Barnabas has another cell in the Old House where he puts J/P. Magda is supposed to look after him.
Meanwhile, C/P is swanning around the foyer at Collinwood when her father returns. e is shocked, so shocked that the film loses color for a moment. What’s going on? he asks. Charity/Pansy admires herself in the mirror. Trask grabs her arm and asks, What is the meaning of this? What’s it look like, luv? Charity/Pansy replies. I’m a girl trying to get along in the world. She resumes singing. Trask thunders, I forbid you to sing that song--or to continue playing this sinful game. What game is that? she asks. Look at your [piled-up] hair! he exclaims, appalled. The shocking [very made-up] condition of your face! Oh, I think I look pretty good, she replies, preening in front of the mirror. I was thinking of going on stage, she muses. I might change my name--to Pansy Faye. Pretty, ain’t it? Trask asks, Do you know who you are? I know, she sneers. I'm Charity Trask--but that doesn't mean I have to like it, not with an old crow like you for a dad. Furious, Trask slaps her across the face and orders her, Honor your father and mother ! She cradles her stinging cheek and says, Mama is dead--I was just going out to her grave. Like this? her father asks. Color returns to the videotape as Charity comes back to herself. She gazes down at herself, horrified. She tells her father, A madness seems to be running through this family. While you were away, Quentin and I had to lock Edward in the Tower Room--he's lost his reason, and so has Jamison. Trask is amazed and interested in this news. Go get the boy, he orders, and despite the evidence of his own eyes, he tells Charity, Whatever this madness, it hasn't touched you, and will not. You aren't a Collins, and this madness obviously lies in them--first my poor Judith, then Edward, now Jamison. Soon there won't be any Collinses left, he says hopefully. Except for Quentin, Charity reminds him. Of course, except Quentin, Trask acknowledges with a smile. I want to see how Jamison is. I’ll go get him, she says, but hesitates. There's something about the boy now that frightens me, she confesses. Nothing about him frightens me, Trask declares. I am ready for the task ahead, ready to care for this poor, afflicted family.
Evan Hanley is playing a kind of boardless Scrabble, the letters on the table in front of him, when the lights dim and a cold wind blows the windows open. Demon, or spirit, he calls out, leave me in peace! I’ve had enough of it all. A moment later, he sees that his visitor is Barnabas, come in full state. No demon or spirit, Barnabas assures him. What’s the matter? You seem disenchanted with your former delights. Evan replies grimly, When a man has been under the evil hand of Aujedon, he’d be a fool to be fascinated with the black arts. I’m glad to hear you have renounced them, Barnabas comments. Barnabas explains that he knows that Tim has the hand and wants to know where he is. Evan insists that he knows nothing about Tim's plans and wants nothing more to do with any of it. You are not going to lie to me, Barnabas warns. It would be very hard for you if you don't tell me the truth.
Charity returns to tell her father that Jamison has run away. She wants to organize a search party, but her father barks that he alone is the Master of Collinwood.
Evan tells Barnabas, Believe me, I know nothing. I wouldn’t lie. I have found nothing in my books to protect me from your gaze. I hate these books and all that’s in them! I _hate_ them! he bursts out. The next moment they hear a knock at the door. Who is that? Barnabas asks. I’m expecting no one, Evan tells him. Trask calls out. Wait a minute, Evan calls to him. Barnabas Dematerializes as Trask shouts through the door, My business is urgent! Evan opens the door and finds Trask smiling broadly.
I want you to draw up the necessary papers that will declare father and son mentally incompetent. I can do it, I suppose, but I’m not sure I want to, Evan answers cautiously. I don’t like what’s happening at Collinwood, and I prefer to have nothing more to do with it. It’s not a matter of preference when it’s a matter of doing the right thing, Trask says piously. Evan bursts into bitter laughter at his hypocrisy. Trask continues, You can’t have a man who has no idea who he is and some boy who thinks he’s a foreign count-- What? Evan exclaims in horror. Some Count Petofi, Trask says carelessly. (He’s never meet Victor.) Then Petofi didn’t go, Evan says half to himself: He’s still here, watching. It’s worse than I thought--now I am convinced! he finishes aloud. To do as I asked? Trask asks hopefully. To have nothing more to do with the whole matter! Evan shouts. Rising to his feet in indignation, Trask huffs, You’re not dealing with some nobody who runs a small school! [I’m sure Trask thought of himself as a lot more than that!] You are dealing with the Master of Collinwood! And you are dealing with Count Petofi, Evan retorts, eyes ablaze with fury. You have no chance against him. Neither do I! Neither does any of us! The difference is, I know it. You don’t. Good night. Trask doesn’t move but says angrily, You are my lawyer--I came to you for advice! Then I’ll give it to you, Evan replies. Do nothing to Edward or Jamison, particularly Jamison, not now. You’re a fool! Trask fumes. Evan steps right up to him and retorts, _You_ are a fool to pit yourself against Petofi! Do you know what evil he carries with him? Do you know what strength he has? I have strength and powers, too! Trask shouts back, adding piously, I have the higher forces of heaven on my side. I didn’t think the higher forces of heaven sided with the cruel and the greedy, Evan answers [sic him!]. As he turns away, Trask snarls, Taking over that house was the kindest thing I could have done, Trask answers. Can you let the lunatics run the asylum? Can you let the animals run the zoo? I expect you to bring those papers! He storms out.
Standing in his cell, J/P consults his little black notebook again and runs over the names on his “to do” list: Gregory Trask, Magda Rakosi, Evan Hanley. He wavers between Trask and Evan, then settles on Evan. Evan Hanley! he says over and over. Who is calling me? Evan asks, apparently lost in a dream. Who are you? Why can't I see you? The next moment, J/P appears before him. Evan asks, what are you doing here this time of night? I’ve run away, J/P sobs, I’ve run away! I'm afraid to go home. What are you afraid of? Evan asks, and Jamison uses the (possibly anachronistic?) Scrabble letters to spell out T-R-A-S-K. He won't hurt you, Evan assures him. But he's been telling so many lies about me, J/P sobs, still in his Jamison persona. Are they lies? Evan asks. Yes, you know me, J/P replies. I'm Jamison Collins, and now it's dark and I'm afraid to go home. Will you take me home? he asks plaintively. With real concern, Evan agrees. Jamison thanks him profusely, then kisses him. Evan looks up to find that Jamison has vanished. He hears J/P’s voice telling him, You will know what to do, what to do, what to do....
In his cell, J/P repeats those same words as Evan wakes up with a start. He sits at his desk and starts writing at J/P’s dictation: To Whom It May Concern....
The next morning, Trask gazes out the drawing-room windows as he gloats to Charity about how Edward nattered on about serving the earl of Hampshire and how he now wants nothing more than to serve the Collinses. That’s what he said when you locked him in there, isn’t it? he asks Charity. Who? she asks. She is examining a recorder and not paying much attention. Edward! Trask replies with a grin. I wish I could give him what he wants, Trask muses, a place as a domestic servant at Collinwood. I could do it and still be Master of Collinwood--it would serve him right. Charity shows her father the recorder. I found a recorder in the study--I want to learn to play it, she tells him with a smile. (She’s wearing a much nicer dress now, pale yellow with same-color lace trim and a small bustle.) I disapprove of frivolous music, Trask says sternly. I love love music and singing, Charity says, it sounds so cheerful. In a moment she once again morphs into Pansy Faye and starts humming Pansy’s theme. Stop singing at once! her father shouts, but it’s no use. Don’t you like music? she asks as she wiggles suggestively. Carl did, she recalls. All the way back to Atlantic City, I sang and told him stories, even bawdy ones, but he laughed anyway, particularly after we drank some brandy. She giggles at the memory. Do you know the story about the vicar's daughter named Alice? she asks, bursting into laughter. This is too much for Trask, who thunders, Down on your knees, where you belong, so you can pray! He pushes her down. I don’t remember ’ow, Pansy laughs as she taps him playfully with the recorder. He grabs her arm again and shouts, You are going to pray! It is part of you, part of your life, like the blood in your veins! When she continues to laugh, he shouts, It’s your lifeblood! Now pray, Charity! Pray! As Charity comes back to herself, she says obediently, Yes, Father. She kneels and puts her hands together to pray. Keep praying! he exhorts her. This madness must not touch you again. Kneeling beside her, he folds his own hands together and says intently, My plans are too close to completion. As Charity folds her hands, Evan walks in. Am I interrupting something? he asks dryly. Morning devotions, Trask replies. We are almost finished. Good, Evan says, adding, I apologize for the intrusion, but I have _business_ to discuss. Trask agrees and tells his daughter, Go to your room, Charity, and read a chapter or two. Of course, Charity obeys instantly.
The moment she’s gone, Trask tells Evan, I’m glad to see you are carrying the papers. I assume your reservations have been removed and you found yourself able to do what must be done. Yes, Evan agrees, it’s the only thing to do. And Edward will be declared insane, Trask gloats. Evan takes out a legal-looking document, all drawn up and ready with a red seal on a ribbon. Placing it on the little writing desk, he says, Sign it--let’s get it over with. Trask signs, commenting, I saw Edward again, and if ever a man cries out to be committed, it’s he--he’s completely insane. Suddenly Trask takes a good look at the paper. This is insane! he shouts. Why? Evan asks. Why? Trask exclaims. No sane man would put on paper what you put on this! It’s the truth, isn’t it? Evan asks. And I signed it! Trask shouts. I signed it too, Evan replies mildly. After all, we both murdered Minerva. Be quiet, Trask fumes. It would do no good to be quiet, Evan says calmly. They’ll find us. Tim Shaw murdered Minerva! Trask protests. No, we did, Evan insists. You know that. No one else knows it, Trask says, and no one else will, because I’m going to destroy the paper, right now! He throws the paper into the fire. You can’t burn murder, Evan comments. You can’t destroy it or drown it or even poison it. You can’t kill murder. Get out--and stay out! Trask shouts. And don’t tell anyone about this paper I burned, because if you do, I swear you’ll hang for worse than murder! He shoves Evan toward the door as the paper burns merrily away. Evan leaves, and so does Trask. But a moment after he’s gone, the paper, not even scorched, reappears on the writing desk.…
