The Haunted Palace

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Ezra, come and sit down.

Nothing's going to happen

on a night like this.

Drink up, man.

No. That's what he wants.

Can you not see that?

- But the storm...

- Damn the storm.

Come on, Micah.

Come on and have

a drink with us.

Look!

Fetch our hats.

Tell the others to wait.

Quick, man!

Come on.

Do you believe me now,

Micah Smith?

Now that you've seen

with your own eyes...

do you believe me

when I tell you...

that's the home

of Satan himself?

Aye, aye.

Then come.

Somebody get hay!

Make sure it's dry!

And bring some oil!

Come on, let's go!

Kill the warlock!

Open this door!

Open this door!

Curwen!

Well?

- Where is she?

- Who?

You know who. The Fitch girl.

Do you deny she's here?

Certainly not.

She visits us frequently.

Don't you, Miss Fitch?

Don't you?

Yes.

Of your own free will?

Yes.

- There now, Mr. Weeden...

- Just a moment.

What's your name, girl?

- Really, this is outrageous!

- Quiet!

Your name, child.

You see?

He's taken her mind, her soul...

the good Lord knows what else...

just like the others.

What do we do about it?

Let him go on

with his black magic...

or send him back

to the hell he came from?

- Send him back!

- Then let's be about it!

No, not the woman.

Leave her be.

She's been hexed.

It'll be right with us again...

when he's gone, Hester.

You'll see.

- Send him back to Hades!

- Burn him!

Back where he comes from!

Burn him! Burn him!

Have you anything

to say, warlock?

Only this...

As surely

as the village of Arkham...

has risen up against me...

so shall I rise from the dead

against the village of Arkham.

Each one of you!

Ezra Weeden,

Micah Smith...

Benjamin West...

Priam Willet...

Gideon Leach...

all of you and your children

and your children's children...

shall have just cause to regret

the actions of this night.

For from this night onward...

you shall bear my curse.

Burn the devil.

Burn him!

"And travelers, now,

within that valley...

"through the red-litten

windows see...

"vast forms,

that move fantastically...

"to a discordant melody. "

Whoa, horse.

There you are, ma'am. Careful.

Thank you, Mr. Carmody.

It was a most enjoyable trip.

Aye.

Thank you.

It isn't often I get

passengers for Arkham.

Begging you pardon, sir...

did you say you were going

to be staying here long?

Why do you ask?

Arkham is an evil place.

The village is cursed.

Don't tell us

you're superstitious.

Not at all.

And I'm not a coward, either...

but you couldn't pay me

to spend a night in this place.

Why not? Ghosts? Spirits?

Perhaps.

I'm sorry, sir...

but we don't happen to believe

in the supernatural.

And I don't think

you do, either. Good-bye.

- Good-bye, sir.

- Good-bye.

And good luck.

It looks cursed.

I'll give it that.

Where are the people?

I can't imagine.

Look. The "Burning Man. "

Isn't that quaint?

Yes, very quaint.

It is.

Where else would you find

a tavern with a name like that?

We were trying to find

a certain house here in town...

and we thought perhaps

you could help us.

- Whose house is it?

- Ours.

I know that sounds silly.

It belonged

to the Curwen family.

We inherited it.

- Curwen, you say?

- Yes, that's right.

I don't know of any such house.

All right. Thank you anyway.

Just a minute.

Why do you want to know

about the Curwen place?

Because it belongs to us.

Your name is Curwen?

No, our name is Ward.

Then...?

Joseph Curwen was

my great-great-grandfather.

Can you tell us

where the house is?

I can, but I won't.

That's what I like

about you New Englanders...

you're so friendly.

Come, Ann.

We'll find it oursel...

Mr. Ward! Don't go there.

It isn't a house. It's

a madman's palace as old as sin.

Palace? In America?

Brought over stone by stone.

Brought over from where?

Europe somewhere. No one knows.

No one wants to know.

But if you value your lives,

don't go there.

Why not?

What Edgar...

Mr. Weeden means is...

that place is a ruin.

It hasn't been occupied

in over 100 years.

Is that what you mean?

- What a strange man.

- Yes.

He has had a bit,

but what he says is right.

Mr. Ward,

Mrs. Ward, please...

do yourself a kindness.

Go back to wherever

you came from...

and forget you ever heard

about Arkham.

And what do you recommend

I do with the deed?

- Just tear it up?

- Yes.

Just tear up the deed

to a palace I've inherited...

and forget all about it...

without so much

as laying eyes on the property.

- Is that your advice?

- It's more than advice.

Come on, Ann.

Mr. Ward...

Take the road out of town

about a quarter of a mile.

At the post road, turn left

past the cemetery.

You shouldn't have

too much difficulty finding it.

Here, I'll show you.

There's the Curwen palace

over there on the cliff.

We certainly want to thank you

for being so nice, Mr...

Willet. I'm a doctor.

My office is down the street,

in case you need me.

I don't think we'll be staying

very long, doctor.

You've decided that already?

It seems to have been

decided for us.

Thank you, anyway.

Come, Ann.

Thank you.

What do you think?

It's him, right enough...

the devil himself.

Nonsense.

- And you helped him.

- As I'd help any stranger.

He's no stranger,

and you know it.

I don't know anything

of the kind, and neither do you.

Are you blind?

Or do you tell me you've

never seen that face before?

I'll admit there's

a strong resemblance...

but that's a matter

of heredity, not magic.

Call it what you will.

One thing is certain...

Joseph Curwen

has come back to Arkham.

- Why did you say that?

- What?

That we wouldn't

be staying long.

Do you want to stay in a town

full of fools like that?

I don't think

Dr. Willet was a fool.

All right, so Dr. Willet

wasn't a fool...

The poor thing.

Yes.

Let's get this over with.

Charles, it's you!

It's absolutely fantastic!

Dear, is something wrong?

No.

No. Let's see what the rest

of this mausoleum looks like.

Kitchen's over there.

Wait.

That doesn't lead anywhere.

This way.

- How would you know that?

- Just a guess.

I'll let some light in here.

Good evening.

- Who are you?

- My name is Simon.

What are you doing here?

I'm the caretaker.

I was preparing your room.

In the dark?

One becomes accustomed

to the darkness here.

I'm sorry, Mrs. Ward,

if I startled you...

but I didn't know

you'd be here so soon.

Just a minute.

How is it you

expected us at all?

Your attorney,

Mr. Hutchinson, contacted me.

Since then, I've been preparing

the palace for your arrival.

If you'll excuse me,

I'll go fetch your bags.

No! No, that won't

be necessary.

We're not staying.

But where would you

spend the night?

After all, Mr. Ward,

this is your home.

Get the bags.

Very well.

Dinner will be served at 8:00,

if that's convenient.

Thank you.

You don't really want

to spend the night here?

No, of course not, but...

But the old fellow was right.

We have to spend the night

someplace. Don't we?

Quiet! Quiet I say!

Is it food you want?

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