336 - October 9, 1967

[bunniefuu]

[Victoria Winters narrating] - All of us at Collinwood

remain concerned about the state of mind of young David Collins.

We are unaware that at this moment,

at the Eagle Hill cemetery,

two people are about to meet for the first time.

They will recognize each other,

and they will know that together they may travel

a long, dark and dangerous path

to help the troubled little boy

who means so much to both of them.

[squeaking open]

♪♪

[Dr. Woodard voiceover] - Last night there was no way

into the secret room.

But I know now something that I didn't know last night.

Not the way into the secret room.

But-- but, perhaps, just perhaps, the why,

the reason for that room.

Something so... unbelievable, so...

so terrible it had to be sealed out of sight

of heaven and hell.

If the room exists, in fact,

then the entrance exists, in fact.

[Sarah] - Hello, Dr. Woodard.

- Why, why... you're Sarah.

You're little Sarah.

- You're not surprised to see me, are you?

- No, no, I'm very glad to see you.

- I'm not surprised to see you either.

I knew you were going to be here.

- How did you know that?

- The same way I know everything else.

- Sarah... Sarah, would you tell me

about some of these things that you know?

- Why? - To help David.

- I'm mad at David. - Because he told your secret?

- Yes.

- I think he had to tell it, can you understand that?

- Because he was afraid just like Maggie was afraid?

- That's right, you know Maggie too, don't you?

You gave her a doll.

- Yes, because she was sad and afraid.

- That was very kind of you, Sarah.

- Do you know why Maggie and David are so frightened?

- No. No, I don't.

Sarah, I'm hoping that you're going to be a very good

little girl and... and tell me.

♪♪

[eerie music] ♪♪

- Sarah, Sarah, you've got to tell me

about some of these things that you know.

It's terribly important.

- I don't think I should do that.

- Why not?

- 'Cause people don't keep secrets any more.

They're always giving them away.

- Aren't you fond of David? - Of course I am.

- Well, so am I.

That-- that's why we're here, isn't it?

- You have my flute.

I like to play it a lot.

- Then it-- it is your flute that David found, isn't it?

- Of course.

- We didn't believe him when he told us that.

In fact, many people don't believe

anything that David says, they think that he tells lies,

and it's-- he's very sick.

- I was sick once.

- I know that.

- Sarah, when was that? How long ago?

- Oh, a long, long time ago.

- And when you were sick, something happened, didn't it?

David told me that. - Did David-- yes.

- Yes, yes he did.

- You know, Sarah, that-- that some people

think that David ought to be put away for treatment.

- In a big room just like Maggie was?

- That's right, in a big room with bars.

You wouldn't want that to happen to David, would you?

- No.

- Well, then-- then you've got to tell me.

Tell me the things you know.

- I don't think I should do that.

- Oh, Sarah... Sarah, look.

You're-- you're all alone on the Earth, aren't you?

- Yes.

- It must be very lonely for you at times.

- Sometimes.

- But not-- not when you're with David.

When you're playing with David you're not lonely, are you?

- No.

- Well, if they put David away,

why, then you'll be all alone again

for a very long, long time.

You wouldn't like that, would you?

- No.

- Then, if you please me,

I'll promise that no one will put David away.

- What do you want to know?

- Sarah... Sarah, is there a secret room

here in the mausoleum?

Sarah, Sarah, tell me.

Where is it?

- On the other side of that wall.

- But this is where-- this is where David went yesterday,

and we couldn't get in. - I know.

Yesterday the door was sealed.

- Well, who sealed it? - Somebody who wanted it closed.

But I wanted it open, so I unsealed it.

- Well then... it exists,

just-- just the way David said it did.

Well, if this exists, then what about

all the other things he's been telling us?

Yes, what-- what about all those things?

There's a coffin!

He-- he said it was empty.

- It is empty.

- One more thing that David didn't lie about.

One more piece fitted into place.

Sarah... Sarah...

...has the coffin always been empty?

- I don't know about always.

- Huh, you don't know about always.

But, Sarah, well, what do you know about?

I mean, was it just waiting here for someone who-- who died

and then couldn't be buried in it for some reason?

- I don't understand.

- I think you do understand.

It's I who don't understand 'cause it's so fantastic.

Sarah, was there anyone ever buried in this coffin?

Now, you've got to tell me so I can help David.

He's in serious trouble.

- I can't tell you, I can't.

- [sighs]

Then Sarah, I'm gonna have to try to figure it out for myself.

An empty coffin waiting for someone who died.

Someone who died terribly

and horribly and perhaps shamefully.

Someone who died, and then for some reason

couldn't be buried in the usual place

and the usual way.

So his coffin stands empty.

Is that the reason, Sarah? Is that it? Tell me!

[exhaling]

No, no...

This coffin wasn't always empty.

Someone was buried here. I know that now.

Yes, someone who wouldn't stay dead.

Someone whose desire to return to life was so strong,

they had to wrap him in chains.

But he broke those chains and left,

leaving his coffin empty.

Who was he, Sarah?

Who-- who was buried here?

Sarah?!

♪♪

- No way at all of buying that house?

- Not for the next five years, there isn't.

The old crackpot who owned it really saw to that.

I'm sorry, Vicki.

I know how much getting it meant to you.

- Yes.

- Well, look, it isn't the only house in the world.

We can buy another house right here in Collinsport.

- I suppose so.

- Vicki, I have to go out of town for a few days on business.

And when I come back, we have something very important to do.

- What?

- Well, first, we're gonna set a date for the wedding.

And then we're gonna look for the best house we can find

and get it all furnished before the wedding.

- I-- I don't know, I'm not sure we can do it so soon.

- Well, I am.

Now, the first order of business will be the house.

After all, Mr. and Mrs. Burke Devlin

have to set up somewhere don't they, hmm?

- If they're married, yes.

- Well, now, what's that supposed to mean?

You do still want to marry me, don't you?

- Yes, of course I do,

but we can't just rush into it, can we?

- Rush?

Vicki, we didn't meet last night in the moonlight.

We've known each other for quite some time now.

- Please, try to understand the way I feel.

To me, not being able to get that house,

well, it was like getting a message.

- What kind of a message?

- A message that we shouldn't get married,

at least not right now.

- Well, I'm sorry, that's one message I refuse to accept,

so send it back.

- Burke, please don't get annoyed.

- I'm not annoyed, I just...

All right, I am annoyed and disappointed.

I may be in the process of losing you.

- Oh, no, you're not losing me, and we will be married,

but it just can't be right now, that's all.

- When can it be?

- Well, I-- I don't exactly know.

Yes, I do.

When David is better.

- And when is that gonna be?

- I wish I knew.

- Of course, I should have realized.

That's what the conversation's been about.

Not about the house, but David.

- Burke, I can't leave him now the way he is.

And-- and suppose they got a new governess

who didn't understand him.

Anyway, I'm not just his governess, I'm his friend.

And you are too, aren't you? - Yes.

- And he's your friend, he worships you, Burke.

You know, he finds it easier to talk to you

than he does to his own father.

- Yes, I know. - If we got married now,

he wouldn't have anyone.

We'd be off somewhere and...

I keep remembering waking up and-- and hearing him scream

that night he had the terrible dream.

- All right, Vicki, what is it you want to do?

- Just wait.

And I'd like you to wait too,

and try not to be annoyed with me or with David.

- All right.

I'll wait.

I couldn't really be annoyed with you, you know that.

Nor with David either.

But old Caleb Collins,

that skinflint, wherever he is,

at him I am very annoyed!

- Well, I can't blame you for that.

- I'm also disappointed.

And... believe it or not, I'm frightened.

- Of what?

- Of losing you.

Of something taking you away from me.

Of something fighting me to possess your love.

- Oh, Burke, nothing is gonna take me away from you.

Nothing.

♪♪

[knocking on door]

[knocking continues]

- Dr. Woodard, I didn't expect to see you back here.

- Neither did I. Where's Burke, is he still here?

- Is-- is something the matter? - Why? Why?

- You seem to be very excited about something.

- I've got to talk to Burke.

- He isn't here. - Well, where is he?

Where can he be reached? - I'm afraid he can't.

He's gone out of town for a few days.

- Why, I can't wait a few days.

- Well, is there anything that I can do to help you?

- Yes, you can find out where he went.

- I'm afraid I can't do that.

He didn't tell me where he was going or--

or even what kind of business he was going on.

- That's too bad.

- Dr. Woodard, is there any way that I can help you?

- There-- there will be, Vicki, there will be, but not now.

First, I've got to check out a few facts.

Where's-- where's Julia Hoffman?

- She's been down at the old house all day.

- Yes, of course she has.

Vicki, look, there is one thing you can do for me.

I want to look at some books in the library,

some books on the Collins family history.

- Is there any book in particular?

- I don't know yet.

- Well, they're all on the bottom two shelves

in the library, except for the one

that-- that Julia's been working on,

and-- and they're in a pile on the desk.

- Good, I'll get started.

- Dr. Woodard? - Yes, what?

- You have something very important

to tell Burke, don't you?

- Yes, I do, Vicki, but, you see, this afternoon,

after I left here, I...

- Yes, what happened?

- I don't think I ought to tell you a thing, Vicki.

- Why not?

- Well, let me put it this way.

What you don't know can't hurt you.

Now, let me get to my reading.

[door opening/closing]

- Hello, Vicki. - Hello, Julia.

- Well, things seem fairly reasonably quiet here.

How's David feeling? - Oh, he's a little calmer.

- I'm glad. No more delusions?

- Nope.

- Now, that's not surprising,

after all hauling everybody down to the mausoleum last night

and finding nothing. - Oh, you heard about that?

- Yes, I had coffee with Roger this morning.

He said that David's folly

was carried to the ridiculous last night.

- I don't think it's very fair to call

what's been bothering David folly.

- Well, I didn't call it that.

I was simply quoting his father.

I think David's a very disturbed little boy.

Roger said that Mrs. Stoddard was having a psychiatrist

out to see him today.

- Yes, he talked to David for quite some time.

- Oh, and what was the report?

- That David has an inordinate fear of death.

That seems to be the crux of it.

- Well, most of us are afraid of death, aren't we?

- Yes, I suppose so, and there's not much we can do about it.

- No, there isn't.

[sighs] Well, now that everyone

realizes that David has imagined all those things,

perhaps they'll leave Barnabas and the old house alone.

I think it's about time, don't you?

- But they were only doing it to help David.

- Oh, yes, of course, but unfortunately,

Barnabas has been the innocent victim of David's imagination.

I don't blame him for being upset when people came in

and demanded to see the cellar of his house.

And now, when he hears about the mausoleum...

- He doesn't know about that yet?

- No, he's-- he's been away all day.

But he'll be back soon.

When he does, he'll be furious.

- Well, I don't see why he should be furious about that.

- Well, his-- his relatives are buried there,

and it's kind of a desecration, don't you think?

- No, and Burke and Dr. Woodard didn't mean it that way at all.

Oh, by the way, Dr. Woodard was looking for you.

- Oh, was he? Well, I'll call him

as soon as I've had a chance to freshen up a bit.

- You don't have to call him, he's in the study.

- In the study? What's he doing there?

- He's looking for some books. - What books?

- Books on the Collins family history.

- I see, well... perhaps I'd-- I'd better go see him now.

[door opening/closing]

♪♪

- Oh, Julia, come in. Shut the door, will you?

I don't want anyone to overhear us.

- Dave, what are you doing with those books?

- I've just been delving into a few relationships

in the Collins family.

- Oh? Why?

- Yes, why? That's the question.

Julia, I just found out

that the original Barnabas Collins had a sister.

Do you know the name of that sister?

It was Sarah.

- Well, that's an interesting fact,

but, I-- I fail to understand your preoccupation

with a girl who left the scene over years ago.

- Julia, Sarah Collins never left the scene, and you know it.

- I know that David thinks she exists, that's what I know.

- Sam Evans has seen her,

and they found her flute and her doll.

- They found a flute and a doll, not necessarily hers.

- No-- hers, Sarah Collins, sister of Barnabas.

- I'm sorry, Dave, but I don't understand

why you're so concerned with Sarah Collins.

- [slams book shut]

I'll tell you why I'm so concerned.

I've met her.

- You met her? - And talked to her.

- Where? - In the mausoleum.

- You're-- you're trying to tell me you-- you met a ghost,

a child who's dead?

- Over years, yes.

- Dave, that's ridiculous. - Why?

- Well, because you're a doctor, a scientist.

How can you ask me why?

- I tell you, I saw Sarah, I talked to her.

- Dave, perhaps you've been hammering away

too hard at all of this.

You're overtired and overwrought.

I know you want to help David. We all want to help David.

But you won't help him if you turn into a, a...

- Psychopath?

- [scoffing] No, of course not.

But you are overtired.

If you were yourself, you-- you'd realize

how ridiculous this all is.

Two doctors arguing about a ghost.

- I'm sorry. Julia, I saw Sarah Collins.

- Why don't we try to keep Sarah where she belongs...

in these books, or in David's mind.

- No.

- Dave, Dr. Fisher is a good psychiatrist.

He believes that David is hallucinating.

Surely, you have to give some credence to Fisher.

- Yes, and to Sam Evans.

You keep dismissing the facts that-- that Sam saw the child.

- Sam Evans saw nothing.

He's an artist, a highly suggestible human being.

He was going through a very trying experience at the time.

Besides, Sam Evans is known to drink a good deal.

Some people see pink elephants, he saw Sarah Collins.

- Julia, I don't care if you tell me

what Dr. Fishers say,

or discredit every bit of evidence that I mentioned.

- Dave, I'm not discrediting you.

I'm concerned about you.

You're tired, I think you should rest.

- Well, I appreciate your concern

about my health and welfare.

But I assure you it's not necessary.

I'm not tired and I'm-- I'm not upset!

And I'm not conjuring up ghosts.

I tell you, Julia, I saw Sarah Collins.

I saw her as clearly as I see you.

I talked to her and she talked to me.

Now that I know that she exists,

I'm going to find out why.

- Why?

- Yes!

Yes, it must have been a very extraordinary reason

that brought her back after all these years.

And I think once we've uncovered that reason, Julia,

we'll-- we'll finally have arrived at the truth

in this twisted situation.

- You really believe that, Dave?

- Yes.

- And what are you going to do about it?

- I don't know exactly, but I-- I do know

I'm not going to rest until I find out

why Sarah Collins has come back to earth.

♪♪

[eerie music] ♪♪

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