of driving a man crazy almost
with her cruelties and mockeries,
and feels not one single pang of regret,
because she will say to herself
that she will torment this man nearly into the grave
but will compensate him
for it all with her love!
Why, prince,
you must have had a taste of this sort of thing yourself
l have heard tell of something of the kind.
What?
What can you have heard?
You personally. Now l see this is the truth.
When have you ever spoken like that before?
Oh, she told me all about it long ago
that you are madly in love
with Aglaya Epanchin.
But if you have ceased to love her,
she has not ceased to love you.
You know, of course, that she wants
to marry you to that girl?
She's sworn to it!
She says to me,
when they go to church
we'll go too.
What on earth does she mean by it? l don't know, and l never did.
Either she loves you without limits
or
lf she loves you, why does she wish
to marry you to another girl?
She says,
l want to see him happy.
Which is to say - she loves you.
l say to you once more,
that she is not in her right mind.
You may be wrong there.
She named the day today.
ln three weeks, says she,
we shall be married.
She swore to it, took off her cross and kissed it.
So it all depends
upon you now, prince.
That's all madness.
What you say
about me, never can
and never will be.
Do you hear me?
Tomorrow, l shall come and see you
How can she be mad when she is sane enough for other people
and only mad
for you?
How can she write letters there?
lf she were insane
they would observe it in her letters.
What? What letters?
She writes to her and the girl reads the letters.
Haven't you heard?
No, it's impossible!
l won't believe this!
Why, prince, you've only gone
a few steps along this road,
l perceive.
Wait a bit!
You'll have
your own detectives,
you'll watch day and night,
and you'll know every little thing that goes on there.
Drop that subject!
And never mention it again!
Parfen!
Listen, Parfen!
l was walking in front of you now
and suddenly started to laugh.
God knows why.
And the reason was
that it has suddenly struck me
that tomorrow is
my birthday.
lt must be about twelve o'clock, now;
come home with me - do, and we'll see the day in!
l have some wine.
We'll have some wine.
And you shall wish me
l don't know what.
And l shall wish you full happiness
in return, Parfen
Otherwise, hand me my cross back again.
You didn't return
it to me next day.
Haven't you got it on now?
-Yes, l have.
-Come along, then.
l don't wish to meet
my new life without you.
For a new life
is beginning for me.
Did you know, Parfen,
that a new life had begun for me?
l see for myself that it is so.
And l shall tell HER.
But you are not quite yourself, Lef Nicolaievitch.
Heart became light
As there were no problems at all
l'm ready to plunge into the water for friendship
But water makes me sick.
-Gentlemen, Prince.
-Wait a bit.
-Let's drink some more really!
-Genlemen, Prince!
Bring us a glass of grog.
The party had assembled quite naturally,
and even accidentally.
Evgenie Pavlovitch
had only dropped in half an hour or so ago.
Then came Keller,
announced birthday
and insisted on having champagne.
And l served wine.
My own though, prince.
My own, mind.
To celebrate.
And there'll be some supper later on.
My daughter is getting it ready now.
-Good evening.
-Thank you.
Everyone is waiting for you,
sighing for the light of your luminous intelligence...
-Come and sit down, prince.
-Thank you.
Come and sit down.
Wish you a happy life from that day forward.
Thank you.
Thank you, Vera.
-l congratulate you, prince.
-Thank you.
Mr. Terentiev do not wish
to sleep at all.
And he only take a sip of champagne.
l am very glad to see you
arrive so happy.
And how do you know
that l am so happy?
-l can see it by your face!
-Really?
l am so...
-l am with Hippolyte, having escorted him.
-Yes, yes.
-l am also glad.