The Last Station Page #5

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Let me assure you that

I'm not a very good Tolstoyan myself.

You should think twice

before asking my advice on anything.

"Torture. "

Kalya was her name.

She's an old woman now.

White hair, old body, like me.

Hardly remember my name,

I suspect.

She may even be dead.

Do you think all that

meant something?

What do you mean?

Well, I mean, that little romance.

Was there some meaning to it?

Well, I think you would say...

I mean...

...I think I've read where you say

that the physical body is not real.

That it's all an illusion.

I say a lot of things.

But what do you say?

What do you think?

I don't know.

I don't know, either.

Oh, smell that.

- Lilac.

- Precisely. Lilac.

Scent gets stronger

when the sun goes down.

Does it?

Papa!

He's free!

He's coming back!

My friend.

He has come to try again to persuade

your father to change the will...

...to give the copyright

as a gift to humanity.

- The reptile.

- Papa's not in his right mind.

He can't defend himself

against these thieves.

You're a fine son, my darling.

None of this fake chastity

or made-up religion.

I wish all my children

had turned out like you.

Vladimir Grigorevich,

what a surprise.

Sofya Andreyevna.

- I'm happy to see you.

- And I'm happy to make you happy.

Come, come, my friend.

Now, we have a great deal

to talk about.

I'm happy to have a moment

alone with you, Valentin.

- There seems to be some confusion.

- What do you mean?

You send me commentary

on Tolstoy's writing...

...and that's all very interesting,

but not very useful.

See, I need to know what goes on

with Sofya Andreyevna.

You must see by now

how committed she is...

...to undermining

her husband's best intentions.

It's not quite so obvious to me.

The woman understands nothing

of what we're doing.

We simply want to distribute

Tolstoy's writing...

...to the widest audience possible.

I can only be of limited use

to the master...

...if I don't know what's going on.

The survival of our movement

depends upon it.

- You value our work?

- I do.

- The ideals we share?

- It's why I'm here.

Very good.

- Good morning, darling.

- Good morning.

- Do you mind if I join you?

- No, of course, of course, my dear.

You know...

...it's quite insane, my darling,

how people are making fun of you.

- What are you talking about?

- Even the muzhiks.

I heard them laughing about it in

the horse barn.

About what?

Laughing about what?

About the fact

that you've developed a senile crush...

...on a fat, middle-aged flatterer.

Your passion for Chertkov

has become a standing joke.

I have a great affection

for Vladimir Grigorevich.

Let them laugh

if they find it so amusing.

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