350 - October 27, 1967

[bunniefuu]

[Dr. Hoffman narrating] - A cold, piercing night wind

whistles around Collinwood,

and its chill somehow seems to penetrate

the walls of the great house,

for this promises to be a night of danger.

One girl may learn a terrifying secret tonight

and that knowledge could cost her her life.

- Carolyn?

- David!

- Did I frighten you?

- I didn't hear you come in.

- I'm sorry.

- Oh, that's all right.

It's almost a novelty to see you down here.

You have been spending so much time in your room lately.

I'm glad you finally decided to come downstairs.

- I came to bring you this.

- A toy soldier?

- Yes.

You should have it with you all the time.

- Why?

- I told you, because it will protect you.

- Protect me from what?

- Danger.

- David, I'm not in any danger.

- Maybe not but I want -- - I'm not

and you mustn't believe I am.

- Well, just keep it with you, okay?

- Okay.

- Well, I'll be going up to my room now.

- David, don't go.

Stay down here with me.

I could read to you or something.

- No, I think I want to go --

[gasps]

♪♪

[eerie music] ♪♪

- David, what is it?

- Over there at the window!

- I don't see anything.

- There was someone standing out there, a man!

- A man?

- Yes, an old, old man

and he was looking at you.

- Oh, David!

- He was!

He was standing out there and looking at you.

The way he looked at you scared me.

- David -- I don't see anything out there,

anything at all.

- He, he was there! I tell you he was there!

- What's the matter? What's going on?

- Aunt Elizabeth,

there was someone standing out there --

an old, old man.

- An old man?

- Yes. He was the oldest man I have ever seen.

He must have been over years old and he,

he was staring at Carolyn.

- Did you see anything?

- Well-- - Did you?

- No.

- Well, I did!

He must have gone away but he was there!

He was!

- All right, David. - He was!

- I said, all right.

- But you don't believe me, do you?

- I didn't say that.

- You didn't say it but you don't.

Nobody believes anything I say any more.

- Why, that's not true, David.

- Yes, it is.

A terrible thing can happen

and I can't stop it from happening.

I can't do anything.

- Darling, I think it's quite possible

that you did see something.

- So do I. - You do?

- Hmm-hmm. - Yes, but it wasn't necessarily a man.

Sometimes your eyes play tricks on you.

- Okay. Maybe I --

maybe I didn't really see a man.

- Don't say it like that.

- Maybe I didn't.

- I want to go to my room now. - David--

- I want to go to my room.

- Maybe one of us ought to go with him.

- I don't know what to say to him anymore.

- Well, he might have seen something.

You said so yourself.

- I'm sure he did, in his imagination.

- Maybe it isn't all his imagination.

- Why do you say that?

- Because-- - Well, go on.

Because, I want to believe him.

- Well, so do I,

but how can I believe what he is saying,

these stories about an open coffin

and bats trying to attack him and now this.

How can I believe any of it?

- I know it seems incredible.

- I am convinced that the only thing to do with him

is what should have done a long time ago

and that is to send him away.

- No, mother.

- Oh, I don't like the idea any better than you do.

But I've got to do it for David's sake.

Maybe if he is away from here for a little while

he will stop having these fantasies.

- What if some of what David is saying

is not a fantasy?

- What do you mean?

- What if he's actually seen

some of the things that he's described?

- How is that possible?

- It is possible, mother.

- I don't understand.

- You know that little girl that David was talking about,

Sarah, the ghost who's supposed to appear to him?

- Yes, of course.

- She really does exist.

- What?

- It's true.

I've seen Sarah.

- You've seen her? - Yes.

- She appeared to me in my room.

She told me she was Sarah

and she was real

and she is a ghost.

♪♪

- You actually saw her? - Yes!

- And I talked to her. - Talked?

- She begged me to stop you from having David sent away

because she doesn't want to lose her only playmate.

But she told me something else.

She told me that everything David has been saying is true.

- Carolyn!

- I know it seems impossible, mother.

I could hardly believe it was happening myself,

but it did happen.

Sarah did appear to me.

- You just thought you saw her

because you have been concerned about David

and thinking about his stories and --

- Mother, I'm not imagining it!

Sarah is real.

[scoffs]

- All right, Carolyn.

- Do you believe me?

- Oh, I don't know what I believe.

I just know that I'm terribly worried.

- So am I, if any of the other things

David has been talking about are true.

- You mean the things he's been saying about Barnabas?

- Yes.

- But how can they be true?

- Barnabas wouldn't hurt David.

Why would he want to?

- I don't know.

- And, and why would he keep a coffin in his basement?

- I don't know that either.

- And if this coffin did exist,

where was it when Doctor Woodard and Burke

searched the basement?

- I don't know mother, but I do know one thing,

David is not lying about the existence of Sarah

and she is not a figment of his imagination.

So there is one chance in one million that he's not lying

about the rest of the things he has been saying.

- What is the connection between Sarah and Barnabas?

- I don't know.

- There is no connection!

All of these things that David has been saying

must be in his imagination,

or maybe all of them have been.

I hate to say this, but David is mentally disturbed

and something has to be done for him

before he loses all contact with reality.

I have no choice but to send him away.

♪♪

[wind whistling]

[door opening]

- Well, the eminent doctor.

I hadn't anticipated the pleasure

of your company tonight.

- Where have you been?

- I was out for a walk. - A walk?

- Yes.

I wanted to be alone to contemplate.

To contemplate the success

of your noble experiments, Doctor,

and what I must do about it.

- You, you didn't -- - No, not yet,

of course not,

for my appearance would have altered.

- But you said you were planning to do it tonight.

- Yes. It must be tonight.

Before the years descend

like an enormous weight upon my shoulders

and destroy me.

Well, when will it be?

Later when most of the world is at rest

and I can move safely through the darkness.

- And -- who is it going to be?

- I don't know yet. I must find her.

There must be someone out there,

someone there in the darkness.

- Then, then it won't be Vicki?

- I don't want Vicki that way.

She must come to me willingly, as Josette.

- So, whomever you choose, will probably be a stranger,

someone you happen to meet out in the night?

- Probably.

- And you want it that way?

- What are you driving at?

- There, there might possibly be an alternative.

- Alternative?

- To attacking a stranger, someone you don't even know.

- Which is?

- I -- - Go on.

- Don't you think it's possible that someone might,

might come to you willingly?

- Willingly? - Yes.

That there might be someone who could accept you

for what you are and submit to your needs.

- And who is this person?

- I am.

- You!

- You need blood. You need it tonight.

Take mine.

♪♪

- Your blood?

- Is the idea is so incredible?

- Would you -- willingly?

- Yes! Yes -- willingly.

- Even knowing what would happen to you?

- Yes.

- You take pride in being a strong-willed woman.

You would no longer have a will of your own.

I'm aware of that.

- And you would make that sacrifice?

- Yes.

- Well -- why, Julia?

- That's the first time you've ever called me by that name.

- You haven't answered my question.

Why would you do it?

- Do I have to give you a reason?

Isn't the offer enough?

- Look at me. - Why?

- Look at my face. Doesn't it repel you?

- No.

- Touch it. Go on, touch it.

Feel the skin, dry, withering, cold --

- Don't!

- Now, doesn't it repel you?

- No, because I know what you were and will be again.

- You amaze me, Doctor.

- Don't call me that.

Don't ever call me that again.

- You will always be Doctor Hoffman to me.

You must.

- What does that mean?

- It means that I appreciate your offer,

but, reluctantly, I must refuse.

- Why? - Why?

Because, if you submit,

you will no longer be able to function as a doctor.

I may have need of your services.

- But you said you didn't want to continue

with the experiments.

- There may, perhaps, be other needs for you.

- Is that the real reason you are refusing me?

- Yes!

I told you that I appreciate your offer and I do.

- All right, Barnabas.

- Where are you going?

- To the laboratory, I have some work to do.

♪♪

- Carolyn?

- David, it's very late. You shouldn't be up.

- I just had to ask you something.

- What is it?

- Do you think I'm crazy?

- Oh, David, what a question! Of course I don't.

- Aunt Elizabeth does. I heard her say so.

- Oh, David -- - Maybe she's right.

Maybe I do imagine some things.

- David, I don't believe that.

- You don't?

- No, you didn't imagine Sarah.

That much I know.

- But the things about Barnabas,

those were just my imagination.

- Were they?

- Yes, so you can forget that I said anything, ever.

- I'm not so sure I ought to forget.

- You've got to!

- Why?

- Because, you just do.

- I wonder -- - What?

- If I went to the old house,

I wonder what I would find there.

- You can't go there!

- Oh David, don't get upset.

- You can't!

You've got to promise me you'll never go near there!

- Ever! - All right! Calm down.

- You'll promise, won't you? - Yes.

- And you'll keep that promise?

- Yes, David. Now -- it's very late.

I think you had better get back to bed.

Come on n ow.

- You'll forget everything I said about Barnabas,

won't you?

- I just told you I would.

- I made it all up, every bit of it.

- You believe that, don't you? - Yes.

- And you'll forget, you will!

- Yes, David. Now go to bed.

I'll see you in the morning.

- Okay, good night.

- Good night, David.

[thinking] Why is he so frightened?

What if -- if he was telling the truth before?

What if there is something in that house?

It -- it doesn't seem possible --

and yet --

there's only one way to find out.

♪♪

♪♪

[thinking] Empty.

Good.

Barnabas must be asleep.

[windows banging] What was that?

[thinking] Get a hold of yourself.

It was only a shutter banging in the window.

I've got to be very quiet.

I've got to get into that basement

without making any noise at all.

[door creaking]

A -- a coffin.

It's -- it's here!

It really is!

But why?

[coffin creaking open]

It's empty.

An empty coffin.

What does it mean?

[coffin slams shut] [gasps]

- Oh -- Miss Hoffman. - Carolyn!

Why are you here?

- Well, I was about to ask you the same question.

- This is no time for questions.

Just go, now!

- But this coffin, why is it here?

- I -- - What does it mean?

- I -- I can't tell you that now.

- But it's here just like David described!

Why?

- Just don't ask any questions.

Just go, now, before it's too late!

- It's already too late!

What are you doing here, Carolyn?

- I came to see cousin Barnabas.

- And now you see him.

- But -- but you can't be Barnabas!

- But I am.

- But -- what's happened to your face?

Your -- you're so -- old!

- It won't be old much longer!

[screaming]

You may scream all you want but no one will hear you.

Now, don't be afraid of me, my dear.

I'm not going to hurt you.

I wouldn't do anything to hurt my own

flesh and blood.

[screaming]

[eerie music] ♪♪