407 - (Joan Bennett) - A seance has been held in the great house at Collinwood, a seance which has suspended time and space and sent one girl on an uncertain and frightening journey into the past, back to the year 1795. There, each of the Collins ancestors resembles a present-day member of the Collins family, but the names and relationships have changed, and Victoria Winters finds herself a stranger in a sea of familiar faces, as all about her the fateful tragedies of the Collins family surge to their fulfillment.
Angelique is on her hands and knees, frantically trying to wash her own blood from the floor, but it's dried and won't come up. Naomi stops by and gets her daughter in law very flustered. She wants to see her son, says Natalie, but Angelique says he went somewhere, and he refused to tell her where--maybe something to do with business.
Upstairs, moaning, Barnabas pulls the bandage from the holes in his bloody throat. (He plays sick so very convincinglyl!) Naomi continues to quiz the nervous Angelique about her husband's whereabouts, then says she wants Ang to come stay at Collinwood while Barn is away. Ang refuses, but Naomi insists, and they go back and forth about it for a while. Barnabas hears them talking, sounding echoey, through his sweaty fever. Ang argues that she wants to be there when Barn returns, and besides, Joshua won't welcome her. Naomi spots the huge bloodstain and is immediately alarmed, but Angelique assures her she just spilled some wine, Barnabas' favorite, darn it all. Naomi is suspicious. Barnabas rises from the bed. Ang tells Naomi she doesn't believe in witches, but it's good Vicki Winters is in custody, anyway. Angelique does tell her mother in law how much she appreciates her kindness. Barnabas knocks a brush to the floor and Naomi hears the sound, but Ang convinces her it's just the sound an old house makes. Naomi finally agrees not to force Ang to stay at Collinwood, and after the door closes behind her and Angelique leans against it, relieved, Barnabas exits the bedroom, calling, "Mother!", then collapses.
Angelique finds him, wounds re-opened, and he murmurs that he heard his mother. Ang tells him he heard nothing! She helps him back to bed with great effort. Rest, she tells him. I feel something terrible is happening to me, Barnabas says. She promises to help him. "Help me," he mutters. She lifts his head and orders him to drink what's in the glass. It's the only thing that will help you, she says, sighing--if only you hadn't tried to betray me, this wouldn't have happened. She pushes his eyes closed, then tells him to open them when she orders him to. I don't want to open my eyes, he protests. She pulls back the drape, letting light into the room, and orders him to open his eyes. He does, screaming piteously, then covers them with his hands. Defeated, she lets the drape fall, sobbing that the medicine should have helped. Why did you betray me? she asks again, then says, chillingly, "What's done cannot be undone."
At Collinwood, Joshua pooh poohs Naomi's fears about Barnabas' mysterious departure, and says he doesn't care what his son does anymore. Although Naomi asserts their son would never just leave his wife, Joshua is sure Barnabas has gone to Josette, and that they will never see either of them again. There's a knock at the door. Naomi wonders if Angelique didn't change her mind about staying at Collinwood. Joshua insists he won't have her! It's Josette and Natalie. Standing on the landing, Joshua gazes down contemptuously and says, "Josette."
Natalie explains to Naomi and Joshua about her forebodings. Josette describes how Barnabas felt she was in danger and sent her away, and was planning to meet them at the Inn. Joshua accuses Barnabas of deception, of plotting to run away with Josette, but Natalie gets angry-she wouldn't allow anything improper to go on, sure assures him. They were going to return to Martinique! Naomi explains that Barnabas isn't at the Old House and Angelique claims not to know where he is. Josette doubts that Barnabas left and insists on going to the Old House. After they leave, Joshua tells Naomi he couldn't care less about Barnabas and Angelique, but after his wife goes upstairs, Joshua looks very concerned indeed.
Old House drawing room - It's a tense scene between Angelique, Josette and Natalie as the latter two try to explain that they're concerned about Barnabas and there was nothing improper going on. Josette admits to Angelique that she left because Barnabas felt her life in danger, but Angelique essentially tells them her husband's whereabouts are not their business and orders them out of her house when they become insistent. Natalie definitely feels bad vibes at the Old House. Upstairs, Barnabas overhears their voices floating up to him. He sits up, muttering, "Josette. . .I'm coming to you!"
Josette wonders why Barnabas didn't meet them at the Inn as he said he would, and Ang plays the wounded wife and tries to force them out of the house. Nat begs them to forget the petty quarrels for now, and after again begging Angelique to help them, coldly says she hopes that, wherever Barn is, he's safe. Calling Josette's name, Barnabas hoists himself out of bed, stumbling across the room. Angelique is still insisting she knows only too well what's happening here, and Josette, angry, is just about to leave when Josette hears Barnabas calling her and vaults upstairs. Angelique tries to stop her, but Natalie stops Angelique, holding firmly to her arm and giving her a warning look.
Josette finds Barnabas sprawled on the floor, calling her name. She sees his puncture wounds and screams. Still calling, "Josette!" he pulls away from her and totters to the doorway, calling her name over and over.
NOTES: This is where we learn that Ang is great for putting curses on, but not taking 'em off. Poor Barnabas. Poor Josette. Poor Joshua, pretending he doesn't care about his son when he clearly does!
408 - (Alexandra Moltke) - A seance has been held in the great house at Collinwood, a seance which has suspended time and space and sent one girl on an uncertain and frightening journey into the past, back to the year 1795. There, each of the Collins ancestors resembles a present-day member of the Collins family, but the names and relationships have changed, and Victoria Winters finds herself a stranger in a sea of familiar faces. As she is being forced to witness the first moments of the Collins tragedy that was to reach across the centuries.
Barnabas comes out of his delirium long enough to recognize Josette and fear for her safety. He thought she was far away! He tells her he is going to die soon, upsetting her terribly, and she asks him who the witch is. He's about to tell her when Angelique comes in, and he immediately passes out before uttering a word.
Barnabas is back in bed with Josette and Angelique hovering over him. The jealous Mrs. Collins wants Josette to leave Barnabas alone; she's only upsetting him! Natalie comes in and is horrified when she see the gashes in his throat. Angelique beckons them away from the bed, and Josette, sobbing, says she doesn't believe he's going to die. It's witchcraft, says Josette, but Angelique says it's worse than that--it's the plague, so they had better get out, because it isn't safe for them! A huge argument ensued; Natalie insists on getting a doctor, Angelique insists if they do, he'll send Barnabas away to die, alone--better he stay there where his wife can take care of him! Although Josette agrees with Angelique, Natalie has the last word, and goes to get a doctor. "Josette!" Barnabas calls. Angelique implies that Barnabas' condition shouldn't concern her, but Josette says he's her friend, so it sure does. Angelique tries to make her leave, but Josette says she ain't going anywhere until she hears from the doctor. Angelique coldly says Barnabas wants to be alone with his wife, so Josette says she'll wait in the drawing room--even if it offends Angelique, begging her forgiveness. Our girl Josette actually displays some major cojones here, good for her! After Josette has gone, a furious Angelique says aloud that Josette will be begging for more than her forgiveness before she's through with her!
The doctor examines Barnabas, gives him a sedative (early Julia relative?) and tells Natalie and Ang that he does suspect plague, saying he appears to have been bitten nastily by a rodent--and he wants to send Barnabas away to protect everyone else in the community--there are no remedies for the plague. Josette bursts in--she had to know what's happening. Hearing that the doctor feels there's no hope, Josette begins to cry. Natalie coaxes the doctor out of sending Barnabas away-he should stay with his family. Besides, should he really risk panicking the town when he isn't sure it's the plague? It could only be an isolated case, so why not keep him at Collinwood? Angelique agrees--she'll take care of him, all she needs is time. Besides, reminds Natalie, the Collinses would be ever-so-grateful if he just keeps quiet about this. They can't banish the man on the evidence they have, right? The doctor, thus convinced, agrees to do nothing and say nothing, and Natalie escorts him downstairs.
Angelique tells Josette she should leave. Josette says they have time now, which is good. Barnabas almost named the witch! She thinks she knows who the witch is and intends to protect Barnabas, she says, showing true spunk. She'll return, hopefully, with a means to save Barnabas. After Josette leaves, Angelique gazes at her husband in consternation.
Josette, determined, goes to the gaol to see Vicki. Lift Barnabas' curse, she begs the governess, and I'll get you out of here somehow. Or, begs Josette, destroy ME, I have no life without him anyway. Vicki denies being a witch, but, disturbed to learn how ill Barnabas is, once again makes a foolhardy decision--go get the Collins family history book out of my room, she tells Josette. Something terrible is going to happen to you, and perhaps if you have foreknowledge, you'll be able to prevent it. You're in terrible danger, leave Collinwood, advises Vicki passionately.
Angelique caresses Barnabas' hair. She knows he almost told Josette about her, but that isn't important. His family knows now, and will want to see him. If he doesn't keep his mouth shut about her to them, Josette will die. One word, and Josette is doomed! Barnabas agrees he must never tell her anything--he must save her.
Natalie and Josette search Vicki's room and find the Collins family history book. Natalie always thought Miss Winters pretty dull, but this business about coming from another century is sure interesting. They see the book was published in 1965, in Bangor, ME (which back in 1795 was in Massachusetts). Josette sees a picture of her just-painted portrait and reads about herself--she died by her own hand in the winter of 1795 (actually, 1796)! I'd never do that, protests Josette, horrified.
NOTES: So sad to see Barnabas suffering this way, knowing that Angelique was unable to break her own spell and that he is doomed. His love for Josette has come sweeping back, both over him and his once-intended, and Angelique won't stand for it.
Will Joshua, learning how sick his son is, finally come to see him?
Love, Robin
