Anna Karenina Page #17

She gives the cigarette to him.

ANNA (CONT'D)

I'll try another one sometime.

VRONSKY:

When?

She looks at him in surprise. He dunks the cigarette in an abandoned dish

of ice cream.

VRONSKY (CONT'D)

Where?

ANNA:

Just as I was thinking your manners have

improved since Moscow. You behaved badly,

very badly.

VRONSKY:

And who was responsible for that?

Anna gets up and walks over to Betsy's chair.

ANNA:

Give me a cup of tea.

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Betsy obediently gets up to fill a cup from the samovar. Vronsky follows

Anna. This is watched by more than one guest. Betsy hands the cup

to Anna.

BETSY:

How nice--Alexei Aleksandrevich has

arrived.

Karenin enters smiling. Lisa Merkalova and Anna's Friend share a

delicious-malicious moment.

LISA MERKALOVA:

I'm not sure my nerves can stand another

Alexei at this moment.

As Betsy and Karenin move smilingly to greet each other, Karenin's radar

picks up the two women's intimate laughter.

Karenin remains at apparent ease, as though unaware of people's glances

at Vronsky and Anna, and he kisses Betsy's hand. Princess Myagkaya has

meanwhile gone over to Anna. Anna likes her and is glad of the diversion.

PRINCESS MYAGKAYA

So the Schuzburgs asked us to dinner. The

sauce was said to have cost a thousand rou-

bles, and it was ghastly. We had to ask them

back. I gave them a sauce that cost eighty-

five kopeks and it was a triumph.

Anna and Vronsky laugh. Princess Myagkaya moves on.

VRONSKY:

Were you glad to see me or not?

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ANNA:

This must stop. You make me feel as if I

were guilty of something.

VRONSKY:

What do you want me to do?

ANNA:

I want you to go to Moscow and beg Kitty

to forgive you.

VRONSKY:

No, that's not what you want. Moscow? I

can do better than that. Tonight I refused a

posting to Tashkent. I can change my mind,

and you'll never see me again.

ANNA:

If you have any thought for me, you will

give me back my peace.

VRONSKY:

I have no peace to give. There can be no

peace for us--only misery or the greatest

happiness. You are my whole life now.

She looks at him and nods slowly, as if in thought.

Betsy diplomatically leads Karenin to Anna.

BETSY:

Your husband is impossible!-- his opinions

are all wrong but he talks so brilliantly he

wins every argument.

Anna looks up at her, hearing nothing.

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ANNA:

What?

She notices Karenin, who kisses her hand. Vronsky acknowledges Karenin.

KARENIN:

I called to take you home.

ANNA:

No, I'm staying. Send the carriage back

for me.

KARENIN:

Of course.

He bows to Betsy. Ignoring Vronsky, he turns away.

LATER:

Vronsky is with one group of guests, Anna with another. She is animated,

excited, at a small table, involved in a game of cards-- which she wins, to

local applause. She speaks a "must go" to Betsy, and swiftly goes to the door.

INT. ENTRANCE HALL, TVERSKOY HOUSE--NIGHT

Dressed for outdoors, Anna comes down the staircase. The Doorkeeper sees

her, opens the door and signals.

EXT. TVERSKOY HOUSE, SAME TIME--NIGHT

The Karenin coach moves to the entrance door, which is held open by the

Doorkeeper.

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INT. TVERSKOY HOUSE, SAME TIME--NIGHT

Anna hears hurried footsteps on the stairs. She hesitates. She continues

towards the door. Vronsky catches up with her. The Doorkeeper holds the

door open.

VRONSKY:

Do you want me to go to Tashkent?

EXT. TVERSKOY HOUSE, ST. PETERSBURG, SAME

TIME--NIGHT

The two horses are restless in the freezing air. Konrad looks to the open door.

Nobody coming.

INT. TVERSKOY HOUSE, ST. PETERSBURG, SAME

TIME--NIGHT

VRONSKY:

So I'll go to Tashkent.

ANNA:

No. I don't want you to go.

She turns and goes out. Vronsky follows her.

EXT. TVERSKOY HOUSE, ST. PETERSBURG, SAME

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