Anna Karenina Page #40

ANNA:

Go to bed.

Vronsky comes in as Annushka goes out. He comes to Anna and puts his

arms round her.

178

VRONSKY:

Yes, it was my fault.

ANNA:

I won't sleep.

VRONSKY:

I know how to make you sleep.

LATER--IN BED

Vronsky makes love to Anna but it's not working for her. Her eyes stray

around. By the bed is a carafe of water, an empty glass and a pharmacy

bottle as dark as ink, with a handwritten label.

EXT. MOSCOW--DAY

High summer. Heat and dust.

INT. TEA SHOP, MOSCOW--DAY

Anna, with some dainty shopping by her, is taking tea in a genteel cafe. Her

eye is caught by a mother and son at another table. The boy is a "Serozha."

Anna misses her son acutely in that moment.

Then Dolly enters the tea shop. Anna's heart lifts for a moment and she

is about to greet her, but then realises that Dolly is one of a trio of "society

ladies," and Anna lowers her head. When she sneaks a look, she catches

one of the ladies whispering to the others. Anna realises that she has been

recognised by a stranger, and is notorious. She "hides" in her purse, finding

money to leave on the table so that she can escape. A sound makes her look

up and she sees that Dolly has sat down opposite her.

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DOLLY:

Anna . . . I am very glad to see you. Are you

well? How is your little one?

Anna nods, words won't come.

DOLLY (CONT'D)

Stiva wanted to invite you and Count Vron-

sky to the house but it's impossible . . .

ANNA:

I understand.

DOLLY:

No, no--you don't. Kitty and her husband

are with us. She's in Moscow to have the baby.

ANNA:

Kitty . . . ? Oh, tell her how pleased I am . . . !

DOLLY:

Perhaps I'll wait a year or two.

(she gulps a laugh)

Oh . . . love!

ANNA:

Yes . . . love! Don't you disapprove of me for

what I've done?

DOLLY:

No. I wish I'd done the same. But no one

asked me! Well . . . I wouldn't have been

brave enough.

(she blinks tears)

Stiva, you know . . . he doesn't change . . .

like all men, I suppose.

180

She doesn't notice her tactlessness but it lands on Anna, who manages a

smile.

EXT. GRAND HOTEL, MOSCOW--NIGHT

INT. HOTEL SUITE, MOSCOW--NIGHT

Anna, in a nightdress, is awake in the night, staring out of the grand

window of a grand hotel, smoking.

INT. HOTEL BEDROOM, SAME TIME--NIGHT

Anna comes back to bed. Vronsky is asleep. She unstops a pharmacy bottle

(a different one) and pours a draught mixed with water.

INT. BEDROOM, MOSCOW HOTEL--DAY

Anna sleeps alone in the bed. Annushka, after a tap on the door, comes in

cautiously, worried.

ANNUSHKA:

Madame . . . Madame . . .

Anna sits up.

ANNUSHKA (CONT'D)

Are you ill?

ANNA:

What time is it? Is Anya up?

181

ANNUSHKA:

It's afternoon, Madame.

ANNA:

I'm all right. It's all right.

(PAUSE)

Get them to bring up all our trunks and

travel cases. We've been here long enough.

INT. HOTEL SUITE, MOSCOW--DAY

Vronsky comes in, noting the empty trunks and cases stacked up. Anna

comes from her room to greet him. She is making an effort to be pleasant,

but she looks excited, febrile.

ANNA:

I had an inspiration. Why do we have to

wait here? Why can't we wait in the coun-

try? I don't want to hear any more about a

divorce, or think about it.

VRONSKY:

Good! I'm bored here. When should we go?

ANNA:

If I bore you here, I'll bore you in the

country.

VRONSKY:

I didn't say you bore me. Moscow bores me.

When should we go? . . . Tomorrow?

But Anna's mood has turned.

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ANNA:

I can't be ready by tomorrow.

VRONSKY:

The day after, then.

ANNA:

If you like.

VRONSKY:

No, wait. That's Sunday. I have to see

Maman.

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