Lover's Prayer Page #2

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with her requests to do

something for her daughter.

She seems to have endless lawsuits and

affairs. Des vilaines affaires d'argent!

Tiresome woman. I did, however, invite

her and her daughter to dinner tomorrow.

I remember now who this lady is.

In my youth, I knew the Prince Zasyekin.

A very well-bred man,

but a ridiculous man too.

They called him the Parisian because

he spent much of his time in Paris.

A relative of the late

French Duke, in fact.

Then he married some

minor official's daughter

and began to speculate

in a rather large way.

He completely ruined the family.

- I hope she won't try to borrow money.

- That is quite possible.

You've invited the daughter too?

Somebody was telling me she is a very

charming and cultivated young lady.

- She can't take after her mother, then.

- No. Nor her father.

I wonder what on

earth she's doing here.

I felt very uncomfortable

during their conversation.

Frankly, it seems like a rather

unlikely place for them to have chosen.

You say you knew this Prince Zasyekin?

- Is that the young Princess?

- It is.

Why, do you know her?

I met her this morning

at her mother's house.

That's well caught.

At least we won't have

to take out the buckshot.

Julius Caesar was distinguished

for military valor.

I have a feeling that we shall be friends.

How you do stare at me.

If you are through with toys,

you have much to discover.

What's all this?

You're not at the University yet.

Heaven knows if you'll

get through the examination.

Your short coat wasn't made so very

long ago. You can't throw it away yet.

- Visitors are coming.

- Nonsense. Visitors indeed.

Stop.

Come on, take it off. Put on

the other one. Wash this stuff out.

Giant sea slugs.

Our Dimitry is responsible

for the table as always.

Rolled carpet bag.

We have the cabbages from

Mashenka's garden, I believe.

And a pheasant trapped by Vladimir.

Yes, using one of Mashenka's traps.

Not a milksop then. I shall rely

on your kind aid and protection,

Maria Nicolayevna

and Pyotr Vassilitch.

What can one do? Time was, you know, but

that is over. And here I am, a princess!

A title's no good without any food. And

I must say this is really very good food.

Extraordinary. And you

know, I do relish good food.

And this is devilish

good food, devilish good.

Pardon. Thank you.

My compliments, Maria Nicolayevna

on your arrangements here.

Modern furnishings

are not to my taste, of course.

But it really is a very

nice house, nonetheless.

He looks very familiar.

You know he is a criminal.

Come and see us at ten o'clock,

do you hear? Don't fail me.

- Very hard staff.

- Yes, that's probably true.

What a tiresome woman. Dreadful!

And no, I don't like her daughter

at all. She seems terribly conceited.

What has she got to be so very proud

about, "avec sa mine de grisette"?

- You've evidently never seen Grisettes.

- No, thank God.

Yes indeed, thank God.

Only in that case, how can you

have any views about them?

Stop, stop, stop! Another guest.

We must give him a ticket too.

Come along.

Messieurs, may I introduce you? This is

Monsieur Woldemar, our neighbor's son.

And these are the poet Maidanov, Doctor

Looshin, Retired Captain Nirmatsky,

Count Malevsky and Boris the

Hussar, whom you've already seen.

You will all be friends, I hope.

Count, write out a ticket

for Monsieur Woldemar.

That's not fair. This gentleman did not

take part in our game of forfeits.

It's not fair.

Write out a ticket, I tell you.

What is this, a mutiny?

Monsieur Woldemar

in here for the first time.

And today the rule

does not apply to him.

No grumbling. Write out

the ticket. That is my wish.

At least may I be allowed to explain it

Monsieur Woldemar what this is all about?

You see, young man, we are

playing a game of forfeits.

The Princess has to pay a forfeit.

And the winner, whoever

draws the lucky ticket

will have the right to kiss her hand.

Do you understand what I'm saying?

Maidanov, you as a poet should be

magnanimous and yield your ticket

for M'sieu Woldemar, that he may

have two chances instead of one.

I won't. No, I won't, Princess.

All right, all at once.

Kiss!

Bravo, he wins! I am so pleased.

- And are you pleased?

- I...

Sell me your ticket.

I'll give you a hundred rubles.

Oh, Boris.

Well done! I, as master of ceremonies

am obliged to see to it that

all the rules are kept.

So, Monsieur Woldemar

go down on one knee.

- Yes.

- That is the rule.

- Down on your knees.

- Down, down, down.

Splendid!

Princess Zasyekin, I am sent by

the legal department of the township.

- Please, won't you sit down?

- I'd rather not.

- Secret!

- Bis!

Well, come. Tell me your

secret, Monsieur Woldemar.

Mine?

Now sing your regimental song!

Higher. Higher, Doctor!

Come here, little girl.

Come here, little girl.

Where are you going

so late in the forest?

- I'm going to see my grandmama.

- You're going to see your grandmother!

The house was quiet.

Dimitry lay asleep on the stairs.

I sat down as if under a spell

and remained so for a long time.

Soon I noticed gleams of light

constantly lighting the room.

I stood at the window.

The thought struck me then, that I was

in love. It was here. This was love.

Your honor, the law department official

has been paying calls about the property.

Would your honor like to hear

about it before riding, sir?

Yes. What of it?

This official wrote up a report.

And in it he says that Mashenka

is accused of going around

and milking other people's cows at night.

Does Mashenka move around at night?

No, sir. Not except as to

take tea over to the monastery

or to take some food

over to Father Pascom.

She never came home

with milk or carrots.

And this official says he had his head

in the house where that Princess Zas...

Zasyekin.

Where Princess Zasyekin

has come to stay.

He wants Mashenka to inform on them

if the candles are burning at night, sir.

I'll see what I can do.

Oh, God!

- Your soot's caught fire!

- I know. We can't put it out!

Denis, be careful!

Mother of God, save us.

You look ill, absolutely ill.

I'm perfectly well.

What kept you so long

at that woman's house?

You're not to from attachments

over there, do you hear?

It's just that there were visitors.

We played the piano,

and the young Princess sang.

It was cheerful.

Rubbish. They're a gruesome set of people.

On the contrary, they were

very kind to me, very nice.

All the same, they

are not comme il faut.

And I don't want you

wasting time in such company.

You should be working

for your examination.

All of Gaul is divided into three parts...

Who recruited you?

It was my great uncle, the French Duke

who renounced his title for peace

and justice and repentance

and the glory of the gospels.

And who did you recruit?

I cannot tell you, because I love him!

Yes, he is my love, and he will save me!

No one can possibly save you now,

my dear, except for...

Yes, Dragon Man, as you were saying?

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