688 - February 11, 1969

[bunniefuu]

[Maggie narrating] - In the dead of the night

a mysterious stranger has appeared

on the Collins estate.

He is there looking for Chris Jennings

claiming he is a friend from years gone by.

But he has aroused the suspicions of two people

he has spoken to.

Now while they wait for Chris to return to his cottage,

Barnabas Collins and Julia Hoffman

wonder whether this stranger in their midst

knows the terrible secret that Chris Jennings

has tried to keep from the rest of the world.

- I take it that you and Chris are old friends.

- You might say that.

- How long have you known each other?

- A few years.

- But you're not from Collinsport, are you? - No.

- And where did you meet him? - Out west.

- Odd that he didn't mention your name.

- I don't think it's odd.

He probably never mentioned my sister, either.

- Your sister? - That's right.

He knew her a lot better than he knew me.

- What do you mean?

- They were engaged to be married.

- Oh, but the engagement was broken?

- Yes, you might say that, too.

Jennings disappeared one night,

and my sister was in no condition

to tell me what happened.

- Mr. Stewart, are you telling us that your sister is dead.

- That might be the logical conclusion,

wouldn't it?

♪♪

[eerie music] ♪♪

I'm not making you uncomfortable, am I?

- Not at all.

- But you seem a little nervous.

- Oh, Dr. Hoffman and I, have never me you before,

we don't know you

and why you're here to see Chris.

- That's true.

- What do you do for a living, Mr. Stewart?

- At the moment nothing.

As a matter of fact, I've been traveling around the country

for the last few months.

- And you just happened to come through Collinsport

and accidentally ran into Chris.

- It wasn't an accident.

- You mean you came to Collinsport looking for Chris.

- You know, I think I have made both of you uncomfortable,

haven't I?

- Mr. Stewart, it's getting rather late.

- Oh, I see. I don't want to detain you.

If you'd like to go, go right ahead.

I don't mind waiting.

- It'd be hardly proper for us to leave you here alone.

- Yes, and it is important to be proper

in New England, isn't it?

- Yes, if one values social acceptance

and perhaps you don't.

- Perhaps I don't.

You know Jennings pretty well, don't you?

- Moderately well.

- Mr. Stewart, what about your sister?

- Look, I don't want to talk about my sister,

if you don't mind.

- You were the one who mentioned her.

- Well, I'm sorry that I did.

- Mr. Stewart, why don't we go over to Collinwood?

We can leave a note here for Chris --

- Is there some reason that you don't want me to see Jennings?

- Of course not.

- Well, that's good.

In fact, that's really good

because I'm going to stay right here

until he comes through that door.

- Quentin!

Quentin,

why won't you answer me?

I've been looking all over for you.

I have to speak to you.

Will you please appear to me?

I know why you won't.

You're ashamed to

and I don't blame you.

You promised me that you wouldn't hurt Mr. Braithwaite,

but you went back on your word.

You k*lled him.

I haven't been able to sleep thinking about it, Quentin.

I keep seeing him walking up out of his grave,

pointing his finger at me and saying,

"It's your fault, too, David."

Quentin, I'm scared,

and I'm mad at you, too.

That's why after tonight I'm not going to do

anything you tell me to do anymore.

[Quentin's theme] ♪♪

It's no use, Quentin!

I won't listen!

I'm not going to play the game anymore.

♪♪

[clock chiming]

- David!

- Hello, Maggie.

- David, what are you doing up at this hour?

You should be in bed and asleep.

- Oh, I went to bed but I just couldn't sleep.

I guess, I'm not very tired.

- Well, David, that's no reason to be roaming around the house.

- I'm not roaming around the house.

I'm just sitting here and writing something.

- Writing what?

- A story.

I do that sometimes when I can't sleep.

- Oh, David, it's not good for somebody

as young as you not be able to sleep.

Well, there has to be some reason for it, isn't there?

- I guess so.

- What do you think the reason is?

- I don't know.

- David, is there someone

or even something that you're afraid of?

- No.

I don't have any reason

to be afraid of anything, Maggie.

- David, you know I'm only trying to help you, don't you?

- But I don't need help.

- You do need help, David.

We both know it.

- You know, you're very pretty, Maggie.

Maybe someday I'll write a story about you.

- Well, may I see the story you just wrote?

- No.

I don't want anyone to see it.

- Maybe you'll tell me what the story is about then.

David, I'm only asking because

I really am interested in everything that you do.

You are, Maggie?

- Yes, David.

Why don't you tell me what the story is about?

- All right.

It's about this man who lived under a curse.

It was put on him by wicked, wicked woman.

This curse changed him into an animal,

k*lled people, even the people that he loved.

Then one day, he found a secret room.

He thought that if he could hide in there,

he could get away from his curse

but he couldn't Maggie,

there is no way for him to get away from it.

And then someone - someone let him out of the room,

someone who didn't want him to suffer anymore.

Then, he was k*lled by a hunter in the woods,

and that's how he found his peace.

You think it's weird, don't you, Maggie?

- Well, I think I'd better take you upstairs

and put you to bed.

- I told you that I don't want to go to bed.

- David, you have to go to bed.

- No, I don't. I'm not tired.

- David, whether you're tired or not,

you should still go back to your room.

Now, come on, David. - No, Maggie!

- David, you're being unreasonable. - No, I'm not!

I'm not going to bed! I'm not!

♪♪

David!

♪♪

David!

David, come back here!

- What kind of work does Chris do in Collinsport?

- I understand he was hired to work for the estate.

- Doing what?

- I really don't know.

My cousin, Carolyn, made the arrangements.

- Carolyn Stoddard.

Yes, I talked to her.

She is very interested in Jennings, isn't she?

- I wouldn't know about that.

- Yes, I should talk to her again.

- About what?

- About her interest in Jennings.

- Mr. Stewart -- - I know what you're going to say.

You don't have to say it.

I shouldn't be interested who is going out with whom

and I understand.

- Dr. Hoffman and I were in the midst of discussing

a book that we're writing when you arrived.

- Well, then I am in the way.

- Well, yes.

- Well, you should have told me that before.

- Well, I didn't want to seem inhospitable.

- Oh, you don't have to worry about that.

I certainly would have understood.

If fact, I think you're right,

I think he isn't coming back tonight.

- I don't think he is, either.

- Look, if you see him in the morning,

would you tell him that - that I'll be bye.

- I'll be happy to.

- Thank you.

And thank you, Dr. Hoffman.

- Good bye, Mr. Stewart.

- Oh, I thought we'd never get rid of him. - I did, too.

I wonder why he wants to see Chris.

I don't know, but he is not here as a friend.

I know that.

- Do you suppose he could possibly know of Chris's secret?

- No, no.

He - he was trying too hard to get information out of us.

- Well, there is no point of speculating.

We've got to get over to the mausoleum

in the morning to see Chris

and to warn him about Mr. Stewart's arrival.

♪♪

- David, can you hear me?

David, please answer!

[brush rustling]

David, is that you?

David, if you're playing one of your tricks on me --

David?

- Is something wrong?

- Don't come near me.

Stay where you are.

- I'm not going to hurt you.

- Why have you come back?

- Look. I know everybody around here thinks

that I'm somebody named Jeff Clark, but it isn't true.

My name is Ned Stewart.

- Ned Stewart? - That's right.

- It's incredible.

What are you doing in the woods?

- I just took the path on my way back to the car.

I - I heard you yelling

and I thought maybe you were in trouble.

- No. I was looking for someone.

- Oh? Who?

- A little boy, David Collins.

He ran out of the house and he is somewhere out here.

- Look, I'm sorry that I startled you.

If you like, I'll help you look for him.

I don't want to leave you out in these woods alone.

Which way did he go?

- I don't know.

How do you happen to be at Collinwood?

- Look, I was just seeing a friend of mine,

Chris Jennings,

but he wasn't going to be in tonight.

Look, which way did he go?

- I don't know.

- Why don't we take this path over here?

Come on. You don't have a thing to be afraid of.

Please.

I'd be glad to help you.

- It was interesting the way he introduced his sister

into conversation and then -

then was sorry and dropped the subject.

- She is undoubtedly the reason he's come to see Chris.

- Barnabas, do you think -

do you think Chris may have k*lled her?

- I don't know what else to think.

He certainly isn't responsible for what he does

after the transformation.

The same thing almost happened to Carolyn.

- Yes.

Barnabas, I could use a drink.

Would you like one?

- No, thank you. I'm very tired.

I have to be back to the old house.

I'll come back for you in the morning.

- Barnabas, wait.

Don't leave.

♪♪

- What is it?

- I thought I heard something in these bushes.

- David?

Can you hear me?

David! Please answer.

- Come on. I think we should look over here.

♪♪

- Well? Well, what do you think?

- Well, if we're to take this story seriously.

David knows Chris's secret.

- Barnabas, I was hoping you'd say

it was just a wild coincidence.

- I don't see how it could be.

- But I can't imagine could know about it.

- I can.

You remember we were talking about the two spirits

that work in this house.

One was trying to help Chris

and the other was trying to harm him.

- Yes, but that has nothing to do with this story.

This was written by David. It's in his own handwriting.

- Perhaps David did write it

but he didn't know what he was doing.

- What do you mean?

- I'm not quite sure I know myself.

I'm just remembering what Maggie said about

David's strange behavior lately.

- Barnabas.

Barnabas, we may be wrong.

Chris's name is not mentioned in this whole thing.

- But the story is all there.

A man who - who is cursed, who turns into an animal,

who is hidden in a secret room and the story ends

with someone going and getting him out of the secret room.

- Oh my God.

Do you think David would try to do that?

- I don't know.

Someone is going to try to,

and I think they're going to do it tonight.

I must go now. - Barnabas, it may be too late.

He may already be out.

- Or, I may get there in time to stop it.

No, I must go. - Well, I go with you.

- No, you stay here.

Remember I have this. It protected me before.

Now, don't worry about me.

- I think we're just going in circles.

- You know there's a chance maybe --

do you think he might have gone back to the house?

- I doubt it.

- I just don't understand.

Little boy running around these woods all night.

He is not scared.

- An ordinary child might get a little scared,

not David Collins.

- Yes. Well, he must be very unusual.

- He is.

When he gets angry, he stays angry.

- And why does he get angry?

- He didn't want to go to bed.

- He didn't want to go to bed?

Three o'clock in the morning and he didn't want to go to bed.

- David has been a very troubled child lately.

- Yes, I believe that.

- Mr. Stewart, I appreciate you wanting to help me

but you don't have to stay out here with me

if you don't want to.

- Look, I'm not going to leave you in these woods alone.

- Well, it's all right.

I've decided to go back to the house.

- You're not going to look for him anymore?

- Well, I think I should call the police.

- Now, that is a good idea.

Well, come on. It's all right.

- Thank you. You're very kind.

[brush rustling] - Wait a minute.

Oh, it was nothing. Just an animal.

- Why do you have that g*n?

- For protection.

- Protection from whom?

- Look, I haven't been in Collinsport very long

but I do know that there had been

lots of attacks in these woods.

- Yes. It's true.

- Well, that's the reason I have the g*n,

and it's the reason you shouldn't be

in these woods alone.

Come on, I'll take you back home.

[growling]

[growling continues]

♪♪

♪♪

[eerie music] ♪♪