661 - January 5, 1969

[bunniefuu]

[Julia narrating] - On this night an incident in the long dead past

has intruded on the present.

Barnabas Collins has learned of a hanging

that occurred in the year .

- Julia, I must find a way to get back in time to help Vicki.

- Barnabas, there's - there's no way to get back

and besides, it isn't necessary.

- Why not?

- Because Vicki went to the past once before,

and when she was about to be hanged,

she somehow was returned to the present.

- Only because there was someone in the present

to take her place,

but this time she not been able to get back to the present,

and here is your proof.

This time she went to the gallows and died.

What I must do now is go back a few hours

before that time to save her.

- Barnabas, even if you could go back,

what - what would you do?

I would try to change the events that took place

the night they hanged her.

- What did happen on that night?

- It was the most tragic night that I've ever experienced.

It all began when my mother discovered my coffin,

the shock at seeing what I was

drove her to take poison.

[Barnabas narrating] A doctor was summoned and Ben Stokes and I

waited anxiously in the drawing room

to hear the verdict.

She can't die. She can't.

- She might not.

Nobody knows how much of that poison she took.

- If only she hadn't found me.

- It was Forbes' doing.

He was the one who told her you were in the tower.

- Yes, and he will pay for it.

- I hope he does.

He's brought nothing but grief to this family.

- I begged her not to love me.

I told her that anyone who loves me will die,

that it was part of Angelique's curse,

but she wouldn't listen to me.

- You can't just tell somebody to stop loving you.

It ain't that easy.

- Why hasn't the doctor come?

Why is he taking so long?

- There's no longer any need for a doctor.

Your mother is dead.

♪♪

[eerie music] ♪♪

[Barnabas narrating] - For my father,

the terrible agony of that night had only begun.

He still had to face the problem of disposing of me.

- But the course must be ended.

- It cannot be ended.

- It must and I must be the one to do it.

- You? - Yes.

I cannot allow this nightmare to go on any longer.

I cannot allow more people to die.

I must destroy you.

- By driving a stake through my heart.

- No. I couldn't bring myself to do that.

- That is the only way.

- No. There is another way.

- Another?

- A silver b*llet fired directly through your heart

will destroy you.

- How do you know?

- When I was in Boston,

I managed to come across an ancient volume of witchcraft.

In it, it described men who had become what you are

and the means to destroy them.

It is said that if a silver b*llet pierces the heart,

destruction is instantaneous.

I must destroy you.

If you have any human feeling left,

you will not try to stop me.

I have sent Riggs into town with silver candelabra.

I have instructed him to go to a silver smith

and have six b*ll*ts made.

I will fire those b*ll*ts into your heart.

- When will Riggs return?

- I don't know. Probably several hours.

- Where is Lieutenant Forbes?

- Forbes? - Yes.

He must die. - No, Barnabas!

- Why do you care about Forbes?

If he hadn't told my mother about me,

she would still be alive.

You ought to hate him as much as I do.

- I don't care about Forbes! I care about you!

You have caused enough destruction.

You must not cause more.

- This will be my one last act of destruction

and one I might add

that will give me enormous pleasure.

- Don't do it, Barnabas. I beg of you.

Don't do it.

- You cannot stop me, Father.

No one can.

[Barnabas narrating] I went out to look for Forbes

and I found him drinking at the Eagle Pub.

It was the last drink he ever took.

Forbes.

- Barnabas.

- You looked surprised to see me.

- I am.

- Why?

Because you thought I've gone to England?

- Yes, that's right.

- That's not what you told my mother.

- Your mother?

- You told her that I was alive and in the tower.

She found me there.

- Why, I didn't - I didn't know that for certain.

I only suspected it.

- And so, you told my mother.

Do you know what happened to her?

- No.

- She's dead.

- What? - Dead!

She committed suicide because she found out about me

and she found out because of you.

- I never wanted her to die.

I never - I never wanted any harm to come to her.

- Didn't you? - No!

- And what about Daniel?

I supposed you didn't want any harm to come to him.

- Of course not.

I lost my temper and I frightened him.

That's all.

- And Millicent, what about Millicent?

- I'm to married Millicent now. I love her very much.

- You're a lying hypocrite.

You'll stop at nothing to get what you want.

- Barnabas.

- My mother is dead because of you.

- You don't know what you're saying.

No.

I've captured the Collinsport Strangler.

- [chuckling]

Is that what you think of me?

- Yes, I know it.

And you and I are gonna pay a call to a constable.

I'm not bluffing you, Barnabas.

I want you to do what I say because I'll sh**t.

- Go ahead. sh**t me.

- Don't come another step.

- sh**t.

sh**t!

[g*n shot]

I cannot die because I am already dead.

Do I frighten you, Forbes?

I do not plan to k*ll you.

At least not here and now.

Later, Forbes,

after you have time to think about it.

Nine o'clock.

When the clock strikes nine, you will die.

♪♪

[Barnabas narrating] In desperation,

Forbes went to my father for help.

He didn't know what was happening to him

because he didn't know yet what I was.

- I shot him.

I fired a b*llet right into his chest.

He didn't die. He just disappeared.

How could that happen?

Mr. Collins, what is he?

- He is a vampire.

- A vampire? - Yes.

Barnabas has been placed under a curse

that has destroyed this family

and will in due time destroy Barnabas himself.

- I can't believe any of this.

I can't believe it's happening.

- Unfortunately, it is.

- He threatened to k*ll me. - I'm surprised.

I'm surprised he didn't.

He blames Mrs. Collins death on you as do I.

- He said that when - the clock strike nine I will die.

- There is nothing I can do about it.

- Couldn't you talk to him? Plead with him?

- I have already tried.

Mainly because I don't want any more bloodshed

but it will do no good.

- You've got to make him! - It is impossible!

I'm almost sorry for you but there's nothing I can do.

- Aren't you going to stay here with me?

- I wouldn't be any protection

and I don't want to see what is going to happen to you.

- Ben, did you know about him?

- Aye.

I've known about him for a long time.

- And you protected him

and let him go on k*lling people?

- I tried to stop him once.

He even begged me to do it.

- Stop him?

- I tried to destroy him

with one of the few ways he can be destroyed.

- You mean there is a way?

- Aye. - What is it?

- I'm not going to tell you. - Ben!

Please!

If you just standby and let him k*ll me,

my blood is going to be in your hands.

You want that? - No.

- Well, you've got to tell me!

- All right. I will.

The way to destroy him is to drive a wooden stake

through his heart.

[laughing]

During the day, he rests in his coffin.

You go to his coffin tomorrow morning

and drive a stake through is heart.

You'll destroy him.

Only you won't live that long.

Tomorrow morning, you will be dead.

Where are you going?

You can't escape him.

[dogs howling]

- What's that?

- Dogs howling.

That means he is nearby.

- It's four minutes to nine.

Mr. Collins -- - I told you there is nothing I can do.

- You got to be with me at nine o'clock.

- I told you that my presence will not keep Barnabas

from doing what he is determined to do,

and I do not care to witness it.

- You just can't let me --

- Why do you hesitate?

- I -- - What is it?

- You - you're right.

- Right?

- It was unfair of me to ask you to remain.

- That is an odd word coming from you.

A moment ago, you were terrified to be here alone.

- I know and I was being cowardly.

If I have to die I don't want to die a coward's death.

- You're behaving most peculiarly.

- It's nearly nine.

Please, Mr. Collins, I --

I think you'd better not be in this room.

- I almost wish I could do something for you

in spite of everything.

[Barnabas narrating] - Forbes saw one last chance

to save his own wretched neck

and he clutched at it.

He would fire the crossbow

and send the wooden arrow through my heart.

He raced against time to prepare the weapon.

I returned to the house a moment later,

never suspecting that I might be the one to die.

♪♪

[clock chiming]

[thinking] - I have to be steady.

I have to aim carefully,

very carefully.

- No!

Agh!

You didn't hit my heart.

It didn't hit me.

♪♪

[Barnabas narrating] With Forbes dead,

my father and I made plans for my final destruction.

[rooster crowing]

It will be daylight soon.

- I know.

- I must go in a moment but before I do,

I must ask you to do two things.

- What are they?

- First of all, free Ben.

- Free Ben.

- He deserves his freedom.

He's good man.

He has been loyal to me ever since all of this started.

- And your second request?

- Miss Winters is to be hanged at dusk.

You must do something, Father.

You're the only one who can.

Please, try to save her.

- I've already tried and failed.

I couldn't get Judge Henley to listen to me.

- Then send a note to the governor.

Use your prestige,

that you might be able to get a stay in the execution

and a new trial.

- All right.

Everything you ask will be done.

- Thank you.

[rooster crowing]

I must go.

- Barnabas.

- Yes.

- I was never known to be able to show much affection.

- Don't show it now.

Forget that I am your son.

After today, forget that I ever existed.

- I can't do that. - You must.

Good bye, Father.

- Good bye.

[Barnabas narrating] - I can only assume what happened after that.

I'm sure my father couldn't bring himself

to fire the silver b*ll*ts into my heart.

Most likely he instructed Ben to go to the mausoleum

and place the chains around my coffin.

- Good bye, Mr. Barnabas.

Good bye.

- And there I stayed in that mausoleum prison

for almost years

until the night Willie Loomis broke in

and opened my coffin and released me.

- I see.

- So now, you know what happened

and how it happened.

- Yes, but I don't see how you can save Vicki.

- I was so obsessed with k*lling Forbes that night.

What I should have done is let him live

and force him to go and recant his testimony

against Vicki.

That is what I'm going to do this time.

- How Barnabas, how can you possibly get there?

- Vicki was led back to the past

for the spirit of Peter Bradford.

I too will summon his spirit to take me back

for just one night.

- What if that night doesn't go the way you wanted it to go?

- It will.

I will control.

- But you won't have any more control

than any of the others involved.

- More control.

I lived through it.

I will know what will happen before it happens

and I can change what happened.

- But Barnabas there are any number of things

that can change what happens

and they all represent grave danger for you.

What if Forbes fires the arrow

and it strikes you in the heart?

Then you will be dead

and he will changed the course of history.

- It will never happen, Julia.

- You're not being sure, Barnabas.

There is another grave danger.

If you change one thing in the past,

you can start a whole chain reaction

that could lead to your own destruction.

- I am aware of that.

- You must also remember what you were back then, Barnabas,

when you come back to the present if you come back.

You'd be as you are, as a vampire.

- I don't know.

- How do you intend to return to the present?

- I don't know that that either

but I'm prepared to take all the risks you mentioned.

Now, I want you to be back here in this very spot

in hours.

- Barnabas -- - Now, Julia, please.

Don't try to stop me.

I'm determined to go through with this.

I can't let her die.

I summon the spirits of Peter Bradford.

Here me wherever you are.

Help me as you helped Vicki

in transcending the barriers of time.

A great wrong has been done in the past

which must be rectified.

Help me to rectify it.

Take me back.

Open the way for me. I implore you.

Open the way.

- Barnabas.

Barnabas!

[dogs howling]

♪♪

[eerie music] ♪♪