"Suzy Bannion decided to perfect her ballet studies..." "In the most famous school of dance in Europe." "She chose the celebrated academy of Freiburg." "One day at 9:00 in the morning, She left Kennedy airport, New york," "And arrived in Germany at 10:40 p.m. Local time." "Taxi!" "Taxi, taxi!" "Taxi!" "Hey, taxi!" "Taxi!" "Taxi!" "Can you give me a hand?" "Uh, Escherstrausse." " Was?" " Escherstrausse." "Was?" "Ah, Escherstrausse." "Ja, ja." "Has it been raining this hard for long?" "Half an hour." "Can you wait a minute, please?" " Hello?" " Who is it?" "Suzy Bannion." "I just got in from New York." " I don't know you." "Go away!" " But I have the letter you sent." "Look, it's really raining hard." "You could just let me in and I'll explain." " Go away." "Go away!" " But you don't understand!" "Wait!" "Wait a minute." "Wait." "Hello." "Is anybody there?" "Hello?" "If you're happy enough with the couch, you can stay for as long as you please." "Thanks, but I'll be leaving in the morning." " I'm going away forever." " Oh, big deal, kid." "So what if you've been thrown out of school?" "I always got kicked out of school, beginning in kindergarten." "No, that's not it." "I don't give a damn about getting kicked out." "Well, then?" "It's useless to try and explain it to you." "You wouldn't understand." "It all seems so..." "Absurd," "So fantastic." "All I can do is get away from here as soon as possible." "Would you mind if I used the bathroom?" "I'd like to dry off." "No, of course not." "Go ahead." "Hey, why don't you close it?" "That's better." "It was just the wind." "You sure are in bad shape." "You have to tell me all about it." "The wind!" "The windows burst open." " I got scared." " No." "That's not it." "I mean, what it is that's got you so upset." "Okay, you can tell me about it later." "Let me in!" "Pat!" "Pat!" "Pat!" "Help me!" "Help me!" "There's a murderer!" "Help me!" "Help!" "There's a murderer!" "Help me!" "Help!" "No!" "No!" "No!" "Help me!" "Help!" "There's a murderer!" "No!" "Good morning." "Good morning, Daniel." "Good morning, miss Tanner." " Good morning." "May I help you?" " Yes, I'm Suzy Bannion." "We expected you yesterday evening." "You wrote us that" "Right." "I did arrive last night about 10:00." "But the door was locked, and somebody on the call box..." "Said they didn't know who I was and couldn't let me in." " Who said that to you?" " I don't know." "She didn't say her name." "I'm so sorry." "At any rate, Now you're here among us," "So welcome to our academy." "I'm miss Tanner, one of the instructors." "Nice to meet you." "Come along." "I'd like to introduce you to madame Blanc," "Our vice directress." "She was a very famous ballerina." " Madame Blanc?" " Yes?" "Suzy Bannion, our new student." "Oh, yes." " Excuse me, gentlemen." " Of course, madame." "You're pretty." "Very pretty indeed." "They're policemen." "I knew a woman called Bannion years ago in New York." "Carol Bannion." " She's my aunt." " Good!" "She's a marvelous woman," "A friend and benefactress of artists everywhere." "I'm delighted to have her niece here." "Well, I offer our academy's official welcome in the name of our directress," "Who unfortunately is not here at the moment." " She's traveling abroad." " Thank you." "Albert, please wait for me upstairs." "He's my nephew." "I'm very attached to him." "I must tell you what I have to say very quickly..." "Because those gentlemen are waiting for me." "Something terrible, truly horrible, has happened." "One of our students, Pat Hingle, who was expelled just yesterday for improper conduct," "Was murdered last night by some madman." "It's a frightening story." "But I always warn our students, Don't I, miss Tanner?" "I tell them to be careful, not to get involved with questionable friendships." "What I wanted to tell you was that your room here isn't free yet." " Just a slight hitch." " Yes, but don't worry." "We've found you a place to stay with one of our third-year students who lives in town." "You'll have to pay 50 of your American dollars a week," "But it's a good price, and you can deduct it from your fee here." "Now I entrust you to the care of miss Tanner, one of our veteran teachers here." "Don't be upset if she seems a little stern or surly." "It's only her manner." "She's even that way with me." "She really is an invaluable teacher." " Come with me." " And now, gentlemen" "As you know, our courses last three years," "And you must pass an exam at the end of each year." "So, the girl left the school About 11:00 in the evening?" " That's my information." " Excuse me." "When I got here last night about 11:00, I saw a girl leaving the school." "She's a new student." "She just arrived." "What did she look like?" "Well, she had blonde hair and was wearing a brown raincoat." " What did she do?" " I don't know." "I only saw her for a minute in a storm." "So you see?" "It really was 11:00." "Coming?" "We don't teach you how to dance here, because we presume our students already know how." "This is an established academy dedicated to specializing." "This is Pavlos, our general handyman." "He's really ugly, isn't he?" "Don't be afraid to say so." "He can't understand you, anyway." "He speaks only Romanian." "You see that gorgeous smile?" "He's been very handsome ever since he got those false teeth." "Last year, he discovered He had gingivitis of the gums," "So he had all his teeth pulled." "The top row one morning." "The bottom row a day later." "Bang." " Where are we going?" " To the locker room." "We also have a swimming pool, which you can use when you want." "Miss Tanner." "I have something to tell you." " Squawk, squawk." "Polly parrot." " Who said that?" "Shut up." "That's enough of these little games for the moment." "I want to introduce Suzy Bannion, our new student." "You'll find several fellow Americans among these girls--Miriam, for one." " Hello." "Hi." "Your locker's over there." "You'll find everything in there except shoes." "For today, you can borrow shoes from someone who has two pairs." "Hurry up, everybody." "I'll be waiting for all of you in the red room." "Come with me." "Mata Hari is going to file her report." "My name is Olga, and you're my tenant." "Oh, hi." "Nice to meet you." "They tell me you have to give me $50 a week." " Yeah." " In advance." "Well, don't worry." "If you think I'm not--Oh" "Don't get hot under the collar." "That's how people are here." "Uh, can anybody lend me a pair of shoes?" " Yes." "Me." " Oh, thank you." "If you want to buy them, I can make you a nice price." "Fifteen marks." "Oh, no, thanks." "I already have some in my suitcase." "I just need a pair for today." "But if you'd rather not" "No." "Okay." "Go ahead." "Take them." " But, uh, Give them back, hmm?" " Of course." "Oh, excuse me." "I'm sorry." "Oh, it's okay." "It doesn't matter." "Did they shake you up with all that talk about money?" "Well, I'm not exactly used to it." "Same with me at first." "Then I found out it's a charming habit around here." "I once read that names..." "Which begin With the letter "S"..." "Are the names of snakes." "Next year, after I finish the course," "I've got an offer from the state school of ballet in Geneva." "What about you?" "Well, I'll go back to the states, but I'm not exactly sure what I'll do." "Hey, thanks." "My room is really pretty." " Like it?" " Uh-huh." "That makes me happy." "I bet we'll do nicely together." "I think you're sweet." "Even if I have the name of a snake?" "I was just kidding." "Don't tell me you're as touchy as Sara." "No." "Hello?" "Oh, hi!" "No, no, no." "You did the right thing." " Hi." " Hi." "Oh, you didn't have to bring these over here." "I could've picked them up myself tomorrow." "I thought you might be needing them." "Yes, but it really wasn't necessary." " Anyway, thanks a lot." " Oh, no." "It's nothing." " Ciao." " Ciao." " Don't you want to stay for a while?" " No, thanks." "I can't." "I live at the school, so I've got to be back for supper in half an hour." " I have to." " Just for a minute?" "No, no, really." "I have to be going." "They get very upset if you show up late for supper." " Okay, Sunday." "No, not before lunchtime." " Well, ciao." "See you tomorrow." "Bye." "No, go on." "Uh-huh, I know." "You caught one." "Yes, yes, I can hear you very well." "Didn't you see how he was blushing?" "He's cute, except he doesn't have any, um" "And he never has enough money for room and board at school." "That's why that bitch Tanner has got him under her thumb." "She gives him 1,001 errands to do." "Sure." "I got it." "Okay." "Call me back tomorrow evening." "Give me a chance to think it over." "Yes, yes." "Okay, okay." "Anyway, he is cute." "Poor Pat." "She liked him a lot." "That poor kid, ending up like that." "I can't even think about it." "I heard you saw her yesterday evening." "Uh-huh." "Outside the school." "She was acting very strange." "Mumbling to herself." "She really felt terrible when they kicked her out, but she really deserved it." " There was so much noise." " God, was she difficult." "She was saying things that made no sense." "She was always arguing, causing trouble." ""Secret."" ""Iris."" "What?" "Uh, I remember..." "She mentioned the word "secret."" "And then she..." "Mentioned a flower" "Iris, I think, or a lilac." "Secret flowers?" "What's that supposed to mean?" "I don't know." "She was a busybody." "It would've been easy for her to find out one of us was in a jam." " How do you like it at Olga's?" " It's nice." "Those eight on the list this morning, come with me to the yellow room." "Good morning, miss Tanner." "Suzy." " Good morning, madame Blanc." " I've got good news for you." "We have it all arranged." "Your room is ready for you." "Isn't that marvelous?" "You can move in today, if you like." "But I'd rather stay at Olga's, if it's okay." "Doesn't matter to me, my dear," "But in your letter of enrollment, you said you'd be boarding at the school." " I know, but" " The room is free now." " Well, I didn't think it was so important." " As you wish." "If that's what you want, so be it." "Sara?" "I had no idea you were so strong-willed." "I see that when you make up your mind about something," "Nothing will change it for you." "My compliments." "Witch!" "And then, toward the end of the 19th century," "The technique of classical ballet..." "Assumed a different, more stylized impostation." "All right." "Let's warm up." "What's wrong?" "Don't you feel well?" "No, it's nothing." "I just feel a little weak." "If it gets any worse, I'll just stop." "And now some exercises." "Daniel, you may begin." "One, two, three and four." "And one and two..." "And three and four." "And one and two..." "And three and four." " And one" " I'm sorry, miss Tanner." "I feel a little weak." "Can I just rest for a second?" "Weak?" "Come on." "It's an easy step." "This is the first time we've worked together." "I want to see what you can do, how far along you are." "Now, come along and join the others." "Come on;" "Let's go." "Daniel?" "All together now." "And one and two..." "And three and four." " I can't." "Please." " And one and two..." "And three and four." "And one and two and three and four." "And one and two and three and four." "Pay attention, Suzy." "Get those legs up higher." "You're not paralyzed." "Get those legs up higher." "And one and two and three and" "Pay attention, Suzy." "And one and two..." "And three and four." "And one and two and three and four." "Come on." "Come on." "Run along." "Come on." "Drink up." " Oh, you--You must drink." " No, that's enough." "You heard what the doctor said." " Drink up." " No." "You must drink." "The blood that was hemorrhaging is going back with the intake of liquids." " Right, professor Verdegast?" " Obviously." "My dear madame." "Do not be concerned." "It's nothing, as I've already told the young lady." "That's a relief, professor." "How do you feel, dear?" " Uh, better." " The fault lies with your exercises." "When somebody's been out of practice, violent movement could cause tiny tears in internal ligaments." "Thus the hemorrhaging." "You look better already." "You've even got color back in your cheeks." " Isn't that right?" " Oh, yes." "She looks much better." " Ow!" " Hold still." "This will get you back into shape in no time." "Here we are." "Fine, fine." "A day or two, you'll be on your feet, as good as new." " Who brought my bags here?" " Olga." "What a dear." "The minute she heard you were ill, she went right home and brought your things." "Oh, and she also left me your $50, and she didn't take a penny of it." "Why--Why did she do that?" " If I wanted to, I would" " Well, my dear," "What you need now is some peace and quiet." "If the hemorrhaging should start again, which is very improbable," "You can telephone me." "And Tanner, she is to eat bland food for about a week." "And you mustn't let her have any fruit." " A drop of vin rose?" " Yes." "Good." "A glass of red wine with each meal." "It works miracles." "Clears up anemia and strengthens red corpuscles." "It builds the blood." "Rest well." "You're in good hands." "Suzy, we're next-door neighbors." "So, you moved in here." "Well, they moved me in here." "I really didn't want to." "You know, as soon as I got sick, your pal Olga ran and got my bags..." "And threw me out of her place." "She must've thought I had something awfully contagious." "But I can't stand to live in a boarding school like a ten-year-old." "Oh, wow." "You come back strong." "Yeah, you know, I feel really well." "I mean, it's almost as if nothing had happened." "It's incredible." " And all thanks to professor Verdegast." " Verdegast?" " He came to look at you?" " Yeah." "Come in." "Hi, Pavlos." "Thank you." "You'd better keep an eye on that lighter." "He really likes it." "Yes, but I don't think he's a thief." "At least you know." " Are you eating up here?" " Yeah, they put me on a restricted diet." "And on a restricted diet, they give you wine?" "That's professor Verdegast's idea." "Says it'll build up my blood." "The bell." "Oh, god." "That means it's only 15 minutes till supper." "I'd better change." " Ciao." "See you later." " Okay." "Where?" "Where?" "Everywhere." "The whole floor." "It's disgusting!" "It's disgusting!" " Where are they coming from?" " I don't know!" "Let's go and see!" " They're coming from the ceiling." " In the meantime, everybody downstairs." "Don't let anyone come up." "I'm sorry." "Truly mortified." "Please excuse me." "But it was nothing to do with you, madame." "No, of course not, girls." "It was not madame Blanc's fault." "We ordered those cases of food by mail..." "From a reliable firm that we thought to be honest." "Obviously, It arrived spoiled." "In a few days' time, you see what happened." " Oh, it was awful." " Yes, one got in my mouth." "I suppose we're fortunate those things only reached the floor below the attic." " Are the other floors all right?" " Yes." "We checked them out." "Just the floor where the students' rooms are." "Well, I'll take care of the problem of fumigating in the morning." "In the meantime, for tonight, I've thought of a makeshift arrangement." "Go and see how they're getting along, will you, dear?" "The boys have kindly offered to help," "And they and the servants are turning the practice hall into a dormitory." "If some of you choose to find hotel rooms, I'll have no objections." "But it's already late, and in any case," "The inconvenience will only be for one night." "We'll all sleep together." " Bravo." " You all right?" " Yes, thank you." " Fine." " Is everything all right?" " Yes, thank you." " Good." " Are you all right?" "Yes, madame Blanc." "Thank you." " Oh, it's very comfortable." "Just like being in camp." " Good." "Are you sleeping here with us, too, Madame Blanc?" "Certainly, as are all the other teachers and miss Tanner." "Do the teachers live here at school?" "No, they live in town." "They leave after supper at 9:30, just like clockwork." "It's very late." "You won't be afraid if I turn out the lights?" " Good night, everyone." " Good night." "Good night." "Is that guy hot for you?" " Maybe." " That's funny." "I heard he was, uh" " Of course, I'm not much of a gossip." " That's a good one." "Come on." "You tried to get him and didn't make it." " You liar!" "That's not" " Why don't you two shut up?" "Some of us want to go to sleep." "Hey, Sara." "Forget it." "It's okay." "Suzy, are you asleep?" " Were you sleeping?" " No." "What's the matter?" "You hear that snoring?" "It's weird." "Hear it?" "Where do you think it's coming from?" "Behind the sheet." "Lies!" "What?" "They lied to us." "The directress is here." "That's her, the one who's snoring." "She's the directress." " How do you know?" " I'm sure it's her." "Last year, for a while," "I lived in one of the guest rooms..." "Under the top of the stairs." "One night," "I heard someone coming very late in," "Getting into bed in the room next to mine." "And then" "Then I heard this weird kind of snoring." "I tell you, it was so weird I never forgot it." "Listen." "You hear that whistle?" "It's exactly the same." "The next morning, madame Blanc told me..." "That the directress had spent a few hours at the school..." "And had slept in the room next to mine." "You see?" "So I know she's the directress." "She's here." "She's there." "Right behind that sheet." "Thank you." "I'm grateful you can take care of the fumigating so promptly." " Good morning, madame Blanc." " Good morning, Daniel." " Is everything in order now?" " All cleaned up, madame." "Just to be sure, we checked the other floors too." "Miss Tanner." "Excuse me." "Did the directress sleep here last night?" " No, she didn't." "Good morning, Daniel." " Good morning." "You know she's away on a trip." "Maybe she'll pay us a visit two weeks from now." "Excuse me, miss Tanner, But which class do I attend this morning?" "The second-year class in the red room." "Thank you." "Stop!" "Stop!" "Stop!" "Enough." "Enough!" " Do you know what happened?" "Do you know?" " What day is it?" "Your lousy, disgusting dog has bitten Albert!" "He took a piece out of Albert's arm." " What?" " Did you all hear that?" "That miserable dog tried to mutilate a child." "Madame Blanc had to rush Albert to a first-aid center to have stitches put in!" " That's impossible." " Let's go to the first-aid center." "Even if you can't see the blood, at least you can hear the poor child's crying." "That's enough now!" "My dog's a peaceful, faithful animal." "He's never hurt anyone." "The boy must have done something to him first!" "Oh, the poor little animal!" "The poor little puppy!" "If I ever see him within a mile of this school again, I'll have him put to death!" "Stop it!" "I won't allow such talk, you understand?" "You won't allow it?" "Then get out!" "You and your dog!" " Get moving!" " You bitch!" "Out!" "I'm going." "I'm going." "But try to understand that" "That I'm blind, not deaf." "Get it?" "Huh?" "Not deaf." "Not deaf." "You understand that?" "You understand?" "Ahh, fresh air!" "Let me out of this gilded parade." "Get out!" "Get out of here!" "Good riddance!" "Oh, Pavlos, how much longer do I have to eat like this?" "Hey, listen." "There they go, right on schedule." "The teachers." "Remember?" "Can you hear them?" "They're going away." "You hear them?" "Yes." "I" "I--I don't think they'll even miss school." "What?" "What did you say?" "Wake up." "I said, it doesn't seem to me that they're going out." "A front door is on the left." "Their footsteps are going to the right, somewhere inside the school." "Jesus, Suzy." " You're a genius." " Mmm." "Fantastic." "How come I never noticed that before?" "Suzy." "If they don't leave, Where do they go?" "Wake up." "Suzy." "Come on." "Wake up." "Suzy!" "I'm so sleepy." "I don't know why." "I'm sorry." "Maybe" "Maybe we can find out where they really go." "Of course!" "Yes." "Begin to count the steps as they go." "It's like the search of Alietne." "Easy." "What is it?" "Huh?" "Come on." "Come on;" "Let's go home." "Who is that?" "Who's there?" "Easy, boy." "What is it?" "What's happening?" "Who's there?" "Who's there?" "Wait!" "Poor Daniel." "Torn to pieces." "Incredible." "Oh, yeah, but you can never put too much trust in wolfhounds." "They're crazy." "We had two of them once at the villa in Gestaad." "My god." "First Pat gets murdered by a madman," "And now Daniel is killed by his dog." "Yeah." "Maybe there's a hex on the place." "Yeah." "Let's call in the exorcist and have it purged." " What is it?" "Is something wrong?" " No, everything's all right." "Is it something personal, dear?" "No, no, it's nothing like that." "Miss Tanner, would you mind?" "I'd like a few minutes alone with Suzy." "Well?" "What is it?" "I just wanted to talk to you about some of the things that have been happening lately." "Oh, I know you're upset by Daniel's death, as we all have been." "No, but it's more than that." "Does anybody know anything about who killed Pat?" "I spoke with the chief of police just this morning." "He told me they had some definite clues." " You know that I saw her the night I arrived here." " Yes, you told me that." "And that she was mumbling some strange, unrelated words." "No, you didn't tell me that." "Because it was something that didn't make any sense." "It was in a thunderstorm." "I just didn't pay much attention to it." "I only caught two words distinctly:" ""Secret" and "Irises."" "I don't know what they mean, but I thought they might be important." "You've done very well." "Congratulations." "I don't know what the words "Secret" or "Irises" mean either." "But I think it's only right we should let the police know about it." "I'm only amazed you waited two days before-- hello?" " You really messed things up." " What are you talking about?" "Because..." "Maybe Pat was talking to..." "Someone just inside the building that night." "And we know that someone wasn't one of the teachers." "Come on." "Now you've put them on the hunt for somebody." "What difference does that make to you?" "Big difference." "Because I was Pat's friend." "She was telling me something When you suddenly showed up." "She got scared and she ran away." "She was in hysterics almost." "And then she was killed." "Remember that voice when you rang the bell?" "Well, that was me." "I heard strange, incredible, absurd things." "Pat was taking notes on them for months." "And before going away, she gave me all the notes." "I've only told one person, a very good friend of mine." "Frank Mandel." "He's here for a convention." "I'll let you read them tonight." "Suzy, wake up." "Please." "Wake up." "The notes are gone!" "Someone stole them from me!" "You understand?" "They disappeared." "Don't fall asleep!" "Please help me!" " Wake up!" "Help me!" " I can't." "Can't?" "This is the only thing I got left, and that's because I kept it on me." "Look." " Look." " What is it?" "What's the matter with you?" "Don't you remember?" "What's going on?" "This is the key that'll get us wherever the teachers go every night." "I thought it out yesterday evening while I was sitting here next to you." "Suzy, do you know anything about witches?" "Oh, no!" "Please!" "Don't leave me alone!" "I must get away!" "Wait!" "Wait!" "Wait, wait, wait, wait!" "Looking for Sara?" "She's disappeared." "But that's impossible." "I just talked to her last night." "She left this morning, as a matter of fact, without telling anyone." "Just packed her bags and left." "She was heard leaving about 6:00." " You heard her leave, didn't you?" " Sara?" "Oh, yes." "I heard the door close and her footsteps going down the hall." "And then I heard a car driving off down the street." "I guess someone was waiting for her." " But it's impossible." " If she wasn't happy here, she could've told someone." "Why sneak off like a thief?" "Hello." "May I speak to Frank Mandel, please?" "Yes, thank you." "Hello." "This is Suzy Bannion." "No, we've never met." "I'm a friend of Sara's." "Yes." "Hello." "Do you happen to know where Sara is?" "Well, she disappeared from school this morning." "Yes, it seems she left and took all her luggage." "Yes." "Uh, listen, could I see you sometime today?" "Well, I'm really worried about her." "Oh, great." "Where?" "At the convention center." "Okay." "I'll see you there." "She didn't inform any of her classmates." "I've already asked all of them." "It's very upsetting." "I can't understand why she did it." "I'm the one who's held responsible by their families." "I'll call her father in Geneva." "Perhaps she might have gone there." "I've already phoned Sara's father." "He's the Italian consul in Geneva." "But he wasn't there today." "He was away for the weekend." "They said he'd be back by Monday, and they don't know anything about her there." "Well, do you understand Why I'm so worried?" "Yes, but before we both get upset, let's wait for the father's return." "Maybe they got together this morning and went off on their own." "I know her quite well." "She was a patient of mine three years ago." " Were you aware of that?" " No." "I didn't even know you were a psychiatrist." "Well, she had a nervous breakdown after her mother's death," "And she came to me for treatment." "After she got better again, we remained friends," "But lately she was upset about some notions put into her head by a friend of hers." " Not you, I hope?" " No." "They were kind of wild ideas." "She had discovered that the Tam academy was founded..." "In 1895 by a certain Helena Markos, A Greek immigrant," "And that the local people believed her to be a witch." " I guess you knew that?" " No." "But I have a strange feeling..." "That somebody already told me about it--Or something similar." "I can't--can't remember." "Well, that really got Sara's imagination going." "Earlier in the 19th century," "The Markos woman had been expelled from several European countries." "She seemed to have something about her which urged religious people to persecute her." "She also wrote a number of books, and I read that among the initiated," "She went by the name "The Black Queen."" "After she settled down here, she became the subject of a lot of gossip." "Nevertheless, she managed to put her hands on a great deal of money," "And she founded the Tam academy" "At first a sort of school of dance and occult sciences." "But that didn't last long, because in 1905," "After being hounded and cursed at for ten years," "Madame Markos died in a fire." "That's all there is, as far as witchcraft is concerned." "The school was taken over by her favorite pupil." "The study of the occult was abandoned." "And soon the place became the famous dance academy." "But what does it mean to be a witch?" "Well, as a believer in the material world and a psychiatrist to boot," "I'm convinced that the current spread of belief in magic and the occult..." "Is part of mental illness." "Bad luck isn't brought by broken mirrors, but by broken minds." "Excuse me." "Milius?" "Professor Milius can answer your question better than I can." "He wrote a book called paranoia or magic, and believe me," "It's the final word on the subject." "Excuse me, Milius." "If you don't mind, I'd like you to meet a friend of mine." " Fraulein." " She's interested in your favorite subject:" "Witches." "Can you tell her something about the mysterious?" "Well, I have to go." "I have an appointment to keep." "Keep me posted, Hmm?" "Hello." "I'm sorry to bother you." "Ah, so, what would you like to know?" " Do you believe in the existence of witches?" " Ah." "I have known some women who are said to be witches." " Really?" " I have studied the phenomenon for a long time." "I am of the opinion that it is an important appendage..." "Of contemporary psychiatry." "You're skeptical, my dear." "Well, frankly, it is a little hard to believe." " What do witches do?" " They are malefic, negative and destructive." "Their knowledge of the art of the occult gives them tremendous powers." "They can change the course of events and people's lives, but only to do harm." " You don't believe me?" " No, I" "Their goal is to accumulate great personal wealth," "But that can only be achieved by injury to others." "They can cause suffering, sickness and even the death..." "Of those who, for whatever reason, have offended them." "Why do you have all this interest in the occult?" "Because some friends spoke to me about witches." "I read some stuff." "Have you ever heard of Helena Markos?" "Oh, yes." "She was a very famous black queen." "A powerful witch with a tremendous talent for doing evil," "A real mistress of magic." "She lived and died in the city." "Did you know that?" "Yes." "And might there exist a guild of witches?" "The correct term would be a coven of witches." "A woman becomes queen of her magic is a hundred times more powerful..." "Than the rest of the coven, which is like a serpent." "Its strength rests with its leader-- That is, with its head." "A coven deprived of its leader is like a headless cobra:" "Harmless." "Skepticism is the natural reaction of people nowadays," "But magic is ever present." "In other words:" "Which means that magic is everywhere," "And all over the world, it's a recognized fact." "Always." "Mark?" "Mark?" "Excuse me." "Where is everybody?" "They have all gone to the theater for the opening of the Bolshoi." " Then why didn't anyone tell me about it?" " I don't know." "Miss Tanner obtained tickets for everyone." " Frank, this is Suzy." "Sara's friend?" " Suzy?" "Hello?" " I can't" " Talk louder." "I can't hear you very well." " Did something happen?" " Well, I haven't heard from Sara," "But a lot of strange things are happening." "I mean, for example, when I eat at night, I" "Hello?" "Hello, Frank?" "Hello?" "Can you hear me?" "Frank?" "Hello?" "Hello?" "Hello?" "Hello?" "Hello, Frank, can you hear me?" "No!" "No!" "They don't leave the school at all." "The front door is on the left." "Their footsteps are going to the right." "Two, three, four, five, six," "Seven" "I can find out where they're going by counting their footsteps." "Twenty." "Who's there?" "Carpet." "That's why the footsteps stop here." "It's impossible." "There's gotta be another way out of here." "The secret-- I saw it behind the door!" "Three Irises!" "Turn the blue one!" "The secret-- I saw it behind the door!" "Three Irises!" "Turn the blue one!" "I told you:" "We must get rid of that bitch of an American girl!" "Vanish--She must vanish!" "Make her disappear, understand?" "She won't eat or drink anything this evening." "Vanish--She must vanish!" "She must die, die, die!" "Helena, give me power." "Sickness!" "Sickness!" "Away with her!" "Away with trouble!" "Death, death, death!" "Now death is coming for you!" "You wanted to kill Helena Markos?" "I'm here, American." "I'm coming!" "You're going to meet death now!" "The living dead!" "Witch, witch."