Les Dames du Bois de Boulogne

THE LADIES OF THE BOIS DE BOULOGNE

I haven't shown you a very good time.

You're suffering.

I know I annoy you, but I'm your oldest friend.

Though you keep silent, I must speak.

Helene, you have sacrificed everything

for a lover who no longer loves you.

Jean and I adore each other.

You know very well what I mean.

Observe him as I observe you.

There is no such thing as love, only proof of love.

Our happiness disturbs our friends.

I'm sorry, but I'm happy.

I only wanted to warn you, because I love you with all my heart.

Good night, Jacques.

The play was long and I'm exhausted.

Good night.

Jean!

You frightened me.

I rushed over to apologize for forgetting so stupidly.

Such a thing doesn't matter between us.

I'm tired.

I completely forgot I was to dine with you tonight.

I have no excuse. It's unforgivable.

Do you like this case?

I love gold.

It's like you...

Warm, cold, light, dark...

Incorruptible.

What a beautiful thing!

Thank you.

It was your anniversary gift. You would have found it at your seat.

Anniversary?

It was two years age that we decided to love for each other.

What a monster I am!

Don't be so hard on yourself.

We all have something to blame ourselves for.

Even you?

Even me.

Tell me.

It might be better not to.

We vowed never to keep anything from each other.

That's the trouble.

I've held back from telling you for some time now.

I didn't want to hurt you. - You, hurt me?

It happened gradually, without my realizing it.

I couldn't laugh. I couldn't sleep.

I wondered if it was your fault. But no.

You're as wonderful as ever.

You're the same. I'm the one who has changed.

I ask myself over and over:

Why am I no longer impatient?

Why is waiting no longer a torment?

Why does my heart not leap up when he arrives?

The sound of the elevators approach no longer thrills me.

Helene.

It's a horrible discovery,

but I wish to be frank.

My heart is drifting away from you.

I'm ready for your reproaches, bitterness and insults.

I've called myself the worst names already.

Only one insult could wound me now: "hypocrite."

Helene, you're wonderful.

You were the first to speak. But I was guilty too.

The story of your love is exactly the story of my own.

All you thought. I thought as well.

I kept silent, suffering.

What a lesson you've taught me!

- Really? - Really.

Helene, you're beautiful. You're stunning.

It's like I'm seeing you for the first time.

We should congratulate ourselves.

It would have been awful if one went on loving longer than the other.

Yes...

What now? - Neither of us has betrayed the other.

We can avoid a messy breakup.

We'll continue to see each other.

We'll elude the death throes of a languishing love.

No deceit, no surprises, no disgust.

We'll be unique among our kind.

You take back your freedom, and you give me mine.

We each go our own way.

We'll be each other's confidant.

Though I doubt I'll find anyone to confide in.

You've set such a high standard.

Can anyone ever know the future?

I may soon find you were the only woman capable of making me happy.

Perhaps you'll feel the same.

And one day we'll meet again,

and I'll be at your side until we die.

What if you don't find me when you return?

Anything's possible.

I might fall for another. He couldn't compare to you, but still -

That would be nobody's fault.

Good night, Helene.

Good night, Jean.

Take all the calls. I'm not home for anybody.

Anybody?

Anybody.

I'll have my revenge.

Aunts, darling, you look awful.

Thanks. Always such cheerful news.

I say what I think.

Hurry up.

For those morons?

Morons who wait for you and send such lovely flowers.

Leave them alone.

You're so tense. We must take them home.

I hate potted flowers.

Especially when a drunkard sends them!

- You're mad! - No, I'm not.

You're very ill-tempered this evening.

Sorry, Mama. I'm not angry, just tired.

Follow that car.

Yes, ma'am, it's me.

Helene! What are you doing here?

Come with me.

You deserve a good scolding.

Not a word from you in three years.

I thought we no longer existed to you.

I might say the same of you.

It's Agnes's fame that led me to you.

Otherwise I'd never have found you.

- You know about our troubles? - I suspected.

Financial ruin upon arriving in Paris.

This enormous apartment,

and me clinging like a fool to my dwindling furniture.

My dressers, consoles, cupboards, chandeliers -

everything I'd brought from the country.

May God keep you from poverty, Helene.

Agnes?

An angel!

She's resigned to it.

Her life was dancing, but this was not her dream.

She wanted to live for dancing, not dance to earn us a living.

In the blink of an eye she gave up on all her true talents -

the opera, fame...

She's a success.

Leave me alone!

Enough! This is my home!

Agnes! My little girl!

I'm no little girl! I'm a whore!

Leave me alone!

My God, my God!

I'm so distraught.

I heard nothing. I see and hear only what I wish to.

And I was so happy to see you again!

Come on.

What a disaster!

It's over. All over.

What are you saying? Nothing is over. I'm here.

No one can help us anymore.

- I'm just in time then. Let me handle it. - It's hopeless.

It's not hopeless. It's very simple.

Please, calm down.

I can't go on.

You're going to have a decent life. I'll see to that.

Why would you care about women like us?

That girl cannot remain in this mess. I must intervene.

First, you must leave this mess behind

and find a less dangerous way of life.

But we can't.

Agnes must stop showing herself off in public.

You'll sell the rest of your furniture,

flee this house and its intruders, and I'll see to your new home.

- I have debts. - I'll take care of them.

- You won't see anyone at first. - People will find us.

If you don't want them to, they won't.

Use your real name again. Take up your old lifestyle.

Erase three years from your history. It won't be hard.

Please, not a word of thanks! Just follow my advice.

- You're an angel. - We are all angels.

Obey me and don't worry.

You'll leave here tomorrow.

Now calm down and get some rest.

Don't bother seeing me out.

Agnes!

- What a gloomy place! - A piano!

I'm not supposed to dance, but we have music.

No one's stopping you. Dance!

Are you sure all this is necessary?

If so, I accept it. But do you realize what we're in for?

I do. Our life was a nightmare.

And this is a dream?

Look.

I call this a prison.

Trees!

You have a lovely view of the square.

Am I allowed to look outside?

Now don't forget our agreement:

You mustn't thank me.

The Bois de Boulogne at 3:00 this afternoon.

Don't wander far from the waterfall, and be on time.

Agnes must be bored staying in all the time.

She'll be glad to get out.

At the waterfall. Precisely.

I'm going out, but I'll be back for lunch. There'll be two of us.

So, you're shutting yourself in?

You have a secret Tell me.

We said we would tell each other everything.