Cousin Bette Page #2

Mademoiselle.

So you really have a sweetheart?

Just as surely as you do not.

BARON:
At this rate,

Hortense will never be married.

She's young.

She wants to be happy in love.

Money isn't so important

to a young girl.

She believes

she can live on air.

Talk to her, Cousin.

Tell her to be practical.

You've lived all these years

without love.

Hasn't made you unhappy.

I'll see what I can do.

MAN:
I live mostly on my estate

in the Languedoc.

I find the presence of sheep

and cows very soothing.

Don't you, Mademoiselle?

My neighbor, the Count D'Artois,

argues that the goat's "'na-a-h"'

has more character,

but I find it disturbing.

SECOND MAN:
As I always say

to my dear friend,

your father the Baron,

"'Hector, a title is good,

but money is better."'

[Sniffing]

[Snorting]

Yes... my dear Hortense,

above all... reigns...

the holy... venerated...

substantial... beautiful...

noble...

...and all-powerful franc.

Do you, uh... know why I've come?

Marry me, my little butterfly.

Get up at once, Monsieur,

or I shall ring the bell!

- It's exquisite.

- Monsieur, get up!

- You won't marry me?

- Never!

I'll give you 200,000 francs for

a glimpse of your naked body.

- Never!

- But why?

You're... too... horrible!

I? The wealthiest man in Paris?

Prodigy parfumier

to the great Buritaud?

Chevalier

of the Legion of Honor?

Lord Mayor of Paris?

- And I'm horrible?

- She's spoiled.

She has no idea

what her situation is.

Monsieur Crevel,

it's possible I have

a more attractive proposition.

Oh?

You know the baron is

the protector...

of the famous singer

Jenny Cadine?

An arrangement that makes him

the envy of all Paris.

- He's given her up.

- What?

For the moment.

If you like, I could arrange...

I would give 50,000

to snaffle that imperious,

half-baked aristocrat's mistress

away from him.

Oh, what a joke... if I got in

while he was snoozing.

You know, if I had to choose

between you and the baron...

I mean, Monsieur Hulot is

a clever, handsome man,

but... you, you're...

Solid.

Meet me at

the Thatre des Varits,

Saturday evening at 10:00.

By all means.

At your service.

Adieu.

HORTENSE:

The idea of substituting...

a marriage contract for

true love makes my heart shiver.

Is that why you never married?

I dreamed of marrying once,

when I was very young.

Younger than you are now.

- Young and deeply in love.

- What happened?

- He married someone else.

- No!

- Did you ever see him again?

- [Baron humming]

Never.

[Man coughing]

[Knocking]

[Rattling handle]

[Gasps]

[Coughing]

Oh... foolish boy,

what have you done?

Well, we won't speak

about it now.

BETTE:
No.

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