378 - December 6, 1967

[bunniefuu]

[Maggie narrating] - Time has been suspended at Collinwood

while one woman makes some uncertain,

frightening journey to the past

back to the year ,

where she finds a family,

unknowingly held in a grip of an evil force

which no one can fight.

[thinking] - She's a witch, that Angelique.

A man like me can't fight a witch.

But I've got to.

Mr. Barnabas --

he's the only friend I got.

She says she's doin' everything 'cause she loves him.

If only I could figure out some way I could help him,

without her knowin' it.

But she knows everything.

[Angelique] - Ben...

Ben.

[thinking] - I'm imagining that.

That's the way she's gotten me to hear that voice.

It's all in my mind.

[Angelique] - Where are you, Ben?

Come to me.

I need your help.

- No.

I ain't coming.

[Angelique] - Ben!

I need you, Ben.

Come to my room now.

Don't try to fight me.

You know what happens when you fight me.

Hurry, Ben!

Hurry!

♪♪

[eerie music] ♪♪

- A journey? So, suddenly.

Jeremiah, you're not leaving Collinsport today.

- Yes, I am.

- Are you going on a business trip with father?

- No.

- Then, why are you going?

I'm sorry if my curiosity offends you.

- Oh, of course, it doesn't offend me.

I -- I honestly can't explain.

An impulse, let us say. I --

I woke up this morning saying winter will soon be coming

and I should travel before it does.

Oh, Ben.

Excuse me, Barnabas.

- I know I should be finishing up the firewood, sir, but --

- Don't bother about that. I'm not my brother.

I'm glad you're here. I may need your help soon.

- How, sir?

- In half an hour, I want my horse.

I'm catching the stage out of Collinsport.

- It's not a fit day for traveling, sir.

There's a storm coming up.

- I can't worry about that.

After I finish packing, you can bring my bags down.

- Well, Mr. Joshua, he --

he told me this morning

not to do any work but my own.

- I will explain to my brother.

- Aye, sir.

- Jeremiah,

you will be back in time for the wedding, of course?

- Well, frankly, I --

- I can't be married without a best man, you know.

- Perhaps, you should choose someone else.

- Jeremiah?

- It's not a role I feel particularly well suited for.

- But you're my choice, you must come back.

- Then, I will come back.

- You mean that? I can count on you.

- You can count on me to do nothing

to spoil your happiness with Josette.

If my presence is required, then, so shall it be.

And now, I must finish packing.

♪♪

[knocking on door]

- Come in, Ben.

- You gonna get me in trouble, I swear you are.

I -- I hardly got a minute to myself anyhow,

and now, you got me more working to do,

fetch my bag, saddle my horse.

- Jeremiah? - Yeah.

- He's going on a -- on a trip.

- No, he's not, Ben.

He's not going anywhere.

- You better get down and tell him that

before he gets on his horse.

- That little time left?

What am I going to do?

- You're asking me?

- Josette can stop him.

- Don't you hurt Mr. Jeremiah?

No, don't you make him sick.

- I would.

If Josette could nurse him.

But she can't.

Oh, there must be somebody who can stop him.

There must be someone in this house he'll listen to.

- Aye. Mr. Barnabas.

- Yes.

Exactly.

I'll send Barnabas to him.

- He's already been.

They were talking when I come up.

- Was he pleading with him?

- No. Just talking.

- Then, he must go back to him and --

and beg him to stay.

- Why would Mr. Barnabas do a thing like that?

- I don't know, Ben. You tell me.

- Well, I guess --

I guess if -- if Ms. Josette --

if she told Mr. Barnabas to stop him --

- [laughing]

- I'm not ever going to tell you what I think

if you laugh at me.

- Oh, no, it's perfect.

Of course.

She uses her fiancé to beg her lover stay.

Oh, yes.

I should have thought of that.

Thank you, Ben.

- Stop making a fool of me.

- You're not the one I'm making a fool of.

She's still under the spell.

Good.

Look at your hand, Josette.

The mark of the pitchfork is still there.

The mark you and Jeremiah share.

He's leaving you, Josette.

He's leaving you forever.

Only Barnabas can stop him.

Go to Barnabas.

Make Barnabas stop Jeremiah.

If you don't,

you will never see your lover again.

Go to Barnabas, Josette.

♪♪

- Oh, thank goodness.

- Darling, what's wrong?

- I was afraid you'd already left for the yard.

- Well, I was just about to.

- No, no. You can't.

Not until you --

- Josette?

- It -- it's nothing.

- Let me see.

- No. It's nothing.

It's a bruise, that's all.

Oh, I did not come to discuss that.

It's Jeremiah I wish to talk to you about.

He must not go.

- Well, I wish he wouldn't, too.

- But you can stop him.

- I tried, but he's determined.

- If you beg him.

- Now, Josette, he'll be back for the wedding

and that's the important thing.

He promised me he'd be back in plenty of time.

- He will not be back.

- Why do you say that?

- I know...

- You know what?

- I know why Jeremiah is going.

- Well, if you do, you are wiser than us.

I don't think that Jeremiah even knows himself.

- He does.

- Well, he didn't tell me.

- No. He couldn't.

- Then you better tell me.

- Yes.

I am the reason.

- You?

- Yes.

- How could you be?

- I have to tell you.

I not wanted to, but I must.

- Yes, I certainly think you should.

- Jeremiah hates me.

- Josette? - He does.

He disapproves of me.

He does not think I will make you a good wife.

- Oh, you're imagining that.

He's told me only this afternoon

how much he's anxious for the wedding.

- He did?

- Yes, as everyone is.

You are loved here, Josette.

Everyone loves you.

- By you, most of all.

- Me, most of all.

- Oh, Barnabas. Hold me, please.

Don't let me go.

I'm lost when you're not holding me.

It's the only time I feel safe.

- You are safe here.

You should always feel that way.

Oh, Josette, darling, my darling.

You know how much I love you.

I'll go to Jeremiah.

I will tell him how important it is to you that he stay.

- No.

- Important to me then?

- No.

Barnabas, let Jeremiah go.

Yes, let him go.

It's for the best.

- Josette, are you all right?

Josette, your hands are cold.

Are you sure you're feeling well?

- Yes, I'm sure.

- Josette, the bruise, it -- it's gone.

- Yes, it's gone.

Oh, I'm so glad.

Oh, Barnabas, let Jeremiah go wherever he wishes to go.

Let him stay as long as he desires.

I don't care how he feels about me.

It's you that I care about.

You're the only man I love.

♪♪

[thunder rumbles]

- Storm starting yet?

- Didn't Barnabas stop Jeremiah from leaving?

- Sure don't look like it.

- But Josette went to him.

- Yeah.

I guess you didn't put enough magic in that charm

because Mr. Barnabas and Ms. Josette,

they come down to the stables all happy like

and had me saddle horses for them to ride out

to the new house.

- You're lying to me. - No.

- But they'll be back.

- Not before he goes.

Not unless you can work some magic

to make their horses turn around.

If it will help you any,

I can tell you the horses' names.

- Shut your mouth! - Is he bothering you?

- Oh, no, Mr. Collins.

- I heard you saying he wants to

whatever that vulgar expression was.

What did you say, Stokes?

A cat got your tongue?

- I didn't say nothing.

- I expect the truth from you, man.

Well, why was she angry?

Was it because of the way you look?

- Aye.

- Come, Stokes, tell me the truth.

- I -- I said something to her.

- Something improper? - Yes, it was.

- Something you should be punished for?

- Punishment enough to be working in this house.

- Then you would rather go back to prison?

- Aye, I would. - No.

They wouldn't put up with your insolence there,

they'd flog it out of you.

- Aye, but I'd be out of here.

- You won't be out of here

until you work off your debt to me.

When that time comes, you will be dismissed,

but as long s you were in this house,

you will live by the rules that I dictate.

I would suggest that you, Miss,

avoid, any familiarity with this man.

You know his history.

You stay as far away from him as possible,

Consider yourself fairly warned.

You have work to do.

- I was told to wait.

- By whom? - Mr. Jeremiah.

- And you?

- I was just gathering some wild parsley.

My mistress likes a tea made out of it.

- Wild parsley, a French fancy, I suppose,

how typical.

Tea leaves are not exotic enough.

When Mr. Jeremiah comes down, send for me.

I'll be in my study.

- Look what you've done now? - Shh.

- You played me worse than ever.

Even Mr. Jeremiah won't be able to stop him.

Nobody could stop him when he gets all riled up.

- Nobody can stop him? - No.

- What would happen if somebody did stop him?

What would happen to the Collins then?

- What are you thinking?

- If something happened to him,

Jeremiah wouldn't leave, would he?

- I -- I reckon not.

- No, because of the work, he'd have to stay.

That's the answer, Ben.

I knew I'd find out through you.

Oh yes.

- What are you gonna do to him?

- I don't know yet.

- But something, something, huh?

- Something, Ben.

- Something as mean to him

as he is mean to me, will you?

- All right, Ben.

Whatever I do will be a present to you.

♪♪

- May I remind you, brother, that you are not a child.

- I am aware of that.

- Then don't act like one.

A man of your responsibility shouldn't be running away.

- I spent the afternoon at the yard.

You will find my work all completed.

- For the moment, yes,

but what if some new fancy makes you stay

wherever you go?

- You will be able to handle everything, Joshua.

- I do not choose to handle everything.

I have many plans for you, Jeremiah.

- Well, this time, I made a few plans for myself. - I see.

And how long will it take you to execute these plans?

- I can't tell you.

- Why not? - I don't know.

- Nonsense.

I have always made a point

not to pry into your personal life.

- Then don't begin now.

- Is a woman the reason for your leaving? - No!

- Are you involved in some unfortunate liaison

with someone in the village?

- Absolutely not.

It would not be your concern if I were.

- The family is my concern.

What would the duPrés' think. - I don't care.

- I do.

The business contract with our firm is not yet signed.

- Don't tell them I'd left.

Sign it tonight.

- They would see a certain instability in the family,

which is certainly not a good omen for a happy marriage.

- You'll need to explain me as the wayward brother.

- I am unaccustomed to explaining things, sir.

Oh, Jeremiah, think of someone else

besides yourself, for a change.

Think of Barnabas -- - I am thinking of Barnabas.

- Misguided -- - I think not.

- You think but you're not sure.

Wait until the morning to decide.

I will have Stokes send your luggage up to your room.

- Joshua, I am leaving.

[thunder rumbling]

- What shall we do to Joshua Collins, Ben, hmm?

- I know what I do.

- No wait, I know.

Whatever I mold from this piece of clay,

that's what he'll be.

- Tell me.

- Oh, no.

- Make -- make him a snake, huh?

- Hmm, no.

- A spider?

- A spider could be poisonous.

- A jackass that's what I'd make him.

- Work that jackass hard,

clear the rocks of the north field

that jackass and me,

him pulling and me beating him to keep him at it.

Is it done yet?

- Be patient, Ben.

And quiet, so I could concentrate.

[thunder rumbling]

- You have kept me long enough.

My horse is waiting.

- Are you more concerned for your horse than your brother?

- I have listened to you, Joshua.

- How about Millicent?

- Goodbye, brother. - Wait a minute, Jeremiah.

This maybe your last chance with her.

Oh, if you care so little for the rest of us,

I wonder how much you care for yourself.

- Not very much at the moment, I'm afraid.

- You have spent a great deal of time at the yards

as well as money.

What if something should happen to me?

- Joshua, nothing will happen to you.

- My age, I cannot share your assurance.

Where Will the family reach you?

- I will send you an address.

- When? This maybe an emergency.

- This is an emergency.

I had thought even you would understand that.

A personal emergency.

That is all I can tell you.

You won't understand, I know.

With your iron will,

you never lose control of yourself, but I do.

I have.

And now, you've detained me long enough.

The storm is worse.

I must be off.

[screeching sound]

Joshua!

Joshua!

- There, sweet Ben.

There is your master.

- [laughing]

♪♪

[eerie music] ♪♪