274 - July 13, 1967

[bunniefuu]

[narrating] - My name is Victoria Winters.

A prize of great wealth has been wrested

from the greedy hands of a dangerous man.

His plans of many years have been destroyed.

Time is running out for him,

and desperation steers him on a perilous course,

a course that leads to the jagged rocks of death.

♪♪

- You've been up there a long time.

- I wasn't aware of time.

The sun sets and the sun rises,

but only night could become eternal,

the blackness with us always.

That room must not be vacant long.

- Isn't there some other way?

- No, Willie, there isn't.

I exist in a prescribed manner.

There can be no alternative for me.

- I understand.

- I must make my plans.

I have already selected the next Josette.

♪♪

[eerie music]

♪♪

- Who will it be?

- You'll find out in good time.

- Maybe it won't work out.

- Why shouldn't it?

- Well, I'm only going by what's just happened...

Maggie Evans--

how it didn't work out with her.

- Well, there were many reasons for that failure--

most of them mine.

- Well, I don't see how you can change a person

into someone else.

- Take the right individual,

place her under the proper conditions and circumstances,

apply the required pressure,

and a new personality is created.

- Well, isn't that what you did with Maggie Evans?

- I was too hasty in the selection of the subject.

Miss Evans, unfortunately, was not the right individual.

She didn't possess

enough of the tender qualities of Josette Collins.

Everything was done properly, but she couldn't respond.

- Well, how will you be sure next time?

- I have made my selection with great care,

and I will condition her gradually.

For that reason, I want you to go and bring me the jewel chest.

I wish to select a gift.

♪♪

Ah, good.

- You're gonna give someone one of these?

- That's what "gift" means.

I must start to build up a relationship

with the next Josette.

- But do you think a piece of jewelry

will buy whoever it is you want?

- Nothing can be bought.

But the next Josette...

I have in mind is not even worth

the entire contents of this chest.

Perhaps that's why I'm so attracted to her.

- I understand.

- You do?

You have changed, Willie.

You've become wiser,

and that will ensure my success,

because your weak moments will have vanished.

There were moments when I thought

that you would let Miss Evans go.

- No, I wasn't gonna do that.

- You weren't?

The thing I like about you, Willie,

is that I can always tell what you're thinking.

You're ideal for what I have in mind.

I doubt very much if you'll show the same weakness

for the next Josette.

- I know who the next one'll be.

- Do you?

- Vicki Winters.

- You'll have to wait and see.

- Oh, I know it's her.

- This should do very nicely.

Josette would like this.

- Vicki Winters.

♪♪

♪♪

- Willie!

- Oh, Jason!

- I was just on my way over to see you.

- You were?

- Sure. - Well, what for?

- Well, just to shake your hand and bid you a fond farewell.

- Are you going away? - Aye.

I've been around here too long now.

Time for me to move on.

- You mean, you got everything you came after?

- Well, uh, I got enough, yes.

- Hey, did you get married?

- No, that part of the deal didn't go through.

- What do you mean?

- Ah, it's not worth discussing--

very detailed and all that.

I just had a change in plans.

- I know when you're not telling the truth.

The whole deal fell through, didn't it?

- No. It just didn't work out, that's all.

- You know, if I didn't hear it from you,

I wouldn't have believed it.

The great plans of the great Jason McGuire backfired on him!

- Ah! [laughing]

Don't ever say a thing like that to me, Willie.

- But it's true, isn't it?

- Well, it's all in the past now and it's to be forgotten.

I've got to begin to look ahead again, that's all.

- Well, where are you headed?

- Oh, I've got a few things working.

I've got something ripening down in Florida,

a little oil deal working in Texas.

Things of that sort.

- Oh, that sounds good. - Yeah.

Of course, I didn't think you'd be interested, but, well,

I just thought I'd check out with you anyway, huh?

You feel like coming along?

- I--I--I'd-- I'd like to Jason but I'm doing all right here.

- Oh, I'll bet you are! [laughing]

You sure you won't come along?

- Yeah. Positive.

- Ah, that's too bad.

That's just too bad, Willie,

'cause there'd be a nice share in it for you.

- You've been real generous, Jason.

- Well, now, I haven't done too badly by you, now, have I?

I took care of you when you were in trouble....

and a few other things.

- Well, I'll admit that.

- Well, I'm glad to hear it.

Because, Willie, I'm going to have to ask you

to do me a little favor.

- What kind of favor?

- Well, I need a little stake...

just to get me to where I'm going, you know,

to tide me over until things begin clicking again.

- I-- I don't have much-- a few bucks maybe.

- Oh, sorry, I have that much myself, Willie.

Oh, I need more than that. [laughs]

A lot more than that, Willie.

Maybe you know a way that I can get some.

- I don't.

- Ah, sure you do,

and I'll tell you exactly how to do it.

- You're gonna tell me? - Yeah.

You just take your right hand, you dip it in,

close the fingers, Willie,

pull it out, and put it in your pocket,

and then you take your left hand and you do the very same thing.

- I dip it into what?

- That chest of jewelry, of course!

- What chest? - [chuckling]

The one you keep in the old house.

- I don't know what you're talking about.

- Come on now, Willie,

let's not waste the time arguing.

Ah, this world is filled with people

who are constantly denying the facts.

Come on, now.

I know it's there, and so do you.

- How do you know? - I saw it.

- When? - Never mind.

Ah, now, I don't want it all, Willie-- just enough.

- It isn't mine.

- I'm sure it isn't.

That shouldn't bother you, though, Willie, huh?

Taking things that belong to other people?

That shouldn't even ruffle your feathers

compared to what you've done--

or compared to what you're about to do.

- Now what are you talking about?

- I'm talking about Maggie Evans.

Poor thing...

Now, what happened to her? [clicks his tongue]

Oh, yes, and I'm talking about Vicki Winters--

poor thing--

and what's about to happen to her.

[laughing]

I'm certainly up on my current events, don't you think?

Huh?

Now, that's the secret of my success, Willie.

You know what to do.

- Yeah...

- Well, don't be too long about it, lad.

I've got a lot of traveling to do.

- I can't get it for you now-- He's there.

Tomorrow at noon, when he's not there.

- All right, Willie.

The Blue Whale.

You'd better be there, Willie.

♪♪

[music playing]

♪♪

- Has Carolyn Stoddard been in today?

- Vicki!

Well, mind if I talk to you for a few minutes?

- I'd rather not.

- Well, just a little farewell speech.

- I don't think it's necessary.

I think we've said everything

that we possibly could say to each other.

- Oh, I don't know, now.

There's always room for a little more communication.

- I thought we'd had our last communication.

- Well, this will probably be it.

I'm leaving very soon.

What are you doing here at this time of day?

- I'm looking for Carolyn.

- Oh...

Still acting up, huh?

- We haven't seen her

since her mother said that she k*lled her-- her husband.

She hasn't heard the true story-- your confession.

All she knows is what she heard--

that her mother is a murderess.

- Ah, yes. Well...

I'm sorry about that.

- I'll bet you are!

- Why, Vicki, now that sounds vindictive.

That's not like you.

- You've done something I'll never forgive you for.

You've ruined the life of a wonderful woman.

For years, Mrs. Stoddard has lived a lie because of you.

- Oh, is that so, then? What about Paul Stoddard?

Everyone's willing to blame me,

but no one's ever really ready to indict him.

- He wasn't foolish enough to come back.

- Well, it wasn't foolish coming back.

It was a very, very daring caper.

You have to admit that.

- You can hardly compare a crime to an adventure.

- Oh... all very prim and proper, aye?

I bet you'd like to see me behind bars too!

- I don't want to see anyone in jail,

but I'm sorry you're getting away with this

and leaving Collinsport a free man.

- Well...

you're just as wrong as Liz and everyone else about this.

They're all wrong.

Given half a chance,

I could have made Liz a very happy woman.

I could have taken her out of her shell

and shown her how to live.

- Your whole existence is based on ifs.

The only thing you're right about

is that there are honest and decent people in this world--

the perfect set-up for you!

- Oh... [chuckling]

How young and innocent you are.

You must think you're living

in a perfectionist's paradise,

where people go around wearing tags reading good and bad.

Well, I wish you were,

because I'm afraid you'd be in for a rude shock.

You'll find out that the bad tags

far outnumber the good ones, my dear,

by a considerable margin.

Surprise you?

- Not as much as you think.

You've been quite an education.

- Oh, Vicki...

Vicki, Vicki, Vicki... I wonder about you.

I wonder just how corruptible you are.

Hmm? What would it take?

What's your price?

- There is no price and there never will be.

- Eh, don't be so sure.

A time may come very soon

when a price just might be established.

- What do you mean?

- Oh, just generalizing, that's all.

- Well, in that case, you're talking through your hat.

- Now that is something that I never do.

All right, Miss Morality,

the time for your test will come very soon.

I'm just sorry I won't be around to see it, that's all.

- I don't know what you're talking about.

- Well, wherever I am, I'll be laughing at you,

Vicki Winters, and don't you forget it.

- There's nothing as sad as a hollow threat.

- Vicki Winters...

Just who are you? And where do you come from?

- Why do you ask that?

- Because I know you don't know

the answers to those questions.

[laughing]

Well, I was in this vicinity years ago,

and maybe I do know the answers.

- What do you know?

- Whatever I know, my dear, I'll take with me when I go.

- Your only trying to hurt me.

- [chuckling] Am I succeeding?

[music playing]

♪♪

- Get lost, Willie? - I have things to do.

- Oh, well, I should think I'd be on the top of your list.

Or am I already losing importance?

- I'm sorry. I got here as soon as I could.

- Well, I don't want to hear your excuses.

Sit down.

I told you to sit down.

- I haven't got much time.

- What you expect to do, toss what you got for me

halfway across the room?

I don't want the whole town in on this.

There you are, Willie.

That's friendlier.

I think we ought to have a farewell drink together.

- I told you, I've got to go.

- You're gonna have a drink with me

if I have to shove it down your throat!

Now...

we're drinking to the end of a long friendship, Willie...

one that took us around the world.

We had a few kicks, huh? [chuckling]

And we received a few kicks too, didn't we?

- You're getting awful sentimental all of a sudden.

- I always have been.

You just never noticed it, Willie.

That's all.

Oh... thank you.

Here you go, Willie.

Let's drink to whatever the future holds for us, huh?

- Sure.

- [laughing]

Your sentimentality leaves a lot to be desired, Willie.

Ah, but forget about that now.

We'll get down to business.

The meeting will come to order.

All the members are present, Willie,

and the subject up for discussion

is economic aid to the underprivileged.

Now, we'll forget about the old business

and just get down to the new.

Now, if I'm correct, Mr. Loomis,

I understand that you have a report to make.

Well, Willie, you have the floor.

- I got what you wanted.

- Ah, the treasurer will be glad to hear.

I'll bet your pockets are bulging, huh?

You always did tend to overdo things a bit.

- I got enough. - Good.

All right, then.

Suppose we have a look at what you brought.

- Not in here.

- Why not?

Come on, unless you wave it around the room,

nobody's going to see it.

Come on, let's have a look at it.

There it is.

That's the lad.

What's this?

- That's it.

- You can't be serious.

- That's all I could manage.

- You're a filthy liar!

- I couldn't take any more. I'd get in trouble.

- I told you I wanted you to dip your hands into it,

and I meant it!

This is nothing!

- It's all I can do for you, Jason.

- You're letting me down, Willie.

I can't let you do that.

I can't let you do that at all.

When I want something, I go after it.

And when I want something. I'm going to get it, Willie.

[brooch thuds on table]

- This...

is all you're getting.

♪♪

[birds singing]

[glass shattering]

♪♪

[eerie music]

♪♪

[announcer] - "Dark Shadows" is a Dan Curtis production.