arms and the man-第4章
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MAN （yielding to her）。 There is just half a chance； if you keep
your head。 Remember： nine soldiers out of ten are born fools。
（He hides behind the curtain； looking out for a moment to say；
finally） If they find me； I promise you a fighta devil of a
fight！ （He disappears。 Raina takes of the cloak and throws it
across the foot of the bed。 Then with a sleepy； disturbed air；
she opens the door。 Louka enters excitedly。）
LOUKA。 A man has been seen climbing up the water…pipe to your
balconya Servian。 The soldiers want to search for him； and
they are so wild and drunk and furious。 My lady says you are to
dress at once。
RAINA （as if annoyed at being disturbed）。 They shall not search
here。 Why have they been let in？
CATHERINE （coming in hastily）。 Raina； darling； are you safe？
Have you seen anyone or heard anything？
RAINA。 I heard the shooting。 Surely the soldiers will not dare
come in here？
CATHERINE。 I have found a Russian officer； thank Heaven： he
knows Sergius。 （Speaking through the door to someone outside。）
Sir； will you come in now！ My daughter is ready。
（A young Russian officer； in Bulgarian uniform；
enters； sword in hand。）
THE OFFICER。 （with soft； feline politeness and stiff military
carriage）。 Good evening； gracious lady； I am sorry to intrude；
but there is a fugitive hiding on the balcony。 Will you and the
gracious lady your mother please to withdraw whilst we search？
RAINA （petulantly）。 Nonsense； sir； you can see that there is no
one on the balcony。 （She throws the shutters wide open and
stands with her back to the curtain where the man is hidden；
pointing to the moonlit balcony。 A couple of shots are fired
right under the window； and a bullet shatters the glass opposite
Raina； who winks and gasps； but stands her ground； whilst
Catherine screams； and the officer rushes to the balcony。）
THE OFFICER。 （on the balcony； shouting savagely down to the
street）。 Cease firing there； you fools： do you hear？ Cease
firing； damn you。 （He glares down for a moment； then turns to
Raina； trying to resume his polite manner。） Could anyone have
got in without your knowledge？ Were you asleep？
RAINA。 No； I have not been to bed。
THE OFFICER。 （impatiently； coming back into the room）。 Your
neighbours have their heads so full of runaway Servians that
they see them everywhere。 （Politely。） Gracious lady； a thousand
pardons。 Good…night。 （Military bow； which Raina returns coldly。
Another to Catherine； who follows him out。 Raina closes the
shutters。 She turns and sees Louka； who has been watching the
scene curiously。）
RAINA。 Don't leave my mother； Louka； whilst the soldiers are
here。 （Louka glances at Raina； at the ottoman； at the curtain；
then purses her lips secretively； laughs to herself； and goes
out。 Raina follows her to the door； shuts it behind her with a
slam； and locks it violently。 The man immediately steps out from
behind the curtain； sheathing his sabre； and dismissing the
danger from his mind in a businesslike way。）
MAN。 A narrow shave； but a miss is as good as a mile。 Dear young
lady； your servant until death。 I wish for your sake I had
joined the Bulgarian army instead of the Servian。 I am not a
native Servian。
RAINA （haughtily）。 No； you are one of the Austrians who set the
Servians on to rob us of our national liberty； and who officer
their army for them。 We hate them！
MAN。 Austrian！ not I。 Don't hate me； dear young lady。 I am only
a Swiss； fighting merely as a professional soldier。 I joined
Servia because it was nearest to me。 Be generous： you've beaten
us hollow。
RAINA。 Have I not been generous？
MAN。 Noble！heroic！ But I'm not saved yet。 This particular rush
will soon pass through； but the pursuit will go on all night by
fits and starts。 I must take my chance to get off during a quiet
interval。 You don't mind my waiting just a minute or two； do
you？
RAINA。 Oh； no： I am sorry you will have to go into danger again。
（Motioning towards ottoman。） Won't you sit（She breaks off
with an irrepressible cry of alarm as she catches sight of the
pistol。 The man； all nerves； shies like a frightened horse。）
MAN （irritably）。 Don't frighten me like that。 What is it？
RAINA。 Your pistol！ It was staring that officer in the face all
the time。 What an escape！
MAN （vexed at being unnecessarily terrified）。 Oh； is that all？
RAINA （staring at him rather superciliously； conceiving a
poorer and poorer opinion of him； and feeling proportionately
more and more at her ease with him）。 I am sorry I frightened
you。 （She takes up the pistol and hands it to him。） Pray take it
to protect yourself against me。
MAN （grinning wearily at the sarcasm as he takes the pistol）。
No use； dear young lady： there's nothing in it。 It's not loaded。
（He makes a grimace at it； and drops it disparagingly into his
revolver case。）
RAINA。 Load it by all means。
MAN。 I've no ammunition。 What use are cartridges in battle？ I
always carry chocolate instead； and I finished the last cake of
that yesterday。
RAINA （outraged in her most cherished ideals of manhood）。
Chocolate！ Do you stuff your pockets with sweetslike a
schoolboyeven in the field？
MAN。 Yes。 Isn't it contemptible？
（Raina stares at him； unable to utter her
feelings。 Then she sails away scornfully to the
chest of drawers； and returns with the box of
confectionery in her hand。）
RAINA。 Allow me。 I am sorry I have eaten them all except these。
（She offers him the box。）
MAN （ravenously）。 You're an angel！ （He gobbles the comfits。）
Creams！ Delicious！ （He looks anxiously to see whether there are
any more。 There are none。 He accepts the inevitable with
pathetic goodhumor； and says； with grateful emotion） Bless you；
dear lady。 You can always tell an old soldier by the inside of
his holsters and cartridge boxes。 The young ones carry pistols
and cartridges； the old ones； grub。 Thank you。 （He hands back
the box。 She snatches it contemptuously from him and throws it
away。 This impatient action is so sudden that he shies again。）
Ugh！ Don't do things so suddenly； gracious lady。 Don't revenge
yourself because I frightened you just now。
RAINA （superbly）。 Frighten me！ Do you know； sir； that though I
am only a woman； I think I am at heart as brave as you。
MAN。 I should think so。 You haven't been under fire for three
days as I have。 I can stand two days without shewing it much；
but no man can stand three days： I'm as nervous as a mouse。 （He
sits down on the ottoman； and takes his head in his hands。）
Would you like to see me cry？
RAINA （quickly）。 No。
MAN。 If you would； all you have to do is to scold me just as if
I were a little boy and you my nurse。 If I were in camp now
they'd play all sorts of tricks on me。
RAINA （a little moved）。 I'm sorry。 I won't scold you。 （Touched
by the sympathy in her tone； he raises his head and looks
gratefully at her： she immediately draws hack and says stiffly）
You must excuse me： our soldiers are not like that。 （She moves
away from the ottoman。）
MAN。 Oh； yes； they are。 There are only two sorts of soldiers：
old ones and young ones。 I've served fourteen years： half of
your fellows never smelt powder before。 Why； how is it that
you've just beaten us？ Sheer ignorance of the art of war；
nothing else。 （Indignantly。） I never saw anything so
unprofessional。
RAINA （ironically）。 Oh； was it unprofessional to beat you？
MAN。 Well； come； is it professional to throw a regiment of
cavalry on a battery of machine guns； with the dead certainty
that if the guns go off not a horse or man will ever get within
fifty yards of the fire？ I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw
it。
RAINA （eagerly turning to him； as all her enthusiasm and her
dream of glory rush back on her）。 Did you see the great cavalry
charge？ Oh； tell me about it。 Describe it to me。
MAN。 You never saw a cavalry charge； did you？
RAINA。 How could I？
MAN。 Ah； perhaps notof course。 Well； it's a funny sight。 It's
like slinging a handful of peas against a window pane： first one
comes； then two or three close behind him； and then all the rest
in a lump。
RAINA （her eyes dilating as she raises her clasped hands
ecstatically）。 Yes； first One！the braves
