"If I've decided to write these memoirs it's because, deep in my heart," "I hold the remote hope that one day a curious reader will be able to understand me, or perhaps with the yearning to do away with the terror that invades me, spreading it to others" "My father was the humble verger of a parish in the Aurora valley" "Thanks to the parish priest, my father acquired for myself and my three sisters a painstaking Christian education" "A few kilometers from my town was the Loyola basilica, cradle of Saint Ignatius and sacred sanctuary of the Jesuits" "I admired the Jesuits since childhood, and I hoped to join that invincible legion of defenders of the faith and punishers of heretics" "The first years in the seminary were very hard;" "Latin during the day, and fear of phantoms at night" "Interminable hours of study, difficult to assimilate for a poor peasant such as I was, but even more anguish ridden were my years as a novitiate" "The study of theology filled me with vertigo, as if at every moment I had to be vigiliant of the doubt that would destroy my faith" "The Turn of the Screw" "Chin up lad, you're not the first that's had to hang up his habit" "If you're not cut out to be a friar, well, be patient, your whole life's ahead of you and with an education, which must be very useful" "You think so father?" "One doesn't feed himself with Latin and scholastics" "I didn't want to tell you until we got to town, but seeing you so down in the mouth I'll give you the good news right now" "What news father?" "That I've looked for a good job for you..." "well, it was the parish priest that looked, in the house of the Count of Etxeberria no less" "I need an absolutely trustworthy man to entrust with my nephews' education" "They live in the Villa de los Leones, a beautiful house we have on the coast" "When I took charge of them when they were orphaned I knew right away that that was the ideal place for them to be brought up well, and I don't think I was mistaken" "But I suppose they've had other teachers before, right?" "Yes, a governess," "Ms. Christina" "An admirable woman that carried out her obligations faithfully until the end" "A great educator" "We were all surprised by the great learning the children had acquired, as if they had an entire team of professors at their service" "But... it's best if you never speak to the children about her, they were deeply affected" " Was there some problem?" " She died" "Yes, sadly Ms. Christina passed away only a year ago" "I decided to send Michael to a Jesuit boarding school, you'll meet him when he arrives on vacation" "As for Flora, I left her in the care of Mrs. Antonia, a good woman, an old servant of the family who takes care of all domestic matters" "Well, if the boy is at the Jesuit school, perhaps you only need someone to care for the girl's education and it's possible that the best idea would be a new governess" "You see young man, I've given it much thought, and I've arrived at the conclusion that there are too many women in that house" "I not only need a teacher, but also a man capable of imposing his authority" " You're accustomed to obeying, are you not?" " Of course sir" "He who knows how to obey also knows how to command, don't you think?" "I'm convinced that that's the case" "They've just sent me these from Cuba, would you like one?" "No no, thank you very much, I've never smoked" "Very well, I think we should consider the matter settled my boy" "You were going to to dedicate yourself to teaching and this is a job you can carry out perfectly" "There's only one condition I want you to be aware of" "Whatever you say, Lord Count" "You must never bother me for any reason" "You will have to resolve any difficulty that presents itself on your own" "Of course, you can count on absolute authority over the entire household" "My administrator will make sure you recieve money and you will take care of everything and leave me in peace" "I made a firm resolution not to disappoint the confidence the Lord Count had in me but I found it difficult to overcome a strange sensation of doubt and fear" "What were the children like?" "Would I get them to respect me and yet love me at the same time?" " You're Mr. Roberto, right?" " I am, and you must be Mrs. Antonia" "Well of course young master, but we didn't expect you today, we recieved word you'd arrive tomorrow" " Don't worry Antonia" " I was just preparing your room today" "What a joy, what a joy that you've arrived young master" "Pachi, come, put all the luggage inside" "Come, come young master, you must be tired from your voyage" "Come inside" "Should I make you something to eat, young master?" "No thank you, I'm not hungry" " It's a marvellous house" " It is young master, it is." "Very large, at one point there were 20 servants here, but now I have to manage alone" "Just you for such a large house?" "Well, two girls from town come to help me, but they leave in the evening" "And why don't they sleep here?" "It's quite a distance between here and town" "Well, it's that the girls prefer to spend the night in their homes" "Very well" "And the girl, where is she?" "I'd like to meet her" "Young master, the truth is that since we didn't expect you today, Ms. Flora went out" " She went out?" "By herself?" " Of course by herself" " And where did she go?" " She went down to the beach" "But that couldn't be dangerous, couldn't it?" "By god young master, the girl was born at the side of the sea" "Of course." "Well, I'll go look for her, I'd like to see her as soon as possible" "She'll be in for a surprise, quite a surprise" "Good afternoon sir, I was expecting you" "Well now, so you were expecting me" "Well, Mrs. Antonia told me you weren't expecting me until tomorrow" "Alright, greet your new professor" "But Flora, you don't have to kiss my hand" "One kisses a priest's hand, right?" "But I didn't manage to become to be a priest" "Flora!" " They're calling you" " You're mistaken sir, no one is calling me" "Don't you see?" "The beach is empty" " How many trunks have you brought?" " Just this one" "And all your clothes fit in just one?" "The truth is I don't have many clothes" "Until recently I lived in a seminary and there the only thing I wore is a cassock" "Miss, instead of asking questions you should be taking a bath, the water will get cold" "You must want to take a bath, right?" "Well... yes, of course" "Then you can have mine, I'll go put the salts in the water" "Come, run along now, I'll prepare one for Mr. Roberto soon" "Should I put a lot of salts in your bath sir?" "As you will" "I'm going to add some perfumed salts, you'll love them" " She really is a marvellous creature" " She certainly is young master, that she is" "What was she like?" " Who?" " The dead governess" "Ms. Christina, well..." "She was young, and lovely, very lovely." "She came from England" " I didn't know she was foreign" " Not at all!" "She was from Madrid" "What happened was that the Master brought her from London where she was working as a governess in the home of some Spanish diplomats" "And the Master brought her?" "The Master has always personally chosen those who will carry out his orders and he's very demanding" "Your bath is ready sir" " Flora, you don't have to call me sir" " What do you want me to call you?" " Well, call me teacher" " Very well teacher, you can step into the bathroom" "It's lukewarm, if you don't go in soon it'll get cold" "Come, hurry" "Alright Flora, leave me alone" "Why?" "Don't you want me to help you bathe?" "Let me explain more carefully, it's not right that a lady such as yourself help a gentlemen with such intimate necessities" "And now, please leave me alone" "As you wish teacher" "Come in teacher" "I see you're very pious Flora, that makes me happy" " Do you say that because I was praying?" " Of course" "I imagine you do it when you go to bed and when you wake up" "Yes, I pray very much." "I pray so god will give us all peace, both the living, and the dead" "Tonight I'll sleep happily, I'm so glad you've come" "I really am glad" "I am too Flora" "I'm very happy to have come to this home" "I wish my brother were here so you could meet each other" "Well, in a few months he'll be with us, once summer arrives" "Michael will be back very soon" "Alright Flora, but now you should go to bed" "I want to take a tour of the house with you tomorrow" "Until tomorrow Flora, if god wills it" "Until tomorrow teacher, may you rest well" " Is there nothing else to see?" " No" "And this door, where does it lead?" "It's locked, it's my uncle's study, we can't go in there" "Very well, let's go to the garden, it's a marvellous morning" "While my small guide, with her golden hair and blue dress, skipped and jumped before me among the twists of the old walls and all along the garden" "I felt as if I were in an enchanted castle, one inhabited by a rosy cheeked angel;" "in a place that made the fairy tales pale in comparison, as well as the most beautiful children's stories" "Was I not drowsing off bit by bit, or dreaming while awake?" "Could it all be some marvellous story that was drawing me away from reality?" "Mr. Roberto, the mailman came" " Let's hope it's good news" " Thank you Antonia" "You're welcome young master" " Who wrote to us?" " It's from your uncle, from the Lord Count" " Does he say he's coming to see us?" " No" "He sent me a letter from your brother's school" "Flora, why did you tell me your brother would be back soon the other day?" "It's raining" "Mrs. Antonia" "By god young master, I was afraid you'd be caught in the downpour" "The letter was sent by the Lord Count, it's from the boy's school" "The master wrote a bit and says" "This letter comes from Michael's school, read it and make arrangements with the school's headmaster" "I beg you not to mention the matter to me, not a single word" "I'm going on a trip to Buenos Aires" "Oh young master, the Count is always like that, he doesn't want to be bothered at all" "But do you know what the headmaster says?" "They've expelled the boy," " that they're sending him here" " But why?" "Read it yourself" "I don't know how to read young master" "Well it says..." " Is the boy really that bad?" " Is that what the friars say?" "Well, they don't give any details." "They say that they can't have him at the boarding school any longer" " Why not?" " Well, because..." "Reading between the lines, I've deduced that they feel obligated to expel him because he may pose a threat to his companions" "Yes, that's what they're trying to say, that he's a danger to the other boys" "Young master Michael, how could he be a threat?" "Well as you can see, that's why they're expelling him" "But that's how horrible!" "How can they say such things about the young master Michael?" "He's just turned 13" "At that age one ceases to be a child" "Stop being indecisive young master, don't let yourself be influenced by the friars" "Well, what I meant to say is that you'll soon see for yourself" "When you meet the young master Michael you'll find out he's the most delightful boy in the world" "Michael, finally" "Alright, alright, the rest of us are waiting too" "Young master Michael" "My boy, I'm so glad young master" "Who is this gentleman?" " Well, this is..." " I thought your uncle would have told you" "He's our new teacher" "It's been a long time since I've seen my uncle" " And he hasn't sent you a letter?" " He hasn't" "He's always very busy" "In any case, it's a pleasure to meet you sir" " May I come in?" " Go ahead" "You see Michael, perhaps we shouldn't have this conversation here, in your room" "Why not?" "It's a serious conversation, perhaps it should take place in the library or in your uncle's study, but in any case..." "You're going to catch a cold" "Not at all, it's a nice night, but if you prefer I'll put my shirt on" "No, it doesn't matter" "Sit down please" "I've read the letter the headmaster of your school sent your uncle," " it seems you've been expelled" " Do you really believe that?" "Well, of course" "Don't you understand?" "They've sent you home before vacations, and the most serious part is that they don't want you to return" "If that's the case then I'm glad, I don't want to go back either" "Michael, I don't understand how you can speak that way" "You've been expelled from school and that means something very serious happened" "I need you to explain what happened" "Hear me well Michael, your uncle has delegated all his authority to me" "That doesn't surprise me" "He's always needed to trust in someone to take care of us so we leave him alone" " We're an unwelcome burden for him" " Come now," "don't say that" "You know what I'm saying is the truth" "The truth?" "The only truth is that above all else you have to love and respect your uncle" "I love my uncle very much, but it's sad, very sad that my sister and I have been left so alone now" "Why do you say now?" "I'm here now to take care of you and see to your every need" "Come Michael, don't cry" "You know that men shouldn't cry" "I quickly understood that Michael was a child in need of tenderness and not of reproaches" "I had to help him" "That enormous house seemed to me like a drifting ship with a handful of passengers on board and where I, strangely, manned the helm," "and I started to feel an irrepressible desire to know that room in which I had never entered" "It was the master's study and that's why, without a doubt, I must inhabit it, as the legitimate inheritor of his confidence and his authority" "Hello teacher" "These damned pants are tight" "Then tell Mrs. Antonia to fix them" "We don't fix old clothes here, it's either thrown away or given to the poor" " Michael, how long have you been here?" " I'm not sure, 20 or 30 minutes" " Then you must have seen him" " Who?" " The man who was here, on the terrace" " There hasn't been anybody but me here" "That can't be, I just saw him a few minutes ago, looking at the garden." "He was" "It was me, you must not have looked closely" "That might be" " Michael, are you sure of this?" " Why?" "Do you doubt my word?" "It's not a matter of doubt Michael, but I assure you I'm determined to learn everything, understand?" "Absolutely everything" "Is something the matter young master?" "What's wrong?" "I saw him, he was next to the window of the study, it was that man" " Who?" " It was him" "You must know him, he's in the photograph in the study, next to the master" "My god" " You don't know what you're saying" " I'm sure it was the man in the photograph," "I recognized him right away" " Pedro Braña" " Is that his name?" "Pedro... died a year ago" "Died?" "Since he was a child he had always been in the Lord Count's service" "but he died" " Good morning Father" " Good morning" "You're the new teacher of the Count's charges, aren't you?" "Indeed I am Father" "Last Sunday I saw you at Mass and I was informed that you had just arrived" "If it wasn't for the distance between the church and Villa de los Leones" "I'd go to mass every day" "I spent several years in a Jesuit seminary, and besides, my father is a verger" "Very good my son, I see this time the Lord Count has chosen a virtuous person to take care of his family" "Are you saying their previous governess wasn't?" "Come with me my son" "Look, there lies that woman's body" "I don't understand, why is she buried outside of the cemetery?" "You must understand, because of her tragic end we couldn't bury her on hallowed ground" "How did she die?" "Don't you know?" "She committed suicide" "Antonia!" "Why have you kept something so important from me?" " What are you talking about?" " I'm talking about how she died" " Who, Ms. Christina?" " Yes, you never said she committed suicide" "Forgive me, I assumed you already knew," "I thought the master had told you" "He hadn't, he hid it from me as well" "Look Antonia, I... can't continue like this, surrounded by secrets" "After what happened last night I need to know everything that's happened here" "You have to forget what happened last night young master, it was just your imagination" "That's the same thing the parish priest told me" "Then listen to him since you won't listen to me" "But I'm completely sure!" "Don't you understand Antonia?" "If it wasn't true that I saw him, then how could I describe him so accurately?" "Simply because you had just seen the picture" "Calm down, you're tormenting yourself over nothing" "Young master, let's go, the children must be expecting you in the dining room" "Did you say that man was a servant?" "Well, at first he was just another servant, later he became very close to the master" "They'd go out hunting together and stay out until the sun was gone, talking, drinking, having fun" "When the master left" "Pedro was left in charge of the house" " And he died a year ago, right?" " Yes" "At about the same time as Ms. Christina" "A month earlier" " Mrs. Antonia" " Yes young master?" "How did that man die?" "And I beg you not to hide anything from me this time" "He had a habit of going into town frequently and get drunk with the other men," "but he'd always come back at nightfall" "That night... he didn't come back" "It was horrible" "He appeared there, next to those columns" "His forehead was caved in, as if from a strong blow" "So his forehead was... caved in" "It was a very cold night" "Perhaps he slipped on the ice... and remained unconscious until he bled to death" "Who knows?" "He was such a violent man" "In any case, one musn't speak ill of the dead" "Didn't you tell me the children were expecting me in the dining room?" "Well, that's what I thought" "They must've gotten distracted playing somewhere, I'll go look for them" "By god young master, I beg you not to speak of that man to the children, don't remind them of him, Michael adored him" "But how is it possible Michael adored a man like that?" "It wasn't Michael's fault, it was Pedro's fault, his dirty tricks I'd say" "He liked to play with Michael" "What I mean is that he loved to pamper him" " Pedro took far too many liberties" " Too many liberties... with the boy?" "Too many liberties... with everyone" "Alright, let me see!" "It's so pretty!" "Give it here!" "Dummy!" " It won't hurt you" " I know" "Come, come, the bath is ready" "No, not there, you'll hurt me!" " Hello teacher!" " What are you doing here?" "As you can see, we're taking a bath and playing" "But... both of you together, naked?" " Does it seem wrong to you?" " Yes, very wrong" " We've always done it this way" " Well I don't want you to do it again!" "You're... too old" "Get out of there and get dressed immediately!" "I'll be waiting for you in the classroom." "Well yes young master, the truth is the children have always bathed together but don't take it the wrong way, it's an innocent game" " Don't be so sure Antonia." " By god young master" "This morning you told me that Michael and that man would spend the entire day together" "That sort of company can be quite detrimental for a boy his age" "I have a hard time trusting in Michael's innocence now" " Well, I..." " What you should have done is prevent the boy from having such company" " I didn't have the authority to do that" " And Ms. Christina?" "Why did she allow it?" "Why did she permit the boy to spend hours with a drunk and quarrelsome servant?" "Ms. Christina..." " was incapable of contradicting Pedro" " But why?" "She was the governess" "Why wouldn't she dare to contradict and scold a servant?" "Allow me to respect... the memory of the dead" "I don't understand, why is she buried outside of the cemetery?" "You must understand, because of her tragic end we couldn't bury her on hallowed ground" "But how did she die?" "Don't you know?" "She committed suicide" "She threw herself into the sea from the cliffs" "It was terrible to see her body when the waves dragged it to the beach" "It's noon." "I always feed the pigeons at this hour." "Will you allow me to go?" "Alright" "Oh, and tell Antonia to start preparing the meal, we'll be there soon" "Alright teacher, I'll tell her" "Flora!" "Who is she Flora?" "Who is that woman?" "What woman?" "By god!" "How can you be so sure that you see... it's horrible, something infernal" "Exactly" "It's something infernal" "Flora has seen her too" " Did the girl tell you?" " Of course not" " She lied to me" " Ms. Flora has always told the truth!" "Don't you understand?" "Flora and Michael know it" "They know that those monstrous beings constantly threaten this house" "But they would have said so, they'd be horrified!" "Sit down Antonia, sit down and listen to me" "The childrens' souls..." "are in the gravest danger" "And what can we do?" "Do you believe me, or do you think it's all my imagination?" "Be honest, I beg you." "I'm convinced you know much more than you let on..." "Don't you?" "The only thing I know is that the late governess, Ms. Christina, and that servant Pedro Braña" "were two despicable beings" "They loved each other, right?" "You can't call that love" "They were like two beasts in heat, it was disgusting to see them" "When he would come home drunk at night she'd be waiting like a dog, ready to take the worst treatment from him" "He mistreated her?" "I saw how he would throw her to the ground and how she'd look at him with a real desire for him to keep hitting her, with no shame, no pride" "But the children..." "Did they see this outrage?" "Sometimes... they would lock themselves in with the governess and Pedro in one of the bedrooms and they'd spend hours there together" "I'd hear their laughter, their screams!" "Those children can still be saved" "I beg you Antonia, we have to try!" "Are you willing to help me?" "Of course" "You can count on me for anything" "Alright, now it's your turn" " We've changed our minds, we won't sing" " Why not?" "Hadn't we agreed on that?" "We've thought of something you'd like much better" " Yes?" " Flora will accompany me on the piano while I recite some verses which you must know very well" "Alright, then proceed!" "Where have you hidden away, beloved, and left me grieving?" "Like a stag you fled, having wounded me" "I hurried forth imploring, but you were already gone" "Shepherds, you that rove there in the skytouched pastures" "If by chance you see him that I most love, tell him" "I suffer," "I pine, and I die" "What's wrong teacher, didn't you like the verses?" "I've been looking for you for a long time all over the garden!" "Have you?" "We had told you we were going to go play on the swings" " You told me?" " Of course, don't you remember?" "It's a marvellous morning, why don't we go down to the beach?" "That's a good idea, a stroll would do us good" " That's great, I'd love to go for a swim" " In the sea?" " Of course, in the sea." " But it might be dangerous," " the water might be cold!" " Don't worry teacher, they always went swimming, even in the winter" "They?" "Who do you mean?" "Well, my uncle, that is, everyone" "Why didn't you like the verses Michael recited last night?" "I liked them very much" "Well, you made a strange face" "You think I'm the one that made a strange face?" "The only problem is the verses weren't quite right" "What I'm trying to say is that Michael is still very young and he must be careful with certain lessons, he might misinterpret the meaning of things" "Don't be so sure, Michael loves books, he knows thousands of poems by heart" "Perhaps it's not a problem of misinterpretation, perhaps it's a problem of emotions, of very dangerous emotions" "You know what I mean, right Flora?" "You know, right?" "Believe me, if only you would help me..." "Help you?" "With what?" "Help!" "Help!" "Help me!" "Michael!" "I can't get out!" "Help me!" "Do something!" "Help him get out!" "I can't, I don't know how to swim" "My god, he's drowning!" "What a fright Michael, what a horrible fright!" " Michael, are you alright?" " I had a cramp in my leg, I couldn't swim, but it passed right away, it was just a little scare, that's all" "You're perfectly alright, lad" "It's not even necessary for him to remain in bed, he can get up as soon as he likes" " Is there really no danger Doctor?" " No, no there isn't" " Of course you're aware of his problem" " What do you mean?" "He was born with a small defect in his heart" " The Lord Count didn't mention anything" " Oh, the Lord Count, the Lord Count, the negligence he shows for these children is truly unforgivable" "Mrs. Antonia didn't tell me anything either!" "Well, poor woman, don't blame her, what does she know?" "She's never taken these things seriously" "She thinks the boy is as healthy as a horse, and the truth is she isn't mistaken" "The boy can have an absolutely normal life, the only things that affect him are fright and overexertion, that's why we must avoid those at all costs." "I understand" "I suppose the former governess was aware of this problem" "Undoubtedly, and both she and and that servant always made sure that Michael and Flora were always happy and at peace" "I've made a decision, I'm going to town tomorrow." "I need to speak to the Lord Count" "But the master said he was going on a trip in the letter he sent you" "You know as well as I do that that's no more than an excuse so we'll leave him alone" "I've made sure not to bother him, but I can't continue this way," " things are going too far" " But young master, I'm sure you can fix everything, the children obey you and respect you very much" "I can't keep living with them because they don't live with us." "Neither you nor I form part of their true lives." "Look at them!" "What do you think they're talking about?" "Who knows?" "I suppose of their own matters" "They're talking about them" "Yes Antonia, of those horrible beings" "I'm going shopping, do you want me to pick you up afterwards?" "Don't worry, go straight home" "I'd like the parish priest to speak with the children as long as possible" "As you say." "So long" "A token of charity for this poor wretch who cannot earn it!" "Father, what happened?" "Pray for him, only god can help him!" "Excuse me" "Michael, are you there?" " No teacher," " Michael isn't in his room." " And where is he?" "He told me that he wanted to be in our uncle's study tonight" "I understand" " Michael!" " Yes teacher?" " No, nothing" " Come teacher, you were going to ask me something and I know what it is" "You want to ask me what happened this morning at church with the priest and I'll tell you, I have no reason to hide it" "He refused to give me absolution because I told him I wasn't repentant, that I couldn't repent for something I was determined to keep doing" "That I couldn't repent for something I was determined to keep doing" "Determined to keep doing" "They'd spend hours there together" "I'd hear their laughter, their screams!" "Michael adored him" "He liked to play with Michael" "What I mean is that he loved to pamper him" "Yes, I pray very much." "I pray so god will give us all peace, both the living, and the dead" "Try to understand, the parish priest is very old and he can't understand certain things" "At school I'd confess to a Jesuit priest, he was a great theologian and he understood me" "Until they kicked you out" "Do you think it necessary that we address that subject again?" "No, not this subject or any other" "What's the matter teacher, didn't you find Michael?" "Flora, how is it possible that you have that doll?" "I always sleep with her" "And those flowers?" "Don't you like them?" "I picked them in the garden" "The meal basket, young master" "Antonia, tell the coachman he can leave." "I've decided to cancel the trip," "I'm staying" "I'm so glad young master, but what's made you change your mind?" " And the children?" " They're eating breakfast" "That woman had the nerve to appear on my very bed!" "She was waiting for me to leave so she could use it again" "She was crying" " She was crying?" " She was trying to cause sympathy, she wanted me to take pity on her" "But how could I take pity on a being like that, on a woman so lacking in dignity that she let herself be ravaged passionately by such a brutal and merciless man!" "You told me he had a blow on his head" "She murdered him, taking advantage of the fact he was drunk" "But... their passions are stronger than their hatreds, that's why they still want to be together, even after death, and for that they need to claim the childrens' souls, to possess them" "My god!" "That's why I'm staying." "I can't abandon the children in these conditions" "I can't allow those monsters to be the masters this house again, never again!" "The children, the children are watching us!" " Come beside me" " Oh yes, yes!" "He's a man, can't you see?" "The boy is now a man!" "And Flora, she will soon be a woman" "Flora, what are you doing in my room?" "I woke up, I had a bad dream" "Go to your room immediately" "You have to go to bed right away" "You're going to catch a cold!" "There's someone in the garden teacher!" "Someone?" "But that's Michael!" "Michael..." "Michael, what are you doing?" "Nothing." "Looking at the house." "I like watching it like this," " in silence, when everyone sleeps." " When everyone sleeps?" "From what I can see we're all awake tonight" "It seems that way" "By the way teacher, why don't you accompany me to my room?" "I'd like to speak to you honestly" "Really Michael?" "Do you really want to be honest with me?" "Of course teacher!" "Let's go inside" "Come in teacher" "Michael, why did you put that portrait there?" "It's a photograph of my uncle, I like having it here" "But your uncle isn't alone" "No, he isn't alone" "Before, you had a crucifix there" "What did you do with it?" "I put it in the closet." "When it comes down to it, god is everywhere" "Alright, what did you want to talk to me about?" "You were thinking of leaving the house, right?" " I was." " Why?" "What worries you?" "That I wanted to leave or that I'd decide to stay?" "It worries me that you're worried" "Believe me, we'd all prefer you stay with us" "All of us?" "Who is all of us?" "Well, everyone" "Antonia, Flora, me" "Really, everything would be much easier if you wanted it to be" "And what would I have to do?" "It's very simple:" "love us, love us just as we are" "But I adore you, and I adore this house too!" "I've spent my best years locked in a cell at a seminary or in my father's house" "Living here has been like a marvellous dream for me" "So what happened?" "Why did you start to hate this house and us?" "But I don't hate you Michael!" "How could you say that?" "Sometimes you look at us as if you were afraid of us" "What do you fear from us?" "From this night on..." "I've decided not to feel fear again" "I know that truth always triumphs" "We'll be victorious Michael, you'll see" "Come" "Now sleep soundly, you can be sure" "that nothing will happen to you" "Are you writing home teacher?" "No Michael, to your uncle" "I imagine you'll tell him I'm a bad boy, isn't that right?" "No, I'm telling him I think it's necessary he come to Villa de los Leones" "Don't be so sure you'll manage that" "I think I will" "When he reads my explanations I'm sure he'll understand the reasons that force me to call him" " Where is Flora?" " She just left" " Where did she go?" " I don't know" "Flora," "What are you doing?" "Nothing, playing with my doll" "And you had to come all the way here to play with that horrible doll?" "She likes to watch the low tide" "Her?" " Who?" " My doll" "Please, don't say such foolishness!" "Did you hear me?" "I won't allow you to say such nonsense!" "But what did I say?" "I didn't mean to offend you" "It's not just what you say, it's what you leave unsaid," " and most of all it's what you're doing" " Am I doing something wrong?" "You know very well what I mean!" "Why did you do that?" "It's my doll!" "I know you've never liked it, but it's mine, understand, mine!" "And I love it, I love it!" "You've never told me who gave it to you" "I don't remember" "Do you want me to remind you?" "Huh?" "Do you want me to remind you?" "It was her" " Who?" " Her," "Ms. Christina!" "That's why you came, right?" "To see her!" "Look at her, there she is, your pretty Ms. Christina." "Don't try to keep fooling me, I know you see her!" "No, I don't see her!" " Confess it, she's there, on the shore!" " No, she's dead, dead!" " I know!" "I know she's dead!" "But in spite of being dead, she hasn't left you, she needs to keep dominating you!" "I'm afraid, I'm afraid!" "You're afraid?" "You're afraid of her?" "No, you scare me!" "You're bad, cruel, pitiless, I hate you, I hate you!" " Flora..." " I want you to die!" " What are you saying Flora?" " I want you to die, I want you to die!" "You, you're the one who should be dead!" " Has she calmed down?" " A bit" "I was about to bring her something to eat" "It's terrible, the girl said some frightening things, dirty words..." "Well, I'd say they were almost blasphemies" "I don't know where she could've learned that language" "You and I know very well who the blasphemies and language belong to, we can't blame the girl for that" " Did she say anything about Ms. Christina?" " Yes, but only to tell me it wasn't true that she'd seen her" " But you don't believe her, right?" " I only believe in what I see" "Mrs. Antonia, don't pretend to play the innocent one now!" "When I arrived at this house you were afraid, just like the other servants that don't dare spend the night here" "Do you think I didn't realize it from the beginning?" "Terrible things had happened, very terrible things, but they were over" "Little by little we had begun to forget them" "Tomorrow in the morning you'll go to town with the girl, it's necessary we take her to her uncle right away." "Oh, and tell the girls not to come here until they're called for" "You're going to stay here alone?" "Not alone, with Michael" " I'm sure he'll confess everything" " By god young master," " think well on what you're going to do!" " There's nothing to discuss, remember that I have complete authority and responsibility here!" "You and Flora will leave tomorrow morning, is that clear?" "And what do you want me to tell the master?" "The truth" "Are you sure... that you want me to tell him the truth?" "Yes, absolutely sure" "Antonia," " did you take the letter?" " What letter?" " The letter I wrote to the Lord Count" " No, I didn't touch it" "Of course, it must have been Michael" "The young master would never do such a thing!" " How could he have taken the letter?" " No matter, I'll speak with him alone" "Well, if we don't leave right away we won't get to town until nightfall" "I'd prefer not to say goodbye to her" "Give her a kiss from me and tell her that I love her very much, that I do everything for her good, for her and Michael's good" "You'll tell her, right?" "Yes young master," "I'll tell her" "Well now," "I would never have imagined you setting the table" "Of course, you've kicked out the rest of the servants" "As you can see, tonight you and I are going to dine alone" "It seems like a good idea" "How marvellous, I feel as if I were the lord of the manor who's about to eat alone with his most faithful servant" "And dinner?" "Will you serve that as well?" "Why not?" "It's not a very difficult task" " If you're not feeling well I could do it" " I feel perfectly well!" "Do you?" "You seem nervous" "Nervous?" "More than that," "I'd say you're frightened" "Supposing..." "Supposing that that were true, why do you think that is?" "I don't know, I can't read other people's minds" "But..." "I can imagine certain things" "Poor Flora!" "Do you really think it was necessary to take her from here?" "This house didn't suit her, it made her uneasy" "I love Flora and I know what she feels before she knows it herself" "I know she loves this house" "She felt so happy, as happy as I feel" "Are you sure?" "Very, very happy?" "Are you Michael?" "Excuse me" "Michael!" "Michael, calm down please!" "You, you're the one asking me to calm down?" "Alright, alright, let's try to calm down, the two of us" "Why did you want to be left alone with me?" "Because we have to face the truth once and for all!" "But what truth are you talking about?" "What are you getting at?" "Michael, don't start with that, I assure you that this time you can't fool me" "I know everything" "Flora told me what you did to her on the beach yesterday" "Yes?" "And what did she tell you exactly?" "Nothing" "She started talking, but she couldn't continue" "She screamed, she screamed, she only screamed!" "I'm incapable of doing you the slightest harm, I'm only trying to save you!" "I beg you to believe me Michael, I've been taught to love my fellow man and help him!" "To even help those that refuse my help, even if it's painful for them" "I know you're a good boy, and if you've done... what you've done, you're not the one to blame" " But I haven't done anything!" " And that sin?" "That sin for which you refuse to repent?" "You know that you're only supposed to speak with the confessor about those things" "But I suppose that you'll be able to tell me the reasons you were expelled from school" "It must have been... because I'm different" "But you aren't Michael, you're a boy just like any other!" "You lie" "Yes, you're lying, you think I'm different as well, and that's why I scare you" "I suppose you say that because you read the letter I wrote the uncle, because you're the one who took it, right?" "Yes, it was me" "And... what did you discover in the letter?" "Nothing, when I started to read it I heard footsteps and threw it into the fire" "Is it a habit of yours to take things that don't belong to you?" "That's why you were expelled from school!" " No, I'm not a thief!" " So tell me what you did once and for all!" " Perhaps it was... because I said things" " What things?" "Something that I knew and the other boys didn't" "Yes..." " you shocked them, right?" " That wasn't my intention, besides..." "I only told a few people, people I trusted" "Do you want me to tell you who made you into a danger for everyone?" "It was him, right?" "It was him!" "Let go!" "I don't know what you're talking about, leave me alone!" "It's him that has to leave you alone!" "How dare you tell me that, you know it's impossible!" "Impossible!" "What are you looking for, what are you trying to do?" "Or perhaps you believe that because you've gone crazy!" "Michael!" "Yes, crazy!" "Crazy, crazy!" "That's why you ask questions and more questions, desperately trying to get us to tell you that you're right!" "But I warn you that you won't be able to scare me like you scared Flora," "I'm no longer a child" "You made a mistake, yes, a large one" "You should have never come to Villa de los Leones!" "You should have stayed in the convent, or become a verger like your father, lighting and snuffing candles or ringing the bells in hopes of frightening away the phantoms you have locked away in your poor, deranged head!" "Michael!" "Those insults, those terrible insults, I forgive you for them," "I forgive you from the bottom of my heart." "Tell me you repent, tell me!" "Your repentance is enough for that man to never appear again!" "If you repent he'll leave, he'll leave forever!" "No, you're crazy!" "Confess!" "Confess everything to me!" "Tell me you repent!" "Look at him!" "There he is, there!" "No, he can't be here!" "He can't..." "If you want he'll leave, he'll leave for good" "It hurts so much... it hurts" "You don't want to see him, right?" "You don't want to see him ever again" "Please... help me" "Help me!" "Finally Michael... that's what I wanted to hear you say" "You see?" "He left" "You're free of him forever"