A small village house is surrounded by a garden. One part of the garden faces the main village road.
WIDOWS DAUGHTER (17 years old) and a young servant girl LISA (16 years old) pick berries in the garden.
ELDERLY GENTLEMAN (aka American Servant 80 years old) walks towards the garden wall from the main road. He addresses Lisa
ELDERLY GENTLEMAN
May I have some water, my child?
He hands the girl a silver coin over the fence. She stares at it for a brief moment then takes the coin.
INT-CARDIES CASTLE, MUSICAL SALON SAME EVENING
Count Fredericks fingers glide masterfully along the keys of the piano.
Countess Maria listens to her husband play the piano. The children and the servants headed by Petro are all nearby.
EXT-GARDEN NEAR THE WIDOWS HOUSE SAME SUMMER EVENING
Lisa walks along the garden path, carrying a pitcher of kvass. She trips over something, looks down and discovers the body of the widows daughter. She drops the pitcher and it shatters at her feet
LISA
Help me! Help!
INT-CARDIES CASTLE, MUSICAL SALON-SAME EVENING
The Counts fingers glide along the keys of the instrument, he finishes the melody.
INT-CARDIES CASTLE, YARD NEAR THE STABLES-SUMMER MORNING
Family Doctor and Count Frederick walk near the stables. The whinnying of the horses can be heard (sound behind the scenes)
COUNT FREDERICK
Is your patient getting better, Doctor?
FAMILY DOCTOR
She has anemia and a very severe case. She will need a healthy diet, milk, wine.
COUNT FREDERICK
Send her all she needs.
NIKOLAI the groom (25 years old) runs up to the Count. He is out of breath
NIKOLAI
Marina, our floor washer girl, she is dead.
FAMILY DOCTOR
Hurry up, take us to her.
They hurry, passing the servants barracks. Nikolai talks while walking
NIKOLAI
She didnt come down to work in the morning. Chambermaids went up to her room and found her dead.
INT MARINAS ROOM-SAME MORNING
Marinas corpse lies on her bed. Her face and body appear peaceful, as if she is only sleeping. The sudden gust of wind through the open window lifts and tangles her long loose hair.
Family Doctor takes Marinas wrist. Count Frederick watches him closely
FAMILY DOCTOR
She is not only dead; the body is already stiff and cold.
COUNT FREDERICK
Do you see that red mark on her neck?
A small red wound is visible on the dead girls neck, the skin around the wound is slightly red.
Count Frederick and the Family Doctor exchange looks
EXT-GATES OF CARDIES CASTLE-SAME SUMMER EVENING
The mournful toll of the village bell is answered by the bell in the castle.
Countess Maria, Nikolai the groom, Lina the COOK, SERVANTS, little Carlo and his sister Lucy follow Marinas coffin to the gates of the castle. From the crowd of castle servants muffles sobs can be heard.
The cart bearing the coffin drives slowly through the castle gates
NIKOLAI
The American did not come to the funeral mass.
COOK
Did you see it? His windows, even the shutters were closed when we were passing his guardhouse.
INT-FORMAN LIVING ROOM WITH THE NEW BALCONY-MORNING
Count Frederick guides his wife to her new place of rest. Catherine walks respectfully behind, accompanied by a couple of female servants, young Carlo and little Lucy
COUNTESS MARIA
Its a pity this beautiful room was always locked.
COUNT FREDERICK
From now on we can spent our evening here.
The FOOTMAN opens the door for the couple.
Countess Maria takes two or three steps into the room, when suddenly; she screams violently and points into the neighboring hall.
COUNTESS MARIA
He is watching me staring at me! He is my death!
The Countess faints in her husbands arms. Everyones eyes follow the direction to which she was pointing. The faces of guests register unease.
A portrait (the same gold-framed portrait that was discovered in the Hunting House) hangs on the wall of the neighboring room. A tall lean old man, dressed in a renaissance style costume and wearing a heavy gold chain is peering from the frame. His thin lips are pressed together in an arrogant line and his red tinged eyes appear terrifyingly alive
COUNT FREDERICK
(to the servants)
Well, why are you gaping, remove everything!
YOUNG CARLO
(takes Countess hand)
Mom, dont be afraid, the grandfather is dead.
EXT-AN OPEN AIR PLATFORM IN THE WESTERN PART OF THE GARDEN NEAR THE SHEER DROP SAME SUMMER DAY
The Countess lies on a chaise lounge. She is clearly ill at ease.
She sees the evil red-tinged eyes among the hops. She looks around, terrified. The unseen presence moves towards the rocks of the sheer drop, its shape unclear yet menacing.
The Countess is afraid and reaches towards her husband.
Young Carlo and little Lucy play nearby, completely oblivious to the danger
COUNTESS MARIA
Freddie, those eyes, I can see them everywhere, they are hounding me.
COUNT FREDERICK
Whose eyes, dear?
COUNTESS MARIA
Grandfathers.
COUNT FREDERICK
Enough, my darling, even the portrait is gone. I exiled it from our home.
The Count serves her cookies on a tray and leaves.
Countess Maria brings a cookie to her mouths and it grows moldy before her eyes.
She feels nauseous, coughs but later calms down and pulls out a small mirror in order to straighten her hair. Her reflection gradually vanishes as if eaten up by rust rising from the site of the bite on her neck. Maria cries out.
Her worried husband rushes in. She embraces him and flings away the mirror. The mirror lies on the floor, cracked, reflecting only the Count
END OF YOUNG CARLOS MEMORIES
INT-CARLOS SITTING ROOM, VENICE-EARLY MORNING
BEGINNING OF GROWN-UP CARLOS MEMORIES
Carlo paces his sitting room, holding a letter in his hand and commenting to himself
TITLE: 1852
CARLO
My God, I am rich, unbelievably rich!
PETRO stands nearby in respectful silence. Although he is only about 67 years old the time has dealt him a terrible blow, his appearance is much older and he is dressed in a monk-like cowl. He holds papers and a pilgrims sack
PETRO
Your father lived simply. He barely spent his money.
CARLO
There is over a million florins in Venice alone!
Petro reaches into his sack and produces a jewelry box. He places it carefully onto the couch nearby
PETRO
These are your mothers jewels.
Carlo sits down on the couch and motions for Petro to join him. He places the jewelry box on his knees and opens it, gently lifting the glittering treasures inside