Buch lesen: «The Chronicles of the Counts Dracula-Cardie. Adapted from Baron Olshevris novel «Vampires»»

Schriftart:

Translator Alla Shvydchenko

Translator Peter Arhipov

Translator Ksenia Budaeva

ISBN 978-5-4485-2731-9

Created with Ridero smart publishing system

OPENING TO EACH EPISODE

Glimpses of hooves of the horses galloping through the forest. Again the sound of laughter and flashes of sunlight among the trees.

Blue shards of the sky high above and wistful laughter of the beautiful stranger in the blue dress as she vanishes in the rays of the sun

The horse rears up, throwing its rider off

SMITH

Are you alright?

HARRY

I saw Her…

INT – CARDIE’S CASTLE – DAYTIME

A gust of wind blows across the abandoned halls of the Cardie’s castle, reaching the open piano in the main room. Crimson rose petals are scattered on the ancient ivory keys, they shift as the wind stirs them

TITLE: 1912

RITA’S VOICE

(whispering behind the scenes)

Your love gave me back my life… Your love gave me back my life…

The wind swirls and the petals fall to the floor

EXT – MOUNTAINS IN PERU – DAYTIME – MEMORIES

TITLE: 1770

YOUNG DRACULA (27 years old), the INTERPRETER and the OLD GUIDE stand in front of the cave decorated with carvings of Indian idols. Their clothes wave in the strong wind that blows from the mouth of the cave. The old guide shakes his head and pleads in his native tongue, his very manner indicating that it is forbidden to go further

YOUNG DRACULA

What is he saying?

INTERPRETER

We cannot go any further. Anyone who does will doom himself to eternal torment and bring curse upon his descendants.

YOUNG DRACULA

The main thing is that it’s eternal… Give him a scare of offer some money – we must get into the temple, whatever it takes!

The interpreter persuades the old man, but the latter pushes the interpreter away and falls on his knees in front of the count. He points to the sky, where a huge eagle flies. The old man almost faints in horror, when the eagle rushes down. The old guide covers his head with hands and wails

OLD GUIDE

(in Spanish)

Death, death, it is already following us, and we ourselves are going to meet it.

END OF THE MEMORIES

EXT – IN SURROUNDING FORESTS OF CARDIE’S CASTLE-SAME SUMMER DAY

HARRY (27 years old), CAPTAIN WRIGHT (31 year old), JAMES (30 years old) and GEORGES (20 years old) rush on horses across the forest. The riders sweep past a Hunting House.

EXT-IN THE SKY OVER THE CASTLE FOREST-SAME SUMMER DAY

From above an EAGLE flies and looks down: there is a valley with a lake below. On one side of the valley there is a gloomy medieval Cardie’s castle, and a bit away from the valley, in the lowland of the forest, there is a Hunting House.

The Eagle descends at high speed and rushes on a white Dove – this happens in the sky over the clearing, where Harry has stopped in the woods…

HARRY: (27 years old, a loafer, millionaire, descendant of the Dracula-Cardie family, confident, eccentric, sometimes unscrupulous, sexy, used to get what he wants, he and Rita are two of a kind. He is a comrade-in-arm of Captain Wright and James.

EXT-FOREST IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD OF CARDIE’S CASTLE-SAME SUMMER DAY

Harry has lost his way during the hunt. His horse stands in a clearing in the woods. Harry seems that a woman’s blue dress flits in the trees and a female laughter is heard.

Harry is distracted by the eagle and the dove – looks to the sky, he can see the eagle attacking the dove, this happens over his head.

Harry looks at the trees again, where the blue dress has just flashed. There is nothing. Harry looks around, looking for the owner of the dress.

The horse knickers and takes off.

INT – DINING ROOM IN THE VILLAGE INN – EVENING OF THE SAME DAY

Harry, James, Captain Wright, Georges, Harry’s attorney and doctor, KARL IVANOVICH (50 years old), have supper after hunting at the wooden table

Harry wipes his hands with a napkin

HARRY

I think I saw her.

Karl Ivanovich sorts some records on his knees

KARL IVANOVICH: 50 years old, a librarian, Harry’s attorney in castle affairs. A quiet, well-educated, intelligent-looking old man, wearing glasses because of poor eyesight, half-Russian

KARL IVANOVICH

(takes off his glasses)

Her?

Harry puts his napkin aside and looks at everyone

HARRY

The ghost from the castle: the blue dress, dark hair.

Georges drops his fork under the table. James pours himself a glass of wine

JAMES: 30 years old, an Englishman, military interrogator, positive hero in all senses, conscientious, man with principles, generous, good friend. A comrade-in-arm of Captain Wright and Harry, aristocrat

JAMES

Harry, what makes you think it was her? Maybe some local pulled your leg.

Harry puts a scarlet rose on the table

HARRY

Found in the forest.

Captain Wright takes the flower

CAPTAIN WRIGHT: 31 year old, an Englishman, cool cynic, skeptic, typical military man, it is hard for him to admit his weaknesses. Rarely smiling, traditionalist in everything. Captain is a true friend, smokes a lot. Introvert, aristocrat

CAPTAIN WRIGHT

(examining the rose)

Such roses certainly don’t grow in the forest.

JAMES

I guess once we move into the castle all that is hidden will become revealed.

Georges shifts in his chair, is a little nervous

GEORGES: 20 years old, amorous, a bit naive, unspoiled young man. Georges is a virgin, aristocrat, student

GEORGES

I saw her too, she was beautiful like an angel.

Captain Wright abstracts himself from the rose and looks at Georges

CAPTAIN WRIGHT

Well, that’s something new.

Karl Ivanovich puts the papers aside

KARL IVANOVICH

Stories about lake women are taking new forms.

Harry takes a sip of wine from his glass

HARRY

I tell you, this woman is from the castle! The LAKE MAIDEN has fair hair, and the beauty from the forest is dark-haired. I saw it myself.

Captain Wright lights up a cigar

CAPTAIN WRIGHT

Maybe there are their own mermaids in the forest?

Harry puts his glass on the table

HARRY

I understand, you don’t believe me.

Captain Wright throws the rose on the table, stands up from his seat, pushes back his chair.

His cigar emits smoke in the ashtray. Captain takes it and smokes

CAPTAIN WRIGHT

Village tales are like the village beer – thorn apples.

EXT-WITCHES” VALLEY – SUMMER NIGHT OF THE SAME DAY

Mist twists above the lake. White nenufare opens its petals, swaying gently. It rises above the water, its stem is no longer the stem, but a slim body of a woman. It is the LAKE MAIDEN (aka Maria, 23 years old)

She has a pale face with big blue eyes, and there are white nenufares in her loose golden hair.

Her body is translucent as if woven from silver threads.

The air over the lake is filled with inaudible sounds, female laughter is heard.

The Lake Maiden as if floats on air and whispers something with her lips.

White snowstorm of petals of white nenufares rises over the lake, following her.

INT-ROOM IN THE VILLAGE INN – NIGHT OF THE SAME DAY

Harry, Captain Wright, James and Georges slouch in the living room.

Karl Ivanovich lays a notebook in front of him

KARL IVANOVICH

(puts on the glasses)

I will read you the teacher’s diary.

JAMES

Quiet, gentlemen, quiet.

KARL IVANOVICH

(reads the teacher’s diary)

None of the villagers has seen him from that night. My suspicion that there was something fatal linking the “incidents’, left me.

INT – STUDY IN THE TEACHER’S COUNTRY HOUSE-DAYTIME, THE TEACHER’S MEMORIES

BEGINNING OF THE MEMORIES

The TEACHER (28 years old) sits at the table in his study and writes. A pen in his hand slides on the paper.

TITLE: 1852

TEACHER’S VOICE

(behind the scenes)

Yesterday my doubts came back. Heinrich the hunter had disappeared.

INT – LIVING ROOM IN THE TEACHER’S HOUSE – SAME DAY

Heinrich’s sister, MARIA (25 years old) cries in the teacher’s house. The teacher and his sister MINA (30 years old) comfort her

MARIA

(wipes her tears)

My brother is missing! He went hunting early on Friday morning, promising to return in time for the evening service.

TEACHER

(walks about the room)

Don’t cry, we will find Heinrich.

MARIA

(knits a sock)

The rumor in the village says that the only place where we should look for him is the Witches’ Valley.

Mina crosses herself after Maria’s words

TEACHER

(stands still, looking at them)

So let’s go to the valley. But why should he be there?

MINA

(knitting)

Even though Michel, the ironsmith, was found in the Witches’ Valley, it was only because he was dead drunk.

TEACHER

(scratching his head)

That’s right. His hunting field is on the opposite side, in the mountains.

MINA

(puts knitting on her knees)

The brother is right, they won’t find your Heinrich in the Valley.

The teacher looks reproachfully at his sister. She understands that she is saying the wrong thing and becomes silent. Maria cries again

END OF THE TEACHER’S MEMORIES

INT – ROOM IN THE VILLAGE INN – SAME NIGHT

Karl Ivanovich pauses and puts the notebook down

TITLE: 1912

HARRY

(claps his hands)

Tomorrow we are spending the night at the Hunting House. It’s just near the Valley.

CAPTAIN WRIGHT

(yawns in the armchair)

Right now I don’t understand anything.

HARRY

(smokes his cigar)

You will understand once a witch gets hold of you.

CAPTAIN WRIGHT

(lazily)

What is it, the Witches’ Valley?

JAMES

(takes whisky off the table)

I thought you knew.

HARRY

(blows smoke rings)

The Valley is located at the foot of a mountain, on top of which the castle stands. In the valley’s centre there is a lake. The lakeshore is very swampy and at sunsets mists rise from its water.

He breathes out another portion of smoke

JAMES

(holds the glass of whisky in his hand)

It was this very mist that gave rise to all the legends.

HARRY

(gesticulating with his cigar in the air)

In the moonlight the mist takes on forms of beautiful women.

CAPTAIN WRIGHT

Not bad.

HARRY

Everyone who ended up in the Witches’ Valley on full moon was found dead.

JAMES

The lake women drink a man’s life with their kisses.

Drinks his glass of whisky at a draught

VILLAGE DOCTOR (48 years old) enters the living room

VILLAGE DOCTOR

Of course he will die, the lake water is stagnant and rotten.

Everyone looks at him

HARRY

(makes a hand gesture in his direction)

Doctor, you may pay for your lack of belief.

VILLAGE DOCTOR

(sits down in a spare chair)

If a drunk makes his way to the swamp, he will either drown or catch a fever.

The front door claps on the ground floor (sound behind the scenes).

EXT – VILLAGE INN – SAME SUMMER NIGHT

It is dark outside. Crickets sing.

INT – ROOM IN THE VILLAGE INN – SAME NIGHT

Harry and his guests sit in a room with a fireplace.

Georges sleeps. Karl Ivanovich looks into the notebook

KARL IVANOVICH

(rearranges his glasses and reads)

It was only after he regained consciousness that we were able to pry open his fingers. There was the medallion of Holy Virgin.

HARRY

I guess we have missed something, haven’t we?

KARL IVANOVICH

Yes, there is a gap in the records.

EXT – WITCHES” VALLEY – SUMMER EVENING, HEINRICH’S MEMORIES

BEGINNING OF THE MEMORIES

TITLE: 1852

HEINRICH – the hunter (20 years old) sits on the ledge of one of the rocks near a hawthorn bush.

The moon is bright. Mist rises from the lake.

Heinrich leans towards the hawthorn bush, smells the fragrance of its flowers and yawns.

Suddenly a gust of wind shakes the bush and a hawthorn branch strikes Heinrich on his chest – in an instant, white flowers cover him.

A white veil covers Heinrich. The veil shines and in the middle of it a beautiful female face appears, pale and wondrous, with huge greenish eyes and pink lips (Countess Maria’s face).

She moves closer to him. Heinrich is unable to take his eyes off her. He tries to reach for his medallion but there is no holy picture and lace on his neck.

The LAKE MAIDEN (26 years old) moves closer to Heinrich and kisses his lips. Everything around Heinrich starts to spin. He falls down unconscious.

END OF HEINRICH’S MEMORIES

EXT – WITCHES” VALLEY – SUMMER DAY, THE TEACHER’S MEMORIES

BEGINNING OF THE MEMORIES

The teacher passes by the lake back to the village. He sees a white nenufare underfoot, stops, picks it up from the ground, examines. The flower is little wilted

TEACHER

How did it get here?

INT – TEACHER’S BEDROOM IN THE TEACHER’S HOUSE – NIGHT OF THE SAME DAY

The teacher sits in his bedroom in his house on the second floor. He is about to go to bed.

Almost full-blown white nenufare stands in a glass of water. The teacher looks at it

TEACHER

(talking to the flower)

You are so beautiful…

The flower in the glass begins to transform. The white nenufare seems to move, it opens its petals a bit more.

Droplets of water shine on its petals. Those are either droplets or blue eyes of a woman

TEACHER

(breathing the air with his nose)

What is this, a fragrance?

The nenufare no longer floats helplessly in the glass of water, but sways proud on its high stem, but this is no longer the stem, but a slim woman’s body (aka Countess Maria)

She has a pale face with big sad eyes and pale pink lips. Her golden hair falls in beautiful waves upon her breasts.

Her figure sways softly and with every movement grows bigger and bigger until becomes a normal woman, yet her body stays translucent.

Now she floats on air from the table. The room is filled with inaudible sounds.

Her figure as if floats on air. She comes closer and closer; soon she sways beside the teacher’s bed, whispering something. She leans over him. She stretches out her arms, as if begging for something

TEACHER

(pushes the ghost aside with his hands)

No! No!

A crash and sound of breaking glass are heard in the room.

EXT-WITCHES” VALLEY – SAME SUMMER NIGHT

The fog band moves away from the open window of the bedroom towards the Witches’ Valley. In the moonlight it seems magical glow.

INT – TEACHER’S BEDROOM – SAME NIGHT

Frightened Mina appears in the room. The teacher sits in the bed and looks at the sister.

The broken glass decanter lies on the floor next to the bed in a puddle of water

MINA

(grumbling)

Why shouting, you have broken the decanter!

The teacher looks at the desk suspiciously: the nenufare dies helplessly in its glass. The teacher mops his brow slowly

TEACHER

(smiles, embarrassed)

Only a dream.

MINA

(picks up the pieces from the floor)

Scared to death.

INT – TEACHER’S BEDROOM IN THE TEACHER’S HOUSE-MORNING

There is no nenufare in the glass on the desk anymore. The teacher looks at the empty glass half awake

TEACHER

May it be a spirit of a suicide?

INT-DINING ROOM IN THE TEACHER’S HOUSE – SAME MORNING

The teacher enters the dining room on the ground floor. Mina puts dishes for breakfast on the table

TEACHER

Mina, have you seen the flower in my bedroom?

MINA

(puts the dishes)

The faded one? I’ve thrown it away.

TEACHER

(sits at the table)

Pity, I got used to it.

MINA

(stops and looks at her brother)

You are pale in the morning.

TEACHER

Just sleepy.

MINA

(continues putting the dishes)

You know, Heinrich has become an assistant to the church watchman.

TEACHER

Ah…

MINA

(puts pies in front of the brother)

Eat, I’ve baked in the morning.

She sits down in front of him, pours out tea

TEACHER

(bites off a pie)

My favourite. Thank you.

MINA

(pours out tea)

Maria is glad that Heinrich was found. Truly speaking, he has become odd. Silent. So the old church watchman invited him. The watchman is strange, has planted garlic everywhere in the garden.

She gives a cup of tea to the brother

TEACHER

(takes the cup from her hands)

I should go and see Heinrich.

MINA

Go-go. It won’t be bad.

She puts a pie on her saucer.

EXT – WITCHES” VALLEY – SUMMER NIGHT OF THE SAME DAY

The teacher stands in the Witches’ Valley near the water, on the lakeshore.

Mist rises over the lake, taking on different forms: now the white cloud takes shapes of a lady with nenufares in her hair.

And now nenufares on the water surface open their petals, fireflies float over them.

Blossomed trees, growing near here, give their white petals to the wind.

White snowstorm of petals whirls in the air over the lake and the schoolteacher’s head

TEACHER

(peers into the white whirl over the lake)

What if everything that the villagers say about the valley is true?

He goes into the lake

END OF THE MEMORIES

EXT – CLEARING IN THE FOREST OF CARDIE’S CASTLE – EVENING

Harry and the company enjoy their picnic, Smith accidently spills some wine on Harry’s shirt

HARRY

(shouting)

What the hell is the matter with you, Smith? My shirt isn’t a wineglass, damn it!

Smith spreads his arms in embarrassment

SMITH

Forgive me, it was an accident. For a moment I imagined that someone was looking at me from the forest. Someone with red eyes.

Everybody looks around nervously

JAMES

There is no one!

HARRY

I never took you for someone who suffers from a persecution complex, Smith. Oh well, pour me some more wine and, for once, try to aim for the glass and avoid my shirt.

Smith pours the wine but his hands shake. He shivers and points towards the forest

SMITH

My God, it is still there.

Captain Wright grabs a rifle and fires a single shot in the direction pointed by Smith. Black bat flies out of the forest

HARRY

Calm down, Smith, it is only a perfectly harmless bat.

Suddenly the bushes behind the resting men creak. Everyone jumps to their feet and grabs their rifles

CAPTAIN WRIGHT

Halt before you get a bullet in your guts. Who is there? Answer me, damn you!

A VILLAGE HEADSMAN, a fat middle aged man emerges from the bushes

VILLAGE HEADMAN

Gentlemen, calm down. It is only me.

HARRY

You see, Smith, he is hardly a demon.

Smith crosses himself and kisses a religious medallion at his neck

HARRY

Gentlemen, it is time to get going. We haven’t had the chance to explore the Western side of the castle yet. And now that we are so lucky to get a tour guide, – the village headsman, we should really waste no time.

(addressing the headsman)

Have you got a horse?

VILLAGE HEADSMAN

No.

HARRY

Then Smith’s mare will have to carry you both.

CAPTAIN WRIGHT

(quietly)

The poor mare – a hysterical damsel and a fat man together on her back.

Everyone mounts their horses and rides away.

EXT-VILLAGE CHURCH GARDEN – SUMMER DAY, TEACHER’S MEMORIES

BEGINNING OF THE MEMORIES

The yard is planted with garlic flowers. The teacher goes by the white flowers to the church, holding his nose with his hand.

INT – IN THE VILLAGE CHURCH – SAME DAY

The teacher enters the village church.

It is ornamented with crosses and lined with wreathes of garlic over the windows and doors.

CHURCH WATCHMAN (aka Petro in his old age, 60 years old) stands on a ladder and fixes a wreath of white garlic flowers above the entrance door from the inside.

Heinrich sorts mistletoe crosses

TEACHER

How are you, Heinrich?

HEINRICH

(sorting crosses)

So far, so good.

TEACHER

(comes up to Heinrich)

And what about your neck?

HEINRICH

(touches a bandage on his neck)

Scratched, the wounds are not healing well.

CHURCH WATCHMAN

(comes off the ladder)

And they wouldn’t heal, until she bites somebody else.

The teacher turns to the entrance door and points to the wreaths of white flowers

TEACHER

What is it?

CHURCH WATCHMAN

She doesn’t like it!

TEACHER

(wrinkles his nose)

I guess, me too.

Heinrich looks askance at the teacher

TEACHER

(continues)

I’ve heard your stories. Can the dead rise from their coffins?

CHURCH WATCHMAN

(takes the ladder away from the entrance and puts it in the corner)

You are still young, wait till you get to my age.

TEACHER

(turns to Heinrich)

Do you really believe in that too?

Heinrich sorts crosses in silence and hides his eyes

HEINRICH

(quietly)

I do.

INT – LIVING ROOM IN THE TEACHER’S HOUSE – EVENING OF THE SAME DAY

Mina sews in a chair by the window. The teacher rocks in a rocking chair

MINA

(darns a shirt)

They say, the old man knew better life. He was the uncle of one of the young Counts Dracula and lived in the castle.

(bites the thread in two with her teeth and examines her work)

Then the family suffered some sort of misfortune. The castle was abandoned.

(puts the shirt on her knees and looks at the brother)

The counts have relatives somewhere in America, but no one knows them.

TEACHER

(stops rocking)

Are you talking about our church watchman, Mina?

MINA

(sighs)

About him. Who else?

END OF THE TEACHER’S MEMORIES

INT-ROOM IN THE VILLAGE INN – SAME NIGHT

Karl Ivanovich looks into his notebook and keeps silent.

TITLE: 1912

GEORGES

(rubs his eyes half asleep)

The teacher writes about your relatives, doesn’t he?

HARRY

Why do you think so?

GEORGES

(shrugs his shoulders)

Intuition.

KARL IVANOVICH

(reads the teacher’s diary)

Today the church watchman came to our house, bringing some objects for Mina to clean. I lured him to my study and gave him a cup of tea, into which I had poured two tablespoons of rum.

INT – STUDY IN THE TEACHER’S HOUSE – EVENING, THE TEACHER’S MEMORIES

BEGINNING OF THE MEMORIES

The teacher and church watchman sit in the teacher’s study at the table. The teacher gives the church watchman some tea from the tray

TITLE: 1852

CHURCH WATCHMAN

(a little drunk)

And I dare say, she almost bit me to death!

TEACHER

Who, the hound bitch?

CHURCH WATCHMAN

What bitch? The Countess herself! She died, but at the time of the full moon she starts to stroll around. If she gets stuck on someone – you know, the poor man is dead!

He bites off a pie, washes down with some tea. The teacher watches him

CHURCH WATCHMAN

(continues)

Once we were walking together on the clearing, and a big wolf jumped on me, knocked me over flat. And she, my darling Nettie, my beauty, she flew into a rage and grabbed the bastard by the scruff of his neck.

TEACHER

The dead Countess?

CHURCH WATCHMAN

(waving his hands at him)

Go on with you, all you do is confuse things! The hound, Nettie, I raised her myself; and for nothing perished the poor dog.

TEACHER

I don’t understand who you are talking about.

CHURCH WATCHMAN

(completely drunk)

I drowned her in the old well.

He gets up from the table, takes his bag on the floor near the chair

CHURCH WATCHMAN

(continues)

Well, I must go.

TEACHER

(nods and gets up from the chair)

Tomorrow Mina will clean everything

CHURCH WATCHMAN

(winks at the teacher)

Sleep well?

INT-BEDROOM IN THE TEACHER’S HOUSE – NIGHT OF THE SAME DAY

A nenufare stands in the glass of water on the table in the bedroom. The teacher stands next to it, but the flower is unmoved

TEACHER

How can I get you to come back?

He paces the room, nervous. He accidently moves the window curtain: something falls on the floor – the teacher picks up a wreath made up of dried garlic flowers and bulbs

TEACHER

(continues)

So this is the source of the stench in my room.

EXT – GARDEN OF THE VILLAGE CHURCH – SUMMER DAY

The teacher talks to the church watchman. The teacher holds a small package in his hands. The church watchman varnishes a big wooden cross

TEACHER

(stretches the package to the watchman)

Here, Mina gave the church objects.

CHURCH WATCHMAN

(points to a bench to his left)

Put it there.

TEACHER

(puts the package on the bench)

What about the hound Nettie? The Countess’ one. What happened to her?

CHURCH WATCHMAN

(turns towards him with a sly smile)

The counts had a fine pack of hunting dogs, and Nettie was the Countess’ favourite. The old American devil did away with her.

EXT – CARDIE’S CASTLE – SUMMER DAY, THE MEMORIES OF THE CHURCH WATCHMAN (PETRO)

BEGINNING OF THE MEMORIES

TITLE: 1832

Panoramic view: a terrace of the castle, there is a chapel away from it.

INT – LARGE BALCONY ON THE GROUND FLOOR OF THE CASTLE – SAME DAY

PETRO (as a young man, 39 years old) enters the balcony in the form of a terrace, AMERICAN SERVANT (seemingly 80 years old) meets him halfway. Petro exchanges glances with him.

NETTIE follows the American with her eyes and shakes, her fur stands on end, eyes are wild, teeth snap.

COUNTESS MARIA (26 years old) reclines pale on a couch. There is fear on her face, eyes are half-closed

COUNTESS MARIA

(groaning)

Petro…

Petro stares at the Countess, then at the dog, then at the door, after the gone servant.

EXT – GARDEN OF CARDIE’S CASTLE – SAME SUMMER DAY

American Servant moves away in the direction of the chapel. Nettie, like crazy, runs after him and goes out of sight.

END OF THE MEMORIES OF THE CHURCH WATCHMAN

EXT-VILLAGE CHURCH GARDEN-SUMMER DAYTIME, THE TEACHER’S MEMORIES

BEGINNING OF THE MEMORIES

The teacher and the church watchman talk in the church garden

TITLE: 1852

TEACHER

(sits down on the bench and adjusts the collar with his hand)

Do you think the snake bit Nettie?

CHURCH WATCHMAN

(painting a cross)

No, the snake bit Countess.

TEACHER

How could a snake get into the castle?

CHURCH WATCHMAN

(painting the cross)

From the jewel box that the old devil had brought with him.

(pause)

Don’t go to the lake.

TEACHER

Who told you that I was going to the lake?

CHURCH WATCHMAN

(throws the brush and takes off the gloves)

Where else could you dirty your boots, mud is everywhere, completely ruined.

END OF THE TEACHER’S MEMORIES

INT-ROOM IN THE VILLAGE INN – SAME NIGHT

Karl Ivanovich puts the notebook on his knees

TITLE: 1912

KARL IVANOVICH

(sorting the sheets)

Here is another interruption.

HARRY

(slouches in the armchair)

Time for bed.

Captain Wright snores in his armchair.

EXT – WITCHES” VALLEY – SAME SUMMER NIGHT

YOUNG MAN, a villager, staggers from the lake in the direction of the village.

He takes some steps and falls dead. He holds a rose-nenufare in his hand. There are drops of blood on his shirt.

EXT – CLEARING IN THE WOODS – SUMMER DAY

During the hunt Smith, Harry, James, Captain Wright, Karl Ivanovich and Georges have a picnic in a clearing under a wide-branching tree. They eat ham from big plates and drink wine out of bottles.

There are hunting trophies and guns next to them. Saddled horses graze nearby

SMITH

(pours out wine by glasses)

Mr. Harry, whole stories are told about you.

Harry lies and chews a grass blade

HARRY

Well, what kind of?

JAMES

(gives Harry a glass of wine)

They say, you’ve got a whole kingdom in America and you are a descendant of Montezuma.

Harry spits out the grass blade and takes the glass from him

CAPTAIN WRIGHT

(puts a piece of ham into his mouth)

Where did you get such information?

JAMES

The villagers say so.

He chews the ham and takes a sip from his glass of wine

HARRY

Have you already been to the village?

Harry takes a piece of ham from the plate, brought to him by Smith

CAPTAIN WRIGHT

James and I walked there in the afternoon.

He lights up a cigar

SMITH

Mr. Harry is the owner of the local castle, so they talk about him.

He sits down on the grass next to Harry and eats a piece of ham

HARRY

Karl Ivanovich will help me to become its owner.

He takes another piece of ham from Smith’s plate

KARL IVANOVICH

(wipes his hands with a napkin)

I haven’t found missing documents yet in the archive, but I have got interesting letters.

He leans back against the tree trunk and gets a batch of letters out of his bag

HARRY

These are letters from the Hunting House, we will live there until I get the castle.

KARL IVANOVICH

(unties the ribbon, which ties the letters)

The letters have an evident connection with the teacher’s diary.

INT – LIVING ROOM OF THE VENETIAN MANSION – DAYTIME

BEGINNING OF GROWN-UP CARLO’S MEMORIES

A hand of a young aristocrat writes a letter

TITLE: 1852

CARLO’S VOICE

(behind the scenes)

Dear Alf! I am able to return to my motherland, which I left as a seven-year-old boy. I still don’t know the reason for my exile from my parents’ castle.

EXT-TERRACE OF CARDIE’S CASTLE – SUMMER EVENING

BEGINNING OF YOUNG CARLO’S MEMORIES

Everybody gathered on the terrace: YOUNG CARLO (7 years old), his sister LUCY (5 years old); COUNT FREDERICK (41 year old): adult, calm, with noble manners; COUNTESS MARIA (25 years old): beautiful, graceful blonde with noble manners; PETRO (39 years old), Count Frederick’s younger brother.

Countess’ favourite greyhound, NETTIE, lies right here.

SEBASTIAN (40 years old), the servant, enters

TITLE: 1832

SEBASTIAN

An elderly gentleman wishes to speak to the Count.

COUNT FREDERICK

Call him.

Sebastian leaves

The old grey-haired gentleman, seemingly 80 years old, AMERICAN SERVANT (aka American Grandfather) enters the terrace.

AMERICAN SERVANT: seemingly 80 years old, aristocratic bearing and manners, tall, thin-faced, is a bit haughty. He has got reddish eyes and crimson lips on the pale face. He wears a long religious habit.

The American servant bows to the count and countess.

Nettie jumps, bristles up and rushes at him.

The old man drives her away with a crutch, which he holds in his hands

COUNTESS MARIA

Nettie has never behaved like this before!

COUNT FREDERICK

Petro, take the dog away.

Petro grabs Nettie by the collar and drags her off the terrace.

The American Servant bows, handing Count Frederick a large sealed envelope.

Count Frederick opens it and reads a few lines to himself, then turns towards his wife

COUNT FREDERICK

(continues)

A coffin, bearing the mortal remains of our American relative is due to arrive at the castle in accordance to his wishes. He wanted to be buried in his home soil.

Countess Maria nods silently

COUNT FREDERICK

(continues)

Are you the same servant who is mentioned in this letter?

The American Servant bows in acknowledgement

AMERICAN SERVANT

My Lord, when can I bring the coffin?

COUNTESS MARIA

Tomorrow, if you wish

The American Servant bows to the couple and leaves

COUNTESS MARIA

(continues)

Who was that relative, dear?

END OF THE MEMORIES

EXT – VENICE, LIDO CANAL – SUMMER EVENING

BEGINNING OF GROWN-UP CARLO’S MEMORIES

A gondola glides noiselessly along the water. Last rays of the setting sun reflect on the canal. All around, laughter and singing can be heard from the neighboring gondolas.

CARLO (27 years old): a son of Count Frederick and Countess Maria, an educated young aristocrat, has lived away from home for almost 20 years.

Carlo gazes at the water, lost in thought

TITLE: 1852

CARLO’S VOICE

(behind the scenes)

My mother died when I was already in Nuremberg. She was so beautiful, and yet she died so young. To this day I don’t know what illness took her to her grave.