La veuve Couderc

THE WIDOW COUDERC

FASCIST MENACE MUST BE CRUSHED

DEMERGUE CHEERED IN PARIS

CIVIL WAR:

BLOOD SPILLED IN PARIS, WHICH HAS

LIVED THROUGH DESPERATE HOURS

That'll be fine, thanks.

Are you going far?

No. Just over there.

Want some help?

Gladly.

Oh, it's heavy.

Thirty kilos.

Do you want to rest?

What's inside?

Some concrete bricks for insulation.

To insulate what?

It's an incubator.

Baby chicks?

Yes.

My sister in-law.

There's a town in Italy

with a lot of these bridges.

Where?

In Italy.

Are you Italian?

No.

I thought maybe you were,

because lots of men come up

from Italy these days.

They're here looking for work.

I'm French.

Will you have some wine?

Henri?

Henri!

Why don't you come

when somebody calls you,

instead of always sneaking around?

Here, put this in the paddock

and tend to the cows.

This one is my brother-in-law.

He can't hear.

He speaks only when he wants to.

Isn't that right?

That's Polish, isn't it?

My grandmother was Polish.

Are you looking for work?

Yes.

Well, I have a little,

a couple of days' worth.

You live here alone

with just your brother-in-law?

Yes, I'm a widow.

My name's Yvette Couderc.

What's your name?

Jean.

Then you're hired.

I pay eight francs.

Jean?

This is my father's room.

This is mine.

We could make up this room,

but for the short time that you are here...

It wouldn't be worth it.

Right. Here.

You'll have to give me a little help here.

Open the door.

Go to sleep.

Open up.

No! What would the neighbors say

if you died from it?

I don't care about those fools.

Open up!

It's not true!

You're afraid of them!

You're the one who's afraid!

What will they say when they find out

you took in a tramp?

- What did you say?

- I didn't say anything.

Anyway, this is my house, isn't it?

I've taken care of you pretty well.

Oh, yes, but you have to.

No, I don't.

Not anymore, Henri.

Now, go on. Go to sleep.

Morning.

You don't seem to say very much.

And you?

Oh, well, I have nothing to say.

Neither have I.

Neither have I!

She's not back yet?

You have to come, Father.

We must talk.

- No.

- That's enough, Papa.

We have to talk.

Everything's fine.

Franoise spoke to the lawyer.

Now wait. Don't speak

in front of strangers.

You, come on, now!

Hey! Here she is!

They came here for him, didn't they?

He didn't want to go.

They're trying to make him

sell the house.

They want me out of here.

But I'm not going.

They're always coming here.

He's a good-for-nothing.

Well, I mean, he has no profession.

He wouldn't have a job

if he wasn't a friend of the mayor.

As for her, she's never been able

to forgive me for marrying her brother.

I was 14 when I came here as a servant.

The old man raped me,

and the son got me pregnant.

All for nothing because the baby died.

And after that, I waited on the mother.

I took care of her till she died.

Then I became my husband's nurse maid

and now I'm his widow.

Isn't that right? I took care

of all of you, didn't I?

Nursed you, washed you, wiped you.

Never a day's rest for me here.

I washed the dishes and I cooked!

I plowed the land,

took care of the livestock

Isn't that right?

I've every right to be here!

It's my home now!

Because I earned it with my sweat!

Am I right?

I don't know.

Well, I know it.

Huh!

Thanks.

You work fast.

You seem used to it.

That's right.

But you're no farmer, are you?

No.

Tell father to bring the cows in

and feed them.

All right.

They don't like you.

Leave them alone.

It's because they don't know me.

You going to stay here long?

As long as there's work

I... I don't know!

Put the eggs in one by one.

It holds 60.

Fill the lamp with fuel

making certain that the wick is cooked.

Then fill up the water pan.

Water pan, water pan.

That's it.

No, it's here.

Make sure that at all the times the lamp

remains lit during incubation and...

I think I'll go up to the attic

so I can see it working.

Right now?

Yes.

Time to go to bed, Father.

The problem is the number of eggs.

Unless we have a try with a dozen only.

Oh, yes.

But if it doesn't work right,

I lose a dozen eggs.

We'll have to try, though.

Who's the young girl

who lives over there?

Flicie. She's their daughter.

Good night.

Good night.

Well, then, you're not in bed yet?

No! I told you no!

Is it 'cause he's here?

Don't be stupid, you fool.

Is it a boy?

What did you name him?

I don't know. It depends.

That's right, go back over there!

Go find some bargeman to sleep with!

Why were you so mean?

Because she's a whore.

Her son has no papa.

Anyway, she's not sure.

What's the difference?

She seems to love the baby, right?

She doesn't love anybody.

Do you?

You're not from around here, eh?

No.

You see, I think this board has swelled.

What's your profession?

I was going to be a doctor.

What do you mean,

"was going to be"?

Because I'm just out of prison.

No, he... he won't hear you.

Was it murder?

I was very young.

And now you don't want to be a doctor?

I don't want anything now.

Yes, I do.

I want sun

and wine.

That's what I want.

The cops were over there yesterday.

They came to see Desir.

But they weren't after anyone.

The cops are always after someone.

Were you innocent?

Want to take out the ashes?

Sure.

No, no. That happens all the time.

They have a child with colic.

What are you doing here?

Turn out the light.

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