1166 - December 11, 1970

[bunniefuu]

[eerie music]

NARRATOR: The great house at Collinwood in the year ,

a time of severe crisis for the Collins family.

Quentin Collins has been

deposed as master of Collinwood.

Following a series of tragedies,

Quentin has been placed on trial

under a very old law for the practice of witchcraft.

If found guilty, he will be publicly beheaded.

On this day his trial has begun

and the prosecution has called

a surprise first witness,

Quentin's wife, Samantha.

Mrs. Collins, the counsel for the prosecution

has asked you to testify to a specific incident.

Please do so.

I have witnessed the fact

that my husband has communicated with the dead,

and been responsible for bringing

an alien spirit into the house.

[crowd murmurs]

[gavel banging]

I do not know why he has done this,

unless possibly to terrorize all who live there.

But I swear the spirit is at large in the house.

CHARLES: Tell the court how you know that, Mrs. Collins.

Because I have seen it.

Am I to believe that the court

can accept this kind of hysterical testimony?

It is not only possible but highly likely

that what Samantha Collins saw was a figment

of her own imagination.

I did not imagine it.

And I am not the only person

in this courtroom who has seen it.

Tell the court Mrs. Collins, who else has seen it?

That woman there.

Daphne Harridge.

Not only has she seen the ghost,

but she's known of its existence for a very long time.

[ominous music]

[eerie music]

[crowd murmuring]

That woman knows.

Daphne Harridge knows the evil

that Quentin Collins has brought to Collinwood.

I object, Daphne Harridge is not on trial here.

The witness is stating a fact,

not making an accusation.

If it is a fact that Collinwood is haunted,

it has nothing to do with the charge against the defendant.

The state intends to prove that it does,

if I am to be permitted to continue.

This objection is overruled.

You may continue, Mr. Dawson.

HARLES: Will you kindly identify this, Mrs. Collins?

SAMANTHA: That's my husband's diary.

Your Honor, the state intends to show

that the spirit to which Mrs. Collins has made reference

appeared at Collinwood in response

to a summons made by Quentin Collins and Daphne Harridge.

[crowd murmurs]

I'd like you to read the pertinent passage

to the court, Mrs. Collins.

SAMANTHA: "Last night, I held a seance with Daphne.

"We were desperate to contact Joanna's spirit.

"She did appear to us, but only for a fleeting second.

"I must keep trying, I must find a way

"to communicate with her."

Did you write that?

CHARLES: Thank you Mrs. Collins.

Does the defendant deny that this is his personal journal?

We do not deny it.

Your Honor, I offer this as Exhibit A

in the state's case against Quentin Collins.

Now then Mrs. Collins,

will you tell the court when you first saw

the spirit of this Joanna?

Last evening I came downstairs.

I heard Miss Harridge behaving hysterically

in the drawing room.

I went in to reprimand her,

and I saw the spirit of a woman.

CHARLES: A woman, like the spirit that Quentin Collin

- conjured up from the dead. - I object to the phrase,

conjured up.

Objection sustained. [gavel banging]

Counselor's statement shall be stricken.

I have no further questions for Mrs. Collins, Your Honor.

- Mrs. Collins-- - However,

before the counsel cross-examines the witness

I would ask the court's permission to call

Miss Daphne Harridge to the witness stand.

This is absurd, Mr. Dawson.

I have every right to question this witness now

before you call another.

CHARLES: I'm not challenging your rights, Mr. Collins.

You will be given a chance to cross-examine the witness.

I demand that opportunity now.

Your Honor, what counsel requests

is totally ridiculous.

I wish to remind you Mr. Collins, once more,

that the ordinary procedures of the court

are not operative in this trial.

I'm simply asking for fair play.

I insist now that I cross-examine this witness,

not whenever it strikes the whim

of Mr. Dawson or the court.

You are advised, Mr. Collins,

that this tribunal has not been convened

to act upon whim,

and it shall not so act.

I see no harm in Mr. Dawson's request.

He may be allowed to ask Miss Harridge to testify.

Exception, Your Honor.

[gavel bangs]

JUDGE VAIL: Noted, Mr. Collins.

Mrs. Collins, you may step down.

CHARLES: The state calls Miss Daphne Harridge

to the witness stand.

[crowd murmurs]

JUDGE VAIL: Miss Harridge?

No, I will not testify against Quentin Collins,

because he's innocent.

The only testimony that I could give

would be in his defense.

CHARLES: I ask the court to remind Miss Harridge

that she must obey its wishes.

JUDGE VAIL: Miss Harridge, under the law

being invoked here,

you are obligated to take the witness stand

on the request of either counsel.

[crowd murmurs]

Daphne Harridge, do you swear that the testimony

you are about to give this court

shall be the truth, the whole truth

and nothing but the truth, so help you God?

I do.

Now then Miss Harridge,

you have heard Mrs. Collins' testimony.

Do you,

Did you in fact take part in the seance

which he mentioned?

Yes I did.

I see, would you tell the court

whose idea it was to conduct this seance?

Was it your idea or was it Quentin Collins?

It was Quentin's.

CHARLES: And did the spirit of Joanna Mills appear

as a result of Mr. Collins' summons?

Yes.

I see.

Tell me Miss Harridge,

why were you willing to participate in this seance?

Because Mr. Collins asked me to as a favor.

Yes, but why you in particular?

Objection, the question is irrelevant.

JUDGE VAIL: Objection sustained.

I have no further questions for Miss Harridge.

Your witness, Mr. Collins.

[crowd murmurs]

Miss Harridge, it seems that my colleague

overlooked the most important question of all.

What exactly was the purpose of the seance?

Well there'd been a number of disturbances in the house

and Mr. Collins was very upset by them.

DESMOND: What kind of disturbances,

can you describe them?

Well Mr. Collins called them, astral disturbances.

They're very difficult to describe in words,

but things began to appear in the house,

such as gloves and a purse

that had belonged to Joanna Mills.

And then one night Mr. Collins heard music playing

that had always been associated with her.

The source of the music remained a mystery.

In other words, Quentin Collins thought

he was being haunted by someone from his past,

- is that true? - Yes.

So actually, the purpose of the seance

was to try and put the spirit to rest,

- is that true? - Objection.

Counselor's leading the witness.

Sustained.

You will rephrase your question, Mr. Collins.

Miss Harridge, how did Quentin Collins

react to these astral disturbances?

Well, I would say he was very emotionally upset by them.

DESMOND: In your opinion, would you say

he was a tormented man?

Yes, I think he definitely was.

DESMOND: And you feel that his only motive

for holding the seance

was to rid himself of these spirits at Collinwood?

DAPHNE: Oh yes, that was his one and only motive.

Thank you Miss Harridge.

I have no further questions, Your Honor.

You may step down, Miss Harridge.

[crowd murmurs]

DESMOND: Your Honor, may I now be allowed

to call the prosecution's first witness?

Mrs. Collins, will you take

the witness stand again please?

Mrs. Collins,

it is most unusual for a wife

to testify against her own husband.

Can you tell us why you did it?

Because I had knowledge that I thought

should not be withheld from this trial

and because I thought it was my duty

to come forward.

DESMOND: Well let's discuss this knowledge you speak of.

You have alleged that you saw spirits of the dead--

It wasn't an allegation, it was a fact.

Can you describe these ghosts you claim to have seen?

SAMANTHA: Yes I can, this ghost was a woman.

And what was she wearing and what did she look like?

She was young and she was wearing a cape.

DESMOND: Precisely where did you see her?

In the drawing room at Collinwood.

And how did you know she was a ghost,

did she speak to you

or have you seen many ghosts in your life?

CHARLES: Objection.

I knew it was a ghost,

because she disappeared before my very eyes.

Did she say anything to you before she disappeared?

SAMANTHA: No she didn't say anything.

In other words, she just appeared and then disappeared?

SAMANTHA: Exactly.

DESMOND: Then why do you insist

on putting this on the head with Quentin Collins?

Objection, defendant's connection with the spirit

has already been established by his own diary.

JUDGE VAIL: Objection sustained.

Mrs. Collins,

you say you felt it was your duty to step forward.

Don't you feel you have certain duties as a wife?

SAMANTHA: In my opinion, this was the higher

of the two duties.

In my opinion you came here because you hate him.

- Objection. - Sustained.

SAMANTHA: That's not true.

JUDGE VAIL: Mr. Collins, the court is not interested

in your opinions,

you will kindly confine yourself to the facts.

Were you or were you not motivated

by hatred of your husband Quentin Collins?

No I was not.

DESMOND: Do you love Quentin Collins?

CHARLES: Objection, the question

- is irrelevant. - I'll answer the question,

no, I do not love my husband.

JUDGE VAIL: Objection sustained.

The statement will be stricken from the record.

DESMOND: I have no further questions, Your Honor.

You may step down.

Just one moment,

I have a few questions for the witness.

Mrs. Collins, why do you think your husband

tried to summon up a spirit from beyond the grave?

Do you believe that his motive

had anything to do with you?

Yes I do.

CHARLES: Will you tell the court why?

This woman whose spirit my husband

was trying to bring back, Joanna Mills,

was Quentin Collins' mistress.

CHARLES: And isn't it true, Mrs. Collins,

that when Joanna Mills was alive

she almost broke up your marriage?

Yes it's true.

CHARLES: But you refused to allow--

- the marriage to be dissolved? - That's right.

And because of his bitterness over your decision,

Quentin Collins tried to summon

the spirit of his mistress to haunt you.

Objection.

JUDGE VAIL: The objection's sustained.

I have no further questions.

The witness may step down.

DESMOND: Your Honor,

I move that the testimony

of Samantha Collins be stricken from the record.

CHARLES: On what grounds?

On the grounds that she is a prejudiced witness,

and her allegations have not been borne out.

On the contrary, it has been shown here

that Quentin Collins is the hapless victim in this matter.

And the only purpose for his holding the seance

was to try and put Joanna Mills' soul to rest.

Judge Vail,

Mrs. Collins' testimony does not constitute

the whole of the prosecution's case,

but it is vital to the overall information

I intend to bring forth.

That has nothing to do whatsoever with this case.

The charge here is witchcraft.

And as unjust as I may think it to be,

I must insist that we adhere to this charge.

And Samantha Collins' testimony

has nothing to do with this charge.

Anybody can hold a seance, Your Honor.

Anyone can try to communicate with the dead.

That does not constitute witchcraft.

Your Honor,

I urge you to consider this decision very carefully.

Counsel may rest assured that we will.

[crowd murmurs]

[tense music]

[gavel bangs]

It is the opinion of this tribunal

that Samantha Collins' testimony has not been proved

and in fact is not germane to the central idea in this case,

namely the charge of witchcraft.

Therefore the motion of the defense is to be granted.

The testimony of Samantha Collins

will be stricken from the record.

CHARLES: Your Honor, I object.

You may take exception Mr. Dawson,

you may not object.

CHARLES: Very well,

I take exception.

Noted.

Now this tribunal will be adjourned [gavel bangs]

until o'clock Monday morning.

[gavel bangs]

[door opens]

[door closes]

It took you a long time to come back from the courtroom.

- I'm sorry. - Did you stop at the jail

to see my husband, or should I say your lover?

He is not my lover.

SAMANTHA: Even if that's not true now,

it's just a matter of time isn't it, Miss Harridge?

Mrs. Collins, I don't know what you're talking about.

You're in love with my husband.

And that was quite evident from your testimony.

You're hopelessly in love with him,

just as Joanna Mills was.

Well, you're wasting your time, Miss Harridge.

My husband will be found guilty,

and then he will die.

You really want to see Quentin dead, don't you?

SAMANTHA: I want the peace of mind he never gave me.

I don't see how you can even live with yourself

after what you did today.

I did what I had to do.

Is that what you're going to tell your son?

SAMANTHA: If you're planning to tell Tad--

Oh I won't have to tell Tad Mrs. Collins, you will.

Because he's bound to be curious

about what happened in court,

about what you told them.

And if you lie to him Mrs. Collins,

he'll know about it, he's an intelligent--

I know that my son loves me.

I know that,

and I know he will understand

that I testified the only way that I could.

You see Miss Harridge,

I did not go into that courtroom voluntarily.

I was subpoenaed by Mr. Dawson.

How did you arrange that, Mrs. Collins?

SAMANTHA: How dare you speak to me like that.

I'll speak to you any way I wish now

because I no longer care what happens to me.

Then it won't be a surprise to you

to know that you are discharged as of this moment.

Pack your things, get out, the sooner the better.

Mrs. Collins.

I don't think you're capable of really loving anyone.

I wish I could hate you, but I don't.

I only feel so very sorry for you.

QUENTIN: I just think for a man who hasn't practiced law

for a long time, you did a very good job.

This is no time to be congratulating ourselves.

QUENTIN: What do you mean?

Let's be realistic.

We repudiated Samantha's testimony,

but she's only one witness.

There are still others to come.

QUENTIN: I don't care, Desmond.

I'm very encouraged by today.

Now what are you going to do about your

so-called friend, Gerard?

QUENTIN: Well, I'm going to have a talk with him later.

Don't you realize that Dawson was crucifying

you there in that courtroom

and it was Gerard's doing?

Desmond, you may be very right about Gerard,

but I do think that we have to give him

the benefit of the doubt.

I'm going to have a nice long talk with him

and then I'll know what I need to know.

I only hope you know what you're doing.

Well my dear,

you and I have nothing to say to each other,

so get out.

I have something to say to you, Quentin.

DESMOND: I'll be back, Quentin.

Say what you have to say and then leave.

With pleasure, I have no desire to be

with you any longer than necessary.

I thought you would like to know,

your paramour has been discharged.

What are you talking about?

SAMANTHA: Daphne Harridge.

I have dismissed her as Tad's governess.

You can't do that.

I have already done it.

QUENTIN: You don't have the authority to do it.

Daphne is going to stay at Collinwood

as long as I want her to.

You are no longer master of Collinwood.

Have you forgotten?

Gerard Stiles is.

All right, Gerard is in charge.

Do you have his consent?

SAMANTHA: I don't need it.

Tad is my son, I know what's best for him.

Now you listen to me.

I'm going to have a long talk with Gerard.

I intend for Daphne to stay at Collinwood,

and there's not a thing you're going to do about it.

I can take this matter to the divorce courts

if you force me to.

You're in enough trouble without

being involved in a romantic scandal.

Think of the effect that will have on Tad.

You wouldn't do that.

Oh yes I would.

Quite frankly, I don't care

whether your Daphne stays or leaves.

You can have her by your side for the whole trial

if you think it'll do you any good.

Tad is my only concern.

I don't want that girl around him,

do you understand?

[door closes]

[mysterious music]

Oh and this room,

it's the most beautiful room I've ever seen.

Gerard, I'm so happy.

Gerard?

Gerard, where are you?

Gerard?

Gerard?

Gerard, where are you?

Gerard, why have you left me alone?

It's happened again, another dream.

But why can't I remember any of them?

And why are they so disturbing?

What's happening to me?

A room.

There was a room I'd never seen before.

Where is it?

[eerie music]