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The bodies of young women have been found near Dikanka village.

A horseman was always seen not far from the crime scene.

Four feast days, four murders.

There were 13 girls in my vision.

4 are already dead.

9 more may die.

And the last victim will be

Lisa Danishevskaya.

Those who died at the farm shall be buried tomorrow.

They died because of Mr. Investigator.

If we bury him at the same time as them, all hell will break loose... Civil unrest.

Stop this lynching at once.

Get out of here, you morons!

I am completely convinced that Count Danishevsky is the horseman.

Saddle up, gentlemen.

Lisa?

Just you remember, little sister, you'll never beat me.

At least I'm not an old maid, with no takers!

What? You little snake!

Hey, you rascals!

You should be seeing father off!

We're coming!

163 YEARS AGO

Sorry, Pa, we got delayed.

Waving your swords about again?

- It's almost sinful! - But you taught us!

Grown-up girls, behaving like reckless young boys.

Maria, I have some good news for you.

I've finally found you a fiancé.

There he is - your destiny.

Moisei Shilo, from Chernihiv.

His wife died just last year.

Do me a favor, don't refuse him.

Pa, I won't! He's as old as Grandpa's chain mail!

Stop this nonsense.

He's brave, wealthy, his own master. He'll make a good husband.

- We'll have a wedding when we return! - But Pa...

Don't be defiant! Or you'll die an old maid.

My Cossack brothers,

a gang of barbaric Poles

are destroying our Ukrainian farms.

Their leader... is a lost soul -

a thief and a murderer.

Casimir of Masovia.

They say that he is a warlock too!

But I say...

that's a load of Polish nonsense!

The lord hetman sent me an order to capture Casimir alive.

And then to publicly execute the criminal

for all of his evil-doings!

We'll give his Poles

such a good thrashing,

that they won't come near us again, poking around their noses or their...

their elbows!

Right then, Cossacks!

Let's go have a good time!

Aye!

But Lisa... I don't understand.

How...how is this possible?

I had to do it. To survive.

Nikolai.

There we go.

GOGOL

CHAPTER 8 A TERRIBLE VENGEANCE

Devised by ALEXANDER TSEKALO

ONE MONTH LATER

I won't marry that old fool.

I'd rather kill myself.

Stop talking nonsense.

Nothing wrong with him.

Easy for you to say. You won't have to sleep with him.

You wouldn't marry an old man.

Something tells me I'll never get married.

Why's that?

Because I don't love anyone,

- don't know how. - Little snake!

So I must marry one I don't love, but you don't have to?

Oh, look...

Ostap, what happened?

The Poles crushed us.

Wiped us out.

- What do you mean? - Where's father?

Lord Danila...

and your fiancé, Moisei,

tried to take on that damned Casimir of Masovia.

Only, it looks like he really is a warlock.

No bullet could take him down, no sword, nor arrow.

He smashed Moisei and his horse into pieces,

then cut off...

Lord Danila's head

and put it up on a spike.

Then the Poles took the fortress on the shore.

They'll be here any day now.

Flee, before it's too late.

Did you hear what he said?

Gather your things! You need to leave.

We're not going anywhere.

Good Lord! What do you mean?

BASED ON NIKOLAI GOGOL’S WORKS

Remember you told us an old witch lives in the forest?

Yes, if she hasn't died already.

Where can we find her?

We're begging you! Just help us!

Is there a way to conquer the warlock?

The warlock cannot die. His dark power is strong.

But there is one way to subdue him.

If you can lock this enchanted ring around the warlock's neck,

he will lose his power at once.

And while this ring is around his neck, he is mortal.

Wait.

You have in mind a foul, ungodly thing.

Vengeance is for sinners.

It won't bring you happiness,

but it may bring you all kinds of trouble.

The Lord will punish you with the power of the trinity!

Turn back before it's too late.

So, gentlemen, the ring subdues all kinds of warlocks and witches.

It's the only one of its kind.

I'd lost all hope of finding it,

when suddenly, I happened to come across it

in an antique shop in Kherson.

The half-wit had no idea what it was.

I bargained with him and got this chest and ring

at literally half price.

But, Mr. Gogol, why the face?

Do you pity her?

Believe me, if she turned into the horseman,

she wouldn't have pity on anyone.

Take a look, gentlemen,

it seems the young horsewoman has woken up.

Although, she may not be so young after all.

Please excuse my audacity, most charming Mrs. Danishevskaya,

but - how old are you, little one?

Let me guess...

somewhere around 180 years old? Am I right?

180 years...? How is that possible?

"There is more in heaven and earth, Horatio,

than is dreamt of in your philosophy."

It's Hamlet. Haven't you read it?

It's definitely cozier here than in that drafty cavern.

You could catch a cold there, start sneezing.

Do witches sneeze?

No, no, gentlemen. Take the dead outside.

One never knows, they may start to stink.

Send someone to the village right away to summon our people.

And I will need a carriage to send the detainee to St. Petersburg.

What?

You want to take the criminal away?

Dare I remind you, I am to carry out an interrogation and compile a report.

I hereby release you from the obligation.

I'll interrogate her myself.

- Then I wish to be present. - As do I.

And I wish that you would carry out my instructions!

Remove the bodies.

Mr. Binkh, Mr. Gogol, as the youngest among us,

hurry to the village for assistance!

- But Mr. Guro... - I already said

no.

So how do we get to this evil Casimir?

Apparently, he is a terrible womanizer.

So?

So a charming captive will seduce him.

That's a clever plan.

Who'll be the captive?

You.

[speaking Polish]

Stop. Who goes there?

A captive for Lord Casimir.

If I may be so bold, I have brought a young captive for your entertainment.

A very nice captive. Well done.

You will be rewarded.

I already have been.

How are you?

We need to go.

If you don't mind, I'll help myself?

It's such hard work, you know?

I haven't had a bite to eat since yesterday.

You certainly led us on a wild goose chase, Mrs. Horsewoman.

I'm ashamed to say, we thought your husband was the murderer.

Danishevsky was never my husband.

He was my servant.

30 years ago, I started to look for a person

who would be able to make a special potion -

a sort of medicine -

which would help me to remain in human form for longer,

when my time came to turn into the black horseman.

Danishevsky was just the person,

from an ancient line of mortal Polish warlocks.

When we first met, he was just a boy.

He fell in love with me, but I couldn't return his love.

And so, he begged for my permission

to stay by my side

and serve me to the end of his days.

Well, to his credit...

he kept his word.

Can we stop for a while, little sister?

Let's stop for the night at those cliffs.

I reckon the Poles won't attack us any more,

when they find out Casimir is gone.

Back at the farm we'll hand him over,

they can take him to the hetman.

And this evil spirit will get his deserves.

What do you think they'll do to him?

Breaking wheel, I reckon.

Then he'll be quartered.

He can die like a dog.

Maria,

we need to hurry.

It will get dark soon.

Good night, gorgeous.

Be quiet.

Wait, just a few words.

I have no words for you. You killed my father.

Because he wanted to kill me.

It's war.

You're godless.

Don't smooth-talk me.

I have lived for 200 years now,

and grown weary of all these...

wars and power battles.

It is repentance and love that will

bring about my salvation.

Given the chance, I would leave it all.

I would put on sackcloth and ashes

and pray in a cave to the Lord for his forgiveness.

And for your love.

Then I guess a different fate awaits you.

My fate is in your hands.

Since I set eyes on you, I can see only you.

My lips are still tingling from when I kissed you.

I am sinful, it's true.

I have had many women.

But none has caused me to repent before God, to gain her love.

Please do me a favor...

kiss me.

I want that feeling again,

before I enter eternal suffering.

Sister!

Go get some sleep.

I'll keep a watch on him.

Don't you find Mr. Guro's conduct offensive?

We did the work in this investigation.

And so we deserve to be present at the interrogation.

Mr. Gogol,

don't you want to know?

What's your point?

There ought to be a back door somewhere.

My sweetheart!

Come over here.

May the Lord bless and keep you.

Set me free, and see how my soul is grateful to you.

I shall love you forever.

Free me, and only death shall part us.

Take this ring off me.

Stop!

Don't do it, Maria.

He's clouded your senses, you silly girl.

Indeed, little sister,

it seems you are more clever than I am.

But at least I am able to love.

And I fight better!

Come to your senses! When have I wronged you?!

Lisa, don't blacken your soul.

Don't send me to the underworld.

Stop!

- Beware divine retribution! - I am your retribution!

You shall be cursed forever more!

I condemn you to eternal suffering.

Now you cannot die!

But every 30 years, you must sacrifice 12 girls,

and one who has been resurrected.

You will have until the night of Celestial Svarog.

And if you don't, you shall die!

Hell shall open wide before your eyes,

and you'll burn in the lake of Gehenna forever.

Farewell, dark witch!

Twelve plus one.

Correct?

I have studied the accounts of the murders

which took place in these parts previously.

And I could not understand your system.

But, eventually, one fine day, I understood!

Hear me out and don't interrupt, agreed?

We don't really want those horns again.

So...

60 years ago, you killed a dozen girls here,

and your 13th victim was the fat old wife of a priest.

30 years ago, you again killed 12 girls

and the 13th victim was a young Cossack.

And so I decided to find out,

who these mysterious, thirteen, victims were?

And guess what? I figured it out!

The priest's wife was a local wonder.

She once choked on a cherry stone at a wedding.

She began to wheeze, turned blue and then dropped to the floor, dead!

They were certain she was dead.

But suddenly, some fellow came running over,

grabbed and shook her so hard,

the stone came out and she came back to life!

So they called her "the resurrected one". But not for long.

A month later, she went to pick mushrooms and berries in the forest,

where you slaughtered her.

In the gorge, actually.

You know better than I. Do correct me...

if I get something wrong.

A similar situation with the Cossack,

lying around on a haystack when he was struck by lightning.

Struck and killed. 30 minutes, and he's not taken a breath.

Then in some remarkable way, he comes back to life again.

But he too could not bask in this miracle for long,

for in only two days, they found him lying murdered on the same haystack.

I compared these two cases,

and thought to myself, what if this third time,

the horseman will need another resurrected person?

Which is why I brought Mr. Gogol here with me.

I heard his story.

He was dead at birth, but then somehow, brought back to life.

So, I decided to catch the horseman using "live bait" so to speak.

As in...

using Gogol.

Only, for some strange reason, you just wouldn't take the bait!

You resurrected that poor water nymph, just to kill her again.

Why make it all so complicated?

Initially, it was to be Gogol.

But I told Danishevsky to find me another victim.

I wouldn't have been able to kill him.

Well I never...

That is to say, I beg your pardon...

you fell in love?!

I'm amazed.

- I must admit... - Enough!

Do what you want with me.

Take me to St. Petersburg.

Let them condemn and execute me.

With this ring around my neck, it won't be difficult to hang me.

Why such a hurry to leave this world?

I have no desire to hand you over to the so-called justice system.

I have quite different plans for you.

Vasilina!

We didn't find her in the village,

there's no chance of finding her in this darkness!

You shouldn't have come! The doctor's more sober than you.

Vasilina!

Be quiet.

It's somewhere there.

Just don't hiccup!

Vasilina...

what have you done...

little one?

You see, I am here in Dikanka under orders of the secret police...

and I am also here on behalf of Count Benckendorff's secret society.

It is a gathering of the most influential people in Russia,

with its own aims and purposes.

For the good of the fatherland, of course.

And what would your almighty society want me for?

We are interested...

in the secret to eternal life.

And we sincerely hope that you will... share this secret with us.

And if I refuse to help you?

Well then, I'm afraid, something... awful might happen

to your beloved young writer.

He might drown somewhere or die in a fire.

You know, however I prefer.

I believed you.

And you turned out...

to be a bastard.

Firstly, it is impolite to eavesdrop.

Secondly, why are you not carrying out my orders?

We are no longer obliged to do so,

as you are hiding a criminal from justice. You are under arrest.

Papa, forgive me for being a witch!

Will you stop loving me now?

Little one!

Forgive me.

I love you just the way you are.

That's sobered me up!

Papa, my doll says that Mr. Gogol and Mr. Binkh are in danger.

What?

We must hurry.

Easy there, don't get so excited, Mr. Binkh.

Honestly, you're quite excitable.

Will you concede there are things you don't know?

Undoubtedly your diligence will be rewarded,

just as I promised.

I have on me an order for your appointment

as Chief of Police of St. Petersburg, signed by Count Benckendorff.

So it's up to the Tsar, which is easy.

Mr. Binkh,

you wanted to serve the fatherland, so here's your chance.

Power and authority are yours. Do some good!

So as they say, let's get down to business!

You could arrest me, make a scene.

The best you can hope for is exile.

And the worst - the gallows.

So, it would seem you don't have a choice.

Put the pistol down.

You are right.

I've no choice.

Lisa!

What have you done?!

Well, you said we should get down to business!

No.

I won't exile you.

I'll put you in a lunatic asylum, among the insane!

- The ring... - Lisa!

take it off.

I can't breathe.

I'll have you run the gauntlet, as 200 whips will lacerate your skin!

I'll leave you to rot in a dungeon!

You pathetic idiot!

Gogol!

Mr. Gogol, listen to me.

I beg you not to interrupt.

I have never loved anyone.

I thought I was heartless, that I'd never love.

But when I met you, I felt it for the first time...

love.

I was supposed to sacrifice you. But I didn't.

But you... sacrificed others.

You killed many people...

- innocents... - I didn't choose this life.

It's my curse. Surely you understand?

For you too are cursed, you are a dark one.

We are on the same side.

Yes, we are both cursed,

but... we are not on the same side.

I beg you to forgive me. Give me a chance to make amends.

We'll go far away from here.

We still have almost 30 years ahead of us.

And then I will die.

Because I no longer want to kill anyone.

As for 30 years, you're getting ahead of yourself.

What do you want, old woman?

Oh, you little snake.

I'm not all that old.

Only five years older than you,

little sister.

Maria?

Is there anything your heart desires, Maria?

Yes.

To go back to the world of the living and seek revenge.

Then so it shall be.

What's this?

What's going on?

You will go back,

and if you succeed in taking revenge,

you can stay in the world of the living,

to serve me on Earth.

This form is to ensure you don't enjoy life on Earth.

Your youth will return to you when the time comes to take revenge.

Well, hello little sister.

I have waited such a long time for this day.

You robbed me of my only love.

I have waited all this time for you to finally fall in love.

Almost two whole centuries have passed,

and only this young man has succeeded in melting your icy heart.

Thank you.

You have done me a valuable service.

So now watch as he dies.

They've been dead for four hours already.

What about my master?

From here, I'll go on alone.

- Don't step foot in there. - You won't go on your own, my girl!

Little one!

Mr. Gogol!

Mr. Gogol...

Lisa, turn back into the horseman again,

and use your power against her, or else she'll...

she'll kill you.

That's not what I need my power for.

Forgive me for everything.

I love...

Stop, witch!

Do not lay a finger on Mr. Gogol.

You stay out of this.

Go play with your dolls.

Excellent work, Mr. Gogol.

Bravo!

I didn't succeed in seizing the younger witch,

so I'll have to settle for the older one.

Congratulations!

Ah, but Mr. Investigator, no need for foolishness, now.

I have one bullet left and no desire to waste it on you.

Get a hold of yourself, Mr. Gogol, and listen.

I find you a most pleasing fellow.

I would like to recommend you for membership of our secret society.

Think about it.

You could join the ranks of the most powerful people in the country!

And your books...

By the way, I am sure a brilliant future awaits you.

And with our help, you could become

the most published author of our times.

Pushkin will simply die of envy!

Make up your mind!

I... don't want to have anything in common

with someone like you.

Well, that's rather what I expected.

Foolishness is an inherent characteristic of youth.

So go ahead!

Keep on living your sorry existence.

Scurry off with all your quirks, your fears, and dreams,

let's part on good terms.

But one piece of advice.

From one friend to another, Mr. Gogol.

May God forbid that you should

ever get in my way.

Well, sir, praise the Lord ye angels.

It's all over now.

Can we go back to St. Petersburg?

Papa, could you make me a new doll?

Gentlemen,

this investigation and the happenings here

are highly confidential.

You are all now guardians of a state secret.

Just imagine the consequences of disclosing it.

Well...

may the dead not be forgotten,

and may the wounded make a speedy recovery.

Mr. Gogol,

I imagine you will remember these...

curious evenings on a farm near Dikanka for a while yet.

See you in St. Petersburg!

A. BINKH 1788 - 1829

Mr. Binkh was an honorable man.

Sadly, the concept of honor

has been rather lost lately.

Mr. Binkh always fought against evil in all of its different forms.

He never compromised with it.

Honorable people come and go yet evil remains unconquered.

It lives and grows.

Therefore, all that we can do

is simply hope for God's judgement.

He will repay all people according to their deeds.

I believe that He indeed will.

For what is the point of living...

if you do not have faith?

Mr. Gogol!

I will...

I will never forget you.

Thank you.

Vakula, take care of Vasilina.

God bless you.

I'll go and gather your things.

Farewell, Mr. Gogol.

Why farewell?

God willing, we shall meet again, Doctor Bomgart.

Lately, I have become quite convinced that God does not exist.

Though at times, I so want to believe that he actually does.

This is for you.

To remember me by, every so often.

ST. PETERSBURG

Sir, seeing you like this is killing me.

That's two weeks of drinking.

Couldn't you have gone to a ball, had some food?

Won't you do something at last?

Leave me alone, Yakim.

Let me at least clear up a bit.

Yakim, just leave.

Please.

Oh, sir... you should take care of yourself.

EVENINGS ON A FARM NEAR DIKANKA Short stories

Thank you.

Could I have a few words from the author?

Of course.

To whom?

Pushkin, is that you?

Of course! Who else? You bitch!

Mikhail!

Allow me introduce my friend and companion in arms,

Mikhail Lermontov.

Hello.

A young, and most promising poet.

- Hello... - Mr. Gogol,

I read your book not too long ago.

It was so amazing that I have still not quite recovered my senses.

But I'm here on a different matter.

Does the name Mr. Guro mean anything to you?

Yes...

Perhaps you know something of Count Benckendorff's secret society,

and his friends?

Unfortunately I do...

Our fraternity is fighting against him.

Would you be willing to join us?

A fraternity?

I'll explain it all over dinner,

and a case of Veuve Clicquot.

Let's go and eat, Mr. Gogol. I'm absolutely ravenous.

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