604 - October 16, 1968

[bunniefuu]

♪ [EERIE MUSIC]

NARRATOR:For the mistress of Collinwood,

this night could prove to be fatal,

for she is convinced that death has summoned her.

And so one young woman who waits for her

will be convinced that Elizabeth Stoddard

has indeed passed into the world beyond.

[KNOCKING]

What happened?

I don't know.

Where did you find her?

In the cemetery.

Mrs. Stoddard.

Her hands are so cold.

- I think she's fainted. - There's no pulse.

She has no heartbeat.

She's dead.

She's dead.

♪ [DRAMATIC MUSIC]

♪ [EERIE THEME MUSIC]

Take it easy, Vicki. She can't be dead.

But she has no pulse and she has no heartbeat.

Wait a minute.

No, she's breathing.

Are you sure?

Yes, faintly, but she is breathing.

We've got to do something.

You know, it could be that...

That she's in a trance.

When I found her she was talking strangely

and acting strangely.

She was conscious when you found her?

Yes.

Yes, I tried to talk to her, but...

Well, I couldn't understand anything she was saying.

She talked about death, didn't she?

Yes, how did you know that?

Never mind, I'll explain later.

- Where are you going? - I'm gonna call her doctor.

He's the only one that can help her.

What about Dr. Hoffman?

She's at the Old House with Barnabas.

There's no phone there.

It's simple enough, isn't it?

Yes, yes.

I'll have no trouble using it to k*ll Eve

if I get the opportunity.

Yes. If.

There's so many things that have to be done exactly right.

I don't like it, Barnabas, I'm frightened.

Julia, the decision has been made.

There's no turning back now.

If we allow Nicholas to go through with

whatever diabolical plan he has,

there will be no peace for any of us.

I know.

The power that Nicholas has is terrifying

If he finds you in his house, it could be the end of you.

I am aware of that.

- Then, don't you think you should reconsider? - No, I don't.

Well, perhaps you could postpone it for a while.

But why?

Barnabas, I just think you should.

I'm... I'm afraid of him.

We could even be walking into a trap.

A trap?

Yes, suppose he...

Suppose he already knows every move we've made.

Why should he?

Because he's Nicholas Blair and he isn't human.

Julia, you're pre-supposing that he knows

that we're going to destroy Eve.

Now, why should he know that?

I have no idea,

but nothing would surprise me at this point.

Well, is there anything more that I should know

about the hypodermic?

No.

I'll... I'll fill it tomorrow.

Tomorrow evening before you go to Nicholas's house.

And you're absolutely sure that it will look like

a natural death?

Yes, ten seconds after the poison enters her body,

she'll be dead.

Two minutes later,

all trace of the poison will be gone

and it will appear to be a heart attack.

Good.

Now, you'll be at the Old House tomorrow afternoon at :.

By that time, Stokes should've arranged

to have his plans for the Blair house.

Barnabas, I still don't think you should go there alone.

Look, why don't we go together?

Julia, the plan has already been agreed to.

Now Stokes will arrange to bring Nicholas to the Old House

and it's absolutely essential

that you and Stokes should stay with him,

while I go and take care of Eve.

Now, there's nothing more to discuss.

Barnabas, you really seriously think

that Adam would leave Eve alone in the house?

We'll deal with Adam tomorrow.

Now, we're both tired and we have a long day tomorrow.

- Now, good night, Julia. - I'll go downstairs with you.

Why doesn't the doctor get here?

Vicki, it's only been ten minutes.

But what if it's too late when he comes?

Look, don't worry.

She's got to live, Jeff. She's got to live.

Vicki. Vicki, what's the matter?

VICTORIA: Dr. Hoffman, it's Mrs. Stoddard in here.

What's happened to her?

I don't know.

She disappeared from the house earlier tonight.

Roger and I went looking for her in the woods,

- I found her in the cemetery. - Cemetery?

Yes, I brought her back here about minutes ago.

Was she unconscious when you found her?

No, she was acting very strangely.

When I felt her pulse, I couldn't feel anything.

You were right.

She has... no pulse.

And I, I can't detect a heartbeat.

VICTORIA: Is she dead?

Yes.

No!

No!

♪ [DRAMATIC MUSIC]

I was right.

- I was right. - Mrs. Stoddard.

I knew it was going to happen. I knew it was.

I tried to tell you, but you wouldn't listen to me.

BARNABAS: Listen, please. Lie down and rest.

Oh, no, I can't stay in this house.

I'm not safe here.

Mrs. Stoddard, listen to me.

I must find out what's happened to you.

I know what's happened to me.

I've been afraid of it for so long.

JULIA: Mrs. Stoddard, come and sit on the sofa and tell me.

No, no.

Vicki tell them. Tell them.

You knew what happened to me. We talked about it.

Mrs. Stoddard, please, come and sit down.

Dr. Hoffman is only trying to help you.

Oh, Dr. Hoffman can't help me. No one can help me.

Barnabas, go and get my bag, and a glass of water, please.

Now, Mrs. Stoddard, tell me exactly

what you think happened to you.

What I think happened is not important.

It's what all of you think.

You're convinced that I was dead.

And I was for a while, I was actually dead.

That's obviously not true.

I was. I heard you talking about me.

You said I had no heartbeat, no pulse.

Mrs. Stoddard, if you heard us,

then you couldn't have been dead.

But you thought I was.

And if I hadn't come to when I did,

if I had stayed the way I was for one or two more days,

you would've buried me alive.

Vicki, I told you what was going to happen to me,

didn't I?

Yes, it's true.

She did tell that to Roger and me

that she was afraid something like that would happen.

Well, that may be, but Mrs. Stoddard,

you weren't dead.

There are many cases on record of people in catatonic states

that have no pulse, no heartbeat, no breathing,

and yet they continue to live.

ELIZABETH: I don't care what the reasons are.

I wanna know what can be done about it.

I don't think we should try to do anything right now.

I think you've had a severe shock and you must rest.

Please take this.

What is it?

It's a sedative. It'll help you relax.

No. No, I don't want it.

Mrs. Stoddard, we're all your friends.

The sedative will not harm you.

Please, please take it.

All right.

JULIA: Now, please come with me.

Where are we going?

I'm gonna take you to your room.

Barnabas, will you help me?

VICTORIA: Julia, is there anything that I can do?

No. Oh, yes, when Roger comes,

would you ask him to come upstairs immediately, please?

VICTORIA: Yes, I will.

I was so upset

I didn't have a chance to tell you how grateful I am.

What for?

For finding her and bringing her back.

I don't know how to thank you.

Vicki, look.

I know I acted like an idiot.

And I'm sorry for treating you the way I did.

And I... I don't...

I just want you to know that...

something had happened to me, I don't know what it was,

but it's changed.

And I just want a chance, a chance to prove that to you.

Give me that chance.

Please.

[KNOCK ON DOOR]

That must be Mrs. Stoddard's doctor.

Is she gonna be all right, Julia?

I think so.

The family's doctor just arrived.

He's with her now.

Why do you seem doubtful?

Oh, she isn't the same woman that I met

when I first came here, Barnabas.

Something, something terrible has happened to her.

What do you think it is?

I've known patients who've had an exaggerated

fear of death before, but never...

never anything this serious.

What's troubling her so deeply is more than a fear of death.

I don't understand.

Well, I don't quite know how to put it.

Elizabeth Stoddard is tortured by the presence of death.

We can't see it, of course, but if you look into her eyes,

you'll know that somehow she can see it.

This all started the day

that Cassandra disappeared, didn't it?

Yes, but lately, Mrs. Stoddard seems to be...

to be recovering.

Cassandra hasn't come back.

One would think that this wouldn't happen.

Why would she suddenly have a relapse?

Would Nicholas really want to bring Cassandra back?

I don't know.

♪ [DRAMATIC MUSIC]

She seems to be feeling a little bit better.

What did the doctor say?

He just started examining her when I left.

Vicki, you still didn't answer my question.

You're still that...

that much against seeing me?

No, I'm not.

Oh.

You won't be sorry.

I promise.

♪ [DRAMATIC MUSIC]

[KNOCK ON DOOR]

I hope I didn't wake you.

No, Vicki, come in.

Look, Julia, Mrs. Stoddard, well, now, I...

I know she couldn't have died and come back to life again,

but she was as close to death

as anyone can be, wasn't she?

Yes, she was.

Downstairs, you said that...

You said something about a catatonic state.

Is that what she was in?

I believe that's what it was, yes.

What could've brought it on?

I only wish I knew.

Could she have it again?

My guess is that it will happen again.

Well...

if it does and she doesn't come out of it,

as fast as she did tonight,

how long will we have to wait

until we know if she's dead or not?

I don't know.

But you've got to know.

She could be buried alive.

Well, Vicki, we won't make that mistake.

How do you know? How can you be sure?

Because we must find out what's causing

this fear of hers.

We must find out and that's what we must do,

and we will if it's humanly possible.

I guess that's the only answer.

Yes.

You look very tired. You should go to bed.

I am. Good night.

- Vicki? - Yes?

Vicki, I was very surprised to see Jeff Clark here tonight.

Well, he'd come here to see me earlier.

Does that mean that the two of you are back together?

Yes.

I want you to know that I'm very happy for you.

Thank you, Julia.

- Good night. - Good night.

♪ [SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC]

[CLOCK TICKING]

[BELL DINGS]

♪ [SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC]

BARNABAS:You're absolutely certain

it will look like a natural death?

JULIA:Ten seconds after the poison enters the body,

she'll be dead.

Two minutes later, all trace of the poison will be gone.

BARNABAS:Of course, Nicholas will be suspicious, anyway.

JULIA:I still think it's a mistake for you to go

to Nicholas' house alone.

BARNABAS:Nicholas will be suspicious.

JULIA:A mistake.

A mistake. A mistake.

A mistake...

♪ [EERIE MUSIC]

[DISTANT SCREAMING]

BARNABAS:Julia?

Julia.

Come to me.

I need you.

Julia.

Please help me.

Help me.

Come to me.

In the woods, Julia.

Please come to me.

The woods, Julia.

Hurry.

Hurry.

You were right, Julia.

A mistake.

I should never have gone to Nicholas's house.

[SCREAMING]

Barnabas!

Barnabas.

♪ [DRAMATIC MUSIC]

♪ [EERIE THEME MUSIC]