Voice from the Stone

1

Jakob.

Are you there, Jakob?

Are you listening?

Jakob.

Jakob.

I'm here.

I'm right here.

- Don't.

- Shh, shh.

Be silent.

And hear me.

This is how it must be.

Another woman will come.

You will see.

There will be another.

You will know her

by the love she shows to you.

Let the words you speak

be the words

that call me back to you.

Promise me.

Promise.

Jakob.

I will always be your mother.

- No.

Carlotta.

Carlotta...

- Arrivederci.

- I hardly know the woman I see.

Her name is Verena.

She is alone.

She remembers all of them.

Every parting.

Her life is measured out

in good-byes.

Each one harder than the last.

Enter la Rocciosa...

And the boy who wouldn't speak.

My first language.

I have these

from previous employers.

Did you live with each family?

- Yes.

I find it helps

in understanding the child

to know the family.

- And do you remain in contact

with these people?

- When a child recovers,

the family

will generally choose to forget.

- You've no degree.

But they say you've a gift.

- My skill comes through

experience

and a certain, um, sensitivity.

- Sensitivity.

You have no children

of your own.

- No.

- Hmm.

- Your son.

He prefers English?

- His mother.

My wife wanted him to speak it.

She died.

There was an illness.

My son has not spoken since.

Seven months...

And sixteen days.

Alessio will see you

to your room.

- I would like

to introduce myself

to your son.

You haven't told me his name.

- I must say there have been

other nurses,

all of them as sure

of their talents as you.

My son's name is Jakob.

- Hello, Jakob.

My name is Verena,

and I'm going to be staying here

for a while.

I promise I'm not like

the others.

I'm much worse.

Please look at me, Jakob.

I'd like to help you.

Do you understand?

- There's no point.

He won't even nod his head.

He won't write or draw...

Sing or laugh...

Smile...

Cry.

- Grazie.

We'll begin our work

in the morning, Jakob.

Say 9:
00?

- Your questions are wasted.

- Jakob doesn't need

to answer me.

I think he understands that.

- Enough.

Sit down.

Now you may go.

- Good night, Jakob.

He is very obedient.

- Hmm.

This is part of it.

To disobey

is to say something, so...

So he obeys.

- He isn't trying to hurt you.

- That's my son, signorina,

not me.

Hmm.

Jakob doesn't want you here.

He hasn't shown it yet,

but he will.

There is such power

in his silence.

You will feel it.

You speak very harshly to him.

- Braver than the others.

- I have some things

I need to ask.

- What things?

- Tomorrow, perhaps.

- To begin with,

I will tell you what I see.

I see...

That if you wanted to speak,

you could.

Hmm, and I see

how hard it must be

to truly say nothing...

How hard you must be

concentrating every moment.

And I must admit,

you're very good at it.

I know a little something

of what it feels

to be apart from the world.

I lost my mother when I was

a little bit younger than you...

And my father when I was

a little bit older.

It's a lovely day.

I have an idea.

Jakob?

Jakob!

Buongiorno.

Jakob?

Jakob?

Jakob?

Oh. Please forgive me.

I didn't...

- Verena.

The nurse, of course.

Come closer.

Let Lilia see you.

You've come

to make the boy talk.

- Just to help if I can.

- Oh, welcome.

Welcome.

Welcome to la Rocciosa,

my child.

- Grazie.

You're very kind.

But I should go.

- Yes, of course.

Go find the boy.

Make him talk.

- I'm sorry.

I-i was looking for Jakob.

- Do you play?

- No, I, uh, never could.

This is your wife?

- Yes.

- What was her name?

- You spent time with Jakob

this morning.

- Yes.

- And did you observe anything?

- I need to understand

what he has been through.

- Malvina.

Malvina Rivi.

You may have heard of her.

- No.

- That's Carnegie hall.

She played all over the world,

in all the great halls,

for kings and queens,

presidents.

- She was very beautiful.

- Six months after

that photograph was taken,

she was dead.

It began after our return.

It started as a simple fever

and became like fire.

Each day, it consumed

a little bit more

of her strength,

her beauty.

I had to leave to find help,

and Jakob stayed with her.

He and Lilia

nursed her together.

He wouldn't leave

his mother's side.

He has his mother's gift.

They would sit here

and play together for hours.

- He chooses not to speak?

- Oh, this... this must be

that incredible sensitivity

of yours?

- I mean, there is no injury?

No incapacity?

- Something inside him

has been broken.

- It is simply a refusal...

A denial...

As if, by this vigil...

He can undo what is done.

- You're telling me

he wants his mother back, hmm?

Well, that's a...

That's a revelation.

- I've... I've been

looking for you, Jakob.

I'm here to work,

not to play hide-and-seek.

- No.

- I haven't finished yet, Jakob.

You have a very beautiful home.

- Thank you.

I do hope

you'll be comfortable here.

Once, Jakob,

I stayed with a family in Lucca.

Their house hadn't been cleaned

in years.

There were cockroaches

as big as your father's watch.

And once, I stayed with a family

in Piacenza.

I shared a room with the cook

who snored come un bufalo.

- So, yes, I'm sure...

I will be very comfortable here.

- In truth, I cannot think

of this place as my own.

My wife's family has lived here

for 1,200 years.

Mm.

I'm just a visitor.

Alessio's family has been here

for just as long.

The women work here

in the house.

The men, in the quarry.

- The quarry?

- It's where

all this comes from,

the wealth of the family.

The stone was once

highly prized.

- Was?

- She allowed it to flood

at the beginning of the war.

Times were difficult.

And she had her career.

No more need for the stone.

Jakob swims there.

He'll take you there

if you wish.

- Yes.

I'd like that very much.

Salve.

- Let me.

Per favore.

It's been so long.

I...

Used to do this to her

every night of her life...

Since she was a tiny girl.

She began to perform

when she was fourteen.

She took me with her everywhere.

Nobody knew her as I did...

Knew her moods,

her needs.

Oh...

How I loved her.

Jakob, was it you?

If it was, then all you've done

is tell me you're afraid.

Ja...

Jakob.

Jakob, what is it?

Jakob.

- Aah!

- What?

Jakob, no!

Wait! Wait!

- Jakob?

Hey!

Jakob.

Jakob, no.

Quiet. Quiet.

Be quiet. Be quiet.

Shh. Shh, shh, shh, shh.

- Quiet.

Enough.

Stop!

- I should have left him.

He was by the wall

as if he was...

- Listening.

Yes, I've seen him do it.

In his bedroom.

Also in the garden.

In the quarry.

I assume it's his mother

he hears

or thinks he hears.

It seems to give him comfort.

- I should have been told.

It changes the situation.

It may indicate

a far more serious condition.

- You don't believe

in such voices?

- No.

No, signore, I do not.

- Nor do I.

Sometimes I wish I did.

Have you considered

taking him away from this place?

- Yes, of course.

It was impossible.

It was as you saw last night.

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