Episode 29:
Slideshow
Alison is in the lab looking in the cupboard where the
cyanide was kept. She picks up a book when a shadow and movement behind her
makes her jump. "Oh Quito." she says.
Quito turns away. Alison reaches her hand out to stop him. "No, don't go
away. Maybe you can help me. Do you remember seeing a bottle of cyanide?" She
turns and points into the cupboard. ."It used to be over here." Quito stares
ahead. "Wait it probably had some letters on it that looked like this." She
draws on a sheet of paper, then shows it to Quito. He nods. "You've seen this
bottle?" Quito nods again. "What happened to it?" Quito signs to Alison, then he
walks to the cupboard. "Quito I
don't understand." Again Quito signs. "I still don't understand. Where is the
bottle?" Quito signs that he will
leave to find someone. Leaving the lab he starts up the staircase and meets Raxl
coming down them. He signs to her. Taking her hand he leads her towards the
lab.
"Everyone is getting into the act. Looks like double
trouble on Maljardin." Jacques says from the portrait.
Raxl walks into the lab with Quito behind her. "You wanted
me Doctor?" "Oh no." She then
sees Quito. "I was asking Quito a question and I didn't understand his signs. I
think he has brought you along to interpret." Quito nods his head. "I asked him if he had seen a bottle
that used to be right over there in the cupboard." Alison points to it. Raxl
looks at the cupboard. Quito then signs.
"He said the Master took it."
"When was this? The day before yesterday?" Alison asks. Quito counts it off on his fingers, he
holds up two fingers. "Two days
ago, look Raxl." she hands her the paper with the symbols on it. "Have you seen
that bottle?" "I remember a bottle
like this, it had a skull with bones crossed beneath it," says Raxl. "It's poison, it could prove deadly for
Mr. Desmond. Now when did you last see it?" Alison asks. "When I cleaned in here. But it was
still in its own place then." Raxl points at the cupboard. "Thank you Raxl. Thank you Quito." Quito starts to leave when Raxl stops
him. "Doctor, Quito says the Master took it, but I fear he was under a spell of
that accursed Jacques Eloi Des Mondes."
"A man three hundred years from the past." Alison says. "A devil who refuses to remain
dead." "I came here to help but
slowly I'm beginning to feel helpless." Alison tells Raxl. "It's the poison that demon spreads
through the air." "Right now I'm
more interested in a realistic poison. Do you remember how much liquid there was
in that bottle?" Raxl walks to the
cabinet and picks up a bottle. "About this much." (The bottle is almost full)
Alison looks upset. "Is that bad?" asks Raxl. "Enough to kill us all." Alison tells
her. Raxl moves her arms, then
clasps her hands and bows her head slightly. "And a thousand men besides." Alison
says then she walks over to Quito. "Is it possible that Quito could be
mistaken?" Quito shakes his head no.
"If he is ordered Quito will make no sign at all. But he could not lie,
he will not." Raxl says. "Mr.
Desmond denies taking that bottle."
"Sometimes the Master is like two beings in one. Controlled by a power he
can not seem to defeat." Raxl says.
Alison walks a couple of steps forward. "If Jean Paul took that bottle it
can be for only one purpose. To kill just himself." Alison says. "It must not happen, but his wife, your
sister is dead and Doctor Menkin is dead. Who is there to tell us how they
stopped breathing?" Raxl asks walking up to Alison. "Doctor Menkin is dead, but he may still
speak to us,” says Alison. "I
didn't know you believed." Raxl says.
Alison puts her hand on Raxl's shoulder. "No, no Raxl. I don't mean
that." Alison walks away. "These files here, records, experiments, notes on
everything except Mrs. Jean Paul Desmond. If we can just find her medical
history we might have the answer."
Raxl walks up to Alison. "There are many hiding places in this house.
Where are the conjure doll and the silver pin that once pierced the brain of
Jacques Eloi Des Mondes, that gave us safety from the devil? Where is the
missing bottle of poison? Where is the record of my poor Mistress who is sealed
in a cryonics capsule? Will she ever live again as the Master hopes?" That answer would take a medical
miracle." Alison says. "Raxl, did you search the Master's room?" "That is one place I dare not." "Raxl you must." "No." Raxl looks away. "For Jean Paul’s sake. For all our sake
before it's to late."
Downstairs Quito is looking out the window, he has opened
it. "Quito." Raxl calls out to him. He turns and looks at her. "No one is here?
I have found nothing, not the bottle or the file in the Masters bedroom. While
the Master walks with his guests in the garden I can go to the Temple and call
the Conjure Woman." Quito shakes
his head no. "But she will help
us." Raxl tells him. Quito follows Raxl. "No Quito. Thirty heartbeats, when I am
downstairs. Then you will follow."
Quito nods. He walks back to the window and holds his hand over his
heart, then silently he counts the
heartbeats.
Walking into the crypt Raxl picks up a torch, then a
second one. Quito comes down the stairs Raxl hands him a
torch.
Alison runs out of the lab calling for Raxl. She is
standing on the staircase leading to the bedrooms when Matt walks in. "She seems to be among the missing. And
you seem to need her urgently." Matt says.
"Yes, she was running an errand for me." "I came in to play errand boy, a drink
for Elizabeth Marshal." "Oh, are
you two smoking a peace pipe?" Alison asks. "Just trying to keep the war down to
minor skirmishes." Matt says walking a few steps from the staircase. Alison joins him. "It seems everyone in
this place is at each other throats."
"Not you and I." "Oh
Reverend I'm not about to argue with a man of God. In this eerie place I need
all the moral and religious support I can
get."
Back in the crypt. "The Temple door Quito." Raxl says.
Quito pushes open the door using his back to push. Raxl enters and Quito closes
the door.
"Maybe Mrs. Marshal is beginning to see the light,” says
Alison. "Only if she can find what
she rightfully believes is hers. Even if it's a wrongful belief." Matt says
pouring a drink. Alison walks up to
him. "Reverend!" she says looking at the glass. "All things in moderation." "Aristotle said that,” he says still
filling the glass. "But I don't think Mrs. Marshal has read the old
philosopher." "Well today even
Aristotle would have to agree, some things can not be taken even in
moderation." "I agree. I don't
approve in sin, even in moderation. But..." "I'm talking about cyanide." Alison
says. Matt looks over at Alison.
"Poison?" "Death." Alison
says. "What are you talking about
Doctor? Who has the poison?"
"That's just the point, I don't know. But I do know there is enough to
kill a regiment in someone’s hands." Alison says sitting down. "Someone here?" Matt asks putting the
drink down. He walks around the chair. "In this house?" "Exactly." Alison says looking up at
him. "Do you have any idea
who?" "Yes but until I'm certain
I'd rather not say." "If anyone
wanted to..." Matt says looking away.
"That's just what I'm afraid of.”
Raxl with her arms crossed bows then she raises he arms
outward. She then lowers them and steps forward. The tarot cards are on the
altar. She lays out more cards. Then she backs away. "Tarot, it is as Evangeline
Abbott said, now with the help of the Great Serpent I will summon her." Raxl
raises her arms as Quito beats a drum. “Your servant has a message to
convey." She signals Quito to beat the drum slower. "We have much before us
Quito, the Conjure Woman no longer has the strength of her
father."
In the Great hall "You must answer my question." Matt
says. "As I've just said I'm not
certain. Raxl also has suspicions." Alison tells him. "Suspicions or superstitions?" "Her beliefs are as real to her as your
are to you." "I don't argue that
except religion is one thing and superstition is another." Matt says. "Okay so you don't believe in
witchcraft." Alison says as she stands and walks behind her chair to face the
Reverend. "And you do?" he
asks. Alison walks around him. "I
certainly wasn't brought up to believe it, but there are so many strange things
happening around here." "I don't
argue with that either, but Raxl’s fear of Jacques Eloi Des Mondes is stretching
the point a bit." "So you think you
are the only one with a special pipeline do you?" Alison asks as she pours
herself a cup of coffee. "Just put out your cup and turn on the tap and out
pours the essence." "There's a
difference between an open mind, a deep conviction and a belief that a man who
has been dead for three hundred years walks the halls of this house." Matt says
angrily. "So you do know what I
fear?" "Yes, Jacques Eloi Des
Mondes, Raxl’s devil from the past." says Matt. "And Jean Paul’s double. But you don't
believe in witchcraft, so you don't believe in possession. You don't believe the
soul possessing another body." Alison says sitting down. "You're right. I can't believe in that
either." "Well you should read your
own book again." Alison says looking up at him. "You'll find all the formulas
for exercising devils and demons right in it." "Oh I admit it's there, but it's
ancient." Matt walks around Alison's chair. "No one has believed in the
existence of a devil who has to be cast off since..." "Of course we don't believe in them now,
but the prayers are still there aren't they?" "Yes." "So whether were talking in terms of
witchcraft or possession or religion. Or in terms of modern psychiatry, Jean
Paul seems like two men not one." Alison says. "I must admit his actions have given me
that same feeling,” says Matt. "If
our fears are founded, which world is Jean Paul? And who is his other
being?" "There is only one world
and what controls him is what we must learn." Matt
says.
In the Temple the drums are pounding faster. Raxl is
kneeling with her arms crossed in the circle of the pentagram. She is rocking
her body.
Alison stands. "But what controls him? Or who?" "That was my question. You're absolutely
sure the bottle contained potassium cyanide? And it's definitely missing?" Matt
asks. "Two things are missing. Not
only three hundred grams of potassium cyanide but the case history of Erica
Desmond." "I have a thought that
might be worth a try." "What?" asks
Alison. "You said that Raxl could
not find the poison even in Jean Paul's room." "Yes." "And the rest of the house was searched
thoroughly?" asks Matt. "Yes, or so
she said." "Including the crypt?"
Matt asks. "I would imagine so,
she's virtually there everyday. Which doesn't leave any other place to
search." Matt stands in thought as
Alison looks at him. "Just one, but I'm not sure I can get in there." Matt
says.
Quito is still pounding the drum. Raxl is kneeling in the
circle with her eyes closed, arms crossed and swaying to the drums. Reverend
Matt Dawson walks down the stairs to the crypt, looking around. "Come Conjure Woman, take your place on
the alter of the Great Serpent." Raxl calls
out.
Matt walks up to the entrance to the Temple. He runs his
hands over the bricks, then puts his ear to the
wall.
"Conjure Woman take what strength is left from the soul of
your father, and use it. Use his strength. Use him!" Raxl turns to Quito and
tells him to continue beating the drum.
Matt is still trying to listen at the door. He runs his
hands over it again, then turns and
leaves.
"I can feel her Quito. I can feel her. She still has the
strength to come to us. Faster Quito, beat faster." Raxl says to
Quito.
The Reverend walks up from the crypt. He walks toward
Alison and takes a seat in a chair. Alison is sitting on the couch. "Well, what happened?" Alison
asks. "What doors are closed to me
I suppose I have no right to open."
"Now what does that mean?"
"I've been sworn to secrecy. I can not violate my word." "All you have done is add to the mystery
around here." Alison tells him.
Quito is pounding the drum swiftly and loudly. "Come, come Conjure Woman." Raxl calls
out. Vangie appears on the altar.
"When I die, it will be on Maljardin. Why did you call?" Quito puts the drum down and helps Raxl
to her feet. "If I had not called
many more would die." says Raxl.
Vangie has climbed down from the altar. "Help me,” she says weakly. They
help her to stand. "Is the battle over?" Vangie asks. "Not yet." "Then I must be brought here some other
way." Vangie says. "How?" "When the Master of the house is no
longer the Master of his soul, the house needs a
Mistress."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Summaries written by Debby
Graham . The slide
presentation is the work of Ron Janick.
~Ron/Bella~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
