Chapter 22
"There are two Collins histories, aren't there Barnabas?" Max commented trying to coach him to begin his story. After handing everyone a sherry glass, she sat down next to David on the sofa.
Barnabas eyed Max suspiciously and then looked around the room at his present–day family members. He remembered a statement Maeve said to him months ago that he needed to trust and tell the truth. Somehow, his life had been leading up to this event and it was NOT to his liking.
"Now tell us the true story about the Collins family as far back as your can remember," Max added as though she read his mind. "Just trust your family, Barnabas. They are good at keeping secrets."
David patiently listened but found Max's comments rather bizarre and out of place. What does SHE know about the Collins' history? Roger, sitting on the other side of David, held his sherry glass, sipping and listening very intently. Many thoughts raced through his mind but he kept quiet. Carolyn watched her cousin stand near the fireplace and observed his nervousness. For some reason, his posture and facial expressions reminded her so much of the Barnabas she knew. A memory started to resurface but stayed just out of reach of her conscious mind. Unconsciously, she rubbed her neck where something happened years ago but couldn't remember what it was.
"Ok Barnabas, they are ready to know the true story of the Collins family," Max said as though she had read everyone's minds.
Barnabas coughed clearing his throat before starting his story.
About a half hour after it left the train station, the taxicab drove up and stopped in front of the Collinsport Inn. The driver turned around to his fare and asked, "Are you sure you don't want me to drop you off at the Holiday Inn on the other side of town? It's a much newer Inn, better food and . . ."
"No," the man interrupted, "this is the right place." He looked out the window at the familiar Inn. "I stayed here many years ago and I feel rather nostalgic at the moment." Reaching into his back pocket, the man pulled out money to pay the fare. He told the driver to keep the change as he climbed out of the back seat. As the taxi drove away, the he walked into the Inn to rent a room.
Feeling trapped, nervous but somewhat relieved to tell his side of the story, Barnabas began: "There are two Collins histories, one written and the other experienced. The written one is in a large leather bound book that you all have seen, read and know by heart. Some of the information is correct such as names, dates, portraits and events. The parts that are not true were changed to protect a family member and the family's reputation." Barnabas looked into each face and knew they understood the meaning of keeping secrets.
"Excuse me, Barnabas, but how do you know all this?" David asked rather mystified. "Your father grew up in England and knew very little about our American branch."
"No, David," Max interrupted, patting his hand, "Barnabas knows more about the Collins past than anyone alive." She smiled at him and continued, "I know you wonder how I know all this but believe me, after you hear Barnabas' story," Max looked up at Barnabas, smiled and faced David again, "your questions will be answered."
David stared at Max, bewildered how she knew what he was thinking and got a chill. She didn't seem herself and it scared him. His mind raced but he kept his thoughts to himself. He nodded at Barnabas to continue, forgetting Max's hand rested on his own.
Behind the wall to the secret staircase, a figure left the door cracked in order to listen to what was going on in the drawing room.
Collecting his thoughts, Barnabas sipped his sherry in order to stall. 'Will this day ever end,' he wondered. Deciding he couldn't wait any longer, Barnabas began again.
"The unwritten secrets of the Collins family started back in the last 18th century. It was in the year of our lord, Seventeen Hundred and Ninety Five. The patriarch of the family, Joshua Collins, and his younger brother, Jeremiah Collins, built the estate on the hill so the growing family had a place to live. You see, I . . . remember a wedding was planned for Barnabas Collins and Josette du Pres as soon as she arrived at Collinwood from Martinique."
Carolyn, David and Roger all choked on their sherry when they heard the discrepancy in their family history. "Barnabas, you must be mistaken," David interrupted.
"No, David," Barnabas replied, "the Collins history book had been altered to protect the family from what developed into a family tragedy." He watched their faces relax a bit and then continued his story.
"Barnabas met Josette in Martinique and fell in love with her," he said remembering the events as though they were yesterday. With dreamy eyes, he continued, "After she arrived at the Collins' Mansion, later called the Old House, with her aunt, the Countess Natalie du Pres, her father, Andre du Pres and their servant, Angelique Bouchard, strange and supernatural events started to take place."
As Barnabas described himself in third-person, he told his story, detailing his mysterious strangulation as though it happened to someone else. He also spoke about the inexplicable love affair and marriage of Josette and Jeremiah ending with the duel between uncle and nephew. Other facts surfaced which included the false accusations towards the governess for being a witch, the strange illnesses and death of Sarah and the witch trial. Then, he spoke of the marriage between Barnabas and Angelique, which ended in the discovery of her being the witch who caused all the tragedy of the Collins family.
"When Barnabas learned that his wife, Angelique, was indeed THE witch, he made plans to expose and get rid of her." Barnabas watched the expressions on his cousins' faces as they listened to him. It was then he started to waver in telling the part about his curse. Max gave him a look that meant if he didn't tell them, she would.
"That was the worst day of my life," Barnabas blurted out.
"WHAT?" David, Carolyn and Roger said in unison. Ignoring their confusion, Barnabas continued to tell them about Angelique's curse and his death.
"The words still ring in my head," he said. "She said and I quote, 'I set a curse on you, Barnabas Collins. You wanted your Josette so much. Well you shall have her, though not in the way you would have chosen. You will never rest, Barnabas, and you will never be able to love anyone for whoever loves you will die. That is my curse, and you will live with it through all eternity!' "
Looking away from probing eyes, he continued as fast as he can. His mind relived those final days as he told about his own death and 'resurrection', his mother's, Naomi, discovery and self-inflicted death, his father's final deed to protect the public and the family's reputation by committing him to eternal imprisonment.
"Joshua decided to make up the story that I went to England, never to return. I would have spent eternity in that cursed coffin if it wasn't for . . ." Barnabas hesitated, looking at his ring thinking of his friend, "Willie Loomis." He finished his story at the point where Willie unchained the coffin and came to 'work' for him at the Old House, but felt it best not to divulge any more tragic events he committed during this time.
The wall leading to the secret staircase closed. While Max smiled at Barnabas, both he and Maeve sensed a rage from an undetermined source that the others were unaware of as they pondered the finished story.
"BARNABAS," David shouted, "this is an incredible story but do you expect us to believe it's the truth? As a boy, I would have believed it all but . . ." David stopped when a memory of a bat flew into his bedroom window and attacked him. In his mind, he watched his younger-self scream on the floor as Aunt Elizabeth and his father came into the room to comfort him. He told them about a huge bat that flew into the window and attacked him. However, they didn't believe him because the window was locked tight. The scene changed and young David was in the mausoleum locked in the secret room. He saw a coffin, which was also in the basement of the Old House. David gasped as his visions abruptly ended after Max withdrew her hand from his.
"I remember," David said staring into thin air.
"So do I," said Carolyn as she rubbed her neck where two puncture wounds use to be. "It's true." She stared into the fire.
The room was very quiet; the only sound they heard came from the fire, cracking sounds in the hearth. After a few minutes, a loud crash of glass breaking shook everyone out of their reminiscence. David gazed over at his father and saw the sherry glass broken on the floor.
"Father, are you alright?" David noticed Roger's eyes close and his hand very relaxed, dangling off the arm of the sofa. "Father?" David touched Roger's shoulder and shook him. "Father, wake up."
Carolyn swiftly went to Roger's side. She touched his forehead and then held his wrist. Gasping, she cried, "David, he's dead!"