Maigret (1992) s02e05 Episode Script

MAN: "It's now 10 days since the collapse of the children's wing at the Clairfond Sanatorium.
As France mourns, disaster continues to take its toll with the deaths today of a boy and girl both aged six.
They died without regaining consciousness, bringing the death toll of children to 62.
In Paris, the opposition attacked the government inquiry, set up by Minister Auguste Point for dragging its feet, a claim vigorously denied by the Minister, who said again that the inquiry would call all key witnesses.
It is still unclear whether the man who built the Clairfond Sanatorium, Monsieur Arthur Nicoud, is willing to appear before the Inquiry.
" Bobby, is that you? WOMAN: Monsieur Piquemal? The Minister does have an appointment to go to.
Perhaps it would be easier if you left it with me.
Blanche, is my statement read- Monsieur Point, I have to speak with you.
Minister, I've told this gentleman - Please.
Five minutes.
Come inside.
WOMAN: Long day? (GROANS) (CHUCKLES) That bad? Worse.
I need a drink.
(SNIFFS) Can I smell lamb? The day's not over yet, I'm afraid.
In fact, it's not worth taking off your coat.
A telephone call from a minister.
What minister? The Minister of Public Works, I think he said.
And he telephoned you here personally? Mm.
From a call box.
We got time for a drink? Well, he said it was urgent.
He wants you to go to HIS home.
Chief Inspector, I'm sorry to have disturbed you at this time of night.
Erdid you see anyone outside as you came in? No-one.
You must think it strange, a minister telephoning you from a call box.
I'm sure my telephone is tapped.
Will you have one? Thank you.
You don't like politicians, do you? I've come to recognise that look.
I see it in the eyes of people who come to see me.
They need us, but they don't trust us.
I was there when they were pulling the bodies out, 62 children killed.
And after the floods, a WHOLE wing collapsed.
I've set up an inquiry, as the minister responsible.
The minister in charge, I mean.
I didn't join the Ministry until long after Clairfond was built.
I hardly knew the sanatorium existed until the disaster.
You see, this should never have happened.
It was avoidable.
They ignored the report.
The report? After the disaster, the President asked me to retrieve it.
But it wasn't in the archives.
It wasn't there.
It had disappeared.
You see, Calame had virtually prophesised the disaster.
Calame?/ Yes, I'm sorry.
When the Clairfond Sanatorium was first proposed, Calame was commissioned to write a paper on the suitability of the site and the building.
He was a professor at the School of Civil Engineering.
He died two years ago - cancer.
This is a political matter.
Why are you telling me this? Yesterday, a man called Piquemal came to see me.
He said he'd worked with Professor Calame.
He had a copy of the report and he gave it to me.
And did the Calame Report predict this disaster? Yes.
If this thing were published, there would certainly be blood on the carpet.
What do you mean IF it were published? I read it last night.
And this morning I telephoned the President's office, and arranged to see him this afternoon.
When I told him about the report he said I should bring it straight to him.
Now, no-one knew I had it here.
I'd locked it in my desk here.
Are you going to tell me it's been stolen? Yes.
Who else has a key to this apartment? My secretary Mlle Lamotte.
And the concierge, of course.
And my wife, though she rarely comes to Paris.
(TELEPHONE) Ah, that'll be the President.
I put in a call to him earlier.
Would you like me to wait outside? No.
Wait here, please.
Hello? Yes, that's right.
Thank you.
They're connecting me.
Monsieur le President.
Yes.
No.
No, it's gone.
Stolen.
I don't know how.
No, I haven't called the police, not officially.
Well, in fact, there's someone here with me.
Yes, Chief Inspector Maigret.
Certainly.
He wants to speak to you.
Won't you come to bed? I'm not tired.
A few hours ago you were exhausted.
What is it? Don't you trust him? He's a politician! Something's been stolen from his apartment, and there's no sign of any break-in.
I only have his word that something's missing.
Oh, come to bed.
It's all too neat.
It feels like an inside job.
Your holiday's due.
We could go away.
It's not that straight-forward, I'm afraid.
Why not? The president? Well, I could hardly refuse.
I don't want to know any more.
I may need some more men.
This is NOT a case for your department.
Why didn't Point contact Security? Oh, well, if you must.
They don't need to know precisely what it's about.
This is an unofficial investigation.
Of course, Monsieur Comeliau.
I'll do my best to keep your name out of it.
MAN: You should keep your hands to yourself.
MAN: Fancied her, did you? You looked like you were dancing.
She took a huge great chunk out of my thumb! What was I supposed to do? Aw.
Something's come up.
Lapointe.
MAIGRET: 'This is unofficial.
You don't mention this assignment to anyone.
The School of Civil Engineering.
Do you know it?' LAPOINTE: 'Yeah, Rue des Saint-Peres.
' MAN: Piquemal? Monsieur Piquemal? 'There's a teacher there called Piquemal.
I know nothing about him.
I want to know as much as possible.
' Janvier? 'Janvier, the Minister of Public Works has a secretary called Blanche Lamotte.
I want to know if she was seen at the Minister's apartment on Tuesday morning.
' Lucas? 'Now, look.
I want no written reports.
Say nothing to the others.
You report only to me.
Is that clear?' LUCAS: 'Whatever you say, Chief.
' 'Jacques Fleury, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Public Works.
I want to know EVERYTHING you can find out about him.
' MAN: Why does the Inquiry fail to ask the fundamental questions? Why does it fail to call the key witnesses? Are you saying the government inquiry's a whitewash? I am saying that if I were part of the Commission, I would call those men in the government responsible for AWARDING the contract to the builder Nicoud.
And I would ask them, is it not true that the Clairfond Sanatorium was built not because of your concern for those children .
.
but in order to grant favours Inspector Maigret? Jacques Fleury.
Ah, hello.
MAN: Is Monsieur Nicoud refusing Isn't that Charles Mascoulin? No doubt making more trouble for the government.
WOMAN: He didn't seem quite right.
Something about him.
But he managed to get into the Minister's office? Yes.
Well, I agreed to see him.
This parcel he was carrying, have you seen it again since then? No.
Well, I don't RECALL having - (KNOCK AT DOOR) How long have you worked for the Minister? Must be 12 years now.
You must be very devoted to him.
I am dedicated to my work.
Dedicated enough, perhaps, to protect him if he were in trouble? I don't know what you mean.
I'm not sure, myself.
Very difficult time for him.
I don't think I've ever seen him like this before.
Distressing for his family.
Yes.
It's a pity his WIFE couldn't be here in Paris at a time like this.
Chief Inspector, I thought you were concerned with this man Piquemal.
That's right.
Monsieur Fleury comes here every day, does he? He's a good customer, yes.
And he meets his wife here? You mean Jacqueline? They meet here sometimes.
Well, we were always friends from the beginning, really.
I worked for Auguste - er, the Minister - in his practise in Vanves.
And when he was brought into the Cabinet, he was looking for a private secretary and thought of me.
Things always work out, don't you think? Do you enjoy your work? Ha! No, I LOVE it.
It's ideal, really.
No, I like living in Paris.
It suits me.
Thank you very much, monsieur.
You have been a great help to me.
Oh, I don't think so.
I hardly saw Piquemal.
Well, I was in my office most of the time he was here.
Yes, well, if you want to speak to me again Thank you.
Oh, by the way, monsieur, when was the last time you visited the Minister's apartment? Oh, erm, that would have been erm We do work there occasionally.
But not for several weeks.
Well, very good.
Thank you.
You spoke to the President again? I was ready to offer him my resignation, but he refused.
Said it would "arouse suspicion at a difficult time".
Very few people knew you had the report.
Piquemal, of course.
Your staffand the President.
What are you suggesting? Last night, as I left your apartment, a car passed me in the street, and shone its headlamps in my face.
Oh, it's probably Security.
As I told you, I'm SURE my telephone is tapped.
Oh, this whole business! We're facing a major political crisis.
No-one's going to believe me.
And who can blame them? And it won't be long before someone asks about the report.
Lucas? You too.
Me too what? This place is swarming with Maigret's lot.
So, what did you learn about Fleury? Why should Security be interested? Oh, we're always interested in politics, Lucas.
All right, I'll tell YOU.
He's good company.
Always willing to pay for the drinks.
Lives on credit most of the time, but he always pays in the end.
We all pay in the end, Catroux, one way or another.
Of course, he's got a wife and two children living in Vanves somewhere.
He's reached that age.
You know what it's like with some men? They need something younger.
Why are you telling me all this? Because one day you can return the favour.
Can't wait.
MAN: Tuesday morning Tuesday morning, the Minister's apartment.
Attractive woman in her forties! Excuse me, she's deaf.
So I gathered.
Thank you, madame.
Do you know Mlle Lamotte? Visits the Minister upstairs er, Tuesday.
Yeah, good looking? Seen round here quite often? Er, let me see.
Tuesday.
No.
I didn't see her.
Didn't see anyone.
Bobby? Oh, that man.
What man was this? Fat, overcoat, with a cigar.
On the stairs.
People usually use the lift, you see.
Well, Thank you.
MAIGRET: Mlle Lamotte and the Minister.
What do you think? Are they lovers? If they are, they're very discreet.
Politicians have been known to be discreet.
(CHUCKLES) Lucas? Beer? Pernod.
Pernod.
What did you find? Bits and bobs, this and that.
Well? Well, for a start, I'm not the only one who's tailing Fleury.
Security.
Everywhere I've been today, the boys from the Big House/ have been one step ahead.
Me too.
I've had that creep Catroux breathing down my neck.
He found it very amusing I had no idea what was going on.
This is the case we're working on, isn't it? Arthur Nicoud? Isn't he the man who built Clairfond? I've been asked by the Minister of Public Works to find the Calame Report.
Is that why the Security mob are keeping an eye on us? To make sure we don't dig up anything incriminating? Well, they might be.
So, who wants that report to disappear? Men in the Cabinet, people who ignored it.
And Arthur Nicoud.
Maybe him above anyone else.
What about the Minister? Lapointe? Beer? Beer, please.
What did you find? Well, he wasn't at work, so I went to his hotel.
He lives at the Hotel du Berry in the Rue Jacob.
I said that I was his cousin from Marseille.
Anyway, he wasn't there either.
But the proprietor pointed me in the direction of the cafe where he has his lunch EVERY day.
He wasn't there today.
First time in YEARS, apparently.
Who are were talking about? Piquemal.
Who's Piquemal? He didn't show? No.
And the porter at the School of Engineering saw him getting into a car with someone.
Who's Piquemal? Description? He's a fat bloke with a big overcoat.
Smoking a cigar.
What? Never uses the lift.
The same man that went up to Point's apartment on Tuesday.
Who is Piquemal?! Monsieur Piquemal.
I think we'll find he's disappeared.
Madame Calame, did your husband talk to you about the report when he was writing it? Not in detail.
But I know something was troubling him about it.
Has anyone else been to see you recently? You mean Piquemal? When did he come? When my husband was alive, Piquemal was always pestering him with things that he'd written.
He had the most absurd notions.
Albert wasalways generous with his time.
After he died I didn't see anything of Piquemal.
Up until about a week ago.
He said he wanted to find some papers that he'd left with my husband.
Did he find them? I've no idea.
As usual, I left him to it.
Has anyone else been to see you? Not to the house.
They didn't ask you about the report? Suddenly, everyone wants the report.
It's a pity you weren't so interested when Albert was alive.
Go.
GO! Catroux.
Maigret.
I'd like to speak to Piquemal.
I don't suppose you know where he is, do you? And you wouldn't know where the Calame Report is? I was hoping YOU could tell ME that.
(COUGHS) Hm.
Sitting round street corners in a cold car, you'll catch pneumonia.
It's lack of sleep.
My resistance to germs is very low.
My wife keeps telling me to stay at home.
You know, you should listen to your wife.
Couple of days off, put my feet up, relax for a while forget all about the murky world of politics.
Hot drinks.
Maybe read a book.
Mm.
On second thoughts, I don't really think that's me.
What's going on, Catroux? I was hoping YOU could tell ME.
How is it everywhere me and my boys go, you seem to be one jump ahead of us? Don't flatter me.
We're usually the last to be told anything.
No-one trusts us any more.
Is that why they brought you in? Actually, I was hoping YOU could tell ME.
(COUGHS) (INAUDIBLE WHISPERS) Monsieur Nicoud, it would seem that the cause of this terrible tragedy was that the concrete used for the foundations of the building was of a, shall we say unsuitable quality.
The building was sound.
We are experienced in such constructions.
The workmanship was of the best possible standard.
The materials were all first-class.
No-one could have foreseen that the river would overflow.
It was a freak accident.
There is no-one more distressed by this tragedy than I am.
Could you tell us how you won the contract to build the sanatorium? I tendered for work like other builders.
We made a detailed proposal, excellence at reasonable price.
Chief Inspector Maigret? Charles Mascoulin.
Hello.
I understand that you're conducting an investigation in relation to the Clairfond disaster.
What makes you think that? Why else would you be here? You must be aware that there is a great deal of public concern - outrage - surrounding this case.
I am one of those who is concerned.
Which is why you should be careful.
In politics, things aren't quite so black and white as they are with bank robbers and prostitutes.
Even a famous policeman like yourself wouldn't survive if it were thought that he was part of a cover-up.
Is that what you think I'm doing? Perhaps.
But then again, of course, you may not know it.
Point's a decent man.
In his way.
But he has been careless in his choice of friends.
These children will NO be forgotten.
Their deaths will NO count for nothing.
Did you know that he has been a regular weekend guest at the house of Arthur Nicoud? And the Minister's daughter has received a number of gifts, jewellery, also from Nicoud.
Who told you this? People bring me information.
Monsieur Maigret, 62 children had the life crushed out of them.
The truth will come out.
Let me assure you.
We must all work together to ensure this NEVER happens again.
If - The murderer! He is the murderer! He killed my children! He killed my children.
Why was he not asked about his relationship with government ministers? Why did no-one ask HIM about the Calame Report? Nicoud makes a habit of sending gifts to the daughters and wives of his guests.
My daughter received a pen and a compact.
Both gold.
Have you or your wife ever received gifts or favours from Nicoud? No Has he loaned you money? Do you hold shares in any of his companies? No.
You're quite certain? Chief Inspector, if you doubt me - Your Excellency, I have been conducting this case against the wishes of the examining magistrate, and at some risk to myself.
It would have helped to inform me of your relationship with Nicoud.
I'm sorry.
It was an innocent association.
It didn't even occur to me.
Is there anything else you haven't told me? Nothing, I assure you.
(KNOCK AT DOOR) Newspapers, Minister.
They know about Piquemal.
They handed the report in at a very high level.
Who told the press about Piquemal? They also say that he disappeared right after handing the report in.
He may have been abducted.
I'm sorry, Minister.
I thought you'd like to see these straight away.
Yes, thank you, Jacques.
A man was seen going up to your apartment on Tuesday morning.
Fat, smoked cigars.
Now, either he's part of a Security operation, or the information's coming from inside your office.
No, I don't - I trust my people completely! Who wants you out? Who wants to destroy you? Who gives Security their orders? Ultimately, the President.
Can you trust the President? I have to.
Is that it, then? Security are running one step in front of us? Tidying up the pieces? So, why put US onto the trail if it's a cover-up? Perhaps, so they can say if Maigret can find no dirt, there's none to be found.
(SHRILL WHISTLE) (SIRENS) Maigret? Telephone.
Get that call for me, will you, Janvier? Listen to this.
"Dear Monsieur Piquemal, I thank you for your communication.
I am greatly interested in what you tell me, and will be glad to see you tomorrow towards 8pm at the restaurant Filet de Sole, Rue Montemartre.
I beg you not to mention the matter in question to anybody until then.
" Where did you get this? In Piquemal's room.
Is it from Point? Can't make out the signature.
Neither could I.
But the stenographers at the Chamber of Deputies recognised it immediately.
Was it Charles Mascoulin? Yes.
Chief, the Minister wants to see you.
What now? Perhaps we won't be chasing shadows for much longer.
Look at the date on this.
This letter puts Piquemal in the Filet de Sole restaurant with Mascoulin BEFORE he approached the Minister with the Calame report.
Minister, did the Calame Report predict the likelihood of disaster if the building was constructed on THAT site? It would be inappropriate to speak about that until the Commission has published its findings.
MAN: Is it true that the report has conveniently gone missing? A statement about the report will be made in due course.
Are you aware that Nicoud has fled the country? You can hardly claim the man has fled because he's visiting Belgium! Minister, will you be making the report public? Minister, are you going to resign? Isn't Arthur Nicoud a personal friend of yours? Erm (DOOR OPENS) The Minister will see you now, Chief Inspector.
Thank you.
Is anything the matter, Ma'moiselle? Yes, Chief Inspector, there is something the matter.
The telephone hasn't stopped ringing all day, every call full of hatred and malice for the Minister.
He doesn't deserve this.
Ma'moiselle - I know him.
I know what this is doing to him.
How can they? After all these years.
All he's stood for.
Theselies they're printing.
Why doesn't anyone speak out on his behalf? I know it's distressing to watch someone you LOVE being destroyed.
Can't YOU do something to stop all this happening? The President has asked me to make a statement.
You'll tell them what's in the Calame Report? He asked me again if I'd read the report, and he said, "It's a long, technical report, isn't it?" And he suggested I would avoid more serious difficulties by saying that I'd just skimmed through it.
If I spoke about its contents and implicate anyone, I'll be accused of making charges I can't prove.
And if you said nothing, you'd be charged with concealing the report to protect your friends? Would you blame them for reaching that conclusion? (SIGHS) I'll resign.
But not without saying what happened, whether or not I'm believed.
What's this? From Charles Mascoulin to Piquemal.
Charles Mascoulin? Arranging a meeting.
What? Piquemal took him the report? But why didn't Mascoulin publish it immediately? You have a photocopying machine.
Why shouldn't Mascoulin? He gave it back to Piquemal, and persuaded him to bring it to you.
Have you two quarrelled? No.
No, in a way, I admire the man.
He's a remarkable politician.
Perhaps you stand in the way of his ambition? Huh! He's a maverick.
He has no ambition.
And he's too outspoken to have any real hope of office.
Mascoulin lives for politics.
Is there anything personal between you two? Hm.
There was an incident er, when he was a young and fiery politician.
Weclashed.
And I refused to shake his hand.
Where was this? In the Chamber.
Oh, it waseight years ago, Maigret.
You see, what we have here is an opportunity for Mascoulin to place himself at the heart of the whole Clairfond affair.
If he now has a copy of the report, all he has to do is expose it.
It would make him the man of the moment! So, why is he holding back? What a coincidence you should come here.
I was going to telephone you.
May I? How is your investigation proceeding? In surprising directions.
Really? How amazing.
(CHUCKLES) But you haven't er, located Piquemal yet? Not yet.
Well, it was about Piquemal that I wanted to speak.
Now, as you can imagine, I get communication from all kinds of cranks, lunatics.
Not unlike YOUR work, I don't doubt.
Well, I too have to sift through all the tips and leads to find what I consider to be genuine intelligence.
Well, Piquemal's letter appeared to me to be sincere.
Did it concern the Calame Report? So, I arranged to meet him.
He told me that he wanted to bring ME the report because he suspected that there were people interested in hushing the story up.
But you would see to it that it was published.
Well, I told him that he must take it STRAIGHT to the Minister of Public Works.
Would I be right in saying that you made a copy of the report before Piquemal took it to the Minister? I'm not clear exactly what your purpose is.
My duty is to Parliament and to the country.
And tomorrow, I'm going to make a statement to the Inquiry.
And you will say that Monsieur Point lost the report in order to protect his ministerial colleagues.
I'm sure all these men set out to be effective ministers, every one of them.
But they're infected by authority.
They crave power.
They'll do anything to protect themselves.
You know they call me a troublemaker? A nuisance keeps us all awake.
Keeps democracy awake.
Now, no doubt, I'll see you tomorrow.
At the Ministry.
I'm sorry, darling.
Maigret? You've put your feet up, I see.
Doctor's orders.
(COUGHS) Thank you, madame.
So, what can I do for you, Maigret? I've had an idea about who took the report.
I'm looking for someone.
One of your fellows.
Probably thrown out of the service.
Chucked out? Why? I don't know why.
All I know is he works for Charles Mascoulin now.
And Mascoulin hasn't got the kind of power that puts Security at his beckoning.
I need YOU to give me some names.
And why should I do that? Oh, come on, Catroux! I'm close.
I know I am.
I need your help.
I've racked my brains, and I've come up with some names here.
Bodelin, Falcone, Vallencourt, Fische - Is that all? There are many more, I know.
I'm looking for a fellow who's gone bad.
Probably working as a private investigator now.
Fat, smokes cigars.
You know him.
I don't know what you're up to, Maigret, but I can't help you.
Come on, Catroux.
A man's life's about to be destroyed, because you can't find it in your heart to trust me! Stop picking on me, Maigret, will you? I'm a sick man.
(COUGHS) A small gift.
Gift? Help you relax during your convalescence.
Events have taken a turn for the worse.
In this kind of investigation, Monsieur Comeliau, events usually do.
I have been telephoned by a news editor.
Then things have certainly taken a turn for the worse (!) He was interested in YOUR role in the case.
I told him there's no formal police inquiry, since the Calame Report hasn't officially been reported stolen.
Very diplomatic of you, sir.
I do not welcome the prospect of finding my chief inspector on the front page of a national newspaper in such undesirable circumstances.
What do you have to report to me? Tomorrow morning Charles Mascoulin will address the Commission and reveal my complicity in the suppression of the Calame Report.
And you find this amusing, Maigret? No.
Maigr- Well done, boys.
(FOOTSTEPS) You took your time.
I didn't give you this.
Now leave me in peace with my germs.
And all this time I've been thinking that you were one step ahead of us.
But you were watching US, right? Who are you working for, Catroux? How high does it go? The top? The President? You don't want to know, Maigret.
We got him! Eugene Benoit, private investigator.
Get some copies of that done, will you? And go talk to that woman in Boulevard Pasteur.
Erm, what's her name? Gaudry.
Madame Gaudry.
Yeah, go and see if she recognises him.
Right.
Benoit - look him up in the phonebook, will you? Must have an office somewhere.
And get over there.
Right.
Where's Lucas? Wearing his shoes out.
Benoit's office, down there, Chief! Concierge says Benoit hasn't been home for two nights.
But it's not unusual for him to take off for a few days fishing.
Where did she say he goes? She reckons she can't remember.
Right.
Let's go and help her to get her memory back, shall we? (DOOR OPENS) What are YOU doing here? I might ask you the same question.
Our friend Fleury - very interesting social habits.
Drinks in the most unlikely places.
He was seen having a glass or two with Benoit a couple of weeks ago.
Go and pick him up, Luc.
Right.
Janvier? Look er, will this take long? My girlfriend will be worried.
I should be home by now, you see.
Wait in there.
You stay with him till the chief gets back from Seineport.
Don't let him call anyone.
If he asks, you know nothing.
Let him stew on his own for a bit.
But I had a date.
You know how to use a telephone.
To the right, about a mile, just before the little wooden bridge.
Yeah, I'm sorry about that.
Yes, all right, I'll tell him.
Bye.
What did she say? Erm She asked me to tell you that she probably won't be in when you get back.
She sounds like a nice, friendly girl.
MAN: Who is it? Maigret.
Benoit, where's Piquemal? Where have you put him? I won't offer you any.
He's not here, Chief.
Where is he, Benoit? How long have you been working for Mascoulin? Mascoulin? You needed someone close to the Minister.
And it was Mascoulin who put you on to Fleury.
Keep fishing, Maigret.
There's nothing biting tonight.
Then he told you the Minister had taken the report home.
And then he gave you the keys to his apartment.
Isn't that so? That's the easy bit, Maigret.
What else have you got? Chief? Had to be like that, of course.
You couldn't use force to get in, could you? It mustn't look like a burglary, in order to implicate the Minister.
Cuff me.
Arrest me.
What will I get for the burglary? A year? Not even that.
Of course, it's very easy for you and Mascoulin to manipulate an amateur like Piquemal.
Tell him he's a great man, very brave thing he's doing, striking at the cancer at the heart of the government.
And he believed you, didn't he? Where's the report, Benoit? Did you burn it? Did Mascoulin have you destroy it? Cuff him.
What? Cuff him.
Come on, Maigret.
I told you I'll admit to the burglary.
Let's not get silly about this, eh? There wasn't much to it.
I just took the keys from Ma'moiselle Lamotte's bag and loaned them to Benoit for an hour on Tuesday morning.
Not much to it? No, I didn't meanI'm, er God, I feel awful.
She was going to leave me.
Jacqueline, my girlfriend.
I mean, she's young, she likes a good time.
And she had her bags packed and everything.
I needed the money.
What was I to do? I All Benoit wanted was the keys.
I didn't know what it was about.
I mean I thought they were just checking the Minister out.
Look Look, you must understand, I I didn't want to betray Auguste, but .
.
I love her.
He had no idea he was working for Mascoulin.
Mascoulin? The incident in the Chamber, refusing to shake his hand.
He was driven out, the Deputy.
I won't give you his name.
He was shamed into resignation when Mascoulin revealed that this deputy's brother had been a wartime collaborator.
Wasn't even HIM, it was his brother.
And I felt there was a cruelty in the way that Mascoulin went about it.
He was merciless.
He didn't know where to stop.
Others in the Chamber were eager to congratulate Mascoulin.
But I refused to shake his hand.
You humiliated him in public.
I'm indebted to you, Maigret.
I can go now with honour.
You're going to resign? I'm tired.
I shall return home to my family and watch my grandchildren growing up.
I can't believe that Mascoulin was prepared to sacrifice Clairfond for this.
You know he's speaking to the Commission this morning? There are men in the government who didn't want us to see this report! They know that its existence proves political corruption right at the heart of the Cabinet.
They ignored its warnings because they were handsomely paid by Arthur Nicoud in return for awarding his company the contract to build the sanatorium.
But there has been a corruption even more immoral than this.
Even now, after this terrible disaster, after 62 children have died, there are men, officers of state, who have tried to suppress this evidence in order to protect their friends in the government.
I have said that this is a Photostat copy.
So, where is the original document? We would all like to know.
MAN: You said members of the government have sought to conceal the truth.
Can you tell us who? I I'm sorry, II don't remember.
Monsieur Mascoulin, can you tell us how you came into possession of this document? Who gave it to you? I did.