423 - February 7, 1968

[bunniefuu]

[narrator] -A séance has been held in the great house of Collinwood,

a séance, which has suspended time and space

and sent one woman on an uncertain

and frightening journey into the past,

back to the year .

There, each of the Collins' ancestors resembles

a present day member of the Collins family,

but the names and relationships have changed

and Victoria Winters finds herself a stranger

in a sea of familiar faces.

On this night, one man has already

made a shocking discovery.

Wave upon wave of terror is to follow in its wake,

ending perhaps in sudden death.

- Joshua, I've been looking for you. - Have you?

- Yes. You must speak to Josette.

You must tell her to leave Collinwood immediately

for her own good.

- Speak to Josette? - Yes. She won't listen to me.

- She must listen to you.

Simply tell her she has to leave here.

- I--

- Is something wrong?

- I went to his grave.

- What?

- I went to the place where we laid Barnabas to rest.

The ring, his ring,

he was wearing it when we buried him.

Somehow, it is now in Josette's possession.

I don't understand.

- Nor do I.

Josette must leave this place.

- I opened his coffin--

- Joshua, what are you saying?

- I opened the coffin that my son was buried in

and there was nothing there.

The coffin was empty.

♪♪

[eerie theme music] ♪♪

- The - the coffin was empty? - Yes.

- I - I don't understand.

- There is only one possible explanation.

Someone, some unspeakable scoundrel

- robbed his grave. - What?

- There are unscrupulous people

that steal the bodies of dead and then sell them.

Mark my words, Countess,

the man who did this will be caught and hanged.

- But - but no one except you and Mrs. Collins

knows where Barnabas is buried.

Even I do not know.

- Two of the servants knew,

the two who carried the coffin to its final resting place.

- But - but you trusted them implicitly. - Yes, I do,

- but there's also Ben Stokes.

- Surely you don't think Ben is a grave robber.

- I just don't know.

- He was so devoted to Barnabas.

Besides, how did Josette come by the ring?

None of it makes any sense.

- There has to be a logical explanation,

there has to be!

- All I know is that - that I'm frightened.

Something strange is happening to Josette.

The way she keeps calling for Barnabas and-

- I beg your pardon.

Am I intruding?

- No.

- Ah, it was awfully kind of you to let me stay in your house.

I hope it's no imposition.

- Not at all, Ms. Forbes.

- Is Mrs. Collins all right?

- Mrs. Collins? - Your niece.

- I passed by her room a few moments ago

- and she sounded awfully distressed about something. - Really?

- Yes. She kept calling to someone.

She kept repeating the name over and over again.

I believe it was "Barnabas."

Barnabas Collins is the gentleman who went to England,

is he not?

- That's right.

- And the gentleman whose portrait hangs in the foyer?

- Yes.

- Mrs. Collins did sound distressed.

I do hope everything is all right.

- Come - come with me, Joshua. Let us speak to Josette now.

- All right.

- Do excuse us, please. - Of course.

- Unlock the door, Riggs.

Josette?

- She's - she's - she's gone.

- Riggs, did you let Mrs. Collins out of this room?

- No, sir. She pleaded with me, but I--

- You didn't? - No, sir.

- And you guarded the door from the moment it was locked?

- Yes, Miss.

- And - and the door was not unlocked? - No, Miss.

- Go round up the other servants and form a searching party.

Mrs. Collins must be found!

- Yes, sir.

- Joshua. Joshua, I'm frightened.

Something terrible has happened to Josette.

I - I know.

How could she have gotten out of this room?

How could she have gotten past Riggs?

- There is a way out. - There is?

- I will show you.

- A secret panel. - Yes.

- The passageway behind it leads to the garden

at the end of the house.

We were still in the w*r

when this house was under construction

and I had them build this as a safeguard.

- But Josette didn't know about this.

I - I'm sure she didn't.

- There are only two other people besides me

who knew of this passageway

and they are both dead.

- You mean, Jeremiah? - Yes.

- And - and Barnabas? - Yes.

- And Barnabas.

- Barnabas.

♪♪

[knocking at door]

- Suki.

- Well, hello, brother dear. What a pleasant surprise.

- Are you alone?

- At the moment.

I'm sure you've come to call on your lovely fiancée.

- Where is she?

- Upstairs, resting. Please come in.

The poor dear needs to rest a great deal of the time.

It would seem that the strain of all that money

tires her terribly.

But then, I'm sure you'll ease her with her burden--

- Don't talk that way. Somebody is going to hear you.

- There's nobody nearby. They're all upstairs.

- Let's go into the drawing room.

- Why not?

- All right, Suki,

it's time to stop playing games.

How much do you want?

- You're always very direct, aren't you, dear?

It's a quality I admire in a man.

- I said, it's time to stop playing games.

Now, there's a carriage leaving Collinsport.

How much is it going to take to get you on it?

- Oh, you're asking me to make a decision

and you know I've always been dreadful

- at making decisions. - I said, how much!

- Shall we say, $,.

- Five thousand?! - In gold.

- You know I don't have that kind of money.

- Oh, yes, but fortunately for both of us,

- dear Millicent does. - Oh, now, be reasonable.

- How can I ask Millicent for $,?

- I'm sure you'll find a way.

You've always had a way with words.

- Suki-- - You asked me to name a price,

- Nathan, dear, and I have.

I won't settle for a penny less than $,.

- You know what you're asking is totally out of the question.

- Is it? - Yes, you know it is.

- Nathan, you underestimate yourself.

I mean, think what dear Millicent is getting.

Surely a husband as handsome and devoted as you are

is worth $,.

- Even if I could lay my hands on that kind of money,

it would take time.

- Take all the time you want.

I'm perfectly willing to wait.

- No, I want you out of here now!

- Then get the money from Millicent.

It's that simple.

- And if I refuse?

- Then I'll have to show Millicent a document

that I'm sure she'll find quite interesting.

It's called a marriage license.

- You wouldn't do that. - Oh, wouldn't I?

- No.

Because if Millicent breaks off our engagement,

then you won't be able to get another cent out of me!

You know that as well as I do.

- That's right, I do.

But I also know that breaking up your little romance

would give me a great deal of satisfaction.

After all, Nathan, although you prefer to forget it,

we are still man and wife!

- Be quiet! - Let go of me!

- Not until you listen to reason!

- I am not going to be black-- - Lieutenant Forbes.

- Countess.

- We were just having a little family argument.

Nathan is a dear, but he does tend to get overemotional.

- Lieutenant Forbes, you - you must help us hunt for Josette.

She's - she's disappeared.

- Disappeared? - Yes.

- I'm terribly worried about her.

We - we must find her. We - we must.

- What do you suppose that was all about?

- I don't know.

- How much do you think she overheard? - Nothing.

- We can't talk here. It isn't safe.

But we've got to get this thing settled tonight.

- I'm perfectly willing to reach a settlement with you

as long as you meet my terms.

- Well, we can't discuss it here.

- We've got to find some place where we won't be overheard.

- Ah! A secret rendezvous. How exciting.

- There's another house on the property.

No one lives there anymore. We could meet there.

- Yes, I already know where it is.

Dear Millicent took me on a tour to the grounds

just this morning.

- All right. You go there now.

I'll join - I'll join you in a few minutes.

After I have a chance to pay my respects to the family.

- Well, all right, but don't keep me waiting.

You know I don't like that.

- Don't worry. I won't.

- Lieutenant Forbes.

- Mr. Collins.

The countess just told me that Josette has disappeared.

She seems quite worried about it.

Is there anything I can do?

- As a matter of fact, there is.

Would you please ride into town and notify the constable?

Tell him to send as many men up here as possible.

- Oh. Do you think that's necessary?

I could search the grounds myself.

- One man cannot do the job - job of a dozen

and this may be an emergency.

Now, please, it's a favor to me.

Go into town and ask the constable to organize

a searching party and do it immediately.

- All right, sir.

- [gasps]

♪♪

- Who are you and what do you want here?

- I - I didn't know there was anyone here. I--

- Answer my question. Who are you?

- My name is Suki Forbes.

- Forbes?

- Yes. I'm visiting at Collinwood.

My - my brother is engaged

to one of the members of the Collins family.

Nathan Forbes. Perhaps you know him.

- You're Nathan Forbes' sister?

- Yes.

- What are you doing here?

- Nathan is - is going to meet me here.

He told me about this house. He promised to show it to me.

- At this hour? - Yes.

- You're lying. - What?

- I don't know why you're here,

but I do know you're not who you say you are.

You are not Nathan Forbes' sister.

- Oh? Then who am I?

- You are his wife.

- His wife?! - Don't bother to deny it!

- Nathan told me he had no living relatives.

So, you can only be his wife.

- Well, what of it?

- Why are you at Collinwood pretending to be

someone you are not?

- You ask a great many questions, don't you?

- Do you want to live? - What?

- If you do, then listen to me and listen well.

Leave Collinwood immediately.

Don't offer any explanation or speak to anyone,

just go and never return.

But above all,

never tell anyone what you have seen here tonight.

- Why are you threatening me? - Don't ask questions.

- Do what you're told to do.

- You're in no position to threaten me, you know.

You may know a few of my little secrets,

but I happen to know a few of yours, too.

- What do you mean?

- I know who you are.

- Who am I?

- Barnabas Collins.

- No, I am not!

Barnabas Collins is gone.

- So I'm told.

And yet why do you look exactly like the portrait

of Barnabas Collins at Collinwood?

You are Barnabas Collins, aren't you?

And yet your family says that you've gone to England

and everybody seems to believe it.

Now, I find that curious.

- Your curiosity is most unfortunate.

- This cloak!

- Put that down!

- It belongs to Josette, doesn't it? - Don't mention her name.

- She disappeared from her room at Collinwood.

Is she here, in this house?

- You should have done what I told you to do.

You should have left here when I gave you the chance.

- You don't have to worry about me.

I'm very good at keeping secrets.

You'll find that I'm quite cooperative

if other people cooperate with me.

And I'm sure a man in your position

will be quite willing to cooperate with me.

Mr. Collins?

Mr. Collins?

Mr. Collins?

♪♪

Mr. Collins? Mr. Collins?

Where did he go?

He just disappeared almost as if--

Oh.

I don't want to wait here any longer.

I - I want to get out of here.

I thought I heard--

Nathan? Nathan?

[bat squeaking]

What - what's that noise? What is it?

Nathan, where are you?

Oh! Oh!

No! Get away from me!

Get away!

Oh!

Oh. Where - where did that thing come from?

Just - just appeared out of nowhere.

Mr. Collins? Mr. Collins?

Oh, Nathan, where are you?

He said he'd be here in just a few minutes.

What's keeping him? Nathan.

Nathan.

[bat squeaking]

No!

Those eyes staring at me,

staring straight through me.

It's almost as if it were human and wanted to k*ll me.

Oh, Nathan, where are you?

Please come, please. I'm frightened.

I'm so frightened! Please come!

Please! Please!

[bat squeaking]

I don't believe this is happening!

- I tried to warn you, but you wouldn't listen!

- Oh, please.

- It's too late now to offer any mercy to you,

much too late!

- Oh, no!

No!

Ah! Ah!

- Suki?

-Nathan! - Suki!

-Help! - Suki, are you in there?

-Help! - Open the door!

- Suki?

Suki!

Suki!

Suki?

Suki? Suki?

What happened? Who did this to you?

- Barnabas. - What?

- Barnabas Collins. - What are you saying?

- Suki? Suki?

Suki!

♪♪

[eerie theme music] ♪♪