- 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