The Libertine (La matriarca)

No, you missed it. Higher!

Now smash! Up to the net.

I was playing tennis while he was...

Only three days ago.

I still feel numb.

Oh... What a relief.

Mimi...

Oh Mother, don't you ever understand?

Franco, forgive me... but I can't seem to feel anything.

I must be a very insensitive person.

Oh, no!

I understand how you feel.

I should, who better than I.

I remember when your father, God rest his soul...

Left us.

What horrible sandwiches.

In any case...

who can eat, at a time like this?

Excuse me.

I can.

At a time like this, I'm damn hungry.

I've managed to persuade Tony to drive you home.

Now, are you quite sure you won't sleep here?

You've no one in your house,

didn't you tell me Maria not to come back till tomorrow?

So what?

It will be marvellous, all alone at last.

Oh.

I mean, err... without having the maid to bother me.

Poor Mimi, you're so thin!

Don't you think it would be a good idea to have a check-up?

- Tony here can easily... - Certainly.

My clinic is at your service.

Come and have a check-up.

Make your mother happy.

Yes, alright. I'll think about it, Mother.

- Don't worry about me. - At least let Tony take you home.

- I'm ready. - No, no, don't bother Tony. I'll take a cab.

Bye.

No, I'll sleep in the maid's room.

Signora, I didn't expect you here.

- Maria... - Yes?

But weren't you supposed to come back tomorrow?

- Yes but I, err... - Never mind.

Can you go and sleep in there?

- In there? - Yes, in my bed.

I'll sleep here tonight.

Err...

It's very big, eh?

Yes, how come you've never been to look over your domain before?

I don't know, laziness?

I need your signature.

I never expected to have to take over my husband's affairs.

Where?

Here.

By the way...

Naturally, you know nothing about this, err...

property, A.Z.?

Naturally not. Why?

Well, I've only come to know of its existence lately.

It's an office situated in the Via Due Torri, I believe.

Yes, Via Due Torri. Number 37.

Well, what about it?

Nothing, I cannot find any papers which relate to this property.

No employees, no...

correspondence, no... registration.

Only the contract with the landlord, which dates roughly from...

Two years ago.

And no one has the keys.

You know, I believe Franco used it for err... tax evasion purposes, or err...

- Extra storage space. - Yes.

- Cigarette? - Aha.

What if there's someone in there?

We'll soon find out.

The director is out of the office for the moment.

- Franco! - If you wish to leave a message of up to one minute in length, begin now.

Hello, Tomcat...

It's a whole week since I've heard from you.

You're not dead by any chance? (laughs)

Has the little saint been monopolising you?

Little saint? What did she mean by that?

I suppose that's me.

Well, where do I go from here?

The Tomcat is dead, and the awful thing is I...

I still don't care.

Really, I don't.

Oh... Everything's automatic.

Hmm.

This is a side of Franco I never knew existed.

Well, he certainly managed to set everything up for himself.

To your very good health, widow.

Hmm, home movies.

Oh my God!

Oh, Franco!

Who's that?

Oh! It looks like Claudia!

It is Claudia!

My best friend!

How could she?

It's ridiculous.

I lived three years with a...

a sex maniac, and didn't even realise it!

What an idiot I am.

If he wanted to try this kind of thing,

Why didn't he try it with me?

Because he respected me. I was his wife.

Now look at him.

Oh really, playing doctor.

Ha, I did that when I was eight.

What an imagination.

Now I know why he always came with me when I went to the doctor's.

And I thought he was jealous!

Fool, how naive can you get?

Claudia again.

Poor girl!

Franco, how could you?

She must have annoyed him?

Like that time I...

No. I do believe she's enjoying it.

She is enjoying it.

The dirty...

And I helped her choose that underwear!

He's a sadist.

That looks like a serious book on the subject.

- Hmm? - You like it?

It's very exciting.

If you want, I have other... books.

Even better, with pictures...

No thank you.

- How much is it? - 2,000.

If you're interested in sex,

I have some pictures, hmm?

I'm sure.

- Just this. - Yes, thank you.

Hmm.

- Goodbye. - Mm-hmm.

Science has torn away the veil of mystery...

from the side of sex which has always been regarded as strange,

and revealed that in this enlightened age,

there is no longer any reason to regard perversions as uncommon.

Where was I?

Perversions...

"Nihil admirari”, the ancient Latin motto,

has more meaning today than...

Hello? Mimi, are you there?

Mimi, answer me this minute!

Yes, Mother?

- What are you doing? - Studying.

- What? - Psyho...

Latin.

- You need a check-up. - No Mother, I don't need a check-up.

- You, you do. - All right, Mother.

- When? - You fix it with Tony. Goodbye, Mother!

In this chapter, we will deal with the confessions of... of people who derive their pleasure...

from the inflicting of injuries, obscene language, and even murder.

Murder?

According to Binet's "Le fétichisme dans l'amour”,

erotic stimulation is often derived from inanimate objects.

These are called "fetishes”, or "love objects".

People can also have fetishes for parts of...

parts of the human body, such as ears, nose, hair, feet.

Or a physical liability such as crossed eyes or a limp.

The inanimate objects commonly include articles of feminine attire,

such as handkerchiefs, underwear, shoes.

There are those who enjoy drinking from a loved-one's shoe.

Ciao, Sandro. Were you watching me?

- Clients to lunch. - Aha.

- Would you like a drink? - No, I must take a shower first.

Listen, I've got an idea.

Why don't we dine together tonight?

It will take your mind off things.

Forget everything that's happened, hmm?

It would... do you good.

I didn't realise I said anything especially funny!

No, you didn't. I'm sorry.

Not this evening.

I have to...

to study.

Oh, by the way, I found the key to the A.Z. office.

Let's go have a look together?

What about tomorrow afternoon?

- Five o'clock be alright? - Sure.

With moonlight soft...

Music in a minor key.

The principle tricks of the provincial seducer.

- Mimi, I... - Ah. Come on.

You haven't seen anything yet.

Or have you been here before?

Maybe more than once?

The only thing your husband and I shared was business.

We can easily find out.

Everything here is on record.

Like it?