437 - (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 Collins family in the year 1795. Fear of the unknown has turned others against her and placed her very existence in peril--and the forces of evil which have surrounded her fate now threaten a deadly end to her journey.
(Black and white kinescope) - Peter has brought the Collins family history book to Vicki's cell. She still has doubts about telling the truth about herself, but Peter says they have to do something or she'll be convicted and hung. (damned if you do or don't.)
Trask has sent for Nathan and they have a private closed-door meeting in the courtroom. He wants Forbes to make one little change in his statement--instead of saying he helped Vicki because of his friendship with Barnabas, he is to say Miss Winters bewitched him. Nathan refuses until Trask blackmails him, reminding him of his career prospects and that he has received a reprieve, not pardon, from Joshua Collins. Nathan refuses to the end, but Trask is confident he has his prey cornered.
Courtroom - Alone with Peter, Vicki ponders being convicted and hanged, and relates to him how, as a child, she has terrible nightmares. She tried to stay asleep and keep dreaming until the very last second, when the car crashed or the monster got her. She would wake herself up. Growing hysterical, Vicki cries, "Wake myself up. . .it has to stop! Wake myself up, now, now! Got to stop now!" until she's screaming it and Peter is forced to slap her to bring her out of her hysteria. Then he hugs and holds her. "Be quiet," he admonishes her. They hear footsteps--time to go to court. Peter asks her if she'll be all right, but she doesn't answer him.
Later, Trask again puts Nathan on the stand, and guides him to say what he wants him to say. Forbes tells the judges that he felt compelled to help Vicki, he had no choice, his mind was swimming--she bewitched him! Vicki and Peter are shocked at his further duplicity and perjury. When Peter cross-examines, he demands that Nathan look at Vicki and reminds him that when they first met, he found her very attractive and said pretty girls were his weakness. Forbes also tried to kiss Miss Winters, and she had to slap him.
Nathan admits that, and Peter goes on to say that it was Forbes' uncontrollable desire for Miss Winters that led him to help her and had nothing to do with witchcraft. Nathan says he doesn't know and thus Peter leaves doubt hanging in the air. Nathan and Vicki exchange looks as he leaves the witness box, hers of reproach, his of shame.
Peter calls Vicki to the stand. Clearly, calmly, she tells them she was born in 1946 (astounding the judges), was raised in a foundling home in New York, which she left in 1966 to work for the Collins family in the future. She describes how she was knocked unconscious (liar, Vicki!) Peter hands the Collins family history, dated 1965, to the judges. This, Peter says, explains her ability to know the future and proves she's telling the truth. The judges glance at this astounding evidence and look at the photographs, which Peter explains are taken by machine. Peter ends by asking Vicki is she's a witch, and she states, firmly, that she isn't.
Trask pounces in cross-examination, and before he's through, has Vicki admitting she was transported to the past during a seance, a ritual to conjure up the dead, and not for the first time, either.
Trask hurls accusation that she innocent-faced Vicki is a child of the devil, that she admits to flying through time, calling up the dead. "She is a witch!" screams Trask, and Vicki screeches back, over and over, that she isn't.
Peter and Vicki await the verdict. The fact that it's taking a while is a good sign, says Peter, the judges must have doubt about her guilt. Vicki is scared; she doesn't want to die. Peter tells her that he loves her and she begs him not to; she might be executed or returned to her own time, and in either case, he'll probably never see her again. Peter holds her close and tells her that, no matter what her fate, he loves her. This is a nice scene.
Nathan venomously tells Trask that he never met a preacher, even a self-styled one, whose specialty is blackmail. Trask denies this charge--he was just trying to show him the error of his ways. Nathan says he feels like telling the judges how he was forced into his damning testimony against Vicki, but Trask reminds him that it would end everything--for Forbes. As the judges return to the bench, Nathan hisses to Trask that he hopes they free Vicki.
Unfortunately, the judges pronounce Victoria Winters guilty of witchcraft--she will be hung by the neck until dead! Vicki cries out, "No!" and faints into Peter's arms. Trask grins triumphantly.
NOTES: Poor Vicki! She's certainly innocent, but thanks to Forbes, Angelique and Trask, she couldn't catch a break.
438 - (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 Collins family in the year 1795, back to a time the powers of darkness and superstition prevail over light and reason. In that perilous time, Victoria Winters has been accused and condemned as a witch.
Barnabas awakens to hear bad news from Ben--despite his best efforts at giving testimony providing the truth, Angelique showed up in the courtroom--Vicki Winters has been convicted of witchcraft and will hang! I couldn't help it, says Ben sadly, she appeared and I lost control of myself. Ben wonders why, and Barnabas says she did it because freeing Victoria Winters was something he wanted, and she'd be damned before letting him have any victories, even this one. Barnabas focuses on the hated MR Trask--he's going to get him for what he did to Miss Winters. Ben pleads with Barnabas to cease the violence; true, he's been lucky so far and hasn't been caught, but that luck could end.
Barnabas intends to take care of Trask using his own weapon--fear--he'll let him live with terror, then give him a slow death! Barnabas thoroughly relishes this idea, although Ben is not happy to hear it.
Trask goes to Collinwood and ends up having heated words with Naomi. He's gloating over his victory in court; she says Peter just might come up with new evidence to overturn the decision. He wants the keys to the Old House, he says, so he can go get Miss Winters' belongings--her worldly goods must be destroyed. Naomi refuses, saying his presence disgusts her, so he lashes into her for choosing the "wrong" side--Satan over God!
Furious, Naomi slaps him across the face (OH, THAT WAS SO GOOD!), then dares him to strike her back. She knows he wouldn't dare hit the mistress of Collinwood; he isn't that stupid, but he prefers abusing women who can't fight back, like Miss Winters! She orders Trask to get a search warrant for the Old House, but he reminds her that Joshua was displeased by her testifying and is sure he wouldn't like it if he had to get the search warrant by such means. Naomi reluctantly relents and tells Ben Stokes to take Trask to the Old House--and to stay with him until he leaves! Ben notes that it's getting dark, but Trask assures him he isn't afraid of that. Trask stands next to Barnabas' painting, pleased over his latest coup.
Ben sends Trask upstairs to Vicki's old room alone, then races to the basement door, which Barnabas has just exited. He warns him Trask is in the house, per Naomi's orders, and tells him what he's doing there.
Upstairs, heading to Vicki's room, Trask hears Ben talking to someone.
Barnabas orders Ben to remain with Trask; he'll stay in the basement. He locks the door.
Trask comes downstairs with a bundle and demands to know who Ben was talking to--was he communicating with the witch? Ben says he was just talking to himself, a habit he has.
Trask gives Ben a speculative look, then leaves the Old House. Barnabas comes upstairs and, gazing evilly out the window, tells Ben Trask is in for a night he'll never forget.
Trask goes to his lodgings and things begin to happen rapidly. As he unwraps the bundle of Vicki's belongings, he hears the sound of dragging chains. Exiting his room to see if anyone is out there, he hears a woman screaming and immediately runs back into his room. For a brief time, all sound ceases, then Barnabas' voice, calling "TRASK!" over and over, fills the room. The vampire?s voice, terrifying in its force, goes on, reminding Trask about his innocent victims, chained, tortured, miserable. He's a fraud, and he won't live to see Victoria Winters hang! Trask cries out that it's the witch and he refuses to be frightened (although he clearly is). He knocks the bundle to the floor, and after he picks it up, sees his reflection morph into that of a skull. Barnabas laughs, "Victoria Winters will live!" Trask orders the evil spirits to be banished as the chains and Barnabas' laughter continue. The skull disappears from the mirror, but blood runs down its surface. "Victoria Winters will live--you will die!" Barnabas' voice promises. A disembodied hand appears out of nowhere, twisting and turning, reaching for Trask. He tries to leave the room, but the door won't open. We see Barnabas' ring on that hand, and Trask is screaming, "Get away!" The hand disappears, and Trask, cowering on the floor, eyes wide with horror, hears, "It won't happen tonight, or tomorrow night, but soon, Trask, very soon, you will die!"
NOTES: (I remember when I saw this ep for the first time, I was TERRIFIED! Barnabas was doing a terrific job of scaring Trask and the audience!)
Love, Robin
