834 - Charles stares at the mysterious vase. It's impossible, he says--there was no vase there--I drew it on the paper! He takes it in his hands and examines it from top to bottom. He stares at Amanda's portrait, wondering--if I somehow caused the vase to appear, then...no, it's not possible, he says, staring at Amanda's portrait. Petofi barges in on the befuddled Charles, who is very rude to him. I'm working--come back tomorrow, insists Tate. I can't, says Petofi. I have rights, assets Charles, I'm busy! I have a few rights, as I need hardly remind you, says Petofi--what has caused this ill temper? Tate doesn't want to tell him. Petofi admires the vase--where did you get it? he asks. I don't know where it came from, says Charles. Has it always been here? speculates Petofi--I surely would have noticed it. He examines it, too--it's odd that it has no maker's mark, unfortunately, says Petofi. It is odd, Charles agrees. I'd like to borrow your studio for an hour, says Petofi--I'm expecting a visitor (for an hour of what, one wonders). See your visitors in your own quarters, says Charles. I took the liberty of sending this guest a note signed with your name, says Petofi. Tate is angry. I hate subterfuge, too, agrees Petofi, but it's sometimes necessary--when one has to settle scores with an enemy, for example, and Barnabas Collins is an enemy of all of us...
Quentin's room - Magda enters, looking around. Barnabas follows her in. You will be safe here, she assures him, and locks the door. The moon is full, observes Barnabas. Magda lights a candle and informs him that the change never happened--Quentin didn't become the wolf--neither of us knows how that can be. Get Quentin, Barnabas orders. I must tell you something, she says--I know when Quentin will die--on September 10th!--Charity told me.
Charity is mad, says Barnabas. I found truth in her madness, says Magda. (Is that the way to find truth, to go nuts?) You yourself say Pansy Faye had the sight, Magda reminds him--she said the murderer was in the room that night at the Old House. (Barnabas looks ashamed). Yes, he agrees, she did. It's true that Pansy has possessed Charity, and you have six days to do something, says the gypsy. How does he die? asks Barnabas. He was shot, says Magda. Who did it--does Charity know? he asks. No, says Magda, in her vision, he was dead in the tower. Why was this room sealed if he died in the tower? Asks Barnabas. I don't know, says Magda, but Charity did say the tower--you must take Quentin away! Death runs faster than any man, says Barn--the three things that were to happen before Quentin died--the third, that he would be rejected by the one person he loves, hasn't happened yet, and must not--if we can stop Jamison from rejecting Quentin. . .but first we must find out who is going to kill him. How? She asks. I'll have to do it, says Barnabas--find the I-Ching wands, which must be here, since they belonged to Quentin in 1969. Magda is perplexed. I'm going to need you, he says, we must learn who killed him originally, by going to the present and speaking with Quentin's ghost there. Magda calls this idea crazy. No, says Barn, only the ghost of Quentin can tell me. If you go and speaks with the ghost, asks Magda, how will you get back here? Barnabas lights some candles. I got here before, I'll get back again, promises Barnabas. It's taking too big a chance, says Magda. If Quentin dies on the 10th of September, then history won't have been changed, and his ghost will surely claim David, declares Barnabas somberly. "I must stop his death, Magda, and will take any chance to do it!" We must find the I-Ching wands, he says, taking the candelabra and to search Quentin's desk.
Tate broods, staring at Amanda's smiling face in his portrait. Your visitor will be here shortly, says Petofi, I advise you to put away the portrait--were your visitor to see it, he'd find it most odd. Tate asks who is coming. You'll find out soon enough, says Petofi--I want you to receive him for me. He's your guest, says Tate, lifting up Amanda's portrait, you're the reason he's coming--why don't you? I must emulate my hero, Lord Kitchener, says Petofi--before a battle, he retired to his tent, and there, alone, perfected his strategy. Petofi goes into another room and closes the door. Tate looks at Amanda's portrait again, then at the vase. He answers the knock at the door after putting away the portrait. It's Edward, who's pleased to see him. Petofi listens as Edward remarks he didn't expect to be in an artist's studio tonight--ah, the Bohemian life has tempted several members of my family, comments Edward, never me, of course--what did you wish to see me about? Petofi enters the room--I sent the note, he says. Coldly, Edward says, I have nothing to say to you, now or ever, Mr. Fenn-Gibbons. "Count Petofi," corrects the latter. I don't care what your name is, says Edward. Don't leave until we discuss Barnabas Collins, advises Petofi--Charles, leave the room. The artist goes. "Do you think that I would believe what you have to say?" demands Edward, barely controlling his temper. You should, says Petofi. After putting a curse on my family, says Edward, on me, my son? I know nothing of any curse, says Petofi, who told you I was responsible?
Quentin, says Edward. Quentin is charming boy, says Petofi, I find him most amusing, but I don't always believe him--do you? No, admits the latter. But you choose to believe him in this case? queries Petofi. Perhaps I wouldn't have, says Edward, if you hadn't presented yourself under a false name--that's unforgivable! Perhaps there were reasons I was forced to adopt that singularly graceless copy, suggests Petofi. What reason? demands Edward. Imagine, says Petofi, something enormously valuable stolen by the gypsies--I had reason to believe the gypsies on your property had what was stolen from me (he pours some drinks)--had you known my true name, you'd have prevented me from getting it back. Did the gypsies have it? asks Edward. When I found out they did not, I assumed my true title, by then, you and I had drifted apart. Petofi hands him a drink, reminding him how delightful those first few days at Collinwood were--I felt at last I'd met someone with whom I could share all my experiences, says the Count. Edward reluctantly admits, I felt that, too. I am desperately anxious to redeem my good name with you, says Petofi--if I help you capture Barnabas, would that make up for the injuries you blame me for? Why do you think I'm hunting Barnabas? asks Edward. "Because he is your enemy," says Petofi, quaffing his drink--"The greatest danger that exists to the Collins family--shall I say more?"
Barnabas and Magda have conducted a fruitless search for the I-Ching wands. When we do find the wands, says Barnabas, you must not tell Quentin what I'm going to do--if I don't get back, you know what to do. She opens the closet--bring the light, she tells Barnabas. He does. She's found Quentin's portrait, and when Barnabas uncovers it, they see the wolf's face. Magda gasps. Barnabas reads, "Tate, 1897," and asks, how can this be? He knows about Quentin, suggests Magda. Perhaps not, says Barnabas, reading the nameplate on the frame--"Quentin Collins, 1897." Magda asks, did he paint Quentin?
Yes, and the portrait changed, surmises Barnabas. No, says Magda. Yes, says Barnabas, the portrait changed into the wolf, but Quentin did not. That isn't possible, says Magda. Anything is, when Petofi is involved, says Barn. How do you know he is? Magda asks. Charles Tate appeared in Collinsport shortly after Petofi arrived, says Barnabas. That means nothing, says Magda. There must be something to explain this, insists Barn. Petofi and Quentin, laments Magda, oh, poor Quentin! Perhaps this is Petofi's first attempt to win Quentin, suggests Barnabas, and Petofi hasn't yet demanded payment--we will stop that, too! How? she asks. The ghost will tell me if Petofi ever existed here or ever came here, or whether he came because history had not been changed, says Barnabas. He covers the portrait. We must find the wands! He says. Barnabas closes the closet, then, as if acting on a hunch, opens it again. He finds the wands on a top shelf, wrapped in cloth. He opens it and spread out the I-Ching wands. They must have great power, says Magda. Barnabas agrees--they free the mind and will--they will take me to the future--we must go back to the Old House; I'm going to try to get back to the future from the place I came from. Will I be successful this time? he wonders aloud. Magda blows out the candles, Barnabas gathers up the wands, and they exit.
Magda and Barnabas head downstairs to the Old House basement. I have a bad feeling it won't work, she says. Stop it, orders Barnabas. Listen to me, insists Magda. You must understand everything that is happening, he says. All right, I'll try, she says. If I'm successful, he says, my body will remain here in a trance, his physical body; my astral body will go. What's that? she asks. My his will, my force, my soul, he explains, but if you don't understand, don't try--the first thing I must do is throw the wands on the table...now they must be placed in parallel. He does these things. There are 64 possible hexagrams, he explains--ah, the 49th again-good, the hexagram of change! I wish you wouldn't do this, says Magda. Ignoring her fear, he sits in the chair in front of the table on which the wands lie. It's up to me now, he says--the hexagram will appear on a door, my body will rise and go through that door--and then... You will be in the future? she asks. I hope so, he replies--if I don't return before midnight on the 10th, you must go to Quentin and tell him he's going to die on that day--he must not see Jamison; he's to leave Collinwood and not come back, and he is not to tell you where he's going--he is not to come back until after the 10th of September--is that clear? Yes, she says, but she looks sick, unhappy. Now I must start, says Barnabas--go to Petofi, watch him carefully, and stop him if he attempts to come here--now I must begin--in an hour or two, come back. She leaves, begging him one last time, "Barnabas!" Go, he says again. She walks slowly upstairs, leaving him alone.
Edward pretends to not understand what Petofi means by calling Barnabas an enemy of his family. Yes, you do, says Petofi. Anxiously, Edward asks, what do you know about Barnabas? As much as I need to, says Petofi--that he is a vampire--I know you wish to keep that secret (Tate is listening to all this from the other room), and I respect that and came to you instead of the police. How did you find out? asks Edward. That isn't important, says Petofi. Edward agrees--you could have gone to the police--I've been wrong about you, I think. (he still put curses on you and Jamison!) Magda can tell us where Barnabas is, says Petofi. She knows? asks Edward--I know how to deal with her! We can use her to lead us to Barnabas, says Petofi. No, says Edward--what must be done, I must do alone, it is my responsibility, difficult as it may be--there was always someone in the family who was supposed to know of his existence, one person who was supposed to keep him chained to his coffin--had my grandmother lived, I'd have been the one she would have told; now I must go to the Old House. Not at night, unarmed, protests Petofi, at least take this in case you meet him before dawn comes--and he presses a gun filled with six silver bullets into Edward's hands. If you find yourself unable to shoot him, advises Petofi, remember the dawn can do the deed for you--without his coffin, he cannot live--you will report back to me, right? asks Petofi--I'll be waiting for you. Edward leaves. Petofi smiles.
Barnabas sits before the I-Ching wands, concentrating, eyes closed.
He sees the hexagram in his mind, on the door...
NOTES: Great to see Barnabas again, even if he is rushing headlong into a dangerous plan--and into Petofi's trap. Love Magda's concern for him, reminds me of Julia more every day.
I hate Petofi, and right now, I'm not too fond of Edward, either. How could he so easily accept Petofi's explanation? Quentin was quite sincere when he told Edward Petofi was responsible for all the possessions, so his easy acceptance of Petofi convinces me of Edward's weak character.
So, Charles paints something and it comes into being, huh, whether it's a vase or a human being. If that's the talent Petofi has bestowed on him, wow!
Wish Magda had listened to Barnabas. She's psychic, too, but Barn is soooo stubborn!
835 - Edward enters the unlocked Old House, gun in hand. He looks upstairs.
Barnabas sits in a trance while his astral body rises from his flesh, stands, and walks. Edward comes down the basement stairs, points his gun at Barnabas and gazes at him, poised to kill his cousin. Meanwhile, Barnabas' astral body approaches the door upon which the I-Ching wands appear to be glued. The door opens. Edward gazes at Barnabas, then shoves the wand off the table. The door snaps shut on Barnabas' astral body. Barnabas' head rocks violently, seeming to send him onto a convulsion.
1969 - Julia calls to Stokes, who is reading a book. Barnabas, sitting in the Old House basement, begins to convulse, too. "Professor Stokes!" cries Julia, alarmed. Barnabas' body collapses, then disappears. Both Stokes and Julia step forward and gaze at the empty chair.
What happened to him? Julia asks. Eliot responds, whatever time or world his astral being traversed, we will never know--what we can assume, is that Barnabas is dead. Julia's lip begins to tremble.
Barnabas awakens in the family's cell downstairs to find Edward holding a gun on him. I have no idea what supernatural hocus pocus you were practicing, shouts Edward, but, "You will practice it no more!" The I-Ching trance, realizes Barnabas--you interrupted it. I did indeed, says Edward. What I was trying to do was of utmost importance to the Collins, says Barnabas. You have brought nothing but tragedy and suffering to this family since you first came here, accuses Edward, and don't bother trying to convince me otherwise. If you intend to keep me here, argues Barnabas, you're risking the life of your brother and the future of the Collins family. I don't intend to keep you here long, says Edward--I'm sending you to a grave you should have been in long ago! By shooting me in the heart with a silver bullet? asks Barn. Yes, replies Edward. I know you better than that, says Barnabas--if you intend to keep me here, whatever you're planning to do--I am still a Collins. Edward retorts, you forfeited his right to be a Collins or human being when you made a pact with the devil. I couldn't prevent what he became, Barnabas passionately assures him, and as long as I live and breathe, I carry the Collins name!--and I know you would never murder one of your own family. "It is my duty to kill you, and I will do it!" insists Edward. Then do it, says Barn--raise the pistol, pull the trigger--now! Edward gets a sickened look on his face as he raises the pistol. "Go on, Edward, you're so devoted to doing your duty--get it over with," urges Barnabas. Edward's eyes widen.
He slowly drops the pistol to his side. I can't even bring myself to kill someone like you in cold blood, says Edward--but then, it isn't necessary; I'll let nature take its course--you can't survive without your coffin during the day, so I'll just leave you in the cell and allow dawn to finish you--does the thought of death frighten you, Barnabas? Does the thought of death not frighten you, Edward? counters Barnabas. When my time comes, says Edward, I'll have no qualms when I meet my maker. He holds the gun on Barn as he leaves the cell and locks him in--I'll return an hour before dawn, he says, I want to be here when the end comes--one other things--I've seen to it that all the secret passages are blocked, so you won't be able to get out of this cell. You've thought of everything, says Barn. Yes, everything! Edward replies. Barnabas sits down, looking morose, then stands and paces his prison. He spots a desk he recognizes--it will be in the Old House in 1969--I had Willie bring it there in 1967. Barnabas sits down, finds paper and a pencil, and begins to write. The candle beside him glows. His letter is to Julia, "My dear Julia--I am writing this letter on the 5th day of September in the year 1897. I am locked in a cell in the basement of the Old House. In another 8 hours, I will die. It is my fervent hope that this letter will somehow survive time and be brought to your attention in 1969 in order that you may know why my mission to the past was a failure. I learned only during the past 24 hours that on September 10th next, Quentin Collins will die." Barnabas stops writing and looks outside his cell. "As prophesied, 3 events were to happen before his death. Two of them have, only the third remains--his rejection by Jamison. My plan was to return to the present, contact Quentin's spirit and find out who killed him. With this knowledge, I could have prevented his death, thereby saving David Collins. But all of this has been prevented by one Edward Collins, who learned my secret some months ago and became my implacable enemy. He has trapped me here, there is no escape for me. I am, and surely to the end, your good and devoted friend, Barnabas Collins." He folds up the letter, puts it in an envelope, seals it and hides it in a secret drawer in the desk.
1969 - Amy scolds her doll for growing too big for all her clothes (she appears to have both of Jenny's dolls to play with). Amy takes a pin from a box in the desk, then offers to read her dolls a story. She reaches for one book, but it has no pictures, so she goes for another, naturally "accidentally" opening the secret drawer and finding Barnabas' letter. She looks puzzled--it's addressed to Julia Hoffman (and the letter looked old and yellowed).
Old House basement, 1969 - I know how difficult this must be for you, says Stokes, but your sitting here is pointless. I can't help hoping, she says. There is no more hope, he says sadly, he's gone--we must accept that fact and tell the family. What will become of David? she asks. I don't have the answer, admits Stokes. The I-Ching wands are still arranged neatly on the table. Julia thinks they should leave the wands as they are--I'm hoping for a miracle. Go upstairs and get some sleep, urges Stokes; I'll stay downstairs--we need not tell the family until morning. She smiles slightly and nods, bids him good night, and goes upstairs. Stokes checks his watch.
The letter to Julia sits on the desk. Amy, kneeling to play with her dolls, goes over and picks it up. She starts to open it, then hides it behind he back when Julia bids her good evening. When Julia asks what she's hiding, Amy claims it's just an envelope. Julia asks to see it. It's nothing, insists Amy. You look guilty, says Julia--let me see it. I'll show it to you if you promise not to be angry with me, says Amy. Why should I be? asks Julia--let me see the letter. She takes it, opens it, reads, gasps--where did you find it? she asks the child. In the secret drawer, admits Amy, I opened it accidentally--I was looking for a book and the letter was in there. Julia hurries away without another word. Amy, her face sad, returns to playing with her dolls.
Stokes reads the letter aloud. He finds it astonishing. The date is September 5th, points out Julia. And today is the 5th in 1969, says Stokes--he's in a past that somehow runs parallel to their present. Barnabas is still alive, says Julia. According to his letter, not much longer, says Stokes--somehow, he will die in less than 8 hours. We must do something, says Julia. First, says Stokes, I must find out if my understanding of this letter is correct--I assume you know something about Barnabas I don't know--one passage in the letter is a complete mystery to me-- the part about all this being prevented by one Edward Collins, "who learned my secret some months ago." Julia looks both secretive and scared. What does that mean, Julia?--what is Barnabas Collins' secret? asks Stokes. (this would have been the perfect time to tell him!)
Julia is evasive. Surely you know what Barnabas meant, insists Stokes. Julia denies it. I took it for granted that you would know, he says. Perhaps Edward found out Barnabas came from another time, suggests Julia. And for that decided to kill him? asks Stokes--that doesn't seem very likely, unless Edward is a deranged man. Julia looks over the letter. Which is certainly possible, she says--we should proceed on what we know--if Barnabas dies in that cell, all will be lost for David and Chris. True, says Eliot, but I have no idea what to do. I will try to reach Quentin, says Julia, then try to go back to the past and save Barnabas. How will you reach Quentin? asks Stokes--it's been attempted before with no success. The children succeeded, she says. And one of them is hovering near death, Stokes reminds her.
The other isn't, points out Julia. Are you willing to jeopardize Amy's life? Asks Stokes. I don't think she's ever been in any jeopardy; says Julia--David was the one Quentin was after. A dangerous line of reasoning, says Stokes. If Quentin wanted to possess both children, he'd have done it long before this, insists Julia. If you take this desperate gamble and win, what then? Asks Stokes. I will come back here with this knowledge for Barnabas, she says. How will you go back in time? asks Stokes. Same way Barnabas did--the 49th hexagram--I will do as Barnabas did, she answers. You have no guarantee of success, argues Stokes. I must try! She says. And you may be placing yourself in grave danger, Stokes reminds her. I've got to take the risk, to save Barnabas somehow! she insists. OK, says Stokes, but I want to give further study to the I-Ching, so I can be of more help to you. (Don't you just love this guy, he's so considerate and helpful!)
Amy assures Julia she's willing to do anything she can to help, but isn't sure about going to Collinwood. It's the only thing we can do to keep David alive, says Julia--it's very possible he might die tonight if you can't get Quentin to speak to you (but hey, no pressure). I'm not sure I can do that, says Amy--the last time I did speak to him, he was very angry with me--I don't know if he'll speak to me anymore. Try one more time, for David's sake, begs Julia. Amy considers it and says, I'll try. We're going right away--hurry, says Julia--it's storming outside. Stokes comes downstairs. Julia, putting on her coat, assures him, I feel we WILL return safely. Stokes, holding the I-Ching book, sits down to read, putting in his monocle.
Collinwood - the lights are on, but nobody's home. Julia and Amy enter the house, walk through the foyer. Julia asks Amy, what part of the house might he be in? That doesn't matter, says Amy, he always knows when someone is here. Then call to him, says Julia. Amy calls Quentin, but there's no sound but the thunder. Please answer me, begs Amy, it's terribly important I talk to you--there's no use, says Amy, he won't answer--I want to go back to the Old House. Quentin's music begins to play.
"He's coming!" screams Amy, terrified, and runs from the house, leaving Julia alone in the foyer to face Quentin.
NOTE: Does Julia love Barnabas or what? How cleverly Barnabas reached Julia via letter over time, but how could he be so sure someone would find it in the secret drawer? Stokes knows something weird is going on, but he didn't press Julia to tell him, and accepted what he surely must know is a lie. He's such a terrific man, always willing to assist Barnabas, and Julia, who I always assumed Stokes loves, no matter how weird the situation is.
Will Quentin answer Julia's questions, given his past history, or will he just kill her on the spot?
What is going to happen to Barnabas? How interesting that Edward was unable to shoot him, after Barnabas' impassioned speech, but still is willing to leave him to face the dawn--and to come and watch! They were good friends, what a shame it's come to this. Edward assumes Barn made a pact with the devil, which really isn't true--unless you consider Angelique the devil, which some just might.
Love, Robin
