CHARACTERS
Frederick
Frank
The soldier

Somewhere in France, the present time.

A very simple room with bare walls. Sober décor. Facing outwards, a bed on which Frank is lying, his hands on his chest. The spectator does not know whether he is asleep or feigning sleep. On the left a door. On the right of the bed Frederick Lemarchand is seated, a 40 year old, rather plumpand short-legged. Above the bed a simple photograph is pinned carelessly: it shows a seaside scene of no originality, as could be seen in a hotel room. When the play begins, Frederick is sitting facing the audience, rather stiffly. He fidgets on his chair, back and forth ...

FREDERICK: Frank? (silence) Frank?
(Silence. He turns and, without leaving his chair, tries to move the bed without success.)

FRANK! (he screams.) You're sulking, eh? (no reply) You're getting at me, I know. (Silence) Come on now, little Frank ... It's your fault as well, with your nasty character! (Silence) There, you see, you don't deny it. (Frederick makes his chair creak. He seems content.)

You don't deny it, do you? (Silence ... Frederick speaks syllable by syllable.) Al-ways the same with you ... Yes, yes, I realise that you are annoyed. (Frederick's face is cheerful.) I know you very well, come on! (Silence ... Frederick pretends to get up, then stays seated.) It's been twenty years ... (Frederick speaks quickly as if he were afraid of being contradicted.) Twenty years I have looked after you. (Silence.) You don't deny it, eh? Frank? (Frederick looks cheerful and settles in his chair.) My God! You know yourself well, don't you? Always the same, Frank, with your everlasting questions: why do you come home so late, Frederick? Why didn't you warn me? (Silence.) Or even ... (Frederick thinks for some seconds.) Ah yes! (He mimics Frank again.) Where did you go this morning? Why did you buy fish? (Frederick gets up suddenly. He stays in front of the chair, his fists clenched. He shouts.) Questions, always questions: why this? Why that? Why ... WHY? I couldn't put up with it any more! I couldn't ... (Frederick sits down again. He speaks calmly.) I couldn't put up any longer with your eternal questions, your contradictions,l your imagined superiority over everything ... Then... (silence) then I decided to leave ... (silence) to go right away.

Did you hear, Frank ...

From now on Frederick will speak to his interlocutor as if the conversation were real, while Frank still stays silent.

When? You ask me when? Well now ... (Frederick reflects. He speaks with considerably less assurance.) But ... do I know, me ... I don't know, me ... Five years ago ... (Silence) Exactly, five years ago ... I forbid you to sneer, Frank! Frederick cries out. His hands are trembling.) And don't you put on that shifty look! Not with me, Frank ... Not with me! (Silence.) Whydidn't I leave? Hmm! Well ... I really don't know! You do ask strange questions! Habit, I suppose! Yes, habit! (Silence) Familiarity, no doubt. (Frederick makes his chair creak.) Attachment, above all. (Silence) That surprises you, eh? Oh, don't worry, attachment ... to things, to ... this room, to ... dammit, that photo of Brittany which hangs over the bed. (Silence) That makes you laugh, eh? (Silence) You swine! You shit! (Silence. Frederick stammers a little as he speaks.) You never understood that, did you, you never understood that one can be attached to objects, to nothings! Sir always imitated the free spirits, the sceptics.

Frederick imitates Frank as if he had really started to speak.

Ah yes? Really Frederick? (He purses his lips.) It's an interesting play? You think so? Oh, you know, the theatre, the theatre! ... A minor art form, it must be said, so overrated, vastly ... Well yes, if it is important to you we shall see it, your play ...

Frederick resumes his normal voice.

It's always like that with you, Frank ... Putting on airs ... You never have taken me seriously, never ... it's no use protesting. You have always humiliated me, you have always tried to put me down, even in front of others (he shouts) and don't try to deny it, I beg you, Frank!

Frederick turns his ear towards the bed where Frank is still motionless as if he were listening for a reply.

It's no use insisting, I am not daft. I know what I am saying. (Silence. Frederick speaks in an infuriated tone.) You remember, when I invited George, three years ago ... yes, George, a work colleague. (He is getting worked up.) At last! Don't pretend you have forgotten, Frank. I know you too well, you know. I know only too well your habits, your ... intrigues!

A long silence. Frederick resumes in a tired voice.

Twenty years, twenty years of living together ... Well, on that evening I observed you closely, Frank. I understood your little game ... I understood many things ... don't deny it, Frank! Don't deny it! You exasperate me, finally! (He chokes.) Just try to deny it! (A long silence.) There! You see very well ...

And then? Well, then you spoke exclusively (he separates each syllable exaggeratedly) EX-CLU-SIVE-LY! You monopolised my friend all through the evening. Deliberately. Deliberately to make me suffer! And I, of course, I pretended not to notice anything. I laughed, I told silly stories ... but basically you knew that I was hurt, eh? You swine, push off! You shit! Dare to deny it!

He shakes the bed in a frenzy. His voice trembles with indignation.

And then to know you are together, joyous, accomplices - ... laughing ... laughing at me, perhaps. (Silence.) Really ... (he sinks his head in his hands, his shoulders shaking with sobs) I was bursting with jealousy, me ... Ah! I can still hear you ... don't say no, Frank: and my little George over here, and my little George over there ... you are a monster, you sweated hypocrisy through every pore, you swine! (Silence.) Swine!

Frederick goes on with his voice still shaking with indignation.

But ... you did not deceive anyone ... no one, not even the one you wanted to seduce by shutting me out! (Silence.) He never came back ... (Long silence. Frederick looks at Frank with hatred in his eyes.) He ... he avoided me ...

Frederick gets up suddenly, pushes his chair back violently. He stays on his feet, trembling.

Those years ... those years when you tries to shut me out, years when you stole my best friends from me, sadistically, for the pleasure of separating them from me, just to cast them off afterwards! (He screams.) Years, Frank! (Silence.) But if you believe that I did not notice, you are wrong. For years ... years that I observe you, that I notice the least of your gestures, the least alteration in your voice! Years when I imitate you in front of the mirror, secretly, that I mimic your walk, that I feign your voice! (Silence.) No, I shall not imitate you now. No! You would be only too glad ... No question of making such a lovely gift to your filthy pride. (Silence.) Don't try to insist! (A long silence.) And then after all ...

Frederick seems to change his mind. He gets up to portray the figure of Frank, starts to open his mouth, his lips deformed in the effort.

Oh! And yet no! No and no! You shit, get away! You would be only too happy to admire yourself through me! I shall not be enslaved by your system ... If you think I don't know you, Frank!

He pulls up the chair and plumps himself down.

If you think I did not understand your tricks ... your filthy tricks! (Silence.) Ah! I know you, Frank.
I know you! (Silence. Emotional.) As if I had made you ... (He speaks more quietly.) And yet we had some good time, didn't we? Yes! Yes! Remember ... At the beginning ... I know! I know! Yes ... And then there was the war and we dug in here, with no hope. (Silence.) Without even the hope that it would finish one day. The war ... and that did not put things right between us, on the contrary ... And then we were forgotten!. Is the war over, now? Who cares. We make war, we too – (he sneers) a war of nerves!

Silence. From now on, until the end of the play, we hear from time to time various noises, bursts of automatic gunfire without knowing for sure whether the war is a reality or if it takes place inside Frederick's brain.

The war of nerves! (he sneers.) And the situation has worsened, Frank, you have changed, you have become unbearable, impossible to live with!

Silence. Frederick turns and hits the bed repeatedly with clenched fists.

IM-PO-SSI-BLE!

He drops down at the foot of the bed, his head hidden in his hands, and stays like this, prostrate, for several long minutes.

Ah! Frank! I have been so bad! How you made me suffer! You persecuted me, you tyrannised me without respite ... what did I have to put up with from you, every day! And you knew just what you were doing! Don't deny it, Frank! Don't contradict me, hypocrite! I know you only too well!

Frederick gets up, takes up the chair and stations himself opposite Frank, in profile for the public.

How I have suffered, Frank! How I have suffered! It's abominable ... Do you realise what you have done, at least?

Silence. A nearer gust of wind is heard.

But it is over now. It is quite over. The roles are reversed! It is I who decide now. Me, Frederick Lemarchand! (He throws out his chest in a ridiculous manner.) Poor Frank! You are nothing more than a puppet whose strings I pull. (Silence.) You don't answer? Eh, Frank? You don't know how to answer? Or rather you no longer know how to answer? (Silence.) Eh, Frank? Who is stronger now? You or I? (Long silence.) Your silence is an admission, Frank! An admission ... the admission of your weakness! You are not longer the boss! You will never be the boss again, you understand? Never again! NEVER AGAIN! Ha! Ha! You don't answer, do you? You will never answer anything again, isn't that so, Frank?

Frederick bursts out laughing. Long silence. Then we hear in the distance a noise, very distance ... like steps on a nearby staircase ... Silence again. The footsteps resound quite close now and stop outside the room. Frederick seems uneasy.

You ... you understand, Frank? Did you understand? (Silence) Answer me, please, Frankie, my Frankie, answer me! ... (Silence) I am afraid, I am afraid, Frank ... Let's go ... (Frederick whispers.)
You heard, you too? (Frederick groans.) Come on, please Frank, don't be horrid, answer me! You'll look after me, won't you? Tell me? (He sobs.) Frank, oh! Frank ... (Frederick gets up, turns towards the bed and takes Frank by the shoulders. He stays motionless.) Come on, come on, please!

Footsteps can be heard again.

There they are ... there they are. (Silence.) Who? (Silence.) But I don't know! They!

Frederick tries to pull Frank towards him to make him sit up. We then see a red stain on the pillow where Frederick's head had rested. Frederick also sees it, and starts. He looks frightened. He suddenly lets go of his friend.

Frank! Frank! I didn't want to do it, I didn't want to do it, I swear! I didn't want to ki... (Silence. No sound comes from Frederick's mouth. We guess the word on his lips.) Frank ...

There is a knock on the door. Frederick is startled and does not respond. The knocking is louder. He covers his eyes and ears as if he wanted to drive off any danger, to protect himself. The knocking is louder and louder, then an impatient voice is heard.

The voice: Is there anyone in there? (Silence.) Anyone there? Answer!

The door opens. A soldier enters, armed with an automatic pistol.

THE SOLDIER (pointing his finger at himself): Regular army ... Oh dear! I was not wrong ... (He approaches Frederick who draws back.) I said: ”Regular army”! And you? (His air is suspicious.)

Civilian ... Hum! Isn't that obvious! What are you doing in there? (Silence.)What are you messing about with in there? (He roars.) Are you going to answer me or not? (Silence.) Well then? You were hiding, eh? You were hiding, vermin, while the others are fighting! But that is no problem, the victory is ours ...(He sees Frank in the bed where the curtains are drawn back.) Who is that young man there? (He turns back towards Frederick and shakes him.) You're deaf, I swear?

The soldier approaches the bed, starts back on seeing the pillow. He tries to examine Frank. Frederick tries to prevent this.

The soldier: Don't touch me, you! (He points his gun in his direction.) Back! Go on, back! (Frederick takes several paces backwards.) Let me see ... but ... he is dead, this lad!

FREDERICK: Don't touch him! I forbid it!

THE SOLDIER: That will worry me of course! It is you that killed him, eh? Vermin, come on! It is you that killed him!

FREDERICK: (He moves towards the soldier who draws back, his weapon in his hand): I didn't mean to! I didn't mean to, I swear ... It happened despite myself ...

THE SOLDIER: (he is afraid, his hands clench his rifle): Don't take a step forward! Not a step, I tell you!

FREDERICK (still moving forward): Don't touch! Don't touch him! He is my friend!

THE SOLDIER (nervously): Your friend? You shit, get away! Your friend! And you killed him? (He puts his hand on Frank's forehead.) He is quite cold!

FREDERICK(screams): Don't touch him!

He hurls himself at the soldier who holds him off with his arm.

THE SOLDIER: Don't come any closer you shit, traitor or ... (He looses a burst of fire at Frederick

who crumples, dead) or ... I fire!

The soldier looks at the two bodies, one after the other, then he lowers his rifle in a daze. Several minutes pass by. The light becomes brighter, then very slowly dims. He repeats mechanically ”or I fire” and immediately, like an echo, a burst of automatic fire is heard quite close.