CHURCH WATCHMAN
(waving his hands at him)
Go on with you, all you do is confuse things! The hound, Nettie, I raised her myself; and for nothing perished the poor dog.
TEACHER
I don’t understand who you are talking about.
CHURCH WATCHMAN
(completely drunk)
I drowned her in the old well.
He gets up from the table, takes his bag on the floor near the chair
CHURCH WATCHMAN
(continues)
Well, I must go.
TEACHER
(nods and gets up from the chair)
Tomorrow Mina will clean everything
CHURCH WATCHMAN
(winks at the teacher)
Sleep well?
INT-BEDROOM IN THE TEACHER’S HOUSE – NIGHT OF THE SAME DAY
A nenufare stands in the glass of water on the table in the bedroom. The teacher stands next to it, but the flower is unmoved
TEACHER
How can I get you to come back?
He paces the room, nervous. He accidently moves the window curtain: something falls on the floor – the teacher picks up a wreath made up of dried garlic flowers and bulbs
TEACHER
(continues)
So this is the source of the stench in my room.
EXT – GARDEN OF THE VILLAGE CHURCH – SUMMER DAY
The teacher talks to the church watchman. The teacher holds a small package in his hands. The church watchman varnishes a big wooden cross
TEACHER
(stretches the package to the watchman)
Here, Mina gave the church objects.
CHURCH WATCHMAN
(points to a bench to his left)
Put it there.
TEACHER
(puts the package on the bench)
What about the hound Nettie? The Countess’ one. What happened to her?
CHURCH WATCHMAN
(turns towards him with a sly smile)
The counts had a fine pack of hunting dogs, and Nettie was the Countess’ favourite. The old American devil did away with her.
EXT – CARDIE’S CASTLE – SUMMER DAY, THE MEMORIES OF THE CHURCH WATCHMAN (PETRO)
BEGINNING OF THE MEMORIES
TITLE: 1832
Panoramic view: a terrace of the castle, there is a chapel away from it.
INT – LARGE BALCONY ON THE GROUND FLOOR OF THE CASTLE – SAME DAY
PETRO (as a young man, 39 years old) enters the balcony in the form of a terrace, AMERICAN SERVANT (seemingly 80 years old) meets him halfway. Petro exchanges glances with him.
NETTIE follows the American with her eyes and shakes, her fur stands on end, eyes are wild, teeth snap.
COUNTESS MARIA (26 years old) reclines pale on a couch. There is fear on her face, eyes are half-closed
COUNTESS MARIA
(groaning)