Twice Told Tales Page #2

You saw the second

coffin in the crypt.

My old friend,

I trust you'll make all

necessary arrangements.

I'll pray for you.

To Sylvia,

who has either brought us

eternal youth or

just eternity.

Do you feel anything?

No.

Carl, perhaps it only works

on things like flowers.

Carl.

Carl,

what is it?

I feel faint,

feverish.

Carl.

Look.

My face!

Alex!

Tell me

what you see.

Carl, I can't believe it!

You could be your own son!

I can't wait

to have you join me.

Come, drink the liquid!

Hurry, hurry!

Hurry, my old friend.

Yes, I am hurrying.

Do you remember

the fine figure

you cut

in your youth?

Tall, handsome.

My old friend,

you had the grace

of a panther.

I did, didn't I?

Now you shall

have it again.

Drink, drink!

By George, you didn't

walk into a room,

you glided in.

When you twirled

your cloak about,

I used to think

you were the most

magnificent thing I ever saw.

Did you really?

Oh, I begin

to feel it now.

The fever?

Good, you're going back

through the years.

Oh, this dizziness...

Oh, Carl.

Perhaps the liquid

and whiskey don't mix.

Oh, nonsense.

You're going back

to your youth

the same way

you left it:

full of whiskey.

The liquid

is taking effect.

I'm young again.

I'm young!

You've done it.

Let me feel your grip.

Here.

It's like iron.

What a night

of miracles this has been.

What if it wears off?

What if the liquid doesn't

give us youth permanently?

We can drink some more.

It's been dripping in the crypt

for almost 40 years.

It could go on

dripping forever.

What a wonderful way

to be young.

All we have to do

is to be thirsty.

The two thirstiest old

coots in the world.

The two thirstiest

young coots!

I can't wait

to see the expression

on the townspeople's faces

when they see us.

Sylvia.

If only Sylvia

could see us.

Sylvia?

Yes, of course.

Alex,

perhaps she

will see us.

What?

What are you saying?

Why shouldn't Sylvia

have a chance

to share

in our miracle?

But you can't give her

the water.

A dead person

can't drink.

Of course not,

but there are ways.

Carl, Carl,

I beg of you,

don't try to bring

back the dead!

Alex, you said it

yourself:

"A chance to live

our lives over."

If I could have that

marriage to Sylvia--

Marriage?

Carl, you couldn't.

Alex,

I devoted

one lifetime

to Sylvia.

I'm perfectly willing

to devote another.

How are you

going to do it?

It seems that even the fates

are conspiring to help us.

A few years ago,

a certain Dr. Pravaz,

a Frenchman,

invented a

singular instrument.

What does it do?

My patients seem to object

being jabbed by it, but

I'd say

it's quite effective.

Carl, wait.

I'm not sure that

I want to be a part of this.

Alex, we three were

inseparable.

Should Sylvia

come back,

I'm certain that she would

want you to be there.

You must stay.

But perhaps

you will be going too far.

I mean, people are meant

to grow old and die.

Sylvia never had

a chance to grow old.

Perhaps this

will give it to her.

I thought I saw

her finger move.

No, I saw nothing.

Look.

She's trying to breathe.

Sylvia,

come back to me.

Breathe.

She's breathing

normally.

Sylvia.

Sylvia, it's Carl.

Carl Heidegger.

I'm here.

I'm waiting for you.

Carl?

She's alive again.

She remembers my name.

Her eyes, look,

her eyes are opening.

She can see again,

the Lord in His

infinite mercy.

Carl?

Is everything ready

for the wedding?

The wedding?

Always so absent-minded.

Have you forgotten?

Our wedding

is tomorrow.

Your wedding

38 years ago.

It's the last thing

she remembers.

What is it you say?

38 years?

Sylvia, it's difficult

to explain.

What do you mean,

wedding of 38 years ago?

Sylvia...

And this rag?

Why am I dressed

this way?

Sylvia, be calm.

Just listen,

please.

If this is some

hideous prank--

No, Sylvia, no.

It's just that something

very strange has happened.

Sylvia.

Have you

no recollection

of the sudden illness

that struck you

on the night

we were to be married?

That was just

a few hours ago.

I was feeling weak

and tired, but

I'm all right now.

You died.

You have been dead

for 38 years.

Dead?

38 years?

He's insane!

You died, Sylvia.

You've been dead

for 38 years.

1859?

Alex, tell me

he's mad.

No, Sylvia,

it's the truth.

I haven't changed.

And both of you,

the years haven't

changed you either.

That's thanks

to a miracle

that was made known

to us this very evening.

What are you

talking about?

Please,

come sit down.

This evening,

we found

a peculiar liquid

dripping from

the ceiling of your crypt.

After testing it,

we learned

that it had the power

to restore eternal youth.

Since you'd been

preserved by it,

we were able to bring

you back to the living.

Carl,

is this true?

Oh, it's as true as heaven

and earth, my love.

I can stay alive?

Forever?

Oh, forever.

Oh, darling,

if you only knew

how much I've loved

you all these years.

How I've cherished

your memory

and could dream

of no other woman but you.

You never married?

There's never been

another woman.

We can still be married,

as if nothing had happened.

Nothing can

stop us now.

Darling, I saved

your wedding dress.

You didn't.

I'll get it

for you.

May I get

something for you?

Would you care

for some wine?

Is it good wine, Alex?

Such as we had

yesterday?

That yesterday

of 38 years ago, of course.

Please, Sylvia.

When we had our

final argument.

Sylvia, please.

He'll hear you.

Don't let him know.

It would break his heart.

And what of

my heart, Alex?

You had no conscience

about that, did you?

I loved you,

you know that.

Love?

To take all a woman

has to offer,

and then refuse

to marry her:

Is that your idea of love?

You know how I felt

about marriage

from the beginning.

I loved you,

but I wanted to be free.

You gave

yourself to me.

Are you trying to say

that I seduced you?

Do you think

you would've been happy

marrying him

to spite me?

I wanted to

be your wife, not

just another woman.

If only you had

loved me enough.

Isn't it love enough

that a man would

murder for you?

Murder?

Do you know

why you became ill

so suddenly the night

before your wedding?

I poisoned you.

You think I wanted to see you

in the arms of another man?

But you insisted

on mocking me,

by going ahead with

your spite marriage to Carl.

You forced me to do

what I had to do.

All right.

Maybe I was wrong

to have that much pride,

but we could be

married now.

We've been given

another chance.

We can't make

the same mistake again.

How can I tell Carl?

He's lived like a monk

all these years,

holding onto

your memory

as if it were

something sacred.

I've never destroyed

the illusion for him.

I don't know as

I could do it now.

All I know is

I don't want

to live again

if I can't have you.

Tell him the truth.

You must, Alex.

Please.

I'll try.

Sylvia, look.

Look.

As white and pure

as the day you

first tried it on.

Put it on,

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