01x01 - The Number of The Witch

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Lviv.

The only place on earth.

A mythical arcadia
giving warmth and solace.

Here is everything:

beginning and end, life and death.

A city like every Polish soul,

scarred by wars and suffering.

Tugged between east and west.

Here, at night, Melpomene
turns into a bloodthirsty erinys

that soars above Lviv's rooftops
looking for her prey.

Here, in the Poltva River,

the gates of Hades have opened

and let mephitis and darkness in.

The darkness reaches deeper and deeper.

ERINYES
The Goddesses of Vengeance

Chapter 1
The Number of the Witch

I CUT HIS FLESH QUICKLY WITH MY SWORD.
I WILL SLAY HIM, AND THE ERINYS –

SATISFIED WITH THE CRIME - WILL DRINK
THREE GULPS OF FRESH UNSTIRRED BLOOD.

Aeschylus,
The Libation Bearers 575-578.

LVIV CITY POLICE STATION

The victim is Luba Bajdykowa,

sixty years old, Roman Catholic.

She was a fortune teller,
I remember it well,

because it's unusual to have
such a patient.

Stonemason's helper and pigeon fancier.

Resident of Lviv,
No. 6 Skrzyński Street, basement.

He found the corpse in the attic

of the same building
at the same street.

Last time he was here a week ago.

That's what I got from him, sir.

You visit your stinkies so rarely,
Soliwoda?

Once a week?

Bloody hell, there's so much stench
and sh*t here!

The autopsy revealed
numerous syphilitic lesions,

which means she had
no more than a year to live.

In her condition, such trip
across the city was very exhausting.

She must have had a really important
reason to climb up to that dovecote.

She used the servant staircase.

What's that noise?!

What is this?!

See if anyone knows the deceased,

and if you don't have
the stomach for it – stay away!

Understood?!

As for the circumstances of death.

The blade entered the vertebral column.

Or the spinal cord.
Her death was instantaneous.

A nail driven into the forehead
can k*ll in half the cases at most.

But one driven into the spinal cord
kills always and instantly.

I don't know her.

And where is Pidhirny?

That genius of psychology?

Why isn't he here in this stink?

I notified this quack two hours ago!

Commissioner!

He couldn't get in through the roof

and there were no signs of a break-in
on the door.

Or maybe he had an appointment
with the old hag?

Reporting! No one
has identified the deceased.

Perhaps I am not
a genius of psychology,

as you noted, Aspirant Zaremba,

and perhaps I am an ordinary quack,

but I used to know
all the syphilitics in this city.

The deceased had her hair cut
above the forehead.

The perpetrator may be a pervert.

He may cut off women's hair
and get pleasure from it.

Someone dropped this envelope
in our box for anonymous tips.

There's no doubt that this is the hair
of the m*rder*d Luba Bajdykowa.

There's more.

36 Hebrew letters.

Written without spaces, in one line.

No fingerprints.

Maybe you can translate it for us,
Mr. Kacnelson?

Just because I have such a surname
doesn't mean I know Hebrew.

That reminds me, we know one Pole,

who worked here until recently

and has excellent knowledge of ancient
languages, especially Biblical Hebrew--

Not one word about Popielski!
A drunkard and degenerate.

BOMBACH'S SALOON

A rogue action, eh?

The investigation office is not
your private property, Mr. Popielski.

Police force is not for epileptics.

I myself freed Lviv from Gad!

Out of the police force!

Baldy fired from police

Lviv is finally free

The end of Commissioner Popielski

Commissioner is in low spirits today--

How about another schnapps?
For the good mood.

Are you teasing me, you brat?

Every kid on Zółkiewski knows
that I no longer work in the police.

Sorry, sir.

I've only been working here for a week,
so I don't know.

But those loonies said that this
elegant gentleman is the Commissioner.

Why, you haven't undressed yet.

Well-- what are you waiting for?

Should I give you a smack, my candy?

For your trouble.

Everything is over,

hookers, cars, money.

All that remained is the charm
of a poor Lviv dandy.

THE m*rder OF LUBA BAJDYK
m*ssacre IN DOVECOTE

- Dad.
- Yes?

Homework.

I don't have it, Professor.
I haven't done it.

I'm coming straight from sports class,
we're playing against school no. 3.

Leave and never come here
in such a state.

- What state is that?
- After sports class.

I'm sick of you and your bald head too!

Dad, why did the gentleman
leave so quickly?

Because he was not prepared
for the lesson.

He came unprepared for the lesson.

I yelled at him. You must always
be well prepared for the lesson,

otherwise Professors at school
will yell at you.

- Now, how about some yurashki?
- Yes.

You don't have time, Edward.

Besides yurashki
are too expensive for us.

Why don't we have time, Lodzia?

Because your last student
is coming in forty minutes.

You are to translate Xenophon with him.

We'll get dressed
and buy some gingerbread, right?

Yes!

Yes.

You kicked out one student
and won't see another.

We will lose five zlotys
because of this, Edward.

Don't worry, I'll pay you back double.

Okay. What should I tell
the student, when he comes?

Tell all my students only one thing.

That they should always
use soap and tooth powder.

What is it, papa?

Labyrinth.

And what is a labyrinth?

This word, son, comes from Greek.

Once upon a time,
a very wise man named Daedalus

appeared on the Greek island of Crete.

His beloved son Icarus was with him.

By order of the king of the island,
Daedalus built a prison

full of alleys and corridors,
and that's how he named it--

Labyrinth?

That's right.

The evil king used it
to imprison his son,

who was a dangerous monster.

His name was Minotaur,

and he was part man and part bull.

And then this evil king

threw both Daedalus and Icarus
into the labyrinth.

There were so many corridors
that Daedalus

struggled to find a way out
of the prison he had created.

Did his son escape with him
or was he eaten by the monster?

Daedalus made two sets of wings
from bird feathers.

And they escaped together,
soared above the island,

up to the sky, towards the sun.

That's my mom.

She was a great woman,
and we all loved her.

Your dad more than anyone.

Six years.

Bihme.

Time flies.

Mom died, when she gave birth to me.

Jerzyk--

Let's light a candle for mom.

Take this and throw it in the trash.

Will you do that for me, darling?

Listen to your aunt. Be good,
and I will have a surprise for you.

What surprise?

We have something for you.
You get presents for birthdays, right?

Yes.

Please, forgive my boldness,
Ms. Leokadia.

I just want to say that I see
how difficult this is for you.

Please, take care of yourself.
You are doing the right thing.

Not true.

I don't cope with him at all!

When it happened, I promised myself
that I would take care of him,

that I would be like a mother to him,

but I am not, I can't--

I don't want to!

It was never my calling.

I wanted to continue my studies,
get a PhD, be someone.

But my cousin--

My cousin.

This text is written
in biblical Hebrew.

No need to bother,
it was all handwritten by my assistant.

And this is the written expert opinion.

Leave it for the time being,
for God's sake!

Look here, I won't explain twice.

Your text is written in biblical style,

but in its entirety

it doesn't exist in the Old Testament.

Individual phrases, words – yes,

but the whole thing
does not exist in this form.

Do you see it, officer?

This phrase for the son of Dawn?

Yes, I see it.

Well, the son of Dawn

is a periphrasis
of a biblical character.

Someone is imitating the language
of the Old Testament.

Which character?

Well, the son of Dawn was rendered
from the Greek heosphoros,

the bearer of the dawn.

In Latin, it's Lucifer.

Now substitute the son of the Dawn

with what you got.

Blood, blade,

ruin, enemy, end,

death; for the devil

they are neither a stigma nor evil.

A visitor to see you, sir.

Miss Sperling?

Good evening, Professor.

Good evening. Have a seat.

It's been a long time

since you were my tutor, Professor.

Please, don't call me
Professor anymore.

I came to see you

because you are the only man
who can help me.

I will pay for your help.

I want you to investigate for me

the disappearance of my employer,

an elderly lady.

I am not a private detective.

I am no longer a professor
nor a police officer.

I am not what you think I am.

I don't know
what I offended you with, but--

I beg you to listen to me.

Only you can help me.

Otherwise I am

in danger of great misfortune,

disgrace.

Well, go on.

Tell me exactly what brings you here.

But very quickly,
because I'm about to have dinner.

I live in a country estate in Stratyn.

I am a bookkeeper there.

Two weeks ago, the owner of the estate
Countess Hanna Bekierska disappeared,

and her son Count Bekierski,
an engineer, reacts with anger

or rather with very vulgar insults
to all inquiries about his mother.

And you want me to find the Countess
against her son's wishes.

Why do you care so much?

Count Bekierski has made--

indecent proposals to me.

When that b*tch straddles me
and starts jumping and moaning,

cut her head off.

And she will continue
convulsing like a hen,

giving me pleasure.

Until now, the Countess defended me.

Now that she is gone, I am defenseless.

Edward--

I knocked, but you didn't hear me.

Well, no wonder.

We're waiting with dinner.

How long will… your friend
be here with you?

I will not bother you anymore.

I was just leaving.

Goodbye.

Dear cousin,

when will I have
my first day off of tutoring?

Next week,

next Friday.

Remember, it will be Good Friday.

Please, check
train connections to Khodorovo,

and order Hanna
to buy me a train ticket

for Good Friday
and a return ticket for Saturday.

Don't you think you should
spend Easter with your family?

That's more important

than paying a visit to some--
coquette.

You old idiot,

you don't even know
exactly where you're going,

let alone that this task you got
from the beautiful Renia

may be a temporary whim
already out of date.

Why didn't you notify her
that you are accepting the job?

Maybe she left?

Do you have that much money to waste
on escapades around Lviv?

Have you fallen for her?
What do you want to win her heart with?

To impress her with?

A mug of beer you will give her
after you pawn your pins?

Look at yourself, you molted satyr.

I'll pay you back for this trip.

Go back to Lviv, please.

I will,

if you tell me why you want
to waive my services.

I don't give up so easily.

The thing is out of date.

I quit my job in Stratyn.

Then where are you going now?

Not to Stratyn?

I was in Lviv to find a shared room.

It wasn't easy,
I hardly know anyone there now.

I'm going back to Stratyn
to get my meager possessions.

All the more reason not to drop
this case now, it's my fault.

I refused to help you, and the Count
was probably offensive again.

I was of great service to you.

I don't want any money!

None!

I'll find the Countess,
and she will re-employ you.

I beg you to keep your voice down.

I know that you can handle everything,
but Count Bekierski--

Count Bekierski is--

a sadist and degenerate,

surrounded by a bunch of th*gs,
Russian criminals.

Dear Miss Renia,

you were a little girl,

when I fought the Russians
in the Bolshevik w*r

and belaboured their ugly square mugs.

Do you know what
"morda kirpicha prosit" means?

It's a face so hideous
that it begs for a brick.

Do you know how many times
I have used a brick?

Do not worry, everything will be fine.

Allow me to introduce myself.

Stanisław Wiącek,
Count Bekierski's butler.

Get in, please.

Sir, get off now, please,
and come to the palace alone.

It is best to rent a bicycle
from the owner of the store

which we will be passing.

It's a few steps away.

Thank you.

Miss Renata.

Yes, you spent it all
on tea and makagigi,

so now per pedes, you old donkey.

- Happy Passover!
- Same to you!

- Look, who is it?
- I don't know.

Thank you very much.

Where are you going?

Ahead.

Who are you, Bekierski?

A devil disguised as a man?

We'll see.

Before a battle, it is always good
to gather your thoughts

in the arms of Morpheus,

and only then
let the Erinyes howl ominously.

Aeschylus's Orestes cannot find peace
after his crime.

Erinyes, the goddesses of vengeance,
sing to him ominously--

Here is our hero.

This is all mine,

and all the people here are my sl*ves,

are the property

of Joseph Count Bekierski,

Jastrzębiec coat of arms.

And everyone reports to me.

This is my country,

and you entered without invitation.

Take a look, Count.
This mug is begging for a brick.

- Hello?
- It's me.

Good evening, Wilhelm.

Is he there?

No.

- Where is he wandering?
- Ask him.

It's not nice for me to talk about it.

Again?

Yes, but this time
it's something serious.

I am very sorry, really.

Don't be silly.

What is it?

You can tell me.

Edward likes to tell me
about his investigations,

I mean he liked.

I know, he told me that your intuition
helped him many times.

The k*ller of the fortune teller,
Bajdykowa, plays Hebrew puns with us.

There is a strange obsession in it.

I thought that the expertise
of one weirdo

who knows as much
about biblical Hebrew as Moses

would help me, but it didn't.

And Kocowski is k*lling me.

Kocowski--

Yeah, I know--

But I'm worried because
it won't stop on its own,

and people will continue to die.

This is something serious, isn't it?

Not on the back, you dogface!

f*cking Daedalus.

Cheers, baldy.

You owe me one.

Come on, Hanaś!

Come on, come on!

SALOON

How are you feeling, Professor?

Great.

Let's talk, but somewhere quiet.

Waiter!

Do you have private rooms here?

We do, but it will cost you a lot.

Show me the room.

OK, missy, just a minute,

I have to bring beer
to those pipsqueaks from Kliparowo.

How did you find me here?

Well, not thanks to your cousin.

She blames me for everything.

And she is right.

The doorkeeper from your house
told me everything.

Are you still
under the influence of morphine?

It's a pity. I would order vodka,
you would relax a little.

I am very sorry

that you have suffered
such health and moral losses.

How dare you?

You are disgusting!

Am I worse than Bekierski?

To Zadworzańska.
Do you know where it is?

Zadworzańska?
I have been there more than once.

Oh missy, I have
all of Lembryk in my head.

Go away!

To Zadworzańska!

You're making trouble, baldy,
oh, you're making trouble--

Will you be nice and leave,
or should my men help you?

I'll leave.

There was something wrong
with him, Aspirant.

He was not drunk,
but was unable to stand still.

So Misiek and I brought him here.

Commissioner was coughing
and vomited into the bucket.

Jesus--

And then he slept like a baby.

Thank you, Mr. Koczur.
I will stay here and talk to him.

And you should go home,
your shift ended an hour ago.

- Goodbye, Aspirant.
- Goodbye, Constable.

Wiluś?

Wiluś, Wiluś. Hello, Edziu.

Give me your mitt.

Morphine.

Soon the pain will stop.

Oh, brother--

Remember you were banging on
the doors of the Police Headquarters

and ordered the constable
to bring files

of an important case
you are allegedly working on?

I don't.

Well, you are working on one.
And not just any.

The m*rder of Luba Bajdykowa,
that fortune-teller.

Now tell me honestly, Edziu,
who did that to you, huh?

Edziu!

Who did that to you?

Won't you tell me?

I am not asking as a policeman,
I'm asking as a friend.

Count Joseph Bekierski
and three Muscovites.

But remember, Wiluś,

I will execute the law myself.

On my own, understood?

Edziu, not on your own, but with me.

And don't worry about the Count.

We'll know everything, I'm telling you.

And now--

ad rem, Edziu.

From today on you work
as a police expert

on the case of the m*rder
of Luba Bajdykowa.

And this is your contract,
signed by Kocowski.

Are you kidding me?

Kocowski signed it?
This son of a b*tch hates me!

Oh, I see. An expert.

That's not all.
Today something happened again.

A cruelly m*rder*d young woman

and another anonymous letter in Hebrew.

Tell me honestly.

Do you know any investigator
besides yourself who knows Hebrew?

Well, you see,

the Voivodship Commander
doesn't know one either.

Therefore, at my humble suggestion,
he gave Kocowski an appropriate order.

- Where was the body found?
- On Zadworzańska Street.

I know that the contract with
Kocowski is not convenient for you,

because you will get paid
after the case is solved,

but I will lend you the money.

Edziu, wait!

Meet Luba Bajdykowa's son,

he doesn't trust the police,
but he'll trust you.

He's going to hire you
as a private investigator, you hear me?

You'll make a lot of money.

Edziu!

g*dd*mn it!

Please, don't push.

Excuse me, excuse me!

Where are you going? You can't.

I am to identify the body.

Go away!

Listen, Kowalski from
the sixth commissariat,

I recognize you,
and you don't recognize me?!

Look at my bald head!

- Where?
- By the wall.

for Gosia

THE SERIES IS AN ADAPTATION
OF MAREK KRAJEWSKI'S BOOKS:

Erinyes, Charon's Numbers, The Rivers
of Hades, In the Depths of Darkness