handwriting?
- Excellent!
There, perhaps, l'm really
talented. A real calligrapher.
Let me...
Let me write you something,
just to show.
Please do.
l like your readiness,
prince.
ln fact, l like you
very well.
Gania! Give the prince
a piece of paper.
Here's the paper, prince.
Sit down at this table,
please.
Thank you.
What's this?
Nastasia Philipovna!
Did she send it herself?
Today, when l called in
to congratulate her.
-You remember about tonight?
- Oh, yes.
l'll go, of course.
lt's her birthday.
She's 25 years old.
You know, Gania, you must be
ready for great things.
She has promised me
and Afanasy lvanovich,
she will give herfinal answer
tonight.
-Yes or no.
- She did?
-Are you sure she said that?
-Yes, she promised.
But she asked us not to tell
you about it until today.
She said l was to be free too,
until her decision,
and yet even then l was
to have the final word.
-Why, don't you?
- Don't misunderstand!
-What are you doing?
- l'm not rejecting her.
l should think not!
lt's a question of your
readiness to receive her
joyfully,
happily!
Of how you receive
her words.
Maybe l have expressed
myself badly.
Well, all right.
How are things
at home?
Oh, at home!
Father's making a fool of
himself, mother's crying,
sister's sulking. But l'm master
of my own destiny.
l gave my sister to understand
as much, mother was present.
l still cannot understand it!
They see it as some kind of
a dishonor to them.
Why a dishonor?
Who can reproach
Nastasia Philipovna?
Just because she had been
living with Totski? Nonsense!
Especially given
these circumstances.
Your mother told me:
you wouldn't let her
come near
your daughters.
That's Nina Alexandrovna!
- How can she fail to understand?
- Her position?
She does understand.
lf anything is settled tonight,
things will calm down.
So this is Nastasia Philipovna.
How wonderfully beautiful!
Do you already know
Nastasia Philipovna?
Only one day in Russia, but
l've heard of the great beauty.
A merchant told me about her
in the train.
Parfen Rogojin.
That's news!
the young merchant was indulging
in some fun, l've heard.
Yes, so have l,
she told us about it herself.
l'm afraid of some scandal.
How did he strike you,
prince,
did he seem a serious man
or just a rowdy fellow?
l really don't know
how to tell you.
But he seemed to me
so full of passion.
Not perhaps quite healthy.
Very likely he'll be in bed
again, if he lives fast.
Or perhaps he won't.
-What if something else happens?
-What are you smiling at?
Gania, you're so curious!
You actually seem glad
of this merchant's arrival.
As if it's a way for you
to get out of it.
No one is forcing you in
a snare, if you see a snare.
Do you understand me?
Do you desire this arrangement
or not?
lf not, say so, and -
welcome.
l do desire it.
Oh, just look at that!
Done in very old handwriting.
Look, Gania, there's real
talent there.
The humble abbot Pafnuty
signed this.
You are not a calligrapher,
you're an artist!
Quite surprising, and
he knows it, too.
You may smile,
but there's a career in this.
You can get a place with 35
roubles a month, to start with.
However, it's 12 already,
so on to business, price.
l'll find you
an office job,
an easy place, but you'll
have to be accurate.
Now as to your plans.
ln the house of Gavrila
Ardalionovich lvolgin,
my young friend
here,
his mother rents rooms
to lodgers.
Gania, you have nothing against
the prince living in your house
On the contrary, and my mother
will be very glad.
The rent is quite moderate,
and l expect your salary
will be sufficient.
Of course, pocket money is
a necessity.
Do not be offended, price,
if l strongly recommend you
to avoid carrying money in
your pocket.
l conclude this
from the way you look.
But since at the moment
your pocket is empty,
permit me to press upon you
these 25 roubles.
We'll settle this later. Are you
happy with this