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“THE VIRTUOUS BURGLAR”
Voice Hello, hello, answer me……who’s speaking?
Burglar Oh! Finally!
Voice Ohhhh…finally….who’s speaking?
Burglar Maria……is that you?
Voice Yes, it’s me, why didn’t you answer me?
Burglar You must be crazy! Now you’re even calling me at work? What if there had been someone at home, I would have been caught!
Wife of B But you yourself told me that the owners were away...and, anyway, I couldn’t stand it anymore….I was worried about you….. even just now, when I called and you didn’t answer.
Burglar Sorry, I didn’t do it on purpose, how could I know it was you…
Wife of B What do you mean?
Burglar Nothing, nothing……now let me go….I have already wasted enough time.
Wife of B Oh, I’m waste of time am I...thanks! I’m bursting with worry…
Burglar What are you doing?
Wife of B Yes I’m bursting, I’m worried sick about you…
Burglar But darling, think about it…..Can’t you understand that I’m not here to enjoy myself.
Wife of B How you exaggerate…….go on…….be a martyr then! There are lots of people who steal, and plunder, and even some who commit armed robbery…and they don’t carry on like you do.
Burglar Shut up!
Wife of B What is it?
Burglar It’s just the Grandfather clock, thank heavens…
Wife of B What lovely chimes……it must be an antique…..would it weigh much?
Burglar …Yes it would probably weigh…….but surely you’re not suggesting I bring it home for you?
Wife of B Oh no, God forbid…Why would I expect something like that…sparing a little thought for me, a little present …not even in my dreams…
Burglar You just don’t think, do you! If I were to put that great big box on my back you tell me where I would put the silver and whatever else I manage to find?
Wife of B Inside the box
Burglar Why don’t you suggest I bring you home the fridge as well, there’s a nice one in the kitchen, it’s only around 200 litres!
Wife of B Don’t raise your voice, thank you very much…..you’re not at home now!
Burglar Sorry, I forgot myself for a moment
Wife of B Apart from the fact that someone might hear you, it’s also bad manners.
Burglar I said sorry
Wife of B And anyway, I never said I wanted a fridge, and especially not a 200 litre one, I wouldn’t know where to put it! I’d just like something little, after all it’s the thought that counts….you decide. You choose a present for me.
Burglar But how do I know what you would like…..and anyway I have other things on my mind.
Wife of B Okay fine, then I could come and choose it for myself….
Burglar Oh yes, that’s all I need!
Wife of B I would really love to see how the other half lives…..and my friends would just die of envy.
Burglar I’m the one who’s going to die, because you are going to give me a heart attack! I am here to steal, can you please understand that. Goodbye, I’m going.
Wife of B What’s your hurry……can’t you just be nice to me for once, after all I am your wife….you even married me in Church with music and bridesmaids!
Burglar I said goodbye!
Wife of B A little kiss at least……
Burglar Okay then
Wife of B Do you love me?
Burglar Yes…..I love you
Wife of B Lots and lots?
Burglar Lots and lots! Now hang up…..
Wife of B You first…
Burglar Ok…me first…
Wife of B Remember my little present!
Female voice There’s a light on in the sitting room…Oh God…I’m scared, let’s leave!
Male voice Stay calm…I must have left it on…who else could it have been?
Female voice What if your wife has come home?
Man What are you talking about…my wife! Why would she have come back into town! She wouldn’t come back in even if she knew the house was being robbed…See? There’s no-one here.
Woman I feel so guilty…Who knows what you’ll think of me…Maybe it was wrong of me to give in to you so easily. I’ll bet your wife resisted far more that I have been able to…
Man What’s my wife got to do with it? She has always been a woman full of complexes, a prim and proper bourgeois. She resisted only so she could get married in white.
Woman You did marry her though…I would just like to know if you would do the same with me.
Man Darling…I assure you that if my wife didn’t have such old fashioned ideas, and your husband didn’t have a problem with it…
Woman Great, now you have ruined it…Why did you have to remind me that I have a husband? Now how am I going to do it? Now that you have made me feel even more guilty…
Man Sorry, I didn’t mean to. Maybe if we try and talk about other things…you know, this and that…maybe that would distract you again, then we can go from there.
Woman Go where?
Man To my room…
Woman Okay, maybe that’s the best idea…let’s try.
Man Going to my room?
Woman No. Talking…about this and that.
Man And couldn’t we go to my room to talk about this and that?
Woman Please, don’t insist. Let’s talk…let’s talk about when you were a baby…I just love babies…
Man Alright then…but if you don’t mind I’ll start from when I was 5, before that I really don’t remember anything.
Woman Only 5? What a pity…I prefer younger children…they’re more innocent, less mischievous…but if that’s all you can remember…
Man Okay, I remember when I was 5 years old I was still a baby…and I was about to turn 6…Oh! No! listen let’s forget it…I feel stupid…You have been teasing me for the last hour…First my wife, then your husband…Poor man, if he had to put up with all of this nonsense…
Woman No my dear, with him it was completely different…he gave in to me straight away…
Man What do you mean he gave in straight away?
Woman It was me who invited him to my place, therefore it was me who had to make him give in. If you take away from love the pleasure of the conquest, what else is left? Unfortunately my husband has always been embarrassingly weak and he gave in straight away. That’s why I despise him. But with you I think it will be different…You insist so well! Insist, I beg you…Insist!
Man Yes, I insist, I really insist, let’s go in there. Who could it be?
Woman Your wife?
Man No…not my wife…Why would she call? And who would she be calling? Certainly not me…She thinks that I am at my mother’s…and anyway it doesn’t sound like a long distance call…It’ll just be a prank call or a wrong number. Let’s go in there, it’ll stop soon you’ll see.
Woman I beg you, make it stop, it’s driving me crazy.
Man There, all done; now it won’t bother us anymore.
Woman Oh my God! What have you done! Now they will know that you’re home…Who else could have taken it off the hook?
Man I’m so stupid…You’re right! And they may suspect that I’m not alone, that I’m trying to hide something dirty.
Woman Thanks, why don’t you just tell me that I’m disgusting? And I was just about to give in to you…
Man But darling…let’s not misunderstand each other. Let’s not lose our heads…stay calm…After all why should they think it’s me who took the phone off the hook? It could have been anyone…I don’t know?
Woman Yes, sure…someone passing by…
Man Exactly
Woman Someone just passing by…a Burglar maybe?
Man Um, yes, maybe…What are you saying… a Burglar! If they thought that they would call the police straight away.
Woman Exactly, and how do we know they haven’t already done it. Oh my God! They’ll find us here together, they’ll arrest us… Oh my God, the police!
Burglar The police…that’s all I need…how do I escape?
Man Wait, let’s think about this.
Woman I’m scared…let’s go, I beg you!
Man Okay then, let’s go…but don’t you want to get your fur coat at least?
Woman Oh yes, my fur…I really have lost my head…that would have been a nice mess to leave it here. Oh! What’s that?
Man Nothing dear, it’s the Grandfather clock, it just struck one o’clock.
Woman Sorry, but I am just so nervous. You seem to have lost your head too, look, we were about to leave without putting the phone back on the hook.
Man Hello?
Wife of B Oh finally…I have been calling for an hour. Would you mind telling me why you hung up before?
Man Excuse me but, to whom am I speaking?
Wife of B Oh, great, now you don’t even recognise your wife’s voice anymore!
Woman Your wife! I knew it…Oh, my God!
Wife of B Who is standing next to you? You scoundrel…I heard a woman’s voice…who is it?
Man Calm down, there must be a mistake, I’ve never heard this voice.
Wife of B But I heard it! There’s no point trying to be smart…you scoundrel, two-timer, I’ve finally caught you…now I understand why you didn’t want me to come to that house. You will have to come home though…and then…
Man Look, there must be a mistake…I think you must have the wrong number…you are speaking with the Frazosi household.
Wife of B I know, I know, the Frazosi household, Cenini Street 47 apartment 3…now stop being smart, and don’t try to camouflage your voice because it’s not working…you scoundrel…of course he didn’t want to be disturbed at work…
Man Who’s working?
Wife of B Nice job you’ve got, having a good time with other women! Traitor, fake, liar! It’s so true that he who is a liar is also a Burglar, I mean that he who is a Burglar is also a liar!
Man How dare you, Burglar, fake, who do you think you are speaking to?
Wife of B With my husband…who else?
Man If your husband is a fake Burglar…that’s his business, but I’m not your husband but my wife’s husband, who luckily for her…isn’t here otherwise…
Woman That’s all we need!
Wife of B First of all my husband is not a fake Burglar, but a real one…
Man Congratulations madam
Wife of B And anyway, if you aren’t my husband, what are you doing in that house?
Man My dear lady, this is my house!
Wife of B So, you are at your house, with a woman who isn’t your wife…alone, at this time of night, after having made everyone think that you weren’t in town?
Woman We have been caught!
Wife of B Well it’s obvious that you’re also a traitor, fake and a liar and therefore also a Burglar…just like my husband.
Man I don’t care a fig for your husband. Rather, would you mind explaining to me just who told you that I shouldn’t have been in town?
Wife of B My husband…He always tells me where he is going. He had been spying on you for ten days.
Man What do you mean?
Wife of B He was just waiting for the right moment.
Man Your husband was waiting? Why was your husband interested in knowing…
Woman Don’t you understand? Your wife was having you followed by this woman’s husband who is evidently a detective.
Man Ah, now I understand; what a fine fellow!
Wife of B Well, it is his job!
Man It’s certainly a great job, does it seem the right thing to you to do everything you can to make a wife leave her own husband.
Wife of B My husband, makes wives leave their husbands? What are you talking about?
Man Oh stop trying to be clever…and don’t try and tell me that you don’t know anything about it…My wife…playing a trick like this on me…It really is true that mutual trust is dead! I’m so stupid, I was fooling myself: <There are certain things that my wife isn’t capable of…she is an old fashioned woman, naïve > I’m the one who’s naïve!
Wife of B But what do you mean? You think that your wife and my husband?…
Man Think? I’m completely sure of it…and please, stop acting!
Wife of B Okay, okay, where exactly is my husband now?
Man How should I know…if you don’t know
Wife of B I know that not less than one hour ago he was there at your house.
Man Here in this house?
Donna He would have gotten the keys from your wife.
Man Of course…to be able to come and go any time of day or night…and I bet that now he will be at <Villa Ponente>…
Wife of B At <Villa Ponente>? And what would my husband have gone down there for?
Man What do you mean? He didn’t tell you? I thought your husband never kept anything from you about what he does and where he goes. Anyway I’ll help you out: at <Villa Ponente>, 34 Aristide Zambone street, telephone 7845, my wife is there, my wife for only a little longer!
Woman What shame, what a scandal… when my husband finds out, it will be a big shock for him…poor thing! If I think about the sacrifices that I made in order to keep him in the dark about everything so as not to hurt him…Even this last affair…and right now too, just when we’re on the brink…
Man Isn’t it worse still for me? I had decided to finally take myself off the council, but now after this scandal, I’m sure they will make me a candidate for Mayor!
Woman Well then, what can we do? All that is left for us to do is to run away or give ourselves up.
Man Well, let’s not get carried away; give ourselves up! How? And what for? After all what have we done? Did they catch us in the act? No, just the opposite, we were just talking about this and that…we were talking about babies…
Woman It’s true I was just saying to you how much I loved babies…
Man Yes…but maybe it’s better not to say that, people are malicious, they could accuse us of premeditation: I’m so angry… I would shoot myself!
Woman There we go, maybe this is the only solution, the best one!
Man What? The best solution? Are you crazy? I can just see the headlines: <Town councillor, as Assistant Mayor he celebrated more than 50 marriages, kills himself after committing adultery> How people will laugh!
Woman Don’t be vulgar, please.
Man And I bought it!
Woman Can’t you possibly be a little more sensitive, a little more understanding, at least when it comes to me? Don’t you understand that I’m in despair?
Man How preposterous! In despair! What do you want from me? Do you want me to shoot myself? Okay then, I will! Then you will be happy!
Woman Nooooo…What are you doing?…Stop.
Man What?…Now you don’t want me to shoot myself?
Woman But darling, if you don’t take off the safety catch and you don’t put the bullet in…like this. Now, yes, you can shoot yourself…
Man Ah…Ah…now I can…
Woman Go on hurry up, you don’t want to find yourself still alive when your wife arrives? What a strange clock, first it struck one o’clock, and now it’s striking midnight…it seems to be going backwards…I mean the other way round…
Man It really is strange…It’s never happened before…maybe it’s a sign from Heaven! The hand of destiny that comes to stop the suicidal hand…to remind me that time, life, they can be stopped, but that then one can never go back in time! Oh thank you, blessed hand of Heaven…my dear Grandfather clock, you have saved my life!
Voice of B Ow ow… Damn it!…Stop, that’s enough
Man That’s Destiny for you!
Burglar Ow what a whack! Good evening…excuse me, but you wouldn’t have any ice by chance? I feel lumps coming up!
Woman Lumps?! What a vulgar destiny!
Man Would you mind telling us exactly who you are? What are you doing in my house? Answer me or I’ll give you some lumps...
Woman Oh please, don’t you be vulgar as well…After all what would it cost you to give him a bit of ice.
Burglar Come on, for a little bit of ice…
Man Now then, would you really like me to lose my patience? Who are you
Who are you?
Burglar I’ll tell you straight away sir…I am…the husband…I mean, that woman who called before is my wife…and I am her husband.
Man Ah… you are the husband…very good!
Burglar Yes, yes….we got married in church.
Man I’m very pleased for you, then you will be fortunate enough to be buried consecrated soil.
Burglar What do you mean buried!… No, no…You can’t get rid of me like this…You don’t have the right. Madam, you are the witness that I am not armed…Look if he shoots me he will be in trouble: article 127 of the penal code…at the most he can shoot into the air if I run away…but as I am not running away, he can’t. I’m just telling you that it would be premeditated homicide.
Woman Oh, you know the law quite well, you do…sure, the law is always on your side…but if everyone decided to shoot you in the spine like they do with spies in the war…That’s it, that’s what you have to do; shoot him in the spine…Sir, can you turn around please.
Burglar I’m sorry, but I have no desire to play war-games! Rather, let’s call the police…
Man Ah, he’s clever! Let’s call the Police! The police finds out about the adultery, we’re done for, and he gets the prize.
Burglar I get the prize? Who’d give me a prize?
Man My wife.
Burglar You’re mad…I don’t even know who your wife is…
Woman What a hypocrite…you don’t know her? Shoot him now, please. He disgusts me…
Man One moment. How long have you been inside here?
Burglar Since 11.47…I got in just when you two arrived. Why?
Man Then you were inside the clock the whole time, you couldn’t telephone! Maybe if we hurry up, we can still save ourselves.
Woman Yes, save ourselves, and he will go and blab everything!
Burglar No, no, I don’t blab, word of honour…I won’t blab…I don’t know how to…see?!
Man Anyway if we kill him the evidence would be too obvious.
Woman Maybe we could seriously injure him.
Man What for?
Burglar I agree, what for?
Woman I know what for. If we manage to hit a certain nerve right here behind his neck, and he would completely lose his memory.
Man But are you sure about that?
Woman Absolutely certain. Anyway he would be paralysed and he couldn’t talk, so it would be a good result for us all the same.
Burglar But for me it wouldn’t be good at all. Isn’t there another way, something a little less dangerous? Come on Madam, think of something else…after all you are very clever!
Woman Yes, maybe there is another solution: Get him drunk! No-one would believe the evidence of a drunk!
Man It’s true! I have always said you’re an amazing woman!
Burglar Yes, yes, Madam is quite amazing…I knew it straight away, I did…Well then what shall we drink? If it’s all the same to you I would prefer some red wine, white wine upsets my stomach…ever since I was young, I remember…
Man No, no, not wine, it takes too long; it’s better with whisky or gin: three nice big glasses and you’re there.
Burglar To tell the truth…I don’t really like whisky, it tastes like kerosene.
Donna This brand doesn’t taste like kerosene, it’s the real Scotch stuff.
Man What do you think, what’s it like?
Burglar Excellent! Really very special!
Man I’m sure it’s good, it should be after what it cost!
Burglar Could you give me another drop?
Man Eh….let’s go slow! If you gulp it down like that, what are we going to drink?
Woman Don’t be mean, please…and anyway he’s the one who has to get drunk, isn’t that so?
Burglar Yes, I’m the one who has to get drunk…But if you want, why don’t you get sozzled too. Ah, Ah if I told my wife about this she wouldn’t believe me…Talking about my wife, what exactly did you say to her that got her so angry, I’m sure you’ve dropped me right in it you two…now please let me call her to explain this ruse.
Man What ruse?
Burglar Yes, that it was you two who got me drunk…to stop me from talking…about what, however, that is something only you two know.
Woman Ah, you’re very clever, you want a witness…you were right dear it’s better we just kill him…and not think about it anymore.
Man Yes, yes, that’s a better idea…Eh…let’s not joke around.
Burglar You’re the ones who have to stop joking around…First you make me stay inside that clock for an hour getting struck in the head, then you make my wife turn against me, then you want to paralyse me. Have you finished, yes or no? I came here to steal not to play the clown!
Man To steal?
Burglar Certainly, I am a burglar, a serious one.
Woman A Burglar? Now it comes out that he’s a Burglar! Oh please! Where is the black mask, the stripey jumper, the felt slippers?
Man Yes, where are they?
Burglar Black mask? Felt slippers? Do you think I come straight from the Sunday paper cartoons. And anyway, what do you know about thieves?
Woman For your information, I know everything about thieves… I have studied for a television quiz…which happened to be on <famous crimes and burglaries>…
Man Ah, now I understand how you knew all about how to use a gun! I’m sorry that you chose badly, maybe you should invent some other job because that one just doesn’t wash with us.
Burglar Listen, you’re the one being funny, haven’t you every heard about the Martello band.
Woman The Martello band, made up of Mangia, Serafini, and Tornati Angelo also called “Lucky”
Burglar Tornati Angelo also called “Lanky” and not “Lucky”… “Lanky” which means long…
Woman Long…oh please…But he was tiny!
Man Say small at least
Burglar Why, do I seem small?
Man But what’s it got to do with you?
Burglar What do you mean, what’s it got to do with me! If you don’t mind, Tornati Angelo also known as “Lanky” is me! And if you don’t believe it, look here are my release papers from Santo Stefano Penitentiary. I served three years in there if you don’t mind!
Woman Oh isn’t it wonderful, it’s really him, “Lucky”…pardon… “Lanky”! What a pleasure! You don’t mind do you sir? A burglar, a real burglar…this has never happened to me before! Please let me have a look at you.
Man What are you doing mow? This scoundrel comes to my house to steal…and you kiss him…It’s disgusting!
Woman Oh please! Don’t talk like that. <It’s disgusting…> What do you know? Have you ever kissed a burglar?
Man No
Woman Well then? Try, and then you can tell me if it’s as disgusting as you say! Who could it be?
Burglar I bet it’s my wife again. No, let me have the please of explaining to her…Hello, Maria? You’ve got me in a nice mess you have, calling me! I told you that when I am working you must leave me in peace, even if the house is on fire. I want you to stay calm at home, do you understand?
Man But it’s not the telephone…it’s the door bell.
Burglar Ah, that’s why she let me talk!
Man Who is it?
Anna Who do you think it is, it’s me, Anna!
Woman Oh, my god…this time it really is your wife!
Man Ah, it’s you dear…I wasn’t expecting you…why are you here, what happened?
Anna I’d like to ask you what happened. Some crazy woman called me…hurling insults at me.
Burglar A crazy woman! That’s my wife…I’d swear on it!
Anna What are you waiting for, open the door!
Man Yes, I’ll open it straight away. This is all we needed…now what are we going to tell her?
Burglar Ah, I think I’ll just jump out the window.
Man No, my friend…that would be too easy…it’s yours and your wife’s fault that we’re in this great big mess, and it’s up to you to get us out of it!
Burglar Me, and how can I do that?
Man One moment. May be if you two are able to pass as husband and wife…we’ll get away with it!
Woman What do you mean? Married to him, a man that I don’t even know?
Man Don’t worry, love is sure to follow! And anyway it’s better to pass for the wife of a fake husband than the lover of a real husband! Now I’m serious, so stop messing around…or else…
Woman Oh God, what a mess…Stand up, let’s have a look. Didn’t you have a less squalid suit to wear? When one goes out, what a great impression you make…do you know that when the husband is scruffy it’s always the wife’s fault?
Burglar I know, but I never imagined that something like this would happen…anyway at home I have a lovely pinstriped suit, I’ll go and get it.
Woman No. Oh these lumps!
Burglar It’s just like this, Madam
Anna Okay then, would you mind telling me exactly what is going on. Who’s in the house with you?
Man Now I’ll explain everything to you…there was a misunderstanding but now everything is resolved.
Anna What misunderstanding? Weren’t you supposed to be at your mother’s? What are you doing at home?
Man That’s the point, that’s exactly what I wanted to explain to you…Can I? My friend Dr Angelo Tornato…
Burglar Tornati…
Man Yes, sorry Tornati, and Madam…
Burglar It was your husband who married us! Love will surely follow, that’s what he said.
Man Yes, when I was still Deputy Mayor!
Woman Please forgive us for the inconvenience…and at such an unseemly hour…but we really had to see your husband because…something happened…I mean…see…
Anna Tell me rather, was it you who called me?
Man Yes, yes, it was her…but you must understand, the poor thing, she was so distraught!
Woman Forgive me Madam but it was jealousy that made me lose my head, who knows why but I had convinced myself that my husband was having an affair with you…But now that I have seen you, I ask myself how I could ever have thought such a thing…
Anna Why, do I seem that unpleasant to you? Why don’t you just call me a monster, you might as well!
Woman No Madam, that’s not what I meant at all! In fact, you seem so distinguished…that, knowing my husband’s rather vulgar taste…
Burglar What do you mean, I have vulgar taste?
Anna I am sorry that you feel vulgar, my dear, seeing that your husband married you, but that doesn’t mean that you should consider me so beneath you.
Burglar Okay, that’s enough, first vulgar…now you want to wipe the floor with me…
Man Now, lets not exaggerate, dear, he may not be anything to write home about, it’s true, but some may find him pleasing!
Anna Well done, what a great husband I’ve got! Instead of feeling offended that his wife’s honesty was doubted, he insists that I find my presumed lover attractive! How crazy!
Woman No Mam, that’s not what your husband meant, he meant to say that a woman, when she’s in love, always thinks that her own husband, even if he does have vulgar taste, could be pleasing to other women.
Anna What great reasoning that is! It’s like saying that because I like my husband, then you for example must also like him! And if that’s so, why don’t you take him as your lover then.
Woman Thanks but no thanks.
Anna And you, Sir, have nothing to say?
Burglar To tell you the truth, I would also prefer to have her as my lover, instead of my wife…as long as your husband has nothing against it…he’s the one who has to decide after all…he’s the one who married us!
Anna That’s funny, that’s very funny; now I understand why your wife is worried about other woman…funny men are the most dangerous men, especially those with vulgar taste!
Burglar She called me vulgar again!
Woman Yes, he really is dangerous…you couldn’t imagine how dangerous he is!
Man Okay, let’s not exaggerate…All men are dangerous, some more and some less so!
Anna That’s certainly not the case for you, darling! Oh, look at them, aren’t they cute, they look just like newlyweds! You two look so good together…it’s true isn’t it dear?
Man Yes, but now…maybe it’s better we all said goodbye…it’s getting a bit late…
Anna Don’t be mean, please… Be our guests, stay as long as you want. Even better, why don’t we have something to drink?
Burglar Great, whisky like before…
Woman You’re too kind…but we have already taken advantage of your kindness…And, anyway, it really is getting late, I wouldn’t want my husband to get home and not…to get home too late…We live quite a long way away, on the other side of the city, and he has to get up really early tomorrow morning…right dear?
Burglar Eh?
Anna Well then, why don’t you sleep here at our house, we have a free bedroom, go on, you tell them too dear!
Man Yes, why don’t you sleep here tonight? What am I saying? Maybe they prefer…
Burglar Yes, yes we really do prefer that.
Anna Good, see? They prefer to stay! You can’t imagine what a pleasure it is…
Woman But really…we are here with nothing, and my husband just can’t get to sleep without his pyjamas!
Anna Well, if that’s all, you’ll give him some of yours, the new ones, right dear?
Man But of course!
Anna Come with me Madam, I’ll show you the room…You’ll just love it, I’m sure. I’ll just steal her for a moment.
Man Was it really necessary for you to act the clown? You ragtag Don Juan! You don’t really think you’re going to sleep with my…and in my pyjamas…You can get that thought right out of your head!
Burglar Nothing of the sort! Who had the bright idea to make me the husband of their lover? And then you get all worried about it…A poor wretch comes here to make a bit of money…and not only is he unable to take away even a broken clock, but he has to aid and abet your sordid affairs! No, no, I’m sorry, now you will do me the pleasure of calling my wife..even better, first we’ll call your wife and we’ll tell her the truth… then I’ll also call the police station. It’s always better to be interrogated by the police than by my wife!
Man Oh listen to him, the gentleman is offended! We have disturbed him during his saintly work! But we’ll soon fix things. You came here to steal? Well then steal, come on! Burgle away all you want, there are some golden spoons there too, please be my guest!
Burglar No, thank you, I don’t really like stealing this way…Thank you, another time perhaps…Well if you insist…Okay, if you wish…
Man I said steal… and plunder, I will not let you go around saying that at my place one can’t burgle profitably, that thieves are disadvantaged!
Burglar I never said that.
Man You’re the type to say it…come on, take these as well.
Burglar I wouldn’t want to take advantage of your kindness, of your goodness…
Man Don’t be so virtuous, come on…
Wife of B Oh no, my goodness, Sir, don’t kill him. He will give everything back, but don’t kill him.
Burglar Maria!!! Where did you come from?
Wife of B The door was open…
Burglar What a ninny I am, I climbed up three floors to get here!
Wife of B Forgive me…it’s all my fault, I know…I understood too late…But now it’s better that you give everything back to the gentleman…Then, even if you get a few months, it’s Christmas time and it’s not that bad in prison…they even give you Christmas cake and mandarins…I beg you give yourself up!
Man His wife, that’s all we needed!…Now, what exactly do I say to my wife when she finds out that you have two wives!
Wife of B Who’s got two wives?
Burglar It’s got nothing to do with me. He gave me a wife, so his wife wouldn’t find out…that she wasn’t my wife…but just a wife…
Wife of B Ah, you traitor, liar, murderer…how stupid am I, I though that you were doing it with his wife and instead you already have another wife…who isn’t even his wife…now I’m going to kill you. How do you do it, how do you do it?
Man You don’t do anything! For goodness sake, don’t make such a din…If the other two wives hear us…I’m ruined it’s true…but also your husband. Listen to me, I beg you: I’m not going to stand here and tell you the why and wherefore. That would take too long… but, in short, if you want to save your husband…keep calm. Oh no…here they come…now what are we going to come up with?
Anna Your dear little wife, Mr Tornati…is waiting for you…I have also brought some pyjamas for you because if I waited for my husband to…Oh, excuse me dear…who is this other lady?
Man Who?
Wife of B I am a wife too…may I? Maria Tornati…
Anna But what do you mean? Another wife?
Man Yes, dear, that’s exactly what I wanted to explain to you before…this lady…would be
Wife of B What do you mean “would be”…I am the wife!
Man Exactly, I am the wife…she is the wife of Mr Tornati…The first wife of my friend Tornato…
Burglar …ti
Man …to-ti
Burglar …ti-ti-ti Tornati.
Man The first wife from whom Tornati is divorced.
Anna Oh, he looks like the one who works in films.
Man Yes, yes he works in films…he is a producer.
Anna Producer…and what sort of films do you make? Excuse me, but what is that? It’s my silver, what are you doing?
Burglar Stealing…
Man Nooo! He was telling me about one of his new films…where there was a scene about a burglary…and he was showing me…
Anna Oh how interesting! You are a specialist then.
Burglar Yes, I come from a long line…
Anna And your wife?
Wife of B No…I’m not allowed to, he always leaves me at home…
Anna No, I was saying…what’s this story of a divorce…if they’re divorced why is his wife still his wife? I mean, now he has two of them!
Man Exactly…he remarried…but the State, contesting canon law didn’t consider the divorce to be valid even if it allowed the second marriage to go ahead. Therefore the poor thing finds himself at the same time to be a bigamist, a concubine, a sinner and a practising catholic…
Wife of B What are you talking about? A you said nothing to me?
Burglar But I didn’t even know…But how can I be a practising bigamist?!
Anna Oh, my dear lady…some things it’s just better not to know about…and anyway even when you do know about them you never understand them…The poor thing…who knows where it will all end…maybe they’ll make him stand trial, then they’ll send him to jail like a common criminal.
Man Yes, like a burglar, and all because he has a wife…
Anna What do you mean?
Man I mean two wives…
Anna Yes, speaking of that, what about your other lady? Maybe it’s better she doesn’t find out that she is here…poor thing…and what can be done! Even if everyone agreed , it’s only a small double bed…and the three of you would be very uncomfortable.
Man Don’t worry dear…we’ll sort everything out.
Wife of B Like fun we’ll sort everything out, don’t think you’re going to get out of it that easily…
Burglar Yes, yes, but for now let’s go in the other room.
Man Come Madam, I’ll introduce you to the wife of your husband…I mean…umm, after you!
Anna Poor woman, oh my goodness what a mess, and look how much they’ve drunk.
Anna Anna, are you alone?
Anna Oh my god, Antonio, what’s gotten into you? Get out of here, quickly, get out of here, my husband’s at home.
Antonio Would you mind telling me what happened to you? You made no sense on the telephone…What was all that stuff about my wife phoning you?
Anna Nothing, nothing, there was a misunderstanding, thank God. I received a phone call from a woman who started screaming at me about her husband.
Antonio And you thought it was my wife?
Anna Exactly, I don’t know your wife and I’ve never heard her voice. I got such a big fright! But you can’t stay here, go away, we’ll see each other tomorrow.
Antonio Oh, I have to leave now do I?…No, my dear, I’m not falling for that. The telephone call, the misunderstanding, your husband coming home when he’s meant to be at his mothers…no there’s something not quite right here. You planned it all…
Anna Are you crazy? How can you think such a thing?
Antonio Don’t lie…and these glasses? It’s clear to me…everything was in place…Where is he…what’s his name…it’s better for you if you just tell me!
Burglar Am I disturbing you? I just wanted to get this sack.
Antonio Ah, here he is…with the pyjamas and all…I can see the “gentleman” is all ready to go.
Burglar Excuse me, the lady herself gave them to me, but if you want them, take them, there’s no need to throttle me over some pyjamas…
Antonio I know she gave them to you, and that’s exactly why the two of you are going to pay!
Anna Oh, Antonio, I beg you…you’re making a terrible mistake. This gentleman is a friend of my husband’s and he’s here as our guest with his two wives.
Voices of Women But no my dear, I’m not the village idiot!
Careful what you say…who are you calling a harlot?
Antonio They are your wives? How many have you got?
Anna Oh, I beg of you…Mr Tornati, don’t say anything to my husband about this…
Burglar No, no, I won’t say a thing…
Antonio Thank you…and sorry for the misunderstanding.
Burglar What’s one more misunderstanding, after all it’s been a whole evening of misunderstandings!
Anna Now, you must leave. Where did you put the key?
Antonio Here, in my overcoat…Oh no, it’s fallen down into the lining…there was a hole in the pocket…that’s all we needed.
Anna Here it is! Oh no. You made me drop it…
Burglar Don’t move, here it is…oh what, now where has it gone?
Antonio Oh, go slowly, you’re tearing all the lining…Oh no, now it’s gone into my sleeve.
Anna Here they come, and now what are we going to do?
Burglar Listen, come inside. I’ve already spent a couple of hours in here and it’s not too bad. I’ll warn you though, soon it’s going to strike the hour, careful when it bangs. And remember, no smoking.
Wife of B Seeing they don’t want to explain anything to me, we’re going home and you’ll explain it all!
Burglar Why do you want to go home, it’s so nice here, and everybody has been very kind. Look, they even gave me some pyjamas. Anyway, even if we wanted to, I don’t know how we would get out…There’s no key.
Wife of B Well it shouldn’t be difficult for you to pick the lock…That’s what you do for a living, don’t you?
Anna What a lot of keys. Why so many?
Man I’ve already told you, he’s a producer, and if a producer doesn’t have at least five or six offices…two or three villas…and a couple of pied a terre what sort of producer is he?
Antonio Ohhh my head hurts oh, oh, oh
Burglar I did warn you…And now there isn’t even any ice.
Woman But that’s my husband…Hello dear!
Antonio Giulia…what are you doing in this house?
Anna What, you know Mr Tornati’s wife?
Antonio Whose wife? Don’t be funny, Giulia is my wife.
Man No, dear, don’t worry, there has been a misunderstanding.
Burglar Another misunderstanding? There have been quite a few this evening!
Woman Now you’re going to have to explain to me just exactly what you were doing inside that clock…was he already in there when you were in there?
Burglar Well, you know, it’s so dark in there!
Man But it’s clear…crystal clear, you just have to let me explain the misunderstanding…now
Burglar Misunderstanding? Like fun! There’s no misunderstanding here…I’ll tell you what it is…it’s, it’s
Anna But of course, it’s a misunderstanding, it’s obvious that’s what it is.
Antonio Yes, yes, I saw it straight away, in fact I’m surprised the gentleman didn’t realise it too…it’s all a misunderstanding.
Woman It’s so obvious that even a baby could see it…
Man Well then, there isn’t even any need to explain it. One doesn’t explain misunderstandings, otherwise what sort of misunderstandings would they be?
Burglar Quick, come with me!
Wife of B Wait, don’t pull me like that!
Anna Who turned out the lights
Woman What’s going on?
Antonio Stop them, where are they going?
Woman He’s so mad he’s probably going to give himself up…quickly
Man Quick, stop them, don’t let them get away.
Woman They’ve gone out through the garden, run!
Man It’s impossible…you two go that way, and you come with me…he’s come back through the window. He thinks he’s so clever! He’s come back to get the silver…
Anna Get him!
Woman Quick…grab him…don’t let him get away!
Man Turn on the light!
2nd Burglar No, no, this is going too far. Now you’re the ones setting traps…the open window, the loot ready…and then all of a sudden: bang…everything up in smoke…No, no that’s not right. I’m going straight to the union and good night!
Everyone NOOOOO!
Man No, for goodness sake, listen to us, there has been a misunderstanding…
2nd Burglar A what?
Everyone A misunderstanding!!!
Man Now, if you will allow me, I’ll explain everything…
Everyone Well….. (Confusione generale…. Mentre cala la tela)
