UNDEAD Dreams of Darkness, Act 1

UNDEAD
Dreams of Darkness


by
David M. Nevarrez

based on works by
Joseph Sheridan LeFanu and Braxn Stoker



























David M. Nevarrez
Magus Productions
210 West 70th Street
Suite 210
New York, NY 10023
c 1998 David M. Nevarrez/MagUS Productions
































UNDEAD


characters:

DR. HESSELIUS

RICHARD RENFIELD

DR. WARD

LAURA SHERIDAN

ERZSEBET BATHORY/DR. NADASDY

DETECTIVE MURNAU

DETECTIVE GALEEN

AGENT DREYER



Time: The Present

Place: Here and parts of Czech.



































UNDEAD 1/I





Scene 1. (Ward in a mental institution, with beds and
chairs and a TV monitor. The catatonic Richard Renield sits in chair Center).

(At rise Hesselius enters, circles about Renield, examining him closely).

HESSELIUS
Where are you, my friend? What happened to you out there that you end up here in this state?
(Stopping to one side of Renfield. Beat)
How do I get through to you?
(He sighs and crosses to the door, stops and looks back at Renfield).
HESSELIUS
I hope I can find out.

(He just stands watching Renfield. Beat. Hesselius freezes as lights down, spot
up, Renfield enters it).

RENFIELD
They say I’m mad.
Stark raving mad.
But I’m not mad.
I’m possessed.
(Looks disdainful)
These “priests of science”,
Burd’ning me with their labels,
Are nothing but fools,
Like of old.
(Laughs)
They say I’m mad,
Totally deranged,
Delusional, and schizo.
But I’m not.
(Confidently)
They don’t know what I know.
So they label me insane.
They think they have me.
But has me.
(Closes eyes. Lights upstage, Bathory enters behind him)
Erzsebet.
(Opens eyes)
She found me on my search.
She showd me the yay.
Erzsebet.

(Renfield turns to meet her. She raises her arms, wrapping them around
his neck, pulling him into her. Specials down, beat, lights up, Renfield in chair as before. Dr. Ward enters. She stops next to Hesselius [no longer “frozen”]).

WARD
So, Dr. Hesselius, any thoughts on your friend’s state?

HESSELIUS
(Looking at her)
You did say you’ve already started the standard procedures?

WARD
And still are. First...

HESSELIUS
You don’t have to run down the list, Dr. Ward. I’m only a layman in your field anyway, and I believe you’ve done all you can. It was more of a rhetorical question. As a
philosopher, I’m used to rhetorical questions.

WARD
(Smiles)
I see.

HESSELIUS
And I should take this opportunity to warn you I do a lot of thinking out loud.


WARD
Thanks for the warning.

HESSELIUS
(Looks back at Renfield)
I believe this is more what you could call a deep meditative state, in which he is processing what happened to him, than catatonia.

WARD
(Also looking at Renfield)
Yes, we have not been able to settle on a precise diagnosis. So far i seems different from the usual catatonic state...almost focused.

HESSELIUS
Yes, indeed.

WARD
Did Mr. Renfield study any meditative practices?

HESSELIUS
Yes, several. Although he had difficulty with impatience, he did have some success.

WARD
I see.
(Pulling a syringe from a pocket)
I’d like to try one of the drugs which have had results in bringing patients out of catatonia.
(Beat)
I’m a little uncertain about using it, so I have the minimal dosage of the mildest compound.

HESSELIUS
May I stay while you administer it?

WARD
I was hoping that you would.

(She rolls up Renfield’s sleeve, and gives him the shot. She then stands
back. She and Hesselius watch expectantly. Beat. Lights fade low, specials
up, as Renfield enters crying out. He crosses downstage, diagonally, to one
of the beds and sits. Area light up on bed. It is now Renfield’s room at a
hotel in Prague. Renfield sits writing. Enter Laura Sheridan).

RENFIELD
(Without looking up)
Yes, Laura?

LAURA
(Crossing to him, holding out a newspaper)
I’ve just come across an interesting item in one of the local English papers.

(Renfield stops writing, looks up, takes the paper).

LAURA
(Pointing it out)
This one here, about a bloodless corpse in Brataslava.

(Renfield reads, nodding and making little noises to himself).

RENFIELD
(After a moment)
Most interesting.
(Looks up at Laura)
Did any of the other papers report it?

LAURA
Nothing overtly. They may have buried it without the gruesome details.

(Renfield nods. Beat).

RENFIELD
Well, I was planning to go to Bratislava anyway, and this compels me to go now.

LAURA
And me?

RENFIELD
I want you to stay here and continue transcribing the archival material. I will visit the Slovak Academy of Sciences while I’m there snooping around, and if need be I’ll
set up an appointment for you, then you can come down.

LAURA
(Putting a hand on his shoulder)
Fine.

RENFIELD
(Standing uncomfortably)
Have you seen Mr. DelbrUck?

LAURA
Yes. He’s hovering around the front desk.

RENFIELD
I shall ask him to make travel arrangements for me. He seems to like being helpful.

LAURA
Would you like me to talk to him?

RENFIELD
(Taking a few steps away)
If you don’t mind.

LAURA
(Smiling)
Of course I don’t mind. If I can have a kiss first.

RENFIELD
(Stuttering)
I...Laura...about last night...

LAURA
(Teasing)
Yes?

RENFIELD
(Forcing it out)
I’m not...well, uhm, I just don’t know if we should really be involved, since we’re working together.

LAURA
(Mock-pouting)
Why?

RENFIELD
Well, our work is very...uh...dense. We need to concentrate fully upon it.

LAURA
(Amused)
Did you miss your books when I was in your bed?

RENFIELD
(Blushing, forced laugh)
No. Not really.

LAURA
(Moving close to him)
You mean a lot to me. I want to help you. I would never interfere with your work. If you need to go to Brataslava, and I have to stay here, I’m fine with that. I’ll miss you while I'm not with you, but I’ll be fine.

(He smiles at her, glowingly. She kisses him. He kisses her back. They kiss deeply. Beat. Then they pull back a little).

LAURA
So, when do you need to go?

RENFIELD
(Slight hesitation)
I need to go no later than tomorrow. You can go now.

LAURA
(Mock serious)
Yes, sir.

RENFIELD
(Reserved)
Thank you.

LAURA
(Brightly)
Certainly.

[3] (Laura exits. Lights shift. Renfield gets ready. Laura enters).

LAURA
(Mock military-style)
Good morning, sir.

RENFIELD
(Laughs)
Good morning, Laura. How are you, this morning?

LAURA
Just fine. And you?

RENFIELD
Feeling quite well.

(She crosses to him and kisses him).

LAURA
Are you ready?

RENFIELD
In a moment I’ll be on my way to the train.

LAURA
Following the trail of Countess Báthory.

RENFIELD
Exactly. As I may have mentioned I believe there are some important documents in the Slovak Academy of Sciences there.

LAURA
Yes, you did.
(Smiling)
A few times.

RENFIELD
Oh? Oh. The absent-minded professor.

(She laughs. He chuckles).

LAURA
And the murder?

RENFIELD
Yes, well, there’s a ghoulish little murder.

LAURA
(Smiling knowingly)
I see.

RENFIELD
Well, I must be off, or I’ll miss my train.

LAURA
(Putting her arm in his)
I hope the trip is pleasant.

RENFIELD
Thank you. Adieu.

(He kisses her).

LAURA
Adieu.

(Renfield exits. Laura watches him. Lights down. During the black—out the
sounds of a train WHISTLE, followed by moving train ENGINES, [possibly FILM
of train). Lights up on Renfield’s Hotel room in Bratislava - opposite side
of the stage from the other. Renfield on bed talking into a camcorder).

RENFIELD
Safely ensconced in Bratislava. The only information I could get on the murder was heresay. Hard to determine how much is true. I’ve decided to forget about that for now and concentrate on my studies. Tomorrow I take a bus for Vishine, the town near Castle Cachtice. There I shall probably have no trouble hiring a guide to the castle.
(Muses a moment)
I shall have to have Laura...
(Coughs)
...uh, Ms. Sheridan come down here as soon as possible. Then I can set up an appointment, if need be, at the Academy.

(Lights shift to interior Entrance of Castle Cachtice, as Renfield rises and
crosses).

RENFIELD
(Looking around)
HELLO! HELLO! Can you here me?!

(He crosses to the center).

RENFIELD
Hello?!

(He starts fiddling with his camcorder. Enter Bathory from another room
unseen by Renfield. She smiles at him. He suddenly looks up and sees her. He
is suprised).

RENFIELD
Hello. Do you speak English?

BATHORY
Among other languages.

RENFIELD
(Shutting off the camcorder)
I assume you are not the watchman. Have you seen him?

BATHORY
(Amused)
Him? You assume it is a man?

RENFIELD
Well...I did think...

BATHORY
(Laughs)
No, you are quite right. I am not the watchman. And it is a man. I haven’t seen him recently, though.

RENFIELD
Oh.

BATHORY
If you like I could show you around. I know the castle very well.

RENFIELD
Oh, I wouldn’t like to impose.

BATHORY
It would not be an imposition. I would enjoy it.

RENFIELD
Thank you very much.

BATHORY
Come.
(She turns back to from where she came)
Is there any special area you would like to see first.

RENFIELD
I shall follow your lead.

BATHORY
Very good.

(She turns and exits. Renfield follows. Lights shift to a dungeon of the
castle lit by torches. Enter Bathory and Renfield. Renfield looks around).

BATHORY
I’m afraid it is too dark for your video.

RENFIELD
Nowadays, you can use them in pretty low light.

(He turns on the camcorder, but there is something wrong. He fiddles with it a moment).

RENFIELD
Only I seem to have used up another battery.
(Looks puzzled)
Strange. I just put a fresh one on when we were in the first tower. It shouldn’t have run out already.

BATHORY
(Ominously)
Stranger things have happened in this castle.
(Indicates the surroundings)
Right here, in fact. If these walls could talk.

RENFIELD
(Looking around)
I know.

BATHORY
Oh?

RENFIELD
(Looking at her)
I’ve done a bit of research on one of the former occupants.

BATHORY
Really?

RENFIELD
Yes. That’s why I’m here, specifically.

(She smiles wickedly, as he looks around some more).

BATHORY
The Blood Countess?

RENFIELD
(Sheepishly)
Well, yes, I’m afraid so.
(Looks at his feet)
I suppose there are a lot of curiosity seekers milling about here all the time.

BATHORY
Yes. But you have the air of a scholar.

RENFIELD
(Looks up)
Yes, it is more than idle curiosity.

BATHORY
(Moving closer)
You want to know more?

RENFIELD
(Emphatic)
Yes. Yes I would.

BATHORY
(Turning away)
Shall I show you something?

RENFIELD
(Trying not to be too eager)
If you like.

(Bathory crosses to behind a covered table
[NOTE: in ward scenes appeared as sleeping patient],
removes cover, revealing a Satanic altar).

RENFIELD
(Surprised)
What’s this?

BATHORY
(Matter of factly)
An altar.

RENFIELD
(Wary)
I understand that. What I mean is, what is it doing here?

BATHORY
I put it here.

(Beat. Bathory smiles).

RENFIELD
(Guardedly)
Why?

BATHORY
I wish to raise a spirit.

RENFIELD
And why are you showing me this?

BATHORY
I want your help.

RENFIELD
Oh?

BATHORY
I thought you were eager to learn.

RENFIELD
Yes, but...

BATHORY
But?

RENFIELD
This could be dangerous.

BATHORY
(Laughs as crosses around front of altar)
Come now, Mr. Renfield, you wouldn’t want to pass up experience of a lifetime, would you?

(Beat).

RENFIELD
What I do want to "pass up on" is the death of me.

BATHORY
You think I'd risk your life?

RENFIELD
No offence, but I do think you have your own agenda.

BATHORY
Quite true. But leaving an unexplained corpse would not suit my agenda.

RENFIELD
And there are other risks, besides death.

BATHORY
A full life is full of risk.

RENFIELD
Touche.
(Beat. Cautiously)
What do you want me to do?

BATHORY
(Smiling)
I need a medium for the spirit to speak through. I want you to be that medium.

(Pause as Renfield has an internal dialogue. Bathory watches him closely).

RENFIELD
And do you know what to do should something go wrong?

BATHORY
I am well-versed in the Art. I wouldn't attempt it otherwise.
(Beat)
It is a risk for me, too.

RENFIELD
Yes, true.
(Steeling himself)
Alright.
(Beat)
I’ll give it a try.

BATHORY
Splendid.

RENFIELD
What do I do?

BATHORY
I want you to lie atop the altar.

(Renfield looks at the altar, hesitates, then crosses to it. Bathory watches
him as he gingerly climbs up onto it, laying down on his back).

BATHORY
Comfortable?

RENFIELD
(Forces a laugh)
Not really.

BATHORY
Just try to relax. Let my words flow over you. Like water.

RENFIELD
Alright.

(Bathory crosses to the head of the altar (above Renfield’s head) and faces him).

BATHORY
(Chanting)
Spirit of Vlad Tepes,
thou mayest now approach the gates of the east
to answer truly my liege demands.
Berald, Beroald, Balbin!
Gab, Gabor, Agaba!
Arise, arise I charge and command thee.

(She circles to the (her) right side of the altar).

BATHORY
(Cirles him through following)
By the Mysteries of the deep,
(Strikes her left hand with her right)
by the flames of Banal,
(Strikes)
by the power of the east,
(Strikes)
and by the silence of the night,
(Stikes)
by the holy rites of Hecate,
(Strikes)
I conjure and exorcise thee, spirit Dracula,
(Skrikes)
to present thyself here,
(Strikes)
and answer truly my demands.
(Strikes)
So mote it be!
(Strikes)

(From her clothing she takes dust, which she tosses over Renfield).

BATHORY
Prince Vlad Tepes Dracula!
(Beat, then louder)
Prince Vlad Tepes Dracula!!
(A wind blows out the torches).

BATHORY
PRINCE VLAD TEPES DRACULA!!!

(Pause. Sound like thunder, flashes of light. A huge shadow looms upstage, reaching across towards Renfield. Torches “re—light”. A vague figure appears
at the far end of the room. It fades, then a light appears on Renfield.
Beat. Bathory steps back from the altar).

BATHORY
Dracula arise!

(Renfield rises stiffly from the altar. He spreads his arms, taking a deep breath).

RENFIELD
I...AM...DRA-CU—LA!

(He roars with laughter. Lights fade to black).

[NOTE: the license to depart should be used afterwards - in such a way as to
be unintelligable to the audience:

Go, go, departed shade Vlad Tepes
by Omgroma Epin Sayoc
Satony, Degony, Eparigon
Galiganori, Zogogen, Ferstigon.
We license thee depart into thy proper place
and be there peace between us evermore.
So mote it be!]

(Lights back to hospital. Renfield begins to "withdraw" back into his
catatonic state. Ward and Hesselius grab him, and lead him to the chair and
sit him down).

WARD
(Disappointed)
Instead of reliving what happened, we get a fantasy.

HESSELIUS
Don't be too sure it's fantasy.

WARD
Oh come now. You can't believe any of that really happened, except in his mind.

HESSELIUS
"There are more things in heaven and earth than are dreamt of in your philosophies, Horatio."

WARD
(Exhaling disgustedly)
Nonsense. It's either a fantasy version of what happened, or an hallucination.

HESSELIUS
Don't be so close-minded, Doctor.

WARD
I don't have time for fairytales.

HESSELIUS
You think the great Religion of Science has explained everything?

WARD
Science and religion are two totally separate issues.

HESSELIUS
Not when subjected to narrow-minded belief.

WARD
(Terse)
I deal in facts. Hard facts. Not superstition.

HESSELIUS
Actually, you deal in theories. Mostly theories. A few facts. Little explanation. Plenty of unanswered questions.

WARD
But...

HESSELIUS
But? But what?

WARD
You believe what?! That he's possessed?!

(Hesselius shrugs. Beat)

WARD
I'm going to go back to my office. Will you join me?

HESSELIUS
Certainly. I would like to talk with you more about this.

(They exit. Beat. Enter Laura, also a patient. She dances around Renfield).

LAURA
(Whispering in his ear)
Well, my love, feeling quieter today? Mmmm?

(Pause. Renfield does not respond).

LAURA
(Standing behind him)
It wasn’t nice of you to go off and leave me, you know.
(Puts her arms around his neck)
I missed you.
(Pouting)
You were with her, weren’t you?
(Looks around at him)
Well? What have you to say for yourself?
(Turns away)
Yes, of course, she is your obsession.
(Turns back to him)
But is that any excuse?
(Beat)
What? Don’t want to talk with your lover? I want to talk with you.
(Caresses his hair)
I’d like to do quite a bit to you.

(During the last statement Ward enters.)

WARD
Laura?

(She spins about. Ward crosses to her.)

WARD
What are doing?
(Beat)
Did I hear you say something, Laura? Were you talking to Mr. Renfield?

(Laura says nothing, just looks at Ward, backing up a few steps).

WARD
(Sighing)
I’m sorry Laura.

(Beat. Ward crosses slowly to Laura, who cowers slightly. Ward smooths Laura’s
hair, and straightens her hospital gown.)

WARD
You have a visitor today. Your Mother is here. I hope you will remain calm.
(Reaching out a hand)
Come, I’ll take you to the visitors lounge, okay?
(Leading Laura out).
You want to see her, don’t you?
(Laura doesn’t respond)
Well, let’s go, alright.

(They exit. Lights fade low, spot up, as Renfield enters it).

RENFIELD
Off to Mama you go
Sweet, sweet child
Let her fold you up
In her smothering arms
She’ll keep you safe
From the big bad wolf

(He laughs, which draws out into a howl, as he dances about. After a moment,
Laura enters, as if in a trance, crosses to Right of Renfield’s chair.
Renfield crosses to behind her, wrapping his arms around her, licks her
neck. She breaks away, runs into the spot).

LAURA
(Frightened)
Richard has disappeared! Where is he? What happened to him?

(Covers her face with her hands. Beat).

LAURA
(Slowly putting hands down)
And now they’ve found him. But...
(Anguish)
...he’s changed. So changed. They say he’s sick, but...
(Intense)
...they don’t see what I see.
(Looks to side)
And then the dreams started.

(She closes her eyes. Lights fade to moonlight. A mist swirls about the room.
Out of the mist emerges Renfield, looking demonic. Laura runs to him, hugs him. He smiles. She dances about. He laughs. She crosses back to the bed,
looking over her shoulder. She lies down. He crosses to the bed, lays down
on top of her. Moonhight down, beat [Renfield exits], lightS up, as Laura
falls to the floor. Pause. Ward enters, sees Laura, runs to her, kneeling
beside her).

WARD
Laura!

(Checks her vitals. Enter Hesselius. Ward turns, sees him, as he rushes over
to them).

HESSELIUS
What has, happened?

WARD
I’m not sure. Help me cry her a bed.

(They lift Laura up and onto the beds).

WARD
Her mother visited her today. It must have upset her more than I thought.

HESSELIUS
What is wrong with her?

WARD
Total withdrawal. After the mysterious disappearance of Mr. Renfield, to whom she was an assistant, she became delusional. Now she refuses to speak.
(Looks thoughtfully at Laura)
Although, I could have sworn she spoke to your friend, Mr. Renfield.

HESSELIUS
(A look of surprise)
Really?
(Considers this)
Most interesting.
(Beat)
And what sort of delusions was she having?

(Ward leads Hessehius from Laura’s bedside.)

WARD
She believed Mr. Renfield was taken by demons, and that he had come to her, that he needed her blood.

(Hesselius looks over at Laura).

WARD
Also, she seems to have anemia, but I strongly feel there’s far more to it, though I can’t figure out what. The night before last, an orderly entered the room when he heard strange noises and Laura went into violent hysterics. They had to restrain her before they could give her a sedative.

(Hesselius frowns).

HESSELIUS
Have you been able to get her to open up at any point?

WARD
No. She hasn’t talked since she was brought in, excepting her fit the other night.

HESSELIUS
Most curious.

(They cross to door).

HESSELIUS
I’d like to observe her tonight. Can that be arranged?

WARD
(Opening the door and letting Hesselius exit)
Certainly, Doctor. We have the place fully video-monitored.

(Ward exits after Hesselius. Lights down, spot up. Ward steps into spot).

WARD
Case study #13645. Richard Renfield. Psychic Researcher. Captured in a homicidal frenzy in a forest in the Czech Republic. After murdering one of the locals...
(Inhales)
...rather brutally, near a castle he visited the day before, he went missing for about eleven days. He had been working on a book about one Countess Elisabeth Bathory, popularly known as The Blood Countess.
(Looks troubled)
He left a videotape behind. I don’t know what to make of it.

WARD
It ends just as someone else arrived. It seems he kept taping afterwards, but the
most that can be made out are shadowy shapes. Can’t even tell if they’re human.
(Beat)
His things were found by the watchman in the morning. Later, Mr. Renfield was brought to us.
(Beat)
Then his friend and colleague Dr. Hesselius came, becoming involved with our treatment of him.
(Muses)
We were able to contact Ms. Laura Sheridan, now also our patient, who assisted Mr. Renfield. She came to visit him.

(Lights up as Hesselius enters).

WARD
You watched Renfield’s video?

HESSELIUS
Yes

WARD
Ms. Sheridan also kept a video journal.

(Ward starts VIDEO. Laura sitting at a table).

LAURA (VIDEO)
(Troubled)
I saw Richard today.
(Beat)
It’s the first time since he was put into the hospital. He seems just the same. He doesn’t respond to anything. I haven’t seen his video yet. Dr. Ward gave me a copy. I will watch it tonight. Maybe it will give me some clue as to what happened to him.
(Beat)
I have a sense of foreboding.

(Video CUTS to later, Laura at table, looking unwell).

LAURA (VIDEO)
(Stammmering)
I don’t know...what to...
(Beat)
I think the good doctor cut the tape short, but...
(Looks directly .iDto camera)
Who was that behind Richard? I must insist Dr. Ward show me the end of the tape. I must know.
(Beat)
I must find out what really happened.

(Ward turns the tape off).

WARD
I explained there wasn’t any more on the tape, of course. I don’t know that she believed me. In light of her breakdown since, I suspect she didn’t.

(Turns VIDEO back on. Laura on her couch. She looks dishevelled).

LAURA (VIDEO)
Things are bad. I had a strange dream last night.

(Upstage: Laura rises, sleepwalks to “window” as Bathory enters the “window”
covers Laura. F.O.).

LAURA (VIDEO)
This morning I had two puncture wounds on my throat.
(Beat)
I believe that the thing which appeared behind Renfield was a malevolent spirit of some kind.
(Beat)
Dare I suggest that it is...
(Struggling with the words)
Crazy as it sounds...
(She buries her face in her hands, then looks up)
...I think it is a...vampire.

WARD
(Pausing the video again)
I don’t know how this really fits in with what happened to Renfield, or his disappearence, but Laura Sheridan to know something.

HESSELIUS
What do you mean?

WARD
Her video continues.

(Ward re-starts the VIDEO - CUT to Laura sitting on her bed, looking haggard).

LAURA (VIDEO)
Another dream.

(As following she reacts to remembering, by end burying her head in her hands:
Upstage: Moonlight. Laura enters it, as if in a trance, Bathory comes up
behind her, takes her in her from behind, enveloping her in her coat, pulls
her head back, and bites her in the throat. B.O.
She raises her head, tears running down her face).

LAURA (VIDEO)
I know what I must do.

(She turns off the VIDEO camera. Ward shuts off the VIDEO).

WARD
That’s it.

HESSELIUS
Did you find out what she meant by that last statement?

WARD
No. She hasn’t talked since they brought her to us. And her doctor could not shed any light for us.

HESSELIUS
(Perturbed)
Yet another mystery among many.

WARD
It’s like a crazy jigsaw puzzle for which we have only a few pieces.

(They exit. Lights shift to the castle dungeon. Enter Bathory, followed by
Renfield, who’s on the verge of mania. The sun rises, and Renfield begins to
spasm, falls to the floor, where he writhes, then becomes still. Bathory
just watches him, amused. After a moment he regains consciousness, slowly
gets up on his knees, as if his body hurts all over. He looks up at Bathory).

RENFIELD
(Whimpering)
What have you done to me?

BATHORY
(Chuckling maliciously)
What I please.

RENFIELD
(Pleading)
Make the pain stop!

(Bathory laughs out loud. Renfield drops down, and cries out).

BATHORY
Stop your whining, boy. You will do as I bid. Your will is to serve me. Do you understand?

RENFIELD
(Trying to rise again)
NO!!!

(Bathory crosses to him, grabs him by the hair, pulls his head back, anger
flaring up).

BATHORY
YES! I will bode resistance!
(Letting him go)
You will suffer much otherwise.
(Standing hautily)
Do you understand?

RENFIELD
(Meekly crumpling)
Yes.

(She puts a foot on his back, pushing him down hard).

BATHORY
When I beckon, you will come. When I command, you will do. If I wish it, you will die.
(She leans closer to him)
Understand?

RENFIELD
(Barely audible)
Yes.

(Bathory uprights herself, and laughs. F.O.).



END OF ACT I