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Paul is kidnapped in Sicily
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The Plot:
Driving along a country road in Sicily, Paul's car is halted by a horse-drawn wagon in his way. It turns out to be a trick by brothers Enzo and Tonio to kidnap him at gunpoint. When Enzo goes to hide the car, Paul manages to overpower Tonio, but is thwarted by Enzo who ties him up, and says that though they don't want to kill Paul, they will if they have to. They take him to a cave, and tell him that he is being held for ransom. Tonio then goes to get supplies, and pick up the third member of their group, Marta, Enzo's fiancée.
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The brothers consider Paul's objections
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Marta is appalled that Paul is tied up, and orders Enzio to release the bonds.
Then she makes a meal. Enzo tells Paul to send a letter to a friend, requesting that a million lire in cash be sent to general delivery in Tirano.
Paul tells them their plan won't work, and Enzo replies that Paul's life depends on it working, but Paul points out that a letter like that would only arouse suspicion, and that police would arrest anyone going to claim the package.
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Paul writes to his bank as Yanio reads a letter to Paul
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They don't trust his comments, but Paul points out that if his life is at stake, he needs their plan to go successfully, and proposes that they rent a post office box, and Paul has his bank in Rome send a cashiers check there.
Though Enzo is not happy with the idea, the others endorse it as being quicker and safer.
Tonio finds a letter in Paul's luggage from a man in Sicily whose father knew Paul's grandfather. That a local village may be anticipating Paul's arrival worries them
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Marta allows Paul to stand, but keeps the gun on him
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Tonio confirms that Marta's uncle has promised to tell her mother that his niece is helping him with the harvest, and that after her honorable sojourn with Enzo, the uncle would expect to be shortly dancing at Marta's wedding or Enzo's funeral.
The brothers tie up Paul again, and leave Marta in charge of him. She immediately asks if he is uncomfortable, and he remarks how out of place she seems in the kidnapping gang. She explains that the money is for her dowry so that she and Enzo can marry, both being too poor to have the money to set up housekeeping.
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Marta shoots at Paul
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She apologizes for the kidnapping, but says it was Enzo's idea, and the only way. “Our children are impatient to be born,” she adds.
Paul takes her statement to mean that she is expecting a baby, and starts to say, “even if you do have to get married for the sake of the child ….” But the words are barely out of his mouth when Marta shoots at him.
She is sure that she's killed him, and when Paul raises his head from the ground, Marta thanks him for being alive.
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Then is shocked by what she's done
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After she has helped Paul up, she tells him that if he were dead, he would have only himself to blame. “To say such a thing to me! I'm a Sicilian girl, not an American. Enzo has never touched me, nor will he until we are married, “ she tells him crossly.
Paul says he's confused, but Marta replies that he should be ashamed, as she tends to the wound on his face the gunshot caused. He counters by saying that in the country he comes from, it is considered far worse to steal and kidnap than it is to …..” but she stops him again.
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Marta defends their actions and cleans Paul's wound
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“You come from an immoral country!” she declares. “Don't think I haven't heard what goes on in America.”
She says that the three of them are not bad people, so Paul asks her if she doesn't think what they are doing is wrong, and Marta answers that Enzo said it's wrong for Paul to have so much, and they to have so little.
“For me, a family, a home, marriage with Enzo - these things cannot be wrong. What we're doing will make them come true,” is Marta's version of logic, but Paul questions how it will all end up.
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Paul says Enzo will kill him because he knows too much
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He argues that she doesn't like to hear the truth, then tells her that even if Enzo gets the money, he will kill Paul, having no other choice. Marta insists that Enzo has promised to let him go, but Paul counters that Enzo also promised to take from him only what was needed for the dowry. The check he instructed Paul to order was for many multiples of that. Paul makes it plain that Enzo will have to murder him because he knows their names and faces, and that they live in this area.
But Marta responds that Paul is just trying to deceive her and turn her against Enzo.
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Tonio says that the city is too dangerous for Marta
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While the brothers are waiting for the Tirano bus, Enzo muses that a million lire may be too small an amount to Paul.
He also says that he wants to give some of the money with Tonio, for his share in the danger and a future dowry.
They then discuss whether or not Marta as a woman should go to Tirano on her own to check the post office, Enzo believing she should, but Tonio against.
Meanwhile, Marta takes Paul outside for a bit of fresh air - but at gunpoint.
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Tonio wishes Paul luck in facing Enzo
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Paul tells her he doesn't feel very comfortable having a gun pointed at him, but Marta says he's in more danger from Enzo who might interpret the scratch on his face to mean that he might have made an advance to her, pointing out that her fiancé has quite a temper. Paul asks if she's afraid of Enzo, and Marta declares staunchly that she's afraid of no man - least of all, Enzo.
When Tonio returns, he notices the scratch immediately, and says that Enzo will be very angry, but on the contrary, his brother is in hysterics when he hears the story about the shooting, laughing uncontrollably.
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They debate about the use of hand cuffs
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However, he admits that he would have killed Paul himself, had he been there when the remark about a possible pregnancy was made.
But he tells everyone that, instead, he has brought Paul a present, and produces a pair of handcuffs.
Marta balks at the idea immediately, and even Tonio says there must be a better idea. But Enzo points out that Paul is too cunning.
They argue amongst one another.
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Paul jumps the brothers and gets their gun
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Paul takes advantage of being untied to break away and escape.
The brothers get up, and find the gun, then go after him.
He manages to evade them, and then even backtrack so that he is able to overcome the men and grab the gun.
But just at that moment, Marta hits Paul with a stick, leaving him unconscious for a day and a half.
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Marta offers broth when Paul regains consciousness
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When he awakes, she apologizes for hitting him so hard, saying that it had to be done, and offers Paul some broth. Enzo goes to Tirano on the third day, and finds the post office box empty.
He shows the others a large artichoke he bought which cost four times the price in their village. Marta says that the people in the city are thieves, but Enzo replies that their rich, like the Americans.
Paul declares that there are people in America poorer than they, but Enzo says that Paul could know nothing of Sicily.
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They listen to the story of Paul's grandfather
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However, Paul tells the story of his grandfather who was poor, learned the blacksmith's trade and went to America with the wife and child who was to become Paul's mother.
He did not become rich, and as a boy, Paul asked him why he made the move. “To see what was there,” he had replied. As a youngster, Paul had thought that was foolish, and he said, “you mean that you came all the way from Sicily just to see what was in America?” But Paul's grandfather replied it was not to observe what was in the United States, but to see what was in himself.
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Tonio offers his interpretation of the story
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Marta says that the story is beautiful, but Enzo declares that he doesn't like it, and Tonio suggests that Paul's grandfather meant that what a man works for is more important than what he gains - that it's the courage that counts.
Enzo says he thinks Paul's grandfather was wrong, and that the risk they are taking with Paul took courage, but if they don't get the money, it is meaningless.
Paul responds that there are different kinds of courage, like the courage to steal or the courage not to steal.
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Marta and Enzo are kissing when the bus draws up
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The next day, the fourth that they are waiting for a check from Paul's bank in the Tirano post office box, Marta accompanies Enzo to the bus stop on their horse. She tells him that she is worried that he plans to kill Paul. Enzo assures him that their hostage will be released, and she kisses him. They are still in a passionate embrace when the bus drives up, and the men on board tease Enzo jovially. While he is gone, Paul engages in conversation about their motives with Tonio, and Marta questions Paul about what he believes, and he tells her that Enzo will not be satisfied with a million lire.
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In Tirano Enzo sees how little a million lire will buy
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In town Enzo finds nothing in the box, and studies store windows thoughtfully.
When Tonio goes to meet him at the bus, Enzo appears disgusted.
Tonio points out that it is only the fourth day since writing to the bank, but Enzo's resentment has a different focus, and true to Paul's earlier remark to Marta, Enzo, having seen all the expensive things in Tirano, tells Tonio that they are fools to risk so much only for a million lire.
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Enzo insists that Paul must be killed
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He says that sum won't buy much in Tirano, and Tonio replies that they don't live in Tirano, but Enzo insists that Paul has so much more money. Then he broaches to his brother what is really on his mind, and tells Tonio that Paul must be killed. Tonio is horrified, saying they would be murderers. But Enzo asserts that they will only be saving their own lives, pointing out that Paul is one of them, a Sicilian, and will never forget their wronging him. “We would never be free of this man,” he appeals, and Tonio listens thoughtfully to his brother's arguments, then in concurrence, declares, “Marta must never know.
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