Anna Karenina Page #31

of your troubles at last.

137

KARENIN:

I am free of them.

Anna closes her eyes and sleeps again.

BOUDOIR, KARENIN HOUSE, SAME TIME--DAY

Karenin comes in. Vronsky is there. He looks up abjectly.

VRONSKY:

Whatever you think of me, please believe

me, I love her--I could not have done other-

wise than what I . . . what I did.

Karenin nods and sits next to him.

KARENIN:

But you must leave now. I promise to send

for you if she asks for you. I don't know what

happened. I forgive you. I forgive Anna. My

soul is filled with joy. I will remain with her

and look after her for ever.

Karenin stands up and offers his hand. Vronsky grasps it and starts

shaking.

KARENIN (CONT'D)

Come now, come now . . .

Karenin embraces him, comforting him.

138

INT. VRONSKY FLAT, ST. PETERSBURG

Vronsky arrives back at his flat . . . and finds his mother waiting for him

in his sitting room.

COUNTESS VRONSKY

Look at you. You look like what you are. A

laughingstock. I fancy you are to be asked

to leave the regiment.

VRONSKY:

I would like you to go, Maman.

COUNTESS VRONSKY

I will go when I'm ready to go. A little

affair with a married woman puts a finish-

ing touch to a young man's education--but

this morbid, selfish obsession . . . ! You have

publicly humiliated a man who has devoted

his life to Russia, and it will not be forgot-

ten. You'd better come back to Moscow

with me. You're finished here.

VRONSKY:

In Petersburg?

(he taps his breastbone)

I'm finished here.

INT. BEDROOM, VRONSKY FLAT--DAY

For the first time, Vronsky is wearing civilian clothes . . . looking reflect-

ingly at his uniform hanging in his wardrobe. He places his cavalry cap

carefully on a shelf and closes the wardrobe.

139

INT. BEDROOM, OBLONSKY HOUSE, MOSCOW--

DAY:

Levin is half-dressed in clothes to be married in, assisted by Matvey and

watched over by Oblonsky, who is in wedding clothes. Levin is frantic.

Oblonsky is perplexed. Matvey is unflappable, holding Levin's coat ready

and following him around.

LEVIN:

. . . no, I'll go to her and tell her it's not

too late to stop this business! Better now

than when we're married and she realises

she doesn't love me!

OBLONSKY:

But she does love you!

LEVIN:

How can she? I mean, look at me! Suppose

she's only marrying me to get married?

Suppose she's still in love with Vronsky?

She's making a terrible mistake! I'll go

to her and tell her she's free, that's what I

must do . . .

MATVEY:

Your coat, sir.

Levin snatches the coat and puts it on, and dashes out of the room.

140

INT. ENTRANCE HALL, SHCHERBATSKY HOUSE--

DAY:

Levin, in disarray, is let into the house. The entrance hall is crowded, loud

and chaotic with children, maids, governesses and Kitty's mother. Tanya,

Masha and Lili are bridesmaids. Grisha is a page. Princess Shcherbatsky,

trying to create order among last-minute bouquet distribution, hair-

adjustments, shoe-changing, etc., sees Levin and explodes.

PRINCESS SHCHERBATSKY

Konstantin!--what-- ?

LEVIN:

I have to talk to Kitty.

PRINCESS SHCHERBATSKY

You're not allowed to see her!

Levin gallops up the stairs.

INT. KITTY'S ROOM, SHCHERBATSKY HOUSE--DAY

Kitty, dressed for the church, is whispering into the crack of the bedroom door.

KITTY:

No. I don't understand at all! What's the

matter with you?

INT. OUTSIDE KITTY'S ROOM, SAME TIME--DAY

LEVIN:

You can't love me. Think it over! Let people

say what they like!

141

KITTY:

( FRIGHTENED)

Are you mad? Have you changed your

mind?

LEVIN:

Yes. If you don't love me.

KITTY:

But I do love you!

Levin hesitates, desperate.

LEVIN:

Do you? Well, I love you!

KITTY:

Oh, Konstantin!

They link hands through the opening, each with a hand to kiss.

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