All language subtitles for Die.Marquise.von.O.1976.BDRip.DVO.All.Films.ENG

M--, a town in northern Italy.

What is it?

The Marquise of O--

The daughter of...?

Yes. Listen to this.
It's all here word for word.

The undersigned declares

that, without her knowing how,
she became pregnant.

The father of the child
she is bearing

is asked to report himself.

We have,

for family reasons,

decided to marry him.

The Marquise of 0--

A lady of unblemished reputation,

mother of several well-bred children,

daughter of the Commandant
of the citadel.

About three years ago,
she lost her husband,

the Marquis, whilst on a journey.

After the Marquis' death,

she left her country estate
where she had lived until then,

and returned, with her two children,

to the Commandant's house.

Suddenly the war...

The Russian troops have broken
into the Citadel.

They want us to surrender.

I will retort with shot and shell.

I must carry on
as if my family were not here.

Lorenzo!

Madame, may I offer you my arm.

I'm going to call a doctor.

That won't be necessary.

The Marquise only needs sleep.

A sleeping potion is the best remedy.

With your permission, Marquise,
I'll take my leave.

Leopardo!

Go get some poppy seed tea.

We can expect no mercy.

Form your ranks!

You have been defeated!

Your sword.

I was only awaiting your request.

May I see my family?

Where is Julietta?

She is...

She is out of danger.

I took her to the West wing.

Go back to the castle.
I'll watch over her myself.

My respects, Commandant.

I regret that your courage
was not helped by better luck.

Give me your word
and you may go wherever you like.

You have my word.

I thank you earnestly.

I am greatly indebted
to the Russians today,

especially to that young
Lieutenant-Colonel!

What happened?

I was informed of an odious attempt
on my daughter.

A troop of soldiers
was assaulting her.

The Lt. Colonel, in a brave

personal intervention,

saved her.

You have honored our regiment
and kept up our traditions.

But who are these rascals
who have tarnished the Czar's name?

I'll have them shot.

General,
I appeal to your leniency...

I am unable to give you their names.

In the feeble glimmer
of the castle-yard lamps...

it was impossible
to discern their faces.

I am surprised.

The castle was already in flames.

One can recognize people

even in the darkest night,
by their voices.

All right.

In any case,
investigate the matter at once.

Excellency, one of the villains
wounded by the Count

has been captured
by the Commandant's men.

Fetch him!

Let him name his accomplices!

They're all to be shot.

Don't worry! The battle is over.

And my father?

He is alive and well, and free,
and wants to see you.

Did Madame sleep well?

Poppy seed tea
prevents bad dreams.

Julietta,

my beloved child!

I had to surrender,

but my honor is safe.

The Russians are gentlemen.

On the General's orders,
the brutes who attacked you

have been shot.

Father,

I have only one wish:

to thank my savior
as soon as possible.

It's too late.

That means the Russian troops
are leaving the Citadel.

So is the Count.

But I must see him again
and thank him.

I'm sure you'll find some occasion
in the future.

A few days later...

Dead!

With my own eyes, I saw the Count,

mortally wounded
in the chest,

being carried off to a village

where, at the very moment

when his bearers were lifting him
from their shoulders,

he expired.

The family had to vacate the castle,
and took a house in town.

Life went back to normal.

How pretty!

My lady!

What's wrong?

How strange,

I who always have been
in such good health.

What's wrong with you?

You look sick.

If a woman were to tell me

that she felt as I did just now

I should certainly think to myself
that she was pregnant.

I don't know what you mean.

I just felt the same way I did

when I was expecting
my second daughter.

Perhaps you'll give birth
to a fantasy!

The father will be Morpheus

or one of his pageant of dreams...

Not long after this...

The Russian Lt. Colonel,
the Count...

The Count!

Yes, the Count.

Impossible!

You must be mistaken.

I saw and heard correctly.

He is waiting in the anteroom.

Forgive us.

You cannot understand
our astonishment.

We thought you were dead.

I'm alive.

Yes, I'm alive.

How do you feel?

Very well. But how did you
come back to life?

You are not telling me the truth.

There is a strange weariness
in your face.

Unless I'm mistaken, you are ill.

Well, yes...

This "weariness", as you call it,

is perhaps the last trace
of an indisposition

which I suffered a few weeks ago.

I don't think any more
will come of it.

Nor do I!

Will you marry me?

Did you understand me?

Will you marry me?

Please be seated...

My son...

Indeed, we shall think
you are a ghost,

until you've told us
how you rose up out of the grave.

Circumstances force me to be brief.

Seriously wounded in the chest,

I was carried to a village.

For several months,
I wavered between life and death.

My only thought
was for the Marquise.

Words cannot describe
how pleasure and pain

alternated in this image of her.

At last I recovered
and returned to the army,

but I felt terribly restless.

More than once I reached for a pen

to pour my heart out

to you and the Marquise.

But I was unexpectedly
sent to Naples with dispatches

and cannot be sure
that Constantinople

will not be my next station,

or even St. Petersburg.

And yet,

I find it henceforth impossible

to live any longer
unless my restless soul

be given a clear-cut reply.

As I passed through this town,
I could not resist

taking a few steps towards this end.

I could not help myself. In short,

I very much hope
that the Marquise's hand

will be awarded to me,

and I respectfully beg you

to grant me instantly

a favorable answer.

To be sure, this request,

which, undoubtedly,
is seriously intended,

is most flattering.

After her husband's death,
my daughter made up her mind

never to marry again.

But, since she recently became

so greatly obligated to you,

it is not so impossible that

this should sway her
from her resolution.

Meanwhile,

allow her some time

to think it over quietly.

Colonel, I assure you,

your kind reply is a great
encouragement to my hopes.

In other circumstances, it would
have made me perfectly content.

I appreciate how boorish it is of me

not to settle for it.

But compelling reasons,

which I cannot go into,

make a definite reply
extremely desirable.

The horses taking me to Naples
are already harnessed.

I implore you, if anything here

speaks well on my behalf,

do not let me leave
without a more favorable answer.

Count, the gratitude
my daughter feels for you

entitles you to be optimistic,

but not overly so.

She can only, in a matter
on which her happiness depends,

act with great consideration.

It is imperative that my daughter,
before replying,

should get to know you better.

I invite you, after your mission
is done, to return here,

and be our guest for a while.

If the Marquise thinks that
she could be happy with you,

I would then,

but only then,
be also delighted to hear

that she had given you
a precise answer.

I foresaw that my impatience
would meet with this fate.

Until I know, I will remain
utterly miserable.

Seeing the unhappy role
I am now forced to play,

to be known better to you
is all to the good.

As to my reputation,

if consideration should be given
to something so deceptive,

I can vouch for it.

The only dishonorable act
I've ever committed

has been kept secret,
and I'm about to make amends for it.

In short, I am a man of honor.

Please take my word for it.

I quite agree with you.

I have never met a young man who,
in so short a time,

has revealed so many superior
traits of character.

It will take but a short period
of reflection

to lift the veil of indecision.

Until I have consulted with
my family and with yours, Count,

no other reply is possible.

My parents are dead,
I am my own master.

I am a man of means.

A period of reflection is necessary.

Until your return,

please don't insist further.

I did everything I could
to get out of this mission.

To no avail.

And now I am
in the throes of despair.

If there is the slightest chance

that I may be granted my wish,

I'll put off my departure

for a day, or for longer.

Go along, Count. Leave for Naples.

When you return, give us
the pleasure of your company,

and then we'll see.

I came here with high hopes.

They were premature.

You rightly wish to know me better.

I'll return my dispatches to H.Q.

and accept your kind invitation.

It would grieve me

if the passionate feelings
you seem to have for my daughter

were to lead you into serious trouble.

But you know what is best for you.

Send your dispatches back

and move into your room.

Well?

He can't send his dispatches back,

renounce taking them to Naples,

simply because he was unable,

during a 5 minute conversation,

to obtain from a lady he hardly
knows a consent to his proposal.

Such reckless behavior

will be punished with imprisonment.

And he'll be dismissed, too.

But there is no danger of that.

It's just a bluff.

He will think twice
before returning the dispatches.

I'm afraid he will return them.

His stubborn, single-minded nature

seems quite capable of it.

Go, dissuade him

from this unfortunate action.

My interference might have
the opposite effect,

and give him more faith in his plan.

I think so too.

But the dispatches will surely
be sent back, if we do nothing.

He'd rather bring disaster on himself

than admit he was pretending.

Extraordinary behavior!

He seems to storm ladies' hearts

as if they were fortresses.

Look!

He's having his luggage unloaded.

We must go see him. Come with me!

You are expediting your business

on an inappropriate table.

Do you want your room?

Thank you, but I'm already done.

What time is it?

Have a good journey.

Count, unless you have
very weighty reasons...

Most compelling ones!

Drive on!

Would someone
show me to my room?

It would be an honor for me.

Have the luggage taken up.

And you,

what do you make
of the whole thing?

If Father had prevailed on him
to go to Naples,

all would have been well.

To Naples!

Should I have called a priest?

Or had him arrested
and sent under guard to Naples?

No, but a real effort

to remonstrate with him
would have had an effect.

Count, forgive me
if I come back to this.

I hold your loyalty and courage
in great esteem.

I know that on the night
your men captured the fort

you risked your life
for my daughter.

I thus would deplore it

if in following
your impetuous inclination...

"inclination!"

you had jeopardized
a promising future.

It is not an "inclination".

You know,

during my illness,

the Marquise was sitting
at my bedside.

In my delirium,

I kept confusing her
with the sight of a swan.

A swan?

A swan I'd seen as a boy
on my uncle's estate.

One recollection
especially moved me.

This swan, I once...

I'm terribly in love with you.

Allow me to withdraw.

How should one react?

Let matters take their course.

He's counting on the influence
of his relatives.

Or he'll be ignominously dismissed.

What do you think of him?

Can you come up with something
that will avert a catastrophe?

Mother dear,
that is not possible!

I am sorry that my gratitude

be put to such a hard test.

But I had made up my mind
not to remarry.

I can't risk my happiness
a second time.

Not without giving it much thought.

If such is your decision,

it would be of help to him
to know it.

He needs to be given
a definite answer.

How do you like...

his appearance?

I cannot tell...

whether I like him or not.

How do you feel?

Supposing he returns from Naples

and nothing we learn about him
in the meantime

contradicts the general impression
you have on him now,

what would you answer

if he renewed his offer
on his return?

In that case I might...

since his desire for me
is so strong,

if he wished it,

I would be ready to marry him
for the sake of what I owe him.

Dear Julietta!

I had always wished you to remarry.

If Julietta is considering

giving her hand some day
to the Count,

then we must at once

say something to him,

to avert the consequences
of his folly.

Perhaps he might be told
something to the effect

that until his return from Naples,

you won't enter into
any other engagement.

I can promise him that.

But I fear it will not reassure him,
and will get us all embroiled.

Let me worry about that!

Lorenzo, what do you think?

With this harmless assurance,

I'll get the Count out of the house.

Then do it! Do it right now!

Here I am, surrendering
to this Russian a second time!

How can we tell
the Count right away?

Leave that to me.

Count! Don't you know?

I know what I need to know.

Can you get a coach for me?

I fear that your impetuous hopes
have led you...

Not at all,

you've agreed to nothing.

If the reports you get about me

contradict the feeling that moved you
to call me back into this room.

Take my coach.

A footman will get you
some fresh horses.

I hope to overtake my dispatches
at my H.Q.

From there, I'll take
the shortest route to Naples.

In Naples, I'll do my best

to get out of having to go
to Constantinople.

If there are no unforeseeable delays,

I will be back in about
four to six weeks.

Well, Julietta,

I feel a great deal easier.

Even though my fondest wish

was to marry you before I left.

Marry!

Yes, to marry!

Have you lost your senses?

Some day you'll understand.

I beg you to forget
what I just said.

The coach is ready.

Several weeks went by.

And, from day to day...

Yes, it really is as if...

But, Mother, it couldn't be!
It's impossible!

What other explanation?

I don't know.

Something is definitely wrong.

I've read

that women could show symptoms
of pregnancy

without really being pregnant.

Your health worries me.

If you are ill,

you should see a doctor.

Your diagnosis was accurate.

What do you mean?

You're in perfect health.
You don't need a physician.

Please leave, Doctor.

I'm in no mood for jokes.

I wish you'd always been

as little inclined to joking.

I will report these insults
to my father.

Madame, I am not joking.

I could... swear to this opinion

in a court of law!

But how is it possible, Doctor?

I hardly feel

there's a need to explain
its working principles to you!

What did the doctor say?

Why are you so upset?
What did he tell you?

He said I'm in perfect health

and expecting a child.

He's a shameless.

Frivolous quack!

Your father
must know of this insult.

It was not an insult.

He was quite earnest.

He is prepared to repeat his mad
opinion in front of my father.

Do you think it is possible?

I'd sooner believe
that graves could be fertile,

or that the dead could give birth!

My strange child,
what is tormenting you?

If your conscience is clear,

the opinion of a whole panel
of doctors should not bother you.

He is either mistaken
or malicious,

what do you care?

My God!

How can I feel calm?

Don't my own innermost feelings

argue against me?

If I heard another woman
had these symptoms,

would I not myself feel
that she was pregnant?

Malice!

Mistake!

Why would a man,

hitherto so worthy of esteem,

deliberately want to humiliate me?

I have never offended him,

I who received him with confidence,

anticipating gratitude.

As his first words showed,

he came with a sincere desire
to help me,

not to cause me greater pain.

Since a choice has to be made,

if I conclude he made a mistake,

is it possible that a doctor,

even a mediocre one,
could err in such a matter?

And yet it has to be
one or the other.

My dear mother,

it must be.

But my case is so strange, you must
allow me to have my doubts.

I swear,

for some assurance is needed,

that I am as innocent
as my own children.

Your own conscience, my respected
mother, can be no clearer.

Nevertheless, call a midwife

so I may discover what it is,

and, whatever it may be,
find some peace of mind.

A clear conscience and a midwife!

A midwife, dear mother!

And instantly, or I'll go mad!

It will be a pleasure.

But please don't give birth
in my house.

If a life without blemish,
a life that followed your example

entitles me to your esteem,

if you still have maternal feelings

in your heart, for as long
as my guilt is unproven,

don't forsake me
at this terrible hour.

What is disturbing you?

Just the doctor's diagnosis?

Just your innermost feelings?

Nothing else, Mother.

Nothing, Julietta?

Think a moment.

A misstep,

however painful it may be to me,
I'd have to forgive in the end.

But if, to avoid your mother's anger,

you have invented a fairy tale
of Unnatural Calamities,

piling one blasphemous oath
on another,

to take advantage
of my trust in you,

this would be shameful!

And I could never love you again.

May the Kingdom of Heaven

lie as open to me some day,
as my heart is open to you now.

I have concealed nothing
from you, my Mother.

Heavens!

My child!

How sorry I am for you!

What on earth are you afraid of?

You look quite ill.

I am in perfect health,

and nothing is wrong with me,

except this strange
and inexplicable condition.

"Condition?"
What "condition"?

If you're so sure of your memory,

isn't it madness to be so afraid?

Can't these interior feelings

be deceiving you?

No, I haven't deceived myself.

If you'll just call the midwife,

you'll see this dreadful,
destructive thing is true.

Come, my darling, and lie down.

My dear, respected mother!

I have not gone out of my mind.

The doctor told me I was pregnant.

Call the midwife.

As soon as she says it isn't so,
I'll feel easy again.

Very well, I'll get her right away.

Since you're determined
to make a fool of yourself,

she'll say you're dreaming
and not right in the head.

Young blood,
and the cunning of the world!

I've known such cases.

No need to look further.

I can already feel the child moving.

Every young widow
in your predicament

claims she lived
on a desert island.

- Shut up!
- Don't worry...

your Prince Charming
will be found.

I forbid you...

Will you please tell the truth.

Say who the father is!

I may go mad.

Go on, then!
You are contemptible.

Curse the day I gave birth to you.

I'd like to know,

how Nature works.

Is it possible to conceive
without knowing of it?

That could not be so
in your case.

No. I mean as a general rule.

Does this phenomenon
exist in Nature?

Apart from the Virgin Mary,

it has happened
to no other woman on earth.

And in one's sleep?

Nonsense!

How can you believe that?

I don't.

I don't know what to believe.

Don't leave me.

I don't understand it at all...

Let's not make things worse
than they are.

You weep when you should rejoice.

One should cry when someone dies.

Here someone is about to be born,

a child, a beautiful child,

a handsome boy or a little sister.

You must learn to avoid evil tongues,

the cackling of the world,
that's all.

I once helped a young widow,
a similar case.

She never showed all her children
at the same time.

People said she had three.

When in fact she had four... or five!

I feel better.

Please leave now.

The Colonel wishes

that, under the circumstances,
the Marquise will leave his house.

He sends her herewith all the papers
concerning her property,

and hopes that God will spare him
the misery of seeing her again.

Your mother.

Dictated.

He dictated it...

Father!

Open UP-

I beg you.

By all the saints, I am innocent.

He does not want to see you.

My dear brother.

My beloved father!

Get out of here!

Father! Listen to me!

Lord of my life!

I deeply regret

to have frightened you.

Go and claim the children.

She must leave them with us.

We have no right to do that.

Please avoid a violent scene
in our house.

Go get them!

My sister, on father's orders,
I want the children.

These children?

Tell your cruel father
he can put a bullet through me

before he takes my children.

Having learned how strong she was

through this courageous effort,

she was able to raise herself
out of the deep abyss

into which fate had cast her.

Her reason had been strong enough
not to crack under

the strain of her uncanny situation,
and now bowed to the holy

and inscrutable Laws of the Univers.

I know it is impossible
to persuade my family of my innocence.

I know that I must
resign myself to it,

if I don't want to be destroyed.

I have decided

to withdraw into myself entirely,

to concentrate all my energies

on the education of my two children.

As for God's great gift
of a third child,

I will lavish it
with all my motherly love.

One thought I cannot endure,

what if this young being
conceived in the purest innocence

should bear a stigma in society?

I am mad!

How can I tie myself

to a man who took advantage of me?

He is the scum of the earth.

Wherever I imagine he is,
he could only

have sprung from the blackest
and filthiest mire

where he belongs.

The...

Undersigned...

declares...

Count!

What! Back already?

As I hoped for, I was able

to avoid going on
to Constantinople.

How is your wife, and the Marquise?

Forgive me. Urgent business

compels me to leave.

My son will keep you company.

I would like to see the Marquise.

Do you know

what occured in this house
during your absence?

The Marquise, my sister,

is expecting a child.

She swears that

since the death of her husband
no man has touched her.

She has no idea how
she became pregnant.

She insists on that!

Since she has dishonored our family,

my father has forbidden her
to enter this house.

He refuses to see her.

She is at her country house.

Why were obstacles put in my way?

Had we been married,

we should have been spared
all this shame and suffering.

Are you mad enough to still
want to marry the wretch?

She's far more worthy
than those who condemn her.

I have absolute confidence
in her innocence.

I'm going to see her

to renew my proposal.

Please announce me
to the Marquise.

The Marquise is home to no one.

Does this ban for strangers
also apply

to a friend of the house?

I know of no exception.

- You're not the Count?
- No.

In that case
I'll stay at the inn

and announce myself by letter.

The Count!

Where have you come from?
Is it possible?

From your parents' house.

I came through a back gate.

I felt sure you would forgive me.

Were you not told,
at my father's house?

Everything, my beloved.

But I'm sure of your innocence.

What!

And you still came?

In spite of everyone,
in spite of your family,

in spite even
of your lovely self.

Leave!

I'm as sure, Julietta,
as if I was all-knowing,

and my soul dwelled in your bosom.

Leave me!

I'm here to repeat my proposal.

I'll be the happiest of men

if you will grant me your hand.

Leave at once.
I command you to leave.

Darling, my beloved...

Did you hear me?

Only let me whisper one
secret to you...!

I won't hear a word.

Good evening.

Was your mission successful?

No.

I've decided to write to her.

I'll soon have
the whole thing cleared up.

Count!

I regret to see that your passion

has robbed you of your senses.

You should know that the Marquise

is about to choose someone else.

The undersigned declares that,
without her knowing how,

she became pregnant.
The father of the child...

Do you think the man will appear?

Without a doubt.

Now

I know what I have to do.

I hope to see you again soon.

I would be delighted.

From the Colonel.

What on earth do you make of it?

She is innocent!

What do you mean, innocent?

She did it in her sleep.

In her sleep!

And such a terrible thing could...

Idiot!

I no longer have a daughter.

When the next issue appeared...

"If the Marquise of O

"will be, on the 3rd, at 11 a.m.,

"in the house of her father,
the Governor,

"the man she is looking for
will appear

"to throw himself at her feet."

Tell me, in God's name,
what do you make of it?

The vile creature!

The cunning hypocrite!

Ten times the shamelessness
of a bitch,

added to ten times
the slyness of a fox,

would not match hers!

Such an innocent face!

The eyes of a cherub!

But if it's a trick,

what can she hope to gain by it?

Gain by it?

She wants to carry her pretense
to the end.

She already knows by heart
the fable that she and "he"...

will recite to us on the 3rd
at 11 a.m.

"Dear child", I am supposed to say,
"I didn't know..."

"You have my blessing.
Come back to us."

There'll be a bullet for the man

who comes through my door
on the 3rd.

So I had better have my servants

throw him out.

If I had to choose between
these two incredibilities,

I'd rather believe in some
mysterious action of Fate

than in the infamy of a daughter,

who up till now
has been so perfect.

Pray, be quiet.

I can't stand to hear
one more word of it.

A few days later, the Governor

received a letter
from the Marquise.

"Respected father,

"As you have closed
your door to me,

"I humbly request

"that the man
who presents himself on the 3rd

"be sent on

"to my house."

Actually,

she's not asking to be forgiven!

So if the whole thing
is a deception,

what would be her motives?

Lorenzo?

I have an idea.

Will you allow me to go
to the countryside for a few days?

I'll find out if the man
who answered her

anonymously in the paper,
is in fact known to her.

I'll put her in a situation

where she'll betray herself.

I want nothing to do with her.

I forbid you

to communicate

in any way

with her.

Leopardo, you'll harness
the horses tomorrow morning

and take me to the countryside.

No one must know of this trip.

Not even the Governor.

Yes, Madame.

For your silence.

The Marquise's orders
are that no one may enter.

I know her orders.

Go tell the Marquise

that the Colonel's wife is here.

It is a waste of time, Madame.

The Marquise wishes to speak
to no one in the whole world.

I am her mother.

Hurry! Go!

My daughter!

Dearest mother.

To what great fortune do I owe

the priceless joy of your visit?

I am here

because of the brutal way

we closed our door to you.
To beg forgiveness.

Forgiveness?

Yes, forgiveness.

When we saw in the newspaper

that your announcement
had been answered,

your father and I

were convinced

of your innocence.

But I must also tell you

that the man in question,

much to our great
and pleasant surprise,

came in person yesterday
to our house.

Who appeared?

Which man came "in person"?

The very author of the reply.

The one to who your plea
was addressed.

But who is he?

Who is he?

I leave it up to you to guess.

Imagine that yesterday,

as we were having tea,
reading the answer in the paper,

a man we all know very well

rushed into the room
in a wild despair,

threw himself at your father's feet,
then at mine.

Knowing not what to make of it,
we urged him to speak.

He told us

his conscience gave him no rest,

that he was the scoundrel

who took advantage of the Marquise.

He must know how his crime
was judged

and if vengeance on him
was demanded,

he had come

to surrender himself.

Who was it?

Who? Who? Just tell me
who it was?

As I told you, a young man,
well-mannered,

someone whom we would never

have thought capable
of such a despicable action.

Don't be alarmed, my daughter,

if I tell you he is of low birth

and has none of the qualifications
to be your husband.

Just the same, dear Mother.

He can't be entirely unworthy
since he threw himself at your feet

before mine.

But who is he?

Won't you tell me?

Well...!

It was Leopardo,

our footman.

As you may have noticed,
I brought him with me

to introduce to you
as your bridegroom.

What are you afraid of?

Have you any reason to doubt
he is the one?

How, where, when?

He will reveal that only to you.

Shame and love, he said,

made it impossible to talk
to anyone else but you.

If you will, let's go
to the anteroom,

where, with a beating heart,
he awaits you.

See if his dark secret

can be pried from him.

Oh, God!

The night the garrison was taken,

he was there,

when I was given a sleeping-draught.

He was staring at me.

That's who it was!

Why didn't I think of it myself?

It had to be him!

That villain!

That foul creature!

I beg you, don't let him in!

Oh, my daughter!

Oh my wonderful daughter!

And oh your contemptible mother!

What's the matter, mother?

I want you to know,

you, who are purer than the angels,

that nothing of what I told you
is true.

My soul is so corrupt
that such innocence

as radiates from your person,

did not seem possible.

I needed to play this shameful trick

in order to convince myself.

Dearest mother!

No, I will not budge

until you say that

you forgive my vicious behavior.

Oh you saintly person.

I, forgive you?

Mother, stand up. I beg you.

First tell me if you can

ever love me

and respect me as you used to.

Blessed mother,

the love I feel for you

never left my heart.

How could anyone believe me, when
the circumstances were so strange?

I am so happy that you are
convinced of my innocence now.

From now on...

I'll wait on your hand and foot,

my dearest one.

You must have the child
in our house.

For as long as I live,
I'll never abandon you again.

I defy the whole world,

your shame will become my honor,

if you will think well of me again.

He's handsome!

- Pity it wasn't he!
- Oh, mother.

Maybe it was he!

I'm joking-

Do not make jokes!

Who knows who'll finally show up
at our house on the 3rd at 11.

A real St. Thomas.

Such a doubting Thomas!

It took me a whole hour
to convince him.

Now he is crying.

Who has most reason to cry?

You mean father?

Like a baby.

Had the tears not been
running down my own cheeks...

I would have laughed,
as soon as I left the room.

All because of me?

And I sit here?

Don't budge.

Why did he dictate that letter tome?

If he doesn't come here
and fetch you,

he'll never see me again!

Mother dear!

I won't relent.

Why did he fire that pistol?

- I implore you...
- No you won't.

If he doesn't come by this evening,
I'll leave with you tomorrow.

That is cruel and unfair!

Be quiet. Here he is now.

Can that be someone at the door...

moaning...?

Of course.

He wants us to let him in.

Let me go!

Julietta, if you love me,

stay where you are.

My dear father!

Don't budge, do you hear!

He owes you an apology.

Why must he be so violent?

And why so stubborn?

I love him. But I love you, too.

I honor him. But you too.

And if I had to choose,

I'd choose you.

Oh my God!

He can't even speak!

Father!

Calm yourself.

Please.

Sit down.

It serves him right!

Now he'll be reasonable.

Leopardo, go to the kitchen.

Have a light meal prepared
for the Colonel.

What a face!

If the person...

is at all passable,

we all agree,
even your brother...

that you should marry him.

Everything possible must be done

to ensure your happiness.

But if his extraction is so lowly

that even with our financial help

his position remains substantially
beneath yours,

we're against the marriage.

You can stay with us

and we'll adopt the child.

In any case, I want
to stick to my promise

so the child,

whatever cost to me,
will have a father.

Providing he is not
a real scoundrel!

Allow me to withdraw.

Perhaps things are not so bad.

A bumpkin would hardly have
answered her in the newspaper.

But it's very much in the style
of our gallant Count!

SHUT up!

The Count is the one person
beyond suspicion.

How dare you?

If you feel so sure.

It's not a question of "feeling",
but of logicial deduction.

One cannot rescue a woman and take
advantage of her at the same time.

You can't fight a fire all night long

and also prowl around my bed!

Whoever shows up tomorrow at 11,

it cannot be the Count!

The next day was
the dreaded date of the 3rd...

It would be more suitable

if we left you alone.

No, it would be better
to wait for him all together.

I have no secrets to share
with this person.

I yield to your desire,
dear Julietta,

if you want me to stay with you.

But your father's presence,

or your brother's
would not be right.

The Count!

Bolt the door. We are not
at home to him!

Please, Julietta!

Whom were we waiting for?

Surely not him!

Then whom else?

We are such idiots!

Who else but him?

I'm going out of my mind, mother!

Unhappy creature!
What more do you want?

Has anything happened

that you didn't expect?

Dear, kind, gracious lady!

Get up, Count, please get up!

Make her feel better.

We'll all be reconciled.

All will be forgiven and forgotten.

Go away!

Go away, away!

I was ready for some villain
of a fellow,

but not the...

not the devil!

Call the Colonel!

This man, father,

I cannot marry him.

What's happened?

Don't ask questions.

This young man is

sincerely sorry
for what he has done.

Give him your blessing

and all will end well.

May God's curse avoid his head!

When are you getting married?

Tomorrow,

tomorrow,

or today if you want.

The Count, who has shown
such eagerness

to redeem his offense

will prefer the earliest
possible date.

Then I shall have the pleasure

of seeing you tomorrow at 11 a.m.
in St. Augustine's church.

Let's see Julietta.

Why is the Count worse
than anyone else?

Julietta... explain yourself.

I want to be alone.

Julietta! Have you forgotten?
You're going to be a mother.

I have to think of myself
more than the child.

By all the angels in heaven,
I won't marry him.

You must keep your word.

I'll offer him a contract:

he'll renounce all his rights
as a husband,

but will fulfill all his duties.

Then will you consent?

I will be tomorrow

at 11, in St. Augustine's church.

Before almighty God,

I take thee

as my wedded wife.

Before almighty God,

I take thee

as my husband.

Count,

I expect to see you from time
at my daughter's house.

Thank you.

The Count took
an apartment in town

where he stayed for several months,

without ever setting foot
in the Governor's mansion.

But after their son's baptism,

he was invited there regularly.

Good night.

Countess!

May I have a word with you?

Don't be afraid.

I won't beg for forgiveness

or pester you.

But you should know
that your contempt

is the most terrible punishment,

worse than death.

I love you and will endure anything

for as long as you want.

I'm going now.

Good night!

I did not tell you everything
about that swan.

The swan, whose image,
as I laid feverish,

I confused with your image.

Its name was Thinka.

One day, as a child,
I threw mud at it.

It dived and came up all white again,
washed by the waters.

In my fever I saw you.

You were swimming on waves of fire
and I shouted Thinka!

I couldn't get your attention.

You were taking such pleasure

in swimming around,
craning your neck.

Thinka!

Julietta!

Any villain of a fellow,

to comply with the fragile laws
of this world, you were ready

to accept.

Why then did you flee from me

as if from the Devil?

I would never have thought
you were a devil

if when I first saw you

you had not seemed like an angel!

A long line of young Russians

followed upon the first born.

Adapted by Sandy Whitelaw
and Pierre Cottrell

Subtitling Titra Film Paris