"THE BEAST!" "The worried dreams are in reality a temporary madness!" "His misogamy surpasses all the limits, my dear Rammondelo." "I barely desire a long life for my half-baked nephew." "Even you married and you are still alive." "Grace be to God!" "The marriage to the Duchess Florence did not last." "Only for two months and alone again." "This time Mathurin will succumb to the strike of fortune." "And wish to live a life at last." "If not for the sake of his father or his uncle,... then at least for his horses." "Enough!" "This morbid hatefulness for the feminine is caused by my son's timidity." "It so becomes necessary for my strategy to continue." "Lucy Broadhurst,... she might be the one to marry Mathurin." "Listen to what Ms. Virginia Broadhurst wrote, and what my son answered." "My Dear!" ""My niece Lucy is impatient to personally meet with Mathurin." "And his desire is not dictated barely by the reason, that the union of the two fortunes would form a desirable unity."" "Love by correspondence." "Perhaps, but history knows many other such similar cases." "Mathurin answered in the affirmative." "Really?" "He answered?" "He writes letters now?" "Mathurin, the author... with his left hand." "This only mocks the poor boy." "You do not want to admit Rammondelo, that Mathurin has grown up." "You ignore, that there is much time and that he is not in the clear with his uncle." "He wrote letters to Lucy" "It is understood that you wish to ruin this marriage." "In that your predictions imply a desire to destroy our family." " My family." " It is you, who is plotting the destruction of Mathurin." "But this will not occur." "You did not read everything!" "Thank you!" "The father of Lucy said in his testament: "I give all liberty to my daughter,... as sole heir to my property;... but the conditions should be respected, and are as follows:" "Firstly, if she should marry Mathurin, firstborn son of Pierre Marques of L'Encourage." "And secondly, should the union be blessed by the hands of the Cardinal Giuseppe of Balo," "Brother of the Duke Rammondelo of Balo!" "I expect that the Cardinal refuse not his brother the celebration of the nuptial mass for his nephew." "Are you going to ask him?" "No, since the birth of my son, I have not spoken to him." "But you will ask him." "No!" "Yes, you will do it." "Otherwise, the secret of 45 years will be revealed:" "It poisoned its woman, the Duchess Florence of Balo." "What?" "You must be joking!" "I have proof." "Show me!" "You recognize this small glass?" "Still guarding the digitalia sedative." "Oh well, I will call Giuseppe, but you are wrong in your calculations." " I never mislead myself." " Your son was never baptized!" "Giuseppe will verify this, once I advice Cures!" "Cures will come in half an hour." "I could not baptize Mathurin when he was small." " Now it is possible." " But nothing will change the nature of your son!" " Mathurin?" " No, Mr. Marques." "Oh, Mr. Mathurin does not want to be disturbed." " Call him immediately!" " Yes, Mr. Marques." "He had 4 hours to obtain the consent of the Cardinal." "Impossible." "He is not in the Vatican." "He is in Africa." "Do not cause me trouble." "Remember, I will not hesitate to call in the police." "It is impossible." "Don't be so complicated." " Calm yourself, father." "It frightens the horses." " Mathurin?" " Yes, it is me." " Mr. Cures will arrive in half an hour." "Come in." "Good morning to all." "But what have we here?" "It is necessary to unbutton the collar of his shirt" "And to have the window opened." "Theodore, Modeste, come and help me." "Ifany, accompany the Duke." "Half an hour of sleep will do him good." "Mr. Cures, I plead for him not to do any evil to Mathurin." "We came to bring you joy, Mr. Duke." "My uncle is concerned for no reason at all." " Excuse me!" " Much obliged." "The spring often causes undue excitement." "Us poor human men are submitted to the laws of nature like the animals." "Yes, the laws of nature as for the animals." "Ah the curse upon us all!" "There is fortunately this intelligence;" "this divine gift within men, that in the end,... is going to fight those instincts." " Good morning Mr. Cures." " Good morning, Mister." "Wash your hands and join us." " Cafe, Cognac?" " No." "A nip of white wine and for Theodore..." "Excuse me, Mr. Marques, I did not introduce them..." "Theodore is a great singer." "And Modeste, an organist of the future." " These are beautiful boys." "Do you like chocolates?" " I would like some, Mr. Marques." "Pardon." "Not for me, thank you, I have a toothache." "Ifany!" "A hot wine for Mr. Cures." "Ifany!" "Pick up that snail." "This bug here!" "This snail." "Go and cook it." "Come back afterwards." "Yes mister." "Here it even becomes a drug!" " Are you unhappy?" "Any problems?" " No, I am very contented, no problems!" "What a raving lunatic!" "It's more than 10 miles." " How many kilometers?" " 60 km." "Wonderful France." "Beautiful France." "And always so desirable." "Rome?" "The Vatican!" "Secretary to the Cardinal of Balo?" " Yes, exactly." " His excellency, the Cardinal please." "It is Roberto Cadia, secretary to the Cardinal." "His Excellency, the Cardinal Giuseppe of Balo, still did not return from his mission." "And when will he return from Africa?" "He is expected back at any moment now." "Who is speaking?" "The Duke of Balo, brother to the Cardinal." "Oh, Mr. Marques and Mr. Mathurin are still in the bathroom." "Of course." " Deliver this to Mr. Marques." " Yes, Mr. Duke." "I shall baptize you,... in the name of the Father and the Son..." "This is a beautiful park for the French." "Today in France, they are sold for building houses in." "It should be in the corner of the park that Mathurin experiences his "romantic disorder."" "I understand, that that lake harbours thousands of mosquitos all year round." "Aunt Virginia." "You speak as if you do not want Mathurin for my husband." "I didn't say that." "Shit!" "Trees blocking the road." "Lucy!" "Come back!" "It's a jungle!" "I am coming aunt Virginia." " Lucy!" " I am here aunt Virginia!" "Go back!" "Look, aunt Virginia!" "This is a sad picture." "Sad?" "Nature is mysterious, but never sad." "I'll have the column restored and painted white." "There is the chateau!" "?" "Don't do that." "Aunt Virginia!" "Leave me alone!" "I am no child anymore!" "Turn down." "Turn around and go back to the park!" "Later you can do what you like." "But not now and not when I'm with you." "I'm sorry, aunt Virginia." " This is the last time, you'll lose your way." " I'm sorry ma'am." "But I don't know France that well." "Come in, all of you." "Much obliged, miss." "Come in." "Come on then, enter." "I am the Duke of Balo." "Virginia Broadhurst." "Lucy Broadhurst." " Are you the brother of the Cardinal." " Precisely, but I am not the owner of this house." "Oh, Mr. of L'Esperance is away!" "No, not at all;" "he is washing his son." ""Washing" Mathurin?" "I am telling you;" "they are in the bathroom." "They should come down very shortly." "Would you prefer to go to your rooms?" "They are ready." "This is not necessary." "We will meet here." "As you wish then, and I will keep you company." "His Excellency the Cardinal is up to date with the last testament?" "Madam, about everything that refers to the testament and to the marriage of your niece Lucy,... who is present and with Mathurin, son of my nephew." "Now to expect the presence of the father please." "Is it true that this castle is haunted by ghosts?" "What?" "..." "Who said that?" "Our cook, a Frenchwoman told old Julietta." "I never saw such things here." "But the Marquessa Romilda of L'Esperance... describes ghosts in her book for some 200 years." "She did!" "Romilda of L'Esperance." "She never wrote anything." "She barely left a drawing in the margins of her herbarium." "Herbarium?" "Here it is." "The famous album." "Be very careful in turning the pages." "They are brittle sheets and rather fragile." "Brittle pages?" "Yes, the small hands of Romilda made those pages." "Two centuries of recollections from the park." "Look at the page 115 B." "No, this refers to 115 A." "Here is 115 B" " Scale... a league and Parisian half and 300..." " Look at it with the magnifying glass, it's easier." "I found him and I fought with him." "Romilda of L'Esperance." "This is the waistcoat of Romilda." "It was found at the bottom of the lake." "These,... are the marks of snails." "Can you see them madam?" "Yes, very clearly." "Ifany!" "Good bye, ladies!" "So hilarious, Rammondelo of Balo" "The Marques of L'Esperance is washing his son." "The man, you are going to marry, tomorrow." "Very touching, that a father should love his son that much." "We ought to clean ourselves too, aunt Virginia." " We?" " Mathurin and I." "How dare you tell this to your aunt?" "I'm sorry, aunt Virginia." "This is beautifully written!" "Look aunt Virginia." "An autograph from..." "Good morning madam!" "Believe not a word of idiotic histories." "Since times immemorial, every 200 years,... to the same day and hour, when the planet Mercury becomes liberated from the sun,... comes a bug to the castle of L'Esperance and blah blah blah." "Pierre of L'Esperance." "Virginia Broadhurst." "Lucy Broadhurst." "True jewel of our family and our pride." "I am happy to receive you here,... and ask you to forgive the absence of comforts." "My niece adores the parklands here." "A mistress of the forest and the animals." "Here you will find a kindred soul." "Today will become a memorable occasion in the life of our children." "Ifany!" "Ifany!" "My shoes!" "Ifany" "I am going to my son;" "to see if he has finished dressing." "These young men of today..." "I propose for them..." "Mr. Cures from our parish." "I suggest, you go to your rooms to rest a little." "Your suitcases shall be brought up right away." """The secretary of the Cardinal cut me short, after I had called him." "What do you want me to do?" "Rammondelo"." " Take the suitcases of the ladies upstairs." " Yes, Mr. Marques." "Pardon me!" "The Cardinal Giuseppe of Balo will arrive soon?" "Yes, we expect him at any moment." "I spoke with him this morning." "He expressed great joy to celebrate the nuptial mass." "To bless the union of our children." "This way please." "I came to help you with the suitcases." " What?" " Luggage." "This luxury, Dadio... one Rolls Royce and a black chaffeur." "And you?" "One chateau and a black slave." "No slaves here." "I am cheap, it's true, but I am no slave." "You work here for nothing, I'm sure." "As of tomorrow, you are going to be rich." "There are other pleasures beyond money in this world, Dadio." ""I, the undersigned, Philip Andrew Broadhurst, being sound of both body and mind, do hereby bequeath my entire estate to Lucy, my only daughter.... ...I appoint my sister in law Virginia Broadhurst, executrix of my will." "Signed,..." "Philip Andrew Broadhurst"." ""Choice of sermons regarding the mysteries..."" ""The Maiden from Orleans" - epic and comic poem in 18 stanzas... by Voltaire." "She is a serious girl,... and well educated." "A little prudish, but... of a rare beauty." "But I am afraid dad." "Of what?" "You are baptized now, just like everyone else." "The original sin is washed away." "I don't know anymore." "When she was far away, I was courageous,... but now I lost my memory." "I forgot everything I taught myself." "Everyone's advice appears useless to me." "It does nothing to change me." "I shall always be Mathurin, dad." " I am so ugly." " Do not talk like this my son." "Come here and look." "This is how you look to me." "You are a beautiful boy!" "Look at yourself!" "No, no!" "I am afraid, so afraid!" "My uncle, the Cardinal of Balo will consecrate the union." "It will feel like a rebirth, a renewal." "You will see;" "there's no reason to worry." "Lucy is resting in her room, so is her aunt." "They will meet us in the parlour and with them Cures." "I am with you;" "as is uncle Rammondelo." "Everyone, you see?" "You are lying, Rammondelo." "No." "I am telling the truth." "I can't help it, when they refuse to speak to the heathens?" "Inform Giuseppe about this major change in affairs,... the baptism of Mathurin." "But they turn off, when I pronounce my name." "I am not the father of Mathurin." "Still, he remains an angel in the eyes of his brother." "It will get worse;... when we shall know the truth about the duchess." "Reconsider Pierre." "It is not too late." "Do not lose your son, because of money." "He is innocent!" "The estate is collapsing." "The soil has made him sterile." "The beginning of the end." "Fate has sent Lucy to save us." "The opposer himself will become responsible for the catastrophe... and he will be punished." "Quickly and promptly!" "This is the office of the secretary to Cardinal Balo!" "Who is speaking?" "Duke Rammondelo of Balo;" "brother of the Cardinal." "You see now?" "I didn't lie." " Hello, telephone exchange." " Yes." " Hello, my number is 2282845." " Hello, a telegram please." " Where to?" "For the Cardinal Giuseppe of Balo," "Vatican." " The text?" " The text?" "Mathurin baptized today." "Stop!" "You are cordially invited to attend and,... to participate in this cheerful and blessed occasion." "Signed, Rammondelo of Balo." "Who is there?" "Three great persons,... borrowed from the parents of a friend." "Ifany!" "Show Clarisse where the dresses are." " Where are the children's clothes?" " They are up there!" "Dad, can I look after myself for a little while?" "I'd like to find my clothes for the ceremony." " Yes, but after the children." " Yes, yes of course." "Mr. Cures,... we left those ladies alone, letting them rest peacefully." "Excuse me Mr. Marques." "I feel so..." " When Modeste sees a keyboard, he cannot resist to play them." " I understand, they are stronger than he is." "Yes, that's it." "Stronger than himself and he knows the tunes." "Mr. Cures,... the Cardinal of Balo will arrive any moment." "I require his testimony." "Mathurin was baptized, strictly in accordance with the rules of the church." "You are in the position to try." "Are you not?" "Yes, actually yes." "And our friendly relations with the parish date back to long ago,... do they not?" "Yes, yes and we have never indisposed ourselves." "Beyond that, I had always known, that Mr. Mathurin would one day become a Christian." "And a Christian benefactor." "Mathurin, whose first act after marriage will be,... to pledge to Mr. Cures,... to repair the roof of the church,... and to order a big bell whose tone will be chosen by Lucy." "And it will evoke the bells of the Vatican." "God will reward you." "Lucy Broadhurst is renown for her good heart and her unequalled piety." " You are smoking again?" " Yes." "Ifany!" "Ifany!" "Stephane was afraid;" "trembling with fear." "I didn't, just a little." "Lies, just like the perfumes!" "Here we are Mathurin." " Deliver this to Miss Lucy." " Yes, Mr. Marques." " Is there a connection?" " No, not yet." "Pierre, permit me to help you prepare supper." "I am going to be next to Mathurin, perhaps for the last time." "He will not have his dinner before the arrival of the Cardinal." "He would be hungry and a meal shall be served to him here." "Don't leave the telephone." "If they link to Rome, knock on the door... with your walking stick." " Madam..." " Put it on the table." "Mathurin" ""Dear Lucy:" "Allow me to interrupt your restfulness." "I would be happy for you to come down to the parlour... where we would be honoured by the graceful presence of yourself, your aunt and my father." "You cannot possibly imagine the joy I experience in thinking about of what is to come." "My heart is beating." "Your Mathurin."" " Six persons today." " Yes Sir, six sets of cutlery." "Organize this and unblock the passage." "The Cardinal of Balo is a good connoisseur." "When he was young, this was his favourite place." "His punishment is, that his commitments leave him so little time to spend with his family." "But auntie, a vocation is a destination." "Surely, the Cardinal should have more important tasks, then to bless a marriage" "Without a doubt." "The Cardinal stayed yesterday or the day before, faced with a choice to make." "Certainly, he certainly opted for the fairest solution." "We would agree with his view." "Yes, following his viewpoint." "You believe, that his absence,... may have been motivated by personal conveniences." "By a feeling of hostility towards us or towards yourself?" "No, I don't believe so." "We have always maintened the best relations... by the way of ecclesiastical discourse." "Mr. Cures can confirm this." "Madam, the promise of donation by Mr. Mathurin of L'Esperance... and by Miss Lucy to our church guarantees this." "What donation?" "We have agreed, Mathurin and I, in one of our letters, that we would offer... to the city's church, a bronzen bell." "Bronze, the symbol for eternity..." "and durability." "And the tone of the bell will be chosen by Lucy." "A tone?" "The timber will be similar to that of a Roman bell." "Should I not be mistaken, the testament does not determine... a deadline for for the achievement of the marriage, Madam?" ""...as soon as possible, but.." "...no later, than 6 months after my death..."" "We are at the 1st of May." "We so have another 48 hours left." "May I be permitted?" "Just for a moment." ""...the nephew of Rammondelo of Balo,... a pleasant and healthy young man with no unsavoury habits"." "And true." "Yes he smoked,... but he soon understood, that smoking brings on the worst of poisons..." "He also fell off his horse and broke his hand." "So it is true, that I broke my hand and smoked heavily." "But now I am balanced." "At first my hands trembled and my body also." "But I found a doctor, a veterinarian, who takes care of our horses,... and he gave me an extraordinary treatment:" "Aha,..." "I chew and chew and..." "I no longer smoke." "I chew every day, like a squirrel." "Silence, Mathurin." "You are going to awaken your uncle." "Just give it up!" "I fear, that your father may have made a mistake Lucy." "Why do you always have such a tragic way to see things?" "You must understand that champagne does not change the cosmos!" "Ifany!" "Let go!" "Let go!" "Let go of me!" "Take care of Madam Broadhurst!" "The suitcase, quickly, the suitcase." "No thank you." "I should be in my room." "Auntie is so nervous, I better get her to her room." "Yes, and you too Lucy... you too must go and have a rest." "Of course, aunt Virginia." "Modeste, go and lighten the stairs for the ladies." "Good morning!" " Is anybody here?" " Yes, Mr. Marques will not be long to come down." "The child of honour, magnificent!" " And what do they call the little one?" " Stephane." "And I am Maria." "Such precious names." " Are you from this parish?" " I don't know." "They are siblings fom a friend in Paris..." "Clarisse!" "Really, this is not the time to joke about dolls." "Deliver the children." "Did the Cardinal arrive yet?" " Not as yet, but he is expected." " Yes dad." "Fate favours us not,... one must continue to have faith and to believe." "Only the arrival of the Cardinal is going to bring us a decisive change." " No news as yet?" " No news." "The telephone continues in silence." "My uncle shall not move away from it." "Who knows, the Cardinal might show up without prior announcement?" "We must believe in miracles." "I will call him when necessary." "Go back home." "No, if you allow me, I will try to find a quiet corner here and where we shall wait for the Cardinal." "I do not know if he would be tired of the journey, as we would be after travelling so far." "His own father baptized him,..." "Giuseppe himself stayed;" "he remained in Rome." "If nothing is done, Mathurin will die." "This boy is my pride and joy." "Without him, I shall be no longer." "Hello!" "Hello!" "Giuseppe, listen to me!" "I will tell you the truth about this baptism." "Pierre baptized him..." "I see!" "Hurry!" "Hurry!" "What is going on?" "Tell me, what is happening?" "Rammondelo!" "Rammondelo!" "Why have you stopped talking?" "Quickly!" "I do not understand your ..!" "Did someone speak?" "No, it is only an impression." "But you are still awake?" "No, it was a noise of the spring in the armchair that woke me up." "I suggest that you all occupy a room on the first floor." "No Mr. Marques, we are all well here." "This way, I shall not miss the arrival of His Excellency the Cardinal." "I understand." "I am going to call once again." "Rest in peace." "I will come and wake you up Mr. Cures." "I will come." "Aunt Virginia!" "Aunt Virginia!" "Aunt Virginia!" "Aunt Virginia!" "Aunt...!" " He's dead and fell out of his bed!" " Who fell?" "Who?" "Tell me!" " Say something!" " Mathurin!" "I didn't do anything!" "He had too much to drink!" "Come with me!" "Help me!" "Raise him up." "Keep calm." "This way." "Don't touch him!" "I will call a doctor." "Get him into the parlour." " Unfortunately, he is very drunk." " Be careful!" "In the name of the father, the son and the holy spirit." "In the name of the father, the son and the holy ghost." "Ifany!" "Ifany!" "Put him in the armchair." "I'll be back soon." "Mr. Cures, watch his body and his soul." "I am calling a doctor." "I didn't do anything!" "A beast!" "A beast!" "A beast!" "A beast!" "A beast!" "A beast!" "A beast!" "Madam Broadhurst!" "A beast!" "Hanany, get us out of here!" "Quick!" "Madam Broadhurst!" "Do not leave!" "Don't go!" "Madam Broadhurst!" "This is bestiality, the coupling with an animal... and the most obnoxious of crimes,... because it debases the man,... created in the image of God." "And it does, what is opposed to the laws of nature." "By that the law of Leviticus,... as punishment for the crime, condemned to death not only the perpetrator,... the man or the woman,... but also the engaged and inappropriate animal." "Can the simple touching of an animal... be considered to lead to the sin of bestiality?" "The impudent touching of an animal must not be allowed." "Secondly, we leave it to be confessed;... as by example be it the experience of pleasure,... by a woman in that a dog or a cat lick her vulva,... or she manipulate the sexual parts of an animal until it ejaculates." "By that, Vernier gives counsel to the confessors,... that interrogate the woman, especially those, that are given to their lustfulness and... who did shameful things with animals." "Things like that happen frequently;" "the discovery... of shameful secrets and of abominations." "LEGENDS:" "LUCMOR and translated from the Portugese by Sirebard in March 2009."