287 - August 1, 1967

[bunniefuu]

[Victoria narrating] - A storm has broken suddenly over Collinwood

and sanctuary has been sought

and found in the old house beyond the woods.

[thunder crashes]

But a deeper, safer sanctuary has also been found.

The sanctuary of the past,

far and safe from present threat.

For even the landscape of dreams is free of thunder and storms.

And the serenity of the present can never know

pervades the gentle air

or so it seems.

♪♪

♪♪

[birds chirping]

- Look, when Barnabas left for the day

he said I-- I should make sure I give you some breakfast

or at least some coffee.

- Thank you, Willie, but I've got to hurry.

I didn't mean to sleep this late.

- I-- Did you sleep all right?

- Beautifully.

- I mean, nothing disturbed you during the night?

- Of course not, what are you talking about?

- Oh, nothing.

- You expect me to see ghosts?

- No. - Well, I must say,

I expected to sleeping in Josette's room.

- Well, I mean, you-- you didn't see or hear anything?

- No, why do you keep asking?

- No reason,

I-- I just wanted to make sure you had a good night.

- I had a wonderful night.

Willie, it's hard for me to believe

that you're really this concerned.

- I-- I guess I'm not.

- Well then, come to think of it.

- Yeah?

- For a moment I-- I did have a feeling

as though someone were in the room.

- What happened?

- Nothing, I wasn't afraid.

Of course it was only a dream that's why.

- Yeah, sure.

- Or was it?

- What do you mean?

- Willie, I know you've changed a lot, but--

- You think it was me? - Was it?

- Well, no, I swear.

I wasn't anywhere near that room.

- Are you sure?

- Well, I wouldn't do anything like that.

I even offered to take you home last night, remember?

- Yes. - Well, I wouldn't hurt you.

You got to believe that.

I wouldn't want anyone to hurt you, anyone.

You got to believe that too.

Now, you do believe it don't you?

- All right, Willie, I believe it.

There's nothing to get so upset about.

Nobody's gonna hurt me.

As a matter of fact, when I was in Josette's room,

I felt safer than I ever have in my life.

- Yes, I know I said I'd see you this morning,

but it's impossible.

- May I ask why? - Well, I rather not discuss it.

I'm disturbed, very disturbed.

- Of course if it's none of my business--

- You must've heard the dreadful things

that have been happening around Collinsport lately.

- Oh, well, you mean about Maggie Evans?

- Obviously, there's a madman on the loose.

- Oh, has something-- something new happened?

- I don't know.

- But you think maybe something has.

- Miss Winters, the girl you meet the other day

didn't sleep in her room last night.

She seems to have disappeared.

- You think that maniac-- - Oh, no, that can't be it.

- Good morning. Hello, Miss Hoffman.

- Vicki, thank heavens, what happened?

- Well, I was down in the old house

when the storm broke, so I stayed there.

- I've been half out of my mind with worry.

- I'm terribly sorry, I meant to get back

much before this.

- But you're safe, that's all that matters.

- Why wouldn't I be?

- Vicki, you know there's a madman on the loose

around here somewhere.

- I guess, I forgotten.

- How could you?

You know what happened to Maggie Evans.

- I-- I don't know how I could've forgotten,

and I'm very sorry that I frightened you.

But you have to admit that I was a lot safer

down there with Mr. Collins to protect me

than if I tried to get back here in the storm.

- Oh, yes, of course.

If I'd known you were with Barnabas,

I wouldn't have worried at all.

- With no phone, there was no way of reaching you.

I truly am sorry. - Oh, it's all right,

and thank heavens you were with Barnabas.

♪♪

- I'd like to cooperated, Miss Hoffman,

but I'm really a very busy woman.

- Well, it wouldn't take any of your time.

- And if you needed any help, perhaps I--

- I'm sorry, but it's out of the question.

- Miss Stoddard, may I speak frankly?

- If you're hoping to change my mind,

I'm afraid it's of no use.

- I'm sure there's a lot in the Collins family history

that you prefer remain private.

- Well, isn't that almost true of any family?

- Well, of course.

- But most families can escape continuing attention.

The Collins family cannot.

- Well, whether we can or can't,

it's hardly something I want to encourage.

- Well, it's something you can neither encourage

nor discourage.

The public's interested more than that,

they're fascinated.

- [sighs]

Why can't they just leave us alone?

- Because it's the Collins family.

They're going to create legends and myths.

- Well, then let them,

but I'm not going to supply the material.

- You'd be doing exactly the opposite if you let me

work on my history.

- I don't understand.

- If people knew the truth, then they wouldn't make up

their own versions of it.

- Exactly.

- I just don't believe in going over the past.

- But there's-- there's so much in the past that's beautiful.

It's not all ugliness and tragedy.

- I know. - Like the story of Josette.

Now, all the people know about her

is the part about her death.

But there's much more to it than that,

so much more.

She was a great lady and people should know that.

- Miss Winters is right.

- And I'm sure there other stories too.

- Don't forget, Miss Stoddard,

this won't affect any living members of the family.

My research ends with the last century.

- Oh, I really don't know.

- Oh, please, Miss Stoddard, it could be so exciting.

- If I can persuade both you and Mr. Collins to cooperate--

- You'll find that my brother

has very little interest in the matter.

- Oh, I don't mean your brother.

I meant your cousin Barnabas Collins.

- Miss Hoffman, I mentioned it to him.

- Oh? And what did he say?

- Well, he's not as enthusiastic as I thought he'd be.

- Because he feels the same way I do.

The family's history is nobody's business but our own.

- If that is the way he feels, I hope I can change his mind

as I hope I can change yours.

- Yes, you must talk to him.

- I indeed to.

I thought I'd go as soon as I left here.

- Well, he's gone away for the day,

but Willie said he'd be back tonight.

You could see him then.

- Mr. Collins can cooperate if he wants to.

But you'll have to forgive me if my decision is final.

- But, Miss Stoddard-- - I'm sorry, Vikki.

And now, if you'll excuse me, I'm really very busy.

- I understand. - Goodbye.

- Goodbye.

- I was so sure that she'd say yes.

- Maybe she still will.

- I doubt it.

- Maybe you could talk to her.

- I already have.

- Maybe you could talk to her again.

- Well.

- I know everyone who specializes in something

always thinks of his or her work

is of world-shattering importance.

I can't help it.

In this case, I think my work, my research, is important.

Very, very important.

You have an interest in the past, help me.

Talk to Miss Stoddard and try persuade her.

- I don't know if I can. - Try.

And remember it's just possible my work may be as important

as I think it is.

- Family history that important?

- It is to me.

Who can tell, maybe just as important someday

to someone else, maybe even more so.

- I don't understand.

- I suppose I'm exaggerating.

But then again, maybe I'm not.

♪♪

- But, Vikki, I don't know why this is so important to you.

- I don't know really why it is either.

But the past is something that you've always thought of

as ugly, something that should be kept secret.

I think it's beautiful, and I think it should be shared.

- Aren't you being romantic again?

- Perhaps I am.

- But last night when I stayed in Josette's room

it was like actually entering into the past.

And everything was-- was so peaceful

and so calm and so quiet, so wonderfully quiet.

- Well, you know, that's hardly true of Josette.

- Yes, Miss Stoddard,

why am I getting so caught up in all this?

- Of course, you realize that is--

If Miss Hoffman does do the research on the family history,

it would all be very detached and unromantic.

- Yes, I know that.

- Maybe that's exactly what you need.

- What do you mean?

- Well, you've been letting yourself be carried away lately

by the romance of what's pasted.

Maybe it would do you good to look at it

in a very cold and objective way.

- Do you mean that you're thinking about

changing your mind?

- Maybe you should find out for yourself,

just how unromantic it really was.

- I'd never think that,

but I'd love to work with Miss Hoffman.

- All right then, why don't you?

- Do you mean it?

- Tell Miss Hoffman she has my permission to go ahead

and I will cooperate after all.

- Oh, thank you.

- I'm doing this for you, Vikki.

And I'm not sure you're going to thank me when it's all over.

- Why wouldn't I? - Well, up until now,

the past has been sort of a dream for you.

Now, it might become a reality, k*lling the dream.

Has anyone ever thanked anyone for the death of a dream?

♪♪

- Oh, I thought I'd let you know the other day

when you came with Miss Winters that visitors aren't welcome.

- I'm not a visitor,

and I'm not interested in being welcomed.

I came to see Mr. Collins.

- You can't. - Why not?

- He doesn't want to see you.

- Then I prefer that he tell me himself.

- He can't, he isn't here.

- Then I'll wait.

- He won't be back for a long time.

- Just how long precisely? - I don't know.

- I'm in no hurry. - You can't stay here.

- Ah. Mr. Collins has done

a remarkable job with this house.

He must've made a very thorough study of the period

to know so many details.

- Oh, please, Mr. Collins won't like it when he finds you here.

- Miss Winters tells me that you did a good deal of the work.

Did Mr. Collins refer to any drawings of the house?

- No.

- Then what were his references?

They must've been very exact.

- What do you want to know for?

- I told you, I'm interested in the history.

This house is part of it.

- Well, he-- he had old pictures.

- I thought you said he didn't. - He did.

- There was no need to lie.

If there was, I can't imagine what the reason could be.

I only wanted to know where Mr. Collins could learn

so much about the original condition of the house.

It's almost as though he had seen it at the time.

♪♪

I'm a perfectly trustworthy person.

You don't have to wait with me.

I won't walk off with anything.

- I have strict orders from Mr. Collins

that no strangers are allowed in here.

- I'll explain to Mr. Collins that I'm responsible.

Please, please, try not to be so nervous.

- I'm not nervous.

- But you look absolutely terrified.

Is-- is Mr. Collins really that difficult?

- Oh, will you stop asking questions?

- Well, if he is so difficult, why do you work for him?

- Perhaps because he wants to.

Or perhaps I'm not difficult at all.

- I told her no visitors were allowed.

- Not rudely I hope.

You must be Miss Hoffman.

- Yes, how do you?

- That will be all, Willie, thank you.

- Oh, I promised him I'd take full blame for being here.

Visitors apparently make him very anxious.

- You must forgive Willie.

He's a very strange man.

But I found him be a loyal and valuable servant.

- You know of course why I'm here.

- According to Miss Winters,

you're doing research on my family

and would like access to my library.

- Yes, and to any personal knowledge that you might have

if you don't mind.

- Well, it isn't the matter of minding, Miss Hoffman.

And I certainly feel that your project

is extremely interesting.

- Oh, then I can count on your cooperation?

- I'm afraid not. - Oh?

If you think it's interesting--

- But my opinion in this case does not affect my decision.

And my decision is no.

- May I ask why?

- If you'd like,

but I don't feel particularly obliged to give you an answer.

- I see. - But I do thank you

for your interest in my family.

- Now, you of course are from England.

- Oh, I see you've been told my history.

- Oh, very slightly.

But I would like to know-- - Please, Miss Hoffman,

I prefer not encouraging you any further

by answering even your slightest question.

I don't mean to sound abrupt,

but it would be senseless for me to start something

that I have no intention of continuing.

- I understand, but perhaps you'll change your mind.

- I assure you, I will not.

- But a man with your interest in the past, surely--

- Prefers to keep his interest to himself.

- You didn't let me finish.

I have done some research of my own.

I might know something about your family

that you might find extremely informative.

- I doubt it. - How can you be so sure?

- Well, I can't, but I can be disinterested.

- About your family history?

Oh, no one who lives in this house

could be disinterested.

- Well, perhaps then my disinterest is limited

to what you might contribute.

- Are you sure it would be so negligible?

- Not necessarily.

But the price I would have to pay is too high.

- It would be a fair exchange, is that too high a price?

- Oh, come now, Miss Hoffman, that's not possibly fair

Whatever you may know,

I certainly know much more than you do.

- Do you?

Well, let me know if you changed your mind.

You might find it extremely interesting.

Goodbye, Mr. Collins.

I hope I'll see you again soon.

♪♪

[door closes]

♪♪

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