Anna Karenina Page #9

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Give me back Alexis.

(Priest) Have mercy upon man.

(Server) Have mercy upon man.

- Reading?

- Mm, the Moscow news.

Do you want it?

Serpukhovskoy has been awarded another

medal - the Cross of St. George this time.

There's the snow. The pigeons are wheeling.

- Have you been down to the lake?

- Mm, this morning.

Soon be able to skate.

You're smoking too much, Anna.

Oh, am l?

What would you like me to do, hm?

- Are you going out tonight?

- Probably.

- Where to, may l ask?

- To Moscow, to see my mother.

Again?

Why again?

l haven't seen her for three weeks.

Money matters, l have to settle with her.

Nothing else?

Please. Don't expect me

to bury myself here all winter

without once in a while attending

to my business affairs.

And enjoying yourself on the side.

Well, why not?

All right. l'll come with you.

- By all means. You have the right.

- The right?

Look, Anna, what's the matter?

Are you suggesting that just because

l have to go out from time to time...

l live alone, with no one to talk to.

You don't even think of me.

Do l go to see women?

A visit to my mother,

supper with Makhotin.

l suppose even a married man

could allow himself that.

Mm, quite.

And you're not, you're my lover.

Love - we always get back to love.

What else have l got in this world?

- Do l even have that?

- Haven't l given you proof?

What more do you want?

Words, protestation?

Go on. Actions. Anything else?

No, Anna.

Let it end there.

Yes. You can hardly wait for it to end.

An end to all these scenes,

l agree with you.

We've got into

the habit of them unfortunately.

We ask too much of life.

We like to think we are exceptional.

All people in love do the same.

All people in adultery, you mean, don't you?

Nothing could be commonplace,

more dreary.

All my women friends had lovers

but they stuck with their husbands.

They were respectable.

Well, l didn't play their game

and now l am paying for it.

- l made sacrifices too.

- Oh, yes, l know, you've told me often enough.

- When? When have l ever said...

- You? (Chuckles )

Well, you cry it aloud all the time.

Your career, your position, your friends,

the fine future you'd have had without me,

without this woman business.

l'm the millstone around your neck,

l'm preventing you from living, isn't that it?

Well, isn't it?

What's at the bottom of all this?

Your sense of being in a false position.

But you refuse to write to your husband.

Why reproach me for not asking for a divorce?

You don't want it.

Well, what, then? What else am l talking about

when l say l want a normal life?

A home with children, a bit of peace!

Well, perhaps your mother

can give that to you.

My mother?

She's trying to supply your needs, isn't she,

with Princess Sorokina?

Princess Sorokina?

Oh, you don't know her?

Of course l do. Why shouldn't l know

my friend's sister?

- Very young and pretty, l believe.

- What are you suggesting?

- That l'm running after her?

- That you see her at your mother's,

that she's throwing her into your arms

and wants you to marry her.

Anna, you're impossibly jealous.

l can't go near another woman

without your suspecting me

and inventing l don't know what.

To keep you happy

l'd have to shut myself up here with you,

cut myself off from everything else l care about,

leaving myself empty but yours.

Well, no, thank you!

l'm sorry, Anna.

l will unto myself.

l have tastes and a personality of my own

and that's that.

l was right. You don't love me.

Oh, can't you understand that l can love you

and still see the sky and the world around you?

You're my sky and my world.

lf you loved me, l'd think myself happy

if l were blind.

You're a woman. For you, that's possible.

But a man needs the whole of life.

- All of it.

- Then take it.

- Oh, don't worry, you'll be rid of me.

- Oh, now you're threatening.

lt's a threat to no one but me.

l want to be loved, l no longer am.

- l'm putting it on record, that's all.

- l love you!

lf you were in your right mind,

you wouldn't doubt it.

- But l must be free.

- You are free. Go.

l shall be gone two days only.

Less.

l must have this power of attorney

from my mother,

and she's expecting me, and you know it.

Give me your hand.

lf you go away tonight,

you'll never see me again.

- What?

- Never.

Now look, Anna, l've put up with enough of

your nonsense. l'm going to Moscow tonight.

- Go to Moscow!

- And you'll be here when l get back!

No!

All right.

Alexis, don't go!

l don't know what l've been saying.

Don't you see how l'm suffering,

how terrible it is for me? l've nothing left!

Let go of me.

Sergei, my little one,

l can't tear him from me, can l?

He's living inside me always.

His voice, oh, his voice.

l can't stand it any longer.

And l only go on living because you are here.

You! You!

My only hope is to have you both,

to love you together,

but that's not possible.

He's growing up without me,

he's forgetting me.

l have only you, you!

Please, get up, Anna.

- No.

- This is madness. Please get up.

No. Let me hold you. l love holding you.

Anna, what is it you want? l'll do anything

for the sake of your peace of mind...

Don't go away, then!

lf you only knew what my nights are like

when you're not here.

l take drugs, it's such a relief to forget,

to feel nothing.

Now be sensible. Tomorrow...

- Today, Alexis.

- l must go, Anna. l promised.

- But you promised to make me happy.

- l have to go.

This is for you as well.

We need this money.

l don't want the money.

Now, don't be childish.

- Well, you can wait a day.

- l can't.

My mother's going

to the country tomorrow.

With Princess Sorokina.

- l don't know. That's my mother's concern.

- Yes, it is. She's cruel and heartless.

- She knows that if you left me...

- Please don't speak that way

about my mother.

Well, you've said worse things.

That's my affair.

So this is how you prove your love?

Damn it! You won't understand

if you won't give in!

lt's this woman or me, you must choose!

(Whispering) This is intolerable.

l shall return tomorrow morning

at ten o'clock.

- Alexis!

- (Vronsky ) Misha!

My greatcoat!

- Are the horses ready?

- All ready, excellency.

Your fur cap and gloves, excellency.

(Vronsky ) Tell her ladyship...

- Nothing. You can go now.

- Thank you.

Your excellency?

Misha, take this note to his lordship.

But he has gone, excellency,

to the station.

Take a horse. Catch up with him.

You must!

- Give him this.

- Shall l wait for an answer?

There's no answer. He'll come back with you.

Go on, runi

Annushka, l need to do my hair, my face,

he mustn't find me like this.

l must look happy for him.

Bring me a comb and my powder, quickly.

And a dress, the mauve!

Make him come back.

Make him come back.

I'll believe everything.

l won't ask for anything more.

What time is it?

Five o'clock, excellency.

Such a terrible day, so wet and cold.

You haven't brought the dress and shoes!

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