251 - June 12, 1967

[bunniefuu]

- My name is Victoria Winters.

It is twilight and a few fading rays of sunlight

still cling to the walls of Collinwood.

Not far away from the great house,

the approach of nightfall

strikes terror in the heart of one girl,

for she must either submit to an unspeakable fate or k*ll,

destroy in order not to be destroyed.

♪♪

- The sun is about to set.

You're supposed to wait for him here.

- Don't go! Please don't leave me!

- I have to.

No one else must be here.

[beating heart]

- Aah!

[tool clanging]

[whimpering]

♪♪

[eerie music] ♪♪

[announcer] Following the next commercial

there will be a summary of last weeks episodes.

[announcer] For those of you who have missed

the last few episodes of Dark Shadows,

Elizabeth Collins and Jason McQuire's insistence

has taken Vicky, Carolyn and Roger into the basement room

and convinces them that it holds no mystery.

They don't realize that beneath the flagstone's on the floor

is conceal the rooms secret,

the body of Elizabeth's husband Paul.

Elizabeth now realizing that the secret

can never be told,

announces to the family that she and Jason

will be married.

Maggie Evans escaped from Barnabas

in attempt to get to her father but was recaptured

and told by Barnabas

that unless she assumes the identity of Josette Collins

she will die.

Realizing that she can never escape,

Maggie attempts to destroy Barnabas.

- You still haven't answered my question.

What were you doing with this tool?

- I-- - Be careful.

It's very sharp.

I wouldn't want you to hurt yourself...

- No!

- ...or anyone else. - No.

- I wouldn't want you to hurt anyone.

But perhaps you were trying to hurt one.

Perhaps you were trying to hurt me!

- No!

- Perhaps you were trying to destroy me!

- No!

- But then...

you wouldn't if you were Josette.

But Maggie Evans might attempt to destroy me!

- Don't say that name! - Why not?

Are you afraid of your own name?

- That's not my name! My name is Josette.

- Don't lie to me!

You resisted my will.

You refused to become my bride.

You tried to destroy me!

- No!

- You deserve to die! - No!

No! No!

- Don't!

- Oh!

- Get out of here, Willie! - No!

- I said, get out of here, Willie!

- No, Barnabas, I won't!

- Are you disobeying my order?

- This time I have to! I can't let you k*ll her!

- You know what will happen to you

if you disobey my orders, Willie!

- I don't care!

If you k*ll her, you'll have to k*ll me too!

- Don't tempt me, Willie!

- You can't k*ll me. - Oh? Why can't I?

- 'Cause they'd look for me-- Jason and the others.

They'd notice I was missing and they'd search for me!

They're already searching for her.

Do you want them to search for me too?

- You're assuming that I'm not clever enough

to cope with idiots.

Unfortunately for you, I am.

- Then k*ll me.

But you'll have to k*ll me first before the girl.

- I might do just that!

- Barnabas! Listen!

- What?

- That pounding-- someone's at the door!

- They will go away.

[banging on door]

- Listen, don't you hear it?

I left the front door unlocked.

- I told you to keep that door locked at all times!

- I was going out the door when I heard her scream!

I left it unlocked.

- You stay here with the girl.

If she attempts to move or cry out,

I will k*ll both of you.

Understand?

- Yes.

[banging on door continues]

♪♪

[banging on door]

- Miss Winters. - Hello, Mr. Collins.

- I was beginning to think no one was at home.

- I was upstairs, resting.

- Oh, I'm so sorry I disturbed you,

but Mrs. Stoddard sent me down with a message.

- Won't you come in?

- Thank you.

The sheriff was up at the house a little while ago.

He's put a curfew on the town.

Mrs. Stoddard thought you should know.

- A curfew? - Yes.

- No one's allowed to go out alone at night,

especially women.

- Oh. Because of the women who were attacked.

- Yes, and because of Maggie Evans.

I think the curfew is a good idea.

I know that I don't like to go out alone at night.

- Is there any word of Miss Evans?

- No, none.

No one has any idea what's happened to her.

Not even a clue!

- Poor Miss Evans.

I didn't know her very well, but she was a lovely girl.

- Everyone uses the past tense when they talk about her.

I hope she isn't dead.

- Well, so do I, but we must be realistic.

If she were still alive, surely the police

would have found her by this time.

- Unless she's being held by the madman

who has done all of these terrible things.

- Listen to me.

Can I trust you not to move or make a sound?

You know what will happen if you do.

He'll k*ll us both.

Okay, then.

- [gasping]

I won't do anything.

Thank you for stopping him.

- What did you do?

- I tried to k*ll him.

- k*ll him?

- I had to.

He was going to turn me into something inhuman.

- You can't k*ll him. No one can.

No one has the power.

If I had it, I would have k*lled him a long time ago.

You're lucky you're not dead.

- I would rather be dead

than to be turned into something inhuman and monstrous.

- Now, don't say that or he will k*ll you.

- I don't care!

- Don't say that!

Look, I'm trying to help you.

- But you can't help me.

There's no escape except death.

- There might be a way of escaping him...

or at least preventing what he wants for you.

He might decide he doesn't want you for his bride.

- What if he does?

- At least you'll be alive for awhile.

While you are alive, there's always a chance

that somehow something will happen to end his power.

- I don't want to die!

- Then do what I say.

Let me do all the talking.

Don't you say a word.

- Do you really think you can stop him?

- I don't know, but I can try.

I can try.

- I wish everyone wasn't so pessimistic about Maggie.

- Well, it's difficult to be anything else.

- I know.

- Well, I do appreciate your coming down,

and do thank Elizabeth for me.

- I will.

By the way, Mrs. Stoddard has been wondering

why you haven't come up to the house lately.

- Oh, I realize I've been very remiss

in paying my respects more often.

- Well, I-- I'm sure that she understands.

- Well...

- Oh...

isn't that pretty.

What is it?

- Why, it's a music box.

It's been in the family for generations.

- It's beautiful. Does it still play?

- Yes. Would you like to hear it?

- Oh, yes, please.

[melody playing]

♪♪

It's lovely.

It reminds me of...

- Of what?

- Of the past.

Of a long, long time ago. - Yes, it does.

- [laughs] I'm being much too much of a romantic.

- Oh, not at all.

Not many young girls feel very happy about the past,

and the past is very beautiful.

Very beautiful.

- Yes, I'm sure it was.

- Well...

I watched your face just now

while you were listening to music.

You seemed very transfixed.

- I did?

Oh, I'd better be going back to the house now.

It's getting dark.

- Would you like me to accompany you through the woods?

- No, thank you. I'll be all right.

- Well, do thank Elizabeth for me again.

- I will. Good night, Mr. Collins.

- Good night, Miss Winters.

[melody playing]

♪♪

[door slams]

- He's coming. - Oh.

- Now you remember what I told you.

You don't say a word.

You let me do all the talking.

♪♪

♪♪

- Well, Josette,

have you waited for me patiently?

- She didn't move, Barnabas.

She didn't make a sound.

- How fortunate for you, Josette,

and for you, Willie.

- She did just what you told her to do.

- Did you, Josette?

But I mustn't call you Josette any longer.

You are no longer worthy of that name.

You will go to your death with the common name you bore

when you came to me-- Maggie Evans.

- You're not gonna k*ll her. - She tried to betrayed me.

She tried to destroy me! - No.

- She must die. - You can't.

- The question is, how will she die?

It won't be an easy death.

You must endure great pain before you die, Maggie Evans--

greater pain than any human being has ever endured.

- No.

- And when you die at last, your death will be a mercy,

and your body will not only be lifeless but bloodless.

- [whimpering] - Don't try to escape.

There is no escape.

- Remember what I said, Barnabas.

You'll have to k*ll me first.

- I might do just that.

But, unfortunately, I do not need you anymore.

- Oh, no, you can't do without me.

You'd have no one to take care of you.

No one'll guard you during the day.

- I'll find someone else. - Yeah, but that'll take time.

And they might find you here.

They might come looking for you,

and there'll be no one to protect you without me.

- I'm willing to take that chance.

- You don't mean that.

- Don't I, Willie?

- Well, you don't want to k*ll her, Barnabas.

She was gonna be your bride.

You waited for her for a long, long time,

and she was close to accepting it.

You said so yourself.

- But she didn't.

- But she still could, if you gave her a chance.

Now, you want to give her a chance.

You know you do.

You still want her for your bride.

Look how-- look how beautiful she is.

- I don't want to look at her.

- Oh, look at her.

Now, you still want her.

And you still can have her.

Look at her, Barnabas!

Look how beautiful she is!

Look!

- Come with me.

- What are you gonna do to her?

- I'm taking her with me.

You stay here until I return.

- [gasping] No!

No!

No!

No!

[sobbing]

No.

[gasping]

No.

No.

- This is where you will stay until I come for you.

- No! Oh!

- By then, I will have made my final decision.

- Oh, please!

Please come back! Please come back!

No.

[knocking on door]

- Mr. Collins!

I didn't expect to see you again so soon.

- Hello, Miss Winters. Is Mrs. Stoddard in?

- Yes, she's upstairs, resting.

I'll tell her you're here. - Oh, don't bother.

I just wanted to give her this small gift as an apology.

- An apology?

- Well, I've been very remiss

in paying my respects more often.

I realize that I have been shamefully negligent.

- I'm sure there's no need for an apology.

Mrs. Stoddard knows how busy you've been.

- Well, just the same,

I would like her to have this handkerchief

as a small token of my esteem.

- Oh, it's beautiful!

- It was given to Josette Collins.

- Really? - Yes.

According to the legend,

it was given to her by the Queen of France.

- I'm sure Mrs. Stoddard

will be very, very pleased with it.

I know I would be.

- Would you?

- Oh, yes.

I'd treasure any family heirloom.

Anything that had been handed down

from generation to generation

would be very precious to me.

- Well, not everyone sees the value of such things.

- Well, perhaps I put so much importance on it

because I never had a family.

- You didn't?

- No.

I was raised in an orphanage.

I thought you knew.

- No one ever told me.

Well, no wonder you take such an interest

in family heritage and the past.

- Oh, I'd give anything to know

what my family's heritage and past had been.

- Really?

- Look, why don't you come in?

- Oh, unfortunately, my presence is required elsewhere.

Do give Elizabeth my regards.

- I will. - Thank you.

- Oh, and Miss Winters... - Yes?

- You know, you must come around to my house one day,

if you're so curious about the past.

You know, that's my special interest.

I'm sure I could tell you many things

that you would find fascinating.

- I'm sure you could. I'd like that very much.

- Good night, Miss Winters.

- Good night, Mr. Collins.

♪♪

- [sobbing]

[footsteps]

- I have made my decision.

- What is it?

- I want to k*ll you.

- Go ahead!

- But I also want you as my bride.

You must come to me of your own free will.

- What do you mean?

- I will k*ll you only when you beg to come to me

as Josette Collins.

- I'll never be Josette Collins!

- Careful. I'm close to k*lling you tonight.

Only your beauty saves you.

Don't force me to do anything I don't want to do.

- What are you going to do now?

- Leave you here.

- Here?

In this horrible place?

- This will be your home until I decide otherwise.

- Please! Oh, please, don't leave me here!

I couldn't stand it.

I'd go out of my mind!

I'd go mad!

- Perhaps you'll come to find that madness

is preferable to sanity, or death preferable to life.

- No!

No!

Oh!

Oh, please!

Please don't leave me here!

- Good night, Josette.

- Oh! Oh! Oh!

Oh!

Oh, please!

Please! Don't leave me here!

I'll lose my mind in here!

Please!

Please!

[sobbing]

[eerie music]

♪♪

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