422 - February 6, 1968

[bunniefuu]

[narrator] -A séance has been held in the great house at Collinwood,

a seance which has suspended time and space,

and sent one girl on an uncertain

and frightening journey into the past,

back to the year .

There each of the Collins ancestors

resembles a present day member of the family,

but the names and the relationships have changed,

and Victoria Winters finds herself a stranger

in a sea of familiar faces.

Faces now hostile and suspicious

because of her special knowledge

of what is destined to happen.

The death, for instance,

of a young woman whose doom will be preceded

by the loss of a certain ring.

- Josette, if I seemed concerned

it's because you've been behaving so strangely,

and this morning you were so - so odd.

Josette, that ring, when did you get it?

Where? You must tell me.

- Why is it so important?

- I didn't believe her until now.

- Believe who? What?

- You will lose the ring.

- I'd never do that. Never.

- And then you will die.

♪♪

[eerie theme music] ♪♪

- What do you mean I will die?

- It was the witch who told me.

- Aunt Natalie, you don't seem to be yourself today.

Perhaps you go to your room and lie down?

- Miss Winters - I - I went to see her.

- Why do you persist in this ridiculous nonsense

about witches.

- She predicted your death.

- And you believed her?

Please, Aunt Natalie.

- No, Josette, I did not believe her

because she said it would happen after you lost a ring,

a very special ring,

a gold ring with a black onyx stone,

and I knew you did not have a ring like that.

- So her prophecy was false, but now-- - This is absurd!

- No. The girl has powers.

She knows.

- Nothing will happen to me.

- Josette, where did you get the ring?

- I told you, I've always had it.

- That's not true.

- Aunt Natalie, I don't mean to be impatient with you

but I think these questions are annoying.

- I'm only asking for your own good.

- But I neither need of want assistance of any kind.

As a matter, I would prefer to be alone at the moment.

- Josette, you did not have that ring a few days ago,

- Aunt Natalie, I have many rings and jewelry.

You probably never noticed it before.

- You forget that when we were getting ready

to leave Collinwood I helped make an inventory

of your jewelry.

You did not have the ring.

- It could've been overlooked.

- I insist you tell me where you got it.

- I can't remember.

Perhaps from Mama.

- I do not believe you.

- As you wish.

But I fail to see why my possession of this ring

should upset you this way.

- Because it means the beginning of the end.

- I don't know what you mean.

- Everything the witch has prophesied had come true

as will this.

- That's nonsense.

- And there's only one thing we can do about it.

- Now what do you mean?

- You know as well as I do.

- I'm afraid I don't.

- We must leave Collinwood.

We must return home to Martinique at once.

- Aunt Natalie, you know you are free to return to Martinique

any time you wish.

- I vowed I would not leave without you.

- It's a vow you have my permission to break.

- Oh, I don't understand. I don't understand.

- Now what don't you understand?

- I do not understand this curious attitude of yours.

- Now, it's my turn to not understand.

- Oh, Josette,

it's almost as if you're going to your doom

of your own freewill,

welcoming it, ready for its embrace.

- Embrace?

- It's almost as though you don't want to save yourself.

- Aunt Natalie, please don't worry about me.

For the first time in many, many days,

I think I'm going to be all right.

- Not if you remain here.

- Certainly not if I leave here.

- Josette.

Barnabas is dead.

He will never return.

You cannot waste your life grieving for the dead.

- I'm not grieving, not anymore.

- Then there is nothing that can keep you here.

- And there is nothing that could make me leave.

- Except the certain knowledge of your own destruction.

- You have no such knowledge.

- In this instance, the witch was right.

You do have the ring.

- But life I have is my own,

and I'm going to live it here at Collinwood.

- And if there are forces

preparing a special destiny for me,

they will find me here.

- Josette, please, tell me where did you get the ring?

- Aunt Natalie, I would like to be by myself.

♪♪

[thinking] -I thought I saw your ghost the other day,

dear Barnabas.

I wish that I could see it now and speak to it.

I plead with you to help me.

No, not me,

to help Josette,

to persuade her to leave this place and save herself.

♪♪

- Testing to see if the paint is dry?

I assure you it is.

After all that portrait is several months old now.

- I didn't hear you come in.

- Well, I'm not surprised

you seemed to be in deep concentration.

- I've never examined the portrait before

and I was curious about one thing.

- What's that?

- The ring that Barnabas was wearing

when he sat for the portrait.

- Ah, yes.

He was very fond of that ring.

- He wore it all the time, didn't he? - Of course.

- It seemed something very special to him.

- I see.

- He intended to give it to his wife when he married her

but fortunately, that never happened,

although I'm sure that Angelique had her sights set for it.

- His wife.

- Yes.

My son as you know had a prominent streak

of sentimentality in his nature,

that's why I--

- Go on. What is it?

- Oh, nothing.

Need we stand here brooding over this?

- May I - may I ask one question?

- I've never discovered the means to prevent you,

dear countess.

- Was the ring unique?

I mean, was there only one or was it part of a set?

- In the Collins family, our jewelry,

like our pride and our ambition

- is without equal. - I see.

- But why this overwhelming concern?

- Oh, no reason, just idol curiosity.

- Josette?

Surely you're not going out of this ungodly hour.

- Yes. I--

I thought I would go out for a little night air.

- I thought you were having some sleep.

- No.

I just wanted some night air.

- But you've been feeling ill, Josette.

- Ill? Not at all.

I just wanted some night air.

- Oh! - Josette!

- She's fainted. - Josette. Josette.

- Riggs, bring some brandy and quickly.

- Josette, can you hear me?

- Perhaps we should take her to her room.

- Riggs, confounded, where's that brandy!

Oh, the ring.

- Apparently, Barnabas gave it to her.

- He couldn't have given her this ring.

- Why not?

- No, but-- - We know how they thought about each other.

- Yes, I know but what I stop short of telling you before,

Barnabas was wearing his ring when I buried him.

It went with him to his grave.

♪♪

- Now - now, have I made myself completely clear?

You are to stay right here at the door.

Miss Josette is not to leave under any circumstance

no matter what she says.

And no one is to enter the room

except members of the immediate family.

Now, is that clear?

- Yes, Countess.

She doesn't go out and no one is to go in but family.

- And please - please, keep a close watch on her

and call me if you need me.

- You may be sure I will, ma'am.

- Thank you.

[thinking] -It's locked.

Why is it locked?

Why am I here in my room?

I was going out into the night.

The night.

- I - I don't really think a doctor is necessary.

She seems more tired than anything.

I think she is probably sleeping peacefully.

- I wasn't going for a doctor.

- Oh?

Well, if it's not anything important,

I would be grateful if you'd stay here at Collinwood.

- I'm afraid it is important.

- I should think you would want to wait

and talk to Josette when she is rested.

About the ring, I mean.

- I may have some questions to ask her later.

- I'm sure she has some explanation.

- I have no doubt.

- Apparently, it was a different ring

that Barnabas wore when he was buried.

- Yes, yes. That's possible.

I mean, there's no other explanation, is there?

- No, of course not.

- Well, I'm certain that everything will be cleared up

directly, satisfactory.

- Yes, I don't doubt that for a moment.

- Well, if you'll excuse me. - Joshua, please, must you go.

- I'm afraid I must.

- I must say, I feel rather frightened.

- Well, there is no reason for you to be.

- Josette, just fainted, that's all. - Yes.

- We all know that she hasn't been

looking out for herself of late.

- Yes, I know, but--

- Just try to keep a check on your imagination.

There's nothing to worry about.

- Oh, I hope it really is my imagination,

this fear, this terror.

- And try to be calm at all cost.

- I will try but I am afraid. I feel this terrible danger.

- Nonsense. There is nothing to fear,

nothing at all.

♪♪

[thinking] -I was to go to him.

I was to find him, to meet him in the night.

I must go to him.

Aunt Natalie!

Joshua!

Naomi!

Can't you hear me?

Please. I can't open this door.

- Sorry, ma'am, but I'm not to let you out

under no circumstances.

Miss Natalie's strict orders.

- But you got to let me out!

Please, I'm begging you. Open this door!

[thinking] A panel. A secret panel.

Where is it?

How does it open?

Why am I being treated this way?

I can't be locked in like this.

Riggs!

Open this door at once or I'll have you dismissed.

Do you hear me?

I know you're out there.

Open this door, please, at once!

I'm warning you!

Riggs, please.

Please.

I promise you, you will not be punished.

Please, no one will blame you.

Just please, open this door.

I must get out. You don't understand.

I must get out!

I must.

I must.

Please, Riggs.

Please.

Oh please. Oh please.

You've come back.

They tried to keep us apart.

Nothing can keep us apart ever again.

♪♪

I should have known that you would come for me.

This night will fulfill all my longings.

You have come to take me with you, haven't you?

- Yes.

- Then come.

Let us go and we'll never return.

- Never.

- Come. Show me the way and I will follow.

- Remember, it is a road with no return.

- I know.

- It is a world of darkness.

- Lit only by our love. - Yes, only our love.

- We will share our whole eternity together.

- Yes, eternity.

- Then come, take me with you.

- Are you certain this is what you want?

- You are all I want.

- It is still not too late.

You can still be free of me.

You can have life,

find love perhaps

in the world of light and of the living.

- The time of question and doubt has long past.

I don't want to be free of you.

I'm yours.

I must go with you

not to death and darkness

but to a world of unending joy.

Come, take my hand and we'll go together.

[gate squeaking]

[thinking] -The ring was here.

I put on his hand myself and closed the coffin.

Who would dare defile the dead?

I never gave you love,

but I wanted at least to give you peace.

If someone has disturbed your rest,

I vow revenge.

If some cowardly thief

no matter who would it be

has broken your slumbers,

I promise with destruction.

[lid creaking]

♪♪

[eerie theme music] ♪♪