Original subtitles

Produced by Markes Film Studio together with Russkoye Film Studio

SALTYCHIKHA

SALTYCHIKHA

Episode 16 It Will Be Your Death

Here, madam.

Drink this.

Your time has come.

Your time.

Gather all your strength.

And give strength to us.

- To whom? - Do you hear it?

The sisters are singing.

What sisters?

Our sisters.

They're waiting for you.

There was a time when everyone who lived on this land was free.

We had no gods.

Only the sun, rain, and fire.

But people with crosses came here.

They converted us to their faith.

They said that our books, our sacred Vedas, were black magic.

And that we, the keepers of the Vedas, were witches.

You must undergo the rite.

You must undergo the rite.

You must undergo the rite.

Accept your power.

Become our mother witch.

Mother witch.

Witch? What are you talking about?

Witches are the keepers of the Vedas.

You're our only hope.

You're our only hope.

You're our only hope.

This is our land!

This is our land!

The land of our sisters!

It's soaked with their blood.

We've been waiting for you for centuries.

And we don't have much power left.

Make a sacrifice, and the sisters will be able to come back.

You'll give them a new life.

You said they're dead.

They can be brought back?

Yes.

And what about Sergey?

Can you bring him back?

I made a mistake.

I want to correct it.

Please...

Bring Sergey back.

Please bring Sergey back.

I made a mistake.

- What's going on? - The gates are locked!

- Locked? Kobzev! - Why are you standing?

Break the gates! Find something!

Make a sacrifice.

And you'll get the power.

Great power.

Our enemies are there.

Burn them.

Make a sacrifice.

And you'll get the power.

Power.

Your power will be everywhere.

Fire!

Fire!

Fire!

I did as you asked.

Now bring him back.

Make the last sacrifice.

The blood of the innocent will bring back everything you want.

The sisters are close.

They will help you.

The rite is almost complete.

Kill him.

Kill him.

I see now.

It's all your fault.

You made me lose my mind.

The letter.

They came for it. You didn't get rid of it.

Better give it to me!

Bring Sergey back.

Bring Sergey back.

You're a fool!

You gave up everything for some stupid love.

He can't come back to you.

You lied to me.

You lied to me.

The letter will be the death of you.

Bring Sergey back.

Better give it to me.

Bring Sergey back!

It will be the death of you.

Your death.

Your death.

Sergey!

Sergey!

Madam!

I'm here!

She killed all these people!

Witch!

Is she alive?

Seems to be.

Get her in the cart and take her to prison.

And then we'll see.

I knew.

I knew you would come back.

My boy!

So?

What did I tell you?

It's dangerous to neglect society.

I see you have lost all fear.

Who will believe you now?

You're a murderer and a rebel.

So that's what she's like, your Saltychikha?

Yes.

She thinks that she's the empress of Moscow.

Do you want to interrogate her personally, Your Excellency?

- Did you search her? - As you ordered.

But we didn't find anything. And what were we supposed to find?

Start from the top!

Excuse me, Your Excellency, but why are you searching the house...

When we need to catch people and write reports?

My people need help.

Around 200 people survived.

It means lists and orders and records...

So get down to work!

Oh my God!

You haven't seen the swamp yet.

How many are there?

That's the investigator who was kissing her hands.

What are we going to do with Sergey?

We'll take him with us.

I'll be right back.

Nothing.

Burn it!

Your Excellency, she's wearing a crown.

Burn it!

Darya Nikolayevna, I'll be honest with you.

You know what I want.

We know how you value your comfort.

You have a good taste.

A beautiful house.

But you didn't find what you were looking for.

You're a smart woman.

Okay.

Write it down.

My husband was killed by deaf coachman Ivan.

Serf woman Avdotya tortured girls.

She ran away.

Did you catch her?

And you have nothing to do with it?

I was bewitched.

Poisoned.

It was all kind of a blur.

Ask the wise woman if she survived.

She burned down the church.

Do you believe in witchcraft?

Darya Nikolayevna, what are you doing?

Are you messing with us?

Why?

I'm confessing to you.

You know perfectly well what I need.

She sent you?

Damn it!

Where could she hide it?

Your Excellency, what do we do?

The boy can't stay here.

- What are you talking about? - About her son Sergey.

Son?

Her son?

Right.

Search the boy's room.

And you're coming with us.

We might need you soon.

- And what about the people? - It's for the local authorities to decide.

They'll appoint a new manager.

Hey! Who are you?

- Who are you? - I'm... You know.. I'm one of...

Who are you?

I'm coming with you.

A special order.

I can't believe it. That's insane!

She gathered everyone in the church and wanted to burn them.

Thank God they saved them.

We'll never understand insane people.

We drank tea with her.

And she's insane.

We don't know what's going on in other people's heads.

Lord have mercy!

Save and protect us.

What will happen to us now, Vavil Falelyich?

What? What are they saying?

And what if the serfs will smell freedom and take to the highway?

Go away!

They'll probably assign her some penance, and she'll come back like nothing happened.

And I heard that she'll be executed.

That's not what we should talk about.

And what we should be afraid of.

They are low, vile people.

They think they can have no fear of their master.

You know what will happen?

They will all start complaining to the empress.

We might lose our heads.

Will they dare?

The empress forbade serfs to complain about their masters.

One of us will be executed now.

Her people dared.

Do you see which way the wind is blowing?

- What's there? - Hold my horse.

Hold on, madam.

Freeze!

Stop!

Tell me where the letter is.

Or I'll rip your black heart out with my own hands.

It's easy to rip out one's heart.

Trust me.

It's hard to make one talk after that.

Bring him here!

Start!

No, please don't.

Watch!

No!

That's what will happen to you if you don't talk.

Watch!

No.

That's what will happen to you if I don't talk.

Who else did she trust?

Her guilt is proven. All the evidence is in the case. We just need a verdict.

I don't understand what else you need.

I want to talk personally to each and every of her accomplices.

As you wish, Your Excellency.

But the coachman who killed her husband on her order is a deaf and dumb halfwit.

The wise woman was the closest person to her, but she threw her into the fire.

Saltykova is completely crazy.

You can't believe a word she says.

If it wasn't for the governor...

So the wise woman is able talk?

Yes. But it's no use.

She keeps saying "Sister, sister" and talks about some letter that spoiled everything.

Your Excellency, it's a terrible sight.

Doctors say she wasn't supposed to survive.

But she did. Maybe because she's a witch. Who knows.

What do you know about the letter?

That it is death.

And you're his messenger.

Tell me where it is.

In flames.

- Everything is in flames. - Where's the letter?

Everything is in flames.

Everything is in flames.

Everything is in flames.

If you tell me where it is, I'll cut you some slack.

You won't be executed.

It doesn't matter whether I'm executed or buried alive.

You're insane.

We can't have a public hearing.

She's talking nonsense.

People are superstitious.

Ignorant.

I couldn't agree with you more.

Why disturb them?

But you didn't find his body?

The maid is absolutely sure.

He was drowned in the swamp.

But we couldn't recover his body.

Rightly so.

Scoundrel!

What a scoundrel!

Okay, enough with emotions. I need to think about business.

So she's the only one who knows the secret?

She used to be a nun.

Maybe she'll confess?

My child, you have many sins.

You don't have a name now.

Your execution is imminent.

I can see that your soul is sick.

But all are equal before God.

I'm telling you, my child, confess.

Repent!

Get if off your chest.

They sent you here?

Tell me why you are here.

Who needs my confession?

So they doubt me?

Tell them...

What they need exists.

But they won't get it.

You'll burn in hell.

In the flames of hell.

Wait!

You forgot to cross yourself!

So?

Who? Who might she confide in?

Doesn't she have anyone dear to her?

Maman!

They say we're staying and they don't know for how long.

I'm sick and tired of stupid Moscow.

I want to go home.

I want to go back to the capital.

- Is that her son? - Yes, Your Highness.

And if doesn't go for it?

He knows that his mother is a murderer.

Life isn't fair.

He'll have to.

You're afraid of me.

You don't love me.

No one has ever loved me.

Mommy! Mommy!

You are not my son!

I wanted a daughter but it didn't work out.

My daughter would have never done this to me.

Do what you want with him. You won't get the letter.

We searched every inch of land in Troitskoye.

Nothing.

It's been three month.

We've tried everything.

We can't waste any more time, Your Highness.

People want execution.

The Moscow nobility is saying that you're weak and afraid of them.

This delay threatens to become a bigger problem than a love letter.

Don't call it a love letter. It can prevent Pavel from ascending the throne.

Your Highness!

Your Highness!

And what if she's bluffing?

- You think? - Yes.

Yes. She's bluffing and pretending to be insane.

And all her words are nothing more than tricks and nonsense.

Here is my order.

To deprive her of all ranks and of human rank.

To burn all images of her.

Each and every one of them.

Henceforth, she must be called 'it.'

The execution is tomorrow.

In pursuance of Her Majesty's Supreme Decree.

For complicity in murder and torture.

For assistance in hiding these atrocities.

Ivan, son of Ivan.

Avdotya Kovalyova.

Savely Volkov.

Ermolay Kudryashov.

Fedot Frolov.

Stepan Petrov.

Are sentenced to public repentance and flogging.

To branding and indefinite hard labor.

Is it true that the empress arrived from the capital?

They say she arrived secretly.

Aleksey Ilyich!

You're here.

So you got an invitation too.

That's not an invitation.

That's an order.

The empress ordered everyone to be here.

So she decided to teach the Moscow nobility a lesson.

Look! Look!

It's Kobzev.

The head of the Moscow Police.

He brought the truth to light.

Fyodor Ilyich, hello!

Tell me...

How did you manage to do it?

Without any fear.

You're a hero now.

Who told you that I had no fear?

Come on, don't be shy.

Congratulations are in order.

For Christ's sake!

Good people!

Have mercy for Christ's sake!

Good people!

For numerous killings of orphans, peasants, elders, and women.

For arsons and violence.

Ermolay Kudryashov is sentenced to death.

By severing his wretched head from his body.

Look!

Murderer!

Burn in hell!

You have shown mercy.

I have shown weakness.

TORTURER AND MURDERER

By the statement of the State Senate and the Holy Synod.

Saltykova Darya Nikolayevna.

Is declared guilty.

In the death of 180 serfs.

Is it really true what they say about you?

She is hereby deprived of her noble rank...

And can't be called by the name of her father and her husband...

Neither can't she be called a human name.

Henceforth, she must be called "it."

Monsters! Monsters!

Monsters!

By the most gracious and merciful will of Her Majesty...

The death penalty is replaced...

With life imprisonment in a penitential pit...

Without light and human contact.

How?

A pardon?

She pardoned this monster?

How is that possible?

How's that?

How's that?

Where's she?

You?

How?

I'm cold.

I've been in the cold for two hours.

You're handsome.

Handsome.

I need to give you a daughter.

What's this?

Bitch!

Why?

Why did she change her decision?

Who are you?

What are you?

So, what does she want?

You.

So that's what you're like.

So I'm here.

I pardoned you.

Where's the letter?

You think I'm a fool?

If I give it to you, I'm dead.

How dare you talk to the empress like that?

Murderer.

Murderer.

And who are you?

Little Fike.

We're both black widows.

Confess.

Come on.

No one will hear you.

I'm asking you for the last time, where's the letter?

Who knows.

Where it is and where it might end up.

You can't get to me.

And you can't kill me.

I pity you.

I hate her. I can't kill her, and I can't let her live.

You need to kill her, Your Highness.

It can cause unrest.

We interrogated all her accomplices.

Even the witch. I interrogated her myself.

The one who's sitting in the penitentiary pit instead of Saltychikha.

She doesn't know anything. Blabbers nonsense.

"Fire, fire, all in flames."

Accomplice, you say? A witch?

- And where did she live? - At the swamp.

Find that place.

Tear it apart. Find the letter.

This is our last hope.

Okay.

Get in the carriage.

With your help, we managed to destroy a great evil.

I'll never forget your courage and bravery.

All three of you will be rewarded generously.

Your Highness!

I know that I can't ask you to alleviate my mother's plight.

But I'm worried about the fate of Troitskoye serfs.

Their master is so young.

Into whose hands will they fall?

That's for you to decide.

I have been instructed to accompany you for the reading of Her Majesty's decision.

Follow me.

So all the property of the deceased passes to his only son, Sergey Saltykov.

Until he reaches adulthood, his closest relative is appointed as his guardian.

That is his half-sister Anastasia Saltykova.

Can the child, as the heir of Troitskoye, give freedom to his serfs?

Of course. If his guardian doesn't challenge his decision.

Who do you want to free?

Her.

But forgive me...

Anastasia Saltykova is free since her father's death.

It was his will.

And he left her a large share of his fortune.

She knew nothing about it.

So? What

Nothing yet, Your Excellency.

Then keep searching!

Darya Saltykova was sentenced to imprisonment in a penitential pit...

Without light and human contact.

She spent 33 years there and died on November 27, 1801.

Five years later than Ekaterina the Great.