Petro
Petro stares at the Countess, then at the dog, then at the door, after the gone servant.
EXT GARDEN OF CARDIES 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 TEACHERS 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)
Dont 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 TEACHERS 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, youve 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 Smiths plate
KARL IVANOVICH
(wipes his hands with a napkin)
I havent 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 teachers diary.
INT LIVING ROOM OF THE VENETIAN MANSION DAYTIME
BEGINNING OF GROWN-UP CARLOS MEMORIES
A hand of a young aristocrat writes a letter
TITLE: 1852
CARLOS 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 dont know the reason for my exile from my parents castle.
EXT-TERRACE OF CARDIES CASTLE SUMMER EVENING
BEGINNING OF YOUNG CARLOS 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 Fredericks 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 CARLOS 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.