Anna Karenina Page #29

Two Servants and Matvey serve at the table, clearing away the "carp with

asparagus." The Princess is challenging Karenin.

PRINCESS SHCHERBATSKY

You Petersburgers think yourselves so de

bon ton compared with dull, old-fashioned

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Moscow, but we know how to do things--

only the other day, I hear, Vasya Pryachnikov

fought a duel with Kvitsky and killed him.

Oblonskky attempts to divert the conversation.

OBLONSKY:

Well, what's this government commission,

Karenin . . . ?

But Karenin ignores him. Oblonsky looks on helplessly.

KARENIN:

What was the challenge about?

PRINCESS SHCHERBATSKY

Pryachnikov's wife, naturally.

PRINCE SHCHERBATSKY

It was a matter of honour, defending a

woman's honour . . .

Karenin remains cool.

KARENIN:

It sounds like barbarism to me . . . And

what if the lover had killed the husband?--

would that have preserved the wife's honour

too?

COUNTESS NORDSTON

Still, not many of us can say that our lover

died for love!

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KARENIN:

Love? Thou shall not covet thy neighbour's wife.

COUNTESS NORDSTON

Would you die for love, Konstantin Dmitrich?

LEVIN:

I would. But not for my neighbour's wife.

Levin is nettled to find that he seems to have made a joke, for the Countess

especially. Kitty remains serious, watching Levin, loving him.

LEVIN (CONT'D)

An impure love is not love, to me. To admire

another man's wife is a pleasant thing, but

sensual desire indulged for its own sake is

greed, a kind of gluttony, and a misuse of

something sacred which is given to us so

that we may choose the one person with

whom to fulfill our humanness. Otherwise

we might as well be cattle.

COUNTESS NORDSTON

Ah, an idealist!

Reconciliatory laughter eases the atmosphere. Levin feels abashed at coming

out of his shell. He steals a glance at Kitty and finds her looking at him.

She smiles at him and drops her eyes.

INT. RECEPTION ROOM, OBLONSKY HOUSE--NIGHT

The dinner party settles in.

Dolly and Karenin sit knee-to-knee in a corner.

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DOLLY:

. . . but she will be nobody's wife, she'll be

ruined.

KARENIN:

I tried to save her. She chose ruin.

DOLLY:

Alexei Aleksandrevich--look at me. You

will have no peace of mind until you forgive

her. It was Anna who taught me that.

KARENIN:

I do not wish to forgive. I am not a cruel

man. I have never hated anyone. But I hate

her with all my soul for all the wrong she

has done me.

Levin and Kitty are at the card table, with a spillage of the alphabet pieces.

OBLONSKY:

It's your turn to play us something,

Countess.

KITTY AND LEVIN:

LEVIN:

Since we last met, there is something I have

often wanted to ask you.

KITTY:

What is that?

Levin sorts through the alphabet pieces as though he is putting off the

moment, but he quickly puts four letters spaced out in a row: D N M N.

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LEVIN:

This.

Kitty tries.

KITTY:

Do Not . . .

Levin adds an I next to the D.

KITTY (CONT'D)

Did. Did Not.

Levin shakes his head. He adds an E next to the second N. Kitty concentrates.

KITTY (CONT'D)

The last word is Never.

Levin nods. Kitty puts letters in place. They read DID NO MEAN

NEVER.

Levin looks into her eyes.

Kitty finds letters and presents Levin with T I D N K. Levin adds NOW

to the K. Kitty nods. Levin adds OT to the N. Kitty nods.

Levin adds an O to the D. Kitty shakes her head. She puts an H after the T.

LEVIN:

I know what it says.

Dolly, looking across the room, sees Kitty and Levin serious and smiling,

rapt.

Levin places extra letters: THEN I DID NOT KNOW. Kitty nods.

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LEVIN (CONT'D)

Then. But now?

Kitty finds C Y F A F.

LEVIN (CONT'D)

Can You.

Kitty nods.

LEVIN (CONT'D)

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