""Lenfilm" studio" "Fyodor Dostoyevsky" "The Meek One (a fantastic story)" "St. Petersburg." "The capital." "Hardly any other place could influence a man's soul in such dark, harsh and mysterious ways like St. Petersburg does it." "Pawnbroker's - 5th floor" "Now, see for yourselves what is happening in those big black dusky houses of St. Petersburg." "Look closer." "And see for yourselves - what kind of life this is." "I'll leave you here for a moment, I won't be long." "I'll only make arrangements about our passports and departure." "Is anything wrong, Madam, my dear?" "It's alright, Lukeria." "You can go." "Are you happy, Madam?" "Yes." "Well, Master should've apologized a long time ago" "Thank God it's all over now." "Yes, Lukeria." "Go away." "Madam!" "(german accent) Hey boy, vat's goink on down zere?" "A woman has jumped out of the window!" "Here, Mister!" "Too late." "Too late." "I've named my story "fantastic", while I consider it to be realistic to the utmost." "The "fantastic" part is in the form of the story, where the man constantly speaks to himself." "It's her fault!" "It's her fault." "I wanted her to kneel before me, for all my sufferings." "And I was well worth it!" "That was my plan!" "But I must be missing something here... something I didn't take into account..." "I'll tell it all, like I understand it... ..That's the horror of it, that I understand it all!" "I'll just put it in order." ""Housemaid"." "That was not the first time she came to me she needed money to pay for the ads in newspapers." "And she hardly could, at the time." "Nobody will take things like this, as you might have already noticed." "Even Mauzer won't." "I could give you money for it, only as a favor." "Here." "Two rubles." "Only as a favor." "Two rubles is not enough." "Could you take a look... at this?" "You'd better remove the mounting, and take the icon with you." "Or, you know... doesn't feel like..." "Can you do that?" "Well, it's not like I'm not allowed to, but maybe you wanted to..." "Go on, remove it." "Look, forget the removing part, I'm going to put it over there in the icon case, and you, you'll get 10 rubles for it." "I don't need ten." "Give me five rubles, I'll pay off by all means." "Don't you want a ten?" "The icon's worth it." "Forget about your pride," "I've been in your shoes, I know how hard it could be." "And now you see me in this kind of work only because of all the things I've been through." "So is that your revenge?" "You see, I'm..." "Part of that power which does... constantly strive to do evil, and constantly does good." "Wait, that lines..." "I heard it somewhere..." "Where?" "In such words Mephistopheles introduces himself to Faust." "Did you read "Faust"?" " Not really..." " So you didn't." "You should." "But don't think that I try to pose as Mephistopheles to cover up my line of work." "A pawnbroker is a pawnbroker." "That is true." "You're strange..." "I didn't want to say anything of the kind." "Of course there's a good deed in any kind of work." "I'm not talking about myself, mind you..." "As for me, I'm doing nothing except for evil." "But..." "Then I decided to test her one more time." "Here, listen." ""Young lady, orphan, will work as a governess for small children" "In case the employer is an elderly widower, she could also help with the housework." "See?" "That was published this morning." "By the evening she must've already found a job." "That's a good advertisement." "You're right, one can do good on any kind of work." "On any kind." "Oh yes, I remember that day..." "When she came out..." "I made up my mind once and for all." "She's still hoping to find a place, Master." "Asks her aunt for a little time to think." "They gave her that "little", and looks like it's running out today." " Lukeria, is Madam at home?" " Where else would she be?" "To hell with you, old fool!" " Is that him?" " Yes, Master, he's a local grocer." "He's outlived two wives, God bless them." "Now he has put an eye on her." "They're going to sell her, Master." "Listen here, Lukeria." "Go up there and tell her that I'm here, and I would like a word with her, most urgent." "Master, are you really?" ".." "She's been a slave for her aunts for three years." "Sewing scrubbing floors..." "They used to beat her." "Reproached her for the food." "Later she told me all in details." "Well..." "Don't be surprised." "I am a frank man, as you might have noticed," "I've studied thoroughly everything about you." "So..." "I will consider it an honor, a fortune..." "An honor?" "A fortune?" "Wait, don't rush with the answer." "You may misinterpret my intentions." "These are exactly "Honor" and "Fortune"." "With your "yes" you'll bless me." "Yes, that is so." "I am not really talented, nor am I clever, or maybe even kind." "I'm a cheap egoist." " Why are you saying all this?" "Don't!" " No, I will." "I will." "You must believe that with your "yes" it is me who gains, not you." "My income is not great, but I promise you'll never be hungry." "But no dresses, dances, theaters, nothing of the kind." "Maybe later, when I'm closer to my goals." "When you're a pawnbroker, you have only one goal." "You'll learn about it later." "I am waiting for your answer." "So..." "Give me a second." "Is she really deciding between me and that merchant?" "No, I wasn't afraid that she would decline," "I knew the grocer was even more repulsive than me, and that I'm in the role of liberator, I knew all that!" "Oh, the lowness is truly what a man understands best of all!" "So, what will be your answer?" "I'm very grateful." "Yes." "God will repay you, Master, for taking her." "Only don't tell her what I said." "She's meek, but proud." "Proud, huh?" "A proud one..." "Proud ones are especially good, when when you no longer doubt your power over them." "Taking her in my house, I wanted absolute respect, authority." "What's that for?" "I don't keep dogs or servants, and in my line of work this is necessary for protection." "On all her joys and raptures I answered with cold indifference" "That was my plan!" "She saw quickly the difference in us and the mystery in me." "The mystery - that's what I counted on!" "Listen..." "Two months had passed." "How do I start here, it's very difficult to..." "Whenever you start making excuses, it gets even more difficult." "You see, young ones despise money, for instance." "I immediately started talking about money." "I emphasized that topic, to such extent, that she became more and more silent." "When you were my fiancee, I told you, that the cost of our living, meaning food for you, me and Lukeria, is one ruble per day, not more." "Then I raised it myself on 30 kopecks." "Same goes for the theater." "I said we couldn't afford it, but now it's allowed once a month." "Good, exspensive seats." "You must be satisfied." "What's funny?" "I can live without theater, save us some money." "Well, you can't make a fortune without saving," "I need to get thirty thousand in three years." "Yes, you heard me!" "I deserve it!" "I started this business, only to..." "Why, why should I even make excuses in front of her?" "Could she even understand my excuses, my sufferings?" "Some day she'll get it by herself, and she'll appreciate it twice as much." " I came here, thinking that you may be interested in hearing the details of your husband's life before marriage." "Not here, of course... in a more suitable place." "Shame on you!" "How can you even talk like that?" "Keeping in mind our previous relations," "I do hope you will no longer dare come into my house!" "If you please." "You're right." "Your house is not a pleasant place for meetings." "I'd rather meet somewhere else." "All the best, Ma'am." "How low, how disgusting!" "You think I didn't love her?" "Everybody would tell you, that I loved her!" "You see, there goes the biting irony of this situation..." "Because I did, I really did love her!" "Although... why am I even talking about it?" "The point here is..." "That I ramble on and on, but can't quite get it together." "How did it all start?" "Yes, that's how." "One... four... nine... seven..." "Now that will do." "Thirty rubles." "Okay." "It's a present, from my deceased husband." "The last thing I have in memory of him." "Could you take all these, instead of the locket?" "No." "They are worthless." " Please keep it in safe, I'll pay off!" " By all means." "I'll keep it during one month, starting from today," "After that, you can't claim any rights on it." "Stay here." "I can't." "I just can't leave here the last thing that's dear to me." "Take it." "But you do need money, what are you going to do?" "I'll try to pawn any of these..." "Noone will take them, believe me." "I'll try anyway." "Give it here." "Take it, go on." " How can I thank you?" " Please go." " Go." " Thank you so much." "Thank you." "The money, that you spent so generously, were mine!" "Mine, do you understand?" "Cheap generosity is always easy." "Is that what you seek?" "How about the difficult option?" "The inglorious one, when you're slandered, when everyone sees the scoundrel in you, while you're more honest than anyone else on earth?" "Try that heroic deed for a change." "No?" "You won't?" "And me, I've been doing it all my life." "When I invited you into my house, I hoped you'll understand all that, and make it a rule to..." "So you hoped to buy my respect, my love?" "No, sir." "You can't buy that." "From now on you take no part in my occupation." "Where's she going?" " Is she with you?" " No, she's not here." "That's strange." " And all these days..." " I haven't seen her for a long time." "I don't get it." "I told her not to leave the house without me." "It's your own fault." "Serves you right." "I'm asking you... find out what you can" "and tell me." "I'll give it a try, Mister." "I'll be back later." "Is that true you were kicked out of your regiment?" "For cowardice, for declining a duel?" "Yes." " Kicked out as a coward?" " Yes, that's how they named it." "So that's who you are, a coward!" "To rise agains their tyranny, takes much more courage than fighting on any duel." "So it's true that you wandered around the city for three years, like a tramp?" "Begging for coins, sleeping under the bridge?" "Yes, that's true." "In my life I had a great deal of shame and hardships" " But that's in the past." " Yes, now you're a big man." "A financier." " Is that a hint?" " Whatever you like." "Everyone talks badly about the pawnbroker." "So what?" "What of it?" "I must have reasons of my own." "And yet you didn't tell me that before the marriage." "Yes, I didn't tell her." "I kept my mouth shut." "Why was I silent?" "I was, like any proud man would be!" "She's heard the disgraceful gossip and thinks that she knows all about me." "But the innermost secret I kept to myself." "You see, that was an incident which has been bothering me every hour, every minute of my life." "To put it shortly..." "It started in the theater, I went out during the intermission." "Have you heard?" "Captain Bezumcev is making a scandal upstairs in the bar." "Bezumcev who?" "Which regiment?" "Ah, he's one of these." "Why don't you bring your brother-officer to reason?" "We're in public area, after all." " I have seen nothing reprehensible." " Nothing?" "It seems like he's drunk!" "It only seems so." "We thank you for upholding the honor of our regiment." "The whole city's talking about us." "He should be nominated for an award." "Allow me, gentlemen." "You did witness the guardsmen talking about Cap." "Bezumcev didn't you?" "Why didn't you stop them?" "Why should I?" "It's his and Bezumcev's own business to discuss." " I see." " No it's not!" "This concerns each and every one of us!" "You've brought shame on us, in front of other officers and everyone!" "Will you cut it out?" "You don't seem to care about the regiment's honor." "The regiment's honor is fine." "Gentlemen, that's foolish, you're making a problem out of nothing." "The honor of our officers is not "nothing"!" "You're just a coward!" "Calm down, gentlemen." "It think it's not too late for our staff-captain to clear our name" "by demanding satisfaction from the officer in question." "You're offering me a duel?" "or..." "I won't submit to your narrow-minded tyranny!" " I won't fight!" " Then we demand that you leave our regiment immediately!" "I resigned and left my regiment." "I was penniless... and all alone on the streets." "I lost my courage and willpower." "I was thrown away... thrown away and forgotten." "And nobody knows that." "Closing time!" "Shut the doors, turn off the light." "I was offended, for life," "For my noble impulse towards people." "So let it be shame, let it be disgrace." "Let it be sin." "The worse - the better." "And that's what I chose." "But where did she learn all that?" "Turns out, it is all Yulia Samsonovna, our former acquaintance." "A widow, lives upstairs." "That's where your wife spends time nowadays." "Your former colleague is involved too, an officer by the name Efymovych." "He's a good friend of hers." "They're having a date tonight." "If you wish, I can arrange that you'll hear every word of their rendez-vous." " That'll do." " Yes, but..." "The colonel's wife would want her share too, so..." "So Efymovych told her and she's having a date with him." "...your spouse was shivering with fear." "He's not worthy of such charming, such intelligent," "such courageous woman as you." "Courageous?" "Ah, yes, courageous." "To dare go on date with you takes a lot of courage, is that what you say?" "You're right, though." "Please go on." "You promised to prove me, that my husband is a coward and a disreputable man." "Until now, I've been hearing lies and nothing more." " I don't believe you." " If you don't, how come you've taken a risk of granting me this date?" "Don't look at me like that." "Only affected and spontaneous hatred towards me could trick her into a date like this." " What can I do for you?" " Don't you dare!" " You won't!" " I'll do anything!" " Don't!" " Let me kiss at least your dress!" " Don't you dare touch me, I'll scream!" "Oh, I wouldn't go against the sacred bonds of marriage." "Take her away." "For your information, although a decent man shouldn't fight with you, only out of respect for your lady" "I'm at your disposal." "If you dare, of course." "Hear that?" "I've been a witness of a long fight between a noble generous woman and a lecherous dumb society lion." "We walked in silence." "And, remembering what has just happened," "I saw it more and more clearly, that poor thing was just hesitant, eager to insult me." "Why did I decide to meet my death calmly, you ask me?" "I ask you, why would I want to live, when my dearest thing raises a revolver on me?" "Moreover, I realized that this situation was a fight, a matter of life and death." "A battle fought by a yesterday's coward, despised by his comrades." "Only the knowledge that I've seen her, that I know everything and that I'm waiting silently," "could prevent her from shooting." "By going through this, this revolver," "I took vengeance on the whole of my dark past." "I won!" "And she was defeated, once and for all!" "We've been looking after her day and night during her illness." "I couldn't imagine," "I couldn't even assume that she would die without knowing the whole truth." "What a nice day." "Lukeria, my dear, could you bring me some water?" "But keep quiet." "When she started feeling better," "I tried to keep myself out of sight, secretly looking at her." "Strange, though, that all the time I couldn't catch her eye." "I kept repeating to myself:" ""Hold on, wait!" "She'll give up first."" "That thought was irresistible." "A fatal, dreadful mist in front of my eyes." "(folk song)" "She's singing, while I'm in the house?" "Has she forgotten about me, or what?" "Cab!" "To the Green bridge!" "Stop." "That's for the trouble." "I saw it!" "I did see it clearly!" "Let's talk." "You know..." "I tormented you!" "Enough, calm down." "I'll shut down this damned office!" "I hated it all my life, I suffered and made you suffer too!" "Please don't, calm down, I beg you!" "I love you." "I love you." "I'm a criminal." "I know this." "This crime has been torturing me the whole winter." " And it still does." " Don't say that!" "Let's forget about this." "I wanted to love you." "I was seeking love." " But now we're strangers." " Let's forget this nightmare." "We'll leave!" "To the seashore!" "In Boulogne!" "You'll feel much better, you'll forget it all!" "You are so generous." "I appreciate what you've done for me so much." "I'll be your faithful wife." "I will respect you, you hear?" "Respect." "And I thought you'd leave me be." "I won't ask you anything." "Pay no attention to me." "I'll take you to Boulogne." "Right now." "I'll leave you here for a moment, I won't be long." "I'll only make arrangements about our passports and departure." "And this happened today." "Some hours ago." "I don't get it, how did she jump out?" "If only I came back five minutes earlier!" "She was too pure, too honest, too innocent." ""And I thought you'd leave me be" that's what she said before." "She was scared of my love, that's what." "She asked herself seriously:" "accept it or not?" " she couldn't bear the question and preferred to die." "Now I see it." "For ever, with no return." "I see that she despised me." "Only recently... she walked... she talked..." "What a pity." "Five minutes." "Only five minutes late." "And now again, these empty rooms." "Why on earth... did I leave her?" "Our passports." "Nobody." "What a misfortune." "Again I'm alone." "With my pawnshop." "I no longer work here, Mister." "As soon as they bury her, I'll leave." "You ruined her, for good." "Now I can't let Lukeria go." "She know everything." "She's going to tell me all about her." "Look, the pendulum doesn't care." "It regrets nothing." "It just keeps on ticking:" "too late... too late... too late..." "I ruined her." "That's what." "Doesn't hear." "What for?" "Why did she die?" "Oh, I understand it." "And yet this question stays with me, like a thorn in the head." "Question?" "What question?" "The answer is on the table, and you talk about questions!" "Madness... madness..." "Madness." ""Love thy neighbor."" "Who said it?" "Whose precept is this?" "To hell with your life!" "With your faith!" "Judge me any way you want!" "I won't admit a thing!" "The judge will say, "Silence, officer!"" "And I'll scream: "What kind of powers do you have to make me obey?" "!"" "How come the inertness ruined what was most precious?" "That inertness!" "Inertness." "They say, "Is anybody out there alive?" "I scream: "Is anybody out there alive?"" "Noone answers." "People are alone on earth..." "What a pity." "No, really." "What am I going to do, after they carry her away?" "What am I going to do?" "The flow of his memories finally led him to the truth." "This meek self-destructive soul evokes different thoughts, about past things being not as simple as they seem, and makes you wonder whether or not you were the very cause of them." "Dark story that was." "One of those dark, painful stories, which are so often lost and forgotten in the streets of the enormous city under heavy St. Petersburg sky." "Fyodor Dostoyevsky" "The end."