raptures over it.
Peter Volhofskoi,
a friend of mine,
was desperately in love with
a certain Anfisa Alexeyevna.
lt was Anfisa's
birthday,
they gave a ball.
The poor fellow desperately
wanted to get her a bouquet
of camellias for the ball.
All knew that Julia Bespalova
and countess Sotskaya
were coming with bouquets
of white camellias.
Naturally, Anfisa, wished
for red ones.
lf Peter could only get
a bouquet of red camellias,
he would have made
great strides.
ln such cases, a woman's
gratitude is boundless.
He fussed a lot, but it was
quite impossible.
Nothing to say here.
The night before the ball
l met him at 11 o'clock.
He's looking radiant.
What happened? What is it?
l've found them!
Where, when, how?
ln Ekshaisk, some 15 miles off.
Trepalov, a rich
old merchant,
lives there with his old wife.
Both are devoted to flowers.
He's got some camellias.
- ''When are you going?''
- ''Tomorrow morning at 5.''
''Good luck to you!''
l was so happy for him.
l had nearly gone to sleep,
when l had a very
original idea!
l went to the kitchen,
woke up the coachman,
gave him 15 roubles and
told him to get the carriage.
l got in and by 5 l was
in Ekshaisk.
l took out a hundred roubles.
''Oh, no, don't insult me
this way ''.
''lf that's the case, give
the hundred
to the village hospital
to improve things there.''
That's very good and
generous of you.
''l'll donate it
with pleasure.''
l took another road home
to avoid meeting Peter.
Right after l arrived,
l sent a bouquet
for Anfisa to see
when she woke.
You can imagine her ecstasy,
her gratitude.
Her husband, Platon,
wept on my shoulder.
After marrying, all husbands
are like that.
Of course, after this
poor Peter
had no chance at all.
ln a month he asked
to be sent to the Caucasus.
He ended up in the Crimea,
where he was shot.
This business left me no
peace for many years.
Why did l
do it?
l wasn't even in love
with this Anfisa.
lf l hadn't snatched
that bouquet from him,
who knows, he could be
alive today,
be a happy, successful
man,
and would have never gone
to fight the Turks.
Ferdishenko's 'done'!
He's 'done,' all right!
And who asked you
to talk nonsense?
lt's a dull game,
let's stop it.
l'll tell you my story and
then we'll play cards.
Yes, but let's have
the story first.
Prince!
Totski and the general
wish to marry me off.
Tell me what you think
should l marry or not.
l'll do as you decide.
Marry whom?
Gavrila Ardalionovich
lvolgin.
- No, don't marry him.
- So it shall be then.
You've heard
the prince's decision?
Take it as my decision.
We've settled this matter
once and for all.
Why do you all look
so alarmed, gentlemen?
You've given a promise
quite voluntarily.
And you might have spared
Us, before company.
l'm confused and
bewildered, but...
This is not serious.
l don't follow you.
What do you mean by
saying ''before company''?
lsn't this company
good enough?
l promised you a story,
and l told you one.
Don't you like it?
Why do you say
it's not serious?
The prince decided my fate.
Had he said ''yes,''
l'd have given my consent.
My whole life was hanging
by a thread.
Surely that's serious enough!
What has he got to do with this?
Who the deuce is the prince?!
l trusted him as a man
of real truthfulness of spirit.
l trusted him from first
sight, and l still do.
There's nothing left for me
to do but
to thank
Nastasia Philipovna
for the delicacy with which
she has treated me.
But the prince!
He's after the 75 thousand?
ls that what you mean?
Afanasy lvanovich,
take the money back.
l let you go free
for nothing.
And you, general, take
your necklace.
Give it to your wife.
Tomorrow l'll leave this flat
altogether,
there'll be no more soirees.
At last!
That's the climax, gentlemen,
But l ask you to stay.
Goodness gracious, a group
of 10 men or so has come in!
Let them in!
Champagne?
What's this?
A hundred thousand.