arms and the man-第15章

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poor　men　can　cut　throats；　but　they　are　afraid　of　their　officers；
they　put　up　with　insults　and　blows；　they　stand　by　and　see　one
another　punished　like　children…aye；　and　help　to　do　it　when
they　are　ordered。　And　the　officers！…well　（with　a　short；　bitter
laugh）　I　am　an　officer。　Oh；　（fervently）　give　me　the　man　who　will
defy　to　the　death　any　power　on　earth　or　in　heaven　that　sets
itself　up　against　his　own　will　and　conscience：　he　alone　is　the
brave　man。

LOUKA。　How　easy　it　is　to　talk！　Men　never　seem　to　me　to　grow　up：
they　all　have　schoolboy's　ideas。　You　don't　know　what　true
courage　is。

SERGIUS　（ironically）。　Indeed！　I　am　willing　to　be　instructed。

LOUKA。　Look　at　me！　how　much　am　I　allowed　to　have　my　own　will？　I
have　to　get　your　room　ready　for　youto　sweep　and　dust；　to　fetch
and　carry。　How　could　that　degrade　me　if　it　did　not　degrade　you
to　have　it　done　for　you？　But　（with　subdued　passion）　if　I　were
Empress　of　Russia；　above　everyone　in　the　world；　thenah；　then；
though　according　to　you　I　could　shew　no　courage　at　all；　you
should　see；　you　should　see。

SERGIUS。　What　would　you　do；　most　noble　Empress？

LOUKA。　I　would　marry　the　man　I　loved；　which　no　other　queen　in
Europe　has　the　courage　to　do。　If　I　loved　you；　though　you　would
be　as　far　beneath　me　as　I　am　beneath　you；　I　would　dare　to　be　the
equal　of　my　inferior。　Would　you　dare　as　much　if　you　loved　me？
No：　if　you　felt　the　beginnings　of　love　for　me　you　would　not　let
it　grow。　You　dare　not：　you　would　marry　a　rich　man's　daughter
because　you　would　be　afraid　of　what　other　people　would　say　of
you。

SERGIUS　（carried　away）。　You　lie：　it　is　not　so；　by　all　the
stars！　If　I　loved　you；　and　I　were　the　Czar　himself；　I　would　set
you　on　the　throne　by　my　side。　You　know　that　I　love　another
woman；　a　woman　as　high　above　you　as　heaven　is　above　earth。　And
you　are　jealous　of　her。

LOUKA。　I　have　no　reason　to　be。　She　will　never　marry　you　now。　The
man　I　told　you　of　has　come　back。　She　will　marry　the　Swiss。

SERGIUS　（recoiling）。　The　Swiss！

LOUKA。　A　man　worth　ten　of　you。　Then　you　can　come　to　me；　and　I
will　refuse　you。　You　are　not　good　enough　for　me。　（She　turns　to
the　door。）

SERGIUS　（springing　after　her　and　catching　her　fiercely　in　his
arms）。　I　will　kill　the　Swiss；　and　afterwards　I　will　do　as　I
please　with　you。

LOUKA　（in　his　arms；　passive　and　steadfast）。　The　Swiss　will　kill
you；　perhaps。　He　has　beaten　you　in　love。　He　may　beat　you　in　war。

SERGIUS　（tormentedly）。　Do　you　think　I　believe　that　sheshe！
whose　worst　thoughts　are　higher　than　your　best　ones；　is　capable
of　trifling　with　another　man　behind　my　back？

LOUKA。　Do　you　think　she　would　believe　the　Swiss　if　he　told　her
now　that　I　am　in　your　arms？

SERGIUS　（releasing　her　in　despair）。　Damnation！　Oh；　damnation！
Mockery；　mockery　everywhere：　everything　I　think　is　mocked　by
everything　I　do。　（He　strikes　himself　frantically　on　the　breast。）
Coward；　liar；　fool！　Shall　I　kill　myself　like　a　man；　or　live　and
pretend　to　laugh　at　myself？　（She　again　turns　to　go。）　Louka！　（She
stops　near　the　door。）　Remember：　you　belong　to　me。

LOUKA　（quietly）。　What　does　that　meanan　insult？

SERGIUS　（commandingly）。　It　means　that　you　love　me；　and　that　I
have　had　you　here　in　my　arms；　and　will　perhaps　have　you　there
again。　Whether　that　is　an　insult　I　neither　know　nor　care：　take
it　as　you　please。　But　（vehemently）　I　will　not　be　a　coward　and　a
trifler。　If　I　choose　to　love　you；　I　dare　marry　you；　in　spite　of
all　Bulgaria。　If　these　hands　ever　touch　you　again；　they　shall
touch　my　affianced　bride。

LOUKA。　We　shall　see　whether　you　dare　keep　your　word。　But　take
care。　I　will　not　wait　long。

SERGIUS　（again　folding　his　arms　and　standing　motionless　in　the
middle　of　the　room）。　Yes；　we　shall　see。　And　you　shall　wait　my
pleasure。

　　　（Bluntschli；　much　preoccupied；　with　his　papers
　　　　still　in　his　hand；　enters；　leaving　the　door　open
　　　　for　Louka　to　go　out。　He　goes　across　to　the　table；
　　　　glancing　at　her　as　he　passes。　Sergius；　without
　　　　altering　his　resolute　attitude；　watches　him
　　　　steadily。　Louka　goes　out；　leaving　the　door　open。）

BLUNTSCHLI　（absently；　sitting　at　the　table　as　before；　and
putting　down　his　papers）。　That's　a　remarkable　looking　young
woman。

SERGIUS　（gravely；　without　moving）。　Captain　Bluntschli。

BLUNTSCHLI。　Eh？

SERGIUS。　You　have　deceived　me。　You　are　my　rival。　I　brook　no
rivals。　At　six　o'clock　I　shall　be　in　the　drilling…ground　on　the
Klissoura　road；　alone；　on　horseback；　with　my　sabre。　Do　you
understand？

BLUNTSCHLI　（staring；　but　sitting　quite　at　his　ease）。　Oh；　thank
you：　that's　a　cavalry　man's　proposal。　I'm　in　the　artillery；　and
I　have　the　choice　of　weapons。　If　I　go；　I　shall　take　a　machine
gun。　And　there　shall　be　no　mistake　about　the　cartridges　this
time。

SERGIUS　（flushing；　but　with　deadly　coldness）。　Take　care；　sir。
It　is　not　our　custom　in　Bulgaria　to　allow　invitations　of　that
kind　to　be　trifled　with。

BLUNTSCHLI　（warmly）。　Pooh！　don't　talk　to　me　about　Bulgaria。　You
don't　know　what　fighting　is。　But　have　it　your　own　way。　Bring
your　sabre　along。　I'll　meet　you。

SERGIUS　（fiercely　delighted　to　find　his　opponent　a　man　of
spirit）。　Well　said；　Switzer。　Shall　I　lend　you　my　best　horse？

BLUNTSCHLI。　No：　damn　your　horse！…thank　you　all　the　same；　my
dear　fellow。　（Raina　comes　in；　and　hears　the　next　sentence。）　I
shall　fight　you　on　foot。　Horseback's　too　dangerous：　I　don't　want
to　kill　you　if　I　can　help　it。

RAINA　（hurrying　forward　anxiously）。　I　have　heard　what　Captain
Bluntschli　said；　Sergius。　You　are　going　to　fight。　Why？　（Sergius
turns　away　in　silence；　and　goes　to　the　stove；　where　he　stands
watching　her　as　she　continues；　to　Bluntschli）　What　about？

BLUNTSCHLI。　I　don't　know：　he　hasn't　told　me。　Better　not
interfere；　dear　young　lady。　No　harm　will　be　done：　I've　often
acted　as　sword　instructor。　He　won't　be　able　to　touch　me；　and
I'll　not　hurt　him。　It　will　save　explanations。　In　the　morning　I
shall　be　off　home；　and　you'll　never　see　me　or　hear　of　me　again。
You　and　he　will　then　make　it　up　and　live　happily　ever　after。

RAINA　（turning　away　deeply　hurt；　almost　with　a　sob　in　her
voice）。　I　never　said　I　wanted　to　see　you　again。

SERGIUS　（striding　forward）。　Ha！　That　is　a　confession。

RAINA　（haughtily）。　What　do　you　mean？

SERGIUS。　You　love　that　man！

RAINA　（scandalized）。　Sergius！

SERGIUS。　You　allow　him　to　make　love　to　you　behind　my　back；　just
as　you　accept　me　as　your　affianced　husband　behind　his。
Bluntschli：　you　knew　our　relations；　and　you　deceived　me。　It　is
for　that　that　I　call　you　to　account；　not　for　having　received
favours　that　I　never　enjoyed。

BLUNTSCHLI　（jumping　up　indignantly）。　Stuff！　Rubbish！　I　have
received　no　favours。　Why；　the　young　lady　doesn't　even　know
whether　I'm　married　or　not。

RAINA　（forgetting　herself）。　Oh！　（Collapsing　on　the　ottoman。）
Are　you？

SERGIUS。　You　see　the　young　lady's　concern；　Captain　Bluntschli。
Denial　is　useless。　You　have　enjoyed　the　privilege　of　being
received　in　her　own　room；　late　at　night

BLUNTSCHLI　（interrupting　him　pepperily）。　Yes；　you　blockhead！
She　received　me　with　a　pistol　at　her　head。　Your　cavalry　were　at
my　heels。　I'd　have　blown　out　her　brains　if　she'd　uttered　a　cry。

SERGIUS　（taken　aback）。　Bluntschli！　Raina：　is　this　true？

RAINA　（rising　in　wrathful　majesty）。　Oh；　how　dare　you；　how　dare
you？

BLUNTSCHLI。　Apologize；　man；　apologize！　（He　resumes　his　seat　at
the　table。）

SERGIUS　（with　the　old　measured　emphasis；　folding　his　arms）。　I
never　apologize。

RAINA　（passionately）。　This　is　the　doing　of　that　friend　of
yours；　Captain　Bluntschli。　It　is　he　who　is　spreading　this
horrible　story　about　me。　（She　walks　about　excitedly。）

BLUNTSCHLI。　No：　he's　deadburnt　alive。

RAINA　（stopping；　shocked）。　Burnt　alive！

BLUNTSCHLI。　Shot　in　the　hip　in　a　wood　yard。　Couldn't　drag
himself　out。　Your　fellows'　shells　set　the　timber　on　fire　and
burnt　him；　with　half　a　dozen　other　poor　devils　in　the　same
predicament。

RAINA。　How　horrible！

SERGIUS。　And　how　ridiculous！　Oh；　war！　war！　the　dream　of　patriots
and　heroes！　A　fraud；　Bluntschli；　a　hollow　sham；　like　love。

RAINA　（outraged）。　Like　love！　You　say　that　before　me。

BLUNTSCHLI。　Come；　Saranoff：　that　matter　is　explained。

SERGIUS。　A　hollow　sham；　I　say。　Would　you　have　come　back　here　if
nothing　had　passed　betwee