The old prisoner says he is dying.
Shishkov tells his story; this is the last and longest tale in the opera. Shishkov will not be hurried, he has his confession to make in the darkness of the infirmary. It is the tale of his bride Akulina, the daughter of a rich merchant. Shishkov was a poor devil who could hardly make ends meet. In the town there was one Filka Morozov who was betrothed to Akulina, but now he didn't want her any more. He went to the father to get paid because he wanted to leave for the army; then he told the old man he had already slept with his daughter. Filka enjoyed himself slandering the family and the neighbours could hear Akulina being whipped by her parents for days on end. One day the mother got it into her head that Akulina was flirting with Shishkov and she arranged their marriage, since nobody else would have the girl. Filka threatened he would smash Shishkov's bones and sleep with his wife whenever he wanted. Shishkov was drunk right up to the wedding, but finally they were left alone and he discovered she was still a virgin.

Olaf Bär, Jiri Sulzenko, john Mark Ainsley, Eric Stokloßa, Stefan Margita, Peter Straka, Vladmir Chmelo, Heinz Zednik, Jan Galla, Tomas Krejcirik, Martin Barta, Gerd Grochowski,