Le grand Meaulnes

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We lived above

the St. Agathe public school.

Father, whom I called Mr. Seurel,

like the others,

taught the Senior Class,

studying for the teaching certificate,

as well as the Middle Class.

Mother taught the Junior Class.

We called her Millie.

FALL TERM,

SEPTEMBER 8, 1910

He came the last Sunday of September.

Fall was in the air.

- Hello, sir.

- Hello, son.

When I returned from the village,

a woman was peering

through the windows.

Will you come out!

For heaven's sake!

Augustin!

Where is he?

Is that you, Francois?

Look what I did with that old hat...

I'm Madame Meaulnes. Hello.

Of course.

I must apologize.

I wrote that we'd be arriving

early afternoon,

but my son had disappeared.

Something to drink?

Just a glass of water.

Is someone upstairs?

- I don't think so.

- Yes, there is.

I knew it!

Augustin!

Where were you?

You really go too far.

Coming? I found this upstairs.

Stand back!

Not what you usually eat?

Tell me what you like.

I'll see what I can do.

No, ma'am. This is fine.

Some more?

I open the school at 8:00,

but I wake Franois an hour before

so he can wash and have breakfast.

In winter,

he helps me light the stoves.

I learned much later that his younger

brother had drowned in a river.

He kept running away, so his mother

sent him to boarding school here

to study for a teacher's license.

You shave?

Do you shave often?

Your whistles are neat.

I made them myself,

except for a few I bought in Bourges.

But mine are better.

I can teach you, if you want.

I'm glad you're here.

How old are you?

My father is a good teacher.

You prefer French or math?

I'll put out my lamp, if you want.

If you want.

I'm three years older than you.

How'd you know my age?

Take your seats.

We have a new pupil.

His name is Augustin Meaulnes.

He's studying for the general certificate.

Augustin, here are your books.

See Franois about notebooks

and stationery.

You can buy them anywhere,

as long as they're on the list.

Take a seat.

Wherever you like.

Augustin Meaulnes's arrival

was the start of a new life for me.

But during our last bathing party

he gained ascendancy

over the entire Senior Class.

Don't run near the water.

Mr. Seurel, come look!

Wait for me.

Ferdinand, watch your classmates.

Found something?

A fine specimen.

Boys, come look.

Gather around, quickly.

Look at this.

A male stag beetle.

Naturally fossilized,

or else you'd see it move

its mandibles, which aren't claws.

Also called a billy witch

because of its impressive size in flight.

As with all coleopterans,

the first pair of wings

evolved into elytra...

Elytra, with a Y...

or wing cases for the lower wings

that enable flight.

Can I have it?

- Want it?

- No, for him.

For your sister's hat.

Over the cherries.

Time for a swim!

Don't run!

Coming in, Meaulnes?

You scared or something?

Coward!

Maybe he can't swim.

Afraid of drowning?

Cut it out!

Watch this!

Didier fell in!

I think he's hurt.

Didier went under.

Hold on, Didier!

We're coming!

Go on, Augustin!

That's it, Augustin!

From that day on,

Augustin Meaulnes became for us

the Great Meaulnes.

You're crazy.

Completely crazy.

There's no danger.

And I've done it before.

But still!

What's the point?

- What are you doing?

- Shut up. Just look.

Sometimes I'm not sure

I want to be a teacher all my life.

Or else, somewhere far from here.

Africa.

China.

India.

Teaching. Not very ambitious.

You and your superior airs!

You never talk, never answer.

What do you really want?

Let's hear it.

What do I want?

The moon.

It's the moon I want, pal.

On the whole,

a fairly good dictation.

Except... Who can spell except?

Moucheboeuf?

E- C- C- E- P- T.

There you are.

E- X- C- E- P- T.

Spelling, Moucheboeuf.

Your weak point.

It's very important, especially

for getting into Normal School.

And punctuation is no less important.

Sentence rhythm depends on it,

and it often guides logical analysis.

Return the notebooks.

Except...

Moucheboeuf, write "except"

Franois has to pick up his grandparents

at the train.

Delouche, go with Franois

to Lamothe Station.

Aubertin is lending us his carriage.

Not now. Later.

It can wait until recess.

Open your notebooks.

We'll correct the dictation.

May I go out, sir?

Be quick about it, Meaulnes.

Harmonious music.

Delouche, you're like Moucheboeuf:

on bad terms with H.

I knew Meaulnes had run off,

and I feared someone else

would realize it and yell:

Sir! Meaulnes is leaving!

It was no surprise, but my heart pounded.

I saw the horse and cart.

Augustin Meaulnes

stood racing the cart through the village.

Meaulnes stole the cart!

Everyone back inside.

Make way!

Make way!

That a boy!

You can't go through!

We're on manoeuvres!

Stop! They're firing shells!

I hear a cart.

So do I.

The road was cut off

because of field manoeuvres.

Hello, Grandma.

How you've grown since last time.

We cut through the woods.

- Hello, Grandpa.

- Good evening, rather.

Yes, good evening.

Meaulnes stole the cart

we were going to take.

Who asked you?

Just see to the bags.

Stole?

Not really stole, I'll explain later.

How you've grown!

Move it, you nag!

Wait!

Wait!

No reason to worry yet.

Then why are you trying to reassure me?

Because you take things

too much to heart.

Go inside and calm down,

or you won't be able to sleep.

In any case,

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