Taras Bulba Page #5

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Bastard !

I'm with you, Ostap !

Father !

Hey, Ostap, Ostap...

The Cossacks have crossed the river.

Soon, Asia Minor will acknowledge them,

their shaven heads, their long toupees...

It will see the turbans of muslim inhabitants

spread like countless flowers

on fields engorged with blood.

It will see the Cossacks' baggy black trousers,

and their muscled arms waving black whips.

And the pleasure

they'll take in sailing again.

They will sail against turkish ships, despite

the miniscule size of their own boats.

One third of them will be lost at sea,

but the others will gather again

and they'll reach the Dnieper's mouth,

loaded with dozens of barrels full of Turkish gold.

My son, Ostap,

my...

Listen up, Yankel, I saved your life,

it's your turn, now.

Do me a favour.

If it's a favour I can do, why not ?

Don't say a word.

Take me to Warsaw.

To Warsaw ?

But why Warsaw ?

Take me...

to Warsaw. I have never been there and I must

see him one last time and tell him one word.

Tell him a word ?

To Ostap,

my son.

If the master doesn't know yet...

He knows.

My head is worth two thousand crowns.

I'll give you five thousand.

Two thousand now,

and the rest when we're back.

I guess the man whose money it was before,

did not live more than an hour.

I'd have preferred not to have to ask.

I could have found the

road to Warsaw by myself.

But I don't have any time to lose.

So prepare your cart and take me there !

And the master thinks it's enough to say :

"Yah Sivka, let's go" ?

And the master thinks that

nobody will search for him ?

Well, I'll hide if I have to.

In an empty barrel, or what ?

Why, an empty barrel ?

Anybody would think

that the barrel's not empty,

but full of vodka.

Let them think so, then.

Yes, and at the first check,

they will drill a hole in the barrel,

they'll see that nothing is flowing

and they will say...

A Jew never carries an empty barrel.

That's a bit true, isn't it ?

They will seize the Jew, tie him down,

take his money and throw him in jail.

Because all that goes

wrong is the Jew's fault.

Because everybody

takes the Jew for a dog !

Because everybody thinks : he's not a man.

I am Jew.

But you'll take me,

won't you, please ?

WARSAW:

Colonel, we're already in Warsaw.

What ?

Did you succeed ?

My poor master,

it is not possible nowadays.

Absolutely, impossible.

A people so mean that they

spit on everybody's head.

That's what Mordichai says.

Mordichai did what nobody else did.

But God did not allow it.

Tomorrow, they'll all be executed.

Come then.

I can't.

We need it.

I need it.

There, Miss, with all those instruments,

is the executioner.

He knows his affair very well.

When he starts breaking bones, it's a

curse for the Cossack if he's still alive.

And when he has to cut a head,

he won't drink, or eat, or even sing.

Because, Miss, that could

have him lose his head too.

Death !

God, let all those who are not heretics,

or mean, suffer

like true Christians !

For none of us has uttered a single word !

Good, son...

Good, son, good...

Good, son, good...

Father, where are you ?

Can you hear me ?

I hear you, my son !

I hear you !

Aida !

Aida !

Aida !

This is for you, damned Polacks,

in memory of Ostap.

Help her.

Help her, old fool !

Why don't you do anything ?

She's been suffering for three days !

Sirs, please excuse me.

Let's continue.

Cossacks under the orders

of Ostrenitsiy,

have defeated the royal army

general Nikolai Potosky.

The only way to safeguard

our forces and our honour,

even though the Cossack leaders led

by Taras Bulba do not wish that.

Enough, mister Kosnievsky.

We must try and gather

the forces of all Poland.

Lord, the danger stalking us is terrible.

Because they are not people.

Pray excuse me.

What is it ?

The princess died.

And the child ?

Alive.

It's a boy.

Sir, a small Bulba

detachment near the river !

They are in the Dniester's rocks.

We'll be there in the morning !

Forward, at a gallop !

They're many.

On horse !

To the river !

Aida !

Aida !

Aida !

To the Dniester !

I have to quit tobacco.

I don't want to end up

in the hands of those damned...

...Polacks !

Ah, old age...

Burn !

In front of everyone, burn !

Where to ? Which way ?

Take a left and then,

jump in the water !

Otherwise, you're finished !

Thank you, father !

Shut up !

Farewell, comrades !

Come back here next spring.

And have fun !

What ?

Surprised, Polacks ?

Wait, the time will come when you know

what the Russian orthodox faith means.

Close or far, now,

people feel it !

There will be a time soon

when all will surround...

their king, the Tsar !

And there will be no power in the world

that he won't be able to tame !

Under the light shed by those people,

and their power,

is there anywhere a force

able to break the Russian soul ?

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