Death Takes a Holiday Page #2

because the moon shone through it.

Oh, Corrado, I felt

something behind me, running.

There wasn't any sound, but I felt

someone! It's all right, Grazia.

It all comes of this fast driving.

You scare everybody

to death.

Yes, yes, that's it, of

course. I-It was the drive...

and the danger. Something

touched me... something cold!

We'll have to get her to bed at once.

You must stay here tonight, Maria.

So many guests!

Nonsense, Maria.

Cora!

Go and get the room ready.

Ridiculous when you can't go into your own

garden without being frightened to death.

I've told Lambert time and time again

we should have a watchman for this place.

It's much too big.

Maria?

Yes, dear?

Give Corrado your jewels

to put in the safe.

If they're going to rob us,

they shan't find anything.

There, there. You'll be in bed in just

a minute and you'll feel much better.

Lambert? Tell Fedele

to lock up the silver...

all the silver!

Alda, would you mind if I slept

in your room tonight?

I'm still tingling

from that scream.

You know,

I rather wish you would.

I don't want

to be alone, either.

I thought you modern girls

had no nerves.

- Hah! Have you none?

- None at all!

Great Scott!

Midnight, and everyone

calm and collected...

even the baron.

Come along, Rhoda.

I think I'll feel safer in bed.

So shall I.

Good night.

Good night.

Good night, Rhoda.

Good night, Alda.

These children go too fast. None

of them'll live as long as I have.

Will you be sure to lock all the doors?

I'll-I'll see to it.

Good night.

Good night.

Well, he got away...

if there was anyone.

We've searched the grounds

thoroughly, sir. Not a sign of anyone.

Did you go as far as the lake? Yes, sir.

Would you like me to make the

rounds of the house with you, sir?

Oh, no. Fedele will look

after that. Thank you, Eric.

Then if you don't mind, sir,

I think I'll go up to bed.

Quite all right. Good

night. Good night, sir.

Will Your Grace have

the curtains drawn?

Uh, what? Oh, no, no.

You can leave them.

Uh, put out

some of the lights.

Yes, sir.

Will there be anything

further, Your Grace?

No. No, thank you,

Fedele. Good night.

Good night, sir.

Who's there?

Who's there?

Answer or I'll shoot!

It's quite useless

against me.

Who're you?

Is this some horrible

masquerade?

If it is...

No.

Strange as it may seem,

this is my natural appearance.

Seems incredible,

doesn't it?

You see, I am not

of your world.

I am... how shall I

describe it?

A sort of vagabond

of space.

I am the point of contact...

between eternity and time.

Do I make myself clear?

Evidently not.

I told you

it would be difficult.

Perhaps you'd better sit.

No, no, no. Here.

Your back may need

support.

You see, I am...

or I was, until I

crossed your threshold...

Death.

But please

be reassured.

I am not on

my usual mission tonight.

I have already stood beside one of

your number tonight, without harm...

that lovely girl

in the garden.

Ah, then... then it was you! Yes.

Doesn't that reassure you that

I have no fatal intentions?

Yes, yes,

it-it does, rather.

That's better.

In a moment, we shall be,

I trust, quite good friends.

I am about

to take a holiday.

I shall take

only three days.

After that,

I must go back.

Why... why do you

do this?

For a number

of reasons.

For one thing, to discover

why men fear me as they do.

Do-Don't you know?

How should I know?

What could terror mean to me

who have nothing to fear?

Can you conceive how weary I am

of always being misunderstood?

I see things

that are gracious...

and young and fragrant.

But if I come too near, if they

feel the presence of my shadow,

a horror comes upon

their minds.

If I touch a flower,

it dies in my grasp.

Can you conceive

how lonely I am...

when there is nothing

that doesn't shun me,

that doesn't fade

as I come near?

Yes. Yes, of course.

There is something here

to be known and felt...

something desirable that makes men

fear me and cling to their life.

I must know

what it is.

Will you accept me for

these few days as a guest?

As a guest!

Oh, don't be alarmed!

As a mortal, of course.

I assure you, I shall be

quite a man of the world.

Yes, oh, well, of course

in that case, I, uh...

I should be

most happy.

That's extremely

kind of you.

Will it be a great trouble

for you to put me up?

Well?

Oh, no, no, no.

Not at all, not at all!

I have a suite of rooms prepared

for an old friend who is expected...

uh, Prince Sirki.

Indeed? Prince Sirki of

Vitalba Alexandri? Yes.

Prince Sirki will not come to

see you... not in this life.

Oh, I... I understand.

Was the Prince known to your

family and your guests? No.

Excellent!

I shall be Prince Sirki of

Vitalba Alexandri for three days.

What?

Please understand that my presence

in your house will not be a menace,

but a protection.

Thank you. On one condition,

on which I shall insist.

Yes? I am to be Prince Sirki, no other.

I shall be a mortal, and I must be

treated as a mortal in every particular.

No one under this roof shall show repulsion

or fear, on pain of my instant displeasure.

I understand. If my secret is

divulged, I shall leave instantly...

and return

in my proper person.

Do I make myself clear

this time?

I understand,

Your Highness.

I am to become a mortal.

I shall feel blood

in my veins,

the warm blood of life.

I shall feel my desire

becoming flesh...

and my hunger taking on

the fire of blood.

I shall know what you know

and feel what you feel.

My hunger shall be appeased

for an hour...

my hunger that is

as old as time.

And those that I love

need not be afraid.

Not afraid!

Not afraid!

I am beside myself.

My holiday is just caprice...

a mad joke I play with life.

But what a monstrous,

what a sublime joke!

I, Death, do hereby

take on the world,

the flesh

and the devil!

Stop him, stop him!

Your Grace, what is it?

Corrado, for heaven's sake!

Corrado, stop, man!

Come back instantly!

Shall I call the servants, Your

Grace? No, no. Turn on the lights.

What is it? What's

happened? We heard shots.

Lambert, are you hurt?

No, no one's hurt. Fedele?

Yes, sir? Prepare the

rooms in the left wing.

That was a messenger. We...

we are to have a visitor.

A messenger?

Father,

are you all right?

Yes. Yes. I...

I don't see why your

pistol fired. Mine didn't.

What do you mean?

Oh. Oh, nothing,

nothing.

Will somebody quit firing

cannon under my windows?

I was just on the point

of getting to sleep.

Fedele, I told you to get those

rooms ready instantly! Rooms for whom?

He said something about a guest. Corrado saw a

fellow running in the garden, and fired at him.

Now it turns out he was a

messenger. Yes, yes, that's it.

He was a messenger from...

from Prince Sirki.

Ooh, so he's coming at last.

Yes, he's coming, all right. You

shouldn't fire at people you don't know.

No, you-you might have angered him. Hmm.

I should think it might anger

a man to fill him full of holes!

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