HARRY
I come from the land of the Aztecs!
KARL IVANOVICH
Perhaps the old grandfather mentioned in the letters is the same relative whose burial record you need to complete your transference of inheritance, Sir.
EXT-FRONT GATES OF CARDIES CASTLE-SUMMER DAY
BEGINNING OF YOUNG CARLOS MEMORIES
Young Carlo stands in front of a gigantic black coffin at the gates of the Cardies castle
TITLE: 1832
CARLOS VOICE
(behind the scenes)
The old servants visit was followed by the arrival of the grandfathers coffin the next day.
INT-CARDIES CASTLE, FAMILY CHAPEL SAME DAY
Castle private chapel is brightly lit and elegantly decorated in an anticipation of a funeral Mass.
EXT ENTRANCE TO THE CHAPEL SAME SUMMER DAY
American servant stands at the entrance to the chapel. Behind his back, servants hold the gigantic coffin
AMERICAN SERVANT
The coffin is too large and will not pass through the chapels entrance to the crypt. Wouldnt it be best to open the crypts western doors in the garden?
Count Frederick stands at the threshold of the chapel and looks up at the old man, clearly surprised
COUNT FREDERICK
How could you possibly know about the other entrance to the crypt?
AMERICAN SERVANT
I know it from my late masters stories.
COUNT FREDERICK
(speaking to the servants)
We will have to forgo the funeral mass.
COUNTESS MARIA
How can we bury him without a proper service?
COUNT FREDERICK
(speaking to servants)
Open up the western doors to the crypt.
PETRO
Dont worry, Your Highness. We will take care of it.
American servant gives Petro an evil stare. Petro gives sign and the servants lift the American coffin but as soon as they step on the stairs as the latter begin to crumble and the large coffin falls, almost toppling over. When the coffin connects with the floor a hollow sound is heard.
Petro eyes the coffin suspiciously
PETRO
(to himself, puzzled)
Empty? But why drag an empty coffin halfway around the world?
The American servant tries to escape Petros gaze by hiding behind other servants
INT IN THE CRYPT UNDER THE CHAPEL SAME DAY
The crypt has been cleaned and is brightly lit with burning torches.
Servants, led by Petro lower the coffin into a stone sarcophagus that has an inscription Brought from America carved on its lid.
The count and the countess watch the proceedings
COUNT FREDERICK
(to his overseer)
Michael, dont forget to lock the crypt.
MICHAEL
(to the servants)
Who has the key?
The servants go around the sarcophagus, shrug their shoulders and shake heads
COUNT FREDERICK
(to the servants)
Who was the last man to hold the key?
PETRO
You have lost it, airheads.
MICHAEL
(to the count)
Perhaps it was stolen, My Lord?
COUNTESS MARIA
God forbid, please order a thorough search.
The count and the countess walk out through the open door of the crypt into the garden. American servant follows them
AMERICAN SERVANT
May I beg your permission to live in the old guardhouse near the chapel?
COUNT FREDERICK
But the old guardhouse is hardly fit to live in.
AMERICAN SERVANT
The only desire I have left in this world is to guard my masters grave.
COUNT FREDERICK
As you wish.
The count, the countess and the American servant go out through the open western doors of the crypt to the garden.
EXT GARDEN NEAR THE WESTERN DOORS OF THE CRYPT-SAME DAY
Count Frederick, Countess Maria and American Servant stand in the garden.
The old man bows deeply to the count, handing the countess a long dark velvet box
AMERICAN SERVANT
(bowing)
As per my masters spoken command, in the memory of him.
Countess Maria opens the box, revealing a beautiful pearl necklace resting on the blue velvet. The necklaces clasp is shaped like a serpents head with two large emeralds for eyes. The emeralds glint mysteriously in the light.
Countess Maria looks up at her husband questioning and he nods in approval. The Countess fingers touch the necklace
END OF THE MEMORIES
EXT CLEARING IN THE WOODS SAME SUMMER DAY
Karl Ivanovich puts sheets on his knees
HARRY
(eats olives from a saucer with fingers)
The great idol of Huitzilopochtli was once adorned with a pearl necklace fashioned into a snake with emerald eyes. It was supposed to possess some sort of a supernatural power. It vanished when the Spaniards looted Huitzilopochtlis temple.
GEORGES
Who was she, Huitzilopochtli?
CAPTAIN WRIGHT
A he. An ancient god of war.
JAMES
So this is all?
KARL IVANOVICH
I cannot find the rest of this letter.
He shuffles through the pile of old letters
HARRY
(puts an olive into his mouth)
Well, please read the next one that you can find.
INT CARDIES CASTLE, LONG CORRIDOR NIGHT
BEGINNING OF YOUNG CARLOS MEMORIES
TITLE: 1832
The empty corridor of the castle is dimly lit. The silence of the night is broken my Countess Marias scream.
INT CARDIES CASTLE, CHILDRENS BEDROOM NIGHT
Young Carlo sits up in his bed, listening in the darkness. He can hear the doors slamming, the sounds of running feet and the voices of the excited servants (sound behind the scenes)
YOUNG CARLO
(frightened)
Catherine, Catherine, where are you?
He leaps out of his bed, barefoot and clad in a nightshirt and rushes out of his bedroom
INT-CARDIES CASTLE, COUNTESS MARIAS BEDROOM-SAME NIGHT
Countess Marias bedroom is filled with frightened servants.
The countess lies unconscious on propped up pillows, her face as white as her sheets and nightdress. There are red spots of blood on her chest, on the white fabric.
The count sits next to her, lifting her head, and the FAMILY DOCTOR (40 years old) pours medicine in her mouth.
A few moments later she regains consciousness and looks around the room, terrified
COUNTESS MARIA
Freddie, did you chase him away?
COUNT FREDERICK
(lowers his wifes head back onto the pillow)
Whom, my dear?
COUNTESS MARIA
(grabs Counts hand)
The old grandfather, dont let him in!
COUNT FREDERICK
(takes her hand)
Calm down, my dear, grandfather is dead and you must have had a nightmare.
COUNTESS MARIA
(squeezes his hand)
No, it was not a dream.