"Open it." "Go on up." "I'm Federico Mai." "Father Cacciapuoti's expecting me." "I know, come with me." "Be off with you!" "Wait here and don't move." "That one up there too." "That one." "Get those ripe ones up there." "And up there too." "Cut it." "Continue." "Enough." "I'm Cacciapuoti." "Wait, I'll come to you." " Welcome to Bobbio." " Thank you." " You're at the Perletti sisters'?" " Yes." "They're good Catholics." "What is it?" "You're identical." "Except your brother had a very different expression." "Why did you want to see me?" "How is your mother?" "She's distraught." "She cannot bear the idea that Fabrizio will be buried in unholy ground amidst thieves and murderers:" "the donkey cemetery." "Why be so cruel to a woman who's only done good for the Church?" "The order came directly from the tribunal in Genoa and your brother, before he died, left a note in his hat in which it was quite clear he was asking for forgiveness and for prayers." "There is no doubt that he wanted to take his own life and despair is unforgiveable." "Our only hope is that Benedetta confesses." "Confesses what?" "The pact with Satan that would allow us to say that Don Fabrizio did not choose to die but that he was bewitched by Benedetta, allied with the prince of evil with the aim of condemning him to hell." "It's the only way can we take your brother to the cathedral and give your mother, who does not deserve this punishment, some peace." " But..." " But?" "Benedetta refuses to confess." "She doesn't want to." "Even though... when we cut her hair," "she started weeping." " I was moved." " Why did you cut her hair?" "To find Satan's mark, proof of the pact." "Did you find it?" "No." "Follow me." "This is Don Fabrizio's brother." " I'll vouch for him." " All right." "Fabrizio, is that you?" "Thank you." "May the King of ever-lasting glory lead us to the banquet of eternal life." "Amen." " What's the matter?" " Nothing." "Thank you." "You cut it." "Drink." " No, Don Federico." " Drink, you're so pale..." "Drink." "Don't you ever have any fun?" "A pastime, a game, I don't know... a joke..." "I play a game." "Yes, every morning on my way back from mass," "I run towards the henhouse guessing how many eggs they'll have laid." "Usually they lay 3 or 4 but what if during the night they've laid 300?" "A huge, impossible amount." "Yet every morning I harbour this hope." "It's ridiculous!" "But I'm not disappointed." "They do what they can, my hens, and I love them." "Our hens." "But there must be a moment when you do nothing?" "Yes, when we come back from vespers." "If it's a nice day we stop in the garden to get some fresh air." "I look at the sky and wait for the first star..." "I know where to look now." "I remain motionless." "I wait, even if the mosquitoes start biting me... without complaining, staring straight above." "In the end the star appears, no thanks to me." "Why haven't you married?" "It's the Lord's will." "Our brother married, he's a captain in the Duke of Monferrato's army." "I'm tired of being a soldier." "Why don't you become a priest?" "It would be a wonderful consolation for your mother." "You know how life is, you wouldn't lose your head over a woman." "Lose my head over a woman?" "No one's ever lost their head over me." "Nor me." "Have you ever lost your head over a man?" "No." "What about my brother?" "No, the admiration and respect was reciprocal." "He avoided any situation which could cause embarrassment." "He acted with such subtlety he seemed to walk on air." "So why did he let himself be trapped by a woman?" " The woman was not alone." " He's a saint." "One day, as penitence, he jumped into a rosebush." "He wanted to be like Saint Francis." "To escape from temptation he leapt with such force that he was unable to get out again." "Luckily, the next day a shepherd passed by and saved him." " From certain death." " He was covered in blood." "You who have faith, do you think my brother is in hell now?" "No!" "No one can know that, only the Lord." "He may have repented just before losing consciousness." "At the last moment, "Have mercy on me, Jesus"." "Exactly." "He wouldn't be the first to do that." "If he said "Forgive me, Lord" or "Have mercy, Christ"." "So by asking for forgiveness it's possible to go to heaven?" "Yes." "Maybe after years of purgatory, or centuries... it doesn't matter." "So why the donkey cemetery?" "Why didn't anyone think that my brother may have asked for God's forgiveness at the last minute?" "This morning I wanted to kill her!" "Do not worry." "In fact, you keep it, to be on the safe side." "Don Federico?" " Don Federico?" " Yes?" "If you leave the windows open the mosquitoes will get in." "Unless you blow out the candles." "Don Federico?" "Don Federico?" "Don Federico, are you hurt?" "I fell." "Did these clothes belong to my brother?" "Yes." "Hail Mary, Full of Grace, the Lord is with thee." "Blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus." "Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now, and at the hour of our death." "Amen." "God Almighty, we pray to you so that you may reveal to us, even if we are sinners, whether this woman, is allied with the devil, so that we may decide what her punishment will be." "Benedetta, if once submerged in the water your body resurfaces, against the laws of nature, seeing that you alone are unable to determine this, this will be proof of your alliance with the devil." "But if your body, following the laws of nature, remains submerged, this will be proof of your innocence, even though you risk losing your earthly life, which is nothing compared to eternal life." "In the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost." "Wait." "Further down." "Pull her out." " Wait, I'll lead the way." " I know the way." "Thank you." "Benedetta wants to confess to you, right now." " But I'm not a priest." " I'll take responsibility." "You just need to say:" "In the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost... and listen to her." "For her you are Fabrizio, resuscitated." "If Benedetta deceives us, we're authorised to deceive her too." "Remember that." "To reinstate your brother we need her confession." "What is the prayer of absolution?" "I absolve you from your sins in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost." "Sister, you go." "And the Mother Superior." "Remain in the corridor." "Listen and watch, in a discreet manner." "Go." "In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost." "Amen." "Poor Federico." "What did she say?" " Did you hear?" " No." "Why aren't they talking?" "Are they still there?" " Are they still there?" " Yes." "Where?" "These are the keys to the entrance of the cloisters." "What's going on?" " Well?" " No luck." "What did they do?" "Did you see?" " Did you hear?" " No." "Did you confess?" "Yes, I confessed." "Let's go." "Don Federico?" "May I come in?" "You've not eaten anything." "Please, help me." "Here... lie down." "Good night." "Benedetta, I plead with you, for the beloved tears shed by our Saviour," "Lord Jesus Christ on the cross, for the salvation of the world and for the ardent tears shed over his wounds in the hour of evening prayer by his mother, the glorious Virgin Mary," "in so far as you are innocent, shed your tears." "If instead you are guilty, do not do so in any way." "In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost." "Amen." "She's starting to surrender." "Satan is surrendering." "She wanted to act against God, poor deluded woman." "Do not crowd her." "Benedetta, we cannot wait in eternity." "Take her back to her cell." "This leaves the test of fire." "And then?" "If she does not confess to the pact..." "your brother..." "You know what this means." "I feel sorry for your mother." "Right." "Now what do we do?" "We cannot burn a saint." "A saint who sent her confessor to hell." "How naive you are!" "Benedetta's tears are a gift from God." "We all saw them..." "spontaneous and plentiful." " But why won't she talk?" " There's no point arguing!" "The cardinal wants a sentence, tomorrow." "May fire give us an answer." " Let's go." " No!" "Tomorrow." "Tomorrow I take the test of fire... then they will burn me." " They won't, I'm sure of it." "You're just like your brother, you're afraid." "Tomorrow." " Good evening." " We've waited all day for you." " Have you eaten?" " Supper is still warm." "No, thank you." "I'm not hungry." "We can help you undress if you want." "If you want." "There's no need." "Pray for me." "He's so handsome!" "What are you doing?" "Get closer." " Closer than this?" " Yes." " But I don't want to touch him." " Just a little." "Benedetta, I plead with you, for the terrible suffering endured for the salvation of the world by our Saviour Jesus Christ, nailed to the cross by his hands, feet and ribs and for the ardent tears shed over his blessed wounds" "in the hour of evening prayer by the glorious Virgin Mary," "I implore you, if you are innocent, to heroically endure like Jesus did, this test of fire, to prove you're innocent of the accusations made against you." "Or spare yourself pointless suffering and admit you are guilty, and ask for God's forgiveness whilst entrusting yourself to his justice." "In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost." "Well Benedetta?" "!" "If you confessed to being Don Fabrizio's lover, it'd be a sign:" "proof that you want to cooperate." "Do you really want to be burnt alive?" "With this stubborn silence you offend your mother the Holy Church and you once more betray your betrothed, Jesus Christ!" "Let us continue." "Wait." "Go to your mother, you can finally give her the good news." "Did she confess?" "She'll confess, did you not hear?" "The fire has convinced her." "She's resisting... but she'll gradually confess to everything, it will just take time." "What's wrong?" "So you'll burn her?" "What do you care if we do?" "I fear her revenge." "Not just for me but for you too." "She threatened me yesterday." " If you burn her..." " Do not be afraid." "Go to your mother." "Remember, don't look." " Why don't you open up?" " How did you get in?" "The grating was broken." "The town hall gave me the keys but they didn't tell me that it was locked from the inside." " Isn't the prison abandoned?" " Yes." " So why are you here?" " I'm the guardian." "Open the door then." "Go on, open it." "Ivan Rikalkov." "Federico Mai, senior inspector from the Department of State Property and Taxes for Emilia Romagna." "Which owns the building." "Mr Ivan Rikalkov, Russian citizen, philanthropist, musician, billionaire." "Surfing the net he saw Bobbio prison and he wants to buy it." "Why have you gone pale?" "No..." "It will take some time, I presume." " Meanwhile we'll take a look..." " No!" "I can't take on this responsibility." "What responsibility?" "If something were to happen..." "I can't lose my job." "I told you, I'm the guardian." " What's there to guard?" " Nothing." "But every day I come to check that no tramps have entered, or illegal immigrants, or drug addicts." "The building is not safe, the roof has collapsed in several places." "A slate might fall on your head." "Or you may get bitten by a snake or a scorpion." "I'll need to see written permission from the mayor." "Who is unavailable." "He'll be available, sooner or later." "We're staying at the Hotel Piacentino." "Mr Rikalkov wants to finalise things quickly, he's leaving tomorrow." "Therefore call me as soon as possible." "We need to see the entire building." "Or I'll have to tell the Finance Police that you're not cooperating." "Goodbye." "Goodbye." "Tapum tapum tapum" "Then when you're behind the wall" "Soldier, you no longer want to speak" "Tapum tapum tapum" "Tapum tapum tapum" "Let me see." "Hi." "Hi, EIena." "Angelo?" "Yes, Count." "I woke up with a terrible toothache." " Do you want a painkiller?" " I need some morphine." "Maria!" "Give me a headache pill." "It's my canine, the one..." "The good one, the other has a root filling, poor thing." "It's throbbing..." "I need to do something, call Cavanna." "Maria, go to Doctor Cavanna." "No, call him with your cell phone." " Supper's ready." " No." " Shall I keep it warm?" " Yes." "Thank you, my dear." " Inspector?" " Yes?" " Ivan, stop playing." " Thanks." "I'm Count Basta's wife, my husband disappeared eight years ago." "I'm sorry." "Some say they've seen him, always at night, in town, by the river, in the fields, and even at the bar." "They say it then they deny it." "And I was already half-crazy..." "see what they're playing at?" "Yes, I work for the regional council." "Since then there's been a series of stories, the sightings are only ever at night, so they call him the vampire." " Do you have a photo of him?" " Yes, from when he was young." "Here, look." "As I was saying... a "vampire"." "Okay, decide for yourself." "But there's a problem." "Is a vampire dead or alive?" "There's no such thing as an ID card for someone who's both dead and alive!" "And I don't get any maintenance nor any life insurance money, I get nothing!" "You don't understand." "I can tell from your expression." "It's useless." " Hello, Mr Inspector." " Hello." " May I?" " Of course." "I'm crazy." "I've been sectioned three times so there's no doubt that I'm crazy." "My only mistake was to entrust myself to Dr Albeit... a Social Security doctor." "A crook from the well-known criminal organization headed by Count Invisible." "Count Basta?" "Yes, him." "From the noble mafia." "This Dr Albeit, as there are already too many crazy people in Bobbio, told me it was better to claim for the 50% loss of use of my lower limbs." "Which I was able to prove easily, going against my nature, to the corrupt committee." "Look..." "I really am crazy and that villain made me pretend that I was a cripple." "But now with the blood-thirsty Finance Police," "I can't pay back my invalidity benefit." "I can't give back what I haven't stolen for 10 years!" "You can understand my dilemma:" "I'm neither one nor the other!" "What can I do now?" "Mr Inspector... take me under your wing... if you could turn a blind eye to my real disability..." "It's only a minor mistake but it's much cheaper for the State!" "Yes, crazy people cost a lot more than disabled ones!" "If you turn a blind eye," "I can provide you with the names and surnames..." "Here in Bobbio five blind people can see perfectly well!" "Three deaf people have got perfect hearing!" "12 deceased people are living and 8 living people are dead." "Don't ruin things!" "Look, if the count exists where can I find him?" " Yes, goodbye." " Goodbye." "What did say to him?" "Did you tell on us?" "Has anything happened in the world?" "Nothing new in the big wide world." "Why do you always say "in the big wide world"?" "That's what H.C. Andersen calls it:" ""the big wide world"." "I'm an avid reader of his books." "The world is tiny, not big." "Bobbio is the world." "What's the matter?" "You look..." "While you were sleeping, an distinguished man arrived, an inspector from the regional Department of State Property and Tax." "That's what he called himself, he was with a Russian man." "And you let them in?" "The inspector came in through a gap in the grating." "This is his card." "Don't give it to me, I don't exist!" "Haven't you understood that?" "Sorry." "Federico Mai." "Mai..." "Mai is a local surname." " With a Russian man, you said?" " A Russian billionaire." "They want to buy the prison." "I managed to send them away, they wanted to come inside." "They're staying at Hotel Piacentino, they'll be back tomorrow." " Is this a joke?" " I don't know." "The State needs to sell up to reduce its debt... they say so on TV." " Does the mayor know?" " I took the liberty of..." "Where are the sergeant and Dr Albeit?" " Have they already disappeared?" " I don't know." "I took the liberty of informing the borough council to arrange a meeting." " You shouldn't have." " The town is afraid." "Exactly." "Count, we all have families." "Our children are without work and..." "Well, I don't think it's anything serious." "Do some research on Federico Mai." "But you have forbidden..." "I'll get the car." "Count, your hat." " What about supper?" " Give it to the cat." "There they are." "The inspector and the Russian man." "I'll reverse." "There they are, can you see them?" "Don't try it on with my sister!" "Vodka?" " Who's that waitress?" " I've not seen her before." "She must be a seasonal worker." "Let's go." "Let's go." " Follow me." " Thanks." " You've more cups." " My son's obsessed with tennis." "He's an idiot and can't even give an injection." "Luckily I found you a good young Brazilian man." "This is Andrè." " Good evening." " Take off yourjacket." " But when I'll no longer be around..." " It's pointless thinking about it." "Let's do an X-ray." " Aren't you leaving?" " No." "There." "It's in a very bad way." "But we could try and do a root filling." "Remove it, I no longer need it." "Why lose a tooth?" "Then you risk losing them all." "They all support one another." "The scaffolding is unstable, it's collapsing." "I can feel it." "But I can treat it, so why lose it?" "Blood no longer has any effect on me, that's the real problem." "We're not immortal." "I'm not just thinking about biting..." "it's do with your appearance too." "Let's give him some anaesthetic." " You don't want false teeth, do you?" " No, I'd rather die." "Okay, five minutes and we'll be ready." " Excuse me, do you have a computer?" " Yes." " May I use it?" " Yes." " Come with me." " Thanks." "When I drove past Hotel Piacentino" "I saw a young girl..." "serving a table." "A simple type of beauty..." "a smile..." "I felt an urge." "But not to bite, or sink my teeth in... and suck..." "But to caress... to protect..." "to observe..." " To observe..." " You don't believe me?" " No." " It's the truth." "How about you?" "How are things?" "I'd like to disappear too..." "but where would I go?" "You have the great fortune of not having children." " Nonsense." " Yes." "In the Soviet Union children belonged to the State, but they failed." "Why?" "Because blood of your blood, flesh of your flesh..." "Yes, yes..." "As you frequent the world of the living and as you read the newspapers and watch TV, tell me what the situation is." "Justice!" "This obsession with obtaining justice." "The unconfessed satisfaction for the arrests." "The common people, the good people... they're lost..." "they're afraid." "They all want receipts." "Even peasants want receipts." "In my father's days people paid with poultry, salami or eggs." "Now they all want receipts!" "We were a small mutual aid society." "Non violent and community-supported." "The doctors distributed the invalidity benefits at 100, 50 or 20%... following a principle of fair equity." "The rules we gave ourselves were followed by everyone because we were a small, closed group." "Isolated." "The principle ofvampirism is that of isolationism." "Nowadays everyone's scared of the Finance Police." "As if they were the Huns who suddenly advance from the gorges of Barberino!" "The blind hide, the dead don't leave their homes." "An inspector arrives and everyone flees." "Has an inspector arrived?" "Yes, from the regional council." "So it's true?" "Along with a Russian, he wants to buy the prison." " But it's a con." " I don't know, maybe." "But I wouldn't want our friends to panic and start talking and accusing one another." "Internet is what killed us, there's no point banning it." "Our own members surf without any fear, despite their serious commitment!" "Also because they have nothing to do." "I can understand." "And now everyone's obsessed with showing off, with sharing everything, they feel free, honest!" "Honesty... more bullshit!" "At the Giro d'Italia you saw those who run along behind the cyclists." "Dressed up as devils, gorillas..." "They run around shouting so that they can be seen on television." "It's a tragic sight." "If you don't mind, I'll close my eyes." "Andrè?" " Did anyone see you?" " No." "Good." "Have a seat." "It's hot in here." " Shall I put the air conditioning on?" " No, it spreads viruses." "Don't turn the light on." "Just like under the bombings." "Let's be calm, think of the good it'll do." "Everything okay?" " How much do I owe you?" " Nothing." "For the young man." "He didn't make me feel any pain." "He's good, I know." "He'll do me out of a job." "Some friends have arrived." "Who?" "The select committee." "They came of their own accord." "Please, don't get up." "So what's going on?" " An inspector's arrived from Bologna." " I know." "We're all going to jail." "Let's brace ourselves." "They don't mess around." "The base is scared and we're worried too." "Why?" "Let's hear the diviner." "What's the news?" "In the bars, there's fear." "Since news got out, people have stopped going out." "They're scared to go and collect their pension." "They're talking about collaborating with the Finance Police." "They know what they're talking about and they're getting ready to run away to Milan, Turin, Genoa, to their children and relatives." "There's a very simple solution." "We'll raise the funds, buy the prison and the problem is resolved." "We'll beat the Russian to it." "Or at least we'll discover if it's all a swindle." "There could be a more normal solution, less costly for the committee." "What would that be?" "That you leave the prison, Count, which is so damp and detrimental to your health, and for the good of the community but above all for your own good, move to an apartment on the Riviera," "for example Sanremo, or to a rest home." "The church has a splendid one in the hills, where you could take your favourite belongings:" "your books, paintings, diaries and remain incognito." "We all know and appreciate the fact that you are the strategist who has guaranteed at least thirty years of social peace and wellbeing to Bobbio." "But there's a time for everything." "I'm the same age as you but I adapted." "I surf the net too, you know." "There's no point forbidding it." "You can't stop time." "Even if Bobbio seems stuck in time it's moving forwards." "In an imperceptible way." "I see!" "All right, I'll go." "I just ask you to not make this inevitable separation too brutal." "I'd hoped to continue to "not exist" in Bobbio, to die in my own home." "And anyhow, the inspector is still here, he's a threat to everyone." "I want to persuade him to desist." "How much can I spend?" "Shall I decide?" "I have your tacit approval." "Good night." " Good night." " Good night." "Good night, Count." "Ivan, go on." " May I speak with you?" "Don't get up." " Of course." "So... you would like to buy the old prison in Bobbio?" "Not me, Mr Rikalkov." "And what does he intend to do with it?" "Turn it into a music and rehab centre for drug addicts or a very exclusive luxury hotel." " He wants to invest." " In that?" "The rooms are damp, small and dark." "It's the worst place to turn into a luxury hotel." "The price is good." "The regional council wants to get rid of it so..." "Why do you care?" "Is it your hiding place?" "Your wife's been looking for you for 8 years." "No maintenance, no life insurance..." "She's not dying of hunger and I have no pity for her." "Yes, I've not existed for eight years." "And I want that to continue." "But you exist, and you've left many traces." "You're not an inspector." "In the past you've been charged with embezzlement, fraud and you've also been in jail." "Who are you trying to rip off now?" "Him or me?" "Or both of us?" " Federico, are you going to sing?" " No." " Is that your sister?" " Yes, she's my sister." "What's her name?" "EIena." "She helps out in the restaurant." "University costs a lot." " Do you work together?" " No." "You're selling her to the Russian too?" "Federico, come on." " I don't feel like it." " Your friend can come too." "Can we have a photo taken with you?" " Ready?" " Yes." "Did it come out okay?" "Come forward or I can't see you." "There's no point, it's useless." "Thanks, I don't..." "Who is he?" "What a strange guy." "How much do you want?" "100." " 100?" " 100,000." "You really are disconnected from reality." "With 100,000 I can buy the whole prison." "I'll give you 5,000." "I'm not doing it for you, but for your sister." "I want you to leave immediately." " Angelo." " No." "You don't call the shots." "You can't tell me what to do." " I want at least 20,000." " Do you want to go back to jail?" "10,000." "Angelo... give him 5,000 now and the rest once he leaves." " Shall I make him sign a receipt?" " Of course not." "Call the owner." "Ma'am?" " You've not eaten anything." " No." "Put everything on the Foundation's bill." "Even the board and lodgings for the Russian man and his friend." "And add 10,000 as a bonus for EIena." "Put that on the Foundation's bill too." "Good night." "Do it!" "It's him!" "Scoundrel!" "Damn you." "You ruined my life!" "The best Youth" "Going under the ground in the Greek mountains" "Flows the Voiussa river" "With the Alpini armies it became red" "Alpini from the Julia brigade" "Raise yourhearts!" "On Perati bridge" "The tricolour waves" "A chorus of ghosts:." " Let's go." " It's late, I have to work tomorrow." " Come on, just ten minutes." " No." "Just 10 minutes." "But Natalia will wake up." " Come on, let's go to my place." " No!" " All right." " Let's go then." "Your Eminence." "Monsignor Federico." "Honourable Monsignor..." "Sister Angela?" "Monsignor Federico is here!" "Well?" "She looks like Mary Magdalene." "She weeps but does not speak, she never says a word." "How can we trust a shameless woman?" "How can we be sure it is not an act?" "For what reason, Monsignor?" "Many years have passed, it's a miracle she has survived in those conditions." "She is not asking for freedom nor to be spared her suffering." "It seems she is almost yearning, longing for... even worse conditions." "Never in all these years has she shown any signs of impatience or being restless." "She has never complained." "Her desire is to seek atonement because she is filled with remorse, day and night." "And now that she is at the end she asks for your forgiveness before she dies." "The forgiveness of a man she considers a saint and whom she thanks daily for having allowed her..." "Yes." "She was so beautiful..." "What's going on?" "Benedetta?" "Benedetta, come forward, you have an important visitor." " The Body of Christ." " Amen." "The Body of Christ." " The Body of Christ." " Amen." "Benedetta?" "Come forward, Benedetta." "Do not be afraid, come forward." "The Body of Christ." "Almighty and merciful God, have mercy on this sinner." "Free her from evil with the help of your Holy Spirit." "Amen." "Come on in." "Come on in." "I'm sorry..." "You already know what you must do." "Do your work and do not look around you." "Stand back." "Get out, hurry!" "Out!" "BLOOD OF MY BLOOD"