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Victoria feels she is becoming consumed by the past and asks Barnabas to take back the music box; however, he convinces her to keep it.
== Synopsis ==
Teaser
: The quiet nights are longer now at Collinwood as the season continues its advance toward a still-distant fall. Succeeding days surrender to the coming night without complaint. And nature would seem to have made a truce within itself. But deep within the night, opposing forces stalk each other, forces so opposite, no peace is possible. And their meeting, when it comes, will shatter the ancient truce between the living and the dead.
Dr. Julia Hoffman, determined to find out if her suspicions concerning Barnabas Collins are correct, has sneaked inside the Old House and discovers his coffin in the basement. She lifts the lid, and finds Barnabas sleeping within.
Act I
Later that evening, Dr. Woodard pays a call on Julia in the drawing room at Collinwood. The two physicians are engaged in another argument: Woodard demands explanations Julia is not prepared to give. He threatens to remove Maggie Evans from her care. Julia correctly surmises that Woodard is doing this out of spite due to the fact she hasn't given him a day-to-day report. She placates him, feigning discouragement over the supposed lack of progress she's made. Julia claims this is the reason for not giving Woodard any reports. He, however, is immediately suspicious of her.
Act II
Woodard reluctantly agrees to allow Maggie to remain at Windcliff Sanitarium "for the time being". As the pair move into the foyer, Victoria Winters has come downstairs to answer a knock at the door. It is Barnabas, who learns that Woodard and Julia are friends. Once the former has departed, Barnabas speaks with the latter and tells her he would like to have a word with her. Julia--believing Barnabas has changed his mind about assisting her in her research--leaves to get her notebook, giving Barnabas an opportunity to talk with Victoria alone. He is disappointed to learn Victoria is not enjoying the historical research, and the governess confesses her fear of losing herself in the past she once loved. Victoria is more enamored with the past than ever before, and she is thinking of returning Josette's music box to Barnabas. Despite the enchanting effect it has on her, Barnabas insists that she keep it. He tells her she should not be afraid of being trapped by the past, rather she should be wary of being trapped by the present.
Act III
Barnabas and Julia retire to the drawing room, where Barnabas apologizes for his behavior toward her the other day. She presses him for details concerning the "original" Barnabas and his sister Sarah Collins, and notes the effect mentioning the little girl's name has on him. Again, Julia claims to have uncovered some new facts about Barnabas' "namesake." She will exchange her information only if Barnabas will share what he knows with her. After a little verbal sparring, and Julia suggests they meet at the Old House in the morning or afternoon, and Barnabas says he won't be available until evening, so they arrange a meeting at the Old House for tomorrow evening. Before he leaves, she remarks upon Barnabas' uncanny resemblance to the Portrait of Barnabas. Reading between the lines, it is clear to Barnabas she knows more than she's telling.
Act IV
Later that night, Julia prepares for bed and deliberately leaves her window open. Victoria pays her a visit, and confides her fear of being trapped in the past. She tenses up when a dog begins to howl outside, and Julia learns that Victoria heard something similar the night Maggie vanished. Julia consoles her, and Victoria says goodnight before returning to her bedroom. Julia looks at her clock, and notices it is 12:45 in the morning. The grandfather clock in the foyer chimes 2:00 when Barnabas appears in Julia's room and approaches her bed. But Julia, who has been waiting for him, confronts the vampire, saying she has been waiting for him for a very long time.
== Memorable quotes ==
: Victoria: Sometimes I think I'll get so far into the past, I'll never be able to get back.
----
: Barnabas: Don't be afraid of what being trapped by the past means. After all, one should be afraid of being trapped by the present.
----
: Julia: My original offer still stands. Tell me everything you know, and I'll tell you everything I know.
: Barnabas: Well, it hardly seems fair, since obviously I know so little [about the "original" Barnabas] by comparison.
: Julia: Do you?
----
: Julia: I've never been able to get used to the resemblance between you and this portrait.
: Barnabas: It is amusing, isn't it?
: Julia: Amusing? I find it uncanny.
: Barnabas: Well, my cousin Elizabeth finds it almost unbelievable.
: Julia: Unbelievable? I don't find it unbelievable. I find it completely believable. After all, you are closely related...very closely related.
: Barnabas: Yes... aren't we?
----
: Julia: (to Barnabas' portrait): I can't wait till tomorrow. And I'm sure you can't either.
----
: Julia: I've been waiting for you, Barnabas Collins. I've been waiting a very long time.
== Dramatis personae ==
* Jonathan Frid as Barnabas Collins
* Grayson Hall as Julia Hoffman
* Robert Gerringer as Dave Woodard
* Alexandra Moltke as Victoria Winters
== Background information and notes ==
=== Production ===
* Final episode written by Joe Caldwell until 341.
* In Julia's room, as Barnabas moves toward the bed to strangle Julia, on the wall is the portrait of Collinsport founder Isaac Collins, which is first seen and discussed in episode 3. 
=== Story ===
* TIMELINE: It was the "other day" when Julia and Barnabas squabbled over Collins family history. Julia and Barnabas plan to meet tomorrow evening. Day 107 begins, and will end in 296. 12:45am: Victoria leaves Julia's room. 2am: Barnabas enters Julia's room.
*Victoria's concerns about becoming "lost" in the past and her statement "Sometimes I think I'll get so far into the past, I'll never be able to get back" will become quite ironic in that, in the end and many episodes from now, she will voluntarily go to the 18th century to live there permanently with Peter Bradford.
== Bloopers and continuity errors ==
* When Julia opened the coffin at the end of the previous episode, she looked triumphant and satisfied to find Barnabas there. When the scene is reprised in this episode, she appears frightened. [Addendum: While the sequence was indeed reshot for the teaser, I don't see Julia's expression in the previous episode as "triumphant" or even "satisfied." Even in that episode, although her expression is different, she still looks troubled, if not frightened.]
*While Julia and Dr. Woodard are speaking in Act I, something can be heard as it falls off-set. This can be heard after Julia says "I'm not done arguing with you."
*When Barnabas is trying to convince Victoria to keep Josette's music box, Jonathan Frid stumbles over his lines: "But, uh...from...I think that you should let it [the music] become...quite ordinary."
* During the sequence between Barnabas and Victoria in the Collinwood foyer, Jonathan Frid and Alexandra Moltke soldier on talking about the past and the present and a stagehand can be seen between the cracks in the front double doors. A couple of minutes later, off-screen coughs and a few other noises can be heard, and then stagehands can be heard loudly rushing about with what sounds like a fire extinguisher going off. [Addendum: Indeed, there was a small fire on the set.]
== End credits announcements ==
* Dark Shadows is a Dan Curtis Production.
==External links ==
Dark Shadows - Episode 290 on the IMDb
Dark Shadows Everyday - Episode 290 - The Ancient Truce
Dark Shadows Commentary- Episode 290: The work itself
Dark Shadows Before I Die- Episode 290: 8/4/67
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