901 - December 8, 1969

[bunniefuu]

[eerie music]

VOICEOVER:Night on the great estate of Collinwood,

a crucial night for all who live here.

For in the neighboring village Paul Stoddard has discovered

something which will affect everyone at the great house.

years before, he had sold his most prized possession

to a strange man named Strak, an incident he had forgotten

until his memory was prodded this night.

What do you want of me?

I had nothing then, I have nothing now!

Think, Mr. Stoddard, you did have something then,

only you didn't realize it.

[Laughs] Of course!

What are you laughing at?

Well I just realized, my most precious possession,

I just realized what it was.

It's supposed to be my soul.

Well! [laughs]

You may have it!

It's all yours!

No, your most precious possession

is not your soul, obviously.

Father! Oh, so glad you two found each other.

I've been so worried.

Oh, it's all right now, dear.

Everything's all right now.

Of course it is.

Now that you're here, you're your father most precious

possession, you know.

[ominous brass music]

[crashing waves and creepy opening theme]

[tremolo violins]

My most precious possession.

But I am, aren't I?

No. No!

What's wrong?

I barely know her, I swear it!

Father!

There's no need to deny it, Mr. Stoddard.

We can tell, can't we, Carolyn?

It doesn't matter whether I am or not,

it's just a silly joke.

Father, come with me, we'll take you back to your hotel.

You're not well.

That would be best; I'll help you.

No! No, I will go alone.

No, I won't let you.

Please!

Absolutely not.

It's been a pleasure, Mr. Stoddard.

We'll see each other very soon.

Go with your father.

What happened?

When I came in you seemed to be having so much fun.

Fun? That's how it all started.

A very funny conversation in a bar.

How what started?

Go back to Collinwood, never see me again!

No, father.

Good evening, Carolyn.

If you'll excuse us, Uncle Roger.

Don't you remember me, Paul?

Ah yes--I haven't forgotten you, Roger.

I've forgotten a great many things, but not you.

I've come to take you home, Carolyn.

I'm going with my father.

[suspenseful music]

You shock me very much, Barnabas.

Your meeting with Paul Stoddard.

Is that a crime?

I didn't know.

I daresay he tried to charm you.

Not particularly, no.

You're fortunate, then.

He has a way of winning himself over to people.

It would upset Elizabeth very much if she knew that

you were friends with him.

There's no need for her to be upset.

I assure you we are not friends.

But you were here with him before Carolyn came in.

You do keep close track, don't you?

Well, to put the record straight I met him quite casually.

You see I had no idea he was Carolyn's father

until Carolyn came in.

Now if you'll excuse me, Roger, I have some important

business to attend to.

Wait.

All right.

What did you expect to see?

I don't know.

Yes you do, you have some idea.

Why can't you be honest with me?

How can I be honest with you?

I never have been!

Not even with myself.

Haven't they told you about me?

I'm the fellow who's so dishonest with himself that he

didn't even know when he had it good.

Why didn't you let Julia Hoffman examine you?

Why? What are you talking about?

When you came to the house tonight, looking for me.

No doctor can do anything for me.

That's not true!

I don't understand what's wrong.

And you won't, I promise you.

But I want to!

Stop!

I wish I could fall asleep and wake up a thousand miles

from here and believe that all of this never happened.

Oh, I didn't mean that, dear.

I wasn't lying to you about how good it was

to see you again, I--

I'm only making things worse!

If only we could go away someplace together,

the two of us.

What good would that do?

South America.

Africa.

The East.

They could never find us there.

Who could never find us there?

Mother? Uncle Roger?

Have they been threatening you?

No, no. No, no, not them.

There's--there's danger here.

Terrible danger, can't you feel it?

Oh, thank God you can't.

But you will.

You will.

Can't you go away with me?

No, of course not, why should you,

what did I ever do for you?

What indeed!

CAROLYN: Oh, father.

It isn't that I don't want to go away with you.

It isn't?

Or that I might not sometime, after you and mother

have at least become friends, it's just that now--

But now is the time, before--!

CAROLYN: Before what?

Before anything else happens.

Nothing has happened.

Except in your mind.

No, no, it is not in my mind.

I've listened to you very carefully.

I have since this began.

I'm sorry, but it is in your mind.

Father, I can't bear to think of what it is you're

going through but you can be helped.

By whom?

Let me try!

But you couldn't take care of me.

A father is supposed to take care of his daughter.

And I've done a wonderful job of that, haven't I?

Don't. Don't start hating yourself.

You don't know what hating yourself means.

And I hope you never will.

I know I will if I let you go away.

Or if I went away with you.

Whatever is wrong it must be dealt with here.

You can't go after it, I can't let you go away.

Whatever is wrong, we must take care of it here.

It would simply follow you or us, you must know that.

Here. Here in Collinsport.

This is where your only hope lies.

Then there is no hope!

[doom-filled orchestral chord]

[ominous music]

You followed me to the Blue Whale tonight, I know that,

I won't have it!

You have no choice in the the matter!

I am not five years old!

You're acting like one.

CAROLYN: He is my father!

He doesn't know how to be a father to you.

And how would you know?

years ago we drove him from this house.

I'm sure that's his story.

And no doubt he's tried to turn you against your own mother.

No he has not.

Well he will.

He's an unscrupulous and dangerous man.

And what are you basing that on?

ROGER: Because he came back here in the first place.

No, you're not Uncle Roger.

You're basing it on the fact that you've always

disliked him.

I know him, Carolyn.

CAROLYN: How could you?

In years, don't you think it's possible

for a person to change?

A person yes, but not Paul Stoddard.

You are the most rigid man I have ever met.

I won't listen to you any more.

Oh yes you will, Carolyn, because I'm going

to prove to you that I'm right about Paul Stoddard.

Try it.

You will do it for me.

[ominous chords]

$.

Payable to him.

And he has to leave town to get it, I suppose.

Everything can be solved with money.

In this case, yes.

But you're wrong about one thing.

He doesn't have to leave town.

He could do that of his own accord.

When he has this money nothing in the world

will keep him here.

You're wrong.

ROGER: Not you or anyone else.

You'll see.

No, my dear, you will see.

I'm surprised at you, Carolyn.

You're usually so realistic about people.

♪ Lullaby, and good night, red roses bedight

♪ With lilies o'er spread-

[doorbell tinkling]

Picture of motherly love.

Come, look at him.

Isn't he beautiful?

Perfectly formed.

And growing so fast.

Yes, sometimes I wish he would stay a baby forever.

You know that is not possible.

Doesn't keep me from wishing.

Well, before we know it, he'll be a strong, healthy boy,

he'll be running around this room--

No, not before we know it, no.

There is still time.

[doorbell tinkling]

Am I late again?

Hello, Barnabas.

You see how well I adjusted to the world of business,

I am never on time.

Don't be silly, I couldn't have left any earlier,

and I just have one errand to do.

Excuse me.

Barnabas, I, I owe you an apology.

Not really, it's just that I hate you

seeing my father like that.

That's all right, Carolyn.

No it isn't all right.

Everyone in the family is convinced

that he's totally worthless.

I hope you understand what

really terrible shape he's in.

Well I certainly haven't taken his antagonism personally.

I'm so glad.

He needs friends.

He needs you.

Yes. Yes he does.

But I don't know what to do Barnabas, he--

he imagines that someone is after him.

Is it entirely his imagination?

As far as I've been able to discern, yes, but,

he keeps trying to get me to go away.

And are you going to?

Barnabas, he must stay here.

Oh, I quite agree with you.

I've got to help him, here.

Carolyn, this may sound strangely Victorian,

but I suggest that love will prove a cure for your father.

Your love.

I can offer him that, Barnabas, I really can.

And you will.

If I'm right, soon you will see a remarkable change in him.

I do hope so.

He needs someone to trust him.

Someone that will do what he tells them without question.

He seems a very battered man, and only you can change that.

[suspenseful music]

I've awakened you.

And such a lovely day to be sleeping, Mr. Stoddard.

Have you come to take Carolyn away?

Well how could I, she's not here.

Then why are you here?

Well, I do take an interest in how you are.

No you don't.

You're not interested in me, you're interested in Carolyn,

you always have been.

Why do you want her?

We need her.

Tell me why you want her!

You were never this interested in her before

when you made that original agreement with Mr. Strak.

How was I to know?

And would that have made you turn him down if you had?

Now be honest, Mr. Stoddard.

I didn't realize how much she meant to me,

I didn't think.

Exactly.

You've got to tell me what you're going to do with her!

Carolyn is going to receive a great honor.

I don't believe that.

It doesn't matter whether you do or not.

As soon as we require her you will be able to leave

Collinsport, but not before.

I would advise you not to leave before.

When you do leave you will find yourself more

successful than you have ever been.

I don't want that kind of success.

You will have no choice!

I will not have it!

You will do whether you want to or not.

You see, we do keep our bargains.

That is why we expect you to keep yours.

I want my daughter back.

I want her free, of you!

That is not possible!

Then I will make it possible!

There is no way you can erase that night years ago.

But I can k*ll you, Mr. Collins.

[suspenseful music]

If I die someone else will replace me.

They will get this too!

[hammer clicks]

[bemused laughter] Put that g*n down, Mr. Stoddard.

I said put that g*n down.

It was loaded yesterday.

Of course it was.

You got to it somehow!

We think of everything Mr. Stoddard.

We must.

We knew about the g*n, just as we know about your efforts

to get Carolyn to leave here, another thing you will not do.

You see we know everything you intend to do

before you do it.

[telephone rings]

[telephone rings]

Answer your phone.

[telephone rings]

Hello?

Father! How are you feeling today?

Oh, Carolyn, better.

Much better.

Really?

PAUL:Yes, I--I'm afraid I made a bit of a fool of myself

last night.

Oh, no. Barnabas understands I'm sure.

Yes. Well I've had some sleep now

and things look different.

CAROLYN:Oh, I'm so glad.

I'll stop by and see you later.

Oh, please, yes, I--I have no place to go.

CAROLYN:I'll see you then.

Bye bye.

Good bye, love.

Very good, Mr. Stoddard.

Very good indeed.

Carolyn must not be alarmed.

Glad to see you're beginning to see things our way.

It will take a little time

but as you know we are very patient.

[mournful music]

[squeaking crib]

Megan, it's such a shock having a father after

all these years.

A pleasant shock, I mean that, Megan.

I can't imagine not growing up without a father.

I loved mine very much.

I'm an only child too, you know.

But Megan, you said you have a sister.

That the baby is hers.

Step sister, actually.

You see, after mother died father remarried a widow

with two daughters.

I should take him upstairs.

Oh, Carolyn, I have the most marvelous

pewter candlestick to show you.

Yes, Philip found it at the Fillmore farm yesterday.

Uh, I'll bring it down, I believe it's up in my bedroom.

[telephone rings]

Hello.

Oh, hello, Philip, where are you?

No, no, she just went upstairs with the baby.

Asleep, of course, I can have her call you right back.

Yes, right away, bye bye.

Meg--! Baby.

[deep, heavy breathing]

[light footsteps]

[suspenseful music]

[creepy television show theme]