Yup, another one of my faves too. Barnabas really is concerned about Julia as a person. Nice detail that he carries her upstairs and sets her on Josette's own bed.
We get another nicely delivered soliloquy by JF as Barnabas gazes down at the sleeping (and breathing!) vampire Tom. Barnabas wonders silently, Did anyone look at me as I look at you now? Then grimly he answers his own question: No--or I wouldn’t be alive now. (Sadly, no one now living can tell him that Joshua tried and failed to destroy him. But a long time from now, he will find out what happened.) As he sets the stake on Tom’s chest, he is repelled and horrified by what he must do. Sternly he reminds himself, I must, if Julia is to live. As he drives the stake home, dreadful screams arise from the coffin, then subside as the unfortunate Tom finds his rest. Emotionally and physically spent, Barnabas flings the mallet away. He does, however still have enough presence of mind to realize that his job isn’t quite over yet. I mustn’t leave the coffin here, he tells himself. I’ll come back after dark and bury it, but for now I need to assure myself that Julia is safe. He slowly leaves the crypt--unaware, with his merely mortal senses, of Nicholas, impeccably dressed as always, watching him go. Nicholas quickly enters the mausoleum, opens the coffin, and gazes at the contents (unseen by us) with interest.
That would have been a golden opportunity for DC to indulge in the gore he seemed so fond of. Maybe he thought it wouldn't get past ABC's censors.
Up in Josette’s room, the devil and the doctor fence very discreetly. Congratulations on your speedy recovery, Nicholas says as he sits in a chair at Julia’s bedside.. I was very concerned about you--good doctors are vital to all of us. We can’t afford to have you sick. You do look very weak, he observes. I’ll be out of bed tomorrow, Julia assures him. And back to work? he asks. I imagine you have a lot to do. Julia acknowledges, The virus did come at a bad time for me. I can imagine, Nicholas says. With her usual tartness, Julia retorts, I know very well that you haven’t come just to ask about my health. There’s more to it than that. What? Nicholas asks. You tell me, Julia says. Nicholas replies lightly, Perhaps I’m planning to be ill, and I want to be sure the best doctor around is in good health herself. Julia comments a bit sourly, Your own health seems excellent--in fact you seem indestructible. I hope so, he answers grinning broadly as he knocks wood. As he gets up to leave, Julia asks, Did you find out what you came here to see? Yes, he replies, you’re much better. Gallantly he takes her hand and kisses it, then leaves. Julia gazes after him suspiciously.
Roger tells Julia that when he went to the crypt, there was no coffin. Poor Barn has his grim work to do all over again.
