What is to do?
You cut yorself or summat?
Who is that yelling blue mirder?
Angus.
You would think he found the missing link or something!
Do not worry.
It is only an old fossil.
It will not bite.
Sexy beast, is he not?
The cave man, I mean.
If that is a primitive man,
it looks like a dinosaur sat on him.
It is a dinosaur, I think.
Oh, go pull the other one.
Our Dad had a cow looked like that once, called Bessie.
I reckon that is Bessie.
Silly moo.
That is not a cow, it has got no homs!
Oh, Me spotted dick!
Let us see what she looks like.
Even if it is not a cow,
I bet it is no dinosaur, neither.
I am afraid you are right.
Is it not?
It cannot be.
Come over here.
You see those stones?
You mean those flint. The archaeologist?
Still playing "happy families" at your age?
Not since we lost Mum and Dad, no.
Well that layer of flints represents one thousand years.
How do you know that?
There was a convent on this site.
It had just been built when the Domesday Book was written.
Ten sixty-six.
William the Conquerer.
Close. Ten eighty-six.
And what do you deduce from that?
Well, Mister Smart the Schoolmaster,
I deduce that your old skull dates back from Roman times
because that is nearly twice as deep.
You are not as daft as you look.
Watch it!
And to prove it,
these coins, found at the same level as the skull,
bear the stamp of Marcus Perusias
of Mercia in two eight-six A.D.
And where, pray, is Mercia?
You are sitting on it.
And Romans did not keep pet dinosaurs, I take it.
No. They missed each other by about twenty-five million years.
Well if it is not a dinosaur, what is it?
I do not know.
Maybe I will find out when I have excavated further.
Tomorrow.
What?
Tomorrow!
It is time to get ready for the party now.
It will be dark in no time, anyway.
What party? No one has invited me to a party, have they?
Well, no, not in a manner of speaking,
but they have invited me and Eve,
and since the truck has packed up,
we need someone to escort us.
What about supper?
Oh, you will get plenty to eat at party.
Our other guests are going to take pot luck down at the pub.
- Hi, Mary! - And miss one of our Mary's hot dinners?
How did you talk them out of that?
Bribery.
Me and Eve promised them a hot water bottle each when we got back.
- Mary, you are having me or. - Thank you.
They are cute. You might get one, too if you play your cards right.
Happy families.
Turn the water off, will you?
Come on, Dina.
You are going to make history.
"One, two, three, four...
"John Lampton went a fishing once,
a fishing in the weir.
"He caught a fish upon his book
he thought looked mighty queer.
"Now what the kind of fish it was,
John Lampton couldn't tell.
"But he didn't like the look of it, so he threw it down a well.
"Now the worm got fat and growed
and growed and growed an awful size.
"With great big teeth and a great big mouth
and great big boggle eyes.
"And when at night it crawled about a' lookin' for some booze.
"If it felt dry upon the road, it milked a dozen coos.
"This fearful worm would often feen on calves and lambs and sheep,
"And swallow little babes alive when they laid down to sleep.
"So John set out and caught the beast and cut it in two halves.
"And that soon stopped it eating babes
and sheep and lambs and calves.
"So now you know how all the folks on both sides of the weir.
"Lost lots of sheep and lots of sleep and lived in mortal fear.
"So drink the health of brave Sir John
who kept the babes from harm.
"Saved cows and calves by making halves
of the famous Lampton Worm."
"So drink the health of brave Sir John
who kept the babes from harm.
"Saved cows and calves by maing halves
of that famous Lampton Worm!
Why all the fuss over a moldy worm?
Moldy nothing!
He is out local hero!
Have you not heard of the Lampton Worm before?
And brave John Lampton?
Not before tonight, no. I cannot say I have.
He is an outcomer.
Way out. The Orkneys.
He is staying with us.
As a paying guest.
How very convenient.
- Welcome to Lampton Hall, Mister? - Flint.
Angust Flint.
The archaeologist.
I am James Lampton.
The landlord.
Ah, The Lampton Worm!
I did not mean.
I am sorry. I meant you must be connected.
Well, distantlu, we are.
Sir John Lampton was a valiant knight
who slew the local dragon.
For centuries my ancestors have immortal-ized the occasion
with an annual banguet for the locals,
usually with tankards of Mead and Morris dancing.
This year, which is my first as Lord of the Manor,
as it were, I thought we would hit the worm with a little ra ra rock.
Are you really digging up my farm yard?
- Yours? - Yeah.
The Trent girls are my tenants.
- I am sorry, I... - I do not give a damn.
Have fun.
I suppose diggin in cow dung is fun. Is it?
It depends on what you find underneath.
Well look, if you find any ghastity belts, for God's sakes let me know.
The maids here are always getting into trouble.
We have the nost terrible staff problem these days.
I will, but I do not expect to.
It is the site of an old convent.
Good Lord! Whatever next?
I think I might have found your worm.
Or its ancestor.
I unearthed skull this afternoon on the site
of what I suspect to be a Roman villa.
So you really are an archaologist?
I am a student an archaeologist?
I am writing a paper for my graduation on the Romans of Mercia.
Why pick Lampton?
There was quite a large
Roman settlement here, according to the records.
And you have dug up our worm?
It is closer to Tyrannosaurus Rex than a worm, I reckon.
Well you must not take the word "worm" too literally.
It is an adaptation of the Anglo Saxon
"wyrm' meaning dragon or snake.
The Gothic "waurms", it is all the same word.
So the common earth worm was not always the lowly creature it is today.
Remember that the next time you bisect one with your shovel.
Want some more?
It is very tasty.
Well good!
So you have taken to our local speciality.
Picked earth worms in aspic is not to everyone's taste,
I can tell you.
Cheer up, Angus.
We are going home.
- And we are going to dance. - Right.
Eve will not have to come back alone, will she?
Of course not.
James will fetch her back in his posh car.
I swore I would never come this way again mysell.
And I would not, neither,
if it were not for me brae Scotch lad.
Scots, please. Scotch is a drink.
I would not say "no" to one just now.
Brrr! It is chilly.
My Mum and Dad used to come this way home.
From the pub.
It is a neat short cut. Or was.
Nobody uses this at night now.
Not since they disappeared.
What do you mean, disappeared?
It was last year.
They left the pub as usual.
They set off through the grove and then,
well, it is as if they were just swallowed up.
You mean they vanished with no trace at all?
No sign of a struggle? Nothing?
Nothing?
There were search parties.
Tracker dogs.
Nothing.
I still cannot believe they are gone.
I have a feeling they have been spirited away.
They will come back again some day.
And in the meantime, you are both running the guest house?
Until something better comes along.
Looks like something had for Eve.
You mean James?
Some hopes.
They are just good friends.
In the old fashioned sense.
He is a proper fly-by-night, that one.
Never here.
Still, he was kind to us when, when we were.
Orphaned.
Sourds funny, does it not?
Was there no one elso to help?
If you are trying to ask me
if I have got a boyfriend, the answer is no.
Not now.
He killed himself on a motorbike, daft bugger.
My God, that scared me.
It is only a car.
Driving in the dark without headlights?
There is moonlight.
To a deserted house?
Did the police look there? For your parents?
First place they did look.
I want to go home.
Hello, Mary.
Hello, Erny.
What are you doing here at this time of night?
Enjoying a cup of tea...
brewed by one of your guests
before he went to bed with a hot water bottle.
Seems he was tired of waiting.
What is up?
You have not found?
It is our Dad's.
Where did you find it?
I thought it might be.
It was found in Stone Rigg Carvern.
By a pot holer.
Was there anything else?
Not so far.
It was taked last summer.
Is there any hope?
We are resuming the search in the morning.
I will join you.
Pick me up on your way.
Right.
Well, if you are all right then, I will be off.
Thanks, Ermy.
I saw a sterange car with hooded lights in the grove near Temple House.
Oh, well, I suppose I had better take a look.
"Bang" goes another early night.
Good night, Mary.
Good night.
I will be along tomorow as well.
It is tomorrow.
Hello, Charlie.
Erny here.
I am up at Temple House.
There is an intruder on the premises.
Get over here as quick as you can.
How can I? You got the can.
I know I have the car. Get taxi.
I arrested him for drunken driving!
You have plucked him up for drunken driving?
I do not believe it!
I am having my dinner!
I do not care if you are in the middle of your supper!
But my turkey will be ruined!
Fuck the Kentrcky Fried Tutkey and get on your bike!
I can't! My pump is broke.
I see.
Well, you can take your bicycle pump and shove it up your ass!
Can I help you?
Lady Sylvia.
I have been stung by a snake!
Snakes bite.
Bees sting.
Yeah, it would not be a bee this time of year.
Hardly a snake, either.
It is probably a nettle.
Come inside and I will take a look at it.
Thanks.
Anyway, I need someone to help me fix my lights.
I cannot find my wretched fuse box.
There.
Now, if what we see them do in the adventure films is correct,
you shoukd suffer nothing worse than a swollen ankle and a slight headache.
So it was a snake bite, then?
Despite the fact the little fellow
should have been hibernating, yes.
I just hope it was not too late.
Perhaps we should phone the hospital.
They would only amputate.
What you need is another brandy.
No, I should not. Not on duty.
Purely medicinal.
Anyway, you cannot be on duty at this time of night.
Very well.
Thanks, Your Ladyship.
Will your colleague be in to join us?
No.
He is having trouble with his bicycle pump.
He does not know what he has missed.
Thanks.
Tell me.
Why were you playing "Peeping Tom" on my property?
I thought you were being burgled. Your Ladyship.
What with a flashing light
and a strange car being sighted in the grove.
That I change my car as regularly as a snake sheds its skin.
Yes, but we were not expecting you back untill spring.
As usual.
It is spring! Look!
Here is to the first swallow.
Cheers.
Who on earth could be prowling around the grove at this time of night?
Tell me who reported me?
One of the Trent girls.
Mary.
Where her parents not supposed to have vanished there?
I am surprised she would ever dare to set foot in the place again.
She had a Scots lad for company.
Really?
He is joining the search party in the morning.
What search party?
Something has been found in Stone Rigg Cavern.
And what was that?
Joe Trent's watch.
And was he on the chain?
Hello! Anyone in?
I hope the kettle is on!
Well I love Mister Flint's hole.
It is rather fascinating.
They have found our dad's watch.
Where?
Stone Rigg Cavern.
Mary and Angus have gone over there with a search party.
But only nutty pot-holers go down there.
It is supposed to be dangerous as hell.
I know that!
Do you want me to drive you over?
There is no point now.
Besides, it is too late.
We will never catch up with them.
I will just have a lie down until they get back.
Right.
I am a bit tired myself.
How could you keep me up all night?
Dancing, for God's sake.
I have the camera in the car, thought
I might take a few shots of the excavation before I go.
Well take care. I will call later.
Not too much later.
Eve.
Eve!
Are you all right?
What happened?
I am all right. Do not fuss.
Just blacked out, that is all.
All right.
Can you make the stairs?
Of course I can!
What do you think I am, a blooming invalid?
That is it.
Very slowly.
Here.
Now what happened up there?
You had better tall me.
Well, I saw some stuff...
on the wall under the crucifix.
So, so I went to wipe it off.
And that is all. All that I remember.
Yeah, justtry harder.
What else did you do?
Nothing. I told you.
I put the watch in my pocket.
The watch. You mean your father's watch.
Yes.
I put it in my pocket,
and then I started going up the stairs.
- And then. - It was not like that just now.
I remember now.
After I passed out.
I remember.
A serpent.
A horrible thing!
Towering above me.
Coiled around a crucifix.
Was it white?
Like the one in the yard?
What?
Just relax.
Was it like the one in the excavation?
There is no snake there. What do you mean?
- Come with me. - No!
Come on, it is just a mosaic. It cannot harm you.
- No! - It is very important you see it.
Was it like that?
He must have uncovered it this morning
before going off with Mary on the search.
It was not there yesterday when he found the skull.
And that was the dinosaur business you were on about last night?
Where is it now, the skull?
It is in his room.
Let's have a look.
Spring cleaning?
Oh! My God!
If you are looking for what I think you are looking for,
I left it on the desk.
No.
Eve has has a bad trip. What do you mean?
Well she will tell you all about it. Just do not rush her.
I am going to go now, but I will come back later.
If you find the missing skull, let me know.
Are you not going to ask what happened?
I saw it in your faces.
Well, it all started...
when we found your note, and I went upstairs for a lie down.
Excuse me.
You couldn't drop me off at Lawdale Youth Hostel, could you?
If you are going that way.
Or if you are broken down, perhaps I coukd help.
No, I have not broken down.
I am snake watching.
I am not going to see much if this keeps up, am I?
All right, then. Hop in. Put your rucksack in the back.
Oh, thanks.
Thanks very much.
That is some system you have got there.
How do you rate the music?
I am not really into head banging.
Are you into any sort of banging?
I am not bad on the mouth organ.
You are sweet.
What is your name?
Kevin.
My mates call me "Kev".
Look, Kev, you are soaked.
We are passing my door. Why do you not come in and dry off?
It will be getting dark, soon.
A big boy like you afraid of the dark?
No,
I just do not want to be late for my dinner at the youth hostel, that is all.
Do not worry. You will leave me well satisfied.
That is very kind.
Kind nothing.
If you do not get out of those wet things, you will catch your death.
I will not hear another word.
Down you go.
Yes! I am home!
I am hungry.
Me, too.
Dinner will not be long.
Meantime, let's have some music.
That is enough of that, Kevin.
That sort of music freaks me out.
Well, the water should be not enough now.
So it is a nice bath for you, and then, dinner.
And after that?
The experience of a lifetime.
I can forget the hostel, then?
Of course you can!
I would not dream of letting you go, now.
They are not expecting you, are they?
No!
Well, then!
There. That is just a sample.
Bath time!
I bet your girlfriend does not do this for you.
No. Nor my Mum, neither.
Oh. I remind you of your mother, do I?
No. Not exactly.
It is just that you are so considerate.
There.
Thank you.
Oh, I have not finished yet.
Stand up.
Come on.
I am not going to bite you.
My. You are a fine, growing boy.
My God, Kevin. You do have appalling B.O.
Save your breath. You have halitosis, too.
No use in even attempting to scream, my boy.
You see, your vocal chords are paralyzed.
In fact, your entire nervous system is paralyzed.
You are a vegetable, metaphorically speaking, of course.
The god is not a vegetarian.
Now, if you are sitting comfortably,
I shall tell you why you must not be afraid to die.
To die so that the god may live is a privilege, Kevin.
If you know anything at all about history,
you will know that human sacrifice...
is as old as Dionin himself.
Whose overy death is a re-birth...
into a god ever mightier!
Shit.
How remiss of me.
I should have turned the lights off.
I shall have to take precautions, Kevin.
Actually, I am doing you a favor.
Good evening. What can I do for you?
Well, forgive me for dropping in like this, but you are not in the book.
If you mean the phone book, no, I am not.
Why? Is this a survey or something?
Not really, no.
I hear you are having trouble with a snake.
You must be from the council, then.
No. I have just seen Erny's ankle.
You are a doctor.
No, forgive me. I am your neighbor. James Lampton.
And you are going to uphold family tradition and slay the beastie!
How incredibly romantic!
Well, actually, I was going to suggest I send my man around
to cut the grass and scotch the fellow.
Splendid!
And talking of Scotch, may I offer you a drink?
- Thank you. I would like that, uh, - Sylvia.
And I am James.
- Come in, James. - Thanks.
Well it is strange we are unaquainted, all things considered.
Is it?
You spend most of your time abroad,
and I virtually hibernate in the winter.
So perhaps it is not really so strange.
Well, maybe things are due to change.
I expect to be around a gerat deal more now that I have
come into my inhertance, as it were.
Well, I will drink to that.
Thanks.
Name your poison.
Well, I will join you in a small glass of brandy, if I may.
Do you have children?
Only when there are no men around.
Some people enjoy playing themselves at cards or even chess.
My passion is snakes and ladders.
Playing with oneself cannot be much fun, surely.
It depends on who is around in the way of a pariner.
Fancy a game?
No, thanks.
I think I have had enough of snakes for me week.
Cheers.
Last night we celebrated the slaying of the Lampton Worm.
So this morning the whole district has a hangover.
I would have invited you if I had know you were back.
How did you know I was back?
Oh, yes, Ernest must have told you.
Yes. I bumped into him down in the village.
Poor old Erny.
Somehow I can never bring myself to call him by that name.
Far too "matey" for a policeman, do you not think?
Yes.
How is he?
Well he is fit as a fiddle, thanks to you.
You might have been stugn yourself.
No, there was nothing to worry about.
It was just a little love bite.
He told me that they
were resuming the search for the Trent girls' parents.
Yes. It was a total washout, I am afraid.
Oh, poor darlings.
Yes. I was thinking of dropping in to see them.
I got to know them quite well at the time of the disapearance.
It really must have been a terrible loss for them.
"To lose one parent would be regarded as misfortune.
"To lose both looks like carelessness."
Well, it is hardly a comedy of manners, is it?
I am sorry,
I was thinking of our poorunfortunate policeman,
and Wilde's play, "The Importance of being Ernest"
popped into my mind,
and that wonderfully wicked line.
Look, sometimes when life become too painful,
the only thing to do is laugh at it.
Of course I sympathize with those poor girls.
I could have bitten my tongue immediately.
I am sorry, you will have to forgive me.
I have had a rather trying couple of days.
What with the business of the discovery of the watch,
Ernest and his snake bite,
I loathe snakes!
I have a morbid fear of them.
The Legend of the Lampton Worm terifies me,
and I could never have come to your party in a million years.
Well then why do you torture yourself palying snkes and ladders?
I really do not know.
It is a campulsion.
As a child, I was in a coma for ten days as a result of a snake bite,
and ever since I have had a revulsion for them.
And also a terrible lascination.
I am afraid I am a bit of a schizophrenic.
Well you woukd have to be to paly snkes and ladders with yourself.
Look, I would like to help.
That is very sweet of you, but I do not see how you can.
Well, perhaps by making you face your fears.
Come to terme with them.
I thought that is what I was doing with my silly game.
Rosebud.
I beg your pardon?
I am sorry.
I am little tired just now.
If you will excuse me.
Of course. Forgive me.
May I see you again?
Yes. I would like that very much.
She is still feeling bit queezy,
so the doctor gave her a sedative and sent her to bed.
She will be right as rain tomorow, I an sure.
Well then send her my love in the morning.
Righty ho!
No I am going to get an early night myself.
I am fairly knackered.
Me, too. I am up in spiral.
Maybe we should meet up for a drink tomorrow.
That would be nice. Sweer dreams.
You, too. Good night.
Confound it, Peters.
You have broken my dream.
Beg pardon, my lord. Perhaps it is all for the best.
Yes.
I am not going to make it to the breakfast table.
Please, could you just bring me a cup of coffee?
Very well, my lord.
My God!
What do you make of that?
One would appear to be a facsimile of the other, my lord.
Well do you not find that surprising?
Not so, my lord.
Legend has it that Stone Rigg Cavern
was the lair of the Lampton Worm.
Well that is news to me.
I suppose I have not been there since childhood.
Draw me a bath, would you, Peters?
Very well, my lord.
Thanks, Angus.
Here we go again.
Wait and see.
I think you will find the path goes all the way up through
the woods right up to the cavern.
How do you know?
You said you had not been here since you were a child.
Only in my dreams.
This place is becoming like a second home!
Speak for yourself.
We have been through this place with a fine tooth comb
and found nothing more significant than bat shit.
It is a complete waste of time.
What on earth do you hope to find?
The Lampton Worm.
You are crazy.
He is potty!
Possibley.
But your father's watch was found in this cave.
The very place where my ancestor is reputed
to have done battle with the worm.
Let's have some of that tea, Mary.
It is for later.
We have Scotch for later.
That is scarcely a logical connection.
Anyway, Sir John Lampton made halves of the worm.
Ah, but what happens when you slice a worm in two?
Don't be dafe!
Anyway, that was hundreds of years back.
That is like saying "yesterday" in archaeological terms.
Is that not so, Angus?
He has a point there.
Here. Have your tea.
You will be saying it is the Loch Ness Monster next.
Out for a stroll.
Scores of people have seen it, too.
Ay. On the way home from the pub.
Look, it is just feasible that, given the right conditions,
a species long considered extinct could survive.
In water, that is possible, I will grant you.
But a land based creature, no matter how cunning,
would be sighted either feeding or stalking its prey.
That is true.
That is how they will catch the yeti.
What has all this got to do with our dad's watch?
I do not know. Nothing probably.
There. That is where they found the watch.
Yes, and what is that?
It says "cave drawing".
It is a primitive drawing etched on the wall over there.
Must have been a lavatory wall. Disgusting.
Kinky lot, primitive man.
Have you not heard of it?
Surprosed, you being a local lad and all.
No, my parents never really encouraged me to come here.
Maybe that is why!
I would like to see it.
It is not worth looking at.
Come. I will show you.
I will stay here.
Me, too. Fancy a sandwich, Eve?
Lovely place for a picnic.
All right, then.
Cood heavens.
So they had women's lib even in those days.
That is one way of looking at it.
My guess is that it is some sort of fertility symbol.
Or a signpost?
Satisfied?
Well, I have heard of penis envy, but that is ridiculous.
Scarcely that.
Half male. Half female.
Capable of the ultimate self-fulfillment.
Like hermaphrodite.
Or the common earthworm.
Or even the Lampton Worm.
That would explain how it might survive
over hundreds or thousands of years.
This is daft.
We could have stayed at home by the fire with a good biology book.
I am freezing. Can we go now?
I just want to take a look at the place where the watch was found.
We have looked there a hundred times.
Well, let us make it a hundred and one and call it quits.
We should have called it quits yesterday.
All right, so they found the watch there. What of it?
Chances are it was hidden away here by someone.
Someone who thought it would never be found.
And you are dragging in dragons
and worms and serpents and Lord Knows what.
Next, you will be suggesting those poor folk
were gobbled up in here by some of Loch Ness Monster!
- That is horrible! - Who swallowad everything but the watch!
I cannot believe it!
No, it swallowed the watch, too.
And passed it, undigested.
Are you out of your mind?
Was there any trace of excrement nearby?
You have completely flipped, man.
Was there?
Of course not.
It was found in a shallow subterranean spring.
Where does it come from?
I do not know.
It just bubbles through a narrow fissure in a rock fall.
Too small for anyone or anything to pass through?
Too small for anything much larger than a watch, yes.
Take me there, please.
Well I do not know.
This is crazy.
Where did you get such an idea?
I do not know.
Please, let us just have one more final look, while we are here.
I do not want to go.
Then I will not go.
Then none of us should go.
Mary knows this place better than anyone.
Look, you go along, Mary.
One of us should be home getting the visitor's teas ready.
You know how they go on if it is not on the table waiting.
You sure you will be all right?
Stop your mothering.
Right, then, I suppose if I do not go,
I will never hear the last of it.
We will not be long.
Keep the cozy on the pot.
Thanks, Eve. I will bring you back a diamond.
Take care, now. Watch yourself
Eve.
Oh, Eve.
Eve, I feel so silly.
I saw a little kitten up here that could not get down,
so I climbed up.
Now it is gone,
and I do not scem to be able to get down myself.
If you could just stretch up your hand,
that is it, and I will steady myself.
Thank you.
You look tired, Eve.
Do you want to rest?
You are weary.
Come with me.
Come with me and take your ease at Temple House awhile.
Come with me.
It is no distance at all.
Your time has come, Eve.
Disrobe.
Do you believe in reincarnation, Eve?
I do. But then, I am immortal.
And I have seen the same souls
inhabit different beings throughout history.
I have seen you before, Eve.
Many centries ago.
In the time of my lover, the great Emperor Carousias.
Yes, I can see you now, on your knees,
blindly worshipping your false God.
Fancy praying to a God who was nailed to a wooden cross.
Who looked up his brides in a convent.
Did they really enjoy themselves?
Poor little virgins, masturbaying in the dark.
And then in penance
for their sins indulging in flagellation
until their bodies wept tears of blood?
Captive virgins, hmmm?
In the hands of an impotent god.
Dionin will have none of that Eve.
As you should have learned when your Order
attempted to build a convent over my sacred temple.
That is enough.
We do not want you to catch your death.
Just yel. Do we, love?
Come here.
Dionin has a propensity fof virgins, Eve.
Just like your falsc God.
Problem is, they are so hard to come by these days.
Aren't they, Eve?
And you see, only vitginsare really
eligible for human sacrifice.
Those who have been sullied are merely offered...
to satisfy his voracious appetite.
I wonder what your fate will be, Eve.
Yes. You have been a good girl, Eve.
You will have the honor of being sacrificod to Dionin alive.
Now.
Where did you tell the others you were going?
I told them I was going home to get the tea.
They must be wondering what has happened to you.
You will telephone the farm and tell your sister...
what shall we tell your sister.
Tell her you are at Darby central
about to catch the next train to London.
Tell her the strain of it all has been too nuch for you,
and you are going away
Tell her not ot worry, you will contact her soon.
Right. The telephone is on the bar.
Make the call now.
And make it convincing.
Hello. Mercy Farm.
Hello, Mary. This is Eve.
Mary, I am at Darby Central.
I have got to get away for awhile.
Eve, what is wrong?
Nothing.
It is just that I cannot take the strain of it all.
I am going to London for a few days' peace and quiet so...
oh, Mary!
Eve, what is wrong? Tell me.
- Don't go! I will come and. - Dionin!
Dionin!
What was all that about?
I do not know.
She said she was at Darby Central, on her way to London.
Whatever for?
Wants to get away, she says.
But it is just not like her.
And that scream!
Dionin! Why did we leave her?
Shall I ring the station?
I do not like to fuss.
No, I think we had better, Mary.
She may have had another attack. Do you have the number?
I will do it.
There is a Ray somebody there at enquiries.
Dionin.
Where did she pick that up, I wonder?
Well she was muttering something like
that when I found her upstairs yesterday.
Dionin was a pagan snake god.
Well why did you not say so before?
You have only just mentioned it yourself, man.
Well, I have only just remembered it.
Hello, Enquiries?
Is that you, Ray?
Ray, Oh, yes, yes. I meant Roy.
It is Mary Trent, here. Mercy Farm.
Yes, yes. Bed and breakfast.
Oh, you were here last summer.
Easter. Easter, of course.
Yes, I would love to Ray Roy.
But listen.
I do not have much time.
It is about Eve.
My sister, yes.
Could you take a look on the platform?
Well she has just rung me from the station and we got.
No. No, no. The Landon side.
Yes. We got cut off.
Well I have to speak to he before she catches the London train.
Yes. Yes. It is most important.
Thank you.
And if she is not there?
Hello.
I can give her the message. Mary is not here just now.
I see.
Well, if you do catch sight of her, perhaps you could give us a ring here at Marcy Farm.
Thanks very much.
No sign of her.
The train has just gone.
We could have saved ourselves the trouble.
She has not taken a thing.
And I cannot see the clothes she was wearing anywhere.
So she never came back.
Somebody has got her.
They are holding her against her will. I know it.
You know no such thing. Take it easy.
Look,
have you ever known her to behave like this before?
Of course not!
Or ever mentioned this word "didonin"?
No! Never!
Well then, her disappearance could, conceivably,
have something to do with this pagan god.
You are bonkers.
We should phone the police.
Wait, Mary. Let's hear what he has to say.
Well, I do not know exactly what I have got to say,
this is just going to be off the top of my head.
Come on, man. If you have something to say, say it!
All right. You find a skull.
A prehistoric skull.
Is it conceivable that it could heve been the skull of a giant snake?
Aye. It is possible, but...
Okay.
And before it has been properly identified,
it disappears.
It was stolen.
Very possibly.
And on the same site, you uncover a mosaic
of a giant snake dating from the Roman occupation.
Well, there could be a connection, if that is what you are driving at.
The Romans often assimilated ethnic religions into their own.
The skull could well have been venerated into their own.
What does all this have to do with Eve?
Quite a lot when you consider that hallucination.
Aye. She saw a snake then, right enough.
And a cross. Do not forget that.
She does not go to church or any of that stuff,
but she is quite religious, is Eve.
It seems to me that there is some kind of confliet going on here.
And if Angus is right, and it is also the site of a convent,
then it is a conflict between Christianity and some early pagan cult,
possibly even involving humansacrifice.
The cave drawing would indicate that.
You are not suggesting E...
Which way would Eve have walked home?
Through the grove, of course.
It is the only footpath.
And why is Temple House so called?
Everyone knos that from school.
It was the site of an old temple.
It is obvious from the name!
The same way it is obvious that Stone Rigg Cavern
has something to do with the Lampton Worm.
Maybe there is a connection.
You will be saying there is a connection between
all this and Erny's snake bite next.
And snakes and ladders.
What do you mean, snakes and ladders?
Lady...
Sylvia...
Marsh.
I have switched on the front lights, my lord.
The men have carried the loudspeakers up to the tower, my lord,
commected the extension cable as instrued.
The equipment has been tested, and would appear to be in working order.
So if there is nothing further you require tonight, then sir I will be...
Peters, I am completely at a loss.
I could have sworn that somewhere in his North African collection,
my father had something that sounded suspiciously
like the music of a snake charmer.
Yet all I can find is this solitary disc labelled "Turkish Charmers".
Could it be this, do you think?
That certainly conjures to mind, a Turkish Charmer, my Lord.
One of the feminine gender your father encountered in Istanbul.
She was what is euphemistically known as a belly dancer?
May we try the "B" side, my lord?
Well, what do you think?
I recall His Lordship's very words.
"That would charm the Lampton Worm itself out from its hole, Peters.
I remember it worked extremely well with a King Cobra, my lord.
Well then put your bicycle clips on, Peter I am expecting company.
Angus, what is it? Come on!
This is bizarre!
What?
This.
It is only a statue.
Loads of people have them like that.
Not one that has him.
Marcus Carousias. The rebel emperor.
He is the one on the coins you found on the dig.
Aye.
So?
He certainly would have known about this pagan religion,
may even have been involved.
And what is he doing in Lady Sylvia's hall?
What is it?
It is a mongoose.
Traditional enemy of the snake.
Mum!
Hello James. Is that you.
No? Oh, I see.
Look, could you please give him an urgent message.
Yes, sir.
Yes. Very good, sir.
I will inform His Lordship right away. Will you.
Was that for me? Was that Mister Flint?
Well, judging from his accent, it might very well have been, sir.
But the gentleman hung up before I could ascertain.
What did he say exactly?
"It is working like a charm.
Take care. She is on her way."
Great!
Great, great, great.
I have locked up for the night, my lord. Will that be all?
You mean you have closed the front door?
And locked it as usual, my lord.
But I deliberately left it open, so would you kindly go and unlock it,
and then tell the chambermaids to lock themselves in their rooms.
Unlock the front door and lock up the chambermaids.
Very well, my lord.
Hello, police. Give me the police.
Well yes of course it is an emergency.
Lampton Hall.
Yes, this is Lord Hampton. And could you please.
Hello.
Angus. Yes.
Yes, it did work up to a point.
Yes, I got her, but not before she got Peters.
And it is not who we were expecting, either.
How did you guess?
What?
Oh, my God.
What, her own daughter?
Yeah. Yeah, is she all right?
Yes, I extracted the poison before it could do any harm.
She is in bed now, resting.
But it is evident her poor mother was less fortunate...
for when the venom attacks the nervous system,
the victim appears to be affliced with a form of vampirism.
So, if we are going to combat this thing,
I am going to need a little time for research.
You going to be all right up there on your own?
Yes, I will be all right, thank you.
You carry on with your research by all means,
I have a few theories of my own I would like to put into practice.
Yes, that is correct.
You do not hear music playing in the background.
Well, we had a power cut.
I expect the record player turned itself off automatically.
Right. If it makes you happy, I will check.
Thanks for the warning.
I think we probably have another reptile loose on the premises.
Yeah, look, do not keep asking if I am going to be all right.
Of course I am bloody well going to be all right.
The police are on their way, if that is any comfort.
Yeah. And you take care.
Take care of Mary.
I will do my best. Bye.
Mary, can I come in?
Mary, your mother is at rest.
I have been half ecpecting you.
We need you.
To identify the body.
Why? You have known her yourself for years.
I know, Mary, but we have to do it by the book.
It must be next of kin.
I am expecting Angus back any moment.
We will not be long.
You can always call him from the station if you are worried.
I will get my coat.
It must have been around midnight I got the call.
"Emergency, Lampton Hall".
Came in just as I was going off duty.
As ussual.
Alway catch you just as you are about to get your head down.
I thought it might be a simpke breaking and entering.
A wonder they have not been burgled,
all those valuables up there.
Certainly was not expecting to find a couple of corpses, I can tell you.
Peters had a broked neck, and your mother,
well I suppose you could say she had been fatally wounded.
But what really happened?
What about James?
He was unharmed, if that is what you mean.
But where is he now?
He is helping with our enquiries.
You mean he is locked up?
We can get to the bottom of it, yes.
His present story needs a great deal of verfication.
Will I be able to see him.
That depends.
When we get to the station
I want you to put out a missing person' s call for Eve.
Eve?
Oh, no! What has happened, love?
Where are er going?
This is not the way to the police station!
We are picking up Lady Sylvia Marsh on the way.
Because of allegations brought by Lord James,
we are bringing her in for questioning.
I see.
Now. Tell me more about Eve.
If you do not mind, I would rather wait until we get to the station.
Of course.
You rest easy, lass.
Will you not come in?
Can I stay here?
She sounded a bit edgy on the phone.
Seeing you will reassure her, like.
Right.
Watch those cylinders.
That gas is toxic.
And be very careful with the pump.
If anything happens to that,
we will not be able to force the gas through the fissure.
Light, please. Thank you.
Right, now follow me and keep close.
It is my belief that then is some form of crature,
probably carniverous, trapped beneath us in a subterranean cave.
When I adjust the burner, we will smoke him out.
From now on, everyone is to maintain absolute silence.
Oh, Dionin, who dwelt in peace in the Garden of Eden.
Dionin, who gave us the gift of know ledge,
Dionin, who suffered the wrath of the false God,
Dionin, who was driven from Eden by the fales God,
Dionin, who was trodden underfoot by the son of man,
Dionin, who returned to the darkness,
Dionin, whose kingdom is darkness,
Dionin, who makes safe our darkness,
Dionin, who is darkness,
Dionin, the immortal,
accept this, our sacrifice,
Darkness eternal,
Dionin!
Dionin who came forth from the darkness,
Dionin who dwelt in peace in the Garden of Eden,
No time for ritual, no time for ceremony.
You go on. I am going back.
What are you doing?
No! Angus!
And run like hell!
Holy shit!
What are you doing?
Just in case there is a scratch that gets infected by the venom.
I had it analyzed.
This is the antidote.
What if it does not work?
Well it worked on me all right, though by Jesus it took its time.
I thought I was goner.
You stay here.
I am going to phone for an ambulance.
Thanks.
Where would you say that was?
Looks like it is over the grove, somewhere.
Do you think it could be over Temple House?
Could be.
What are you up to now?
Now it is a pint at the local.
Tell the chaps, I will catch you up.
Just back from the Highland Games?
You picked a fine time to go pot holing.
I have developed rather a taste for it.
Might even go back tomorrow.
With more smoke?
Dynamite, I thought.
I have saved you the trouble.
Damn!
I wanted to do a good deed, like bold Sir John.
You smoked out the worm and saved our skins.
That should do you.
The girls are both okay. Do not worry.
So how did you know it was there?
Well it was the watch.
Since it disappeared in the vicinity
of Temple House and reapppeared
in the cavern, there had to be a connection.
Underground.
The rockfall that trapped the creature centuries ago proved
to be a refuge as well as a prison.
It survived.
Thanks to the likes of Lady Sylvia,
whose final human sacrifice was herself.
Well that is real devotion for you.
Aye. She is gone for good now, and her final acolyte along with her.
Poor Erny.
So she got him, too?
He told Mary you were locked up in the police ststion.
That is a lie.
I split before he came.
The whole place was becoming like a reptile house.
Anyway, I would never have gotten my act together in a prison cell.
I suppose it is all going to take a little bit of explaining.
It seems we both have a little explaining to do.
Perhaps we should give ourselves up together.
Well, yeah, but after we have had a drink with the girls, do you not think?
Where are they, by the way?
I guess they are in the local hospital by now.
In the hospital?
Just a precaution in case of delayes shock.
Do not be alarmed.
By Christ, have I am tale to tell you.
I can hardly wait.
Send them my love if it is.
Hello, Mercy Farm.
Angus Flint speaking.
Oh, hello. Mister Flint.
It is Derby Hospital research lab, here.
I had almost given up hope.
Yes, we have been rining you on and off for over an hour.
No, my name is Nurse Gladwell, I am Doctor Blake's assistant.
No, he has gone home.
Well it is just to say there has been a silly mistake.
It is my fault, really.
You were given the wrong serum.
It is for the relief of arthritis.
No, it is no good for snake bites at all,
but we will not be getting many of them this time of year, will we?
I have your antidote here.
You can collect it tomorrow.
And if at the same time you could.
There we are.
Give her in.
So was that the hospital?
Hospital?
Yeah. You thought it might be the girls.
No. It was not the girls.
Good.
Well, I do not know about you, but I am famished.
Shall we stop on the way for a bite?
Why not?
Right.