The Queen of Spades

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For heaven's sake, don't play the Queen of spades.

She's unlucky.

What's the matter?

They're all unlucky for me tonight.

But you can back any spade.

My win.

Your win.

My win.

Your win.

My win.

Your win.

Mine.

The unlucky card!

What a fool to risk the Queen.

You win.

Good night, Andrei Andreiovich.

Thank you.

Don't go, Petrov. Don't leave us.

I think I'll be getting to bed.

Have a glass of wine first.

All my year's pay is gone.

Oh, never mind.

You'll have another year's pay in another year's time.

Petrov, I challenge you.

I challenge you to one more hand.

Fyodor, no, no. It's getting too late.

Gentlemen, let's drink.

There's food on the side tables. Help yourselves.

I want to go on playing.

I don't care if I lose every kopek.

Who'll play for double stakes?

Sit down. We'll have another hand later.

No need to scare. Leave me alone.

Hey, why doesn't he play?

Yes, you , sir. Standing here every night

like a French spy watching us.

Haven't the engineers quarters of their own?

Don't listen to him, German.

It's only the wine talking.

I want an answer to my question.

Stop it, Fyodor !

Captain Suvorin is here as my guest.

He has every right not to play, if he doesn't care to.

Well, I beg your pardon.

But tell me this, sir.

If you're so interested as to come here

night after night,

Why do you never touch a card?

Tell us !

Yes, I've often wondered how he can resist playing.

Are you trying to work out a system ?

Pray, it interests me very much.

But I cannot afford to risk unnecessarily the hopes

of winning the Super Cross.

Marshenka!

Bravo !

Bravo !

I'll show them all one day.

Why does German Suvarin come here every night ?

Yes, why ?

He never plays cards. He's the sort of man who'd be afraid

to stake anything unless he was sure of winning.

Can anyone be sure of winning ?

No.

What was that you were telling us

about your old grandmother, Fyodor ?

The Countess Ravenskaya?

She's a wonderful old woman.

Is it true she's over a hundred ?

Are you speaking of old Countess Ravenskaya ?

Why? Do you know her?

No, but I soon shall.

My aunt is going to persuade her to ask General Volkoninov

to make me his aide-de-camp.

Oh, really?

My aunt swears she's the most grotesque

creature you ever saw.

With a high powdered wig like they used to wear

fifty years ago.

And a quilling to match.

I believe she's a witch.

Nonsense!

That's absolute rubbish.

But it is true that the old countess

had the secret of how to win at cards.

It's certainly true though that on one occasion she won

an immense amount of money.

By selling her soul to the devil.

For a secret like that I'd sell mine.

The secret of how to win at cards?

Get to bed! Drunkard!

Yes, sir.

Shut the stove.

Good night, sir.

Get out !

Good night, your honor.

I'm sorry about Fyodor Pavelvich's behavior tonight.

I...

I came to apologize.

Thank you.

You seemed less put out by it than I was.

Perhaps you prefer me not to come

to your card parties.

Oh, no, of course not. Why should I?

I mean...

I may embarrass you.

You see, I'm only a poor captain in engineers.

You are rich aristocrats.

Guard officers.

I think you're exaggerating things a bit.

You see, poor old Fyodor was..

Well, he was well in his cups and...

German, why not come back?

Don't you like listening to the gypsies?

Gypsies.

Why not call them what they are?

Don't be quite so hard on them, German.

What chance have they born in such circumstances?

You never blame anyone, do you?

No, not if I can help it.

I believe all human beings are fundamentally good.

I'm convinced of it.

Oh, yes?

Yes, and I believe also...

that evil is a force, a mighty force

that is abroad in the world

to take possession of men's souls,

if they will allow it to.

I'm not interested in problems as good and evil.

To me they're beside the point.

Why don't you come back, German?

No.

But, aren't you fascinated by that gypsy dancer,

Marchenka?

Yes, I've seen her.

Don't you agree?

I've told you.

I'm not interested in that sort of woman.

Then perhaps you'll come as my guest.

You're very kind. But no, thank you.

Look here, German,

I know I have to be careful about money.

But, after all, we have been paid today.

And you needn't spend much.

I cannot afford to spend anything.

You're always too proud

to accept anything from anyone, aren't you?

Well, deuce, you're quite right.

It's senseless to go back there.

I could do with some sleep.

Good night.

Good night.

So they have paid you at last, have they?

It must be almost a year.

Ten months.

Don't you want to keep one of these things?

I've taken enough for my needs.

I've never saved a kopek in my life.

I've spent it all on food, and drink, and women.

So here I am.

Fifty-four and a wretched notary.

Vodka?

But I'm content. If I was to be put

under the ground tomorrow....

I wouldn't grumble.

I've got everything I want out of life.

God's been very good to me.

Everything a man could want.

Well, I haven't.

You've done very well.

You're a captain.

Yes, in engineers at my age.

Over here no one can win promotion

unless he's rich.

Or unless he has some important and powerful relatives

to use their influence on his behalf.

Exceptional men have stifled

and never had the chance to succeed.

Look at France.

Napoleon Bonaparte, he was a general at 26.

My advice to you is to be content.

As I am.

Take life as you find it.

I'd rather take it by the throat and force it

to give me what I want.

You've forgotten your receipt.

I deducted five rubles for my fee, if that's agreeable.

As you wish.

This is a very rare book.

I wouldn't recommend it to everyone.

It tells of strange things that some say

are better left alone.

How much is it?

Three rubles.

That's a lot, I know.

But there are plenty of people who believe in things

neither looked for nor heard of.

What mean these premonitions, these hauntings,

these apparitions?

These tales of horror in a far site in time and space.

Believe me, there are things to be seen

the eye has not seen.

And things to be heard the ear has not heard.

Who knows what you may learn from it?

Why, you might end up by gaining a fortune.

Or losing your precious soul.

Containing the true stories of people

who sold their souls

in return for wealth, power or influence.

Chapter 4.

The Secret of the Cards.

Countess R

Countess Ranevskaya.

In the year 1746,

sixty years ago...

The Count of Saint Germain arrived in St. Petersburg.

He chose for his residence a deserted palace

on the outskirts of the city

and soon there were strange rumors

about the weird dwelling and its mysterious occupant.

It was certainly true that in the vaults of the palace

he had a curious collection of wax figures...

which...

so it was whispered...

contained the souls of those who had fallen

under his evil influence.

He would derive intense pleasure from modeling

the wax figures of his intended victims.

Each one of whom was chosen

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