703 - March 4, 1969

[bunniefuu]

[Elizabeth narrating] - The great house of Collinwood stands deserted.

The living have sought refuge elsewhere

leaving an evil spirit

to roam the cold, empty corridor's alone.

For some, this night will seem an eternity.

Barnabas Collins remains in a deep trance.

He has employed the mysterious powers of I Ching

and gone through the door to the infinite

hoping to find and defeat

the spirit that haunts Collinwood.

But beyond the door,

he has been transported back in time

to the year ,

a time of intrigue and terror

for all who lived at Collinwood.

- Sandor, wait those marks!

You!

You!

I know what you are.

I know!

Oh, no, no, stay, stay away from me!

Stay away from me!

No!

No! No! No...

♪♪

[eerie music] ♪♪

Let - let go of me, please. Please, let go!

- That wouldn't be very sensible of me, would it?

- But what are you going to do?

- I don't intend to harm you

unless you are not going to uphold your end of the bargain.

- Uphold my end?

- Yes.

You and your husband

are the only ones who know about me.

Your husband won't do anything because he can't.

You see, he is completely under my control

and you won't do anything either

because if you do your husband will die!

It's as simple as that.

- Why did you come here? What do you want?

- That is your concern for another time.

But your concern now is to protect me during the day.

- I do not understand how you can be so trusting.

- Trusting?

- You know what happens to you during the day!

I could come to your coffin and destroy you.

- Yes, but you see, you won't do that.

- How do you know?

- When your husband found me earlier this evening,

he was looking for the family jewels, wasn't he?

- Yes.

- Well, I know where they are!

Ah, now you are getting to be a little more

interested, aren't you?

- I think we could make some arrangement.

- But on my terms only.

- What are your terms?

- In return for your cooperation,

I will give you a small, but valuable,

part of the family jewels.

- How valuable?

- I will let you be the judge of that.

You will find it quite genuine!

- Is this all we get just one jewel?

- That is all for now.

You will get more as long as you hold up

your end of the bargain.

- All right.

You may consider your secret safe with Sandor and me.

- Good.

But, just one word of caution,

don't let your greed get the better of you.

Be happy with what I'm going to give you.

- We will not betray you, don't worry.

- Now, about that young gentleman who was here just now.

- Ah, Quentin Collins?

- Why is he so anxious to find out about the family secrets?

- Everyone is, they all want to know the secret.

- But why did Quentin think that you could help him?

- Because I am the spiritual adviser to Mrs. Collins,

she has complete confidence in me.

- Has she told you her secret?

- No, no one knows that.

- How does he stand with Mrs. Collins?

- Oh, she knows he is bad but he is able to charm her.

- Tell me, do you think Quentin is a dangerous man?

- Yes, very dangerous.

Tell me, why are you so interested in Quentin.

- Because I want to find out everything I can about him

before tomorrow night.

- Why? What will happen tomorrow night?

- I will be at Collinwood

and they will be seeing a strange visitor,

a distant cousin from England.

[wind howling]

- You certainly kept yourself busy

while I was away, didn't you?

- Oh, I don't know what you mean?!

- Ingratiating yourself with grandmother,

that's what I mean.

- I am trying to fulfill a family obligation.

I'm sure you can't understand that.

- That so-called obligation doesn't entitle you

to be a guardian of the old ladies room.

She is my grandmother, too.

- I am sorry you came back, Quentin.

I had forgotten how peevish and boring you can be.

- Oh, well, well,

when did you suddenly find so much backbone?

- When you refused the money I offered you to leave,

I decided to treat you the way you treat me and everyone else.

It may surprise you that I can.

Perhaps Quentin, it runs in the family!

- I want to see Edith!

- For the last time I tell you, you can't.

She is too ill!

- Who decided that?! - I did.

- Suppose I decided that two opinions

might be better than one?

- If you go to her room,

I will tell her, you did it against my wishes.

Are you willing to take that risk?

[knocking on door]

What do you want?

- I have come to see Mrs. Collins.

- Why?

- I have a very important message to give to her.

- Well, I'm sorry, but whatever it is will have to wait.

Mrs. Collins is much too ill to receive visitors.

- I am not just a visitor.

Mrs. Collins is always happy to receive my spiritual advice.

- You can plead from now until sundown Madam Gypsy,

the lioness of Judah has spoken.

You may not enter the inner sanctum.

- I - I will advise you to reconsider.

- You may advise my grandmother madam,

but you do not advise me.

- But it is imperative.

It was a very serious warning.

- I am very sorry. - No, wait, sister!

Let's not be hasty.

This is beginning to sound intriguing.

What kind of a warning?

- I can only tell to Mrs. Collins.

- Well why don't you tell us?

If it is serious enough I am quite sure that my dear Sister

will see that it gets to the throne!

- I will leave you to listen to the warning, Quentin.

I think it is only fair that it should pass from

one charlatan to another.

- But it concerns the entire family!

- Do you hear that, Judith?

It concerns you, too.

You do not want to miss it, do you?

- Very well.

Go ahead and say whatever you have to.

- I think we should talk in the drawing room

where we can have complete privacy.

The trouble with you Judith,

is that you hate the fraudulence of gypsies,

while I find it very entertaining.

- Yes, you would!

- It was the arrangement of the cards,

which gave me the warning about the stranger.

- What stranger?

- A stranger will arrive tonight after sunset,

after darkness has fallen over the house.

- And just who is this stranger?

- I do not know his name.

But he will pretend that he is a friend

or perhaps a relative.

But you must not trust him

because he is mysterious and malicious.

His motives are not pure.

- If you can't tell us his name,

perhaps you can tell us what he looks like?

- No.

No! That is not clear.

Because he is a creature of darkness

and you will all have something to lose

by his presence.

But you Quentin,

you will have the most to lose.

♪♪

You will tell the warning to Mrs. Collins?

- I will tell her as soon as I think she is

well enough to hear.

I am sure you wouldn't want me to do anything to frighten her.

- No, none of us would want that.

- Good day, madam.

- And you will expect the stranger after sundown.

- I will.

What rubbish!

I cannot understand how grandmamma

takes that woman seriously.

- But now that she does,

maybe the gypsy is the one you ought to

ingratiate yourself with.

♪♪

- Isn't it customary to knock

before you enter a ladies room?

- I have never been a prisoner of customs. - How well I know.

- And I might remind you, as a member of this family,

I have the right to go anywhere in this house.

- You are not the master of the house.

- You never can tell, I may be someday.

- Ha!

- You find that amusing?

- I find it ridiculous.

- Maybe you know something that I don't know.

- Maybe I do.

Well, excuse me, I have to leave.

- Where are you going?

- Into Collinsport.

- Oh?

It's a rather odd time for a maidservant to go into town.

- I have some errands to do.

- For whom?

- For myself. - Is it your day of?

- No.

- Then, who gave you permission?

- Your sister.

Would you care to ask her?

- No, that won't be necessary.

I've already seen how Judith has taken charge

since Edward's absence.

- Then, may I go?

- Oh, what are you doing,

taking a bundle to a sick friend?

- Leave my things alone! - h*, h*.

Well, well, well. What have we here?

- Give me that! - h*, h*.

My, my, my,

hasn't the servant rate gone up!

, , !

- You have no right to go through my belongings.

- Your belongings?

- You mean, this is actually yours?

- Yes.

- And may I ask,

where did you get this kind of money?

- I saved it.

- From your salary you saved all of this?

- Yes.

- I have a surprise for you.

I don't believe you.

- And I have one for you, I don't care!

- I think you stole this money.

- And I think you are contemptible!

Now, get out of here and leave me alone.

- You know what I like about you, Beth?

You have my kind of spirit!

- I don't consider that a complement!

- What's in the bundle?

More of your savings?

- It is none of your business!

- I could make it my business.

- And I could tell your brother Edward about it

when he comes back.

- Oh,

so it was Edward who persuaded you to stay on

after your mistress left.

I didn't know my brother was so fond of you.

- What does that mean?

- Yes, that would explain your sudden wealth.

You and Edward!

Oh my, what a cozy arrangement!

Did you do that out of anger or guilt?

- Anger!

- Don't you ever do it again!

- Don't give me reason to and I won't have to!

Now, leave me alone!

- I'm afraid I can't do that with a simple reason,

you don't want me to!

- Oh? Don't I?

- No.

- Next, you will be telling me

that I stayed here all of this time

just waiting for you to come back.

- Did you?

- Why don't you ask a friend of mine in Collinsport?

I am sure you would like to meet him.

You might even learn something from him.

He is a gentleman!

[door slams shut]

[knocking on door]

- May I help you?

- Good evening.

I am Barnabas Collins,

I'd like to speak to the master of the house.

♪♪

Is something wrong?

- No, no, I --

You said your name is Barnabas Collins?

- Yes.

But if you're not familiar with it,

I won't be offended.

I am from the English branch of the family.

It is a pleasure to meet you.

- Pleasure to meet you, too.

I'm Judith Collins.

- I suppose I must apologize.

I - I really should know who the master of the house is.

- Oh, no, that's all right.

Actually, Edward is the acting head of the family,

but he is not here right now.

Won't you come into the drawing room and wait. - Thank you.

- I will go upstairs and get my brother Quentin.

Make yourself comfortable.

- I don't understand why you are so upset.

- Isn't it obvious?

Everything that the gypsy said is true.

The stranger arrived right after sundown.

- Why couldn't it just be a coincidence?

- You won't think it is just a coincidence when you see --

- What's the matter now?

- If I didn't know better, I'd swear it was him!

- The one inside? - Yes.

- I think that gypsy had more of an effect on you

than you thought she did.

Shall we go in?

- Cousin Barnabas, this is my brother Quentin Collins.

- How do you do?

- An unexpected pleasure, Cousin.

- I owe you an apology for not letting you know

sooner of my arrival.

- Not at all.

We're always delighted to welcome members of the family

and no matter how distantly related.

- Aren't we, Judith? - Of course.

When did you arrive Cousin Barnabas?

- Late this afternoon.

- It is a long journey from England.

You must be tired.

- As a matter of fact, I rather enjoy traveling.

I don't get a chance to do it very often.

- You are right Judith,

he does bear an amazing resemblance

to that portrait in the foyer.

- Yes, I saw it when I came in.

That's a portrait of the original

Barnabas Collins, isn't it? - Yes.

He lived here a hundred years ago in this house.

- Yes, I'm quite familiar with his life.

You see I am a direct descendant.

- Yes, that is quite easy to believe!

- Barnabas Collins,

well, I believe he left Collinwood in .

He went to England and established the

English branch of the family.

- Then you must forgive us.

We are not as familiar with our own family history

as we should be.

- Well, I am hardly an historian myself.

- Would you care for a drink, Cousin Barnabas? - No, thank you.

- Perhaps a cup of tea?

- Yes, I would enjoy that.

- Judith, would you tell the maid

to bring Cousin Barnabas a cup of tea?

- Yes, of course.

- I am very impressed with Collinwood.

It's a beautiful house. - Thank you.

- I understand that your brother Edward is away. - Yes.

- Your sister said something that struck me rather curiously.

- Hmm-hmm, what was that?

- She said that Edward is the acting head of the family.

- Ah, yes, Edward always fancies himself in that role.

- Oh, what do you mean?

- Well, Edith Collins is the real head of the family.

But she is over now and quite unable to function.

I am afraid that she doesn't have much longer.

And Edward is the eldest of her grandsons

and he naturally assumes that he will be next in line.

- Well, I think that is a logical assumption.

- Yes, if there were anything logical about Edith,

but there isn't.

Tell me Cousin Barnabas, what boat did you arrive on?

- The Pride of Jamestown,

I arrived this afternoon at :.

- Yes, so it did.

- I am rather curious about the portraits in this room.

Is the one of Joshua Collins here? - No.

His portrait is somewhere up in the west wing.

- I see.

I understand that he was the one that built Collinwood.

It seems to me that --

- I would advise you not to make a move.

- Cousin Quentin,

is this some kind of a practical joke? - No!

No, it certainly isn't.

You see, it just so happens

that I recently returned from England myself.

I spent the better part of six months there.

So, I had ample time to discover that there is no English branch

of our family and there never has been.

Now, I give you exactly five minutes to tell me who you are

and what you want here

or so help me I will run you through!

♪♪

[eerie music] ♪♪