EDITH and YVETTE are clearing tables in front of the Café René as HELGA approaches.

HELGA: Good evening, Madame Edith.

EDITH: Ah, Helga. Your usual?

HELGA (sighs): Yes. A table for one.

EDITH: What about Herr Flick? It seems like ages since you two reserved the back room for dinner.

HELGA: Yes, indeed. His work keeps him busy. It is hard work, being feared, you know.

YVETTE: I can hardly imagine it.

EDITH: Ah, well, never mind, there's always tomorrow. We are quite full tonight, but ask at the bar; I'm sure René can find room for you.

HELGA: Thank you, Madame Edith.

After HELGA enters the café, EDITH gestures at YVETTE to run over to CRABTREE's office, on the other side of the plaza. With YVETTE gone, EDITH peers inside the café, through the front window.

HELGA enters to a crowded Café René, mostly filled with the undercover girls of the French Resistance. As she pauses at the entrance, RENÉ spots her and waves her to join him by the bar. She makes her way through the crowds.

HELGA: Business is good tonight, I see.

RENÉ: Yes, indeed, but I feel bad that such a good customer cannot find a seat at a table. Mimi, a drink for this lovely lady, compliments of the house.

HELGA (taking the proffered drink from MIMI): Thank you, René.

HELGA downs the glass in one quick swallow. RENE's eyebrows rise in surprise.

RENÉ: Tough day at the office?

HELGA: All the shouting tends to wear one down. At some point you'd think the Colonel would invest in an intercom.

RENÉ pours out another drink for HELGA.

RENÉ: Do go on.

YVETTE rushes into CRABTREE's police station.

YVETTE: She is inside the café!

CRABTREE: I will gove Ronnie a rong!

CRABTREE picks up a nearby phone and dials.

CRABTREE: It is not wiking!

YVETTE: What?

CRABTREE: My fin is dodd! It has coked the backet!

EDITH sees YVETTE's frantic waving from across the square, and looks into the café again, to see RENÉ and HELGA still chatting at the bar.

EDITH (muttering to herself): Something has been bunged up. Must I do everything myself?

EDITH rushes around the front of the café, entering the back room through the back alleyway.

EDITH: Rrrrrring! Rrrrrring! Rrrrring!

Behind the bar, RENÉ's eyes widen in disbelief.

EDITH (more insistent): Rrrrrring! Rrrrrring! Rrrrring!

RENÉ: Oh my god.

HELGA: Your phone sounds very strange, René.

RENÉ: Yes, it is a very daft model. Please excuse me while I answer that exceedingly old and tone-deaf thing.

RENÉ bows slightly before rushing through the back doorway, not closing it quite completely. He stops EDITH just as she is about to call out again.

RENÉ (whispering fiercely): Enough! You'll start the dogs howling again!

EDITH whacks him on the upper arm.

EDITH (whispering): Just do your part!

EDITH departs out the back window. RENÉ picks up the phone.

RENÉ: Hello, Café René. Who is this? (pauses while walking closer to the doorway) Michelle? (voice lowers) Haven't I told you not to call me here? What is so urgent that you had to call me here, of all places? Make it quick, someone might be listening. (pauses) What? A German? You're throwing me over for a German?!

HELGA has been inadvertently eavesdropping on RENÉ's 'conversation' through the half-opened door to the back room. Her eyes widen.

RENÉ: Fine! Go and have your kicks with this Gestapo officer while he 'interrogates' you in his dungeon!

HELGA goes livid as she connects the dots. She storms out of the café, with nary a glance as she brushes past GRUBER as he enters.

GRUBER shakes his head at the departing HELGA.

GRUBER (to himself): Now where is she going off to in such a state?

GRUBER looks around at all the undercover Resistance girls seated at the tables.

GRUBER (to himself): Oh dear, this place does not look inviting at all.

But spotting the empty spot at the bar recently vacated by HELGA, GRUBER sighs to himself and makes his way over. The girls watch him warily, but he fastidiously avoids them all. As he looks around for RENÉ, GRUBER hears him continuing his phone 'conversation'.

RENÉ: But once he leaves you, do not expect to come crawling back to me! I will have moved on to the next one in the queue! Even now, they are forming a line outside my door! I will snap my fingers for the next one!

GRUBER looks around, sees that no one else is near, smiles slightly, and moves closer to the door.

RENÉ hangs up the phone, then walks back into the bar. Expecting to still see HELGA, he is surprised by the sight of GRUBER.

GRUBER: Why, hello, René!

Beaming, GRUBER gingerly snaps his fingers.