Anna Karenina Page #38

when I'm unable to see her!

YASHVIN:

But perhaps you'll meet at the opera tonight?

ANNA:

I would love to be there if I could get a box.

YASHVIN:

(BOWS)

Madame, your box is number four! You'll

find me there with Princess Myagkaya. Will

you come, Vronsky?

169

Vronsky shakes his head. Yashvin kisses Anna's hand.

ANNA:

I see why . . . Alexei is so fond of you.

Yashvin laughs and bows himself out.

VRONSKY:

You know you can't go to the theatre?

ANNA:

Annushka!

VRONSKY:

For heaven's sake--

Annushka comes.

ANNA:

A bath. I'll come in and choose a dress.

Annushka goes.

VRONSKY:

Anna--I implore you--don't you know . . . ?

ANNA:

I'm not ashamed of who I am or what I've

done:
are you ashamed for me? Why do

you keep a room at the hotel? Aren't we

together? Have you changed towards me?

VRONSKY:

It's because I love you and care about you.

170

ANNA:

If that's the case, I don't know why you

aren't coming with me.

VRONSKY:

That would make it worse.

ANNA:

You're afraid. Well, I'm not.

INT. OPERA HOUSE, ST. PETERSBURG--NIGHT

Before the performance, the stairs, galleries and corridors, giving access

to the stalls and boxes, are crowded with the town's highest society. And

Anna, at her most beautiful, is magically cleaving through it. Awareness

of her presence is like a contagion, and yet everyone manages not to catch her

eye . . . so while all around her there are people impeding each other with

greetings, Anna's path opens before her.

She knows what is happening. It shocks her but her eyes barely show it.

The spell is broken by Princess Myagkaya (she of the 85 kopek sauce) who

hails her.

PRINCESS MYAGKAYA

Anna . . . !

She picks up on the surrounding effect of this, and rubs it in with mischief,

taking Anna's arm.

princess myagkaya (cont'd)

Something has done you good--you look

wonderful.

171

INT. VRONSKY'S FLAT, ST PETERSBURG--NIGHT

Vronsky sits and broods. Angrily, he changes his mind. He jumps up call-

ing for Franz.

EXT. OPERA HOUSE, ST. PETERSBURG--NIGHT

Vronsky's cab draws up outside the brightly lit, deserted opera house. He

alights.

INT. STAIRS, GALLERY, OPERA HOUSE--NIGHT

Vronsky comes up the stairs. The place is deserted, apart from Atten-

dants . . . one of whom takes Vronsky's cloak and gives him a token.

INT. ANNA'S BOX, OPERA HOUSE, SAME TIME--

NIGHT:

On stage, Act One is just ending, and the curtain falls. The applause gives

way to chatter.

PRINCESS MYAGKAYA

Should we visit or stay put?

Anna sees Vronsky entering on the side-aisle below. He looks up at the

boxes, seeking her. She turns away.

ANNA:

Stay put.

Princess Myagkaya has engaged the attention of Stremov in the neighbour-

ing box.

172

PRINCESS MYAGKAYA

Minister! Congratulations. Come in for a

moment.

But Stremov only bows coldly and turns away. Yashvin notes this and

begins to chew his moustache anxiously. Anna's neighbour on the other side,

a meek husband of a battle-axe, admires her openly.

Anna sees that Vronsky has stopped to talk to Countess Vronsky and the

Princesses Sorokina. The young Princess seems animated by Vronsky, who

bows himself away.

Princess Myagkaya sees where Anna is looking.

princess myagkaya (cont'd)

Princess Sorokina and her daughter, they're

from Moscow, neighbours of Countess Vron-

sky, quite well off, no sons, she's a widow.

Anna gives her a smiling but wounded look.

princess myagkaya (cont'd)

My dear, I'm a sales catalogue.

INT. OPERA HOUSE, SAME TIME--NIGHT

Vronsky meets Alexander in the aisle and greets him.

VRONSKY:

You'll come up to see us afterwards . . . ?

ALEXANDER:

Talk to Varya.

173

Alexander indicates his seat to Vronsky. Vronsky sits by Varya.

VRONSKY:

Will you call on Anna?

Rate this script:3.0 / 1 vote