The Chronicles of the Counts Dracula-Cardie. Adapted from Baron Olshevris novel «Vampires» - Olga Boyko

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the corpse itself is with them in the room.

      James comes up to the table with the vase with dried field flowers. He points to the open decanter, whose stopper lies next to it on the table

      JAMES

      Here is the stopper. Whoever lived here had no time to close it.

      HARRY

      Why did the owners fled from here?

      Georges looks inside a birdcage that stands near the window. Tiny bones of the long-dead bird lie at its bottom. Seashell-shaped feeder is empty

      GEORGES

      Good question.

      Karl Ivanovich opens the drapes on the furthest window and discovers that it is really a door

      KARL IVANOVICH

      Here’s the door.

      He turns the key and the door opens with an unpleasant creak. Evening breeze rushes into the room

      Candles flicker, curtains and the dried flowers in the vase move, as if the spirit of the dead woman has invaded the room, angered at the disturbance

      EXT – WITCHES” VALLEY – SAME SUMMER EVENING

      The mist rises over the lake.

      A quiet female laughter, like a bell, is heard here and there.

      Nenufares seem to move on the water surface.

      The mirror surface of the lake darkens.

      INT – HIDDEN SALON WITH A BALCONY – SAME EVENING

      Everybody looks around in a small adjacent room.

      Miller approaches one of the four windows, looks into it, turns to everyone and gestures lively

      MILLER

      This salon forms a part of the suit of rooms that includes the lady’s bedroom.

      HARRY’S VOICE

      (behind the scenes)

      I found a small balcony, the size of a bird’s nest!

      Captain Wright comes close to one of the paintings decorating the side wall

      CAPTAIN WRIGHT

      Here is the door to the ghost-bride’s bedroom. It is disguised as a painting.

      MILLER

      (comes close to the painting)

      Yes, it can be mistaken for a painting.

      Karl Ivanovich joins Wright and pulls on the door handle

      KARL IVANOVICH

      It won’t budge.

      MILLER

      Let me try, sir.

      He puts his shoulder to the door, but Wright stops him

      CAPTAIN WRIGHT

      Miller, it’s useless, the door is nailed shut.

      Harry stands in the balcony’s doorway facing the room

      HARRY

      It’s because the door is blocked by the large wardrobe, the one where we found all those women’s clothes.

      JAMES

      Gentlemen, it’s time for dinner.

      Everybody follows James. They close the door behind them and the room is empty again

      EXT-FOREST – DAYTIME

      Harry, Captain Wright, Georges, and James walk through the forest, carrying rifles and talking. A pair of spaniels follows them.

      James carries their trophies, slung behind his shoulder

      GEORGES

      I think the lady in the abandoned rooms must have died suddenly.

      CAPTAIN WRIGHT

      And I think she ran off with her paramour.

      HARRY

      Who else agrees with him?

      JAMES

      I think something unpleasant happened at the Hunting House, but what precisely?

      Georges picks up a stick from the ground and throws it, the dogs rush after the stick

      GEORGES

      What was a woman doing there?

      HARRY

      She was a foreign lady.

      CAPTAIN WRIGHT

      (stops, looking at Harry)

      How do you know this?

      HARRY

      The village headman. He told me that a foreign lady died of a broken heart. She missed her homeland.

      (pause)

      His grandmother told him.

      GEORGES

      (comes up to them)

      But why didn’t she live up at the castle?

      JAMES

      (laughs)

      The headman’s grandmother did not specify why, did she?

      Harry shoots a duck and hits. The duck falls behind the trees. Harry’s dog runs after it

      HARRY

      Sadly, she did not.

      CAPTAIN WRIGHT

      Goddamn!

      He aims and fires a shot at the black bat flying above their heads but misses

      EXT-FOREST-MORNING-COUNT FREDERICK’S DREAM

      TITLE 1832

      Hunt, Count Frederick, his guests and servants chase a doe. Suddenly a group of trees cuts Count Frederick away from the rest of the party.

      He keeps chasing the animal without realizing that he is now alone. The doe mounts a steep hill and is transformed into Maria. She beckons the Count towards herself. He rushes towards his wife only to tumble off the cliff into the chasm below.

      Maria is then turned into a laughing Dracula who, in turn, becomes a bat.

      Count Frederick wakes up in cold sweat

      INT-HUNTING HOUSE, DINING ROOM-SAME DAY

      Harry, Wright, Georges and James leave the dining room for the smoking room.

      INT – HUNTING HOUSE, SMOKING ROOM-SAME DAY

      Harry, Georges, Wright, Karl Ivanovich and James select drinks and cigars, sit down and make themselves comfortable.

      Karl Ivanovich sits down in an armchair too, holding a pile of papers. He sorts it nervously

      KARL IVANOVICH

      I am happy to tell you that I found the continuation of the letters!

      GEORGES

      Good!

      Karl Ivanovich, takes a handkerchief out of his pocket, polishes his glasses and puts the handkerchief away

      KARL IVANOVICH

      Are you ready, gentlemen?

      EXT-OLD VENETIAN STREET – AUTUMN DAY

      BEGINNING

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