Original subtitles

BEHIND THE CONVENT WALLS

BEHIND THE CONVENT WALLS

- Who's there? - Silva.

You ought to grease your hinges, Sister.

Perhaps you could see to it, Master Silva.

- Be happy to, Sister, later on. - Thank you.

I'll grease all your hinges.

(Sister 1) Oh, I don't take a thing, when I go to bed. I don't need it.

- I was born that way. - (Sister 2) Well, I need it.

Otherwise, I wake up five or six times a night and I have nightmares.

- (Sister 1) Oh? What about? - (Sister 2) Oh... things.

(Sister 1) It must be awful to have nightmares about things.

(Sister 2) Well, that's why I need a stiff hot chocolate.

It's so warm and creamy and soothing.

(Sister 1) If you keep it up, you'll become addicted!

(Sister 2) ...screaming that you're being attacked by a hot stiff chocolate!

- (Silva) Praised be the Lord. - (All) Praised be the Lord!

Here's yourjoint.

Mercy, Sister! Give Master Silva a chance to catch his breath.

(Groaning) I can keep it up all day.

You should see the size of the joints they get at the army garrison.

Tremendous weight. Carrying them from dawn to dusk and not complain.

Our Lord Jesus carried his around without complaining either.

- Except that's no funny, is it? - No! And it is a decidedly poor metaphor.

(Silva) Compare me with who you like, but when it comes to carrying joints,

I can't be beat!

A working man is safe to trust. His mind is free from thoughts of lust.

How could anybody think anything, beating the meat like that?

(Silva grunting) You'll be all right with me, Sisters.

Eyes open or eyes shut, I always give a lady the respect she deserves.

- Sister Clarissa! - Yes, what is it?

May I borrow your hat for a while? My face is going to break out all over.

- It's terrible. - That's the way God made you, dear.

Be content with your lot. I don't want to get sunburnt either.

Oh, but at least you won't get freckles. I'll end up looking like the plague!

Here! My skin isn't the least bit sensitive to sunlight.

- Or to moonlight! - Thank you.

Curb your tongue, Sister! I never leave my cell at night.

But, of course, I forgot. You get free home service!

Clarissa! Such a tongue-wag, dear.

Well, I'm glad to know exactly what kind of a person you really are.

- Don't prick your thumb, dear! - (Laughing)

Yeah, I got muscles of iron and veins of steel in these here arms.

- You want to see? - (Sister) No! It's quite all right!

You mean you doubt it? Watch!

(Silva) I may be stupid, but I'm not crazy!

Here, touch it.

Go on. This here can hold up a whole joint.

- Oh! - There, you see!

All rough and hard, and tough as iron! (Laughing)

Yeah, a ramrod.

With a mighty thrust, I could put a hole right through the walls of this house!

Master Silva... Oh, my God!

Ah, thank you, Sister.

- Praised be the Lord. - (All) Praised be the Lord.

- Praised be the Lord. - (Silva) Till next week, then!

Always a pleasure to come by!

See you tomorrow.

- Sister Martina? - (Gasps)

Yeah, you got to keep it greased. Now, let's see.

A little bit here. And a little bit there.

- (Hinges squeaking) - That should do it. There.

Oh, thank you. Thank you so much, Master Silva.

Help your neighbour, and the Lord will help you.

Yes. Isn't that the truth? God bless you, Master Silva.

O Blessed Lord, I scorn, above all of man's sins,

those I have committed myself.

I would rather die than offend thee.

Help me to love and honour thee always. Amen.

My Lord!

Oh, the poor geese have gone batty!

Silliness and revelry have no place in our Lord's view.

That's enough!

(I Organ and violin continue)

(Mother) Give me the violin!

- Give it to me! - No!

- Give it to me! - I won't!

- Letgo! - Mywmm!

- Let go! - Let me have it back! No!

In the name of all the saints, let it go!

I order you to let it go!

Ifl can't keep my violin, I'll kill myself!

Be silent! Your noble parents will be advised of your behaviour!

- I don't care. I'm not afraid! - The organ!

Start playing the organ, for heaven's sake!

- I'll kill myself! I'm not afraid! - Completely mad!

- I'll kill myself! - (I Organ playing)

But before I kill myself, I'll murder you!

I'm not afraid of anybody!

Oh...

Done already? That was fast. How's the chapel look now? Gorgeous?

Incredible.

My dear old aunt's life isn't very easy.

She's decided to battle the devil in all his manifestations,

and I think she's come to the end of her tether.

(Sister 1) Why? What happened?

(Sister 2) Didn't you hear that wild music?

No. So, what?

So, some of our dear flock transformed the chapel just now

into a Saturday night frolic.

- You mean, a party? - Yes.

- They were dancing? - Yes.

- Like drunken fieldhands. - (Knocking)

Come in!

- The Mother Superior desires her niece. - Oh.

- Sorry to desert you again. - Never mind.

Right now, it's more important for you to give your aunt a little moral support.

- I'll just go ahead with the left shoulder. - Yes, yes.

- I want to know who started it. - I couldn't tell you, Aunty.

I was in the sacristy at that moment.

I'd gone to put a wreath of roses on blessed Mary's head.

A wonderful gesture for you to make.

The others... don't be like them.

I came here not on the orders of my parents, but on a calling.

In the middle of the night, a big voice said,

"Thy destiny is to serve our Lord and his gracious son."

May the Lord's grace shine upon you, Sister Clara.

Dearest Aunty...

Could I beg a tiny favour?

Let's hear it.

There... there are nights...

...nights when I can't get to sleep at all.

I pray and meditate.

And in those moments, I get a powerful desire to rush downstairs

and get on my knees in the chapel and talk to Jesus at the altar.

Oh, Aunty, please can I have permission

to pray in the chapel at night to Jesus?

He's nearer there.

- (Mother) Permission granted. - (Clara) Oh, thank you!

(Mother) But you must also pray for a good night's sleep once in a while.

(Clara) I will.

Dear Jesus...

I love you with all the thoughts of my mind,

and all the feelings in my heart.

Father, Son, Holy Ghost...

Penetrate with your grace my adoring soul.

Come into me, O Blessed Jesus.

Take me.

I want to love you with all my heart and body eternally, O my Jesus.

Come... lovely Jesus.

Come.

Lovely Jesus.

Hmm...

(Mother) Who are you?

I'm afraid I'm all tied up for the next two weeks.

What impudence!

You'll answer for this at a court of hearing.

- The man, who was he? - I confess since you caught me.

But my friend's name is something I'll never tell you or anyone!

- I asked the question. Answer! - Yes, Mother.

Since you've got to know every detail.

He's Count Paolo Montessano di Forli.

I shall see you are denounced to the national legation.

The procedure will be certain to cover your person with public dishonour.

You're addressing a Frangimani!

I would watch how I threaten a girl of my rank if I were you!

This affair will be heard of in Rome.

In which case you'll find, I'm sure,

that it's your convent that shall suffer then dishonour.

(Scoffs) This convent is a house of the Lord.

And my family, Reverend Mother,

counts one of the lord's ablest lieutenants, Cardinal Frangimani,

who's got special access to his papal ear.

Young lady, there are certain cases which are above the reach of even princes.

Then, I'll have to stand and shout out the truth in St Peter's Square!

My illustrious father and mother had me take vows

when I was too young to realize what I was in for!

Ha! They were overjoyed for me!

Except they would never let any daughter of their station

be put through such torture in hell!

- It's you that needs punishing and... - That's enough! Silence!

You are distinguished from all other girls and from all other women

by your holy vows, by your way of life,

which is an imitation of that of your dear betrothed Jesus,

and of all the saints in Christendom.

Letting your hair grow so it covers your shoulders,

baring your brow to other eyes,

and renouncing your symbol of virtue is sacrilege!

And a sin against the Lord!

It is betraying your sacred betrothed for Satan!

Stay ever vigilant.

Satan hovers near each of you,

a wolve among the flock, picking and herding his victim out.

Today, Sister Lucretia.

Tomorrow, someone else, any of you,

could be chosen by the king of darkness.

Should the smallest temptation strike and insinuate itself into your soul,

chase it out instantly, confess!

Do not wait for the day of downfall and shame.

Sister Lucretia, you have already repented to Christ

through your pronouncements in the confessional.

Repeat it to us in a loud voice here!

I repent, O Lord, and beg forgiveness

according to the immensity of thy mercy.

I repent, O Lord, and beg forgiveness

according to the immensity of thy mercy.

Oh... Oh...

"l am excited even now, you gave me your body,

"l can still feel your fleshy, burning lips.

"Oh, Amandina, love me, love me.

"L love you. Giuseppe."

- (Sister 1) But everyone knows that... - (Sister 2) No, that's not true!

- What do you mean? - Not true at all!

It was Herod of Antipas who did the job, in person...

Your luncheon is in your cell, Reverend Mother.

- Thank you. Sister Martina? - Yes, Mother?

- Send me Sister Amandina right away. - Yes, Mother.

O, Christ, my good sweet Jesus.

L Pray to you

that my love and my longing for you

make me lay down

the weight of carnal desire and earthly pleasures.

Let the soul be lord over the flesh, let reason guide the soul...

Let the soul be lord over the flesh.

Let reason guide the soul.

And bend the inside as well as outside to thy will.

Make my heart and my tongue and my bones exalt thee.

(Mother) "My body is yours completely without end."

Who is this Giuseppe?

He was my invention. I wrote all the letters.

In two different handwritings?

I wrote Giuseppe's letters with the left hand,

and mine with the right hand.

Now, write me a line.

No, first with the right.

Now the left.

All right, that's enough.

Now, go directly to the chapel and pray for God's forgiveness!

San Giuseppe, patron of love most pure,

oh, help this poor, frustrated sinner.

(Sister) Could you please stop that noise?

Could you please stop that noise?

It's a symphony glorifying the Lord.

Well, could you wait until tomorrow to finish glorifying the Lord,

so somebody can sleep?

Oh!

- Who is it? - Clarita!

Come in.

- How about this? - No.

It's got to be about this large, and full face, not profile.

And with huge eyes, and with a bushy beard. Hmm?

Mm-hmm. Yeah.

Sort of about like this?

- Yeah, that's just right. - Hmm...

- You have any idea when it'll be ready? - Uh...

- Saturday of next week. ls that all right? - Can't you do it before then?

No, it's impossible before then.

- It'll be ready tomorrow. - Thanks.

- Night! - Night.

Hmm...

(Chickens clucking)

Ah, it's you, is it? Praised be the Lord.

- Sister Mary come down sick? - No, she's feeling fine.

It's, uh... the third anniversary today of my entry into the convent,

so this is a private holiday for me, and I'm given door duty.

- (Silva) Quieten down, you whoring birds! - (Chickens clucking)

I know that you're still doing it. And so does the whole convent.

If for no other reason than your honour,

I think you have an obligation to put an end to it.

They say your aunt put you up to converting me,

then she mightjust as well admit her impotence.

Or better yet, admit that I've won the battle.

In any case, she's not about to go and denounce me to the Bishop.

She knows I have more influence than she does.

Lucretia! Such effrontery!

God will decide.

On the day ofjudgement.

Clara, darling, you've never held a man in passion.

You'll know, should ever that hour come,

how a mere glance from my lover has more power and princely sway over me than...

than all the orders and beastly punishments that your aunt could ever inflict on me!

Punishments that mean nothing anyhow.

Not to someone who belongs to the House of Frangimani!

Well, I... belong to the House of Visconti!

And as far as I'm concerned...

...the fidelity that willingly I swore to our Lord Jesus,

who is my betrothed...

...is going to stay sacred...

till death do us part, and reunite us in Paradise.

I'm going to the rear!

Helicoptorus herbicus...

Catastrophus orientalis...

- Sit down, sit down. - Thank you.

- Tomorrow... - May I help you?

No, no. Tomorrow, Clara and Lucretia will start to embroider your cape.

They'll be devoting all their time to it for you, Father, to honour your anniversary.

You're awfully kind. Though I have done nothing to deserve such a gift, Mother.

Father, you wouldn't know a certain Paolo Montessano di Forli?

Son of the late Giovanni Montessano, may he rest in peace?

- Yes. - Ah... Well, the father made a will.

According to which, Paolo is to receive a very substantial stipend

for the completion of his studies in America.

In America?

It's the wrong time of the year to cross over,

you know how dangerous it can be.

The great Atlantic swell can become a real inferno.

Oh...

In Livorno, as a rule, the last step of preparation is confession,

so I'd rather expect the person to go to Paradise, no?

...that I should help and not be a bodily burden to my fellow man,

and give me, O Jesus, the...

And give me, O Jesus, the gift of self-restraint,

so that I neither covet nor shun to excess what may come to pass,

so that I never exceed moderation,

that I willingly take up those things whose time has come,

and that those things I have begun before their time...

...from my enemies, and make sure that I always honour what I am bound to uphold...

(Sister) Yoga is merely an expression of Oriental Thought,

and has nothing whatever to do with any of our Christian philosophies.

(Sister 2) Why was it a man of the Church, Abbot Parraud, who introduced it to Europe?

Quiet! Shameless chatterboxes!

Sisters, a little dignity! Enough of this idle gossip!

And chew your food thoroughly!

Help me, O Jesus, in executing faithfully tasks that are assigned, to humbly sweat...

...to my brethren as example.

If you want, I can lend you an old book on Yoga

that Abbot Parraud translated way back in 1787.

Praised be the Lord. Goodnight.

Praised be the Lord. Goodnight.

- Too high for you to jump, my dear. - (Gasps)

Too deep for me to swim, is more like it.

And too far, above all.

Your Count Paolo Montessano has gone to America.

(Gasps) America?

Forever.

The Father Confessor accompanied him to the ship in Livorno,

to make certain all terms of his father's will are respectfully carried out.

What? Didn't he just leave money to Paolo?

Not quite.

The terms of the late and unfortunate Count Montessano's legal will

state that the whole of his fortune be spent on the education of his son in America.

"That bastion of most ideal democracy," to use the words of his testament.

But proud old Montessano didn't stop to think

that the voyage to America is long and perilous.

Pietro...

What is it?

- Answer me! - Pietro Cavaloni.

- Pietro Cavaloni? - His painting.

- Who gave it to you? - I paid a lot for it.

- Paid who? - It was drawn by Beatrice.

- And what's this? - A stick, that's all it is.

Where did you get this stick?

I see. So you stole it!

No, I didn't. It fell from up there.

It fell from heaven as I came down the hall.

It crashed right through the window at my feet.

- And what is this for? - It's, uh... to cut and smoothen the stick.

You've a mirror? How did it get here?

It's a family treasure.

Just now, before I came in, what was going on?

Show me, girl! What was going on here?

In my presence? Are you shameless?

Have you no shame at all?

Let me breast, my tongue, and my bones and my very sinews exalt thee,

O most gracious Lord,

infinitely merciful, wise and good.

I humbly prostrate myself at your feet,

with my heart heavy at having so often offended you.

- I want only... - (Footsteps)

- Praised be the Lord. - Praised be the Lord.

Can't you sleep?

I was doing penitence and almost about to kiss Jesus' knee,

and then, all of a sudden, you knocked and Jesus flew away.

A holy vision, yes? Get to bed immediately!

(Sister) I love you, Jesus.

I love you with all the thoughts of my mind and all feelings of my heart.

Penetrate with your grace into my adoring soul.

Come, come into me, O blessed Jesus. Come!

I will love you for all eternity with all my soul.

O my Lord Jesus, I want to love you with my whole being.

Come, sweet, lovely Jesus, come!

Lovely Jesus.

(Soldier) Hey, you! Hold on a minute!

- Where are you going? - I'm a seller of art.

- (Soldier) What kind of art? - Religious subjects.

(Soldier) Oh, yeah?

Huh! And why do you have only the Sixth and Ninth Station?

They're the ones that my customers have the least interest in.

Ha! Sounds like you're a bad salesman.

No. I'm normally very good at it.

Only , prejudices are hard to overcome with people.

(Soldier laughs) You ought to change professions.

Yeah, well, I think I mayjust do that.

- (Knocking) - Huh? Who's there?

(Man) Open the door, please!

- But who is it? - Open the door and you'll find out!

- Who are you? - It's me, Rodrigo, your nephew!

Ha! Uncle Luigi! How are you?

What's the matter? Don't you recognize your own nephew?

- You're not my nephew! - Of course I am. Your nephew, Rodrigo!

- Over here, look at me in the light. - I'm looking, but no bells are ringing.

- Imagine me without a beard. - Without a beard?

' (Chllfikling) - Eh?

Rodrigo, Rodrigo...

Oh, reading the dark-spirited works of Alfieri

has completely turned your head around, eh?

- But you shouldn't play with fire. - No, no, no.

- You're not carrying a pistol, are you? - No, Uncle, come on, no.

No, quiet. Don't say anything. What have you got in here? Let's see...

Oh!

(Chuckling) Clever. Very clever, huh?

To mislead the gendarmes, eh?

Shh! Don't say a word. I'm onto the whole thing.

- Might be safer to keep the beard. - Right.

Now, we'll... get you a place far away from here.

Not too far, but away from me.

I'll speak to Mother Clara at the House of Rossini.

You can pretend you're doing certain studies of biblical libraries right there.

- Ha-ha! - Thanks, Uncle.

I think Mother Clara would be delighted to receive

such beautiful prints in exchange.

In nomine Patris, et Filii, et Spiritus Sancti.

(All) Amen.

Sister Clara! It's me, Rodrigo, Father Luigi's nephew.

- The Lord shines on you! - Could you please unlock the gate?

Uh... I don't have permission to.

I want to... I would like to talk to you.

To see you, to be near you.

Look, whatever you're thinking of,

you're quite overstepping the limits of good behaviour.

Please leave! Leave me alone!

You might want a bigger one. You know, for variety.

So, I had to pay extra of course, but it was worth it.

- See? One big and one small. - No. Put them away, please.

I don't need anything. Doesn't interest me in the least.

This one is perfectly good for me. It's beautiful.

Unique! And I don't need variety!

Sister Martina?

Our poor Mother's getting more irritable every day.

I thought perhaps a little drop of opium would calm her down.

Of opium? No, I'm sorry.

These daily torments are becoming too much for us all to handle.

- It's fantastic. - Uh, no!

You know, I know everything, Sister Martina.

- A fine stud, isn't he, your Silva? - Oh...

You've suffered so much, Martina.

How unfair for true love to be considered a sin and punished

the way love is in this convent.

Lucretia...

Silva wants money, or else... he says he won't go on.

He's really poor.

Thank you.

Hurry UP!

Go on.

- Looking glass of the devil! - (Splashes in lake)

An extraordinary thing happened to me. I was with somebody together in my cell.

(Father Luigi) Hmm...

Your cell? With someone? Who? When?

Last night. With the king of kings, Jesus Christ.

And how did he...? Did he tell you who he was?

Oh, no. He didn't speak.

But I recognized him. I know his knees.

- You what...? - His knees, his feet.

His ankles, his thighs, his whole body.

- His neck... - Please, keep it down.

- His chest! - Stop it, now! Shh!

His hips...

Now, then, what did you do with him?

- He dived into my bed... - Hmm...

Right next to me. Very close to my breast.

And our legs entwined together like a pretzel.

Entwined together like a pretzel?

Is that possible? How can legs get tied like a pretzel?

- (Shuffling) - No, no, no!

Just giving me a description will do!

- He did it in such a way... - Hmm?

...that I felt like I had four legs.

But we didn't commit any kind of sin.

Why confess it, then, if it was an innocent visit?

Because I hate our Mother Superior.

She burst into my cell all of a sudden,

and chased Jesus Christ away with her black cane!

Hmm...

I swear, she's Antichrist, our Mother...

- No... - Yes! She is!

That's your invention, what you're telling me.

And now reflect on it and come back to me on Friday morning, alright,

to tell me you're repented, now go, go on.

- Praised be the Lord. - Praised be the Lord.

He's always thumping on me, right over here.

Hmm...

Pray to San Giuseppe and the Madonna. From now on, it's all up to them.

Yes, Mother.

And remember, Sister Benedicta.

Never pray out loud, and keep your window closed.

- And what's this? - Nothing.

- Yeah? What is it? - A fly ointment.

There's been such a lot of them around, and it bothered me all summer.

- Don't lie to me, girl. - No, lwouldn't lie.

- Huh? - I swear.

Oh, we had some tremendous chats.

The remarkable thing is they all had a lot to say about you.

In their opinion, you are... (Laughs) none other than the devil.

Ha-ha! The Antichrist!

Sister Martina! Sister Martina!

I spoke to Fiorenza. It's her anniversary today and she's got door duty.

Well, I got her to agree to leave the door open,

so that Silva can just walk in up the stairs and into your cell.

- And you can do it all night. - My, thank you.

Not at all.

- Who's in there? - (Rodrigo) Your nemesis, my lady.

Who has the Mother Superior's permission to do anything he wants in this place!

- Literally anything! - God save me!

(Mother) It was very thoughtful of you to present us this gift, thank you.

Youth is somewhat disappointing these days, but you're an exception, young man.

- Did you go to a university? - Yes, I studied Science and Logic.

(Clara) Logic? Mathematics and Physics make no sense to me!

(Rodrigo) No, no. They may not be easy, but they're quite logical and very useful.

For instance, I use the science of optics to define the Holy Trinity.

It's like a candle and a mirror.

The candle is the Lord.

And the mirror which reflects it is his Son, Jesus Christ.

And the Holy Spirit is the ray of light uniting the two objects.

That's how science has taught me to reason.

- Where do you live, may I ask? - Well, my home is far away...

Oh! What lovely roses!

There are also two religious works, Sister Clara.

Yes, the Sixth and the Ninth Stations of the Cross.

- You were saying? - I rented a house near the Father Confesor's.

It's yellow and the front stoop is covered with flowers.

(Rodrigo) Sister Clara!

Sister Clara! It's me, Rodrigo!

Praised be the Lord!

- Would you please open the curtain? - I...

...don't have permission to.

I'm sure your aunt would have no objections.

- (Clara) What do you have to say to me? - Could you come closer, please?

It isn't easy to carry out a conversation through this heavy cloth.

Open it, please, I beg you.

- (Screaming) - Clara, I love you!

- No! - I love you, Clara!

- Let go of me! - I love you!

No!

(Sister) Oh, I tell you, men are worse than children.

Without constant attention, they'd wilt away!

- Sister Martina? - What is it?

- Well, are you pretending not to hear? - (Giggling)

No, no. I heard everything. Malicious tongues!

- Oh, we weren't talking about you. - (Laughing)

I think our Silva would be more than delighted

to be served a good hot chocolate once in a while.

His work is so hard.

- We're all a lot of loafers by comparison. - (Laughing)

I understand that chocolate is marvellous for restoring energy.

- That it tones up the muscle. - (Laughing)

- What's the matter, Clara? - Nothing. The wind...

(inaudible)

Blessed Mother. Oh, please, Blessed Mother, please help me.

I beg you, please forgive me all my sins.

Please, oh, Blessed Mother.

There's blood...

The blood of Jesus.

I have Jesus' wounds.

His blood.

- Praised be the Lord. - For your lovely coal.

- And for the lovely day. - Yes, isn't that the truth?

- How's it hanging, Sister? - Oh, lower every day.

Oh! My Lord in Heaven! Blood!

Don't be afraid.

You see only pale copies of the wounds that wreaked more terrible suffering

on the body of our Lord Jesus on the cross.

This mortal flesh, that I have too much indulged,

I shun from now on as the most detested object in the world.

And from this hour on, should I commit any mortal sin,

it shall only be to get punished all the more vehemently.

Permit this body, O Lord, to sink lower still,

that your wrath without mercy may render my suffering all the greater.

Oh! Oh!

Oh! Oh!

(Sister) Collecting the money will be up to you, Mother.

If each family pays their share, perhaps the roof will get repaired.

(Sister 2) What about the gratings on the windows overlooking the lake, Mother?

They're in very bad condition, and iron's expensive...

' (Knocking) " Yes?

It's me, Sister Amelia!

Mother! Mother! Sister Veronica, she's bleeding from her hands.

Of course, I don't believe in miracles, but a miracle could...

They're rare nowadays, I know.

But I saw the wounds on her hands, they were...

Calm down. Calm down, Sister. Who, what and where?

(Veronica) Holy Mother, I lay prostrate at your feet.

(Veronica) O, Blessed Mother, my soul seeks joy in Jesus...

_ (Whispering) - Shh!

(Veronica) ...with my heart, my body, my whole being.

Get up, Sister. Get up!

Explain yourself. What's going on?

I was chosen by our gracious Lord.

How do you mean, "chosen"?

I touched the head of Our Lady Mary,

and began to tell her of my love for her son...

In answer, I received this.

Real blood?

No getting around it, blood is blood.

The troubled moment of history that we're going through, Mother Clara.

Do you feel that our Veronica is telling the truth?

I feel it, yes.

And it also predicts events to come.

Since time began, stigmata have always announced a radical change.

Stigmata together with all manner of apparitions

unfailingly warn of some imminent upheaval.

Go fetch Father Luigi.

He'll confess the poor wretch and give me a report on the results.

Yes, Mother.

Infinite, wise and good...

I prostrate myself.

- (Giggling) - (Sister) About time!

- Who's there? - I bring news concerning your safety!

Open the door!

Good Lord. Clara! What are you doing here?

What have you done? How did you open the front door?

It's sacrilege for a cloistered nun to open the front door of a convent!

- Rodrigo... - No, no, no!

The crime would be too great. Now, I'll have to leave.

- Rodrigo... - Fool! You fool!

- Shame on you! - Oh, Rodrigo! No!

- I'm taking you back to the convent. - No!

You can't stay here. No, no, no.

- I'm leaving tonight. - No, Rodrigo!

- Oh, Clara! - (Weeping) No!

Where's your cell?

Upstairs.

I'll leave you here, and be on my way as fast as I can.

...with all the thoughts of my mind...

...with all the feeling in my heart.

Penetrate... with your grace into my being.

Fuflhefl

Fuflhefl

Oh, God, I'm yours!

I'm yours, Rodrigo!

God, I'm yours, Rodrigo!

Come deep into this soul of mine.

Rodflgo!

(Mother) I'm dying-

Poisoned for having tried to stamp out... the intrigues of my young charges...

...with all the men in the town.

For all that I know, right this second,

our sacred cloister is being violated!

Now, now. Lie still, Mother.

Jesus... Joseph and Mary...

...oh, help me...

...in my aQOTW!

Oh... Oh, God! Oh, Oh...

Oh, God. Sancta Maria, mater Dei.

Till tomorrow.

Till tomorrow.

More? I'll teach you good manners!

' Say yes! ' Yes!

The Mother Superior is dead!

Dead! Death in the convent!

She's dead! The Mother Superior is dead!

She's dead! She's dead!

The Mother Superior is dead! She's dead!

Death in the convent! She's dead!

She's dead! She's dead!

Death in the convent!

The Mother Superior, the poor soul, she's dead!

(Sister) The Mother is dead!

The Mother is dead!

(Man) Hey, where are you going? Hey, fella!

Let me go! Let me go!

(Woman) That's him! I recognize him!

He was the one who sold that cross and chain. I saw him selling it!

- What do you want from me? - Thief!

I ain't done nothing! Leave me alone!

I ain't done nothing! No, stop!

- Why did you open the front door? - Open? It wasn't me, I swear it!

- Well, somebody must've opened it. - I don't know anything.

I fell asleep forjust five minutes, and I don't know anything!

Just five minutes, eh?

What time did Silva enter the convent?

It wasn't for very long. Only a few minutes.

Listen, I'm not interested in the duration of your copulation, for God...

I'm sorry I have to talk about these things.

Just when did your man come through the door?

- I don't know. - Huh?

I've had it.

Alright, Sister, you're going to tell me! And right now, do you understand?

- Right now! Who opened that front door? - Alright, alright. It was Clara.

Clara opened it up to let her man in!

Clara? Clara Visconti?

Ah, so Clara? With a man, too?

God...

And his name?

It's Rodrigo Landriani. Your own nephew.

It's not true.

- You must be lying. - No. I even saw them.

And you know I can prove it.

Your nephew lost his button climbing the stairs with Clara.

Bring in the guards!

Come and get her! Take her away!

And shut her in her cell!

Go on, go on! Go on, go back to your duties!

A black, black sheep among so many white ones. What shame!

Go on, go on. And pray for her!

- Father Confessor... - Huh?

What are you doing here? Go on back to your cell!

The door and the person who opened it...

Yes?

He opened the door like a wisp in the moonlight.

He?

Jesus Christ.

Get out of here! Go on!

Oh! Oh!

(Soldier) This is it. In you go!

Lock it!

- (Clara) Who is it? - It's me, Father Luigi.

Come right in.

Praised be the Lord.

Yes, Father, what's on your mind?

Speak up!

Speak up! Well?

You've always... always been above any suspicion,

and you were always held up by the Mother Superior

as the epitome of virtue itself, and now a shameless liar is telling...

Let's hear it! Let's hear it!

Oh, poor creature.

A woman of such low extraction, she could not possibly be compared to you.

Maybe she's mad, doesn't know what she's saying...

What is she saying? Who is saying?

A cunning young nun who managed to insinuate herself

into the graces of our dear late Mother Superior.

Martina is attempting to stain your virtue and integrity,

saying that... well, that you introduced men into the convent and...

Well, she's obviously lying, so I have locked her in her cell,

and tomorrow she'll be taken to the Bishop.

- To the Bishop? - To the Bishop... to the Bishop himself.

Well, it's all true.

I took my lover into the convent, and he taught me something.

But... the door, I'm afraid, I have no idea about.

Because that's how I found it, already wide open.

Lady... Pardon me, Sister Clara...

You really fornicated... inside the convent with a man?

You, in whom we put all our hopes and aspirations?

Clara... Clara, who is the man?

- (Gasps) - Rodrigo Landriani!

- Who? - Rodrigo Landriani!

- No! - Deflowered this body!

- No! - And it was beautiful!

- Rodrigo, my lover! - No!

And I love him! And he is now my betrothed!

Oh, dear God in heaven, in thy infinite mercy, have pity.

Spare this mad creature the torments of hell.

- Jesus, hear my prayer. - Oh, let him send me there!

Dear Savior, you are witness to this terrible moment. I beg you!

Yes! Yes, pray! That's a boy! (Laughing)

Tomorrow... the Bishop will decide. He will decide your fate.

(Carla) Tomorrow? Why not today, huh?

Because I'm ready to go!

Murder, thievery, violence...

What in heaven is this country coming to, may I ask?

Beautiful countryside.

You must have a jeweller's eye in order to judge a case.

You have to scrutinize every facet, don't ever forget that.

The point is, appearances are more often than not a refraction.

Of course, just because you see a lowly farmhand

in possession of a diamond crucifix and chain,

you don't say that's conclusive proof of dishonesty.

A little discretion, sir! I shouldn't have to remind you.

Of course, Your Grace. Sorry.

Here, the walls themselves have ears. Don't forget that for a minute.

Here, put it away.

O Lord, we humble sinners ask for your forgiveness.

Two quills. The ink in two colours.

Black ink for the niece. And brown for Sister Martina.

- Here. - Thank you.

You stay here. You come with me.

(Soldier) Hey! Father Luigi!

- (Luigi) What is it? - You'd better come and see.

The same poison.

This has become a charnel house.

(Sister) Death in the convent!

- (Sister) Death in the convent! - (Shouting and screaming)

No, no, not there! Over this way!

- (Sister) Oh, it's Sister Martina! - (Screaming)

No! No!

What are you doing? Stop here! Take this!

- Stop! ' (Screaming)

Stop! Get away!

Go on! Go back into the chapel!

Get out of here! Leave her alone!

Go back to your prayers! Get out of here! Back to the chapel!

Get the bodies out of here. Take them into the library.

Go on, go on! Go on!

Go play the organ! Play the organ!

Get going.

Sister? Speak!

Clara Visconti, you never once lied to me.

Please tell me what happened.

Please open your eyes. Tell me what's going on!

Tell me what's going on!

Just tell me who opened the door.

You've got to tell me who opened the door.

Clara, tell me who opened the door!

Speak!

But this girl is dead. (Gasps)

By God, she's dead!

The girl is dead!

Close all the doors! Let nobody enter! Nobody!

And don't you leave the bodies alone for one moment! Not for any reason!

Stop it! Stop it, Father!

Stop ringing the bell! For the love of God!

You want us all to plunge into the inferno?

Don't you have even an ounce of shame?

Have you gone mad, for heaven's sake?

- Stop ringing the bell! Stop ringing it! - We want the truth!

- Stop the bells, for the love of God! - Let go of me!

- No! Satan! Satan! - Gendarmes, help me!

- Gendarmes, help me! - For Saint Veronica!

- Help me! - It's the truth!

- Take her away. - He's the king of hell!

- The enemy of God! - Completely mad!

Let me go! It's him who crucified our Lord!

He crucified my Jesus! Arrest him!

Gendarmes, arrest him!

Satan! Satan!

O, Lord omnipotent, pardon us our sins.

O merciful God in heaven,

lest you abandon us like wandering sheep in the dark!

So do we humbly commit our person to employ all the authority at our command,

to use all of our intelligence and all our knowledge,

and cunning and force,

to make sure that all that has transpired within these walls...

...shall remain within these walls.

Amen.

NO ONE WAS PUNISHED

AND THE AFFAIR WAS SILENCED.