Original subtitles

France, at the end of the 16th century

My lord, there's plague here

You're afraid? How can that be?

It's God's work that brought us here

Providence will see us through

Finish eating

We'll sleep a few hours then ride on

Peyriac is many leagues hence

It will be a hard road

Witches deny God the Virgin and the saints...

for gifts from the Devil

Satan grants great riches and delights

Dismount and follow me

Come

I want you to see the plague face to face

Nicolas, wait for us here

Let's go

I love you, Jean

Catherine, you'll be my wife soon, I swear it

Jean, you'll marry me, you'll do it, right?

There's only one woman for me

Just you... only you

If my father knew I'd given myself to you, he'd kill you

I've sworn it Catherine

It's late, I have to go

Every day we return home later

I'm running out of excuses

God help us if your father finds out

Madeleine, he promised to marry me

Soon,lhope

He should ask your father

He must go to Toulouse to get his uncle's blessing first

An owl crossing our path

May God help us

Catherine, it's a bad omen

It's the prettiest wedding dress I've ever seen

You'll look lovely...

but I bet Gaston prefers you without it

Gaston is quite a catch

I'm jealous Michelle, well done snaring him

You'll be happy and have many children

Gaston is... he must be very ardent

Stop it, you're making Michelle nervous

- But Gaston is so handsome - And very rich

We'd all liked to have married him...

Isn't that right, Elvira?

Or not...?

Stop gossiping and help me

Elvira, here are the ribbons you asked for

They're dying like rats in La Grasse and Du Champs

Too many plague victims to bury

So the dead rot in the streets

May the blessed Virgin help us, that none get sick in Peyriac

- God help us - May he protect us

You get later every time

Well... it was the verger's fault

I couldn't stop him talking

Why are you still here?

Get some potatoes for the kitchen

Goon

He promised, Elvira

He's going to ask his father soon

We have work to do...

There are some magistrates arrived from Paris

We must prepare a good dinner

300 people there gave themselves to the devil

Only 50 were men, the rest were women

As you no doubt know...

the evil one tends to use women for his dark deeds

It's his custom, Mayor

I know your Lordship, I know

Temptation is his best friend

This is Catherine, my oldest daughter

Father, we can serve dinner when you wish

Serve it now

Our food can't compare to the delicacies...

you will be used to at Court...

but we offer it to you with all good grace

Catherine, come along now

Yes, father

It's been tough...

but our duty requires sacrifice for the common good

We will punish without pity anyone we find...

who has made a pact with Satan

We've heard reports

We know that witches and sorcerers are numerous in this area

Yes, it's true

We good Christians live in fear, our crops fail...

the women can't conceive and the men can't sire

Flocks die without cause, the plague threatens us

In Nancy-le-bourg we burned 200 sorcerers at the stake

Among them, many important people

A surgeon, various nobles, and even a mayor like yourself

It was a hard task

But we did a good job and destroyed the heresy

We'll do the same here

People of Peyriac, come one, come all

From this afternoon the great Madenoc comedy troupe...

will present their best works

Come one, come all, come!

Something for the players, my lord?

Thank you noble sir

Play with them, dwarf, play with Judas's coins

Read it Madenoc

Let it be known to the residents of this town, young and old...

all must come tomorrow after Angelus to this church...

to learn of the grave danger of witchcraft

Chief Inquisitor, Bernard de Fossey

After much study of the Malleus Malleficarum...

Torquemada's Garden of Strange Flowers...

and Nider's Formicarius...

I know that the devil is the same everywhere

And the sabbat is also the same

Come in

Good evening my lords, my father offers you dinner

Leave it on the table

Thank your Father and say we regret not joining him this evening

We must work until dawn

Girl...

My lord?

It's nothing, you may go

Look at that bastard!

- The son of a bitch! - He'll pay for this

- Mabille - Hello Madeleine

I knew you'd come today

Enter

They've come to our house

Posted proclamations everywhere and cried them in the streets

Commanding us all

I don't fear them, they can't hurt me

They've sent to Carcassonne for a squad of soldiers

The persecutions will begin

Madeleine, what do you want?

Mabille, you know how much I love Elvire and Catherine

Their family took me in after my parents died

We grew up together

I know

Now tell me what you want from me

Catherine is in love with a man

She's crazy about him

She loves him more than life itself

He promises to marry her

And you're afraid he won't fulfill his promise

- If he doesn't, Catherine would die - You want him to be tied to her

So he can never leave her?

You shall prepare the philtre

Pay close attention

Even the slightest error could mean disaster

Alms noble sir, for the love of god

What did you want?

- My wish is to serve, my lord... - So what is it?

At the fair, when the dwarf held the coins your companion gave...

Avril Doufraine said they were Judas coins

The blacksmith's daughter...

I saw her with Pierril the baker

In the woods, they made a hole and urinated in it

Mixed it with their fingers

Smoke came out that the devil raised to the sky

And it hailed so hard it destroyed the crops

Another time, I saw them going home...

naked

Catherine, I've never been so happy since I met you

I love you so much

I've done a deal with Maurice

When I return from Toulouse I'll buy his land

There's lots of water, and they'll make good crops

My rich uncle will lend me the money

Catherine, I want to have children to fill our home with happiness

And give us many, many grandchildren

Jean, I'm afraid

- I' m so happy and... - And? '

And so you will stay

That's why I'm with you

To take care of you and love you more every day

Jean, come back soon, I need you so much, my love,

I can't bear to be without you

I love you Catherine

I love you, my wife

Catherine, don't worry

Jean will return from Toulouse, loving you even more

I'm afraid Madeleine, I love him so

If I were to lose him...

- Did he like the wine I sent? - Yes, he sends his thanks

Catherine, nothing can keep him away

He'll come back and marry you

One Friday, Odile and Pierril found me

They stripped me and gave me an ointment

- Continue - It was a dark night...

we mounted three animals...

Odile on a black dog, Pierril on a huge bat and I on a lizard

- A lizard you say? - Yes your Lordship, a huge lizard

Not green like the usual ones, but red like fire

- And then? - Then we flew high up

Came to a mountain I'd never seen before

I saw men and women dancing, some wore masks

A black male goat with three horns on its forehead...

sat on a golden throne

Everyone kissed it

Children grazed herds of toads

And devils hopped around with lit candles in their hands

I was scared and cried out: "My God, what is this?"

Suddenly it all disappeared...

and I was alone and lost on the mountain

Some woodsmen rescued me from hunger and cold

Wretches! Pierre, have then arrested immediately

Yes, my lord

Noble ladies, give alms and god will repay you

Alms, for the love of God, alms

They'll torture and kill them

Odile and Pierril have never harmed anyone

- I don't believe they're witches - But they lie with men

To love isn't a sin

Not when you love one, but they loved many

That man, the judge, he's the devil

I'm embarrassed my father entertains him

Quiet you fool, if someone heard you...

Enough!

Confess you're a witch

I'm not, I'm not!

Admit you were at the sabbat

and gave worship to Satan, confess!

No, it's not true! It's not true!

Confess you've raised storms...

and lain with the devil's dragons

I'm not a witch, I'm not!

Confess and we'll be merciful. Confess!

Get the next one, let's see if her will is as strong

Untie her

Take her to the wheel

You're a damned witch and you'll burn at the stake

Pierril, confess you worship the devil...

and render him homage along with Odile Dufraine?

No, we've been falsely accused, it's not true!

You had carnal relations with demons

No, it's a lie! A lie!

You're a witch, confess!

I beg you, my lord, have pity!

I'll confess, I'll confess my lord!

I'll confess, have pity

- I'll confess - Bring her down

When did you first deal with the devil?

Four years ago

One night a young man in black appeared

He asked if I wanted to be his lover

I said that I did

Then he gave me a hat full of gold coins

Later he took me to the sabbat, where I met Odile

I've been a witch ever since

- What was the demon's name? - The name?

Berdoso your lordship, he was called Berdoso

The High Tribunal decrees Odile Dufraine and Pierril Giguer...

confessed to crimes of witchcraft...

shall be burned alive until they are ashes

To pay for which, their goods shall be confiscated...

for the benefit of this judiciary

They'll burn them tomorrow

Where Chester and Cherbourg cross

Poor girls, they'll die for nothing

But Emile, they're witches, they confessed

After the most atrocious torture

Even I would confess in such a situation

There's no worse crime than making a pact with Satan

Do you know what I believe Arman?

Those poor wretches that attend the sabbat...

that cast spells and hexes are desperate...

rebelling against hunger, sickness and misery

Against the tyranny of the powerful

It's dangerous to talk like that

They want you to think that

They also need the help of powerful people

I'm convinced the majority of those burned to death...

are just poor deluded fools, ignorant and afraid

Thinking they fly in the night sky to their meetings

But they are lying in their beds dreaming it all

Emile, you'll end up on the stake

I don't want that, you're my best friend

Maybe...

I know the cost of telling the truth in these times

The fox was in the hen house killing chickens

The noise woke Gaston

He entered and discovered the culprit

He threw a rock that hit the fox's left hind leg

It screamed like a woman

The next day Denise, Antoine the Cooper's daughter...

limped with her left foot

Another day Denise kissed the Candelous' son

Later, the boy died of fever

Come in

If your lordship permits, I'll refresh the fire

Please do

Girl, what do you think about the devil?

Go on, tell me... please

My lord, I know what all the world knows

He's man's enemy, cause of all ills and calamities

Come, I want to show you something

To defeat an enemy, we must know him well

There exist 72 infernal princes who command 7000 demons

This is Satan, the Emperor

Malignant serpent of paradise, the rebel angel

This is Beelzebub, Prince of Demons

Asmodeus, overseer of Hell

Astaroth, grand duke of the orient, the infernal treasurer

Belphegor the marshal, commands 70 legions of demons

Forgive me, my lord, I must go

Wait, don't go yet

They're powerful and assail us always...

to win our souls and condemn us to hellfire

They are everywhere, and can take any form

The husband in bed believes he holds his wife

When what he holds may be a foul succubus

The wife may be deceived by an incubus

They corrupt everything

Your Lordship, let me go, I beg you

The flesh is weak, you must be careful

I know you have a lover

Returning from Toulouse, he was attacked

They stabbed him savagely

Since that day Catherine has been sick, very sick

She won't eat, and sees no-one

She'll die or go mad if this continues

I'll cure her

But you must do exactly what I tell you, to the word...

- Bring her to me - Yes

Doctor...

My daughter gets worse every day

- What's wrong with her? - Her body is healthy

It's her spirit that is sick

She'll only heal if she has the will to do so

A demon has entered her, that's what's wrong

- Someone has cursed her - I don't believe in such things

Your daughter has had a bad shock

But she'll recover by herself from this melancholy

I know what I must do

Leave us

Catherine, your father believes you are possessed

He's asked me to intervene

But I know what's really wrong

I know why you're sad

The death of Jean Duprat

I know how you feel

You're young and beautiful, you'll find another man to love

Look around you, perhaps he is very near

Sadness and melancholy are the devil's favored weapons

Forget that man and you will be happy again

I'll say you're not possessed and keep your secret to myself

But don't forget what I said don't give the devil an opportunity

Jean!

- Madeleine! - Catherine!

- What's wrong? - I saw Jean's death...

It wasn't a robbery

A man, I didn't see his face, paid the killers

- I'll talk to Mabille - It's a message from Jean

He wants me to find his murderer

I have to see that face, I must know who he is

Then I'll make him pay

Confess you changed into a fox...

and killed all the chickens

No, it's not true, it isn't!

You kissed the son of Catalina Candelous

And he died of fever, confess it!

Yes, I kissed him! But I didn't kill anyone

You cursed Michelle Renoit...

making her vomit forth worms, toads, spiders and other vermin

- Confess you're a witch! - My lord, have pity on me

You don't want to martyr my body, you want to damn my soul

But one day you'll have to give account to my Redeemer!

Come on, confess, confess!

Dear God, forgive them

Go on, proceed, she must confess

My lord, this woman is dead

The sentence will still be carried out

Her body burned at the stake and reduced to ashes

She must see the killer's face to take vengeance

Jean's death has obsessed her

I understand

I lost a loved one, I know how it feels

I can help her discover who killed Jean

You know the Lord I serve can do anything

Catherine is much better since he spoke with her

Yes, I've noticed

I've also noticed his interest in her

Elvire, tell your sister to come and greet the surgeon

Father, she went out with Madeleine

Alright, return to your duties

Without a doubt his lordship works well, and quickly

He will soon clear the region of witches and sorcerers

Every day come new accusations

Husbands give up wives, children their parents

Everyone is afraid they may and up on the stake

He's a just man doing his duty

He's a fanatic and bloodthirsty zealot

You know what I think of the poor wretches he tortures

All are judged justly and rightly pay for their crimes

One day all of this will be mankind's shame

Be careful, you sound like a heretic

So denounce me and calm your conscience, Mayor

- What's going on Luis? - Is that your wife?

Yes, yes your Lordship

Don't let her touch the ground

You've denounced your own wife, you bastard, damn you!

- Show us the proof, quickly! - Yes, your lordship

It's us Pierre, it's us

Lucifer, punish your enemies Lord of the Night, destroy them!

Seize her, seize her! Seize that witch!

The boy too, all of them will burn!

Let go, let me go!

Bernard...

Come

Bernard

My Lord will reveal to you who had Jean killed

No matter how powerful they are you will have your vengeance

But to have this wish you must serve and worship my master

I will do whatever must be done

On these scrolls are written the rules you must follow...

to pass the initiation test

Beelzebub

Astaroth

Neviros

Princes of Hell...

help me to acquire the favor of your Emperor...

Lucifer

Tonight you will meet the one who will be your master from now on

He will give you everything

but you must serve him loyally

Very soon you will fly to the sabbat

The Lord of Shadows will welcome you there

You shall preside over the assembly alongside my master

Catherine, from now on you shall serve me faithfully

If your father were to die who will care for you?

The surgeon Emile Dano, his best friend, will be our guardian

He doesn't seem right, he's a man of radical views

- I'll talk to your father - But my lord...

No, don't thank me

I wish the best for you both

I'll find someone better

I beg you, let my father die in peace

Let his will be done

I know what's best for you, I'll do as my conscience dictates

Will I see the face of the man who had Jean killed?

Our master will give you the revelation when he wishes

No one knows his plans

Serve him faithfully and he will indulge you

Here and there

That man, the judge, he's the devil

You shall be the living altar

Arman, you've acted wisely

I know you'll care like a father for Catherine and Elvire

Elvire... daughter...

If I die, the magistrate shall be your guardian...

and will govern the household

He's a just man, honor him as you've honored me

Your sister, I almost never see her

I fear death arriving without her at my side

Catherine, our father is very ill and wants to see you

Didn't you hear me?

Father is dying and wants to see you

Emile won't be our guardian

The judge has convinced father

He take charge of us and the household

Don't worry sister

That man cannot harm us

My master will protect us and destroy him

I am powerful now, and strong

No-one can harm me

Catherine, you scare me

If the judge finds out about you and Madeleine...

When I fly to the sabbat and see the whole world below me

When I know I can bring down rain and hail

When I think how I can create hate or love

I'm happy once again

In the sabbat my flesh cries out with pleasure

Everything is permitted

Our master is generous and rewards well those who serve him

Elvire, you must come with me

This potion can poison flocks...

or cause the crops to be lost wherever you spill it

If you invoke Asmodeus at the same time...

no woman can get with child and all the plants shall dry up

Belladonna and mandrake, heliotrope flowers and wolfsbane root

Mabille, everything you've ordered I've done

So when will I learn who Jean's killer is?

That's the most important thing to you, right?

You'll have a new dream where you'll see your lover's death

And this time you'll see the face of his murderer

The first night of the full moon, before sleeping, drink this

Think of those you suspect

Then sleep will come

And you will see the face of he who ordered Jean's death

To take vengeance on him...

you'll use your body you'll defeat him with lust

Make him your slave

His love for you shall be his ruin and his doom

Sir, the witch is called Mabille and lives on the mountain

No one's dared denounce her as they're afraid of her powers

They say she's Queen of the Sabbat

And you Renover, are you afraid of such a powerful witch?

Yes sir

I must confess that at first I was scared as well

But finally my conscience as a good Christian overcame my fears

Also Mabille often gets visits from some very important people

Some have seen this, sir

Important people?

The case is delicate, talk about it to no-one

if you betray my confidence I will punish you severely

I'll faithfully carry out your orders, sir

And those important people, are you the one that's seen them?

Elvire, forgive us but how is your father doing?

Badly, everything is in the Lord's hands

- We'll pray for him - May God bless you

Bernard...

So it was you

You?

Good evening doctor, how is the patient?

He died this evening, sir. Good night to you

That man is insolent

Catherine... why have you come?

What do you want at this hour?

Don't you know?

You've wanted me since we first met

You convinced my father, only to have me

No, I did it for your sake, for yours and your sister's

Liar, you want only me

Very well...

Take me now

Catherine, I beg you, go now

Catherine...

you will damn me, I know it

Today they burn old Mabille

They've proved she's a witch,

Something we've known for a long time

They threw her in the river and she floated like cork

Proves she's a witch

Then they tortured her, but old Mabille is tough...

not one name came from her mouth

You denounced her as you did the others, you scum

She's a foul old hag, but I didn't denounce her

It was Margot, the verger's wife

It's the young ones I like to see burning...

Just the young ones

You're a swine

You despise me, but I'm a man like any other

That's why I hate you, I hate you!

Damned witch

Daughter of Satan!

You'll pay.

You'll all pay!

Lord of the Underworld, my master...

give me strength to destroy them all... all of them

Catherine, Mabille couldn't prevent her own death

Those powers she thought she had didn't help her

No demon ripped her from the executioner's hands

I was wrong to take you, I thought she could help us

But she died helpless

Just a powerless old woman

You and I have flown over the mountains, we've touched the stars

We've attended the sabbat worshiped the Lord of the Night

It's true, it's all true!

It has to be...

I need it Madeleine

I need it

Yes sir, they often visited Mabille, I saw them

Why didn't you say so before?

Forgive me sir, but I did

I spoke to the judge

What? You spoke with the judge?

Well... yes, sir

And he told me... to keep my silence

- Then you're disobeying him! - But sir...

My conscience as a good Christian wouldn't allow me rest

- The gravity of the case... - Yes, I understand

The matter is delicate, I must reflect

Renover, I'll send for you later

You may go.

The Evil One uses women to lead men to their damnation

But the judge is incorruptible and austere

A paragon of virtue

But that's why Satan will try harder to corrupt him

And Catherine's beauty could drive any man mad

Yes, you're right

You're right

She tried to seduce him from the start

- I imagine you noticed - Now you mention it...

He wanted Arman to name him steward of the household...

guardian of his daughters

All of which conflicts with our high mission

As if that weren't enough...

he hid from us Catherine's visits to the witch

- Renover could have lied - Renover told the truth!

I know men well and I know when they lie

This is serious

We must act with great prudence

But with all the rigor that our positions demand

Damn you

Damn you infernal spirit, you have defeated me

You sent that woman to tempt me and I was unable to resist

Catherine, why have you brought me to this place?

I was here with Jean that last day

We made love like never before, then he left, never to return

Some gutless coward had him murdered

But that villain is now sentenced

And soon will pay for his crime

Today you and I will love one another here

Here where Jean held me for the last time

What are you afraid of inquisitor?

I don't fear you Catherine

I've burned hundreds of witches

None of them could harm me

I've seen you and Madeleine return at dawn

I know where you've been

So why am I still alive?

Because I love you

Though I know you'll drag me to hell

You had Jean killed

No Catherine, they killed him to rob him

I had nothing to do with it

You must pay

I've made a pact with the Lord of the Night

My soul in exchange for yours

What are you looking for?

For a witch

A witch?

Isn't that what you three are?

Vile daughters of Satan

I'm no witch

You lie Renover, you lie!

I've seen Madeleine and your sister go to Mabille's house

Your sister has bewitched the judge I know they meet in secret

You'll all burn at the stake

But be smart and give me what I want

And I'll save you

No, let me go!

Let me go!

Here's the declaration Renover signed before he died

As you can see, Catherine's guilt is obvious

Renover is a wretch, this could all be a pack of lies

No man, however wicked, can lie when at death's door

But Renover killed two defenseless women

Forgive me sir, but they killed him

I'm convinced they brought him thereto murder him

Because he had witnessed their heresies

Renover died defending himself, killing them too

This isn't enough to condemn Catherine

You know that it is

And there are more witnesses prepared to testify

The witch shall pay

- I'm the judge - Then you must judge her

We'll give Catherine the usual tests to prove her guilt

Your attitude surprises me, sir, the case is quite clear

- Confess! - It's not true! It's not true!

Confess that you raised tempests and lay with the devil's dragon

Confess you're a witch

Lord, have pity on me

You don't want to martyr my body, you want to damn my soul

But one day you'll have to give account...

Confess!

I've found the spot, sir

There's no blood, there's no pain. You can see for yourself

You see, sir, how the Evil One has left the mark of its nail

Confess you're a witch!

Confess you worship and serve Satan

Confess!

Yes! I worship Satan I've served him faithfully

Gave myself to him at the sabbat

I'm a witch! I am!

But that damned bastard...

has been my lover

I swear it, before going to the stake I swear it!

He's helped me, we've held the rites together

We've worshiped Satan together!

My master will destroy you he won't allow you to harm me!

I curse you!

Sir, I want to show you something

We found this in your room

The contract you made with the devil, here is your signature and seal

It looks very genuine

You always wanted my post, now you shall have it

I congratulate you Nicolas Remy

No your Lordship, I swear I haven't faked anything

I found all this when I searched your room

It was you Catherine, it was you

Catherine, you've never been to a sabbat

Never worshiped the devil

You're not a witch, you have no great powers

You're just a poor girl hounded and tortured by your own fears...

by your own frustrations

I flew above the stars, I danced in the sabbat

When you thought you were flying you were asleep

You never left your room, neither did Mabille or Madeleine

They were just two poor wretches, hysterical and ignorant

I saw the judge pay Jean's killers!

You only dreamed what you wanted to see

The drink Mabille gave you is a mixture of herbs...

that produce chimeras and fantastic dreams

My master will protect me, he'll come to my aid

The flames will not harm me and I'll be free

Catherine, you've lost your reason

Surgeon, your time is up, you must go

Riven of all dignity and privilege...

your head shaven as a symbol of your great iniquity

...and taken to the stake

May God have mercy on your soul

Father, I was a madman, a fanatical and pitiless sinner

I repent my many and grave faults

I ask the Almighty to forgive me. Pray for me

Surgeon...

Blondier's wife and son have died, many families have fallen ill...

- bodies covered in ulcers - The plague...

Quick, let's leave here