Anna Karenina Page #8

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the little gentleman's birthday.

How could l forget, Nana?

Oh, get up off the floor, dear.

You'll hurt your knees.

Yes, it's nine years since l put him

into your arms

- and broke a little cake over his head.

- (He laughs )

What a winter!

There were fir trees with colored lights

all down the Neva.

- (He laughs )

- Quiet, my little dove, you'll wake your father.

He sleeps so badly.

You'll have to go soon, my lady.

Oh, l can't. l've barely touched him,

barely kissed him. No, it's impossible.

- What's the matter, Mummy?

- (Sobbing) Nothing, my darling.

My darling, my treasure.

- l'll pray for you, my lady.

- Yes, pray, pray.

My Sergei, you won't ever forget me,

will you?

- Oh, no, Mummy.

- You see, my darling,

l might perhaps

have to go away somewhere again.

- No!

- Yes.

Oh, l shall be so unhappy if l have to,

so l want you to say to yourself

that l am thinking of you all the time

and that nothing can ever separate us,

nothing, nothing.

My lady.

l must be going.

Don't be afraid. He won't come.

What are you saying, my darling? l'm not afraid.

Your father is good.

When you're bigger you'll understand.

He's better than l am.

Nobody's better than you. Nobody!

Mummy, l don't want you to go away.

l don't want you to go away!

But l'm not going away, my darling.

Then take off your cloak, Mummy.

There, you see? l'm not going away.

You are pretty, Mummy.

Have you been to a ball?.

Mm-hm. A grand ball with lights.

Now my Sergei is going to sleep. lt's so late.

Sit on the bed.

There. Happy now?

Yes.

l want to hold your hand,

and then you won't be able to get away.

Mummy, are you there?

Yes, my darling.

Go to sleep, go to sleep.

Tell me like you used to, about Babinka.

Babinka the cat and Mashka the mouse,

they had a fine wedding in a fine house.

And then they ate up all the sugar

before the witch came.

Goodbye, my darling.

My treasure.

My cloak, Nana.

- (Nana sobbing)

- Don't cry, don't wake him.

Tell him l...

No.

l leave him in your charge.

lf he ever falls ill, send for the doctor at once

and let me know. l beg you, let me know.

Goodbye, Nana.

Kiss him for me, every day.

Every day.

Korney, see madame out.

(Birdsong)

Please will your ladyship wait here?

Her ladyship's been sent for.

She's out riding.

The master's in the fields.

Oh. Can l bring you something?

Thank you.

(Anna ) Dolly!

- Anna.

- Oh!

- l've spoilt your ride.

- Oh, l'm so happy to see you here.

You must be exhausted after your journey.

Tania, bring us something to drink.

Oh, you must be so thirsty.

Sit down, take your hat off.

Never mind that. All l want is to sit

and have a good look at you.

You're so beautiful.

Have l changed?

You look as though you're in

your right place.

So commanding.

Yes.

That's the way to treat life.

Crack the whip.

- And Stiva and the children?

- They're very well.

And Vronsky, Anna?

Very well too. Why shouldn't he be?

Everything you saw on your way here is his.

He hunts, he builds hospitals,

he talks to the peasants.

He has everything.

l have only him, nothing else.

But you still love each other?

Oh, that's the terrible thing, loving.

lt is hot, isn't it?

- Will you spend the winter here?

- Hmm?

- Yes, l expect so.

- But you'll have friends.

Oh, yes, we have friends...

of a sort.

(Chuckles ) ln St. Petersburg

l went to the opera one night.

One of my oldest friends cut me.

No, we'll be alone, l expect.

Anna...won't there be any children?

No.

That shocks you, Dolly?

There are ways, you know.

Besides, one doesn't keep a man

with children.

- l know.

- l've got...

l've had Sergei, there won't be any others.

- How is he, Dolly? Have you seen him?

- Stiva has. Anna...

Oh, Stiva has seen him and you didn't tell me.

How is he?

- Tell me about him.

- He's quite well, don't worry.

He's a big boy now.

Stiva's seen him!

Well, did he talk about me? Tell me.

He's, erm, rather reserved.

l know he thinks about you.

He was unhappy after you came to see him.

Oh, Anna, l'm so sorry.

Leave it to me, Tania.

l'm teaching Tania to read, and in return

she tells me old stories and legends.

- lsn't that so?

- Yes, my lady.

ln the winter she does weaving on a grand

scale with the other girls, and boys too.

She sings.

They know what happiness is.

A white hen and a black hen, that's love,

and death.

Death? Why death?

When love is gone...

Run along, Tania, hm?

- Lemonade, Dolly?

- Thank you.

Dolly, tell me about Kitty.

Oh, Kitty. She's married, Anna.

- And happy?

- Yes. Konstantin Dmitrich Levin.

He loves her. He's as good as can be.

As good as can be. l'm so glad.

Oh, Dolly, it's such a joy

for me to see you here.

Listen, Anna, l've brought some news.

Write to your husband

and he will let you have the divorce.

- You've asked him again?

- Stiva and I.

- l can't write to him.

- Only a letter.

He's thought it over.

He's religious, you know.

Yes, he's perfect.

What for, Dolly, hm?

What more would it give me

if l humbled myself? Tell me.

You could marry.

You could be Vronsky's wife.

l am his wife.

Yes.

You mean, then l'd be sure of keeping him.

Not only that.

Would it give me back my son?

No. Then why should l?

l am certain Vronsky wants the divorce.

Are you? Are you sure? l'm not.

Anna...

he hasn't changed?

No.

No, he's the man he's always been.

But we have a special attitude

to love, Dolly.

lt's our occupation, we live on it.

Other people have their careers,

their friends.

We have love, nothing else.

To live and breathe and think

for one person...

Oh, we're mad.

Anna, what's going on?

You're not telling me the truth. He's not...

Unfaithful?.

No, not yet.

There are many ways of being unfaithful

with all this -

his books, his hunting, his land.

A man can deceive you when he's sitting

beside you in his armchair reading a newspaper.

He deceives me every time

he's not thinking of me.

Of me.

Anna, you can't be so unreasonable.

- You must give him some freedom.

- Freedom? Am l free?

Men need it more.

They need more independence.

You'll only break yourself trying.

All right, then, l'll break myself.

l've sacrificed everything - my son, my...

Let him do the same.

The loneliness, Dolly.

Do you know that there are times

when l hate him and he hates me?

Two lovers, dying together minute by minute

in a hell of our own making.

There must be an end.

Do you believe in icons, Dolly?

There are some people who send for

the Virgin of Kazan or somewhere

to bless the house and bring back love.

We must believe in God, not images.

ln God?

Oh, he's a long way away.

Only to make our thoughts seem smaller.

( # Choir singing)

(Priest and server calling and responding)

Give me back my son.

Give me back Alexis.

- Give me back my son. My son.

- (Priest and server call and respond)

And Alexis.

My son and Alexis.

(Priest) Have mercy upon man.

(Server) Have mercy upon man.

Give me back my son.

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