499 - May 23, 1968

[bunniefuu]

NARRATOR: In the deceiving stillness of this night,

at Collinwood a battle for survival is taking place.

Not far away, in a small cottage by the seashore,

an artist works late into the night,

applying age lines to the face in a mysterious painting.

While in a remote garden at Collinwood,

the woman who posed for the portrait

goes through the agony of knowing

that she may age almost two hundred years

before the next sunrise.

CASSANDRA: I have not been able to hear you.

I must find you and get to you.

Oh, try and speak to me.

Try, try!

[SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC PLAYING] ♪♪

[HEART BEATING]

♪♪

[ERRIE THEME MUSIC PLAYING] ♪♪

Cassandra?

Over here, Tony.

Why are you standing in the shadows?

Oh, never mind.

You knew that I wanted you and you came immediately.

I'm very grateful to you.

No, please.

Stay where you are.

Why? What's the matter?

Nothing.

Why don't you come out where I can see you?

Because I don't want you to see me.

Why not?

[SOBBING]

- Cassandra, what is it? - Stop.

What's happened?

Oh, Tony. I need your help desperately.

Listen, can't we at least face each other?

I'd like to be able to see who I'm talking to.

Very well.

If you insist.

If you want a better look,

why don't you use your cigarette lighter?

All right.

[DRAMATIC MUSIC PLAYING] ♪♪

What's happened to you?

Never mind that, Tony.

Just look into the flame.

Go on.

Keep looking into it as deeply as you can.

And tell me that you'll do whatever you can to help me.

I'll do whatever you ask.

The portrait.

The portrait that was on the easel in the drawing room

has been stolen.

I must find out who has it. I must get it back tonight.

My survival depends on it, Tony.

Unless I get it back tonight,

I'll die.

How do you want me to help you?

Someone is practicing a form of black magic on the portrait.

- Black magic? - Yes.

Someone is adding age lines to the face.

As the portrait ages, I will age with it.

That's why I must have it, don't you see?

I may have very little time left.

- You think I know where it is? - No, no.

All I need from you is a little information.

What kind of information?

To be as effective as possible,

the aging would have to be done by an artist.

You must help me find out who that artist is.

Don't you know of someone?

Some artist who's had dealings with the Collins family?

I know two.

Who were they?

One is Amos Parks.

He's an old personal friend of the family's.

And who's the other one?

Sam Evans.

He and his daughter have been on close terms with the family,

especially during the last couple of years.

Is his daughter Maggie Evans?

Yes.

Of course.

The one who looks like Josette.

Who's Josette?

Never mind.

Do you happen to know if Sam Evans

has done any work for the family?

I think he once did a portrait of Barnabas.

Oh, then he must be the one. He must be the one.

Oh, Tony, dear. You've been most helpful.

Thank you so much.

And as soon as I'm able,

I'm going to show you how grateful I am.

Well, well.

Isn't this a cozy little scene?

♪♪

Isn't one of you going to say something in your own defense?

Now, listen, Carolyn.

- Now, this isn't what you think it is. - Oh, Tony.

I expect you to do a lot better than that.

You don't even sound convincing.

Look, I swear. It's not what you think it is.

Oh, really. What is it?

Mrs. Collins phoned me at my office.

She wanted to get some advice from me

on a very important matter.

I see.

- A legal matter? - Yes.

Something so urgent, it could be discussed

- only in a tender, romantic atmosphere? - No.

Tony, I bet you couldn't possibly guess

how I happened to wander out here.

Now, listen. Carolyn, please--

I was in my room, looking out the window

and I saw your car pull in the driveway.

And you know, Tony, I actually believed

you were coming to see me.

I was, as soon as I was finished with this business.

But, then I saw you get out of your car

and start walking towards the garden.

I couldn't imagine why you were coming in that direction,

so, I decided to find out.

I must say, I didn't expect to find anything

quite so tacky as this.

Now, Carolyn, you're completely wrong about this.

Cassandra, will you please tell her?

Yes, Cassandra. Do speak up.

I have a feeling it wouldn't do any good.

You have already passed judgement on us.

Oh, no.

All I've done is come to a conclusion.

The one who will have to pass judgement is Roger.

Roger?

CAROLYN: You remember him? He's your husband.

You will be making a great mistake

if you go to him, Carolyn.

Well, if you're simply going to repeat what Tony...

CASSANDRA: You don't understand this.

Ever since I came here, you haven't understood me.

No one in the family has.

No one has even tried.

[CLICKS TONGUE] Poor misunderstood Cassandra.

Tell me, if all this is so pure and innocent,

why do you keep slinking back into those shadows.

Come out and show us your big blue eyes.

[DRAMATIC MUSIC PLAYING] ♪♪

[GASPS]

No, don't Stop it! Stop it!

- What's the matter with you? - Don't come near me.

Carolyn, leave her alone. Can't you see she's in pain?

Pain? What's the matter with her?

Don't even bother to explain, Tony.

She wouldn't care.

CAROLYN: No, there's some reason why

you don't want to show yourself.

I want to know what it is.

I told you not to come near me.

I don't want your help.

Just leave me alone!

Leave me alone.

- Cassandra. - Tony.

Don't go after her.

- I'm sorry. I have to. - I don't want you to.

She needs help.

Let her get it from Roger.

No, I'm the only one that can help her.

Tony, I'm warning you.

If you go after Cassandra now, you'll never see me again.

♪♪

All right.

I'll stay.

Was it that difficult to make a decision?

Yes.

Why?

I wish I knew.

You must know why you met her here.

She asked me to.

What for?

There's no point in explaining it, Carolyn.

It doesn't make any sense, even to me.

Well, Is this the first time the two of you have met here?

No.

How long has it been going on?

About a month.

Tony, are you in love with her?

Of course not.

Are you doing this because you hate Roger?

No.

Then, what is it?

Carolyn, I don't blame you for thinking the worst.

Then explain it to me.

I can't.

You'll just have to take my word for that.

Well, if I'm not going to get a straight answer from you,

it's good to know that my track record is still perfect.

What are you talking about?

It's very simple.

There's a pattern my life seems to follow.

I meet someone I like, and everything is rosy,

until I start convincing myself that he shares my feelings.

Then, comes a very rude awakening.

You know how much I care about you.

Oh, yes.

And you were very wise not to let it go beyond that.

That's the mistake I always make.

You see, I can't just care and let it go at that.

I have to start falling in love.

I'm not blaming you.

You'd think by this time I would have learned.

A month ago,

I might have been worth falling in love with.

Now, I'm not so sure.

Tony, what's happened to you?

I don't know.

Well, it would seem there's been a change in you.

Is it because of Cassandra?

Yes, but don't ask me why because I honestly don't know.

Never mind. I know how to handle her.

Carolyn, don't get yourself involved with her.

I'm not going to get myself involved with her.

I'm just going to put her right back in her place,

which is with Roger.

She's his wife.

If she wants to stay married to him,

she'll take the advice I have to give her.

Now, listen. I'm telling you to leave her alone.

She's dangerous.

Dangerous? How?

Well, I don't know,

but she seems to have some kind of power over people.

Tony, if there's one thing my family has in abundance,

it's power.

We're not talking about the same kind of power--

It doesn't make any difference.

If it comes to a showdown, hers will be no match for ours.

Carolyn, please.

Stay away from her.

No, Tony.

I have too much to lose if I do.

And, I want you to stay away from her, too.

I want you to promise me, now,

that you won't see her again.

I can't do that.

Why not?

I just can't.

You mean you want to go on seeing her?

No, I don't want to, but I may not have any choice.

- That's ridiculous. - Yes, it's ridiculous but it's true.

Now, I'd like to be able to promise you

that I would never see her again,

but it's a promise I might not be able to keep,

no matter how hard I tried.

Tony, you're right.

None of this makes any sense to begin with.

You've either gone crazy

or you've lost all sense of self-respect.

I don't know which it is

and frankly, I don't care anymore.

Goodbye, Tony.

♪♪

You did have such a pretty face, my dear.

I don't know what was in Barnabas' mind,

but he was always a little on the eccentric side.

[THUNDER RUMBLING]

[KNOCKING]

- Mr. Evans? - Yes.

I must speak with you at once.

Well, I'm working right now.

I know. That's why I'm here.

Now, wait a minute.

I just told you that I was busy.

I will need very little of your time.

Who are you anyway?

[DRAMATIC MUSIC PLAYING] ♪♪

Don't you recognize the face?

You've been looking at it all evening, haven't you?

That's... That's not possible.

You do see the resemblance, don't you?

Yes, of course.

I don't understand.

There will not be time to make you understand.

Who are you?

And what do you want here anyway?

Who I am is not important.

- I have come for my portrait. - Your portrait?

Yes., give it to me and I will leave you alone.

The painting you're referring to belongs to someone else.

Barnabas Collins?

Yes, but how did you know?

Barnabas stole it from me.

- Stole it? - Yes.

I don't believe that.

The portrait is mine and I will have it back.

Now, look, I don't know what's going on here

about the portrait,

but if there's some dispute between you and Barnabas,

then you settle that and leave me go back to my work.

I have no intention of leaving here without my picture.

Well, I'm sorry, Madam, but you'll have to leave.

Mr. Evans, I have only met you.

I have nothing against you personally,

but I will give you one more chance

to give me my picture.

If you refuse,

I shall be forced to take it from you.

MR. EVANS: I'm telling you for the last time to leave my house.

Very well, Mr. Evans.

Return to your work.

Try and finish the picture.

Just try it.

What's the matter with me?

[SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC PLAYING] ♪♪

I can't... I can't see anything!

Oh, oh.

Oh, my God.

What's wrong?

Who's there?

Who... Who is it?

Speak up!

Who's there?

I gave you fair warning, Mr. Evans.

It's you.

What have you done to me?

Goodbye, Mr. Evans.

No, no.

Wait a minute. Wait a minute.

Don't leave me like this!

I can't see anything!

I'm...

I'm blind.

♪♪

[ERRIE THEME MUSIC PLAYING] ♪♪