476 - April 22, 1968

[bunniefuu]

Victoria Winters has returned

to the great house at Collinwood,

back from her strange and frightening

adventure in the past.

Now she and all those around her

are haunted by the terrible events she witnessed

in the year .

Events which may change the course of history,

and forever alter the destinies of all who live at Collinwood.

On this night, Barnabas Collins,

for almost years a prisoner of a witch's curse,

will learn an amazing secret,

one that could set him free forever.

Only one other person, my assistant,

knows of this room.

Incredible.

Show me what is to happen.

You will lie here.

The life force will be drained from you

into my still unfinished work.

What is it, doctor?

It?

Yes, I suppose that must be the proper designation

for now at least.

Until it lives and has a name.

Until it lives?

Yes.

What about the head?

That will come last.

Last?

Where did this body come from?

I created it.

And your life force will make it live.

♪♪

[eerie theme music] ♪♪

- Your creation? - Yes.

Do you find that impossible to believe?

I don't understand it.

You will, Barnabas, you will.

For now, accept what you see and accept what I tell you.

Incredible it may seem.

How did you do it?

Why?

What you see here represents a lifetime

of study and research, analysis,

the deepest forces of creation.

I've learned the secret that's been hidden

since the beginning of time.

And it's a secret so simple,

that I wonder why no one has ever seen it before me.

I learned the secret of bestowing life

on inanimate matter.

Are you telling me that you created life out of death?

Yes.

And your first reaction is

that I'm altogether mad, isn't it?

I don't know.

What you're saying is beyond my comprehension.

In a few days, you will see.

This creature you see before you will be born.

He'll live, breathe, walk as any other man.

And Barnabas, he'll give you the freedom

from the sl*very of almost years.

It will be an end to all of your suffering,

a beginning of a new life.

You will be reborn.

But how?

By infusing my live creature with your life force.

I will make you alive again

but with a new body and with a new mind.

What about my present body and mind?

What will happen to them?

They would be dead, forever dead.

- And I'd be free of Angelique's curse forever? - Yes, forever.

How can you be sure of that?

Because you'd no longer be Barnabas

and Angelique's curse was on Barnabas.

It's never occurred to me of course,

that something like this would even be possible,

that I'd be completely free of what she's made me

and be able to live as a human being again.

Then you will cooperate with me?

I will agree to nothing until I know more.

I must know what chances of success are.

- Almost certain. - Almost?

Then there's a chance that I may fail.

Well, that's a chance that exists

in any scientific endeavor.

And what if you did fail?

What would it mean for me in my present form?

- You would die. - I see.

But Barnabas, I know the secret I possess.

I know how to use it.

I'm almost certain of success.

Well, all right then, assuming that you will succeed,

what would happen to my present memory,

my recognition and feelings?

I'm afraid I can't answer that.

Why not?

I can't answer that or know what will happen

until your life force is infused into that body.

In other words I might pertain some of my former self

or I might be as innocent and helpless

as a newborn child.

There would be nothing child-like about you, Barnabas.

You will be reborn as a fully intelligent mature man.

- I don't-- - Barnabas, will you do it?

I - I don't know, Doctor.

I don't know what to tell you.

Barnabas, I didn't expect your answer tonight.

I know you have many things to think about.

This will be the most important decision of your life.

Anyway, I still have some minor things to do

before he'll be ready.

I think you also have a major thing to do, doctor.

The face.

Oh, yes.

Well, I thought I would let it be

your decision about the face.

Why?

Well, if the answer is yes,

I think you should decide what the face looks like.

After all, it will be your face.

♪♪

He's almost finished.

Doesn't the fool know how late it is?

Why is he just standing there?

Why don't you ask him?

You wouldn't mind if he stayed here all night,

- would you? - No, I wouldn't.

All right. He's gone.

I'm going to go

and make sure that he leaves the cemetery

and I want you to start digging.

No.

What did you say?

I said, "no."

I can't go through with this.

You'll do what I say.

Look, I told you the other night.

I can't do these things anymore.

I haven't got the stomach for it.

Do you think I relish this kind of activity

any more than you do?

- Well, it has to be done. - Why?

This experiment isn't going to work anyway

and if you think it is, you're crazy.

I suppose there are some people as stupid

and ignorant as you are,

who wouldn't understand what I'm doing

but they don't phase me in the least.

I'm beginning to think nothing phases you.

All right. We've got enough talk

but this experiment needs one more body

and you're going to help me get it.

Do you understand?

Don't you ever stop to think how disgusting this is?

Huh?

Robbing graves, violating the dead?

What is it they call someone who does this?

Huh? Isn't it a ghoul?

I'm doctor and a scientist and my purpose is honorable.

Yes.

Yes, so - so the end justifies the means.

That's right. Yes.

- Who says that your purpose is honorable? - I do.

I don't know anyone who would agree with you.

No doctors or scientists that I know.

They'd condemn you, every single one of them

and you know it.

We'll see what they say

after the experiment is successful.

What if isn't successful?

Did it ever occur to you?

Of course not. Why should it?

Oh, I see.

You never think of failure.

It's an impossibility for the great Dr. Lang.

I think that thinking about failure

is a contemptible weakness.

Now, start digging.

I said, "no" and I mean it.

Jeff, do I have to remind you--

Listen. If you're trying to threaten me,

you can save your breath.

I'm not going to be frightened as easily as I did before.

You mean you don't care if Vicki finds out

what you were before you became my responsibility?

I've already decided to tell her everything myself.

- You're not going to do that and you know it. - Oh yes, I will.

Because she is going to find out anyway

sooner or later.

Well, you'll probably tell her

you were in a mental institution or something

but I doubt it very much if you have the courage

to tell her about those murders.

What murders?

I don't know that I was ever a m*rder*r.

You have my word for it, Jeff.

Yes, your word,

but that's all I've got

because I don't have any memory of it at all.

How do I know you didn't make up some crazy story

just to get me to do this for you?

You don't, you don't,

but I could take you back to the sanitarium

and show you the proof

about how they found you wandering about

in a dazed condition in the Portsmouth waterfront

with a piece of rope in your pocket,

strands of which were found on the necks

of two women that were strangled to death.

I think you're lying.

I don't believe I ever k*lled anybody.

Well, I would advise you not to try calling my bluff.

Oh, you would advise it.

Yes, I guess you would

but that's not what I'm going to do.

Here, doctor.

This is one grave you can dig for yourself.

♪♪

Did she see me leaving the house?

- Who? - Cassandra.

Would it matter if she had?

I don't want her to know that you're seeing me here.

That's why I suggested that we leave the house separately.

You were certainly behaving very strangely inside.

What's the matter, Barnabas?

Julia, I'm faced with making

the most important decision of my life

and I want your advice

both as a friend and as doctor.

What do you want to know?

Everything you can tell me about Dr. Lang.

May I ask why?

Lang has offered me a way of escaping the curse forever.

- How? - I'm afraid I can't tell you that.

I swore I would keep his secret.

Well, then how do you expect me to advise you?

I simply want to know what kind of a man he is professionally.

Does he know what he's talking about?

Well, he's a very competent surgeon,

if that's what you mean.

Can he be trusted to keep his word?

Keep his word about what?

What did he promise you?

Barnabas, you've got to tell me what he's planning.

Is it an experiment of some kind?

- Yes, something quite revolutionary. - Revolutionary?

Oh, Julia, I didn't ask you here

to arouse your curiosity.

My curiosity about Lang was aroused long before this.

I knew he had plans for you

but I couldn't found out what they were.

Believe me it's easy to see why he is reluctant

to talk about his work.

Has he told you everything?

Yes.

Are you sure, Barnabas?

Well, it would be difficult to imagine

that he has concealed anything.

May I ask just one question about this experiment of his?

What is it?

How will it free you from the curse?

I cannot tell you that

without telling you the nature of the experiment.

Will you be required to undergo an operation of any sort?

Yes.

Is there any risk of death?

The risk is very small.

But there is chance that you may not survive the operation?

Well, isn't there always a chance?

Barnabas, I don't think you should go through with it.

I don't-- I think the risk too great.

But I have the opportunity to be a free man.

Or a dead one

and this time death would be permanent.

That might not be as preferable

as leading the life I am now.

Why? In the past week,

your life has taken a change for the better.

You're able to do things now

that you were never able to do before,

and you can go on this way indefinitely.

No, I can't. Angelique will see to that.

She is back here for only one purpose,

to restore the curse.

She will take her time about it,

and knowing Angelique she will be in no hurry.

She will enjoy watching me suffer

before she makes her big move

and that's why I must make my move now.

If I wait any longer, it will be too late.

Too late.

♪♪

I don't see why we couldn't talk in the house.

I don't want anyone to hear what I have to say to you.

Am I finally going to hear all about Jeff Clark?

I wish I could tell you about him but I can't.

Why not?

Because the truth is

I don't know anything about him myself.

I don't understand.

Do you mean that your past is a mystery to you?

Yes. But with your help,

I might be able to find out something.

With my help?

Vicki, you're the only friend I have

and I do need your help.

Why?

Are you in some kind of trouble?

In a way, yes.

You know, it's very hard to get a straight answer out of you.

I know. I'm sorry.

Do you want to tell me about the trouble that you're in?

Yes, but--

But what?

I don't know where to begin.

Well, you might try at the beginning.

That's just it.

There isn't any beginning.

You're not making very much sense.

Most of what I have to say isn't.

You see, I don't know who I am.

All I know I have a name,

but I don't even know that it's Jeff Clark,

and I know that you have to have a past but--

Well, I might have a past. But before--

Before what?

Before the sanitarium, I don't remember anything.

Sanitarium?

That's where I was before I came to work for Dr. Lang.

Do you know why you were there?

No.

And for a long time after Dr. Lang had taken me away,

I didn't bother to remember

or even think about anything

but since I met you I began to feel things

I've never felt before.

What do you mean?

Vicki, I have to know about my past.

I have to know where I came from

and why I'm here,

and I have to know all about you,

and why we met when we did.

I think I already know.

Well, how? We haven't talked about it.

Yes, we have.

A long time ago.

So you're going to go on thinking

that I'm Peter Bradford.

I don't know how much I want to think that.

And you don't know how much I like to be him

just for you.

Hello, Jeff?

It's Barnabas Collins.

Oh.

I didn't expect you back this evening.

I didn't expect to have an answer tonight.

Have you made your decision?

- Yes. I decided to cooperate with you. - Good.

You'll never regret it.

How soon will you be starting?

In a matter of three days I should be ready.

Two to three days.

- Well, I also have made one other decision. - Yes.

You asked me to think about a face.

Yes.

Would it be possible for the face to resemble

Jeff Clark's face?

I can do better than that.

It will be Jeff Clark's face.

♪♪

[eerie theme music] ♪♪