434 - February 22, 1968

[bunniefuu]

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

A séance, which has sent Victoria Winters

on an uncertain, frightening journey into the past,

back to the Collins family who lived in the year .

There Victoria Winters finds herself a stranger

in a sea of familiar faces,

one of whom has just testified

at Victoria Winters trial for witchcraft.

And in his testimony

told that she had both the motive and the desire

to k*ll the woman who had first accused her

of being a witch.

[thinking] -Don't start feeling sorry for Vicky Winters.

You did what you had to do,

you'll be a fool not to do it.

This isn't the time for you to start thinking

of others Nathan Forbes, not the time at all.

My visitors usually knock.

- Miss Winters never said you would k*ll Abigail Collins.

- Did the court grant you a recess,

- so you could tell me that? - Why did you lie?

- I told you what I remembered.

- You couldn't have remembered that because it never happened.

You had another reason for saying it

and I want to know why.

I want to know what it was. Why did you lie, why?

♪♪

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- Victoria Winters told me she would k*ll Abigail Collins,

- why would I lie? - That's what I want to know.

- I got nothing against her?

- You expect me to believe that?

- Actually, when she first arrived at Collinwood,

I tried to be friendly with her.

Not many people were.

- Abigail particularly. - I know that.

- Well, she had - she had good reason to hate Abigail,

very good reason.

- But she didn't.

- That is your version of the story.

Mine is different.

- I want to know why it's different.

- You didn't watch the things that were happening

at Collinwood, I did.

I was a rather disinterested spectator.

Too many things can't be explained

unless there is a witch.

- When she was first accused, you helped hide her.

- Yeah, we all make mistakes.

- You brought her food. You untied her from the tree,

why did you change?

- I decided that they were right about her, that's all.

Now, every man has the right to decide

what he wants to believe.

- I don't believe that you decided it by yourself.

- Look, Bradford, I don't know why you came here,

but you're wasting your time.

- I'm not going to leave until-- - Until what?

- Until it's time for you to go back and play lawyer?

- Not until you tell me. - Tell you?

- I'm not going to tell you anything.

You can't save your case

and don't expect me to do it for you.

Now, get out of here.

- I'm going to win this case, Forbes,

despite your testimony.

- Well, don't let me stop you.

- Would you do one thing?

Come to the jail.

- Why?

- See Miss Winters.

- No.

- Are you afraid to?

- Why should I be afraid? I've seen women crying before.

- Look, Bradford, I don't care

what she thinks about me or what you do,

Now, if you're convinced I'm lying,

why don't you go out and find a witness who can prove I am.

- I just want to give you a chance

to change your testimony this afternoon.

You can say you had second thoughts.

- You want me to perjure myself?

- You've already done that.

- If you really believe that then go tell that to the judge

and stop bothering me.

- I will when you tell me why you came to the jail

this morning and said that you would testify.

- Look, I told you, I did not want to get involved in this.

- You agreed to be on our side.

- Well, let's just say

that I have a very bad character trait.

I hate to let a pretty woman down.

- Well, you managed to at the trial.

Only two hours after we talked.

What happened in that two hours?

- I did a lot of thinking. - I'll bet you did.

- Yes, I said to myself,

Nathan my boy,

now you are involved, like it or not

and you'd better tell the truth.

- So why didn't you?

- We never get anywhere, you and I.

It always comes back to the same thing.

You say I lied, I say I didn't.

- How are they bribing you?

- Who?

- The Collins family.

- Oh, you are out of date, they don't even speak to me.

- You're engaged to Millicent Collins.

- No more, no more, that's finished.

Over, the romance is over, ended by mutual consent.

I am no longer welcome at Collinwood,

so you see I - I really should have testified for Vicki

just to irritate Joshua Collins.

- But you work for him, you can lose your job.

- I'm employed by the Navy, not Joshua Collins

and I'm grateful for that.

- This doesn't make any sense to me.

- Well, I'm glad you see that. Now you can leave.

- If Miss Winters hangs, you will be responsible.

So this has got to make sense to me.

- Well, it's not going to, I can promise you that.

- Before I walk through that door,

I said I wasn't going to leave her until I knew.

- Well, you're wrong.

- No, now you start telling me what exactly happened--

- Well, you're - you won the round,

but you lost the fight.

- We'll see,

the day Miss Winters is sentenced.

♪♪

- Joshua.

Joshua.

- Well, yes, my dear.

- I didn't know you were still at home.

Aren't you going to the yards?

Is that an answer?

- Naomi, please leave me alone.

- No, I will not. - What did you say?

- You have not left this house since Abigail died.

- I'm quite aware of that.

- But it's not like you.

- Nonsense. Anything I do is like me.

- I know how deeply affected you are.

- You haven't the slightest idea.

- Well, you must admit the fact

that you haven't gone to the yards is a bit of a clue.

If you'd only talk about her,

it wouldn't be weak if you did.

- Whoever said it would?

I don't talk about her because there is nothing to say.

A senseless death.

- Following a senseless life.

- What did you say?

- I said, she had a senseless life.

Her values were wrong.

- She and I have the same values.

- Perhaps, but you had your business.

In a way, Abigail was like a businesswoman

with no business to run.

- Well, she had her church.

- Oh, she didn't own it.

- She ran our house. - I was here, too.

- She loved our family.

- She loved you and tolerated the rest of us.

- Naomi, have you no respect for the dead?

- Yes, I have.

I have respect

that's why I was thinking of her now.

I'm trying to figure out in what way

I could have made her life a fuller one, happier.

How I might have helped her find a life of her own.

- She had all the life she wanted.

- No, she didn't Joshua that's just what I've been telling you.

- She choose to live here with Jeremiah and me.

- I'm sure she had a chance to marry once.

- Well, of course she did.

- Perhaps what happened to Millicent happened to her.

Perhaps the man wasn't worthy.

- Abigail decided that.

My brother and I had nothing to do with it.

She always knew her own mind.

Really Naomi, I had quite forgotten

what utter nonsense you talk.

- Had you? - Yes, you -

you've never been very good at character

or judging it.

You - you stood up for that witch,

you're too emotional.

Well, I certainly hope to be the best people in this house

don't unfollow your ridiculous ideas.

Well, I'm going to the yards,

I had intended to anyhow.

I have an appointment with that Trask fellow

either today or tomorrow,

so, I'll make it today.

♪♪

- I'm seeing Mr. Joshua Collins today or tomorrow.

He's understandably quite upset over his dear sister's death.

- Will you speak to him about me?

- That is among the subjects I have to discuss of course.

- I don't want to be among the subjects, Reverend Trask.

He said he's writing a letter to the Navy

telling them that I am not the officer and gentleman

that regulations would have maybe.

- Mr. Collins' passion sometimes overcomes his better judgment.

- Yes, exactly.

Now, listen I've told you how much I -

I'm in love with Millicent Collins.

- I'm afraid that physical love is beyond my comprehension.

- Without her, I have nothing but my career.

Mr. Collins has caused me enough unhappiness

without ruining my - my relationship with my superiors.

- I understand your,

uh, your desire for me to talk with Mr. Collins.

- You understand also that I have done that family

an enormous favor.

- Your testimony was your duty.

- I wouldn't argue with you about that, but I -

I might not have recalled quite so much

if you had not so kindly refreshed my memory.

- I will not be blackmailed, lieutenant.

- And I will not forget the promises that you made

this morning!

- I could have implicated you as the witch's accomplice.

- Yes, but you didn't.

It would be embarrassing to do it now.

- I may have hinted that I would speak

to Mr. Collins about your case.

- You'll do more than that, Trask.

Bradford was here earlier.

He suggested that I might reconsider my testimony.

- Are you considering doing that?

- Well, now, well, that depends on you,

doesn't it, Reverend Trask?

♪♪

- I think that if you and your wife

could make an appearance at the trial,

perhaps later this afternoon.

- Absolutely, not.

- It would be what your dear sister would have wanted.

- There is no need to bring my sister into this.

- But there could be a certain emotional effect

if the judges were to see you and your wife in the court.

- Neither Mrs. Collins nor I have any desire

to influence the judges emotionally,

we have given quite enough,

our lives will never be the same.

I'm sure you have impressed this upon the judge.

- With God's help.

- Well, you don't sound very confident, why?

Is there a chance that the witch will not be convicted?

- Who knows the ways of our Lord?

- None of us.

- I would therefore prefer to hear what you think.

- I think we have made considerable progress.

There's been some interesting testimony by Lieutenant Forbes.

- I don't want to hear anything about him.

- I think perhaps you should.

- And exactly why do you say that?

- He is the first person to give Miss Winters a motive

for causing your dear sister's death.

- Well, if I were the judge,

I shouldn't know whether he was telling the truth.

Lieutenant Forbes is among other unpleasant things, a liar,

as I am about to inform the Navy department.

- Is that absolutely necessary?

- He has not fulfilled his duties here

as either an officer or a gentleman.

- If your sister were alive,

she would have interceded for him.

- I have no way of knowing that.

- I am telling you,

Lieutenant Forbes has done the Collins family

an enormous favor.

- He owes us many.

- But surely in view of what has happened,

you might reconsider informing his superiors.

- I do not reconsider, Reverend Trask,

once I make a decision.

- Well, then you have no desire to see Miss Winters punished

as she should be, as she must be.

Because if she is hanged,

it will be because of Lieutenant Forbes' testimony.

He's waiting outside, will you see him?

- No.

- When Abigail Collins first approached me

about the witchcraft in your house,

she assured me that I should have the cooperation

of every member of your family.

- And I think you have had. - In the past, yes.

- But now, you refuse to come to the court,

you refuse to let Mrs. Collins,

you won't listen to Lieutenant Forbes.

Have you no respect for Abigail Collins' memory?

- Bring him in

and leave us alone.

- Lieutenant Forbes.

- You asked to see me?

- Yes, I did, sir.

- I can't imagine why.

- Mr. Collins, I respect your attitude toward me,

I deserve it.

- You admit it too freely. - I'm sorry you think that.

- What else can I think?

- You could have some compassion.

- That would be foreign to my nature.

- Mr. Collins, I honestly loved of your niece.

- I don't want to hear anything about that.

- Isn't it punishment enough that I - that I can't see her,

that any hopes I might have had for a life together are ruined.

- By your own deceit.

- Yes, I - I admit that, sir.

But certainly when you were a younger man,

you - you made mistakes,

oh, well not as serious as mine of course,

but serious enough so that you could understand

how an unfortunate marriage could be made.

And you know that my late wife was here

so that we could settle on the terms of our divorce.

- Whatever gave you an idea

that I want to hear this tawdry story?

- It is that, sir, and I'm sorry to inflict it upon you,

but surely even you can know

that I have done my work here well

and that I can serve the Navy well in the future.

- Am I expected to ignore any disciplinary action?

Is that what you want?

- In view of my other punishments, yes.

- Hmm.

I understand, I am to thank you

for your testimony at court,

though why I should thank you, I don't know.

But young people these days seem to expect unusual rewards

for merely doing their duty.

You will apply for a transfer

and leave here as soon as possible, do you understand?

- And you won't send a letter?

- If you send the proper papers off today

and I never have to see you again.

♪♪

- Why would Lieutenant Forbes lie, but he did.

Miss Winters never wanted to k*ll anyone.

- The judges believe him Mrs. Collins, I could tell.

- They couldn't.

- It's not enough for you to say that.

You have to go to court.

You have to tell them what you know about Vicki

- as you knew her. - No. No.

- Why?

- I simply can't.

- Are you willing to see her die? - She won't.

- Mrs. Collins, I believe in justice too,

but it slips up every once in a while

and that's exactly what may happen

if you're not willing to do something.

♪♪

- Is that why you suggested I go to the yards?

So you could spend the afternoon sipping sherry.

I have brought my work home,

I prefer to do it here without interruption.

- I will see that you have none.

I don't know whether I consider myself an interruption or not.

Joshua, Peter Brandon was here.

- Oh, I'll be glad when that trial is over

and these people stop bothering us.

- Lieutenant Forbes lied on the stand.

- Nonsense. - He did!

- He said Miss Winters had a reason to k*ll Miss Abigail.

- Well, if he had - knew of a reason,

it was his duty to say it.

I'm once for once have to agree with him.

- Well, you know, it isn't true.

- I know nothing of a witch's mind, Naomi. - She is not a witch.

- Now, I did not come back home to have this discussion.

- Well, I'm afraid you'll have to.

- When I wanted to testify, you forbad me and I gave in. - Naturally.

- Well, I can't any longer.

- Naomi, you will remain in this house for the rest of the day

and you may do whatever you please,

if it is sipping sherry the whole afternoon,

then is the way it is going to be,

but you are not going to interfere with that trial.

- Well, if you could only give me one reason why I shouldn't.

- Because I don't want you to that is reason enough.

- No, it is not. Not anymore.

I don't care about our dignity.

I don't think we can be disinvolved

because of what people might say.

- Well, you were never wise about that.

- There comes a point when I must thinking

of you and myself.

- You shouldn't admit it.

- Joshua, we must make amends to what we've done,

we have let evil take over,

we have let lies go uncorrected.

- Now, Naomi, you are getting emotional again,

and that is bad for you.

- What is bad for me is to stay in this house,

knowing I'm not doing something I should.

- I tell you what you should do.

- And often that's very bad for me.

- Naomi,

where are you going?

- To get my cloak and go to the trial.

- I have told Reverend Trask

that we would not be there today.

- Then you are wrong

because I will be and I'll be on the other side.

- You will be locked in your room.

- If I am, I will get out

and I should not only testify for Miss Winters,

I shall never come back to this house again.

- You are mad.

- No, Joshua,

it's just that I have so little left for me.

The children are gone, all I have is myself

and the little of you, you let me share.

I can no longer stand behind Sarah and Barnabas.

I can no longer stop from doing what is right

to keep peace in this house, do you understand?

- I do not at all.

You are my wife.

Naomi, come back here, at once!

Naomi!

♪♪

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