shot from her angle. she is sleeping beneath a chinese robe, on the chaise-lounge. no, i have been awake -- thinking -- thinking. the performance? always the performance -- every day the performance -- time for the performance. i think, suzette, i have never been so tired in my life. veronal didn't even help me to sleep. i can't dance tonight -- let us cancel the engagement. now is the time to cancel to stop entirely. i feel it -- everything tells me -- enough -- enough. the peals are cold -- everything is cold -- finished -- it seems so far away -- so threadbare -- the russians -- st. petersburg -- the imperial court -- the grand duke sergei -- -- sergei -- dead -- grusinskaya -- it's all gone. the pearls won't break -- they hold together and bring me bad luck ---- i hate them! oh, suzette -- suzette -- sshh -- quiet. send it away -- i shan't need it. come in. madam grusinskaya will not require her car -- no -- she will not be going to the theatre. the performance -- the performance -- the performance. it is not stage fright -- it's something more -- last night?. there was no applause. that theatre -- half empty -- dancing for those few -- i was frantic -- i finished -- the last beat and. . i waited -- i listened -- but the applause didn't come -- nothing. a man in the box -- and just the claques behind -- it is passed, pimenov. we are dead -- it's finished. i'm cancelling the engagement. the house is not full -- is it really full? oh -- but it can't be. all right, suzette -- quickly -- hurry. shot from the baron's angle. grusinskaya is sweeping down the corridor, followed by suzette. my coat. suzette -- i told you not to bring the pearls. i will not wear them tonight. take them back, suzette. hurry, suzette. i want to be alone. suzette, please go, i want to be alone. i wish to be alone. quite suddenly -- as if with resolution she begins to undress. then she becomes weary again. she drops the garment listlessly to the floor -- moves out of scene. she is in a thin robe. she sits before mirror -- looks steadily at her face. her head goes down suddenly in her hands and we hear her say: the end -- over -- finished -- the western theatre -- western theatre? the stage -- mr. pimonov -- the ballet master. grusinskaya -- hurry -- hurry. yes -- yes, i'm waiting. hello, pimenov? -- i'm at the hotel. i couldn't go on -- i couldn't. no, no don't -- . just alone. good night, good night, my dear -- goodbye. pimenov, how is it going, badly?. uh?. who's dancing?. desprez?. oh -- and how is it?. oh, -- oh, i see -- they didn't miss me?. they didn't miss me. they didn't miss me -- good night, pimenov. oh -- i'm sorry, yes. i have finished. what do you want here? why do you hide in my room? because you love me -- you love me? i was so alone -- always alone -- and suddenly you were there and said that. no. i am not afraid. it is strange. nerves -- just nerves. you must forgive me. i have had a bad evening. i am very tired. do you know what it is to be tired -- tired of a routine existence? so you feel like coming into a lady's room -- and you come. what now? certainly. why do you look at me like that? and then --? and -- and -- yes -- tired. alone. all alone. oh, you strange -- strange creature. strange man. not quite strange now. it is as if i had been expecting you. you know, once when the grand duke was alive, i found a man hiding in my room -- a young officer -- he disappeared. later he was found dead. go away. who are you --? you could love me. it is so long since i have heard that word. nobody has loved me for a long time. it is so icy-cold to be famous. one is so cruelly alone. how is it that you -- let me look at you. your hands. your eyes. why could you love me? grusinskaya. oh -- oh if you knew how i slaved and slaved for grusinskaya -- for the success of grusinskaya -- for the triumph of grusinskaya. and what is she now? just someone who has found that on the day success ceases life ceases -- are you listening to me -- do you understand? -- i want you to understand. i think you must go now -- the key is on the floor. i want to be alone. i want to be alone -- just for a minute then. you -- man. thank you -- you are gallant. what a sentimental scene. grusinskaya weeping is a sight worth seeing. it is many years since she did such a thing. you frightened me -- badly. you're responsible for this -- painful scene. the stage frays one's nerves. the discipline -- it's so exacting. discipline means doing what you don't want to do and take no pleasure in doing. do you know what i mean? have you ever experienced the weariness that comes from discipline? i see -- you do only what you take pleasure in doing. you take pleasure in coming into a woman's bedroom and you come. you take pleasure in a dangerous climb onto a balcony, so you do it. and what is your pleasure now? why do you smile? what can you see? no. i think you had better go now. the key is on the floor. what? i want to be alone. for just a minute then. no -- oh, no! oh -- i was ambitious then -- ambition was in my blood -- no rest, no stopping. we were drilled like little soldiers -- we danced in the school of the imperial ballet, in st. petersburg. i was little and slim but hard as diamond -- a duty machine -- no rest, no stopping. and then -- i became famous and whoever is famous is alone. but why should i be telling you this? last night i did not know you at all -- who are you, really? -- i do not even know your name. flix. -- and how do you live? what kind of a person are you? really? no? and? and what do you do -- now? oh! what a picture -- and what else? that's a silly joke. what is the matter? flix! oh -- did you come here just -- just for that? oh -- it's horrible. you may keep the pearls -- i don't want them any more -- i'll make you a present of them. i'll not denounce you. so -- but now, you must go. i give you the pearls. but now you must go --- and now? yes -- yes -- yes. quickly -- here. good morning, suzette. oh, yes, suzette. five minutes, suzette, come back in five minutes. i'll ring. yes, suzette. you must go now. there -- it begins. hello -- hello -- meierheim? yes. no -- what?. cancel vienna?. are you mad? we always have great success in vienna. certainly not. come here and see me. yes. good-bye. there -- the day begins. i must go to rehearsal. yes. yes -- if i didn't believe that, i'd die after last night. suzette will be back here in a minute. shall i see you again? suzette will be back here any minute. very early in the morning. can't -- can't you -- couldn't you come too -- i think it would be better -- for us -- for us both. why later? i'll give you what you need -- i have money. six twenty-seven in the morning. but the money? i shall dance and you'll be with me and then -- listen -- after that you will come with me to lake como, i have a villa there. the sun will be shining. i will take a vacation -- six weeks -- eight weeks. we'll be happy and lazy. and then you will go with me to south america -- oh! you must go now. be careful on your way to your room. don't do anything foolish -- i'm alarmed about you. yes, pimenov. yes. where are you, in your room? come, i will see you now. hurry. not that dark dress -- something light -- bright -- it's a sunny morning, suzette. come in. good morning, pimenov. pimenov, i have an idea -- a new ballet -- it must have mad music -- i'll explain it to you later. but now, hurry to the theatre -- i want full rehearsal -- properties -- full ballet and some musicians. hurry -- quickly. i will be there -- yes, pimenov. one minute, suzette, i will call you. hello -- will you -- will you get me baron von gaigern, please. yes. baron von gaigern -- yes. will you get me baron von gaigern, please. cherie. yes. it is you. nothing. good morning, good morning, cherie. nothing. no. just to tell you i'm happy. go on please -- go on, suzette. are you coming to the theatre? oh -- i shall dance tonight -- how i shall dance -- i want to feel that you are in the theatre. no? why do you think -- they've brought me such good luck -- you -- i'm worried about you. on the train? till then. i've done my hair differently -- do you like that? in the middle of the night -- those flowers make me think of a funeral. laurels and tube-roses. oh, think, suzette -- the villa and the sun at tremezzo -- quiet -- simple -- happy -- we'll have a guest, suzette. goodnight, suzette. hello -- can you tell me if baron von gaigern is in his room -- ring him. cherie, i must wake you or you'll miss the train. . yes. are you ringing, he may be asleep. cherie, you must get up and fetch me from my room -- i'm longing for you, cherie -- i have not been to sleep -- i kept thinking you would come to me. . oh, but he must answer. ring -- ring -- ring. cherie, hurry -- hurry -- hurry. answer the phone -- what is the matter. ring him -- ring him. where are you -- where are you, cherie? why don't you answer? well, ring him -- please -- please. where is pimenov? where is pimenov? but when did he go? how do you know? baron von gaigern has left? when? how long ago? wait a minute. i've got to ask myself. have you seen baron von gaigern? he is gone? oh, the sun -- it will be sunny in tremezzo -- i know -- i know -- but it will be sunny in tremezzo. we'll have a guest then.