"A journalist's report:" "MARRIAGE AGENCY" "I'm going to tell you about something that actually happened to me." "I was doing a report on marriage agencies." "I knew nothing about them." "Someone gave me an address." "It led me to a large, old building, in an old district of Rome." "On the top floor, under the attic..." " Where's the Cibele Agency?" " What?" " The Cibele Agency." " I don't know." " Try at the end of the corridor." " Can I help you?" "Hello, I'm looking for the Cibele Agency." " What agency?" " Cibele." "The Cibele Agency." " I don't know, what is it?" " A marriage agency." " Try down there." " Thanks." " I know where it is." " Really?" "What do you know?" "I know where the agency is, I'll take you." "Good girl." "Susanna, I'm coming too." " Where are you going, Anna Maria?" " To the agency." " We're coming too." " Is it far?" "Where are we going?" " Did you see some kids go by?" " No." " Where's the Cibele Agency?" " The ones that do certificates?" "Never mind." "Hello." "Excuse me, I'm looking for a marriage agency." " Can you tell me..." " Mister!" "Come this way!" "You want the agency?" "Have a seat." " Is there a long wait?" " Just a minute." "May I have a word?" " Are they waiting to be seen?" " Yes, but they won't be long." "Could you tell..." "who's in charge?" " Mrs. Cibele." " Right." "Listen..." "I'm in a hurry, it's a delicate matter." "Could you ask her to see me first?" "I run this place, I'm an ex-policeman." "I find out the clients' details, I was in the police." "I only need a few hours to know everything." " Do you smoke?" " Thank you." "We only ask women for their details, because sometimes they have children." "We need to be very careful." "Are all these people your clients?" "Come with me." "Those two come from out of town." "They want their son to marry, that's him." "They want a girl with long blonde plaits." "Strange, eh?" "Yet that's exactly what they asked for." " Hello." " Hi, sweetie." " Do you arrange many weddings?" " Yes, five or six a month." " Your agency arranges them?" " Yes." "Come in." "I had no idea what reason to give for my visit." "I thought of an unusual story." "I invented a childhood friend, the son of rich landowners, who was forced to live in the country due to a strange illness." "He'd have terrible epileptic fits when it was full moon." "A case of lycanthropy, or werewolf syndrome." "I told her the doctors said that marrying was his last hope." "I never thought the lady would say..." " We'll see to it." " What?" "This one might do." "She washes, cooks and cleans and she's pretty." "She has a son." " May I see?" " No, it's confidential." " Just the photograph." " No, you wouldn't understand." "They're my notes." "This one might be suitable." "She's a brunette, sweet and works for the Post Office." "Did you hear me?" "I told you he's mad." " He's a werewolf and wealthy..." " Right, but..." "How could a well-to-do girl marry a..." "We only have nice girls, we choose them carefully." "Right, Attilio?" "Right, this room is too small for all the photos we get." "We need a second one and maybe one more." "We see all sorts here!" "Some girls make vows to the Virgin Mary to marry a blind man or a disabled soldier." "A blind man's better than a werewolf." "What's your name?" " Antonio Cifariello." " Trust us." "We've found wives for all sorts of men." "Once, a dumb man came." "We understood what he wanted and found him a dumb wife." "Sign this form." "We'll arrange a meeting in a couple of days." "In return of 50,000, broken down as follows." "10,000 when you apply, 25,000 after the first meeting, and 15,000 once they've agreed to marry." " Hello?" " N325?" " Who?" " Is that N235?" "Hello?" "It's Mrs. Cibele, from the marriage agency." " Good morning." " I've got good news for you!" "We found someone." "Hello, sir?" " Yes, I'm here." " I've found our girl." "She's pretty and very nice..." "we mustn't let her get away." "I went to meet the girl who'd accepted to marry a werewolf." "We're over here!" "What a nice car!" "Is it your friend's?" "I won't say a word." "See for yourself." "You can't go wrong with her." " Did you tell her about him?" " No, I didn't." "I did it for the good of your friend." "Let him meet the girl." "Once they know each other, we'll tell her." " But that's..." " Look, I'm the expert here!" "You do your job, I'll do mine!" "We mustn't scare her off." "Let me get her." "Rossana!" "Wait a moment." "Your handbag." " This is Miss Rossana." " How do you do?" "I have to go now, maybe you could go for a spin..." " You have a car." " All right." "Off you go." " Get in!" " From the other side." "Go on!" "Sorry, she's a bit shy." "I'll see you later." "All right." " Goodbye." " Bye." "Let me know what you think." "I'll be at the agency till seven." "Bring her there." "Just a moment." "Now, you're going to be a lady." "A real lady, okay?" "Goodbye, sir." "May I ask you a question?" "What did the lady from the agency tell you?" " That he's young and very rich..." " Anything else?" "That he's got a big house in the country and lots of land." " What did you think?" " I laughed." " It sounds too good to be true." " Why?" "Why would a rich man like that marry me?" "Didn't she tell you he was ill?" "He suffers from a strange illness, he's different to other men." "He's a lycanthrope, maybe you don't know what that is." "He's influenced by the moon, he's a sort of werewolf." "I'm sorry the lady from the agency didn't tell you." "What happens to him?" "When he has a fit." "He writhes on the floor, screaming and shouting." "He doesn't recognize anyone, not even his mother." "The doctors say marriage might cure him." "Poor thing!" "So you would accept..." "Is he a nice man?" "You don't understand, he's very ill." "No woman from his town would marry him, it'd be a life of great sacrifice." "He can't go out alone, he always needs his nurses." "And you'd have to stay there with him." "I'm sure there'll be plenty to do on a big estate." "I suppose so." "But tell me, why would you do such a thing?" "What do you mean?" "Shall we get out?" "Why would you accept to marry him?" " You smoke?" " No, thanks." "I don't smoke." " I'll take it for my brother." " You have a brother?" " Yes, there are nine of us." " Do you live in Rome?" " No, in a town called Olevano." " Nine brothers and sisters!" "Seven sisters and two brothers, but they're all young." " Are you the oldest?" " Yes." "Shall we sit over there?" "Sit down." " My dress will get dirty." " No, it's only grass." " You hurt yourself?" " No!" "I'll come up there." "You didn't answer my question." "Why would accept to marry this man?" "I left home last year." "We're not from Rome, but from Olevano." "I'm poor and so is my family." " What does your father do?" " He's a farmer, but he never works." " Never?" " Never!" "There are lots of mouths to feed." "So I left." "My sister-in-law lives in Rome." "She told me I could stay with her but then she said she couldn't support me." "So, one day..." "I hadn't eaten for three days, I felt so weak!" "I was exhausted so I sat down on a bench." "I was in Piazza Risorgimento and there was a paper next to me." "I saw the ad for the marriage agency." "So I thought I'd get married." "I went to see the lady and she said, "Leave it with me"." "She called me yesterday and told me about your friend." "If this friend of yours is a nice man, then..." "I know myself." "I'll become fond of him." "Poor thing, he's ill." "I know it won't be wonderful, but at least I'll be looked after and it won't be that bad, because I'll become fond of him." "Would you let him marry your sister?" "No." "Let's just leave it, forget about it." "You wouldn't be suitable, I'm sorry." "Just forget about it." "I'm sorry." "I know I wouldn't be suitable." "Let's go back." "We drove back to the city in silence." "I wanted to say something to her, not to justify myself, but to help her." "I wanted to tell her to be more confident, to open her eyes to the many encounters life presents daily." "But I didn't want to be rhetorical and I knew it'd be no use." "Her problems, her daily hardships would still be all that mattered to her." "I didn't say anything." "When we said goodbye, I sincerely wished her... good luck." "A TRUE STORY "CATERINA'S STORY"" "No, Caterina Rigoglioso didn't try to kill herself." "She came to Rome in '49 from Sicily to find work, she was seduced then abandoned." "She was sent home and her family disowned her." "She came back to Rome and was arrested." "She was released, and she gave birth on New Year's Eve." "No, she didn't try to kill her illegitimate child, as moralists would describe it." "She kept him and paid a nanny 7,000 liras a month to look after him." "7,000 is an enormous amount of money for an unemployed maid." "No, she didn't resort to stealing." "This an accurate reconstruction of the last act of her story." "The woman you see is Caterina Rigoglioso herself." "The boy is her son Carletto and the location is the same one where her story took place." " Hi." " Hi." "I can't let you in, they're sleeping." "I told them about you, but she wants some ID." "You told her you know me?" "It all needs to be above board." "This is a guesthouse and someone may come to check." "I'll accept 8,000." "Come in, I'll tell her." "But don't get your hopes up, we've turned two girls away already." "Come in." " I'll speak to Madame." " All right." "Wait." " What if she's got no ID?" " I can't do anything for her." "I told you, I don't want any trouble." "Are you sure you don't have any form of ID?" "I've got my expulsion order, I can't ask for my documents." "They'll know I'm still here and arrest me." "I wouldn't stay here in your situation, go home." "I can't go back to Palermo." "I'm sorry," "I'm sorry, there's no persuading her." "Can you give me 100 liras?" "I've got no money." " Here's 100 liras." " Thanks, I'll keep looking." "You'll be all right." " Bye." " Good luck." "Bye, Caterina." " A 100 liras worth of cherries." " Right away." "Are they good?" "They're expensive!" "I'd like a kilo, but they get more expensive every day." " Hey, we're waiting!" " It's a nice day for it." "Caterina, stop!" "I can't take him back, don't you understand?" "He's not mine!" "I've come looking for you two days in a row." "What should I do?" "You owe me three months pay, my husband's in hospital!" "I can't get a job, I've got an expulsion order." "I sleep on the streets like a tramp." "You have to take him, I told the police about you!" "What should I do?" "My husband's in hospital and I have to feed my kids!" "I turned down another mother for you." " But I can't keep him." " Give me some time." "Take him and I'll drop the charges." "Come to the police station." "I can't." "If they know I'm here, they'll arrest me." "Come to Ferentino, I know the officers there." "They won't ask you for ID." "I'll pay your fare, come on." "You can stay with me for the night." "Vincenza Marocco, nanny, declares that" "she does not intend to press further charges against" "Caterina Rigoglioso, as she will be taking back" "her son and will pay" "Mrs. Marocco what she owes her." "Read, signed and witnessed." "Elisa, hurry, I need you to look after the baby." "Times are hard, my girl!" "The only way to earn money is to be a nanny." "I have to take on another baby now." "You're not leaving before the winter, what am I to do?" "I can't starve to death." "I work hard, but even if we tighten our belts, we need at least 400 liras a day." "I can't do miracles." "I could've kept Carletto, but he'd have starved to death too." " What about my money?" " I'll send it to you when I get work." " Can I trust you?" " I'll sign an I.O.U." " What good is that?" " I'll pay you back." " You'd better, you see how I live?" " I will." " Why are his eyes red?" " They always are in the morning." "Bye, Carletto!" " Lidia loves Carlo." " Bye, Vincenza." " See you." " Bye, Lidia." " Caterina, are you going to Rome?" " Yes, goodbye." "Caterina, tell Donata Tonino's fine." " I'll say hi to your mom for you." " Tell her I want my wages." " All right." " Say goodbye." "Bye." " Is this a new baby?" " His mother's well off." "She comes in her boss' car." "Maybe it's his kid!" " Are you going?" " Yes, bye." "We've arrived, be a good boy." "We're arrived, Carletto." "Good boy." "PROVINCE OF ROME ILLEGITIMATE CHILDREN'S ASSOCIATION" " Where do I get my ticket?" " Over there." " Is this the ticket office?" " Over there." "Calm down, you'll get seen!" "Can I have a ticket?" " Is this the queue?" " Go to the end!" " I want to leave my boy here." " You want him admitted?" " Yes." " Are you sick?" " Is the child sick?" " I have no money, no work." " Are you resident here?" " Yes." " What's your name?" " Caterina Rigogliosa." "Rigoglioso's file!" "I need some ID." " I don't have any." " Where's your identity card?" "I lost it." "Mr. Testa, write me a request for information." "You were at the foundling hospital from January '51 to March '52." "You're the one who gave birth in the street?" "I'll give you a request for information." "Go to the police station then come back here." " The police station?" " Are you afraid?" " No." " It's the only way." "If you want him to be admitted right away." "Mr. Testa, is it ready?" " There." " Thanks." "Take it to the police station." "Hopefully, they'll reply right away." "Then come back here." " All right." " Goodbye." "Can I have an advance on my month's allowance?" "Are you hungry, Carletto?" "It's good, isn't it?" "Some more?" "Do you like it?" "No more?" "Waiter." "Yes, ma'am." " How much is it?" " 80 for the biscuits plus the milk." " It's 130 liras in all." " I've only got 100." "Give me that then." "Take these." "Thanks." "Are you hot, Carletto?" "Be a good boy." "Be quiet!" "Come and look." "Carlo!" "Carlo!" "What have I done?" "Oh, God!" "Can I look at the paper, please?" "ESTRANGED MOTHER ABANDONS HER SON" "THE BOY IS BEING LOOKED AFTER AT THE "MARAINl" INSTITUTE" "THE POLICE INVESTIGATES" " What do you want?" " I'm Carlo's mother, the boy who was brought here last night." "Come in." "I've come to take him back." "Come." " Where is he?" " Come." " Where is he?" " Don't worry, he's fine." " I want to see him!" " Sit down." " What's your name?" " Caterina Rigoglioso." " Where are you from?" " Palermo, but where is he?" " I want to see him." " Wait, calm down." "Wait here." "Wait here for me." "MOTHER OF ABANDONED BOY FOUND" ""GIVE ME MY SON BACK" SAID THE MOTHER IN TEARS" "THE SAD ODYSSEY OF A MOTHER WHO DEDICATED HERSELF TO HER SON" "THE MAID WHO ABANDONED HER SON WILL GO ON TRIAL" "SENTENCED TO FOUR MONTHS WITH THE CLEMENCY OF THE COURT" "CATERINA RIGOGLIOSO ACQUITTED FOLLOWING APPEAL" "BECAUSE THE FACT DOES NOT AMOUNT TO A CRIME" "ACQUITTED FOLLOWING APPEAL CATERINA RIGOGLIOSO" "THE ITALIANS TURN THEIR HEADS" " Really?" " I sent it express post." "I sent it express post." "Sorry, miss." "The first issue of "The Spectator" ends here." "It hasn't yet explored all possible aspects of love in the city but left out the obvious and less interesting ones." "Our journal simply wants to explore the most intimate and true reality, and wants to achieve that with the style and objectives of a new and conscious kind of cinema." "THE SPECTATOR N.1 LOVE IN THE CITY"