Anna Karenina Page #6

of the prettiest girls of this season.

She's visiting

with the Countess Vronsky.

Tell me, do you miss Vronsky

very much at the regiment?

Yes, terribly.

No one to take his place.

I think it's very generous of you

not to hate me.

My dear lady...

I assure you that I...

I'd like very much to have you

join us later for supper.

But I... I presume that's impossible.

I'm afraid it is, Mother.

How dare you bow to that woman?

- I think her presence here is an outrage.

- Excuse me, Mother.

Your wife's remarks are offensive,

Mr. Kartasoff.

- My dear Captain Yashvin, I assure you...

- It is an outrage.

You will give me satisfaction,

Mr. Kartasoff.

Why, Count Vronsky, this is absurd.

Please accept my apologies.

Thank you, Yashvin.

- Goodbye, madam.

- Goodbye.

This morning I tried to see Sergei.

They told him I was dead.

- And I wish I were.

- Why didn't you tell me?

I didn't think you cared

what happened to me.

Anna, dearest, how can you say that?

I love you.

I love you, Anna.

Do you?

Don't doubt it.

You must never doubt it.

Today, all day, I felt so alone.

We must be careful.

We mustn't hurt each other.

That's why we hurt each other,

because we love.

Yes. Yes, that's why.

Whom do you want?

Whom do you please to want?

Stop. Where are you going?

Your Excellency.

Madam Karenina.

- Sergei.

- Mother.

Mother, you've come for my birthday.

Of course I've come.

Do you think I'd miss your birthday?

Sergei, my boy.

My darling.

- What could we do?

- The master gave strict instructions.

- Sergei should never see her.

- He'll be up in a few minutes.

Well, she should be told.

We ought to tell her.

- It's your place to tell her.

- Not I.

Forgive me. For nine years I served her

without a harsh word from her.

Nothing but kindness.

No, I shall not tell her.

Are you crying, Mother?

No, Sergei.

I'm not crying.

It's so long since I've seen you.

They told me you were dead,

but I didn't believe them.

I told Father it wasn't true.

Now he'll see.

You mustn't speak to him

about me, Sergei.

Just the same, it's a lie.

You don't understand your father.

You must love him.

He's better than I am,

and I have hurt him, Sergei.

When you grow up, you will know.

I know now, Mother.

There's no one better than you.

No one in the world.

- Shall I go in now?

- Let her have a few minutes more.

Why does the Lord permit such things?

When the master rings for breakfast,

then warn her.

When I'm walking, I always think

I'm just going to meet you.

The other day, when we were

walking in the public gardens...

...I thought I saw you.

Were you in the public gardens, Mother,

wearing a lilac dress?

No, dearest.

No.

I ran toward you,

toward a lady in a lilac dress.

But she went away.

But it's at night

I really do see you, Mother.

When they put out the light,

and it's dark.

I see you too.

I talk to you.

I always talk to you.

I talk to you too, Mother.

I tell you everything that happens.

There's the bell.

- Warn her.

- It's your place. I've known her too long.

Well, Sergei, tell me,

how are your lessons?

And how is your science?

I'm making rapid strides.

"Rapid strides"?

Now, where did you hear that?

I heard Fiodor Ivanovitch say it to Father.

Look, do you want me

to show it to you?

How is Sergei Alexeich progressing,

Fiodor Ivanovitch?

He is making rapid strides,

Your Excellency.

How's that?

Oh, Sergei.

Forgive me, if I may make so bold...

Oh, Fiodor Ivanovitch,

Sergei has just been telling me that...

- I feel it advisable to...

- Stay.

It isn't 9:
00 yet.

He doesn't come in till 9.

I have to go, Sergei.

- No, Mother, please don't go.

- I must.

He's coming.

- Your Excellency, hurry.

- Yes.

Sergei, my darling...

Mother.

Mother, don't go.

Mother! Mother, don't go!

This is insupportable.

It's his birthday.

I told my son you were dead.

Why do make me a tyrant

who intervenes between him and you?

It's easy to play the martyr and destroy

the new life I'm trying to build for us...

as you destroyed the old.

And I shall not permit it.

You will not enter this house again.

You will never see Sergei again.

I told you that before you went away.

You undertook to bear that penalty.

You will bear it...

as I have had to bear mine.

Do you hear?

Do you hear?

Impossible weather.

Impossible to ride, impossible to hunt...

impossible to walk.

Why did we come here?

I'm not a country gentleman.

All these months of enforced leisure

here in the country.

It was idiotic.

We came here to be alone.

Oh, I'm sorry, darling, forgive me.

I'm irritable today.

This beastly weather.

From your mother?

Yes.

Is the Princess Sorokina

staying at your mother's?

I don't know. I suppose she is.

Does your mother want you

to marry Princess Sorokina?

- Now, what makes you think that?

- It would be natural.

The Princess Sorokina

is so young and innocent.

So like Kitty, isn't she?

You should've married Kitty.

- You would've been happier with her.

- Anna, you brood too much.

You spin fairy tales.

I face the truth.

- What truth?

- That one day I shall find myself...

alone.

Anna, this letter isn't from my mother.

- No?

- It's from Yashvin.

- Well?

- Well, I...

I've been wanting to tell you

for some time. I promised Yashvin...

to enlist in the war.

What war?

The Turkish-Serbian war.

I have to go to Moscow at once.

Believe me, Anna, it's better this way.

It won't last long.

A month or so, and I'll be back.

- A month or so.

- Well, not more.

- What if you're killed?

- I won't be killed.

- You mustn't go.

- Now, Anna...

I won't let you go, Alexei.

I won't let you go. I won't let you go.

You see, Anna,

this is why I didn't want to tell you.

Only a month.

A month in which I shall wake up

every night and think:

"Is he alive, or is he dead?"

Oh, I shouldn't have told you.

Please, Anna, be brave. Don't...

Well, I am not brave!

When I... When I come back,

we'll go to Italy again.

How long have you known this?

Well, I... I've been weighing it

in my mind for some time.

Planning your escape.

- My what?

- What else is it?

Do you have to go abroad to find a war

to give you an excuse?

I can't turn back now.

I've made commitments and promises,

and it would be dishonorable.

Honor. Honor.

You speak about honor without

knowing the meaning of the word.

We won't discuss that.

No. If we did discuss it,

the truth might come out.

- What do you mean?

- That you no longer love me.

You want to leave me.

And this is your way of doing it.

Well, Anna, I'm a man.

I have a man's work to do.

I want my comrades and my career.

- And love isn't everything.

- One only says that when love is over.

- Over and done with.

- I wish you'd stop chattering about love!

This continuous talk of love makes me

hate the word. I'm sick and tired of love!

- This is the truth, then, at last.

- Yes, the truth!

Alexei, I beg you...

if you ever loved me...

If there...

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