784

Gregory asks Judith to marry him, she agrees and they are married that night.
== Synopsis ==
: Collinwood, 1897. Barnabas Collins' mission to the past has been thrown into jeopardy by the discovery that he is a vampire. And now, even while he tries to help Quentin with the legendary hand of Oshden, he must hide in a secret cave from those who would end his curse forever.
Evan banters with Barnabas while brandishing a cross for protection, and quips that while Barnabas can make himself seem to disappear, disappearing now into the sunlight would cause him to burn. "A lack of foresight," Evan says; Barnabas has no other place to go. Barnabas claims to have never known confession, and that he has no intention of starting now. Evan wants the Hand of Count Petofi which is from the Forest of Oshden. Evan recognizes that the Hand cured Charity of Barnabas's influence.
Judith is reluctant to believe that Barnabas is the Collins family secret. "Sometimes I think this family's been cursed." Trask says, "The evil men do live after them."
Trask tells Judith he holds no judgments. He thinks he should close the school and leave. Judith fears that the Collins family and their trials have offended the Reverend. He denies this and asks Judith to marry him. Judith admits that no one has ever proposed to her; that grandmamma always said that Judith frightened men away, that she was too strong. She accepts his proposal, and Trask insists the rite be performed this very day, quoting Leviticus, "Do as your conscience guides you, so that you will not offend," knowing that Judith's brothers will try to prevent the union. They decide to go to the Village and get married.
Magda goes to Barnabas and they consider using the hand on Evan. Discussing whether it can be trusted, Magda reveals, "In this world or another Petofi makes the hand do what he wants." It was cut off for payment. Legend says some nights Petofi cries for the return of his hand, but that the power of the Gypsy people prevents this from happening.
Barnabas says, "How mad the world has become that my future and David's and Chris Jennings' all depend on a man we’ve never known."
Magda does the incantation. Evan comes to the cave. Barnabas tells him the Hand is that of the most evil man in the world. Knowing this, Evan takes off his cross. Something is moving in the cave behind Evan. Barnabas is told to leave, and he does. 
Returning to Collinwood, Judith and Trask talk. Trask calls the drawing room frivolous. He will want to change it despite the fact that there are family heirlooms in it. Judith gasps and exclaims that she saw Minerva by the windows. But no one is there.
Evan has his hands on the box. The Hand attacks Evan and he falls. Barnabas returns and gasps--Evan is now witless, docile, and his face is horribly misshapen. Barnabas decides that the Hand cannot safely be used on Evan or Quentin.
== Memorable quotes ==
: Barnabas: If it is the end, let it be now.
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: Evan: I am very good at keeping secrets, Mr. Collins. You shall find that out.
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: Barnabas (to Evan): So I am to be impaled by a pin? Put under a microscope?
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: Gregory (entering the drawing room after marrying Judith): You know, my dear, we must do something about this room. It has a certain frivolous air. We wouldn't anyone to think us frivolous, would we?
Category:Dark Shadows episodes
== Dramatis personae ==
* Joan Bennett as Judith Collins
* Jonathan Frid as Barnabas Collins
* Grayson Hall as Magda
* Jerry Lacy as Gregory Trask
* Humbert Allen Astredo as Evan Hanley
Category:Dark Shadows episodes
== Background information and notes ==
=== Production ===
=== Story ===
* The hand of Count Petofi is known as the 'hand of Oshden' to the gypsies  after the forest of Oshden and is said to have belonged to the most evil man in the world.
* Edith Collins said Judith frightened men away.
* GHOSTWATCH: Judith saw Minerva's ghost.
* TIMELINE: Evan will return to the cave at dusk. Only a short time has passed since Minerva's death.
Category:Dark Shadows episodes
== Bloopers and continuity errors ==
* During the scene in the cave, the boom mic dips repeatedly into the shot.
== External Links ==
Dark Shadows - Episode 784 on the IMDb
Dark Shadows Everyday - Episode 784 - Things People Say When They've Run Out of Sensible Things to Say0784