visitor the garden.
Vera Nikolayevna can clear up,
then we'll come back for tea.
Of course. Vera Nikolayevna
can clear up.
- She's the maid, after all.
- I'll help you.
You two will be the death of me.
It's a house full of neurotics.
I'm a calm well-balanced man.
It doesn't bother me
So what's new in the world?
This may sound tactless,
Ivan Alekseyevich...
but I do find your wife
a charming and beautiful woman.
- I'm sorry, Vera Nikolayevna.
- Thank you.
Bravo, Lionya! Perfectly put!
Now what about some vodka?
- You do drink vodka?
- Actually no. Maybe today...
He doesn't even drink vodka!
We've taken in an angel!
Well, at least someone finds
me attractive. It feels nice.
And it even got to Jan. He
hates it when men flatter me.
I insisted that
Lionya stay with us.
Let Jan suffer a little!
Then maybe he'll remember
who his wife is
- Aren't you asleep?
- Come in.
I came to say goodnight.
Now go to bed, or you'll get
another of your headaches.
Galia, let me in.
I said let me in!
Stop playing the fool!
Damn women!
He lay down beside her, comma...
and drew close, comma...
- You dictate awfully slowly.
- I can't read his writing.
Because you don't understand
what you're reading.
You can only read it if you let
your heart guess his thoughts.
Carry on.
I'm a poet, not a secretary.
And I used to be a scientist.
it's perfectly clear.
She drew away...
What?
She drew away...
Vera Nikolayevna! Lionya!
We're off to the cinema.
The cinema...
- She's beautiful.
- Who?
- Galia. She's beautiful.
- Galia? Not my type.
- What? Why not?
- I prefer other women.
- Really? What sort?
- More... well, pure.
Kind, devoted women.
Like you.
- I'm sorry. Are you angry?
- Me? Do I look angry?
- You must be angry.
- Oh really! -I shouldn't have.
- I'm not angry. Not a bit!
- I think you are.
- I can see you are.
- Don't go on about it.
- You're not angry?
- Of course not.
- I don't believe you.
- I swear it!
- You know...
- What?
If you're not angry,
may I kiss your hand?
- I've been cleaning fish!
- So?
Lionya...
What are you doing?
It's dirty.
My hand's terribly dirty.
I'll wipe it on my apron.
That's the phone. The phone!
Hello? I can't hear! Stockholm?
Sorry?
Yes, I understand.
Lionya, go and get him. Hurry!
Thank you.
Ivan Alekseyevich...
They called from Stockholm.
Congratulations! You won!
They're going to call again.
No, I'll stay a bit longer.
I knew this would happen.
I was cracking walnuts
and I thought: this is it!
- Are you sure it was Stockholm?
- Quite sure! I checked.
Vera Nikolayevna answered it.
I couldn't believe this.
- I must talk to him.
- No, don't go!
He needs to be alone.
I know what it's like.
- We'll leave him alone then.
- Definitely.
we went to Paris for the first
time together, the three of us.
I thought people had forgotten
about the Nobel prize long ago
and were only talking
about our strange set-up.
Galina Nikolayevna, let's go
to Nice, to England...
- I'm as good as your Bunin.
- And you have a fianc,e.
I've no such thing. Let's go!
- You left another one?
- I'm a writer too, you know.
The future will decide
who is better-me or Bunin.
You know, maybe I should
take a lover too
Stop being so vulgar.
So if it's you it's love,
if it's me it's vulgar.
Exactly.
You should know that by now.
Let the lady past.
Now let's drop the subject.
- I want to leave!
- Vera...
- Galia! Where have you been?
- I'm going home.
What? Did you two plan this!
What on earth is the matter?
- I'm not a child, you know.
- Wait! I'll get my coat.
Let me go, damn you!
Galia, stop! You'll catch a cold
- You haven't got your overshoes!
- I hate being humiliated!
- Humiliated?
Don't you realize?
All the nasty gossip about us?
They don't dare
talk in front of you.
But they talk to me as if
I were a whore! It's unbearable!
I keep hearing about your wife,
and someone called Odoyevtseva.
- You chase every