Anastasia Page #9

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It is as though the horror of all these

last years has only made you stronger.

I am not strong, mademoiselle.

Let me go.

You are too clever for me. I am an old

woman. My strength is only outward now.

- At least we met again.

- And we will another time when my mind is clearer.

- But now...

- No, we'd better not meet again.

You have softened towards me,

but later you'll regret it.

You'll say,

"It was all acting.

She was some cheap little actress

they hired for money. '"

And... in a way

they did hire me.

I was starving after I ran

from the last asylum.

I had nowhere to go. Bounine

found me on the bank of the Seine.

Maybe there is more

good to him than we think.

Or maybe I should have run away from

him too, but I was so tired of running.

- Are you all right?

- Yes.

And if it is better

for you not to believe...

- You are ill.

- No.

I cough only because

I'm a little frightened.

It doesn't mean...

Say that again.

That I cough

when I'm frightened?

When you were a little girl

you coughed when you were frightened.

Malenkaia... Malenkaia!

You have come from so far away,

and I've waited so long.

No, no, no.

Don't cry.

There's no need to be frightened.

No, don't speak.

You are safe, Anastasia.

You are with me. You're home!

The phantoms can go.

The closed rooms can be opened.

I have a footman...

Oh, he's a very old man...

And each night he goes

from one room to the other...

lighting the empty lamps...

until the great dark rooms

are a blaze of light.

And perhaps that is true

of all of us.

We are lighting dead lamps

to illumine a past that is gone.

I thought you were gone, but

you have come back, Anastasia.

You have come back!

But, oh, please, if it should not

be you, don't ever tell me.

Many beautiful shops

and restaurants... Yes.

Also we might make

a small trip to America.

After all, it's the only country left

with a proper respect for wealth.

- I hate trips.

- I would like to go to Uruguay.

- Yes, why?

- I like the name, "Uruguay".

- I hate it.

- And "Guatemala".

- They sound so far away.

- Yes, very.

- Why don't you charter a boat and sail the high seas?

- I hate the sea.

My dear Maxine, you're here to eat,

drink, enjoy the show and have a good time.

I hate Russian food.

I hate bad champagne.

I'm sick of the gypsies,

and I'm having a terrible time.

Then why don't you go home?

I hate my room even more.

So soon? Hey, he's back

from the station.

- Maybe she was not on the train.

- Maybe.

Anything wrong?

Did you meet the train?

She was on it?

Empress? Paul?

- Well?

- Everything is up...

Go powder your nose.

How long should I take?

We'll call you.

Go on. Go on.

Well, Petrovin, they all arrived.

- Then why isn't he at the hotel with her?

- Yes.

- It is Copenhagen all over again.

- They should have stayed there.

"Stayed there. " But the empress

would not let him see Her Highness.

Or at least that's

what Paul said.

No, it was wasting

money to stay.

Von Livenbaum is expecting you

at 10:
00 in the morning.

You mean they agreed to the presentation

ceremony tomorrow night? Wonderful!

Then we can have

the press conference at 7:30.

- In the grand ballroom of their hotel.

- Good.

- What about the marriage rumors?

- Yes.

Can we announce

her engagement to Paul?

You know, every time

Paul is mentioned, he gets peculiar.

- You don't think he's getting jealous?

- Yes.

I began to think

back in Copenhagen.

You're eating

like a pig again.

I'm nervous again.

- Where the devil did that come from?

- The opera warehouse.

- I think it is very impressive.

- Stepan, get rid of those lights.

What time is it?

7:
40. The press has already

been waiting for her.

- Too late to do anything

about that throne.

Oh, for heaven's sake, stop

that nonsense! Petrovin!

- But they are rehearsing.

- They'll rehearse later.

Please, gentlemen, please,

after the press conference.

I am confused.

Confused!

- When we originally discussed...

- Stepan, tell Her Highness we are ready.

Petrovin, let the press in.

- Did you see her? Did you talk to her? Di...

- I told you 50 times.

I have not seen her,

nor him, nor the empress.

Perhaps if I write it very carefully,

in very big letters...

I'm sorry. I'm bored

with the whole business.

The sooner it's over with,

the better.

You certainly have changed,

Excellency.

But don't get too bored.

It is a little too late.

This way, please. You'll find

copies of the guest list...

and other information

on this table.

This is the very room in which

the presentation ceremony...

will take place

later this evening.

Ladies and gentlemen, I regret

you cannot be present here tonight...

but such is the wish of Her Imperial

Majesty, the Dowager Empress.

However, Her Imperial Highness, the

Grand Duchess Anastasia Nicolaevna...

has graciously consented to see you

for just a few moments.

"At 9:
30, the ball will be opened by

the Grand Duchess and His Highness...

"Prince Paul von Haraldeberg.

- At 10:
15... "

- Is it true they're going to be married?

Will the engagement

be announced tonight?

Well, unofficially

and off the record...

At the present time, there is no

information on that subject. Proceed.

"At 10:
15, the dowager empress

will make her appearance.

"At 10:
20, the Russian national

anthem will be played...

- and Her Majesty will formally present her granddaughter... '"

- Ladies and gentlemen...

it is my humble pleasure to

present Her Imperial Highness...

the Grand Duchess

Anastasia Nicolaevna.

What a beautiful dress.

Get a picture of her

coming down the stairs.

- What is it?

- Extraordinary taste.

Can we get a picture

on the throne?

Her Highness has not fully recovered

from her long illness.

I must request that you be as brief

as possible with your questions.

Is it true that it was difficult for you

to get to see the empress?

I was three weeks in Copenhagen, almost

all of which I spent with Her Majesty.

Are you gonna marry

Prince Paul?

I found the city extremely charming

and hospitable.

- What about the inheritance?

- How do you plan to spend it?

Will you get the whole

ten million?

If I receive an inheritance, it will

be more of a surprise to me than to you.

Did you go to Romania

after you escaped from Russia?

Yes.

Were you in a hospital

in Bucharest in December, 1920?

Yes, I was in a hospital in Bucharest.

- When, I do not remember precisely.

- Don't you? I do.

I was convalescing in the next ward

when they brought you in.

- It is possible.

- Possible, but you don't remember.

Well, when they discharged you, a man

was waiting for you and took you home.

Me.

- General, I beg you. We cannot proc...

- Quiet.

- What is your name?

- Mikhail Vlados.

- Vlados.

- And yours is Anna Koreff!

- Koreff, is that true?

- Yes, I have used that name.

- Used it?

- Her Highness has used many names.

As you know, she has been forced to

hide. Also she has suffered amnesia.

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