The Queen of Spades Page #5

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Every one of them.

And I shall set them free and watch them fly away

into the clouds.

Go tell Lizaveta Ivanovna to come at once!

I cannot be kept here waiting all day.

Yes, Excellency.

Will you be at the Opera next week?

Yes, I will.

Do you think I might see you there?

Please do, if you wish.

Perhaps we might continue our conversation.

Do you think, Lizaveta Ivanovna,

I might come to your box in the theater?

Oh, I do. Yes, indeed I do. Please excuse me now,

I daren't keep the countess waiting.

Come on, Andrei, drink up.

What's the matter with you?

Oh, nothing, nothing at all.

You've got all the symptoms of a man in love.

Have I?

Do I know her?

In a sense, yes.

Do you remember your grandmother's young companion?

Lizaveta Ivanovna?

Why she's a pathetic little creature.

Is she?

I'm sorry.

I didn't know you knew her.

Where on earth did you manage to see her?

I met her accidentally one day at the bird market.

She was buying some canaries for your grandmother.

My dear old fellow, you're not really serious about this,

are you?

Yes.

I've never been more serious in my life.

Come on, have a drink.

Come in.

Oh, so you're in.

I wonder why you stopped coming to our card parties.

Why don't you come tonight?

No, thank you.

I'm not interested in cards at the moment.

Forget hard work for once.

Oh, I'm not working, I'm...

writing a love letter.

You writing a love letter?

But you've never written one in your life,

have you?

Why, have you?

Well, not properly, no,

but I know now what it's like to be in love.

Then tell me how you would compose

a letter of this sort.

I mean, what burning phrases would you use?

I should say, "I love you to distraction."

"Your dark eyes have driven away my rest and peace.

Oh, if you could but love me."

I have got a letter for you.

This can't be for me.

But it is.

It couldn't be. I don't know this person.

German Suvorin.

I've never heard of him in my life.

Well, it's addressed to you.

No. There must be some mistake.

Of course it's for you.

You read it through properly and see.

Why have you torn it up if it isn't for you?

You must go now.

What shall I say?

Haven't you got a message for him?

Tell him please not to write to me again.

I love you to distraction.

Your dark eyes have driven away my rest and peace.

Your dark eyes have driven away my rest and peace.

Lisaveta, if you could but love me.

To Lisaveta Ivanovna.

I revere you...

I esteem and admire you.

You are dearer to me than language

has the power of telling.

You are dearer to me

than language has the power

of telling.

Don't touch my arm like that or I shall be black and blue.

That will do. That's enough.

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