Preparations
The Great Comet Original Cast Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
ANATOLE: Pierre, good man,
Tonight I go away, on an adventure
You'll not be seeing me for some time
I've found a new pleasure
And I'm taking her away
I'll send you a letter from Poland
PIERRE: Ha! An elopement!
Fool, you are married already!
ANATOLE: Don't talk to me of that!
I will not deprive myself of this one!
Tonight! I take her tonight!
Lend me fifty rubles?
PIERRE: Ah, that's a true sage
Living in the moment
What I wouldn't give to be like him!
DOLOKHOV: The plan for Natalie Rostova's abduction
Had all been arranged and the preparations made
On the day that Sonya decided to save her
That was the day that the game was to be played
Natasha was to be on her back porch at ten
Anatole and his troika would scoop her up and then
They'd ride forty miles to the village of Kamenka,
Where an unfrocked priest was to make 'em get wed
Then back into the troika off they'd go
Take the Poland highroad to the wedding bed
ANATOLE: Passports, horses, ten thousand rubles I have taken from my sister
And another ten thousand raised with Dolokhov's help
DOLOKHOV: We were gathered in my study drinking up some tea
Just Anatole the two wedding witnesses and me
An abacus and paper money strewn on the desk
Persian rugs and bearskins hanging grotesque
Anatole was walking with his uniform unbuttoned
Walking to and fro
To and fro
To and fro
ANATOLE & DOLOKHOV: To and fro
To and fro
To and fro
To and fro
DOLOKHOV: Now wait!
You better just
Give it up now
Why dontcha
While there's still time!
You'd really better drop it all
Give it up now!
While there's still time!
Do you know?
ANATOLE: What, teasing again?
Fool don't talk nonsense!
Go to the devil! Eh?
Really this is no time for your stupid jokes
DOLOKHOV: I am not joking,
I am talking sense
This is serious business, a dangerous business
Come here, come here, come here Anatole!
Why would I joke about it?
Me of all people
Who found the priest, raised the money, got the passports, got the horses?
ANATOLE: And well I thank you for it
Do you think I am not grateful?
DOLOKHOV: And now you'll carry her away but will they let it stop there?
You haven't thought this through or do you just don't care?
Now listen to me tell it to you one last time
They will take you to the court and convict you for your crime
Already married and you're playing with a little girl
Don't you know, don't you think, don't you know?
ANATOLE: Nonsense, nonsense!
I'm scowling and grimacing
Didn't I explain it to you, didn't I, what?
DOLOKHOV: And here Anatole,
With the stubborn attachment small-minded people have
For conclusions they've worked out for themselves
Repeated his argument to me for the hundredth time
ANATOLE: If this marriage isn't valid
Then I'm off the hook
But if it is valid, it really doesn't matter!
No one abroad is gonna know a thing about it
Isn't that so now don't you know?
Don't talk to me, don't don't what what
Ah go to hell now!
I'm a-clutching my hair
It's the very devil!
Here, feel how it beats!
Ah mon cher, mon cher
Quel pied, quel regard!
What a foot she has, what a glance!
A goddess!
And my handsome lips
Mutter something tender to myself
It's time!
It's time!
Now then! Nearly ready? You're dawdling!
The driver is here
The driver is here
Balaga is here!
In "Preparations," Pierre, Anatole, and Dolokhov discuss Anatole's elopement with a young girl named Natasha. Pierre is shocked to hear of the plan, as Anatole is already married, but Anatole is determined to pursue his new pleasure. The song details the preparations for the abduction and marriage of Natasha, including the gathering of money, passports, and horses. Dolokhov tries to convince Anatole to give up the plan, citing the dangerous consequences of his actions, but Anatole is too smitten with his new love interest to listen.
Line by Line Meaning
Tonight I go away, on an adventure
Anatole is leaving tonight for a pleasure trip.
You'll not be seeing me for some time
Anatole won't be around for a while.
I've found a new pleasure
Anatole has a new source of pleasure.
And I'm taking her away
Anatole is taking someone with him.
I'll send you a letter from Poland
Anatole will send Pierre a letter from Poland.
Don't talk to me of that!
Anatole doesn't want to hear about his marriage.
I will not deprive myself of this one!
Anatole won't miss this opportunity.
Lend me fifty rubles?
Anatole needs to borrow fifty rubles from Pierre.
The plan for Natalie Rostova's abduction
Dolokhov describes the plan to abduct Natasha Rostova.
Had all been arranged and the preparations made
All arrangements for the abduction were complete.
On the day that Sonya decided to save her
Sonya ruined the plan to abduct Natasha.
That was the day that the game was to be played
The abduction was supposed to happen on that day.
Natasha was to be on her back porch at ten
Natasha was expected to be on her back porch at ten.
Passports, horses, ten thousand rubles I have taken from my sister
Anatole has taken passports, horses, and money from his sister for the trip.
And another ten thousand raised with Dolokhov's help
Dolokhov helped raise an additional ten thousand rubles.
An abacus and paper money strewn on the desk
There is an abacus and paper money on Dolokhov's desk.
Anatole was walking with his uniform unbuttoned
Anatole was walking around with his uniform unbuttoned.
To and fro
Anatole was pacing back and forth.
Now wait!
Dolokhov interrupts Anatole.
You better just
You should really just stop now.
Give it up now
Give up the plan now.
While there's still time!
While you still have the chance.
You'd really better drop it all
You would be wise to abandon the plan.
Do you know?
Do you realize the danger of your plan?
What, teasing again?
Anatole thinks Dolokhov is teasing him.
Fool don't talk nonsense!
Anatole thinks Dolokhov is talking foolishly.
I am not joking,
Dolokhov is serious.
I am talking sense
Dolokhov is speaking logically.
This is serious business, a dangerous business
The plan to abduct Natasha is risky.
If this marriage isn't valid
Anatole thinks he can get away with the abduction if the marriage isn't valid.
And well I thank you for it
Anatole is grateful to Dolokhov for his help.
They will take you to the court and convict you for your crime
Anatole will be convicted for the abduction.
Nonsense, nonsense!
Anatole disregards the danger of the plan.
I'm scowling and grimacing
Anatole is angry with Dolokhov.
Ah mon cher, mon cher
Anatole is admiring his new love interest.
Quel pied, quel regard!
Anatole admires his new love's foot and gaze.
A goddess!
Anatole thinks his new love is a goddess.
And my handsome lips
Anatole is admiring himself.
It's time!
It's time for Anatole to leave.
Now then! Nearly ready? You're dawdling!
Anatole is impatient and wants to leave soon.
The driver is here
The driver for the trip is ready.
Balaga is here!
The driver Balaga is ready to go.
Contributed by Callie G. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Evie M.
You have no idea how happy these recordings make me, thank you so much
The Great Shooting Star
I'm so glad they do, you're very welcome!!
BeyondBaito
3:04 I kinda laughed at the dude freaking out a bit that Dolokhob was gonna fall on him XD
The Great Shooting Star
LMAO I never noticed that. There‘s also a dude in (my edit of) The Duel who flinches as Dolokhov is shot and it looks like he‘s about to fall into the audience pit
BeyondBaito
@The Great Shooting Star I saw somewhere a production shot of Dolokhov the moment he gets shot and you can see audience members close by who are like...shocked.
Laurel Crown
I've just noticed you've even got subtitles on all of these. Fuck yeah.
The Great Shooting Star
Sure!
Lane Wise
These are so good! Which bootleg did you use for 0:50?
The Great Shooting Star
Thank you!! I used the December 29, 2016 slime there :)
Maya
New favorite channel alert.