While Tim is in the basement coffin room, the candle he lights goes out as he holds it. It spontaneously relights itself during the break for the opening titles.
When Tim hears someone open the cellar door above, he hides but for some reason leaves the candle on the box. Tim emerges from hiding when he recognizes the someone as Dirk. [Their scene is inexplicably lit by a strong overhead light, and Davis is truly outstanding in his suitably over-the-top performance.] What are you doing here? Tim asks in surprise. Dirk wonders the same about Tim. The Collinses sent you here to find me, he says suspiciously. They’ve been trying for several days. Are you all right? Tim asks. Yes, Dirk replies, but you shouldn’t have come here. This is my hiding place--I don’t want anyone to find me. I’m certainly not going to tell anyone, Tim promises. You won’t, Dirk agrees, because you aren’t leaving. That’s an odd thing to say, Tim comments. Dirk indicates the coffin and asks, Didn’t you find that weird? Yes, Tim says dryly. It’s unusual, to say the least, to find an empty coffin. It’s not empty during the day, Dirk assures him, suddenly looking very scary. What’s in it? Tim asks, with no idea of the answer he’s about to get. I am, Dirk answers with terrible calm. Still thinking he’s dealing with only an ordinary madman, Tim swallows hard and asks, You? If this is your idea of a joke-- Dirk grabs his arm before he can finish. There’s nothing you can do to keep me here, Tim says angrily. He tries to leave, but Dirk blocks the way. You give me no choice, Dirk answers, because I don’t want anyone to know I’m here, and you must keep my secret. What secret? Tim asks uncomprehendingly. Oh, you’re going to find out soon enough, Dirk replies. Have you gone mad? Tim protests. His incomprehension is lost in a scream of horror as Dirk charges at him, (unusually large) fangs ready to strike.
Trask tells Rachel, It will be easier to bare your soul [obviously not all he wants bared] to me now. The bookshelf moment is also well done.
When Judith (wearing her fancy blue chinchilla-trimmed outfit) comes to the school to condole with Trask, he --in typical crocodilian fashion--whimpers about what will become of the school withouth Minerva. The school still has you, Judith points out. No, dear lady, he says modestly, at best I'm a competent administrator. Minerva was the driving force, the life blood of this institution, and without her, the future seems very bleak. Judith says, With all due respect, I don't believe that. I have faith in you, and the future of your school. Miss Collins, he says, taking her hand in both of his, I am not deserving of such faith. I think you are, she says softly. Trask piously raises his eyes skyward as he says, I thank the Almighty for giving me the privilege of knowing you. Now a little uncomfortable, Judith withdraws her hand and urges him, You must get some rest--your ordeal isn't over yet. I can't rest until Minerva's murderer has been brought to justice, Trask says. I was shocked when I heard it was Tim, Judith says. Have the police found him yet? No, says Trask, and there's only one possible clue to his whereabouts--Rachel Drummond. She and Tim have always been close, he complains, and I believe she knows where he's hiding, but she has not cooperated. Would you like me to talk to her? Judith offers. Trask grins smugly as he replies, You are an extraordinary woman. Rachel may feel less inhibited with a woman. Sit down while I go to get her. He leaves, smiling broadly. Judith looks as if a new idea has suddenly occurred to her.
Meanwhile, Rachel has made her own way out her bedroom window. [Why didn’t she do this earlier, before Trask had a chance to grill her? Because it wasn’t in the script, I suppose.] She is walking through the woods and stops to rest. But hearing the dogs howl, she gets up again and nervously moves on.
Trask reports that Rachel is gone. Judith promises to warn Barnabas against helping Tim or Rachel and sweeps out. Trask phones Evan and reports that everything is in their favor--and that he will keep Evan's secret vice (the satanist thing, anyway) a secret.
Arriving at the Old House, Judith knocks at the door. Somewhere, a wolf howls. She looks through the window at the dark interior, opens the unlocked front door and enters the house. She calls to Barnabas but gets no response. Is anyone here? she calls. The front door opens and Dirk walks in, with heavy vampire eyeliner. Where have you been? she asks sternly. We've been searching everywhere for you for the past two days! You have some explaining to do! You dismissed me the other day, he reminds her. I don't care what I did, she retorts. While you're on this property, you're accountable for your actions--which have been very peculiar lately. Peculiar, huh? Dirk repeats ironically. What did you tell Jamison that upset him so the other evening? Judith asks indignantly. You don't know? Dirk asks. You told him some outrageous lie about Barnabas, Judith says, but Edward wouldn't give us the details. Oh, Mister Edward, Dirk says sarcastically. He would spare you the gory details. Just what did you say to Jamison? Judith demands. Dirk says coyly, I'm not sure I should tell you--it might damage the Collins's good name. I know one thing, Judith tells him even more angrily. You aren't going to get an opportunity to damage that name. You have twenty-four hours to get off the property, and if you don't, the police will handle it. You won't get a chance to do that, Dirk says tauntingly. A lot of things have changed in the last few days, MISS JUDITH, and they're going to change even more, in just a minute. I don't have time to listen to anymore of this nonsense, Judith says disgustedly. She turns to leave. Dirk grabs her arm and tells her You'll listen! How dare you? she demands indignantly. Get out of my way! You don't boss me around anymore, Dirk retorts. Don't tell me what I can and can't do! Judith shouts. You will obey! You're wrong! he replies. Sometimes people change their roles in life. You’ve been a mistress so long, you don't know what it's like to be a servant. He moves toward her. Backing away, she warns him, Dirk--stay away from me. We are going to change roles, Dirk tells her with a mad smile. Oh, yes! I am going to become the master, and you will learn what it’s like to obey! Let me leave, Judith says desperately. I didn't mean what I said about the police! You can take whatever time you need to leave Collinwood. Her eyes widen. She seems stunned and unable to move as Dirk bares his fangs and closes in on her. [And for the first and only time, a character played by Joan Bennett is bitten by a vampire.]
Rachel arrives at the OH, but sees Judith sitting in the drawing room and retreats. What she doesn't see is the blood trickling from the bite marks on Judith's throat. Trask arrives a short time later. At first Judith mistakes him for Dirk, but Trask sees the bit marks and is horrified. In a plot twist contrary to vampire lore, he realizes that Dirk is the vampire.
The loyal Rachel arrives at the old Peabody Farm, enters the cellar, and spots the empty coffin. Why is that down here? she wonders. And where is Tim? She sees the still-burning (red) candle. He must have lit it, she guesses. He must have been here. I’ll have to wait for him to come back--but the coffin.… As Tim did just a short while ago, she opens the coffin; as he did, she finds it empty. She closes the lid and leans on it wearily. She hears someone come in behind her. She turns and see that it’s Dirk, staring at her avidly....
