Anna Karenina Page #9

She knows her son. Anna hasn't understood, but when Oblonsky looks back

he sees Vronsky with the Stationmaster, taking money from his wallet.

OBLONSKY:

What a good fellow . . .

Anna catches on, doesn't like it.

INT. OBLONSKY COACH--DAY

ANNA:

Have you known Count Vronsky long?

OBLONSKY:

Did you like him? He's in love with Kitty.

ANNA:

Oh . . .

(PAUSE)

But we should be discussing you and Dolly.

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She scolds him like a naughty boy.

ANNA (CONT'D)

What have you got to say for yourself?

OBLONSKY:

I've said it all--on my knees--in tears . . .

Now I need you to say it. I'm going to the

office, so you'll have Dolly to yourself.

ANNA:

(SEVERELY)

Don't be home late.

INT. RECEPTION ROOM, OBLONSKY HOUSE,

MOSCOW--DAY

Dolly pours tea for Anna. Dolly smiles at her wanly-- brightly.

DOLLY:

Kitty's coming by to see you. She's all

grown-up, and a bit frightened of you--the

belle of St. Petersburg society!

ANNA:

Is that who I am?

Dolly . . . Stiva has told me.

Dolly bursts into tears. Anna embraces her.

ANNA (CONT'D)

Dolly, I'm sorry from the bottom of my

heart.

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DOLLY:

I don't know what to do.

ANNA:

(SOOTHING)

I know, I know.

DOLLY:

I can't bear to be with him. And he doesn't

care, he's got what he wants.

ANNA:

What he wants is you. He loves you, Dolly.

You and the children are everything to him.

DOLLY:

Are we? And there is room for a governess?

ANNA:

That was shameful, disgraceful. But it was

not love. It was the animal in man, not the

soul. Stiva's remorse is from the soul.

DOLLY:

What about me? Does his remorse make it

easier for me?--

ANNA:

I know you are suffering. But, Dolly, you

must tell me . . . is there enough love left in

your heart . . . enough to forgive him?

DOLLY:

When I think of them together, I can't for-

give him, no!

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ANNA:

My poor lamb. So you'd rather accept your

fate . . .

DOLLY:

My fate?

(OUTRAGED)

But I haven't done anything! It's him

WHO'S--

ANNA:

Do you love him, Dolly?

Dolly nods tearfully.

ANNA (CONT'D)

You love him, and he loves you, but you

can't forgive, so your lives must continue

like this for ever, with both of you wretched.

She's winning.

INT. RECEPTION ROOM, OBLONSKY HOUSE--DAY

Anna, Kitty, Tanya and Grisha are at a handsome card table where

board games, dominoes, cards, etc., are kept. There is a spill of alphabet

bricks, each with a letter printed in it. They are spelling out their names in

alphabet bricks. Grisha is on Anna's lap pulling at her hair. The spelling

business, including misspellings by Grisha, creates a noise of laughter and

mock-rebuke. Tanya at the same time is trying to pull a ring from Anna's

finger.

Kitty is not at all frightened of Anna now; enraptured by her, laughing.

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ANNA:

Grisha, don't pull so hard, you're getting it

all in a tangle--and look for another G for

GRIGORI--

(She takes off her ring for Tanya)

--here, darling, you can wear it till you go

TO BED--

Dolly sits apart, embroidering. She looks up at the sound of voices down-

stairs, Oblonsky coming home. The children hear their father and abandon

the card table, running out to greet him. Dolly stands up to leave by a dif-

ferent door, giving Anna a collusive glance.

Anna pushes aside the alphabet bricks.

ANNA (CONT'D)

Well, that's the end of that.

KITTY:

Will you stay for the Bobrishchev's ball,

Anna?

ANNA:

Oh . . . I always feel dull at a ball.

KITTY:

How can you ever be dull?

Oblonsky arrives in the doorway with Tanya and Grisha hanging on him.

KITTY (CONT'D)

Stiva! Tell Anna she must come to the ball.

OBLONSKY:

Of course she must.

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