"Hammer." "Up." "The head." "Down." "Needle number 5." "No blood, no tears." "A longer needle." "It's the Devil's mark." "It's not bleeding." "It's an old scar, it's normal for old scars not to bleed." "She's not crying." "She could be faking it." "There are indifferent people who cry at command... and very sensitive people who never cry." "And by the way, the lack of tears is no proof." "You must admit that the accused does not cry... and that she does not bleed." "Hence, it is possible that the Devil is inside her body." "Admit that this is an option." "Needle number 8." "Professor, I have the plague." "Doctor!" " What is it?" " Maria is sick." "Help!" "Turn off the light!" "Crows are eating my eyes!" "Be quiet!" "Other patients are sleeping..." " Shall we put the jacket on her?" " Let's wait." " But Professor Cadò said..." " I am on duty now and it is my responsibility." " No!" "No!" "Quiet!" "Good." "Kiss me." "Plese, calm down." "Feel my heartbeat." "Feel it." " Don't be afraid." " Be quiet." " I want your cock!" " No!" "Quiet!" "They are all married here!" "But He's not." "He's not." "He visits me every night." "Tonight we made love six times." "Six, six, six." " Do you know him?" " No." "Of course you don't." "He's invisible." " How could He come in?" " The guards are his servants." "The director too." "And besides, He can go anywhere He pleases." "He can change His features." "He can enter every room." " What's his name?" "You do not believe me." "Nobody does." " Nobody believes me." " This is not true." "Believe me!" "So, is everything ok?" " is Cadò coming tomorrow?" " Yes, the exam is at 16:00." "I'l lsee you at the clinic." "Do you plan to visit her before the exam?" "I have to meet the municipal doctor in the square first." "He'll come with me, I have to do some tests." "Nothing important, though." "Do you think she's guilty?" "Well, the hunter was found half-dead." "He tried to rape her!" "He denies the charge, and Maddalena keeps changing her version." "She's scared." "Why did you call her by her name?" "It's fine here." " I'll check the rooms." " Keep an eye on the luggage." " Ok." "Stop." "Stop!" "Help him, he's sick." " Calm down." " C'mon, it's nothing." " What happened?" "Go on, guys." "Help him." " Are you the doctor?" " Yes." " I am the municipal doctor." " She's my wife." " How do you do?" " Pleased to meet you." " Are we going to the witch?" " Yes." "I'll stay at the hotel." "Will you be back for dinner?" "Sure." "I'll take your bag." "MaddaIena!" " Good morning." " 'morning." " How are things?" "Any problem?" "No, she's calm, she's always in bed." "She never eats and she takes no medicine." " She does not want anything." " This is good..." "She seems to have some self-control... and she's not disturbing other patients." " Are you coming with us?" " No." "Here?" "The real exam will take place tomorrow with professor Cadò, but I'd like to do some tests now:" "Wais' and Rorschach's tests." "I know them by heart." "And then we verify the medical history of the patient, is that right?" "No, I want to ask you a different kind of questions." "But nobody ever replies to MY questions!" "Ask me your questions, then." "What do you want to know?" "Are you afraid?" " No." "Do you cheat on your wife?" "What does it matter?" " Do you fuck her every saturday?" " We do not follow plans." "Why do you ask me?" "Why not?" "It is a routine question." "And you are not forced to tell me the truth." "I never tell the truth." "You never lie, right?" "Right, I never lie." "A psychiatrist shouldn't lie." "If I lie to my patients, I condemn them to death." "I prefer that they hate me, rather than lie to them." "I am sincere." "I had a dream tonight." "I dreamt of a huge city under siege." "The city had giant walls and the towers were even bigger." "Soldiers were trying to break in, by using a battering ram... made of gold." "Then the door started to crack open." "Then it was wide open." "Do you understand?" "Take a look at the clock." " Why?" " You are going to watch it, sooner or later." "You might as well watch it now." " No." "It's not a big deal." "I have been waiting 400 years for a man." "I'll keep on waiting." "I liked that hunter." "I lured him in the forest." "I hoped he would kiss and touch me." "I sat down in the grass and started fixing my hair." "Then I heard somebody breathing hard,   right behind me." "I thought it was his dog." "I turned around, ..." "I wanted to have a look." "He was masturbating." "So I took the gun and shot him." "He insulted me!" "Can you understand me?" "Will they let me out?" "I don't know." "They won't if the judges think you're dangerous." "It's not a big deal, I can come and go as I please." "Martinello will come and get me." "Why are you laughing?" "You have no idea of what I am talking about!" "You are talking about the Devil... taking you to the Sabbah." " You don't believe me." " I read your statement at the trial." "Do you think I can fly?" " You can, but only with the power of your imagination, only in your fantasy..." "I didn't ask for an interpretation." "I meant literally." "Literally flying?" "I don't think you can." " So, I am mad." " No, you are not mad." "You are a liar." "You said it yourself." "Fuck you!" "You are a zero." "C'mon." " Do you want something to drink?" " No, thanks." "Cristina!" " Cristina!" " I am in the bathroom." " Some fresh air." " How's it going?" " I am still nervous and excited." "Let's sit down." "She kept on teasing me." "She thought I was under her spell." "She didn't expect me to tell her she was just a liar." "She could have killed me." "I never met a woman so sincere  in her lying." "When she's telling a story, she changes... it's hard to distinguish fact from fiction." "She's very fascinating." "You are indeed under her spell." " Where does imagination come from?" "The heart or the brain?" "Where does it come from?" "How does it grow?" "Tell me." "When she told me about the golden ram," "I was breathless." "She let herself go, but just for a second." "She asked you to deflower her." "You can't let her down." "You mean in real life?" "I thought about it, too, but it wouldn't be very ethical..." "If you want to stay within the boundaries of reality and verisimilitude, you won't understand anything here." "MaddaIena is completely mad, just like any other woman." "But MaddaIena is a witch, not just a mad woman." " She wants a ram with the golden head." "MaddaIena wants to be deflowered by a man mad about her, a man willing to do anything, even to ridicule himself for her pleasure." "She couldn't find one in 400 years." "A patient woman, isn't she?" "Sure." "Are you kidding me?" "The rooms are big and full of light." "The professor will be happy!" "He's always so picky!" "The weather is wonderful." "It's a bit cold, because of the altitude." "OK." "Can I talk to Giovanni?" " Ciao, honey." "How are you?" " It's mother." "Did you behave or did you make granny mad?" " Are you sure?" " Yes, daddy is here." "I'll say hello to him." " Be good." "Bye, honey!" "What?" "This is just the beginning." "We'll see tomorrow." "Is the witch cute?" "I wouldn't say "cute"." "You are far cuter." "She's very peculiar." "What do you mean?" "You always have to classify everything." "Well, is she ugly or not?" "She's beautiful." "She's incredibly beautiful." "Was it hard to admit it?" "A girl must be mad to interest you." "Right." "And..." "Did she hit you on the head with an ashtray?" "Stop it!" "If you want me to start screaming, I can do it." "I can play the fool too." "I could slap you, for instance..." "You trust my "normality" too much." "Sorry." " Give me your ring." " Why?" " Pleae, give it to me." " Tell me what you want to do with it." " Give it to me!" " No." "Tell me why you want it." "Wait." " Can I have your ring?" " Why?" " You want my ring." "Why?" " Just give it to me." " Please." " No." " Keep your ring then!" " Where are you going?" " Let's go to bed." " No." " C'mon." " No." "No." "Let go of me!" "What are you doing?" "Let's have lunch." "It's 14:00 already." "Go on, I'll join you later." "You are ridiculous." "Whatever." "Don't you realize you are ridiculous?" "Go away." "No, it would be too easy." "You should have never given her the ring." "Please, tell her to give it back." "Who's this girl?" "Where is she from?" "What's so special about her?" "What did she do to you!" "The big psychiatrist fell in love." "Don't act like a kid!" "It's not about the ring." "It is your lack of style that hurts me." "Look at the ring you gave me." "It's gone, are you happy?" "I don't care." "I don't care." "I have always thought you were a genius." "And now I find out you are like all the others." "You want me to commit suicide?" "It's easy..." "Good." " Davide, can you give me the tests?" " I didn't do them." " Why?" " Because she told me she knew them by heart." "I thought they were useless." "What difference does it make if she knew them by heart?" "We could have examined the answers she provided anyways." "Why didn't you consult me?" " Did you fill out the form?" " No." "You, take note." " You have a ring." "Are you married?" " No." " Widow?" " I told you I am not married!" "A widow may have the husband's ring." "It is a very common thing to do." "What did you do tonight?" "Give it to your wife!" "I don't know what to do with it." "Davide, what does it mean?" "Can you explain?" "We'll discuss this in private." " Can you remember something about your birth?" " I can't." "I was too little." " The date..." " January 8th, 1630." " Sorry?" "I didn't understand..." " What did you hear?" " 1630." " That's correct." "What is strange about it?" " Should I write it?" " No, no." "Who is the President of the Italian Republic?" "Francesco Cossiga." "Am I a good pupil?" "Who wrote "Divina Commedia"?" " Are you having fun?" " Should I write it?" "No, put it in brackets." "I'll add a note." " They'll have fun at the University." " It doesn't matter." " We'll be ridiculed." " Do as I told you." " I warned you." " Thanks." "Let's continue." "You think you are 357 years old." "Is that right?" "I don't "think"." "I am." "If you don't like it, write what pleases you." " If she says she's 357, I am fine with that, no problem." " I didn't ask your opinion." " Sorry, professor." "You are not forced to believe her." "If you think she's lying, you can write it in the papers." "And you think she's not lying?" "Listen!" "We do not have to check her birth certificate, we have to interpret her answers." "I could tell you I was born yesterday." "It wouldn't been a delirious lie, it would be an interpretation." "Listen carefully." " Who's talking about delirium?" " There's nothing to interpret!" "January 8th 1630 is not a symbolic birth, it is my birthday!" "Tell me, during all these years, I mean, all these centuries, what have you been up to?" " What do you wanna know?" "Your lifetime covers many years, there were important revolutions:" "social, industrial, cultural revolutions, scientific and historic revolutions." "Did you meet some important historical figure?" "Sure." "I met Napoleon." " Really?" " Mh-mh." "He was running away from Russia when he asked me to fix a button on his trousers." "Where?" "At your place?" " In your home?" " Yes." "It was a golden button." "Luckily he didn't lose it." "While I was sewing near the fireplace, he kept looking out the window." "I don't know what he was looking at." "There was only a wall outside." "He was faking it." "So I told him:" ""Napoleon, have a seat here near me,"" ""warm yourself near the fire"." "So he came... and he stared across the fire as if there was something there I couldn't see." "I asked him:" ""What are you looking for, Napoleon?"." ""Nothing"." ""What do you see?" "Nothing"." ""So you are crazy, because you are not blind"." ""Tell me a story..." "Love, war, victory"." ""I don't remember anything"." ""Impossible." "I remember many things!"." ""Even a poem I studied at school"." ""Tell me about Waterloo, about Marengo"." "It was as if he never lived." "So I told him the story of his life, his love, his defeats, his victories: stories neither good nor bad - just fictional." "We cried together." "I took his hand... but Napoleon rejected me, like all the other men." "Then he went away, but before that he struck a pose in front of the door, his famous pose." "I watched him going away through the snow, slow and heavy." "Then he became a snowman." "He stayed frozen the whole winter and he melted during springtime." "A good story." " Full of fantasy." " And quite complex." "We definitely found a new writer." "You have talent, congratulations." "Why don't you start writing?" "The ending is very poetic." " It is just a dream." " It is not." "Sorry, but I don't agree with you." "Dreams are not structured like her tale, they are fragmentary." "I could have met Napoleon..." "Why not?" "We'd better let go for now." "It is not important if your way of expression is delirium, identification, metaphor or dream..." "Let's talk about facts." "Let's talk about the hunter's case." "I just want to understand... the meaning of a statement of yours." "At page 14, you are quoted saying:" ""If he had raped me, I wouldn't have shot him - maybe"." "What do you mean?" "You wanted to be raped?" "I wanted him to fuck me." "It is different." "That's why you shot him?" " Just a moment, please." "I want to add something." "Nobody seems to know... that the hunter was masturbating..." " What the fuck are you saying?" "!" " The truth." " He's looking for the truth!" " Was he masturbating?" " I never said that." "What if he was masturbating?" "It would be an aggression." " A provocation." " I don't think we can define the act as a "provocation"." "When a man masturbates in front of a woman, he desires her... even if he does so in a perverse way." "This doesn't mean he's a maniac." "It is not a motive for shooting him." "I do not agree." "He displayed a violent behavior!" "I can defend myself!" "If I want to say something, I'll tell the judge myself!" "You are not crazy enough for me." "My love!" "Don't be afraid." "Don't stop." "Harder!" "Don't stop!" "You give me life!" "I was raped." "I repeat, Your Honor, I was deflowered without my consent." "I didn't even have the time to talk." "This is not fair." "He took me with violence." "He used me." "And then it was too late." "He had his hands on my neck." "He strangled me every time I tried to scream." "I could see madness in his eyes." "I want a gynecologist." "I lost too much blood." "This is not normal." "He could have asked me." "Wait for me to be ready." "Because, Your Honor, this is the kind of thing... you do only once in life." "I didn't think he was such a violent man." "Is he a psychiatrist?" "No, he's a monster." "He will stop at nothing to get what he wants." "He even gave me his wedding ring." "He has no respect for his wife!" "What if I am pregnant?" "It would be a problem." " What are you saying?" " Eh?" "So, I am a monster." "Cakll the police." "Make them arrest me." "I am the monster!" "Today, September 1st 1630, in the name of God, Father Almighty, of Virgin Mary and of tje HolynRoman Chruch, the Inquisition sentences" "Maddalena to death." "She committed deadly sins." "She's indisputably guilty." "Because her body does not bleed and... water rejects it, we can tell for sure the Devil is in her." "We accuse her of blasphemy and of practicing black magic." "She must be burned at the stake in this very place so that her soul can be freed from her body and purified." "Translation made by jandek @ SMz Proofreading by ghilton @ SMz"