THE BEAST
Troubled dreams are in fact a passing moment of madness.
Your misogamy is beyond a joke, my dear Rammondelo.
Not at all. I simply want a long life for my nephew.
You yourself were married and you're still very much alive.
Yes, thank God.
My marriage to the Duchess Florence was extremely short lived.
Barely two months.
Mathurin will not last that long, he will die immediately,
and the boy wants to live.
If not for his father or his uncle,
at least for his horses.
Enough!
Your morbid hatred of womanhood, has nothing to do with my son's shyness.
Let me carry out my plans.
Lucy Broadhurst...
will marry Mathurin.
Listen to what Mrs Virginia Broadhurst wrote,
and what my son replied.
"My niece Lucy is anxious to meet Mathurin,
and this wish is not prompted by reason only,
- although the two fortunes... " - Love by correspondance!
Perhaps. History tells us of many similar cases.
Mathurin answered "yes".
What? Answered?
He writes letters now?
Mathurin the scribbler!
With his left hand?
Don't make fun of the poor boy.
You don't want to admit that Mathurin has become an adult.
You don't realize that for some time he has been lying to you.
He was writing to Lucy.
He realized that you wanted to ruin this house,
that your warnings betray your desire to destroy our family... my family.
It's you who are preparing his death.
There will be no execution.
You've not read everything.
Thank You.
Lucy's father wrote in his will, "I leave my daughter,
my only heir, quite free,
but these conditions must be respected in all events:
Firstly, she will marry Mathurin, only son of the Earl de l'Esperance.
Secondly, the marriage will be blessed personally by Cardinal Joseph de Balo,
brother of Rammondelo de Balo"
I hope the Cardinal will not refuse his brother to say his grand-nephew's nuptial mass.
- Try asking him. - Oh, no!
Since my son's birth I haven't spoken to your Cardinal.
It's you who must ask him now.
No!
Yes, you will Uncle.
If not, the secret you've hidden for 45 years will be revealed.
You poisoned your wife, Duchess Florence de Balo.
You're joking!
I have proof.
Show me.
You recognize this bottle? Your fingerprints are still on it.
All right, I'll call Joseph. But you're making a mistake.
- I'm never wrong. - Your son was never baptized.
Joseph will see the priest.
He's coming in half an hour.
I couldn't have him baptized when he was small.
- Now it can be done! - But nothing will change the nature of your son!
- Mathurin? - No, my Lord.
He wants to be alone.
- Call him now! - Very well, my Lord.
... four hours to get his agreement.
Impossible, he's not in the Vatican but in Africa.
Don't complicate things. I won't hesitate to call the police.
It's impossible.
Don't complicate things.
- Quiet, Father, you're upsetting my horses. - Mathurin?
Yes, it's me.
The priest will be here soon.
Come in!
Good morning, gentlemen.
What's happened?
Losen his collar.
Theodore, Modeste... open this window.
Ifany, go with the Duke. Some sleep will do him good.
- Father, don't hurt Mathurin, I beg you. - But we are here to bring joy, your Grace.
My uncle is needlessly excited.
- Excuse me. - Thank you.
Spring is the cause of our excitement.
We, frail humans, we are like animals, we suffer the laws of nature.
Alas!
Happily, we have this intelligence,
this heavenly gift, which enables us to fight our instincts.
- Good morning, Father. - Good morning, Sir.
Wash your hands and wait for us.
- Coffee? Brandy? - No, a drop of white wine. Theodore...
Oh, forgive me, my Lord, I haven't introduced them.
Theodore, an excellent singer,
and Modeste, a promising organist.
- Beautiful boys! You prefer sweets? - Thank you, my Lord.
Excuse me.
No, thank you, I've a toothache.
Ifany!
Give Father some port.
Ifany!
Where were you?
Pick up that snail.
Horrid little beast!
Throw it away.
- Then come back. - Yes, Sir.
A real dump, this place!
- Not happy? - Yes, I'm very happy.
Rome? The Vatican?
Cardinal Joseph de Balo's secretariat?
- Yes, that's right. - His Excellency the Cardinal, if you please.
This is Roberto Capia, the Cardinal's secretary.
His Excellency the Cardinal has not yet returned from his mission in Africa.
When will he be back?
We expect him at any moment. Who is speaking?
The Duke de Balo, the Cardinal's brother.
His Lordship and Mr Mathurin are in the bathroom.
Oh Wait.
- Take this to his Lordship. - Yes, your Grace.
I baptise you...
in the name of the Father, I baptise you...
Come in, ladies.
Thank you.
Come in.
Now come along, ladies!
I am the Duke de Balo.
Virginia Broadhurst.
Lucy Broadhurst.
- Maybe you are the Cardinal's brother?. - That's right. But it is not I who am the master of the house here.
Is Mr de l'Esperance away?
No, not at all. He's washing his son.
He's "washing" Mathurin?
I assure you they are in the bathroom. They will be out very shortly.
Would you rather wait in your rooms? They are ready for you.
We'll wait for Mr de l'Esperance and his son here.
Well then, sit down and I'll keep you company.
Does his Excellency Cardinal de Balo know about the will?
For any queries about the will and the marriage of your niece, Lucy Broadhurst, here beside us,
with Mathurin, my nephew's son,
please speak to his father.
Is it true ghosts haunt this house?
Who... Who said that?
Our cook, a Frenchwoman, Juliette.
I've never seen a single ghost here.
But the Countess Romilda de l'Esperance
did describe ghosts in her book two hundred years ago.
That's her! Romilda de l'Esperance.
She never wrote anything, she only left... a drawing in her herbal.
Herbal?
Here it is! The famous album.
Be careful turning the pages, my child. The dead leaves are very fragile.
Dead leaves?
Yes, Romilda's little hands stuck in these leaves
gathered in the park two centuries ago.
Look at page 115B very carefully.
No, that's 115A.
115B.
- "The scale... Six thousand, six hundred yards... " - It's easier with a magnifying glass.
"I met him and overcame him...
Romilda de l'Esperance. "
It's Romilda's corset.
It was found at the bottom of a pond.
Traces of claw marks... Can you see them, ladies?
Yes, indeed.
Ifany!
Goodbye, ladies!
Funny guy, Rammondelo de Balo...
Good morning, ladies.
Silly stories, don't believe a word
Since time immemorial, every 200 years,
the same day, same time, when Mercury moves away from the sun,
a beast arrives at our house... blah, blah, blah, blah.
Pierre de l'Esperance.
Virginia Broadhurst.
Lucy Broadhurst.
The jewel of our families and our pride.
I am happy to welcome you to my house.
Please forgive the lack of comfort.
My niece loves the country.
I like forests and animals.
You'll find a brotherly soul here.
I'm sure the date will be memorable in the lives of our children.
Ifany!
My boot...
Ifany
I'll get my son, he's dressing.
Oh, the men of today!
I suggest...
The Father of our parish...
I suggest you go to your rooms and rest for a while.
Your luggage will be brought up.
"The Cardinal's secretary hung up when I said my name. "
- Take up the ladies' luggage. - Yes, my Lord.
Cardinal Joseph de Balo will be arriving soon?
We expect him any moment. I spoke to him again this morning.
He said what a joy it would be to say the nuptial mass
and bless our children.
This way, please.
I've come to help with the bags.
"Sermons chosen from the Mysteries of the True Religion".
"The Maid of Orleans, mock-heroic poem in 18 verses by Voltaire. "
She's a serious girl,
well-brought up,
very pious...
of a rare beauty.
I'm afraid, Father.
But of what?
You're baptized now, like everyone else.
The original sin has been washed away.
I don't know anymore. When she was far away, I felt brave.
Now I'm losing my memory.
I've forgotten everything you taught me.
All your advice seems useless.
You can't change me, I'll always be Mathurin. I'm ugly.
What are you talking about?
Look...
You look like me.
Look! You are handsome.
No, I'm afraid, I'm afraid!
Your uncle, the Cardinal de Balo, will celebrate the mass,
and you will feel like a newborn baby.
You'll see, don't cry.
Lucy is resting in her room, her aunt too.
wait for them with the priest in the drawing room.
I'm with you, Uncle Rammondelo too, everyone...
You're lying, Rammondelo...
No, it's the truth, they won't speak to pagans.
You must tell Joseph of this capital event,
Mathurin's baptism.
They hang up as soon as I say my name,
as if I was Mathurin's father.
Your brother thinks you're an angel.
It'll be worse when he learns
the truth about the Duchess.
Pierre, think a moment,
it's not too late. You're losing your son for a sum of gold.
He's innocent.
The house is crumbling,
the ground is barren.
It's the beginning of the end.
Fate has sent Lucy to save us.
If you oppose this, you'll be responsible for the disaster,
and you'll be punished.
Hello! Hello!
This is the Cardinal de Balo's secretariat.
Rammondelo de Balo, the Cardinal's brother.
You see, I wasn't lying.
Hello, telegrams.
This is 228-2845.
- A telegram, please. - Who to?
Cardinal Joseph de Balo.
Vatican.
- The text? - The text...
"Mathurin baptized today. Stop.
Great joy to invite you to be with us...
for this happy event. "
Signed Rammondelo de Balo.
Who's this? Some very grown-up people.
I borrowed them from a friend.
Ifany!
Show Clarisse the dresses.
- Where did you put them? - Yes, they're up there.
Father, may I go out for a moment? I must get a dress for the mass.
- Yes, but the children first. - Yes, of course.
Please, Father...
leave the ladies in peace, they're resting.
Forgive us, my Lord.
- Whenever Modeste sees a keyboard, he can't help touching it. - I understand, it's stronger than him.
That's it. You know... music...
Father...
Cardinal de Balo is coming any minute.
I need you and your testimony.
Mathurin's baptism followed church rules.
You alone can prove it?
Yes, indeed, yes...
Our friendly relations with the parish go back a long time,
don't they?
Yes, we've never been enemies.
I was always convinced that Mr Mathurin would, one day, become a Christian.
And a Christian donator.
Mathurin, what will be your first act after the wedding?
Tell Father.
I will repair the church roof
and order a bell whose tone will be chosen by Lucy.
It will be like the Vatican's bells.
God will reward you.
Lucy Broadhurst is known for her kindness, and her piety is unequalled.
- Smoking again? - Yes.
Ifany!
- Stéphane's afraid, he's trembling. - I wasn't afraid! Not true!
You smell so good, and your clothes too...
"Your Mathurin... "
- The grey room. - Yes, my Lord.
- No telephone call? - No.
Pierre, if there's a meal, let me come.
I want to be near him maybe for the last time.
There will be no meal until the Cardinal comes.
If you're hungry you'll eat here. You will not leave the telephone.
If Rome calls, knock on the door
with the stick.
On the table, please.
Mathurin...
"Dear Lucy...
Allow me to disturb your rest.
I would be happy if you could come down
and we could meet with your aunt and my father.
You cannot imagine the joy I feel at the thought at what is about to happen.
My heart is beating.
Your Mathurin".
- Six people today. - My Lord, I've already set six places.
Well, tidy up here! Make some space!
The Cardinal appreciates good food.
As a child it was his favorite place.
It is a pity that his duties leave him so little time for his family.
But aunt, a vocation is everything. His Excellency certainly has
more important duties than blessing a marriage.
There is no doubt in my mind.
Yesterday, the Cardinal had to make a decision.
He certainly... No, no, thank you.
... certainly made the right one.
From his point of view?
From... his point of view, yes.
Do you think the Cardinal's absence could be due
to personal reasons?
A feeling of hostility towards us or towards you?
I don't think so. We've always been on good terms,
as we are with the church here.
Father can confirm this.
The promise of a donation
by Mr Mathurin and Miss Lucy to our church assures us of this.
We agreed with Mathurin by a letter
to give the village church a bronze bell.
Bronze, the symbol of the everlasting.
It's tone will be chosen by Lucy.
Tone?
The tone will be like a roman bell.
If I'm not mistaken, the will stipulates no deadline
for the date of the marriage.
It is the first of May, we have another forty-eight hours.
May I see it?
Just a moment.
It's quite true he smoked,
but he soon learned that tobacco was a poison.
He fell from his horse and broke his hand.
It's true that I broke my hand and that I smoked a great deal.
Then I stopped.
At first my hands trembled, and my whole body.
But I met a doctor, a vet to be precise, who visits our horses.
He gave me a wonderful cure.
I chew... I chew,
I don't smoke anymore. I chew all day like a squirrel.
Be quiet Mathurin! You'll wake your uncle.
Ifany!
Look after Mrs Broadhurst.
The case, quickly!
No, thank you, I've got some pills in my room.
My aunt is so nervous. We should take her to her room.
Yes, adieu, Lucy.
Modeste, light the way for the ladies on the stairs.
Hello.
- Anyone there? - His Lordship will be down soon.
What beautiful children of honor!
- What is your name? - Stéphane.
My name is Marie.
Such pretty names.
- What parish do you come from? - They come from Paris.
Clarisse!
This is really not the time to be playing with dolls.
Take them upstairs.
What about the Cardinal?
- Don't undress them, they can wait. - Very well, Daddy.
Fate is not being kind to us.
One must hope, one must have faith.
Only the Cardinal's arrival can make any radical change.
- Still no news? - No, no news.
The telephone is silent, my uncle is by it.
The Cardinal may knock without warning.
Let's believe in miracles.
Father, I'll call you when necessary. Go home.
No, if I may, I will try to find a corner here to wait for him.
He is having a tiring journey, let us be travelers too.
Joseph, I beg you, stay in Rome.
If you come, Mathurin will die.
This boy is my only joy. Without him I'll be the next to die.
Joseph, listen, I'll tell you the truth about his baptism.
Pierre baptized him because...
Hello? What's going on?
Rammondelo! Rammondelo!
Why aren't you responding?
Hello?
Someone shouted?
No, it was an illusion.
Oh, but you're awake too?
It's the noisy spring in your chair which must have woken me.
I suggest, Father, you go to a room upstairs.
My Lord, we're very comfortable here.
Besides, his Excellency will be arriving soon.
Certainly. I'm going to call again.
Sleep peacefully. I will come and wake you.
Take him.
Come and help me.
Now pick him up.
Carefully, carefully...
Put him there.
Don't touch him!
I'll call the doctor... in the drawing-room.
Poor boy, he drank too much.
Careful of the plaster...
Ifany!
Put him in the armchair.
On my desk.
Father, watch over his body and his soul. I'll call the doctor.
Mrs Broadhurst!
Don't go! Don't go!
Bestiality, that is to say, copulating with an animal, is the most odious crime
because it debases man,
created in the image of God.
It is most contrary
to the laws of nature.
That is why Leviticus...
punished by death
not only the guilty man or woman
but also the beast itself.
Should simple caressing of a beast
be considered a sin of bestiality?
Unchaste caressing of a beast
should not be forgotten at confession.
For example, as if to defile herself,
a woman has a dog or cat that lick her vulva,
or if she touches the sex of the animal until it ejaculates...
That's why Vernier advises confessors to ask women,
particularly those of a lustful nature, if they have acted shamefully
with an animal.
Often in this way,
shameful secrets are revealed.