Episode 1451

Aired: Monday January 17, 1972

In a replay of Friday's close, Harrison is thinking about how to deal with Petofi. Harrison turns away from Petofi and looks at his ring, and we hear him think "He cannot know the secret of this crystal...at least he didn't notice I had replaced it back into my ring where it belongs...there must be some way out of this." Petofi says "I would hate to destroy such a beautiful house such as this. And saving it would be so easy on your part." Petofi takes off his glasses to clean them, and as he does, he bumps into a table as he talks. Harrison notices this and is interested when there is a thumping at the window. Harrison turns to look, and tells Petofi "Do you see anyone out there?" Petofi puts his glasses back on and says "I heard something. Do you think someone curious is eavesdropping on us?" Petofi walks to the window and opens it. "Perhaps they should stay out of my business, lest they face the hand of Petofi..." He raises the hand and laughs, and then suddenly Gladstone jumps through the open window waving the scimitar. "Gladstone!" Harrison shouts. "What are you doing?" Passively, Gladstone says "I must sanctify new ground with the blood of a living victim...." He looks at Petofi and says "You will be the chosen one..." He raises the scimitar with his bloodthirsty eye on Petofi's raised hand...Petofi yells "No! No!"

After the titles, Gladstone slashes at Petofi with the scimitar and Petofi grabs his arm and yelps in pain. Harrison shouts "Gladstone! Stop!" but Gladstone smiles and bellows "Gladstone is powerless to stop the revenge of Peter Bradford! New ground must be sanctified!" He raises the scimitar again, but Harrison grabs the foil off the wall and blocks the blade from Petofi's wrist by inches. Gladstone tries again, but Harrison twists his wrist and the scimitar flies from Gladstone's hand. "Don't..... don't make me kill you," Harrison says, stepping between Gladstone and the fallen blade, but Gladstone begins to laugh. "You cannot stop my spirit! I shall return, more properly attired..... with the mask of Bradford!" He points a finger at the trembling Petofi and shouts "You have been chosen to sanctify new ground with your blood! Your hands shall be mine!" Harrison takes a step towards Petofi protectively. Taking the opportunity, Gladstone grabs the scimitar from where it has fallen, and runs back through the drawing room window and into the night. "My God," Harrison says. "The man is possessed... Carl was right." He puts the fencing foil back on the wall and asks Petofi if he needs a doctor. Holding his arm, Petofi says "It's only a cut, Mr. Harrison. He did not manage any more damage than that, which may turn out to be most unfortunate for him." Harrison cautions Petofi, saying "He had no control over his actions, Petofi. He's possessed. If you fight anyone, fight the spirit that controls him." Petofi says he "has no time to make such distinctions" but "that I also face a new problem. It seems I owe you a great deal, Mr. Harrison. Your quick thinking saved me.... and saved this hand." Harrison says "Something tells me that you'll decide what you owe me more than I will." Petofi smiles mysteriously.

Gladstone is stumbling through the woods. He starts to look around and then says "What...what am I doing out here?" He realizes he's holding the scimitar and gasps. "No....No!" He sees some blood on the blade. "Have I killed again? Why can't I remember?" The spirit of Peter Bradford appears in front of him. "You!" Gladstone angrily growls. "I'll destroy you!" Bradford laughs, and tells Gladstone that he must "sanctify new ground." Gladstone yells that he'll never help Bradford again, and that he'll find a way to fight him. Bradford hands him the black cape and mask, saying "You let yourself be recognized, Gladstone. That was stupid. Not that it will matter for very much longer, but you must wear these, as I did..." Gladstone is at first entranced and takes the cape and mask, but suddenly throws them and the scimitar to the ground angrily. "No!" he yells. "I will fight you! I must!" Bradford, angry, orders Gladstone to "pick those sacred objects up! NOW!" Gladstone fights, but is forced to his knees as he picks up the objects. Bradford commands "Now put them on. You have no choice but to obey me. You have no will of your own." Gladstone struggles against the power, but begins to put the mask on. Meanwhile back at Collinwood, Petofi is wearing a bandage on his arm and having a brandy. Harrison asks him if he's feeling better, and then says "I suppose asking you to repay me by forgetting about that room in the East Wing is too high a price." Petofi says he cannot forget the East Wing "when my enemies are so determined to destroy me. You wouldn't understand what kind of danger I was in, back in my own world. But then Mr. Harrison, shouldn't I refer to it as your world as well?" Harrison closes the doors to the drawing room and reminds Petofi that only Benjamin and Quentin know "of my true identity here." Petofi says "It must be fascinating to be able to travel all over time as you've done, Mr. Harrison. It's a secret I'd very much like to understand." Harrison has been thinking, and then seems to have an idea. "Knowledge of the future might alter the future," he says. "That's why I cannot tell you anything." Petofi says "I don't understand. How can I alter the future of that other time if I remain here?" Harrison suddenly gets frustrated and snaps "Because you were in my time! Don't you understand? That's how I recognized you! I know you in the year 2045!" Petofi grows fascinated as Harrison turns away from Petofi and smiles slyly.

Petofi walks to Harrison and says "Are you telling me I still exist in the year 2045?" Harrison steps away and says "I shouldn't have told you that. I've told you too much already, and now that you know, that future may be altered!" Petofi grows fascinated with the idea that he still lives in the twenty first century. "And I look the same? I am in this body? I know it sounds like a strange question, but..." Harrison nods, and says "You look the same, a little younger perhaps. Except for your clothes, I recognized you immediately." Harrison turns away and says "I cannot tell you anything more." Petofi thinks a moment and says "I doubt it is a coincidence that you know me in the future and yet you travel back through time....and you traveled back through time affecting my life.....perhaps I gave you the power in order to go back and save me from my enemies..." Harrison says "I cannot tell you anything more." Petofi smiles and says "I don't know if I need to hear anything more, my boy." Upstairs, Valery sits in a rocking chair by the window, staring vacantly outside. Petofi enters the room and turns on the light. Valery sees him and says "Father? Have you come back to me? How have you come back?" Petofi walks to her and says "I am not your father, Miss Stokes." Valery sees the red jeweled ring on Petofi's hand and gets frightened. "The rose! I see the rose! The rose will mean death!" she says, cowering. Petofi raises his hand and looks at it a moment, and says "Your troubles will soon be over, Miss Stokes....once I show you the power of this hand..." He reaches out towards her with THE HAND and she screams.

Harrison arrives at Valery's door and sees Petofi standing over her. "What are you doing here? Get away from her!" He runs to her as Petofi says "Calm yourself, Mr. Harrison. You can plainly see I've done her no harm." Valery blinks a couple of times and then looks at Harrison. "Harrison?" she says. "Valery? You know me? You recognize me?" he asks. She nods and jumps out of her chair to hug him. "I....I remember being taken away by Gregory....I was locked in a cabin somewhere...." She starts to get upset, and Harrison calms her. "It's all over now, you're safe here. Trask will not bother you ever again." She hugs Harrison again, and says "You were the one who saved me, I remember now. I remember it all....Gregory only wanted the money. He tried to use me to kill Alice for him." Harrison tells her it's all over, and she asks "Who is this man? Is he a doctor?" Petofi introduces himself, and says "I am not a doctor in the traditional sense. But I am a friend of Mr. Harrison's, and I knew that I might be able to help with your condition. I am happy to have been of service." He bows and leaves as Harrison watches him. "You'll be all right?" Harrison asks Valery. She says yes, and he tells her she should find Benjamin and Quentin to tell them she's recovered "while I see my good friend Petofi out." Harrison leaves the room, and we cut to him following Petofi downstairs. "Why did you do that?" Harrison asks him. Petofi gets his coat and says "Because it was what you wanted, my boy. And like you said, I would be the one to name the price for the service you performed for me this night." Harrison says "Well, I guess I owe you thanks, but in all honesty, I must wonder if this means that we are completely even and no longer have any business with each other." Petofi puts his hat on and says "Oh to the contrary, my boy. With what you've told me of the future tonight, we have many things to discuss. Many things." Petofi leaves as Harrison thinks about what he's said. Meanwhile, Carl is walking in the woods. Suddenly, Gladstone, dressed in the mask and cape and handling the scimitar, blocks his path. Carl is startled, and says "Gladstone! Get back!" Gladstone says "This will be perfect! I, Bradford, will sanctify new ground with my next pawn!" Carl steps back and tells Gladstone to fight Bradford. Gladstone raises the scimitar and shouts "Prepare to christen a new sanctuary!"