La migliore offerta Page #2

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- Even older.

- Then it must be worth something.

It is a work by Valiante,

the female forger of the 16th century.

She copied masterpieces,

but couldn't sign them

as she was a woman,

so she marked them

with a personal code

hidden in the folds of the drapery

or in this case,

in the gaze of the subject.

The beam of light on the iris

is nothing if not a V.

That is Valiante.

It is worth something,

but nothing compared to the original.

- Are you Mr. Oldman's assistant?

- Yes.

I'm Fred, the caretaker.

Pleased to meet you.

- Please, come in.

- Thank you.

And Miss lbbetson?

She sends her apologies,

but overnight,

she was running a temperature.

She should have called me.

Spared myself a wasted trip.

Well, give her my best wishes.

She asked if you would go ahead

with valuation.

She's instructed me

to show you around.

Everything's at your disposal.

Come with me.

Miss lbbetson was hoping

to meet your boss.

It doesn't matter.

Your mistress didn't show up either.

Fair enough.

I suppose

it'll get the job done quicker.

Forgive the mess.

It's gone to wrack and ruin ever since

Miss lbbetson's parents died.

Let's go up.

How long since the owners died?

By the look of it,

you'd think it was centuries ago,

but it's only been one year.

First Mrs. Ibbetson and then,

scarcely 45 days later,

poor Mr. Ibbetson.

You have a good look.

Take your time.

Just getting these curtains open.

Too many windows in this room.

Okay.

How many brothers and sisters

does Miss lbbetson have?

None. She is an only child.

- Is she married?

- No.

- Has she ever been?

- No, no.

I don't think

she even has a boyfriend.

- Grandparents, aunts, uncles?

- No, none at all.

As far as I know,

Miss lbbetson is on her own.

So many rooms.

You know, I've never managed

to count them all.

Have there been other valuations

before me?

Absolutely none. Yours is the first.

Miss lbbetson is extremely fond

of this house.

Maybe too fond.

She'd prefer to keep everything,

but what can you do?

The empire crumbles.

A woman on her own can't cope.

Is she thinking of putting

the house up for sale as well?

That, I don't know. Maybe a part of it.

She won't get rid of the whole place.

What kind of work does she do?

I couldn't say.

I only dealt with her parents.

- May I see the cellars?

- It's this way.

It's a long way down.

Go ahead.

I honestly don't get it.

In the time I've known you,

I've never seen you beaten.

I've watched you produce

all manner of gadgets

from most unremarkable ironwork.

Optical, arithmetical devices,

water clocks...

Even that hairdryer that probably

dried the locks of Jules Verne's wife.

But you've nothing to say

about this curious contraption?

I'm surprised that

an art connoisseur like yourself

can get so carried away

by a banal piece of ironwork.

It's not the object

that arouses my curiosity,

but it's contradiction.

- Contradiction?

- Look.

I found it in this position

in contact with damp flooring,

but the rust is all along the top

of the cogs, nowhere near the damp.

What does this mean?

The object hadn't been there

for very long.

It got rusted in some other place.

Or someone turned it upside down.

That's all, nothing more than

a useless exercise in deduction.

Hi. Did you manage it?

Did you ever doubt me?

This works perfectly now.

And I transcribed

the recording from the tape.

You're a genius.

How much do I owe you?

Oh, nothing.

Maybe you'll invite me out.

Count on it.

- Can I give you a kiss?

- Yes, you can!

That I am good at.

- Good evening.

- Good evening.

William-Adolphe Bouguereau.

The Birth Of Venus.

Authentic.

Umberto Veruda,

The Honest, 1890.

You've been

the talk of the town lately.

I hoped to see you

on TV.

I don't like to appear.

I prefer to remain in shadow.

We're much the same that way.

That doesn't mean we'll agree.

My secretary's been looking for you.

How do you know that a painter

will become collectable?

Intuition, which also makes

me doubt your intentions.

Sorry for that impression but I've

entrusted you with my belongings.

That's not how it works.

There must be a signed contract

before the inventory.

It takes time,

and unless you stop fooling around

and decide to come out

it will never get started.

Go ahead with the inventory.

I'll meet you at the villa.

We'll reach an agreement.

You have my word.

- Take these.

- Yes.

Be careful!

I'm not sure

but it looks German to me.

Austrian. Careful with that.

It's 11:
00

The appointment was 8:30.

She's not answering.

She said she'll come. She'll be here.

The piano doesn't need restoration.

Quite so.

We have to check it

but there's no key.

But here it is.

Last time there was no key.

Looks good.

Mr Oldman!

Would you help me

with the bookcase?

Italian bookcase, wood. First half

of...

Who smashed this?

Nobody, Mr Oldman,

it was already broken.

Is this part of the house inhabited?

Why?

There have been some changes.

No, no, Mr...

I'm sorry, I'm not sure of your name.

I thought you were...

It doesn't matter who I am.

Nobody lives here.

Be that as it may, if your mistress

is not here by midday

I will have no option but to

suspend operations.

Mr Oldman!

Miss lbbetson.

Hello, Mr Oldman?

Mr Oldman, can you hear me?

Mr Oldman, I apologise.

What must you think of me?

Spare me

the self-serving justifications.

Let me speak.

I cannot touch your things

without a contract. Is that clear?

Would you leave it on the table

in the hallway?

I'll sign it.

I accept all your conditions.

Yes, but I do not accept yours.

I will not do business

with a silly, superficial phantom.

Be careful!

I understand your exasperation.

But please believe me

I didn't mean anything by it.

It's been a series of unfortunate,

unintentional mishaps.

So what exactly happened today?

My car was stolen and I had to go

to the police to report it.

Which police station did you go to?

The one in the city.

- Whereabouts?

- On the main square.

- Which square?

No more interrogation!

No more!

Who do you think you are?

Are you here, Miss lbbetson?

What kind of question is that?

Are you here?

I don't understand.

I don't understand.

- lf you're here, come out now.

- Stop it!

Explain the meaning of this game

which I do not find amusing.

Call me tonight. I'll explain.

lt's the same material

and the same workmanship too.

These belong to the same system.

There's no signature,

no inscription?

I mean when I've got the rust and

the oxidisation off the other piece.

There's nothing.

I can do the same with these but, I

mean, right now I can't see anything.

What have you found?

The technique, how the cog

has been attached to it's axis.

It's really old.

I've never seen it before.

Here, look. Have a look.

It's 18th century.

We could be onto

something big here.

Could you guess what it is?

Three pieces of the mosaic

is not enough, Mr Oldman.

In the last few years

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