The Dark Shadows Daybook: March 29

By PATRICK McCRAY

Taped on this date in 1968: Episode 464

Roger is smitten over the portrait of Angelique, so much so that he mis-remembers the poem, “Dover Beach” by Matthew Arnold, which properly goes:

Ah, love, let us be true
To one another! for the world, which seems
To lie before us like a land of dreams,
So various, so beautiful, so new,
Hath really neither joy, nor love, nor light,
Nor certitude, nor peace, nor help for pain;
And we are here as on a darkling plain
Swept with confused alarms of struggle and flight,
Where ignorant armies clash by night.

Although Roger scoffs at Vicki's time jaunt, he absentmindedly calls Julia "Countess Dupres." Professor Stokes introduces himself, charming the house as he examines the painting. He wanted the painting, himself, knowing that the painting is significant to his family's history, having collected items from Ben Stokes' past. Gazing upon the painting, Vicki slowly remembers that Angelique married Barnabas in 1795 and almost destroyed the family. She identifies her as the witch, bolstering Stokes' own findings regarding the secret history of Collinsport. He believes that Vicki has ESP, a fact concerning Barnabas to no end.

Later, Barnabas commands Vicki to rise from her sleep and come to him when the music box plays in her room. He believes that she will identify more and more with the spirit of Josette. She comes as
summoned, and he implants a command for her to return to him when she hears the music again so that they may be together for all time, sealing it with a bite to her neck. Later that night, Julia sees the
bite marks on her neck and speeds to the Old House to confront him.

Barnabas claims that he is only trying to protect himself from her returning memory. Julia orders him to leave her alone or be exposed, giving him only a day to cease his attentions.

Roger recites poetry, Barnabas attacks Victoria, and Timothy Stokes appears for the first time. On a sobering note, this episode aired on the same day that the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King was announced.