Carrying the wooden casket, J/P stumbles out of Collinwood and into a storm as his deadline approaches.
Meanwhile, Aristede waits at the mill while the count himself lies on a sofa, looking oddly vulnerable without his glasses. Meanwhile, J/P collapses in the woods.
Quentin finds J/P and is delighted to see the hand again. Although he collapses again, J/P is annoyed when Quentin calls him Jamison.
At the mill, Aristede consults his watch, then paces the main room worriedly. Time! We have no time, he frets. What if Jamison doesn’t find the hand? Then he reveals his deepest fear to us: What will I do without Victor? I’ll have to fend for myself! He goes back into the inner room, where Petofi is still lying on the couch. Aristede kneels beside him, stroking his hair. Suddenly the count lifts his left hand to his chest.
Barnabas meets J/P and Quentin at the cottage. He too is delighted to see the hand. The delirious J/P raves enough for Barnabas to realize that he is actually the count. Through clever questioning, Barn and Quentin learn that the real count is at the mill. They also realize that without the hand, the count will die--and so will Jamison. Telling Quentin to wait, Barn hurries out--without the hand.
At the mill, Petofi again raises his hand to his chest. Aristede stops his pacing and tells the count, I’m going to Collinwood to find the boy and bring back the hand--I promise! What he doesn’t know is that Barnabas has just arrived and is looking about the outer room. Aristede opens the inner door, sees Barnabas, and quietly shuts the door to make sure he’s wearing his cross. When he comes out, he greets Barnabas and adds sarcastically, I apologize for the accommodations. We don’t get visitors very often. It’s not what we are used to. [Presumably he means more luxurious accommodations.] I must see the count, Barnabas says bluntly. He isn’t here, Aristede replies. Barnabas wants to see for himself, but Aristede takes out the cross, holds it up and tells Barnabas, Leave--now. Barnabas flinches away from the cross but tells Aristede, I offer you another choice. The hand--I know where it is. _I_ have it now! Aristede’s eyes widen in surprise.
During the commercial break, Aristede seems to have recovered his composure. He and Barnabas argue about the hand, with Barnabas carefully not looking at the cross all the while. Finally Aristede puts the cross away. Barn wants the count to stop possessing Jamison. Aristede wants the hand. I must get a promise from Petofi, Barnabas repeats. Even a flicker of an eye or a hand raised that he will cure Quentin and end this reign of terror at Collinwood. I will promise that, Aristede assures him. I refuse to accept your word, Barnabas says bluntly. I want to talk to Petofi. You must trust me, Aristede replies, or the child will die. Barnabas thinks a moment and unhappily agrees. I'll get the hand, he tells Aristede. Hurry, Aristede urges him. I know, Barnabas says and leaves. Aristede looks equally worried.
At the cottage, Quentin kneels beside Jamison. You've got to live, you've got to, Quentin pleads. Can you hear me? Can you? Listen, please, you're the only one I've ever loved, cared for in this whole place. You know that, don't you? Keep on trying, don't give in to it--please don't. Barnabas returns and tells Quentin, We must give Petofi the hand. Petofi is dying too, and Aristede has promised to end the curse if we end Petofi’s first. Quentin’s previous acquaintance with Aristede doesn’t incline him to be so trusting, and he says, We can’t trust Aristede or Petofi. I can’t let Jamison die, Barnabas protests. He will recover as Petofi does. Stay with Jamison until he’s well, he instructs Quentin. Then come to the mill, and we will then force Petofi to cure you. Barnabas picks up the casket as Quentin frets, Petofi may cure himself, then leave Collinwood before we can stop him. I won’t allow that, Barnabas declares as he leaves again. Quentin turns back to Jamison.
At the old mill, kneeling beside his master, Aristede tells him, Barnabas is bringing the hand. You must stay alive until he comes. He hears the door open and closeand goes outside. Barnabas insists on giving the hand to Petofi himself. That’s impossible, Aristede argues. Give it to me! Unhappily, Barnabas gives him the casket, which Aristede opens to check the contents. Wait here, he tells Barnabas. Don’t come after me into the room, or you might affect what must happen. Barnabas reluctantly promises to stay outside. Aristede enters the inner room and declares, I have the hand. He opens the casket and takes out the hand in both of his as if he were about to crown a king. Lifting it above his head, he intones, Mighty hand that touched the face of the Sphinx, hand of infinite power come home at last, heal this man, force breath into his body, make his heart strong, for without you, he cannot live. If he dies what was begun in the forest of Aujedon will end, for his body is your body, and his mind is your mind, his life, your life! Heal him!
He places the hand on Petofi’s chest.
In the outer room, Barnabas waits anxiously, knowing that more than Jamison’s life hangs in the balance. Aristede emerges and tells him, I did what Petofi told me to do. He knew he'd get the hand, Barnabas sighs. Well, Aristede says, it's safe to say he hoped it would turn out in his hands (?) He offers Barnabas some tea, knowing perfectly well that Barnabas can take no human food or drink. No, Barnabas says. Ignoring him, Aristede pours and tells him, This is a special blend of the finest Chinese leaves, made especially for his excellency. I want no tea! Barnabas snaps. Aristede tastes the tea but complains, It's gotten a bit cold. Barnabas asks irritably, How can you sit sipping tea with what's going on with Petofi? I can do nothing about it, Aristede says calmly. What _is_ happening? Barnabas. I'm not privy to all my master's secrets, Aristede replies primly. I've seen the hand work--seen it change people in an instant, Barnabas says. The hand knows what it must do, Aristede replies. Barnabas says impatiently, I'm going in there. No, says Aristede, you won't--for Jamison's sake. Just sit down and wait. It's all you can do now. Barnabas sits. He and Aristede exchange stares.
At the cottage, Quentin waits anxiously. He is looking out the window when he hears J/P moaning and hurries to his side. Help me! J/P begs him. How? Quentin asks. The hand! J/P says. Why doesn't it move from my chest? There's nothing on your chest, Quentin tells him. Why is it still there, why is it where Aristede placed it? J/P asks feverishly. You must come to your senses, Quentin urges him. Oh, hand! Hand that was once mine, help me! J/P implores. Help me before it is too late! Has it lost its power? he wonders. Lie back and be quiet, Quentin tells him. Why doesn't it do as I say? J/P asks. Why? He sinks back onto the sofa.
Aristede lays out some very old playing cards for a game of solitaire. It's been an hour since you went into the room, Barnabas notes. I wasn’t told how long it would take, Aristede replies. Petofi has died--I know it, Barnabas laments. And if he has, Jamison has, too, and my mission here-- He stops himself just in time, but Aristede pounces: Your mission--what is it? Tell me about it--perhaps it will make the time go by. Never! Barnabas growls. Perhaps you'll change your mind, Aristede says. One of us should go check on Petofi, Barnabas insists. I have my orders, Aristede replies. f you're so concerned, why don't you go to Jamison?
Quentin checks J/P--looks up in alarm. He has almost no pulse at all! Quentin exclaims. He’s dying! God, don’t let him die! Don’t let that happen, please, he cries desperately.
Aristede deals himself another hand. I’m going into the other room, Barnabas exclaims. One of us must! he cries! I'll use force, if necessary, Aristede warns him--get away from the door. We haven't heard anything in over an hour, Barnabas argues. There is some plan here! Has Petofi disappeared with the hand? If he has, I will kill you! You are a most suspicious person, Aristede comments. You have made me that way, Barnabas snarls! I am going in there! No! Aristede shouts. He grabs Barnabas’s arms, but Barnabas grabs Aristede’s shoulders and pushes him backward and onto the sofa. The next moment, they hear gloating laughter. A moment later, Petofi emerges, to all appearances hale and well. It is mine! Mine again! he declares triumphantly. He holds up his right hand--now reattached to his wrist!...
