- Why is he butting in? - He's a fool. Listen to my advice: Put an iron cage on the grave, with a lock on the door, close it, just like that, put the key in your pocket, and that's it, let them dig then. The lion's in the cage. Let anyone try to touch him. Even pharaohs never had such pyramids. Your group goes behind that grave! Don't make a step without my command, I'm in charge here! And you move over here. No smoking, no talking, keep your eyes and ears open! Take your positions! Move! Abel, the prefect himself is overseeing the operation. Yes, he's a warm-hearted man, he did not abandon me in my time of misery. Abel, do you see those brightly lit windows beyond the cemetery? - Yes, I do. - My relative lives there. When he learned that we'd be at a stone's throw from his house, he had prepared a royal feast. He'll be offended if we don't pay him a visit. You want us to leave the grave? No one will show up before midnight. If anything, the guards will call us. - I don't know. Ask the prefect. - So you're for it? I'll be back. - Philip. Meliton. - Yes, sir! Do you see that house, with a big lamp in the window? Yes, sir! We're going there. If anything happens, call us right away. Is it clear? Yes, sir! - When did you give up drinking? - Yesterday. Yesterday? O Lord, may my friend Philip's soul rest in peace. Enough, or you'll drop dead! Boring life is not worth living. Drink, sleep off, and drink again! Lucretius? I beg your pardon, dear sir! One can't do it here! What a poet he was, eh? The king of poets! Halt! Don't move! Or I'll fire! I'm going to strangle you, bastard! Let me go! Let go of me! So it's you who's desecrating our grave, scoundrel? Just let loose the dogs on him! Good Lord, it's a woman! Defendant Barateli! During the preliminary investigation you confessed that you had thrice dug up the deceased and carried him to the family's house. Do you confirm that fact and do you plead guilty? I confirm the fact, but I don't plead guilty. But you did plead guilty during the investigation. It's a lie, I never pleaded guilty during the investigation. Is that your spade? Yes, I dug up the deceased with this spade. But where's the bullet which was extracted from my arm? - So you did dig up the deceased? - Yes. That's what you're guilty of, that's the fact of the crime. Yes, I dug him up from the grave, but I don't plead guilty. Be seated. Please, be seated and observe the court order. The trial has already taken place and the verdict has been passed! Sit down! As long as I live Varlam Aravidze will not rest in the ground. This verdict is final, without appeal. For it was pronounced by Providence to both of us: Aravidze and me. I will dig him up three hundred times, not just three! Sit down! Your Honor, the defendant is agitated, it's only natural. May I have the floor? The counselor for defense may speak. Your Honor, dear citizens! Today we're dealing with an unprecedented case. The deceased had been thrice dug up from his grave. Three times! It is an indisputable fact that the motive was not robbery: The valuables buried with the deceased had not been touched. What was it then? What was the motive of the crime? I tried to talk to the defendant, but she refused to speak. Therefore, we'll have to conduct both a hearing and an investigation, and, certainly, pass the verdict, right here. That's why I ask this court to listen carefully to the defendant. The defendant may speak. Of course, all of you wonder why I'm persecuting the deceased. It is the last thing I would want, settling a score with a dead man. Vengeance doesn't bring me any joy. It's my misfortune. My cross. But there's no other way for me. So, who is Varlam Aravidze? I was eight years old when he became our mayor. Shortly before his death, Einstein raised his voice for the last time to tell the world of the tragedy of
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