Anna Karenina

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(Train whistle )

(Guard) All aboard!

(Engines hissing, people chattering)

(Whistle )

Come on, clear the way here, clear the way.

(Engine chuffing)

(Guard calls out)

(Engines hissing and chuffing)

Hello there!

- Vronsky Vronsky

- Ah. Good morning.

Ah, you can't hear yourself speak

with this blasted noise.

Well, what brings your lordship out so early?

My mother, on the Petersburg train.

And you?

The same, a woman.

Ha-hai Honi soit qui mal y pense.

lt's my sister, Anna.

- Anna Karenina.

- Oh, yes, of course.

- You know her husband, the minister.

- Oh, by name.

Well, he's famous.

Yes, he's bursting with brains

- and cold as a pickled carp.

- Not my line.

Yes, he gives me the shivers.

So does this blasted cold.

- What time's the train due in?

- 7:
15, and she's late.

Yes, and they'll be frozen. There's not a single

coach with the heaters working, so they tell me.

l've only just got up. How about some tea?

- Haven't been to bed yet.

- Oh, good for you.

Still that little diva from the opera?

- No, she's gone back to Milan.

- Oh, my sympathies.

Well, we must celebrate!

How about a banquet?

- The Angleterre!

- No, the Hermitage. l owe them more money.

l say, what about Kitty? Isn't it all fixed up

between you and my pretty sister-in-law?

Not so loud, Stiva.

And you're the one who poked fun at husbands.

Oh, but you're right, it's a ghastly business.

Ah. Well, the train's been signaled.

- What is a ghastly business?

- Marriage, dear boy.

- Don't let me put you off, but...

- Ah! Stiva.

- Have you been on a spree again?

- No, no, nothing of the kind!

l swear it on the heads of my five children.

A spot of bother with a governess.

Stiva, Stiva...

You can shake your head, old man -

you're a bachelor, you've got a pretty uniform.

- Me, l'm desperate.

- What, as bad as that?

Oh, we manage to keep up appearances,

thank the Lord,

but l have to camp out on the sofa.

Dolly's chased me out of the bedroom.

And why? Nothing! A little piece of foolishness

with a schoolmistress, l ask you, from Paris.

Yes. But when she said,

''Monsieur le Prince Oblonsky, mon amour,''

- well, how could l resist it?

- (Engine chuffing)

ls that the train?

No. Some shunter.

Well, Dolly got to know, the Lord knows how,

then bang, lightning, house upside down,

children running wild,

French girl sacked, and the English governess

for good measure.

And old Patrona asking me

to pray for forgiveness.

Now, what do you think of that?

- Cigar?

- No.

- (Whistle )

- l've implored Anna to help me out.

- Have courage, she will.

- Yes, she's the soul of virtue,

but she understands.

The worst of it is, we're receiving

the Grand Duke tomorrow.

- You're coming, by the way.

- Yes, but...

But nothing, dear boy.

Mind you, l'm desperate.

l love Dolly, but she takes things

to heart so much.

She... (Sighs )

Oh, well.

(Stationmaster) Express train

from St. Petersburg arriving platform six.

Stand back, stand back, please.

Express train from St. Petersburg.

- Stiva, you're on the wrong platform.

- Oh, Lord!

Masha, Masha, the yellow valise.

- (Guard) Moscow! Moscow!

- Well, thank heaven we've arrived.

And the pillows.

Oh, you're dropping everything.

And the samovar.

l am dying for a glass of tea.

Well, take the things onto the platform, stupid.

Find a porter.

Now, don't move.

Masha will see to all the luggage.

Oh, what an unbearable journey.

But you charmed the hours away,

absolutely charmed them away.

- Mother!

- Alexis!

- Oh, my dear! (She chuckles )

- Steady.

There, dear.

Well, you got my telegram at least.

- Yes. Did you have a good journey?

- Oh, l'm broken in pieces.

Masha! She's dropped the Scotch traveling rug.

Oh, find some boiling water, do, Alexis.

Twenty-two hours without my tea,

and shaken about like a demented tambourine.

lf it hadn't been for Madame Karenina...

ls she with you? Her brother's looking for her.

Her husband asked me to chaperone her.

Such an intelligent man.

She's tout fait charmante!

I'll present you.

Masha, where are my gloves?

Oh.

She's made quite a conquest of me.

l can say that at my age.

We talked of nothing but our sons.

She has a little boy

to whom she's quite devoted.

Oh, now. Oh, my handsome Alexis.

What are these rumors l hear

about a superb marriage?

Mama, nothing has been settled yet.

Vronsky...

Ah, Countessi

How are you, Prince Oblonsky?

Pink and well, as usual, l see.

And what does Dolly say to that?

- Well, she's delighted!

- l'm sure she is. l am sure she is.

Anna!

There you are, my dear.

Allow me to present my son.

Count Vronsky, Madame Karenina.

- (Metallic scraping)

- (Man ) Watch it!

(Woman screams )

(Men shouting in distance )

- Here, what's happened?

- An accident during the shunting,

to one of the gangs. Please keep calm!

Everything's being done. Please keep calm!

Masha, my smelling salts!

Oh, these railways.

First my tea, now something else.

When l was young, l was taken by troika

to be presented to the Tsar, wrapped in furs.

l was ready for anything...

..tipped out into the snow three times!

As many bruises as there were pearls

around my neck.

But these engines are the death of you!

Stiva, what has happened?

He's... He's dead.

Oh, it was quite instantaneous,

but his wife was there, she saw it happen.

- Give her this.

- No, it's quite all right, Vronsky's seen to that.

He's given her 2,000 roubles.

But there was a horde of small children.

Mother.

Allow me to kiss your little face.

We shall meet again soon, l hope.

Well, goodbye, Countess.

- Well, tomorrow evening, then, Count.

- Till tomorrow.

Masha! Oh, she's dropping everything!

- (Whistle )

- My nerves won't stand any more.

Where are the porters? Porter!

- That was a warning.

- What?

- The death.

- Oh, don't tell me you believe old wives' tales.

Oh, Anna, you're here, that's the main thing.

You're my only hope.

Dolly's threatening to leave home and go to her

mother, and we're giving a ball tomorrow night.

- How long have you known him?

- Hmm?

- Vronsky.

- Oh, always known him.

Yes, and now he's going to be one of us.

He's marrying Kitty.

Ah, porter. Madame's luggage.

And don't forget those two pieces up there.

Stiva, what have you been up to?

Oh, nothing, nothing, upon my soul.

No, erm... Dolly's tired,

that's the top and the bottom of it.

You know, five pregnancies in a row.

Yes, but you can't let her go now,

you must make her see sense.

(Countess ) Ah, that's better.

Brinka! You're suffocating him, you idiot.

He's not a cheese!

Alexis, take him.

Alexis!

Ah, elle est charmante, n'est-ce pas?

Yes, charming.

(Whistle )

l'm not at home! I refuse to see anyone!

- Dolly! For the love of God!

- No! No one!

- But the guests are arriving.

- What do l care?

- And the Grand Duke is coming.

- You can look after the Grand Duke.

- Without you? Impossible!

- Get away from me, you.

- But you told me that you'd forgiven me.

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