"Life, life, what do you give me?" "At least give me him..." "and he never comes." "Why does he never come?" "Life, life, what do you do?" "You don't even give me him." "And he will never come." "Why will he never come?" "Life, life, yes, my life I'd give you, my life I'd give..." "But don't abduct him from me, because I only have him." "Life I only live for him..." "You do what you want." "I'll do what you'll see..." "and you'll notice that." "Lea!" " At last!" " Is this the house?" " That's the facade." " I don't like it!" " You'll change your mind, you'll see." "Come!" "That's a city...civic." "And notably rich, because people do work here!" " Really?" " Here's the bloody Southerner one." " So what are you doing here?" "Did you ask for a tranfer because you tired yourself out too much in the South?" "What does that have to do with it!" "Coming here we got a promotion." " And a license for a lottery-shop." " Ah." "These persons have hearts of gold, they bend over backwards to help you." "Most of all they tinker with their business." "Look, that's the entrance of the lottery-shop." "This one?" "Go and pay the taxi." "Don't give away too much money!" "Yes, don't worry." "Welcome among us!" "We couldn't wait to see her." "You're good looking, miss Lea." "Fresh just as a daisy!" "Really!" "Who ever could say you made such a long trip?" " Please give me." "I help you." "Please." " No, not this, that one." "As you like." "Let's do this way:" "I take this and you can take the other one." " Pay attention, ok?" " Yes, don't worry!" " What are you doing?" "Maybe it's better..." "No, wait,no." "By the way, my name is Lisa." " Nice to meet you." " I cannot resist, I must be of help." " Really?" " I cannot resist!" " So what?" " Well, no." "Maybe...well, just a moment!" " Let's go." " Will we come to an end?" " That's it." "Have you seen?" "Have you seen how easy it is?" " That's it." " Thanks." " Imagine that." "As soon as I'm free, I'll pay you a visit." " Huh!" " See you!" " Take care of you." "Hmm..." "Is it for me?" "Did Lisa help you, huh?" "That girl is nice." "I realized she's nice for you." "You even wrote that to me." "And how could me and Michele have made it, if we hadn't had her?" "Who knows?" "Who knows!" " Are all the portraits of children here?" " Yes, all of them." "Jesus, didn't you notice that?" "This house is totally north facing." "Don't you know this brings bad luck?" " Moreover, it's big." " It's ancient, firm!" " Yes, but it's me who has to keep it tidy." " We'll assume a girl." " Where did you find the money for all this stuff?" " I paid it by instalments." " Did you pay it dearly?" " By instalments." " By instalments!" "And that's the kitchen." "Do you like it?" "Well, it's enough functional." "You have hit that at least." "Later." "Mum!" "How is it that you're already here?" "Have you already arrived?" "Stop there, inhuman!" "What's your mother for you?" "What?" "A female cook!" "A skivvy!" "You're blushing, aren't you?" "Come here, give me a kiss!" "Oh, mum...my beautiful mum." "I made up a jumper with the same colour as your eyes." "Stop kissing, go!" "You'll see how we'll be fine here." "We'll make..." "Rosario, stop opening your eyes wide, come on!" "Michele, call a doctor!" "I said that this house brings bad luck." "I told you that, yes or not?" "!" "Come on, stop it." "Stop it!" "I said "Stop it"!" "Tina, let him drink all the milk!" "When there's me, he spits it out." "Michele!" "Michele!" "Wake up, wake up!" " Are you sleeping?" " Yes." " Come on, or you'll be missing the train!" "But when will you conclude university?" "When will I see you as a surgeon?" "Come on, let's go, otherwise no cake!" " No!" " You've to take it." "It's good for you, as the doctor said." "No one can ever discuss with you, you always want to have the last word." "I don't understand you, how did it occur to you to paralyse yourself this way?" "That's it, he made it once again." "Come on." "Easy does it, on the left side." "Understood?" "Because when a knock takes the right side, the left side answers." "And when it takes the left side, which side answers?" " Lea, it's done!" "38, 88, 83." "Good evening, madam." " Cards are never mistaken." " How much did we win?" " Hello!" " Will they be enough for me?" " Quiet, now I see." " Well..." " So what?" " This time you can really go to America." "Only a witch like you could give me these numbers." "What on earth did I do?" "I gave you a double not to be missed: 38, 83, which hadn't been coming out for 88 weeks." "Give me a kiss." " Come, sit down." " Oh, good Lord..." "So, did you really make up your mind?" "So do you very much want to go to America and reach your husband?" "Think that, within 3 days, 20 years just passed away since I've been not seeing him." " What's that?" " I did it." "Cheers." " Cheers." "Poor Gino, now that he's old, I think it's even right to go there to keep him a bit of company." "That world war was just over and he was in America waiting for me." " One day I changed my mind and I sent him my sister instead." " Oh, Jesus!" " All dead." " Ah!" "My sister, sons who were almost mine...even a servant." " All dead except him." " All?" " All." "And to think that with the burning ovaries I've been always had,my dear, I might have had a daughter being 11 years old." " I didn't have an easy life either." "Indeed." " Ah, really?" "Look, my first pregnancy was ruined at the fourth month and the next two ones..." "between the sixth and the seventh." "Later...the childs...started to be born alive." "But death took away all of them." "Eh, yes." "That's Antonio." "When he passed away he was one year old." "That's Vincenzo." "He died at once, after a month." "Then there's..." "Giacomo." "Two months." "Look, it was like death made fun of me, because...the following ones were all born dead!" "You know..." "Berta, I..." "I saw death!" " I cannot believe it!" " Yes!" "She came to my home one evening, she pretended to be a little old woman." "She said: "Give me only some crumbs"." "I said: "Take anything, but forget my sons!"." "She took them away from me instead, son after son." "Twelve." "She took away twelve!" "In 15 years." "I made everything, I pulled up all the nails of the left hand." "I offered my hair to Madonna, but I could even have saved that, because they died the same." "So I made up my mind..." "and I made friends with death." "We made an arrangment." "Do I make myself clear?" "So Michele was born, and he's still living!" "My handsome little Michele lives." "He lives, and nobody is allowed to take him away from me." "I do keep him for me." "At the cost of setting fire to earth, I do keep him for me!" "I wonder for which strange events we have become friends." "Where's Berta?" "As usual!" "Who's that woman over there, together with Michele?" "Ah, yes, she's a stranger." " What does she do, does she work?" " Yes, she teaches artistic gymnastics." " She's a dancer, in short." " No..." " And at which house does she live?" " I think...at Palma's." " What, at Palma's?" " I don't know, she might share a bedroom with Stella." " Let's go?" " Yes." "Excuse me." "Excuse me." " I'm sorry." " How come have you been so late?" "I met a past love of mine." "Tell the truth...did you already get the Easter egg, didn't you?" "Well." "Oh, Madonna, how handsome he's." "Look at him." " "Holy Mary, Mother..." - "Ite, missa est"." " Bend it well, don't do it as your usual." " Excuse!" " May we disturb?" "Father Onorio, today you have told a superb sermon." "Sorry, can you satisfy my curiosity?" "Yesterday you told we're made of powder." "Today, that we're made of mud instead." " It might have rained!" " Madams, don't play with fire." "Just today!" "If you don't play being alive, father..." " Have you heard?" "Berta is leaving." " Let's knock on wood!" "Anyway, in my opinion it's good for her to reach her husband." " A husband is always a husband, no?" " Indeed." " But America is so far away." "Better, so war won't come there." "All those poor butchered Christ's sons." "Christ has just resurrected, leave him alone." "Come, madam Lea." "That's it." " Please accept these eggs, they are blessed." " Really?" "Thanks." "Then I send you a lamb." "Hold a little bit of it by for me, please." "Unfortunately, my sister isn't on a level with you as a cook." "Don't pay heed to him, he wants to string along you because the bell tower is tumbling down and we have no money to restore it." " If you don't take care of it..." " Me?" "!" " A little donation should be needed." "Or a straight five in a row, like lady Berta's jackpot." "But if these numbers will come out, you've to give her a kiss." "Father, I'll do everything I can." "But now I've to leave because I've a little problem too." "Best wishes." " Wishes!" " For you tower bell, father." " Lisa, what are you doing still here?" " Oh, Lea...it's awful, I..." " I saw the devil again, but not in a dream, I saw him here." " Here?" "Yes!" "As soon as you got up, he took your place there, close to me." " On the reserved pews." " Did you do..." " What you told me." "I hung up the garlic on every door, I also barred the window, but, as soon I turn, here he is!" "This night he has made some terrible, obscene things." "But, so..." "And I did see him by my own eyes, sit down on the table, bare-ass!" " Ssh!" " Oh my God..." " Wait..." "Many saints have had to do with the devil." "Make the sign of the cross." " What?" "!" " Come on." " Lea..." "I can't!" " Try!" " I can't do it." " No, please!" " That's it." "Have you seen?" " Good Easter, Lisa." " Oh, good Lord..." "Yes?" "Yes, sure." "Just a moment!" "Yes, that's right." "I wait for you." "Bye, dirty pig." " How chic..." " Don't I seem overweight?" "You know, you may become ridiculous in a while." "Thus, what difference does it make?" "She was beautiful and well rounded off and I have been single." "I'm a musician and I'm single." " Maybe it's better to be ridiculous." " That's true!" "After all those abortions, I've become another woman too." "I have never been myself again, understood?" "Neither inside nor outside." "Where does that young and virgin girl sleep the one...who Michele has brought to the church?" " Where does she sleep, here?" " No, not here, in there." " Ah." "She's a very good girl." "But...is she a dancer as to job or am I wrong?" "No, she doesn't dance!" "She teaches!" "Ah!" "And is she even a teacher?" "All the worse!" "Well, I go." "Ciao, Lea." " Is she going to a funeral?" " No, she goes to the usual appointment." "15 years have passed away, but he doesn't come." " Poor her, indeed!" "She's a woman." " Huh, yes, she's not a horse." " May you bring men here?" " Me for sure." "I can't stand any checks, since I was a lass." "My father had had great qualities as a man." " He used to break walnuts at brothels." " Walnuts?" " Yes, by his "thing"!" "My mother was a character too." "Red hair..." "Boobs, ass, everything in order." "But being so sniffy!" "She claimed to be frigid, but later there, on bed..." "I could hear them." "It was like an open-air cinema." "How many cries!" "How many groans by the red-haired woman, while he was screwing her!" " They were screams which could wake up a dead." " Ah, really?" "I had mine sewed up and they brought me to a doctor." "They: "Maybe therapy has to be inverted"." "They wanted to stir me up by hormones." "If I were born as a man..." "Ah...men." "Do you know what Michele did this morning?" "He brought her to church, because he wanted me to see her for sure." "He wanted to know my opinion, understood?" " Will you hear my opinion?" " Tell me." " Not mincing my words?" " Yes." " She can wean off your son." " That little "sex kitten", just imagine!" "At her age I had already got four miscarriages!" "And thus me, who is still waiting for my first menstruations?" "!" " Hi, Stella!" "I've things to do, sorry." " Bye." "Just a nick, and the skin takes off like a glove." "See?" "These are the bowels." "Stomach, duodenum...offal." "They are very good with sage and pepper." "The ancients used to burn them to keep away war." "The heart..." "That's useful." "What love makes you do." "Love is a flag, a light flag." "Wind passes and makes it fly." "Ah..." "loin must be roasted." "Have you seen?" "How much blood." " Blo...od!" " Blood!" "Well said, Tina!" " Blood!" " Blo...od!" " Have you seen you can say it?" "It's enough you apply yourself and say: "Blood!"." "You can do great things by blood." "There's still someone who practises human sacrifices at my village." "By death you can keep away death." "Understood?" "Young lady, don't be cruel." "I'm touched, I'm upset!" "Don't refuse those few moments of joy you can give me!" "I love you, cicche cicche I long for, cicche cicche that woman, cicche cicche so much." "Cicche cicche beautiful, cicche cicche thing, cicche cicche rose cicche cicche which well know!" "Ah, what a night!" "Who can tell the supported, repeated fights?" "But that joke, which wasn't so short, bent my knees." "Come, cicche cicche hold, cicche cicche hug, cicche cicche push, cicche cicche strain, cicche cicche damp down on." "Cicche cicche we have..." "cicche cicche come to an end." "You ladies, who long for love, don't weaken, don't turn white." "Who goes slow and steady..." "wins the race and don't ask for too many encores!" "Come, cicche cicche hold, cicche cicche hug, cicche cicche push, cicche cicche strain, cicche cicche damp down on." "Cicche cicche we have..." "cicche cicche come to an end." " Here're my biscuits, they melt into mouth." "Will you, Lisa ?" " No, not today." "I'm not feeling fine, I only take a cup of tea, that's enough for me." " Well done!" " Here I am, Berta, I'm coming!" " What a cook you're!" " Lea, let's make the coffee table move." " Are you mad?" " No." "Do you want to see me in hell?" "If I make things fly, I can say goodbye to absolution!" " Are you hinting at me?" "I believe in that." " Really?" "!" " We had a lot of fun in seminary." " Really?" " Yes." " Seminary and coffee table?" " Sure." " How did you get in touch?" " There was no contact." "They were experiments meant...meant to releave the magnetic force inside human body." "Human body...oh my God." "For example, if we create a magnetic field around a sitting man, he can lift." "It's enough you touch him under his armpits, by a tensed forefinger." "This way." "I didn't learn that in seminary, but I swear that's true." " Touching him, he can raise." "No, I swear!" " Please!" "Berta, you like kidding only about these things!" "What?" "Ca...ke!" "Lea..." "Give him what he wants." "Otherwise he can die to spite us!" "Changing the subject, I'd like to know why priests, with the exception of those present, get so much upset against love, the only consolation we have." "And they're careful not to say something against war!" "Because priests have no male sons." "And in the meanwhile, hate keeps making millions of people go to the slaughter." "Without even knowing the reasons!" " My glasses!" " Thanks, my dear." "They're not yours, they're mine!" "Sorry!" "I have never put on glasses." "Tina!" "Tina!" "Tina?" "Well...father Onorio..." "I..." "I, excuse me..." "I'd like so much to ask you..." "I'd like an advice about a certain matter, but...it's...it's..." " about...a friend of mine." " No!" " You've to know that..." " Continuosly!" " Really?" " Four times." " That's enough." " Madly, because he had the look of a man, but he had horns!" " Oh my God, the devil!" "Lisa." "Come here." "Then you have to tell me what..." "I feel like crying." "No!" "What are you saying?" "Leave me alone!" "It's not possible!" "Maria..." "I'll be missing you, Berta." "Happiness isn't a station to reach but...a way of travelling, you know." " But you're leaving us in the meanwhile." " You're telling lies." "Which other dream did you have?" " I want to give you a memento." " No, not..." " I want to give you!" " It doesn't even take off my finger." " You must not take it off, it brings bad luck." "If you give it to me, I feel you won't ever come back." "I've a premonition." " Write to me, at least once in a week." " As a minimum." " Rosario, not the cake." " The sparkling wine!" "So, friends, will we toast or not for Berta?" " Sure!" " Yes, sure!" " For Berta." "Whishing she could find happiness..." "in that new world far away from here." "All the best, Berta." "As long as there is life, there is hope!" "The only thing for which there is no remedy...is death." " Did you see how beautiful she is?" " Oh, my God, the boat." " Look!" "Oh, my God, how big it is." " No, no, no." "I'm afraid, I don't get on board over there!" " What are you doing?" " I'm afraid!" "Gino waited for a long time, he can still wait!" " Come here!" " Let's go!" " I can't, I feel I won't ever come to America being over there." "I'm not feeling it!" "Getting on board over there...with the entire sea with a plenty of waves." " No!" " That's enough!" "Look that I'm getting angry, if you act this way." " Such a boat cannot sink." " But I'm afraid!" " Stop it!" "I go to Michele and be good." "Go and take the ticket." "Go!" "Go!" "Go!" " Ow!" " Berta...!" " You hurted me." " Come on." " Huh, come on..." "I wait for you at the track." " Good morning." " Is that cake good?" "Michele, please." " There isn't Michele." " Young man, you're a fine liar." "Where is he?" " I swear he is not here!" " Michele ?" "Michele!" " Michele?" " Michele who?" " He's taking anatomy lessons!" " What do you want?" "That's not true!" "I'm not mistaken, I'm sure my son is here!" " Do you want to talk with me?" " Michele." " Ok, come with me." " Michele!" " Phew!" " Tosca!" " Mr Michele!" " I'll do it by myself." " They're crazy!" " Michele?" " Here I am!" "I'm here!" " Michele!" " Mom, what's happened?" "What are you doing here?" " What are you getting at?" "!" "I had wrote I should come, and you leave me outdoor and let your friends to make fun of me!" "Madam, don't be surprised!" "I don't feel ashamed." "Mom, that's Sandra." "Michele, you come back home with me, right now." "Come on, pack!" " Go away, please." " You're ungrateful." "You locked up yourself in there with one..." "who I even ignore who is!" "And you have left your mother outdoor, all on her own!" "To me, who gave you everything!" "My breathe, my life, my nails!" "Also I gave you my hair and my teeth!" "I gave you everything!" "And now, a new-come wants to take you away and replace me?" "!" " Get it out of your mind!" "Let's go!" " Sorry, Sandra." " Let's go!" " Go, go!" " Mom, listen!" " Michele!" " Please." "How embarrassing!" "Moreover, in front of everybody!" "Shame on you and remember that the best is yet to come!" "And things don't end here!" "I'll be giving you the rest at home!" " Pick up your stuff and let's go!" " No, mom." "I don't come." "Well...what a life." "Who knows what Gino is to be now." "Why did I let him leave?" "Why did I give my sister that ticket he sent to me?" "How he stared at me the last time I saw him over there, on the boat." "He was saying goodbye to me." "He waved a hanky, he cried." "Oh my God, who knows why I'm thinking of these things." "It was a ship with a plenty of men." "That's what I did remember, and also well." "How many men." "Hmm..." "How many..." "How handsome they were." "Hmm...hmm..." "That's it." "Now I'm ready." "Hi, Lea." " Are you already here?" "!" " Have you forgotten?" "You did tell me to come and sleep here this night." "I understood by your face." " No, what are you saying?" "!" " What a face!" "I couldn't ever dare." " Come in." "Lea, look." "Young ladies, don't look at sailors." "Oh, no..." "Am I good for a cruise?" "You're brave, you know?" "Come, come." "Young ladies, don't look at sailors." "Oh, no..." "I prepared everything." "You'll see how you'll look good." "The mad woman has come." "Which mad?" "All of them are mad." "The most beautiful one." " Let's go and see over there." " Do not touch me!" "You know I can't stand it." " I can't help it if nobody has ever touched you!" " Go away you too!" "Lea!" " Lea!" " Sleep!" "That's it..." "I'm also thirsty." "Lea?" "Lea?" "Lea." "Lea." "I'm so thirsty." "I don't know what's the matter with me." " What's the matter with you?" " I don't know, I can't go to bed." "What's up?" "You wouldn't change your mind this time too." "Imagine that, I've already sent my luggages, all of them are tagged there." "Would you go to America?" "Hm." "Understood." "Come, have a seat." "I'm preparing a good decoction for you." "What a foot ache." "What a nice thing is life, my dear." "All of my loves have been just like your abortions." "Giancarlo was married." "Not Gianni, but...when practising, he used to keep his pants." "An impression, my dear." "Valerio was lion-hearted, faithful as a dog, he made love as a rabbit, "wham bam" and so on...and he had it short." "And, my dear, after you had to talk with him, talk..." "That one kept talking and talking." "Berto hit me." "Perhaps...he was also right, I was such a mad woman." "With Galeazzo, Umberto, Ignazio, many letters, many...quarrels." "Many tears." "Luciano..." "How was Luciano?" "He gave me this ring, but I almost forgot him at all." "He had a mustache." "Yes." "Yes, Luciano had a mustache." "No!" "No, that one was..." "It was Piero who had..." "I had so many men, my dear, that I almost forgot them at all." "Imagine that!" "A lot of men, but...a few satisfactions." "Nothing, nothing, nothing!" "Having such ovaries that if they would have been cut away when I was 15 years old, it'd have been better." "All the men are pigs, rascals, selfish." "And now you think I'm going to reach that one in America." "Who is him for me?" "He's nothing, he's nobody, he's unknown." "He's also old..." "You'll see, it will be a good year." "Sandra will be far way from here and Michele will take good exams." "Basically, what do you think bones are?" "Cartilage, phosphorus and calcium." "Do you know you're really good?" "You're faster than me!" "Do you know how much calcium I had to give to Michele, to let him grow up healthy and standing erect?" "What's up?" "Oh, that one..." "That's phosphorus!" "Phosphorus!" "It's a thing which is good for the brain, helps intelligence." "But they had to take care of that when you were a child." "Of course it shoud have been good for you at that time!" "Come on, work." "My creature..." " What a nice bath." " Give me your arm." "How happy I am when you come back home." "I shouldn't let you leave!" " Do you remember?" " What?" "That's the little pinkie, that's his little brother, then there're mom and dad." "Here we're!" " Ah, this night we're going to dance." " Where?" " I told you, didn't me?" " Have you ever heard Stella singing?" " No." " Well..." "Lisa will be there..." " Do you like to come with me, don't you?" " Sure that I like it." "I you only knew how much I love you, you're my life." "I could cover you with kisses!" " Matilde, what are you doing?" "!" " Help me, come on." " How embarassing." " Let's pick it up." "Yes, but it's heavy!" " What's up?" " Nothing." " Why are you looking at me in that way?" " I don't know, you're different." " Am I older?" "No." "No, not at all!" "Younger and more beautiful." "Here's he." "Sorry, mom, I go and say hello to Sandra." "Don't you mind, do you?" "One moment." " Hello." " Hello." "Here's Stella!" "Look." "That's a variety show, where you stay because light shines." "Here's the variety, where you'll see a star raising." "Come to variety, if you don't want to take your sister." "If she has an eczema, you'll see that, she skins herself, but under her armpit." "If she has a cough, a breast bursts, so, all of you, come to variety!" ""Ohi liebe liebe liebe liebe lai!"" ""Ohi liebe liebe liebe liebe lai"." ""Ohi liebe liebe liebe liebe lai!"" "If you don't want to take your sister..." "She's ugly, but agile." "If she has a cough, a breast bursts." " Ehi, Lisa!" " Wonderful!" "That's a variety show, where you stay because light shines." " Doesn't she look too naked?" " No, she's very fine instead." " Really?" " She's very sexy." "Seriously." " Come on!" " Look, I'm not kidding too." "Eh, yes." "But you..." "If it's as to that me too, you know?" "Look at me." "Look!" "Oh, how nice shoulders." "You're great!" " What did you think?" " There's nothing for you to be jealous of anyone." "If she has a cough, a breast bursts, so, all of you, come to variety!" "Mom?" "Mom?" "Is this the right time for you to come back home?" " I had to accompany Sandra to the station." " Why?" " Her father died." " I'm sorry." "Thus, now Sandra has to come back to her mother." "54, 29..." "Nothing." "You'll see, we won't win." "Not even this time, I know that." "Wait, still not necessarily." "Venice: 77, 7 7, 46, 89, 12..." " Say goodbye to a new bell tower." " It has gone bad, we must insist." "This evening I'm going to play again cards." "Never mind." "Surely this year looks really bad." "I find that last year was much colder." "What does it have to do with this?" "I was not talking about the weather." "There're some rumours about a war." "Quiet!" "Don't say the word war in front of Lea, God forbid!" " Be careful, Tina." " Here she is." " Ready!" " We were talking about the soap you gave us." "Very good." " Really?" " Yes." "Congratulations, very well made." "Moreover, it's home made, you know what you used to make it." " Into the bargain, you can save some money." " That's it." "What an idiot I am." "I never..." "I never remember that Berta is no longer with us." "That's true, it seems impossible." " Who knows why she never writes." " Writing wasn't her strong point." ""Wasn't"?" "You're speaking as if she were dead." ""Leaving is a little bit like dying"." "I never remember who told me that." "Lea uses to tell that, or am I wrong?" "I sung at New York." "I bet there's still someone who remembers me." " Palma!" "My glasses!" " I'm sorry." "Ah...how funny they are!" "I never saw them." " How long have you been wearing glasses?" " Since I was born." " Here I am!" "Here're the bones of the dead (Sicilian cakes)." " Oh...!" " Taste them." "They are very good, I made them by my own hands." "Take, Maria." "Taste and tell me how they are." " And so?" " It's delicious!" "Did you put anisette, didn't you?" "You just hit it." "And this is for Lisa." "It's so good that you die for." " Aren't they made by flour?" " By flour?" " Or am I wrong?" " Sure." "But not only by flour." "There's...another thing they send me from South, from my village." "It's a kind of very hard bark, you've to crush it by a mortar." " For long, this way!" "Because it contains..." " Phosphorus!" "Yes!" "Yes...phosphorus!" " Lea, how good you are." "You can do everything!" " No, not everything." "But, when doing something, I do it well." " Who will take another one?" " Mom?" " Me!" " That's it." " Michele !" " Hi, mom." "Good evening." " Darling." "No!" "There's too much sugar." " I spent a lot of money to cure his teeth." " Hmm, the dentists!" " Do you like it?" " May I have another one?" " Sure." "Take." " Oh, thanks." "Here she is." "Matilde, she's going to exit." "Let me speak, understood?" " Be careful, ok?" "Good morning, madam Lea." " Good morning." " We beg your pardon." "It's for that soap." "You know, we're very interested." "I'm sorry, it's sold out." "I have just given away the last pieces now." "Next time, ok?" " Look that we count on that, ok?" " Oh!" "Wait for a moment." "Look how lucky you're are, a piece is left." "Here's it." " Take, try it." "Then let me know." " To me." "How much?" " God forbid!" "It's a gift." "Infinite thanks, you're very kind." " See you." " Yes, you're really very kind." "Don't let's be cheated!" "What a cheek." " Did you touch the skin of her hand?" " Flaky at all!" " Hm." "Welcome back, madam!" "I heard about the accident, my condolences." "Thanks, Giuseppe." "At bar, come on!" "It's your turn!" "You're the one who has to help me." "That woman has already come back!" "If a dog were died in place of her father, she would have been there longer." "Instead she weared a black tag, and here she is!" "Because she has her head here." "She thinks only of that, only of my son!" "Rather, I'm going to send Michele to America." "To America!" " Ber...ta." " Ah." "Berta." "She's far away by now." "She has forgotten us at this time." "And she was of no use." "She was of no use.." "Get up, come on." "Ah, the shoes." "If I don't take care of you, you're having a bath with shoes." "Tina, but are you a virgin?" "Are you still a virgin?" "You don't even know what it means." "So you're a good girl, you're a virgin." "And it's important, you know?" "Yes." "If not, it doesn't work." "Go." "Tina!" "Are you crazy?" "Who did you teach such things?" "No, Tina!" "What are you doing?" "Now please be so kind: cover yourself up and come back to your bedroom." "You've to go away, Tina." "Understood?" "You cannot be here." "Come on, go." "Go." "Lea!" "Open, I implore you!" " No, not you!" " Let me in, for God's sake!" "Let me in!" "Lea, please!" "You must help me!" " I need help, I'm going mad." " Yes, I also think so." "You're strange." "Come in." "Oh...it's better to die, than to keep living this way." " Hence, let's see." "Tell me a thing, Lisa, this..." " I don't make it." "That tempter devil...is he handsome, at least?" "He's horrible, he has a..." "Oh my God, what a shame!" " But...he's so huge!" "I didn't think there were such sizes." " Ssh!" " He's huge, Holy Virgin!" "And moreover..." " Ssh. -...arrogant." "Calm down." "You'll see you won't think of that anymore." " Lea..." " Come." " My Lea...if you knew..." "My heart said to me: "Reject him!", but I cannot do that!" " Now tell me what's to do?" "I'm no longer a virgin." " Once more, aren't you?" " Oh my God, how burning it was!" " This doesn't means anything." " It may happen sometimes." "At least, if my memory doesn't fail..." " To you too?" "!" "Now I make you drink a warm thing." "You'lle see how good it's for you." " By now...there's nothing which is good for me yet." " Come." "I want you to calm down." "That's right..." "You'll see, this is putting you in place in a minute." "That's true, I want to die." "If I don't die, I'm going mad." "You see, he knows I'm a weak creature." "He profits by that." "He's such a coward." "He caresses me, he touches me everywhere." "He even bites me." "He tears my clothes, and then he insults me!" "He even beats me." " Do you wants to see the livids?" "Look at which condition he reduced me." " No, no, no!" " I don't want to see anything, I'll take your word for it!" "I believe in you." " Ok." "Do you want what I'd do if I were you?" "I'd get out of here." "Do you remember when I sent you to the lake?" "You flourished." " Yes, but I came back alone." " That was your fault." "You almost showed a knee to conquer that man." "You'd have showed him your jewels, your money." "Maybe, but I have no courage." "I haven't it." "Here's it, drink that." "You'll see that it's good for you." "Here's it." "It will make your headache pass, immediately." " It's good, do you know?" " I told you that." "Rather, you'd try it with my bones of a dead." "What a delight!" " It's sweet." "What's it name?" " Its name is "old woman's milk"." " So red." " You know, it's a special thing." "An old recipe, then I explain to you." "How strange!" "I'm already feeling better." " Go to hell." " Lea, if there weren't you." "Go to hell!" "May he be handsome." "Yes, handsome like an angel." "Fragrant like a lily, burning like hell,  but may he be not too much burning." "And may he have a little dick very short!" "True?" "Ssh!" "Come." "Come." "Now..." "Now lie down here." "Lay your head too, so that your blood can circulate well." " Ssh!" " On the table?" " Come on." "That's it, this way." "Well done!" "Ah, how wonderful..." "That's true." "You know, you're right." "Blood is circulating better." " Lea." " Yes?" " You know, it was not true." "It was not true, I was telling a lie before." "When I said: "I want to die" I didn't even think I wanted to die." "No, I didn't even think of it." "But now...believe me, it's true." "I'd like so much to die." "Really, I'd like to die." "How beautiful!" "Lea." " Have you seen?" "She always adds firewood." " She has been making soap for two days." "How strange that woman is." "What may she put in to make such a black smoke?" " What...?" " What?" " What...?" " What is this?" " Blood." " Blo..od?" "!" "Yes, blood." " Good morning." " Good morning." "I'd like to change these bonds, please." " It's a nice little sum of money, aren't you?" " Well, yes." " If you let me, madam, in place of you..." " Please, "miss"." " Miss?" " Yes, miss Lisa Carpi." " Lisa..." "I'd think of it in your place, because a revaluation of bonds is expected." "I'm speaking in your interest, of course." "Thanks, but I need money, right now." "As you like." "Well, miss Lisa Carpi." "Look at her carefully." "We don't like the smell." "Since that bar of soap has come to this house, we can't fall asleep." " It's like if there were inside..." "the devil." " Ssh..." "Go away." "Come, get out of here!" "Go, and I don't want to see you anymore." " We only wanted our home to be blessed." " We felt a sense of duty." " For everyone's good." " You'll notice that." "We're not mistaken." "How good this cake is." "You, madam, are a wonderful cook." "Thank you." "I see you're really hungry." "Michele, why didn't you take me to your home before?" "And then?" "As I told you, the body of the young man was found covered by sand in the dark, with his cut throat." " Tina!" " Sandra, please." "Later, ok?" "Will you ever learn to cook so well?" "It will be hard to become as good as you mother, but I'll do my best." " Sure, she has spoiled him a bit much." " And then?" "But the most fearsome thing was the belly ripped by stabs." "Tina." "Tina!" "Don't fall asleep." "Come on, make a cup of coffee for us." "And...pardon the expression, the mutilated genitals." " How was the sentimental life of the murderer?" " A mess." "He had no friends." "He had no women." "He was only tied to his mother." "He only loved her." "Who knows what the hell that girl has made again." " May I?" " Excuse me." "I knew." "Tina!" "Go, I'll take care of it." "Mom, you don't like Sandra, do you?" "She's like that, she doesn't know when it's time to stop it." "But she's a good girl." "That will be right!" "Help me." "So...what?" "The second victim had only a little hole here." "Tina." "Come." "Excuse me." " Michele." " It's nice." "Blo...od." "Tina!" "Tina, listen, now you must say:" ""I won't do that anymore"." "Understood?" "!" "I won't do that anymore." "Repeat that until I say to you "That's enough"!" " Go away!" " I won't do that anymore." " Miss Lea!" " I won't do that anymore." "What's up?" " What's up?" " My sister is ill, she needs you!" "Come downstairs!" "I always said to her: "Don't lock in the bathroom"." "She has such an ill heart!" "I heard a shout, I kick in the door and I found her on the floor." " Oh, good gracious!" " Maria." "Oh, Jesus, poor her." "And what happened then?" "Nothing, she said: "The soap, the soap!", and then she fainted." "The soap." " Father, go quicky and call a doctor." " Yes." " I'll take care of Maria." " I hope I'll find him at home, he wasn't there before." "Maria." "Maria, open your eyes." "Maria, can you hear what I'm saying?" "Do you know who I am?" "Maria, wake up, open your eyes." "The soap." " The soap you made." " What's wrong with my soap?" "The ring." " I found the ring." " Well, yes, I know." "Do you mean this one?" " It's Berta's." " Yes, I know." "She had lost it." "It was when she came to me that evening before leaving." "I have been searching it so long." " I'm sure, I do remember." " No, no!" "Tina must have found it." "That's how that poor woman is." "She might have dropped it into the pot." "No, that's not true, I'm sure." "Berta couldn't take it off." "When?" "When did it happen?" "That eveving at your party." "But maybe that's not her ring." " We may be mistaken." "It's one which looks like it." " That's it!" "It's her ring." " I'm afraid." " Maria." "Maria, no, don't be like that." "If you keep being restless, then you're feeling worse." " Berta... where's?" " Why are you asking me?" "You know, don't you?" "She's happy finally." "She's far away, in America!" "That's not true." "She didn't leave." " What?" " When my brother comes back, I'm telling him everything." " What do you mean by that, are you going to tell him everything?" " Everything!" "Everything what?" " Eh?" " Please, tell me..." "You see, I'd like to tell you, Maria." "If you knew how much I need to tell,  but I think that wouldn't be good for you." "Even if, you see, I have thought to say that to someone, because this burden is too much for me and I can't bear it!" "How must I do?" "Is she dead?" "Is this what you mean?" "Dead." " Lisa too?" " Lisa too, yes." "That's right, as you like." " Well, listen to me carefully." " Berta." "Lisa..." " It's not possible." " Yes, it's possible." "I told you it's possible!" "I killed them!" "By these hands I killed them!" "And..." "look, they didn't suffer." "I made them drink a hot herbal tea before  and then I gave them a hard and harsh blow just here on their neck!" "And after splitting their heads, I quartered them, and then I tore them to little shreds, to put them inside the pot." " Do you think that job of mine has been easy?" " No!" "Go away!" "You should know what a hard work!" "To saw feet, hands, make everything boil and wait that it was finally melted." "And how long it took!" "I added packs of caustic soda to let the fat be melted for first." "Berta..." "Ber..." "Be reasonable!" "What did you think I make all this soap by, excuse me?" "And there's another thing you've to know." "Do you remember the parties at my home?" "Maria, do you remember those biscuits you liked so much?" "Yes, the biscuits!" "Do you know what did I make them by?" "By the bones!" "By the crushed bones!" "This way!" "This way!" "Moreover, who did I kill basically?" "Which kind of women were they?" "They couldn't even bear a child." "Which right do they have to live?" "Maria!" "How beautiful you are." "Now..." "let me say goodbye to her as a brother." "I'd like all the friends of yours were here, Berta, Lisa, who you hoped so much to see again." "Death in Christ doesn't part, but joins, even if it's difficult to understand and accept during a moment of sorrow." "Where does the feeling of death and resurrection come from?" "In part, from nature itself." "Grain has to die to resurrect." "The one who frees us from anguish of death, will enlight us..." " Who's that man over there?" "...in this time, full of events..." "He's the new marshal." "Who will free us of doubt?" "Because all the evil will come to the light of sun, the whole Earth may cover it." "The next one will turn on." "Miss Berta Maner, your dearest friend, didn't ever come to America." " What are you saying?" " And I can't even find an evidence that she went on board." "Here I have a letter certified by a certain Ludovico Maner, a cousin of the lady." "He states he waited in vain for lady Maner at the station at Genoa, where they decided to meet." ""Not seeing her and starting to worry,..."" ""..." "I let her be called by a loudspeaker of the station for three times,..."" ""...but with no result."" ""Counting on your interest, Ludovico Maner."" "I'd like to meet this cousin." "I'd like to know where he was when we had been going around the station for twenty minutes...while the loudspeaker kept barking!" "Where was that cousin?" "Where was he?" "And by the way, don't you think he might hide on the train?" "What do you mean, excuse me?" "Well, nothing." "Rather, do you happen to know if Berta Maner brought some money?" " Or if she had already transferred it?" " I really don't know that." "You know, this entire story has upset me." "The death of that girl..." "And you asking me so many questions..." " I feel like being on the ragged edge." " I'm sorry." "You should think much, before interrogating some honest people." "People can do everything!" "They made me be called by carabinieri!" "And you, just stop smoking these cigars!" "Understood?" "!" "The doctor told you must forget them!" "Get the picture?" "!" "And from now on, I'm becoming bad!" "I don't want to do anything but evil!" "Only evil!" "People don't love a German woman." "What may people have in their brains?" "They say: "Stella Kraus is a whore"." "So what?" ""Stella Kraus pays the young men."" ""They ate up all her means, till the last lira!"." "Thus nothing is right." "Neither I earn money nor how I spend it." "To be alone and to be a stranger is really a sad thing." "Well, yes." "I understand you." "At least I have Rosario!" "See how great is my consolation!" "At least Palma solved her problem." "She swallows half a tube of sleeping-pills and then cannon shots would be needed to wake her up." "You overcame a lot of difficulties, of troubles." "Even ugly ones." "But I...worse ones than yours." "Sometimes, you see..." "See?" " Sometimes, I feel like going mad." " Mad?" " Yes." " Really mad?" "Yes, indeed!" "And what should I say?" "I've been playing the mad woman for all my life." "It's not easy, you know?" "Not being insane you won't pass through Sesto Calende till Schwartz Ballet." " It's hard to speak German." " Aren't you German?" "No, I'm from Lombardia!" " Stella!" "Sing a song." " Now, at this time?" "Yes, in your language." "That's right, agreed." "I'm going to sing a song in dialect." "Go and give away your butt cheeks!" "And to think that I also could marry a good industrialist." "I've got a good personnel, I can embroider." "I like classic music." "It's better to lick a bone than a stick." "Poor her." ""My girlfriend goes to a wellspring with a little bucket of copper and silver." "Yes, but that water she puts in is my love languors for her." "Raises a wave which looks like a sea." "I go swimming into that sea." "I swim, yes, but I cannot swim and I go drowning into that sea"." "Tina, wake up." "There's some dirt under the piano." "Clean up well and then go back to bed." "I've to go out." ""Moreover, two gold chains would be stolen from her,..."" ""...some pendants and a cultured pearl necklace."" ""Stella Kraus, former singer of the Schwartz company,..."" ""...has made the robbery while the victim was deeply sleeping."" ""The singer's hasty escape is strictly related to..."" ""...the mysterious disappearance of two friends:" "Berta Maner and Lisa Carpi."" " Have you heard such a piece of news?" " I smell a rat." "That thief of Stella told me she was going to spend the evening here." " That's not possible!" " And me who loved here..." " Don't you remember?" "The least time both of us have seen her in church, for poor Maria's funeral." "Why should she have had to spend the evening at my home?" " There was no reason, don't you?" " Who could imagine that!" " Be careful, there're some glasses." " Where?" "I can't see anything." " On the floor." "I'm taking them." " Lea..." " Someone may have forgotten them." " Give me." "Do give me them." " No!" "Who did you see wearing them?" " Wait, now I can't remember." " Forget that, Palma!" "Come to the kitchen with me." "You're too much upset!" "I'm preparing a herb tea which will be good for you." "You're feeling better right now." "Come." "Let's go." " Can you watch her?" " What is she doing?" " She has caught a hatchet!" " A hatchet?" "!" "Stop, come down!" "Come down, let me watch too." " Come on, push strongly!" " Why a hatchet?" " Dunno?" "!" "Whose are these glasses?" "Yet I must remember." "I have made it, taste how's good." " I'll be right here." " Yes." "Well..." " What do you want?" " Good morning, madam." "That's for your son." "No, it's a mistake." "It's...it's another flat." " He must present himself to the district within 24 hours." " No, it's a mistake!" "My son has to become a surgeon!" "Understood?" "!" "Go away!" "Out of here!" " Mom." " Michele!" "Be quiet, they will have been holding me for a couple of weeks." "You'll see." "Michele..." "I can't believe it!" "No!" "Oh, Sandra!" "I'm so glad you're coming here, to be with me." " "Mom", how do you do?" " Fine, thanks." "Is this the woman who has come to you in the bank, don't you?" " That's her." " Very well." "So, come here." "Sign here, please." "Be careful." " Do you like the room?" "Do you think you'll be comfortable?" " Yes, thanks." "Mom, wait." " I'd like you not to come to the station." " Ah, well." " Michele, I don't like being here." " Why?" "I don't like it without you, you know." "Tina, your mother..." "I don't understand them." "I don't feel comfortable here." " It's me who don't understand you." " Don't you see how strange this house is?" "I know, you're seeing it from another point of view, but I'm feeling it oppressive." "All these saints, these deads..." "What's wrong more?" "The numbers?" "The potions?" "The other obsessions of my mother?" "Listen, Sandra...do as you like at the best." "Find a good excuse though." "What?" " Mom!" " Michele!" " Why did you come?" " I forgot the cake." " No cry." " I forgot the cake!" "I had got it!" "Michele, I had got it!" " Calm down, please." " Why are they cheerful?" "Why are they laughing?" "They would have to cry, instead." "They will make all of you go to the slaughter!" " Come on, don't be like that." " All of you, all of you!" " Now, stop crying though." " Yes." "When you mother created you..." "Do you want to know what she had put in?" " And then, mom?" " Now I'm telling you everything." "Apples, sugar and cinnamon, she kneaded this nice mouth." "Michele!" "What's up?" "Yours." " No, it's not mine, it's lady's." " Yours!" "Yours!" " But it's not mine." "That's right." "But later we're giving her it back, ok?" "Go, Tina." "Lea..." "Lea!" " Blood!" "Blood!" " Tina!" "What's up?" " Blood!" " Tina!" " Blood!" " Tina, go away!" " No!" "What is she doing?" "!" "Go to you bedroom!" "Go!" "She has had another conniption, as her usual." "I guess I must let her cloistered tomorrow." " I don't like how you treat Tina." " Really?" "Don't you like that?" "Well, right!" "Do you already want to play the lady in my home, don't you?" " Understood?" " I know you don't like me so much." "I'm here for Michele, because I love him." "I know the love you mean." " You've no rights to meddle in our feelings." " You can't understand." "Stop with the baths, the wool T-shirts, the cakes and the biscuits." "I'm glad he's doing his military service, it's time he becomes a man." "It's right he bear some childs, two, three, four, ten!" " And I'll be able to give them to him." " Michele is only mine!" "When you'll have understood that, you'll have understood everything." "He sees things like me." "Do you know there will be another war soon?" "But he won't go, because I'll let him come back, and he knows that." " And you're afraid of me." " I'm not afraid of you!" "We'll see." "I'm scaring you, don't you?" "I'm pregnant." " What?" "!" " Go, go!" "And don't let anyone come closer." "This way." "This way!" "You did enough things." "I did many things." "But what I did may be nothing..." "if compared to what you'll do." "They will kill you." "They will kill all of you." "There will be a terrible war." "I tried, I made all of my best, I swear." "I wanted to save my son." "Take her away." "Rosario, only God knows why I killed." "No." "I only know that." "Ah, there's some cakes in the sideboard." "Tell Tina to bring them to you, if you can." "Madam Lea!" " Freak!" " Freak!" " Who, me?" "You're crazy." "Life, life, what do you give me?" "At least give me him..." "and he never comes." "Why does he never come?" "Life, life, what do you do?" "You don't even give me him." "And he will never come." "Why will he never come?" "Life, life, yes, my life I'd give you, my life I'd give..." "But don't abduct him from me, because I only have him." "Life I only live for him..." "You do what you want." "I'll do what you'll see..." "and you'll notice that." "translated by quidtum June 2010 checked by pushwithlegs July 2010"