Original subtitles

With the passing of Tomasz, a faithful child of God,

we stand bereft not merely of his wisdom, prudence and brilliant wit,

but we also mourn a part of the old world and its sacred traditions,

which are now being dismantled by the current doctrines of Western Europe

that seek to disrupt the divine order.

Like the guillotines that fell

upon the necks of innocent aristocrats in France,

they wish to strike at the very foundations of our age-old order.

That is why it is so imperative...

-Again, so that I understand. -that we remember...

You claim

that the renowned and respected merchant, Stanisław Wokulski,

is responsible for the burning of the barges and machinery

co-owned by your father.

Late father.

Now, in the sacred memory of Tomasz,

let us pray for our sins, let us beg...

And you assert that he risked his reputation

so that you might become his wife.

Why else would he do it?

I already explained.

Did I not?

Yes.

Well, thank you. We will look into the matter.

Thank you.

Miss Izabela.

Does this Stanisław Wokulski bear

any resemblance to the man in this sketch?

That's him.

That's him!

Mea culpa, mea culpa, mea maxima culpa. Amen.

THE DOLL

Dessert will be served shortly.

Excuse me for a moment.

Of course, I am well aware

how convenient it would be if I simply disappeared

and ceased to be

your social problem.

The disgrace of the family.

"What is the matter with Bela?"

Excuse me.

Ladies and gentlemen...

Bela, come along. They're serving the dessert.

I shall be with you in a moment.

To the deceased.

I shall set aside the largest portion for you.

Please accept

my deepest,

deepest condolences.

Thank you.

I only wish to say

that you have never been a problem for me, miss,

and you shall never be, of course.

Thank you, Baron.

Should... you ever find yourself in need of assistance, my dear,

in any matter whatsoever,

I am entirely at your service.

Unfortunately, I must leave now, for duty summons me.

You may call for me at any hour.

Excuse me.

As the Bible says,

"There is a time to laugh and a time to weep."

"Let the dead bury the dead."

Mortuos suos...

Please accept my condolences once again.

And mine also.

My respects.

Miss Izabela.

My dear.

Surely, you did not think...

that we would leave you on your own.

Looking to the future,

and of your own free will,

you consented to place yourself

under the protection of Duke Rudnicki, should your father pass away.

Yes.

It is perhaps the single sensible thing you have done this past year.

We are quite concerned for you, my dear.

You are one of us,

but your recent behaviour leads us to a sad conclusion.

Neurasthenia.

It is the inevitable result of the feverish pace of modern life.

Doctor Mitchell, the world-renowned specialist,

recommends his treatment of lying down in total isolation,

and the complete cessation of all activity,

even reading.

For the time being, we shall send you to the Carmelite convent

so that you may recover.

For the time being? Meaning?

Until you are recovered.

The Prioress will decide when you can come back to us.

I object.

Dear Izabela,

enough.

Pack your things, my dear.

The Prioress and the Duke will escort you to the convent.

Aunt, but... how? What?

Aunt, do something.

Florcia?

Yes?

Oh! May I... ask a question?

Of course, Mr Wokulski.

Do you like being a waiter?

-I cannot complain. -He cannot complain.

What do you mean, you cannot? You're a fucking waiter!

-Stach! Be calm. -Quite so.

Hey!

You may play something nice.

How do people do it?

How do they do it? How are they happy with their own nature? How?

How do they sleep soundly without asking themselves

if they're a despicable shit?

How do they do it? I desire the same.

But I am entirely incapable. I never could achieve it.

Since I was a child, I've looked at others,

and I've wanted to be like them, the well-born and the fucking well-to-do,

those more relaxed, those... beautiful people, and for what?

Well,

I did everything...

Fucking hell.

I did everything...

I did everything to be like them, like their kind.

And what has come of it?

It was too much.

And

it involved too much malice.

She won't call me "Staszek" again.

She will never call me "Staszek" again.

You did nothing wrong, Stach.

That is to say... you did.

I did.

But nothing that would cause Miss Łęcka to refuse to see you.

I destroyed everything you built. I've ruined all your efforts.

-I'm deeply sorry. -Ignaś, you fool!

Ignaś, I don't blame you for any of it.

I left everything on your shoulders. The department store, the auction and...

Stach.

You should leave.

I should leave only for my grave.

There would be peace and quiet.

I'm wondering... what the headstone for that grave should say.

My dear Staś...

-Stach. -Julek!

Stach, get up.

-No! Get up, Stach. -Get up.

Not like that, Stach!

-Hold on. Let me take Stach. -It is quite all right.

Bela.

You didn't eat the dessert.

I saved the best piece just for you.

Thank you, Florcia.

You may tell the Prioress that I shall be ready in a moment.

Are... you going somewhere?

Yes.

Haven't you heard?

I must have missed it.

Too much has occurred today.

I know where you are going.

To Paris.

I guessed the truth, did I not?

I guessed it.

Yes, Florcia.

To Paris.

My, my.

Do not tell a soul.

The young lady is making her preparations.

Am I dead?

I am dead.

Don't mind me. Continue.

Miss.

If anyone asks, I was never here.

Thank you.

Help the homeless.

Good evening. I am looking for Zofia Dobska.

She works here.

She's not here.

Zofia Dobska.

Not here.

Where might she be found?

Not here.

May I stay here?

You want to stay here?

Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee.

Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb...

I cannot believe it.

What do you intend to do?

I do not know.

You may stay at my lodgings if you wish.

Do not run!

At least until you find something... better.

Thank you.

I must attend to my duties now.

All right. You are going to help me.

Get up.

Hey, you there! Come here.

Why are you limping?

Show me your leg.

Heavens. All right. You are coming with me to the infirmary. I shall bandage it.

-You'll hack off my leg, not bandage it. -How dare you!

I shall take your head off. Can you endure it?

Come along. Let's go.

Yes.

-Where did you get that? -I found it.

-Where? -By the river.

You could not have. I had it with me all the while.

If you had it with you all the while, you would have it now.

It is my necklace.

-No, it's mine! -Give it back! You have no right to it!

-She hit me! -Give it back!

Take my bed tonight. I will think of a solution tomorrow.

What about you?

I shall manage.

Are you asleep?

Are you asleep?

Not now, given that you're shaking me.

I can't fall sleep.

Everything hurts. I think my nose is broken.

It's not broken.

But it hurts.

It hurts.

On a scale of one to ten, how much does it hurt?

Ten.

Certainly not ten.

Maybe not ten, but a lot.

Can you sleep with me tonight?

All right.

Thank you.

And I am sorry.

I have no one else.

Only you.

All will be well. Everything shall be well.

Why did you open the door yourself?

Where are the servants?

They are off duty today.

We are all off duty.

It is rather like...

the carnival.

And Bela?

Bela's whole life was a carnival.

Where is Bela?

In Paris.

Where in Paris?

Somewhere in Paris. I cannot say. I have never been.

Kazia, would you like some cognac with...

Compose yourself, for God's sake.

I should like to, immensely.

But for the time being,

I have no one left to do it for.

No one.

Marianna.

Yes?

How about going to the circus?

Go by yourself.

Has something happened?

What could have happened?

Something is different.

Different how?

Lately, you've been so...

unavailable.

Go to a whore.

They are always available.

Is Wokulski not present?

On what matter, ma'am?

-Miss Łęcka. -Then it's better for him not to know.

How could you know what is better for him?

I shall not leave until you tell me where he is.

And do not force me to forget my dignity.

RÓŻA

BELOVED RÓŻA

MY RÓŻA

DEAREST RÓŻA

SWEETEST

-Boss? -Yes?

I looked into that Wokulski fellow Miss Łęcka was talking of.

And it seems

that he has vanished.

-Really? -Yes.

He has not been seen in Warsaw for two weeks.

That is not all.

No one knows where he has gone.

A bit suspicious, isn't it?

A bit.

Should we track him down?

Where do you intend to look first?

I don't know.

Neither do I.

Then we must wait for his return.

A great idea.

There may be some topographical impediments.

Slopes, recesses... It could be anything. But the oil lies beneath us.

We are walking on it.

We must simply...

See here. Let us suppose this is our reservoir.

Either the rock is not porous enough and the permeability is too low,

or it is a question of pressure.

Therefore, for safety's sake, we ought to drill further to the side.

Because if this is rock, and I presume it is...

Mr Wokulski, we will work today,

but tomorrow, we cannot work without our wages.

-When the oil flows, you will be paid. -We want our payment upfront.

Strike oil, and I shall add a quarter-day's wages to your pay.

The first man to strike oil shall receive fifty roubles from me.

Fuck it.

One hundred.

-Promise. -I promise.

-One hundred roubles... -Get to it! Work!

I have already been half-drowned in this wretched mire.

I hate the countryside.

Yet your Wellingtons are the height of fashion.

When do you intend to return to Warsaw?

To Bela?

Not yet.

I brought him here in a drunken stupor, and behold. A brand-new Wokulski!

He's happy.

Congratulations,

but it is time to return.

Bela has disappeared.

-She is not here. -Well, I suspected as much.

Perhaps you might assist in finding her.

She would take no pleasure in being found by me.

People change.

Only for the worse.

Am I to understand that your courage fails you in returning?

-Perhaps. -Aunt, enough.

He has only just forgotten, yet you are already reminding him.

So, you have found a simple soul?

You know about people, but not about the trade.

The heavy trade!

-The oil trade. -Yes.

It's easier to penetrate the earth with a drill

than to care for a woman.

I would rather study the oil trade than the aristocracy. Oil is more interesting.

And, unlike the aristocracy, it has a future.

Indeed.

Checkmate!

As I recall, you discouraged me from placing... my feelings

and investing my money in Miss Izabela.

May I be perfectly frank with you?

I am not in the least surprised that you have lost your heart to Izabela.

I have seen many such as you,

with better pedigree

and finer features.

Men far wealthier than you, each of whom, one by one,

made only greater fools of themselves.

They lost their fortunes, or attempted suicide,

like that poor soul at the ball.

I wanted to spare you their sad fate.

That is very noble of you.

I, unlike certain others among us,

always regarded you as a good match.

I shall receive that as a compliment.

Well, it is a compliment.

There are few men of whom I could say the same.

Hey, are you so idle?

However, I did not come here to seduce you.

I have long since known that the matter is entirely hopeless.

Besides,

I am not accustomed to being a man's afterthought,

and I do not intend to change that.

As I said, that men succumb to Bela's charms is nothing new to me.

I have witnessed it for many years.

But for her to lose her senses over a man?

I thought such a phenomenon did not exist in nature.

And yet...

she loves you, Mr Wokulski.

She may not know how to show it,

but she will learn...

if life should grant her one final opportunity.

I know it hurts. I know it does.

Fetch the morphine.

I know.

And the syringe.

The morphine.

Fetch the morphine.

Morphine.

Morphine?

Morphine?

Move aside.

Let me pass.

Izabela?

Will you buy it?

I am here, darling.

There, there.

At last,

you have returned.

It took you two days to recover

from the state in which you were brought here.

What do you mean?

Were it not for your low-born companion,

you might have joined your father.

But...

But I didn't wish to...

This only confirms our suspicions

and shows Duke Rudnicki's decision to be justified.

Prioress, help to pack the young lady's things.

Within the convent, you will have the necessary quiet to recover.

There is another way.

All Bela must do is sign the contract obliging her to marry.

-Whom? -Whom?

Never!

A single signature will dissolve the Duke's guardianship over you.

-You are surely mad! -There is no other way.

-I am not so easily bought. -Bela.

Never.

Bela, I beg your forgiveness.

-I was a fool. -Oh, yes. Unquestionably.

The young lady has made herself clear. You will leave us.

Leave!

As it happens, this flat, indeed, the entire house, belongs to me.

I kindly ask you to get out of my fucking house.

You... common boor.

You also, Your Grace.

Please.

Out of your fucking house?

If you would be so kind.

Yes.

Yes.

The young lady is currently under the Duke's guardianship.

If we are to leave, it will only be with her.

Bela, for God's sake, sign the contract.

It's just one signature.

On one condition.

I'll agree to any.

You'll buy The Ivy for me.

Agreed.

-Do you promise? -I promise.

It is time to begin preparations for the engagement.

Invitations need to be sent out.

The newspapers need to be informed.

No need.

What do you mean, no need?

People need to know in advance.

Florcia, I intend a quiet betrothal. No announcements, nor any parties.

But there has to be a party.

-It is the custom. -There will be no party.

Once Wokulski delivers his promise, I will end the betrothal.

I shall have The Ivy instead of a wedding.

We will purchase The Ivy.

That is to say, I will.

Not personally, but by my means.

It will be bought on my behalf.

For us.

How?

We shall form a publishing cooperative, or whatever the term may be.

We shall each receive an equal share of the magazine.

We shall each have a voice in its management.

It's impossible.

What if it actually is possible?

The investor... is my...

my fiancé, as it were.

And as we all know,

a husband can be advantageous in emancipation as well.

It's merely a magazine. How much can the foolish thing cost?

Stach, I'm not saying it's unprofitable, but it is. And you know it.

I'm not saying you shouldn't do it. You won't listen regardless.

All I'm saying is we haven't the means.

Stach, no. Stop, Stach.

Stach.

We have nothing left.

Or, more precisely,

we have less than nothing.

If the money from your oil wells does not start flowing in soon,

then,

I cannot bring myself to speak the rest.

I am terrified to even think on it.

I dread to think of the absolute shit we are sunk in!

Stach.

Stach.

Stach.

S WOKULSKI DEPARTMENT STORE

Are you intentionally delaying the purchase of The Ivy?

No. What I mean is, shortly.

-Shortly? -Yes.

What are we waiting for?

For...

-Can we get back to this tomorrow? -Tomorrow?

Izabela.

I'll join you in a moment.

Of course.

Do you think I do not see it?

What?

The way you look upon Miss Łęcka.

It is not merely me.

Whenever she appears,

you gape at her like a man with pricks for eyes.

Ladies and gentlemen...

as some of you are well aware, it is my distinct privilege to invite

the star of tonight's performance to the Grand Theatre.

I speak not of the wonderful actors we are about to witness,

but of the spirit us movens behind this evening's entertainment.

A woman whose love of art makes me jealous at times.

Ladies and gentlemen, I ask you to join me in applauding Countess Izabela Łęcka.

This is a momentous occasion.

Maestro, if you please.

Adam Asnyk, "Adoration".

"Even in death...

I shall adore you"

"And I shall never forget Neither beneath the earth, nor in heaven..."

Your love...

"Your brightness"

"For you were, to me, no idle dream"

"Nor a rainbow born of futile senses"

"But you were my spirit's reviving desire Of eternal love!"

"You did not envelop me With dreamy caresses"

"Nor did you surge like a fiery wave Upon my longing breast"

"You did not lead me to a bed of roses Where only bodies dissolve in ecstasy"

"But you awakened in me A desire for beauty"

"An infinite power"

Izabela.

Will you consent to marry me?

Yes.

We cannot hear you!

Yes.

Louder!

Yes!

Bravo!

Congratulations.

Bravo!

Well,

that doll, Miss Łęcka, is no longer yours to claim.

Not for you,

for she has been bought by the very man you despise,

while in your inmost soul, you long to be exactly like him.

You are pathetic.

Utterly pathetic. Do you hear me?

I am speaking to you...

you prick.

Will you forgive me?

Will you forgive me this love?

Bela, it is prompted by love. I could wait no longer.

At last, Bela.

I am overjoyed.

Is it too extravagant?

Is it too overwhelming for you?

I... understand.

Everyone will remember this night.

Izabela, I know

that I should have bought The Ivy beforehand.

But such matters take time.

It can't

be done overnight.

Come to my bed.

Undress.

Undress!

What is wrong?

Have you something to hide?

Show me!

Show me your courage!

Show me!

Is this what you imagined? Is it?

Is it?

Come back here!

Come here!

Subtitle translation by: Mikołaj Kopczak