240 - May 26, 1967

[bunniefuu]

[narrating]
- My name is Victoria Winters.

The evenings at Collinwood are quiet now, and long.

But the twilight seemed to hold menace

in their lengthening shadows.

An omen of rain.

And the quiet is disturbed by the strange disappearance

of a young woman.

It remains a mystery no search can solve.

And as the evening comes once again,

even the strongest hopes falter.

And the night wind says again the word "lost".

"Lost".

♪♪


- Oh, Father!

Did Vicki tell you that she found her?


- What are you talking about?


- I found where Mr. Collins has hung the portrait of Josette.

It's in an upstairs room in the Old House.


- That's great!

'Cause that means that Josette's there too,

because she's always where her picture is.


- David, you're getting far too old

to continue these childish fantasies.


- It's not a fantasy!

It wasn't a fantasy when I did see her.

It was real!


- Well, we're not gonna argue about that now.

Now you go on outside and play.

And be sure to be back in time for dinner.

David, do you hear me?


- Yes, I hear you.


- And one more thing.

I don't want you going near the Old House.

You're not to pester your cousin anymore.

[door closes]


- When David said that you had found her,

for a minute I thought he meant Maggie Evans.


- Hmm.

Wouldn't it be wonderful if I had?


- Mmm, no word yet?


- No, none.

I don't understand how David can get so excited

about finding a painting

when a real living person is missing.

♪♪

[wind whistling]


- Josette!

Josette!

Josette, please let me in! Josette!

♪♪ [waves crashing]

Josette, please!

Josette.

Josette.

[door creaking]

♪♪

Josette?

[door closes]

Josette!

Josette!

Josette, where are you?

Josette, it's me David!

Josette, where are you?

♪♪

Josette!

I know you're here.

I just saw you. I know I did.

Why do you seem so far away?

Even when I look at your picture, you seem gone.

Why is that? When I know you're here!

I just saw you downstairs.

Oh please, Josette.

I've missed you.

[door opens]


- David?

What are you doing here?


- Hi, Barnabas.


- I said, what are you doing here?


- Uh...nothing.


- I thought I heard voices.

Did I?


- Well, I guess you did.


- Was someone here with you?


- No.

Not really.


- Well, I'm afraid I don't understand.


- Well, I was...

I was talking to Josette.


- Josette!


- Well, not really to Josette.

But to her portrait.


- Oh, I see.


- So I thought maybe I'd be able to see her again today.


- Today?


- Yes.

Just like I saw her a few minutes ago.


- Where did you see her?


- Downstairs.


- Downstairs?

And you followed her up here?


- Well, no. She disappeared.

And I came up here looking for her.


- She disappeared.

Now isn't that proof that you must have imagined it?


- But when I say "disappeared," I don't mean she just vanished.

Well, I mean it was hard seeing her through the window.

And, well, I didn't see where she went.


- You were looking through the window?


- Yes, the ones by the door downstairs.


- Now, David.

Do you have a habit of peering through other people's windows?


- No.

I'm sorry.

I keep forgetting that this is your house.

I always thought of it as Josette's house.


- Now, David.

As someone who's very fond of you,

I suggest that you forget entirely this Josette fantasy.


- Wait! I have proof that it's not a fantasy.


- Oh? What proof?


- Well, Josette opened the door for me.


- Opened the door?
- Yes.

When I first came, I knocked on the door and nobody answered.

And then, I went to the window and I saw her.


- And then she opened the door for you?


- Well, it must have been her.

Because when I started to go back to the house,

the door opened automatically, all by itself.

And it must have been Josette who did it.


- But you didn't actually see her open the door?


- Well, no, I didn't see anybody.

But that's why it must be her.


- Now, David.

You know what it was.


- Well, it was Josette!


- Now, listen to me.

This is a very, very old house.

And the doors and the windows in this house

have occasion to be capricious.

They stick one minute and then they fly open the next.

There's nothing strange about that.

The wood is warped and old.

Now that's not difficult to explain.


- I'm not so sure.


- Now, David.

Get up.

Now stand in front of the portrait.

Now take a good look at it.

What do you see?


- Josette.


- Josette? Or a picture of Josette?


- Well, a picture of Josette.

But wherever Josette's picture is, she is.

And, well, just by looking at the painting,

I can tell that she's near.


- Yes, so you told me once.

But I invite you to take a long look at the portrait,

a long and careful look.

Now.

Do you feel that Josette is somewhere nearby?


- No.

No, I don't.


- She's gone, David.

She isn't here.

♪♪


- Josette.


- David!

Do you mean to say you were up there in the Old House

looking in all the windows?


- Please, he did nothing wrong.

I can hardly blame him

for forgetting that someone lives there now.


- There is no excuse for behavior like that, young man.

Now apologize to your cousin.

And assure him that it will never happen again.


- He doesn't need to do that.

I understand him.

He was looking for Josette.

But I think I've finally convinced him

that she really isn't there.

Haven't I, David?


- Oh, I was so sure that I saw her.


- David!


- David, now, you
-
- you run along upstairs and get washed.

Mrs. Johnson is holding your dinner as it is.


- Barnabas, if you have a minute,

I would like a word with you, if I might.


- Yes, I would like that.


- Well, good, then you can join me in a brandy.


- Miss Winters?
- What is it?


- I know Barnabas is probably right,

but I can't help feeling that she's there.


- David, I don't think we should even discuss it.


- You know what?
- What?


- She's different.


- David, I thought I said that we weren't going to discuss it.


- I can't figure out what it was that's different.


- Now listen, you just go on upstairs.

And I'll tell Mrs. Johnson that you're back.

♪♪


- You sure you won't join me?
- Positive.


- I merely wanted to repeat my apologies

and assure you that it will never happen again.


- Well, to be frank, I would deeply appreciate it.

I'm very fond of David.

But at the same time,

I've always been a man who valued his privacy.


- I understand completely.


- If I've only convinced him

that Josette Collins is not to be found there.


- Josette Collins!


- Perhaps he won't bother coming around looking for her anymore.


- I don't know what to do about these

infantile fantasies of his.

They're absolutely ridiculous.

Just as I think he's outgrown them,

then something like this happens.


- Well, I'm sure I can trust you

to see that it doesn't happen too often.


- It won't.

Of course, I think I know why it's happened right now.


- Oh? Why?


- Well, the whole family's been rather upset lately.

Especially within the last few days.

David senses it, it disturbs him,

and then he retreats into these childish fantasies.


- You speak of the household being upset,

especially during the past few days.

May I ask why?


- Can't you guess?

They still haven't found the Evans girl.


- Oh, yes, of course.


- If only she were found,

everyone would feel a lot easier.


- I'm sure.


- It's strange, isn't it?


- What?

Her disappearance?


- No, I wasn't thinking of that at the moment.


- Oh?


- How strange the interrelated actions around one single event.

And some of them seem so far from the center

as to have no relationship at all.


- I'm not sure I follow you.


- Well, Maggie Evans disappears.

And included in that intricate pattern

that surrounds her disappearance,

David renews his search for the portrait.

The two don't have any relationship to the other,

actually,

but yet, at the same time, they have a direct relationship.

Don't you find that interesting?


- Yes.

Quite interesting.

♪♪


- No, there've been no clues at all.

Everyone is absolutely mystified.

It's not even known whether the poor girl is dead or alive.


- Alive, I'm sure.

Or at least, I certainly hope so.


- Well, I certainly hope so too.

I never was very close to her, but
-
-

And her father and I had our differences,

but I can hardly wish her anything but the best.


- Oh, so do I.

But they still hold out some hope of finding her, don't they?


- Oh yes, but it diminishes day by day.


- What a pity they have nothing to go on.


- I have heard something but I doubt it will be very helpful.


- Oh, then they do have a clue?


- Well, it's not a clue.

But Dr. Woodard has some samples of the girl's blood.


- Oh?

And what assistance does he expect that to give?


- Well, he didn't say exactly, but he has some suspicions

and he thinks that these blood samples

will help to verify them.


- Suspicions?

Suspicions of what?


- Oh, that he wouldn't say.

You know, that doctor loves a mystery.

Gives him an extra feeling of importance.


- This is Dr. Woodard, who has the samples?


- Yes, that's right.

I'm afraid that if that's the only clue they have to go on,

they haven't much chance of finding her.

You know, I almost feel sorry for poor old Sam Evans.

Almost, that is.


- Now, I want you to come upstairs

as soon as you're through with your dinner.

You've got some studying to do.

David, do you hear me?


- I keep trying, but I can't figure it out.


- What are you talking about?


- Josette. She was different.


- Can't you forget about her for one minute?


- If I only knew what it was that was different.

Then I'd be able to forget it.


- Well, maybe some studying will help you forget it.

Now you run along and have your dinner

and you might try apologizing to Mrs. Johnson

for not being here when we had ours.


- Her face was exactly the same.


- David, are you trying to make me angry?


- Or at least as much as I could see through the window it was.


- All right, David, now stop it.

Just stop it!
- I can't help it!


- Yes, you can, David.


- Maybe the next time I see her
-
-


- There's not going to be any next time.

You are never going back to that house again.

It belongs to your cousin now.


- It belongs to Josette!


- David, if you insist on being so disobedient,

your father and I are going to have to be very strict with you.

Is that what you want?


- No.

But
-
-
- No buts about it!

Now you run along and have your dinner.

I'll be waiting up here,

so you come back as soon as you're through.


- Okay.

Don't worry, I'll be here.

♪♪


- Mrs. Johnson said that he never even had his dinner.


- He didn't even show up?
- No!


- I hate to say this, Vicki,

but I think that your general lenience toward the boy

has convinced him that he can do exactly

what he pleases when he pleases.


- I'm sorry, Roger,

but I cannot keep an eye on him every minute of the day.


- I know that,

but if you had instilled a stronger sense of discipline

in him to begin with
-
-


- Excuse me, but can't we talk about this some other time?

I think I should go and look for him now.


- I'm sure you know exactly where to find him.


- Yes, I'm sure he's gone to the Old House.


- You see what I mean by lack of discipline?

It hasn't been a half an hour

that I forbade the boy to go near that place.

His cousin's patience isn't going to last very much longer

and neither is mine.


- Well, in that case, I had better go and fetch him.


- There's one thing more, Vicki.


- What is it?


- I know you're very upset about Maggie Evans.

We all are.
- Yes?


- But do you think it's possible to conceal your anxiety

just a little more?


- I don't understand.


- I was discussing this with Barnabas not a long time ago.

I think that the reason that David retreats

into these idiotic fantasies

is because there's such a wild climate of unrest

and distrust in the family here.


- David has always gone down to play at the Old House.


- But he hasn't always seen Josette!


- I know
-
-
- It is obviously a regression,

brought about by the disturbing atmosphere here.

Now believe me, I don't mean to criticize you, Vicki.


- But I'm just supposed to pretend

that I'm not even worried about Maggie.


- I sympathize with your feelings and I understand them.


- Do you?


- Vicki.

I don't think I like your tone.


- And I don't think I like your telling me

to pretend about the way that I feel!


- I'm thinking only of David!


- Are you?

Isn't it you who'd rather that the climate in this house

be less disturbed?

That we all pretend as though nothing is going on?

That we just forget about Maggie

and never even give her a thought?


- I'm sorry, Vicki.

I see that now is the wrong time to bring this up.


- I'm frightened, Roger.

I'm so frightened that I can't even think.

Do you think that I approve of the way David's been behaving,

especially now?

Do you think it doesn't take every bit of strength I have

to keep from losing my temper with him?


- I'm really sorry, Vicki.

Truly I am.

I've been unfeeling and I sincerely apologize.


- I guess I had no right to blow up like that.


- No, you had every right.

You stay where you are and I'll go find him.


- No, it's all right. It won't be any trouble.

We both know where he is.


- Well then, wait for me and I'll come with you.

I have a few words to say to my son.


- I'll remind him of what you said

about not going to the house.


- I have a few other things to tell him as well.

[clock chiming]

♪♪

[whispering] Josette?

Josette?

[minuet playing]

♪♪

Josette!

[minuet continues]

♪♪

♪♪

[announcer] "Dark Shadows" is a Dan Curtis Production.