"(screaming)" "Jezerael burn forever and a day." "May thy foul prophecy food for the jackals and thy blood crave for purity." "(screaming)" "I thought I persuaded her." "We'd have the baby baptized here in this church by you." "Well you know women." "Oh there's a Catholic church in the next village." "Carlotta has found it." "On Sunday's we go our separate ways." "And the child?" "No, No, No," "He stays with me." "I'm resolved on that." "Most other things your wife has adapted well?" "Oh indeed." "Our climate?" "No not the climate." "Your boy, Jack, how is he responding?" "Well we'll resolve that too in good time." "Not easy for you." "No but I love my wife about this and love conquers all as you've always preached from your pulpit." "Oh Stockton?" "Dinner tonight eight o'clock." "Eight o'clock." "Interesting man." "And you were right he has spent some time in Peru." "I've invited him over to make Carlotta feel at home." "Go away from here!" "Murderer!" "(Crying) (violin playing)" "You stop this noise." "Now please." "You upset baby." "Don't you hear?" "I'll stop if you let me kiss you." "Kiss?" "You kiss me Jack?" "Where?" "Where you wish?" "On the lips?" "On the neck?" "On the boot." "You kiss my boot." "come on if you want it so bad." "(Spanish)" "Thank you Michael." "We've got a guest coming for dinner tonight." "Yes sir." "Mr. Stockton." "I tell him to stop and he insult me senora." "[Spanish]." "Jack stop at once." "Stop!" "[Spanish]" "Give it to me." "[Spanish]" "He frightened the baby." "I did nothing Father." "I heard you from the yard boy." "Why are you doing this?" "Why?" "You are all I've ever desired." "I shall die of cold." "No you won't." "A convivial evening will soon warm your bones." "I'm sorry what happened earlier but the boy was rude to the Delores, very rude." "You must leave him to me." "Even so this is for a new violin." "Of course why not?" "Jack?" "My boy your stepmother's..." "Our guest has arrived father." "Stockton my dear fellow." "My wife Carlotta." "Mucho gusto." "(Spanish)" "My boy Jack." "The violinist?" "You met each other?" "In the village father." "We talked about hiking." "You'll play for us after dinner?" "I'm not good enough." "And our pride and joy my son Ricardo." "Holmes?" "You alright old man?" "Sorry to have alarmed you Watson but your reaction was instructive." "So you believe in their existence?" "What?" "Vampires." "No of course I don't." "You're attitude suggests the contrary." "No one has to believe in something to be frightened of." "It's two different parts of the brain." "Right." "So you rule them out" "Vampires." "The rational part of you insists upon it." "Well do you believe in them?" "Cast your eyes over this." "46 Old Drury April 12th." "Re:" "Vampires." "Our client, The Revered Locastos Merridew of the Vicar's Lamberley has made some inquiry from us in a communication of even date concerning... concerning vampires." "As our firm specializes entirely upon the assessment of machinery, the matter hardly comes within our purview." "Oh!" "Oh my dear Miss Ruddock." "Wretched wretched woman I am." "What disturbed you?" "We Have therefore recommended the Reverend Merridew to call on you and lay the matter before you." "We have not forgotten your successful action in the case of Matilda Briggs." "We are sirs, faithfully yours," "Morrison, Morrison and Dodd." "This cup and saucer has been here for the last 3 days." "Matilda Briggs' was a ship associated with the giant rat of Sumatra a story for which the world is not yet prepared." "You consider though that vampires should come within our purview?" "No." "Anything is better than this stagnation." "Really?" "We seemed to have been switched on to some Grimm's fairytale." "Well this Merridew is a man of the cloth." "A man of Christian belief." "That is of marginal interest." "Make a long arm, Watson, let us see what the 'V' has to say." "Voyage of the Gloria Scott that was a bad business." "I have some recollection that you made a record of it Watson, though I was unable to congratulate you upon the result." "Victor Lynch and the forger, the Venomous Lizard or Gila, remarkable case that." "Victoria, the circus belle." "Vanderbilt and the Yeggman." "I should like some tea Holmes." "Vipers." "Vigor and the Hammersmith Wonder... did you say something?" "Shall I call down for some tea?" "Good old index." "You know you can't beat it." "Listen to this, vampirism in Hungary and again vampires in Transylvania." "My dear friend what has happened?" "Will you come at once?" "Yes of course." "Rubbish Watson rubbish." "What are we to do with walking corpses that have to have stakes driven through their hearts to keep them in their graves?" "Are we to give serious attention to such things?" "It's pure lunacy." "Well no doubt your right." "This agency must stand flat footed upon the ground of that it is to remain." "The world is big enough for us." "No ghost need apply." "Awe well now ghosts..." "Need apply." "Are you prepared to tell me who supplied you with these?" "And to what purpose?" "Well I had them made for me by a dentist from Pachum." "It was a necessary disguise I needed once." "I forget." "And did you put them to use?" "Balking humor again Watson." "You really must guard against it." "Albert?" "A man gave me this in the street sir." "Elderly gent, he says he's got to see you urgent." "It's your man of the cloth." "Show him up." "With care." "Yes sir." "Oh Albert?" "Sir?" "Do you believe in the existence of vampires?" "Oh yeah, most definitely sir." "There speaks the voice of wisdom." "No experience I trust." "Yes thank you young man." "I'm not quite in my grave yet." "Hello Mr. Holmes, this is so good of you to see me on such notice." "I know how busy you are." "Sit down and settle yourself Reverend." "Thank you." "Will you tell Wiggins to bring in the tea?" "Yes sir." "Thank you Albert." "This is my friend and colleague." "Doctor Watson yes... yes I know." "Now my solicitors," "Morrison, Morrison and..." "Dodd?" "Point of fact there not really my solicitors no I had some dealings with them long ago." "I forget quite what about." "Machinery." "Was it?" "Well anyway I'm here on behalf of a friend of mine and myself too." "And I'm very anxious you shouldn't take me for a complete old fool." "Please." "You must take your time." "Where to start it all." "I'm Vicar of Lamberley;" "I've been there longer than I care to think." "Only time to go but let me tell you about Bob Ferguson." "Not Bob Ferguson of Richmond?" "He remembers you too Doctor from the rugby field." "Possibly the finest three-quarter never to have been capped for England." "And my sentiments precisely." "I love the game and if modesty permits" "I once turned out myself quite a player." "Well Bob has spent much most of his working life abroad." "Cotton brooking." "Now his first wife, by whom he has a son Jack, she died of fever some years ago and... look it's absolutely essential that I put you in the full picture." "Continue just as you're doing Reverend." "It is often Holmes' method to absorb all relevant detail with his eyes tight shut." "Well Bob arrived home recently with a new bride and a baby from Peru." "Difficult transition for all concerned as you may imagine." "You ride Jack?" "No." "Of course he rides." "I taught him." "Taught you everything didn't I Jack?" "But I must turn your attention to a stranger who came into our midst not long before our Peruvian family." "His name is John Stockton." "Well at first I welcomed him as a man of intellect, a writer and stimulus to our little community." "Oh thank you." "I can't say that I warmed to him personally but he did have his own appeal to someone like myself, buried in the backwater." "He was not threat to me but he upset the locals." "our blacksmith, Carter." "Some argument over a wheel." "Who are you come telling me my job damn you?" "If you don't like it you can take it away." "Find somebody else!" "And take yourself with it and don't come back." "We don't want you here in this village." "None of us!" "Carter, a lion of a man in the prime of life" "Stalwart of village life, dead within moments of it." "Now Miss Ruddock, spinster of my parish, she has the cottage facing Stockton's." "And she speaks of him as the man who never sleeps." "She sees a candle in his window many a nights through till dawn." "Well writers work it's not uncommon." "Possibly but I myself am something of an insomniac also" "I have seen him twice in my graveyard at dead of night." "And his explanation?" "Huh?" "Surely you raised the matter?" "Explanation?" "Plausible I suppose." "I believe that I'm related to a family called Sinclair, indeed my middle name." "Sinclair?" "They had a large house up beyond the village." "Yes now you mention it." "I'm puzzled to find no trace of them." "Are we not welcome here?" "No the truth was that I knew full well the story of the Sinclair's." "They were powerful landowners, had the village in their pocket sometime in the last century." "The Lord Sinclair himself was a cruel monster." "Those who incurred his displeasure disappeared or were found with their throats cut." "Young servant girls, one in particular, was left pregnant and dying at the church door, her child stillborn." "There's not a Sinclair to be found." "What did we do to offend?" "Did you tell him?" "Well the bare bones of it yes." "The church incident and how the villagers exacted their terrible revenge." "Burnt us out?" "I regret to say, nothing personal to you of course." "And the girl?" "She's buried over there." "But what I neglected to tell him because it seemed to be inappropriate was that the family Sinclair were deemed to be vampires." "All of this is very interesting Reverend." "as piece of history but how does it lead to the present?" "Well then Sinclair by his own admission has returned hasn't he?" "But how does that affect the village?" "And why should they care?" "All of this happened a hundred years back." "Yes well... word gets around you know?" "You mean the church?" "Profound to all gossip." "Answering your second question the girl, the dead girl, her family is still in the village." "The wife of the landlord of the local inn for instance she was a Barrows." "So too was the blacksmith's wife." "Has Stockton, to your knowledge, ever set foot inside the church?" "Oh no not once as far as I'm aware of it... never." "Even so," "I'm unclear that I can be of service to you." "No crime has been committed." "No crime?" "No... no crime?" "But..." "You have something more to tell us?" "4 days ago now, it seems a lifetime;" "Bob Ferguson invited Stockton to dinner." "You see, Stockton had traveled in Peru and I think it was I who suggested that it might be a good thing for his new wife to have some contact again with her native country." "And the evening not a success?" "All I know is that the outcome of it was a tragedy." "The very next morning the household woke to a terrible discovery." "The baby, little Ricardo, lay dead in his cot." "And the doctor's verdict." "The doctor he could find no reason for it." "No earthly reason." "Tragedy indeed." "But no blame affixed to the dinner guest surely?" "But he touched the baby's hand." "So they told me." "Look I'm a man of God gentlemen and far be it for me to judge a fellow being on hearsay and superstition but I also have my parishioners to think of and their frightened and they will take steps outside the law" "to drive him out as they once did his forbearers." "You see my dilemma?" "So you wish us to make an investigation into this man, his personality, his habits?" "And disprove the common fear?" "Disprove, disprove what you will." "You're presence alone will have a steadying affect." "Well now I must leave you." "Among my other concerns is sickness in the village and I have the baby's funeral to prepare for tomorrow." "Your story is complex Reverend." "But none of that's uninterest." "Yet I'm sure there's a rational explanation for it." "Watson and I will visit your community." "Oh I'm so pleased." "You mentioned an inn." "Yes the Checquers, it's a decently run place." "Well thank you." "I'm so grateful." "So grateful to you both." "So grateful." "All right, 2 sudden deaths, the blacksmith and the child, shortly after contact." "Natural causes, as the coroner's report will inform us." "Stockton's nocturnal habits the light in the window?" "Writer's block." "His morbid interest in graveyards after dark?" "I object the word morbid." "It's a motive not fact." "All right, never entering the church?" "You raised that point yourself." "Never seemed to enter the church and does that make a man a ghoul because he has no interest in religion?" "The evening spent in Ferguson's house?" "Was the Vicar there?" "No but Merridew tells us that Stockton touched the baby's hand." "Is that your case?" "So what is our mission here?" "Possibly to prevent a crime." "A man having a stake driven through his heart." "We have our timing right." "Holmes we can scarcely intrude." "Not intrude Watson, observe." "I wonder if Stockton's here" "He's hardly likely to show is face on this occasion." "A recent dinner guest, a friend of the family." "In the circumstances no." "Yes I'm sure you're right." "But I know he's not far away." "Man that is born of woman hath but a short time to live and is full of misery." "He cometh up and is cut down like a flower." "He fleeth as it were a shadow." "A never continueth in one's stay." "In the midst of life we are in death." "Of whom may we seek for succor but of thee O' Lord who for our sins are justly displeased we meekly beseech the O' Father to raise us from the death of sin unto the life of righteousness." "That when we shall depart this life we may rest in him, as our hope is this our brother does." "That the general resurrection in the last day we may be found acceptable in thy sight and receive that blessing which thy..." "Jack fell from a tree when he was eight or nine." "Damaged his spine boy oh Jack." "But father, was he here or abroad when it happened?" "Well I do believe he was away yes." "A boyhood almost without it's mother or father." "Well I was here as his spiritual guardian and Mrs. Mason, the housekeeper from the farm, she brought him up with her own boy Michael." "These recorded deaths Holmes so many of them, so young." "An influenza epidemic perhaps." "As we have now upon us." "If Stockton is perceived as some sort of avenger why should he light upon the Ferguson's?" "I mean they weren't here a hundred years ago." "Even now they're scarcely apart of the village life." "So why?" "Why is he drawn to them?" "The women, the connection with Peru?" "Or is it something nearer home?" "Did you make friends with the local doctor?" "Hardly friends as I was greeted with deep suspicion." "Had to plead my rugby acquaintanceship with Ferguson that goes back 30 years." "He threw me over the ropes into the crowd at the Old Deer Park." "How do you explain your presence here?" "Well I cant believe that we'll be detained here long." "Another coroner's report." "Blacksmith, Carter, died of a hemorrhage." "He may have look robust but he was overweight and he drank too much." "And the baby?" "Put down to pneumonia." "No sign of violence?" "No." "Just as we thought." "What now a visit to Ferguson?" "Pay our respects?" "No." "I'm hungry." "Jack." "Where's Jack?" "Is he down with you?" "No." "I haven't seen sight nor sound of him since this afternoon." "He didn't come back here after the funeral?" "I'll ask Michael if he's seen him." "Yes." "Is that for Mrs. Ferguson?" "Yes, chicken broth." "She must eat something." "I'll take it up to her." "Thank you my lady." "No food." "She's sleep now sir, no wake her up." "I'll decide that Dolores." "Thank you." "(Spanish)." "Don't touch me." "Go away!" "Anything more I can get you gentlemen?" "This is excellent." "No thank you." "Glass of water thank you." "You were seen Michael." "Yes you were and there's no denying it." "Clutching your arm right through that service." "It wasn't my doing Vera." "She was grieving." "She needed the support of a man." "Just cause she's foreign and beautiful?" "Not ride a horse like you." "Oh what's it matter riding horses?" "I bet you kissed her knowing you." "Kissed her?" "I'd get my jaw broken with that one." "She's fiery." "It's just how you like it." "That's right." "All ruffled feathers my dear." "Come on let's step outside.." "No get off." "Oh come one." "No Michael!" "I'm not feeling very well tonight." "Thank you." "This steak and kidney pudding is every bit as good as it's reputation wouldn't you say Watson?" "Yes every bit." "You're famous in Beggar Street Mrs. Gresty." "Our housekeeper Mrs. Hudson put us onto you." "Mrs. Hudson?" "She has a sister who lives near by." "Oh." "Well it's my husband you have to compliment." "It's him who does the cooking mostly." "So you are Sherlock Holmes?" "At your service." "On a case there are ya?" "Oh surely there is no crime in this part of the country." "Drinks for our host Watson, drinks all around." "Yes of course." "Oh Doctor Watson is an old rugby-playing friend of Mr. Ferguson." "It's a tragedy about him and his family." "You want to talk to Michael about that." "He was there when they found the poor mate." "And it wasn't no accidental death neither." "Whatever else it was it wasn't no accident." "Jack where've you been?" "I was worried." "I thought you'd want to be alone with Carlotta." "I needed you." "I needed us together as a family this time." "All of us together." "You are right Reverend." "There is a dangerous mood in the air." "But no fresh evidence against Stockton." "I'm still struck by the coincidence." "Well answer me this Holmes." "Why is so much being written and recorded on the subject of vampires if there's absolutely nothing in it?" "Man's need Watson." "His need to explain fear." "Then you do admit to the inexplicable?" "Well yes there's plenty evidence of that." "But do you believe in dragons and fairies and ghosts because much has been written about them?" "Ghosts?" "Watson has a ghost story." "Not now man." "No carry on Watson." "I was in Afghanistan." "Long nights of fatigue." "In a field hospital." "A young subaltern, who had died, virtually in my arms, appeared some weeks later quite unmistakably when I was on leave in Constantinople." "Fascinating." "Gentleman." "Mr. Sherlock Holmes." "Yes of course Mr. Holmes." "And Dr. Watson I believe you know." "Watson, my dear fellow." "Come inside, come inside." "My dear chap I sincere condolences..." "Thank you." "Coffee for our guest Miss Mason." "It's ready and waiting sir." "My treasured housekeeper." "We'd be lost without her." "Oh sit down please." "Augustus has explained your presence here and heartily endorse his initiative." "This has been wretched time not just for me and my family but for the whole community." "The sooner we make sense of it the better." "Your dear wife?" "Yes I would have liked for her to be here." "She's upstairs in her room." "Have you met Stockton yet?" "We've not had that pleasure Mr. Ferguson." "Pleasure?" "Oh yes he seemed he was pleasant enough on my first acquaintance." "May I ask you?" "Ask anything Mr. Holmes." "Anything." "Are we some way holding Stockton responsible for your child's death?" "Perhaps were all responsible to some degree." "Certainly my wife holds me responsible for bringing her here to England." "The child not a year old, the climate, Europe, perhaps I'm looking to alleviate responsibility." "By directing it at another." "Please you must excuse my frankness." "But it is necessary that we confront the truth about ourselves if we are to reach the heart of this matter." "Your absolutely right Mr. Holmes." "The truth of the matter." "Could you bring yourself to tell us about the evening Stockton came over to dinner?" "Which I understand was the start of your misgivings about him." "Yes." "That night" "I didn't see it clearly myself at the time." "Dinner had passed uneventfully though I confess" "I was somewhat disappointed by our guest." "His demeanor." "The real nature of the soul." "Well what is it to some merely a manifestation of the will." "But the soul returns to God." "Like a sound that vanishes in the air." "So for degrees." "Life is death say the philosopher's." "But I'm afraid I don't follow that, you saying you don't believe in God." "The Incas of course were sun worshippers as you seem to know well." "The reason was meteorological without sun at night being mountain dwellers they shiver, they freeze." "What about those on the coast?" "The sun was constant." "A tyrant in the sky." "And so it was the lesser god they worshiped, the moon." "(Spanish) the house of the moon" "The young children were sacrificed." "Lying on beds of colored wool and cotton." "Why?" "Why must the children be sacrificed?" "Well not just the children Jack." "When the chieftain died it was customary to bury him with the most beautiful and best loved women." "Good God his wife?" "His wife." "His favorite concubines." "And a considerable number more or less of his servants, His jewels, raw silver, lamas, weapons, food and clothing." "So in his philosophy death was life." "But of course why not?" "It continued in that vein for hours." "All kinds of mysticism." "Mostly beyond my comprehension." "The widows of Malobar." "Burnt themselves in the blaze of the remains of their husbands as a demonstration of fidelity." "What I can't describe is the effect it had on the company, the ladies in particular." "It was if he had them mesmerized." "And yet after he left, Carlotta..." "He was repulsive." "You found him?" "Repulsive." "You'd rather we didn't see him again?" "He's your friend." "Come to me." "The following morning hence subsequently" "I became the object of her pain." "But the connection with Stockton and your baby's death." "I mean as you describe the evening it's hard to forge a link." "I know but it all went wrong Watson from that evening." "This house was if there was a black cloud..." "I can't describe it I wish to God I could." "There's so many coincidence." "Ah Jack." "My son, Jack." "Come and meet my friends," "Dr. Watson and Mr. Sherlock Holmes." "I'm interrupting." "Jack you're not interrupting at all now come and sit down and talk to us." "How's the music Jack?" "You still practicing the violin?" "Jack's been given a new violin, a gift from his stepmother." "The old one plays rather well, usually." "Holmes plays the violin." "I look forward to meeting your stepmother Jack when she's sufficiently recovered." "Indeed." "Well let us see if now is not the moment." "Mrs. Mason would you go upstairs?" "Oh she's not in her room sir." "She went out early." "Not." "Well why didn't you tell me this?" "Well I thought you knew?" "They both went out father." "Alone?" "Mr. Stockton came for them." "He came to pay his respects sir." "When you were out riding father." "And you saw them leave with him?" "My wife and the maid willingly?" "You both witnessed this?" "Oh just for a short drive they said." "To take the air, put color in their cheeks." "I really should have been informed of this." "My wife is not herself." "Was it Mr. Stockton who persuaded her on this foolish drive?" "Who instigated it?" "Why does it worry you father?" "All's well Mr. Ferguson, they're coming home." "Stockton?" "I didn't realize you had come by." "I wish you would have told me." "How are the ladies?" "Very well." "We had a pleasant drive through the countryside." "The air is fresh." "Move on." "Nerve of him." "You keep an open mind then?" "Against all logic I suppose yes." "And Sherlock Holmes?" "Such things do not happen in criminal practice in England." "The notion of the undead walking this earth feasting off innocent females offends against all his reasoning." "What is your own view Reverend as a man of the church?" "Life and death are mysterious states doctor." "We know little of the resources of either." "Carlotta my darling open the door." "Carlotta open the door please." "Carlotta open the door." "Jack?" "Jack?" "Holmes the local doctor has taken his bed." "It seems my services are called for." "I hope its not catching." "No I never catch anything." "What are you up to?" "My first call's the daughter at the inn." "She's not at all well." "He took the crippled boy into his house after the funeral." "All afternoon in his house." "the boy didn't come back till six o'clock." "She's not going to die is she doctor?" "No but she will pass through a crisis." "And needs the greatest care." "She should sleep now." "This village is plagued." "Like many another at this time of the year with influenza." "You dirty filthy bitch." "What are you doing" "You think I couldn't see you?" "With Vera lying at deaths door?" "Vera?" "Don't pretend you didn't know." "She's your girl Michael not that foreign trash." "No Mom." "Mom don't cry." "Ever since they come here there's nothing but trouble and what with him know that man." "What man, Mr. Stockton?" "He's killing everyone." "Michael." "Mr. Holmes?" "This is a privilege." "Let's stroll out I think on such a balmy evening." "In the village?" "I have my carriage." "The countryside how delightful." "So why are you?" "Here?" "For my health." "In village riddled with death and gloom?" "But no crime." "You will lay your hand on your heart and say your not investigating me?" "Why what have you done?" "There are several who will tell you what I'm alleged to have done,and what I am." "Bad angel precursor of death." "No truth in the rumor." "I'm living my life Holmes." "What more does a man do?" "You teach the violin?" "Jack?" "Yes." "But that is not..." "My main occupation?" "No." "I study antiquities." "Religious cults and customs among the South American Indians." "I have a modest reputation in that field." "Published?" "2 books." "You're familiar with my subjects?" "My travels took me East." "Tibet?" "And now the quiet of English countryside." "I'm tracing a little family history." "This is your family home?" "The seat of Lord Sinclair." "The villages believe my forbearers were vampires." "Some incident involving one of their maidens." "Janet Barrows, whose grave you were at with a rose." "Observant of you." "They burnt this house an act of unbridled revenge." "And now they suffer from the guilty fear that I've come back to punish them." "Is that your purpose?" "What a pointless exercise." "Come let me show you around." "I am like yourself, an investigator." "May I share your findings?" "No." "I want your opinion." "Do vampires exist in your philosophy?" "In human terms perhaps." "And are you looking at one now?" "From this house must have emanated one spoiled from conviviality." "I may come back to restore it." "Life in the village holds few delights for me." "Why did you bring Mrs. Ferguson here?" "No." "Stockton what is it?" "I..." "I..." "I'm..." "What?" "Are you a friend?" "Yes." "Your friend." "I cannot tell a living soul." "I cannot." "I cannot." "I cannot." "What can't you tell?" "Mistress Death." "She is with us." "insatiable." "Keep her away from me!" "Watson my wife has bolted her door, my boy Jack has banished me." "How fares the village." "Oh medicine should cure their ills." "Does your wife have a fever?" "Let me visit." "What she has is beyond medicine." "It's taken charge of her soul, her very bones." "Is it not grief?" "No I recognize grief." "I understand grief." "This is some other poison and we know its source you and I." "What am I to do Watson?" "Just stand aside and it him destroy all?" "Easy old man." "What does Holmes make of it?" "Does he think were all mad?" "I've seen a ghost." "That I don't believe." "You?" "It didn't appear to you." "This one did." "Appear so." "It seems I got too close." "Too close to what?" "I'll explain later." "How's the girl?" "Oh she'll recover it's nothing more sinister than influenza." "It seems to have struck the young in particular." "The young?" "Half a dozen young girls of the village." "Influenza?" "All the usual symptoms:" "night sweats, drowsiness, lethargy." "Oh Ferguson's downstairs." "We'll join him." "First we must understand this." "Thank you Mrs. Gresty most reviving Yes thank you." "The vampire." "Even the legend was not necessarily a dead man." "A living person might attempt such behavior." "Your saying Stockton is one of these creatures?" "There are people we know who suck up the energies of others like a sponge." "Draw out their resources and pocket them leaving them fatigued." "No longer master of their wills." "It's a psychological phenomenon." "Doctors have acknowledged it." "Yes they exist." "What you say does describe in some measure that night he came to dinner and the effect he had on Carlotta and the maid." "I had a taste of it myself just now." "And your ghostly experience?" "I don't, for the moment, believe what I saw." "But I do accept hallucination." "The mind forced by another to play tricks." "Hypnosis." "Stockton has spent much time with the South American Indians studying their ancient mysteries." "It's quite possible that he learned something out there." "Was effected by an experience." "But you don't exonerate him for that surely?" "No but he could be suffering a form of illness, which may respond to treatment." "And meanwhile we let him run amuck?" "The man is destructive." "Holmes you're not denying that." "He's only destructive if we let him be." "If we believe too many tales or use him as nothing more or less than a depository for our own ills." "Are you suggesting that I am doing that?" "I think there's a danger of it in this village." "I stand with this village Holmes," "I live here and I have seen his direct influence over people." "Loved ones." "A defenseless, innocent baby is dead." "Now if you can justify that we part company." "Good night Holmes." "It's one thing to diagnose the problem Watson." "It's quite another, often, to resolve it." "Yeah your ladyship here is a charm that cannot fail." "Pin this to your pillow and you can laugh." "Laugh in the face of vampires and hypocrites that visit in the night." "Your safety a sixpence." "There's a jackal at work." "I'm off to London." "London?" "Till nightfall will you hold the fort?" "Certainly." "I thought a visit to Carlotta Ferguson might be useful." "As a doctor I might get in to see her." "Interesting." "Also patch things up with her husband." "No point in having him against us." "Quite so." "Saint Sebastian, he will protect your heart from vampires and prevalent malignants such as ghouls, bats and bat suckers." "Yours for nine pennies only." "For your loved ones sir." "Taken back, was she?" "This will beat the devil and his night visits." "It was smuggled in the habit of a nun all the way from Rome and was forged in his holiness own spirit." "Oh it's so beautiful." "Now I am safe from all bad people." "Silence." "Quit that." "Burns." "Ring around the rosy." "Pocket full of posy..." "To the station." "See you later Watson." "Michael." "I got you this." "Help ye get better." "What's that Michael?" "What?" "You've been with her." "No." "Vera." "Get out." "Vera." "Go on get out." "Vera." "Leave me!" "Vera." "Don't touch me." "Out!" "In here Doctor Watson." "How is she fairing?" "She doesn't tell me." "Doctor Watson Madame." "Thank you." "Mrs. Ferguson?" "I'm standing in locum for the village doctor who's sick." "Yes." "I know who you are." "You were here yesterday." "Please sit down." "So what is it you wish to say to me?" "To ask how you are after your tragic loss?" "If you need anything for sleeping?" "There are no remedies in the world that would make me sleep at night doctor." "Yes I understand." "But the day's different." "I sleep." "At least hours fly by without me." "Do you wish for something to drink?" "Oh no, no." "No thank you." "You're friend the detective is not with you today." "Gone to London." "Your husband told you that Sherlock Holmes was in the village?" "Not my husband no." "Oh then it was Mr. Stockton?" "Stockton?" "It was Stockton yes." "He was kind enough to take me out yesterday for a drive with my maid." "Do you know Stockton?" "No I haven't met him." "Holmes knows him." "He too went for ride yesterday to an old ruined house." "Oh yes." "The house." "You've been there Madame?" "It's just a burned out house." "No interest to me." "No ghosts?" "Many I should think but none came out to play." "What do you make of Stockton?" "He seems to arouse strong feelings in people." "What should that be?" "I couldn't tell you." "It's only what I've heard." "You want my opinion on Stockton?" "Well at first I disliked him then he was interested about my country." "He speaks my language and so I welcome him." "But the village..." "I know nothing of the village." "Strong feelings you say." "Peasants..." "English peasants." "And Stockton offered you some consolation?" "He understands the dead." "What happens to us." "Where we go." "Where my little Ricardo has gone." "It's the only solace I have." "You have none with your husband?" "None." "Why did he bring me here to this terrible place?" "I tell you because he wanted my little baby to be an Englishman like Jack." "He wanted another boy like Jack." "Is that so wonderful to end up buried in an English grave?" "I'm sorry if I caused you pain." "Why not?" "You are a doctor." "It is better to bring the truth out." "Indeed." "And now you will stay for lunch?" "Thank you." "I stayed for lunch, tea." "I had tea in the garden." "She's a remarkable woman." "Most cultured person." "I think even you would enjoy her company." "And the maid?" "Awe now the maid well." "There are still love marks on Michael's neck." "And I'm only recalling the details since you asked for them." "And Ferguson's part all of this?" "Ferguson returned mid afternoon." "And Jack?" "Jack?" "Jack hadn't returned." "He wasn't missed?" "Referred to once or twice but missed" "I couldn't tell you." "And the girl here?" "Unchanged since this morning." "Your trip to London?" "I thought a visit to Stockton's room might be more useful." "Did anything happen?" "Nothing." "Neither the living nor the dead appeared." "But it was instructive nonetheless." "Where is he?" "Curse the boy." "With your friend?" "Stay in." "Get inside." "Stockton I want to talk to you." "Get in." "Get in!" "See here." "Your work." "My boy, my wife, my maid you'll have it all and we're a part of your village vendetta." "I'm sorry what are you talking about?" "What do you want from us?" "You introduced me to your wife." "(Spanish)" "Speak English damn you." "(Spanish)" "Speak English!" "(Spanish)" "How dare you insult." "No enough." "Now take her, take your creature but leave my wife and my boy for God's sake." "Jack stay." "Stay Jack." "Leave him." "Let him go." "Jack." "(Spanish)" "Don't fight please." "Curse you Stockton" "Came around that bend" "Traveling too quick." "It's wet." "An accident Mr. Holmes." "That'll be my report." "Subject closed." "A bit odd as you say constable." "Very good then." "You'll be leaving over this day then will you?" "Now are problem's gone." "No reason for me to stay." "And I gather the village doctor is better this morning so you won't be needing Dr. Watson's services either?" "No." "But his help was appreciated." "Well come on lads, let's get over with." "Accident?" "Huh." "Murder?" "One of the deeper mysteries." "Where will they put him?" "Graveyard where else?" "But he can't go there." "In my country sometime they burn the body." "Well this isn't your country." "We're civilized here." "So do you would throw him out to be eaten by wolves?" "Where would you bury him Jack?" "It's your friend Stockton we're talking about." "You hungry dear?" "No." "Why'd you look at me like that?" "Nothing." "Well I've got to work." "The tree that he hit was my tree." "The one that I fell from." "You been to see it?" "No your tree Jack." "It wasn't down that way." "It was." "The very same tree where I had my accident." "Must have a curse on it." "I want to see it." "Would you take me Michael?" "Not now." "Are you afraid?" "No of course not." "I'll take you." "Michael?" "Later if you must." "For man walketh in a vain shadow and disquiet himself in vain." "No Christian burial." "(whispering)" "(whispering)" "Voicing her protest." "No Christian burial." "(whispering)." "Like it was a bomb fretting away his honor." "Every man therefore is but vanity." "Here my prayer O' Lord and with thy ears consider my calling." "Hold not thy peace of my tears for I am a stranger with thee and a sojourner as all of fathers were." "Oh spare me little that I may recover my strength before I go hence and be no more..." "Jack?" "Go to him." "Oh spare me a little that I may recover my strength." "It's all right." "Well I think it was claustrophobia." "Nothing worse." "Some people get it in churches." "But he used to sing in my choir every Sunday." "Well he and Stockton have become quite close." "It must have been a terrible shock." "Sort of business." "The village up in arms but I couldn't deny the man a Christian burial." "I mean how could I?" "What has he done?" "Did have any relatives as?" "Well no one as far as anyone knows." "That's another problem you see." "What to do with his cottage?" "His possessions?" "I shall look over the premises." "Shouldn't we ask the police?" "Holmes will know what to look for." "In the business of house clearing now hey Holmes?" "It may be instructive." "What's that smell in here?" "Heliotrope?" "It's the smell of decay." "Will you light that lamp Watson and then we'll set to work." "(Spanish)" "A ghost?" "I'll climb up and shake him down if you like." "If he's up there." "It doesn't frighten me." "You can't frighten me Stockton." "You're under the sod." "Where you belong." "You won't bother nobody now nor never again." "Dolly?" "come on now don't play silly games." "(screaming)" "Dolly?" "Here's one by Stockton." "Religions in Peru." "Fish god, Crab god, Fox god in Flight." "Taboos, witchcrafts, sorcery, is there nothing this man hasn't dabbled in?" "Vampires." "There's a book here on vampires Holmes." "My God!" "She's been attacked." "Down by the tree." "It was him." "Person to turn vampire generally wizards, suicides and those who come to a violent end or being cursed..." "Tonight 2 perfect specimens from whence I draw my strength." "My 2 Peruvian ladies revived me." "Vampire will bring his victim to the foot of death but not beyond." "He will nurse it back to health with all the after occurrence of love..." "And yet I might now also possess when I visit the house is she not commanding me to relinquish, to hand my mantel on to another..." "Indeed may be loved and devour her again whereby he's forever nourished." "(Spanish)." "He called to me." "Tell me your dream." "She wanted me to take her there so I did." "One minute she was standing there then she was gone." "I couldn't see her." "Then she appeared again by the tree and fell into my arms." "On her neck were bites and blood." "Did you make these marks?" "No... no sir not I it was Stockton." "You saw him?" "Well no but he was there right enough." "Stockton is dead." "No sir he is not or if it is it's the living dead as God's my witness." "See the mark on her, see for yourself." "Vampires don't exist." "Michael look at me!" "They don't exist." "What's the matter with the dog?" "It some form of paralysis." "Did it come on suddenly?" "Yesterday." "Remarkable and suggestive." "What do you mean?" "What's the dog got to do with anything?" "I can't tell you this instant." "May Watson be permitted to examine the maid?" "Of course." "The man's death perhaps in part I caused it." "I don't deny that I lost my temper Holmes." "But that's nothing to the suffering that's been brought to this family, my wife, the baby boy and it continues to be brought now on the maid." "Explain that to me Holmes." "Good morning Jack." "Mr. Holmes, the detective." "Dolores is feeling better father." "It's a slight fever nothing worse." "She was out with Michael last night." "They were caught in a storm." "Lover's marks?" "No." "Then what?" "This is also the tree that Jack fell from as a boy that caused his injury or so told Michael." "Stockton and Jack?" "Now that's too much to swallow." "Jack was lying." "I asked Ferguson." "Jack's tree is in quite another part of the woods." "But why should he lie about that?" "Why indeed?" "Out of my hands it was the constable, he decided." "We can't." "It's outside the law." "It's a violation." "Well what will the spirits make of it?" "(screaming)" "Where we taking him Mr. Gresty?" "Back to where he belongs where he can do this village no harm." "(screaming)" "He tried to strangle me." "Some water please Mrs. Gresty?" "It was like a big black animal, a cat or a spider." "It had hair on the inside of its hands." "And they covered my throat." "It was just a bad dream Vera." "Just a bad dream." "I don't like it here Mr. Gresty" "Let's drop him and get out fast." "Down here." "Are we going to do the other thing?" "What's that Michael?" "You know what you do with the rats." "You've been a mind whip boy." "We haven't no." "I'm not going down there I won't." "What's that?" "It's from an ear." "Who can it be?" "There's been a desecration Watson." "Stockton has been returned to the home of his forbearers I would imagine." "It's the matter of the police or the bishop no concern of ours for the moment." "How's the girl." "Oh she's calm sleeping now." "Marks?" "Not a scratch." "Window?" "Bolted from the inside." "The case of hysteria then." "But the Ferguson maid Holmes, I swear..." "Yes that we must take seriously." "You coming?" "Of course." "Jack?" "Shed blood on her mouth he saw it." "She and that man Stockton, both of them vampires." "where's your mistress now." "Mrs. Carlotta she is a monster." "What do you mean?" "She's the devil sir." "The maid then?" "Where's the boy?" "Jack?" "Oh he's in his room I think." "Mr. Ferguson I don't know where he is." "It was poison." "Curare I think." "Will she live?" "Yes." "Carlotta discovered it was attempting to suck the venom out, he knew." "Started from Stockton or perhaps" "Stockton gave it to him." "An arrow dipped in curare." "2 small incisions into the neck." "He tried it on the dog first." "Jack?" "I knew it couldn't be Jack in the room." "I heard him playing the violin at Stockton's house." "And what about the ghost?" "Trick of the light." "But the ruin had become Jack's playground." "I saw him there on my second visit and now here." "His inspiration hidden away in cupboards a dark world of imagination brought alive by a disturbed adolescent boy." "But to pretend to be a vampire." "No Watson believe." "Believe he is a vampire." "Remember his behavior in the church?" "His fear of the cross?" "And Stockton too?" "Why not?" "He saw Stockton's affect upon people." "His control over women." "What better thing to be?" "To win the respects, affection, love perhaps, we must find him." "He'll be at the ruin with his master." "Get thee to hell burn forever and a day." "Let thy foul carcass be food for jackals." "Let thy plot be trickful." "its a Blow to the head." "See that he lives Watson." "Jack?" "Jack?" "Well they are returning to her country." "They have nothing in this village to keep them and neither have you my good friends but I for one shall remember your efforts with gratitude." "This business with Stockton?" "I'll remove to another parish quietly, no fuss." "May he rest in peace." "Goodbye." "The baby Holmes?" "You don't think..." "I respect the verdict of your profession." "phenomena wasn't it?" "And Stockton's death?" "Accident, fate, who knows but Jack was no murderer." "Stockton's face in the locket?" "Got from a photograph by a clever child." "Will there be any record of these events?" "The vampire of Lamberley." "No." "Perhaps the world is not yet prepared."