277 - July 18, 1967

[bunniefuu]

[Victoria narrating] - The strange needs

of a man who has crossed from another world

will have a lasting effect on those who are innocent.

He walks the earth a lonely, desolate soul,

searching for a relationship that can never be real.

♪♪

[music box playing]

[music box stops]

♪♪

- I checked around town.

The talk is Jason left town 'cause the sheriff ordered him.

- Then, there's no suspicion?

- No, none at all.

No one really cared about him.

- But you did.

- Well, we went through a lot together.

- That's all in the past now.

- Yeah, the past. I'll forget him.

- Don't forget him entirely.

Remember what happened to him.

- I knew you'd be up here.

You've been spending a lot of time up here.

- I've been thinking about many things.

- What kind of things?

- The future, my plans.

I've decided to wait no longer.

This room will be occupied very soon.

♪♪

♪♪

- Well, if another girl disappears the same way

Maggie Evans did, they might become suspicious.

- It won't be the same.

Miss Evans came here unwillingly.

The next one will come of her own free will.

- Well, that's impossible. - Don't underestimate me.

That's a great error.

And if I find you being the least bit uncooperative,

you'll regret it.

- I'll cooperate.

- Things have been all too depressing of late.

It's time for a change.

This house must become a more inviting place.

I know.

I will invite the Collins family here for a gathering.

- But what do you mean? - Yes.

Now, let me see.

A dinner party would be too formal, too unrelaxed.

Elizabeth hasn't seen the restoration of this house,

and that will be my excuse for the party.

But, there has to be another element.

Of course. A costume party.

Everyone will come dressed in the costume of that period.

We will relive a moment out of the past.

And Miss Winters will wear Josette's dress.

♪♪

- Doing your homework? - Hello, Roger.

- Liz, why must you spend so much time

going through the company accounts?

- Because it has to be done.

- It doesn't have to be done here, does it?

- What do you mean?

- Well, why can't it be done during the day

down at the office?

What I'm really saying is...

why don't you come down to the office?

- I can't. - Why not?

The reason for your staying in this house all these years

no longer exists.

There's nothing for you to protect, nothing to hide.

- No, I suppose not.

- Well, don't you think it's about time

you thought of getting out?

- Yes, I guess so.

- Do you realize that you haven't seen

all of the improvements and the additions in the cannery?

- I realize there are a lot of things I haven't seen.

- Then, what about it?

- All right, Roger, I will. - Good!

I'll personally conduct you on a grand tour.

Oh, they'll be so delighted to see you down there again, Liz.

- Thank you, Roger, I appreciate it.

- But I may regret having you come down there.

You may like it so much that you'll wanna take over

the whole thing. - Oh, don't worry.

I'll leave that job to the others.

- Speaking of jobs,

now that Mr. McGuire is no longer employed by the company,

is it safe to assume that the position

won't be filled that was created for him?

- Quite safe.

- One other thing.

I would like to know...

exactly where is Jason McGuire?

♪♪

- Is there a doubt in your mind that he's gone?

- Well, it seems-- so it seems.

- Why?

- Well, that wardrobe you bought him.

It's still upstairs in his room.

He has very expensive tastes,

and I don't think that he would leave it behind.

He has to come out of this with something, if only that.

- Yes, he would have taken them.

- And his other personal things are still there.

A man usually takes his razor when he travels.

- You mean, he left everything? - Everything.

- Well, perhaps he took the sheriff literally.

- And left town? Possibly.

One thing is certain,

he didn't leave by a bus or a train.

- How do you know?

- Well, because the sheriff was checking.

No one saw him leave town.

No one is sure that he's gone.

- Well, if I know Jason, he's gone.

He had far too much pride to allow himself to stay

in a place where he'd been defeated.

- The Blue Whale was the last place he was seen.

He was with his friend, Willie.

They were having a last drink together,

which developed into a argument of sorts.

They left separately, and that was the last time he was seen.

- I understand Vicki saw him there, too.

She gave him quite a tongue lashing.

- [chuckles] Good for her.

- He told her he was going.

- Well, I'd like to get his room fumigated.

- I'll have Mrs. Johnson pack his things,

and if we don't hear from him,

his belongings can be given to charity.

- Oh, I like that idea. He'd hate that.

- I'm quite sure we've seen the last of Jason McGuire.

♪♪

[dog barking, howling]

- Hello, Mr. Collins!

- Good evening, Miss Winters, how are you?

- I'm fine, thank you, and how are you?

- I'm feeling extremely well, thank you.

- Won't you come in?

- I was just enjoying the view of the ocean.

Have you noticed it tonight?

- No, I haven't.

- Jeremiah Collins certainly knew what he was doing

when he built the house on this site.

- Yes, I've admired the view time and time again.

- The moon and the sea seem as one tonight.

- Makes a lovely scene.

- Perhaps that's why I'm in such a good mood.

I like the night very much. Do you?

- Sometimes. - I prefer it.

I find the daylight harsh and cruel,

whereas the night is kind and soft.

- I think that the night can be as cruel as the day.

It all depends on the circumstances.

- But see how beautiful the moon is.

When one considers that the moon takes on its beauty

by reflecting the rays of the sun,

it seems inconceivable that the sun could be so ugly.

- I don't think the sun is ugly.

- Well, one cannot even look upon it without being blinded.

It burns the skin, it scorches the earth.

- But, our whole universe revolves around it.

We can't exist without it.

- For me, it is to be avoided rather than adored.

- Mr. Collins, man was designed to live with it.

- And I have been redesigned to live without it.

- What do you mean?

- Well, simply that I find myself more active

and alive at night.

- But then, when do you sleep?

- I find the time.

I enjoy talking to you, Miss Winters.

- Thank you.

- I only regret that I haven't been able to devote

more time to you.

- Well, I'm sure you've been very busy.

- I look forward to future discussions with you on--

oh, on such other subjects as... life and death.

[dog howling]

♪♪

♪♪

- I see you have quite an interest in philosophy.

- Yes, I do. My education in that subject

was both formal and practical.

And I'm delighted to see that you also find it interesting.

I have a number of books that would interest you.

Please, feel free to borrow them at any time.

- Oh, thank you.

- You know, I know that you have a great interest in history

and have acquired some rare volumes--

volumes that any historian would be eager to see.

- You must have a very interesting library.

- What I have is a museum of sorts.

And now that I've restored the interior of the house

to its original condition, I've been seeking to find

a way of recreating a moment out of the past.

And I have some marvelous plans, exciting plans,

plans that I know that you'll be interested in.

That's why I'm here tonight. - What are they?

- You'll find out soon enough. Now, where is my cousin?

- Mrs. Stoddard is in here with Roger.

- Oh, good, I'm delighted that he's here.

Would you tell them, please, that I'd like to speak to them

for a few minutes? - Of course.

[Elizabeth] - Come in.

- Excuse me, but Barnabas Collins is here.

He'd like to see both of you.

- Oh, ask him to come in, please.

- Please, come in. - Thank you.

- Barnabas, how nice to see you.

- Hello, Elizabeth. - Hello, Barnabas.

- Hello, Roger. - How nice of you to drop by.

You live so near, and yet we never see you.

- Well, that is a fault of mine,

and one that I want to rectify right away.

That's why I've come.

I'd like Miss Winters to hear what I'm about to say.

- Oh, of course. Sit down, Vicki.

- Thank you.

- I have an idea that I hope will appeal to you, all of you.

Something that we could all use right now--

Elizabeth, particularly you,

who have been through so much lately.

I think it is time that we all lightened it

and had a pleasant experience.

- Well, I'm all for that.

- I've completed restoration on most of my house,

and it's very much like it was

when it was there originally.

And I would like to show it to all of you.

- How very nice of you.

- And for that reason, I would like to have

a small party for you, a family party.

- Well, I think that's an excellent idea.

- But not just an ordinary party.

I'd like to go a step further.

This is to be... a costume party.

- Costume? What sort of costumes?

- Costumes of the period.

Costumes of the people who lived in that house.

Everyone is to come wearing a costume of the Collins family.

- Oh, what a splendid idea.

- What do you think, Miss Winters?

- I think it sounds wonderful.

- I think it's just what this family needs to pick it up.

When do you plan to have it?

- This Friday night, if it doesn't conflict

with your plans. - Well, no, no plans,

but it is rather short notice to get a costume for it.

- Ah, I've already considered that problem,

and I've taken the responsibility of getting them.

They are the clothes that our ancestors wore.

I found them very carefully stored.

- You mean, that we'd be wearing those clothes?

- Yes.

But I assure you, they will be immaculate

and in perfect condition.

- Well, I accept your invitation.

- Excellent. And you, Miss Winters?

- Of course.

And, thank you for thinking enough of me to invite me.

- I think a great deal of you...

of all of you.

Elizabeth, you most of all.

You will come, won't you?

- I don't think so.

♪♪

♪♪

- Barnabas is waiting in the study.

- You shouldn't have asked him to wait,

because I have no intention of changing my mind.

- Well, I intend to change it for you.

- Well, don't try, please.

- I'd never seen a look of disappointment

so much as on his face.

- Well, I'm sorry, but there's no reason

why you can't all go to the party without me.

- Oh, Liz, Barnabas wouldn't give the party without you.

- I think it's unfair to blame me entirely

for the canceling of a party.

- But the party's being given mostly for you.

- I thought it was being given to display

the restoration of the house.

- Well, it's a combination of both.

Now, give me one good reason why you can't go.

- Because I don't want to, and that's sufficient.

- Barnabas is taking it as personal rejection.

- Well, he shouldn't. - Well, now, Liz,

we've gone over this earlier tonight.

You're behaving like a recluse again.

- I don't want to hear that word again.

- Well then, stop acting like one.

Barnabas is giving you a wonderful opportunity

to open up, and to laugh, and to have fun.

- Roger, I appreciate it, but--

- But then, why don't you appreciate it by going?

Oh, come on, Liz.

Give us a chance to feel like we're doing something.

- Well, you're right, of course, about what I should do.

- Well then, do it.

- But there's something about this party

that doesn't seem right to me. - Well, what's wrong with it?

- Oh, all this living in the past.

- Well, I think it's the most charming idea

I've heard in a long time, and once you get

the swing of it, you'll have a marvelous time.

Now, come on, what do you say?

- I don't know. - Oh, Liz, you'll go.

And if you don't really enjoy yourself, I'll make

some excuse for you and I'll bring you home.

- All right, I'll go.

- Wonderful.

Vicki, would you ask Barnabas to come in, please?

He'll be very pleased.

- I hope everything's gonna turn out the way you think it will.

- Well, he has excellent taste.

This is going to be the party of the century.

Barnabas, good news.

Tell him, Liz.

- I accept your invitation,

and look forward to a wonderful evening.

- That's splendid.

I can't tell you how happy I am.

- I hope you weren't offended by my reluctance to accept.

It had nothing to do with you. - I understand completely.

- Well now, tell us about your plans.

- All right.

Now, each of us is to come as a member of the Collins family.

- Well, it takes no imagination whatsoever

to guess who you're coming as.

Barnabas, your namesake.

- Yes, my namesake.

- And, I assume you have a role picked out for me?

- Yes, a very wealthy one.

- Ooh, I like it already. Who is it?

- You will be Joshua Collins.

- Well, that would make me your father.

- That's correct. - And who will I be?

- And you will be Naomi Collins.

- Very appropriate. There is a resemblance.

- And who will I be?

- And you will be Josette Collins.

♪♪

♪♪

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