Youth Without Youth Page #5

I came only because

of your report.

Thank you.

You did well.

Well-being, your ladyship.

Welcome to both of you.

Where am I?

Why doesn't anybody

understand me?

As in dreams, the mind presents

the appearance of duality.

We've had some of her

remarks translated into English.

The young woman's knowledge

of Madhyamika philosophy

and her master, Chandrakirti,

is convincing.

The discussion only became

delicate whenever Rupini

asked what had happened to her,

where she was

and why no one understood her.

What did you tell her,

professor?

I always

begin by reminding of Maya.

The cosmic illusion.

The great witch.

Actually it's

not a dream, I told her,

but it takes part

in the illusory nature

of dreaming,

because it is the future,

therefore, of time.

Now, time is

par excellence unreal.

I don't believe

I convinced her.

But fortunately, she's, uh,

enthusiastic about logic

and dialectics,

and that's mainly

what we discussed.

Uh, professor,

could all this possibly be...?

How shall I say?

Fact?

"Fact"?

Mmm.

I would suggest

a journey to India,

more precisely to the province

of Uttar Pradesh,

to the caves where Rupini

claims to have meditated.

I should think

the Oriental Institute of Rome,

of which I am president,

would sponsor the expedition.

And, young man,

I think you should

accompany us to India.

I'd be delighted,

professor.

It's been understood she will

be put into a deep sleep

before leaving the clinic

and will continue

to sleep

until we reach the vicinity

of the caves.

Start rolling. Rolling!

Tucci! Tucci, look here!

We are very close

to the frontier of Nepal.

According to Rupini's account,

this is where we'll find the

cave where she would meditate.

We are very fortunate in having

a pandit from Gorakhpur

familiar with

the Madhyamika philosophy.

He'll be at her side

when she awakens.

Everyone,

hide themselves.

No form,

no feeling,

no thought,

no choice,

no consciousness.

Gone, gone,

gone beyond,

completely gone.

Enlightenment.

So be it.

Welcome.

Why did it take you so long?

I was already here.

I know this place.

Stay back. Hide yourself.

Over here!

Ah!

Oh, God.

Are you all right?

Just be still. Lay still.

Just rest.

Veronica.

She recognized it.

This is the cave!

But the entrance is blocked.

I don't think

you'll be needing me for a while.

She is awake,

but she has not

opened her eyes.

Greetings.

How are you feeling, Rupini?

Didn't we-? Didn't

we ask directions of you today?

My name is Veronica Buehler,

and I speak three languages:

German, French and English.

Have you ever tried to

learn any Oriental language?

Never.

Or have you ever read anything

about India

or Indian culture?

Some popular books.

Like?

Heh. Rudyard Kipling,

I think?

The Jungle Book.

Have you ever heard

the name Rupini?

No.

In an earlier existence,

Veronica Buehler

had been Rupini.

I would say, for the vast

majority of the Oriental lists,

a clear example of

the transmigration of the soul.

And, young man, your opinion?

As a neophyte Oriental list,

I can only cite some classical

Indian conceptions,

from Upanishads

to Gautama Buddha.

Excuse me. It is

precisely in the Upanishads

in the Brhadaranyaka

and Chandogya Upanishads

that one can find this belief

for the first time.

This is karma, isn't it?

But it's hard for me to believe

that I ever existed before.

How did you say?

Metempsychosis.

Metempsychosis.

- Mm-hm.

That absolutely

doesn't make sense to me.

Maybe...

What?

Maybe I was possessed

by an evil spirit.

Well...

They never leave us alone.

It's all so confusing.

I'm afraid

I'm going crazy.

Hello, Miss Veronica,

just an interview.

That's enough. Let's go.

Taxi!

Just drive, drive anywhere.

I- I think

we should get away. I...

I think we should go somewhere.

We should be alone.

We should go to, uh,

somewhere beautiful,

a Mediterranean island.

Dominic, that would make me

very, very happy.

Look, that bird.

What kind of birds

do they have in Malta?

That's a Maltese falcon.

Welcome.

Thank you.

No, that's fine.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thanks very much.

Finally alone.

Dominic,

it's beautiful here.

Yes, it is.

When I first opened my eyes

and saw you...

I confess I was thinking,

if I were three

or four years older and...

if he were

to ask me to marry him...

I would say yes.

Veronica.

My love.

Is it true?

Yes.

I've always loved you.

Veronica?

Do you understand it?

I don't know this language.

Ancient... Beyond...

Why else did you have

to know her?

Veronica?

Veronica...

It's all right.

That's all right.

It's all right.

I've got you.

I've got you.

I've got you, darling.

I've got you, Laura.

It's all right.

I've got you.

I've got you, darling.

I've got you, Laura.

I love you, darling.

I love you.

Was that Rupini's voice?

Mm-hm. Yes.

She's moving back in time

from Sanskrit

to earlier languages.

That was Egyptian.

Perhaps you'll take us back

to a time before history.

The origins of language,

which is where I've always

wanted to go, but I never could.

But it's helping me

finish my work.

Good.

Good. I want to help you.

You know, I'm...

I'm 88 years old, really.

If I added up all the years

Rupini lived,

I'd be older than you.

Well, then let's go dancing.

Thank you.

I don't think

we'll be recognized,

even with our pictures

in all those magazines.

Well, our pictures

are still appearing.

Let me see.

What's the matter?

I feel tired all the time,

and I don't understand why.

Something is happening

inside me. I can feel it.

And she's right.

The Para mediumistic ecstasies

have exhausted her.

Champagne?

Veronica?

Veronica!

No! Veronica, don't!

Veronica!

I was so worried!

What is it?

It was a dream.

A bad dream.

What was-? What was it?

I was somewhere beside a river,

and someone,

a stranger with a head

like a dog,

was coming toward me.

And in his hand, he-

He had...

Explain it to me!

I want to know

what Rupini knows.

She knows things

that we don't understand yet.

No. Let me-

No, no!

Don't ever leave me.

I'll never leave you.

Don't ever leave me.

I'll never leave you.

Don't ever leave me.

I'll never leave you.

Veronica.

The stranger in your dream

was probably Shiva.

And in his hand, a skull.

For Shiva is both creator

and destroyer combined.

Dominic?

There's someone

who looks like you

spying on us.

I didn't notice anyone.

By the gate.

Come and look.

There's no one there.

Maybe I was mistaken.

You've been in the sun too long.

Let's go inside.

I'm 88 years old, really.

She's in a

hyper-suggestive state.

Tell her you love her.

Tell her that you've

always loved her.

I love you.

I've always loved you.

That's Sumerian.

No, it's Babylonian.

After Egyptian and Babylonian,

there followed probably

a sample of proto-Elamite

and one of Sumerian.

She is descending

deeper and deeper

into the past.

But how far back will she go?

Your life's work will

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