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Natalie du Pres and her maidservant, Angelique Bouchard, arrive at Collinwood well ahead of schedule, catching the entire Collins family, but especially Barnabas, unprepared.
== Synopsis ==
Teaser
: Time has been suspended at Collinwood while one woman makes an uncertain and frightening journey into the past, back to 1795. And that woman from the present lives in the past she has always loved, and discovers that our tragedies often start before we are born.
Victoria Winters encounters Barnabas who is fretting about the delayed arrival of the ship which carries his fiancée, Josette du Pres. He told her not to travel this time of year because of the bad storms, but she ignored him and now her ship is a week late. Victoria tells him Josette is all right with such conviction that Barnabas asks if she is psychic. Victoria tells him even if she were psychic she would never tell anyone's future, especially not his!
Act I
Barnabas continues pressing Victoria for the date of Josette's arrival when Joshua Collins walks in and reminds her she is supposed to be busy with Sarah's lessons, not fraternizing with his son. Victoria leaves while Joshua gives Barnabas a lecture about not going to work at the docks. Barnabas explains that he can't because he is too anxious about Josette's arrival and Joshua orders him to go to the shipyards anyway. Barnabas says he had a feeling he should be at home, incurring another lecture about how his generation puts too much value on feelings and love. Barnabas hears a knock on the door and goes to answer it, saying it could be Josette, but Joshua points out there was no sound of a carriage arriving. Barnabas answers the door, since no servants seem to be around to do it, and finds Angelique Bouchard, the maidservant of Countess du Pres, whose carriage is stuck in the mud and has sent Angelique ahead for help. He introduces Angelique to Joshua who says Countess du Pres was not expected as she would be visiting New York until the day before the wedding. Angelique responds that the Countess did not like New York. Joshua goes to get rooms prepared while Angelique insists that she go with Barnabas to help the Countess.
Act II
Upstairs Naomi Collins is pouring herself another glass of sherry when Joshua arrives. He comments that the sherry is too good to waste this early in the day and pours it back in the decanter. He then berates his wife on how poorly the household is run and how they are not ready for their unexpected company. Naomi says she will take care of things and staggers up from her chair, further invoking Joshua's wrath. He goes down to greet Countess du Pres, leaving Naomi behind. Natalie du Pres strides into Collinwood all in a tizzy because Josette is not there yet. She is upset that Barnabas' response to her every complaint is that they were not expecting her yet, she tells him imperiously to stop saying that. She begins to inspect the house, obviously concerned that her niece could have done better. She lets Barnabas know she expected more, but also lets him know she approves of him personally. Joshua and Naomi arrive and introductions are made, with Joshua and the Countess trading barbs. The Countess leaves for her room, and Joshua excuses himself to his study after ordering Barnabas to go to the shipyards.
Act III
In their bedroom, Joshua rants about what a snob he thinks Countess du Pres is, but Naomi tells him it won't hurt to call her by her title and it does not make her feel any less, but Joshua worries about what the people in town will think, having fought for the right for all to be born equal less than 20 years ago. Joshua worries Josette will be like her aunt, and Naomi asks if he will cancel the wedding if she is. He says he will and Naomi tells him it is none of his business. But Joshua reminds her that it is exactly his business as Josette's father, Andre du Pres is the largest sugarcane producer in Martinique, and very important to the future of the Collins Shipping Fleet. Naomi says she does not care about that, only that there is love between Barnabas and Josette. When Joshua asks what love has to do with anything she is clearly at her wit's end, and tells Joshua it is time for dinner to get him out of the room.
Act IV
Downstairs, Natalie has arranged the tarot cards and Barnabas asks her about them. She begins to tell him what the cards have to say. First she points out his card, the Magician, and Barnabas puzzles over the infinity sign above the Magician's head, asking if it means he will live forever, to which Natalie asks if he would like that. He says of course. Victoria Winters enters the room while Natalie exclaims he would not like that. Barnabas introduces them and when Natalie turns to be greeted properly, Victoria blurts out Julia, then says the Countess resembles someone else she knew. Barnabas relates that he accused Victoria of being clairvoyant earlier, which piques Natalie's interest, but she returns to the reading. She goes to the card for Josette, and says she is safe as long as she is on ship. Barnabas asks about a card next to Josette and Natalie gasps that it is the "wicked woman" and gathers up the cards and ends the reading. Barnabas presses her and she says "There is a wicked woman in this house. The woman will bring grief. The cards do not tell us who she is". In his room, Barnabas starts to read a book, worried about Natalie's card reading when Angelique knocks on his door. She has been expecting him to come to her room, as they have obviously been lovers before. Barnabas escapes her arms and tells her it was a mistake being with her in Martinique. He loves Josette, and she must not pursue him further. Angelique accuses him of being cold, and Barnabas tells her that when they were together he was in love with Josette, but he did not think that Josette returned his affections. But now they are engaged to be married, and Angelique must leave him alone. Angelique refuses to take no for an answer, and when he rejects her again, she leaves saying "You will see!"
== Memorable quotes ==
: Victoria: I said that nothing has happened. Your fiancée will arrive here safely.
: Barnabas: You say that with such assurance that I believe you. Are you psychic?
: Victoria: No.
: Barnabas: I've always wanted to meet someone who is. Are you sure you can't tell the future?
: Victoria: No, of course not.
: Barnabas: Miss Winters, I don't believe you.
: Victoria: I wouldn't tell the future even if I could... not to you... not to anyone, never!
----
: Joshua: My gout keeps me home today. What's your excuse? Why aren't you at the yards?
: Barnabas: I don't need an excuse. At my age I should be able to make some decisions on my own.
: Joshua: You should be able to make the correct ones.
----
: Naomi: I look all right.
: Joshua: You don't sound all right. Perhaps they will be kind and merely think you ill.
: Naomi: I'm all right, Joshua!
: Joshua: (Hears horses outside) You'd better be. They're here.
----
: Natalie: Tell me, does it ever stop raining?
: Barnabas: Of course it does.
: Natalie: Is it ever... warm?
: Barnabas: Well, it's not as warm as it is in Martinique...
: Natalie: But the sun does shine occasionally?
: Barnabas: Yes, it does.
: Natalie: I taught Josette to love color. So little here.
: Barnabas: She loves me! As I her!
: Natalie: So perhaps your love can make up for the barrenness of the world you've chosen.
----
: Joshua: I trust your journey was an easy one, madame?
: Natalie: No trip through a wasteland can be easy, sir.
: Joshua: Well, I'm sure your stay in New York was pleasant.
: Natalie: Oh, an impossible city, without a decent inn or respectable restaurant...and completely filled with the most unattractive people! All in all a place which makes one glad to be elsewhere.
: Joshua: I enjoy New York when I go there, madame. Of course I only go there on business. I do not take trips for pleasure.
: Natalie: That is just as well. In your country, you would get none.
----
: Joshua: Countess! Do you still affect a title, madame?
: Natalie: I was born with it. I am still alive.
: Joshua: But France has followed our example and become a republic.
: Natalie: Precisely why I live in Martinique.
----
:Natalie (showing Barnabas his tarot card): That is the sign of infinity.
:Barnabas: You mean I’m going to live forever?
:Natalie: Would you like that?
:Barnabas: Of course.
== Dramatis personae ==
* ← Joan Bennett as Naomi Collins →
* ← Jonathan Frid as Barnabas Collins →
* ← Grayson Hall as Natalie du Pres →
* ← Louis Edmonds as Joshua Collins →
* Lara Parker as Angelique Bouchard →
* ← Alexandra Moltke as Victoria Winters →
== Background information and notes ==
=== Production ===
* An expected pre-emption for the Thanksgiving Day football game occurred Thursday, and the game was shown instead of Dark Shadows. This Wednesday episode is "double numbered" with the next one (368/369) in order to keep the production numbers balanced with the calendar, i.e. Friday episodes ending in a 5 or 0.
* The color videotape master of this episode is lost. However, a poor-quality monochrome kinescope film copy does exist.
* On the menu of the original release of Collection 4 Disc 4, this episode is listed simply as "Episode 368". It was repaired on the 2012 reissue and disc 40 of the coffin set.
* First appearance of character Natalie du Pres. This was the second character played by actress Grayson Hall in the original series.
* First appearance of actress Lara Parker and the character of Angelique Bouchard.
*New music is introduced when the Countess Natalie is showing the tarot cards to Barnabas.
* Alexandra Moltke speaks the closing credit voice-over stating, "Dark Shadows is a Dan Curtis Production."
* The set design for Barnabas' room in the Old House of 1795 has previously been used for the front parlor of the Collins family property known as Seaview (294), the Collinsport Garner & Garner branch office of Frank Garner (148), and originally for Roger's office at the cannery (45).
=== Story ===
* This is the first time the lack of Collins servants is noted, first by Joshua, who asks where the servants are who should have answered the door when Angelique arrived and later when he blames Naomi's drinking for the inefficiency of the household staff, mentioning that in the kitchen "Cook is not there and not a maid in sight". Also, Natalie comments, "I trust there is someone to bring in our luggage?" In later episodes Natalie will continue to comment on the invisiblity of the Collinwood servants.
* This episode contains the first mention of Ben Stokes; his first appearance will occur in 372.
*Joshua will give the house (later to become known as the Old House) to Barnabas and Josette as a wedding present, and Joshua and Naomi (and presumably Sarah and Jeremiah) will move into the new house when it is finished.
* INTERNAL MONOLOGUE: Barnabas: Josette and the Countess' tarot cards.
* TAROT CARDS: Natalie: Death, The Tower, The Magician, The High Priestess, The Wicked Woman. 
** This is the first time tarot cards have appeared in the series. The spread the Countess has laid out is unusual: 9 across by 6 down, thus 54 of the 78 cards. Some analysis may be found here: https://www.tarotclarity.com/blog/forty-seven-years-later
* TIMELINE: Day 142 takes place. It was this morning when Barnabas accused Victoria of being clairvoyant.
== Bloopers and continuity errors ==
* Joshua uncharacteristically does not seem at all upset that Angelique entered the house through the front door instead of the servant's quarters.
*Louis Edmonds flubs a line: “How will you ever get through life if you put importance to . . . the really unimportant things?”
*The second camera begins to move in from the right side of the screen as Barnabas is asking about who is knocking at the door while sitting quietly in his chair.
* The sound of squeaking wheels can be heard in the background as Angelique pleads with Barnabas.
* It is late November along the coast of Maine, and there is a storm outside, making it dark enough that every candle in the house is lit. Yet apparently not one room has a fire in its fireplace to provide warmth.
== End credits announcements ==
* Dark Shadows is a Dan Curtis Production.
==External Links ==
Dark Shadows - Episode 368 on the IMDb
Dark Shadows Every Day - Episode 368/369 - A Wicked Woman
Dark Shadows Commentary- Episode 368/369: Whole future
Dark Shadows Before I Die- Episode 368: 11/22/67
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