574 - September 4, 1968

[bunniefuu]

♪ [EERIE MUSIC]

NARRATOR:The night is silent, and seemingly peaceful.

Those who live in the great house at Collinwood

are unaware of the drama that is unfolding not far away.

In a majestic, old house by the sea,

an evil woman, cursed to live only by night,

waits for a man she has summoned.

And in a cottage on the other side of Collinsport,

a young woman will soon make a heartbreaking discovery.

[KNOCKING ON DOOR]

- Oh, Mr. Blair. - Hello, Maggie.

I'm terribly sorry if I woke you.

- Well, is something wrong? - I don't know.

- It's what I came to find out. - What do you mean?

- Well, you probably think I'm crazy,

but I suddenly had the feeling tonight

that you were in some kind of danger.

Obviously, I was wrong.

I am terribly sorry if I awoke you.

- Well, I wasn't sleeping that soundly,

- I kept worrying about Joe. - Joe?

- Well, he was behaving strangely again last night.

He was afraid to be alone,

so he asked me if he could spend the night here

and sleep on the sofa.

Well, he's fast asleep now,

I just hope that he'll be himself again

when he wakes up in the morning.

- Well, if he is, you may not know it.

- Why?

- Look at the sofa.

♪ [DRAMATIC MUSIC]

- Wha...

He's gone.

[CRIES] No. No!

♪ [DRAMATIC MUSIC]

♪ [EERIE THEME SONG]

- Oh, now, Maggie. Please don't cry.

- I'm sorry.

I don't know what else to do.

Everything seems to be falling apart.

- Oh, now, Joe probably just went out for a walk.

- No, he would have knocked on the door and told me.

- Well he probably thought you were asleep

and didn't want to wake you.

- It doesn't make any sense.

He seemed so anxious to stay here last night.

In fact, he seemed almost afraid to leave.

Why did he leave? Where did he go?

- I've been waiting for you.

- I know. - Come in, Joe.

- Look, I didn't want to come here.

- But you couldn't resist, could you?

- I tried.

- But you didn't succeed.

You're here now, where you belong.

With me.

- How do you feel now?

- I'd feel a lot better if I knew what was wrong with Joe.

- Oh, now what makes you think that there's

something wrong with Joe?

- There has to be.

He's just... He's never behaved like this.

It's... It's like a completely different person.

- A man doesn't just change overnight.

It takes time, there has to be a reason for it.

- Well, it didn't begin just yesterday.

It's been happening since...

Well, soon after he left the hospital.

- Well, do you think the accident

could have been the cause of it?

- Well, that's what I thought at first.

After all, it was a severe concussion,

and a thing like that could have,

well, unpleasant after effects.

- Of course it could.

Did you ever ask him about it?

- Yes.

Well, I'm afraid it only upset him more.

- Why?

- Well, he seemed to think that I was implying

that he'd had permanent brain damage.

He insisted that...

That whatever was happening to him now

had nothing to do with any head injury.

- Well, whatever he insists, he is not a doctor

and therefore he can never know the truth.

He's probably frightened to death

of going back to the hospital to find out.

I really fell very sorry for the poor fellow.

- So do I, but I wish he would do something.

He's allowing it to affect his health,

he's jeopardizing his job

and I don't think he's being very kind to me.

He must know how much I want to help him.

- I'm sure he does,

but sometimes when people are under terrible stress

because of something or someone--

- What do you mean someone?

- Nothing, it was just an expression.

- [GASPS]

I never thought about that.

- About what?

That he might be interested in someone else

and didn't know how to tell me.

- Oh, from what you've told me about Joe,

he doesn't sound like that kind of a person.

- But he hasn't been himself for the past two weeks.

As you say, there has to be a reason for it.

- Well, yes, but--

- If he doesn't tell me the reason soon,

it's going to be too late.

- You're not very friendly tonight, Joe.

JOE: I told you, I don't want to be here.

- There's nothing you can do about it.

Why don't you just accept it?

- I want you to let me go.

- Back to Maggie?

- Yes. - No.

I don't want you to do that.

I need you, Joe.

- What for?

- Don't you know how much I like you?

- You don't like me. You're just using me.

- That's not true.

Even if I weren't what I am, I'd still like you very much.

Can't you try to like me just a little?

- No.

- I could force you to if I wanted to.

- Yes, I know, I know.

- I'd rather just let you come around to it by yourself.

- Look, it's time for me to leave now.

- I'll decide when it's time for you to leave.

- The sun.

The sun'll be coming up soon.

- Yes, I know.

You're right, it will.

But you'll be waiting for me tomorrow night when I wake up,

won't you, Joe?

Won't you?

- I...

I don't know.

- Well, maybe this will help you not to forget.

♪ [DRAMATIC MUSIC]

♪ [SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC]

[KNOCKING ON DOOR]

MAGGIE:Joe? Are you in there?

It's Maggie.

Joe, if you're in there, please open the door.

[KNOCKING ON DOOR]

Joe! - Hello, Maggie.

- Joe, we've got to talk now.

- Look, I'm not in very good shape for talking.

- Well, at the rate you're going,

you're not going to be in very good shape for anything.

- Maggie, I think you'd better go home.

- Joe, you've got to tell me what's happening to you.

- I wish I could.

- Why can't you? - I don't know.

- Joe, you're... You're not making any sense.

- Nothing's been making very much sense

for the past couple of weeks.

Don't! Don't do that!

- Why not?

- Please put it down, Maggie.

- Joe, it's the middle of the day.

- I know that, but I don't want that shade up!

I want... The sun hurts my eyes.

- Joe.

Is there something wrong with your eyes?

- No, no.

- Well, there must be, if they can't stand the sunlight.

Maybe you'd better go back to the hospital

and have a check-up. - No, Maggie, I told you,

this has got nothing to do with my concussion.

- Joe, please listen to me.

Joe?

Joe.

Is there someone else?

- Someone else?

- Another girl.

- Oh, I never thought the time would come

when you'd ask me something like that.

- Well, is there or isn't there? - No.

- Joe, if you're afraid to tell me 'cause you're afraid of--

- Maggie, I swear there isn't!

- Well, then what is it? What's wrong with you?

- Maggie, please, go on and leave me alone.

- Joe.

Now that's not going to help you, you know it.

- Why did you have to come here tonight?

Why couldn't you just have stayed home?

- Joe, even if I wanted to go home

and just forget about you, I couldn't.

Your boss called me this morning.

- What for?

- Well, he wanted to know if I knew where you were.

He said that he'd been calling you all morning

and there'd been no answer.

- Oh, yeah, there's no...

No point to answering the phone.

- Joe, when he told me how many...

How many days of work you'd missed in the last two weeks

I couldn't believe it.

Joe, you've got to go and see him.

- I can't do that, Maggie.

- But Joe, if you don't report for work today,

or you don't call him and tell him why,

he's going to fire you.

Now he told me that this morning.

Please, you've got to call him.

- Oh, Maggie, what good would it do?

- Well, it might save your job.

- Oh, no.

No, because I wouldn't know what to tell him.

Anymore than I know what to tell you.

- You mean, you're not even going to call him

and tell him you're sick?

- No.

I'm sorry, Maggie.

- Not as sorry as I am.

Oh, not nearly as sorry as I am.

Good-bye, Joe.

♪ [DRAMATIC MUSIC]

♪ [SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC]

[KNOCKING ON DOOR]

Willie!

- Hi, Maggie.

Is it okay if I come in for a minute?

- What did you want?

- Nothin' special.

Just wanted somebody to talk to.

- Well, I haven't got very much time, Willie,

I'm expecting someone in a few minutes

to pick up one of Pop's paintings.

- Oh.

Maybe I can come back tomorrow?

[LAUGHS] - That's all right, Willie.

You can stay until he comes. - Thank you.

- I could use the company anyway.

- So could I.

Just to get my mind off of things.

- Well, why, what's the matter?

- I don't know if I can explain.

Things just haven't been goin' the way I hoped they would.

- What things?

- Well, I don't know.

I came back, I thought everything was gonna be okay,

but everything seems to be goin' wrong.

I mean, so many...

So many weird things have been happenin'

at the old house, lately.

- Well, what kind of things, Willie?

- You know, sometimes I think

everybody's goin' crazy up there.

Barnabas, Dr. Hoffman-- - What do you mean?

[KNOCKING ON DOOR]

Oh, good afternoon, Mr. Blair.

- Hello, Maggie.

Oh, if you're busy... - Oh, no, not at all.

This is Willie Loomis.

Willie just stopped by to say hello.

Willie, this is Mr. Nicholas Blair.

[STAMMERS] - I better be goin', Maggie. I think I'm...

Maybe I'll come back tomorrow and see you.

- All right, then we can talk.

- Pleasure to meet you, Mr. Blair.

[NICHOLAS CHUCKLES]

- I have your painting right over here.

Excuse me, Maggie, but, isn't that young fellow

Barnabas Collins' servant?

- Well, yes, how did you know?

- I met him once before out at Collinwood. - Oh.

Well, I wonder why he didn't remember you.

- Well, I have the feeling that he is an odd one.

- [CHUCKLES]

Oh, well, Willie does have a tendency to be obscure,

but he just said that everything seemed to be going wrong

at the old house.

- Everything seemed to be going wrong?

- Yes, and I have no idea what that meant.

- Oh, uh, did you say that the painting was ready?

- Yes, it's right here.

- Good, I want to get it back to my house before dark.

- Oh, do you have to leave right away?

- I'm afraid I must.

- I was hoping you could stay for a cup of coffee.

- I am sorry, Maggie,

I really would like to very much.

But I am expecting guests at :,

and I want to have this on display

by the time they get there.

Who knows, if they're as enthusiastic about it as I am

you may have a couple of new buyers by tomorrow.

[LAUGHS] - Mr. Blair...

- What?

- Well, someday I hope to find a way to thank you

for everything you've done for me.

- Nonsense.

I'm the one that should thank you.

For this.

And for the pleasure of your friendship.

And now that our business transaction is over with,

I do wish you'd call me Nicholas.

- All right.

Good night, Nicholas.

- Good night.

I'm sure we'll be seeing each other again very soon.

♪ [SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC]

♪ [EERIE MUSIC]

- You seem terribly fascinated

with the clock this evening, Nicholas.

- I have an appointment very shortly.

- With whom?

Well, I was just curious.

I was wondering if you might be needing my help.

- Not tonight.

- You haven't been saying much about your plans lately.

They aren't going badly, are they?

- No.

- They're not progressing as quickly as you'd hoped.

[LAUGHS] - Do you have some reason

for being so curious about my plan?

- No, no, no,

I was just thinking about the experiment

earlier this evening.

Remembering that tape that Dr. Lang left before he died.

- And what about it?

- We never have found out what the message

on the tape meant.

I was wondering if perhaps that message might have

something to do with why...

Why Barnabas's plans aren't progressing.

- Perhaps it does.

But you tend to your own business.

Let me worry about it.

- Whatever you say.

[DOORBELL RINGS]

- You'd better go to your room now.

- Nicholas, I get so bored in that room.

- I intend to be alone now.

♪ [SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC]

Cast your reflection away from this room.

Away from this house.

Bring me an image of another room,

in another house,

the old house on the Collins Estate.

Find the room in which Willie Loomis sleeps.

NICHOLAS:Willie Loomis.

You will awaken, and hear me,

and you will tell me what I wish to know.

- Huh?

Huh? Who's there?

Who's talking? Who's in here?

NICHOLAS: Don't be afraid, Willie.

- Where are you? Why can't I see you?

NICHOLAS:Now, stay where you are.

You will answer my questions from there.

And you will relax, Willie.

Just relax.

WILLIE:What do you want from me?

- You told someone that everything

was going wrong at the old house.

Did you mean the experiment?

- Yeah, they've been havin' problems down at the lab.

NICHOLAS:What kind of problems?

- I don't know, I don't understand.

NICHOLAS:Who's been having the problems?

- They all have.

Barnabas, Dr. Hoffman, Jeff Clark.

NICHOLAS:Jeff Clark?

- Yeah.

They got him to help out.

He was in on the first experiment.

Weren't Barnabas and Dr. Hoffman

also in on the first experiment?

WILLIE:They were.

- What exactly did Barnabas have to do with it?

WILLIE:He was Barnabas's...

Adam's life force.

- Life force.

What does that mean?

- I don't know, I never understood about it.

NICHOLAS:Well, you must know what Barnabas did

during the experiment.

- All I know is they strapped Barnabas to one table,

they strapped Adam to the other, and then,

they drained all the life force out of Barnabas

and they put it into Adam.

See, that's how Adam, he became alive.

NICHOLAS:I see.

Then one of their problems is to find someone

to provide the life force for the second experiment.

- That's right.

- But they haven't found anyone yet?

WILLIE:No.

NICHOLAS:Thank you, Willie.

You will go back to sleep now, and when you awake,

you will remember this as nothing more

than a curious dream.

So that's how it's done.

Draining the life force from someone

into the body of the creature.

Well, now, that changes the picture entirely.

♪ [EERIE MUSIC]

♪ [EERIE THEME SONG]