long am I supposed to wait,
General?
A month one way, a month back.
And how long it will take the Tsar to
look into it and give his answer...
that, as you may understand,
does not depend on me.
Will you wait?
Or prefer to go back home?
Oh, God!
Don't torture yourself,
Princess Yekaterina Ivanovna.
You're pure before God.
Where are you going, Madame?
Have pity!
We were told not to let you in!
Don't you hear? Have mercy!
I didn't think I would ever enter
your house again.
However, before going to Siberia,
I want to give you an opportunity
to regain your son's favour.
Madame has learned that her son,
Grigory, was killed in a duel.
Oh, my God...
Wait.
Get out.
I see you're not
of the weak kind, Mademoiselle.
But it's hard for a foreign woman to
take a journey to Siberia. Don't go.
I'll buy you a house in Moscow.
You'll have everything.
Only don't leave.
As soon as I'm dead,
our relatives will take possession of
everything here.
My son is young.
It won't be too hard for him.
His mother needs you much more.
It's impossible.
I know how scrupulous you are.
Take it, it will come handy
in Siberia.
Give your support to Ivan.
I'm surrounded by monsters here.
The moment you leave,
they'll poison me.
I'll pray for you!
Ivan doesn't deserve such a beauty.
Sure thing, dear mistress...
He doesn't deserve her, mistress,
a rake what he is...
Hold your tongue!
Thank you most humbly.
She must pray and pray
for Vanechka, that French trash!
As for taking your son with you...
As for taking your son with you...
Mommy!
...It can't be permitted...
can't be permitted...
Mommy!
All my prayers are about my son,
Our Lady Mother of God!
I already love the child
who hasn't been born yet.
I would sooner feel affection
for my husband
when I see his likeness
in a child, his flesh and blood.
Help me, O Lord, help me...
To admit these feelings for
the father of my future child...
It's a sin! A sin!
- Have you delivered mail?
- Just as you said, sir.
- Is Masha in her room?
- She went up to the children's room.
Did you call me, father?
I was playing in the garden.
Sit down, Masha.
Prince Sergey Grigorievich Volkonsky
asks for your hand.
The prince is a fine man,
from a good family.
I'm sure you'll be happy with him.
I gave him my consent and I hope
you'll do likewise.
- But, father, I don't know him.
- The wedding's in a month. Now go.
My son is happy.
My husband is unhappy.
My place is beside my husband.
Marie!
What will happen to father, Marie?
What have we done to deserve all this?
I will curse you,
if you don't come back in a year.
Come back soon!
We all will be waiting for you, Masha!
She has shed not one tear.
She's the most remarkable woman
I've ever known.
Why not retire
and enjoy the family life,
raising children?
Dear Serge!
I haven't seen the Emperor
for a while, and I must admit
that my feelings toward him
have changed.
Should you see him, tell him
the princess remembers him.
You got more cheerful, dear cousin.
When you arrived in Italy,
you looked so sad.
Russian women
don't like to travel.
The Russian woman's attachment to
her home is unequaled.
The hot springs of Italy
did you a lot of good.
You won't believe me, but the doctor
has been so reassuring.
If we're to believe him, it won't be
a year before I can give Sergey
a little angel.
I'll pray for you.
...Tomorrow, my dear guest,
you must hear his opera.
Did you want to see me?
Here I am!
- I hope I didn't disturb you?
- No, I've finished already.
Don't forget: tonight
we're invited to the duchess.
Why sit here for no purpose?
He is not at home!
Whenever His Excellency gets ill,
he stays at his doctor's.
Getting all kinds of rubbings-in and
poultices. He can't travel after that.
He must be staying overnight there,
or he would've been here already.
You shouldn't have waited, Your
Excellency, it's night already.
Montesquieu. "Persian Letters".
I would