"Soon this poor villa will be smothered." "To think there were woods here once." "That'll all be houses." "Yes, there's nowhere to run." "That's right." "Good day, Excellency." "Goodbye." "Ah, here you are, dad." "I was looking for you upstairs." "I thought you were already way out at sea." "Not yet, father." "Isn't it customary to wear a sailor's cap with the yacht's name on it?" "No father, it isn't." "How long will you be away?" "Four or five days." "Well, I suppose I'll spend the weekend alone." "I'll rest." "I should have grown used to it by now." "Used to what, father?" "To rest - not only from my diplomatic duties but as a father." "Why do you say such things?" "It's the truth." "Allow me at least this much:" "after 30 years of never telling the truth," "I might as well speak truthfully to my own daughter now." "Any more truths to tell me?" "You know it." "That one I would beg you to spare me;" "goodbye, father." "My darling daughter, that guy - he'll never marry you." "Up to now, I didn't want to marry him." "It's all the same difference." "Goodbye dear." "Good morning." "Have you been waiting long?" "I'm sorry..." "Hurry up, Alvaro." "It's late." "I'll wait for you here, right?" "Where are you going now?" "To the cafe." "I'm thirsty." "While a man you haven't seen for a month has been waiting half an hour for you?" "I feel as if I'd rather not see him today." "But we rushed all the way here..." "I see... goodbye cruise." "It's harrowing having to be apart." "Really." "It's difficult keeping a relationship going, while one is here and the other there." "But it's easy too." "Understand?" "Whereas when somebody's there facing you... that's all you get." "Understand?" "Let's go back, c'mon." "Anna!" "I'll be right down!" "Well, hello!" "Should I give you my profile?" "Well?" "What's wrong with me?" "Your friend is downstairs, waiting." "Let her wait." "How are you?" "Awful." "Why?" "Why, why, why, why, eh?" "Why, eh?" "Why, why..." "Eh, this one has to starve for a while yet." "Move, you filthy animal." "It's as smooth as oil." "I don't know why, but I hate all comparisons involving oil." "'Morning." "Good morning." "Look." "Oh, God..." "Did you sleep well?" "So-so." "Last night I went to bed thinking I would be able to reflect upon so many different things, and then I fell asleep." "I had no idea one could sleep so well on one of these things." "They rock you." "I slept very badly indeed." "Hello." "Ciao." "Good morning." "Sunbathe, instead." "Shall we go for a swim?" "Not here." "It's frightening." "0nce the Aeolian islands were many volcanoes." "Twelve years ago when we came here together, you came up with the exact same remark." "Think of that!" "What's the name of this one?" "This should be Basiluzzo." "Basiluzzo... it sounds like the name of a fish." "That one over there is Lisca Bianca." "How boring." "Why all of this fuss over a swim?" "Careful." "Mario, woman overboard!" "Stop..." "Stop..." "Raimondo?" "I'm right here, Patrizia." "Why have we stopped?" "And you, won't you come for a swim Patrizia." "I had a dream I was swimming." "Think of that!" "Lady Patrizia." "Do you like scuba diving?" "I simply loath it, yet I must conform, what can you do?" "I'd like to know whoever said that man originally inhabited the sea!" "Patrizia, if you give me your yacht's flag," "I'll go and take the island in your name." "Well!" "Islands..." "I don't get them surrounded by nothing but water..." "poor things..." "Cosimo... come..." "Mario, prepare the dinghy." "Right away, Mr. Corrado." "Sandro, where are you going?" "Ask her." "Working on luxury boats it's harder." "Why?" "The owners have no set plans." "Take last night, for instance." "We sailed all night long." "I didn't get any sleep." "Still I prefer it..." "Shark!" "..." "Shark!" ".." "Keep still, miss..." "Stay right where you are." "Don't anyone move!" "Claudia, Claudia wait for me." "Go away!" "Come." "Hold on." "What's happening?" "There's a shark around here." "Stay right where you are." "Who's going anywhere?" "How did you know it was there?" "Did it touch you?" "I would have died, with its horrible face and awful teeth." "Have some cognac, Anna." "It's nothing, let's go..." "It's all over now." "I'd like to change now." "I'm cold." "Sure." "Summer is really over." "I wonder where this shark went." "Well, what is it?" "Which shall I wear?" "This one, or this?" "This one." "This one is divine." "Why don't you try it on?" "It looks better on you." "Keep it." "Oh, no." "The whole shark thing was a lie, you know." "A lie?" "Yes." "Why?" "Because." "But now don't think about it." "It's over." "I don't need to know why you behave this way." "It's Sandro, I suppose." "Are you feeling better now, at least?" "C'mon, let's go." "Aren't you going ashore?" "Are you calling those rocks a shore?" "And you, were you still swimming around?" "Don't you know there's a shark in these waters?" "A shark?" "You mean to tell me I might have been killed." "Ah well!" "Oh well... well..." "ah yes..." "What is it Raimondo?" "You want me?" "At this time?" "See you." "No, Claudia, stay..." "there's no spark." "Is this better?" "Are you happy?" "Tell the truth, you're a little disappointed." "Not at all." "Quite the opposite." "What sort of a face do you think Raimondo has?" "A rather corrupt one, I'd say." "Not at all." "He's a child." "Now, don't start that, Patrizia." "I'd rather be corrupt, unless you happen to love children." "I don't love anyone, and you know it." "I know, I know." "And to think that if there ever was a woman created for every kind of deceit and vice, of betrayal and debauchery, she's the very one." "And you know what?" "She's faithful." "A faithfulness born from a sort of laziness." "How amusing!" "The only amusement I know besides my dog." "Let's go ashore." "There should be some ancient ruins up there." "Let's go see." "Giulia do you remember?" "Yes." "No, it's better if you sleep." "You say: "How beautiful"" "no matter what you're looking at:" "the sea, a child, a cat." "Your sensitive little heart races at nothing." "But if something is beautiful, why shouldn't I say so?" "How likable!" "Who are you talking about?" "The shark." "Still?" "How wonderful." "Corrado, would you like one?" "This is Patrizia's way to share our company." "You know, I find you very pleasant." "More than the shark?" "Ah, there is no comparison." "Won't you come with me to take a look at those ruins then?" "It could be something to do." "But no, we'd better stay here." "Sandro..." "A month is too long a time." "I had grown used to being alone." "It's the usual uneasiness." "Then you'll get over it." "I felt it a little more this time." "It'll take a little more to go away, then." "Instead I think we should talk about it." "0r are you convinced that even between us we're unable to understand one another?" "We'll have so much time to talk." "We're getting married." "What's more time than a lifetime?" "Under these circumstances getting married would mean nothing." "Aren't we already acting as if we were married?" "Giulia and Corrado, aren't they living as though they were married?" "Why should we be here talking, arguing?" "Believe me Anna, words are becoming less and less necessary, they create misunderstandings." "I care for you Anna, isn't this enough?" "No." "It isn't enough," "I'd like to spend some time alone." "But if you just said that one month..." "To be alone longer:" "two months, a year, three years!" "I know it's absurd." "I'm distraught." "The idea of losing you, makes me want to die... and yet..." "I don't feel you anymore." "Even yesterday, at my place, you didn't feel me any more?" "You always need to vilify everything." "The weather's changing." "Please Giulia, there's no need to be so literal all the time." "I can see it by myself that the weather is changing." "We should leave now." "The sea is getting rough." "And Anna?" "I don't know." "I thought I heard a boat." "You hear it?" "Yes." "Sandro!" "Where's Anna?" "She was here." "Isn't she onboard?" "I wouldn't know, miss." "Patrizia." "Is Anna there?" "No." "She's not here." "This is one of those typical 'Anna behaviors' that drives me mad." "This island is so beautiful, isn't it?" "Did you find her?" "Sandro!" "Nothing?" "Have you noticed?" "Have you noticed how he treats me?" "Who?" "Corrado." "Today he's done nothing but belittle me." "Giulia!" "Sandro!" "Sandro!" "Nothing..." "Not even a trace." "Guys, let's choose a practical approach." "You go to the nearest island, there must be a police station, the coast guard or whatever the hell might be, and report Anna as missing." "I'll stay here 'cause, 'cause I don't know..." "I feel something might happen." "Anyway I don't feel I could leave." "Well then, let's go." "There's no point in wasting more time." "How long will it take to get there and back?" "If the station is at Panarea, a couple of hours." "But if we have to go to Lipari, it will take much longer." "It also depends on the sea." "0f course... the sea..." "I'm staying with Sandro." "Why?" "And if it rains?" "Well if it rains, I'll buy an umbrella." "I'm not leaving." "Claudia, I understand you, but we're already staying behind." "And I'll say this too..." "your presence here - and please don't mind my saying so - might get in the way." "Darn it, we forgot to ask them to leave us some light." "Ah, here's a lantern at least." "I think she's still alive." "Even this morning..." "that story of the shark... it wasn't true." "Why did you wait 'til now to tell us?" "I don't know..." "I didn't think it would make any difference..." "she was laughing..." "Right..." "what we need to understand is why she made up this shark charade." "What was she trying to achieve?" "Perhaps we'd better ask him." "Me?" "Why?" "Did you quarrel?" "I don't mean to pry, but it's very important." "Oh, the usual arguments..." "The only thing, if I remember correctly, is that she wanted to be alone." "And how's that?" "What is this?" "What are you doing?" "Are you the owner?" "No." "The owners are in Australia." "I was in Australia too..." "for 30 years." "My nephew..." "those were the times!" "Where did you come from?" "You weren't around while we were searching." "From Panarea." "From Panarea." "Then it was you today." "I saw a rowboat go by around two." "It must have been four or five o'clock." "This afternoon." "No, this morning." "Why?" "What happened?" "What happened?" "Nothing..." "nothing..." "Why don't you tell him?" "A girl from our party has disappeared." "Disappeared how?" "Drowned?" "No." "She's disappeared, and we don't know how." "And it's all my fault... why don't you say this too?" "It's what you're thinking." "You should have made more of an effort trying to understand" "Anna's thoughts, rather than being so concerned with mine." "Did you look behind the house?" "She might have fallen from these cliffs." "'Cause last month the same thing happened to a lamb of mine." "I looked for it all day, and only at nightfall I heard it bleating." "It must have been..." "Come Claudia, come back inside." "How are you?" "Feeling any better?" "About last night..." "I'm sorry." "You love Anna very much." "Yes, very." "Did she ever talk to you about me?" "Seldom." "But always tenderly." "And still... she acted as though our love, yours, her father's, mine, in a manner of speaking, was nothing to her, meant nothing to her." "Sometimes I wonder what it is I could have done... to prevent all of this from happening." "Whose boat is that?" "What boat?" "A moment ago." "Didn't you hear?" "There are so many boats around here during the summer." "Why did you get up so early?" "Do you call 5 in the morning early?" "Bartolo!" "What then?" "Nothing, nothing." "Nothing." "Why are you looking at me this way Marshal?" "We're not there yet, you know." "I hope they're not the ones to find her." "That would mean she's dead." "Listen Patrizia... apparently there's a current that heads straight from here to another island." "I don't know which, but this is another clue." "The Marshal said he'll send one of his men there... you never know..." "Would you mind if..." "Would you mind if I ask Raimondo to go with him?" "I don't see why." "I think you should be the one to go there." "Yes." "Yes, perhaps that would be better..." "Sandro really astonishes me." "He seems so self-possessed." "Self-possessed?" "I don't think so..." "He was up all night." "What's that?" "An ancient vase." "There's a city buried under here." "There's plenty of this stuff." "And of course here he comes." "Let me see it." "Go on, from which period is it?" "Corrado, why don't we ask if we may have it." "Right, so you can plant one of your geraniums in it." "Weren't you supposed to leave?" "No, it's useless!" "What a shame!" "It figures." "Look, Anna's father is here." "I looked into Anna's suitcase and..." "Yes... it's Anna's..." "she gave it to me yesterday..." "I found it in my bag..." "I didn't want to..." "But I had nothing else to wear this morning..." "I'm sorry." "I found these in her suitcase." "This is a good sign, don't you think?" "Someone who reads the Bible, wouldn't do anything rash, it must mean she believes in God." "So we can rule out the suicide hypothesis, right?" "Thank you, anyway." "Brigadier... come, I have important news." "What news?" "They've stopped a suspicious boat a few miles from here." "The crew is in Milazzo, waiting to be questioned." "We must go there and see." "Right, we must." "Did you hear?" "We're in the hands of God." "I agree." "But I think we should go to Milazzo!" "Forgive my earnestness, and try to understand," "I am the one closest to your daughter." "Even if you were, right now my daughter needs me more." "And you, what are you going to do?" "What should we do?" "We really don't know." "We'll go visit the Montaldos." "I'll get my bag." "I'm sorry." "It's all right." "I'll join you at the Montaldos then." "Fine." "I think this is the best solution." "Ettore should be there already." "I'm going to scour all of those other islands." "What?" "I can't leave unless I've been there, to every single one of them." "But aren't you tired?" "I can hardly stand." "I am here, Patrizia, I'm always here." "Claudia is not coming with us." "Will you take care of her bag?" "I've heard you're having trouble at home, is that so?" "Yes, my sister has been ill for a year..." "and my father too." "So, that's why you're a smuggler..." "you need money." "I can help you," "I can see that you get State benefits, if you want to." "But first, let's take care of a few formalities." "A few questions and then we're all off to lunch." "Your partner told me that you dropped the net three times." "Yes, yes, three times." "Get the others in here." "Here!" "We're nearly there." "They're starting to contradict one another." "I'm sorry." "Your partner told me you couldn't fish 'cause the sea was rough." "Is that right?" "And what about the other boat?" "What boat?" "Careful, my men saw it and they saw you throwing the crates overboard." "Well then." "What's the story?" "I wasn't feeling well..." "I'm confused..." "I don't know anything." "What is he saying?" "What are you saying?" "Please..." "What does Anna have to do with all of this?" "Stay here, calm down." "I'm ready to forget everything:" "the cigarettes, the smuggling, as long as you tell me if you brought the girl somewhere..." "What did you say?" "This is the guy who built the villa." "He would have never thought it would end up being used this way." "Lieutenant, do you know this F.Z. who wrote the article in the paper?" "Francesco Zuria, the correspondent." "Where could I find him?" "And if I were to offer a reward in exchange for any information..." "Well..." "Zuria is in Messina." "You can try." "Would you like me to call him?" "No, no thank you." "Don't bother." "Do you have any orders, Sir?" "May I return to Lipari?" "Yes." "Where did you put the case of cigarettes?" "In the storeroom." "Fine." "At your command." "Sergeant..." "Excuse me..." "Sergeant..." "When did you get here?" "Two hours ago." "And the young lady who was with you, where is she?" "I don't know." "She said she had a train to catch." "Where are you going?" "To the Montaldos?" "I'll go with you." "Did you read this?" "They're asking anyone who might know something to get in touch." "Yes, I even thought to go there myself and have a word..." "Yes, you must go." "When will I see you, then?" "I know it's complicated." "But if you carry on this way it becomes even more so." "Please don't look so sullen..." "And don't wait for the train..." "I beg you, leave." "Milazzo." "Watch your hands, please." "I'd really want to know what is there to be said now?" "Go on, speak." "Sandro, I don't want you with me, I don't want to see you." "Do you hear me?" "Why did you come?" "I couldn't help it." "As you'll have to, this sacrifice is better if made right now." "Sacrifice!" "I have no intention of sacrificing myself - it's idiocy sacrificing oneself..." "Why?" "For whom?" "I would understand your qualms if Anna were here." "But she's not." "Sandro!" "Sorry, I don't mean to sound jaded." "But wouldn't it be much better to look at things for what they are?" "To me they're exactly the same as three days ago when we first met." "Just three days ago, can you imagine?" "And you and Anna..." "No, no, no, they're not the same." "And yet how can it be that it takes so little to change, to forget?" "It takes even less." "But it's sad." "It's terribly sad." "And I am not used to it." "I'm not prepared for it." "To feel this way." "I've never felt so confused in my whole life." "Sandro, why don't you help me?" "I think the only way we can help each other is by staying together." "No." "I'm sure that's not it." "Stay there, stay there and get off at the next stop." "And you?" "Me... me... me..." "let me be!" "I don't mean to intrude, but as this is a Palermo-bound train, would you happen to be traveling to that destination?" "No." "To Tindari, then?" "No." "Sant'Agata di Miniatello." "No." "It must be Cefalu, then." "How did you know?" "Through an acquaintance." "I work for a Cefalu's family, but I'm not from there." "I am telling you." "This acquaintance of mine knows you, and has told me lots about you." "And who is it?" "Does he work in Cefalu?" "Yes, she's a gardener." "Impossible." "The gardener at the villa where I work is a man." "It must have been them talking." "And what did they tell you about me?" "Oh, lots and lots." "They told me you're a well-brought- up girl, that you mind your business, this sort of thing." "We have a radio just like this one." "No, not like this one." "Why not like this one?" "Because this one was made in China." "These small radios are handy for sure." "Especially, I don't know..." "going for a walk..." "Which comes first for you?" "Music or love?" "Music of course." "A fiancee you've gotta look for, but a radio can be bought." "Ah no, love for me." "I am a man and I know about this kind of thing." "Love first, then music." "No, Claudia, listen." "Sandro please... do it for me... promise you won't look for me..." "You must stop looking for me..." "But why Claudia?" "Why?" "Listen, even if you send me away, I..." "Claudia, Claudia I don't want to wait anymore..." "Later it might never happen..." "come away with me..." "Claudia..." "Zuria." "Which one of you is Zuria?" "What do I know?" "He might be inside." "I called you, officer, 'cause the situation seemed to be getting out of hand, and your presence might become necessary..." "They're breaking everything..." "Pardon me, are you Mr. Zuria?" "That's me all right." "May I ask you a question?" "If you can wait." "I am busy now." "I was looking for a notions shop and noticed these men following me." "I've never seen anything like it..." "so many men!" "Easy to believe, the way you dress..." "I went all over the world dressed this way." "Oh, not like this, though." "My skirt came unstitched, that's why I was looking for a notions shop." "How old are you?" "Nineteen." "I'm married." "My name is Gloria Perkins and for the past year I've been a writer." "I write while in a trance and I'm usually in touch with the dead," "Tolstoy, for instance, or Shakespeare." "But I am also interested in working in the movies." "And how did they welcome you in Palermo?" "In Palermo I was with my husband." "Right now I'm on my way to Capri to write on tourism." "Exactly the same thing happened in Palermo." "Miss, if you want to go back to your hotel," "we're here to escort you." "Oh, yes." "0ut, away, out, out." "It's a disgrace." "What are you doing here, move." "For a woman!" "How disgusting." "Like her?" "Fifty thousand!" "No!" "Why all of this racket then?" "It's all a ruse to be noticed." "And even if only one gets hooked up, she's all right for a while." "Ah well, if fifty thou weren't a month's worth of my wages, that's one of those whims I would have indulged, I assure you." "So what did you want to talk about?" "I read your article on that girl's disappearance." "I am her boyfriend." "Would you mind telling me the whole story about this disappearance without omitting any detail?" "Look, I wouldn't be here if I had any clues." "And I see you don't have any either." "0n the contrary, I've received several calls." "In one they said she had been spotted in a car in Rome, another at the port talking to foreign sailors." "And if she sailed away in secret?" "Does it still happen?" "What do I know?" "Somebody said they'd seen her at a chemist in Troina..." "Actually the chemist himself says that a girl fitting the description, went into his store in Troina to buy a tranquilizer." "Is this place far?" "About fifty kilometers from here." "If you'd like, I can get the name of this chemist." "Yes..." "yes why not." "But you must write it in your paper no later than tomorrow morning." "Yours is one of Palermo's newspapers, isn't it?" "I mean, does it have a lot of readers?" "Yes, but the whole thing is stale now... it's stale... has lost its appeal, the editor won't print it." "No, no, no." "You should really do this for me." "Please, don't take it badly, but why should I do you a favor?" "Let's say it's business, then." "To help you round up your salary." "I went to every single one of those islands." "It must have been exhausting." "Useless, more than anything else." "I can't stand it anymore." "Agreed, until tomorrow." "Goodbye." "How can you talk business in this heat?" "When you're past fifty, my darling, you only feel the cold." "And what is this?" "It's Claudia, Anna's friend..." "You haven't met my husband, have you?" "Ah, fine." "Imagine that she's just back from..." "Incidentally, did you call him?" "Sandro?" "Didn't he say he would have joined us here?" "This really shouldn't have happened." "And how can I negotiate, when all the data's missing..." "I feel it's good news he hasn't been in touch." "I bet he's found her." "When you consider that in Italy there's a disappearance rate of 40 thousand people a year, that is almost enough to fill San Siro's stadium." "I don't know this Sandro." "What's he like?" "Maybe he's done away with her." "Good Lord, we're making a joke of something like this." "We ought to be ashamed of ourselves." "Coming?" "Princess, this villa - why don't you sell it?" "I'd make it into a lovely clinic for nervous disorders." "It's already a little like that." "Goffredo is the princess' grandson." "He's 17, think of that!" "And a painter." "Anyone can hold a brush." "Just buy the paint and get down to it." "Even Titian started this same way." "So, what's your style?" "Abstract?" "No." "And what do you feel when you're painting?" "A shudder." "Are you ready?" "'Cause I'm not." "All we needed was this dinner..." "All these people's vitality irritates me." "How does it look?" "Divine." "You're just saying that to flatter me." "Why, is that a compliment?" "No." "You look like somebody else." "Shall we?" "I'm going down." "He wants to show me his paintings." "And won't let me go." "The poor thing must have a crush." "Please come along..." "Why should I?" "Well, you can't leave me alone with him." "He could... well, I don't know..." "didn't you see his eyes?" "We're coming." "Giulia, what am I coming for?" "Claudia, come see." "A nude." "If I'm not mistaken they're all nudes." "You're good." "But why paint only women?" "No landscape is as lovely as a woman." "And how do you get your models?" "Oh, they're a dime a dozen." "I thought models were a thing of the past, didn't you, Claudia?" "Um?" "What?" "It's strange how women enjoy showing themselves." "Seems almost in their nature." "How can they pose that way." "I couldn't." "Why don't you try?" "Try." "Me?" "Are you crazy, Goffredo?" "He's crazy." "Not really." "Don't you ever sketch men?" "Why don't you answer?" "Why don't you try?" "I'd make you a beautiful portrait." "Why are you so particular about me?" "Ask Claudia, she's so much more beautiful than me." "But it's you I want." "You appeal to me more." "Appeal to you more?" "Giulia!" "If Corrado looks for me, you can tell him I'm here." "And tell him that my little heart is racing, racing." "And right now this is the only thing I care about." "Clear?" "Couldn't be clearer." "What more do I have to do now to be left alone?" "Nothing, you just need to shut the door, Giulia." "He wasn't at the hotel, and he probably wasn't in Milazzo, either." "The doorman said he asked to rent a car." "I'm going to change." "See you later." "Hi." "We'll try to find him tomorrow anyway." "He must be in Milazzo or thereabouts." "Shall we go Claudia?" "I'm not coming." "Why did you change then?" "Get a car to fetch him, it must be 150 km." "Fine we'll get him, then." "Giulia is like 0scar Wilde." "Give her all the luxuries and she will manage without the little necessities." "That's it, you really cannot do without quoting those weird names..." "He does it even during our meetings with the administration." "Who?" "Corrado." "Forgive me but I can't remember everything that goes on." "What do you mean?" "You even said she bought a tranquilizer." "It's no use acting as if you don't remember a thing." "A girl answering the description of the missing person entered my drug store on the afternoon of..." "She came in and out she went." "With him." "But he won't tell you that." "If you think I didn't notice." "Why would I have called the paper if we had an understanding?" "That's what I would like to know." "That makes the two of us." "Actually, three including the gentleman here." "Mrs. Amalia, would you also like to know, why I called the paper about the missing person that showed up here two days ago, and disappeared again?" "Disappeared?" "Who?" "When?" "That makes four." "Anyone else?" "Listen." "You should be more precise." "That girl, did she or did she not come into your store?" "Yes." "And was she blonde or brunette?" "Brunette." "Blonde." "What was she wearing?" "That I don't remember." "Some pale color, I believe." "Him, he doesn't notice the clothing he notices what's underneath." "Has anyone else inquired after this girl?" "No... no I don't think so." "Thank you." "Any news?" "Well, plenty of contradictions..." "yes, a few clues." "Listen, in the paper they forgot to mention that when the girl left, she took a bus for Noto." "The bus leaves from the square." "I remember because I wanted to watch her walk way." "Beautiful girl, really." "Beautiful legs." "Do you smoke?" "You're from Rome, aren't you?" "I knew it." "I'm from Viterbo." "He was doing his military service there, and you know..." "I'm not happy here." "How long have you been married?" "Three months." "Back inside, you." "Thanks, thanks a lot for your help." "The very picture of marital bliss." "Tell Lady Patrizia we'll go on with our search, and that Miss Claudia will get in touch one way or the other." "Certainly." "Thank you." "What is this place called?" "Noto." "And where will we look for Anna?" "In a hotel." "Apparently, there's only one." "The 'Trinacria'." "Could this be Noto?" "Let's ask." "Is anybody in?" "Hear the echo..." "Why is it empty?" "Who knows." "I wonder why they built it at all." "There's another one there." "That's not a town." "That's a cemetery." "My God, how dreary." "Let's go." "Let's go." "My love... mine... mine... mine..." "Claudia, it's late." "We must go." "Sandro, perhaps it's better if you were to go alone." "Are you joking?" "Don't think I'm trying to get away with the awkwardness, the difficulty this meeting might cause." "That's not it, it's just that these things can be discussed more easily without my being present." "Try to understand my position." "It might seem as if I were trying to influence you, twist your arm." "And it makes me uneasy." "What can I do for you, Miss?" "I'd like a can of paint." "Which color?" "Navy blue." "Right away." "Claudia." "What's happening?" "Oh, Sandro, I'm so ashamed..." "so ashamed." "Did you see that?" "I was trying to hide." "I feel so measly." "I hate myself." "Does it make you feel better talking this way?" "No." "So why do you do it?" "Because what I'm doing is ugly." "Because if you were to tell me right now 'Claudia I love you'," "I'd believe you." "I'd believe you." "Claudia..." "No, don't say anything or I would make you swear and tell me so many things..." "And it's not right..." "it cannot be right." "It's absurd." "Great." "And all the better if it is absurd." "It means we can't do anything about it." "Do you understand me?" "I'm sorry, but we don't need it anymore." "Oh, that's all right - don't worry." "I'm sorry." "It's all right." "To think that you must have told Anna these same things" "I don't know how many times..." "Let's say I did:" "I was in earnest with her as I am now with you." "I've never met a woman like you who needs to see everything clearly." "Come, let's take a walk." "Up here it really is beautiful." "Imagine, I have never been up here." "Please feel free to stay." "I'm going back down." "Such imagination." "Such movement." "They were concerned with the architectural settings." "Such extraordinary freedom." "I really must go ahead and leave Ettore." "I'd like to work on design again." "I used to have ideas of my own, you know." "Why did you stop?" "Why, why, why?" "Because it isn't easy to admit that a red floor suits a certain room, when you're thinking exactly the opposite." "But the lady wants it red." "Because there is always a lady..." "or a man... and so..." "Once, I was asked to make the estimate for the construction of a school." "It took me a day and a half." "I earned four million lira." "So I went on giving estimates of other people's projects." "Why are you looking at me this way?" "Because I am convinced you could make really beautiful things." "I don't know, I really don't know about that." "Who needs beautiful things nowadays Claudia." "How long will they last?" "All of this was built to last centuries." "Today, ten, twenty years at the most, and then?" "Well..." "Claudia," "shall we get married?" "What do you mean, shall we get married?" "Let's get married, you and I." "Answer me." "Answer." "How should I answer?" "No." "Not now, anyway..." "I don't know..." "I wasn't even thinking about it." "At a time like this..." "But why are you asking me?" "You're looking at me as though I'd said something crazy." "Are you sure you want to marry me?" "Really sure?" "That you want to marry me?" "Am I not asking you?" "Why aren't things less complicated." "You say that I'd like to see things clearly." "I'd like to see things clearly and instead..." "They're answering, hear them?" "Where from?" "From that tower over there." "No, no, of you I will never let go no, no, forever you'll be mine..." "Are you ready?" "Yes." "Why have I fallen in love with you so?" "Come, come quickly." "Yes, yes..." "Where is it, where is it... yes." "Yes, yes, I will always hate you" "No, no, of you I will never let go" "The sweetest pining I will feel" "Ciao, see you later." "My kisses shall get you back to me..." "No, no, you can't leave me in a hotel room alone." "Come down, when you're ready." "I'll be downstairs or in the piazza." "Fine." "But first you must tell me that going out without me is like missing a limb." "Go ahead and visit the city all alone, you'll limp." "Tell me you want to embrace my shadow running along the walls." "And then you must tell me you must tell me you love me." "You know." "Why should I tell you?" "That's right." "Why?" "I'll see you later." "Excuse me, excuse me." "Is anyone in charge of this place?" "A guard?" "A curator?" "He must be in the church." "Any museums around here?" "What do I know." "It says from 9:30 to 12:30." "It's ten now." "Fine way of welcoming tourists." "Tourists." "What tourists?" "Last year we got a few French, they went to the beach to swim with the 'jeep'." "With what?" "With a 'jeep'." "With the bikinis!" "And so?" "We let them know that they'd better move on, leave..." "I'm sorry, I didn't..." "You did it deliberately." "Deliberately?" "Why would I?" "No!" "Really." "Don't!" "How old are you?" "Twenty-three." "Twenty-three." "I have been twenty-three too, and I was in so many fights you can't even imagine." "Play, play..." "Forgive me, Miss, if I interfere..." "but I've heard..." "Here news get around..." "That girl you're looking for." "Why don't you look for her at the youth hostel in Pergusa?" "Almost all of the girls from out of town end up staying there." "I was coming down to join you." "Why back so soon?" "Shall we go?" "Sandro, what's wrong?" "Nothing, forgive me." "No Sandro, please." "Why not?" "I don't know why." "What's gotten into you?" "Wait a moment, please." "Just a moment." "I feel as though I don't know you." "Aren't you happy?" "You get to have a new fling!" "What are you saying?" "I was joking, c'mon." "I can never joke with you." "Now, though, you gotta tell me why you don't want to." "Oh, Sandro!" "I want all that you want, but..." "But?" "Did the landlady tell you about this hostel near by?" "Yes, she started to, but I didn't feel like listening to her." "If we were to listen to all the rumors..." "Yes, it's true, but..." "We haven't been in touch with anybody, not even Anna's father." "We should have phoned, sent a cable..." "Let's be fair, he must be feeling very lonely..." "Right, I don't doubt that for a moment, but we are the last two people that should be near him right now." "And then, phone... where?" "Where is he?" "As you wish..." "let's leave here though." "Go pack your bag." "Good evening." "Good evening." "Show them to the reception desk." "Thank you." "You're welcome." "Wait for me." "Marquise." "Concierge, who is that little doll?" "She just came in, I wouldn't know." "Claudia, Claudia." "I'm looking for the others and here I find you." "How are you?" "Could we find a quieter spot?" "Quieter?" "Yes, of course." "You seem well." "Here's Sandro." "Why don't you go up and change." "Did you get a good room?" "Not really, apparently." "You should have told Ettore." "He always manages to get what he wants." "Is Ettore still angry with me?" "0f course not." "And then you know, he would forgive you anything, as long as you admit that he's the better driver." "How can you wander through this bedlam?" "You've always said people irritate you." "You mustn't always take me literally." "I'm really quite used to it." "First my mother, then my husband." "Both full of energies." "Your mother?" "Yes, I too had a mother." "With a touch of Austrian blood in her, but I had one." "My childhood was like a merry-go-round:" "now here, now there." "Mine instead was a very sensible one." "What do you mean 'sensible'?" "It means without any money." "Til later then." "Til later." "Please." "Come in." "You may leave them drawn." "As you wish, madam." "Would you like anything else?" "Nothing." "Pardon me." "Thank you, thank you." "Everything all right?" "Good night." "Evening." "They might as well have used a machine." "Come in..." "Please, put this one over here." "And that there." "This is for you." "Thank you." "Listen." "Try not to get too involved tomorrow." "Aren't you going to change?" "But didn't you say you wanted to let your job with Ettore go?" "Yes, yes, that's what I said." "It's freezing." "Sandro." "Yes." "I'm not coming down." "Why not?" "I'm too sleepy." "You must learn to shake sleep off." "Have you learned?" "0f course, I learned as a boy." "I never slept, and I had friends that slept even less." "Whoever went to bed first had to pay a fine." "We didn't do anything wrong, but once the movies were over, we'd go to a cafe and talk, then we'd sit on a bench and listen to a drunkard, we'd watch the billboards go up," "or the sheep go by, we'd run to the general markets... 0r we'd wake up other friends or a girl by calling under her windows." "Say, are you really so sleepy?" "What time are you getting up tomorrow morning?" "Late." "Late?" "Very late." "Do you know that as a boy I wanted to be a diplomat?" "Can you imagine, me a diplomat?" "It's strange but I never thought I might get rich." "I saw myself in a rented room..." "a man of genius." "Instead, I have two houses, one in Rome, another in Milan." "As for genius, it's a bad habit I never caught." "What do you think?" "I see it differently." "However, it's better if we continue this conversation another time." "Do you mind switching out that light there?" "Good night, love." "Tell me you love me." "I love you." "Tell me again." "I don't love you." "I deserve that." "It's not true." "I love you." "At the bar." "Ask him to come here." "Ettore." "Finally!" "How are you?" "Come, I'll introduce you to some friends." "Yes, I'll take a look around and then I'll join you." "Say." "From tomorrow morning you're back at my disposal, clear?" "If you don't give me some figures, how can I go on?" "See you." "12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20." "1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6..." "Patrizia." "Patrizia." "Where is Ettore?" "He must be asleep." "Would you see if Sandro is with him?" "He's not in his room..." "Forgive me, but " "Ettore." "What is it?" "I was looking for Sandro." "And you look for him here?" "Ask Claudia." "But of course." "Patrizia, I'm afraid." "You're telling me!" "I have nightmares at night." "No." "I'm afraid Anna has come back." "I can feel it, that they're together." "What has gotten into you?" "We would have had word." "Sandro must be in the garden getting some fresh air, watching the sun rise." "It would be amusing to find out he's really a sentimentalist." "Listen, try not to dwell on that idea, please..." "Go and get some sleep." "0nly a few days ago, only at the thought that Anna might be dead," "I felt I could have died too." "Now I won't even cry." "I am afraid she might be alive!" "Everything is becoming so hideously simple." "Even to get rid of a pain." "0ne should never wish to fall into melodramatic undertones." "You're right." "Why should I cry?" "I'm tired of being this way." "Dear." "Won't you leave me a souvenir." "Just a small souvenir."