376 - December 4, 1967

[bunniefuu]

[Naomi Collins] - Time has been suspended at Collinwood.

It waits for the completion of an uncertain and frightening

journey into the past,

back to the year .

There, in the old Collins mansion,

one person has set in motion an evil plan

designed to prevent an impending marriage.

[birds chirping]

- Good, you got my message in time.

- Yes. In the future,

I'll thank you not to send that convict

with messages to me.

- Oh, I'm sorry.

He was the only servant I could find. - Mm-hmm.

Well, I hope it's important enough

for me to give up my morning ride.

- When you hear what I have to say,

you will be glad you didn't go riding today.

- Mm-hmm.

Well, speak up, speak up. What is it?

- André. - Hmm?

- We are in the presence of a force of evil.

- Oh, my dear Natalie,

if you sent for me to tell me some more of your

occult gibberish, you're going-- - Now, listen to me!

There is someone in the Collins house,

someone evil

who is trying to prevent the marriage of Josette

and Barnabas.

♪♪

[eerie music] ♪♪

- Natalie,

the Collins family has everything to gain

from this marriage,

so why should they suddenly want to prevent it?

- I didn't say they would, I said someone.

- Well, who?

- I - I don't know yet.

- No, of course you don't.

Your tarot cards weren't quite clear about that, were they?

- I did not get my information from the tarot cards.

- Where did you get it then?

- André, I was a witness

to something that happened last night here. - Uh-huh.

What was it?

- It was very late.

I was in the drawing room playing cards alone.

Josette came downstairs and said she was going for a walk.

- Well, you didn't let her go, did you?

- I couldn't stop her.

- You mean, she went outside alone last night?

- I followed her.

- Where did she go?

- She came here.

- Well, why would she want to come here

alone in the middle of the night?

- André, she wasn't alone.

- What are you talking about?

- She came out here to meet Jeremiah Collins.

- Jeremiah!?

- He was waiting for her.

- Oh, I don't believe it!

Why, the very thought is, is too absurd, Natalie!

- I saw it with my own eyes.

- In the first place,

it is barely possible to see anything here at night.

Now, are you sure what you saw?

- There was a full moon.

I was right there behind those bushes. - Uh-huh.

And you're certain it was Jeremiah that you saw?

- Absolutely certain.

- That just doesn't make any sense.

She just met the man a few days ago.

- And that's what upsets me the most.

- Did you hear anything that they said?

- Yes, I saw and heard everything.

- What do you mean by everything?

- She went into his arms.

They said they loved each other

and then they kissed.

- Oh. Oh.

That - that's - that's too unbelievable!

- It happened.

- But - but why?

She is engaged to Barnabas.

I thought she was in love with him.

- I'm sure she is.

- Well, don't be ridiculous, Natalie.

You said she professed her love to Jeremiah.

Then she can't be in love with both men.

- André, I don't think she knew

what she was doing last night.

- Nonsense!

It was obviously a conscious act on her part.

You think she knew that this man was going to be here

waiting for her?

- Yes. Yes, she knew.

- Well, then she knew very well what she was doing then.

- She was behaving very strangely all evening.

- That's putting it charitably.

- It was as if --

as if she had been placed in a trance of some sort.

- Oh, now, don't start that mumbo-jumbo of yours!

- There is no other explanation that makes any sense.

- Well, that one doesn't make any sense either.

- André.

We know Josette better than anyone else.

She has always been a perfect lady.

We know she would never deliberately deceive anyone.

- Yes, yes, that's what we've always believed.

- I'm telling you, there is someone in the Collins house

who does not want this marriage to take place.

- Huh? And who might that be?

- I don't know yet, but I'm going to find out.

There is a force of evil at work on Josette,

someone who is manipulating her,

getting her to act against her own will.

- Oh, Natalie! Now, now, now, stop it!

Now, you haven't talked to anyone else

about this, have you? - No, of course not.

- Good. I don't want you to.

I'll do all the talking that's necessary.

- What are you going to do?

- I'm going to make certain that what happened last night

never happens again!

♪♪

- Oh, Jeremiah, I didn't know you were in the house.

- It's a little early in the day for that, isn't it?

- Well, I suppose so, but I have little else to do.

- You could find something to do.

- Oh, no.

Joshua has set down certain rules.

The mistress of the house must be a lady of leisure.

You see how fortunate I am?

I'm not allowed to do anything except get bored.

Why aren't you at work?

- I didn't feel well when I got up this morning.

- What's the matter? - Nothing, I'm --

I'm much better now.

- Oh.

You're disturbed, aren't you?

Do you want to talk about it?

- It shows. I wish I could.

- It always does.

Do you want to talk to me about it?

- It's not a problem that can be talked about.

It's something I'm going to have to work out for myself

and I will.

- Good afternoon, Mr. duPrés.

- Afternoon, Madame.

Mr. Collins, I'd like a word with you in private.

- By all means. Shall we go into the study?

- No, you may stay down here if you wish.

I'm going upstairs.

Sit down, Mr. duPrés.

- Thank you, I'd rather stand.

- What did you want to talk to me about?

- About you and my daughter, Josette.

- What about us?

- Well, you know what I'm referring to, don't you?

- How did you find out?

- That's very much beside the point.

I want a full explanation of what happened last night.

- I'm afraid I can't give you one.

- Would you prefer that I take the matter to your brother?

- Please, don't do that.

- Well, then, give me an explanation.

- There is no explanation. I don't know why it happened.

It - it just did.

- You don't know?

- I know that's hard to believe, but it's true.

I went out for a walk and before I knew it,

I was standing in the garden

waiting for Josette to come to me.

- Ah. Did you know she would?

- Yes, but I don't know how I knew it.

- Well, could it have been by pre-arrangement?

- No.

That's the strange part about it.

It just happened.

- Oh, now, do you really expect me to believe all that?

- It happens to be true!

- Rubbish!

You were seen in the garden with Josette.

- Who saw us? - Never mind.

You professed your love to each other.

You embraced, you kissed

and you dare tell me that before last night

there was nothing going on between you?

- How could there be?

We have only known each other a few days.

- Well, now, I don't know, Mr. Collins,

I'm not familiar with your puritanical customs

but perhaps they are not as pristine

as you have led the world to believe.

- Have you talked to Josette about this?

- No, and I'm not going to.

- What are you going to do?

- Well, that depends entirely on you.

If you are willing to cooperate.

- What do you mean?

- Well, I don't know the circumstances about that

little tryst last night and I don't want to know,

but I do know that I will not let my daughter, Josette,

be involved in any scandal.

- Nor will I.

- Well then, come to your senses, man!

What are you trying to do, tear your own family apart?

- I told you, I don't know how it happened.

- I don't care what you know or what you don't know.

I know that I care about Josette's happiness

and I will not let you or anyone else

deprive her of that happiness.

- Believe me, I would never do that.

- I would like to have your word,

for whatever it's worth,

that you will not get involved with Josette's marriage

to Barnabas.

- I'll do better than that.

I will give you my word

that I will never see Josette again alone.

- Very good, sir.

You may consider the incident closed.

Good day, Mr. Collins.

♪♪

[thinking] - Josette doesn't love Jeremiah.

He doesn't love her and yet,

last night they both said they loved each other.

Why?

Because someone is trying to draw them to each other,

to draw Josette away from Barnabas.

But who?

That's what I must find out before it's too late.

- Oh, good evening, Countess.

- Mrs. Collins.

- Did you just come in from outside?

- Yes, I went out to get some air but it was a little cold.

Oh! You found my tarot cards!

I was wondering where they were.

- I found them on the mantle.

- Do you know anything about the tarot card?

- No, nothing at all.

- Well, come, let me show you.

- What are you going to do?

- I am going to read the cards for you.

- Well, I don't know whether I --

- They are very fascinating and informative.

The tarot cards give us access to knowledge of the occult,

which cannot be transmitted either orally or in writing.

- Does every card have a different meaning?

- No, but, the meaning of each card

is directly in relation to the card that it is near.

- I'm afraid I don't understand at all.

- [gasps]

Perhaps - perhaps we better do this some other time.

- What's the matter?

- Oh, I never suspected it would be this bad.

- What are you talking about? Please tell me what you see.

- Mrs. Collins, I'm afraid my --

my interpretation of the cards will not please you.

- I want you to tell me.

- All right.

This card is the lover, a strong positive card,

but it is inverted.

- What does that mean?

- In that position,

it is a - a symbol of separation.

You can see that it is preceded by

death and followed by the chariot.

- Is that bad?

- The death card signals the end of a love between two people.

The chariot brings us revelation of a betrayal.

- What kind of a betrayal?

- I - I don't wish to read anymore.

- Why are you stopping?

- Because - because I - I cannot find a single hopeful sign

in the arrangement of the cards.

- I want to know what else you saw.

- Mrs. Collins, there is a force of evil in this house.

Someone who is - is - is trying to destroy the -

the natural order of things.

- I don't believe it.

- The cards never lie.

They - they - they - they give us a forecast of our destiny.

- But there was no - there is no one evil in this house,

no one who could be destructive.

- The cards tell us there is.

- Then why don't the cards say who it is?

- Because they can only warn us of the dangers we face.

- Your cards are very interesting,

quite entertaining,

but in this case,

I don't think what they say is true.

- Mrs. Collins, tell me about your governess.

- Ms. Winters?

- Yes.

I understand she arrived here under very

strange circumstances.

- Ms. Winters is a very fine, well-mannered young lady.

Surely you don't suspect her.

- I suspect no one of anything.

I am merely curious about her.

I'd like to know more about her and how she came here.

- Well, her arrival was rather strange.

She just suddenly appeared, but she had had an accident.

She was quite shaken by it.

- Wasn't she dressed in - in rather odd clothing?

- We were all shocked by the manner in which she was dressed.

- Why?

- Well, it was immodest to say the least.

The poor child hardly had any clothes on at all.

- Where do you suppose she got clothing like that?

- I don't know, countess.

Are you suggesting that something is wrong

with Ms. Winters?

- Oh, I'm not suggesting anything at all.

- Then why are you so curious about her?

- I told you, Mrs. Collins,

I am concerned by what the cards have revealed to me.

I am convinced that there will soon be a disaster

in this house,

a disaster deliberately caused by someone in our midst.

- And you think that someone is Ms. Winters?

- I know that someone exists,

whether it's Ms. Winters or not, I do not know,

but I believe it is worth thinking about.

♪♪

[Natalie duPrés] - Mrs. Collins.

Mrs. Collins!

The cards never lie.

Notice that the lover is inverted,

the symbol of separation.

The death card, Mrs. Collins,

the end of a love between two people.

The chariot, a very powerful card.

It will bring the revelation of a betrayal.

Follow the chariot, Mrs. Collins,

follow it and see who will be betrayed.

- Jeremiah.

Jeremiah?

Where are you going?

It's so late.

Why aren't you sleeping?

Jeremiah, who is that woman?

Why don't you answer me?

[Natalie duPrés] - Wait, Mrs. Collins, and listen,

find out who will be betrayed.

- You waited for me.

- Yes, I had to.

Do you know what's happening to us?

- No, I don't know.

I only know I love you.

- Oh, yes, that's what I want to hear

because I shall always love you.

[Natalie duPrés] - The symbol of the devil,

the woman is possessed by the devil.

She will bring grief and destruction into this house.

- No.

No, stop it! I don't want to hear anymore!

Jeremiah, who is that woman?

- Naomi, what are you doing here?

Go back to your room.

- No. No.

I want to find out who that woman is.

- Please, Naomi.

Go back to your room.

- No.

Who are you? Come out of there!

Ah!!

♪♪

[eerie music] ♪♪