The Devil Rides Out

Hello, Nicholas.

Hello, Rex. How are you?

Fine, fine.

Where is Simon?

Well when did you last see him?

Three months ago.

Three months?

Do you think he's in trouble?

Wouldn't he have told me if he was?

Perhaps he told Richard or Marie.

No. They haven't seen him since Christmas.

Then something must be wrong.

Let's go to his club.

He isn't there anymore, Rex.

He bought a house, a large one.

What on earth for?

Exactly.

Do you know where it is?

Mr Simon Aron's house.

Mr Aron?

Good Lord.

- Nicholas! - Simon.

- Rex! - Hello, Simon.

What a wonderful surprise.

We must apologise for breaking in

on your party like this, Simon.

Oh, it isn't a party.

It's just a meeting of a little...

astronomical society I've joined.

Really?

Well, let me introduce you to the members.

Countess...

May I introduce my friends?

The Duc de Richleau.

Madame.

Enchantée.

And Rex Van Ryn.

Countess D'Urfey.

Madame.

Monsieur.

Tanith? Mr Mocata?

I'd like to introduce you to my friends.

The Duc de Richleau.

Mr Van Ryn.

Ms Carlisle.

Mr Mocata.

It's always a pleasure to meet Simon's friends.

Mademoiselle.

Monsieur.

Mr Van Ryn.

I believe we have met before.

Have we? I don't remember.

You've said you've joined an astronomical society,

have you, Simon?

We were pleased to welcome him to our circle.

Yes.

That explains why I haven't seen anything of you

for these last few months.

And why you appear to have forgotten

our reunion tonight.

Well, I was--

Would you excuse me for a moment, gentlemen?

There's something I must say to Simon.

You're friends of Simon's?

Yes, indeed, mademoiselle.

His father, Rex and I were companions

in the Escadrille Lafayette.

And when he died, you vowed to keep an eye on Simon?

Yes.

When did you join this group?

We were never told that...

I don't understand.

Surely we're not meant to be more than thirteen.

- Oh we're not members. - What?

We only stopped by to see Simon.

I just come back from the continent.

- You see we have this-- - Excuse me.

What's going on now?

We're going to be asked to leave, Rex.

Move among the guests and listen to what they have to say.

Rex, old friend.

I hate to say it, but I'm going to have to throw you out.

The meeting's due to start very shortly.

... better than you. But you must learn to control them.

Control? Yes, that's exactly what I mean.

An organisation...

Do you think we shall have a good meeting, tonight?

If the weather improves, we shall learn much.

It is here the natal conjunction which should help immeasurably...

Two years ago in Berlin,

I experienced exactly similar conditions.

That is most interesting...

Mars in conjunction with Saturn, of course.

Yes, but you mustn't call him, Abraham,

- until Deed Poll is executed. - Now why is that?

Well, there's got to be an initiation ceremony first...

This looks like a splendid wine, Simon.

And you always had excellent taste.

Nicholas, I feel dreadfully embarrassed.

I'd love to have you stay but...

Well it's not an ordinary meeting, you see, and... well...

you and Rex not being members...

Oh don't you worry about that, my dear chap.

It's perfectly alright. We both understand perfectly,

- Don't we, Rex? - Of course.

I feel terrible about missing our reunion.

Tonight's a special meeting.

We must get together very soon. Perhaps tomorrow?

Oh Simon, I see you've got an observatory here.

I'm very interested in astronomy

and I'd like to have a look

through your telescope, if I may?

I'll only be five minutes.

What do you want to look at his blasted telescope for?

I don't.

Simon, those charts.

They're not astronomical, are they?

Good Lord, no. They're just for decoration.

Relics, Middle-Ages nonsense, you know.

It's clever of you to extend the decorative scheme to the floor.

Yes.

If you'd like to see the...

Sounds like mice.

You have to go now.

What in the name of...?

You fool!

I'd rather see you dead

than meddling with black magick!

Let go of me.

I didn't ask you to come here tonight.

Even my oldest friends have no right to

butt in on my private affairs.

Will someone please...?

I'm sorry, Simon.

But I feel like a father

who sees his child trying to pick live coals out of a fire.

Will someone kindly tell me what's going on?

Chickens in a basket, diagrams on a floor.

Do these mean something to you?

It means that Simon here is playing

the most dangerous game known to mankind.

Oh, come on, Nicholas.

Rex is right. You're making too much of it.

Then you have no objection if we stay?

You aren't members of the circle.

Circle?

Society.

If we stayed, there'd be more than thirteen,

wouldn't there?

Look Simon, I think you will admit

that, whilst Rex and I have been

your closest friends for more than ten years now,

we have never at any time stressed

our age or our greater experience.

Now tonight, I'm going to break that rule.

I'm considerably older than you are, Simon, and allthough

I've never spoken about it, I've made a very deep study

of these esoteric doctrines.

I beg of you,

as I've never begged anything in my life before,

give up this desperately dangerous adventure

and leave this house with us immediately.

I can't.

Then, let us stay.

Impossible.

Put him down there, Rex.

Thank you, Max. Can you wait outside?

I wonder what he's going to say.

Nothing. I'm bringing him round to put him to sleep again.

Makes about as much sense as anything else has tonight.

Tilt the lampshade towards me, Rex.

Look into the mirror, Simon.

Look into the mirror.

Keep looking

and listen to me.

You have been hurt and your mind is troubled.

But you are with your friends now,

and there is nothing more to worry about.

I'm going to send you to sleep, Simon.

Your eyes will close as soon as I touch them.

You will wake up at ten o'clock tomorrow morning.

Your mind will be free from all pain

and from all anxiety.

Open your eyes, Simon.

Stand up.

I'm going to place this symbol of protection around your neck.

Once it is there, you will not remove it.

Now you will go directly to my bedroom,

where you will lie down

and you will fall into an immediate sleep.

Max?

Show Mr Aron to my room.

Thank God that's over.

I might agree with you,

if I knew what you were talking about.

We can certainly make good use of these.

To our reunion, Rex.

No questions?

Hocus-pocus.

Mumbo-jumbo.