STRANGE PARADISE- Episode 140

Strange Paradise: Episode 140

Episode 140: Slideshow

Susan: “Desmond Hall by day. While in the village and on the farms that surround the Great Mansion the simple activities of daily life goes on. In the walls of the family house the mystery of the murdered girl slowly unfolds. The evil which followed Jean Paul Desmond from Maljardin to his new life in the Great House can no longer be hidden from the gentle girl who loves him. She must try to save him from the penalty for the crime he has been forced to commit against his will.”

Emily finds Philip in the Drawing Room and tells him what Jean Paul had told him. “Now you know. And you know what we must do.” Philip says to her. “I don’t believe it. He must be protecting someone.” “Emily he told you the truth.”

“No he couldn’t have killed Agatha.” “That’s for a jury to decide. We have to turn him over to the police.” “No.” Emily says to Philip. “He’s a dangerous man. Now we have no choice.” “We can help him if he did it.” Emily says as she walks away from Philip then looks back at him. “If, he has already confessed that he did it.” “Then we must find out why he would do such a thing.” “You refuse to listen to reason. Now we’re not dealing with a mischievous troublemaker like Cort or a shady operator like Laslo. We’re dealing with a murderer.” “I don’t believe it.” “If he is innocent and I hope he is he will be freed. Until then we can’t risk anymore lives.” Emily walks away from Philip. “You just want him out of the way.” “Emily no, that’s not true.” Susan enters the Drawing Room. “Yes what is it?” Susan asks. “What?” Philip asks. “Did you call me?” “No I didn’t.” Philip says then steps towards her. “Susan, Emily and I were discussing something quite private. Would you excuse us?” “Oh yes.” Susan says then turns away.

“No wait a minute Susan.” Emily calls out to her. Susan turns back towards them. “You said you heard us calling you.” Emily says to her. “Well not heard exactly. I just thought you needed me.” “Perhaps you’re right.” Emily says to her.

“No Emily she has nothing to do with it.” says Philip. “Well why would she say we needed her?” Emily asks Philip. Susan walks across the room and stares at Jacques portrait then she turns towards them. “You are looking for an answer to a riddle or mystery aren’t you?” Philip walks up to her. “Yes you could call it that.” “Well you have a clue that is right here in this room.” “Where, what clue?”

Susan looks at Jacques portrait. “Ask the man in the painting, Jacques Eloi Des Mondes.” Philip laughs. “But it’s only a painting Susan.” “I knew but I think it contains the answer you are looking for.” “How can it? It wasn’t even here when Jean Paul...” “When Jean Paul Desmond committed the crime he just confessed to Emily.” Philip turns and looks at Emily.

Jean Paul is in his room with Raxl. “You had no right to tell her without consulting me.” Raxl says to him. “I have no right to keep it from her.” “She will tell your cousin.” Raxl says as she walks up to him. “I have already asked her too.” “It is rash of you Master to trust others.” Jean Paul turns and looks at the mirror. “I can no longer keep it a secret locked up inside of myself.” “But your secret is safe with me. And so are you.” Jean Paul looks at her. “Are the others safe? Was Annie safe or Crystal or Tim at Maljardin?” Jean Paul says as he walks away from Raxl. “Oh do not speak of the them, Master. They belong in the past. We can not undue what you have done.” Jean Paul looks back at her. "No but I can see to it that it doesn’t happen again. And Philip and Emily will help me.”

“They cannot help you.” Jean Paul nods then walks across the room. “They can help me by turning me over to the police. Then I would never have to live under the mercy of this accursed star.” “Your cousin plots against you. He loves the woman who loves you.” “What do you mean?” “Oh you are blind to Miss Blair’s love as you are to your cousin’s jealousy.” Jean Paul turns away. “She mustn’t love me.” “Your cousin loves her and you are in the way. And now he is in possession of the knowledge of the dreaded curse that will destroy you.” Jean Paul looks at her. “I am already destroyed.” He turns away. “But you still live. You are free.” Jean Paul turns towards her. “And three innocent girls are dead.”

“But you are free!” “How many more must I kill before you allow me to turn myself in?” Jean Paul walks across the room. “For losing my freedom?” “We must leave Desmond Hall.” “As we left Maljardin so that the star followed us here.” “We have no choice but flight.” Raxl says to her. “Where? When? To the cities where I wander in the streets following the instructions of my evil star?”

“I will be with you Master.” “You have failed me Raxl. The only keeper that can restrain me now is a prison guard.” “For three centuries I have protected the head of the Desmond Family. There have been other curses and other secrets and I dealt with them as I will deal with yours. They have never come to the attention of the authorities. Now pack your bags and we must leave.” “No I refuse.” “But the world is wide Master.” Jean Paul turns away. “Not wide enough to contain me.” Raxl walks up to him. “We will find a place, a new way of life.”

“I should never have listened to you in the first place. Quito would still be alive!” He says as he turns towards her. “Quito’s life was at your service and so was mine.” “Was Holly’s life at my service?” “Holly went where she wished to go.”

“And Agatha? Did she go where she wished to go? And Crystal, no Raxl we will stay here. My life ends in the hands of Philip and Emily.” Jean Paul tells her as he sits down. “I will do what they advise not what you tell me!” he says as he looks at her. Raxl looks at him then away.

Susan stares at Jacques portrait. “Jean Paul kills because an evil force dominates his life.” she says as she looks back at Emily and Philip. “We must destroy that evil force.” Emily says to Susan. “How can we destroy it when we don’t even know what it is?” Philip says to Emily. “We need time.” Emily says to him. “We don’t have time. And we don’t have clues.” “You have the portrait.” Susan says to him. “But we don’t know what it means.” “And you have the star.”

Emily steps towards Susan. “What star?” “The star that shines when Jean Paul must kill.” Susan says as she looks at Emily. “You know his star?” Emily asks.

“Jean Paul’s star brought me here.” “What do you mean it brought you here?” Philip asks. “The night I arrived I saw his star. That’s why I came.” “Can you control the star?” Emily asks. “No we don’t control the stars they control us.”

“Does Jean Paul’s star control you?” Philip asks Susan. “No you see we each have our own star. And they link our minds to our lives.” “But you said you saw Jean Paul’s star.” Emily says to her. “Well Jean Paul’s star is linked with mine. But they are not the same one.” “When will it shine again?” Emily asks. Looking at the sky through the window Susan says. “Not for three days.” “Go on.” Emily says to Susan. Susan looks back at Emily. “That’s all I can tell you.” Susan turns and walks out of the room. Philip looks at Emily. “Well we have three days before he kills again.” Emily looks at him. “But he didn’t kill.” “He tried to. He tried to kill you.” “That’s just it. He tried but he didn’t do it.” “Well it was just luck.”

“No I think the curse is breaking.” Emily turns away from Philip. “If he got through one night without killing when the star shines then he can get through another and another.” She turns and looks at Philip. Philip shakes his head. “I can’t take that risk.” “You said you loved me. If you do give me three days. Only three days.” Emily says as she looks at Philip. “It’s your safety I’m thinking about.” he says as he grips her by the arms. “I have this. You gave me this to protect me.” Emily says as she holds up the totem. “I’m safe.” “But what happens at the end of three days?” Philip asks. “We will know then how to help him. I know we will.”

Philip turns away. “And if we don’t?” “But we will.” “And what if we fail? Would you then agree to turn him over to the police?” Emily looks at him. “Yes I promise that after three days if we fail I’ll accept whatever you decide to do.” She says walking closer to Philip. Philip nods and Emily walks around him and leaves the Drawing Room. Philip looks at the closed door after Emily walks away he then turns towards Jacques portrait. He walks over to it and takes the portrait from the wall. He carries it across the room looking at it. ‘It’s you isn’t it Jacques Eloi Des Mondes who holds the secret.’ Philip thinks silently to himself as he looks at the portrait. ‘It’s your evil star that follows the Desmonds. It is you I must destroy before I can go back to my own people. Before Jean Paul can be free from the evil you have placed upon him.’ Philip shakes his head.

Raxl enters the Drawing Room closing the door behind her. “What do you plan to do with my Master?” she asks as she walks up to him. “I haven’t decided yet.”

“It is not within your power to alter the fate of the Desmonds.” “Then we will have to put your Master where the Desmond fate will do no harm to others.” “If you put my Master away the curse will not be put away with him.” “He can hardly kill from behind prison bars.” Philip says to her. “If he cannot perform the evil that his fate demands it will choose another instrument. Master Cort or it might even choose you.” Philip turns away. “I am protected from evil.” “Mark me well. If you bring harm to my Master no protection will save you from the curse that haunts him.” Raxl tells him as she walks up to him.

Emily knocks on Jean Paul’s bedroom door. “Jean Paul.” Jean Paul walks across the room and opens the door. “Did you tell Philip?” he asks her. “Yes.”

Jean Paul turns away. “Then I’m ready to go.” Emily enters and closes the door behind her. She walks up to Jean Paul. “Jean Paul?” “I’m ashamed to face you.” he says with his back towards her. “Oh don’t say that. You’re a good kind man.”

“A good kind man who kills.” Jean Paul says to her. “But it is not you who kills. It is the spirit who possesses you.” Jean Paul turns and looks at her. “I no longer care if it is me or the spirit.” He says then walks away from Emily. “It doesn’t matter what happens to me anymore. As long as the killings stop.” Jean Paul says as he sits down. Emily walks over to him and kneels next to him. “We will find a way to stop this. We will stand between you and the evil star that appears to you, that leads you to...” “Has that star appeared to you? Have you seen it?” Jean Paul asks her. “No I only know that it appears. It drove you to kill Agatha didn’t it?” “It has driven me before. And it will drive me again.” “No we will stop it.” Jean Paul shakes his head. “Only my death will stop it.” Emily lays her head against his leg. “I won’t let you die.” “Raxl want me to leave Desmond Hall. To go to a place no one knows me.” Emily looks up at him. “No.” Jean Paul touches her cheek. “At least you will be safe.” She rises up. “I’m safe now” “No the star will appear again tonight.” “When it does you will find the star is only in your mind and nowhere else.” Jean Paul looks away. “The killings are not in my mind.” “They very well may be.” “Agatha is dead.” Jean Paul says as he looks back at Emily. “But your memories of that night are so vague. Voices in the fog, it all seems like a dream not like reality.” She says as she leans against him.

“And the others?” Emily pulls away. “What others?” Jean Paul grips her arms. “Listen Emily, why do you insist that I cannot be a murderer?” “But you are not the kind of man who kills.” “No Emily you are not the kind of woman that can see evil in the man she...” Jean Paul looks away. “The man that I love. That’s what you were going to say wasn’t it?” Jean Paul turns back towards her and touches her chin then glances away. “It’s true isn’t it?” he asks. She throws herself into his arms. “Yes it’s true. It has always been true.” Jean Paul touches her hair with his hand as he holds her. “It’s been true since the first day I saw you. Since before Agatha’s death, before Helena.” “Helena escaped from me.” “Oh she didn’t really love you.” “She was sensible.” Emily pulls back from Jean Paul. “She was afraid, I’m not.” “You should be because I am a murderer.” He says as he looks at her. “I don’t care what you are. I love you.” “Listen to me Emily, I almost killed you once and you weren’t even aware of it.” He says as he stands and walks away from her. “And then again the other night until Raxl stopped me. The next time you may not be so fortunate.” he tells her as he walks around the room. “I can face that danger loving you” Jean Paul stands in front of the door and glances back at Emily. “I won’t let you depend on that.” He opens the door. “Raxl come here!” Emily shakes her head. “Oh no don’t tell her I’m in love with you.” Emily turns away. “She has already told me.” Emily glances at him. “She knows your secrets as well as she knows mine.” Raxl walks to the door. “Raxl Miss Blair will go with you to the woods behind the gatehouse.” “No Master.” Raxl says as she touches his arm. “Yes show her the grave. Show her where Annie lies; convince her that her heart and her life are not safe with me. Go!”

Emily sits and looks at Jean Paul as Raxl glances at her.

Philip hangs the portrait and turns to Susan. “You have spoken of secrets that you know ever since you came here.” He walks towards Susan. “I don’t know things I just sense them.” “Well then the star, the portrait. How does this knowledge follow you?” “Knowledge is all around us if we are receptive to it. Voices from the past, fragments of memory from long ago. Before there was an evil star, even before the Desmonds settled in this country.” She tells him as she walks across the room then looks back at Philip. Philip walks up to her. “Tell me what you know.” Susan looks away. “Someone is trying to reach you. Someone who has been in agony for many centuries here at Desmond Hall. There was someone who was present when it all began. That’s who you must find.” Susan says then walks from the room.

Emily walks into the Drawing Room. She tells him about Annie. “How do you know Jean Paul killed the girl?” Philip asks. “He told me. He told Raxl to show me the grave to prove it.” Emily says with her back towards him. “You wanted to know the truth and now you do. Let him go from your life.” Emily turns and looks at him. “I can’t! We can find a way to help him.” Emily says as she walks around the room. “Don’t take on what you can’t manage. You will only bring misery upon yourself.” Emily turns and looks at Philip. “I can’t give up not yet. And if you won’t help me I’ll do it alone.” Emily says as she walks towards the door. “Emily.” Philip says as he grabs her arm and stops her. “There is a way but we must never reveal what we are doing.” He releases her arm. Emily turns towards him. “I swear I won’t.” “All right I’ll talk to Jean Paul.” Philip says as he walks from the room.

“And when that star appears there will be no way to stop me.” Jean Paul says to Raxl. “Then do you promise to obey every order I give you.” Philip says from the open doorway. Raxl and Jean Paul turn towards the door. “If I am?” Jean Paul says to Philip. “Master?” Raxl says then walks towards Philip. “Take warning.” she says to Philip. “And don’t interfere with us. Do you understand?” Raxl looks back at Jean Paul. “Master?” “Leave the room.” Philip says to her. Jean Paul walks across the room. “Do as he says Raxl.” Raxl follows Jean Paul. “Master do not turn me aside. I have no life but with you.” Philip walks up to them. “If you want me to save you we must work in absolute secrecy.” Jean Paul turns towards Raxl. “Leave us Raxl.” “He cannot serve you. You know my plans.” She says as she touches his arm. “And you know my answer. I will not run away.”

Raxl turns and walks to the door. “I put myself in your hands.” Jean Paul says to Philip. Raxl glances back at Jean Paul then walks from the room. Philip walks to the door and closes it. “Raxl was my protection, now I’ve turned my back to her.”

“Where was her protection when you killed Agatha?” “She did what she could.”

Philip walks closer to Jean Paul. “What, by digging a grave and burying the girl you killed. No cousin that is not what I would call doing the best she could.”

Jean Paul glances away.

Susan sits on her bed, she has a book and some drawings laid out on the bed. Raxl walks into her room. “Raxl I thought you would come and see me.” Raxl leans against the door then steps forward. “It’s time for us to join forces. Do you understand?” “We are linked together. That much I do understand.” “Why did you come here? Why did you ask to see the murderer?” Susan’s vision blurs as she is transported to another time. “Raxl I came as fast as my carriage would carry me.” She kneels in front of Raxl. Mademoiselle Suzanne you have come to the wrong person.” “Raxl I beg you on my knees stop your Master from what he plans.” “Jacques Eloi Des Mondes is his own Master. I am only his servant.” “If he pursues his plans tonight he will bring eternal evil upon his family.” “My Master follows a lucky star. He is safe from evil.” “No one is safe from evil. He is a cruel wicked man who carries death with him.” “The evil is carried by you Suzanne Claire. By you to men who cannot control their passion you arouse in them. Leave my Master alone!” Raxl says gripping Suzanne’s shoulders and shaking her. Then she releases her stepping back. “If you do not prevent Jacques Eloi Des Mondes from carrying out his plans tonight his line will be cursed throughout time. Wherever it goes it will be pursued by the star you call his lucky star.” Susan is transported back to her own time. “Why did you come here? Why did you ask to see the murderer?” Raxl asks. “I came to help.” Susan turns away from Raxl. “Only I can do so.”

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Summaries written by Debby Graham . The slide presentation is the work of Ron Janick.

~Ron/Bella~
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