Anna Karenina Page #3

to take me to the opera.

Of course... but I'm terribly

sorry. I shan't be able to go.

Nathalia sharing your box?

Yes, don't worry.

I shall not be alone.

Count vronsky

will be there too...

and dear betsy.

That's splendid.

Then I don't need to have

a bad conscience.

I could stay

if you wished.

Hmm?

No, no, my dear.

Russia's affairs don't

require both of us to be bored.

Go and enjoy your evening.

I've known for some time

that russia can do without me,

but I thought

perhaps if you...

alexey alexandrovitch.

Come in.

Good evening, your excellency. Ah.

Have you got everything?

Everything, excellency.

Good evening, theodore.

Good evening, madame.

Anna?

Yes?

Give my love to nathalia.

Not in bed yet, sergei?

But you said I could,

mother.

Yes, but not all night.

No, mother, but I'm winning

now, you see. Oh, I see.

I'm going to the opera, darling,

and I've come to kiss you good night.

Good night, mother.

You shouldn't have hopped me. I

didn't see that. I was kissing mother.

Now I'm going

to take you.

Would you like me to stay

and play you at draughts?

Oh, no.

You always beat me.

I've got a king.

It's your turn.

Go on.

Good night, marietta.

Good night, madame.

Ah! Here's the table.

Now we can indulge

in our favorite vice.

Put it here.

No, I am a friend of Anna's.

Yes, yes, so I can say this.

Since her return from moscow,

i find her very changed.

There's something

strange about her.

The change may be due to the fact

that she has a shadow following her.

A shadow? The shadow of count vronsky.

Your tongue

is too sharp, my dear.

It'll cut you one day.

Anna is an adorable creature.

- Oh, I'm not blaming her.

- And because nobody follows us like a shadow,

it doesn't give us

the right to judge others.

Anna, my dear.

You've come just in time.

How are you, nathalia? Good evening,

count. We were talking about you.

Perhaps I've come

too early then.

Not at all. We were saying you were the

loveliest woman at the opera tonight.

Lydia is always

so generous.

And truthful.

Good evening, dear count.

Thank you.

My dear vronsky,

how nice to see you.

Are you well?

Yes, and you?

I thought you hated opera.

For once I wish to be elegantly

bored, like other people.

Weren't you in Anna arkadyevna's box? Yes.

You can't have been

too bored then.

Anna, my dear.

Now, my friends, we mustn't

keep the spirits waiting.

Anna, will you join us? Anna, dear.

Good evening. We are going

to try and communicate...

with the soul of a woman who

was famous for her love affairs.

No, thank you, really. Madame

karenina is a free thinker.

She doesn't believe

in such things.

On the contrary.

I am horribly superstitious.

I even believe

in dreams.

For some time now, I've had a

nightmare which terrifies me...

always the same one.

So have i.

I dream every night

of birds...

tiny little

fragile creatures.

The dream changes.

And I am one

of the little birds.

Someone takes me between his

two fingers, and stifles me.

It must be

hercules himself.

My nightmare is less poetic.

I see a little old man

with a white beard,

dressed in rags...

and carrying a hammer.

He strikes on something

with a piece of iron,

and I hear a clanging noise.

I don't know why,

but this image is closely bound

up with the idea of my death.

That's rather uncanny,

isn't it?

Shh.

Everybody.

Let's stop talking. Put

your hands on the table.

Finger to finger. General,

your fingers must touch.

Together.

So now let's concentrate.

Put out the lights.

Oh!

Shh!

Shh!

The vibrations are

very strong tonight.

Who's to ask

the questions?

But you of course, my dear.

Spirits are your guests.

I have had news

from moscow.

Kitty shcherbatsky

is very ill.

Really?

Does that mean

nothing to you?

Yes, but what

can I do?

You are heartless.

I wish I were.

Spirit, are you there?

If you are, and you wish

to answer, knock once.

What is your name?

Feodora?

Knock once for "a,"

twice for "b,"

and so on through

the alphabet.

I came to the opera tonight

on purpose, to speak to you.

This must end.

Tell me what you want me to do.

If you love me,

as you say you do,

give me back my peace.

I know no peace,

and I cannot

give it back to you.

I see none in the future,

either for you or for me.

I see nothing ahead of us

but sorrow and despair,

unless it be happiness...

such happiness.

Is it quite hopeless?

For my sake, never speak

to me like that again.

Let us be friends.

The princess has had

the lights put out,

as she is communicating

with the spirits.

Oh? Good.

We can never be friends.

You know that.

I ask for nothing...

but the right to suffer...

and to hope,

as in this moment.

But even if that

is impossible,

order me to go

and I will.

No, I cannot do that.

Feodora... she is here.

Feodora, history says

you were a great lover.

Can you reveal to us...

is love worthwhile?

Not in bed yet?

What a surprise.

It is late,

alexey alexandrovitch.

I want to speak to you, Anna.

Speak to me?

What about?

Well, let's talk,

if we must,

but it is late and i

would rather go to sleep.

Assuming that questions relating to

feelings are matters of conscience,

into which I have

no right to probe,

it is still my duty as head

of the family to guide you.

What are you talking about?

Anna, you're not

yourself this evening.

Alexey alexandrovitch,

i don't understand you.

I feel that an indiscretion...

such as you were

guilty of tonight...

may lead people

to talk about you.

Indiscretion? Tonight?

I went to princess betsy's house

this evening...

to take you home.

I noticed... or rather, it

was forced upon my notice...

that your conversation

with count vronsky...

attracted considerable

attention.

Isn't that typical

of you?

You don't like me to enjoy myself

and you don't like me to be bored.

I was not bored this evening.

Is that what troubles you?

Please don't crack

your fingers.

You know how much

i dislike it.

Really, I think you most inconsiderate

to cause me this stupid anxiety...

just when I have the greatest

need of all my mental powers...

and should be concentrating

on important affairs.

Please let me

finish undressing.

It's my duty to remind you

of your obligations.

Our lives are united

by god.

That bond can only be broken

by a crime.

Such a crime

brings its own punishment.

I really don't know what

crime you are talking about,

and I'm dreadfully sleepy.

I love you.

I consider jealousy

to be a degrading sentiment,

but there are certain

laws of propriety...

which cannot be broken without

the gravest consequences.

Have you no explanation?

There is nothing

to explain...

except that I am

falling asleep.

March]

Waltz]

I couldn't let the day pass

without seeing you.

He is here?

What if he is?

I don't think of him.

For me, he doesn't

exist anymore.

Why should we have to

whisper? What does it matter?

The only thing that matters to

me in the world is your love.

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