488 - May 8, 1968

[bunniefuu]

It is a peaceful evening at Collinwood,

but far away from the great house,

one member of the Collins family is in great danger,

for soon, very soon,

an experiment will be conducted,

an experiment that could mean his salvation

or his destruction.

There.

Why do you keep giving him these shots?

If he should begin to decompose,

then he will be utterly useless to us.

Then you got to keep giving him shots.

I can't anymore.

Why not?

Because only Dr. Lang knew what was in this fluid.

I've just given him the last.

Julia--

But it was - it was a massive dosage.

It should prevent any chemical change for a while.

For how long?

I'm - I'm not sure.

- You're lying. - No.

How long will this body remain intact?

I can only guess, but I - I'd say,

no longer than - than hours.

Twenty-four hours?

You mean to say that we have to make this

experiment successful within hours or it will fail

and I will revert to what I was?

Yes, that's exactly what I mean.

♪♪

[eerie theme music] ♪♪

We mustn't waste any more time.

We must get on with the experiment now.

Barnabas, I - I do not know enough

to go ahead with the experiment now.

But you were here when he conducted the experiment,

you saw everything he did.

Yes. But his experiment failed.

I don't want mine to fail. I got to know the reason why.

I've got to read everything his notes, his journal,

every scrap of information that he left behind.

- But we haven't got-- - So that I can know the answers.

We haven't got time for that.

We have to take the time.

Julia, I depend on you,

you're the only one who could help me.

- Oh, don't you think I know that? - Then help me.

- I need it desperately. - Oh, Barnabas! Leave me alone!

Leave me alone! Please! Please!

Julia.

I'm - I'm sorry.

I never saw you lose control before.

I - I have to tell you, I--

Tell me what?

Something - something has happened to me,

something that makes it difficult for me to function.

What are you talking about?

I had a dream.

Dream?

Yes.

It happened last night.

It was the same dream that - that Dr. Lang had

the night before he died.

He told me his dream and - and I had the same exact dream,

only it went one step further.

It - it terrified me.

I - I can't think about anything else.

Well, what happened in your dream?

Mrs. Johnson was in my dream.

I feel an insane compulsion to tell her my dream,

but I - I - I know I - I can't.

I - I won't because I know what the dream represents.

It's - it's part of a - of a dream curse.

Curse?

- I learned that from Professor Stokes. - Stokes?

Yes. I thought he might be able to interpret my dream.

He said that it was very likely that the dream curse would end--

How?

- In a sudden death. - My death?

Very possibly.

Angelique was the cause of this.

She came to me in a dream and -

and warned me to beware of dreams,

but that would be the way the curse would come back.

But I - I can break the curse by -

by not telling Mrs. Johnson my dream.

- Then you better stay away from her! - So far, I have.

Even though telling her would - would be enormous relief

and I - I would be able then to concentrate on my - my work.

Well, do you think that you would be able

to get everything ready in time to conduct the experiment?

I wish I could say yes, but -

but I'll be honest with you, I - I'm not sure, Barnabas.

I just don't know.

♪♪

I wonder--

Have you found out something?

Possibly.

What?

Well, it says here that he's uncertain

how much voltage to use in the cathode.

Perhaps if I increased the voltage--

We could mean success or failure.

Yes, it might. But then, again--

It might not?

Oh. There are so many unknowns, Barnabas.

I can't begin to comprehend.

Perhaps that's what he was trying to tell us

before he died, to increase the voltage.

Maybe, but--

- What? - It didn't sound as if he -

he was going to say anything that specific.

Well, what did he say? What were his exact words?

Well, he just said that there was a connection between -

between you and his creation.

- And that's all he said? - Yes.

Wait a minute.

Wait. He said something else,

- something - something rather strange. - What?

- Well, he kept repeating one word, "Listen." - "Listen"?

He said it several times.

- What do you suppose he meant by that? - I don't know.

- Barnabas. - What?

The tape recorder.

What about it?

Eric might have used it to - to - to dictate his notes.

He might intend for me to hear them.

♪♪

Music.

Eric was fond of music.

He played it often while he worked.

Well, obviously, he never intended for you

- to listen to that. - Obviously.

But what did he mean when he said, "Listen"?

Perhaps he meant nothing.

Perhaps he didn't know what he was saying.

Well, I suppose that's possible.

But so much for that little brainstorm.

Where are you going?

Oh, down to the study.

He had some journals there I want to look at.

- Do you want to come? - I'll be with you in a moment.

Why do you keep staring at him?

Isn't it obvious?

By some miracle, if this experiment works,

my life force will be inside this man.

You know, I'm glad that Lang picked this face.

It is a handsome face.

Because of Vicki.

Well, Jeff Clark is younger than I.

For some women, that wouldn't make a difference.

Julia, I had never taken the trouble

to say this to you before,

but I appreciate everything you've done for me.

Whether we succeed or fail, I appreciate it.

I - I want you to know that.

Oh. We're wasting time.

- I - I'm going to the study. Are you coming? - Yes.

Julia, when - when you do the experiment again,

if - if both Barnabas and my creation live,

if they both live,

Barnabas will be free and healthy as long as Adam lives.

Adam will drain Barnabas' affliction from him

but will not suffer from the disease itself

because he lives,

but if Adam dies,

Barnabas Collins will be as he was before.

♪♪

Professor Timothy Stokes?

That is correct. I teach at the University.

Well, frankly, I can't imagine why you want to see me.

I can only tell you it's most urgent.

May we sit down?

Yes.

Yes, of course.

You look alarmed. Please don't be.

I'm not really. I'm just puzzled.

I mean, it's not every day that a stranger comes to the door

and wants to talk to me.

I came here because of something I found out about you,

something that fascinates me.

I understand you had a dream,

a dream, which terrified you.

Who told you that?

Julia Hoffman.

She told me because she has had the same dream.

- She has? - Yes.

A number of people have had the dream.

I don't expect you to understand it.

I simply want you to tell me

everything you remember about your dream.

I don't want to remember it.

It was too terrifying. I just want to forget it.

Ms. Evans, could you force yourself to remember it

if I told you it was a matter of life and death?

Life and death?

Yes.

Your dream is part of a curse, a dream curse.

The curse is perpetuated by a series of dreams

experienced by a number of people.

Unless the chain of dreams is broken and the curse stopped,

someone, I don't know who, will die.

That's incredible!

You must think I'm a mad man.

I assure you I'm not. I'm an expert in the occult.

I believe I know a way to stop the curse

before it reaches its conclusion,

but I must have information,

information that only you can provide.

That's why I must know about your dream.

In telling me, you may be saving a human life.

Well, I was in a very dark place and -

and a young man appeared.

He didn't say anything. He just stared at me.

- It frightened me. - Did you recognize him?

It's an odd thing.

I didn't know him then, but I do now.

His name is Jeff Clark and he lives in this house.

He rented a room from my father and me.

Jeff Clark.

Yes.

He stared at me for a moment and then,

he begged me to follow him.

I didn't want to follow him, but I did!

It was almost as if I was compelled to follow him

- against my will. - And then?

And then, he led me to another room.

It's a strange room.

The walls were all doors.

And then, he disappeared and I heard only his voice.

What did the voice say, do you remember?

Yes.

It was a kind of riddle.

"Through sight and sound and faceless terror,

"through endless corridors of trial and error,

"ahead a blazing light does burn

and one door leads to a point of return."

"Through sight, through sound,

through faceless terror"--

And then, I - I heard a tinkling kind of music

and - and then, comes the most frightening part of all.

Describe it to me.

I was led to a - a door by this tinkling music

and when I opened it, it was there.

It?

I didn't know what it was at first

and then, I could see it!

It was a skull with two eyes!

It was coming closer to me!

And what did you do?

I tried to close the door, but I couldn't!

I couldn't!

It was coming closer and closer to me.

I tried to close the door and I couldn't!

I couldn't!

It was coming closer and closer and closer and closer.

I'm sorry to put you through this, Ms. Evans,

but what happened next?

I woke up, mercifully,

but the next day, I could think of nothing

but that dream.

I was going out of my mind. I was going mad until--

Until you told Jeff Clark your dream.

Yes.

How did you know?

I guessed.

Have you had the dream since or thought about it?

No.

Until now.

- Does any of this make any sense to you? - Yes.

The first words of the riddle, "Through sight,

and you saw a skull with eyes in it,

you experienced the first part of the curse.

Yes, it's beginning to make sense.

I'm glad it does make sense to you.

I don't understand any of it.

I don't think I want to understand it.

It's best if you don't.

I believe I'm getting close to discovering a secret,

a fascinating secret, but a dangerous one,

very dangerous.

♪♪

Professor Stokes.

Mr. Collins, I didn't expect to find you here.

I was looking for Dr. Hoffman.

Well, she isn't here.

That's not what they told me at Collinwood

and why is her car in the driveway?

All right, she is here,

but she can't see you now, she's busy.

That's all right.

I'd prefer to talk to you anyway.

Me?

You're hiding something, Mr. Collins,

and I know what it is.

What are you hinting at?

Invite me in and I'll tell you.

Come in.

Now, what's all this about?

You know witchcraft is being practiced at Collinwood

and furthermore, I believe you know who the witch is.

Well, what makes you say that?

Mr. Collins, you came to me for a talisman,

a protection against witchcraft.

That means you know witchcraft is being practiced here

and it probably means you know who the witch is.

Who is it?

Well, I'm not sure I should tell you.

Why not?

Oh, what gain would I have by telling you?

My help.

- And you need my help. - Why?

I believe someone is being made the victim of a dream curse.

It could be anyone, even you.

I don't see why it could be me.

It's possible,

but it could be anyone at Collinwood.

The point is, I think I can break the curse.

If you know who the witch is, you must tell me.

You must tell me, Mr. Collins, you have no other choice.

Don't I?

No.

Now, whom do you suspect?

Who is it? Who?

- Cassandra Collins! - Cassandra?

Well, you are surprised by that. Why?

For reasons of my own.

Thank you, Mr. Collins, for telling me the truth!

Good night.

Do you always come and go so abruptly?

Yes. Good night.

Who was at the door?

Professor Stokes.

Did you get rid of him?

Yes.

But I told him something, Julia,

and I'm not sure I did the right thing.

Well, what did you tell him?

I told him that Cassandra Collins

is practicing witchcraft.

Oh, Barnabas, I think that may have been a mistake.

Why do you say that?

Do you remember where Roger met Cassandra originally?

Stokes' house, I had forgotten.

Yes, we have no idea how close their relationship is.

Do you know, he resembles Ben Stokes.

He's the image of the Ben Stokes that I once knew.

- Well, what about it? - Well, Ben Stokes, at one time,

was Angelique's sl*ve.

If that's so, it's possible that this Stokes

could also be under her power.

If it's true,

he will tell her that he saw me here tonight

and she will wonder what I'm doing here

and she will find out about the experiment.

She might not.

Professor Stokes may be everything he seems to be.

Oh. I've got to escape her, Julia,

and the only way I can escape her

is by transferring my life force into this body.

If the experiment doesn't succeed,

I will never escape her.

Never.

♪♪

[eerie theme music] ♪♪