440 - March 1, 1968

[bunniefuu]

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

a séance, which has suspended time

and sent one girl on an uncertain

and frightening journey into the past,

back to the year ,

and the secrets, which still haunt the Collins family today.

One secret concerns a man who is dead but still lives

and the horror of his existence

can bring untold grief to those alive now

as well as those in the centuries to come.

[church bell tolling]

- So, you are here. - Aye.

- You've been drinking.

- A bit.

- I thought you weren't going to work for me anymore.

- That was earlier.

- Well, if you stay,

I don't want you to moralize about me

or about anything I'm going to do.

Is that understood?

- Aye.

- Then we're agreed.

I want you to go into the village immediately for me.

I dropped my cane on the dock

and I didn't have a chance to pick it up.

- What were you doing on the docks?

- That's no concern of yours.

- Will I find a body with the cane?

- You will find no body.

I was with a girl, she screamed,

someone heard, came running.

I got away, but I left the cane behind.

- Can the girl describe you?

- She was hysterical, but we must get that cane!

- Anybody would recognize that as yours?

- No one may have found it.

- I told you this would happen,

that somebody would catch you.

- No one has yet!

- But it's started.

Somebody has finally seen you.

What are we going to do? What?

♪♪

[eerie theme music] ♪♪

- Now, we're not going to panic.

The girl didn't know me. She's new in the town.

You must go to the docks.

- What if the cane ain't there?

- And the woman's name is Maude Browning.

- Maudie?

- You know her? - Aye.

- We were at The Eagle together earlier.

- Did she say where she lived?

- In a room, over the feed store.

- Does anyone else live there?

- I don't think so.

- She may have found the cane after I left.

- Whoever came running may have found it, too.

- I'm well aware of that.

Anyone in the village may have stumbled across it,

anyone who's up that late,

but we won't know until you go there

and I want you to go and be careful.

If you have to go to her room, make sure she's not there.

- And you'll stay in here? - Yes.

- I'm going to help you, Ben.

I'm going to make sure that Reverend Trask is occupied.

You know how the devil makes work for idle hands.

Well, he will be busy.

And come back as soon as you can.

My dear Reverend Trask,

have you recovered from last night's adventure

and do you feel any remorse

about what you have done to Vicki Winters,

or are you sitting in your room planning

to persecute someone else?

Well, you won't, Trask,

because there will be nothing but darkness for you.

Wherever you go, the light shall leave you.

Ha, ha, ha!

- It's the devil himself, again!

[knocking]

Who's there?

-Nathan Forbes.

- Forbes, yes, come in.

- Were you asleep?

- No. No.

I - I sent for you because I've -

I've been very concerned about you.

- Oh. Well, I should be thankful for that, I suppose?

- Yes.

I - I know how to handle certain things that are happening.

I was afraid you wouldn't.

- Oh, I never thought of myself as being inept.

- You've never been in this position before.

- Oh, you see, Trask,

I'm glad I came here tonight.

You know that I almost didn't?

Then I said to myself, "Nathan, my boy,

you just might learn something that you don't know."

And you see, I was right.

What position have I never been in?

- The witch.

The witch has started her revenge.

So far, I hope it's just been directed against me,

but it may begin at any moment against you.

- I think I'm safe.

- No. - Yes.

- For a very good reason.

You see, I don't believe in witches.

I'm sorry, Reverend Trask, but my - my view of life

is a lot less complicated than yours.

- You did not have the visit from the evil spirits

that I had last night!

- Oh, a nightmare.

- I can see that you've already been infected

by the devil's favorite poison, cynicism.

- You never talk man-to-man, do you, Trask?

Whenever I'm with you, I always feel that the rest

of the church pews are empty.

- I've always had my doubts about you, Forbes.

- Uh-huh. As well you should.

- I think you weak!

- Wrong again. - No.

- You cannot be guided,

so you will have to endure the wrath of the witch alone.

Wait until that hand appears to you,

that hand alone, floating in the air,

growing larger,

larger until all one sees is the ring!

- The ring? - Yes.

- A ring fit for Satan himself, a solid black stone.

- In a gold setting.

That's not the devil's ring, Reverend Trask, not at all.

- You know who that ring actually belongs to?

- Yes, of course.

I heard about it earlier tonight,

from a woman who was attacked by a stranger wearing it.

- The devil -

the devil himself is walking in our midst.

- No, not the devil, Reverend Trask.

You made a slight mistake.

That ring belongs to Barnabas Collins.

♪♪

- Draw that ring you saw for me.

- I cannot draw! - You can try.

- I would not put pencil to paper

to trace the devil's handiwork!

Take care or you will have the vision

and see the ring for yourself.

- I should like to.

- You don't know what you're saying.

The horror of the hand.

- But if it's Barnabas' ring, then-- - Then what?

- Nothing is too difficult for the witch!

I've never encountered a more powerful force.

She will not rest until she has -

until she has attempted to punish you

as she has attempted to frighten me.

You, too, will see that hand.

Look! What do you see there?

- I see your mantelpiece.

Trask, do you think, perhaps, this trial has been

too much of a strain on you?

-The strain begins now! Now!

- Trask?

- Did you hear that?

- What?

- That voice.

- Oh, now, look here.

- Surely, you heard it!

-No! I speak for you alone!

- There! There again!

- Dear fellow--

-You alone, Trask.

- You're right. It - it is my imagination.

I - I'm afraid the - the trial has been,

what word did you use, a strain, yes.

Being - being aware of - of what -

what I have been fighting,

perhaps I have given in a bit.

-You'll give in much more.

- But - but I - I have learned that--

-That you won't win! That's what you learned!

- No! I've learned that -

that whoever fights the devil has a multitude of warriors

fighting with him!

-Ha, ha, ha!

- After all, I - I have faith on my side.

-Ha, ha, ha!

- And faith - faith can be as bread to the starving! -Ha, ha, ha!

- It - it stops thoughts, which- -Ha, ha, ha!

- which otherwise might tempt you to doubt!

- But that never happens, never! -Ha, ha, ha!

- I have no room for doubt! None!

-Ha, ha, ha! - None, do you hear, none!

-I hear!

- Where? Where are you?

Show yourself!

Come to this room! I will fight you!

-Ha, ha, ha!

- Did you hear it?

- No.

- Then I am alone.

-Alone! Alone, yes, yes!

- No, but I am not alone!

I have the legion of believers! I have the Word!

I have the knowledge!

I am not alone, do you hear, I am not alone!

- No, you're not alone,

but you shouldn't stay in this room here tonight.

Now, look,

too many strange things have been happening tonight,

even for a disbeliever like me, Trask.

Now, I can't stay here with you.

I promised that girl who was attacked

that I'd come back to her.

- I'm not keeping you!

- No, I - I didn't say that.

I just thought there might be some place you could go.

- When the devil runs toward me, I stand firm.

- Well, that's an admirable thought,

but in practice, it isn't that easy.

- I am not afraid!

- Of course not. I wasn't implying that.

- Your worldliness may have -

may have drawn that evil spirit here tonight!

- Go! I have no further need of you! - Look, Trask!

- Go! Go!

- Well, there's nothing I can do.

- Yes, there is.

You could believe, that's all you could do,

but I'm not sure you could even do that.

- If you want me-- - I will not detain you further!

- I - I'm alone now.

I'm ready for anything you do.

-Oh, Trask.

- I'm - I'm ready.

-To die. To die. To die. To die!

[thinking] -If she found the cane on the dock, it must be here.

She wouldn't take it to the constable.

She'd be afraid to do that.

Where is it? Where?

[knocking]

- Maude?

♪♪

- Did you find the cane?

- Did you look everywhere on the dock? - Aye.

- I searched her room, too.

- Did anyone see you?

- No. She's in the bar, at The Eagle, I checked.

She has been there ever since she left the docks.

The innkeeper told me.

- And she hasn't gone to the constable? - No.

- Else, he'd still be questioning her.

- Was she with anyone?

- You can't put her in a bar without her being with people,

especially when she's got a story like her escape.

- Has she described me?

- Aye, but she's had so much rum,

you're an eight-foot tall gentleman now.

- And she didn't mention the cane?

- She wasn't showing it to anyone? - No.

- What else did you hear? What were the men saying?

- I didn't listen.

- Don't lie to me! - I swear, I didn't!

- I was in a hurry to get home!

[thunder rumbling]

- What was that?

- Thunder. There's a storm coming up.

- No, no, I heard something else.

- You couldn't have!

- You aren't going back to town? - Yes.

- You can't find the cane. I might have.

Leave everything alone.

Whatever you do will make it worse.

- Is there something you're not telling me?

- Of course not.

I just know that troubles will die down

if you leave them alone.

- Not this trouble.

Tomorrow, Maude will feel so bad from the rum she's had,

she - she won't know whether she imagined it or not!

- You say she lives over the feed store?

- Don't go there! You'll be caught!

- Well, the chances are that I will be caught anyway

with that cane in someone's hands.

How could I have been so stupid?

- You - you're being more stupid now.

Please believe me. Just - just forget it.

- Oh, perhaps you're right.

What will it mean if I do?

- You could leave Collinsport.

Why not?

Go someplace else, any place.

I'll go with you. Wherever you ain't known.

- No. - Why not?

- I can't leave this house,

the house where I was to be happy with Josette.

- Forget Josette. - Never!

- No. There is one other solution.

- No!

No, Mr. Barnabas, please don't do it!

Please!

- I don't want to stay here. I hate this room.

- It's your room, Maudie.

- So, why should I like it?

Why did you make me come back here

just when I was beginning to feel all nice and fun.

- You want to keep on feeling that way, don't you?

- Yes. So, why don't we go back to The Eagle?

- It's all lonely here. - Maude?

- Well, if I'm not worried about the stranger,

why are you?

- You don't know him.

- Do you really?

- Never mind about that.

I know you're better off where you are.

- I never know whether to believe you or not.

What are you doing?

- I'm locking your window.

- [chuckles]

What do you think he's going to do,

climb up the wall?

- You sure forget it easily, don't you?

Three hours ago, you were frightened to death

and now, you're all ready to go out again.

- That's the way I am.

- Look, Maudie, you're not out of danger yet.

- I'm not?

- No, as soon as he realizes that he's lost his cane,

he'll be right after you.

- But I don't have the cane.

- He thinks you do.

Now, look, I've got to go.

- You're going to leave me all alone?

- Maudie, you keep that door locked, do you hear?

Keep that door locked until tomorrow morning.

There's a carriage leaving at o'clock

and I want you to be on it.

- Oh, don't go now. - Maude, I have to.

- No! Can't you just--

You've gotten me all frightened again.

- It's all right. You just keep the door locked

and nothing can happen, I promise.

- But can't you just stay for a little while?

- Oh, Maudie, and ruin my reputation?

Good night.

- You - you'll come and say goodbye

in the morning, won't you?

- Yes, I promise.

[lock clicks shut]

[bat squeaking]

- Ah.

Oh.

♪♪

[bat squeaking]

- Maude!

Are you leaving Collinsport?

I trust you're not taking my cane with you.

- Help! Someone, help!

Someone! Help!

Oh!

- Who's going to hear you, Maude?

- Somebody.

- You're here alone.

I'm sure that this is one of the reasons

you chose this room.

- No. He's coming, my friend is coming back.

- Then we must be very quiet, mustn't we?

- Stay away from me!

- I'll stay away from you, if you give me the cane.

- But I - I don't have it.

- Don't lie to me!

- Oh, stop looking at me!

I can't stand it when you're looking at me!

- I'll stop when you give me the cane, Maude!

- But I - I can't! Honest!

- Did you take it to the police? - No. No, I didn't, I swear.

- Where is it then? - He has it!

- Who?

- Don't come near me!

No! Somebody!

- Tell me! - Somebody!

- Don't scream! I can't have you scream! - Ah! Somebody, help!

[thinking] -You let that witch frighten you this much

that you walk the streets of this cursed village,

you spend the night like that?

No, nothing happened to you while you were walking,

you heard no voices.

They must have been your imagination.

Forbes is right, the strain of the trial.

No, I did hear them!

Don't start thinking like that! Don't give in to it!

If the witch feels she has planted fear in your heart,

she will never give up.

She'll ruin you.

Go in that room now.

Show her.

No. No.

♪♪

[eerie theme music] ♪♪