ADSO (V.O.)

Having reached the end of my poor sinner's life... my

hair now white... I prepare to leave on this parchment

my testimony as to the wondrous and terrible events

I witnessed in my youth... towards the end of the year

of Our Lord, 1327.

May God grant me the wisdom and grace to be the faithful

chronicler of the happenings that took place in a remote

abbey in the dark north of Italy: an abbey whose name it

seems even now pious and prudent to omit.

(William and Adso arrive at the abbey)

ADSO (V.O.):
May my hand not tremble now that I start

to relive the past and revive the feelings

of uneasiness that oppressed my heart as

we entered the battlements.

INT.

ABBOT:
Should we tell him?

MALACHIA:
No. He will look in the wrong places.

ABBOT:
But... what if he should learn it of his

own accord?

MALACHIA:
You overestimate his talents, my lord

abbot. There's only one authority capable

of investigating such matters.

... The holy Inquisition.

ABBOT:
What is your opinion, Venerable Jorge?

Jorge:
Dear brethren, I leave such worldly

matters to younger men.

WILLIAM:
Adso?

Adso:
Yes, master.

WILLIAM:
In order to command nature one must

first learn to obey it. Hmm?

So, return to the forecourt, get the

edificium on your left... enter the

quadrangle on you right, you'll find

the place you need. Behind the third

arch.

Adso:
But you told me you'd never been to

this abbey.

WILLIAM:
When we arrived, I saw a brother making

for the spot in some haste.

I noticed, however, that he emerged more

slowly with an air of contentment.

ADSO:
Thank you, master.

WILLIAM:
(sees a crow at the graveyard)

(hears footsteps)

ABBOT:
On behalf of the Benedictine order, I am

honored to welcome you and your Franciscan

brothers to our abbey.

WILLIAM:
The other delegates, they have arrived?

ABBOT:
Ubertino de Casale has been here for some

weeks. The others are due tomorrow.

You must be very tired after your long

journey.

WILLIAM:
No. Not particularly.

ABBOT:
I trust you're not in need of anything?

WILLIAM:
No. Thank you.

ABBOT:
Well... then I... I bid you peace.

WILLIAM:
I'm sorry to see one of your brethern

has recently been gathered unto God.

ABBOT:
(surprised) ... Yes, a terrible loss.

Brother Adelmo was one of our finest

illuminators.

WILLIAM:
Not Adelmo of Otranto?

ABBOT:
You knew him?

WILLIAM:
No, but I knew and admired his work.

His humor and comic images were almost

infamous. But he was said to be a young

man.

ABBOT:
Ah, yes. Yes, very young indeed.

WILLIAM:
An accident, no doubt?

ABBOT:
Yes. Yes, as you say, an accident.

Well, that is, I...

(looks around and closes the door)

Brother William... may I speak to you

candidly?

WILLIAM:
You seem most anxious to do so.

ABBOT:
When I heard you were coming to our abbey,

I thought it was an answer to my prayers.

"Here," I said, "is a man who has knowledge,

both of the human spirit and of the wiles

of the evil one."

The fact is, Brother Adelmo's death has

caused much spiritual unease upon my flock.

WILLIAM:
This is my novice, Adso... the youngest son

of the Baron of Melk.

Please, do continue.

ABBOT:
We found the body after a hailstorm...

horribly mutilated, dashed against a rock

at the foot of the tower... under a window,

which was... How shall I say this?

which was...

WILLIAM:
Which was found closed.

ABBOT:
Somebody told you?

WILLIAM:
Had it been found open, you would not have

spoken of spiritual unease. You would have

concluded that he'd fallen.

ABBOT:
Brother William... the window cannot be

opened... nor was the glass shattered...

nor is there any access to the roof above.

WILLIAM:
Oh, I see. And because you can offer no

natural explanation, your monks suspect

the presence of a supernatural force within

these walls.

ABBOT:
That's why I need the counsel of an acute

man such as you, Brother Wiliam. Acute in

uncovering and prudent, if necessary, in...

covering up before the papal delegates

arrive.

WILLIAM:
Surely you know, my lord, I no longer deal

in such matters.

ABBOT:
I am indeed reluctant to burden you with

my dilemma, but... unless I can put the

minds of my flock at rest, I will have

no alternative but to summon the help of

the Inquisition.

EXT.

WILLIAM:
Adso!

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