"Thank you." "Do I really have to drink the whole glass?" "Yes." "Today, in april 1905, we find it's the best way to cure anaemia." "Drink, my dear, it will bring back your colour." "It's only ox blood after all." "Yes, but look at this man who slaughters for a living and breathes in the smell of blood." "It's not a game, young lady, it's a therapy." "I hope you're satisfied." "The information was correct." "This man was carrying...gold!" "We'd Iike to see this gold, right now!" "Right, Iet's split up now and meet again in a month's time." "One month will give me time to negotiate in London." "That's not quite how I see it." "Me and my mates would Iike the cash straight away." "You don't trust me?" "No, not really." "Open the bag." "I'm taking the girl with me as a hostage." "Don't try to find me." "And afterwards, will you kill her?" "If you lay a finger on her, you're dead!" "relax!" "I'II let her go afterwards." "No, don't leave me, he'II kill me as soon as your backs are turned." "shall we all jump on him together?" "Too risky!" "If you try to disappear, we'II find you." "Don't move." "She's crafty, she'II get away." "You want to finish me off, don't you?" "Of course not." "Be sensible." "I'm not a killer!" "I'm not Iike your mates." "We're going to head towards the coast, and then you can make off." "Is it far?" "Two days' walk, unless you see a car." "Look..." "Take me and let me go." "You swine!" "There he is!" "Catch him!" " He's in there." " follow him." "Wait!" "Better to wait until he thinks he's safe." "I won't do you any harm if you show yourself." "I know you're in this room." "Who are you?" "A chambermaid?" "I'm Iady-in-waiting to the Marchioness." "What's your name?" "How many servants are there here?" "I'm the only one." "No, I've just seen someone else." "That was EIisabeth, the Marchioness's companion." "I swear that we're alone at the moment." "The cook and the servants arrive tomorrow with the Marquis and Madame." "They're all away in Paris." "We've come to clear up and get Madame's room ready, but..." "It's no good, they're too far away." "Be patient." "We've got him." "Right, now I want the truth!" "How many of you are there in the chateau?" "Just us." "The other servants don't arrive until tomorrow." "The chateau should be closed, but we pretend it's ours." "That's why we came first." "Take whatever you want." "But don't hurt us." "We won't say a thing." "Don't be afraid." "I just want to hide until dark, then I'II go." "You're going to take me to your room now, please." "Come on, you go first!" "I see I don't frighten you any more." "We even find it rather amusing." "In spite of your big gun... ..you haven't come to rob us, have you?" "What do you want from two poor girls like us?" "DefenceIess and at your mercy!" " I beg you not to kill us." " You can rape us." "I offer you my virginity in return for my Iife." "Do with me whatever you wish, but spare this child." "I beg you, Mr Bandit, don't kill us." "Is the show over?" "What are you doing?" "I just wanted to kiss you." "AII the doors have two keys." "The spare for my bedroom was in the bedside table." "Now I need an explanation," "Iady-in-waiting, or companion!" "I want to know right now who you are and why this chateau is deserted." "We can ask questions, too." "Who is chasing you, and why?" "Except that it's me who has a gun, and it's me who gives the orders!" "You no Ionger have your gun." "We've taken precautions." "Look, we have a little surprise for you." "Our weapons are silent." "There are two of us, you're all alone." " You're in our power." " Your life is in our hands." "The gold coins in your bag..." "What shall we do with him?" "You mentioned wanting to rape him." "Why not?" "He's a good-Iooking boy!" "Don't provoke me!" "What do you take me for?" "Did you really think I'd let you get away with that and not do anything?" "It's not for two little girls like you to lay down the Iaw." "The show's over." "You're charming... adorable!" "But I've got work to do." "Excuse me," "I'II leave you now." "Your enemies can't be far away." "That's true." "You had better wait until dark." "It would be safer." "Why not here?" "Don't do that!" "What's your friend EIisabeth going to say?" "But EIisabeth doesn't care, do you, elisabeth?" "Of course not." "It's all the same to me." "Trust us." "We could have got away and raised the alarm just now." "Come into the next room." "We can make up some punch, and there's a fire in there." "Later, when it gets dark, you can leave if you Iike." "Come and I'II tell you why we sent all the staff away from the chateau." "When it gets dark, you'II know why the two of us are here alone." "It's too late now." "You've stumbled into EIisabeth and Eva's life." "The universe of madness and death!" "It's a pity..." "I think I couId have loved you." "You know I only did it to stop him leaving, to keep him here till dawn." "I was playing with the gun and it went off." "This time I'm going." "The shot will certainly have been heard outside." "Is there a back way out?" "We're surrounded by water, the bridge is the only way out." "We're trapped." " When do the staff come back?" " Not for two days." "But at nightfall... ..a few friends will be coming." "We don't want the staff around while they're here." "Nobody must know who's coming tonight." "It's all very melodramatic!" "I don't care which mysterious lover you're expecting," "I have to get out of here." "I think there's an old boat." "We could use it to escape to the other side." "well, go and find it - quickly!" "Mark, our guests mustn't see you." "Why does it matter?" "Escape before they get here, before it gets dark." "Listen, I know nothing about your secrets, but I don't intend to be captured." "I'm expected in London." "But..." "Are you crying?" "Why?" "Can't you see that I'm trying to save you?" "Don't you realise that Eva only did it to keep you here?" "Didn't you realise that I Ioved you?" "That I've loved you since you first arrived at the chateau." "We've got him." "He's armed." "Tonight, I'II get to the door." "Leave one of the girls." "I'II take care of her myself." "Look!" "My God, the bag with the money!" "The bitch!" "There's the money." "Take it and go." "Not so fast." "We'II count it first." " Let's kill her and then count it!" " Shut up!" "The stables are over there." "You can count it there in peace." "They're taking her away." "You set that up, didn't you?" "You're mad, they'II kill her." "Don't worry, she'II be back." "It was the only way to keep you alive until this evening." "Now, tell me the truth, who's coming here tonight?" "Death." "Listen," "I'm giving the orders now." "We're going to swap places." "You give your dress to my wife and she goes for a walk in the park." "I'm going to treat you Iike I treat her." "Go on, get in!" "You'II see." "people like you think I'm loony, degenerate." "But no, I'm just a little bit special." "You'II see - just a little bit special!" "Don't leave him, you know he's haIf-crazy." "exactly." "He wanted her, you see." "You could still leave the chateau before it gets dark." " Swim across the moat and escape." " No way." "Eva, isn't coming back." "They'II kill her." " I'II go." " It's not worth it." "Look." "well, what's this farce?" "Are you making fun of me or what?" "Anyway, I'm staying." "Ah, so you're the mysterious danger that the girls have been expecting." "Do you find me dangerous?" "Like danger, you're attractive, but there the likeness ends." "Beware, death sometimes takes the form of seduction." "Just now, elisabeth was saying that death would appear at the chateau." "Here it is." "Let me guess..." "You rock tables, you invoke spirits..." "Or perhaps..." "Or perhaps you just wait for men." "It's nothing like that." "It's a club, a sort of gathering for women." "If you stay - and I know that you're going to - you'II be the only man." "Except for Satan himself, of course." "But what's this club all about?" "You'II see. ..let's say, at midnight." "Ah, at midnight!" "Satan!" "Death!" "You're still not afraid?" "Oh, but I am!" "I'm even beginning to find the situation very amusing." "I believe you've been talking to your guest about a danger." "It was to intrigue him, so he wouldn't leave." "I trust that you wouldn't try to chase him away, would you?" "I see that you've met him." "Go and greet the other guests." "Who is still to come?" "A few friends." "Come, Iet's go and receive them." "But first, Iet me look at you." "You've been bleeding." "A bit." "That's good." "You're handsome." "And strong." "really?" "You don't mind if I examine you as if you were my horse?" "That's very amusing." "You and your friends are going to a Iot of trouble to entertain me." "Take care that I don't get bored!" "You think that you could get bored with me?" "You'd love to take me by force." "I'm only taken if I want to be." "I'm in charge here." "Of everybody." "Even you!" "Come on, I forgive you." "Curiosity obIiges me to say nothing." "Everything's ready, you can come in." "Who's at the chateau at the moment?" "elisabeth, Eva and a guest." " A guest?" "A man?" " Yes." " What's he doing?" " Is he expecting to see us all?" "He knows there's a gathering tonight and he wants to be there." " Where is he?" " In the drawing room." "should we get changed straight away?" "Keep those clothes on for now." "We'II put on the veils at midnight." "Who is this man who's going to take part in our reunion?" "He's a thief on the run." "Isn't that amusing?" "How ironic - a crook on the run hiding out here on the night of our annual reunion!" "Is he attractive?" "Has he got style?" "What colour are his eyes - blue?" "Come, Iet's go and find him." "Oh, very nice!" "How impressive!" "Is this for the arrival of Death?" "But where are the guests?" "I don't see them." "So when do you start your mysterious reunion?" "I can't wait!" "At midnight and not before." "Don't be in such a hurry - you might regret it!" "Make the most of Iife, and of us!" "You seem to be telling me to enjoy my last moments!" "No-one survives our secret ceremonies." "Then I must do as you say." "Let's see..." "elisabeth is strange this evening." "She set out to make him stay, but her heart's not in it." "What a pity... for him." "And for her!" "elisabeth, you seem preoccupied." "I was thinking that I wanted you more than ever!" "You're mine." "I don't belong to anyone - not to you, nor to your mysterious friends." "The only reason I stayed was for your secret meeting." "I don't believe in Eva's passion or your unlikely words of love." "Maybe one of us was sincere, but what does it matter!" "At midnight, you'II see what seven women can do to a Ione man!" "I'm tired of all your secrets!" "AII your efforts to scare me are useless!" "I want to enjoy myself!" "Find us!" "It's..." "Eva!" "You got it wrong!" "It's..." "helen!" "You've won!" " Then I've a right to a forfeit." " Yes, but it will have to be quick." "It's past eleven, and the games stop at midnight." "For fifteen minutes, you'II obey me as if you were my slave." " So be it." " Come to the smoking room!" " Stop them!" " Why?" "Don't you feel anything for him?" "elisabeth, you're not going to betray us, are you?" " You're not in love with him?" " No, of course not." "only..." "only...?" "Why her?" "Those are the risks of blind man's buff." "Do you think she cheated?" "I was watching closely, he guessed correctly on his own." "He didn't recognise me." "What do you think he'II do to her?" "I'd love to be in her place." "He'II take revenge, humiliate her." "We forced him to stay here." "He was manipulated and he knows it." "He'II take revenge on her because she's the one in charge." "Don't be jealous." "He'II be here for all of us, won't he, elisabeth?" "Yes, for all of you." "We won't have much longer to wait." "That's right, it's nearly midnight." " It's time to put on the costumes." " I'II get them." "Get undressed!" "That's good, you're very brave." "Did you really think that I would burn you?" "Is that all?" "I just wanted to bring you down a bit." "You're too bossy for my taste." "The fifteen minutes are up, it's nearly midnight." "Now, you're ours!" "The show's over now." "I don't even want to know the secret behind your little reunion!" "Perhaps your position shields you from the murder of a girl like her, but it's not the same for me." "I belong much more to her world than to yours." "Maybe EIisabeth was right." "Perhaps you're Death." "Perhaps you kill for amusement." "I'm going." "You're mistaken." "That girl - who was actually your enemy and wanted you dead - was killed accidentally." "But what does it matter?" "Nobody's going to keep you here." "Have my horse as a gift." "It's in the stables." "You'II get away faster from here, as we appear to frighten you so." "Frightening?" "A bunch of bourgeois crackpots playing dodgy games?" "!" "Why did you do that?" "You were mine." "I Ioved you." "That's enough!" "You're mad!" "You're not going to finish her off?" "!" "Look at her blood running." "Look... how the blood attracts them." "They're coming nearer." "They can see it." "They want it!" "Stop!" "You don't know what you're saying!" "Come, I'II tell you everything." "Come!" "Stop!" "Aren't you coming, helen?" "Come and satisfy your thirst, Iike us." "Hurry, she's still warm." "Now we can rest." "It will soon be daylight." "The man and elisabeth..." "They've both gone." "He won't say anything, he's on the run." "elisabeth will come back, I'm sure." "She's too much like you." "elisabeth..." "elisabeth, I Iove you, too." "Now, tell me the truth." "Your companions - who are they all?" "What is their secret?" "In the morning, some of us go to an abattoir to drink fresh ox blood." "On doctor's orders, of course." "It's a cure for anaemia." "It's become very fashionable." "Smart ladies meet gentlemen, fashionable women see old admirers." "But one day, a few high society girls decided to try something other than ox blood." "These girls meet at the chateau." "Two of them come the evening before and look for a victim male." "He is sacrificed and the smart ladies drink his blood." "When the servants return a bit later, all traces of the killing have gone." "That's all." "But it's completely mad!" "For the taste?" "For pleasure?" "Out of depravity?" "Why would they do something so dreadful?" "But you're not Iike that, are you?" "You love me, you saved me." "We're going to get away from these madwomen." "Get away?" "Madwomen..." "Madwomen?" "!" "Madwomen." "blood is the life which flows in you." "But it's also death when it escapes, a true symbol of Iife and of death..." "Perhaps there's no going back, once it's touched your lips." "But you do love me, don't you?" "I did love you, but remember, you rejected me." "I Ioved Eva... and I killed her!" "The blood cult is strange, bizarre." "The love of blood may be more than that of the body in which it flows." "Why?" "I don't think I ever loved you." "What I liked about you was..." "Did I hear a shot?" "We were in the pigeon loft." "He killed Eva." "I killed him." "You're beautiful like that, with his blood on your mouth."