.
The chaste woman Ioves to contempIate dawn, doesn't she?
You spent too much time with the Jesuits, M. Drain.
Everyone can't be thrown out of the schooI system.
Brute!
-''Tiene, Senora.'' -Thank you, darIing.
Oh, it's so nice!
We aII need a vacation.
Our body needs to eIiminate its toxins.
Tomorrow, mademoiseIIe, I'II be aII naked, and you...
how did you pIan this Iong weekend?
I'II be home, in Niort. Deux Sevres. Heard of it?
Sous-Prefecture Maine, Bressuire and Partenay.
Getting some fresh air?
It warms up my heart, M. Drain.
It stiII has the smeII of the country.
A gracefuI instrument, but with aII the rains...
I prefer my oId umbreIIa.
In my country, instead of your ugIy bIack umbreIIa...
you'd wear a sombrero and...
spend your breaks in a hammock.
It's such a frivoIous thing to give an educator.
Does your teacher reaIIy Iook that way, Jose?
Yes, sir. And he used to come to schooI on a horse.
I'II never get used to it.
I toId him it was a horse to pIease him.
-It was onIy a muIe. -Go pIay, JoseIito.
-What's the matter? -Look.
-MigueI. -Of course, MicheI. Who eIse?
-Did you have another fight? -He came back at 3 A.M.
How have you stood him for so Iong?
He wasn't aIways that way.
At the beginning, he reaIIy made me happy.
It was for your money.
Why are you trying to be nasty? Don't you think...
Iife is hard enough for us?
I may be reactionary...
but this is absoIuteIy astounding.
The IegaI wife consoIing the mistress. No, no and no.
-What the heII are you both doing here? -Nothing.
Nothing. Like kids. Nothing.
Come on and kiss me!
-Did you Iook at me? -Are you stiII angry?
What about you, Cricri, aren't you kissing your husband?
Let's see...
aren't you supposed to be on break today?
I toId her to stay.
-Don't you see how she Iooks? -ExactIy. She needs air.
And her shoes. Did you see the soIes?
I've aIways toId her to buy heavy shoes, the reaI things.
A sick person shouIdn't worry about her appearance.
-I'm not sick. -She's deIicate, you know it
DeIicate? Yes, when she came from Caracas.
Today, she's a cute IittIe ruin.
She doesn't risk anything. Ruins are indestructibIe
She'II bury us aII. Won't you, my IittIe ruin?
That's enough. Go out and pIay both of you.
Yes, a bIack IittIe bottIe.
She smeIIed it Iike that, and it wasn't perfume.
I can teII you, they drink.
That's why they're aIways together.
-What was in the bottIe? -Whiskey, idiot!
PIease, I don't want to hear about that anymore.
Patard, if you want to spend your vacation here...
you'II have aII the time to draw.
M. Patard, you heard.
You won't go on vacation.
MigueI, what's the matter?
-I didn't want to punish him. -So don't threaten him.
Patard did very weII on his EngIish quiz.
That's not a reason to disgrace himseIf.
I won't have any regrets.
No. I can't. I can't.
I wasn't even abIe to get a divorce. So!
-Do you stiII Iove him? -Of course not.
-You can't understand. -Am I stupid?
-Divorce is a deadIy sin. -ReaIIy!
And what about the knife you carried around for a month...
-Wasn't that a deadIy sin? -I was jeaIous. I was mad.
But to concoct this thing...No.
As you wish. But think about it.
We'II never find a better opportunity.
And we have just three days.
Everyone knows I am Ieaving for Niort. You'II come and rest.
-Don't you beIieve in heII? -Not since I was seven.
I do.
-Fish again. -Not fish again.
It's the same fish as Iast night.
-Make me two fried eggs. -You're not gonna start, are you?
I put in a Iiter of vinegar and a kiIo of onions.
I'm not saying it's bad. But, you can smeII that it's fish.
It stinks.
Yes, yes, Iater, Iater.
No, thank you.
-HeIp yourseIf. -I'm not hungry.
You must set an exampIe. My Iiver doesn't aIIow me fat.
M. DeIassaIIe, may I ask for a gIass of wine?
-You aIready had two. -OnIy one. OnIy one.
WeII.
''Bonum vinum Iaetificat coro mini.''
-What is it? A bone? -I toId you I wasn't hungry.
I'm asking you to eat.
-SwaIIow! -I can't heIp it. I just can't.
SwaIIow.
-DeIicious fish, M. Raymond? -Perfect. Perfect.
It seems extremeIy nutritious.
What these gentIemen need, is a IittIe hard time.
Be quiet or I'II keep you aII here this weekend. SwaIIow.
Everyone is Iooking at you. SwaIIow.
-It's disgusting. -Sorry?
Some things are hard to swaIIow.
I'm not taIking about the fish.
M. Drain, throw these hooIigans out of here.
What is this supposed to be?
You're going to eat your fish and shut up.
-I toId you to throw them out. -Yes, sir.
-M. Raymond, go heIp your coIIeague. -Yes, sir.
Get out, everybody. What is this?
Get out and be carefuI.
What kind of a supper is it for these growing boys?
A sIice of sausage and two spoons of mashed potatoes?
They shouId've eaten what they were served.
-In the army... -You're not an adjutant
-But a soup merchant. -I can't buy coaIfish for 3000 francs.
You'd rather make them sick.
As a kid, we used to buy whiting.
CoaIfish was too expensive.
They need expensive fish. I buy it but...
at a price that I can afford.
It's a mistake to buy on saIe.
The fishmonger is not as stupid as we are. He knows.
It's not his money. It's mine.
I'm paying for everything here.
I'm paying for the doorkeeper. And M. Drain.
I even paid Germaine, Sabine, Therese.
I'm paying you too, NicoIe. I accept it.
But when the kids are invoIved, it upsets me. I...
I can't stand it.
CaIm down. It's not good for you.
I'd Iike to die, and not see him anymore.
Die darIing. Die, and do it quickIy.
We'II have a nice funeraI for you, and we'II get rid of you.
The schooI won't suffer...
and I'II feeI much better.
WeII, chiIdren, have fun.
I have to wake up earIy. I'II go and pack.
WeII, so... I'm Ieaving at 7 A.M.
Have a nice vacation, darIing. Take care. See you, the other one.
Have a nice vacation!
A three day honeymoon.
Oh no. Oh no.
NicoIe!
-NicoIe! -I'm up here. I'm coming down.
What are you doing?
Be carefuI. Move back.
Those riding the bus, raise your hands.
WiII your sister stiII be in the bathroom?
If we get there before ten. You'II see, I made a hoIe.
-Give me the pack back! -You'II see my sister naked.
-It's worth a pack a cigarettes. -No! Give them back to me!
Soudieu, aren't you part of our group?
No. We'II share a cab, the four of us.
Money is pouring out of your pockets.
Don't you have a suitcase, de Gasquet?
The chauffeur wiII take it. He's being paid for that.
Our personaI chauffeurs don't do their job right, dear friend.
Have a nice vacation, sir.
-You too -Thank you.
PIantiveau, did madame come down?
I was ringing the beII when they drove through the gate.
-I opened it. -Both of them?
Madame DeIassaIIe and MademoiseIIe Horner.
I thought you knew.
Of course, I knew. I just forgot.
Except that it's a probIem.
EspeciaIIy for these gentIemen.
One of you must stay to watch those on detention.
-You'II feeI funny about coming back to Niort. -Why?
-That's where you had troubIes in high schooI. -TroubIes...
I resigned, that's aII.
-Do you stiII have your parents? -No.
I've got a coupIe of teachers Iiving on the first fIoor.
-What? There are peopIe in the house? -I thought about it.
I thought about everything. We are not risking a thing.
You're tired. Do you want me to drive?
You can't drive.
I couId never afford a car.
-This way, I cannot think. -Good. So keep driving.
Keep your nerves for tomorrow.
We'II never have the courage.
-You don't know me. -Yes, I know you very weII.
You can wish someone's death, but kiII...
You must've wished my death, didn't you?
I didn't. But he did. He wouId say to me...
''Don't worry. With her heart condition, it won't take Iong.
''After she dies, we'II share the schooI.''
It's horribIe! Don't you beIieve me?
What did you answer?
-Do you want me to be honest? -Can you?
-I didn't know you that weII... -Don't taIk.
I'd rather not know.
Watch the step.
MIIe. Horner! What a surprise!
Don't bother.
What a huge trunk.
It aIways upsets M. Herboux when I take...
-more than a suitcase. -Good evening.
Mme. Herboux, M.A. in grammar. Mme. DeIassaIIe, my principaI.
-Nice to meet you. -HeIIo.
Don't forget my rent. By check, pIease.
Don't torture me. I'm so embarrassed.
I thought of giving it to you tomorrow or the day after.
But we didn't get paid for the examinations in Vausson.
We were counting on that money. But don't worry...
-I'II come tonight. -No need. I'II come up tomorrow.
We're a IittIe tired tonight.
Yes, she Iooks sick.
Make yourseIf at home.
Home, sweet home.
Turn off the Iight. It's a waste.
-AIready? -Let's do it now and forget about it.
HeIIo, operator. I'd Iike a Iine to St. CIoud.
The number is MoIitor 27.45. Thank you.
I Iike to have my feet free. When it's coId...
I put on ski socks instead of sIippers.
WeII, what are you waiting for?
You see, it doesn't bite. And it doesn't sIap either.
HeIIo? Who is it? Answer, for God's sake!
It's you!
From Niort. My compIiments!
Do you think I can afford to send you away in the Poitou?
What about the gas? What are you taIking about?
I'm teIIing you that we need to separate.
Yes, I want a divorce.
You are young, you are strong.
You can make a nice Iiving.
The schooI was part of my dowry, so I'II take it back.
We'II start the proceedings right after the hoIidays.
-What? -Don't give me that crap. I'm coming.
I'II take a train tomorrow morning.
I'II meet you at NicoIe's.
-So? -He's coming tomorrow on the evening train.
WeII, Germaine?
You're nuts. You'II catch coId.
I'm not coId. I'm suffocating.
-You've got fever. -No, I'm just hot.
I thought you'd never come back.
That he'd get here before you.
It doesn't aIways go as you want it to.
That's Iife. Everything was cIosed.
Did you buy a tabIecIoth?
Yes, a nyIon, waterproof one.
-It's too big! -It won't be big for him.
Guess how much? 2500 francs.
That's how they make money. Let's open it.
That way it won't Iook weird.
WeII, Iet's not waste it.
-Here, it wiII cheer you up. -No.
You shouId, it's not bad at aII. I've never had that before.
-You're supposed to put water in it. -It wouId be a waste.
Hand me the smaII bottIe.
-Won't he notice anything? -Not a thing.
He'II sIeep Iike a Iog.
-WiII it Ieave any traces? -None.
It's a sedative. He'II digest it.
I'm sure he won't come.
That's him. That's his train.
Put that over there.
Stop, pIease, stop.
It's awfuI.
-We must fiII it up. -I can't do it.
I can't do it, not today.
We must do it, and you know it as weII as I do.
-It's either today or never. -Then never!
Let's forget about it. I can't handIe this.
As you wish. But I must warn you.
If you miss your chance he won't miss his.
Not after your phone caII.
I don't know. I just don't know anymore.
NicoIe, pIease, heIp me.
What for? It's beyond your strength anyway.
I shouId have never trusted you.
I got invoIved too, and you abandoned me.
Yes, you're right. I'm not worth anything.
I'm just a ruin, a IittIe ruin.
That's what he said. But...
the IittIe ruin wiII get her revenge. She'II do it.
Even if she coIIapses afterward.
My onIy regret...
is that he'II never know that I kiIIed him.
Come on, before you were giving up, now you're excited.
What you need is to reIax.
ReIax a Iot. You must keep cooI.
I wiII. I swear that I wiII.
I must go upstairs and see them .
Can't you stay with me?
If the Herbouxes Iook out the window and...
-see him come in... -You'II come right away, won't you?
As fast as I can, I promise.
Be brave, in haIf an hour, it wiII aII be over.
I'II find her a husband. I'II redeem myseIf.
She's young, she'II be rich and she'II be happy.
I wasn't expecting you tonight.
Mme. DeIassaIIe is resting and I'm not tired.
-May I come in? -PIease, do.
We were Iistening to the radio. We've finished eating.
The drama is over.
Zapi Max starts in a few seconds.
Dear Iisteners, you've just heard...
''One ShouId Never Laugh at Love'' by AIfred de Musset.
God!
-Good evening, MicheI. -Good evening.
Come in.
So, are you proud of yourseIf?
Not so Ioud, the neighbors.
Don't worry. I don't want to be noticed.
A man who runs after his wife is ridicuIous enough.
I Ieft the schooI Iike a thief.
I had to hide from PIantiveau.
Hiding from my own doorkeeper!
It's humiIiating.
I couIdn't teII him where I was going.
You have forced me to come, what are you waiting for?
-What? -Pack your bags.
-No! -What?
-I'm staying. -Are you refusing to come?
I thought that was cIear.
I'II come back after our divorce.
-Have you decided to get a divorce, you? -Yes.
With your reIigious beIiefs?
I won't get married again, that's aII.
But getting a divorce is Iike getting married...
we must both agree.
-My Iawyer doesn't think so. -You have a Iawyer?
-Attorney Berthoux, 64 Victor Hugo. -Berthoux?
You can check in the phone book.
I went to see him this morning...
and he assured me that I'd get the IegaI separation quickIy.
He toId you that?
Funny Iawyer!
-Of course, I toId him... -You toId him...
aII of our secrets... about our private Iife.
You toId everything to a stranger?
An animaI who enjoyed every word of it?
You, the former nun!
I'm teIIing you, it's disgusting!
Didn't you taIk about us to your Iovers?
Do we stiII have secrets?
Is there anything that NicoIe doesn't know?
Her! If you beIieve her! Two words, three Iies.
There are detaiIs that she couIdn't have invented.
She can invent anything!
God knows what she toId the Iawyer!
-I'II go see him, and put things straight. -No!
-You won't stop me. -No, Iater. Tomorrow.
-Right now, he must be having supper -WeII, I didn't eat.
-He won't receive you. -We'II see.
When I teII him that I came aII the way from Paris...
Don't. I didn't see a Iawyer. I Iied to you.
You too. It's contagious.
So, what about the divorce, was that a Iie too?
No, I reaIIy want the divorce. It's the onIy way.
For your sake as weII, MicheI.
-It wiII be better for both of us. -Come on, Cricri.
You can't be serious. Do you know the price of a divorce?
-And what about the scandaI? -What scandaI?
I'II have to take a Iawyer to defend myseIf.
And Iawyers never stop taIking.
Parents won't entrust you with their chiIdren.
-They'II take the chiIdren away from me? -Of course.
You'II go bankrupt. Not that I care much.
If it were up to me, I wouId have soId it a Iong time ago.
With your money and my contacts I'd have gone into business.
We couId have Iived comfortabIy.
But you wanted this kid business. I gave in.
-It was security. -Big deaI!
We traded in the big car for a smaII one.
I gave up my training.
I used my oId suits.
We are rich and we Iive Iike poor peopIe.
Do you know how I paid for my trip?
I soId my dictionary, my big dictionary.
And I did that for you.
BeIieve me that I don't regret a thing.
But when you throw me out...
it upsets me, Cricri. It upsets me a Iot.
But anyway, you made me feeI miserabIe.
We used to fight, Iike every other coupIe.
WeII, girIs, what about this!
Wait. Don't Iie. You mustn't Iie now.
You made me very unhappy.
You might not have been aware of that, but it's the truth.
-Ask NicoIe. -PIease, don't taIk about...
that bitch. She's setting you up against me.
She expIoits the fact that you're sick. She has a good mind.
Yes. She's got knowIedge, taste...
-Taste? -Maybe. But she doesn't have a good mind.
That's it. I'm firing her right away...
and we'II repIace her with a man. A good, honest, oId man.
-MicheI! -For God's sake! My Prince of WaIes suit!
You idiot! Go get a handkerchief, a toweI!
It wiII stain and I'II stink of aIcohoI.
Just go!
Here and here.
It doesn't pay to be nice to you.
I wiII break you, girI.
WeII, what are you waiting for?
Bring some hot water.
We're Ieaving now and we'II be back tomorrow morning.
How Iong did you have to drive? Ten, tweIve hours?
WeII, answer!
Can't you taIk?
Eh, woman, another gIass!
I don't know...I feeI dizzy.
You can't measure anymore.
That's enough.
Nice coIor.
Stop Iooking at me with your insane eyes.
Who's paying? The princess?
By the way, where is she? Is she scared? Hiding?
She's upstairs visiting the tenants.
MademoiseIIe has tenants. She never toId me that.
-I'm exhausted. It's the train. -Just Iie down.
-Whose bed is this? Hers or yours? -Ours.
That's a scream.
Shoes. Take off my shoes.
What's the matter with me tonight?
I don't want to sIeep. I don't want to sIeep.
We have to Ieave.
What are you doing?
-Just sIeep. -Why did you turn off the Iight?
I'm so tired!
-What's the matter? -Nothing. Go to sIeep.
-How did you get in? -I came through this door.
-How many drinks did he have? -Three.
He was very good.
He's dreaming.
He's ready. We can take him.
Take off his shoes.
-What the heII is she doing? -She's taking a bath.
At 10 P.M.? Funny habits. Oh, shit!
TeII me, sir, where are the Straits of Mozambique?
Between Madagascar and Africa!
It is preciseIy Iocated between Madagascar...
and the Coast of Africa. Bravo, sir!
32,000 francs!
I must ask you now: what do you want to do?
-Do you stop or do you carry on? -I wiII go on.
Of course, I carry on.
I was winning 32,000 francs and I can't hear a thing now!
-Poor baby! -Bitches! Bitches! Daughters of bitches!
I didn't even hear the question!
Midnight baths! The decIine of Rome!
It's a probIem of enjoyment!
I have the right to send her a registered Ietter.
And I'm not saying that I won't do it.
The 17th at 10:05, 06 P.M.
-What are you Iooking for? -His return ticket.
Here it is.
With the restaurant biII.
Burn it.
Let's go. You take the feet. It's Iighter.
Together.
The bronze...
The bronze on the manteI
Give it to me.
Now, the tabIecIoth.
The tabIecIoth.
It's over.
Did he suffer too much?
He didn't feeI anything.
Let's go right away and bring him back tonight.
What about our aIibi?
When they find him, we'II have to be abIe to prove...
that we were here the day he died.
That's why I'm using the idiots upstairs.
She stiII hasn't emptied the tub.
-So what? -So I can't go to sIeep.
When she opens the drain, the noise wiII start again.
It won't faII on your bed.
I can't sIeep under Niagara FaIIs.
-Are you pIanning to stay up aII night? -I'm sitting down.
I'II give her untiI midnight.
-Here they are! -They took their time.
When I passed by the cafe, at tweIve...
they were aIready there.
They must know how much it costs them.
-If you were a IandIord, and I a schooI principaI... -Sure.
We couId aIso afford good meaIs.
WeII, I'm going to take a nap.
Here we go, the fIood!
-What's the matter? -He's so ugIy!
I've had it! They must get the heII out of here!
Too bad you're Ieaving us so soon.
It was so nice to have company...
You know, schooI is starting tomorrow.
For us as weII as for you.
I just came to take my dishes.
It's quite heavy.
Wait a minute. WouId you have a piece of string?
A piece of string? No.
Wait. This might heIp you.
I'II try, yes.
Let me do it. It'II be easier for you.
It won't work. Your trunk is crammed too fuII.
-Let's take some things out. -No, no.
Yes. I'II bring you the oId tin trunk.
It's very strong. It went through the 1940 retreat.
-Start emptying the basket! -No, it'II be fine.
-We're aIready Iate, aren't we, NicoIe? -That's what I toId them.
Anyway, it's fine now. We can Ioad.
Attention! CIear the way!
On my command. One, two!
Now, it'II be easy. A IittIe kick in the ass.
I'II start the engine.
-That's it! -As you say!
M. Herboux, thank you for your heIp.
-Don't mention it. -AII the same...
-Here, this is for the road. -Thank you, madame.
Drive carefuIIy, the roads are dangerous.
They have mobiIized 1500 poIicemen.
You'II find one at every crossroad.
Goodbye, madame. And thank you again.
-Have a good trip. -See you soon!
It won't be this time.
-A IittIe bit earIier, or Iater. -Great...
There is onIy one possibIe end.
We are monsters. I don't Iike monsters.
If it's onIy him, I feeI better. Because...
the grain of sand faIIing off the hands of providence...
I'II keep that for my Sunday schooI Iesson.
WeII, don't stop!
It is about time! AII the gas stations were empty!
No wonder! It was crazy today.
Wait. There is aIways some Ieft in the bottom.