Well, that’s something new.
Karl Ivanovich puts the papers aside
KARL IVANOVICH
Stories about lake women are taking new forms.
Harry takes a sip of wine from his glass
HARRY
I tell you, this woman is from the castle! The LAKE MAIDEN has fair hair, and the beauty from the forest is dark-haired. I saw it myself.
Captain Wright lights up a cigar
CAPTAIN WRIGHT
Maybe there are their own mermaids in the forest?
Harry puts his glass on the table
HARRY
I understand, you don’t believe me.
Captain Wright throws the rose on the table, stands up from his seat, pushes back his chair.
His cigar emits smoke in the ashtray. Captain takes it and smokes
CAPTAIN WRIGHT
Village tales are like the village beer – thorn apples.
EXT-WITCHES” VALLEY – SUMMER NIGHT OF THE SAME DAY
Mist twists above the lake. White nenufare opens its petals, swaying gently. It rises above the water, its stem is no longer the stem, but a slim body of a woman. It is the LAKE MAIDEN (aka Maria, 23 years old)
She has a pale face with big blue eyes, and there are white nenufares in her loose golden hair.
Her body is translucent as if woven from silver threads.
The air over the lake is filled with inaudible sounds, female laughter is heard.
The Lake Maiden as if floats on air and whispers something with her lips.
White snowstorm of petals of white nenufares rises over the lake, following her.
INT-ROOM IN THE VILLAGE INN – NIGHT OF THE SAME DAY
Harry, Captain Wright, James and Georges slouch in the living room.
Karl Ivanovich lays a notebook in front of him
KARL IVANOVICH
(puts on the glasses)
I will read you the teacher’s diary.
JAMES
Quiet, gentlemen, quiet.
KARL IVANOVICH
(reads the teacher’s diary)
None of the villagers has seen him from that night. My suspicion that there was something fatal linking the “incidents’, left me.
INT – STUDY IN THE TEACHER’S COUNTRY HOUSE-DAYTIME, THE TEACHER’S MEMORIES
BEGINNING OF THE MEMORIES
The TEACHER (28 years old) sits at the table in his study and writes. A pen in his hand slides on the paper.
TITLE: 1852
TEACHER’S VOICE
(behind the scenes)
Yesterday my doubts came back. Heinrich the hunter had disappeared.
INT – LIVING ROOM IN THE TEACHER’S HOUSE – SAME DAY
Heinrich’s sister, MARIA (25 years old) cries in the teacher’s house. The teacher and his sister MINA (30 years old) comfort her
MARIA
(wipes her tears)
My brother is missing! He went hunting early on Friday morning, promising to return in time for the evening service.
TEACHER
(walks about the room)
Don’t cry, we will find Heinrich.
MARIA
(knits a sock)
The rumor in the village says that the only place where we should look for him is the Witches’ Valley.
Mina crosses herself after Maria’s words
TEACHER
(stands still, looking at them)
So let’s go to the valley. But why should he be there?
MINA
(knitting)
Even though Michel, the ironsmith, was found in the Witches’ Valley, it was only because he was dead drunk.
TEACHER
(scratching his head)
That’s right. His hunting field is on the opposite side, in the mountains.
MINA
(puts knitting on her knees)
The brother is right, they won’t find your Heinrich in the Valley.
The teacher looks reproachfully at his sister. She understands that she is saying the wrong thing and becomes silent. Maria cries again
END OF THE TEACHER’S MEMORIES
INT – ROOM IN THE VILLAGE INN – SAME NIGHT
Karl Ivanovich pauses and puts the notebook down
TITLE: 1912
HARRY
(claps his hands)
Tomorrow we are spending the night at the Hunting House. It’s just near the Valley.
CAPTAIN WRIGHT
(yawns in the armchair)
Right now I don’t understand anything.
HARRY
(smokes his cigar)
You will understand once a witch gets hold of you.
CAPTAIN WRIGHT
(lazily)
What is it, the Witches’ Valley?
JAMES
(takes whisky off the table)
I thought you knew.
HARRY
(blows smoke rings)
The Valley is located at the foot of a mountain, on top of which the castle stands. In the valley’s centre there is a lake. The lakeshore is very swampy and at sunsets mists rise from its water.
He breathes out another portion of smoke
JAMES
(holds the glass of whisky in his hand)
It was this very mist that gave rise to all the legends.
HARRY
(gesticulating with his cigar in the air)
In the moonlight the mist takes on forms of beautiful women.
CAPTAIN WRIGHT
Not bad.
HARRY
Everyone who ended up in the Witches’ Valley on full moon was found dead.
JAMES
The lake women drink a man’s life with their kisses.
Drinks his glass of whisky at a draught
VILLAGE