1179 & 1180 - December 31, 1970

[bunniefuu]

[mysterious whistling music]

NARRATOR: The great house at Collinwood in the year .

A time when the evil planning of one man

threatens to destroy the Collins family forever.

Quentin Collins is on trial as a warlock,

and among those anxious to see him found guilty

is Lamar Trask.

On this day, Trask has been called to testify,

and his testimony has proved damaging.

Quentin's first attorney, Desmond Collins,

has been disqualified and jailed

on the charge of witchcraft.

And it now appears that Quentin must act in his own defense.

But as the prosecution ends its examination of Trask,

Quentin has a surprise in store for the court.

Thank you, Mr. Trask.

Your witness.

Mr. Collins?

Would you care to cross-examine the witness?

Why, yes, Your Honor.

But I do think it would be to my advantage

if the cross-examination were conducted by my counsel.

I was under the impression, Mr. Collins,

that you were unable to find counsel.

Then I gave the court the wrong impression, Your Honor.

In that case, I apologize.

I did find a man who will handle my case.

However, this person was not able to be with me

when the court convened.

And as it is extremely important concerning

the cross-examination of Mr. Trask,

I ask that the court consider a brief recess

while we await the arrival of my new counsel.

Objection, Your Honor!

It is obvious that this man is up to some form of trickery

that can cause no good to any of us.

Your Honor, I assure you there is no trickery

on my part.

I am on trial for my life, Your Honor.

I do think it is important for me to have

an attorney who is competent and reliable.

And I urge the court to please consider a brief recess

while we await the arrival of this man.

That won't be necessary, Quentin.

I'm here.

[mysterious whistling music]

Your Honor, may I present my new attorney,

Mr. Barnabas Collins.

Objection, Your Honor!

Why, this is absurd.

This man cannot act as defense for the counsel.

He's not even a qualified attorney.

May I point out to the court

that I've made a careful study of the law

under which this trial is being conducted.

And it clearly states that a qualified attorney

is not necessary.

Any citizen may volunteer his services.

JUDGE: That is correct.

And I so volunteer mine.

JUDGE: Are you prepared to cross-examine the witness?

May I ask for a transcript of the witness' testimony

for the prosecution?

Yes, by all means, Mr. Collins.

If it it pleases the court, Your Honor,

I cannot continue my testimony.

JUDGE: I beg your pardon, Mr. Trask?

Is something the matter, Mr. Trask?

Yes, I, I'm not well.

A most severe pain in my chest.

I think I should consult a doctor.

Your Honor, in view of the witness' condition,

I urge that you release him from further testimony.

Is counsel asking that the witness not be cross-examined?

I think it is obvious that Mr. Trask

is a very sick man, Mr. Collins.

No, no, the defense must be given the right

of cross-examination, Mr. Dawson.

The question is when.

Actually, Your Honor, the defense would welcome

a brief postponement in order to more fully

acquaint itself with the case.

That request is granted.

The court is adjourned until o'clock tomorrow morning.

DAWSON: Your Honor, that may not be enough time

for my witness.

I am assuming, Mr. Dawson, that he will see

a doctor between now and then.

If his condition becomes more serious,

we can discuss that when court convenes tomorrow.

[gavel banging]

QUENTIN: Barnabas, believe me, I don't understand.

I got the note from Valerie saying that you had returned.

Returned from where?

Lamar Trask had me under imprisonment.

He, I didn't think I was gonna get out.

But finally Valerie and Julia found out where I was.

Trask held you prisoner?

BARNABAS: Yes, he forced me at gunpoint

into an alcove in the basement of his chapel.

And he'd bricked up the alcove and left me there to die.

But why didn't you tell the judge what he had done?

I chose not to.

The fact is, Quentin, that I have no intention

of turning Trask over to the authorities.

You're telling me, after Trask, what he did to you,

you're willing to let him free?

BARNABAS: For the moment, yes.

In heaven's name, why?

Quentin, you are under trial for your life.

That is the important consideration for us right now.

I can tell you that Trask

has an act of revenge.

Revenge for what?

The death of his father.

Barnabas, I don't understand.

I must ask you to trust me.

In time I will tell you everything,

but right now I want to concentrate on the trial.

Alright.

I've always respected your judgment.

I've read the transcript of Trask's testimony

for the prosecution.

If it stands, then you are going to have a disaster.

Now I want you and I right now to go over this in detail,

and find out how it can be broken down tomorrow.

Good evening, Mr. Trask.

LAMAR: Get away from here!

Leave me alone!

Aren't you wondering how I got out of your cellar prison?

No, no I don't have to wonder.

I know how you got out of it,

with, With Quentin's help.

You and he have always been in league with one another.

He used his sorcery to free you.

I know Satan's work when I see it.

You should be dead now.

Maybe I am dead.

LAMAR: What?

What are you saying?

Consider the possibility, Mr. Trask.

You put me down in that basement to die.

Perhaps I did die, and I have come back to haunt you

for the rest of your days and nights.

No, no It's not possible!

I don't believe it.

By your simple way of thinking,

anything is possible.

Get out of my sight, get away from me!

I had no intentions of staying long, Mr. Trask.

Just long enough to tell you that I have every intention

of doing something for you in revenge

for what you've done to me, but not now.

I will let you wait and wonder and suffer.

Knowing your time is coming, but not quite knowing when.

I'll see you tomorrow in court, Mr. Trask.

[wind gusting]

Well, Trask, what is wrong?

Mr. Trask, you sent me a message asking me

to be here early, now please speak up.

What is on your mind?

I won't appear on the witness stand again this morning.

Are you insane?

Your testimony is vital to our case.

I've given my testimony.

I refuse to be questioned by Barnabas Collins.

But you can't refuse!

If you do, your entire testimony for our side

will be stricken from the record.

Is that what you want?

I only know that I will not be questioned by him.

Why not?

I have my reasons.

Yes, which were very well demonstrated yesterday

when you pretended to be sick on the witness stand.

Now, what is it that's wrong?

Tell me what it is you're so frightened of!

I can tell you no more.

Now, you listen to me.

You are gonna face Barnabas Collins,

whether you like it or not.

Now you started all this, Trask.

You're the cause for all this hue and cry about witchcraft.

If you desert us now,

the entire prosecution's case is destroyed!

Flora, I'm sorry to disturb you so early,

but I want to find out everything I can

before the trial resumes.

Oh, Barnabas, you're not disturbing me in the least.

I'm just so relieved you're all right.

Whatever did happen to you?

We've all been so worried.

Well, I had to leave town unexpectedly.

I didn't even have time to tell Julia and Valerie.

Oh, so much has happened since you've been gone.

You know they arrested Desmond for witchcraft

on the most ridiculous evidence?

They've produced the journal of Judah Zachary.

That man who was beheaded for witchcraft.

Imagine, a head in .

It was here, in this house.

I knew it was evil!

And they say it's possessed Desmond.

Yes, I have read the transcript of the trial.

And I know all about Desmond.

And I'm here as much to help him as to help Quentin.

Oh, Barnabas, can you free my son?

I am so worried, I can't think clearly.

Flora, Desmond was implicated in this trial

because of his association with Quentin.

Now, if we can prove Quentin's innocence,

we can prove Desmond's innocence.

The authorities will be forced to release him.

You understand.

Yes, now what can I do to help?

BARNABAS: By answering some questions.

Of course.

Now, I want you to think back to the time

when Desmond returned with the severed head

of Judah Zachary.

Now, did he actually tell you that he brought

it back for Quentin?

Yes, I'm afraid he did.

Now, but before he could ever give it to Quentin,

the head disappeared, didn't it?

As far as I know.

Now, I want you to think clearly, Flora.

Who besides you and Desmond in this house

definitely saw the head?

Well, Leticia testified that she saw it,

which is the first I knew about it.

So, in other words, that someone else

could've seen the head also?

FLORA: What do you mean?

Gerard.

Gerard could have known about that head

and also not wanted to tell anyone.

Barnabas, are you implying that Gerard is

somehow secretly involved in all this?

Yes, I have every reason to believe he is,

but I can't prove it.

Now, now what about Trask?

How did he and Gerard become such good friends?

I really don't know.

But when Gerard was living here, Quentin,

Mr. Trask made several visits to him, didn't he?

Yes.

Well, I suppose they really became good friends

the night that they were discussing

Lamar's father's disappearance.

Yes, that was quite an eventful night for both of them.

Eventful?

How?

Well, Gerard has certain psychic abilities, you know.

And he demonstrated them for Lamar,

who was very impressed.

Flora, I want you to tell me everything

about that night in as much detail as possible.

[gavel banging]

Court will now come to order.

Mr. Dawson, the court will listen to a motion

for postponement in case your witness

is still unable to testify.

The witness has been to a doctor, Your Honor,

and he's been pronounced physically fit to testify.

Mr. Collins, you may cross-examine.

Mr. Trask, you will return to the stand, please.

Mr. Trask, in your testimony yesterday,

you stated that the defendant frequently indulged himself

in matters of the occult.

Is that true?

LAMAR: Yes.

And in your opinion, is active participation in the occult

tantamount to dealing with witchcraft?

I believe that a person who deals in the occult

can easily be led into the practice of witchcraft, yes.

Then you would have to include yourself, now wouldn't you?

I beg your pardon?

I object, Your Honor!

Mr. Collins, I must ask you to clarify

your line of questioning.

Mr. Trask, it has been established previously

in this trial that raising a spirit from the dead,

as in a seance, is admitting a seance experience.

Now, I want you to tell the court, did you or did you not

participate in a seance?

The purpose of which, by your own admission at the time,

was to communicate with your dead father.

Mr. Trask?

The court is waiting for your answer.

Did you or did you not take part in such a seance?

He's trying to brand me a witch!

The witness is right, Your Honor.

The counsel's line of questioning is irrelevant!

On the contrary.

I submit it is very relevant,

and I insist upon the question being answered.

The witness is directed to answer the question.

Yes.

Yes, you did participate in a seance.

You were trying to establish communication with the dead,

is that correct?

Yes, it's correct.

Were you successful?

We heard my father's voice,

warning us of the evil around us.

So, Mr. Trask, you did take part in a seance,

and you communicated with the dead.

Does that mean that you are or could be a witch?

Objection!

The defense is merely asking a question,

not making an accusation.

JUDGE: Objection overruled.

Witness will answer.

No, it does not mean I am a witch.

Of course it doesn't, any more than the same

experience would mean that the defendant is a witch.

Now, I ask the court to wipe out all references

to seances, the occult, and witchcraft.

All such references will be stricken from the record.

You may continue, Mr. Collins.

I have no further questions at this time.

I should like to re-examine the witness, Your Honor.

Proceed.

For the record, Your Honor,

the prosecution has never contended that a seance,

in and of itself, constitutes an act of witchcraft.

However, I hope that the court would agree that

a means other than a seance to summon the dead

does constitute an act of witchcraft.

I am afraid I am going to have to ask you

to be a little more explicit, Counselor.

I intend to, Your Honor.

Mr. Trask, do you know of an example

of Quentin Collins' strange powers over the dead?

Objection!

JUDGE: Overruled!

The witness may answer if he knows of such an incident.

Yes, yes, I do indeed.

I was witness to such an incident.

DAWSON: Will you describe that incident

to the court, please?

Yes, it happened one night last week,

while this very trial was in progress.

Quentin Collins wrote a letter to the spirit

of a dead woman named Joanna Mills.

It was delivered to a designated spot in the woods

by Daphne Harridge.

It was left in an oak tree for the spirit to

find and answer.

I saw this spirit appear and leave a written response.

DAWSON: And what was your reaction, Mr. Trask?

I waited until the spirit had gone,

and I took the letter that the spirit left in the tree.

Is this the letter you saw the spirit deliver, Mr. Trask?

Objection!

Whatever the letter Counsel has there

could have been written by anyone.

JUDGE: Objection overruled.

The witness will examine the letter.

Yes, yes, this is it!

Thank you, Mr. Trask, you may be seated.

Your Honor, at this point, I should like to admit

this sketch of a young woman.

Her name is Joanna Mills.

Actually it is a self-portrait made while the woman

was an inmate in an asylum.

The sketch is signed, and I believe you will find

that the signature corresponds with the signature

on the letter that Mr. Trask has just identified.

Now, there can be no doubt, Your Honors,

that the sketch and the letter were created

by the same hand.

The hand of Joanna Mills.

I now would like to submit this certified document,

a death certificate for Joanna Mills.

I object to the introduction of this letter.

No one saw Joanna Mills write it.

It could have been written before she d*ed.

Mr. Collins, Mr. Trask has just testified under oath

that he saw the spirit deliver the letter.

Does he know he saw a spirit?

Gentlemen, I think it pointless for you

to keep on arguing any further about this matter.

The court believes that the prosecution

has made its point.

Then, Your Honor, I submit that the prosecution

has also proved its case.

The ability to rouse the dead can only be attributed

to the practice of witchcraft.

I therefore move that the tribunal hand down a verdict

in favor of the prosecution.

The court is willing to consider such a motion.

But the court cannot do it in good conscience,

when the defense hasn't even presented its case yet.

I must ask you to sit down, Mr. Collins,

and to abide by whatever this tribunal decides.

Barnabas, it's alright.

Don't worry.

I'm just surprised that Dawson hadn't introduced the letter

earlier than he did.

He can't possibly grant the motion.

Believe me, I've been here longer than you have,

they can do anything they please.

They're ready.

[gavel banging]

The tribunal has considered the prosecutor's motion

very carefully, and is ready to render a decision.

It is the opinion of all three judges here present

that the prosecution--

[dramatic music]

May I ask the reason for this interruption?

I have come to offer testimony in this trial.

My name is Joanna Mills.

[mysterious whistling music]