Collinwood; as it stands in the present. It is a house of dark intrigue; and evil has gained a foothold within its walls. Horror now grips the house, as a deadly plague has affected the two young adults living within its walls. The spirit of a man long dead has taken possession of Carolyn's husband; A man who bears nothing but malice toward the name: Collins. Through the use of a mysterious stairway through time, two men have made a bold journey into the past to retrieve a journal they hope will help them rid the house of his evil forever, but when they reached the bottom of the staircase, they found themselves not in 1841, but that they have somehow traveled back to the year 1677...
Stokes and Desmond approach a small cottage and knock on the door. As they
wait, Stokes says, "In the 20th century this is the caretaker's cottage at
Collinwood. It seems strange that it's the home of the Collins in this era,
but I suppose even they started with small beginnings." The door opens to
reveal a middle aged man. He looks both of them over strangely and then
says, "Yes?" Stokes then bowed slightly and asked, "You good sir, are Isaac
Collins?" He continued to look at them both and cautiously replied, "I
indeed am Isaac Collins, what may I help you with?" Stokes then said, "Mr.
Collins, my name is Eleazar Stokes, My friend here is a bit unnerved about
coming to you, since he knowest you not. He sayeth you art his uncle!" Isaac
took a candle from inside the house and held it up to Desmond's face.
A look of recognition came over Isaac's face as he says, "Darius? Darius
Collins"
Desmond replies, "Yes Uncle Isaac, I am Darius, son of thy brother Jacob."
Isaac rushed inside apologetically ushering them inside. "Do come in and
pardon the foolishness of an old man. Of course thou art Darius, thou
lookest just as thy father did at thy age. Let me behold thee!" He places
his hands on Desmond's shoulders and looks him up and down. I see that thou
art not beset with immense size of thy father. These clothes! Is this now
the style of dress in the home country?" Stokes then said, "Hardly, thy
nephew and myself were robbed as we arrived at Boston Harbor. The renegades
took all that we had, our clothes as well. Some kind hearted vagabonds
provided us with these." Isaac nodded negatively and said, "Thieves and
cutthroats were not content to remain in the Old Country, but have come to
this new world to further plague us with their plunderings. We shall provide
thee with suitable clothing. Mr. Stokes, I think my things should fit thee
well. My son hath clothing suitable for thee, Darius." He then turns and
shouts out, "Brutus! Brutus I have need of thee." He then turns back to
Desmond and Stokes and says, "Thou shalt meet my other son, Amadeus later."
A door is heard opening and a voice says, "I am here, Father!" Stokes and
Desmond turn and both become wide eyed as the camera holds on Brutus
Collins. (Three dramatic notes sound)
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Brutus Collins looks curiously at the two men who are gaping at him. "Dost thou know me?" Stokes, suddenly realizing they were staring at him replied, "Indeed Sir, we knowest thee not. A thousand pardons, thou hast the same visage as a friend we left in the Old Country. A wonderful friend he is!" Brutus smiled and said, "So thou art from the Old Country! Father hath often spake of it. He departed from thence long before I was borne." Isaac then said, "Brutus, this is thine cousin, Darius; the son of thy uncle, Jacob Collins, and his friend Eleazar Stokes." Brutus bowed slightly and said, "Meeting thee is a great pleasure!" He then looked at them strangely and said, "What manner of attire be this? The likes of it I hath not seen before!" Isaac then spoke, "They were accosted by scalawags, and their clothing taken from them. Vagabonds graciously provided them with this unseemly attire. Take Darius and from thy things, find for him something suitable!" Brutus nodded agreement and said, "I would be pleased!" Desmond followed Brutus through the door he had entered. Isaac then turned to Stokes and said, "Come! We shall find for thee clothing which is meet!"
Amadeus Collins sits at a table in the tavern. A man sits across from him wide eyed and quite animated. "I say unto thee, mine eyes hath deceived me not, Amadeus! " Amadeus picked up an empty whiskey bottle sitting in front of the man and said, "Thine eyes be not to blame. Thou hast seen the demon from this bottle, my good man!" The man then replied, "Yea, but the bottle be full when I came in. The proprietor canst tell thee!" Amadeus chuckled and said, "It is well known that Silas McGruder keepeth a flask hid in his coat!" Silas' eyes lowered a moment like someone caught red handed, and then he continued, "The things I saw came from no flask. I gathereth the timbers from the north wood. Loadeth it on the wagon, I did! I guideth the team through the north wood, and lo, right in the middle of the wood a set of stairs appear. There be a door on the top. The door openeth, and an angel came forth!" Amadeus laughed out loud and said, "Now I knowest thee wert drunken! Angels needeth no stairs to come from heaven!" Silas was not dissuaded. "A white robe she wore! A white hood covereth her face. Down the stairs she came. Her feet toucheth the ground, and the stairs vanish!" Amadeus then asked, "Yea, and the angel; didst she bestow blessings upon thee?" Silas lowered his head realizing he was not being taken seriously and muttered, "No, she walketh into the forest and out of me sight." Amadeus stood shaking his head at the man and said, "I hath no time for thy drunken visions, Silas McGruder! Return thee to the north wood on the morrow! Taketh not thy flask, and do the work for which we pay thee! This be thy last warning! There art many which wouldst take thy place. Hold fast what thou hast, and speak no more of angels and staircases!" He then turned and left the tavern. Silas McGruder still sat at the table. He mutters under his breath, "I wast not drunken! With mine own eyes I hath seen the angel!" He picked up the empty bottle and tried to pour another glass. Then he looked up and holding up the empty bottle and called out, "Proprietor! Another!" (Sad music tinkles out)
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Brutus Collins watches as Desmond buttons the 17th century vest. "It is a good thing to see it worn again. It hath been in that trunk for many seasons. Take all thou desirest, they were bound for gifting to the church to be given to the poor. I require somewhat larger clothes now." Desmond looked at himself in the mirror and felt a bit odd in the outfit. He had seen them illustrated in old books and never imagined ever wearing such. Brutus then asked, "So thou comest from the olde country, wast thy journey hard?" Desmond thought for a moment and nodded and said, "Yes, many took sick and did die." Brutus picked up a replica of a ship from the dresser in his room and said, "How often I hath dreamed of sailing the sea! Mine mother wouldst hear none of it. But I say of a truth, one day it shall be so! I shall sail to England, France, India and more! I was borne to the sea. There art nights I hath stood on the edge of the great hill. The ships would pass, and I would dream of where it was bound. I can think of no greater adventure than set sail to the utmost parts of the world!" Desmond listened and then said, "It hath its dangers as well. One of my worst nightmares was caused by a trip I took to the Orient. If I could go back and change things, I'd never make that trip." Brutus looked at him with great interest, waiting to hear more. Desmond saw the expectancy and realized, maybe he'd said too much already. He then said, "Well, perhaps we should rejoin the others. Looking slightly disappointed, Brutus gave a slight nod as both men proceed to the door.
Isaac Collins and Stokes sit in the front room talking when a handsome woman entered the room carrying a tray. "I hath brought some tea!" she said with a smile. Isaac looked up and returned the smile and said, "Thank you, my dear. Eleazar Stokes, my wonderful wife, Constance" Stokes rose and bowed saying, "It is an honor." She then turned to Isaac and said, "Did you not say there were two kind visitors?" Isaac replied, "Brutus hath taken him to find decent clothes." At that moment Desmond and Brutus return to the room. Isaac then said, "Darius Collins, meet thy Aunt. My wife, Constance Collins. This is the son of Jacob, my brother." Constance nodded and curtsied slightly saying, "Delighted to know thee. I barely knew your father, before Isaac brought us to this new world. You look much like him as I remember." Desmond nodded and said, "Thank you." Constance turned the cups right side up and said, "Let us share tea." She then poured and gave to each, then poured for herself and sat down beside Isaac. Stokes then broke the ice and said, "A friend of mine from the Old Country, when he learned of my voyage asked that I greet a friend of his from this region. His name be Judah Zachary. Dost thou know of him?" Constance looked curiously as did Isaac. They exchanged questioning glances and then Isaac turned and replied, "Judah Zachary. The name is not known to us. The area hath many people. Perhaps he will be found in the village." Stokes nodded and said, "Yes, of course. My thanks all the same." Desmond sees Stoke looking his way. Uncomfortable as he felt with the speech and the customs, he realized as the apparent relative of their hosts he would need to initiate conversation. He swallowed hard and then said, "So, I must hear of this new world. Tell me of your lives here, Uncle Isaac, Aunt Constance!" Isaac then said, "We came unto this new world by Boston. I worked there for a while, but knew I could not do as I sought, so we cometh unto this wilderness. We felled the trees and provided wood for building. The townspeople had homes, but the crops were poor, so we felled more trees and built fishing ships. Now the people had food and work, then more people came, so again we felled the trees for more homes, and more fishing ships. People began to call the town Collinsport. Then was borne our sons, and they grew, and now I will leave all these blessings to them as inheritance. We hath been greatly blessed. As you see, I now am too old to fell the trees, and build the ships any longer, but they shall continue. I hoped for much, and was blessed with far more than I had hoped for." Brutus then spoke, "He sayeth he is too old to build the ships, but he is stubborn! Yet he travels to town on occasion and we can find him not. When we do, he hath the hammer in his hand." Stokes then says, "The hour is late. We must find a minister who can find us lodging for the night." Constance stood with a scowl and said, "Nonsense! The house hath not enough room, but the bunkhouse hath beds!" Isaac said, "She speaketh the truth! You shalt abide here this night. Many workers hath built homes of their own, and the bunkhouse be almost empty." Desmond and Stokes both stood and Isaac said, "Brutus, show unto them the bunkhouse and see that they are made comfortable." Desmond and Stokes both thank them and Brutus says, "Come, I shalt show thee the way." He opens the front door and the three depart.
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Isaac and Constance still sit sipping their tea. Isaac turns to Constance and says, "I am glad they hath come. Telling them of our lives here bring to remembrance how much we hath to give thanks for. We hath been greatly blessed." Constance looked back and said, "Indeed we hath. Tis so easy to forget at times. Our sons shalt be blessed beyond measure. You hath been a fine husband unto me, Isaac Collins." The front door opens and Amadeus enters. "Amadeus; Thou art quite late!" Constance said with a look of concern. Amadeus hung his cloak on the wall and replied, "My apologies Mother; I met a lovely young lady and had need to speak with Silas McGruder." Isaac frowned and said, "What hath he done now?" Amadeus then said, "As always, the bottle speaketh for him. He babbleth about a stairway in the wood and an angel that descended from it." Constance looked shocked and said, "He is cursed by the drink. When shalt men learn that only evil cometh of it?" Isaac then said, "Tell us of the young lady thou hast met!" Amadeus then said, "In passing did I meet her, she wast in tears. I know not why. I was introduced to her mother, then a man came forth to take her in a carriage. So I then met with Silas and telleth him to return to the wood on the morrow without his drink. Thou hast shown him much mercy, Father. I fear the days of great patience with him run too long. I sayeth unto him that many await to do his work if he will not. Perhaps another wouldst be worthy of his place." Isaac stood and said, "Perhaps. But we shalt wait a bit longer. He hath done no real harm. Amadeus relented to his father's wish and said, I weary. I shalt see the on the morrow." He then left the room to go to bed. Isaac stand with a pensive look on his face as music tinkles out.
Constance Collins.
JOAN BENNETT
Brutus Collins.
JONATHAN FRID
Isaac Collins.
LOUIS EDMONDS
Eliot/Eleazar Stokes.
THAYER DAVID
Amadeus Collins.
DAVID SELBY
Desmond/Darius Collins.
JOHN KARLEN
Silas McGruder.
MICHAEL STROKA
Written and Directed by RUSS WILLIAMS
Story Developed and Created by ART WALLACE
Produced By PETER MINER
Associate Producer GEORGE DiCENZO
Fashions courtesy of ORBACH'S
Music composed by ROBERT COBERT
Scenic Design SY TOMASHOFF
Music Supervisor SYBIL WEINBERGER
Costume Design MOSTOLLER
Make up VINCENT LOSCALZO
Associate Producer KEN McEWEN
Assistant to the producer HARRIET ROHR
Unit Manager PATRICK PLEVEN
Technical Director J.J. LUPATKIN
Lighting Director MEL HANDELSMAN
Audio FRANK BAILEY HENRY PLIMACK
Sound Effects ED BLAINEY
Video RUDY PICCIRILLO ROSS SKIPPER
Series created by DAN CURTIS Executive Producer
Had this been an actual episode, the airdate would have been June 15, 1971