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

A pair of ladies shoes stands on the bottom shelf.

A large jewel-box, decorated with gold and mother of pearl’s flowers attracts the friends’ attention.

Captain Wright examines the jewel-box, Karl Ivanovich comes up to him

CAPTAIN WRIGHT

It is Japanese, fit for the Emperor’s palace.

KARL IVANOVICH

I wonder what the lady kept in it.

HARRY

Let’s find out.

Harry takes the box and tries to open it. But all for nothing, there is no exterior lock.

James takes the box and shakes it slightly. Georges watches them from the side

JAMES

The box has its secret!

Harry puts the jewel-box back and closes the cupboard’s door

HARRY

I will have to get a locksmith.

Captain Wright’s voice is heard from the other side of the room

WRIGHT’S VOICE

(behind the scenes)

Come over here, it is worth seeing!

EXT-LARGE BALCONY OF THE BRIDE’S BEDROOM – SAME EVENING

Georges, James, Captain Wright and Karl Ivanovich are gathered on the balcony, watching the view of the castle.

The mist rises from the lake. In some places the mist parts a little and the clear blue water of the lake peeks through.

To the left there is the dark green of pine trees and on the right there is the dark rock, crowned with the ominous looking castle

KARL IVANOVICH

What a magnificent view.

James whistles in appreciation

CAPTAIN WRIGHT

And now, more than ever, I refuse to believe in the local lore of malicious maidens with duck feet.

Harry’s irritated voice is heard from the room

HARRY’S VOICE

(behind the scenes)

I will not sleep on an old dusty mattress!

INT-BRIDE’S BEDROOM-SAME EVENING

Harry, Smith and Miller argue near the four-poster bed

SMITH

I thought it was the best room in the house…

HARRY

Take my things to another bedroom.

Smith and his assistant Miller start to exchange words and both appear troubled

HARRY

What’s the matter?

SMITH

We are not sure to whom we can offer the big bedroom.

MILLER

We have prepared the rooms according to the number of guests.

HARRY

Well, you should make yourself comfortable in this dusty nest!

Miller appears afraid and Smith takes a step backwards

MILLER

Me? Sleep here, in her bedroom? Forgive me but I cannot.

HARRY

What the hell are you talking about?

MILLER

A young bride lived here, she died here too and the people say that her soul is restless and her ghost walks and cries at night.

Harry turns to his friends

HARRY

So, who wishes to make an acquaintance with a ghostly bride?

CAPTAIN WRIGHT

I am game, as long as I have a dozen cigars and a glass of rum.

KARL IVANOVICH

With a dozen cigars laced with opium like you prefer, you will see not only a ghostly bride but a white elephant and a green snake thrown in for a bargain.

Harry claps his hands

HARRY

It is settled then, Wright will sleep here, lead on, Smith.

EXT-GARDENS AROUND THE HUNTING HOUSE – SAME SUMMER EVENING

Harry, James, Wright, Georges, Karl Ivanovich and Miller struggle to make their way through the overgrown garden.

The sun hasn’t set yet, but it is not bright anymore.

INT – HUNTING HOUSE, OTHER WING, FIRST FLOOR – SAME EVENING

Almost all rooms are walk-through. The atmosphere is gloomy

HARRY

Everything is rather unpretentious.

Georges points at the door

GEORGES

Take a look at this portrait!

The bright gold frame hangs near the door leading off to a small room. Its opulence is strangely at odds with the rest of the interior

JAMES

They used the first available place.

HARRY

Light it up please, Miller.

Karl Ivanovich approaches the portrait with the lamp

KARL IVANOVICH

Let me help you.

Miller and Karl Ivanovich light up the portrait with the lamp.

Tall, gaunt elderly man (aka the American grandfather) dressed in a velvet renaissance style costume, wearing a thick gold chain stares regally from the frame.

His large aquiline nose and thin lips speak of his aristocratic breeding and stern character.

In the flickering light of the lamp his eyes shine with an eerie red tinge

CAPTAIN WRIGHT

What a wonderful technique.

GEORGES

It is as if he is really staring at us.

HARRY

This is only half a picture, I wonder why someone would cut painting in half?

JAMES

Let me take a look.

James comes closer to the portrait first from right and then from left, trying to examine it from every angle.

While doing so he accidently bumps Karl Ivanovich, who, in order to avoid falling, braces his hand against the wall. The seemingly solid surface gives way, revealing a secret passage and the old man cries out as he falls into the dark space

KARL IVANOVICH

A-a-a!

INT-HIDDEN SALON-SAME EVENING

Karl Ivanovich rises from the floor, groaning. Harry helps him to his feet

KARL IVANOVICH

I am all right, thank god.

JAMES

Please forgive my clumsiness.

Karl Ivanovich pats James’ shoulder. The men are fascinated by the new room

With its large Venetian windows and luxurious furnishings it appears similar to the bedroom of the ghostly bride

GEORGES

Don’t you think this salon matches the ghost lady’s bedroom?

He runs his fingertip along the surface of an elegant desk

The finger is covered with dirty dust

HARRY

It seems that someone else lived here yesterday.

Books and bits of lady’s handicraft litter a small desk.

In the center of the room there is a large chaise lounge with a small elegant table placed next to it.

A large silver vase on the table still holds a bouquet of dried field flowers

MILLER

Mister Cardie is right.

JAMES

(touching a cushion on the chaise lounge)

Take a look at this cushion; it still has an imprint of a head!

Captain Wright, Georges and Harry stare at the cushion

CAPTAIN WRIGHT

I see it too.

HARRY

Jamie, you are a hopeless romantic.

Georges touches the cushion

GEORGES

This is incredible!

A lute lies on the seat of the nearby chair. At the foot of the chaise lounge among several dried up roses there is a discarded blood red lady’s cape, made from expensive plush fabric

JAMES

Look, here is her cape.

He picks up the cape and inhales its send slowly

JAMES

(continues)

This room and the ghost bedroom belonged to the same lady.

HARRY

Wait you can tell it from the smell, Sherlock?

JAMES

Yes, it is the same lavender perfume.

James hands Harry the cape

HARRY

No, thank you, I don’t feel like sniffing at dusty old rags.

Harry puts the cape back where he and James found it

CAPTAIN WRIGHT

Jamie, have you fallen for this fabled beauty?

JAMES

I wouldn’t have minded meeting her.

HARRY

(laughs)

But, as always, you are too late.

INT-CARDIE’S CASTLE, PORTRAIT GALLERY-SAME EVENING

A portrait of a beautiful woman (aka Rita) with a spray of red roses at the waist of her blue dress hangs on the wall of the portrait gallery.

INT-HIDDEN SALON – SAME EVENING

Karl Ivanovich hands Harry a small gold-edged book

KARL IVANOVICH

I’ve fallen on it

Harry takes the book and opens it. The title page bears an inscription in Italian

HARRY

(reads it out loud)

Pray for my poor soul…

KARL IVANOVICH

It is a catholic prayer-book.

Harry’s words silence the laughter and the banter. It is as if 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