EXT. ILE DE CITÉ, KIOSK-MORNING

Augustin is standing by a newspaper kiosk by the Seine looking over the notices posted on it: missing people, missing pets, apartments for rent, etc. The VENDOR opens up the counter.

VENDOR

Good Morning!

AUGUSTIN

Good Morning!

VENDOR

Need anything?

AUGUSTIN

Do you know if anyone's hiring today?

Vendor shakes his head "no". Augustin leaves looking disappointed. He passes by GUI (early twenties) a shabbily dressed hobo, who is also coming to look at the notices on the kiosk.

AUGUSTIN

Sorry, my friend, they've got nothing today.

EXT. THE PONT AU DOUBLE-MORNING

Augustin crosses over the Pont au Double, a bridge running over the Seine from the Ile de Cité to the Left Bank. The buttresses of Notre Dame loom over him.

EXT. LEFT BANK-MORNING

Augustin makes his way through the busy streets of the Left Bank and through their morning traffic.

EXT. BAKERY-MORNING

Augustin passes by the window display of a bakery shop which is filled with delicious looking breads and pastries. He lingers for a moment, staring at the stop's tempting looking inventory.

EXT. PRODUCE STAND-MORNING

Now Augustin is standing by a produce stand selling juicy red apples. Buying a bag of apples is an OLD MAN. He takes out a wallet from the pocket of his shirt then takes out some money to pay for the apples then puts the wallet down the counter to talk with VENDOR 2, who is behind the produce stand.

VENDOR 2

How's your family?

OLD MAN

My son lost his job last month. The factory he worked at is losing money so they had to let people go.

VENDOR 2

That's too bad.

While the two men were talking, Augustin has been eyeing the unattended wallet and trying to figure out the best way to take it without anyone noticing. He looks around to make sure the coast is clear and then reaches in to snatch the wallet. Augustin deftly picks it up begins to walk off.

A POLICEMAN notices him to this.

POLICEMAN

Stop thief!

Augustin makes a run for it.

POLICEMAN

Goddamn punk!

The policeman chases Augustin down the street. Augustin outruns him but barely. He bolts into the street, running past a car that stops story as to not hit him. The driver of the car honks its horn at him.

Augustin disappears down an alley, losing the policeman chasing him.

EXT. LA PREMIÈRE ÉTOILE, ALLEY-MORNING

Augustin finds himself in an alley behind a cafe, among cans filled with garbage. He sees an open door and decides to go in.

INT. LA PREMIÈRE ÉTOILE, KITCHEN- MORNING.

The open door leads into the pokey and steam filled kitchen of the cafe. The sun shines in through the windows and glints off of the copper pots hanging around the stove.

Augustin comes in from the alley at the same time that Marianne is coming in from the dining room. Marianne is startled to see him and lets out a gasp.

AUGUSTIN

Shhhh, Mademoiselle. I don't want any trouble. Just let me hide here for a while.

MARIANNE

Is someone after you?

AUGUSTIN

Probably. Listen, I don't want any trouble but I need to stay here until the coast is clear.

He gives her a smile in an attempt to charm her into helping him. She looks him over.

MARIANNE

How did you end up here?

AUGUSTIN

A cop said I took a man's wallet, so he started chasing me and I ran.

MARIANNE

Did you take his wallet?

Augustin takes the wallet in question out of his pocket and displays it proudly.

AUGUSTIN

By the way, thanks for helping me. The name's Augustin Lerou.

He extends his hand, which Marianne shakes.

MARIANNE

Marianne d'Aubrey.

The two look each other over. He drinks in her face and body and smiles. She knits her brow, trying to figure out where she's seen him before.

MARIANNE

Weren't you at my cousin's wedding? Yes, her new husband threw you out. So, now you're a thief as well a trespasser.

She sits on top of a low counter and puts her hand on her knee. On the ring-finger of this hand is a ring set with a red stone that twinkles in the light. The ring catches his eye. He takes her hand in his.

MARIANNE

What are you doing?

AUGUSTIN

Reading your palm, as thanks for helping me out today.

He runs his thumb across her palm, going from looking at her palm to looking into her eyes. While he is reading her palm, he slips the ring off of her finger without her noticing.

AUGUSTIN

Well, your heartline begins in the middle which means you fall in love easily. Your headline is wavy, so you have a short attention span. I can see that today, you're going to wait tables and do all the things you usually do. You're going to talk to people about stuff that's irrelevant that you're not going to remember afterwards. Later, you'll go home, have dinner, go to bed, and wake up the next morning to do the whole thing over again.

He kisses her hand.

MARIANNE

You know, I don't usually talk to strangers.

AUGUSTIN

But like you said, We've seen each other before.

He goes over to the door which opens out to the alley and looks outside.

AUGUSTIN

I think the coast is clear.

He winks at Marianne before departing.

MANON (19), another waitress who works at the cafe, comes in from the dining room.

MANON

Who were you talking to, Marianne?

MARIANNE

No one.

MANON

Then come take care of table nine. Anna and I drowning out here.

INT. LA PREMIÈRE ÉTOILE, DINING ROOM-MORNING.

Marianne, Manon, and ANNA (18), their fellow waitress, wait tables under the inspection of MADAME OCÉANE (50s) a plump dumpling of a woman whose massive bosom hangs over the tobacconist counter.

MANON

(to Marianne)

How was your cousin's wedding last Sunday?

Marianne turns to look at her.

MARIANNE

Exactly what you would expect. Mathilde showing off and gloating about the prize she won.

MANON

Life's unfair isn't it. You two are cousins: she marries a millionaire and you're stuck here waiting tables.

MARIANNE

I'd rather be poor but honest than sell myself for money.

MANON

You say that now.

Madame Océane gives them an exasperated look as if to say "why do I have to put up with such feather-headed girls."

MADAME OCÉANE

If only you spent as much time working as you do gossiping.

Properly chastened, Manon and Marianne get back to work.

INT. LA PREMIÈRE ÉTOILE, TABLE NINE-MORNING

Charles is seating at table 9, reading a newspaper. Marianne walks over to take his order.

MARIANNE

What can I get you, Monsieur?

CHARLES

Coffee and fried eggs with toast.

Marianne writes his order down on a notepad and brings the piece of paper over to the kitchen. She returns with a pitcher of coffee and pours some into Charles's cup.

MARIANNE

Would you like any milk or sugar with that?

CHARLES

No, thank you.

She begins to walk away. He looks up at her from his newspaper.

CHARLES

How long have you been working here, darling?

MARIANNE

A couple of months. Has it been a while since you last been here?

CHARLES

Perhaps, I don't remember. But you look familiar; you remind me of someone I once knew.

MARIANNE

Perhaps I have a very common face.

CHARLES

Trust me, that face of yours is anything but common.

Marianne blushes and walks away.

INT. LA PREMIÈRE ÉTOILE, ENTRANCE-MORNING

The policeman who was chasing Augustin earlier comes through the front door of the cafe. He walks up to Marianne.

POLICEMAN

Excuse me, Mademoiselle, did you see a young man come around here?: tall, wiry, and brown with curly hair and green eyes.

MARIANNE

What do you need him for?

POLICEMAN

He stole a wallet from a customer at Dujardin's produce stand earlier this morning. We believe he might have passed by here.

Marianne considers for a moment.

MARIANNE

I'm sorry, I haven't seen anyone like that today.

The Policeman tips his hat to Marianne before leaving.

INT. LA PREMIÈRE ÉTOILE, KITCHEN-EVENING.

Marianne, Manon, and Anna are finishing up a shift. Manon is standing by the back door, handing a box of food to Gui, the hobo.

GUI

Thanks. No one's as kind or as beautiful as you, Mademoiselle Manon.

MANON

Gui, you're such a convincing liar, I fear for your immortal soul.

GUI

I'm sure there are plenty of things an angel like you could do to bring me closer to heaven.

MANON

Get lost, or I'll turn you away next time you show up.

Marianne removes and hangs up her apron and cap and puts on her hat to leave.

EXT. PLACE ST. SULPICE-NIGHT

Marianne walks through Place St. Sulpice. She makes her way past the church which gives this part of Paris its name and the fountain near it.

The cafes which surround the Place St. Sulpice are bright and bustling. The sun has gone down and street lights guide Marianne's way home.

EXT. HÔTEL VERTE-NIGHT

Marianne approaches the exterior of the Hôtel Verte, a large house with a front facade of windows and shutters. Flowering vines criss cross the walls and are woven in between the windows. Part of the house is a round tower with a cone-shaped roof. The Hôtel Verte was once a nice house but has become a bit rundown over the years.

INT. HÔTEL VERTE, FRONT HALL- NIGHT

Marianne walks through the front door of the house. The front hall is decorated in the Art Nouveau style but the once elegant decor has fallen into disrepair: the woodwork has become yellowed with mold; the windows are grimy and cracked in places; the wallpaper is falling off in pieces.

At the other end of the hall, there is another door which opens out onto a small yard which contains a vegetable garden and a chicken coop. The chickens have wandered inside the house and are being chased by a black French bulldog. Marianne picks up the dog and scratches him behind the ears.

MARIANNE

Johnny, what have I told you about this?

LOUISE (early 20s) a dainty, sweet-faced young woman in a faded house dress and apron, comes into the front hall. She is holding JACQUES, her baby son, at her hip and is trying to shoo the chickens back outside

LOUISE

Shoo! Shoo! Get out of here.

Marianne, holding Johnny in her arms, knocks on one of the doors that open into the front hall.

INT. HÔTEL VERTE, FIRST FLOOR ROOM-NIGHT

PAPA VERTE (60s), the old man who Augustin stole the wallet from,  is sitting in a rocking chair, smoking a pipe and listening to classical music on a radio. Marianne stands in the doorway.

PAPA VERTE

Marianne, is that you, my child?

MARIANNE

Yes. Thanks again for watching Johnny today.

PAPA VERTE

No problem.

MARIANNE

How was your day?

PAPA VERTE

My wallet was stolen.

MARIANNE

That's terrible

PAPA VERTE

Oh well, some poor soul needed the money more than I did.

The sound of the phone ringing can be heard in the other room. Louise steps into the room.

LOUISE

Marianne, there's an Edmond Danton on the phone for you.

INT.  HÔTEL VERTE, FRONT HALL-NIGHT

Marianne comes into the front hall and walks up to the telephone and picks up the receiver.

MARIANNE

Edmond?

EDMOND V.O.

How's Cinderella tonight?

MARIANNE

Fine.

EDMOND V.O.

Listen, a friend of mine is throwing a party next Friday. How would you like to come?

MARIANNE

With you and Mathilde?

Edmond gives an amused laugh.

EDMOND V.O.

I can pick you up at eight next Friday. There'll be a band and dancing, it'll be fun. What do you say?

Marianne considers for a moment, not knowing what to say.

MARIANNE

I'll have to think about it.

Edmond laughs again.

EDMOND V.O.

Get back to me on it. Goodnight Cinderella.

MARIANNE

Goodnight.

She hangs up the phone.

INT. HÔTEL VERTE, MARIANNE'S FLAT-NIGHT

The flat where Marianne lives is a small, cozy room inside the tower in the front of the Hôtel Verte. There is a large window with a window seat in front of it and a small kitchenette with a stove, sink, cupboards, and a small dining table in its far end. A brass framed bed and a dressing table take up the center of the room.

Marianne has changed into her nightgown and is pouring hot water from a kettle into a cup for tea. She brings her cup of tea over to the window seat and sits down. Once seated, she begins rubbing her sore feet. Doing this, she gets a good look at her hand and notices that her ring is missing.

MARIANNE

(under her breath)

Damn him.