THE ALCHEMISTS
by
Robert Nelson
( Based on a True Story )
THE ALCHEMISTS
by
Robert Nelson
( Based on a True Story )
FADE IN:
SUPERIMPOSE:
"THE
ALCHEMISTS"
INT.
STUDY - NIGHT
FRANCIS
Preyhausen, aged about 40, sits at his desk, writing
by
the light of a CANDELABRA. The light of a FULL MOON
streams
through the open window.
FRANCIS
(V.O.)
Wenzel
Seyler found the
Philosophers'
Stone, he made gold
for
Emperor Leopold Habsburg, and
became
a Baron. (beat) He survived
his
enemies, and he survived
himself.
(beat) I was there with
him,
and this, I swear, is the
truth
of the matter...
EXT. PASTURE - NIGHT
SUPERIMPOSE: MAP, MORAVIA/AUSTRIA
CAPTION: "BRUNA, MORAVIA, 1350"
A
WOLF HOWLS in the distance; an OWL HOOTS nearby. FREDERICK
Gualdus
and KARL Steiner, in brown monastic robes, stand in a
meadow
under a FULL MOON, squeezing dew from a twisted sheet
of
LINEN held between them. More sheets, soaked with DEW,
hang
from poles stuck in the ground. Dew drips from the
twisted
sheet into a FUNNEL in a BOTTLE. A basket is filled
with
plugged bottles; a third with twisted sheets. Karl
shivers
and yawns and almost loses his grip.
FREDERICK
Be
careful, Brother Karl!, If it
touches
the earth, the potency will
be
lost!
KARL
Frederick,
I feel as if I am
dreaming,
and walking in my sleep!
FREDERICK
The
full moon is affecting you.
Fight
it! We are almost done!
EXT. HUT - DAY (ESTABLISHING)
The monks' hut stands near the Zwitta River.
INT. HUT. - NIGHT
Frederick
and Karl are seated at the table. Frederick is
grinding
SULFUR with a MORTAR and PESTLE. Karl is writing a
MANUSCRIPT.
A retort sits on a tripod over a coal fire in the
fireplace.
Yellow oil drips into a flask receiver, attached
with
clay and strips of cloth.
INT. HUT - DAY
Frederick
is sitting at the table, writing a manuscript. Karl
is
seated on a stool at the fireplace, stirring a white
powder
in a crucible. Smoke billows, and they run outside,
coughing.
FREDERICK
(CONT'D)
Too
much niter, too fast! Make
haste
slowly, Karl!
KARL
Aggh!
Ach! Choo!
SERIES OF SHOTS - INTERCUT WITH ALCHEMY IMAGES:
A) INT. HUT - DAY
Frederick
is spooning a white powder into a flask, half
filled
with yellow oil.
B) INT. HUT - DAY
The
flask has been sealed, and sits in a pan filled with
sand.
Frederick sets it atop a bed of coals. They kneel,
cross
themselves, and begin to pray in Latin mumble.
C) INT. HUT - NIGHT
A
few weeks later: the contents of the flask are black, and
it
has a pale violet glow about it. Karl sits at the table,
writing
by the light of a candle. Frederick is asleep on his
cot.
D) INT. HUT - WEEKS LATER - DAY
Frederick
sits watching the flask. The compound now is white.
He
adds a coal to the fire, and pumps the bellows slowly.
Karl
sits at the table, writing a MANUSCRIPT.
E) INT. HUT - WEEKS LATER - DAY
MONTAGE: The contents of the flask pass through every color.
F) INT. HUT - DAY
The
compound has turned dark red: the Philosophers' Stone.
Frederick
and Karl kneel, cross themselves, and pray in a
Latin
mumble.
G) INT. HUT - DAY
A
crucible filled with molten lead sits in the bed of hot
coals.
Frederick wraps a grain of the red glass in a bit of
candle
wax. He stirs it into the lead with an iron nail. A
LOUD
METALLIC CRACKLE and FLASH OF BLUE LIGHT startles them.
They
look into the crucible to see pure gold with the iron
nail
stuck in it. Frederick smiles, and Karl looks amazed.
H) INT. HUT - DAY
Frederick
and Karl are sitting at the table with a small
COPPER
BOX (12" x 12" x 6"). It contains four small BOTTLES,
each
filled with pieces of the red Philosophers' Stone. Karl
places
the MANUSCRIPT in the box, and shuts the lid.
I) EXT. HUT - DAY
Frederick
is walking away, leading a mule that carries two
small
sacks. Karl watches from the door of the hut. Frederick
turns
to take a last look, and waves goodbye.
J) EXT. ST. THOMAS' MONASTERY - DAY (ESTABLISHING)
SUPERIMPOSE: "ST. THOMAS' MONASTERY, 1352"
Several
monks' huts and a few small wood buildings have been
erected,
and the monastery is under construction. The monks
and
some masons are building a small stone chapel.
K) INT. CHAPEL - DAY
Two
monks are chiseling the base section of a small pillar
next
to a small hole in the floor.
LATER
Karl
places the COPPER BOX in a hole in the floor of the
chapel,
and the monks push the base of the pillar over the
hole.
L) EXT. CHAPEL - 300 YEARS LATER - DAY (ESTABLISHING)
SUPERIMPOSE: "ST. THOMAS' MONASTERY, 1670"
The
chapel is in ruins. The modern monastery has been built
nearby.
M) EXT. DAWKS' PRINT SHOP - DAY (ESTABLISHING)
SUPERIMPOSE: "LONDON, 1680"
Dr.
BECHER pauses and looks up at the shop sign as he
approaches
and enters.
CLOSEUP: SIGN "THOMAS DAWKS, HIS MAJESTIES PRINTER"
INT. DAWKS' PRINT SHOP - DAY
Dawks
picks up a copy of MAGNALIA NATURAE and comes forward
to
greet Becher.
DAWKS
Greetings,
Doctor Becher! Behold,
your
booklet, Magnalia Naturae!
CLOSE UP: "MAGNALIA NATURAE"
Becher
happily pages through the booklet. He speaks with a
German
accent.
BECHER
Ah!
Yes, goodt, goodt! You have
done
a fine job, Mister Dawks, and
I
thank ye kindly.
EXT. ROYAL SOCIETY OF LONDON - DAY (ESTABLISHING)
SUPERIMPOSE:
"ROYAL SOCIETY OF LONDON FOR THE IMPROVEMENT OF
NATURAL
KNOWLEDGE"
INT. LIBRARY - DAY
SUPERIMPOSE:
"JOHAN BECHER, ISAAC NEWTON, ROBERT BOYLE,
EDMUND
HALLEY, ROBERT HOOKE"
Isaac
Newton (age 39), Edmund Halley (26), and Robert Hooke
(47),
Robert Boyle (55), sit at a table with Dr. Becher at
the
head. Other unidentified gentlemen sit in armchairs about
the
room. Everyone has a glass of wine in hand or nearby.
Halley's
telescope stands in front of a window in the
background.
Becher bows as he acknowledges each quest.
BECHER
Gentlemen,
I am honored by your
learned
company this fine evening.
(beat)
Sir Isaac Newton... Edmund
Halley...
Robert Hooke... It
pleases
me greatly to present my
new
booklet, Magnalia Naturae,
which
Sir Robert Boyle here did
urge
me to publish. Today I shall
give
you a more personal account.
(long
beat) We have all heard of
the
Philosophers' Stone that
transmutes
base metals to noble
gold.
Yet, we must ask if such a
thing
might really exist.(beat)
Well,
now our doubt is resolved by
two
Friars of the Augustine order.
(beat)
And the truth of it is
attested
by many men of great
quality,
by the Holy Roman Emperor
Leopold
Habsburg himself! (beat) I
myself
was witness to these events.
Becher
picks up his glass of wine from a small tray on the
table.
EXT. ST. THOMAS' MONASTERY - DAY (ESTABLISHING)
SUPERIMPOSE: "ST. THOMAS' MONASTERY, 1676"
INT. CHAPEL - DAY
Francis
is serving the Mass with another monk. He stands to
the
left of the altar, holding a tray with the pitchers of
wine
and water. Dozens of monks kneel in the pews, with
several
priest in the front row.
BECHER
(V.O.)
Thanks
to Friar Francis Preyhausen,
that
we know so much about this
matter.
(beat) And his honesty is admirable,
for
he did not steal the treasure,
nor
claim some for himself, when he
could.
But honesty seldom gets what
it
deserves.
PRIEST
Dominus
vobiscum.
FRANCIS
Et
cum spiritu tuo.
PRIEST
Oremus.
The
priest picks up the pitcher of wine from Francis' tray.
INT. LIBRARY - DAY
Dr.
Becher picks up his glass of wine, sips, and continues
speaking.
BECHER
Wenzel
Seyler was born in Vienna,
about
the year 1650. (beat) About
twenty-five
years later, he was
caught
in bed with the wife of the
precinct
Governor, Count de
Collebrat...
INT. BEDROOM - DAY
WENZEL
Seyler is carousing in bed with the WIFE of the
GOVERNOR
(Count de Collebrat) when the cuckold bursts in and
starts
poking at Wenzel with a sword. The wife cringes under
the
sheets, and Wenzel tries to protect himself with a pillow
as
he scrambles for his pants.
GOVERNOR
Scoundrel!
Lecher!
WENZEL
Ow!
Agh! Ow! Oh!
WIFE
Eek!
Eek! Oh! No!
GOVERNOR
Silence,
whore!
A guard comes running in and corners Wenzel with a pike.
BECHER
(V.O.)
The
fear of prison was the
beginning
of wisdom for him. (beat)
With
the help of a priest, suddenly
he
found religion, and Wenzel
entered
the Augustine Monastery at
Bruna
in Moravia.
SERIES OF SHOTS:
A) EXT. MONASTERY GATE - DAY
Wenzel,
two guard escorts, and a priest stand at the open
gate
of St. Thomas' monastery. Wenzel and the priest enter,
and
a monk slams the gate shut behind them.
B) INT. CELL - DAY
Wenzel
stands at the door of his cell, crowded with a cot,
table,
and stool. He wears the Augustine habit, and his hair
has
been cut short.
C) INT. CHAPEL - DAY
Wenzel
is attending Mass with the other monks. The priests
sit
in the front rows. Francis is serving Mass with another
monk.
D) INT. CLASSROOM - DAY
Wenzel
and Francis are among a dozen monks studying under the
supervision
of a stern priest.
EXT. GARDEN - DAY
Francis and Wenzel walking in the monastery garden.
WENZEL
How
did you come to be here,
Brother
Francis?
FRANCIS
Oh,
my father pressed me to enter
the
Church. (beat) I have
education,
but no livelihood, and I
will
never inherit the family
estate
unless the plague takes my
elder
brothers.
(beat)
I came here a year ago, but
I
am mortally bored already. I feel
trapped
in limbo with a bunch of
pompous
celibates.
WENZEL
Well,
at least you are innocent. My
sins
are venial, so this is like
purgatory
to me. Yet escape is
possible,
with money...
EXT. OLD CHAPEL - DAY
Wenzel
and another monks are digging up rocks and tossing
them
into a wheelbarrow. Other monks are doing likewise
nearby.
The old chapel stands in the background.
BECHER
(V.O.)
After
a year of probation, Wenzel
Seyler
took the monks' vows. Still,
he
planned to escape, though he had
no
means. So when he heard the
legend
of a treasure, hidden in the
monastery,
he tried to find it...
MONK
#1
...Even
if the story is true, and
you
find the gold, the Abbot will
spend
it to glorify the Church, and
feed
the poor! Ha ha!
INT. CELLAR - DAY
Wenzel is alone in the cellar, dowsing with a willow branch.
BECHER
(V.O.)
The
man had no scruples about using
magic
to help himself, and fortune
favored
him thus.
EXT. MONASTERY GARDEN - DAY
Wenzel
looks about furtively, then tries to dowse.
EXT. ROADSIDE - DAY
An
OLD WOMAN sits beside the road, selling milk, cream, and
cheese
from a small cart.
BECHER
(V.O.)
The
monks were allowed out of the
monastery
on Saturdays... (beat)
And
thus he met an old woman who
practiced
witchcraft in secret.
OLD
WOMAN
Fresh
milk, cream, cheese! Fresh
milk,
cream, cheese!
Wenzel
approaches her and begins an inaudible conversation.
She
gives him a cup of milk to drink.
INT. LIBRARY - DAY
Becher sips his wine, sets the glass down.
BECHER
She
gave him a ball of wax, covered
with
strange figures, and she said
it
would roll to the place where
treasure
was hidden. (beat) Now,
this
may sound absurd to men of
science,
yet I have seen the ball,
and
tested it myself.
INT. COTTAGE - DAY
Wenzel
sits on a bench at a table, reading the old woman's
book
of spells. She hands him a cup.
OLD
WOMAN
Drink
this potion, my dear. It will
strengthen
your magical powers.
He sniffs the potion, then quaffs it with a grimace.
OLD
WOMAN (CONT'D)
Yes,
yes! Good!
MINUTES LATER
He begins to slouch as the potion takes effect.
WENZEL
(slurring)
What
wash in that drink?
OLD
WOMAN
Laudanum.
WENZEL
Law
wha...?
OLD
WOMAN
Laudanum,
dear boy. The milk of
poppy.
Wenzel
slides off the bench. The old woman lays him out on
the
floor, then fetches a small box from a shelf. It contains
a
wax ball with a hole in it, and a plug. The ball is covered
with
magical symbols.
MINUTES LATER
The
old woman is kneeling on the floor. She lift's Wenzel's
robe
and apparently milks him, cackling happily as Wenzel
snores.
OLD
WOMAN (CONT'D)
Tee
hee hee!
MINUTES LATER
The
old woman finishes filling the wax ball with Wenzel's
sperm,
and plugs the hole, then licks her fingers and
cackles.
She begins to mumble an incoherent magic spell...
HOURS LATER
Wenzel
looks groggy, and yawns as she presents him with the
wax
ball. He peers at the symbols, and sniffs it.
OLD
WOMAN (CONT'D)
Wenzel,
behold! (beat) If there is
a
treasure hidden in the monastery,
this
magic ball can find it! Now
watch
this! Behold, this is my gold
wedding
ring.
WENZEL
I
am beholding.
She
places the ball and ring several feet apart on the floor.
Wenzel
watches in amazement as the ball wobbles, then rolls
to
the ring. She picks them up, and hands the ball to him.
OLD
WOMAN
I
will give this to you, Wenzel,
but
you must promise to give me
some
gold if you find the treasure.
WENZEL
I
promise you, I shall! Thank you!
EXT. MONASTERY YARD - DAY
Wenzel
crosses paths with the ABBOT and two priests who
accompany
him. One of the priests whispers inaudibly to the
Abbot.
ABBOT
Friar
Wenzel Seyler! Come to my
office.
WENZEL
Yes,
Abbot!
INT. ABBOT'S OFFICE - DAY
Wenzel stands before the Abbot.
ABBOT
Friar
Seyler, it is our custom for
the
old fathers to have a young
friar
assist them. I have decided
that
you shall attend to Father
Albert.
WENZEL
Yes,
Father Abbot, I shall. Thank
you.
INT. ALBERT'S CLOISTER - NIGHT
Father
ALBERT is sitting in a chair by the fireplace, and
Wenzel
is sitting on a stool. He adds another coal to the
fire.
WENZEL
Father
Albert, I have heard other
monks
tell of a treasure hidden in
our
monastery. Do you know the
story?
ALBERT
Yes,
I do. It is said that our
first
abbot was a master of
alchemy,
and paid for the
construction
of this monastery with
the
gold he made. Supposedly he
buried
a treasure in the old
chapel.
WENZEL
Father,
I have seen your books, so
I
know you study the magic arts.
(beat)
You can trust me not to
speak
of it to anyone. (beat) I
also
know an old woman who
practices
magic, and I have got
from
her a wax ball with power to
discover
hidden treasure. I saw it
work
with her gold wedding ring!
ALBERT
I
am curious to examine the thing.
Show
it to me!
INT. OLD CHAPEL - DAY
Father
Albert watches as Wenzel lays the wax ball on the
floor,
but nothing happens. After a few seconds, he picks it
up
and tries again at another spot, but again nothing
happens.
Then he places it near the pillar. The ball wobbles
a
bit and rolls to the base of the pillar. They repeat the
test
with the same results.
ALBERT
That
is most interesting! Yet,
though
a treasure may be hidden
here,
we have no way to break down
the
pillar, and the abbot would not
allow
us.
EXT. OLD CHAPEL - NIGHT
A
winter storm rages, and lightning strikes the old chapel,
knocking
down part of the wall and setting fire to the roof.
BECHER
(V.O.)
But
fate had other plans, and a
great
storm arose one night soon
after,
and lightning badly damaged
the
old chapel.
INT. ABBOT'S OFFICE - DAY
The ABBOT is talking to Father Albert.
ABBOT
I
have decided to have the masons
demolish
the old chapel. We can use
the
stones elsewhere.
ALBERT
I
should like to supervise them,
Father
Abbot. (beat)
That
is holy ground, and I would
say
prayers there until their work
is
finished.
ABBOT
I
am pleased to hear you say so,
Father
Albert, for I plan to assign
you
to the task.
ALBERT
Thank
you, Father Abbot.
INT. OLD CHAPEL - AFTERNOON
The
roof and walls of the chapel have been demolished, and
several
piles of cut stone lay about on the floor. Only the
floor
and the base section of the pillar remain. Wenzel and
Father
Albert watch closely as the masons smash it with
sledgehammers
and wedges. Master Mason MENDEL stands nearby,
overseeing
the work. The hole in the floor becomes exposed as
a
chunk of stone falls away, and the corner of the copper box
is
visible, now green with corrosion. Father Albert steps
forward
quickly to cover it with his robe.
ALBERT
Stop!
Stop! Master Mendel, that is
enough
for now! (beat) We can
finish
this tomorrow. Go now to the
kitchen,
and tell Father Benz that
I
sent you.
MENDEL
(reluctantly)
Very
well, Father Albert. Thank
you!
Men, let's go eat!
When
the masons have walked about a hundred feet away, Father
Albert
speaks to Wenzel.
ALBERT
Push
the stone away, Wenzel! Use
that
pry bar.
Wenzel
struggles with the pry bar, and manages to move the
pieces
of the base and retrieve the box. Mendel looks back at
that
moment and sees Wenzel hide the box under his cloak.
ALBERT
(CONT'D)
Take
me back to my room, Wenzel.
WENZEL
Yes,
Father Albert.
INT. ALBERT'S CLOISTER - DAY
Father
Albert is seated at his table with the copper box open
and
the four bottles and manuscript beside it. Wenzel stands
beside
him, looking disappointed.
WENZEL
There
is no gold here! The story
was
a lie!
ALBERT
I
doubt that Father Steiner buried
this
box as a joke. If there is
some
virtue in this glass, the
manuscript
may tell us how to use
it.
DAYS LATER
INT. ALBERT'S CLOISTER - DAY
Wenzel
enters with a bucket of coal and sets it by the
fireplace
next to a small pile of firewood. Father Albert is
seated
at the table, studying the manuscript.
ALBERT
(CONT'D)
Wenzel,
go to the kitchen and find
an
old pewter dish. (beat) Oh, and
bring
an iron pan, and a large
nail.
But let no one see you!
WENZEL
Yes,
Father Albert.
INT. MONASTERY KITCHEN - DAY
Wenzel
looks around to see if he is being watched, then hides
a
pewter plate under his robe. Another monk notices him, but
says
nothing.
INT.
ALBERT'S CLOISTER - DAY
Pieces
of pewter lay in a small pile on the floor, and a
small
iron pan sits on a bed of coals in the fireplace,
filled
with molten pewter. Wenzel blows on the coals through
an
iron pipe. Father Albert is sitting at a table, using a
knife
to scrape a tiny fragment from a chunk of the red
glass.
Then he drips a bit of wax from a candle, scrapes it
up,
and wraps the bit of glass with it.
ALBERT
Now
we shall see if I have
understood
the manuscript truly,
and
found the use of this glass.
Drop
this into the pan, and stir it
with
the nail.
Wenzel
adds the wax and stirs the molten pewter. The
transmutation
happens suddenly with a LOUD METALLIC CRACKLE
and
FLASH OF BLUE LIGHT. Wenzel jumps back, and Father Albert
almost
falls off his chair. They look into the pan, and then
at
each other, astonished. The pewter has become gold, and
the
iron nail stuck is in it. Wenzel starts to giggle
hysterically.
WENZEL
Hee
hee hee! Ha ha! Ha!
LATER
Father
Albert hands a few small nuggets to Wenzel, and speaks
confidentially.
ALBERT
When
you go into Bruna tomorrow,
take
this to a goldsmith. Tell him
you
have melted down some Roman
coins
that you inherited, and you
wish
to sell the gold. You may keep
the
money, but let no one know of
it.
No one!
WENZEL
Thank
you, father Albert!
ALBERT
Wenzel!
WENZEL
Yes,
father?
ALBERT
Tell
no one! No one!
WENZEL
Yes,
father!
INT. GOLDSMITH'S SHOP - DAY
The
GOLDSMITH #1 is testing one of the nuggets on a
touchstone.
The other nuggets sit on a balance scale.
GOLDSMITH
#1
I
will pay you twenty ducats.
WENZEL
I,
I will accept that.
INT. WENZEL'S CELL - DAY
Wenzel
sits at his table, looking at his little pile of
ducats
while he munches on a roast chicken leg and swigs from
a
bottle of wine.
INT. ALBERT'S CLOISTER - DAY
Wenzel and Father Albert are sitting before the fireplace.
WENZEL
Father
Albert, I have been thinking
about
the treasure.
ALBERT
I'm
sure you have, my son. And what
have
you thought?
WENZEL
I
think that since I helped to
discover
it with my wax ball, half
of
it should belong to me.
ALBERT
Oh,
no, Wenzel, not yet. We know
not
how to manage this thing.
(beat)
Besides which, you have no
need
for money here. And if you
were
enriched by this tincture, it
would
prejudice your soul, and you
might
become a most miserable man.
(beat)
Henceforth, however, I will
allow
you two crowns every week for
your
diversions. But for now, I
will
not part with any of the
glass,
for I must study the
manuscript
more carefully.
Apparently
this glass is the
Philosophers'
Stone, and it hath
other
powers and virtues, more
precious
than gold.
WENZEL
What
might those powers be, father?
Albert reads from the manuscript.
ALBERT
The
author says, our blessed Stone
hath
virtue to conquer all disease,
and
bestows a long life in good
health
upon its happy possessor.
For
the power to transmute metals
is
only the beginning of its
wonderful
powers. (beat) Wenzel, we
must
be most careful if we would
live
to enjoy this treasure with
peace
of mind. For otherwise, the
envy
of greedy men may well get us
killed.
WENZEL
Oh...
Amen...
INT. LIBRARY - DAY
Dr.
Becher sips his wine, sets the glass down, and continues
speaking.
BECHER
Wenzel
enjoyed his allowance for
the
next few weeks, but all the
while
he worried, thinking that the
old
priest might tell the abbot.
Therefore
he cogitated how he might
get
the box and escape from the
monastery,
but he had no way to do
so.
Father Albert kept it locked in
his
desk, and he never left his
room
except with Wenzel, to attend
Mass
and take his meals. (beat)
Then
one day...
INT. ALBERT'S CLOISTER - DAY
Wenzel
enters Albert's cell, toting a bucket of coal. He
finds
Albert sitting on his bed, coughing, gasping, and
clutching
his chest.
ALBERT
Fetch
me a cup of wine, quickly!
SERIES OF SHOTS:
A) INT. CORRIDOR - DAY
Wenzel
is rushing through the corridor with a cup of wine,
holding
one hand over it to stop its sloshing.
B) INT. ALBERT'S CLOISTER - DAY
Wenzel
finds Albert sprawled on his bed, gasping, struck dumb
with
a stroke, and reaching out blindly. Instead of helping
him,
Wenzel takes the copper box from the cabinet, then wraps
it
in a blanket. He peeks out the door, then leaves.
C) INT. WENZEL'S CELL - DAY
He enters with his prize.
D) INT. CORRIDOR - DAY
He
hurries back into Albert's room, then emerges and calls
for
help.
WENZEL
Help!
Help!
Several
monks come running, too late. Father Albert is dead.
His
cup of wine is spilt on the floor.
INT. LIBRARY - DAY
Dr. Becher sips his wine.
BECHER
Now,
it just so happened that the
monastery
held a solemn debate
about
alchemy, and by chance friar
Seyler
was chosen to argue that
metals
can be transmuted! But he
knew
nothing about it, so he was
easily
baffled...
Dr.
Becher sets down his glass.
INT. WENZEL'S CELL - NIGHT
Wenzel
swigs some wine from a cup. The bottle sits on his
table.
He is copying from Father Albert's manuscript. He
stops,
peers at his notes in the candle light, and reads
aloud
.
WENZEL
...And
thus the alchemist can
convert
the elements... (beat)
first
by purifying them... (beat)
and
then by rotation... (beat)
Mmmm...
That sounds good.
INT. AUDITORIUM - DAY
All
the monks and priests are gathered for the debate. Wenzel
stands
at the podium, nervously reading from his notes. His
opponent
stands at another podium. Between them sits a priest
at
a table, acting as MODERATOR.
WENZEL
...And
thus the alchemist can make
one
element out of another, uh...
first
by purification, uhhh... then
by
rotation, uhhh... of fire into
water,
and water into air, and
uhhh...
air into earth. And,
ummm...
thus are the base elements
transmuted
to silver or gold,
uhhh...
by alchemy. But the
ultimate
means of transmutation is
by
the Philosophers' Stone.
The
monks and priests in the audience begin to chuckle and
laugh,
and Wenzel loses his temper.
WENZEL
(CONT'D)
Why
do you laugh? I can prove it to
be
true!
MODERATOR
Hold
thy tongue, fool! I can sooner
turn
thee into a cow, than thou to
transmute
the metals!
Wenzel
is chagrined, but he remains silent as the audience
continues
to snicker at him.
EXT. GARDEN - DAY
Wenzel and Francis are walking in the monastery garden.
FRANCIS
Today
you claimed you are able to
transmute
metals. That was very
foolish
of you, even if it is true.
INT. MONASTERY KITCHEN - DAY
Master
Mendel sits at a table with his fellows, talking
inaudibly
to Francis, who stands holding a pitcher of water.
FRANCIS
(V.O., CONTD.)
Besides,
there is a rumor in the
monastery,
that you and father
Albert
found a treasure in the old
church,
and that the masons saw you
with
a copper box.
INT. MONASTERY KITCHEN - DAY
Francis is talking with Monk #1.
FRANCIS
(V.O., CONTD.)
And
I heard that you took a pewter
plate
from the kitchen...
INT. GOLDSMITH'S SHOP - DAY
Monk
#1 is selling a ring to Goldsmith #1. They are talking
inaudibly.
LATER
INT. MONASTERY KITCHEN - DAY
Francis is talking inaudibly with Monk #1.
FRANCIS
(V.O., CONTD.)
And
that a monk of the Augustine
order
sold some gold to a goldsmith
in
Bruna...
RETURN TO SCENE
EXT. GARDEN - DAY
Francis
and Wenzel stop walking. Francis sits on a bench as
Wenzel
stands nervously.
FRANCIS
(CONTD.)
You
may claim that your money was
sent
by your family, yet people
believe
it was you who sold the
gold.
(beat) Wenzel, I do earnestly
desire
that you declare the truth
of
this matter to me!
EXT. GARDEN - DAY
Wenzel falls to his knees and clutches Francis' robe.
WENZEL
Brother
Francis, I beseech thee,
swear
not to tell anyone the secret
I
will reveal to you! Swear it to
me!
(beat) Give me your help, and
when
we flee from here, we will
have
great wealth, and advance to
high
dignities together! But you
must
give me your most solemn oath
of
faith and secrecy!
FRANCIS
I
swear upon my very soul, I will
keep
your secret, if you will share
it
with me! We will hazard this
together.
Now get up before someone
sees
you like this!
Wenzel stands up.
WENZEL
By
all that I hold sacred, I do
swear
my fealty to you, brother
Francis.
Francis stands up.
FRANCIS
Upon
my soul, and the Holy Bible, I
swear
the same to you, brother
Wenzel.
Let us go to the chapel to
seal
this oath!
INT. CHAPEL - DAY
Wenzel
and Francis kneel together, praying inaudibly.
INT. WENZEL'S CELL - DAY
Wenzel
shows Francis the wax ball, copper box, bottles,
manuscript,
and gold.
WENZEL
...And
thus we found it. (beat) And
this
is the gold we made with it.
FRANCIS
I
would not have believed you, but
this
gold is very convincing.
WENZEL
Francis,
I dare not sell more of
this
gold myself, if I am under
suspicion.
You should sell it for
us.
Then we shall have the money we
need
to escape from here!
SERIES OF SHOTS:
A) INT. GOLDSMITH'S SHOP - DAY
The goldsmith is counting out 100 ducats for Francis.
B) INT. WENZEL'S CELL - NIGHT
Wenzel
and Francis are feasting happily on roast chicken and
wine.
They click their cups together in a toast.
C) EXT. STREET - DAY
Wenzel
is talking to a pretty woman standing in a doorway. He
hands
her a coin, and they slip inside.
D) EXT. MONASTERY GATE - DAY
Wenzel
enters the monastery gate with the woman; she is
wearing
a man's clothes, periwig, hat and cape.
BECHER
(V.O.)
Friar
Wenzel arranged for a certain
wanton
woman to come into the
monastery
with him, dressed in a
man's
clothes, and wearing a wig,
on
pretense of being his cousin
Anastasio
from Vienna. But the
visits
became frequent, and often
lasted
overnight, and the rumor of
it
came to the Abbot's attention.
INT. CELL - DAY
Wenzel and ANASTASIO are intercoursing too loudly.
ANASTASIO
Oh!
Ohh! Ohhh!
WENZEL
Shhh!
Quiet!
INT. CORRIDOR - DAY
Two
monks are listening at the door of Wenzel's cell. They
look
at each other with jaws agape, then scurry away.
MINUTES LATER
Abbot
Brecheisen listens at Wenzel's door as two priests and
several
monks watch. The abbot tries to open it, but the door
is
locked.
ABBOT
Friar
Seyler! Open the door!
INT. WENZEL'S CELL - DAY
Wenzel is climaxing with the woman.
WENZEL
I'm
coming! I'm coming!
He
dons his robe and unbolts the door. The abbot shoves it
open
and enters, glowering. The woman cowers under the
blanket
as the priests and monks gawk at her from the
corridor.
ABBOT
Good
heavens! It's a woman! Get
dressed,
you whore!
PRIEST
What
are we to do? If we give her
to
the magistrate, the public noise
of
it will shame us with infamy!
ABBOT
BRECHEISEN
We
will keep her here till
midnight,
then cast her out. No one
will
see her then. (beat) And you,
Friar
Seyler, will remain in your
cell!
(beat) You, whore, come with
me!
INT. ABBOT'S CLOISTER - NIGHT
The
Abbot is sitting in a chair, spanking Anastasio across
his
lap. Her hands are bound, and she is in her underwear.
The
abbot has an ecstatic expression on his face, his tongue
is
lolling, and he is breathing heavily.
ANASTASIO
Oh!
Oh! Ow! Oh! Please, no! Mercy!
ABBOT
Silence!
INT. CORRIDOR - NIGHT
Two
priests are listening at the abbot's door. One of them
stoops
to peek through the keyhole. They are breathing
heavily,
obviously excited.
EXT. MONASTERY GATE - NIGHT
Anastasio
giggles as she exits the monastery, escorted by two
monks.
ANASTASIO
Tee
hee! Come see me on Zwitta
Strasse
when you are in town!
MONK
#3
Ha
ha! Perhaps I shall!
Anastasio disappears into the night. The monks shut the gate.
MONK
#3 (CONT'D)
Surely,
Brother Wenzel will burn in
Hell
for this sin! The abbot will
see
to it personally!
MONK
#4
Ha
ha!
INT. CORRIDOR/CELL - NIGHT
Francis
taps on the door of Wenzel's cell, then slips a note
under
the door, followed by the first foot of a thin rope.
FRANCIS
Psst!
Wenzel! Wenzel!
Wenzel
hops out of bed, picks up the note, and pulls in the
rope.
It is about 30 feet long. He reads the note by
candlelight.
SERIES OF SHOTS:
A) EXT. MONASTERY GROUNDS - NIGHT
Wenzel
sticks his head out the window, sees Francis, and
lowers
the copper box. Francis unties the rope, and Wenzel pulls it
back into his
cell.
Francis slips the box under his robe, then hurries
away.
B) INT. FRANCIS' CELL - NIGHT
Lit
by a candle, Francis is sitting at his table, reading the
manuscript
and Father Albert's notes. The copper box lays
open
on the table with the bottles.
C) EXT. MONASTERY GROUNDS - DAY
Wenzel
stands stripped to his underpants, with his arms
around
a tree and his hands tied. He groans as a priest whips
him.
The other monks and priests are gathered to watch.
Francis
is among them.
INT. LIBRARY - DAY
Dr. Becher sips his wine.
BECHER
Now,
Prince Charles of Lichtenstein
was
a keen student of chymistry,
and
Francis was acquainted with his
steward.
He managed to convince the
man
to deliver a letter appealing
for
his help, and a small amount of
the
Philosophers' Stone to the
prince,
with instructions for its
use.
INT. LABORATORY - DAY
The
LOUD METALLIC CRACKLE and FLASH OF BLUE LIGHT startle
PRINCE
CHARLES. When he looks into the crucible and sees
solid
gold, with the iron rod stuck in it, he grins with
delight.
INT. SALON - DAY
Prince Charles hands a small box to his steward KURT.
PRINCE
CHARLES
Kurt,
I enjoin you to return to
Bruna,
and give secret assistance
to
the friars Seyler and
Preyhausen.
(beat)
I
commit my seal to your custody,
to
make use of it for the purpose,
if
the need arises.
KURT
It
shall be done as you command, my
lord.
INT. CORRIDOR - DAY
Francis
intercepts FRIAR JAKOB, who carries a tray with a
slice
of bread, a pitcher of water, and a key.
FRANCIS
Brother
Jakob, is that food for
brother
Seyler?
FRIAR
JAKOB
Yes,
it is. Bread and water is all
he
gets to eat.
FRANCIS
His
cell is near mine, and I'm
going
there now. I can take this to
him,
if you like.
FRIAR
JAKOB
I
thank you. But bring the key back
to
me quickly.
FRANCIS
I
shall, brother.
INT. WENZEL'S CELL - DAY
Francis
enters, puts the tray on the table, and pulls a
chicken
leg from his pocket. Wenzel grabs and devours it
while
Francis produces a lump of wax from his pocket and
makes
an impression of the key.
FRANCIS
Wenzel,
I have a plan...
INT. FRANCIS' CELL - NIGHT
Francis
is sitting at his table, illuminated by candlelight,
carefully
filing a key.
INT. CORRIDOR - NIGHT
Francis
unlocks Wenzel's cell with the new key, and hands him
a
tiny vial as he comes out.
FRANCIS
Here
is some of the tincture as you
asked.
WENZEL
Thank
you, Francis. I think perhaps
you
should bury the box until we
need
it.
FRANCIS
That
is a good idea. I will do it.
They
hurry through the corridor, and stop at an exit. Francis
opens
it and peeks outside.
EXT. MONASTERY - NIGHT
They
run across the grounds to a side gate in the wall of the
monastery.
EXT. MONASTERY WALL - NIGHT
Kurt
stands waiting with two horses. He hands Francis a
letter,
closed with Prince Charles' seal.
KURT
Francis,
you must get away from
here
as soon as you can, and go to
Felisburgh.
This letter will give
you
audience with Prince Charles.
FRANCIS
Thank
you, Kurt! Godspeed!
INT. ATTIC - NIGHT
Kurt
locks Wenzel in an attic room with a tray of food and a
bedpan.
He drips some wax on the lock from the candle he is
carrying,
and impresses it with Prince Charles' SEAL.
INT. CORRIDOR - DAY
Friar
Jakob sets a tray with bread and water on the floor,
then
reaches in his pocket for the key. He unlocks the door,
steps
inside, then runs out and stumbles on the tray,
spilling
the water.
FRIAR
JAKOB
Help!
Help! Friar Seyler has
escaped!
INT. GOVERNOR'S OFFICE - DAY
The
Abbot stands before Governor Collebrat with the
MAGISTRATE.
GOVERNOR
Shut
the city gates, and search
every
house!
MAGISTRATE
Search
every house!? Are you
serious?
GOVERNOR
Do
I look happy? Start with the
nobles!
Use all your men, and
soldiers
too! (beat) I swear to
God,
I will castrate that damned
monk!
EXT. PRINCE CHARLES' MANSION - DAY
Kurt
confronts the magistrate and his men at the front door.
Two
of the prince's guards block the door.
KURT
This
is the house of Prince
Charles!
You cannot enter here
without
his permission!
MAGISTRATE
The
Emperor's laws say otherwise,
and
even the prince must obey them.
Shall
I arrest you for resisting my
authority?
KURT
I
am not so foolish as that, sir,
but
I protest, and I shall report
your
intrusion to Prince Charles!
MAGISTRATE
I
would expect you to. Now stand
aside!
INT. MANSION - NIGHT
The
magistrate's men go quickly from room to room, followed
by
Kurt.
MINUTES LATER
They
finally reach the sealed room in the attic. The
magistrate
is tired already, and Kurt speaks up.
KURT
Sir,
this is the private closet of
Prince
Charles, which he sealed up
himself.
It cannot be opened
without
incurring his most royal
displeasure.
CLOSE UP: SEALED LOCK
MAGISTRATE
I
am satisfied here. Come, men! We
have
the entire city to search.
SERIES OF SHOTS:
A) EXT. CITY GATE - DAY
Prince
Charles' carriage leaves the city, escorted by two
soldiers
on horseback.
B) EXT. ROAD - DAY
Kurt
and Wenzel sit opposite each other in the carriage. They
smile,
then gaze out the window at the passing scenery.
C) EXT. MONASTERY GATE - DAY
Francis
leaves the monastery with a group of friars on their
Saturday
outing. He carries a small sack.
D) EXT. STREET - DAY
Francis
is walking behind the other monks, and he stops as
they
go around a corner. After waiting a few seconds, Francis
turns
around and hurries away unnoticed.
E) EXT. FARM - DAY
Francis
rides away on a horse. The farmer looks at money that
Francis
has paid him.
F) EXT. OLD WOMAN'S COTTAGE - DAY
Francis
rides away on his horse. The Old Woman cackles as she
looks
at the gold Francis has given her.
OLD
WOMAN
Tee
hee! Ha ha!
INT. SALON - DAY
Prince
Charles is sitting with Wenzel and Francis, who are
dressed
in plain clothes. The Chamberlain PIETRO stands
beside
the Prince.
PRINCE
CHARLES
Unfortunately,
Wenzel, I cannot
continue
to hide you here. Governor
Collebrat
still searches for you,
and
if his spies find you, they
will
obtain a mandate from the
supreme
Consistory at Vienna, and
that
will be the end of you. (beat)
I
advise you, therefore, to go to
Rome
straightaway, and obtain a
discharge
from your monastic vows.
(beat)
My chamberlain Pietro here
will
accompany you. He is Italian,
and
shall serve as your agent. I
shall
provide you with a letter of
introduction,
and a thousand ducats
for
your expenses.
WENZEL
Thank
you, your Highness.
FRANCIS
Yes,
thank you, my lord. You are
most
considerate and kind.
PRINCE
CHARLES
Think
nothing of it. It is simply
the
right and best thing to do.
EXT. GARDEN - DAY
Wenzel
and Francis are walking in the garden, ignoring the
manservant
watching them from a distance.
WENZEL
Francis,
I think it would be wise
of
you to find lodgings in Vienna.
Attend
the morning Mass each day at
Saint
Stephan's Cathedral, and I
will
meet you there when I return.
FRANCIS
I
agree. I shall leave immediately.
EXT. ROAD - DAY
Francis
casually leaves the estate on his horse.
EXT. ROAD - DAY
Wenzel
and PIETRO are riding horses, and leading two
packhorses.
PIETRO
Whoa!
I must piss!
Pietro
dismounts, and Wenzel does the same. Suddenly Pietro
pulls
out a pistol and aims it at Wenzel, startling him.
PIETRO
(CONT'D)
I
shall kill you here and now
unless
you give me your gold-making
stone!
WENZEL
I,
I call God to witness, sir! I do
not
have it with me! I sent it away
with
friar Francis!
PIETRO
Liar!
Open your bags! And take off
your
clothes!
MINUTES LATER
Wenzel
stands in his underwear; his clothes are scattered on
the
ground.
PIETRO
(CONT'D)
Damn
it all! Well then, we will
come
to terms, or I will kill you
anyhow!
I want your ducats. Then go
your
way, and I will tell Prince
Charles
that you escaped.
INT. SALON - DAY
Prince Charles slaps Pietro.
PRINCE
CHARLES
You
fool! How could you let him
escape?
PIETRO
Your
Highness, he fought like a
madman!
FLASHBACK:
EXT. ROADSIDE - DAY
Pietro and Wenzel gesticulate as they discuss matters.
PIETRO
(V.O.,CONT'D)
And
my pistol fell in the mud, and
it
would not shoot!
MINUTES LATER
Pietro rides back towards Vienna; Wenzel stands forlorn.
PIETRO
(V.O., CONT'D)
And
he ran away into the forest,
and
I could not find him!
RETURN TO SCENE:
Prince Charles hits Pietro again.
PRINCE
CHARLES
Damn
you, idiot! I have lost the
greatest
treasure on earth, and a
thousand
ducats too! (beat) Get out
of
here before I kill you!
Pietro beats a hasty retreat.
EXT. ST. STEPHAN'S CATHEDRAL, VIENNA - DAY (ESTABLISHING)
INT. CATHEDRAL - DAY
Wenzel enters to find Francis attending Mass.
FRANCIS
What
happened? Why are you back so
soon?
You look terrible!
WENZEL
The
chamberlain robbed me. I am
lucky
to be alive. (beat) Thank
you,
dear God! (beat) I'm hungry.
EXT. PARK - DAY
They
sit on the grass, eating bread and cheese, drinking from
a
wine bottle. Wenzel keeps looking about nervously.
FRANCIS
We
must be more careful if we would
live
to enjoy wealth and freedom.
WENZEL
What
can we do? I am at my wits'
end!
Only the Emperor or the Pope
can
save us now.
FRANCIS
I
know the steward of Count Hans
DePaar,
who is an alchemist, and a
favorite
of the Emperor. I will try
to
arrange a meeting. Otherwise,
yes,
we should leave Austria. There
is
no safety for us here.
INT. LABORATORY - DAY
Count
HANS DEPAAR is about 50 years old, afflicted with
arthritis,
and walks with a cane. Wenzel is slowly pumping
the
bellows as DePaar watches. The LOUD METALLIC CRACKLE and
FLASH
OF BLUE LIGHT startles DePaar. Then he beams with
delight
upon seeing the mass of gold with the iron rod stuck
in
the crucible.
HANS
DEPAAR
You
have transmuted me into a
believer,
friar Seyler. I shall
make
an appeal to Emperor Leopold
immediately.
Meanwhile, you shall
be
my guest, if you will.
WENZEL
I
am most grateful to you, Count
DePaar.
The gold is yours to keep,
of
course.
INT. IMPERIAL COURT, HOFBURG PALACE - DAY
EMPEROR
LEOPOLD sits on the throne. He is 35 years old,
short,
ugly, and has bad teeth. Count DePaar stands before
him,
leaning on his cane as he pleads his case. Dozens of
nobles,
courtesans, clergy, servants and guards attend in
audience.
Dr. Becher is among them, and a Jesuit priest.
EMPEROR
LEOPOLD
I
can give no great heed to your
proposition,
Count DePaar,
especially
since I have report that
your
monk is a fugitive and leads a
dissolute
life. Moreover, he is
reported
to practice magic!
Count DePaar pauses to ponder his words before responding.
HANS
DEPAAR
There
is great weight in the
objections
made by your Imperial
Majesty.
(beat) And though I would
not
presume to impose upon you, it
seems
reasonable to me to consider
this
thing apart from the persons
it
concerns. For all men are
sinners,
yet must we therefore
reject
all their inventions and the
good
works they do? (beat) As for
me,
I have no reason to love
alchemy,
for I have suffered much
loss
by it, and never found any
truth,
save in this tincture of
friar
Seyler. (beat) I appeal for
your
permission to examine this
matter,
and ask you to deputize
some
persons to witness a
transmutation,
and test the gold.
EMPEROR
LEOPOLD
Count
DePaar, I commend you for
your
eloquent discourse. Yet,
though
you mean well, perhaps you
are
deceived, for we all know that
modern
chymistry has shown ancient
alchemy
to be untrustworthy. (beat)
But
I also know full well how my
father
the emperor Ferdinand tested
alchemy,
and highly prized what was
shown
to him by Baron Chaos, and
rewarded
him for it. For that
reason,
I can believe there may be
some
truth in alchemy.
(beat)
Therefore, Count DePaar, I
order
you to make a trial of the
tincture
with witnesses skillful in
chymistry,
to determine this
matter.
Then I shall make my
decision.
(beat) Doctor Becher is
given
to the examination of
alchemists'
claims, so he shall see
to
it on this occasion. And my
confessor
father Spiess shall
represent
the clergy. So be it.
HANS
DEPAAR
Your
Imperial Majesty is most
gracious,
and I am very thankful.
With
your leave, I will attend to
your
command, this instant.
Emperor
Leopold nods, and DePaar withdraws with a bow aside
to
the Secretary, who dictates inaudibly to a scribe.
INT. SALON - DAY
Dr.
Becher and FATHER SPIESS are seated when Count DePaar
enters
with Wenzel. The Emperor's letter lays on the table,
stamped
with royal seal.
HANS
DEPAAR
Gentleman,
allow me to introduce
Friar
Wenzel Seyler. (beat) Friar
Seyler,
this is Father Spiess. He
is
the personal confessor of
Emperor
Leopold.
WENZEL
Father
Spiess, it is an honor to
meet
you.
FATHER
SPIESS
Good
afternoon, friar Seyler.
HANS
DEPAAR
And
this is Doctor Johan Becher.
WENZEL
Good
afternoon, Doctor Becher.
HANS
DEPAAR
Gentlemen,
the Emperor has
commissioned
us to investigate
friar
Seyler's claim that he can
transmute
base metals into gold.
(beat)
Doctor Becher, you practice
alchemy,
and you have written
several
excellent books about the
art.
And, as the Emperor's privy
councillor
of commerce, you also
test
the claims of many alchemists.
I
ask you, therefore, have you ever
seen
any supposed gold made by
alchemy,
that passes testing by
assay?
BECHER
Count
DePaar, since I was
commissioned
by the Emperor in the
year
1667, I have never found any
truth
in any of the claims made by
any
alchemists. Still, I continue
to
hope that the Philosophers'
Stone
might really exist.
HANS
DEPAAR
I
assure you, Doctor Becher, today
you
shall see the truth of alchemy.
FATHER
SPIESS
I
do not believe in alchemy, but I
am
willing to observe and testify
concerning
this matter, if his
Majesty
commands it.
HANS
DEPAAR
He
does, Father Spiess, as decreed
in
this letter. (beat) Shall we
proceed
to the experiment?
Everything
is prepared, so we need
not
delay.
INT. LABORATORY - DAY
The group stands around a small metal furnace.
HANS
DEPAAR
As
you can see, Doctor Becher, I
own
one of your famous portable
furnaces.
(beat) Here are several
ounces
of the best German tin, and
new
Hessian crucibles. Please
examine
them, so you can be certain
there
is no gold hidden within.
DePaar
hands Becher a magnifying lens. Becher selects a piece
of
tin from a small pile on a table and peers at it with the
lens.
BECHER
I
want to keep some pieces to test
later
in my laboratory, Count
DePaar.
HANS
DEPAAR
Of
course, Doctor Becher. And take
any
of the crucibles too, as you
please.
Becher
smashes one of the crucibles on the floor, then picks
up
a piece of the bottom and scrutinizes it.
BECHER
I
am satisfied that there is no
apparent
trickery here.
FATHER
SPIESS
Gentlemen,
I fear of magical
enchantment,
and would bless these
materials
before we continue.
WENZEL
Oh
yes, please do, Father Spiess.
It
can only help.
FATHER
SPIESS
In
nomine patris et filius et
spiritui
sancto...
His
voice trails off into indistinct Latin mumbling while Dr.
Becher
fills a crucible with pieces of tin and places it in
the
hole in the top of the furnace.
MINUTES LATER
Everyone
is startled by the LOUD METALLIC CRACKLE and FLASH
OF
BLUE LIGHT. Dr. Becher and Father Spiess look into the
crucible,
and then at each other with amazed expressions.
INT. IMPERIAL COURT - DAY
Count
DePaar, Father Spiess, Dr. Becher and Wenzel stand
before
Emperor Leopold. A crowd of courtiers look on. A
Jesuit
priest stands among them.
EMPEROR
LEOPOLD
I
am eager to hear the particulars
of
your examination, Doctor Becher.
What
do you have to say about the
matter?
BECHER
Your
Majesty, I have prepared a
written
account, and all of us have
subscribed
to it.
Becher
holds out a sealed envelope. The Imperial Secretary
steps
forward to receive it.
BECHER
(CONT'D)
I
examined the tin and the crucible
closely,
and the tincture that was
used.
I also tested the gold that
was
produced and found it to be the
purest
I have ever seen. I
calculate
that one part of the
tincture
transmuted ten thousand
parts
of tin to gold. (beat) We
also
repeated the experiment to our
satisfaction.
(beat) Your Majesty,
I
am pleased to say that friar
Seyler
possesses the true
alchemical
tincture, the
Philosophers'
Stone.
EMPEROR
LEOPOLD
How
very interesting! And what is
your
opinion, Father Spiess?
FATHER
SPIESS
Imperial
Majesty, I am not an
alchemist,
nor a chymist, yet it
did
appear to be a genuine
transmutation.
On my part, in God's
name,
I blessed the materials to
prevent
any magical mischief.
Indeed,
it appears to be a small
miracle
of rare device.
Emperor Leopold pauses to look at each of them in turn.
EMPEROR
LEOPOLD
Father
Spiess and Doctor Becher, I
thank
you for your service in this
matter.
(beat) And I enjoin thee,
Count
DePaar, to treat friar Seyler
kindly,
and to assure him of my
favor.
(beat) I advise thee, friar
Seyler,
to refrain from further
scandal.
You will assume the
Augustine
habit again, and amend
your
manners so as to satisfy the
clergy.
(beat)
I shall investigate this
matter
further, and make a final
decision
for its disposition. So be
it.
WENZEL
I,
I am most grateful, your
Imperial
Majesty!
Emperor Leopold nods and smiles benignly.
HANS
DEPAAR
I
humbly thank your Imperial
Majesty,
and shall discharge this
commission
as you command.
INT. DEPAAR'S STUDY - NIGHT
Hans
DePaar sits at his desk, impressing his seal on an
envelope.
A second envelope lays to one side, already sealed.
FATHER
DUNELL sits watching him.
BECHER
(V.O.)
The
very same day, Count DePaar
arranged
for his confessor father
Dunell
to vest friar Seyler with
his
Augustine robes once again, and
he
wrote letters to the abbot and
the
governor, informing them of the
emperor's
command.
INT. ABBOT'S OFFICE - DAY
Abbot
Brecheisen throws the letter down on his desk and
glowers
at Father Dunell.
INT. GOVERNOR'S OFFICE - DAY
Governor
Collebrat throws the letter on his desk and glowers
at
Father Dunell. Then he picks up a glass of wine, takes a
gulp,
and slams it down.
INT. LIBRARY - DAY
Becher sips his wine, then sets his glass down.
BECHER
Count
DePaar hoped to persuade
Wenzel
to call for Francis
Preyhausen
to bring him all of the
tincture,
thinking himself safe
from
violence under the emperor's
protection.
But Wenzel easily
perceived
the real intention, and
he
made a pretext to attend Mass,
and
managed to slip away from
DePaar's
men.
INT. ROOM - DAY
Wenzel
and Francis are sitting across from each other at a
table
with the copper box between them. Wenzel removes one
bottle
and puts it in his pocket. Francis stands up, shuts
the
box, locks it in a cabinet, and puts the key in his
pocket.
WENZEL
Brother
Francis, we have endured
many
hazards together, and now we
have
the Emperor's promise of
protection.
Still, I fear that we
must
always beware. (beat) Now,
only
you and I know how much of the
Philosophers'
Stone we really
possess.
Therefore I will take one
bottle,
and pretend that is all.
The
rest we shall bury again.
(beat)
And I think you should
remain
incognito until we can act
with
confidence.
FRANCIS
I
agree completely. We must be more
careful
than ever. Let us go bury
the
box together.
EXT. DRIVEWAY - NIGHT
Count
DePaar arrives in his carriage. The driver sets a
footstep
for him, and helps him down.
INT. SALON - NIGHT
Wenzel
is sitting in an armchair, sipping wine and watching
the
logs burning in the fireplace. When Count DePaar enters,
he
rises and bows.
WENZEL
Good
evening, Count DePaar!
HANS
DEPAAR
Good
evening, Wenzel.
DePaar
pulls a pistol from his belt and lays it on a table.
Then
he takes a sealed letter from his coat pocket.
HANS
DEPAAR (CONT'D)
Wenzel,
my son, today I had
audience
with the Emperor, and he
gave
me this sealed decree. (beat)
He
demands the tincture of thee,
and
says that if you refuse to
deliver
it, I must execute the
sentence
of death upon thee.
WENZEL
(flabbergasted)
I,
I cannot believe that he would
do
such a thing. I wish to read the
decree!
Wenzel
reaches for the decree. DePaar picks up the pistol and
points
it at Wenzel.
HANS
DEPAAR
Alas,
my dear friend, the Emperor
commands
that if you open this
decree,
I must execute you
immediately!
(long beat) Yet, if
you
heed my advice, we may yet free
ourselves
from this misfortune.
(beat)
You are not alone! I am your
friend!
I offer you my fatherly
love!
WENZEL
I
welcome your advice, Excellency!
HANS
DEPAAR
Both
of us need the Emperor's
protection,
and surely we shall be
forced
to give him the tincture.
(beat)
Yet we may both keep it, if
we
pretend to try to multiply it in
quantity
and potency, as the adept
alchemists
claim. (beat) And after
some
time has passed, we shall say
that
the glass was broken by the
heat
of the furnace, and we lost
all
the tincture.
(beat)
For the truth is, the
Emperor's
court is not worthy of
such
a treasure, and it would only
be
prostituted there. Emperor
Leopold
needs gold to pay for the
wars
against France and the Turks.
(beat)
But to engage thyself to me
in
greater faith, you must give me
half
the tincture, and we shall
make
a mutual oath to be faithful,
one
to the other, as long as we
live.
And what has passed between
us
tonight shall remain our secret.
WENZEL
(reluctantly)
I
would sign a written agreement on
these
terms, and confirm it with
our
mutual promise.
HANS
DEPAAR
As
you wish, Wenzel.
Count DePaar raises a glass of wine.
HANS
DEPAAR (CONT'D)
Let
us drink to our success!
Wenzel raises his glass.
WENZEL
To
our success!
As
they sip their wine, Depaar grips his hip and grimaces. He
puts
down his glass.
HANS
DEPAAR
Damn
the gout!
INT. LIBRARY - DAY
Dr. Becher puts down his glass of wine.
BECHER
Now,
few days later, Count DePaar
suffered
a severe attack of gout.
And
to relieve the pain, he drank
some
potable gold that the
alchemist
Burrhy had prepared but
poorly,
and it only caused him more
grief.
INT. BEDROOM - NIGHT
Count
Hans DePaar is on his deathbed. His brother PETER
DEPAAR
stands at his side as Father Dunell administers
Extreme
Unction. There is a small desk at the foot of the
bed.
BECHER
(V.O.)
His
physician administered other
remedies
to no avail, and his
symptoms
grew worse. Count DePaar
sensed
his death approaching, and
called
for his brother Peter, his
only
heir, for he was a bachelor.
HANS
DEPAAR
Peter,
listen carefully, and heed
my
words. (beat)
FLASHBACK:
INT. PARLOR - DAY
Frederick
is reading Hans DePaar's palm. An amazed look comes
over
his face. He pauses, then continues inaudibly.
HANS
DEPAAR (V.O., CONT'D)
Years
ago in Italy, a soothsayer
named
Frederick Gualdus foretold
that
I would obtain the
Philosophers'
Stone, and then soon
after
I would die! (beat) The first
part
of the prophecy is fulfilled,
and
now my death is near...
RETURN TO SCENE
HANS
DEPAAR
I
know that you have spent as much
time
and money as myself in the
vain
practice of alchemy. I have
nothing
more valuable to give you,
Peter,
than the portion of the
Philosophers'
Stone that I have
obtained.
It is sealed up in that
desk.
I shall entrust it to Father
Dunell,
and upon my death, he shall
deliver
it to you.
PETER
DEPAAR
Dear
Hans, I doubt very much that
your
end is nigh, so I will take my
leave
for tonight. Sleep well, my
brother.
I shall return tomorrow.
HANS
DEPAAR
Father
Dunell, I entrust this desk
to
you now, to deliver to my
brother.
FATHER
DUNELL
Your
Excellency, it shall be done
as
you wish. I shall take the desk
with
me tonight.
HANS
DEPAAR
Thank
you, Father.
EXT. ST. FRANCIS' MONASTERY - NIGHT (ESTABLISHING)
EXT. MONASTERY COURTYARD - NIGHT
Father
Dunell arrives in DePaar's carriage, accompanied by
two
men in a wagon with the desk. The coachman places a
footstep
and helps him down. The other men unload the desk
and
carry it into the building after the priest.
LATER
As
the carriage and wagon leave through the monastery gate,
the
Spanish BISHOP CASTILLE and his entourage arrives in
three
carriages, accompanied by several soldiers. The
bishop's
face is seen in passing.
EXT. MANSION - NIGHT
The STEWARD is instructing a servant, LUDWIG.
STEWARD
Ludwig,
ride to Count DePaar and
inform
him that his brother has
died
this hour.
LUDWIG
Yes,
sir.
EXT. ROAD - NIGHT
Ludwig
is galloping to Peter DePaar's estate.
EXT. ROAD - NIGHT
Peter
DePaar and Ludwig gallop on horseback, followed by two
men
in a wagon.
EXT. ST. FRANCIS' MONASTERY - NIGHT
Peter
DePaar knocks loudly at the monastery gate. The PORTER
MONK
opens the peephole, then opens the gate slightly.
PORTER
MONK
Yes,
sir, what do you want?
PETER
DEPAAR
I
am Count DePaar, and I must speak
with
Father Dunell immediately!
PORTER
MONK
Your
Excellency, this is an
unreasonable
hour for a visit.
Father
Dunell has retired for the
night.
DePaar barges in, and slips a coin into the monk's hand.
PETER
DEPAAR
Take
me to him, now!
The
flustered monk stares at the coin. DePaar slaps another
into
his palm.
PORTER
MONK
But...
I...
PETER
DEPAAR
Now,
my good monk!
PORTER
MONK
Yes,
Excellency. Follow me. (beat)
Quietly,
please!
He
leads the way, carrying a lantern.
INT. CORRIDOR - NIGHT
Count
DePaar pounds on Father Dunell's door as the monk and
the
other men stand by.
PORTER
MONK
Shhh!
Please be quiet!
DePaar
ignores him and keeps knocking loudly. Father Dunell
finally
opens the door, yawning and squinting, dressed in his
nightgown,
and wearing slippers.
FATHER
DUNELL
Why
do you wake me at this ungodly
hour?
PETER
DEPAAR
Father
Dunell, my brother has died,
and
I have come for the desk. It
belongs
to me now.
FATHER
DUNELL
Count
DePaar, I am shocked by your
rudeness.
Please wait until
morning,
and the desk will be
delivered
to you in the presence of
the
Abbot.
PETER
DEPAAR
I
cannot wait until morning. I will
have
it now, if you please.
DePaar
motions to his men, and they enter the room to take
the
desk. Father Dunell tries to stop them, and they shove
him
aside.
PORTER
MONK
Help!
Help! Alarm!
Several
monks come out of their cells, dressed in their
underwear,
and rush to aid Father Dunell. Then Bishop
Castille
appears, dressed in his nightgown.
BISHOP
CASTILLE
What
is all this commotion? Who are
these
people?
FATHER
DUNELL
Bishop
Castille, Excellency! I was
the
confessor of Count Hans DePaar,
who
died this night. He entrusted
this
desk to me, to deliver it to
his
brother here, come now to take
it
by force! I only ask that he
wait
until morning, to receive it
with
the Abbot as a witness.
BISHOP
CASTILLE
Unless
this desk is made from the
wood
of Christ's Cross, there will
be
no more noise about it tonight!
(beat)
I will take receipt of this
desk
from you, Father, and I shall
present
it to Emperor Leopold when
I
see him today. And you...
PETER
DEPAAR
I
am Count Peter DePaar. I am the
Postmaster
of Austria.
BISHOP
CASTILLE
Count
DePaar, you may claim your
desk
from the Emperor! Now leave,
posthaste!
Fuming,
Count DePaar turns to leave, and his men follow.
Bishop
Castille gestures to the monks.
BISHOP
CASTILLE (CONT'D)
Bring
the desk!
Two
monks pick up the desk and carry it after the Bishop. The
other
monks return to their cells. Father Dunell yawns,
shakes
his head, and shuts his door.
INT. IMPERIAL COURT - DAY
Bishop
Castille stands before Emperor Leopold on his throne.
Two
priests stand behind him with the desk between them. The
court
is crowded; Dr Becher is present.
BISHOP
CASTILLE
Your
Imperial Majesty, I bring you
greetings
and salutations from
Empress
Margaret of Spain.
EMPEROR
LEOPOLD
Bishop
Castille, you are most
welcome
here in Vienna. I trust you
had
a safe and pleasant journey.
BISHOP
CASTILLE
I
did, your Majesty, until I
arrived
last night at Saint
Francis'
Monastery.
EMPEROR
LEOPOLD
Pray
tell, what happened?
BISHOP
CASTILLE
Your
Majesty, I have a grievous
complaint
to make against your
postmaster,
Count Peter DePaar.
EMPEROR
LEOPOLD
What?
Count DePaar?
BISHOP
CASTILLE
Yes,
your majesty, the Count Peter
DePaar.
He came to the monastery
late
last night and made such a
violent
disturbance that everyone
was
awakened. And it was all for
this
desk! (beat) I humbly ask your
Majesty
to reprimand the Count.
Such
behavior is not tolerated in
Spain.
And therefore I deliver the
desk
to you for disposition.
EMPEROR
LEOPOLD
My
dear Bishop, you shall have his
most
humble apology. But let us not
dwell
on it. We have important
matters
to discuss, in my privy
chambers.
The
Emperor rises, and everyone bows as he and Bishop
Castille
leave with the two priests and the desk in tow. The
courtiers
start gossiping indistinctly.
INT. LIBRARY - DAY
Dr. Becher sips his wine.
BECHER
The
story raced through the court
and
the city, and soon reached
Wenzel
Seyler. (beat) And by means
of
Bishop Castille, he obtained an
audience
with the Emperor, and told
him
the whole story, how Count Hans
DePaar
had extorted the tincture
from
him, and forced him to vow
secrecy,
but now the Count was
dead,
and he was free from the
oath.
INT. PRIVY CHAMBER - DAY
Wenzel
stands before Emperor Leopold and Bishop Castille, who
are
sitting in armchairs.
WENZEL
Your
Imperial Majesty, I am very
glad
that the Tincture has come
into
your hands.
I
have been determined to deliver
it
to you, but the violence of
Count
DePaar, and of Prince Charles
and
Count Schtick has prevented me.
(beat)
Therefore I implore you to
grant
me your protection, and
return
the tincture to me so that I
may
test its virtues and powers.
EMPEROR
LEOPOLD
Friar
Seyler, now that I understand
the
events in this affair, I will
extend
my protection to you, and I
shall
entertain you in my court.
Therefore,
I commit you to the care
and
inspection of Count Austin of
Wallenstein,
the Governor of
Hattshirr.
(beat) The tincture
shall
be returned to you, that you
may
examine and enjoy it. But I
shall
keep some of it for
safekeeping.
WENZEL
Your
Majesty, I am eternally
grateful
for your mercy and
understanding.
EMPEROR
LEOPOLD
My
secretary shall make the
necessary
arrangements.
He
nods to Wenzel, who bows his way backwards out of the
chamber.
The Emperor pulls a bell cord to notify the guards
outside,
and they open and shut the door.
INT. LIBRARY - DAY
Dr.
Becher sets his wineglass on the table, and rubs his
hands.
BECHER
Friar
Seyler was well received into
the
Emperor's good graces, and he
was
assigned lodgings at the
Imperial
Bowling Green. He also
performed
some transmutations
before
the Emperor, and Count
Austin
made a gold chain in memory
of
the occasion.
EXT. ROAD - DAY
Francis,
dressed in his monk's robe, is riding in a royal
carriage,
escorted by two soldiers on horseback.
BECHER
(V.O.)
And
Emperor Leopold sent Friar
Francis
Preyhausen to Rome to seek
a
dispensation from the Pope, to
release
them from their monastic
vows.
SERIES OF SHOTS:
A) EXT. ROOFTOP, VIENNA - DAY
A
black-robed Jesuit priest releases a HOMING PIGEON with a
message
holder tied to its ankle. Cooing pigeons rustle about
in
their coop, with Hofburg Palace visible in the background.
B) EXT. ROOFTOP, ROME - DAY
The
Vatican is visible in the background as the HOMING PIGEON
lands
at a rooftop coop full of cooing pigeons. A Jesuit
priest
unties the message holder from its ankle.
C) EXT. VATICAN - DAY
Francis
enters the Vatican, accompanied by an Augustine
priest.
The Jesuit follows at a discrete distance.
INT. PALACE LABORATORY - DAY
Dressed
in the Augustine habit, Wenzel is sitting at a table,
drinking
wine and talking inaudibly with Paul DELOURDES and
Herman
LECHLER. Several alchemical books lay open on the
table.
Specimens of various minerals lay about, and a mortar
and
pestle.
BECHER
(V.O.)
Friar
Seyler met many chymists and
alchemists,
yet none knew the true
practice,
so he only wasted his
powder.
Then some charlatans
insinuated
themselves upon him, and
he
learned many cunning frauds from
them.
Delourdes is holding a crucible, and pointing into it.
DELOURDES
My
favorite trick is to mix some
powdered
gold with wax in the
bottom
of a crucible and cover it
with
clay. When I pretend to make
gold
from lead, I poke through the
clay
with an iron rod and stir up
the
gold.
LECHLER
Ha
ha! Yes, that's easy, and it
works
every time! I paid fir my
first
tour of Europe that way,
until
that accident in Rome...
The
three men chuckle drunkenly and drink up.
INT. PALACE LABORATORY - DAY
Wenzel,
DeLourdes, and Lechler are distilling something smoky
and
smelly. Count Wallenstein and Dr. Becher come in to
observe.
The Count is frowning, shaking his head, and he
holds
a handkerchief to his nose.
BECHER
(V.O.)
The
many visitors soon became a
noisome
bother at the court, and
Wenzel
was always watched by Count
Wallenstein.
So friar Seyler told
the
Emperor that he needed to
prepare
some sulfurous substances,
and
the noxious fumes and stench
would
be a danger to the court.
Therefore
a laboratory was built
for
him in the Carinthian Fort, and
he
had the entire place to himself.
And
Emperor Leopold commanded me to
assist
him, so I got to better know
the
man.
WENZEL
Doctor
Becher! Count Wallestein!
Welcome!
INT. LABORATORY - DAY
Wenzel
and Dr. Becher watch as masons construct a furnace in
front
of a window.
INT. LIBRARY - DAY
Dr. Becher sips his wine.
BECHER
Now,
every alchemist knows the
adepts'
claim that the
Philosophers'
Stone can be
increased
in potency and in
quantity.
Therefore, many people
asked
to buy a bit of it, hoping to
augment
their portion. And friar
Seyler
was happy to sell it to them
for
much more than it was worth in
the
gold that could be produced.
Count
Savonius was one such
customer.
INT. SALON - NIGHT
COUNT
SAVONIUS hefts a small box onto the table and opens it
to
reveal 1000 ducats.
WENZEL
I
thank you, Count Savonius. And
here
is a generous portion of the
tincture
for you to test. I wish
you
every success in your
experiments.
COUNT
SAVONIUS
I
thank you in like wise, friar
Seyler.
The
Count looks closely at the vial, then puts it in his
pocket.
Wenzel closes the box and locks it in a cabinet. A
SERVANT
KNOCKS at the door.
WENZEL
Enter!
SERVANT
Dinner
is served, master.
WENZEL
Shall
we join the other guests,
Excellency?
COUNT
SAVONIUS
With
pleasure a good appetite, Herr
Seyler!
WENZEL
Call
me Wenzel, please.
INT. DINING ROOM - NIGHT
Wenzel
is dining with Count Savonius and several other
guests.
Gorgeous Angelique is sitting next to him, sporting
an
extravagant necklace.
WENZEL
Angelique,
my darling, you look
ravishing!
ANGELIQUE
Oh,
Wenzel, you are so charming!
And
generous! This necklace is so
beautiful!
Thank you, my dearest!
She
leans over to kiss him. Wenzel suddenly begins to gasp
for
breath, clutches his stomach in agony, and falls to the
floor.
The guests watch in horror and look aghast at each
other.
One of them stands up, runs to the window, and vomits.
Angelique
kneels on the floor, comforting Wenzel in her lap
as
she weeps for him.
ANGELIQUE
(CONT'D)
Oh,
Wenzel, Wenzel! Please, don't
die!
EXT. FRONT DOOR - NIGHT
Count Savonius hands a note to his COACHMAN.
COUNT
SAVONIUS
Go
to Doctor Biliot at this address
and
bring him here at once!
The coachman looks at the address and bows.
COACHMAN
Yes,
Excellency!
LATER
Count
Savonius greets DR. BILIOT as he arrives. The doctor is
carrying
a leather medical bag.
COUNT
SAVONIUS
I
want you to attend to his every
need
-- and to mine.
He
has taken one thousand ducats
from
me for some of his tincture. I
want
it back, and the tincture too.
The
money is in the cabinet in his
study,
and the key is in his
pocket.
Find the tincture for me,
and
the thousand ducats are yours
to
keep.
DR.
BILIOT
I
understand, Excellency.
COUNT
SAVONIUS
Good.
I shall send my carriage back
for
you. Good night, doctor.
Count
Savonius climbs into the carriage, and the coachman
shuts
the door for him.
INT. BEDROOM - NIGHT
Dr.
Biliot finishes examining Wenzel, who is unconscious and
moaning.
Angelique sits beside the bed.
DR.
BILIOT
It
appears that he has been
poisoned
with arsenic. I have
administered
vitriol. Now we must
wait.
(beat) There is nothing you
can
do here, fraulein. You might as
well
go home.
ANGELIQUE
Yes,
Doctor Biliot.
INT. STUDY - NIGHT
Dr.
Biliot opens the cabinet, removes the box of ducats, then
puts
it in his medical bag.
BECHER
(V.O.)
The
unscrupulous doctor found the
Count's
ducats easily, but Wenzel
had
hidden his tincture well, so
Biliot
failed to find it.
INT. BEDROOM - DAY
Wenzel
is sitting up in bed, and Angelique is fussing over
him.
She kisses his brow.
He
pulls her to him kisses her lips, and nuzzles her bosom.
She
giggles and lays back in his lap, smiling lasciviously.
BECHER
(V.O.)(CONT'D)
And
soon after, to everyone's
surprise,
friar Seyler began to
recover
his health.
EXT. VATICAN - DAY
Francis
is smiling as he leaves the Vatican, holding a sealed
letter.
A Jesuit priest follows discretely.
BECHER
(CONT'D)
And
a few weeks later, Francis
Prehausen
returned from Rome with
the
papal dispensation.
SERIES OF SHOTS:
A) EXT. ROAD - DAY
Francis
is riding in a royal carriage on his way back to
Vienna,
escorted by two soldiers on horseback. He is now
dressed
in plain clothes.
B) EXT. ROOFTOP, ROME - DAY
A
Jesuit priest releases a HOMING PIGEON with a message
attached.
The Vatican is in the background.
C) EXT. ROOFTOP, VIENNA - DAY
The
HOMING PIGEON lands at the rooftop coop in Vienna.
Hofburg
Palace can be seen in the background. A Jesuit priest
picks
it up and unties the message from its ankle.
INT. SALON - DAY
Francis
is sitting in an armchair, sipping wine. Wenzel
stands
happily reading the papal dispensation. He tosses it
on
the table, then tears off his monk's habit and throws it
into
the fireplace.
WENZEL
Cheer
up, Francis! Our dream has
come
true! We are free from the
Church,
and we have wealth, honor
and
fame, and women!
FRANCIS
Mmmm...
Forgive me if I am less
than
enthused, for I am tired from
my
journey, and I exhausted my
relief
in the indulgences of Rome.
(beat)
Wenzel, I am very worried by
the
many strangers you have
attracted.
(beat) I think it would
be
best for me to remain incognito
while
I am in Vienna. Only you may
know
where I reside. (beat)
WENZEL
I
agree, Francis. We may enjoy the
Emperor's
protection, but lesser
men
will always seek to steal our
treasure.
FRANCIS
Soon
I shall go traveling again, to
study
alchemy in the great
libraries.
We know nothing of the
proper
use and the powers of the
Philosophers'
Stone, and no one
here
in Vienna knows any more than
we
do. Perhaps I may meet someone
who
can teach me the true practice.
(beat)
I shall send you letters to
keep
you informed of my progress.
WENZEL
I
shall provide you with all the
money
you may need.
FRANCIS
Thank
you, Wenzel.
EXT. ST. STEPHAN'S CATHEDRAL - DAY
Wenzel
and Angelique are leaving the cathedral after getting
married.
Dr. Becher is among the many guests who follow them
out.
He stands quietly watching as the others cheer and throw
flowers
at the newlyweds.
BECHER
(V.O.)
Soon
after, Wenzel married a very
crafty
woman named Angelique who
had
attended to his sickness and
his
desires. (beat) But in Vienna
she
was accounted as a common
whore.
(beat)
And he was visited by
persons
of the highest rank, and
was
mightily respected by the most
eminent
ladies, countesses and
princesses.
INT. BANQUET - DAY
Wenzel
and Angelique are celebrating their wedding banquet.
Francis
and Dr. Becher are among the guests..
WENZEL
My
friends, I do fancy that the
elements
all conspire together to
make
me happy! Eat, drink! Be happy
with
me!
The
guests laugh drunkenly. Francis manages a wan smile, and
Becher
sips his wine.
INT. LIBRARY - DAY
Dr. Becher sips his wine, then sets the glass down.
BECHER
As
a spectator of the scene, I
thought
he was living in a fool's
paradise.
(beat) It reminded me of
Cornelius
Agrippa, who wrote in his
book
The Vanity of Sciences, that
if
he were master of the
Philosophers'
Stone, he would spend
it
all in nothing but whoring, for
he
could easily make women
prostitute
themselves thereby, and
yield
to his lust. (beat) And that
is
just what Wenzel Seyler did. He
squandered
it all in debauchery.
MONTAGE:
Wenzel
and Angelique are carousing in bed with a series of
women
and men in orgiastic combinations, climaxing in a
chorus
of passionate moans and cries.
INT. BEDROOM - DAY
Wenzel
and Angelique lay beside each other in bed, breathing
fitfully.
They are covered with chancres, and their eyes are
closed.
BECHER
(V.O.)
But
Wenzel and Angelique were so
depraved,
that soon they contracted
the
French disease. Yet Wenzel made
another
miraculous recovery.
LATER
Wenzel
stands beside the bed, weeping; Angelique is dead. The
doctor
pulls the sheet over her head.
BECHER
(V.O., CONT'D)
I
believe that the medicinal virtue
of
the Tincture saved him, because
he
had handled it so often, and it
strengthened
his blood. But he knew
nothing
of it, so he could not
treat
his wife, and she died.
MONTAGE:
INT. BEDROOM - NIGHT
Wenzel
carouses serially and in combinations with dozens of
women
and some men, climaxing in a chorus of passionate moans
and
cries.
LATER
He
lays in bed after it all, looks at the woman sleeping
beside
him, and sighs as tears well up in his eyes.
BECHER
(V.O.)
After
the death of Angelique,
Wenzel
Seyler exceeded all bounds
of
modesty, and indulged in every
sinful
excess. In three years time
he
spent more than ten thousand
crowns
in all manner of luxury...
SERIES OF SHOTS:
A) INT. SALON - DAY
Wenzel
chooses from an assortment of fabrics as two tailors
fawn
over him.
B) LATER
Wenzel is posing for a portrait.
C) LATER
An
effete decorator fusses about as workers carry luxurious
chairs
and small tables into the room. Wenzel's portrait
hangs
on the wall.
EXT. GARDEN - DAY
Wenzel
is entertaining dozens of guests in the salon and the
garden.
Francis stands at a window of a study that overlooks
the
garden. Wenzel looks up from the party and sees Francis.
INT. STUDY - DAY
Francis
turns away from the window. Wenzel enters, shuts the
door,
and sinks into an armchair, looking tired and slightly
drunk.
WENZEL
Aren't
you enjoying the party,
Francis?
FRANCIS
Oh,
do forgive me, Wenzel. I don't
mean
to seem unfriendly toward your
guests.
But I have another matter
in
mind.
WENZEL
It
sounds serious.
FRANCIS
It
is.
WENZEL
Then
I shall leave you to dote upon
in
private, unless you want my
advice.
FRANCIS
The
matter is you, Wenzel, so do
stay
and consult with me, if you
please.
The party won't miss you
meanwhile.
WENZEL
Uhhh...
Well...
Francis has Wenzel politely trapped in the chair.
FRANCIS
Indeed.
(beat) Wenzel, I don't want
to
sound dramatic, but I tell you,
man,
I do fear you are at grave
risk
of losing your soul in the
abyss
of sin.
WENZEL
Ohhh...
Uhhh... Well... You may be
right,
brother Francis. (beat) No,
you
are right! No matter how often
I
confess my sins and do penance, I
cannot
resist the next temptation!
My
lust seems to have no bounds! No
woman
resists me, not even wives or
virgins!
(beat) Well, there was one
nun,
but she was... special.
FRANCIS
Wenzel,
Your penis is your Achilles
heel!
Sex killed Angelique, and it
nearly
killed you! Aren't you ever
satisfied?
WENZEL
No...
I am only satiated, for a
little
while at best. (beat) My
life
is a perpetual motion of wine
and
women, music and food. I
haven't
been sleeping well, and I
have
a headache every morning.
FRANCIS
That
much is easily cured. Don't
drink
so much wine! Get outdoors
once
in a while to breathe fresh
air!
And bathe more often.
WENZEL
Yes,
of course! Why didn't I think
of
that!?
FRANCIS
Maybe
you are too drunk to think.
(beat)
Seriously, Wenzel, this
cannot
endure! You are wasting the
Tincture,
and you know not how to
replace
it. What will you do when
it
is all gone? Will you become a
monk
again?
WENZEL
Hmmm...
Possibly... But not
Augustine,
or Benedictine, nor
Jesuit.
Perhaps I shall become a
Protestant,
or a Moslem...
Wenzel's
voice sinks into mumbling, then a mild snore as he
pretends
to pass asleep.
FRANCIS
Ach!
Damn it, Wenzel! You are
impossible!
Francis
glares, then leaves the room. Wenzel opens an eye to
watch
Francis leave. Alone, he sighs and frowns, closes his
eyes,
and groans. After a long beat, he begins to snore
slightly.
INT. SALON - DAY
Wenzel
and Francis are sitting in armchairs before a
fireplace,
sipping wine as they talk. Wenzel, slightly drunk,
pulls
a bottle of tincture from his pocket.
WENZEL
I
have spent almost all of the
Tincture
in this bottle. I need to
retrieve
another from the box. I
shall
go tomorrow.
FRANCIS
Wenzel,
there is only one bottle
left.
(beat) And it is not where we
buried
it.
Wenzel rises from his chair with an alarmed look.
WENZEL
What
do you mean, it's not there?!
FRANCIS
Precisely.
I have moved it.
WENZEL
You
moved it? And you did not tell
me?
What are you trying to do?
Wenzel advances, glowering at Francis.
WENZEL
(CONT'D)
Where
is my tincture, Francis?
FRANCIS
Calm
yourself, Wenzel. It is safe.
But
you are not. (beat) Your
enemies
can not harm you, yet you
are
destroying yourself with
excess.
WENZEL
I
don't want another sermon,
Francis.
Where is the tincture?
FRANCIS
It
is nearby. And I will return it
to
you, when you must come to your
senses,
Wenzel. Your excesses, must
stop!
WENZEL
I
am a dissipated, dis-,
dispensated
monk, damn it, not a
saint!
Excess, you say? Ha! I won't
know
what is enough, until I've had
too
much!
FRANCIS
Wenzel,
you are totally debauched
and
depraved, and your
embarrassment
of riches is
shameful,
yet you have no shame.
(beat)
You possess a great gift of
God,
that you could use to help
people
in need, yet you spend it on
luxury
and entertainment. I do not
object
to luxury, Wenzel, but this
is
wanton waste. (beat) Wenzel, do
you
remember the vows we exchanged
with
each other in the monastery,
when
we began this adventure? Eh?
WENZEL
Yes,
of course.
FRANCIS
I
want you to renew those vows with
me.
Now. Then will I return the
tincture
to you. (beat) Think about
it.
Let me know when you're ready
to
be sensible. I await you.
Francis
leaves abruptly, and Wenzel remains staring into
fireplace,
chewing his nails as he worries.
INT. LABORATORY - DAY
Wenzel
sits at a table, weighing his remaining tincture on a
balance
scale. He writes some notes, then puts the quill pen
in
the ink pot, looks at his notes, scratches his head, and
bites
his nails. He gulps some wine, and looks worried.
BECHER
(V.O.)
He
foresaw that his supply of
tincture
would not last long at
that
rate.
LATER
Wenzel
is performing a distillation. He pumps the bellows a
few
times, then peers into the retort. Suddenly it explodes,
and
he runs out of the laboratory, coughing, choking.
BECHER
(CONT'D)
And
though he hoped to increase it
as
the adepts teach in their books,
he
was no alchemist, so his
experiments
only resulted in
further
loss.
INT. LABORATORY - DAY
Wenzel is experimenting with DeLourdes and Lechler.
BECHER
(V.O., CONT'D)
Yet
his needs were such, and so
many
wanted to buy his powder, that
he
resorted to a fraudulent scheme
with
the help of his partners Paul
DeLourdes
and Herman Lechler.
INT. LABORATORY - NIGHT
Wenzel is experimenting with DeLordes and Lechler.
BECHER
(V.O, CONT'D)
They
prepared the tincture with a
mixture
of powdered cinnabar,
copper,
and litharge all boiled
together
in aqua fortis, so that
ignorant
fools might mistake it for
his
real gold-making powder, and
buy
it for a high price. (beat) And
by
means of this and other
swindles,
he got many thousands of
crowns.
INT. STUDY - DAY
Wenzel
is selling a small bottle of red powder to BARON
KARNSTADT,
who hands him a bag of coins. Paul DeLourdes and
Herman
Lechler also are present, watching from across the
room,
and smirking at each other.
WENZEL
Thank
you, Baron Karnstadt, I hope
your
experiment is successful.
BARON
KARNSTADT
I
thank you too, Herr Seyler. I
shall
make the experiment as soon
as
I return to my laboratory.
INT. LABORATORY - DAY
Baron
Karnstadt is attempting the perform a transmutation. He
removes
a crucible from his furnace with tongs and sets it on
a
brick counter. There is no gold. He frowns.
INT. SALON - DAY
Baron
Karnstadt is angrily confronting Wenzel, DeLourdes, and
Lechler,
who are holding glasses of wine.
BARON
KARNSTADT
You
have cheated me, Herr Seyler!
Return
my money, or I shall bring a
complaint
against you before the
court!
Wenzel puts his glass on a table.
WENZEL
My
dear Baron Karnstadt, the verity
of
my tincture has been proven by
the
assayers at the Imperial Mint,
and
by many others, as you know. I
can
only suppose that you lack
skill
in the art, and made a
mistake
in the practice.
BARON
KARNSTADT
Do
not insult my intelligence, sir!
I
followed your instructions
carefully,
and I am well practiced
in
chymical science! I demand that
you
return the money I paid you!
WENZEL
In
that case, Baron, I must ask you
to
return the tincture I sold to
you.
BARON
KARNSTADT
I
used it all in the experiments!
WENZEL
Well
then, would you like to make
another
trial of it? Perhaps you
can
get it right this time.
BARON
KARNSTADT
The
only other trial I shall make
is
of you, Herr Seyler, in a court
of
law!
The
baron storms out, and the three scoundrels snicker in
glee
as they click their glasses together in a toast, and set
their
glasses down.
INT. LIBRARY - DAY
Dr.
Becher sets down his glass of wine, and surveys his
audience.
BECHER
The
matter could not be kept
secret,
and people began to talk
about
it. Serious alchemists
resented
his prostitution of their
science,
and his many crimes of
fraud.
(beat) But he was in such
good
credit with the emperor, that
it
was not safe to impeach him.
INT. COURTROOM - DAY
The
courtroom is crowded with observers, including Dr.
Becher.
Baron Karnstadt is in the witness stand.
BECHER
(VV.O., CONT'D)
Nevertheless,
several of his
victims
took legal action, and they
obtained
a judgment against him.
BARON
KARNSTADT
Then
he said, would you like to
make
another trial of it? Perhaps
you
can get it right this time!
INT. PRIVY CHAMBER - DAY
Emperor
Leopold is meeting with several high councillors,
including
Dr. Becher. Their discussion is indistinct except
for
snatches about "Seyler", "fraud", "court", "judgment" and
"Your
Majesty".
BECHER
(V.O.)
Now
the Emperor, unless he were to
leave
his favorite Wenzel to the
judges,
had to intervene. For so
many
complaints were made against
him,
and his infamy was so
widespread,
that Leopold thought it
convenient
to have it suppressed.
INT. LIBRARY - DAY
Dr. Becher sips his wine. He is slurring slightly.
BECHER
Gentlemen,
the hour is getting
late,
so I will bring this story to
a
close. (beat) I will just say
that
the Emperor paid all of
Seyler's
debts, and got from him
the
rest of his tincture.
INT. PRIVY CHAMBER - DAY
Wenzel
hands one of the small bottles of Philosophers' Stone
to
Emperor Leopold. It now contains only a small amount.
EMPEROR
LEOPOLD
Wenzel,
you are one of my favorite
subjects,
but you have caused me a
great
deal of embarrassment, and I
am
sorely irritated about it. Do
not
disappoint me again. Do you
understand?
WENZEL
Yes,
your Majesty. I promise to
mend
my ways and refrain from any
further
abuse of my privileges.
(beat)
I humbly apologize to you,
my
gracious sovereign. (beat) I am
very
sorry to have displeased you.
I
thank you for being so merciful
to
me.
INT. IMPERIAL COURT - DAY
Wenzel
is kneeling before Emperor Leopold, who is placing a
medallion
on a ribbon around his neck. Dr. Becher is among
the
many courtiers present for the ceremony.
BECHER
(V.O.)
Then
the Emperor advanced him to
the
title of Baron Seyler of
Rheinburgh.
(beat) And furthermore,
he
made him the Hereditary Master
of
the Mint of Bohemia!
EMPEROR
LEOPOLD
Rise,
Baron Seyler, and go forth to
your
estate.
Wenzel
rises to his feet, bows to the Emperor, and withdraws
as
the audience applauds.
INT. DINING ROOM - NIGHT
Wenzel
and his beautiful new wife are entertaining several
aristocratic
guests. Francis Preyhausen is among them.
BECHER
(V.O.)
Emperor
Leopold sent him away to
Prague,
where he now lives with his
second
wife. (beat) Her name is
Waldes
Kircheriana, a lovely woman
of
a noble family. (beat) And Baron
Seyler
made Francis Preyhausen the
steward
of his house.
INT. LIBRARY - DAY
Dr.
Becher finishes his glass of wine, sets it down, and
points
to Robert BOYLE, who nods and smiles.
BECHER
I
published this story at the
request
of Sir Robert Boyle, to
tell
the truth of the matter, and
to
silence the critics of alchemy.
(beat)
Now, if I have mistaken any
of
the facts, well then, Baron
Seyler
is still alive, and he is
welcome
to correct me with a more
exact
account.
(beat)
And to conclude, I sincerely
wish
that, if God should bless any
alchemist
with the Philosophers'
Stone,
he puts it to better use
than
did Wenzel Seyler, for the
benefit
of humanity, and the glory
of
God. (beat) One can only
speculate
how Emperor Leopold has
used
his portion. But his Majesty
did
bestow upon me a single grain
of
it, and I keep it with me
always,
in this vial.
Dr.
Becher produces a tiny vial from his pocket. It contains
a
tiny piece of the red Stone.
NEWTON
May
we take a look at it, Doctor
Becher?
BECHER
Certainly,
Sir Newton! Pass it
around.
Becher
hands the vial to Newton, who is sitting closest to
him.
NEWTON
Ah,
what a wonderment! I would give
anything
to know the secret of its
preparation!
Newton
peers into the vial, then passes it to Sir Robert
BOYLE,
who is distracted.
NEWTON
(CONT'D)
Sir
Boyle?
BOYLE
Ah,
yes. (beat) Gentlemen, I would
like
to add mention of a meeting I
had
recently with Count von
Lamberg,
son of the Lord High
Steward
to Emperor Leopold. He was
in
the company of Count Wallestein,
who
came here as an envoy to King
Charles.
(beat) I asked him to tell
me
about Baron Seyler, and he said
he
was very well acquainted with
the
man, and had witnessed several
projections
on lead and tin.
Boyle pauses to sip his wine.
BOYLE
(CONT'D)
He
also said that Baron Seyler had
repaid
sixty thousand florins of
debts,
and returned the pension
given
to him by the Emperor. (beat)
The
count also told me of a
particular
transmutation that
Seyler
performed before the emperor
and
Count Wallestein.
INT. EMPEROR'S PRIVY CHAMBER - DAY
Emperor
Leopold and Count Wallestein are sitting in
armchairs,
watching Wenzel. He speaks inaudibly as he hands
the
Emperor a piece of silver that he has cut with shears
from
a plate. Wenzel dips a small brush into a cup that
contains
a dab of red paste, and paints around the cut in the
plate.
Then he sets the plate on a bed of red-hot coals in a
brazier.
The silver turns to gold as they watch.
BOYLE
(V.O.)
He
took a silver plate and cut off
a
piece to show that it was pure,
then
he spread a paste made of his
powder
on the plate and held it
over
burning coals, and the
tincture
turned most of it into
gold.
INT. LIBRARY - DAY
Boyle looks around at the others, and gestures as he speaks.
BOYLE
And
the Count showed me the piece
of
silver that had been cut off,
and
a piece of the transmuted
plate,
and later he presented both
pieces
to his Majesty King Charles.
Boyle
takes an other look at the vial, then offers it to
Edmund
HALLEY.
BOYLE
(CONT'D)
Mister
Halley?
HALLEY
Thank
you, Sir Boyle.
MINUTES LATER
The
meeting is over, but Dr. Becher, Newton, and Boyle remain
chatting.
In the background, Halley is showing off his
telescope
to Robert Hooke and the other guests.
NEWTON
I
would have you know, Doctor
Becher,
that you are being
considered
as a candidate for
fellowship
in the Royal Society. It
shall
come to a vote at the next
meeting.
BECHER
Ah,
that is sweet music to my ears,
Sir
Newton, for I would so enjoy
such
an honor!
NEWTON
Well,
Doctor, I promise you shall
have
my vote!
BECHER
Why,
thank you, Sir Newton!
INT. STUDY - DAY
SUPERIMPOSE: "PRAGUE, 1683"
Francis
is holding a LETTER as he stands before Wenzel at his
desk.
FRANCIS
Sir
Robert Boyle in London has
written
a letter to me. He says...
(beat)
I regret to inform you that
Doctor
Becher passed away in London
a
few months ago, in October of
1682.
(beat) He spoke often and
well
of you... (beat) I have
enclosed
a few copies of his
booklet
Magnalia Naturae, which he
published
at my behest... (beat)
Here
is a copy for you, Wenzel.
Francis hands a copy of MAGNALIA NATURAE to Wenzel.
INT. LABORATORY - NIGHT
Several
lanterns hang from hooks on the walls, lighting the
scene.
Robert Boyle and Dr. Becher watch as their assistant
furiously
pumps the bellows of a furnace.
A
near-empty retort sits in the hole atop the furnace, and
the
white liquid in the receiver and the retort glows
brightly.
Becher and Boyle move closer to peer at it. The
glass
retort cracks ominously, and they cringe in fear of an
explosion.
BOYLE
(V.O.)
Thanks
to Doctor Becher's knowledge
of
phosphorus, we now can work a
profit
from the distillation of
urine
and sand by Brandt's process.
(beat)
It always dismayed him,
however,
that he was not elected to
membership
in the Royal Society.
INT. FRANCIS' OFFICE - DAY
Francis
is studying Frederick and Karl's alchemical
MANUSCRIPT.
He silently mouths the words as he reads.
FRANCIS
(V.O.)
If
you want to meet other adepts
who
might be nearby, then dissolve
a
grain of your Stone in a bowl
pure
water and set it on the ground
under
a full moon.(beat) When you
go
to sleep that night, rub some of
the
water on your head, and pray to
recognize
your fellow. You will
dream
of him, and you will remember
his
name and place. (beat) Hmmm...
EXT. GARDEN - NIGHT
Francis
is kneeling in the grass before a bowl of red water.
The
FULL MOON shines overhead.
FRANCIS
(V.O.) (CONT'D.)
A
strange beam of light will rise
from
the bowl toward the moon...
(beat)
Hmmm... Any adepts who know
this
will do the same, hoping to
meet
their brothers.
SPECIAL
EFFECT: The WATER GLOWS with a RED LIGHT, and a
ghostly
BEAM RISES toward the moon. Francis watches in
amazement.
INT. BEDROOM - NIGHT
The
bowl now sits on a bedside table along with a single
candle
in a holder. Francis is sitting on the edge of the
bed,
rubbing his head with the red water. He blows out the
candle
and lays down to sleep. His head and the water in the
bowl
continue to glow softly in the dark.
FRANCIS
(V.O.) (CONT'D.)
When
you go to sleep that night,
rub
some of the water on your head,
and
pray to recognize your fellow.
You
will dream of him, and you will
remember
his name and place. (beat)
Hmmm...
LATER
Francis
is dreaming. A mist clears to reveal Frederick
Gualdus'
face.
DISEMBODIED
VOICE
Frederick
Gualdus... Prague.
EXT. GARDEN - NIGHT
Frederick is standing before a bowl of red water.
SPECIAL
EFFECT: The WATER GLOWS with a RED LIGHT, and a
ghostly
BEAM RISES toward the moon.
Frederick
peers at the bowl through a RED GLASS LENSE, and
sees
Francis' face appear on the surface of the water.
DISEMBODIED
VOICE
Francis
Preyhausen... Prague.
INT. CATHEDRAL - DAY
Mass
is being served, with hundreds of people in attendance.
Francis
is among them, and Frederick sits behind him. He is
dressed
inconspicuously, and appears to be about 50 years
old.
LATER
Mass
has ended and people are leaving. Frederick approaches
Francis.
FREDERICK
Herr
Preyhausen?
FRANCIS
I,
I saw you in my dream! You...
FREDERICK
I
am Frederick Gualdus. (beat) I
knew
Father Karl Steiner, the first
abbot
of Saint Thomas' Monastery.
We
prepared the Philosophers' Stone
that
you possess today.
FRANCIS
But
the monastery was built four
hundred
years ago! How can you be
so
old?
FREDERICK
I
am much older even than four
hundred
years. Seven hundred would
be
more accurate, perhaps eight
hundred.
I do not know exactly.
(beat)
The medicinal virtue of the
Elixir
cures all diseases, and
bestows
a long life, until God
calls
for your soul. (beat) The
power
to transmute base metals is
merely
one of its many powers.
FRANCIS
That
is what the manuscript says,
that
was in the copper box!
FREDERICK
Yes,
I know. I helped write it.
(beat)
Shall we take a walk?
EXT. PARK - DAY
Frederick
and Francis are perambulating past a pond and a
flock
of swans.
FREDERICK
You
need to learn the proper use of
the
Tincture, or you will be in
peril
of your soul, and cause great
harm
instead of good, like your
friend
Baron Seyler. (beat) Indeed,
it
is a miracle that he has
survived
to enjoy such good
fortune.
FRANCIS
He
and I are the best of friends,
sir,
yet I must agree with you,
Master
Gualdus.
FREDERICK
I
have actually been observing you
for
some time already, Francis, and
I
think you are worthy of
initiation
into the mysteries of
alchemy.
(beat) Baron Seyler,
however,
has disqualified himself
by
his many sins. Therefore, you
may
not tell him or anyone else
what
I teach you. Promise me that.
FRANCIS
I
do so promise, Master Gualdus.
(beat)
I implore you to teach me
all
you can about alchemy! I shall
be
on my best behavior!
FREDERICK
Hmmph...
Of course you shall, or
I'll
abandon you to your fate.
(beat)
And don't call me master so
often.
It's embarrassing. I am also
simply
Frederick.
FRANCIS
Yes,
sir. Thank you, Frederick,
Master
Gualdus!
FREDERICK
Hmmph.
INT. STUDY - DAY
Francis is standing before Wenzel, who is seated at his desk.
FRANCIS
I
used the tincture according to
the
instructions in the manuscript,
and
I met a real adept alchemist!
His
name is Frederick Gualdus, and
he
is the master who taught Abbot
Steiner
to make the Stone you
found!
WENZEL
Francis,
Abbot Steiner lived three
centuries
ago! How could... what is
his
name?
FRANCIS
Frederick
Gualdus.
WENZEL
How
can he be so old?
FRANCIS
I
asked him that, and he said it is
by
the medicinal virtue of the
Elixir.
Even so, few masters have
ever
lived so long.
WENZEL
The
Elixir, you say?
FRANCIS
Yes,
that is what he calls it, and
the
Philosophers' Stone, and the
Tincture.
WENZEL
Hmmm...
Well, this should prove
most
interesting!
INT. LIBRARY - DAY
Gualdus
is teaching Francis. Several alchemical books lay
open
on the table at which they are sitting.
FRANCIS
Master,
what is the Elixir? Is it
the
Philosophers' Stone, or the
Tincture?
I am confused by so many
names.
FREDERICK
They
are all the same thing, in
different
forms. But the Elixir is
the
great Medicine. (beat)
FLASHBACK:
INT. LABORATORY - DAY
An
unidentified ALCHEMIST holds the Philosophers' Stone up to
the
sun, praying in a blissful mumble.
ALCHEMIST
In
nomine deus, et filius, et
spiritus
sanctus...
MINUTES LATER
The
alchemist has filed a bit of the Stone. He tastes it
tentatively.
After a long beat, he dies, surprised.
FREDERICK
(V.O.)
Many
alchemists who attained the
Philosophers'
Stone ingested it
hoping
for perfect health and long
life,
but they met sudden death
instead.
RETURN TO SCENE
FREDERICK
The
Stone must be dissolved in wine
and
greatly diluted. (beat) A
spoonful
each day will cure any
disease
by a gentle sweat. (beat)
But
take care not to be injured,
for
the power is only medicinal,
not
surgical. It will not heal
wounded
flesh.
INT. LABORATORY - DAY
Francis
and Frederick move about the laboratory, selecting
labeled
jars of substances for an experiment and setting them
on
a table. Frederick stops to pull a silk pouch from his
pocket,
and a red glass lens from the pouch. He hands it to
Francis.
FREDERICK
The
Philosophers' Stone is the key
to
open heaven and earth. Through
it,
you can see through everything.
(beat)
Simply paint a glass with
it,
and behold! Look at the
furnace.
Francis
peers through the lens at the furnace, and sees an
elemental
SALAMANDER in the fire.
SPECIAL EFFECT: SALAMANDER CAVORTING in the coal fire.
FREDERICK
(CONT'D)
Now
look out the window!
Francis
walks over to the window and looks through the lens
out
into a garden. He sees a glowing new world, populated
with
elemental spirits of water, air, and earth.
EXT. GARDEN - DAY
SYLPHS
flutter about in the air, FAIRIES flutter about,
GNOMES
peek from behind trees and rocks, and UNDINES splash
in
a small pond. They smile and wave at Francis standing at
the
window, watching through the lens, his jaw agape. Then he
grins
with delight.
RETURN TO SCENE
FREDERICK
All
spirits will obey you, for the
Stone
elevates the soul to the
highest
realms. (beat) You can also
know
all things past and future, as
much
as God permits... (beat) but
not
your own death. (beat) And if
you
look through the lens at
another
person, you can diagnose
their
health. All these things and
more
will be shown to you.
Frederick
opens one of the jars and shakes some of the
contents
into a crucible.
FREDERICK
(CONT'D)
There
is a new outbreak of the
black
plague in Vienna. I am going
there
tomorrow to fight it with the
Elixir.
Will you come with me?
FRANCIS
(reluctantly)
Yes,
Frederick, if you wish.
FREDERICK
Do
not worry about it, Francis. If
you
have been using the Elixir as I
instructed
you, it will protect
you.
FRANCIS
I
have been taking one drop every
week.
I do feel wonderful!
FREDERICK
Do
so for the rest of your life,
and
you will scarcely show your
true
age.
EXT. STREET - NIGHT
A
CHURCH BELL TOLLS in the distance as Frederick and Francis,
dressed
in brown monastic robes and carrying lanterns, walk
past
a wagon filled with corpses of plague victims. Two men
toss
another body onto the pile. The DRIVER RINGS a small
BELL
a few times.
DRIVER
Bring
out the dead! Bring out the
dead!
They
walk around a corner. The narrow street is empty except
for
them. They pass by a door painted with an X, sign of the
Black
Death. They look around to see if anyone is watching,
then
slip inside and close the door behind them. The CHURCH
BELL
TOLLS again.
INT. BEDROOM - NIGHT
Their
lanterns light up a tiny bedroom as Frederick looks
through
his red lens at a man and wife,laying together fully
dressed
on a bed. They are clutching crucifixes. Their faces
are
spotted with black buboes, and they gasp and moan weakly.
Frederick
pockets his monocle, takes a bottle from his pouch,
and
dribbles some Elixir into the man's mouth. Francis does
the
same for the woman. Then they cork their bottles, put
them
in their pouches, and leave the room.
INT. STAIRWELL - NIGHT
Frederick and Francis descend the stairs.
FREDERICK
We
saved dozens of lives today,
Francis.
(beat) I wish we could do
more,
but we must be careful not to
attract
attention.
FRANCIS
Alas,
the task is overwhelming! But
it
is gratifying indeed, to rescue
these
few souls at least from
certain
death.
FREDERICK
Yes,
the elixir is a great gift of
God
to suffering humanity. But it
is
fraught with grave danger, as
you
know.
EXT. STREET - NIGHT
Frederick
peeks out the doorway, then steps out with Francis
following.
The distant CHURCH BELL TOLLS.
FREDERICK
Only
a few years ago in 1679, I
secretly
ministered to plague
victims
here in Vienna. Seventy
thousand
perished that year, and as
many
again in the next. (beat) I
was
able to restore thousands to
health
with my medicine. And then
one
day, I was trapped by a mob...
FLASHBACK:
EXT.
STREET - DAY
Frederick
is wearing plain clothes, and a cloak. He has a
short
beard. A desperate MOB #1 of howling men and women have
him
surrounded. JESUIT #1 is among them. Frederick pulls a
bottle
out of his pouch and tosses it to them. They start to
fight
over it.
MOB
#1
Medicine!
The medicine! Me! Me!
Give
me some! Argh!
Frederick
tears off his cloak and throws it to the mob. He
manages
to slip into a doorway as they tear at it. Then the
mob
passes around the corner, and Frederick runs away. Jesuit
#1
follows him unseen.
INT. ROOM - DAY
Frederick
has changed clothes, donned on a wig and hat, and
shaved
his beard. He peeks out the window, then leaves.
FREDERICK
(V.O.)
I
gave them what I had, and while
they
fought over it, I escaped, and
shaved,
and put on a wig and new
clothes,
and fled the city.
RETURN TO SCENE
MOB
#2 suddenly comes around the corner a block behind them.
A
few men are carrying torches and lanterns; Jesuit #1 is
among
them.
MAN
#1
There
they are! They have the
medicine!
MOB
#2
Medicine!
The medicine!
JESUIT
#1
Seize
them, in the name of the
Church!
FREDERICK
Run!
As
they race around the corner, Frederick drops his lantern,
tears
off his pouch and robe, and throws them to the ground.
Francis
follows suit. Frederick is wearing pants and a shirt
under
his robe, Francis is in his underwear, and both are
wearing
boots. Frederick pulls the bottle of Elixir from his
pouch
and drops it on top of his robe, then continues
running.
Francis does the same. They make it around the next
corner
just as the mob appears again behind them.
MAN
#1
There!
The medicine! Medicine!
The
screaming mob starts fighting over the bottles and
tearing
at the robes and pouches, but Jesuit #1 hurries to
follow
Frederick and Francis.
LATER
Frederick staggers to an exhausted halt.
FREDERICK
Stop!
Stop! I must rest!
FRANCIS
I
think we lost them, or vice
versa.
FREDERICK
If
it isn't the mobs, then it's the
damned
Jesuits, or those silly
Rosicrucians,
or the Allumbrados!
(beat)
I need to travel again,
perhaps
to America this time.
FRANCIS
Who
are the Allumbrados, master
Frederic?
FREDERICK
Allumbrados...
The Illuminated.
They're
Spanish... pretenders all
of
them... elitist worms...
MINUTES LATER
Frederick
and Francis are walking again down another street.
Jesuit
# 1 follows discretely, close enough to eavesdrop.
FREDERICK
(CONT'D)
Beware
of all things Catholic,
especially
the Jesuits! They are
the
lowest form of Christian.
Frederick spits.
FRANCIS
Why
do you hate them so much?
FREDERICK
The
Jesuit Inquisitors have
retarded
the progress of science
and
civilization for two centuries,
and
they persist, in secret.
(beat)
We could be sailing amongst
the
stars by now, but for those
Luciferian
bastards. They think
they
are holy, but they're just
shyte,
pretending to be human,
pretending
to be Christian!
FRANCIS
I
had no idea...
FREDERICK
If
they ever capture you, you'll
get
plenty of ideas! You'll say
anything
they want to hear, for
fear
they will stretch and tear and
burn
and cut you again.
Frederick
stops walking and rolls up his sleeve to reveal
ugly
scars on his arm.
FRANCIS
Whoa!
Jesuits did that to you?
When?
FREDERICK
A
century ago. But there is no
forgetting
such pain, nor forgiving
such
cruelty. (beat) It is not safe
for
us here.
We
might as well return to Prague.
(beat)
Francis,
I think you are ready to
learn
some of the inner secrets of
alchemy.
But enough for today. Meet
me
on Sunday noon at the Clock
Tower,
and we shall talk about it.
FRANCIS
Thank
you, master Frederick! I'll
be
there!
Jesuit
#1 watches and listens.
EXT. CLOCK TOWER, PRAGUE - DAY
Francis
is standing on the steps of the Staromestska Radnice
(Clock
Tower). He sees Frederick approaching, dressed like a
beggar,
and starts to walk toward him. Suddenly a carriage
pulls
up beside Frederick. Jesuit #1 is inside. Two men jump
out
and grab Frederick.
FREDERICK
Help!
Francis! Help! Jesuits! Help!
The
kidnappers shove Frederick into the carriage, then
clamber
in as Francis comes running. The carriage races away.
INT. STUDY - DAY
Francis bursts into the study, surprising Wenzel at his desk.
FRANCIS
Wenzel,
the Jesuits have kidnapped
master
Frederick! (beat) We must
help
him!
WENZEL
Certainly,
Francis, but how?
FRANCIS
They
have headquarters in Prague.
No
doubt, they took him there!
WENZEL
I
know the place. I will get some
men
to help us.
EXT.
JESUIT ESTATE - NIGHT (ESTABLISHING)
EXT. COTTAGE - NIGHT (ESTABLISHING)
Light
flickers through the window of a large cottage behind
the
Jesuit mansion.
INT. COTTAGE - NIGHT
The
cottage is equipped as a torture chamber. Candles light
the
interior. A coal fire burns in a brazier, with a poker
stuck
in it. Frederick is strapped to a table. Jesuit #1
stands
holding up a vial of Elixir to examine it closely.
JESUIT
# 2 sits at a table with pen, paper, and an ink pot
before
him, taking notes.
FREDERICK
I
shall be happy to confess
anything.
Just ask.
JESUIT
# 1
I
don't want a confession. I want
instructions.
(beat) I have heard
there
is a simple way to prepare
the
Philosophers' Stone very
quickly,
in less than a day. (beat)
And
I have collected a letter that
claims
you know this short way.
Jesuit #1 picks up a red-hot poker from the coal brazier.
FREDERICK
Please,
there is no need to be
brutal.
I'm too old for this shyte.
JESUIT
# 1
Oh,
it's no bother at all, Herr
Gualdus.
Actually, it's my
pleasure...
Where shall we begin?
(beat)
Tell me, good Herr, what
minerals
are used to make the
Philosophers'
Stone? Eh?
SERIES
OF SHOTS:
A) EXT. COTTAGE - NIGHT
Frederick
screams from within the cottage.
B) EXT. ROAD - NIGHT
Wenzel
and Francis are riding in a carriage, racing toward
the
Jesuit headquarters. Several men accompany them on
horseback.
When the estate comes into sight, they stops and
dismount.
The driver remains behind as the other men climb
over
a wall.
C) EXT. JESUIT ESTATE - NIGHT
As
they sneak through bushes toward the mansion with weapons
drawn,
they hear Frederic scream from within the cottage.
Wenzel
points, and they hurry there.
D) EXT. COTTAGE - NIGHT
The
group is gathered at the door. Francis peeks in a window
and
sees the Jesuit about to burn Frederick with the poker.
He
signals to Wenzel, and they burst in.
INT. COTTAGE - NIGHT
Two
men grab Jesuit #1; another knocks him out with a punch
to
the jaw. Another grabs one of the torture tools and bashes
the
second priest on the head, knocking him out too. MAN #4
keeps
watch at the window. Francis and Wenzel release
Frederick,
who is grimacing and groaning. Francis produces a
small
bottle from his pocket and dribbles the contents into
Frederick's
mouth.
MAN
#4
All's
quiet, Baron.
WENZEL
Let's
go, men!
Francis
and three of the men pick up Frederick by the arms
and
legs and carry him outside. Wenzel remains in the cottage
with
the other three men.
WENZEL
(CONT'D)
Well
done! Now, if you will set
this
place on fire after we leave,
I
shall add a golden bonus to the
reward
that already awaits you!
MAN
#4
Thank
you, Baron! But what shall we
do
with these priests?
WENZEL
Let
this be their Purgatory.
EXT/INT. COACH - NIGHT
Flames
from the burning cottage flicker in the background.
Wenzel
and Francis sit together opposite Frederick, who is
inebriated
with laudanum and wine.
FREDERICK
(slurring)
Wash
in that wine? It tastes like
laudanum.
FRANCIS
Yes,
Frederick, poppy juice to ease
the
pain. I remembered what you
told
me about Alexander Seton, and
I
came prepared.
FREDERICK
Good
shinking. (beat) You shaved me
from
his miserable fate. You are my
Shendivogius!
WENZEL
What?
Who?
FRANCIS
Michael
Sendivogius. He rescued the
alchemist
Alexander Seton 75 years
ago.
It's a long story. I'll tell
it
to you sometime.
FREDERICK
I'm
so sleepy...
Frederick
passes out and falls over. Francis lays him out on
the
seat.
WENZEL
He
is a master of alchemy? He looks
like
a beggar, and he talks like a
madman!
FRANCIS
Yes,
he says that the adepts prefer
to
appear that way. (beat) But I
have
also seen him in most elegant
attire,
and speaking with inspiring
eloquence.
INT. BEDROOM - DAY
Frederick
is resting in bed. Francis is sitting in a chair,
and
Wenzel stands beside him.
FREDERICK
Baron
Seyler, you are living proof
that
God works with cracked pots.
(beat)
You have survived your
enemies
and yor sins, and proved
the
Philosophers' Stone to Holy
Roman
Emperor Leopold, and many
others.
(beat) Now it is a fact of
history,
and henceforth, science
must
organize around alchemy. I
congratulate
you for that happy
accident.
(beat) And I thank you
for
rescuing me.
WENZEL
It
is all thanks to you in the
first
place, Master Gualdus. I am
very
glad to help you in any way I
can.
INT. LIBRARY - DAY
Frederick
and Francis are sitting at a table with several
alchemy
books and manuscripts spread before them.
FREDERICK
...And
that is the arcanum of salt.
And
likewise for mercury. They are
symbols.
We do not use those
substances
to prepare the Elixir.
In
fact, I seldom use common
mercury,
except to make gold from
it.
FRANCIS
If
mercury is not the matter of the
Philosophers'
Stone, then pray
tell,
what is?
FREDERICK
Ahh...
That is the greatest secret
of
alchemy. But I promised to teach
you,
so I will tell you now. It is
called
by every name, but its own
is...
Gur.
FRANCIS
Gur?
I've never heard of it!
FREDERICK
Gur
is a mysterious sulfurous
vapor,
exhaled by the earth. It is
the
astral stuff from which all the
metals
take their forms. (beat) I
suppose
I shall have to show you.
EXT. PASTURE - NIGHT
Frederick
and Francis are walking through a snow-covered
field
under the full moon. They are warmly dressed and
carrying
baskets. Frederick sets his down and points to a
large,
clear gelatinous blob that sits on top of the snow.
FREDERICK
That
is Gur. In the winter it can
be
found thus, on top of snow. In
other
seasons, we collect dew
before
dawn, before it touches the
earth.
This is the universal
spirit,
our virgin water.
As
he speaks, Frederick takes an empty bottle, a glass
funnel,
and a glass bowl from the basket, then scoops up the
blob
with the bowl and pours it through the funnel into the
bottle.
Francis watches for a few seconds, then does the
same.
INT. LABORATORY - DAY
Frederick
is standing beside a small furnace, distilling the
gur
in a retort. Several plugged bottles of the stuff sit in
a
basket on the floor beside the furnace. Francis is sitting
at
a table, writing notes as Frederick talks.
FREDERICK
...I
prefer the short Dry Path for
the
Great Work, but the Wet Way is
very
beautiful to watch, if you
have
the time. (beat) It takes a
year
to complete, and much
equipment
and material. But this
dry
way can be done in one week, in
one
crucible, with a few minerals
and
salts. It is a great secret,
known
to only a few masters.
FRANCIS
But
gur is watery, master
Frederick.
Is this then the wet
path
we are following here?
FREDERICK
Yes,
Francis. (beat) I am not going
to
make this too easy for you. Make
haste
slowly. You need know how to
use
the Stone wisely, if you are to
survive
it. Why, just to sell the
gold
can be a problem. (beat) A few
years
ago in Paris...
FLASHBACK:
INT. GOLDSMITH SHOP - DAY
A GOLDSMITH #2 looks up when Frederick enters the shop.
GOLDSMITH
#2
Good
morning, monsieur. How may I
help
you?
FREDERICK
Good
morning, monsieur. I would
like
to sell some gold.
GOLDSMITH
#2
Hmmm...
Show it to me, please.
Frederick
pulls a bar of gold from a leather pouch and hands
it
to the goldsmith. He looks at it with a lens, then rubs it
on
a touchstone. He puts the bar on the counter and frowns at
Frederick.
GOLDSMITH
#2 (CONT'D)
This
gold is made by alchemy!
FREDERICK
Why
monsieur, whatever makes you
think
so?
GOLDSMITH
#2
I
know the gold from all the mines
in
Europe and Africa. This is
better
than any of them! You can be
hung
for this felony!
FREDERICK
Monsieur,
you are mistaken. I
believe
this gold came from
America,
and it is perfectly
natural
and legitimate! Why, I have
the
receipts for it in my
saddlebag.
Wait a moment, I shall
fetch
them!
Frederick exits the shop.
EXT. GOLDSMITH SHOP - DAY
Frederick
scurries away, looking behind him to see if he is
being
followed.
INT. GOLDSMITH SHOP - DAY
The
goldsmith's scowl changes to a grin as he watches
Frederick
from the window. He hefts the bar of gold, then
puts
it in a crucible, adds coal to the furnace, and pumps
the
bellows.
RETURN TO SCENE
Frederick
slowly pumps the bellows of the furnace as he
stares
into the fire.
FREDERICK
I
possess enough wealth to buy the
whole
world, yet I may not use it,
thanks
to the wickedness of men.
(beat)
I am weary of this lonely
life,
shut out from friends and
family,
like Cain. (beat) Some day,
gold
will be as common as dirt.
Then
we masters of alchemy shall
find
rest, thank God.
Francis
puts down his quill pen and looks at him
thoughtfully.
YEARS LATER
INT. STUDY - DAY
Francis
is sitting at his desk, writing a MANUSCRIPT by the
light
of a CANDELABRA . He appears to be about 40 years old.
A
copy of MAGNALIA NATURAE lays beside a small gold BOX on
the
desk. He puts down the quill and picks up a page.
FRANCIS
(V.O.)
In
the summer of 1718, newspapers
in
the Netherlands reported the
death
of one Frederick Gualdus, who
drowned
in the River Scheldt while
fishing.
His body was not found...
FLASHBACK:
EXT. RIVER - DAWN
Frederick
is sitting in a rowboat, preparing to cast off from
a
small dock. JAN hands him a fishing pole, then a bucket of
bait,
and a small basket filled with bread, cheese, and a
bottle
of wine. The river is covered with fog.
FREDERICK
Thank
you, Jan. I shall return by
midday.
JAN
Good
luck to you, Herr Gualdus!
Jan
unties the boat and gives it a shove away from the dock.
Frederick
starts rowing, and quickly disappears into the fog.
MINUTES LATER
Frederick
stops rowing, and drops a roped anchor stone over
the
side. Then he pulls a WHISTLE from his pocket and BLOWS
twice.
FRANCIS
(O.S.)
Hello!
Frederick!
FREDERICK
I'm
here!
FRANCIS
(O.S.)
Keep
talking till I find you!
FREDERICK
Well...
A Catholic, a Protestant,
and
a Jew walked into a tavern. The
owner
looked at them and said, what
is
this, a joke?
FRANCIS
(O.S.)
Oh,
mercy... Perhaps you should
sing
instead.
Frederick breaks into an off-key song.
FREDERICK
La
la la, la la la...
FRANCIS
(O.S.)
Do
you know any more jokes?
FREDERICK
Hmmm...
Ummm... A priest entered
his
fat donkey in a race.
And
the town crier yelled, priest
enters
fat ass! (beat) That
bothered
the bishop, so he told the
priest,
do not race that donkey
again!
(beat) And the town crier
yelled,
bishop scratches priest's
ass!
(beat) That made the bishop
very
angry, and he told the
priest...
Francis emerges from the fog and pulls alongside.
FRANCIS
Never
mind, here I am. I've heard
that
story before, and I still
don't
get the point.
FREDERICK
It's
a metaphor. (beat) Hold the
boats
together, please. I don't
want
to really fall in.
Frederick
climbs into Francis' boat, and they row away.
EXT. DOCK - DAY
The
fog lifts to reveal the empty rowboat at anchor in the
river.
Jan sees it and calls for help.
JAN
Help!
Help! Somebody help!
Two
men come running, and Jan points to the boat, talking
incoherently.
They clamber into a rowboat and cast off,
pulling
hard and fast at the oars.
FRANCIS
(V.O.)
I
never saw Frederick after that
day,
but he had taught me all I
needed
to know.
INT. LABORATORY - DAY
Francis
sits on a stool before a small furnace, peering
inside
at the brilliant red stone inside a small flask that
sits
in a small pan filled with sand on a bed of glowing
coals.
FRANCIS
(V.O.) (CONT'D)
And
so, by the Grace of God, I made
the
Philosophers' Stone, with
arsenic
and gur, as I have
explained.
(beat) And now, I have
told
you enough, if only you will
understand.
EXT. RUINED CHAPEL - DAY
Francis
is burying a copper box in the rubble of a medieval
chapel.
A small pick lays beside the hole.
FRANCIS
(V.O.)
Yet
even if you cannot make the
Philosophers'
Stone, perhaps you
can
find it, like Wenzel Seyler,
since
the master alchemists have
buried
it in many places.
RETURN TO SCENE
INT. STUDY - NIGHT
Beautiful
wife SOPHIA knocks gently and enters. She is in her
nightgown.
SOPHIA
Francis,
darling, it's very late!
When
are you coming to bed?
FRANCIS
Any
moment now, my dear Sophia.
Sophia sighs and pouts.
SOPHIA
Do
hasten, dear. I await you!
FRANCIS
Yes,
my love, any moment now... I
shall
come straightaway hence.
SOPHIA
Mmmm...
Sophia
smiles amorously at him as she leaves the room,
closing
the door gently behind her. Francis leans forward to
open
a small gold box sitting on the desk next to a copy of
MAGNALIA
NATURAE.
He
picks out a piece of the red Philosophers' Stone into his
other
hand, then leans back and gazes at it. Francis puts the
Stone
on the copy of MAGNALIA NATURAE.
FRANCIS
(V.O.)
As
for Wenzel Seyler, he lived
happily
ever after. (beat) And so
have
I, thank God!
Francis stands, picks up the CANDELABRA, and leaves the room.
CLOSE
UP: PHILOSOPHERS' STONE, glowing in the light of the
FULL
MOON.
FADE
OUT.