1186 - January 11, 1971

[bunniefuu]

[eerie music]

NARRATOR:The great house of Collinwood

in the year ,

a time when the evil force of one man

held sway over the Collins family.

Posing as Quentin Collins's best friend,

Gerard Stiles has masterminded

a frightening plot against him,

a plot that brought him to trial

on a charge of practicing witchcraft.

After several weeks of testimony by both sides,

the trial has finally come to an end,

and on this day, Quentin Collins will learn

what his fate is to be.

[gavel pounds] [tense music]

The court will come to order, gentlemen.

The tribunal has deliberated

and has arrived at a verdict.

The defendant will rise and hear the verdict of the court.

Quentin Collins, it is the judgment of this court

that you are guilty as charged

and you shall be punished in the manner prescribed

by the law which convened this tribunal.

On a date to be decided upon by the tribunal,

you shall be taken to the public square,

and there, before the eyes of your fellow citizens,

you shall be beheaded.

And may God have mercy on your soul.

[dramatic music]

[eerie music] [waves crashing]

Your Honor, the defense wishes it known for the record

that the tribunal's decision will be appealed.

There are no rules for this

under the law governing trials of witchcraft.

There's no provision for an appeal.

With all due respect, Your Honor,

the right of appeal is basic to the judicial system.

JUDGE: Well, the court can do nothing

to stop your trying, Mr. Collins.

Do you have anything else to say?

No, nothing more, Your Honor.

JUDGE: Very well, the case is closed.

Court is adjourned.

[gavel pounds]

Quentin, I still can't believe it really happened.

Well, it did happen, and Barnabas has gone back

to see the judge again.

I think it's a waste of time.

No, don't talk that way.

As long as you're alive, there's hope.

Yes, as long as I'm alive.

Gotta be realistic now.

Gotta start thinking about

what's going to happen when I die.

Quentin, maybe you can talk that way,

convinced you're going to die, but I can't.

Now if there was only some way we could get you out of here.

Yes, yes, but there isn't,

so there's no point in discussing it.

Now you listen to me.

The most important thing for you to do

is to forget about me.

DAPHNE: No, Quentin.

There'll be a way.

You know I love you.

QUENTIN: Barnabas.

I've just come from the judge's.

DAPHNE: Is there a chance, Barnabas?

They won't listen to reason.

I'm afraid that Mordecai's death

and the letter that he wrote to Dawson turned the tide.

I tried to convince them that the trial

was deliberately planned by someone

who is out to destroy you.

But it did no good.

Did you tell 'em Gerard was behind the whole thing?

Gerard?

Yes, does that surprise you?

Think about it for awhile.

In material gains, he's the one who has the most to gain

if I'm out of the way.

DAPHNE: No, Gerard said he was for you.

I always believed he was.

That may have been his most brilliant tactic.

If Quentin were found guilty,

then Gerard stood to win and keep everything.

But if Quentin were found innocent, he would still win,

because he remained Quentin's friend and stood by him.

He has both sides to play.

But you believe me,

he intends to see this through to the end.

But he can't claim a complete victory

until they've taken my head.

Don't talk that way.

You're not going to die.

Barnabas, there must be a chance for an appeal.

I urged them to consider this,

but, well, I had no success.

Unless we find some other solution,

I'm afraid, Quentin, that it's all over.

[dramatic music]

[sinister music]

Well, why aren't you smiling?

You finally won.

On the contrary, I've lost a friend,

the best friend I've ever had.

Now isn't that touching?

Now isn't it time you stopped

this cheap little charade of yours?

Now you've secured the family fortune.

That's what you wanted.

Why don't you just admit it like a man?

Gabriel, I haven't changed roles here at all.

I am still trustee of this estate

until Tad reaches the age of .

But he'll never reach that age, will he?

You'll see to that, won't you, old boy?

Now you listen to me.

I've cut you off once with your allowance.

I can do it again if you keep talking like you have been.

[laughs] My, my, the lord of the manor is angry.

Yes, Gabriel.

The lord may giveth, and the lord may taketh away.

Bear that in mind.

Gerard, I just heard the news about Quentin.

Be so happy, my dear wife.

We may regret Quentin's departure yet.

Did you see the look on his face?

Yes, I'm afraid he doesn't like it at all.

Isn't that too bad?

Mm.

I want to see you tonight.

Tonight?

Yes, let's say about , the same place.

You can make it, can't you?

Oh well yes, of course.

Oh, good.

Now that I've done my part,

I hope you haven't forgotten that you said

I have something coming to me when it was over.

GERARD: [chuckles] Oh, not at all, my dear.

You will get what you deserve.

Don't worry about that.

You will get yours.

[ominous music]

Thinking about tonight, my dear?

What does that mean?

GABRIEL: I thought maybe you and your friend

would plan a party celebrating

Quentin's forthcoming execution.

I don't know what you're talking about.

I happen to know you're going to meet Gerard tonight.

Oh, don't be ridiculous.

[laughs] You know, I always knew

you never had any class at all.

But I never thought you'd allow a fraud such as Gerard

to get such a curious hold over you.

Gerard has no hold over me,

but if he did have, it would be because he, unlike you,

is a man who gets what he goes after.

I'm through with you, Gabriel.

I'm going to start living before it's too late.

I doubt that, Edith.

I really do.

EDITH: And who is going to stop me?

I'm going to stop you.

How?

You're a hopeless cr*pple.

Well, I am going to meet Gerard this evening

and there is nothing you can do to stop me.

So why don't you just wheel yourself up to your bedroom,

have your cup of steaming cocoa, get into bed,

and cuddle up with your hot water bottle?

[scoffs]

[dramatic music]

[ominous music]

I still can't believe it.

He's innocent, we know he's innocent.

The powers that be won't believe it.

Well, we can't just sit by and watch him die.

I have no intentions of doing that, Daphne.

DAPHNE: What are you going to do?

I don't know.

[Daphne sighs]

At least we have a week to think about it.

You look tired.

You should go upstairs and get some rest.

I don't think I'll be able to sleep, but perhaps I'll try.

Good night, Daphne.

Good night.

Barnabas says he will do something,

but can anyone do anything anymore?

Maybe there isn't hope.

Oh why did it all happen?

This house.

Why does it affect people's lives so?

It does something to everyone who comes into it.

Oh, I wish I'd never come here.

[piano music]

Where is that music coming from?

Oh, it's coming from the east wing.

But that isn't possible.

That part of the house has been closed for years.

[thunder rumbling] [sinister music]

[wood thumping]

[door thudding]

[Edith gasps]

[footsteps thudding]

Who's out there?

Who just came in?

I know someone is out here.

Who is it?

[wind howling]

[door thuds] [Edith screams]

Please answer me.

Who came in this house?

Oh, Gerard.

Is it you?

Have you come back?

Please, please answer me.

Gerard, oh!

Oh Gabriel, wake up. [fists thudding]

Someone's in the house, Gabriel.

Oh Gerard, tell me it's you.

Oh, I'm so frightened!

[gasps]

Your lover isn't here to protect you now is he, Edith?

No, it's just you and me.

You and me all alone in this house.

Gabriel, you can walk.

I've been able to walk for years, Edith, years.

You've been lying all of these years.

No one ever knew.

Oh, someone knew, two people.

Randall and my father.

Randall, your father?

You k*lled them.

That's right, Edith,

and you're never going to live to tell about it.

No, Gabriel.

Stay away from me, no, no!

I've had all the [mumbles] I'm going to take from you.

So I'm not a man who gets what I wants, am I?

Well, I'm getting what I want, and I want you dead!

Now how are we going to dispose the body, huh, Edith?

I know, I know a place, a place that you loved.

Somewhere in the hallowed halls of Collinwood

I'm going to find a spot to bury you.

[dramatic music]

[piano music]

[thunder rumbles]

It is coming from in there.

I don't understand it.

[mysterious music]

I don't understand it.

I'm sure the music came from this room.

[door knocking]

[dramatic music]

What's happening to me?

I'm dreaming, I must be dreaming.

Why can't I get into the room?

[door knocking]

Come in.

Valerie!

Well, you look like a man with a most intriguing secret.

One of the things I love about you, Catherine,

is that you know me so well.

I can't say that about anyone in my own family.

Isn't it a burden of the artist to be misunderstood?

For most of us, but I've never been troubled by it.

I know, that's what I admire about you,

your reluctance to abide by social convention.

Such as?

Well, the mere fact

that we're in this room alone together, unchaperoned.

Your mother would take a dim view of that.

I've always made my own rules,

and as long as they don't hurt anyone

I believe that's the way you should live.

You do too, that's why you're here.

Yes, that's true.

So why don't you tell me what your secret is?

Why did you ask me here tonight?

Oh, I suspect you've already guessed.

But you didn't ask me here to guess.

I want to hear it from you.

Will you, Catherine Harridge, take me,

Morgan Collins, to be your lawful wedded husband?

Oh Morgan, I--

My proposal should not be that much of a surprise to you.

Surely you know how much I've loved you.

Well yes, I do know that.

And I promise you, you shall have my answer very soon.

I mean, a woman shouldn't make up her mind

about a proposal of marriage on the spur of the moment,

even if she does know in her own heart what she wants.

Catherine, I can give you everything you've always wanted.

You know you belong here at Collinwood.

You don't have to convince me, Morgan.

There is no one that I love more than I love you.

I just need a little time to think, that's all.

Well then, you shall have it.

Catherine, I love you.

If you should make up your decision

before you leave this evening,

you'll find me in my studio.

[romantic music]

[door knocking]

Who is it?

DAPHNE: It's me.

[dramatic music]

CATHERINE: I thought you were going to wait downstairs.

Oh, I cannot tell a lie.

I followed you up here and waited in the corridor.

CATHERINE: And listened?

[gasps] Daphne, that's unforgivable.

I know, but you'll forgive me

because you would have done the same thing yourself.

CATHERINE: [giggles] If I couldn't control my curiosity,

perhaps I would have.

DAPHNE: Catherine, I want to know why

you didn't give Morgan an answer just now.

But you heard what I said.

DAPHNE: I know I heard.

But I didn't believe your reason.

Why, Daphne--

Catherine, you're my sister and I love you

and I have to be honest with you,

especially when you're not being honest with yourself.

You asked for more time

because you're not sure about your love for Morgan.

CATHERINE: But you heard me tell him--

I know what I heard.

And I also know that in your entire life

you've only loved one man.

He's been gone for five years.

I know, but Catherine, there are rumors he's coming back.

CATHERINE: I don't wanna talk about it, Daphne.

Catherine, it's something you can't avoid.

Even when you were children

everyone knew how you felt about each other.

When he left Collinwood, he left my life.

No, Catherine.

No, he'll never leave your life, and you'll never leave his.

He belongs to the past.

And I must live my life by what is to be,

not by what has been.

Daphne: He would be the last person

in the world to accept that.

We're discussing my life, not his,

and I will decide what is to be, not anyone else.

[sighs] Including me, and I'm very sorry

if I seem to be interfering.

Oh, no, no, I know you meant well.

Why, you're so thoughtful and considerate.

I've always considered myself lucky

to have a sister like you.

Catherine, I only want you to be happy.

I just don't see how you can be, in this house.

I know I couldn't.

Catherine, there's a coldness here,

a kind of terrible hostility.

I feel it every time I come here and I don't like it.

It frightens me.

CATHERINE: Well, perhaps if I come here,

everything will change.

I'm not sure that anything can ever change this house.

CATHERINE: Oh, we'll see, Daphne, we'll see.

[thunder rumbles]

[ominous music]

DAPHNE VOICEOVER: None of this is possible.

I must be having hallucinations.

But no. I know what I just saw.

But how?

Ah, you're going to love it in the east wing, Edith.

Such solitude you've never known.

Edith, are you in?

[gasps]

Edith, are you here?

[gasps]

[dramatic music]

[eerie music]