"I do not please you." "Why have you come with me, if I do not please you?" "If I can´t make you love me." "I was content just seeing you, being with you." "The other day you forgot in my car a letter from your father." " I read it." " Which letter?" "That one where he asks you to return to Catania, and to think about marrying." "Impossible, not even I can read my father´s handwriting." "You don't have to marry me." "I only want to be close to you." "Stay here, Antonio." "Don´t go away." "I will not ask anything from you." "I assure you, I won´t bother you." "I am not like the others." "Yes, you are like the others." "What do you mean?" "You do not know what you are saying." "I came here determined to give you anything, because I love you." "But I am still a young girl, do you understand me?" "I am a young girl." "If the lowest of your villagers married me," "I would have no complaint." "I know that Sicilian women are all crying on their wedding night." "But I would not cry even if you killed me." "My love, what's the matter with you?" "Come with me, come." " Why are you humiliating yourself like this?" " I can´t, I can´t." "Why not?" "Why?" "Why?" "THE BEAUTIFUL ANTONIO" "Mother!" "Antonio!" " My son!" " Mother!" "How are you?" "Well." "Very well." "Dipaola´s son has died." "And aunt Santina has a pulse of 30 per second." "But the doctor says she could live a hundred years." "Don´t mention the word "cuckold" in front of the lawyer Palermo." " You have that vice, like your father." " Why?" "Darling..." "His woman ran off last Sunday." "Zuccarello´s son died, within two days." " He couldn´t even cross himself." " Don´t you have happier news?" "Come here, Antonio." "Let us talk from man to man." "Come here." " Son, do you want sponge cakes?" " No, thanks." " Some coffee?" " No, mother." " Do you want some coffee?" " No." "I´ll prepare an egg with milk." "Ah, I nearly forget:" "Professor Callara has not been eating for a week." "Everything he says tastes like carrion to him." "If he continues that way, he´ll die." "You are looking well, Antonio." "I think I suffer from angina." "For God´s sake, another piece of good news." "Maybe not." "But I do have diabetes." "They found more sugar in me than in a candied fruit." "Don´t put on that funeral face." "I´m not going to be buried yet." "I´m still in good form." "As you can see." "And if it wasn´t because your mother makes tragedy of everything," "I´m still a man." "Don´t lower your eyes like a girl." "I don´t want you to be ashamed of your father." "Would you like to have a fool for a father?" "Surely you wouldn´t like to have a fool for a father." "A fool like your grandfather." "They say that he paid two liras to see a woman naked, and then he left." "But he was almost 80 years old." "I'm telling you all this because... you must think about marriage." " Father..." " Father!" "If you do not marry this..." "What´s her name?" "Barbara Puglisi, no?" "You will be looking for your own misfortune." "But I don´t even know her." "Because when a girl likes you, you scorn her as if she had insulted you." "You are a fool." "Barbara Puglisi is very pretty." "In addition, she is modest and rich." "What more do you want?" "I would prefer to wait some years." "You are almost 30 years old." "And I can no longer support you in Rome." "Why, are you a poor man now?" "No." "Within 10 years my orange grove will be worth 50 million." "But for the moment, your mother must borrow money from the porter." "I sold everything I had to buy the orange grove." "If you could see the wonderful view." "Much more beautiful than you are." "And you are quite handsome." "Tell me, what have you done in Rome these three years?" "Didn´t you benefit from them?" "You only wasted a lot of money." "It's not my fault." "Other people were luckier, entering the diplomatic corps without any obstacles." " I only got promises." " And your friend the minister?" "Didn´t he do anything?" "That miserable didn´t even lift one finger?" "He behaved worse than anyone." "I´m not surprised." " If you make love to his wife..." " That's not true." "It´s not my business whether it is true or not." "But that poor fool never noticed anything." "He has more horns than a basket full of snails." "My seducer son had to arrive from Catania, to make him jealous." "He isn´t jealous, and I´m not in love with his wife either." " I swear to you that it isn´t true." " Don Alfio!" "Don Alfio!" "I´ve been told that your son has come back from the capital." "The lawyer thinks you are the lover of the under-secretary's wife." "If he asks you if it's true..." " No, no..." " Yes." "Don´t deny it, or he will believe it." " Good morning." " Good morning." " He´s come back." " Good morning." "You are welcome." "Thanks, lawyer, how are you?" "Hello, Elena." "How are you doing in that sewer that the Holy Father ought to burn to the ground?" "They still don´t appreciate Sicilians, because we are brighter than the Romans, and they think they are." " Madame!" " What is it?" " Donna Rosaria!" " Yes?" "Have you seen your son´s long eyelashes?" "How can they be lo long?" "They are like fans." " She´s crazy." " Madame!" "Yes?" " Why don´t you kiss him?" " What for?" "A kiss on the eyelids." "Further down." "Kiss him there, there." "Further down." "Let´s see if it tickles him." "Please, mother, stop." "I´m going to my room, I´m tired." "Excuse me." "What a beard!" "I´m sure it scratches like sandpaper." "And who are you?" "Santuzza, the new maid." ""One day I left you because of a foolish vision, and I went far away." "I traveled across foreign lands looking for love." "I looked for love in summer and in winter." "And I never stopped looking for it." "I ran searching for love, but I didn´t find it." "And I returned home, with an ill heart."" "They are all very pretty, you will see." "You won´t take your eyes off them." "One is from Milan." "Her body, cousin, is like the Venus Calipigia." "Buttocks to dream about." "I am glad that you have come, I wanted to have a good time." "Who planned the party?" "Lawyer Spano." "People say that he is a lawyer no more than I am." "He´s from Benevento." "They say that the Member of Parliament Calderara made him head of the Cultural Society.." "That way all dancers that come to Catania... are at his friends' disposal." " Mr. Lawyer, come in please." " Good night." "Hello, Rosa?" "Are many people there?" "There´s the deputy Calderara." "He´s come from Rome to celebrate my chief's election to parliament." " Who is that smart guy?" " My cousin Antonio Magnano." " Why don´t I know him?" " He arrived from Rome yesterday." "Everybody loves him." " And he isn't interested in dancers like myself." " I´m not surprised." "All the women would be crazy about him." " Hello." " Hello, Antonio." "Welcome, son." "Deputy." " Is it true what they say about you?" " What do they say?" "That women like you." "What do you think?" "Do you prefer someone like him or someone like me?" "Nobody would think that you are a woman." "Your father can tell you what we did with these arms in 1922." "Lawyer, let's have a toast." "To the new deputy´s brilliant political future, whom all Catania watches full of pride and hope." "Do the honors." "From tomorrow you will have a seat in the Palermo Parliament, representing the most Italian party that ever existed." "But behave like a man, you understand." "Let's pass this to the Lawyer Spano." " What happens?" " Cheer up, Lawyer." "Lawyer, take advantage, because tomorrow she´s leaving." "I was afraid so." "Come with me." " I´ll make you enjoy it." " Try hard, let´s see what you can do." "Yes, go with the lawyer, we´ll have some fun." "Come here." "Dear Antonio, I think the lawyer doesn´t..." "Really?" "Lawyer, is it true that you...?" " No, never." " Do you know what they say about you?" "Say something, defend yourself." "I can´t believe it." "Don't pay attention to these foolish gossips." " If I were you I´d kill myself." " What else can you do?" " Yes, it´s better to die." " A thousand times better." "A thousand?" "A million." " Stop it." " Now comes the best part." "Go with him and I´ll make you a present." " I´ll tell you later what I want." " Ok, but go now." " Come on, Lawyer, come on." " Let's go." "An applause to cheer up the Lawyer." " His cousin´s photo has fallen down." " Who is she?" "You rejected her without seeing her?" "Barbara Puglisi." "The one your parents chose to be your wife." "Come here, honey." "But you are an angel." "Eh, boy." "Do you want to work in Palermo as the Federation's secretary?" "I can get the job for you." "There will all the women you need, and more." "Make up your mind till tomorrow." " Hey, come with me." " No." "Why not?" "I´ve been without work for a while." " Then what do you do now?" " I am an artist." " You don't say?" " I am." " What are you doing here?" " Nothing." " Do you dislike me?" " No." "Why?" "Is it true that the women of Rome were running after you?" "And that a Minister´s wife was crazy about you." "It's not true, just nonsense." "Everybody talks about it." "That women chased you like cats in heat." "Dont listen to them." "Come here." "Come here." "The most handsome boy in Catania." "It´s a shame to have to respect someone like Calderara." "And 10 years ago we wouldn´t even have greeted him back." "Animal." "And how strong he is, what a corpulent man." "He behaves like a conscript soldier on leave." "I would have taken advantage of it too." "But I immediately understood something... that animal did not see:" "Excepting you, all these women despise them." "True." "How Nanda has managed to set the deputy on fire." "She told me that she would give 10 years of her life to spend a night... with my friend the under-secretary." "There is no hope, I give up." "Really?" "But I would be very grateful if you could do me a favor." "Antonio, are you listening me?" "Excuse me, what favor?" "I see you're up Calderara's sleeve." "Tell him to find me a job." "I need to work, I am not a boy anymore." "What are you saying?" "I´ll try to help you." "Good night." "Mother!" "Father!" "What's the matter?" "What's the matter?" " Are you feeling bad?" " No." " Do you know what time it is?" " What's the matter?" " Your son has been with a woman, he smells." " Shut up." "Antonio, what's the matter?" "It wanted to tell you that..." "I will marry Barbara Puglisi." "God be blessed!" "Rosaria!" "Antonio, how happy I am!" "Come to your mother." "Give me a kiss." "Remind your son that from now he must forget all whores." "It´s finished." "Remind him that Barbara Puglisi has a priest in her family." "And that his future father-in-law is from one of the best families in Catania." "And one of the richest." "Thanks, Antonio." "Bravo, very well." "You chose a decent wife." "A pure girl like spring water." "Lawyer Ardizzone!" "Lawyer Ardizzone!" "Are you calling me, D. Alfio?" "Yes, I want to give you the good news." "My son is going to marry Barbara Puglisi." "Notary Puglisi´s daughter." "Do you know him?" "A singular person." "Exceptional." " Congratulations" " Thanks." "He has done it!" " He has done it!" " Elena!" "This is the way we do it in Catania." "You first check the neighbor's daughter before looking in another quarter." " Elena!" " It is true!" "When you have a girl in front of your nose, at least you should look at her... before going somewhere else." " But, Elena!" " I´m so unlucky!" "I was born with bad luck." "My father is only thinking of being selected into the Senate..." "You do not know what you are saying." "Excuse me, my friend, I repeat to you my..." "my..." "Good night." "She´s crazy." " Poor girl." " Father..." " But what is it you do to women?" " Why has it to be his fault?" "It´s their fault, they´re like cats in heat." "You understand me, I´m not a monk," " and I´m a man who likes women." " Yes." "No need to be ashamed of." "Your grandfather liked them too, and your great-grandfather..." "He liked them all." "He was like a lion." " He didn't leave out anyone." " Father, your favorite subject again." "What do you want?" "With us, the Magnano, all women literally melt when we touch them." "Yes, you can go on saying what you want." "But from tomorrow, forget Countess Cavallaro, the minister´s woman, the chief editor's daughter, and the dancers." "Got it?" " Ok." " Very well." "Alfio!" "No, today I am very happy." "The properties in Paterno, the houses in the avenue, and when he passes away, my brother-in-law Rosario´s vineyard." "Naturally." "Gifts from the parents worth 10 million." " Naturally." " And you will give your son..." " the orchard in the plain." " I don´t think so." " You will." " No, no." " Of course you will." " But..." "Well, as you please." "But, as you know, the mayor wants to... make a state-owned company of our canals in Pomiciaro, and that will cost us millions." "But the canals have been ours for centuries." "I went to Rome, I talked to all my friends." "The only one that can help us is minister Corollaro." "For that reason I ask you that your son..." " He will be your son from tomorrow." " Naturally." "I ask you that your son writes to his friend, the minister." "Because they are friends, aren´t they?" "Wonderful." " I will call my daughter and my wife." " Naturally." "It will be a pleasure." " Can he do it, father?" " Naturally." "Later we will go and see my father-in-law, the baron." "The old man is very bad." "Barbara, come here." " Good afternoon." " Good afternoon, Barbara." "May I kiss your daughter´s forehead?" "Yes." "Being both so handsome, you´ll have beautiful children." "Don´t you think so, father?" " Good afternoon, Signore Alfio, how are you?" " Very well." " Today is a wonderful day." " Are we already going up?" "Father..." " Father..." " What is it?" "Alfio Magnano is here." "Do you remember him?" "Alfio Magnano." " Alfio Magnano?" " Yes." "You were advisor when the Town Council dared to plant the trees..." " in front of my house..." " Father!" "In front of my house, blocking my view." "Such a insult to me, baron Francesco." " Father!" " And you didn't even plant them well." "And when they died, you said I had poisoned them." "Petty Thieves." "Father!" "Father!" "It´s nothing, come here." "Dont´worry." "Iets go, daughter." "He has fainted, He´ll be alright soon." "Let's go." "He is dead." "It´s better not to say anything until tomorrow." "It´s nothing, it'll pass." "Poor baron." "Do you remember when he poisoned the trees?" "Of course." "Look at those eyelashes?" " What a handsome man." " Very handsome." " Who has died?" " A 90 year old man." "I think the mayor smiles at you." "Do the same." "Look, Alfio´s son with his fiancée." "Don´t look at the balconies, now you are engaged." "The mayor has a guilty conscience, he doesn't dare to come out." " Write to your friend the Minister today." " Yes, sure, but I don´t know if..." "Antonio!" "Your son is an idiot." "Next thing, he'll say he wasn´t the Minister´s friend." "You know Antonio is a modest boy." "No, he is stupid." "Alfio, what are you doing?" "Everybody´s looking at us." " There goes Barbara Puglisi." " A good family." "Wonderful." "She won´t make her husband a cuckold." "Excuse me, lawyer, I didn´t allude to you." "Don´t worry, I´ve got rid of my wife 30 years ago." "What's going on?" "What's the matter, Antonio?" "What's the matter with you?" "I am happy." "Very happy to marry Barbara." "I´m sorry for this incident." " But one says it brings luck." " Yes." "Iets go." "Come on." "Iets go." "May I come in?" "Antonio?" "Excuse me for disturbing you, but the letter to the undersecretary... took effect immediately." "Ah, did you know it?" "Remember what I asked you for." "Don´t forget it." "I am glad to go to Rome." "You have to give me some addresses." "You will have to found an orphanage for the typists' sons." "He won´t leave out any girl." "Don´t listen to him." "He´s crazy." " Are you alone?" " Yes." "Do you know where we are?" "Listen." "You are going to hear a voice." "Antonio..." "Don´t you remember me?" "Antonio..." "Why don´t you come?" "Tell my friends to leave me alone." "I can´t, no." "Good bye." "Excuse me." "Who was it?" "My father." "He wanted to know if I had the key to the main door." "One day we have to go and see your orange grove." " Have you dug the well already?" " I think so." "You think so?" "It´s yours, it´s very important to have your own water." "Yes, you are right." "I will take care of everything later." " How many orange trees are there?" " I don´t know..." "Yes, I know: 20.000." " A magnificent property." " Yes." "Your Excellence." " Do you need something else?" " No, Maria, you can go." "Good night." "Take a jug of water to my room." "I´m retiring too." "Your father stays with you." "Tino, I´m going to bed." "Good night." "Good night." "I am very happy." "God knows how many women you have known in Rome." "You have a bad reputation." "No, in Rome, you don´t know, you don´t know..." "An indissoluble bow, made in Heaven, that no human or earthly force could ever undo." "But, you have to remember" "There is no relationship between husband and wife, between mother and son, between brothers, between friends, where Christ is not present." "In Heaven, right now, one next to the other, your names are being written." "Nobody will be able to erase them." "The wife will obey her husband the same as The Lord, because man is woman´s master, as Christ is the Church´s master." "Man will leave his parents, and will go with his wife." "and both will be of one flesh." "But don´t forget that anything can be hidden..." "Are you happy?" "Very much." "And you?" "Yes." "You can go now, husband and wife, with God´s blessing." " Where are they going to live?" " In the country." "In his father´s place." "It´s pretty and very sunny." "Thanks." "Thanks." "Excuse me." "Let's go." "Come on, Elena." "Long live the groom and bride!" "Barbara Puglisi, make him happy." "There aren´t many men like him." "The car has arrived." "Welcome, young lady." " Welcome, Don Antonio." " Thanks." " The flowers..." " How are you, Nunzio?" " Congratulations." " Your mother looks younger now." " You wouldn´t say she´s more than 70." " She is 90." "Well, 93." "Let's go." " I´ll take the briefcase." " Thank you." " She´s the new maid." " At your service, madame." " What´s her name?" " Francesca." " I am a widow, and I had seven sons." " Seven?" "They were all dead, within 2 or 3 months, but I had seven." "How many children do you want to have?" " Carmela..." " Do you like them?" "Let´s go, the young gentleman will want..." "I know how the Magnano are." "My Angel, just remembering you makes me want to die with joy." "I live without peace for loving you, beautiful girl..." "My angel." "Angel of mine, when I thought I had lost you I suffered..." "Barbara!" "My love." "It is enough." "How many kisses do you want to give me?" "You are always kissing me." "I think you have given me a million kisses in these three months." "Wait for me." "I´m fetching some oranges." "Francesca!" "Madame, what´s wrong with you?" "Are you feeling unwell?" "No, I'm fine." "After three months, that´s how things begin." "What things?" "To give birth to a son." " No, we have decided not to have babies." " Aren´t you going to have children?" "That's a sin." "You can't do it, it is a sin." "God wants the husband and his wife to have children." " How are babies made?" " What?" "With such a husband as yours, you ask me that?" "To me?" "Mother of God, what must I hear!" "What do you do with your husband at night?" "Answer me." "Like animals do it." "The cock with the hens." "Haven´t you seen the cock with the hens?" "Antonio!" "What's the matter with you?" " What's the matter?" " My love." "We must fire Francesca immediately." "I don´t want to see her anymore." " What has she done?" " Fire her immediately." "She told me horrible things, I don´t wan´t to see her anymore." "Yes, calm down." "Of course." "Don Antonio!" "Don Antonio!" "She has arrived, she´s at the iron gate." "Santuzza!" "Come here." " Welcome." " Thanks." "How are my parents?" " Are they fine?" " Yes." "Were they angry when I asked for you to come?" "A little." "With your permission." "Here you will be fine, you´ll like this." "There´s also less things to do." "This is your room." " My love, good morning." " Good morning, my boy." "How beautiful you are, each day a bit more." "You are not of this world, you are an angel." "You have told me so many times, that I almost believe it." "Do you love me, Barbara?" "You are my husband, how am I not going to love you?" "But, do you still love me?" "After what Francesca told you?" "Now that you know..." "Answer me." "I love you even more." "Really, are you telling me the truth?" "You don´t know how much I love you." " You are not lying?" " No." "Will you still love me in a year, forever?" "In spite of everything, will you love me?" "Always." "Why should I change?" "You will always be my husband." "What have you said?" "But if they are always together." "Why aren´t they going to get along?" "Ok, Mr. Notary." "Yes, come on." "Mr. Puglisi is coming here, he wants to talk to me." "Have you heard it, Rosaria?" "Stop torturing those poor saints." "I did the right thing waking up early today." "Mr. Puglisi has called me, and has told me... that Antonio does not behave very well, and that his marriage is going badly." "If you knew how he spoke to me." "My God, help us." "What have you told him?" "That I'll wait for him here." "And that he should bring two cigars, because my wife has forgotten to bring them." "What things you think about!" "Maybe you want to see me in in mourning dress... because my son is like a cock with his wife?" "He amuses himself and I should listen to complaints?" "My son has married a woman he likes, and it´s alright if he makes love to her whenever he likes." "It is something normal, isn´t it?" "If she likes my son, he shouldn't interfere." "Where they married with running water?" "Father, Son and Holy Ghost, what things are you saying!" "What will he want now?" "I knew my son was a very virile man." "Wasn´t he?" "Open the door." "Mother of God, help us." "What are you afraid of?" "I don´t know, but I don´t like these things." "Rosaria, don´t be fool, come on, go." "Tell him to come in, what are you waiting for?" "Don´t leave him outside." " Please, come in." " Good morning." "Come in, you´re in your own house." " My husband is waiting for you." " Thanks." "Rose!" "Put St. Agata´s picture out." "Put St. Agata where her place is." "She adores her saints." "Have you brought me the cigars?" "So, what's the matter?" "That things aren´t as well as we supposed between our children." "Dear Mr. Notario, I was going to call you today for that reason." " Ah, were you?" " Yes." "You already know that in Catania... everybody meddles in the affairs of others." "It wanted to tell you that Barbara is disgusted." "It is not possible." "Believe me." "In my opinion... parents shouldn´t interfere with their children's problems." "To a certain extent." "Yes, of course." "If the thing were excessive, if her health suffered, one word from you, another from me," "and Antonio would understand that..." "you know..." "In cases like these words are useless." "Look, we are not animals, we´re baptized Christians." "If Barbara suffers, Antonio will be the first one to worry about." "Barbara only suffers morally." "I don´t understand." "I don´t think that being too affectionate with her... could be an offense." "That isn´t the question." " No?" " That's not the thing." "Ah, isn´t it?" "Then, what is it?" "I had hoped you would suspect something." "So it will be harder and very painful for me to explain it." "Notary..." "Tell me everything." "Everything." "Is my son ill?" "I don´t know if it could be the problem." "But his condition..." "His condition?" "What's wrong with him?" "Tell me, what's the matter with him?" "Take it easy, please." "His health is not in danger." "Antonio is well, but..." "But what?" "Notary, please..." "Talk clear and without round-ups." "What's the matter?" "That my daughter, after being married for 12 months, is still like she was when she left this house:" "Intact." "Intact..." " A virgin?" " Yes." "That's it." "Impossible!" "Impossible!" "Even if I saw it with my own eyes I wouldn´t believe it." "Do you know why I was federal of Catania?" "Because I slept with 9 women in one night." "How can you be such an idiot to believe that nonsense?" " Who has told that to you?" " Certainly not my daughter." "Your son has behaved in an irresponsible way." "Be careful with your words." "I know how Antonio is." "I know him very well." "He has always been a womanizer." "Why should he be different with his wife?" " Why?" "Why?" " I don´t know." "In any case, be careful, don´t talk about this to anybody," "Nobody must know this." "And later?" "We´ll see how this thing goes." " I must talk to my son." " Ok." "It´s your duty." "You must defend your son´s interests, and I my daughter´s." "But my son's and your daughter´s interests... are the same." "They would be if they really were husband and wife, but this way..." "What?" "Didn´t they got married properly?" "Such an unconsummated marriage is like..." "it doesn´t exist." " It´s null and void." " Null and void?" "What´s that?" "You say that because it suits you." "It is not I who says that, The Church does." "The Church?" "Which Church?" "When has it said such a thing?" "Not yet, but it will." "My dear Lawyer, you disgust me." "You have a dirty mind, and a heart of stone." "You vomit black ink like a squid." "If you take it that way, it´d be better if I leave this place." "Go then!" "Go!" "And I don´t believe a single word of what you´ve said." "I will talk to Antonio and we will see." "Yes, talk to your son." "Good morning." " Best wishes to your wife." " She doesn´t give a damn, keep them." "Have you heard it?" "Liar!" "Slanderer!" "Can you imagine, our Antonio." "No, no." "No." "Let him tell it to his clients." "Those foolish people that humor him." "But not to me." "I am going crazy." "We are sitting here complaining, instead of doing what we have to do." "What?" "To talk to Antonio." "Yes." "You are right, it's true." "I will talk to him." "Come here." "Do you remember his number?" "You know it: 17420." "No, I don´t know it." "Nor I would want to know it." "A number that begins by 17." " Give me my glasses." " You have them on." "I can´t see anything." "Dial the number." "I hope that the notary doesn´t answer," "Because I´d make him bite his tongue." "Listen..." " Hello, are you, Father?" " Antonio!" " Yes, this is Antonio." " Antonio..." "What's worrying you, father?" "He asks what's worrying me." "Antonio..." "He knows nothing." "It knew it was all a lie." "You will see." "Everything's alright, no news?" "No." "Absolutely nothing?" "Nothing." "I have called you to tell you your father-in-law is a swine." "Why are you saying that?" "Today, he has come and broken my heart, with something he said." "Is there somebody with you?" "Yes, but you can talk." "He is mad, he ought to be locked up." "He is a swine." "Each word he says..." "It makes me sick to think about it." "Do you know what he has dared to tell me?" "That Barbara..." "That Barbara is still the same way as she was when she left her house." "Intact!" "Antonio..." "Don Antonio..." " What's the matter?" " Nothing." "Are you unwell?" "It´s nothing, go, go." "Why have you gone to visit my father?" "I couldn´t do otherwise." "A misfortune has happened, what could I do?" "Why have you gone to visit my father?" "Tell me, what do you know?" "I know everything I need." " Everything?" " Yes, everything." "Why didn´t you talk to me instead of him?" " What..." " What could...?" "I know how these things are." "Barbara must be convinced." " What about?" " She has to assume what she is." "A young girl who never got married." "Barbara must be the judge of that." "She is an intelligent woman and she will know what to do." "Do you know that your father has visited mine today?" " I know." " Since when?" "They told me later." "How could he decide something like that without asking you first?" "Tell me the truth: do you approve of what he has done?" " Do you think it´s alright?" " Yes." "We swore to go on loving each other the same or even more." "How many times have you told me that God blessed our house?" "But now I know that the Church doesn´t bless us." " Why?" "Do we hurt anybody?" " Nobody." "But our marriage doesn´t exist in the Lord´s eyes." "Since when do you know it?" "Since the Archbishop explained it to me." " Did you talk to him about this?" " Yes, seven days ago." "Why?" "Why did you tell your father?" "It was Francesca." "When we fired her last summer." "And I had to confirm it to him." "Why was he interested in our relationship only 7 days ago, if he knew it months ago?" " He surely has other plans for you." " I don´t know." "Where is your love for me?" "Answer me." "Where is your love for me?" "I will always love you, but not as a wife." "Why not?" "Because we aren´t husband and wife." "Since when?" "We´ve never been." "I didn´t know it.." "But now I know." "Don´t you see that since he explained it to me," "I can´t be near you without blushing?" "No, Barbara." "We must confess our mistake to the Church, in order to correct it." "How?" " By having our marriage annulled." " No!" " Because we were married cheating." " No." "Yes, cheating." " You shouldn't have listened." " Barbara!" "You shouldn´t have done it." "Antonio..." "This can´t go on this way." "Don´t be that way, don´t be desperate." "Antonio..." "I am determined to kneel down in front of Barbara and her father," " if I offended them." " It´s not your fault." "You mustn´t kneel down for anybody." "My dear Antonio, handsome as the sun." "Antonio, Antonio." "Don´t you see that he wants to be alone?" "I am going crazy." "How is that possible?" "What´s the cause?" "What does it mean?" "What has happened, Antonio?" "Why?" "Has he talked to you?" "You should talk to me." "I´m your father." "I am the one he has to talk to." "Tell me something:" "Barbara is like all the other women?" "Of course." "All women are made alike." "Take it easy, maybe... maybe something can be still done." "Shut up and go." "You did it on purpose, right?" " Answer me." " Don´t answer him." "It does not matter, dear." "Leave him alone." "If he wants to talk, he´ll talk." "Antonio, please." "Tell me you did it on purpose." "Yes, father, I did it on purpose." "Thank God." "I don´t want to know anything else." "I know what must be done." "Me too." "Listen." "Is that you, notary?" "I am Alfio Magnano." "I propose you something:" "Come with me and my son to visit a woman today." "A woman, yes." "You will be able to watch, and you will see that he isn´t impotent, understood?" "Do you want to talk to Barbara?" "I´m going to call her." "But she is very severe." "What do you mean?" "A heart God made to disconcert the priests." "Her feelings are honest." "We only can approve and admire her." "But if I listen to my heart instead of my reason," "I wouldn´t allow that girl to go to Church." "Father, let me talk to her." "She is in the sacristy, you´ll see her immediately, but it´ll be useless." "Noses have already smelled the money." "What do you mean?" "Yes, they have smelled the money." "The Duke of Bronte, who will marry Barbara after the annulment, he has billions." "I understand." "Sometimes I think that God took my word for it, when I begged Him to cool off my son, who was a womanizer." ""I'll cool him off" answered The Lord, because there he is, cold like an iceberg." "Could it be possible, father, that God wanted to punish me with this shame?" "It is not a shame." "Your son hasn´t killed, robbed, or been with someone else's wife." "Yes, it is a shame." "And the Church gives them the right." "The Church don´t give the right to anybody, the Church only annulls the marriage." "Do you think it´s a little thing?" "They anull it." "It´s what the Puglisi and the Duke want." "The archbishop has also forgotten all the favors my husband did to him." "And nobody helps us." " Neither you, Father Raffaele." " What you are saying is unfair." "I would kiss your son´s feet, because I´m a great sinner." "Barbara is the one who should kiss him, not you." "How confused you are, madame." "Antonio must apologize, because he has offended me." "What are you saying?" "But what are you saying?" "Why has he offended you?" "I loved him with all my heart," " and I thought that he also loved me." " So?" " Wasn´t it true?" " No, I´m not a little girl anymore." " Now I know everything." " What do you know?" " What a married woman must know." " Explain yourself." "Antonio has never loved me." "He treated me like a piece of wood." "But he treated you like a princess." " His eyes glittered when he looked at you." " He rejected me." "If you don´t explain to me why, I´ll believe that it´s an excuse." "Why did he treated me that way then?" "Come on, Barbara..." "We both are married women, you aren´t a little girl." "When I was your age, I already had a 12 year old son." "It isn´t my fault if I haven´t any children.." "Be careful, girl." "Don't be disrespectful to me." "I am good and kind, but I don´t let you to talk to me... that way, with the Puglisi´s poisonous tactics." " Goodbye." " Wait!" "I´m not impressed." "You can be standing, sitting, lying down, head down or with your feet up, but we don´t move till you tell me the truth." " You know the truth." " Shut up." "I´m speaking now." "I don´t believe Antonio has despised you," "You know he doesn´t look down on you, he loves you madly." " Yes, but..." " But nothing." "A misfortune has happened to him." "It can happen to anyone." "Do you know when it happens?" "When you love too much." "When the your heart, full of love, beats too much." "When you think the one you love is something celestial." "I am not a celestial creature." "Wait until I finish." "You could have waited a bit more." "You were not missing any comforts at the time." "I had hoped that you would bring me some consolation." "You know what I have suffered." "What have you suffered?" "You don't know what you are talking about." "My husband went to war when we had been married for only 20 days, and I waited for him patiently for 2 years," "without complaining." "The other thing didn´t matter." "It´s over." "I´m not going to allow you to offend me." "I understand." "You shouldn´t have talked to her." "You shouldn´t have give her such a satisfaction." "Now I know how to talk to the Puglisi family, those nasty people," "she's as venomenous as the rest of them." "I have learned some offensive words, and when I meet any of them..." " Go home alone." " You wouldn´t win against those foxes." "Go home and leave me alone." "Father!" "Father Rosary!" "Good morning, father." "Excuse me." "Explain to me one thing, what do you know about this:" "How can the Church anull a marriage... for such a banal reason?" "I do not know anything of that." "I do not want to interfere with young peoples' affairs." "It´s not my business." "I only want to know about that subject in general, not specially about my son." "Let´s talk as good Christians and parents." "I understand your pain and indignation, but..." "Please, let´s go into the vestibule." "There we could talk better." "Explain to me now." "Why does The Church anull a marriage... for the only reason that the spouses don´t fulfill their obligations?" "What does The Church want?" "That they night and day...?" "Marriage is a sacrament." "For that reason." "Something sacred can´t be broken all of a sudden," " just because the husband doesn´t want..." " Don´t blaspheme." "Then marriage is just that." "No." "I repeat to you that it is a sacrament." "And do you know who the officiants are?" "The spouses." "The priest consecrates it, he doesn´t celebrate it." "Very well." "But where is written that if the husband doesn´t want... the sacrament is annulled?" "Don´t say those things, please." "Marriage has two elements:" "One in spirit and one in flesh." "Alright." "And if one person thinks it´s only a spiritual union," "Has The Church to say something?" "In marriage, the corporal act is as sacred as the spiritual one." ""Caro una sanguis unus"." " I don´t understand you, explain yourself." " A single flesh and a single blood." "Now they use that subterfuge?" "After having a look at Bronte´s lands." "And when my son in Rome and I in other places practiced... the "caro una sanguis unus", with other women, why were the confessors upset so much?" "You don´t want to understand." "You practiced "caro una sanguis unus"... with other mens' women." "They weren´t ours, but they enjoyed giving themselves to us." "I beg you not to say such things!" " I say what I want and when I want." " Then, I have to go." "If you go then I´ll follow and shame you all along the street." "You can´t say anything that shames me." "I will say that Puglisi´s flesh is sold to the highest bidder." " You´re wrong." " No, I´m not." " Yes, you are." " No." " Yes." " No." "Good afternoon." "Is my cousin Antonio here?" "He has measles." "Nobody can be near him." "Not even his wife." "Because Miss Barbara hadn´t had it as a child." " And if you haven't had it when you´re..." " Ok, ok." "Can I talk to him through the door?" "They´ve said that nobody could come in." "How pretty you are." "Small, but pretty." "I love tiny girls." "Where are you going?" "Come here." "Wait." "Are you scared?" "Head up." "Let me see you." "Go, Don Antonio doesn´t want to talk to anybody." "Then let me talk to his father." "You can´t come in, he doesn´t want to see anybody." "What can I do?" "Santuzza, who is there?" "Hello, aunt." "Ah, Edoardo, it´s you." "How are you?" " Have you come back?" " Yes." "Heaven sent you." " Have you heard?" " Yes." "Edoardo..." "You can help us," "Antonio trusts you." "We don´t dare to talk to him." "You would do me a great favor, if you can make him tell you the truth." "I´ll try." "Don´t worry." "Who is it?" "Antonio." "How are you?" "Come in, Edoardo." "Have you returned?" "How are you?" "Don´t tell me that you think I´ve changed.." "All my friend tell me the same." "In which way have you changed?" "I am fed up." "Really fed up." "I have left the position I got with your recommendation." "Now I know how my countrymen and men in general are." "Believe me... men are bad." "And that scares me." "Now I understand why you've come back from Rome." "Do you know that my wife is going to marry the Duke of Bronte?" "Yes, I know." "Why you think she and her family will do it?" "Because the Brontes are immensely rich." "Today it´s the most important thing, it´s something you know." "Do you still have the 600 (car)?" "No, I got bored and I changed it." "I bought another bigger car." "I don´t know why." "I´ve been shut in here for a month, I only see Santuzza." "I no longer know about the world." "Take me out of here, let´s go for a walk." " Don´t you want to talk?" " What about?" "About your wife." "About what has happened to you, about you." "There is nothing to say." "Nothing." "When I left Catania, I lost everything." "I have nothing left." "I mean morally." "I still have my father´s lands, income." "And for that reason, I give up everything else." "The miserable life in Catania is the lesser evil." "At least, here everybody knows each other." "We know the kind of wolves we are." "All the old things, at least they are noble." "Your are complaining." "You have discovered that men are vulgar and evil, the corrupt and the corrupted." "They don´t care about their political ideas." "Those men have enjoyed things I never could." " Never?" " Never." "But how is it possible?" "Never with the women I liked, never with a woman I really loved." "Thus, never with these, but with the others, yes..." "With all the others?" "I have to say that I´m the same." "Yes, sometimes also..." "Not always, not quite often, but..." "But sometimes..." "What do you want?" "The man who rides sometimes falls down." "Until I was 18 years old, I only knew love in my dreams." "Later, one day I half achieved it in a house in the Via Matteo, and that night I vomited." "Since that moment I couldn´t do it." "Neither in my dreams nor otherwise." "Every time I went to that alley," "I wanted to vomit, as if I felt dizzy." "At the same time, I fell in love, but with every woman, like an idiot." "But how is it possible?" "I don´t understand." "If all women were crazy about you..." "That was what you said, but I thought things were different." "In Rome, the year that I arrived, something new happened to me." "The night I arrived I went to one of those houses, and before I felt fear or nausea, I could make love like a man." "Well, and later." "It seemed to me so incredible that I went out shouting with joy." "I kissed every door and wall... between the Victory place and my house." "That was the best time in my life." "I was young, women desired me, and from time to time I was able made one of them very happy." "Servants, whores, students..." " But one day I met a woman." " Continue." "She was very beautiful, an angel." " She didn´t seem to be of this world." " You exaggerate." "Her name was Paola." "I met her in a friend´s house in Rome." "I began to go out with her." "She was my first love." "Didn´t you try anything with her?" "I spent the whole afternoon with one of those women, in a whores' house." "But with Paola..." "But did you make love?" "One night we came back by car I kissed her passionately." "And although I´d spent all the afternoon with a whore," "I felt again..." "I felt that strength that..." "Stop beating about the bush.." "We arrived at her house´s vestibule, before going upstairs..." "Skip the details." "Tell me the rest in order." "What room did she take you to?" " To her bedroom." " Straight?" " Yes." " And later?" "What did you do?" "Tell me, what happened?" "I turned off the light and we embraced each other." "I suddenly felt a horrible cold, that paralyzed me." "She sat on the bed, and I lay down beside her, hiding my face in the sheets, my lips were trembling with cold." "Since then I have not been capable, neither with her nor with others." "Nor even when I was in love with the woman," "And there have been a lot of them." "But I didn´t love any of them the way I loved Barbara." "No one." "With Barbara I was..." "I was sure I would be capable with her." "I was sure." "That was the reason for me to marry her." "How pretty she is." "Why isn´t she wearing a white veil?" " It´s her second wedding." " Is she a widow?" "No, her first husband is still alive, but they say he´s not a real man." "Edoardo, you know it, tell me the truth." "I don´t know." "Antonio is a bit ill." "I can´t believe it, he did it on purpose." "Not at all!" "How could he do such nonsense for so many months?" "He must do something, he has to do it for his own health," "If he doesn´t, I break his face." "He must take a mistress, two, three, or four." "100 for all I care." "But that doesn't make sense." "What do we do then?" "Nothing?" "Do we bear everybody´s jokes?" "The rope shouldn´t be tightened too much, specially if it isn´t very resistant." "Then I no longer have a son." "My son is dead." "He had one and he is dead, do you understand?" "Antonio is dead." "Thieves!" "Thieves of our own blood." "Ungodly bandits!" "Yes, you have bought people and justice, with your nasty money." "You have joined other thieves, worse than you." "Revolting and miserable fools." "Robbing this wonderful country." "You have agreed and you have made a deal... the way you liked, didn´t you?" "And now you share out the cake." "But there will come the day when we will spit in your faces." " we other men who..." " Let's go." " Iets go." " Thieves!" "Hypocrites!" "Revolting!" "Down with the Government!" "Down with the Government!" " Do you want to have a good time?" " Leave me alone, old bitch." "He did it on purpose." "On purpose." "Give me a light." " There you are." " Thanks." "Grandpa, go to sleep." "At his age it could be bad for him." "I´d like to die right now." "I want everybody to know that Alfio Magnano... at the age of 60, still has women." "Open the door, Maria." "Good night, D. Alfio." "What do you want?" "What will people say, if they see you going in?" ""That D. Alfio spent the night there."" "That's what I want." "That everybody knows that I am here." "I want that all Catania knows... that Alfio Magnanno, at the age of 60, still has women." " And what if you stay here?" " What do you mean?" "What if you have an attack?" "At your age, it would not be strange." "Me?" "Have an attack?" "I´m a lion." "Years ago, when I went out on a visit, the husbands told their wives to hide." "It has rained a lot since then." "In case you want to know, some years ago I had a son." "Really?" "By whom?" "By a shop-girl." " Where is he?" " He died." "What do you think?" "That I only had Antonio, that idiot, as a son?" "Many cuckold men have brought up Alfio Magnano´s children." "Who are the other sons?" " Judge Rossino." " Really?" " Yes." "Do you know him?" " Sure." "He´s a very nice person." "But a little miser." "When I was a girl he paid me with a hard-boiled egg." "Also the High School´s sub-director." "The one with that funeral face?" "The same one." "Then a Navy Officer." "Really?" "And if I have an attack, everybody will say... that Alfio Magnano died fulfilling his duty." "As you wish." "It´s your life." "Alfio, my love." "Madame, dinner is served." "Madame..." "How I am going to eat, to sleep, when my husband is dead in that bed?" "Santuzza..." "Santuzza, what's the matter with you?" "For God´s sake, Santuzza." "Santuzza!" "Santuzza!" "Santuzza..." "Wake up, what's the matter with you?" "Antonio!" "Antonio, Santuzza is feeling unwell." "Santuzza, come on..." "What's the matter with you?" "What's the matter with you?" "I´m ashamed." "Ashamed?" "Why?" "what about?" " I´m ashamed." " What have you done?" "Are you pregnant?" "Yes." "Why didn´t you tell me?" "Why didn't you?" "Haven´t I always been like a mother to you?" "Now it´s not worth to cry and to be ashamed." "What is done, is done." "Who was it?" "Tell me, who was it?" "Who could be the shameless blackguard?" "I haven't let you out of my sight since you arrived." "Was it in the country?" " Tell me, was it in country?" " Yes." " Was the old Nunzio?" " No." " His son Turidu?" " No." " A vagabond, a field-worker?" " No, no." "Then who?" "For Sta." "Genoveva´s sake, who?" "I have named every man who was there." "Antonio." "My son!" "Are you the father?" " Anfio, look." "It has been him." " Santuzza..." "Excuse me, sir." "Everybody must know this." "He would have like it that way." "Come here." "Lawyer Ardizzone!" "Lawyer Ardizzone!" "Senator!" " What's the matter, Senora Rosaria?" " Do you know the good news?" " Tell me." " Santuzza is pregnant." "Do you know who´s the father?" " Antonio!" " Antonio?" "It can´t be possible, she was virgin." "She had nausea." "She had never a man, not even in dreams." "Untouched!" " Yes." "Yes, of course." " Antonio!" " and Antonio?" " He´s there." "Bravo!" "Bravo, Antonio!" "I knew it." "I was the only one who told it." "I always told it." "Bravo, my love." "You were too handsome." " Too much." " Elena, stop." " Thank you very much." " Congratulations, son." " Congratulations." " Thanks." "May I come in?" " Come in, aunt Giuseppina." " Antonio!" " Is it true?" " Yes, it has been Antonio." "It´s his." " Where is she?" " There she is." "It is true!" "It is true!" " Will you marry her?" " Yes, of course." " And the name of the baby?" " Alfio, of course." "Alfio, Alfio, Alfio!" "Now you only have one thing to think about." "And we have to celebrate this, although we are in mourning." "Come here." "Come here." "aunt Giuseppina." "Sit down here." "Santuzza!" "Santuzza, bring some glasses." "Where will the spouses live?" "Here with you?" "Yes, here." "Of course." "I only wish he could be here." " But he´s watching us." " How happy would he be." "Yes, it is true." "Thank you very much." "Alfio gave me this when we got married." "It´s pretty, isn´t it?" "Cheers." " Antonio, is that you?" " Yes." "I am Edoardo." "I´ve been told the news." "I am glad for you." "Why?" "Why are you happy?" "But, Antonio!" "All Catania knows it." "And Barbara?" "Don´t you realize that I think of Barbara?" " That I miss her." " Always Barbara!" "Can´t you think of anything else?" "There are more important things than a lost love." "Now you have a new life in front of you, full, rich." "You will have a family, the same as everybody, the house, the orange grove... and a son, Antonio." "Your son." "And I want to be Alfio´s godfather." "Don´t forget it." "And when he gets baptized, I´ll raise him, so that all the city´s bigmouths can see him." "Let them fly into a rage." "Antonio, are you listening to me?" "At last you will be able to be what you really are:" "A man." "Without that damned obsession that torments you." "You can be like everybody else." "Antonio..."