Two Evil Eyes (Due occhi diabolici) (Due occhi diabolici)

To Edgar Allan Poe,

whose stories have inspired this motion picture.

Is that an accusation, Mr. Pike?

Is that some sort of an accusation, Mr. Pike?

What'd you say? Nothing. Nothing.

I thought you said something. No.

I was just talking to myself. It's nothing.

He's liquidating a substantial number of his assets here.

This represents 15, possibly 20% of his holdings.

I wouldn't know. Ernie has never talked to me much about business.

Perhaps if he'd be willing to wait until- He can't wait, Mr. Pike.

The doctors give him three weeks. Six at the most.

Ernie wants this done now.

With all the proceeds going to you.

That's right. Bad timing.

The market price on some of these stocks is lower than it's been in years.

Why doesn't he simply put these assets in your name?

I don't need assets, Mr. Pike. I need dollars to live on.

You've been remembered, quite generously, in the will.

And how long will it take to settle the estate, Mr. Pike?

Eighteen months. Two years.

Depending on- What do I do while I'm waiting?

Take a job as a waitress?

I'm not society, Mr. Pike.

I have nothing of my own.

I was a flight attendant that Ernie brought home off the red-eye...

to the shock and dismay of you and everyone else in this town.

I married a rich, old man.

I let him use me- for pleasure and for show.

Now I'm going to let him pay me for my services.

This is Ernest's signature?

Is that some sort of an accusation, Mr. Pike?

Hello, Ernie. Yes.

Yes. I'm here with Steven Pike.

I gave him the papers. I don't think he likes it very much.

Well,

are you sure you're up to it?

All right. I'll put him on.

Hello, Ernest. Hello, Steven.

How are you feeling? How's the pain?

Are you feeling much pain?

No. No pain.

Listen, Ernest.

I have these papers here- the ones you sent.

Yes?

Are you sure you want to do this?

Have you thought this through?

Yes. I want to do it, Steven.

I owe it to Jessica.

Hello? Yes?

Who is this? I'm Steven Pike, Mr. Valdemar's attorney.

Bob Hoffman, Mr. Pike. I'm Ernie's doctor.

Look. Is all this really necessary? Uh, Ernie's...

Well, he needs as much rest as he can get. So, unless this is something really urgent...

Well, Ernest is asking me to do something a bit, uh, unorthodox.

Something that's, uh, very unlike him to do.

People with Ernest's prognosis will often do surprising things, Mr. Pike.

I can assure you his mind is as sharp as ever.

I see. I see. Thank you, Doctor. I...

I hope I haven't disturbed him too much. I just don't want him agitated. That's all.

- I'm sure you understand. - Yes. Yes, of course. Yes, uh...

- Good-bye, Doctor. - Good-bye.

I'll prepare the necessary forms and mail them to you for Ernest's signature.

Well, I wouldn't want any delays. I'll stop by and pick them up.

Tomorrow morning. They'll be ready, I hope?

- They'll be ready. - Thank you.

Have a nice day, Mr. Pike.

God, he's still- Still under.

Still completely at my command.

Valdemar.

Repeat these words.

I want to do it.

I owe it to Jessica.

I want to do it. I owe it to Jessica.

Wake him up.

To the pain? To the realization that he's dying?

He's better off where he is.

Besides,

I thought if we let him sleep,

we might be able to have some time, liquidate a few assets of our own.

Robert! What if he- What? What if he hears me?

Well, I'm sure he can. Valdemar.

Do you hear me? Yes.

I hear you. Fascinating.

Somewhere deep in his consciousness he knows exactly what we're doing to him.

But when I wake him, it'll all disappear.

Like the fragments of a dream.

I don't find it fascinating.

It's morbid.

Frightening.

I'm not as... vindictive as you are.

I don't take any pleasure out of this.

He's a ruthless old man who treats people as if they were possessions.

He spent his life taking whatever he wanted without a care for anyone else.

He took you away from me. Vindictive? Yes. Yes, I am vindictive.

He didn't take me. I went.

He didn't know I was seeing you. He doesn't even realize we knew each other bef...

I want you back, Jess. Robert. Please. I can't.

Not now. I couldn't.

I-I'm having a very difficult time with this. I...

I need you to try to be sensitive to that, try to understand how hard this is for me.

- If you want me to go through with it- - You already have gone through with this. There's no turning back anymore.

What are you gonna tell Mr. Pike? "Oh, this has all been a misunderstanding.

I didn't realize my husband was under hypnosis when I asked him to sign the papers."

You won't like it in prison, Jessica. The food's awful.

And let's call a spade a spade, all right? This was your idea, not mine. I was willing to wait.

I just wanted us to be together again, but that wasn't good enough, was it?

Not after you got a taste of what it was to be rich.

- You're going to pretend you don't care about the money? - No. Of course I want the money,

but I want you too, and I thought you wanted me.

I do.

Robert, I do. Uh...

It’s just difficult...

Difficult to care about someone you know is a thief?

I know.

I have the same problem.

Valdemar. I'm going to wake you now.

When I count to five,

you will be completely awake and alert.

One...

You will not remember anything.

Two. You're starting to regain your senses.

Three. Starting to see the room.

Starting to see me.

Four.

Oh, God! The pain!

God. Can't you help him?

He'll be asleep soon. He's had his injection. There's not much else I can do.

You could stay with him. That's what you're being paid for.

You should have him in a hospital.

A man in his advanced state.

Keeping him at home. I have never seen anything like it.

In all my years of nursing, I've never seen anything like it.

Where is that bitch of a wife of mine?

Where is she?

Out spending my money.

Where is she? Where...

Jessica!

Jessica!

Jessica!

Jessica!

Two of the money market accounts are with the local bank.

Those funds are available to you now. See Mr. Pratt.

The rest is going to take some time.

How much time? Paperwork, mails,

out-of-town checks will have to clear.

Two to three weeks.

If anything should happen to Ernest,

you'll have a hard time collecting, I'm afraid.

So do your best to keep him alive, won't you?

- I'll do my best. - I'm sure you will.

This is quite a lot to be walking around with in cash, Mrs. Valdemar.

Now, we do offer a liquid asset account that would allow you to withdraw any amount...

I'll be wanting to talk to you about that.

I'll be coming into quite a large sum in the next few weeks.

Something over three million, I'm told.

And, of course, I'll be wanting to put it someplace where it will be safe.

But this- I have a need for this in cash.

Whatever you say, Mrs. Valdemar. Whenever you're ready, just give me a call.

We're, uh- We're here to please.

That's good enough, Martha. You can go.

We've not done the upstairs yet, Mrs. V. It doesn't need to be done.

It's fine. Really. You can get it next time.

If you say so, mum.

All right, people. Let's pack it up. We're leaving.

Mr. V seems in a bad way today, mum.

Yes. He's, uh, been bad for some time now.

Poor old soul. Night nurse left, and I didn't know what to do.

I'm sorry. I didn't expect to be gone so long.

That's all right. Doctor's with him now.

Oh, he's here? Good.

Sign your name, Valdemar. Sign your name on the line.

Again, Valdemar.

Here. On the line.

Sign your name again.

Done.

- Is he- - Still under.

Come here.

Are you sure you want to?

Yes.

What did you put in the safe, Jesse?

The safe?

When you came in.

I saw you put something in the safe. What was it?

Money.

You got the money. Some.

Just a little. How much is a little?

I don't know. A few thousand.

None of it mine, I suppose.

I'll have the rest in a few weeks.

Oh. Nothing for me until the job is finished. Is that it?

That's not fair.

I haven't gotten anything out of this, Jess.

Soon.

In a few weeks.

In a few weeks we'll have it all.

Just think of it. A million dollars.

A million dollars for us to share.

Mine in cash. Remember?

No checks.