385 - December 15, 1967

[bunniefuu]

[Abigail narrating] - A séance was held in the great house of Collinwood,

a séance which sent Victoria Winters back

on an uncertain and frightening journey to the past,

back to the Collins family who lived in the year .

Sadness and fear pervade the old Collins mansion on this day.

There's been a duel between two men,

one of them has been mortally wounded.

There are those in the house who believe

that witchcraft is at work here

and they have taken steps to see that the witch

is found and destroyed.

- How -- how is Jeremiah?

- The doctor allowed me only a few minutes in the room.

- Yes, yes, but how is he?

- Still unconscious.

The doctor says he's hovering between life and death.

- Someone in this house wanted that duel to take place.

Someone wants Jeremiah to die.

- You are a very superstitious woman,

aren't you, Countess?

- I tell you it is true.

- And I say with all due respect, it's nonsense,

considering the way Barnabas was treated,

that duel was unavoidable.

[knocking on door]

- Oh, one of us had better answer it, Lieutenant.

I have learned not to wait for the servants in this house

to perform their simple duties.

- I'm here to see Ms. Abigail Collins.

She's expecting me.

- Won't you come in, please?

- You must be the Reverend Trask?

- I am.

- I am the Countess duPrés and this is Lieutenant Forbes.

- Lieutenant.

- You have not come a moment too soon?

- I find that is usually the case.

- If you'll follow me,

I'll show you the way to Jeremiah Collins' room.

- Jeremiah?

- The reverend wishes to see Ms. Abigail Collins.

- Oh, I'm sorry.

I just assumed that Abigail had sent for him because

of Jeremiah's condition.

- No, Lieutenant.

Reverend Trask has come to find and destroy

the witch in this house.

- Countess, may I ask by whose authority

this gentleman has come here?

- By the authority vested in me by the Almighty.

- The Almighty?

Well, forgive me, Mr. Trask, but what --

what church do you represent?

- I have my own congregation in Salem.

- You didn't answer the question.

- He's not here to answer questions but to ask them.

- In other words, the Reverend is a self-appointed cleric

and has not been ordained by any church at all.

- I have been asked to come here by Ms. Abigail Collins

to exorcise a witch

and that is what I intend to do.

Kindly tell Ms. Collins that I am here.

♪♪

[eerie music] ♪♪

[knocking on door]

- Lieutenant Forbes, I thought I told you that --

- Be quiet for a minute and just listen.

I must get you out of this house at once. - What are you talking about?

- I told you the other day you might be needing a friend.

Well, you do now.

And I'm volunteering to help you.

- And I told you the other day that your manners

could see some improving.

- Ms. Winters, you are in danger.

I didn't realize how seriously Abigail and the countess

were taking this witchcraft business.

- Oh, it's that again?

- Yes, and don't try to dismiss it too lightly.

- Well, you don't think I should take it seriously, do you?

- You'd better.

Abigail has sent for a witch hunter.

He's in this house downstairs right now

and he'll be wanting to see you in a few minutes.

- Well, what do you suggest that I do?

- Oh, look, we can go out the back way

and saddle up two horses.

I can take you into Collinsport,

you can stay at the inn for a few days? - Lieutenant,

you have to forgive me if I'm amused by your persistence.

As a matter of fact, I admire it.

- Now, listen to me, this is not what you're thinking it is.

Now, I'm really trying to help you.

- And I don't need your help, thank you.

- Abigail and the countess are convinced that you are a witch

and they brought this man here to prove it.

Now, you got to get out of here.

- Well, why should I run away?

I'm not a witch?

And therefore, I have nothing to fear,

except perhaps you.

- All right.

Stay and find out for yourself.

I've seen these fanatics before and I know how they work.

I wouldn't look forward to it, if I were you.

- I think I can take care of myself

more than adequate.

- Perhaps,

but I wouldn't count on it.

♪♪

- You both believe that witchcraft

has been practiced in this house?

- We are convinced of it.

- You have evidence to support your suspicions?

- I knew the moment I saw her.

When I looked into her eyes,

I knew that girl was possessed by the devil.

- I personally would accept your judgment, Abigail,

but we shall need something more substantial

than one person's word

however trustworthy that word maybe.

We must have tangible evidence of an act of sorcery.

- We have all the evidence you need.

The signs are unmistakable.

- Tell me about them.

- We have witnessed strange afflictions

which doctors of medicine could not explain

and mysterious disappearances.

- Disappearances?

- My brother Joshua was standing right there over a week ago

and Jeremiah was in the room with him when,

suddenly, Joshua disappeared in thin air

and in his place was a large black cat.

She had used black magic and changed him into a cat.

Then, days later,

I saw the cat upstairs in her room.

Suddenly, the cat gave a terrible scream

and was surrounded by smoke,

and when the smoke cleared,

there was Joshua, come back to us.

And the cat was nowhere to be seen.

Oh, no one could tell me that my brother

was not the victim of a witch's evil ways.

- I agree with you, Abigail,

and I share your conviction that we must act quickly.

I should like to question this young woman you suspect.

What is her name?

- Her name is Victoria Winters.

♪♪

- Victoria Winters,

she is not a member of the family.

- She was employed about two weeks ago

as Sarah's governess.

I warned my brother Joshua not to let her in the house,

but he refused to listen to me.

- What is all this?

- Oh, Reverend Trask -- - What's going on here?

- This is my nephew, Barnabas Collins.

- How do you do, sir?

- How do you do?

Aunt Abigail, did I hear you say

that you think that Ms. Winters is a witch?

- You did.

- That's absurd.

The girl is no more a witch than I am.

- That's for Reverend Trask to determine.

- There is nothing to determine here one way or another.

Ms. Winters is a very fine young lady.

She is efficient and dedicated

and she has endeared herself to most,

almost everyone here in the family.

- The devil does not always appear to us

in the face of evil, Mr. Collins.

He sometimes appears in the guise of innocence and purity.

- May I ask what evidence you have that Ms. Winters

has actually committed wrongdoing?

- I am told that certain strange things

have happened in this house of late.

- That's true,

but none of them have been called by witchcraft.

- Barnabas, how can you say that?

You yourself were a victim of black magic.

He very nearly died, Reverend.

- Oh?

Can you describe this act of black magic, Mr. Collins?

- My affliction was not caused by black magic.

- Yes, it was.

One moment, you were as normal as ever,

and then, you began to choke.

Someone had cast a spell on you.

- What nonsense -- - Nonsense is it?

Perhaps, you have a more logical explanation

for this incident?

- It could have happened for any number of reasons.

But even the doctor of medicine was completely mystified

after he examined you.

- And how did you recover from this affliction?

- I don't know.

It went away as suddenly as it came.

- I find that most interesting.

- Barnabas,

how do you account for all the things

that had been happening to Josette?

How do you account for the strange way she behaved

when the brand appeared on her hand? - Brand?

What kind of a brand was it, Countess?

- It was in the form of a pitchfork.

- A well-known signature of the devil.

Who is Josette?

- Josette duPrés is my niece.

She was engaged to Barnabas.

- Was engaged?

- Two days ago,

she ran off with Jeremiah Collins and married him.

And I can account for her behavior

very simply, Countess.

Her action was not the result of witchcraft.

It was the result of a deficiency in her own character.

She's a fickle and deceitful woman.

- It is not true, Barnabas.

- Do you admit this in spite of what's happened?

I realize you are her own flesh and blood,

but at least do me the courtesy of admitting the facts honestly.

- We do not know the facts yet.

- She and Jeremiah betrayed me.

That is an indisputable fact.

- Barnabas, I told you the day I arrived here

that there was an evil woman in this house

and what has happened since

has convinced me that I was right.

- Mr. Collins, from all that I have heard,

I am inclined to agree with your aunt.

I believe that an evil spirit in some form

has invaded this house and if it is not --

- Mr. Trask, you have heard nothing more than the opinions

of two women with rather vivid imaginations.

- Reverend, we are wasting time.

I think you should go up and attend to this girl now.

- Aunt Abigail,

I will not allow Ms. Winters to be treated in this manner.

- You are not the master of this house, Barnabas.

- And you are not its mistress.

Now, if you insist upon conducting this --

this minor inquisition,

you must consult my father first.

- He has been consulted

and he has given me free reign

to conduct this matter as I see fit.

Come, Reverend.

I will take you to her room.

♪♪

- Ms. Winters,

where were you when Barnabas Collins was seized

by a fit of choking two weeks ago?

- I was here in my room.

- You know what caused that seizure, don't you?

- No, of course not.

- Now, there is no reason to lie to me, girl.

- I'm not lying.

- I am not here to harm you only to help you.

- I can't believe you're all serious about this.

- We consider witchcraft a very serious matter.

It will do you no good to evade the reverend's questions.

He knows how to deal with people like you.

- I knew you were coming here to ask me some questions,

but I never thought it was going to be --

- You knew before we arrived at your door

that we were coming here?

- Yes.

- How did you know it?

- Never mind.

- I asked you, how you knew.

- Take your hand off of me.

- There is possession here. The signs are unmistakable.

How long have you been in league with the devil?

- Now, you just stop this

because I'm not in league with anyone.

I've never done a thing to harm anyone in this house.

- You have tried and you have succeeded.

You have carried out the devil's inspections

since the day you arrived here.

- That's ridiculous.

- You've used your spells and potions and incantations

to inflict bodily harm and cause mental aberrations.

- I've done no such thing.

Why won't you listen to what I'm saying?

- You caused the disappearance of the master of this house

through an act of black magic.

- No.

- You've used your trickery to sow the seeds of dissension

and hatred among the members of the Collins family,

a God-fearing people who would never willingly

do the devil's bidding.

- Will you please get out of here and leave me alone?

- Sit down, girl.

My work is far from finished.

Abigail, the clothing.

- Oh, yes.

- My clothes. How did you get them?

- I want you to tell me how and where you got them?

- It's none of your business.

- Is it true you were wearing these when you arrived here?

- I refused to tell you.

- Yes, it's true, Reverend.

I saw her wearing that clothing.

- No morally-minded woman

would allow herself to be exposed

in clothing as indecent as this.

- There is nothing indecent about my clothing.

- Where did you get them?

- I won't tell you.

- You will tell me before I'm through with you.

- What do you mean?

- You cannot resist the will of God for long, girl.

You cannot hide your evil ways from me.

I have seen too many others like you,

poor wretched creatures.

Their body is alive with an evil spirit

that is beyond their control.

You cannot help what you are.

You've lost your free will.

It is not you we must punish.

It is Satan for he has reached out

and taken wanton possession of your body.

Satan possesses and commands,

and poor earthly flesh obeys.

But the hand of God will intervene.

The hand of God will cleanse your body of the seeds of evil

Satan has planted there.

Get down on your knees

and pray to the heavens for your salvation.

- I told you not to touch me.

- Don't you understand, girl? You must not resist.

You must pray to the heavens for your salvation.

- [gasps]

- I told you to get out of here and leave me alone.

- You dare strike a man of God.

- He's no man of God. He's a fanatic.

If anyone is possessed by the devil, he is.

- Oh.

- Reverend Trask. - Now, you listen to me, girl.

You be quiet and listen careful.

If you will not bring yourself to God,

then I will bring God to you.

- Let me out of here! Somebody! Please!

- Abigail, I must take her out of this house. - Yes.

- Please get me something to tie her hands. - At once.

- Why must we take her out of this house?

- Her presence will still be felt if she remains here.

- Oh, here, here, Reverend.

- I -- I don't understand.

Where will you take her?

- To the woods.

Away from those she could bring harm to.

Then, I will put her to the ultimate test.

- But I -- I do not -- I do not understand.

- First, I will prove

beyond all doubt that she is a witch.

And then, I will exorcise the evil spirits from her body.

- How are you going to prove that she is a witch?

- I have my ways, Countess.

I have my ways.

♪♪

- Where has he taken her and why has he gone so long?

- I had faith that Reverend Trask

will do his duty as he sees fit.

- But I fail to understand why it was necessary to --

to abduct the poor girl.

- You question the wisdom of Reverend Trask?

- I'm afraid of what he might do to her.

- There's no reason to be afraid.

- I thought he was unnecessarily violent upstairs.

- Well, he had no choice.

You saw the way she behaved.

- For -- forgive me,

but I think that under the same circumstance,

I might have behaved the same way.

- Tell me, Countess.

Are you having a change of heart?

You don't believe that that girl is innocent?

- She denied everything so -- so strenuously, Abigail.

- But they always do.

It's as Reverend Trask says.

They cannot help themselves.

- I would feel much better if I knew where he was --

is taking her

and what he is planning to do to prove her guilt.

- I would give you one last chance to confess.

Repudiate the devil now

and the Almighty will bring you salvation.

- You're insane.

- You make your own salvation very difficult.

- What are you going to do to me?

- You will stay here overnight.

You will remain tied to this tree.

One of God's living creatures.

If indeed, you are guilty of witchcraft,

the tree will be dead by morning.

- Please, untie me and take me back to the house.

- You are afraid to go through with this test, aren't you?

- I'm afraid to stay out here alone overnight.

- It is the fear of God you feel,

the fear of being exposed as the witch you are.

- Please don't leave me here alone.

- I adjure thee, thou serpent --

by the Judge of the quick and the dead,

by thy Maker and the Maker of the world,

by Him who hath power to put thee into Hell --

that thou depart in haste from the flesh of this woman.

Go out, thou seducer!

Go out, thou transgressor, full of deceit and wile!

Enemy of virtue!

Persecutor of innocence!

In the name of the Lord,

I command thee to cast thyself

back into the darkness from whence thee came,

and where thy everlasting destruction awaits thee!

- Somebody, please help me!

Please!

- You may scream the devil's words all you wish,

but there will be none to hear you.

None but the Lord.

- Please!

Don't leave me here alone!

Somebody -- somebody please, please help me!

♪♪

[eerie music] ♪♪