I love you, I love you (Je t'aime, je t'aime)

- Has he come to? - No.

Want to see him?

Will he live?

All I can say is that he survived the operation.

You shouldn't have bothered. I'd have called you.

Is he dead?

No, but he's still unconscious.

It's been three days.

I wonder if it's still worth while to operate.

If he could be moved...

you could start the experiment immediately.

We'll think about it.

Anyone can be kept alive like that.

- Who knows? - We do.

The experiment will kill him.

We need a healthy man.

There he is.

Do you want to talk to him now?

I'd rather wait.

- Has anyone come to see him? - He doesn't want to see anybody.

Why not pick one of your own men for the experiment?

- You've got volunteers, right? - Several, but we rejected them.

But why him?

He has nothing to lose. That's what we're looking for.

Why not pick a convict? Offer him a pardon.

That's not an option.

Does he have any chances of coming back?

Impossible to predict.

It's the first time we do it with a human being.

I'd like to meet him.

I'll call you. Wait a while.

You forgot your things in the room.

Thanks. I won't need them.

Claude Ridder?

That's me.

Could you spare a minute? Or rather, a day?

We're not policemen. I'm from Crespel Research Center.

Crespel? Never heard of it.

Nobody has.

If you have no other plans, I'd like to take you there.

Is it far?

50 Km. We have a car.

- How's the weather? - Sunny.

Then why not.

- A taxi. - I've got it.

- Want to go by your house? - No, thanks.

Am I the man you're looking for?

For sure.

This is no kidnapping, let's be clear about that.

You'd get no ransom, I have no family.

How's Crespel?

It's a place that doesn't even exist yet.

- Is it picturesque? - Not really.

Are you tired?

I've been asked that same question every hour for the last three weeks.

Are you getting better?

Why so much interest in me?

Can you smoke?

Yes, I'm cured.

Cancer is my only worry.

Are you glad to have survived?

I don't know if I survived.

We're approaching.

- You don't seem to care. - I don't care either way.

What else could happen to me?

And what about something extraordinary?

Like in fairy tales?

You were right, it's not picturesque.

But it's interesting.

- Is this Crespel? - Yes, this is it.

I thought Crespel was a town.

There is one three miles away, but it's not part of Crespel.

The boss will see you now.

- Surprised? - Frankly, yes.

The center has been here for 15 years.

In the region, they think we research agriculture,

but we know nothing about that.

Actually, we study time.

- Have you solved it? - Partly.

And where do I come in?

I have a question, Mr. Ridder, answer it if you like.

Please.

I suppose you had a motive for attempting suicide.

Have you changed your mind?

Perhaps it's time to put the question again.

- For who? - For you.

No, that hasn't changed.

You'd do it again?

I'm the perfect guinea pig, right?

The volunteer who doesn't cling to life.

If I accept, what are my chances of surviving?

100% if you were a mouse.

Let me show you something.

Time passing, no doubt.

I'll have to think about it.

I liked your idea of a city agency...

to distribute time in the city.

- I don't think it would work. - Time would break it down.

I always believed we should analyze a team of novelists...

paid to lay farfetched ideas on paper.

Here are mice A and B.

Have a close look. See any difference?

Don't know. Is one a female and the other a male?

Both are males. But B is a pioneer.

"A" has never been out of the jar.

"B" has traveled in time and lived for one minute in the past.

A hero. When did it happen?

Yesterday. With no ill effects.

How can you be sure it traveled in time?

That's the problem.

We're quite sure about it, but it's hard to talk to a mouse.

Technicians think of everything.

You should have taught it to talk first.

You'll go back exactly one year.

And it'll only last a minute, no more.

What if it kills me?

If you accept our treatment, it won't happen.

Where were you a year ago?

On vacation.

I had an exceptional three month vacation last year.

I was in France, at the Riviera.

Are you sure?

My vacations define my memories.

You'll be in a sort of sphere.

At your return you'll wait four minutes for recovery

Why four?

I'll explain.

Somehow, we can compare it...

to the compensation chamber used by divers.

- Are you interested? - Not much.

Why the past instead of the future? Wouldn't it be more interesting?

I see your point.

This isn't too spectacular,

but for the moment we can go no further.

That's why we start with short trips.

An experience that might not look so interesting.

No heart problems for me? Nothing, not even a little ulcer?

Nothing. You're quite healthy.

See what I mean? Suicide is good for your health.

I'm sure they must have mentioned that you'll have to stay here a few days.

On a diet?

Sort of. Just for four days.

Will I have to sign insurance release before the experiment?

I imagine so.

If the experiment fails, you could say I died at the hospital.

No doubt.

That's clever.

- Was it your first suicide? - Yes.

- With a gun? - Yes.

- I can't picture you with a firearm. - Neither can I.

That's why I missed.

- You aren't afraid? - No.

I've been afraid all my life,

but not now.

- Do you sleep well? - Very well.

- No headaches? - No.

We'll see tomorrow. We have to watch the effects of T. 5.

It doesn't seem to hurt you.

- Now we just have to wait. - Three more days.

What if I stay for years in the past?

It will last exactly 60 seconds. We know because of the mice.

Will I wake up among pirates?

Lie down. We'll close the door.

You'll go back a year, but you'll be back one minute later.

Disappointed?

A bit.

I was expecting a kind of... laboratory.

Something electric.

What if it fails?

Impossible.

You'll be back on September 5, 1966 at 4 p. m.

Why 4 p. m.?

It's our chosen hour. We always send the mice at that time.

- And they've always come back. - So now it's a habit

I never imagined scientists would be superstitious.

Why did you pick me?

Let's say our computer did.

- Out of millions, of course. - Naturally.

- Good day. - Good day.

There's nothing to worry about.

As we increase the dosage, T. 5. will make you sleepier.

I talk in my sleep.

That's also a T.S. effect. And when you wake up?

I feel all right.

Tomorrow, an hour before you enter the sphere...

you'll get a larger dose.

You'll be drugged but perfectly lucid.

Don't worry.

The treatment has prepared you for this stage.

Can I move?

The subject must be totally passive.

But he must be able to remember.

Awake in his sleep.

- Coming? - Later.

Two sea serpents and a few sharks.

That's about all.

- Any good? - Very good.

Did you see many fish?

Two sea serpents and a few sharks.

That's about all.