Original subtitles

THE CRIME AT SAINT-FLORENTIN HOUSE

Don't expect to get by strong,

nor to leave before the small hours of the morning.

The dishes are exquisite, the beverages are remarkable.

- And the libations are plenty! - Whoa!

Oh, sir...

You seem to have a very poorly arm.

Sir, leave this place!

Nicolas!

Assassinating one of my guests, on my very doorstep!

In Versailles!

The man only wanted the Marquis of Ranreuil.

Alas, the coach driver...

If only you saw how I lashed that fellow!

The whip ran red with blood!

Be wary of scarred men now, Nicolas.

Sure.

You owe your life

to the hidden talents of the Count de la Borde, Marquis.

As a child, I aspired to be a coach driver!

The whip is a formidable weapon,

to which even the most terrible animals yield.

- Tell your master I'm here. - He's waiting for you, sir.

Please, sit down.

I'll just be a moment.

Well, what news do you have for me?

As of now, you're on our list of suspects.

I beg your pardon?

Could you show me your left hand?

Provence, stop!

- Where's the other one? - What other one?

The silver hand the late King gave you!

I know nothing!

Misplaced, perhaps, lost, surely. Forgotten!

Such a present is neither misplaced nor forgotten!

It's in your interests to tell me where the hand is!

You go too far!

My interests are telling me

to have you immediately discharged from this case!

I have a warrant granting me full judicial powers,

allowing me to act until the truth is uncovered.

Le Noir, of course.

That chap doesn't like me at all.

And the young King, do you know what he thinks of this?

He's urging me to solve this.

His Lordship must at least remember the place where he lost the hand?

At the home of Lady de Cusacque.

In Normandy.

Aglaé de Cusacque.

Isn't she the mother of your estranged daughter?

These out-dated curtains, this mismatched furniture,

these bare walls, lacking in paintings...

Everything else, emitting an antique splendour.

You didn't know me in my glory days.

Are you a Marquis, sir?

I'm also a police officer, my Lady.

I am aware of that...

What warrants this visit to my sad and dreary retirement?

The silver hand given to you by the Count of Saint-Florentin.

Saint-Florentin?

Saint-Florentin?

It is to him that I owe my disgrace, my exile, my ruin,

and the loss of my hopes and dreams.

He had promised me mountaintops and miracles.

Honour, fortune, and a bright future.

And even his hand.

His hand of flesh and bone.

And he wouldn't dream of, nor did he want,

to get rid of that vile harpy who ate away at him.

Now, thanks to his misconduct,

which I no longer profit from, I'm not allowed...

Madam.

Would you have any idea as to the whereabouts of the hand?

Is this an important case?

It is, my Lady.

That hand...

Does it still elude you?

Yes, my Lady.

The Count of Saint-Florentin claims to have left it with you.

Saint-Florentin is a liar, who can go to hell.

It has been a long time

since he enjoyed my company.

Then do you confirm to not have it in your possession?

My tastes do not favour that sort of object.

Did you not also come here to lead yourself astray, Marquis?

You seem to have rode for a long time, and vigorously.

Who would chastise you for a moment's abandon?

Nobody, my Lady.

Nobody.

That young Marquis, he's a handsome thing.

As for you, I don't know...

but as for me, I'd make him one of my regulars.

Chambonas, the scandal is soon to erupt.

Couldn't we consider moving things along?

We're working on it.

We're working on it.

The Lady closely resembles the picture others paint of her.

And the Count, like any good politician,

has a knack for mixing truth and lies.

Maybe they tried to kill you

for something you've yet to find out...

which, however, is quite clear.

Send for our friend Sanson, Bordeau.

Put their legs in first.

We'll make sure they're strapped into the frames.

Once we've separated the knee from the kneecap

and the feet from the ankles

with two solid planks, we insert two wedges.

Wooden wedges for the women, and iron wedges for the men.

It would be best not to spare the mallet.

Why such cruelty, sir?

I am injured.

Right now, you're injured.

Soon, you'll be crippled.

Yes, this questioning has consequences we cannot remedy,

but this doesn't much concern us.

I know nothing, I can't tell you anything.

Well...

Who's going first, Nicolas?

The injured man.

No! No!

No! No!

- No! - Stop, Commissioner!

Missery is telling the truth!

How can you corroborate this?

Long before he was Pindron's lover, he was mine.

He still had some affection for me.

Mercy! Have mercy!

Carry on, please.

That night, he took me to his room,

after failing to "rise to the occasion",

which I attributed to his business with Pindron.

Under the pretext of giving him some aphrodisiacs,

out of spite, I had him ingest

the powerful sleeping medicine the Duchess often uses.

He fell unconscious almost immediately.

In his room? Fully dressed?

That smell which fouled his breath,

that odd drowsiness.

It seems very likely.

It all fits.

If Pindron wasn't meeting him, then who was it?

You know, don't you?

Mercy!

Mercy! Don't tell! They'll kill us both!

If you don't talk, you'll both be dead!

Who is he?

His name is Eudes Duchamplan.

He is Jean Missery's brother-in-law and partner-in-crime.

No swindle, vice nor perversion is unknown to him.

Eudes Duchamplan?

And where could we find this man, Madam?

Commissioner.

I order you to stop this interrogation at once!

This shouldn't be, it's against all the rules,

which, under my authority, will not be broken by anybody!

Release this poor soul at once,

as well as this women and your other unlucky victim.

As for you...

How should I deal with your attitude?

You break all the rules and insult our laws!

Sir, f I had used the device in question,

it's because it wouldn't have helped me!

That being said,

your sudden interruption to a place you barely frequent

leads me to believe you were warned, by whom, sir?

You go too far!

I'm guessing the Count of Saint-Florentin

or his wife, the Duchess de la Vrillière,

who have cause to hinder my case.

That's enough!

You've crossed the line!

What you say doesn't surprise me in the least.

From the start, you've only ever acted

to dismiss me and put me off the scent,

devoted in your disdain.

- You forget yourself... - I'm telling the truth!

If you want to take me off the case, say so.

If you want me to quit the police, say so!

Le Floch will leave then!

The Marquis of Ranreuil will go hunt for deer!

Good day, sir!

The King told me he was counting on me to finish.

When he asks me about the inquiry,

I'll tell him he can no longer, because of your orders,

rely on his commission for extraordinary affairs.

- Good day, sir! - Le Floch!

You are truly an honest man!

Perhaps a bit brutal, but enough of that!

Who else would dare talk to me like you just did?

With such arrogance!

Did you ever dare cross my predecessor?

Yes, in fact.

He earned the right to a few choice words as well.

Lieutenant-General, time is against us.

Because of you, the chase has begun,

and our quarry has been forewarned.

Rest assured, I will keep you informed.

Good day, sir.

That was a bold move, Nicolas, the chap could have gone to ground.

Yes, but as petulant and shady as he is,

the chap is not lacking in common sense.

We resume duties, don't we?

We do, yes.

- And our decoys? - I anticipated this...

Before letting them get far, I kept them on a short leash.

Rabouine's men are on their trial.

Perfect.

We know that the valet,

Provence, has returned to Saint-Florentin House.

As for the other two, Lady Gouet and Sir Missery,

they seem to have left together, arm in arm, supporting each other,

to a destination we should hasten to discover.

It also seems they want to talk to you.

Come here...

Much like your world, Commissioner,

the world of gallantry has its own rules and customs.

We detest and warn against certain deviations.

What kinds of deviations, my Lady?

You won't see any useless compassion here.

The girls are, shall we say, the base of our business.

If they go missing or are damaged, we're in trouble.

Come.

In certain circles, people are committing

cruel practices that we would not tolerate.

Vice seeking help against other vices?

That's intriguing.

Could you tell me the catch?

Not long ago, a dandy came into my house,

making no secret of his means or his friends.

Warned about him by the girls who knew his abuses,

he was soon ejected.

What was his name?

- His name was Eudes Duchamplan. - I see.

He's equal parts man and woman,

who throws gold about like others sow discord.

He's just like the Marquis of Chambonas.

Our officers are no match for yours.

I don't take this lightly, sir.

The man you're looking for is a monster.

Yes?

Sir!

You've changed your mind?

Not at all, sir!

The birds might have returned to the nest.

- Miss? - Sir.

Are you mad? These streets are not safe.

I've nothing to fear, you're in the police.

What are you doing in Paris?

I don't have to tell you!

We're not married, and even if we were, would I have to?

It was a pleasure to see you again.

No offense, Nicolas, no offense.

That affair doesn't seem overly unpleasant.

The maître d’hôtel and the woman

went into the house you see in front of you.

They haven't come back out.

Perfect, Rabouine, perfect.

Get back.

Does this mean you do like me, Nicolas?

Shut up!

Man or woman, there are clothes for an entire regiment.

Or even a brothel.

The woman will have been taken God knows where...

To the Marquis of Chambonas, at his house in Montparnasse.

Yes, but he is well protected.

Jean Missery has been murdered.

The Duchess' personal aide,

Eugénie Gouet, has been taken.

I can assure you,

this is a plot that looks to act against you.

Your downfall could be imminent.

Who took her?

Your son-in-law, of sorts.

Your illegitimate son-in-law.

What can you tell me about the Marquis of Chambonas?

You need to stay away from him.

That man is most poisonous.

He has killers in his employ, keep your distance.

His protections are as hidden as they are indeed formidable.

I am innocent of everything,

Commissioner.

I lack your hand to fully prove your innocence.

Obviously, that silver hand follows me with special cruelty.

Failing this proof, I'd be happy to know one thing...

I'm listening, sir.

One word would be enough to exonerate you in my eyes

and those of the King's judicial courts.

All it would take is for you to clearly answer this question,

my Lord.

Where were you at the time of the death of Marguerite Pindron?

Must I pay the price of my silence a hundredfold?

Nothing will ever make me reveal

what I want to keep to myself.

Leave me.

In this instance, I even doubt Mr Sartine's position.

He hinted to me that he was supporting Choiseul,

and all those who share the opinion of getting rid of Saint-Florentin

would be met with his approval.

This girl goes by the name of "La Roussillon".

She wants to enter into the King's service.

That wouldn't seem to pose too much of a problem.

What's more, her conscience is increasingly troubled

by the goings-on in certain circles...

Well, it's not her conscience that's troubled then!

Come, sit down.

Talk.

Two of my sisters disappeared

after some filthy animal invited them to one of his parties.

What filthy animal would this be?

He goes by the name of Scipion.

Scipion again! The Marquis of Chambonas!

Where are these parties?

At private homes, hidden places,

or at the docks, in the underground warehouses.

Never in the same place.

They say they kill the poor girls

who've reached the age when nobody will look for them.

Do you know when the next party will be?

This evening, after midnight.

Here's your pass, sir.

A half of the Queen of Hearts, stolen from a party-goer,

who has been knocked out.

Is everything in place?

My men and yours have surrounded the building.

They can certainly get in, but not get out.

Right now, take care, sir.

Give up, Nicolas, this is folly.

That's enough, my friend.

We could cordon off this place, and at least gather evidence

of the debauchery and the kidnappings...

That's enough! I want that hand!

Welcome, make yourself comfortable.

Good evening, handsome...

This way, sir!

Why don't you show me your talents!

The man you're after is in the room next door.

He's in gallant company, with some sort of street walker.

- Is he alone? - No.

He's with a man whose eyes freeze your very blood.

Well, it's time for me to get into character

and act with convincing enthusiasm, so that your plan might succeed.

Hear them next door? They're really going at it!

That girl is neither lacking in lungs nor impetuosity!

Damn!

That whore's screaming is getting me all worked up...

This one is begging to be tortured, she deserves it for blabbing.

She is begging for it,

but perhaps she doesn't understand how we'll do it.

Please, sir, let's skip to the end.

I have to agree with you though...

all the begging,

the cries and contortions of the victims,

not to mention the energy required to do it,

you end up getting bored,

and even disgusted, with any kind of foreplay!

Get back!

You only have one shot.

You'd best not miss.

Don't move, Chambonas!

Over there! Now!

Nobody gets out, understand?

Shoot then, but do it properly.

Make sure you kill either one or the other.

Nicolas!

Nicolas!

Nicolas!

Look over there!

Bring in the accused.

Yes, sir.

When he was caught on the way out, with his hand, so to say,

the Marquis of Chambonas didn't hesitate to confess.

That said, being found with an object

used to commit vile crimes, he feared...

That it could be wrongly inferred that I was involved in this!

Bloody hell!

Involved? You? How could that be?

How could that be, indeed!

I hate to ask the question,

however, the exception proves the rule.

Commissioner Le Floch, wouldn't it be best if Scipion,

who I believe is ill disposed to tell the truth,

were to undergo some "questioning"?

Not necessary, sir, not necessary!

I am abject and vile, but not at all stupid or brave.

Bring me a chair, anything, and I'll tell you everything.

As you suspected, Commissioner,

Eudes Duchamplan is the sole assassin.

I fear at this point it cannot be denied.

Eudes Duchamplan is dead, at the bottom of the river Seine.

- What were his motives? - Who could say.

You couldn't tell what that man was thinking.

You didn't answer me, so "the question" still stands.

Sir? Come now, gentlemen!

It was simply out of revenge, on the part of Aglaé de Cusacque,

to compromise the Count of Saint-Florentin.

This makes you the accomplice to at least two murders, Marquis.

But, sir!

I was just doing as I was told!

Here, "doing as you're told" carries the crime of complicity.

Come now! Talk, Chambonas!

This is now becoming a political affair.

What happens at a state level can only be heard by certain ears.

Please stay, Inspector.

It will be your duty to take a verbal account.

Verbal account?

Are you sure about that?

Certain, sir.

Come on!

Two different minds came together

and they were soon united in a common cause.

My accomplice is a noble of very high standing.

A small man,

who puts on a reasonable disguise,

with a rare, red head of hair.

His movements are twitchy,

and he has a raspy voice.

Do you really wish to know his name?

You knew, didn't you?

I knew, I knew.

Not all the details,

but the bigger picture did not go unnoticed.

So, a murder attempt against me was merely a detail?

An attempt that you escaped!

Take a seat, Commissioner!

Please.

So, eventually, our dear Chambonas did talk.

At his leisure, yes.

You knew.

And you didn't warn me at all.

Madam de Cusacque's revenge well suited our plans.

We just had to let events unfold.

Take care not to ignore

the formidable effects of sex

when you mix power with money.

With the Count compromised by a significant scandal,

of which the crime at Saint-Florentin House

was but the first in a long line of clearly shameful murders,

the Count, with his resolve shaking,

who would soon be beaten...

A royal path would open up for your champion,

Mr de Choiseul.

What about your role in all this?

Enough with that sarcastic tone, Nicolas.

Only Choiseul has the courage, the intelligence, the endurance,

and a vision for the state...

to drive forward reforms for the monarchy's survival!

Choiseul is the only line of defence

that the King has against the growing perils!

Unaware of the stakes,

you have accomplished your task.

Shame.

Or rather, alas.

You can leave.

Sir, I am most satisfied with your report,

not in what it contains, which doesn't shock me at all...

but in its precision and the speed it was brought to me,

I see the best in our police force.

- Your Majesty. - Sir.

Some of your hair has fallen out.

Perhaps it would be best to return to Chanteloup

and to stay there.

Your Majesty.

The Count has gone out, Commissioner.

- Did you want to see him? - Not at all, Madam.

I just wanted to return this to him.

Thank you for rescuing my husband.

I know all his shortcomings,

as I know the best of him.

I owe you the truth, Commissioner.

Having known about the crime...

I used the maître d'hôtel as a smokescreen.

I had understood that, Madam.

I...

I take it that you're a man capable of keeping a secret?

Do you know where my husband is right now?

Would you like to know?

Did you know that the Marquis of Chambonas

has been relegated to his land by order of the King,

and he is never to return to the Court nor the city?

Is that all?

When will the law be applicable to everyone?

One day, perhaps.

When your family rule the country!

Come in.

Sir?

Madam.

I'm a police commissioner.

All I want is information concerning the man

who has just left your home.

Has something happened to him?

No, no, calm yourself.

Does he often visit you?

Every evening.

- Every evening? - Yes.

- Without fail? - Yes.

And this man,

what does he do, and what is his name?

His name is Charles Gobelet, he works at Châtelet.

- Charles Gobelet? - Yes.

And how do you know him?

He's my friend.

He gives us so much love and attention,

you would find it touching.

This is our child.

There's no need to make a big deal...

out of my visit to your friend.

It'll be like a little secret between us both.

Thank you, sir.

Madam.

Why hide from the world such a sweet and happy pairing?

He has children from a first marriage

who wouldn't accept learning about this.

He takes so many precautions, it's like he feels threatened.

No, it's not that.

Madam.

Sir.

Well?

Sorry, I can't tell you anything.

I don't know where a man's truth lies.

Whether it's in his disorder

or his garden of innocence, preserved from sin.

Go!

SUBTITLES: RED BEE MEDIA FRANCE