Robservations 5/28/02 - #497/498 - Barnabas' Unusual Commission

497 - A frantic Mrs. Johnson returns from Boston, goes to the Old House, and tells Julia the terrible dream keeps repeating itself, each time more terrifying than before. Mrs. Johnson doesn't want to tell the dream to David, but she can't help herself--she came to the Old House because she feared seeing David, but it's no relief--she must go to Collinwood and tell him, or she'll have no peace. Julia tries to stop her, but Mrs. Johnson tries to hurry away. Julia closes the door so she can't leave.

I won't let her do it! Julia insists. Mrs. Johnson knows Julia realizes how bad the dream is, she must let her go. Hysterical, the housekeeper says she has to tell David. So Julia slaps her across the face, apologizes, and helps the sobbing Mrs. Johnson into a chair. What is it about the dream that makes us stop being ourselves? wonders Mrs. Johnson. Julia doesn't know, but she's bringing in Stokes to help them. Mrs. Johnson wants to go see Stokes, but Julia says it's going to take several days to figure things out--she'll call the professor today.

Mrs. Johnson cries, what can I do until Stokes is ready? Control yourself, encourages Julia, but Mrs. Johnson feels that someone else is controlling her, and she can't. Julia went through it, too. There's a knock at the door, and it's David. He tells Julia Roger wants to see her at Collinwood. Mrs. J wipes her eyes and smiles at David, then stares raptly at him. Julia clearly doesn't want to allow David to hang out with Mrs. Johnson, and sends her back to Collinwood. David offers to go with the housekeeper, but Julia won't let him--she has something fascinating to show him--a tape recorder. He's excited about this. Willie runs in and tells Julia to come downstairs--he must speak to her. Julia tells David to stay upstairs; she'll bring up the tape recorder. David calls to Julia that he'll be playing outside. Of course, he runs smack into Mrs. Johnson, who's been hiding from him. She had to see him, she says, and couldnt leave. "Come with me," she says. "I have something very important to tell you." Trancelike, she leads him away.

Joe arrives at the Evans cottage, where Maggie frets that she lost those earrings. I have them, he says, in my pocket--I took them from your pocketbook that morning--had them appraised, wanted to find out if they were valuable enough to be stolen property. Maggie is annoyed at his obsession with the earrings--are they part of the crown jewels? she asks sarcastically. They are worth fifteen thousand dollars, he reveals. (whew!--no wonder Barn is living in such wealth!) She's shocked--are they stolen? No, but they are very old, he says. She comments on what a busy day he's had. He explains he looking out for her interests. My hero, she says sarcastically. He accuses her of not being the least interested in where they come from, and she asks why she should be. He gets in her face and says you don't just get a pair of earrings worth that much money out of no where. She puts them on and curtly tells them if someone comes along and says it was a mistake or lays claim to them, she's going to keep them. This makes Joe unhappy. She still has to get dressed. She stares at the earrings in the mirror and Joe asks her to take them off.

She asks why. He says she looks better without them, and adds, angrily, that she isn't herself when she wears them and he doesn't like it. Smiling, she suggests he thinks she's hiding something, that there's another man in her life--and he's jealous. He refuses to dignify that with an answer, and suggests they cancel their dinner. Or find a place that serves baby food, she suggests nastily. Joe storms out. Josette's music begins to play and she wonders if there is something important about them. What does she remember? Something about the Old House, but what?--she must go there and find out.

We focus on the Old House drawing room. Willie is playing with the unloaded rifle when there's a knock at the door. He hides it and answers. It's Maggie, and he's thrilled to see her. She asks to be invited in. Come right in, he offers eagerly. Seemingly in a trance, she says she hasn't come to see Barnabas, she doesn't know why she came. She seems confused, but she had to come. Willie is puzzled. She began to remember things, she says, and thought she'd remember more if she came here--it happened a long time ago. Maggie stares at Willie. "It wasn't you, was it?" she asks--I know you didn't come to my house to hurt me, but to warn me of danger--she's suddenly sure of it, and grateful to him. He's ecstatic she isn't afraid of him anymore. Could they be friends, he asks. Yes, she replies--there was something else she was supposed to remember, but can't. She asks who was going to hurt her, why did he come to her house that night? He doesn't know, he claims, he just had a strong feeling she needed protection--he's always liked her, and lots of women were being attacked then--he didn't want her to be the next victim. She thanks him for being so thoughtful. Now that they're friends, could they get together, go to a movie? asks Willie--he'd take good care of her. (so pathetic, poor Willie.) She knows that, but doesn't think Joe would like that--she's engaged to Joe.

They could still be friends, insists Willie. She agrees. People need friends, points out Willie--he has no friends. She asks about Barnabas. I work for him, says Willie--not the same as friendship--it gets lonely at the Old House, and he needs somebody to talk to, smile at him--he'd like it to be her. He asks her to think about it, and she promises she will. Willie is pathetically grateful. She has to leave, and both are glad for her visit, and each other's friendship. They bid each other good night, and he opens the door to let her out. Willie retrieves the gun and tells the absent Maggie that it will be her and him--after Joe is gone. He aims the gun and pulls the trigger. (sounds like you can't take the psychotic out of this boy, can you?)

Mrs. Johnson sits beside the sleeping David, regretful. It was wrong of her to tell him the dream, which is going to be terrible for him, but over in a little while. She had to. The least she can do is stay with him until it is done. David's dream starts. Willie is his beckoner, and David is drawn along against his will. Willie's recitation is quiet, emotionless, creepy as hell. Skull. Laughing bride. Bats. A spider web with a huge spider, in which David gets caught.

David awakens screaming for help, and Mrs. Johnson pulls him into her arms and holds him as he sobs.

NOTES: Isn't Mrs. Johnson's love for David really sweet? She genuinely cares about the kid, as much as any family member, perhaps more.

I always felt sorry for Willie, despite his violent tendencies. The guy is lonely, an outcast, and wants to be loved. He isn't asking for so much, but is apparently planning on eliminating Joe from Maggie's life so HE can have her for himself. This sounds like big trouble for all concerned. Giving a man like Willie a gun is unwise.

Adam continues to be a touching character, and his obvious love for Barnabas is sweet. His attempts to thank Julia were a little too violent, but he's not a baby, he's a big man with enormous strength, and he didn't mean to hurt her. Julia seemed to soften towards Adam, who is, for all intents and purposes, her and Barnabas' bouncing baby boy! Her pride was a nice thing to see.

498 - Barnabas finds poor, sad Willie sitting on the stairs, gazing through the banister, and asks him if he doesn't have work to do. Willie doesn't want to work--he asks Barnabas to help him--he's afraid he's going to have the dream. This scares Barnabas.

David told him the dream, says Willie Mrs. Johnson returned from Boston and told David, and so it goes on. Barnabas says Willie will have the dream tonight, bringing him one step closer to it himself. Willie doesn't want to have the dream. Barnabas assures him he has nothing to fear--HE is the intended victim of the dream curse--time is running out for him. Fight her, urges Willie. Barnabas can't think of how. You must do something, insists Willie, but Barn says he tried to destroy her before, back in the very beginning. One night, in the secret room, he learned what she'd made him and strangled her. She found a way to come back, to transcend time and space and come back. The portrait, realizes Barnabas, must be the key--perhaps there is a way to deal with her via the portrait. He tried to burn it and it reappeared; when Roger tried to sell it to Stokes, it was gone and reappeared on the easel. Willie doesn't understand the connection between the portrait and the dreams, but Barnabas says it has to do with her existence in this time--either she controls the portrait or it controls her. He must find the answer ASAP. Willie might not have to suffer the dream, just follow simple instructions--go to Collinwood and steal the portrait after dark. Barn will assure the window is unlatched. Bring it back to the Old House, and he will give Willie a note instructing Cassandra to come to the Old House at 10 that evening. Even if his plan fails, says Barnabas, he has very little to lose, if he succeeds, Cassandra will leave Collinwood and be returned to the 18th century where she belongs.

Old House - As Lang's message plays on the tape recorder, Adam listens closely. Barnabas, bearing a tray of food, comes downstairs, but only music is playing once again. Barnabas greets Adam with a smile, observing how much he enjoys the music. He switches off the recorder and says they'll get him more tapes. "If both live," says Adam.

Barnabas is stunned--say it again! he urges. Adam repeats what he'd said. Where did you learn those words? queries Barn--it's remarkable what you've done, learning three words. Willie comes in bearing the portrait. Barnabas instructs Adam to eat. Willie assures Barnabas he had no trouble getting the portrait, and Barnabas is so pleased, he slaps Willie on the shoulder. Observing this, Adam makes a sound of protest--jealousy? Willie assures him they weren't discussing him, but the picture--he tells Adam if he's a good boy and if he eats his food, he'll show it to him. He turns the portrait to face Adam, who goes ballistic, overturning his tray. Barnabas tells Willie Adam recognizes the evil in the portrait and is afraid of it--this is one more indication that he is right; the portrait was created by black magic, and they will create some black magic of their own. Barnabas gives Willie a letter to take to Cassandra--he'll be back in two hours. Willie wishes him luck and Barn leaves with the portrait. Willie goes in to Adam, annoyed that he has the work of cleaning up the mess he made. Willie taunts Adam about big baby being afraid of a tiny picture. "Afraid Daddy Barnabas is gonna let the picture bite ya?" taunts Willie. Adam attacks his pseudo-brother, swiping at him. Willie offers to teach him to box, and calls him a big ape as he and Adam get into a hitting match. Willie hurts Adam, who can't reach him because of the chain, and Willie, giggling cruelly, runs out and leaves poor Adam locked up.

At the Evans cottage, Sam works on a picture. We haven't seen him in a while. Barnabas visits, bringing the portrait with him. He has a job for Sam--a unusual one. Sam's cool with it, and promises not to ask questions. The work must be completed tonight, says Barnabas. Sam is working on another canvas; Barn promises him $500 in cash, half now, half when finished, if he drops the other job. Sam likes this kind of money for one night's work. Barnabas gives him an envelope with the first half, and Sam accepts. He gives Sam the painting; the artist places it on the easel. He admires Angelique, who Barnabas says is only pretty on the outside. He won't tell him the name of the subject of the portrait--make that pretty face as old as possible, orders Barnabas, gradually, in stages--first, the eyes, the corners of the mouth, lines on cheeks and neck, and finally, deep wrinkles and sagging flesh that comes with old age.

Sam doesn't understand why Barn wants to deform such a pretty face, but he understands. Use a brush with hard, sharp bristles, instructs Barnabas (pain!). Sam agrees. Don't start until 10:15 this evening, says Barn, not a moment before. Sam asks why, but Barnabas reminds him of the no questions clause. Sam asks how far Barnabas wants him to go with the aging process, and Barn says to stop when she looks 200 years old.

10:00 PM at Collinwood. Cassandra stealthily leaves the house. At 10: 05, Sam glances at the clock, then at the portrait. Barnabas checks his pocket watch; it's 10:10. Cassandra knocks at his door. It's beginning to storm. I was helping Vicki locate the portrait, says Cassandra. How unfortunate, sympathizes Barnabas. She has no idea what happened to it--someone could have borrowed it. Why would anyone want it? asks Barnabas, it's not of any particular value. How would you know, she asks coolly, and he suggests she'd be the one person in the world who would know it's real value. She warns him about saying those strange things again--she's outta here! He says she made a mistake in letting it go so long--to kill him or put the curse on him, or whatever she's intending. She feigns innocence. She had the power to get it over with anytime she wanted; he points out--why did she leave it until now? She suggests they find a good doctor for him--he isn't in his right mind.

10:15, and Sam begins to work on the portrait.

Cassandra suddenly grabs her eyes, feeling a sharp pain. You'll feel another, and another, says Barnabas happily--don't you know, Angelique? He asks. What is happening to me? she demands, and immediately adds, "Don't call me that name!" Why not? asks Barn, it's your real name. She denies it, her face giving her pain. Admit it, he says, come out in the open! She touches her face, demands to know what he's doing to her.

What you tried to do to me, he counters, I'm destroying you--I found a way to get rid of you forever. Advancing on her, he tells her she's going to get older and older and older until she shrivels away into nothing--nothing but the bones and dust of her old age. She accuses him of being mad, and he tells her the age is already beginning--she can feel it in her face, but it will spread to the rest of her body as well. Look at your hands, he orders, and she finds them ancient crone's hands, grotesque. She screams in horror.

NOTES: Good scene between them here. He was so clearly relishing what he was doing to her, and she, still trying to insist she isn't Angelique, kept fighting back, growing hysterical--until she was backed into a corner and realized what was happening. Will Barnabas succeed here? Will he finally be rid of her?

Always drove me crazy how Adam kept hearing the Lang portion of the tape but everyone else just missed it. Suspenseful, but after a while, annoying!

Willie really behaves as if Adam is the younger sibling getting Barnabas? attention--and he's so jealous of that! Willie teases Adam in a typical brother-brother fashion, with a little more psychotic torment thrown in. They're fun to watch together. I bet Karlen and Rodan had fun.

Love, Robin