440

Nathan's suspicions about Barnabas are strengthened after Reverend Trask tells him that a hand with Barnabas's onyx ring has been tormenting him.
== Synopsis ==
Teaser
: A séance has been held in the great house of Collinwood, a séance which has suspended time and sent one girl on an uncertain and frightening journey into the past, back to the year 1795, and the secrets which still haunt the Collins family today. One secret concerns a man who is dead but still lives, and the horror of his existence can bring untold grief to those alive now as well as those in the centuries to come.
Ben Stokes is sitting in the drawing room of the Old House when Barnabas enters. Barnabas accuses Ben of drinking, and then tells him that if he is to continue working for him, he must stop moralizing about his actions. Barnabas then tells Ben to go into town, to the docks, and find his cane that he dropped. Ben wonders if he will find a body with the cane, but Barnabas assures him he won't.
Act I
Barnabas tells Ben he was with a woman on the docks, a woman new to town and who didn't know who he was. When Barnabas mentions the name Maude Browning, Ben tells Barnabas he knows her, and that she lives in a room above the feed store. Barnabas emphasizes that Ben must find the cane, and if it isn't on the docks, to search Maude's room, but make sure she is not there when he does. Barnabas will stay at the Old House, and make sure the Reverend Trask is occupied. After Ben leaves, Barnabas blows out a candle, and at the same time, the candle in Trask's room, by which he is reading, goes out. Trask gets a lit candle from the mantle and uses it to relight the candle on his reading table, but as soon as it is lit, both candles go out. Trask then hears laughter, and thinks it is the Devil himself. There is a knock at the door. It is Nathan Forbes, and Trask lets him in, and is able to relight both candles. Trask tells Nathan that he sent for him because he is concerned the witch will try to get revenge on him for his testimony. Nathan assures Trask he isn't worried because he doesn't believe in witches. Trask tells Nathan about the spirits that visited him the previous night and about the disembodied hand that grew and grew until all he could see was the ring. When Trask describes the ring, Nathan tells him that the ring does not belong to the Devil, but to Barnabas Collins.
Act II
As Trask and Nathan are talking, Trask again sees the disembodied hand on the mantle behind Nathan. When Trask points to it and tells Nathan to look, the hand disappears, and Nathan does not see it. Trask then starts to hear Barnabas' taunting voice, but Nathan does not hear it. Nathan suggests to Trask that he not remain in the room that night, but Trask refuses to leave. He will confront the Devil, and tells Nathan to leave, which he does. Alone, Trask tells the voice he is ready, to which the voice answers, "to die!"
Ben searches Maude's room for the cane, convinced she would not take the cane to the Constable. While he is in the room, Nathan knocks on the door. Ben remains quiet until Nathan walks away. Ben then quietly leaves the room, not realizing Nathan is watching him leave.
Act III
Barnabas is waiting at the Old House for Ben's return. Ben tells him he searched the docks and Maude's room, but could not find the cane. Maude herself was at the Eagle, but she was so drunk, her description of her attacker was not accurate. Meanwhile, Nathan follows Ben to the Old House and sees Barnabas through the window. Barnabas decides to go into town, but Ben tries unsuccessfully to dissuade him. Barnabas must find the cane.
Nathan escorts Maude back to her room and tells her to keep the door and the windows locked. There is a coach leaving at 8:00 in the morning, and Nathan tells her she should be on it. After Nathan leaves, Maude sees a bat hovering outside her window.
Act IV
Maude begins to pack her case, but Barnabas appears in her room. He demands to know where the cane is, and asks if she has taken it to the police. Maude denies doing that but admits that someone has it. Barnabas starts to strangle her while she screams for help. Trask returns to his room after a walk, determined to show the witch that she cannot frighten him. When he enters his room and lights a candle, he finds the body of Maude on his bed.
== Memorable quotes ==
: Ben Stokes: No! No, Mr. Barnabas, please don't do it, please!
----
: Ben Stokes: She's [Maude] had so much rum, you're an eight-foot-tall gentleman now.
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: Barnabas: I'm going to make sure that Reverend Trask is occupied. You know how the devil makes work for idle hands. Well, he will be busy.
== Dramatis personae ==
* Jonathan Frid as Barnabas Collins
* Joel Crothers as Nathan Forbes
* Thayer David as Ben Stokes
* Jerry Lacy as Reverend Trask
* Vala Clifton as Maude Browning
== Background information and notes ==
=== Production ===
* This episode was recorded out of broadcast sequence. The previous episode to be recorded was 438.
*Maude’s room is a redressed version of the set used as Angelique’s room at the Old House and Peter Bradford’s room.
*The end credits include only the cast. Crew members and the "Dan Curtis Productions" logo are not included.
=== Story ===
* INTERNAL MONOLOGUE: Ben: The cane; Reverend Trask: Frightened by the witch.
* TIMELINE: Day 179 begins, and will end in 442. 12am at the start of this episode. Ben was at the Eagle earlier with Maude. It was last night when Barnabas taunted Reverend Trask with apparitions. It was three hours ago when Barnabas attacked Maude.
== Bloopers and continuity errors ==
* In Barnabas's monologue about tormenting Trask (after Ben leaves the Old House), Barnabas refers to Victoria as "Vicki" Winters, which was not typical for him or any of the other characters in 1795.
*When Reverend Trask's room goes dark in Act I, the candle remains lit for several seconds before it goes out. When Trask lights the candle again, the room brightens for a few seconds and then goes dark again, again seconds before the candle goes out.
*When Nathan leaves Maude's door, the sound of footsteps walking away that Ben hears starts up too soon; it starts while Nathan is still in the shot, and his actual footsteps don't match up with the sound.
*Jonathan Frid flubs a line when Barnabas is questioning Ben: "What else was did you you hear?"
*The sound effect of Maude locking her door after Nathan leaves continues after she has clearly stopped locking it.
==External Links ==
Dark Shadows - Episode 440 on the IMDb
Dark Shadows Everyday - Episode 440 - The Seven Habits of Highly Effective Vampires
Dark Shadows Commentary- Episode 440: You're bein' more stupid now
Dark Shadows Before I Die- Episode 440: 3/1/68
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