857 - October 6, 1969

[bunniefuu]

[ spooky music ]

NARRATOR:Collinwood at the turn of the century.

On this night,

Count Petofi has arranged a horrifying substitution.

He has trapped the mind of Quentin Collins

in his own ungainly body.

To everyone who looks at him,

this man is Quentin Collins,

but in fact,

the mind within is that of the evil Count Petofi.

[ Petofi thinking ]Collinwood, it's really very beautiful,

looking at it as I am now with new eyes.

Excellency.

Yes, Aristede?

Don't go in. It's too dangerous.

You have his body, but not his mind, not his memory.

You'll make a mistake!

And if I do,

they'll only think that Quentin is drunk again,

Quentin is being distracted by all of his women.

Perhaps you're too confident.

One mistake too many, and they'll know who you are.

It'll be safer if we go into the future immediately.

You know I can't without the right hexagram.

I've narrowed the choices down,

but now there are others to be tested.

ARISTEDE: Well hurry up and test them!

I intend to, tonight.

Tonight, as a matter of fact,

I am sending someone through the door into the darkness.

Good. Who do you intend to send?

How about you, Aristede?

Yes, I think that would be an excellent choice.

[ terror-stricken music ]

[ eerie music ]

Why so pale, Aristede?

I thought you were anxious to go to the future.

Excellency, if it were the wrong door,

I'd hate to think of you trying to manage without me.

If it were the wrong door,

you'd hate to think what would happen to you.

You're joking, aren't you? [ laughs ]

Yes, I'm joking.

You're too useful for me at the moment to be risked.

You won't have to go through the I Ching tonight,

but you will have to find me someone who will.

Where's it to be?

- The cottage. - When?

In two hours. You think you can find someone by then?

And make sure that the cottage is clear.

I don't want anyone coming around

while we are entertaining our new friend.

[ ominous music ]

[ door creaks ]

TRASK: I have had enough of this, Edward.

It must come to an end!

EDWARD: I haven't heard of such impertinence

in all of my life!

How dare you talk to me like this!

You're not addressing one of your pupils!

I will not be talked to like this!

I am not talking to you!

It is this ledger that is talking to you!

It says right here in black and white

that each person who stays in this house

adds considerably to the cost of the household,

particularly a guest of such refined taste

as your Lady Hampshire!

Blast your ledger!

Can't run Collinwood like a boarding school!

I can when it is my money that is being spent!

The money is still Judith's, I will thank you to remember.

And I have her power of attorney!

I will thank you to remember that!

Oh, Quentin, good.

Will you please come in here?

Trying to explain to this gentleman

that Collinwood has a tradition of hospitality!

TRASK: Yes, Quentin.

Tell me about that tradition.

I'm sure Amanda Harris would like to hear about it.

Why should I be concerned

with what Miss Harris likes or dislikes?

How insensitive you are to the feelings of other people.

No, I have merely found that other people

are quite capable of taking care of themselves.

Now see here, Quentin,

are you going to pretend it never happened?

I abhor people tugging at my sleeve.

And I abhor you!

Because of the way you treated that girl,

I dissembled, I stole,

and it was for a good cause and I am not ashamed.

I'm sure it's not the first time you have stolen or lied,

so why do you get so excited about it now?

Amanda's salvation is important to me.

Can you understand that?

Yes.

I understand.

I was the one who took your note, Quentin!

I kept her from meeting you!

I did everything in my power to stop her,

to protect her from you until the last moment I saw her!

What's the matter, Quentin?

What do you mean?

TRASK: You seem different somehow.

Different?

Perhaps it's just because Amanda's out of this house now,

and you just think that I'm different.

But don't be a fool, Trask.

I am the same.

Let me assure you.

Words, Quentin, just words.

They do not alter my shock

at your lack of concern for poor Amanda.

I wish she could hear you now.

She thought you cared for her,

but I was the only one who cared for her!

The only one that could've helped her!

You are incapable of loving anyone!

Of caring for anyone except for yourself!

Are you quite finished now, Trask?

If you are, please get out.

Yes, I am quite finished.

And in my loss, triumphant,

because now the world can see the truth about you,

the truth that I have always known,

that Quentin Collins is the most callous,

heartless womanizer I have ever known!

What's the matter, Edward?

I don't know.

You tell me.

Well, of course I'm terribly concerned about Amanda,

but why should I expose my heart to Trask?

No, it's not Amanda.

Something is different about you.

What is it?

What's wrong?

Quentin, tell me, what is the matter?

[ troubled music ]

Get out.

What?

You have no right to be here.

This is Collins's property.

Don't bother telling me you're Quentin Collins.

I have too much to do to listen

to the babblings of a crazy old man.

I could k*ll you.

Could you?

No.

Now that's another thing you've got to learn.

It's as pointless to go around threatening people

as it is to go around insisting that you're Quentin Collins!

Now get out!

No.

ARISTEDE: Yes.

You're soft! Soft from easy living!

Where is he now?

ARISTEDE: Collinwood. Why?

Do you intend to go there shouting that he's not Quentin?

No.

Sooner or later, he will say something.

He will make a mistake.

Someone will be able to tell he is not really me!

ARISTEDE: [ laughs ] He won't make a mistake.

It may be your body,

but remember, it's his mind in it,

and he's a lot smarter than you are.

Yes, there was something bothering me

when I walked in tonight.

And after listening to you and Trask,

I realized what it was.

Edward, that man is insufferable.

He's like some medieval t*rture machine,

some grim punishment pressing down upon all of us,

squeezing every ounce of life out of this family.

I didn't know you had such a way with words.

Well, Trask has a way of inspiring me.

Edward, did you hear what he said?

I won't take it. Do you understand that?

I won't stand for it!

Neither will I.

It's not only life he's squeezing out of this family.

It's money.

Well, we've got to do something.

There is a way of dealing with Trask,

and I think I may have found it.

[ foreboding music ]

Yes, I think I found a very effective way

of dealing with Trask.

Don't you want to know what it is?

You know I would.

I shall marry Lady Hampshire.

PETOFI: You shall what?

She's a very charming lady.

She also has other assets as well.

She is very wealthy.

The Hampshire holdings take up half the county.

Well, what's the matter, Quentin?

Don't you approve of my plan?

PETOFI: Don't you think that

the recent death of her husband

just might stand in your way?

I worried about that at first,

but then I have the feeling

that she's going to be drawn to me,

that she depends on me.

Things are going very well between us.

Oh I'm sure that she's very interested in you.

It takes money to be the master of this place,

and I think Trask's days of being master

are about to come to an end.

So do I, Edward.

So do I.

[ ominous music ]

Don't take that drink.

What?

I don't like to see a girl drinking this rotgut.

WANDA: Hey, I worked for that.

Aw, forget it. I'll get you champagne.

Champagne, woo.

No one's ever told me I'm a champagne girl before.

ARISTEDE: Well you've never met anyone like me before.

No.

ARISTEDE: I'm not like the other men in this town, am I?

Well I don't know, I'm pretty new here myself.

Are you?

Well then we'll really have to celebrate your arrival.

WANDA: Where are we going?

To begin a night you'll never forget.

[ eerie music ]

QUENTIN:Certainly he'll believe what I tell him,

no matter how incredible it sounds.

He's known me since I was born.

He's got to know me now.

Edward.

My brother.

Oh, Petofi, come in.

Just running over these figures.

I'll be through in just a minute.

Can I get you a nightcap?

I must speak to you.

What is it? Is something wrong?

Something is terribly wrong.

Edward,

I am Quentin.

Do you hear me? I'm Quentin,

Quentin!

Edward, forget about the brandy.

I assure you, if you were Quentin,

you wouldn't forget about the brandy.

This is not a joke.

Well when you say something so patently absurd,

how do you expect me to take it, except as a joke?

And it's not a very funny joke,

especially considering the things that

have been happening around this house.

That's just it, you know what's happened here.

You know Petofi was responsible.

My dear man, I know I suspected you,

but time proved to us

that the things that happened around this house

happened because of Barnabus Collins.

No, it wasn't Barnabus!

It was Petofi!

I find this all very confusing.

No, Edward, it's not confusing.

It's diabolical.

Listen to me, please.

You must.

Petofi has stolen my body,

and left me trapped in his.

Petofi's mind is in my body,

just as my mind is in his body.

Do you understand who I am?

Don't you know who's talking to you?

You are Petofi.

No.

I may look like Petofi,

I may sound like Petofi,

but behind the face and voice of Count Petofi

is the mind of Quentin Collins.

Petofi has taken my body,

and if I cannot get it back,

the entire Collins family will be in danger now

and in the future.

Do you understand what I'm saying?

Do you?

I suggest that you go home.

You think I'm a madman.

No.

I'm not.

Please, listen to me, please.

Petofi's terrified of the gypsies.

They've been his downfall before now.

They will be again unless he can escape.

He made plans to escape in my body.

I know it's difficult to believe, but do try.

Where would he go in Quentin's body?

My body!

In your body, that he can't go in his own?

To the future.

To the future?

To the year ,

because, you see,

I am still alive in .

[ astonished music ]

[ ominous music ]

This is Wanda Paisley.

She's gonna join us tonight.

PETOFI: My pleasure.

Why didn't you tell me you had a friend?

PETOFI: I hope you don't mind, Miss Paisley.

Oh, not at all. [ laughs ]

As long as there's champagne for Wanda.

[ Petofi laughs ]

Oh, what are they?

They are just some things we're going to use

in a little game we're going to play.

First, we're going to play a game?

Yes we are.

What's the point in that?

I like games. Don't you?

Well, that depends on what happens in the game,

if you know what I mean.

[ laughs ] I know what you mean.

Wonderful things are going to happen in this game,

many wonderful things.

Wish you'd told me about this part of the evening.

PETOFI: Why?

I can assure you that you'll be very well paid

for any and all services rendered.

Now that's really what counts, isn't it?

Well I guess so.

[ Petofi laughs ]

Now Miss Paisley, if you will just be seated right here,

I will explain to you exactly what you must do.

, and you're still alive?

I think I'd better call the doctor.

No. No, no calls needed.

Let go of me! Let me go, I say!

No! No, please!

No doctor!

He would think me mad.

That would suit Petofi's plans perfectly,

to have me confined where the gypsies could get me.

Please, you must not send for the doctor, Edward!

You must not!

Get a hold of yourself then!

You won't call the doctor?

All right, I won't call the doctor,

but I think that you'd better go home.

Edward, you must believe me.

Please, help me!

I will help you, Count, in every way I can.

For the present, I think you had better go home,

and stop talking about these aberrations of yours.

You're only hurting yourself.

PETOFI: Now it's very important that you tell me

exactly what you see on the other side of the door.

I'm not going to do it.

PETOFI: Why?

Sounds cuckoo going through a door that ain't there.

PETOFI: But it is there!

It's all in your mind.

There ain't no doors in my mind, honey.

Skip the champagne. I'll leave without it.

- Wait a minute. - Hey, let me go!

Don't be abusive, Aristede.

I'm quite sure that Miss Paisley will reconsider,

and that she will come right over here where she belongs

and sit right down, won't you, Miss Paisley?

That's a good girl.

Here, take these wands.

Now throw the wands.

Da Zhaung hexagram,

the Hexagram of Vigor.

Good, very good.

It could be the one.

Now,

concentrate.

Concentrate

on your mind,

and nothing else.

That is your only reality.

That is your only meaning.

[ hypnotic music ]

[ knocking at the door ]

Deal with the matter, Aristede.

ARISTEDE: What about her?

Nothing will disturb her now.

She's meditating.

[ knocking at the door ]

No, you must not find the way to the future!

I won't let you take my body to the future!

Take care of him, Aristede!

Pleasure.

[ Quentin cries out ]

That's enough!

You told me to take care of him.

But not to k*ll him!

I still find that ungainly body very precious to me.

Now lock him in the back room.

[ feverish music ]

[ Wanda moans ]

I see it.

I see it!

[ door creaks ]

It's opening.

PETOFI: Go into it.

WANDA: No.

It's dark behind.

PETOFI: What difference does that make?

I tell you to go!

And remember, you must tell me everything you see.

[ ominous music ]

[ Wanda screams ]

[ skeleton evilly laughs ]

[ Wanda screams ]

[ skeleton evilly laughs ]

[ Wanda screams ]

ARISTEDE: Good god, what happened to her?

PETOFI: I don't know, Aristede.

I don't know.

It couldn't have happened, not like this!

Anything is possible beyond the I Ching door.

Anything.

[ dramatic music ]

[ eerie music ]