Beauty and the Beast (1987–1990): Season 2, Episode 4 - Dead of Winter - full transcript
When the tunnel world is having an annual event, Paracelcus makes plans to crash the event and do something. When all of the participants arrive, including some friends from the surface, things seem to be OK until Narcisa shows up. It seems she had encountered Paracelcus earlier who had in his possession someone's head who then tried to kill her. They assume Paracelcus is there in disguise. Catherine and Vincent deduce it must be someone from the surface but there are only three whom he knew before he was banished so they try to figure out who could it be.
This is where the wealthy
and the powerful rule.
It is her world,
a world apart from mine.
Her name... is Catherine.
From the moment I saw her,
she captured my heart
with her beauty,
her warmth and her courage.
I knew then, as I know now,
she would change my life...
forever.
He comes from a secret place,
far below the city streets,
hiding his face from strangers,
safe from hate and harm.
He brought me there
to save my life.
And now, wherever I go,
he is with me in spirit.
For we have a bond stronger
than friendship or love.
And although
we cannot be together,
we will never, ever be apart.
Hey!
These are lovely, Rebecca.
I do believe they're the finest
candles you've made for us.
You said that
last year.
It was true
last year.
And the year before.
I love making
the Winterfest candles.
They're special.
Do we get to take them up now?
The first batch
is ready for delivery.
I don't see why not.
Bet I finish first.
I bet you won't.
Will so.
Won't.
This is not a race.
You have been given
an important
responsibility,
understand?
Good. Well, you have your lists,
now off you go.
Hey, no fair!
Be careful up there.
It wasn't so long ago
that I was
delivering the candles,
instead of making them.
I remember.
Especially the year
when you fell and
twisted your knee.
Sometimes we have
to fall, Father,
to learn how to get up.
Mouse was the worst.
That first year I
made the candles,
he broke half of them
with that catapult of his.
Our poor helpers thought
that someone was flinging
missiles at them.
And you and Devin
had your fair share
of misadventures as
well, as I recall.
A few.
But we always made
our deliveries.
And I...
think I still remember how.
Vincent, it's beautiful.
Remember how I told
you when I was little,
I was afraid of the dark?
Well, my mother
gave me a candle
to light at the bedside
before I went to sleep.
It was just a tiny,
little thing,
a birthday candle.
Somehow it made it all right.
I've loved candles
ever since.
This is no ordinary candle.
This is for Winterfest.
It's a special
time for us.
We have other celebrations,
all the holidays
and traditions we share
with your world, but...
Winterfest is our own.
It's a time
to remember the past.
Dream of the future.
Each year, we deliver these
candles to our helpers
in the world above.
Without their light,
our world would be dark.
Our lives would be cold
without their warmth.
The candles are
our way of saying
that they are a part of us.
Everyone, the entire
community is agreed.
This year's Winterfest
will be incomplete
unless you are there.
Hmm. You might want
to reconsider that move.
Samantha, you've left
your knight undefended.
No?
I'm finished! I...
What are you doing here?
Playing chess. Check.
And mate in one.
You can't have made it first.
I ran all the way.
I took the subway.
I'm looking forward
to Winterfest.
There are a few helpers
I can still beat.
Don't think of yourself
as a bad player, Father.
Only a very good teacher.
Is the Great
Hall in order?
One of the tables
needed some repairs.
Cullen and I carried
it up to his workshop.
Good.
Good.
A third of a century.
It's hard for me to
believe it, Vincent.
You were only a babe in
arms that first year.
My oldest memory
is of a Winterfest.
I must have been
three or four.
I remember a cold,
dark room.
My footsteps echoed
all around me.
I was frightened.
Devin held my hand.
And then they lit the candles
and the darkness pushed back.
When I glimpsed the tapestries
for the first time...
it took my breath away.
It was John who hung
those tapestries.
Paracelsus?
He was the one who
discovered the Great Hall.
For a time, he thought
of making it his chamber.
Even then, his dreams
were... large.
But he was exiled before
the first Winterfest.
Yes.
Afterwards, we...
needed a way to heal ourselves.
It was barely enough
to fill one table then.
The children
laid the places.
The wound was so raw.
He had been part
of us for so long.
What happened, Father?
A mistake was made.
There was a place
laid for each of us.
And an empty chair...
where John always used to sit.
I took it away.
Pascal's father removed
the place setting.
Not a word was spoken.
We just...
...went on.
Well, that's history now.
Dead and gone.
So tell me,
did you talk to Mouse
about the raccoon?
Yes. Yes.
He promises solemnly
that Arthur will remain
at home this year.
Bring me the face.
Without the face,
I cannot do it.
Whatever you
require, Tamara,
that you shall have.
You talk so sweet.
That voice will get
you anything.
Bring me the face,
and I will make it yours.
The man who
wears it now
won't be needing it,
will he?
No, I don't imagine he will.
Will you kill them all?
They are my friends, my family.
Their world
is my world.
Why should I mean
them harm, Tamara?
Because they disgraced me,
took away everything:
work, home, all I loved.
Because they stole
my systems, my notes,
the journals of my
research and explorations.
Because they chased me
from their light,
hounded me even
from my sad refuge
in the darkness.
You have the voice,
but not the words.
The mouse boy
doesn't talk so good.
Okay, good.
Okay, fine.
But even with the voices,
even with the face...
If they find you out,
this time they
will kill you.
It was all so long ago.
What has their world
to do with you?
Their world is mine by rights.
I made them. I taught them.
But... they have lessons
yet to learn.
What kind of lessons?
Poetry lessons.
"That this world,
"Which seems to lie before us
"Like a land of dreams,
"So various,
so beautiful, so new...
"Hath really
neither joy,
"Nor love, nor light,
"Nor certitude,
"Nor peace,
"Nor help for pain...
"And we are here as
on a darkling plain,
"Swept with
confused alarms
"Of struggle and flight,
"Where ignorant armies
Clash by night."
Oh...
You were so good to me today.
I got everything I need.
Beautiful stones,
beautiful crystals.
Everything I need.
Oh.
Who is there?
Vincent.
Oh, Vincent,
so far from home, child.
I'm sorry to frighten you,
Narcissa.
I did not think to meet anyone
in such a dark place.
Oh, I know all the dark places.
The black gulfs, the shadows,
the hidden doors.
The dark is my friend,
child.
I am not afraid.
Vincent.
Blood.
What is it?
Only a face...
and a candle
to light my way in the dark.
No.
You are not Vincent.
You are the evil one.
Down here there is
neither good nor evil.
Only strong and weak.
Have a care.
The steps are slick.
Let me light your way.
There are no friends
in the darkness, old woman.
In the dark,
all men are enemies.
Also, we need volunteers
to guide our helpers down.
Pascal has put the
word out on the pipes.
Excellent.
Well, William, how are you doing
with the food?
Ought to be plenty,
but it'd help
if we could get an exact count
of who's coming and who's not.
Has anyone heard
from Narcissa?
She doesn't answer
our calls.
Pascal thinks she must be
down below the pipes again.
Lana left a candle
in her chamber.
If she returns in time,
she'll find it there,
but Narcissa's nature is
a solitary one.
I was just a boy the last time
she came to Winterfest.
It makes me worry.
We see so little of her.
Mary, it's her choice
to live apart from us.
But think of her age.
Her eyes get
worse every year.
Oh...
Narcissa can see things
that are hidden from you and me,
and wherever she might wander,
she always finds her way home.
And usually with some outrageous
tale of where she's been.
Alas, dear Jacob...
Father...
I knew him well, Tamara.
A fellow of infinite jest,
of most excellent fancy.
We can begin.
Is that the box
Vulcan made up for you?
What is it?
A shadow, dear Tamara...
an echo of what once was...
and can never be again.
It was 35 years ago that
I gave Jacob his chessmen...
a token of my affection...
of our friendship.
Friendship is a
wonderful thing.
The arming device?
On the lid.
Press the rose,
and the next time
the box is opened...
checkmate.
Pretty.
Get on with it.
Here, it's wonderful.
Look-Look at this.
Hurry now.
Just children.
Come along.
Watch your step!
Hi!
Hi, how are you?
There we are.
Can I lead you through the dark?
There is no darkness, Vincent,
when you're with me.
The world above us...
is cold and gray...
summer a distant memory.
Our world, too,
has known its winters.
So each year we begin
this feast in darkness,
as our world began in darkness.
Long before the city above us
raised its towers to the sky,
men sought shelter
in these caverns.
In those days, these tunnels
were dark places,
and those who dwelt here dwelt
in fear and isolation.
This was a land of lost hope,
of twisted dreams,
a land of despair,
where the sounds of footsteps
coming down a tunnel
were the sounds of terror,
where men reached for knives
and rocks and worse
at the sound
of other men's voices.
But at last a few people learned
to put aside their fear.
And we began to trust each
other, to help each other.
And each of us
grew stronger,
those who took the help
and those who gave it.
We are all part of one another.
One family, one community.
Sometimes we forget this,
and so we meet here each year
to give thanks to those
who have helped us,
and to remember-- even the
greatest darkness is nothing,
so long as we share the light.
Well spoken.
Where did it go?
Wonderful...
Where did it
come from?
Who is the artist?
Those are mysteries we've
never solved, Catherine.
Perhaps they're
enchanted.
I used to imagine that
they were magic windows,
that if I stared at them
long enough and hard enough,
they might open up for me
and I could pass through
to another world.
When I reached out,
it was only cloth.
This is a
stupid game.
I'm gonna go
get some cake.
Well, now...
Here we go.
How do you do that?
I know she seldom
comes to Winterfest,
but it's been so
long with no word.
Oh, I'm sure she's fine.
Narcissa is indestructible.
But if it'll help
you rest easier,
we'll put together
some sort of search,
first thing tomorrow.
You know, you really ought to
let me teach you to play chess.
It's a wonderful game.
If you really are the greatest
magician in the world,
how come you do all
of your tricks on subways?
Ha! The little
lady's got you there.
No, no, no, no, no.
Those are only
token appearances.
Oh, ye-yes, I-I,
I love, I love the subway
and the streets.
What Broadway theater
can compare
with New York streets?
Hmm? I see it all.
Yes, the men
rushing to work,
the children at play,
and the girls
in their beautiful
summer dresses--
and everyone wanting
a little magic,
and Sebastien is there
to give it to them.
It must be
frightening
sometimes,
knowing that you
have the power
of life and death
in your hands.
Oh, you get used to it.
If you don't,
you better get out of medicine.
Otherwise, the stress
will eat you alive.
Uh, give me my
racket any day.
I screw up, some
guy walks out with
crooked sideburns,
but at least
he walks out.
I'm sure your work
has its own rewards, Lou.
It's a thrill
a minute.
You want sometime,
you can, uh, come
and watch me sweep
out the hair, huh?
Here comes Charlie.
Ooh, there, look.
Come to say hello.
Ready, steady.
Now, where is he going now?
He's going over there.
All right, all right,
all right.
Pascal, are you leaving
so early?
I have to check the pipes.
My dear friend,
what's there to check?
Everyone is down here,
including our help.
I don't like
to be away too long.
You never can tell.
Pascal, surely
you can spare a few hours.
I just want
to check the pipe chamber,
make sure that everything is...
Still there?
Yes.
You're smiling.
Our worlds
are so different.
Every day, I see people
who work just for a paycheck,
but Pascal
and his pipes...
That tapping is
the sweetest music
in the world
for Pascal.
Look.
Where is
he going now?
There.
Peter, those, uh,
journals you gave me
are quite fascinating.
Some of the results
they're getting
with laser surgery
these days is incredible.
Makes you wish you
had a laser down
here, doesn't it?
Oh, I'd give
anything.
Build you one!
Uh, no,
no thank you, Mouse.
Ah, chess--
the game of kings!
Not to mention rooks
and pawns.
Come on, set them up,
set them up.
Time for your
annual humiliation.
Never again.
Last year, he took my king.
Well, isn't that the whole idea?
No, the whole idea is
that you capture the pieces.
You do not make them disappear.
Ooh!
Peter, would you care
for a game?
Oh, Jacob, have you
ever considered
consulting a
psychologist
about this streak
of masochism?
It's going rather well,
wouldn't you say?
Catherine,
do you like the music?
Mm, very much.
I've always loved the waltz.
Well, you know,
in its time,
the waltz was considered
to be quite scandalous.
Uh, wicked, even.
Huh. Imagine that.
Vincent, can I ask
you something
very personal?
You know you can ask me
anything, Catherine.
Do you dance?
Vincent, you have to come.
There's a sound on the pipes.
Oh. I-I'm sorry.
I-I didn't mean
to interrupt.
What kind of a sound?
I don't know.
It's so weak.
Normally, it would be lost
in the traffic,
but with the system so quiet...
But how do you know
it's a message?
I mean, it could
be anything.
A loose fitting,
a steam rattle.
Or Narcissa.
We must be sure.
I'll return
as soon as I can.
This way.
Well, you know,
the origins
of the waltz are
quite interesting.
Comes from the, uh,
German word wälzen,
meaning to glide,
or to-to roll.
Of course, it was made
popular in Vienna...
I was so sure.
I guess I must be
hearing things.
Wait a second.
There. There it is again.
I hear it.
Pascal, where does
this pipe originate?
I'm not sure.
But I think
we're about to find out.
Hmm. I ought to have
my head examined
for letting you talk me
into this.
You can examine it
all you like, Jacob.
It won't help your game
one little bit.
Now, I warn you,
I shall watch every moment.
Who's that?
Jacob!
Lay her on the table.
Quickly,
clear a space.
Geoffrey, get
my bag.
Quickly now!
Father will
know what to do.
Where did you
find her?
Down in the shattered rooms,
below the stone circle.
She must have crawled there.
Her pulse is very weak.
Oh, my God,
look at those burns.
We must get her
up to the hospital
chamber right away.
She's very dehydrated.
The evil one... is here.
We need to get
some fluid into her.
Mary, give her
a Rogers IV, large bore.
Vincent.
I'm here, Narcissa.
Beware
the poison rose.
There. That's better.
What have
you given her?
Something for the pain,
to help her sleep.
Oh, Vincent, honestly,
what's got into you?
Peter, can you
give me a hand?
Right.
Narcissa never went above.
How could this happen?
The evil one, she said.
The evil one.
Who's that
supposed to be?
We all know who she meant.
Paracelsus.
She said
he was here.
But did she mean here...
or here?
Cut it out, Sebastien.
I hear what
the man's saying.
Did she mean here
in New York
or here in the tunnels
or here in this room?
Well, she can't have meant here
at Winterfest.
Can she?
Her injuries...
She must have
been delirious.
Yeah. Some kind of
nightmare, if you ask me.
Like one of your fever dreams.
Perhaps she dreamed that
she was burned and broken
and left to die.
If so, we share the nightmare.
Narcissa--
will she survive?
She is resting
fairly comfortably.
Mary is sitting
with her.
We'll have to
take shifts until
she's stabilized.
Her spirit is strong.
She will not die.
But what about
Paracelsus?
Did she say
anything else?
Nothing intelligible.
She was delirious.
Something about a poisoned rose.
Narcissa lives in a world
of demons and spells
and malign forces.
For her, they exist, but, uh...
Jacob...
there are more things
in Heaven and Earth
than are dreamt of
in your philosophy.
Like what?
Hoodoo and hocus-pocus?
Narcissa has abilities
that none of us understand.
If there is evil among us,
where is it hiding?
I see nothing
but friends.
People I've known and
trusted for years.
Colleagues,
helpers.
A good illusion
makes you think that you can see
things that aren't really there.
Perhaps one of these
friendly faces
is just
a passing mirage,
a chimera.
He could be lurking
behind this...
or this...
or even here,
lovely though it is.
He could be anywhere.
What the hell kind of game
are you trying to play,
scaring everybody?
Let him go!
What are you afraid of?
Maybe you're the one.
Paracelsus is
supposed to be
some kind of
magic man, right?
Well, the only magician
I see is right here!
Stop it!
Winterfest is a time
for brotherhood,
for joy and trust.
If we forget that--
if we allow this day,
of all days,
to be tainted with fear--
then Paracelsus
will truly have won.
Yes, you're quite right.
William, my dear boy, I...
I do apologize.
I... I ought to be
the one to apologize.
Look, there's
some more wine,
and a cake or two
that have hardly
been touched.
Maybe we could...
An excellent idea, William.
You think he's here,
don't you?
My mind says
it cannot be,
but a small voice
inside me whispers yes.
I feel it, too.
It makes no sense.
How could he ever hope
to bring off such
a masquerade?
There are no strangers
at Winterfest.
Could he impersonate
one of the helpers?
The helpers are part of us,
friends.
Sometimes we drift away
from our friends.
We lose track of them
for a little while...
and when we see them again,
if they seem changed,
we don't think twice about it.
Most of those who were helpers
30 years ago are gone now.
Paracelsus could not know
the others.
Surely there must be a few...
those who were helpers
from the very beginning,
who knew Paracelsus when
he was a part of your world.
Only three.
Peter...
Lou...
...and Sebastien.
Father, can we borrow
your chess set?
Yes, of course you may.
I left it over there on
the table by Sebastien.
Geoffrey...
watch out for her.
She's gonna spot me a rook.
Peter, did you ever tell Father
how we met?
Of course not.
After all, I have
your reputation to protect.
Would you believe, she was
stark naked at the time?
In a hospital
delivery room.
All you have to do, my dear
Mouse, is find the red king.
This one.
Oh, dear, oh, dear, oh, dear.
Oh...
Father said we could.
The rose.
Lou.
I thought you might want
to have a game of chess.
Try Father--
he's the chess player.
Me, I wouldn't know
a horse from a castle.
Now, if you want to get
a game of five-card stud...
Well, Father's
out of my league.
I'll teach you the moves.
Nah, I'll pass.
Lou.
Yours?
Disarmed it.
We found Father's set
in the tunnel...
where you hid it.
One step closer,
and the child dies.
The hour of unmasking
is at hand, it would seem.
John.
Paracelsus.
John is dead.
Killed by you, Jacob.
Let the girl go!
So your dear Vincent
can rend me limb from limb?
I think not. No.
Regrettably, it would seem
I need a hostage.
Then take me.
I'm the one you want, John...
not the girl.
We both know that.
What happened
to you, John?
You were a good man once.
My friend.
Spare me the
homilies, Jacob.
These poor deluded fools
may not know what happened,
but you and I,
we remember...
don't we?!
We remember...
differently, John.
There's no sign.
He melted away
like a shadow.
A shadow that will fall
over our world again...
unless we find him
and stop him.
You took a great risk, Father.
Paracelsus might have
killed you,
yet he... let the moment pass.
Believe me,
I was as surprised as anyone.
Not that I'm complaining,
mind you.
Maybe he feared
for his own life.
I'm not sure
it was just fear.
In his eyes...
there was such
anger there,
and hatred.
And yet, just for an instant,
mind you,
I thought I saw a hint
of sadness as well.
Well...
I probably imagined it.
At any rate, Catherine was
our real hero.
How could you possibly
know it was Lou?
Well... I ruled out Peter
when he told that
embarrassing story of his.
There was no way
Paracelsus could've known
that Peter delivered me.
And Sebastien had been trying
to get Father all day
to play chess.
The last place
Paracelsus wanted to be
when that box was opened
was across the chessboard.
That left Lou.
Well, however you did it,
we are deeply grateful,
dear Catherine.
And the rest...
...is silence.
I need to check
on Narcissa.
Yes, uh, we'll need
a guide back up.
Thank you, Jacob.
Is this the way
we want Winterfest to end?
Each of us slinking away
to nurse our wounds, each alone?
Have we forgotten
what this day means?
Okay, good.
Okay, fine.
Catherine...
you're a part of us now.
Come, complete the circle.
The darkness...
almost engulfed us this year,
but our unity gave us strength.
Our shared light
showed us the truth.
As we part for another year,
let us remember:
Darkness is only
the absence of light,
and all winters end.
Can you hear it, Vincent?
Only the quiet...
and the wind outside,
crying to get in.
Listen.
You can hear it if you try.
The music.
Yes.
I hear it.
Catherine...
that question
you asked me earlier?
I remember.
and the powerful rule.
It is her world,
a world apart from mine.
Her name... is Catherine.
From the moment I saw her,
she captured my heart
with her beauty,
her warmth and her courage.
I knew then, as I know now,
she would change my life...
forever.
He comes from a secret place,
far below the city streets,
hiding his face from strangers,
safe from hate and harm.
He brought me there
to save my life.
And now, wherever I go,
he is with me in spirit.
For we have a bond stronger
than friendship or love.
And although
we cannot be together,
we will never, ever be apart.
Hey!
These are lovely, Rebecca.
I do believe they're the finest
candles you've made for us.
You said that
last year.
It was true
last year.
And the year before.
I love making
the Winterfest candles.
They're special.
Do we get to take them up now?
The first batch
is ready for delivery.
I don't see why not.
Bet I finish first.
I bet you won't.
Will so.
Won't.
This is not a race.
You have been given
an important
responsibility,
understand?
Good. Well, you have your lists,
now off you go.
Hey, no fair!
Be careful up there.
It wasn't so long ago
that I was
delivering the candles,
instead of making them.
I remember.
Especially the year
when you fell and
twisted your knee.
Sometimes we have
to fall, Father,
to learn how to get up.
Mouse was the worst.
That first year I
made the candles,
he broke half of them
with that catapult of his.
Our poor helpers thought
that someone was flinging
missiles at them.
And you and Devin
had your fair share
of misadventures as
well, as I recall.
A few.
But we always made
our deliveries.
And I...
think I still remember how.
Vincent, it's beautiful.
Remember how I told
you when I was little,
I was afraid of the dark?
Well, my mother
gave me a candle
to light at the bedside
before I went to sleep.
It was just a tiny,
little thing,
a birthday candle.
Somehow it made it all right.
I've loved candles
ever since.
This is no ordinary candle.
This is for Winterfest.
It's a special
time for us.
We have other celebrations,
all the holidays
and traditions we share
with your world, but...
Winterfest is our own.
It's a time
to remember the past.
Dream of the future.
Each year, we deliver these
candles to our helpers
in the world above.
Without their light,
our world would be dark.
Our lives would be cold
without their warmth.
The candles are
our way of saying
that they are a part of us.
Everyone, the entire
community is agreed.
This year's Winterfest
will be incomplete
unless you are there.
Hmm. You might want
to reconsider that move.
Samantha, you've left
your knight undefended.
No?
I'm finished! I...
What are you doing here?
Playing chess. Check.
And mate in one.
You can't have made it first.
I ran all the way.
I took the subway.
I'm looking forward
to Winterfest.
There are a few helpers
I can still beat.
Don't think of yourself
as a bad player, Father.
Only a very good teacher.
Is the Great
Hall in order?
One of the tables
needed some repairs.
Cullen and I carried
it up to his workshop.
Good.
Good.
A third of a century.
It's hard for me to
believe it, Vincent.
You were only a babe in
arms that first year.
My oldest memory
is of a Winterfest.
I must have been
three or four.
I remember a cold,
dark room.
My footsteps echoed
all around me.
I was frightened.
Devin held my hand.
And then they lit the candles
and the darkness pushed back.
When I glimpsed the tapestries
for the first time...
it took my breath away.
It was John who hung
those tapestries.
Paracelsus?
He was the one who
discovered the Great Hall.
For a time, he thought
of making it his chamber.
Even then, his dreams
were... large.
But he was exiled before
the first Winterfest.
Yes.
Afterwards, we...
needed a way to heal ourselves.
It was barely enough
to fill one table then.
The children
laid the places.
The wound was so raw.
He had been part
of us for so long.
What happened, Father?
A mistake was made.
There was a place
laid for each of us.
And an empty chair...
where John always used to sit.
I took it away.
Pascal's father removed
the place setting.
Not a word was spoken.
We just...
...went on.
Well, that's history now.
Dead and gone.
So tell me,
did you talk to Mouse
about the raccoon?
Yes. Yes.
He promises solemnly
that Arthur will remain
at home this year.
Bring me the face.
Without the face,
I cannot do it.
Whatever you
require, Tamara,
that you shall have.
You talk so sweet.
That voice will get
you anything.
Bring me the face,
and I will make it yours.
The man who
wears it now
won't be needing it,
will he?
No, I don't imagine he will.
Will you kill them all?
They are my friends, my family.
Their world
is my world.
Why should I mean
them harm, Tamara?
Because they disgraced me,
took away everything:
work, home, all I loved.
Because they stole
my systems, my notes,
the journals of my
research and explorations.
Because they chased me
from their light,
hounded me even
from my sad refuge
in the darkness.
You have the voice,
but not the words.
The mouse boy
doesn't talk so good.
Okay, good.
Okay, fine.
But even with the voices,
even with the face...
If they find you out,
this time they
will kill you.
It was all so long ago.
What has their world
to do with you?
Their world is mine by rights.
I made them. I taught them.
But... they have lessons
yet to learn.
What kind of lessons?
Poetry lessons.
"That this world,
"Which seems to lie before us
"Like a land of dreams,
"So various,
so beautiful, so new...
"Hath really
neither joy,
"Nor love, nor light,
"Nor certitude,
"Nor peace,
"Nor help for pain...
"And we are here as
on a darkling plain,
"Swept with
confused alarms
"Of struggle and flight,
"Where ignorant armies
Clash by night."
Oh...
You were so good to me today.
I got everything I need.
Beautiful stones,
beautiful crystals.
Everything I need.
Oh.
Who is there?
Vincent.
Oh, Vincent,
so far from home, child.
I'm sorry to frighten you,
Narcissa.
I did not think to meet anyone
in such a dark place.
Oh, I know all the dark places.
The black gulfs, the shadows,
the hidden doors.
The dark is my friend,
child.
I am not afraid.
Vincent.
Blood.
What is it?
Only a face...
and a candle
to light my way in the dark.
No.
You are not Vincent.
You are the evil one.
Down here there is
neither good nor evil.
Only strong and weak.
Have a care.
The steps are slick.
Let me light your way.
There are no friends
in the darkness, old woman.
In the dark,
all men are enemies.
Also, we need volunteers
to guide our helpers down.
Pascal has put the
word out on the pipes.
Excellent.
Well, William, how are you doing
with the food?
Ought to be plenty,
but it'd help
if we could get an exact count
of who's coming and who's not.
Has anyone heard
from Narcissa?
She doesn't answer
our calls.
Pascal thinks she must be
down below the pipes again.
Lana left a candle
in her chamber.
If she returns in time,
she'll find it there,
but Narcissa's nature is
a solitary one.
I was just a boy the last time
she came to Winterfest.
It makes me worry.
We see so little of her.
Mary, it's her choice
to live apart from us.
But think of her age.
Her eyes get
worse every year.
Oh...
Narcissa can see things
that are hidden from you and me,
and wherever she might wander,
she always finds her way home.
And usually with some outrageous
tale of where she's been.
Alas, dear Jacob...
Father...
I knew him well, Tamara.
A fellow of infinite jest,
of most excellent fancy.
We can begin.
Is that the box
Vulcan made up for you?
What is it?
A shadow, dear Tamara...
an echo of what once was...
and can never be again.
It was 35 years ago that
I gave Jacob his chessmen...
a token of my affection...
of our friendship.
Friendship is a
wonderful thing.
The arming device?
On the lid.
Press the rose,
and the next time
the box is opened...
checkmate.
Pretty.
Get on with it.
Here, it's wonderful.
Look-Look at this.
Hurry now.
Just children.
Come along.
Watch your step!
Hi!
Hi, how are you?
There we are.
Can I lead you through the dark?
There is no darkness, Vincent,
when you're with me.
The world above us...
is cold and gray...
summer a distant memory.
Our world, too,
has known its winters.
So each year we begin
this feast in darkness,
as our world began in darkness.
Long before the city above us
raised its towers to the sky,
men sought shelter
in these caverns.
In those days, these tunnels
were dark places,
and those who dwelt here dwelt
in fear and isolation.
This was a land of lost hope,
of twisted dreams,
a land of despair,
where the sounds of footsteps
coming down a tunnel
were the sounds of terror,
where men reached for knives
and rocks and worse
at the sound
of other men's voices.
But at last a few people learned
to put aside their fear.
And we began to trust each
other, to help each other.
And each of us
grew stronger,
those who took the help
and those who gave it.
We are all part of one another.
One family, one community.
Sometimes we forget this,
and so we meet here each year
to give thanks to those
who have helped us,
and to remember-- even the
greatest darkness is nothing,
so long as we share the light.
Well spoken.
Where did it go?
Wonderful...
Where did it
come from?
Who is the artist?
Those are mysteries we've
never solved, Catherine.
Perhaps they're
enchanted.
I used to imagine that
they were magic windows,
that if I stared at them
long enough and hard enough,
they might open up for me
and I could pass through
to another world.
When I reached out,
it was only cloth.
This is a
stupid game.
I'm gonna go
get some cake.
Well, now...
Here we go.
How do you do that?
I know she seldom
comes to Winterfest,
but it's been so
long with no word.
Oh, I'm sure she's fine.
Narcissa is indestructible.
But if it'll help
you rest easier,
we'll put together
some sort of search,
first thing tomorrow.
You know, you really ought to
let me teach you to play chess.
It's a wonderful game.
If you really are the greatest
magician in the world,
how come you do all
of your tricks on subways?
Ha! The little
lady's got you there.
No, no, no, no, no.
Those are only
token appearances.
Oh, ye-yes, I-I,
I love, I love the subway
and the streets.
What Broadway theater
can compare
with New York streets?
Hmm? I see it all.
Yes, the men
rushing to work,
the children at play,
and the girls
in their beautiful
summer dresses--
and everyone wanting
a little magic,
and Sebastien is there
to give it to them.
It must be
frightening
sometimes,
knowing that you
have the power
of life and death
in your hands.
Oh, you get used to it.
If you don't,
you better get out of medicine.
Otherwise, the stress
will eat you alive.
Uh, give me my
racket any day.
I screw up, some
guy walks out with
crooked sideburns,
but at least
he walks out.
I'm sure your work
has its own rewards, Lou.
It's a thrill
a minute.
You want sometime,
you can, uh, come
and watch me sweep
out the hair, huh?
Here comes Charlie.
Ooh, there, look.
Come to say hello.
Ready, steady.
Now, where is he going now?
He's going over there.
All right, all right,
all right.
Pascal, are you leaving
so early?
I have to check the pipes.
My dear friend,
what's there to check?
Everyone is down here,
including our help.
I don't like
to be away too long.
You never can tell.
Pascal, surely
you can spare a few hours.
I just want
to check the pipe chamber,
make sure that everything is...
Still there?
Yes.
You're smiling.
Our worlds
are so different.
Every day, I see people
who work just for a paycheck,
but Pascal
and his pipes...
That tapping is
the sweetest music
in the world
for Pascal.
Look.
Where is
he going now?
There.
Peter, those, uh,
journals you gave me
are quite fascinating.
Some of the results
they're getting
with laser surgery
these days is incredible.
Makes you wish you
had a laser down
here, doesn't it?
Oh, I'd give
anything.
Build you one!
Uh, no,
no thank you, Mouse.
Ah, chess--
the game of kings!
Not to mention rooks
and pawns.
Come on, set them up,
set them up.
Time for your
annual humiliation.
Never again.
Last year, he took my king.
Well, isn't that the whole idea?
No, the whole idea is
that you capture the pieces.
You do not make them disappear.
Ooh!
Peter, would you care
for a game?
Oh, Jacob, have you
ever considered
consulting a
psychologist
about this streak
of masochism?
It's going rather well,
wouldn't you say?
Catherine,
do you like the music?
Mm, very much.
I've always loved the waltz.
Well, you know,
in its time,
the waltz was considered
to be quite scandalous.
Uh, wicked, even.
Huh. Imagine that.
Vincent, can I ask
you something
very personal?
You know you can ask me
anything, Catherine.
Do you dance?
Vincent, you have to come.
There's a sound on the pipes.
Oh. I-I'm sorry.
I-I didn't mean
to interrupt.
What kind of a sound?
I don't know.
It's so weak.
Normally, it would be lost
in the traffic,
but with the system so quiet...
But how do you know
it's a message?
I mean, it could
be anything.
A loose fitting,
a steam rattle.
Or Narcissa.
We must be sure.
I'll return
as soon as I can.
This way.
Well, you know,
the origins
of the waltz are
quite interesting.
Comes from the, uh,
German word wälzen,
meaning to glide,
or to-to roll.
Of course, it was made
popular in Vienna...
I was so sure.
I guess I must be
hearing things.
Wait a second.
There. There it is again.
I hear it.
Pascal, where does
this pipe originate?
I'm not sure.
But I think
we're about to find out.
Hmm. I ought to have
my head examined
for letting you talk me
into this.
You can examine it
all you like, Jacob.
It won't help your game
one little bit.
Now, I warn you,
I shall watch every moment.
Who's that?
Jacob!
Lay her on the table.
Quickly,
clear a space.
Geoffrey, get
my bag.
Quickly now!
Father will
know what to do.
Where did you
find her?
Down in the shattered rooms,
below the stone circle.
She must have crawled there.
Her pulse is very weak.
Oh, my God,
look at those burns.
We must get her
up to the hospital
chamber right away.
She's very dehydrated.
The evil one... is here.
We need to get
some fluid into her.
Mary, give her
a Rogers IV, large bore.
Vincent.
I'm here, Narcissa.
Beware
the poison rose.
There. That's better.
What have
you given her?
Something for the pain,
to help her sleep.
Oh, Vincent, honestly,
what's got into you?
Peter, can you
give me a hand?
Right.
Narcissa never went above.
How could this happen?
The evil one, she said.
The evil one.
Who's that
supposed to be?
We all know who she meant.
Paracelsus.
She said
he was here.
But did she mean here...
or here?
Cut it out, Sebastien.
I hear what
the man's saying.
Did she mean here
in New York
or here in the tunnels
or here in this room?
Well, she can't have meant here
at Winterfest.
Can she?
Her injuries...
She must have
been delirious.
Yeah. Some kind of
nightmare, if you ask me.
Like one of your fever dreams.
Perhaps she dreamed that
she was burned and broken
and left to die.
If so, we share the nightmare.
Narcissa--
will she survive?
She is resting
fairly comfortably.
Mary is sitting
with her.
We'll have to
take shifts until
she's stabilized.
Her spirit is strong.
She will not die.
But what about
Paracelsus?
Did she say
anything else?
Nothing intelligible.
She was delirious.
Something about a poisoned rose.
Narcissa lives in a world
of demons and spells
and malign forces.
For her, they exist, but, uh...
Jacob...
there are more things
in Heaven and Earth
than are dreamt of
in your philosophy.
Like what?
Hoodoo and hocus-pocus?
Narcissa has abilities
that none of us understand.
If there is evil among us,
where is it hiding?
I see nothing
but friends.
People I've known and
trusted for years.
Colleagues,
helpers.
A good illusion
makes you think that you can see
things that aren't really there.
Perhaps one of these
friendly faces
is just
a passing mirage,
a chimera.
He could be lurking
behind this...
or this...
or even here,
lovely though it is.
He could be anywhere.
What the hell kind of game
are you trying to play,
scaring everybody?
Let him go!
What are you afraid of?
Maybe you're the one.
Paracelsus is
supposed to be
some kind of
magic man, right?
Well, the only magician
I see is right here!
Stop it!
Winterfest is a time
for brotherhood,
for joy and trust.
If we forget that--
if we allow this day,
of all days,
to be tainted with fear--
then Paracelsus
will truly have won.
Yes, you're quite right.
William, my dear boy, I...
I do apologize.
I... I ought to be
the one to apologize.
Look, there's
some more wine,
and a cake or two
that have hardly
been touched.
Maybe we could...
An excellent idea, William.
You think he's here,
don't you?
My mind says
it cannot be,
but a small voice
inside me whispers yes.
I feel it, too.
It makes no sense.
How could he ever hope
to bring off such
a masquerade?
There are no strangers
at Winterfest.
Could he impersonate
one of the helpers?
The helpers are part of us,
friends.
Sometimes we drift away
from our friends.
We lose track of them
for a little while...
and when we see them again,
if they seem changed,
we don't think twice about it.
Most of those who were helpers
30 years ago are gone now.
Paracelsus could not know
the others.
Surely there must be a few...
those who were helpers
from the very beginning,
who knew Paracelsus when
he was a part of your world.
Only three.
Peter...
Lou...
...and Sebastien.
Father, can we borrow
your chess set?
Yes, of course you may.
I left it over there on
the table by Sebastien.
Geoffrey...
watch out for her.
She's gonna spot me a rook.
Peter, did you ever tell Father
how we met?
Of course not.
After all, I have
your reputation to protect.
Would you believe, she was
stark naked at the time?
In a hospital
delivery room.
All you have to do, my dear
Mouse, is find the red king.
This one.
Oh, dear, oh, dear, oh, dear.
Oh...
Father said we could.
The rose.
Lou.
I thought you might want
to have a game of chess.
Try Father--
he's the chess player.
Me, I wouldn't know
a horse from a castle.
Now, if you want to get
a game of five-card stud...
Well, Father's
out of my league.
I'll teach you the moves.
Nah, I'll pass.
Lou.
Yours?
Disarmed it.
We found Father's set
in the tunnel...
where you hid it.
One step closer,
and the child dies.
The hour of unmasking
is at hand, it would seem.
John.
Paracelsus.
John is dead.
Killed by you, Jacob.
Let the girl go!
So your dear Vincent
can rend me limb from limb?
I think not. No.
Regrettably, it would seem
I need a hostage.
Then take me.
I'm the one you want, John...
not the girl.
We both know that.
What happened
to you, John?
You were a good man once.
My friend.
Spare me the
homilies, Jacob.
These poor deluded fools
may not know what happened,
but you and I,
we remember...
don't we?!
We remember...
differently, John.
There's no sign.
He melted away
like a shadow.
A shadow that will fall
over our world again...
unless we find him
and stop him.
You took a great risk, Father.
Paracelsus might have
killed you,
yet he... let the moment pass.
Believe me,
I was as surprised as anyone.
Not that I'm complaining,
mind you.
Maybe he feared
for his own life.
I'm not sure
it was just fear.
In his eyes...
there was such
anger there,
and hatred.
And yet, just for an instant,
mind you,
I thought I saw a hint
of sadness as well.
Well...
I probably imagined it.
At any rate, Catherine was
our real hero.
How could you possibly
know it was Lou?
Well... I ruled out Peter
when he told that
embarrassing story of his.
There was no way
Paracelsus could've known
that Peter delivered me.
And Sebastien had been trying
to get Father all day
to play chess.
The last place
Paracelsus wanted to be
when that box was opened
was across the chessboard.
That left Lou.
Well, however you did it,
we are deeply grateful,
dear Catherine.
And the rest...
...is silence.
I need to check
on Narcissa.
Yes, uh, we'll need
a guide back up.
Thank you, Jacob.
Is this the way
we want Winterfest to end?
Each of us slinking away
to nurse our wounds, each alone?
Have we forgotten
what this day means?
Okay, good.
Okay, fine.
Catherine...
you're a part of us now.
Come, complete the circle.
The darkness...
almost engulfed us this year,
but our unity gave us strength.
Our shared light
showed us the truth.
As we part for another year,
let us remember:
Darkness is only
the absence of light,
and all winters end.
Can you hear it, Vincent?
Only the quiet...
and the wind outside,
crying to get in.
Listen.
You can hear it if you try.
The music.
Yes.
I hear it.
Catherine...
that question
you asked me earlier?
I remember.