Le Capitaine Aréna — Tome 1

The day begins at nine o’clock when Captain Aréna announces that the ship is ready to set sail, prompting a swift departure from the hotel to the bustling port. Before leaving, the travelers pause at the famed Casa dei Matti, a renowned asylum in Sicily celebrated across Europe for its unusual compassion. Its façade, masked by intricate ironwork painted to look like vines and blossoms, hints at the baron Pisani’s grand experiment: a wealthy noble who abandoned his palace to devote his fortune to the care of the mentally ill.

Inside, a modest concierge greets them with a flute instead of a stern staff, and the baron himself welcomes the guests with a calm curiosity about the institution’s affairs. The corridor introduces a melancholy scene—a former aristocrat now reduced to a patient, struggling to obtain even a simple meal, his pleas echoing off indifferent walls. This glimpse into the daily life of the asylum sets a tone of stark humanity and raises questions about charity, power, and the fine line between sanity and madness.