Ils savent tout

Saturday, half past seven. Théo is sent out for croissants, which should take five minutes. It takes longer, because the girl behind the counter is Inès, and because the best fisherman in the village walks in with a full basket and says one word.

Texte

La boulangerie

Samedi, sept heures et demie. À l’hôtel, les clientes veulent des croissants. Alors, Véronique envoie Théo à la boulangerie.

À la boulangerie, il y a Inès. Elle a dix-neuf ans, comme Théo. Théo connaît Inès depuis l’école. Mais depuis cet été, devant elle, il ne sait plus parler.

Dans la boulangerie, deux dames attendent. Elles prennent leurs baguettes, elles disent bonjour à tout le monde, et elles savent déjà tout : qui arrive, qui part, qui pêche bien… et qui ne pêche rien.

Ici, les gens voient tout. Et ils disent tout.

Puis Lucien entre. Il a quatre-vingt-deux ans. C’est le grand-père d’Inès et le meilleur pêcheur du village. Dans son panier, il y a trois gros poissons.

Devant la boulangerie, deux pêcheurs du port regardent leurs paniers vides, puis le panier de Lucien. Ils font tout pour savoir où il pêche. Ils boivent des cafés avec lui, ils posent des questions. Mais Lucien ne dit jamais où.

Dans sa poche, Théo a une photo : la dernière page du carnet d’Émile. Une carte, une croix, et trois mots : « le rocher noir ».

Hover any word for its sound and its English, or read the whole text in English first. EN Saturday, half past seven. At the hotel, the guests want croissants. So Véronique sends Théo to the bakery. At the bakery there is Inès. She is nineteen, like Théo. Théo has known Inès since school. But since this summer, in front of her, he can no longer speak. In the bakery two ladies are waiting. They take their baguettes, they say hello to everybody, and they already know everything: who is arriving, who is leaving, who fishes well… and who catches nothing. Here, people see everything. And they tell everything. Then Lucien comes in. He is eighty-two. He is Inès’s grandfather and the best fisherman in the village. In his basket there are three big fish. Outside the bakery, two fishermen from the harbour look at their empty baskets, then at Lucien’s basket. They do everything they can to find out where he fishes. They drink coffees with him, they ask questions. But Lucien never says where. In his pocket, Théo has a photo: the last page of Émile’s notebook. A map, a cross, and three words: "the black rock". TWELVE CROISSANTS. INÈS: Hi, Théo! THÉO: Um… Good morning. Twelve. Croissants. Please (using "vous"). INÈS: "S’il vous plaît"? Since when do you say "vous" to me? THÉO: Sorry. Please (using "tu"). INÈS: So, what’s new at the hotel? THÉO: Two guests. They come from Lyon. They take photos of everything. Even Gustave. INÈS: And the Englishman? Is he catching anything today? THÉO: No. When he arrives, the fish leave. INÈS: Ha! Here, people know everything. (Lucien comes in.) THÉO: Good morning, Monsieur Lucien! Where are you fishing today? LUCIEN: Over there. THÉO: Over there… where? LUCIEN: Over there. Have a nice day. (Lucien leaves.) INÈS: My grandfather never says where. Not even to me. THÉO: Wait… Look at this photo. The black rock, do you know it? INÈS: The black rock? The fishermen say it is a legend. THÉO: And your grandfather? INÈS: My grandfather… he smiles. That’s all.

Les expressions du texte · listen and repeat

Twelve sentences from the bakery. Tap a card to turn it over, the speaker to hear it, the star to keep it in your word bank.

• Les clientes veulent des croissants. /le kli.jɑ̃t vœl de kʁwa.sɑ̃/ The guests want croissants.
• Théo connaît Inès depuis l’école. /te.o kɔ.nɛ i.nɛs də.pɥi le.kɔl/ Théo has known Inès since school.
• Devant elle, il ne sait plus parler. /də.vɑ̃ ɛl il nə sɛ ply paʁ.le/ In front of her, he can no longer speak.
• Elles prennent leurs baguettes. /ɛl pʁɛn lœʁ ba.ɡɛt/ They take their baguettes.
• Ici, les gens savent tout. /i.si le ʒɑ̃ sav tu/ Here, people know everything.
• Ils voient tout, et ils disent tout. /il vwa tu e il diz tu/ They see everything, and they tell everything.
• Ils font tout pour savoir. /il fɔ̃ tu puʁ sa.vwaʁ/ They do everything they can to find out.
• Elles viennent de Lyon. /ɛl vjɛn də ljɔ̃/ They come from Lyon.
• Quand il arrive, les poissons partent. /kɑ̃.ti.la.ʁiv le pwa.sɔ̃ paʁt/ When he arrives, the fish leave.
• Depuis quand tu me dis « vous » ? /də.pɥi kɑ̃ ty mə di vu/ Since when do you say “vous” to me?
• Quoi de neuf à l’hôtel ? /kwa də nœf a lo.tɛl/ What’s new at the hotel?
• Mon grand-père, il dit jamais où. /mɔ̃ ɡʁɑ̃.pɛʁ il di ʒa.mɛ u/ My grandfather never says where.

Production écrite