ONE WEEK LATER
Mr. Kosach hasn’t been here for a while.
He used to come thrice a day,
and now he disappears for a whole week.
You don’t look like yourself, too.
Goddamn it!
Katia, what are you doing?
Where are you putting the peels?
I’m sorry, Pavlusia.
Give me the knife before you hurt yourself. Go!
What’s wrong with you?
Oh, Pavlusia.
I don’t know what to think.
He went to Kiev
and said it wasn’t for long.
But I haven’t heard from him for a week.
I’m worried sick.
Where is he, how is he doing?
You are out of your mind, my dear sir.
Am I? Are you mocking me?
You told me he was to come back today.
He did, but then he went away again.
I have an urgent business with him.
It’s about someone’s life.
Half of the city talks about urgent business
and how he’s their only hope.
And if he doesn’t help, they’ll be dead.
Where would I find Zhadan for you?
Sometimes he’s out of town for months.
Excuse me my extravagance.
Goodbye.
Hey, wait.
Is it true? About life or death?
Yes.
-Good morning. -Good morning.
Is Grisha never at home now?
Did he go to his fiance again?
Don’t worry, he’ll be back soon.
I have to scold you, Piotr Ivanovich.
-Really? -Really.
What’s wrong?
Why,
your surprise is ruined.
They’ve just brought a letter
from Razguliayevich with theater tickets.
I wasn’t planning to go out again this month.
But...
I’ll gladly order
to air my dress right now.
Nonsense. No one is going anywhere.
The director is a crook.
He sent me the tickets
instead of a report
to placate me.
It won’t work.
So, there is no need to air your gown, Anna Lvovna.
Better spend some time
with your favorite toy, your goddaughter.
It’s her last days in this house.
Maybe you’ll never see her again
after Kosach buys her out.
Careful!
Are you blind?
I'm sorry.
Where can I find Andrey Andreyevich Zhadan?
-I was told he is supposed to be here. -He is.
Look upstairs.
He must be around the back stairs.
Over there.
Thank you.
Heave ho!
-The rope! Go! -The rope!
Go! Go away!
-He is deaf. -He can’t hear you.
Hold on to it! Hold it fast!
All right. Get up.
Thank you.
You were most helpful.
I’m glad everyone is all right.
Yes.
Tell me, my dear,
where can I find Mr. Zhadan?
Mr. Zhadan?
What do you need him for?
The rope is rotten!
Kopyliak is a crook.
First he gets us faulty wood,
and now this!
Where is he?
Handing out the masons’ wages.
I said that’s all!
I won’t give you any more.
We’ll go to Zhadan.
Go ahead.
He must be waiting for you.
It’s my rules here!
Zhadan is here.
Since when is it your rules at my construction site? Korney?
Andrey Andreyevich, this is insufferable.
He kept back one third of our wages for no reason.
No reason? It’s for your drinking!
-Liar! -Liar!
Listen to me.
You will be paid in full,
according to the contract. Kopyliak.
-Thank you, Andrey Andreyevich. -Thank you.
If I catch any of you drunk,
I’ll kick him out at once.
That’s why...
I’m paying you so much.
Do you agree?
Yes! Thank you.
Kopyliak!
Do you know what has just happened in the back?
I heard something falling.
It’s not something, it’s a man was almost maimed!
Did you bring this rotten rope?
Why rotten? It’s not rotten.
It was a nice hemp cord.
Well, maybe there was one or two faulty ones.
-It won’t happen again. -It won’t.
You’re fired without payment. Get out of here.
-Andrey Andreyevich, wait. -Get out!
Pray forgive me.
I should have introduced myself earlier. Andrey Andreyevich Zhadan.
Aleksey Fiodorovich Kosach,
landowner from Nezhin.
It was dark...
I grab that gas lamp...
and I see him sneaking in...
grinning...
What did I tell you?
This gent has forgot all about Katia.
He went to Kiev, and he isn’t coming back.
Don’t you know everything?
I do. I’ve just been in the kitchen.
Katia is there wailing,
and Aunt Pavla is comforting her.
She deserves it.
She shouldn’t have been so haughty.
That’s what you get for making love to gents.
I hope Katia doesn’t have
a bun in her oven.
Galia, you’re such a loudmouth!
Bite your venomous tongue
before someone cuts it out for you.
Why are you defending that gent?
What’s wrong, Nazar?
Bondmaids have never seen anything good from them.
Happy endings happen only in fairy tales.
In real life, tears are the best you can hope for.
Galia is right.
Nothing good will come to Katia
from that gent.
You know what, Galia?
Why don’t you go on?
You are building
a sugar refinery in Nezhin.
I’ve been thinking about a small one.
Then we’ll see.
You have a refinery,
and I have sugar beets.
You need a reliable supplier, don’t you?
You have some gumption. Of course I do.
How much beets did you harvest last year?
I was at the war,
and my mother was running the estate.
She doesn’t know much about sugar beets.
But I...
have revised our capacities and put together a plan.
Here.
Sounds reasonable.
Yes, reasonable.
But the fall isn’t here yet. We will see.
That’s the problem.
Here is what I was going to suggest.
I guarantee that I supply my harvest to you,
but I need an advance payment.
Interesting.
Have you come up with it by yourself?
Why not?
I’ll gather the crops in any case.
I’m prepared to sign a letter of guarantee.
I’ve heard it is done.
It can be either last year’s price or whatever we agree on.
Yes, it is done.
With reliable trusted people,
and at the Western stock market, not here.
However, I like you a lot.
Tell me one thing.
Have you lost money gambling?
Here.
She is a bondmaid of my neighbors, the Chervinskys.
I see. You need money for a concubine.
I’m not doing it.
How dare you?
I never gave you a reason to insult me.
Oh, really? You said it yourself: she is a bondmaid.
You need the money to buy her.
Buy her out, give her a manumission, and marry her.
-Is that so? -I understand your mistrust.
But Katia is the love of my life.
Have you ever felt like this?
You have to understand.
I can’t imagine my life without this woman.
I believe you.
And I’ll give you the money...
on one condition.
What is it?
I want to have a good time at your wedding.
So, Aleksey Fiodorovich,
I’ll see you at dinner at my place tonight.
I’ll get the papers and the money ready, so I think you will be all right.
You can go back to Nezhin tomorrow morning.
Thank you, Andrey Andreyevich.
Why are you here?
We’ve talked enough.
I came to say goodbye.
I’m leaving to Nezhin today.
Well,
I have no right to hold you up...
in Kiev.
Come with me! There, nobody will care about us.
We will be happy. Come with me!
-Nicolas! -Go away.
Nicolas.
What’s wrong?
Brother,
don’t be a stranger.
I can see you are hurting.
Please don’t torture me with your silence.
Are you sick?
I’ve never seen you like this before.
You’re right.
I’m not myself.
There is this woman...
Oh, Nicolas.
Has she turned you down?
She is married.
It’s like a disease.
We are both sick with love for each other.
We had had an affair for over two years.
We couldn’t go for one day without each other.
Nicolas.
So this is why you came home so rarely.
You didn’t want to leave Kiev, did you?
To leave her.
Yes.
What happened?
It’s over.
She went back to her husband.
She is in a family way.
The baby is probably mine.
And I’m just...
I’m shaking at the thought I’ll be a stranger to this child.
That we will only see each other by accident,
at a Christmas ball or in the park.
You keep asking me if I’m well.
What do you think?
Oh, Nikolas.
First of all...
you don’t know if the baby is yours.
Secondly,
you sound as if someone were dead.
But they aren’t, right?
This is what matters.
Yes. Everybody is alive.
What have you done, Korney?
Nobody in the whole province
will hire you after this.
Don’t I know it?
Where will I get the money, brother?
They’ve been here three times to demand payment.
They’ll swat me like a fly
or send me to the debtors’ prison.
Did you see that guy who was at Zhadan’s today?
So?
A postcard, please.
A plain one or with city landscapes?
With landscapes, I suppose.
This one will do.
Here.
I need it sent to Nezhin as soon as possible.
Fifteen kopecks, please.
How beautiful!
St. Sophia.
Thank you so much!
It’s a dear present for me.
You are so kind to us, Lida.
But I feel bad about it.
If only Aliosha...
Sofya Stanislavovna, don’t.
Your son’s judgment is clouded right now.
But I don’t hold it against him,
and I won’t stop caring about you.
Moreover, I’m prepared
to offer him my help once again.
He is so hotheaded and naive.
He went to Kiev to look for rescue,
as if someone cares about him there.
I haven’t heard from him for a week.
I don’t know what to think.
I’m sure he will be back soon.
With disappointment, I’m afraid.
Then you’ll remind him
I have what he seeks.
I can be patient, Sofya Stanislavovna.
Thank you. A cup of tea?
-Gladly. -Here.
I don’t have to ask.
It’s all in your face, Mr. Kosach.
Did you find what you were looking for?
I am, and I’m happy about it.
Another day in this luxury would make me go bankrupt.
I’m leaving tomorrow.
Thank you for your care and patience,
and for my Room 7 with a view.
Give me the key.
Thank you.
Hey, do you have rooms in your hotel?
Of course.
Hello.
God, Glafira Markovna! Hello.
Prokofiy Lukich, nice to see you. How are you?
Are you well? Do you like it here? I’m happy to hear it.
What are you doing, my dear Sazon Sazonovich?
Why did you send me tickets at home?
I come to your theater every day.
I... I didn’t know.
I had good intentions.
-I didn’t think... -You never think at all.
Anyway,
if you want to ask me about something
or thank me,
stay away from Chervinka,
or you’ll have to beg in the streets for the money
for your props and all.
This way.
Thank you for the wonderful dinner, Andrey Andreyevich.
The rumors were true.
You are an amazing man.
Don’t trust the fairy tales
told by idle people.
I’m just a man like yourself,
made of flesh and blood.
So, our contract.
And 10,000 rubles.
Excuse me, I only asked you for 5,000.
Or 4,800, to be exact.
Well, 4,800 is for buying her out.
What about the wedding money?
I can’t accept such a gift.
It’s not a gift.
I’m just paying you in advance for half
of your beets instead of a quarter.
It’s all in the contract. Didn’t you read it?
Thank you, Andrey Andreyevich.
"Has it ever occurred to you
that your wife
is the reason of the harassment
you are suffering from?"
Katia, wait.
I wanted to ask you something.
Yes, Godmother.
You don’t want me to read? Should I play?
Wait.
I have a request for you.
When you marry Aleksey Fiodorovich,
please don’t forget about me.
Write to me from time to time.
What are you saying?
Of course I won’t forget you.
I will come visit all the time,
on holidays and on other days.
Please don’t cry.
My dear girl.
Ignat, has someone gone out recently?
-What happened, Mr. Kosach? -Tell me!
Did someone go out? Where?
Yes, a guest. He only stayed for a few hours.
He was wearing a checkered frockcoat.
Shall I call a cop?
Sir, don’t kill me!
I owe a lot of money,
and I have three kids.
You should have thought of them
before stealing from me.
Where is the rest?
My brother has it.
Nikita, goddamn him.
He goaded me to do it.
He is a rogue,
and when he had found out about your deal
with Andrey Andreyevich, he made up his mind at once.
Where do I find your brother? Answer me!
I don’t know, sir.
Kill me if you want to, but I don’t.
He was going to run away.
He didn’t tell me where to.
Piotr Ivanovich, your mail.
"Most respected Piotr Ivanovich.
I propose to be at your house on May 20.
Please have the bill of sale ready
by that date.
Aleksey Kosach."
Did you hear this?
What did I say?
Way to go, Aleksey. He did find the money!
So, I was right.
My gut feeling didn’t let me down.
Yes, but how? Where?
The postcard was sent from Kiev.
I wonder if this is honest money.
-Maybe it’s some kind of fraud. -Enough, Grisha.
Enough. What does it matter?
What matters is that he has done it, and it’s good for us, too.
Almost 5,000.
It’s a hefty sum.
Yes.
We are not in dire straits.
Mother loves Kitty so much.
She will be devastated.
Isn’t it true, Mother?
Yes.
I keep thinking about her leaving us.
What is it?
You don’t know what you want.
First you want me to sell her, and now what?
Stop messing with me.
4,800 is good money.
Katia wants to marry him.
As for your love for her,
we have enough bondmaids around.
Pick up any baby
and pamper it to your own satisfaction.
All right, I’m going to the notary...
to put together a bill of sale.
Good job, Aliosha.
Here. Take this. Take it.
What joy!
Hey. Enough wagging your tongue.
I’ll show you.
She’s right about joy.
Katrusia, dear.
The master has received a letter from your Aleksey Fiodorovich.
He will be here soon...
with the money.
Really?
He said to get the bill of sale ready.
So, Mr. Piotr went to that...
what is he called?
Oh God.
-Goddamn it. I forget. -A notary?
Yes! That’s right. The notary.
Wait! Enough! Stop it!
Don’t spin me around. I’m dizzy.
Pavlusia! I can’t believe it.
It’s like a dream.
I can’t believe it either.
Like a dream...
But it’s real!
I never hoped to live to see this.
My baby,
you will be a free woman! Free...
What can I do for you, Grigoriy Petrovich?
I remember,
Kosach is the noblest of all people,
and so on, and so forth.
You’re forgetting yourself.
I explained it to you.
I can spend some time on formalities
and small talk,
but do we need them?
My father received a letter today.
Kosach has found the required sum.
Now he is flying home on the wings of love
to buy his beloved out.
If you want to prevent this wedding as much as I do,
you need to act quick.
Why are you opposed to it?
Spare me the talk about your mother.
I don’t believe a word of it.
All right, I’ll tell you.
I’m sick of the idea that this girl,
this bondmaid, would become one of us.
Sitting at the table with us,
in a theater box, like our equal!
I understand.
I’ll help you, Grigoriy Petrovich.
You said she belongs to your father.
Yes.
He went to Nezhin to our notary,
to draw up a bill of sale.
Let’s go.
I know what to tell him.
Piotr Ivanovich,
hello.
Lidiya Ivanovna!
Are you here on business, too?
Not exactly. I was looking to see you.
Me?
I’m flattered.
What can I do for you?
I heard you were going to sell
a bondmaid to Mr. Kosach. Katerina?
Well... Yes.
I am. Why?
I took an interest in this girl, too,
and I’d also like to buy her.
I’m sure I can offer you more
than Mr. Kosach did.
-The price is quite high. -Yes, 4,800. I’ll give you 6,000.
What is it about this girl that you all want her?
Piotr Ivanovich, this is my business.
Just tell me if the price is right.
The price is perfect.
Good.
That’s very fortunate.
Let’s wait for the notary
and sign the deal.
I’m prepared to pay you on the spot.
Alas, Lidiya Ivanovna,
I have to say no.
If you came to me a week ago,
then yes.
I’d happily agree to it.
But now I’m...
bound with my gentleman’s word.
I can’t sell her to you.
Is this your last word?
You know the value of a reputation in our circles.
So, you’ll have to kindly...
excuse me.
You could buy her from Kosach later, though.
I’ll think about it.
Goodbye, Piotr Ivanovich.
I couldn’t do it.
He gave his word to Kosach
and doesn’t want to palter with honor.
Papa and honor?
My mother would be amused to hear this.
Grigoriy Petrovich,
I haven’t been to your house for a while.
I miss Anna Lvovna greatly.
Lidiya Ivanovna,
I think now is the high time
for a neighborly visit.
-Drive on! -Gee-ho!
Here.
And here.
Pavlusia, what’s this?
They are beautiful.
This?
My dowry.
When I was 12,
my father made this trunk for me.
I started filling it with my trousseau:
towel after towel,
smock after smock.
Now it’s yours.
I hope it’ll bring you luck.
Pavlusia!
How I wish you could be happy, too.
I’m so sorry you didn’t remarry.
Don’t be sorry.
Every man...
has his fate.
Whatever is written...
in the books for us will happen.
It can’t be changed.
Are you sure about it?
Who knows whether we change something.
You can’t change your fate,
but sometimes you can avoid a disaster.
That’s what talismans are for.
Talismans?
Like icons?
Yeah.
Not just them.
Embroidered towels, too.
Look.
If you hang this one...
above the window...
opposite the table...
good things will come to your house.
And if you put...
this one over the door,
no evil will ever come through it.
This one is...
for wiping your face.
It’ll bring you health and beauty.
Here.
And this one,
with the pair of doves...
you take to the church.
They’ll put it under your feet at the wedding.
The one...
who steps on it first...
will be the head of the house.
Thank you for everything, Pavlusia.
Thank you.
Be happy, my child.
Be happy, and may God protect you two.
Pavlusia.
It must be him.
Is he here?
No.
Grisha!
Good day, Anna Lvovna.
-Well... -Good day, Lidiya.
Anna Lvovna, you have to understand.
When I found out about Kosach proposing to your Kitty,
I couldn’t keep silence.
My darling, by all means, tell me.
Kitty is like a daughter to me.
I need to be certain about her fate.
What happened?
I feel awkward talking about it.
I’d never start this conversation,
but this is so awful.
I don’t want anyone else to get hurt.
You can trust me completely.
Tell me.
All right.
It’s an open secret
that I used to be taken by Kosach.
I wear my heart on my sleeve, as they say.
Of course, we can’t always restrain our hearts.
As any woman in love,
I was ready to do anything...
for the man I loved.
I dreamed about starting a family...
and be happy with my dear Aliosha.
He knew that, of course.
So one day...
he decided to take advantage of me. Do you understand me?
Yes! Yes.
It will be an incredible deal.
Unprecedented.
It’s all coming together so nicely.
Just look at this!
Suslov is selling his Verbolozovka
for exactly the same price.
It’s going to be just perfect.
Watch and learn!
You will probably judge me for this.
I myself am burning with shame.
But... he was so passionate,
so eloquent...
that I gave up.
So, a week ago he...
came to me with a proposal.
It’s impossible.
Anna Lvovna, not that kind of proposal you’re thinking about.
That night, having lost a lot of money at the casino,
he offered me...
I don’t know how to tell you.
Tell it like it is.
He offered a deal, as he put it.
He’d marry me
in exchange for a promise to give
him money for buying out your Kitty.
Or rather, the other way round.
He’d marry me after I gave him the money.
Aliosha!
You’re back.
Careful! You’ll get yourself dirty.
I’m covered in dust.
Never mind that.
What matters is that you’re back!
And not empty-handed.
Let’s go to Piotr Ivanovich.
I can’t wait anymore.
Aliosha,
you go alone. I’ll stay here and pray.
All right.
Hello, Aleksey Fiodorovich.
Hello, Piotr Ivanovich. Grigoriy Petrovich.
-I see you came straight to us. -Yes.
I had been racing my horse for today without stopping.
You young people are so impatient.
When you know your dream is just a step away,
every minute’s delay seems an eternity.
I’ve found the money.
Here.
Well...
I don’t see any obstacles.
Please.
This man is in the grips
of some morbid passion.
He won’t stop at anything
until he is satisfied.
I thought...
I should warn you, Anna Lvovna.
This is such an inhuman,
godless thing to do!
How could he?
I agree.
It was low...
and indecent.
I thank God for showing me...
this man’s real face.
I can’t believe him!
Anna Lvovna,
just, please...
I have one request for you.
Don’t tell anyone about my disgrace.
You are the only one I’ve told.
Liddy, darling,
rest assured.
This Kosach...
He will never enter my house again.
Remember, Lord, King David
and his meekness.
As Father David was quiet,
meek, patient, and gracious,
let all enemies of Your slave Aleksey
be quiet, meek, patient, and gracious.
No!
The deal is off.
Kitty is not for sale.
Get out, Mr. Kosach,
and never come to this house again.