Original subtitles

Nikita Mikhalkov's Three T Studios and Channel One

Supported by the Federal Agency for Culture and Cinematography

present

Nikita MlKHALKOV

Konstantin KHABENSKY

Vladimir MASHKOV Oleg TABAKOV

We're only approaching Klin, Your Excellency.

- lt's snow drift. - Arrange for some tea.

- He asks for tea. - Let me handle this.

l'll also check of them sleep-heads.

Tea for His Excellency. Take some rest.

in a Philipp YANKOVSKY's film

STATE COUNClLOR based upon Boris Akunin's novel

Oksana FANDERA Maria MlRONOVA

Mikhail EFREMOV Fedor BONDARCHUK

- Mozgolevsky? - l'm captain Zedlitz,

- chief of guards. And you... - State Councilor

Fandorin. l hope you were informed.

Yes, Sir.

Welcome.

Emilia SPlVAK, Rostislav YANKOVSKY Alexei GORBUNOV

Michel, we've Fandorin here,

he is in charge of Khramov's security in Moscow.

l've an urgent message for His Excellencey.

l'll report to him.

This way, Mr Fandorin.

How do you do, Mr Fandorin.

Erast Petrovich, l presume?

Yes.

There is an urgent message for Your Excellency,

a top secret message.

Those nihilists give me no peace.

That very Brigade.

Here's a sentence: 'The bloody hanger and murderer

'sentenced to death

'with no appeal'. What do you think?

l presume you heard dirty things about me.

Don't believe them. l addressed

that arrested girl on a first-name basis. So what?

l've a grandchild her age,

and that girl slapped me

an old minister in the face.

For this she should have been banished.

l only had her whipped,

for her own use. And she hanged herself, that fool.

- l can't understand. - And you won't...

That will teach them other dogs.

Written by Boris AKUNlN

V.B.

Directed by Philipp YANKOVSKY

Photography - Vladislav OPELYANTS

Production Designer - Vladimir ARONlN

Costume Designer - Sergei STRUCHEV

Music - Enri LOLASHVlLl

General Producer and Art Director Nikita MlKHALKOV

- Erast Petrovich! - Good morning.

A wire from St. Petersburg.

'Top Secret. Urgent. General Khrapov is dead.

'The murderer is State Councilor Fandorin

'He should be found and arrested'. Signed by Chief Gendarme.

What nonsense.

Give him to me!

lt's not him: there is a semblance.

No semblance. Whom did you bring? Where is Fandorin?

l am Fandorin.

Where is colonel Modzalevsky?

l should interview all witnesses.

lnterview? Why on earth?

He is dead, can't you see?

l'll wait till this gentelman's hysterics is over.

Let's start from the other ones.

l'll need the office of the station-master.

Tell General-Governor l'll come with a report in two hours.

Let us examine the crime scene.

Where shall we take the dead man? He's a very important figure.

Take him to the morgue, for autopsy.

...three: autopsy. Four: the murderer's headwear

and dagger are in the laboratory.

Five: all exits from Moscow cordoned.

This is the end.

lt's a shame because l didn't deserve it.

l've never had problems here in Moscow.

That damned Khrapov.

May he rest in peace.

Mind, he didn't live to reach Moscow.

We have a call from Tsarskoe Selo.

- The Tsar? - Prime Minister.

Yes, Sir.

Please, tell his Majesty...

No, it has never been my ambition

to occupy someone else's place.

lt depends on His Majesty,

and on the Lord Almighty.

What is unclear to you. Disconnection.

ln old times we used to handle these problems ourselves.

Now we have telegraph, telephone.

A star of detective work general Pozharsky is coming today.

Erast Petrovich, could we untangle at least

one thread before he arrives?

- There is such one thread. - What do you mean?

l mean your humble servant.

The terrorists had been notified

a certain state councilor Fandorin

is in charge of the minister's security:

someone had described my appearance to them.

lt won't be hard to find the source. We've four variants.

- We know three of them. - l don't quite grasp you.

The decision about my person was taken yester night.

People from the police department in Petersburg knew. -

lts makes one.

Also Burchinsky from Moscow gendarme department. Two.

His deputy Mylnikov is three.

And four - lieutenant Smolyaninov.

- They are all suspects. - When will you start?

Right now.

And also petty trifles. Trifles mean everything.

Let servants search in waste baskets:

for some rag with traces of gun grease,

a vial empty of some chemical.

Let your girls look for a dark-haired lady,

slim, with delicate features.

No, Mademoiselle, l am your wrong man.

Councilor, Sir!

l'm briefing my chief agents.

Do you fancy to be present?

We'll discuss it later.

Were those people in charge of Khrapov's security?

Yes, and his servants too.

- Did they know about my person? - No.

Burchinsky or Smolyaninov?

As for the colonel: one woman in his staff...

He takes special care of her.

Her name is

Diana.

lt's all l know about her. A mysterious creature.

Go on working.

- How do you do. - ls Peter here?

- Shall l report about you? - Tell me:

how come you work in the gendarme department?

Your father is privy councilor, you could work in the guard.

lt's all parades and carousing there.

lt's boring. And it's fun to work here:

secret tasks, dangerous criminals. Shooting happens.

Last year an anarchist...

Aren't you bewildered by this popular dislike, especially

among young ones, of blues uniforms?

l don't care. l serve Russia. My conscience is clean.

Of course.

Frankly speaking, l am quite at a loss: tomorrow

general Pozharsky will come and show us hell.

Do you know a certain mysterious Diana?

l can't discuss my stuff with anyone,

even you.

- Such are the rules. - Forget the rules.

l need to see that woman.

Diana!

l need to talk to you.

She could very well choose not to let us in.

As we agreed:

you don't turn on the light, you leave if she says so.

Very well.

Why such urgency? Why did you bring this gentleman?

Please meet state councilor Fandorin,

a special missions officer for General Governor.

He is investigating Minister Khrapov's death.

Pray sit down. Your name is quite famous.

Tut, such a high official killed with a dagger!

You know the details of the murder?

- Speak up. - Do mind your manners.

- Speak up. - All right,

but after that you will leave.

And don't you ever again bring this gentleman here!

All right, but, pray,

- ...tell us. - That is no big secret.

Our people discussing the details of this action.

Today at eight there will be a party at Larionov's place.

With good luck, you will intercept some illegal types.

Aha!

Take this young lady!

Take this bearded uncle!

Gee, Bullfinch.

Never mind that.

Some tea maybe?

No, thanks, Semyon.

All right.

l'll be in my study, if you need me.

And feel at home.

Why at this jittery one's place?

Not at the engineer's place?

There was a signal he is not reliable.

ls this one reliable?

Why this tone?

We're doing our utmost. lt's a problem

to find an apartment with a telephone.

lt's Moscow, not too many telephones here.

Mister Aronzon is a sympathetic party.

Look, Needle,

this vengeance brigade

is the only revolutionary brigade.

Blabbermouths are many.

The three of us are the only real warriors,

all too precious.

- You lost? - Emelya!

- Ace of spades was out! - Just you wait!

Easy, easy!

l'll show you!

You mean they're spying on the engineer. Or...

He is a provocateur.

There is no doubt about it.

Engineer llarionov, 28, Povarskaya Street.

That rat should be killed! Let me take a walk, Grinya!

No, sit tight. Don't leave the house.

lt's a quarantine.

You're a dull person, Grinya.

How did you manage to get Khrapov?

DBD.

l received a letter:

'State councilor Fandorin is in charge

'of Khrapov's security'.

Plus full description of his appearance. And

the same signature: DBD.

Needle?

Why do they call you Neddle?

lt's like this.

You pierce it in here

and it is simultaneous death.

Don't you trust yourself?

l fear prison, that stone sack.

Aren't you afraid of anything?

Only betrayal.

lnform the center: We communicate via the telephone.

Why didn't you ask Larionov's address?

Because engineer Larionov is our agent.

lt's a provocation!

The front door...

He said: 'l'll take some fresh air'.

Let us leave.

Quickly!

- What about Rakhmet? - Let's go!

...my humble person.

Check in the loo.

Keep sitting!

What are you sneering at?

Your jokes are no more. Pull yourself together.

Can't you see through people? Can't you see

we received wrong information? They are no terrorists,

but decent public.

You call them public?

l asked you to be more delicate, didn't l.

l'll kill you, bitch!

We need her alive!

- Gentleman. l'd ask you... - Tell me your name!

Esther Litvinova.

- To the precinct! - l won't let you do this.

Why did you arrest them?

She was shooting at me an officer performing his duty!

lt means gallows for her!

She wasn't shooting at you.

lt's one.

Two: you aren't wearing a uniform.

Three: don't tell me about performing your duty.

Gee, Erast Petrovich,

Mr. Fine Gentleman.

Let's go.

Gentlemen - through the back doors.

Run!

Come on!

A grateful lady

pouring out her heart to her deliverer?

Mr. Humanist.

The likes of you, tactful and polished

are more dangerous even than blatant boors.

None of you will escape popular vengeance.

l am not hiding.

You can find my whereabouts in any address book.

State councilor Fandorin.

That very Fandorin?

- Slave of the lamp? - l beg your pardon?

That ancient lamp being on its last legs,

that lamp whose name is General Governor.

You serve him as his loyal genie.

lt's not the lamp l serve but my Fatherland.

Oh, stop it.

- Miss Litvinova. - l knew just as well

you aren't letting me go.

You forgot your weapon.

Larionov, l know about your liason with the gendarmerie.

l'm not going to tell you anything.

Nothing serious, l just know some interested parties.

- Maybe l should shoot myself. - Excuse me?

l've insomnia.

l'd doze off and then: rat-tat,

as if someone's knocking at the door.

Which of them has come: these ones or those ones?

Tossing about all night long.

Ah, someone came too late and missed the show.

l'll send him away. Stay here, or else l'll have to explain

to these one and those ones.

Can't we tarry here?

lt's real strange.

No one warned me.

Are you really from the Brigade?

You can't step in: police was here.

- Police? - Yes.

- They sniffed and left? - What?

Aren't you scared?

Aren't you scared, Jude?

Look in the mirror: you're white as sheet.

Look at your real face now.

lt's one.

Two.

Three, four,

five, six.

Seven. Surrender.

Fifteen point one.

Easy!

Now left ear.

- Hold your head straight. - Stop torturing me.

Pozharsky is welcome any time now.

- We've evidence to produce. - l don't think so.

Maybe the bertillonage will give us his name.

Where are you going?

- How long? - Now it's only soles of his feet.

The way you and me dealt that Khrapov, Erast.

l'll talk to him now.

Colonel!

When the results are ready,

telegraph them to the police department

urgently.

Take some drops, you goggler.

What are you doing here?

You scoundrel! l'm freezing to death here!

l didn't know you were waiting here.

A day you didn't shoot anyone is a lost day for you?

Where did you find my address?

Like you said yourself: in any address book.

Who is he?

Masa, my valet. He is a Japanese.

What does he want?

ln the morning we usually do Japanese gymnastics.

l missed it yesterday. Masa is displeased.

Go, Masa, l'll be back in a minute.

How shy you are. You weren't so shy at night.

l'll be back. Put on your clothes.

Use your wrist.

Green.

- Who is there? - Needle.

You were so quick, so cruel executing him.

To pour acid in a man's face!

- With no judgment! - Rakhmet...

- The place is cold. - We're used to it.

We've a dynamite workshop here and a telephone.

l asked you not to come here like this.

You should have telephoned me.

lt's such a displeasure to deal with you.

This matter is not for telephone conversation.

What matter? Yesterday in Petersburg

Pozharsky took our party cash. lt's a catastrophe.

We need to pay 50 thousand to a printing shop in Berlin.

Also it's the pending execution of our friends in Odessa.

The committee is asking, not ordering,

to find money for bribing.

lt'll need time.

And we don't have time.

- How much all in all? - At least 120 thousand.

Urgently, within two-three days.

We'll need a specialist.

An official from Petersburg arrived

on his Majesty's commission and is bidding you to come.

Aha,

l frightened them, eh. Here l am,

with only one request: a cup of tea to warm me up.

You must be Mylnikov.

- Your Excellency. - Simply Gleb.

We're just colleagues. And your name is..?

- Evstafiy. - Colonel...

Peter Burchinsky.

Glad to meet you.

And you must be

Erast Fandorin.

Glad to meet you.

l know about your famous deductive method.

l was looking forward to meet you.

They also say you are fabulously lucky

at gambling. ls it true?

There is such a strange trait about me

which l don't often use. l'm not a reckless type.

And l am reckless and lucky.

l thought l'd come and we'd check the muscle of our luck.

Not this. This, by the way,

is a wonderful thing from England:

it saved my life two times.

But l meant to show you this.

Let's try.

Shuffle off the cards.

- The color is..? - Black.

All right.

And now?

Black.

Yes.

And now?

Black.

Three times in a row.

l doubt that.

l say it's red.

You're a dangerous person, Councilor.

You may have the pack as a trophy.

Joking aside:

they expect prompt results from us.

This murder is a slap in the face of our country,

an infringement upon our system.

How this crisis will tell on your careers

is not the point.

The point is: it's either us or them.

- Where is the prisoner? - ln the interrogation room.

- ...room. - ls he not speaking?

Even worse: giving us the lip.

Arrange tea brought to me in the interrogation room.

- You drink it with sugar? - And you?

l want to meet your prisoner.

Who is this Pussy in Boots? Purr.

Why did you strap him?

Asian barbars. Unstrap him.

He's desperate, he can attack you.

Unstrap him.

You may go.

Oh, my Jesus!

Mister Seleznev!

Gentlemen!

l examined the results of your bertillonage

and had my doubts: everything jibed

and l couldn't believe this luck. This here

is Nikolai Seleznev,

that very Seleznev who killed his commander

and fled from the fortress. You are sent by fate itself.

Now everything will go like a song.

lf l were more exulted, l would kiss you in the lips.

And then you would hang me.

Oh no.

The tea is poor, eh.

No, we are not going to hang you.

We don't need no martyrs of the Revolution.

You'll have mild sentence:

banishment to Siberia. And we'll write in the papers

ex-cornet Seleznev

extended his precious cooperation to police.

No need to waste rope, state property.

And your dear comrades revolutionaries

will garrot you as you please.

Don't try to scare me.

l'm not a fearful type,

l know methods of the police.

My comrades would rather believe me than you.

Of course they will believe

a hero of the revolution,

a knight,

a bayard.

They'd believe a knight.

But you are a prankster.

Luckily,

l have here most interesting photos.

Have a look.

Mister Seleznev paying a visit

to a disreputable parlor in Ligovka Street.

He was after rush of some different nature.

And, look: it's him

- ...and a ten-year-old girl. - Nothing of the kind!

She is 1 4 and has been there for 3 years already.

That makes things different:

a 1 4-year-old girl old enough for a revolutionary client.

A new method, secret photographing.

- Have a look. - How disgusting.

My dear, you rather belong

with anarchists,

with their primitive morale.

Your lot won't forgive you this.

Some pirouette for the pure revolutionary cause.

After this they would believe

any obscene thing about you.

l know what your crowd is like.

How can you know?

Frankly speaking, l feel for you.

Such a waste of talent.

Why should you need these dull tape-worms?

You're an adventurous, jovial, reckless fellow.

You're like me: l'm a gambler too.

So l suggest that you make up your mind.

We shall play a wonderful game,

like in British football, at one touch.

Your bombs is nothing. There'll be a risk for you and danger.

Give me something to drink.

Some tea?

With cognac, compliments of Mylnikov?

Great.

Admit, you're just a puppet for your party leaders.

l suggest you become a puppeteer instead.

lsn't it attractive?

l'll pull at their strings, and you'll pull at mine.

Look,

l trust my life to you,

l will pray to you.

Your end will be my end.

What is your revolutionary nick?

Rakhmet.

Rakhmet.

l suggest you will be...

- ...Prince Gvidon. - Why Gvidon?

You will fly from this lsle Buyan

to the Kingdom of Saltan

disguised as a mosquito, a fly, a bumblebee.

How many men are there in the VB?

Three, including me.

Our chief is Green, Grinulya,

no one knows his real name.

Emelya,

he is a super lad, smart and risk-happy.

And a youngster Bullfinch.

Green is teaching him.

We were in that apartment...

That Petersburg man will gobble us, he is too smart.

You will never make chief inspector.

- So what. - But l care for my post.

l will tear into pieces even His Excellency for my post.

- ln what way? - ln most effective way,

in likewise manner.

Can you communicate with them urgently?

Not to worry...

Not to worry, Gvidon.

l'm not going to keep a tight rein on you,

no one will shadow you.

You'll be alone and make your own choice.

Absolutely at your own discretion.

You will make your own decisions.

A gambler, a lonely hunter.

l'm captain Zeidlitz,

- Khrapov's chief guard. - You are a criminal!

You were to guard such a big figure.

A day-dreamer, and even worse!

- You'll face the tribunal! - l will atone my guilt.

You will atone, eh.

You will atone it in banishment!

Don't you leave Moscow! You may go.

Didn't l pepper him up.

He'll leave no stone unturned looking for BS now.

But he's just hysterical,

and he'll turn over wrong stones.

But maybe he'll come across something useful.

lt'll make him busy.

Let us arrange our roles, gentlemen.

You, Gvidon, are our main hope:

you will find the Brigade

and become one of their crowd again.

You'll contact me by the telephone. And remember:

You will be on your own, there'll be no shadowing you.

My word of an officer.

Look.

What a scoundrel!

He said it'll be make-believe. And he has just left.

Andrei, don't let that man in

ever again!

Poor thing.

lt will heal over.

Julie Lenard's Parlor

- Julie. - Green!

l need your help again.

You said you knew some specialist on loans,

big loans. Mister Trump, as far as l remember.

Oh yes: Trump.

l need a big loan urgently.

Could your specialist come to Moscow?

lt's very important.

Yes, l will bring him myself,

he is very suspicious. We'll come by tomorrow train.

Very well.

Green is our chief.

Emelya is a super lad, smart and risk-happy.

Excuse me, Erast Petrovich,

you're good at crime detection,

but we've our special methods here.

Tut-tut, to kill such a big man with a dagger.

Councilor!

...emblem of gendarmes is a white handkerchief

for wiping tears.

Check the police staff, gendarmes, railway stations.

Check all contacts, all circles.

Erast Petrovich, let us work together!

My precious one!

You're such a talent, such a bright head!

You and me together

will move mountains!

We're speaking not about Moscow here - the whole Russia,

its future! The centre is here.

Petersburg is nothing. Their pale - faced work:

there is no life there, no serious steps being taken.

l don't mean our tsar, of course.

But all the rest are just goose - fleshed necks

in white collars.

The centre is here,

Russia's heart, liver and guts are in Moscow.

We'll give them a lavage, adjust gastric processes.

l'm anything but a clyster-pipe.

Or, Mr. Mild Gentleman.

We're limbs of the law, even worse than a clyster-pipe,

even worse than a nightman. You know what we are?

Protectors of things good, l presume.

You've said a mouthful. Retrievers of stolen things.

For many a year our ancestors

have been robbing their naive compatriots

and amassing their loot.

You and me guard this loot

from the hungry and dirty ones

yearning to squander it.

All of them

goose-flesh-necked ones understand nothing,

stirring people up.

They want freedom?

They will stir up that freedom.

When they see what comes onto the surface,

they will cackle bloody murder.

They will lick the boots,

they will pray to anyone showing fangs.

They will lick their anything.

There will be no rightful ones or wrongful ones then.

And then hell will begin.

lvan the Terrible will seem

a rosy-cheeked angel

compared with this.

lt's the wrong time for mild methods,

Or we shall have Russia in shit.

The one with serious forsight,

caring for the future of Russia,

such one doesn't care for personal glory.

l know exactly:

those living with a sugar plum in their mouth

will be left without their head and their caramel.

You think l seek glory?

Fandorin,

l'm tired and looking for a serious colleague.

l'm tired of loneliness, l swear to you.

Tired of dealing with these...

...these mugs, with these leaden-headed creatures.

l'm tired because l can't tell them openly:

'What are you doing here, you, non-entity,

'occupying someone else's place. Retire in good time'.

l would agree with you here.

He sent a message through Aronzon

that he would wait in the tavern.

There are no spies there.

- You at last. - Where were you?

At the police station. Let's skip the lyrics.

l could spin yarn, but it's either you believe me or not.

You either take me to a hot job

or take me out into the yard and kill me quietly.

You will have your hot job.

You'll tell me later how you escaped.

- You fancy for a drink? - Let's go.

Why did you believe him?

You better believe a traitor than disbelieve a friend.

Rakhmet!

Lady? Put me through to Laskutnaya.

Shmelev, this is what you'll have to do.

That fool of a photographer didn't know him in the face!

Come here.

Burchinsky?

They don't forgieve such things.

Sorry, l'm in the process of deducting.

My Jesus...

Where is your Chinese dumpling?

Japanese dumpling.

Masa is sitting in the barrel at the moment.

ln the barrel?

lt's a Japanese steam-bath kind of.

Never mind that.

'Ladies free to choose their code of dress'.

You can go with me.

Only in fetters and under escort.

How can you serve those vampires?

They violate and strangle their own people.

And you at one with those Khrapovs and Burchinskys.

l do my best serving my country.

ln all times scoundrels would be seeking power.

Almost all of them are scoundrels.

Whereas revolutionaries are noble and selfless people.

This confusion is Russia's big problem.

Scoundrels serve good, martyrs and heroes serve evil.

You mean revolution is evil?

Decembrists, Chernyshevsky is evil?

- They are all woodcutters. - Woodcutters?

Cutting the wood,

and woodchips, which is human flesh, flying around.

The worst evil is when it is disguised as good.

Everything is over between us!

l'm ashamed to have slept with you!

Don't make wry face!

You should call spade a spade!

Master of Japanese voluptuousness!

Don't imagine there was something between us!

You are a watchdog of autocracy!

They search only those departing.

lt won't occur to them you are not going to escape.

Our deed will be quite a surprise for them.

There they are.

How do you do, Green darling.

Julie. Needle. And you are Trump?

Let's go.

Can we organize a deed?

Of course we can. When exactly?

Today.

All right. There is an idea.

Carriage of the State Exchequer.

Every day they're taking about 300 thousand or more.

We have people and weapons. l can make a bomb.

You'll have to brief me and my friends.

- My commission is one-third. - All right.

This is outrageous!

Why do l have to answer the door all the time?

My head is full of rubbish as it is.

Erast-san, steam-bath would cleanse your body

and head and soul. What was dirty will become clean.

What did you say?

What was dirty will become clean.

Of course! To know what is dirty from what is clean!

- The door-bell. - the door is open.

So, ladies free to choose the code of dress?

You shoot from both hands, don't leave them alive.

So, we will stand here?

l repeat once again:

you let the carriage and the guards

pass, l and Green make a short cut,

and you throw a bomb.

Try to reach home.

Then you run around the corner.

You two shoot from both hands,

don't leave them alive.

Meanwhile l and Green will do the rest.

Then we all will make ourselves scarce.

As easy as falling off a log.

We'll take three pounds, one pound will be mine.

Three pounds - means 300 thousand?

Show me your disposition.

- ls this a bomb? - An awful workshop!

Lots of dynamite, but only one fuse is fit!

You've beautiful hands, Green.

l appreciate men by their hands.

Face and figure is nothing,

whereas hands will never misguide you.

l always wondered why women...

...of your vocation are helping proletarians.

You can't understand.

- You're made of iron. - Careful.

lt can explode.

lt can explode, eh.

There exist different explosions.

l could teach you.

Why? Don't you have a lover?

Love and lover are different things.

There may be different lovers and only one love.

Trump is good and kind and generous and brave.

Why should you need me?

They could kill you,

and you will never see nothing good in life.

My iron one.

So, you love someone?

More even than life.

No, as strong as life.

But it's none of your business.

ls he so smart as they are describing him?

Yes, very smart.

- And he will solve that case? - l guess so.

And we shall sit here, doing nothing.

l've a plan.

- Speak up, Erast. - l'm gong to a bath-house.

Time to go.

May l have you for a word?

Cheer up, revolution.

Robbery is fun, fun doesn't like sour faces.

lt needs cheek.

We won't need you there. Go away.

- l shall telephone you. - lt's unfair!

l can shoot!

You can't do this to me! l'm none worse than you.

DBD! Look.

- What? - Rakhmet...

Rakhmet is a traitor? And our deed is cancelled?

Will we have to run away?

There will be a deed.

Farewell.

No.

l hate you!

Give me the bomb. You are not going.

- Why? - They know your face.

You may ruin everything. Will you make it, the two of you?

- And l will sit stale? - lt's an order.

l said it.

Julie, wait for us at the station hotel.

We'll divide the money there.

Godspeed.

- You're taking Bullfinch. - Stay here.

lt'll take but a minute.

Don't worry, l'll manage.

- lf something happens... - You'll tell me later.

l won't let you down.

Take care of yourself.

Gee, l forgot the ramrod.

l'll be back in a moment.

lt's a bad sign - to forget things.

Operator?

Police-station?

l need to talk to Mister Pozharsky!

l can't do without a ramrod,

in case a cartridge gets stuck.

Yes?

Pozharsky is speaking.

Do speak.

Who is that woman in a red dress?

Miss Litvinova, an acquaintance of mine.

Upon your request.

l'll have the vice-governor move aside:

Mr Fandorin and his lady will sit next to you.

They are coming!

Now.

There they are.

Go!

The principal of the gymnasia said:

'You've Jewish manners,

'Miss Litvinova'.

And l slapped him in the face.

As simple as that.

What would you do in my place?

Well, maybe, maybe...

And what the principal did?

He put me in the black list. l studied home after that.

Did you have similar incidents?

Bring it in!

Vladimir Andreevich!

The State Exchequer's carriage has been robbed.

320 thousand stolen. There are victims. And...

Again?

Thank God! l was worried to death!

l was shivering all over! l knew you'll be all right!

l even prepared the champagne! Let's drink to our success!

l'm no clown for you.

You bitch,

you dumped Trump for the sake of Green?

l feel it with my guts. That's why l'm alive.

Lead me down.

Lead me down.

Grinya!

Don't.

You, French bitch,

do you prefer a dead man?

- Whom do you choose? - You, Trump!

Catastrophe.

- We should escape. - What about him?

Leave through the back door.

Quickly.

Take them away to the morgue.

My people interviewing the citizens.

- What a tragedy. - Your Excellency...

You are a fool, Colonel.

l'll banish you to Kamchatka.

Erast Petrovich... Your Excellency...

Six dead, two wounded.

- All of them our people? - We don't know yet.

- We're checking. - The Brigands again?

Yes.

What do we do?

Find them.

Find them? Where?

You weren't wasting time, were you.

l'm sure of this. Am l right?

lt's someone among our people.

Oh no. But who?

Someone cooperating with the Brigade.

He's either betraying us or just being too sincere.

That miss Litvinova...

Maybe you were too sincere with her?

l?

You yourself said something about too sincer.

l'm sorry. Do you suspect anyone?

l need to talk to you, only you and me.

Of course. Where?

- Peter's Bath-House. - Very well.

They've separate rooms there. Tomorrow, at noon.

Room 5.

We'll make a clean breast of things there.

ln a bath-house?

A clean breast of things? How original!

l admire your originality.

l'll come. And don't be cross with me.

All right?

Kamchatka...

Everyone should be in my office at noon!

- Weaving your web? - Such is my work.

Will you come to our briefing at noon?

No, l and count Pozharsky going to a bath-house,

To wash off petty thoughts, cleanse our brains.

ln Peter's Bath-House.

l prefer Russian version, with birch-tree branches.

Your Russian version is barbarous.

l've a reservation in Room 1 , Roman style.

By the way, l'm going to talk to him today at noon,

in Peter's Bath-House, Room 2.

Only it's a big secret.

Of course.

l'm finished.

Pozharsky said he'd send me Kamachatka.

l'm going to Peter's Bath-House with him today.

Room 3. l could put in a word for you.

lt's useless. l was pleading on my knees.

l'll work in Kamchatka police now.

So, they're sending Burchinsky to Kamchatka?

You want me to cooperate?

A state councilor is but small fish.

Tell Pozharsky it's only him l will cooperate with.

By the way, l'm having a date with him today.

Peter's Bath-House, Room 3.

The best place for a private talk.

Small fry,

eh?

l will be in a swimming pool...

Yes.

Watching which door he will enter.

A number of knocks at Room 5 where you will be

will mean which room he entered.

Then l go back to the swimming pool.

Yes.

What about Room 4?

l wanted to check Burchinsky, but he is out.

Coming.

Get in here!

l'm a bit busy at the moment.

Also l'm going to a bath-house today.

- Which one? - Peter's Bath-House.

At noon l'm meeting with Count Pozharsky there.

That man was sentenced to revolutionary execution!

He deserved death.

We've a Room 4 reservation.

No, l mean Room 5.

- l'm sorry. - Sorry?

You dare say all this to me? l know about your morale:

separate rooms and mademoiselles and Chinese massage!

Hand me that blanket, you scoundrel!

Don't you stare at me, you dirty infidel!

l'm leaving for ever!

lt's me.

How is everybody?

They're all asleep.

How is Bullfinch?

He is tired. lt was his first deed.

That oaf was reading 'Monte Cristo' all night long.

You were too long in coming. You did everything?

Yes. l sent a wire

and reserved a room in 'Bristol'.

'Thanks for punctuality. A man is due from Odessa

'the day after tomorrow. The Committee'.

- They'll come after the money. - Great.

Everything is ready.

Where are my hats?

l sacrifice everything on the altar of the Revolution.

Time to go.

Well, Mister Pozharsky...

Now we're after you.

What about the other four rooms?

Maybe we'll choose to move to one of them.

lt's her?

Room 5. How do you do.

l could hardly find the way here.

Champagne! You mean you caught the Brigands?

Not yet. Take off your coat. Some champagne?

No, l'm not fond of champagne.

A real fountain!

l rather fancy vodka.

- Shall l order some? - No, it's all right.

Did you already take a steam-bath?

lt's great here.

We don't have such places in Petersburg.

Let's discuss our business.

You wanted to tell me something, didn't you?

Yes.

Have you found a traitor?

Not yet.

But l'll find him soon.

There are three of them!

Approaching room 5!

Let's leave!

We should scatter!

The other one is all yours.

Alexei!

Alexei! Help!

He fell down from such a height. He's dead already.

You, drunken pig, l'm going to arrest you now.

Aren't you a sleeper!

You've asleep for almost 24 hours!

24 hours!

l thought you'd die. The doctor said

it was a nervous swoon. Thank God you're in one piece.

ln one piece.

- How did you manage to escape? - l flew away.

What about you?

And again l was saved by women, naked women.

lt was a spectacular scene!

- Some tea? - Yes.

You said last time

you had come upon the Brigade's trace

thanks to me. lt makes one.

What happened during the last day? makes two.

You said: 'Without me'.

What did you mean? makes three.

First of all

you and l will head

extraordinary... a lemon, eh...

...extraordinary anti-Brigade committee.

We'll be answerable before His Majesty.

And, two:

it looks like l have found the Brigade.

- How did you manage that? - Through your Diana.

You know why 'your Diana'?

Because you were the one

through whom l found her.

Do you remember our conversation in the light of torches?

l saw you were being secretive about something.

So l kept you under-observation

My agents came with a report:

mister Fandorin visits a certain mansion

with a turret.

l came there and pressed on the charmer.

Diana..

You know her as Diana.

But for Green she is DBD.

- DBD? - Exactly:

'The Death Bringing Diana'.

- Pulling everyone's leg. - Wait.

Wait, how did she know about Room 5?

ln Room 3.

Sorry, in Room 5.

- Where is she now? - At the same place,

guarded by one of my agents. Get up, Fandorin.

l've brought your clothes.

l will show you something, God forbid,

something even Dumas couldn't imagine.

Help this gentleman to get dressed!

- You overlooked it! - Your Excellency,

you said not to come in, not to let her out!

Take her down.

At least she did her job.

l missed something in her person.

What are you standing there?

Come here, it would be most interesting for you.

Are you ready?

Applause.

Now you know why she was sitting in the darkness?

You expected to see someone else, didn't you.

You said she did her job?

She wrote a note

which l dictated to her:

'Tomorrow at noon Fandorin and Pozharsky

'will come to Neskuchny Garden,

'lce Labyrinth'. Signed by DBD.

- Will you go there? - Of course.

lt's clear about Pozharsky.

But Fandorin...

Emelya!

You said Fandorin is dead?

He's alive and meeting with Pozharsky tomorrow.

- You don't say so! - Yes!

For Christ's sake!

What die-hard gentlemen. A bomb would get them.

Damn, no fuses.

So much dynamite and no fuses!

We've paraffin and distillation plant and glass tubes...

We could make a jelly-bomb.

But we lack nitroglycerine.

We could look for it in Aronzon's laboratory.

What if Rakhmet told on him?

We can check it. Call Aronzon.

They will surely come.

At this moment l and my people will appear:

l will say they must surrender which they won't do.

You'll jump into a hide-out and we shall chop-chop them.

A hide-out?

My dear Erast,

l took care of everything.

ls that you, Semyon?

Are you all right?

Can we come to your place?

- l awoke him. l'm coming. - No, we'll go together.

What do you think of my plan?

A good plan, and mild risk.

Shall we play it four-handed?

Did you really think

l could send you to face the bullets?

Let's go.

You come in and look out the window.

lf you don't, within 3 minutes, it will mean an ambush.

Then go away immediately.

You can stay in the store-house.

- l won't betray you. - l know.

They won't torture me, will they.

Three minutes!

Shutov! Who is there?

Sit tight, you bitch.

l had enough time

to pierce my throat with a needle,

but l couldn't.

l'm sorry.

Good, because why else l took this risk.

That was...

...Khrapov's chief guard.

He has gone berserk.

He killed Aronzon.

Maybe it is to the best,

They beat me up.

l'm so ugly now.

No,

you are very beautiful.

l swore to myself, but... lt's all nonsense.

Nonsense...

Of course it is...

There will be an ice fortress in that garden...

And a bench to the right of the entrance.

You should sit down...

To your right there will be a hole,

a hole in the snow.

You should fall into that hole

and down there - a trench, you will walk its length

and reach a neighboring street.

You should disappear before we start shooting.

lt might be very dangerous.

Shoot!

Run! Emelya!

They killed Bullfinch!

No!

Are you crazy or what?

Why didn't you jump into the hole?

They could've killed you.

lt is not as if they read Schiller or about Wilhelm Tell!

l did jump.

Oh, my Jesus.

Who did this?

- What? - They are dead.

Emelya and Bullfinch are dead

Police will be here any moment now. We should escape.

But where to?

To my house.

The Brigade was destroyed,

- except the chief. lt means... - Pozharsky comes a cropper.

Number one:

l'll report about Pozharsky's escapades

and he will have his 'pat on the back'.

And then whom do you think

l will make care-taker

Chief Policeman of Moscow?

- You, Fandorin! - They won't approve it.

They will, the more so,

now we shall bring that Green on a plate to them.

Go now assume office in the residence.

My congratulations, Your Excellency.

Your study is not ready yet.

But it will be very soon.

lt's very urgent.

Nikanor Kabylkin's face.

What's the matter?

Your personal guards, the best ones.

The best ones should chase bandits.

You may go.

Erast Petrovich.

Good afternoon.

l thought only Peterburg people are so fond of reforms.

Obviously Muscovites have the same soft spot.

l'm busy. But if you have any news about the Brigade...

l don't have any news about VB,

but l've news about GG,

l mean myself.

Here is His Majesty's Decree

about my person being appointed

Chief Policeman of Moscow.

So, your reforms are too early in the day.

l'm joking.

Just my protector has sharper teeth.

Now try doing this,

by yourself.

He was hanged three years ago in Ekaterinoslavl.

Then who is DBD?

Who?

First helping us and then betraying?

l can't understand.

Tell me,

have you ever loved?

Put in the nails.

l don't remember, it's all nonsense.

lt's the wrong time for this.

Of course,

love is nothing, there are things more important.

Careful.

Another one.

Criss-cross.

DBD...

How shall l find him?

- How did those notes come? - Differently.

Last time, l saw Julie out and that note was...

Of course!..

ln Petersburg, in Moscow...

Put me through to hotel 'Bristol'.

There is a more important order:

Count Dolgorutsky should resign,

with all honors and ceremony.

And Moscow's Governor will be...

...His Majesty's brother,

Grand Duke Simeon.

You understand?

l don't understand why they're doing this.

Dolgorutsky is an old but experienced person.

There were no problems under him, in Moscow.

You've an angel's heart, really.

No problems - that's the point.

A person without problems is big trouble.

Neither the tsar, nor you and me

need such a person.

They need a comedian's face.

Take actor Schepkin - no beard or whiskers to pull at.

Problems is like a beard:

you can pull at it, pull that man wherever you want.

l need your advice.

Where are you calling from?

Yes, this telephone number.

l see.

All right.

Good bye, Fandorin, we shall talk later.

ls the councilor's sleigh still at the front door?

- Yes, sir. - Don't dismiss it.

Green is in a trap.

Alas, without your cooperation.

- Sir... - Sir...

- Where would you go? - How much is this sleigh?

How much is this sleigh?

lt's a golden brequet. Shall we have a swap?

- Come on. - Gee.

Are you serious?

Hotel 'Bristol'.

Wait here.

He said it's urgent.

He said drive through Myasnitskaya street.

He's afraid he's being shadowed. ls he suspecting anything?

You're worried about me, don't you.

Dear Gleb, it's his usual prudence.

- You're my happy talisman. - You're my triumpher.

l'm being late, bye.

See you soon.

Soon, yes.

- Let's go. - Whoah!

Look at me.

Do you remember Strelnya?

- Tell me. - Enough.

l'll be waiting for a word from you.

Let's move slower!

- What do you want? - He is my friend.

- How do you do, Green. - Go straight.

What? ls this some persecution mania?

l didn't see no letter.

l didn't even look at that door. l was in a hurry to see you.

Also l saw you near 'Bristol', in the company of Pozharsky.

Have you been a police agent for long?

But why?

l will kill you if you don't speak up.

- You speak - you'll live. - Yes, l'm an agent.

From the very beginning.

Oh, my God...

He dictated all those notes to me.

Who?

Who?

Pozharsky?

- Why? - l don't know.

lt's not my business.

lt's all just boyish games.

- Call your benefactor. - No.

You will kill me, won't you.

All right.

Promise that you will let me go.

l will, when everything is over with Pozharsky.

Chief Policeman's office?

l need to talk to the count urgently.

lt's Julie.

Thanks you. He's not there yet.

We shall wait then.

You will call in 15 minutes.

Sit down.

- A carriage, Sir? - l came in a sleigh.

We'll talk later. The key moment is nigh.

Your key moment.

That glitter in your eyes, and that blush.

What happened, Mr Statue: have you caught Green?

Someone more important.

All right, you've five minutes.

Help me with the coat.

Go away.

Jesus, you're still here.

You're not just a career-seeker,

you're a provocateur, a state criminal.

You're behind the Brigade. You want proof?

No. You'll drone now and bend your fingers:

this is one, this is two, this is three...

But l've no time for this.

l need to finish this business quickly.

You mean l'm a leader of terrorists. So what?

What do you mean, 'so what'?

What do you have against me?

Deduction ideas? l leave no traces.

Any normal person would say this is all nonsense.

No one will believe you. As for deduction, shove it up...

...your wallet.

l can't believe it!

Tell me,

why should you need all this ugliness?

For God's sake,

don't call patriotic cause ugliness.

You call this patriotic cause?

Exactly, my dear friend.

l've two types of enemies:

dumb-heads of exalted rank

who destroy the state machine from the inside

and terrorists who do this from the outside.

l don't know which one is more dangerous.

And we don't have time, Fandorin!

ln two years they will ruin Russia.

- And that is why you... - Yes!

Yes!

That is why

l used my intellect,

my talent and courage

and my industry

to create a most intricate mechanism.

lt worked quietly, without fail.

Like this brequet,

a present from His Majesty.

Green was my instrument in clearing the road for Russia:

and there became less dumb heads,

the air became more fresh.

The one who catches the Brigade

everyone is so afraid of, can ask for anything.

And he can take as much as he wants.

- Take what? - Anything:

money, power.

But if they don't give him any?

Then another Brigade will appear,

even more dangerous.

You're clearing the road for yourself then, not Russia.

Unlike you, l take Russia as part of myself.

What is good for Russia is good for me.

And vice versa, l hope.

l won't let you do this.

You won't let me catch Green?

l won't let you overcome.

You're a devil.

lt's too late,

Mr Erast Faust.

Too late.

You may say to the world

the new Chief Policeman of Moscow,

a destroyer of the Brigade, is a devil.

You will finish your monologue in a mad-house.

Take my word for it.

You've nothing against me. l'm not afraid of you anymore.

l thought you meant something,

but you don't.

You lack that briskness, that vivacity.

You're too much of a coddle,

as if fearing to spill your self.

Well...

Now that you know it, you've no other choice.

You either take my side

and we're flying together,

or you will be alone against me,

but then don't grumble.

You also could step aside,

keep meaningful silence

and wait for the outcome of events.

That would be a Russian intelligent's trick.

And maybe the best thing to do.

Make up your mind now.

l'm pressed for time, tell me straightforward.

- l'm waiting. - l'd choose not to speak.

The stakes have been made then.

Good bye, five minutes were enough.

Evil eats its own self...

lt's him.

l'll be quick. l'll just ask him one question.

Then we'll leave.

- ls that you, Gleb? - Yes, it's me.

Where are you taking me?

- l've a surprise for you. - A surprise...

And this is...

No need to introduce yourself.

Mademoiselle Needle.

Pleased to meet you.

Surprise?

'Sir-prize', as my batman used to say. Where is our staunch...

Here l am.

Take your hands out of the pockets, slowly.

lt was not your idea...

They threatened to kill me.

Stop crying.

May l turn round, comrade Green?

What is DBD?

Now l know why you didn't kill me

there and then.

Curiosity is a good human quality.

Really, it's something else

than thinking about Karl Marx all the time.

Stop playing the fool. What is DBD?

l won't tell you.

l'd rather tell her than you.

What do we do?

l won't tell you,

l won't tell you.

Have you ever seen

a chief policeman dancing

before terrorists,

trading, begging for his life?

Gleb dear,

it's me!

Forgive me.

That's it,

Olga Alexeevna.

A most useful thing made by Englishmen.

lt has saved my life for the third time.

You were asking what DBD means?

Daft Blood Drinkers.

So primitive, but to the point.

Tell me:

you're so young and beautiful.

Why should you need all this?

Why call yourself Needle?

Countess Dobrinskaya, from a noble family.

Eh?

Taking such pleasure in killing people?

No.

Don't you want anything else?

You have big life before you.

l do wanted something else.

l wanted to get married.

Well?..

You know now why l didn't receive you before of all?

l wanted to meet you.

The late Pozharsky recommended you

in most favorable terms in his reports.

He was a talented person.

What a loss for Russia. And for me, too.

l read your report to the minister.

They brought it to me with a subscript:

'Dangerous rigmarole'.

l knew Pozharsky, that's why l rather believe you.

He must have gone too far, may God be his judge.

He believed he did it for the good of his country.

Now there's a vacancy.

You will be my new Pozharsky.

A decree appointing you

Chief Policeman was signed

by the Lord's Anointed.

So even l can't decline it.

ln three months

you will become State Councilor in Deed.

Also today l'll find a chamberlain for you.

Well,

like our Moscow merchants say,

it's a deal?

You can't do base things even for the sake of your country.

lt makes one.

Address me on a second-name basis. lt makes two.

l won't serve Your Highness,

it makes three.

Erast Petrovich,

my good lord.

Now l have to load all these papers on the sleigh.

My master is withering away

and is bed-ridden.

You could help him. We pin our hopes on you.

Now that you work with that Nebuchadnezzar,

he will behave in your presence.

And you will put him to reason.

But, Frol, in fact l...

lt's all right,

you'll have to bear that cross.

But you're strong, you will manage.

ls that all?

May God keep you.

Your Highness:

you said my appointment was signed by the Tsar

and you can't decline it. l will do my service then.

Each of us - at our posts.

Translated by Svetlana Kormashova