439 - (Vala Clifton) - 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, where she finds herself labeled a witch and forced to endure a trial which could only have one verdict--for the one person who could have saved her was unable to make himself known, and must settle for revenge on the prosecutor.
Ben comes downstairs to greet Barnabas as he rises from his coffin. The vampire wonders if Trask had nightmares, and Ben says if Barnabas had anything to do with it, he sure did. His dreams will worsen, promises Barnabas, before ceasing altogether. Ben is unhappy that the vampire wants to kill Trask; why not just scare him back to Salem? Ben fears that killing him will also make it worse for Miss Winters; they'll blame his death on her. No, says Barnabas, they will have to be clever about it. Besides, he doesn't want Trask to just leave, the SOB will only inflict the same on other innocent young girls, so Barnabas is making this his business!
Trask is important, argues Ben, almost a hero to some after the trial, and if he disappears, the villagers won't forget. Trask will disappear right there, in the Old House basement, says Barn, drawn there by a nightmare. Barnabas gazes at an alcove and tells Ben he must bring him a ring large enough to tie a man's hands to, plus bricks and mortar--and make sure he's not seen! Ben refuses to help him--no more killing, there's been enough! It will never end for me, the vampire reminds him. Ben sadly points out that Barnabas used to care about him, was thoughtful, tried to make his load lighter--doesn't he have any feelings? (sad query, Ben) Yes, says Barnabas, I have hate! Ben fears imprisonment for keeping Barnabas' secret, but Barnabas reminds him he can never let him go--he trusts no one, has no choice now. Ben realizes Barnabas would kill him if he had to, and Barnabas admits it's true. Then kill me now, demands Ben--I don't want to watch what's going to happen to you. Barnabas confesses that he can't harm Ben, and the servant says, yes, because Barnabas needs him. "You'll go on with me," says Barnabas gently, "because there's nothing else either of us can do."
A very touching scene there; my heart ached for both of them.
At the Eagle, Ben gets drunk on rum in the company of Maudie Brown, a "big city" girl who is clearly looking for some action. Ben warns her not to be alone. She knows all about Ruby Tate, but SHE was common, sniffs Maudie, and would talk to any man--I only talk to gentlemen! She's annoyed when Ben pounds his glass on the table, demanding more rum--he obviously prefers rum to her. Nathan comes in with a buddy he knows from the Navy, Noah Gifford. Maudie sulks to them that she wants to return to New Bedford with her money. Nathan agrees to meet her in an hour, then quietly reminds Noah to pump Ben for information on the Collinses. Noah joins Ben, who orders him a rum. The seaman asks Ben questions about the Collins family, indicating he'd like to work for them before getting on another ship.
While Ben blathers on drunkenly about going to sea himself, to China, maybe, Noah keeps asking questions. Ben slips up and mentions Barnabas, saying working for him is not the way it used to be--the things he asks you to do, and you can't say no. . .stay away from the Collinses, warns Ben darkly.
Barnabas meets and flirts with Maudie on the docks when he picks up her dropped handkerchief. She fingers the head of his cane, and although he tries to leave her, she pretends to faint, and he takes her into his arms. As she leans against him, he warns her that it isn't safe to be out, but she flirtatiously says she'll take her chances with him.
He opens his mouth, fangs exposed, but Maudie sees his face before he can attack, and screams. Barnabas begins to strangle her and drops his cane as they struggle.
Nathan hears Maudie's screams and comes running, but Barnabas is gone by the time he arrives. Forbes picks up the cane, mutters, "It couldn't be," then says he knows whose cane it is. Nathan takes her into the Eagle and buys her rum to assuage her fear of almost losing her life. He wants her to go to the police, but she's so frightened, she just wants to leave town. Nathan promises to take care of this himself. I must be wrong about whose cane it is--my friend who had a similar one is in England. She describes her attacker to Nathan as tall, dark-haired, elegant, with serious brown eyes that looked right through her, and a deep, refined voice. He was handsome at first, but then his face changed into that of an animal. He started choking her, giving her a clear view of his gold and onyx ring! This clinches it for Nathan, who is stunned, but he tells Maudie his payment for saving her life is to keep quiet about the incident. He says if he's right, she isn't the only lucky one tonight!
NOTES: And so Ben was right!
440 - (Vala Clifton) - 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, and the secrets which still haunt the Collins family today. One secret concerns a man who is dead but still lives, and the horror of his existence can bring untold grief to those alive now, as well as those in centuries to come.
Barnabas finds Ben sleeping off his hangover in one of the chairs in the Old House living room. Barnabas thought Ben had quit working for him, but Ben says he couldn't. If you're going to stay, warns Barnabas, no moralizing on what I do. He orders Ben to the docks to find his dropped cane, then has to explain how he lost it. This alarms Ben, who is sure the vampire has been found out--what will they do now? he anxiously asks Barnabas.
Don't panic, the vampire says--the woman doesn't know me. Hearing that the victim was Maude Brown, Ben nervously reveals he was keeping that very lady company at the Eagle and knows where she lives. Barn says he'll stay home, avoiding further trouble, and keep Trask busy--the devil's work makes for idle hands, the vampire chortles; Ben is to find the cane, even if he has to check Maude's room--just make sure she isn't in it. Barnabas wonders if Trask has begun to feel any remorse for Vicki Winters or is planning to persecute someone else, and promises that wherever he goes, the light will leave.
So saying, Barnabas viciously blows out a candle and the candle on Trask's desk goes out, too. When he re-lights it, it is again extinguished. He hears Barnabas' resounding laughter and says the devil has come again. Nathan stops by to visit Trask, who re-lights the candles again. Trask asked the Lieutenant to stop by because he was concerned that he, too, is being similarly victimized by the vengeful witch. Nathan insists HE doesn't believe in witches, and Trask says he should have seen that disembodied hand floating towards HIM, growing, until all one could see was the ring!
Nathan pounces on this, and Trask describes the black onyx stone set in gold. Nathan says he knows that ring, Maude was attacked by the man wearing it, and it isn't the devil--it's Barnabas Collins! Trask continues to maintain the witch is responsible and believes that both of them will be punished. The hand appears then, Barnabas' clenched fist, but only to Trask?s bulging eyes. Nathan sees how upset Trask is and suggests he's been under too much strain from the trial. "The strain begins, for you and you alone!" cackles Barnabas voice, only heard by the hysterical Trask. The non-Reverend quickly agrees that the trial is getting to him, and Barnabas' voice adds, "You will give much more!" Trask insists to Nathan that he has faith on his side, and Barnabas laughs at him maniacally. Flustered, Trask speaks back: "I will fight you!" Nathan insists he doesn't hear the voice, and Barnabas tells Trask that he's alone. Trask screams that he ISN'T alone, and Nathan continues to gaze oddly at the crazed man. Nathan says he has to go back to Maude and advises Trask to leave, too, but the latter says he's going to stand firm and barks at the Lieutenant to go. Trask, left alone, hears Barnabas' voice telling him that he is "To die, to die, to die. . .!"
Ben searches Maude's room but finds nothing. Where it the cane, he frets, it should be there! Nathan knocks at the door but leaves when no one answers. Ben quietly slips out, but Nathan has been hiding and follows him.
Barnabas is perturbed when Ben returns to the Old House without the cane. He assures the vampire he wasn't spotted and that Maudie herself was getting drunk at the Eagle and telling tall tales about her attack. She didn't show the cane to anyone, swears Ben. Outside the window, Nathan eavesdrops, and Barnabas hears someone outside. He goes to investigate, but Nathan is gone. Ben wants to return to town to resume the search, but Barnabas wants to go settle Maudie himself, which upsets Ben terribly. You'll be caught, he argues, but Barnabas seems to feel he'll be caught anyway. Ben suggests Barnabas leave Collinwood--he'll go with him!--but Barnabas insists he still wants to be where he and Josette were almost happy. Barnabas leaves, Ben begging him to reconsider.
Nathan and a drunken Maude go into her room. She pouts that she wants to return to the Eagle, but he locks her window and orders her to lock her door after he goes--her attacker wants his cane back. She clings to him, trying to get him to stay, but he chuckles about not ruining his reputation. There's a stage leaving at 8 AM, be on it, he orders Maude; he'll stop by to say goodbye to her. After he goes, Maude hears a bat squeaking outside the window. She backs away, frightened, and starts to pack, but soon finds herself face to face with Barnabas. I want my cane, he tells her. She insists she doesn't have it and screams for help, but he says he knows she's there alone, and they must be quiet.
His eyes scare Maude, and she tries not to look at him. "He" has the cane, she says. Barnabas grabs her, they struggle, and he keeps shouting at her not to scream, finally silencing her himself with strong hands squeezing into her throat.
Trask returns home, angry at himself for letting the witch scare him away from his own room. He'll show her he isn't afraid!
He enters his room and begins to light candles. He spots something in his bed and realizes that someone has left a grisly present spread across his covers--Maude's dead body, eyes staring in wide-open horror. "No!" cries Trask.
NOTES: Barnabas is really having fun with Trask, isn't he? The sweet guy Barn was as a human being is blotted out by the terrible, delicious things he's doing to avenge what happened to Vicki. That revenge will soon take a much deadlier turn!
Love, Robin
