Kiss of a Dead Woman (Il bacio di una morta)

Kiss of a Dead Woman

Who's that knocking?

- Good evening. - Who are you looking for, sir?

I'd like to see the Countess Clara Serra Trabia.

You're too late. The funeral took place this afternoon.

Funeral?

I'm sorry, sir. I thought they had already told you.

The Countess Clara died yesterday.

She's dead?

Clara is dead?

But... but how did it happen?

I don't know,

but for the past few months, she'd been unrecognisable.

She suffered without complaining,

and passed into the arms of death.

Her husband? Her daughter?

The Count left after the funeral for Paris, with the little girl.

There's no one left here. All the servants have been dismissed.

Where is she buried?

In the family tomb.

- To the cemetery, hurry! - At this hour?

Are you the custodian?

Yes, but it's closed. It's too late now.

I know, I know.

But I'd like to see the remains of a person in the Serra Trabia tomb.

Please let me in.

- I can't, sir. - Please, I beg you.

Please follow me. It's over there.

Here she is.

Take this money. Take it.

It's for you.

Why, sir?

Open the coffin. I want to see her one last time.

For the love of God! We can't, sir.

We risk prison.

Just for a moment. Only a moment.

I must... I must see her.

I have to say my last goodbye.

Don't be afraid. This man is reliable. He will keep his mouth closed.

Help me.

Clara.

You're more beautiful than ever.

Even death didn't dare touch you.

Only your eyes are closed.

Why? Why, Clara?

Forgive me that I wasn't able to help you.

Forgive me that I didn't arrive in time.

Remorse will weigh me down for the rest of my life.

Just a kiss...

The last one from the man who loved you so much.

Her lips moved. They move!

She's alive! She's alive!

I tell you she's alive! Look!

Her lips trembled.

I felt the warmth of her breath. She's not dead!

Clara, can you hear me? It's me.

She's alive. She's alive, I tell you!

What are you saying? You can see she's not moving.

She's clearly dead.

Do you have a knife? I won't do any harm.

What are you waiting for?

What are you going to do?

Give it to me.

I was right, I'm not losing my mind! Did you see that?

Her blood is warm. She's still alive.

It was no illusion!

Yes, she's breathing!

She's breathing!

Quick. Let's take her and resuscitate her.

Please help me.

It means they buried her alive!

Lift her up.

Take it easy.

She's in a state of catalepsy.

But she'll come out of soon. Don't worry.

What did you give her?

An infusion of medicinal herbs, and strophanthus for the heart.

Thank you, Doctor.

He doesn't want to be called Doctor. But he's very talented.

He can even heal the bite of a snapper.

She must have ingested a paralysing substance.

Someone might have wanted her dead.

What are you saying?

No one could have wanted to kill her.

It seems to me...

that to create the impression of death,

and lock the victim in a coffin,

and bury her...

the intent was to kill, sir.

To kill!

Don't you agree?

Do you love her very much?

Yes.

More than anyone else in the world.

I don't know how to thank you. Here.

No thanks. No money.

I did what I could to help someone come back to life.

We are all instruments of God,

in good and in evil. Remember that.

Who could have wanted to kill her?

Maybe he'll find someone out there. His kind always keep alert, sir.

Here I am,

close to you, Clara.

It's me, Andrea.

Clara? This is Andrea.

What happened?

Clara, for the love of God, tell me what happened.

Speak, Clara. Please, speak!

Good Lord!

Where am I?

Who brought me here?

Andrea...

Andrea...

Is that you?

Andrea!

Please help me.

I've waited so long for you!

Calm down. I'm here and I won't leave you again.

Forgive me for arriving too late.

Now, tell me who wants to hurt you.

I don't know.

I don't remember a thing.

It's nothingness.

Oh, Andrea...

I'm scared.

I'm so scared.

You don't have to be afraid anymore, Clara.

I'm here to protect you.

Now tell me how this could have happened.

I don't know.

In the past, everything was beautiful.

Everything seemed designed to make me happy.

"The Blue Danube" waltz - by Johann Strauss ii

I love you, Andrea.

Stop! Stop! You're making my head spin.

You're out of your mind!

I'm happy. It was a wonderful party.

I'll remember this birthday for the rest of my life.

And if you swear to secrecy, I'll tell you some exciting things.

I swear. I swear!

One asked me to be his wife, and another kissed me.

- Who's the first? - Count Guido Lampedusa.

30 years old, dark hair, nice moustache, tender eyes.

He made a formal request to my father.

A charming young man, but too impulsive.

- And who's the other? - Guess.

I know a dozen men willing to kiss or marry you.

The most handsome, the nicest, the strongest,

Andrea Valverde.

Lisa! What is it? Do you feel sick?

Say something! Speak!

My dear child,

the time has come to tell you a secret that only I know.

Your poor mother, before she died,

gave me this letter...

for you.

- A secret? - Yes, a secret.

Your mother told me to tell you when you came of age.

No one else needs to know.

- Not even my father? - Especially not him.

- A brother! - Calm down, I beg you.

If your father found out, who knows what he might do!

My brother. What happened to him?

He's a man now. I tried to keep him away from you.

Your mother suffered so much.

- But I couldn't raise him. - What's his name?

I'm the one who had him baptised.

We called him Andrea.

- Andrea! - Yes.

He was raised in the countryside,

sent to school until his 18th birthday,

then adopted by a gentleman from Palermo,

Don Cesare Valverde.

Valverde?

Andrea!

It's him!

Andrea!

Watch...

Now!

Everything has changed since our honeymoon.

Everything is more beautiful, more alive, more luminous.

No. Everything is as before.

- Maybe because it's autumn? - Maybe.

Clara, are you as happy as you were before?

What about you? What do you think?

I think so. But I'd like to hear you say it again.

- Are you feeling ill? - No.

Clara, what's wrong?

Nothing, it'll pass.

But this is the second time!

There's nothing to worry about. It happens to almost all women.

We'll soon have a child.

A child?

Quick! Let's go.

Let's hurry back to Palermo.

Calm down, calm down!

If you're like this now, how will it be in 9 months?

You must think only about yourself and about the baby.

You must avoid overwork.

Let's go back to the inn.