"BENILDE, or The Virgin Mother" "The action of this film is supposed to happen during the thirties." "First Act" "I don't know how to begin." "My impudence is great." "Is it that hard?" "I admit you're starting to intrigue me." "The father and the doctor, on the same day, introduced here incognito..." " Please sit down." "I'm almost scared." " Thank you doctor, I'm fine." " I would like..." " Tell me, tell me." "I would like you to see Benilde." "Is it just that?" "Is she ill?" "No..." "As I said, my impudence is great..." "Benilde does not complain of anything..." "Her father doesn't notice anything, but I see it all." "I have suspicions." "I imagine things that won't let me rest not sleep." " I'm afraid, doctor." " afraid?" "Remember what happened to her mother." "It seems..." "Please go on..." "I fear the girl might head down the same path." "I can't even say what terrible suspicions I have..." " Terrible, Genoveva?" " Terrible." "Genoveva, that'll be for the doctor to say." "Don't speak too soon, you will regret it." "Does father Cristovao know about it?" "I have told him the most important thing." "Is it that hard to tell me the same?" "Father Cristovao thinks I shouldn't say everything that crosses my mind." "Right." "He'll know about that." "There are things you can only tell your confessor." "But Genoveva, your Lady was ill." "The loneliness of this big, sad house and the bizarre nature of the husband did not help." "That doesn't mean her daughter will go through the same thing." "No, not at all." "In fact, Benilde's mother was a saint." "But only God can decide on the destiny of men." "And yet, with such a mother and a misanthrope father it's only natural that Benilde is a little nervous and maybe even inclined to religion." "Religion is not an illness, doctor." "As for certain presumptions that science calls laws, they're quite far from being foolproof." "A hereditary case..." "Forgive me," "I'm ignorant in these matters." "And this wouldn't be the right moment to start such a discussion." "Of course not, Father Cristovao." "Let me tell you that the real men of science are quite cautious." "Others call laws what they only called hypothesis." "But anyway, tell me Genoveva..." "I have never noticed anything alarming in Benilde." "You don't know." "What don't I know?" "Excuse me, doctor." "I just mean you've just returned from your travels." "And even before, you never came here much." "So, you were unable to observe Benilde lately." " Besides, she hides it well." " 'She hides it'?" "Yes, when she wants she keeps it to herself." " But what exactly?" " Who knows." "Let's speak clearly, Genoveva." "Tell me everything" "I'm a doctor and a friend, and you're almost family with the girl." "You know you should tell me even what you'd only tell Father Cristovao." "I know very little." "The problem is what I suspect." "This is why I called you." "But it's impossible!" "Benilde is innocent like a little child." "What are these suspicions, woman?" "I don't know!" "But you'll know soon." "You told me you already talked to Father Cristovao." "I told him the most difficult part." "Are you Benilde's confessor?" "That does not matter now." "It does." "It means you know her better than any of us." "What a confessor knows is between him and God." "Forgive me." "Genoveva, now tell me what you know." "That was why you wanted to talk to me before I see Benilde." " To begin with, she rises at night." " She rises?" "She walks in her sleep." " You mean she's a somnambulist." " I don't know that word, doctor." " When did you notice?" " A long time ago." "One night I came to the kitchen and I heard someone stir at that door." "I was startled, so I hid in the fireplace." "She was coming from the garden, dressed as when she went to sleep." "Her expression scared me." "Her eyes!" "I immediately thought of her mother, bless her soul." "I remember I held her and cried." "She seemed to come to her senses and asked me not to tell her father, to spare him any concern." "And didn't you?" "I told him she talked in her sleep and that she rose sometimes." "You should have told him everything." "These cases need precautions." "I should... if he was any different." "But you know well how he is." "Even I am scared of him, and I've worked here many years." "I could never tell him more." "It was as if he was blind to some things, even his daughter, although I'm certain he loves her." "On the other hand, Benilde insists doctors can't help her." "She says her case is not a matter of medicine." "You can't imagine my situation." "At last, I've managed to prepare her for this visit, though I wanted to talk to you before." "Tonight was better since her father went to Lisbon." " He went to Lisbon?" " Yes." "He'll be back tomorrow with lady Etelvina and the engineer." " The engineer?" " Yes, Mr Eduardo." " It seems..." " Yes?" "It seems he is Benilde's fiancé." "Well, then not everything is bad." "It is their parents will." "Actually, from all you told me..." "What is that?" "Why are you crying?" "Maybe it's you that need help." "I'm ready to see Benilde, but I can't see anything serious in what you just told me." "She's engaged to the engineer..." "I'm certain she will never marry him." "Why?" "I haven't told you everything yet." "What else is there?" "I asked you to tell me everything." "I saw her sleepwalking other times." "Always to the garden or coming back." "I embraced her and it seemed she would return to her senses." "But she said strange things." " Did she pass through here?" " Yes, through the kitchen." "Genoveva, as I said you should have told Mr Melo Campos." "But well, we shall now take precautions." " Isn't it too late?" " Why late?" "It's not agreeable but it is not a matter for tears." " There is more." " What?" "On those occasions, and even in others..." "She says things that scare me." "Beautiful things, but quite similar to what her mother used to say." "I don't even know anymore when she talks normally and when she's like that." "But the worst is that lately she lost all her appetite, she feels sick all the time and fainted three times." "She's even stranger than before." "I've observed certain things and..." "Even though I can't believe it..." "This house needs some air." "You live here as if outside the world." "You even bring crazy ideas to a sane man like myself." "After all, what do you suspect?" "You'll see, doctor." "You'll see." " That's Quim Meadas." " The idiot?" "I heard he isn't." "He just doesn't want to work." "I can't hear him." "And lately he's here every evening, sometimes late at night." "With this babbling that seems to come from hell." "Good evening, Benilde." "Good evening, Dr Fabricio." "Good evening, Father Cristovao." "I didn't know you were here." "We came through the garden, then stayed here by the fire." "The kitchen is warm." "You even locked yourselves in." " It has your fingerprint, Genoveva." " Little girl!" " It has your fingerprint." " What are you thinking?" "Don't lie." "It doesn't look good and you don't know how to." "Father, you must reprehend her." "Lately I've caught some of her little lies." "But she can't lie, poor thing!" "I had told you before I would ask the doctor to come and see you." "I thought today was better, since your father is away." "You should have told me, I would have changed." "I forgot." "Genoveva!" "You see, Father Cristovao?" "She doesn't tell the truth." "You also forgot to leave the door open" "And why did you have to bother Father Cristovao?" "I come here very often, don't I?" "True." "And I thank you." "This is your house." "I wish you would come more often." " But today Genoveva sent for you." " How can you say that!" "You know I know plenty." "But please sit down." "Or maybe we should go up." "Quite right, I don't like lying." "I sent for the Father and the Doctor." "Both are friends of the family." "The only ones." "I closed the door to talk to the doctor before he sees you." "Now you're telling the truth." "Genoveva is convinced that I'm sick." "Maybe she would even call Father Cristovao in case I would need last rites." " Do not joke with such things." " Can't I at least joke sometimes?" "Is it funny to joke about death?" "Maybe." "Benilde, maybe Genoveva is right." "You know I'm a friend of your father and I saw you grow up." "And I was your mother's doctor." "Please give us this comfort." " I am not sick." " Trust me, let me prove it." "I have no choice, you ask so politely and only for my interest." "But I know about myself." "I need to tell you..." "Why don't you tell me all in your bedroom?" "Certainly." "I can't stand that nut." "What does he want?" "We live so far away..." "Why does he come here?" "It seems this house makes him even madder." "Or else... he only wants to torment me with his babbling from hell." "Genoveva, you need to calm down." "Calm down?" "With all that's happening?" "With all these things that I cannot understand?" "Are you sure they are not only in your head?" "It seems to me that it's your head that is not quite itself." "I sincerely admire your calm." "Do you know what?" "..." "We are both old." "You imagine things, that I couldn't even see coming." "You are really very calm." "My calmness is a grace from God." "Since I accept all and trust His will." "Some things cannot happen by the will of God." "Can you tell me which?" "Father, you know I'm ignorant, but if certain things were God's will, we would not believe Him." "Shut up, Genoveva." "We are all ignorant." "We think we know a lot, but we don't even dream what is yet to be known." "The mystery that surrounds us lives within our ourselves." "I don't fully understand what you say." "Well, better still." "I'm sorry, it's like talking to myself." "An old man's soul." "I'm not sure, but I think I understood something." "It is possible you understand more than you think." "When you don't speak rubbish, you're quite intelligent." "Much more than I." "Father, you're joking." "Your head works very well, but it seems there are things you do not notice maybe because you're a man and a priest." "Are we back where we started?" "How can I do otherwise?" "I can't think of anything else." "Our little girl..." "Raised in here without ever knowing anybody." "Could it be possible?" "Listen, Genoveva." "If I permited you to call the doctor without telling your master to see young Benilde" "it was only to give that silly head of yours some rest." "If I allowed myself to come here today it was only to be present in this moment." "And I tell you more, Genoveva." "It's no joke." "The very first time you told me and you were brave enough to tell me of that indignant suspicion" "I actually thought you were crazy." "And I still have to make a huge effort to escape the outrage of that memory." "But in no time Dr Fabricio will dissolve those diabolical imaginations." "Even without having ever known them." "You nearly told him, Genoveva." "At a certain moment he nearly guessed." "Fortunately for you, he does not believe the Devil's traps." "Fortunately for you, I say, because he would make a judgement of you like even I made at first." "Listen, Genoveva." "Benilde has a pure soul, like a little child's." "Either I'm a hopeless old fool, or her soul was chosen by God." "Don't say that, Father Cristovao." "Why shouldn't I?" "Why?" "Is the Devil talking through your mouth, Genoveva?" "No, you didn't understand." "I don't want the girl to stop believing in God." "But I wanted her to be like all the others." "Not different." "Well?" "Your suspicions were right, Genoveva." "What?" "My suspicions?" "What suspicions?" "I know now why you sent for me." "A while back, as you were trying to tell me" "I had a sudden suspicion, but I repelled it." "It's impossible." "I never really believed it..." "Always wished it wasn't true." "Father Cristovao." "Doctor, please explain yourself." "I will." "It is simple, yet incredible." "Benilde is pregnant, in an advanced state." "It cannot be." "I understand your astonishment and your exaltation" "I'm not exalted." "It's just cannot be." "Sorry, doctor." "Both you and Genoveva let yourselves be fooled by some apparatus that must have an explanation." "Doctor, it's up to you to assume another hypothesis." "There isn't one." "It's not a matter of hypothesis." " And yet..." " Please doctor, tell us all." "You are Benilde's confessor." "I am sorry to come back to this, but I see by your surprise that Benilde was as insincere with you as she was with me." "Have you dared to tell her?" "Yes." "She will be down in a moment." "I asked to let me come down first." "What did she say?" "What she said is not less amazing but is more curious." "She admirably quoted quite an unusual comedy, like only the hysterical daughter of an hysterical woman would, raised to speak of religion and miracles." "Shut up." "When I was younger, I read a few books." "Even now I browse a few from time to time." "I read somewhere that even science does not accept these simplistic and dogmatic explanations." "Simplistic and dogmatic?" "I find that strange." " Why?" " It is religion that has dogmas and it seems to me dogmas are simplistic way of confronting problems.." "You are talking of things you are not willing to understand." "You told me to shut up and now you say I don't want to understand." "I forgive you because I understand you are upset." "I speak as a doctor." "But I'm also Benilde's friend, and I'm also upset." "The only thing to do is to understand each other and try to get through this." "Forgive me." "I over reacted..." "Even the ardour for spiritual truth can serve our faults and weaknesses." "But then, what did Benilde say?" "That if she is to mother a child, that can't be but a miracle, since she has never known a man." "Praise God!" "What do you think of this?" "What can a believer think of that which surpasses reason?" "That's an evasive answer." "Listen, doctor, you men of science try to explain everything beyond reason." "When we don't understand something, we give it to the greatness of God and to the narrowness of human reason." "For the faithful, the supernatural is natural." "But what do you think of this particular case?" "What can I think?" "I still hope you are mistaken." "You think Benilde is a hypocrite a monstrous simulator." "What do you come to tell me, Benilde?" "The big news you already know." "Be careful with what you say." "You must speak as in confession, before God." "Not one single untrue word." "I never lied to you." "I know." "And I know you won't want to fool an old friend." "But there are moments when it is almost impossible to tell the truth." "Dr Fabricio has communicated your state." "I still suppose he is mistaken." "But only you can tell us that or confirm his diagnosis." "Other than you father, we are your best friends." "You can trust us, we will do everything to help." "I hardly dare to ask this question:" "Is it true you will be a mother?" "The doctor says so." "And for a while I've felt things I cannot explain." "But you... what do you say about that?" "I say nothing is impossible to God." "Wouldn't you say the same?" "Haven't you so many times?" "Yes, but it's so strange..." "God can do everything." "But this is too strange." "Reason escapes me." "I'm not a fool." "I see how strange it is." "I know I'm not worthy of such grace from God." "If this happens, it is because God wants it." "I already expected a miracle of His goodness." "The voices had announced that some of His designs would be fulfilled through me." "So I'm not frightened, although I was a little disturbed." "And now I only thank God for choosing me, in spite of my faults." "Not even all the sacrifices I can give Him, will be enough to pay for this proof of His love." "Never." "Never." "Never." "Never" "Do you hear?" "Do you hear?" "No, I don't hear anything." "I hear the wind outside." "Benilde, please stop with that language you've got from prayer books." "It is not the right moment." "Enough with these revolting and ridiculous behaviours." "Some things no one should believe, not even Father Cristovao." "As a doctor I know that simulation, excessive fantasy and even lies are but symptoms of illness." "Human nature is fragile and Benilde's nerves are affected." "You must be cured." "I will save you as your doctor and as your friend." "Everything will stay among us, if you are willing to be sincere." "It will feel good to open up to your friends." "Don't you believe me either, Father Cristovao?" "I cannot explain what is going on, but I believe you, my child." "END OF THE FIRST ACT" "SECOND ACT" "You are the best person to get a confession from Benilde." "Father Cristovao and Genoveva have lost their good sense." "As you see, we even have to hide from them." "My dear friend, I trust your tact and your intelligence." "Everybody else seems to suffer from the same evil." "No wonder." "This house seems full of ghosts." "Ghosts?" "Or something else." "My brother has become a misanthrope." "I arrived here yesterday and I already miss Lisbon." "I only came because of Eduardo." "Who knew I would come to find this awkward situation." "Was he thinking of marrying Benilde?" "He thought of nothing else." "He was crazy about her." "Did she return his love?" "I don't know..." "I thought so." "But Benilde was always an enigma for me." "Since childhood her answers astonished me." "How am I going to tell this to Eduardo?" "I don't know." "It will be very hard." " It doesn't have to be now." " As soon as we're back in Lisbon." "I can't stand seeing him in such blindness." "I understand it will be difficult for him, but if we can draw some good out of great evil, let me tell you, marrying cousins shouldn't be allowed in a family with certain precedents." "Eduardo is young, he won't be short of beautiful girls." "I must confess one thing." "Something I can't forgive?" "Genoveva told me Eduardo was engaged to Benilde." "So, having no explanation for Benilde's case, I..." "You suspected Eduardo?" "Yes." "Why not?" "It wouldn't be the strangest hypothesis." "I wish it was true." "But I see you don't know Eduardo." "Sometimes he scares me too, you know." "We must remain calm and remedy the situation." "She will have to tell us the name we are ignorant of." "There is nothing else can we do." "We'll see if I can convince Benilde to cease this comedy, but I doubt it." "Let's hope." "I'll ask Genoveva to call Benilde." "Come in." " Excuse me, aunt?" " Please come in." " Did you call for me?" " I did." "Sit down." "We will talk." "I want to stand." "It's better to sit next to me." "It may take a while." "Let us talk like two women, as two good friends." "You are no longer a child, now you are a woman, a lady, and you will always be a lady." "Forget now that I am your aunt, that I am older and that I am the mother of the man we thought would be your husband." " You understand..." " Yes and I am glad you also do." "God knows I love Eduardo as I would love a brother, 'though I never thought our marriage was possible." "Not now." "It was possible before." "Before what, my aunt?" "Benilde, I would like if we could talk as two good friends." "All I ask is for your good and I don't mean to accuse you." " Accuse me?" " Yes." "Actually, to make you more comfortable," "I will make a painful confession, for an old aunt." "You are not old and you are still very beautiful." "Thank you." "Next to you I am an old woman." "I wasn't ugly at your age." "But here is the painful confession." "Maybe because I was not ugly and being quite requested," "I was not always the honest woman I later became or that I am as a widow." " I had a moment of folly." " I can't see why you tell me this." "I have always respected you and have no authority to judge." "Indeed, not anymore." "It was a shame, too bad you did not even think of Eduardo." "He thought only of you, couldn't even look at other girls." "And he is a handsome boy." "Is the other one better than him?" "I don't understand." "What other?" "I confessed to you because I want us to talk equally." "Certainly you have mitigations." "And you know I don't have the right to blame you." "I just mean to remedy the harm done." "Harm?" "I only harm God with my imperfections." "And yet He covers me in grace." "That's not the matter." "You did harm to yourself and to those who love you." "Maybe I'm not worthy of the wonders God reserves for me." "Only you know what wonders are those." "Less of that language." "In your state it is a little shocking." "It is precisely in my state that I must talk like this." "I asked you not to lie." "Your father doesn't know." "We don't want him ever to know." "But you must marry that man." "I suppose he is not married or anyone that you can't marry." "We must know his name." "I insist, we only want to help you." "A man?" "I don't know what you are talking about." "If I was to be married it would be with Eduardo." "You made that marriage impossible by trading him for someone else." "Only for the love of God would I trade Eduardo." "Blasphemy." "Let's not talk about Eduardo." "You have no idea how heartbroken he will be." "Maybe we can tell him that you've fallen in love with someone else, thus concealing that you are no longer worthy of marrying him." "Me?" "Loving someone else?" "I will not marry Eduardo because I must not marry anyone." " You know well." " Me?" "I know?" "You can get married, I suppose." "Fair game, Benilde." "We are here, alone, we are both weak women..." "You can trust me." "I need to know the name of that man, the father of your child," "your lover." "You make me lose my temper." "What are you saying?" "My lover?" "Yes, your lover." "The word shocks you, not the acts?" " I understand." " Of course you do." "Do you think I believe the stories you tell Genoveva or that fool, Father Cristovao?" "I'm not a dupe, Benilde." "I haven't lived trapped inside these walls." "I admire how you could grow up, so lonely, in this solitary house, and yet have so much imagination and audacity." "I'm a woman..." "Inexperience is enough to explain your weakness." "But I'm repulsed by your hypocrisy." "I do not believe that it is possible to have children from the Holy Spirit." "Our Father, Who art in Heaven, hallowed be Thy name," "Thy kingdom come." "Thy will be done: on earth as it is in heaven." "Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts," "Have you finished?" "No wonder you convinced a few elders." "Even I would be appalled if I didn't know the world." "I treated you as an ally to keep you from suffering uselessly." " You refuse to speak, right?" " I will speak." "What do you want me to say?" " The name of your lover." " I don't have a lover." "I have known no man." "If I'm expecting a child, it means God has given me His divine grace." "God put me to the test, and I see He also wanted to challenge me, subjecting me to a great test." "Praised be the Lord!" "I hope I'm strong, in my weaknesses, and deserving of His love." "I have nothing to hide." "God told me I could say anything." "And yet I haven't." "The truth..." "Then say it." "Speak." "I do not know how one has a child or why." "I would like to know, but also never get to know it." "One must really love a man to want to bear his child." "You are astounding, you know that?" "In the 20th century, an 18 year old girl is pregnant without knowing how." "Who knew my niece was such a phenomenon." "Do you want me to explain it to you?" "I doubt you need it." "Look, little innocent." "A man, like yours, takes a girl in his arms..." "Good God!" "Is it possible?" "You went that low?" "The tramp?" "The Lord's messenger is calling." "He is in the dark of the trees, but I see his glare on the soil." "I must go." " He grabs me under his wings." " Shut up!" "He takes me, we fly together." "The sky opens as if..." "Benilde!" "Benilde!" "Shame on that stupid comedy." "Shame on you!" "After all, I don't want to know anything, my aunt." "I don't care for this world." "It is not for me." " If I deserved..." " Not another word!" "I don't believe when you talk about God and the angels and you behave like just now!" "We don't have saints in the family and babies are not born by miracles." "Not even if you're crazy like Dr Fabricio says." "Quit that!" "It won't work for me." "For the last time:" "I can listen." "You understand?" "I can't even believe you could go that low." "Even an idiot tramp!" "If it was that, Benilde..." " Idiot tramp?" " Exactly." "Praise God, I don't even know what you mean by that." "I mean I don't see another man around, other than some servant or a passer-by." "Only old people come to this house, or unsuspecting people." "Or should I suspect Father Cristovao and Dr Fabricio?" "Father Cristovao?" "Dr Fabricio?" "Aren't they the men that come in here?" "But the persistence of this tramp always around the house and peeping through the gate..." "It is creepy." "I cannot stand his howling!" "I'm losing reason." "It's easier to accept it was some servant." "Or some passer-by." "I didn't believe you knew any stranger, but at least somebody of your class to whom you might get married." "Now I have higher suspicions." "Maybe because of your reaction when you heard that madman's cry." "I assume you are trying to tell me what you don't dare confess." "Or maybe you're crazy and perverse enough to laugh at all of us." "It's horrible, but if it's true, confess." "No subterfuges." "This is the result of having lived in this sinister house, with a maniac father and a couple of old fools as their only friends, with no distractions, no friends of your own age." "But well, everything has a solution." "You will come with me to Lisbon." "I will convince your father." "Then we will go to my house in Sintra and everything will be solved." "I just need you to be honest with me." "Forgive me if my emotions led me to say harsh words." "I am your friend, I just want to help." "I can't forget you are still almost a child." "Your behaviour is the result of your environment, your life, this state you are in." "It is not a sane behaviour." "The air seems poisoned." "Even I am not quite myself." "But now you will confide and obey me." "Aunt..." "God forbid!" "How can you believe..." "The tramp, a servant, a passer-by." "God have mercy!" "What shall I believe if you don't speak?" "Help, dear God!" "Enlighten us, we are blind." "Please Benilde, will you carry on with this joke?" "Say no more, aunt." "You are good and a dear friend." "But the Devil speaks though your mouth." "You act as if you hate me or as if you didn't understand a thing..." "You insist?" "Me, possessed by the Devil?" "I only want to help!" "Will you listen?" "Can I come in, mama?" "I'm sorry." "You were arguing?" "Arguing?" "No, we were just having a lively conversation." "Weren't we, Benilde?" "We can't seem to agree on a very important matter." "Are mother and daughter-in-law already fighting?" " Can't I give my opinion on the matter?" " You can." "Benilde!" "Eduardo, don't ever mention mother and daughter-in-law." "Our marriage is impossible." "You are a woman, abusing my excessive love." "I've been avoiding you to keep you from suffering." "Believe me, Eduardo, you are not the only one to suffer." "I noticed you avoid me." "We should talk." "It seems like a sin against God, to have a brother one loves so much." "I don't want you as my sister, but as the mother of my children!" " Our children." " Your children?" " We will have them certainly." " I would love that, but it's impossible." "Why impossible?" "Wake up, Benilde." "Sometimes it seems..." "We always planned to get married." "I've always loved you." "True, mother?" "You know it's true." "Come on, say something." " What is wrong with you?" " Thank you, Eduardo." "But it's a dream." "Benilde is right." "But it is not the moment to talk about it." "We are both tired." "We shall talk later." "Why?" "Talk later?" " I see." "You influenced Benilde." " May God forgive you, my son." "Don't be unfair with your mother." "I'm the one who doesn't want to marry." " You don't?" " It's impossible." "Impossible?" "Shall we give up?" "Talk later?" "Let's talk now." "I want to hear everything." "I demand an explanation." "They say I am going to have a child." "I don't even know how to have a child." "I know one needs to love a man." "I would love to have your children." "You and my father are the only men I love." "I also have a great deal of love for Father Cristovao." "Believe me, I'm going to have a child." "I feel things I didn't feel before and God has always blessed me with visions and other graces." "It is another mystery of His love and His will." " What are you saying?" " I am relieved to be telling the truth." "Will you have a child?" "It is true, Eduardo." "But the worst part is the repulsive comedy Benilde has decided to put on." "You invented this together!" "I swear to God I told the truth." "Benilde, stop this nonsense!" "Shame on you." "You lie!" "You'd rather lie to push me away..." "My love for God won't let me lie." "What God is this?" "What is God doing here?" "The God that hears us, the God that will judge us all." " Shut up!" " In the name of God, you shut up!" "You don't know what you say." "You are blind." "Blind?" "Me?" "See for yourself, Eduardo." "It's true, my son." "As weird as is sounds." "Let's go now." "Eduardo!" "Forgive him." "He loves you so much, he doesn't know how to react." " Leave me alone with him." " You will talk later, when you calm down." "You need to rest." "I will take you to your room." " Leave me with him." " Take her." "Leave me!" "You refuse to hear me?" "Is that your last word?" " Mother..." " What?" "You want to be alone, right?" " She asked you to leave us alone." " But..." "I also ask you!" "Forgive me." "I don't know what I do." "No, forgive me for the suffering I must give you." "Benilde, marry me." "Let me be the father of your child." "Dear Eduardo, I'm happy that you believe me." "It would hurt me if you doubted like the others did." "We've loved each other since we were children." "How could you forget?" "Has anyone offended you?" "Don't speak now." "You will say foolish things." "God has begun to illuminate you." "What God is this that allows such things?" "Don't speak while this moment lasts..." "I don't know what to think." "I just have to listen and I believe you," "I believe your innocence." "I believe because I know you like nobody else." "But the others won't believe you." "Help me solve this mystery." "It's not just me in the world." "I'm different." "The others!" "What can I expect from the others?" "Don't despair." "We have to think of your father and my mother." "Something happened in your life and we don't know what it was." "There's a man in your life, even if I don't know him." "It's terrible." "It's a sin what I'm about to tell you." "Tell me!" "Your trust in me is worthier than anything else." "Even than what my father thinks." "After this gift, your trust is the biggest possible joy." "Now I can go though every trial." "Benilde, what do others matter?" "What does anything matter?" "We are what we are." "We'll be alone in the world but together, the two of us, 'till death." "Stop it, Eduardo." " Don't you like me?" " I don't know." "What does it matter?" " I just want you to want me." " Not even you can touch me." "I'm your fiancé." "I told you, I'll be the father of your child and I'll marry you." " Let me go." " I'll marry you against anything." "Even against your God's will." "Yes, against your God's will." "Quiet." "It's impossible to belong both to God and to men." "God has started to illuminate you, but let His grace be complete." "You will then see He has chosen you as well, and that the sacrifice has to come from both of us." "Then, you will understand." "END OF THE SECOND ACT" "THIRD ACT" " What do you want to tell your uncle?" " You'll see." "Isn't it better if I talk to him first?" "Especially since Benilde is not coming." " I also sent for her." " Why?" "It's important that she is here." "You have been nervous lately." "I'm afraid you may be imprudent." " I have the right to know." " Forget your rights for now." "Eduardo, I resent your attitude." "Excuse me, it's all I can do for now." "That scares me." "You know I wish you well..." "and you have been so..." "You asked for me?" "I did dare to ask you to come to this room, my uncle." " Here I am." " I also asked for Benilde." "I have something to communicate before you and my mother." "Eduardo!" "Calm down, mother, I know what I'm doing." "One of us has to take the initiative." "You must listen to what I am about to tell your father." "It concerns you." "In fact, it is not really a communication." "It's more like a request that you somehow expect from me, I think." "I hope it is in my hand to grant it." "It is, 'though not only in your hand." "That is why Benilde is here." "Eduardo, wait." "Pay no mind, father." "Eduardo and I need to talk first." "We have nothing to talk about before I talk to your father." " Have mercy, Eduardo." " It's you who must have it, for both of us." "You really want to drag me through the biggest trial?" "I want to see you suffer." "That is not your will, you can't wish to torment me." "God is using you." "It would happen sooner or later." "Let His will be done." "God give me strength." " Father..." " Uncle, you know what I want." "Benilde's hand." "I guess this won't surprise you." "And my mother also wants to ask you something." "Benilde is ill." "She must leave this dark environment, it is not good for someone in a crisis." "Her religious inclinations take excessive, unhealthy turns." "Solitude enhances her scruples." "Her imagination is too lively." "Mother wants to ask for permission to take Benilde with us to Sintra." "There she would regain contact with the world and recover," "I won't let God steal my little wife." "Eduardo!" "Estevao, as you know I always wished for our children's marriage." "But Eduardo's request is untimely." "He should have told me." "Please, mother." "Can't you see..." "He should have told me what he was willing to ask you." "I would have told him it was not the right moment." "Don't talk to your mother like that." "I find you strange." "I'm not surprised by your request, I expected it." "But it surprises me that you did not confer with your mother." "And of course, it will be with her that I will talk." "And only with her approval will anything be decided." "As for taking Benilde from this house, she was born and raised here," "I can't see how these walls might have harmed her." "When she is your wife, she will certainly follow you." "And then you will show her that world she might even dislike." "For now, I would rather have her here for the little time we have left." " Unless you, Benilde..." " I will never leave you by my will, father." "I won't ask so much." "I know I will die alone in here." "But while you don't get married..." "Never will I marry, father." "Eduardo spoke without my consent." "He did wrong." "But I hope your decision is not definitive." "Benilde, you said that your father and I were the people you loved the most." "Yes, it's true, but I also said I could not get married to you." "I may wish you well and be your friend, but never your wife." " Would you accept if I married another?" " All I want is your happiness." "So you torture me?" "You are ill." "Uncle, as you see, Benilde needs to find herself again." "You all speak incomprehensibly." "It seems as if you are hiding something from me." "You have the right to talk freely of something that interests you." "Is it true you renounce Eduardo?" "Yes." " Why?" " Because I cannot marry anybody." "Allow me to answer, uncle." "Benilde and I have talked about it." "She believes she was chosen by God, receiving particular graces and thus she is determined to consecrate herself to Him." "This is why she won't marry the man she says she loves." "She has a vivid imagination, and her religious inclinations reach unhealthy peaks." "My daughter has not replied yet." "Eduardo, I said I loved you as a dear brother." " You think that." " I don't think I'm mistaken." "Maybe you are." "You're too innocent to judge certain things." "I don't even want to remember the rest." " What was it?" " I don't want to remember." "Speak clearly." "I'm not ashamed of anything I may have said." "You said... that you might want to have my children." "I might, but I can't." "Benilde, you said that?" "And you repeat it?" "Yes." "Is it wrong?" "It's not something you tell your brother or a man you love as your brother." "I cannot believe you dared to say that." "A girl like you should not say such a thing." "Maybe I shouldn't, but Eduardo knows me well." "There are things I don't know." "I need to be taught like an ignorant child." "Forgive me." "You asked me to be clear." "When a girl loves a man like a brother, and he is not..." " Aren't we almost brother and sister?" " Let me finish." "When a girl loves a man like that, she can marry him, for sympathy, affection, even just charity." "I don't ask anything else for now." "How good you are!" "I love you." "I can't live without you." "Helping you to find yourself means saving my own life." "Nothing else matters." "It is not right to love imperfect people like that." "Don't tell me again about your God." "He became my rival." "May God forgive you and all of us." "Don't interrupt me again if you don't want to hear this." "Let me tell your father the truth." "The whole truth?" "Yes." "Well, tell him." " Are you crazy, Eduardo?" " I asked you to be quiet, mother!" "I can't be quiet any more." "You are not yourself." "A curse has come upon this place." "We're breathing corrupted air." "You too are sick, but to you I owe deliverance." "I asked to take Benilde with us and I won't take the request back." "But if Benilde doesn't want to come and marry you, we can't force her." "Don't you think it's reasonable?" "Answer!" "I don't know what is reasonable." "That is the problem, in this environment you don't know anything anymore." "But you must know." "If Benilde refuses the opportunities we give her..." " You know you astonish me, Benilde?" " You told me already." "But even more that I thought." "If God has chosen me to express His power," "I will surely seem astonishing to you." "I would also be ill if I spent more time with you." "But I am not ill yet." "I don't understand how you can refuse the opportunity Eduardo has to give you." "He loves you so much that he will accept anything..." " "Anything"?" " Don't make me lose my temper!" "Mother, now it's you!" "Now it's my turn to ask some questions." "You are hiding something from me." "Please pay no mind, I don't know what I'm saying." "I just meant that Benilde is ill and yet if Eduardo is ready to marry her..." " That is not convincing." " I meant... where is my mind?" "Father, I will tell you everything." "May God give me strength." " Strength?" " That's right." "I learnt that even the brightest truth can be ignored and that the obvious proof of God's love can be misread." " Stop with that preaching." " Even you ask me that?" "I want concrete truth." "Speak." "This is the factual truth." "No, I will tell the truth." "How could you, if you ignore it?" "You've created your own truth..." "But I know everything and I will tell it all." "It is I that need strength, since I must confess an infamy." "Infamy?" "You?" "What will you devise, Eduardo?" "Listen, uncle, and forgive me." "May God give me courage, if there is a God." "This is the truth." "I spent three days here, as you know, a few months ago." "I've always loved Benilde, passionately." "Always thought of her as my future wife." "One night I was in the garden when Benilde came." "She sleepwalks, as you know." "You are lying!" "He is lying!" " You're lying, Eduardo." " I swear to God I am not." " Eduardo..." " I swear I'm not lying!" "That night I took advantage of Benilde's innocence, and of the trust and hospitality I've always received here." "I'm a wretch, I know." "I have no excuse, only my passion." "My biggest wish is to remedy my mistake." "Benilde is having a child, so I'm in a hurry to marry her." "You wretch, you did that?" "How good you are!" "May God give you all the happiness you deserve." "Enough!" "I cannot stand this farce any longer." "I can't shut up!" "You are inventing that ridiculous story!" " Shut up, mother." " I can't." "I saw your despair when you heard about the facts." "Help me, don't spoil this." "You don't know what you're saying." "You keep telling me to shut up." "Since when do you talk to me like that?" "I speak of things you don't understand, of truth that surpasses us." "Why are you arguing now?" "It is solved." "Get married." "And then go, I don't want to see you again." "And take the girl." "I no longer have a daughter." " Father!" " I forbid you to call me father." "What have I done to be cursed like this?" "These walls are damned." "No, not the walls." "It's me that can't have anything or anybody." "God has cursed me first, with my wife... who died insane." "And now with you." "I raised you in this reclusion thinking I was protecting you." "And at 18 you are dishonored." "Or you think I believe you didn't know what you were doing?" "Very well, get married." "Get married and leave." " I'd rather die alone." " Listen, father." "We don't have anything to be ashamed of." "Say no more!" "I can swear before God that we don't." "Eduardo lied to save me, because he thinks I need to be saved." "He has began to understand but he still doesn't know what." "He called on the name of God to save appearances." "Not even he wants me to waste the chalice that God has given me." "Benilde, please!" "You sound insane." "I'm not insane and neither was my mother." "She was never insane." "Now I know." "What do you know?" "God allows me to see and understand everything better now." "I can't hear you speak like that." "I'm afraid" " I don't know why." "Nobody can understand those words." "She thinks she tells the truth, since that is her truth." "But it's reverie, an invention of her afflicted spirit, a terrible fantasy of her imagination." "She thinks she's having a child because God wants it, a child of God or of the angels." "But she knows nothing of life." "I took advantage of her innocence and she didn't even notice." "I found her in an abnormal state, as happens sometimes." "Maybe you don't know it all." "Genoveva will confirm these spells during which she delves into another world." "You don't know, Benilde, but it was me." "I made you mine." "You belong to me even if you don't want to." "You were in my arms, in the arms of a man." "These arms!" "While you thought you were on the wings of an angel." "Your mother knows you are lying out of love for me." "Your fantasy is deranged." "I will ask your mother to testify." "She is right." "You can't fool us both." "And yet I did." "I fooled both of you." "I made a comedy for both of you, a comedy of surprise and disgust, of indignation and generosity." "Didn't you know how brave an actor I was?" "No, but now you perform brilliantly." "Once again, you are wrong." "You'll never know how truthful I am now." "I guess I got my acting talents from you." "You've always performed this mundane comedy in which you made me live." " Eduardo!" " Yes, in which you made me live!" "I despise the superficial life we lead." "Only now I realise how much I hate it and why." "But you love it, so you're not able to understand anything that matters." "Don't speak to your mother like that." "Do not rebuke him, child." "It's your fault he speaks like that." "You made him lose his reason." "He is contaminated." "And he starts to hate me because I'm not." "And how can you repel him after you drove him mad?" "You have a good match in your hand, the best groom, all appearances saved..." "and yet you refuse it all." "I admit I don't understand." "But I know..." "I suspect who the father is." "But I keep quiet." "Out of shame and horror." "Enough." "We need to end this crazy meeting." "What do you know?" "I demand an explanation." "I also have the right to speak." "Nobody can know better than me, since this is about me." "I'm a great sinner in the eyes of God but I have no shame, in the eyes of men, for things I did not do." "Three years ago" "I received from God the first great proof of His love." "I had lain down after praying when a voice said in my ear:" ""Rise, Benilde, go into the garden and you will find proof of my love"." "I was disturbed, I got up almost unwillingly." "I got to the garden and the same voice said: "Stop!"" "I waited and I saw a great light behind the trees." "I heard the same voice other times and went down to the garden." "Sometimes it did not speak the same way we hear any human voice." "It came from inside of me, and yet it was so far." "But I heard it." "I hear it." "Like I hear you." "Or even better." "It spoke to me as I stared into the glare behind the trees, and said things I cannot repeat, for I know not if I'm allowed." "Confidences entrusted to me by divine favor." "I can only say that I promised myself to a great trial of the love of God and of His potency." "A miracle that would be accomplished through me and that would confirm anything I said." "Then I started hearing that voice and others," "I'm not sure it was the same," "Even by day, among other people." "I had to retire to pay them attention." "A few months ago, my visions became more comprehensive." "An Angel of the Lord appeared in that glare between the trees." "I could not see it as I see you and other people and I tried in vain to perceive its features." "It was like a luminous figure that blinded me." "Sometimes silent, other times it spoke." "And it promised great rewards if I perfected myself." "My faith and my obedience would have to be absolute." "One night, it said:" ""Come here, Benilde"." "I don't know how, but it lifted me as if I was a feather and I was transported through the air by a wind of fire." "A force that transfixed and made me disappear from myself." "I screamed for I could not stand such happiness, but no sound came out of my mouth." "It said: "Don't be afraid." "Don't you rejoice in being chosen by the Lord?"" "Since then there was no need for any voice to call me." "When I had to go, I felt the call without hearing anything." "And saw myself before that glare without even noticing." "This is the truth." "God promised..." "Praise God!" "He carried out His promise through His servant." "All the time that I have left, the days and hours of my life, I consecrate to God." "God, give me strength." "Give me the courage to be deserving of Thy love and confirm Thy power." "We need to call a doctor." "These scenes can be dangerous." "We don't know the months she has." " The way you talk about it..." " How else?" "You're crazier than she." "Estevao, look at your daughter?" "Call a servant, somebody." "Can anyone help?" "A servant." "Somebody call the doctor!" "You already know her state." "Now we need to act." "We'll talk about it later." "Genoveva!" "Genoveva!" "My daughter heads towards lunacy." "She speaks like her mother." "What was done to her?" "Why this?" "She is still a child." " Why this?" " Everything has a solution." "Your daughter is going through a crisis." "A disgrace has happened." "But everything has a remedy." "We shall call the doctor while she rests." "This is not your kind of scene, come." "Benilde." "Benilde." "Who is it?" "What happened?" "It's me, Eduardo." "Where am I?" "What happened?" "Do you feel better?" "You had a spell." "It's me, Eduardo." "Don't you know me?" "How could I not?" "Exactly, how could you not?" "See, you remember already." "I begin to remember." "I was speaking..." "Were you here?" "And Father Cristovao." "Yes, we were." "Genoveva and I." " We are all your friends, Benilde." " My good friends." "We called for the doctor, he won't be long." "Are you better?" "I remember everything." "I'm relieved that I told the truth." "I'm not sure, I don't remember well, but I think I told the truth." "Now I'm in pain." "We better call Dr Fabricio, although I don't think I'll need him." "Father Cristovao, I'd like to see you." "God sent you." " You're not leaving, are you?" " No." "I will stay as long as you want." "Thank you." "I feel good when you are near." "I may need you, Father Cristovao." "Having you here gives me courage, if I have to show my strength." "You will be strong when the time comes, Benilde." "Aren't you sure?" "I am, perhaps." "In case God can still lend me His strength." " Genoveva." " What is it, dear girl?" "Will you help me to undress and go to bed like before?" "Yes, I won't leave you alone." "You need to rest." "In a moment." "Now please leave me alone with Eduardo for an instant." "He will call you." "How is she?" "We called Dr Fabricio." "She is better but she wants to be alone with Eduardo for a while." " With Eduardo?" " Yes." "Sit down next to me." "I want to tell you something, but I need courage and so do you." "I also want to say something concerning our marriage." " Our marriage?" " Yes, about that." "I didn't want the others to hear what I want to tell you." "It also concerns our dream, our little game of children." "But aren't we already married for all eternity?" " Let me speak first." " Speak." "I wanted to tell you..." " It's hard, help me." " How?" "I don't know what it's about." "You know I love you very much, don't you?" "Yes." "You just don't know how much." "Even I didn't know." "You are my life." "I can't live without you." "I want to tell you that I will accept all your conditions." "I will only be your husband in the eyes of the world." "In fact I will be like a brother and live at your side forever." "Do you understand, Benilde?" "You understand so much of some things and so little of others." "I will be happy to live by your side and be your best friend, try to make you happy the best way that I can," "without asking you anything else." "With no sin, because you have no sin despite appearances, despite what I believe is impossible." "And therefore I accept what no other man would." "Praise God." "Did you understand my proposition?" "Praise God for this immense gift He has given us." "God, always God..." "Don't you think of me, even as I make the biggest sacrifice?" "You don't forget God for a second." "I don't think of you?" "I love you more than anything." "Do you love me?" "With what love?" "What gift has God given us?" "He illuminated you." "He made us closer." "Illuminated?" "My love for you drives me insane." "I will accept anything because I can't live without you." "That is not love for me." "It is another love but you don't know it yet." "You are not from this world anymore." "We're brother and sister." "Now I can tell you what I wanted." "Tell me, but you haven't answered yet." "I wanted to tell you that I know I'm dying." "Quiet, do not tempt me." "Don't interrupt me, I feel weak." "What a long afternoon." "I know I'm dying." "The voice told me." "For a few nights now, it has been telling me:" ""Benilde, prepare your soul." "You will be called soon"." "See, I can't accept any of your propositions." "Not even the one from today." "For me, appearances are over." "I feel a bigger moment approaches." "I just want you to know, I must repeat, that I never loved anyone as I love you, my dear brother." "Alright." "Nothing will rip you from me if you don't die." "Nothing, you hear?" "Nothing." "And if you die, as you say, I will follow." "I won't live after knowing and losing you." "Thus will be, if it's God's will." "Now call them." "Don't we have anything left to say?" "You know we have said it all." "Now call them." "How do you feel?" "The doctor is not here yet." "It's alright." "Maybe I'll get better." "I only have to rest now." "Aunt, forgive my offenses." "Benilde!" "Eduardo, we will meet again, until we meet again." "Benilde!" "Father, she will die." "And if she does?" "That will be God's command." "There is no death for one who believes, just a transition." "And there are beings that do not belong to this world." "Yes, there are." "Beings that do not belong to this world." "But this world would be smaller without them." "We will meet again." "We will meet again."