▁clo ister ▁to ▁Rome , ▁he ▁finds ▁a ▁Count , ▁dis gu ised ▁as ▁a ▁mon k ▁as ▁a ▁means ▁of ▁seeing ▁his ▁lo ver , ▁and ▁push es ▁him ▁( wh ether ▁intention ally ▁or ▁not ▁is ▁ambigu ous ) ▁from ▁a ▁" Te uf el ss itz " ▁(" dev il ' s ▁per ch "). ▁Un be known st ▁to ▁all ▁involved , ▁the ▁Count ▁is ▁Med ard us ' s ▁half - bro ther ▁and ▁the ▁Count ' s ▁lo ver ▁is ▁his ▁half - s ister . ▁The ▁Count ▁becomes ▁his ▁lun atic ▁do ppel g änger ▁and ▁cross es ▁his ▁path ▁multiple ▁times ▁after ▁Med ard us ▁ab and ons ▁his ▁ecc les iast ical ▁position , ▁dr ifting ▁throughout ▁the ▁world . ▁ ▁The ▁story ▁cent ers ▁on ▁his ▁love ▁for ▁a ▁young ▁prin cess , ▁A ure lie . ▁After ▁murder ing ▁her ▁ste pm other ▁( the ▁above - ment ioned ▁half - s ister ) ▁and ▁brother , ▁Med ard us ▁fle es ▁to ▁a ▁city . ▁After ▁his ▁devil ish ▁connection ▁is ▁found ▁out ▁by ▁an ▁old ▁painter , ▁Med ard us ▁fle es ▁the ▁city ▁with ▁the ▁help ▁of ▁a ▁" fo ol ish " ▁hair ▁dress er ▁with ▁two ▁personal ities , ▁who ▁serves ▁as ▁a ▁fo il ▁to ▁the ▁destruct ive ▁dual ▁identity ▁of ▁Med ard us , ▁g aily ▁living ▁as ▁both ▁Peter ▁Sch o en feld ▁and ▁Pietro ▁Bel cam po . ▁He ▁arriv es ▁at ▁a