The Soldier's Dream 10
Catharsis - Recessionale
A passageway opens in the center of a black screen and we find
ourselves retreating through it until the door closes in front of
us and we are once again in the sacred grove.

Father Demetrios and Nikos are still sitting on the ground in
silence with their backs leaning against a large cypress tree
and the leaves scattered around them.
Tears are running down Nikos' face and they sit for a long time
saying nothing.
Even the ravens, sacred to the God, are, for once, silent.
The shadows have lengthened and the chariot of the God has
dropped below the horizon.
It is becoming chilly and Father Demetrios notices that Nikos
has fallen asleep leaning against him.
Only the trace of a dried tear remains on his cheek.
Father Demetrios reaches for his cloak and spreads it over
them and continues to sit in silence.
We slowly drift away down another passageway until we emerge
through the great flowery door into the the Belvedere Gardens.
The gilt covered pages are standing in something like
shocked silence. In fact, the whole gathering, the Holy
Father included, is silent.  Sometimes the eyes of various
persons meet.
It is as though they are seeing each other clearly for the
first time and the clarity of vision makes them
uncomfortable.
The Soldier stands somewhat apart from the rest quite
motionless.
After playing over the whole company, the camera
withdraws down
yet another passageway and emerges at the villa of the
late film director
The youngish man is completing his work and preparing to
leave.
He has boxed and filed everything of possible interest
and is about to ring the bell to call the servant to let him
out.
He hesitates,however, and opens one of the boxes to go
to the auction house and takes out the notebook of the
film and puts it into his personal briefcase.
He then rings for the servant and leaves.
It is dusk and we linger over the view from the villa of
the valley below and the black car growing smaller in the
distance as it twists and turns negotiating the winding
road.