arms and the man-第6章
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
RAINA。 Do you know what a library is？
MAN。 A library？ A roomful of books。
RAINA。 Yes； we have one； the only one in Bulgaria。
MAN。 Actually a real library！ I should like to see that。
RAINA （affectedly）。 I tell you these things to shew you that
you are not in the house of ignorant country folk who would kill
you the moment they saw your Servian uniform； but among
civilized people。 We go to Bucharest every year for the opera
season； and I have spent a whole month in Vienna。
MAN。 I saw that； dear young lady。 I saw at once that you knew
the world。
RAINA。 Have you ever seen the opera of Ernani？
MAN。 Is that the one with the devil in it in red velvet； and a
soldier's chorus？
RAINA （contemptuously）。 No！
MAN （stifling a heavy sigh of weariness）。 Then I don't know it。
RAINA。 I thought you might have remembered the great scene where
Ernani； flying from his foes just as you are tonight； takes
refuge in the castle of his bitterest enemy； an old Castilian
noble。 The noble refuses to give him up。 His guest is sacred to
him。
MAN （quickly waking up a little）。 Have your people got that
notion？
RAINA （with dignity）。 My mother and I can understand that
notion； as you call it。 And if instead of threatening me with
your pistol as you did； you had simply thrown yourself as a
fugitive on our hospitality； you would have been as safe as in
your father's house。
MAN。 Quite sure？
RAINA （turning her back on him in disgust。） Oh； it is useless
to try and make you understand。
MAN。 Don't be angry： you see how awkward it would be for me if
there was any mistake。 My father is a very hospitable man： he
keeps six hotels； but I couldn't trust him as far as that。 What
about YOUR father？
RAINA。 He is away at Slivnitza fighting for his country。 I
answer for your safety。 There is my hand in pledge of it。 Will
that reassure you？ （She offers him her hand。）
MAN （looking dubiously at his own hand）。 Better not touch my
hand； dear young lady。 I must have a wash first。
RAINA （touched）。 That is very nice of you。 I see that you are a
gentleman。
MAN （puzzled）。 Eh？
RAINA。 You must not think I am surprised。 Bulgarians of really
good standingpeople in OUR positionwash their hands nearly
every day。 But I appreciate your delicacy。 You may take my hand。
（She offers it again。）
MAN （kissing it with his hands behind his back）。 Thanks；
gracious young lady： I feel safe at last。 And now would you mind
breaking the news to your mother？ I had better not stay here
secretly longer than is necessary。
RAINA。 If you will be so good as to keep perfectly still whilst
I am away。
MAN。 Certainly。 （He sits down on the ottoman。）
（Raina goes to the bed and wraps herself in the
fur cloak。 His eyes close。 She goes to the door；
but on turning for a last look at him； sees that
he is dropping of to sleep。）
RAINA （at the door）。 You are not going asleep； are you？
（He murmurs inarticulately： she runs to him and shakes him。）
Do you hear？ Wake up： you are falling asleep。
MAN。 Eh？ Falling aslee？ Oh； no； not the least in
the world： I was only thinking。 It's all right： I'm wide
awake。
RAINA （severely）。 Will you please stand up while I am
away。 （He rises reluctantly。） All the time； mind。
MAN （standing unsteadily）。 Certainlycertainly： you
may depend on me。
（Raina looks doubtfully at him。 He smiles
foolishly。 She goes reluctantly； turning
again at the door； and almost catching him
in the act of yawning。 She goes out。）
MAN （drowsily）。 Sleep； sleep； sleep； sleep； slee（Tbe
words trail of into a murmur。 He wakes again with a
shock on the point of falling。） Where am I？ That's what
I want to know： where am I？ Must keep awake。 Nothing
keeps me awake except dangerremember that（intently）
danger； danger； danger； dan Where's danger？ Must
find it。 （He starts of vaguely around the room in search of
it。） What am I looking for？ Sleepdangerdon't know。
（He stumbles against the bed。） Ah； yes： now I know。 All
right now。 I'm to go to bed； but not to sleepbe sure
not to sleepbecause of danger。 Not to lie down； either；
only sit down。 （He sits on the bed。 A blissful expression
comes into his face。） Ah！ （With a happy sigh he sinks back
at full length； lifts his boots into the bed with a final
effort； and falls fast asleep instantly。）
（Catherine comes in； followed by Raina。）
RAINA （looking at the ottoman）。 He's gone！ I left him
here。
CATHERINE； Here！ Then he must have climbed down from the
RAINA （seeing him）。 Oh！ （She points。）
CATHERINE （scandalized）。 Well！ （She strides to the left
side of the bed； Raina following and standing opposite her on
the right。） He's fast asleep。 The brute！
RAINA （anxiously）。 Sh！
CATHERINE （shaking him）。 Sir！ （Shaking him again；
harder。） Sir！！ （Vehemently shaking very bard。） Sir！！！
RAINA （catching her arm）。 Don't； mamma： the poor dear
is worn out。 Let him sleep。
CATHERINE （letting him go and turning amazed to Raina）。
The poor dear！ Raina！！！ （She looks sternly at her
daughter。 The man sleeps profoundly。）
ACT II
The sixth of March； 1886。 In the garden of major
Petkoff's house。 It is a fine spring morning； and
the garden looks fresh and pretty。 Beyond the
paling the tops of a couple of minarets can he
seen； shewing that there it a valley there； with
the little town in it。 A few miles further the
Balkan mountains rise and shut in the view。 Within
the garden the side of the house is seen on the
right； with a garden door reached by a little
flight of steps。 On the left the stable yard； with
its gateway； encroaches on the garden。 There are
fruit bushes along the paling and house； covered
with washing hung out to dry。 A path runs by the
house； and rises by two steps at the corner where
it turns out of the right along the front。 In the
middle a small table； with two bent wood chairs at
it； is laid for breakfast with Turkish coffee pot；
cups； rolls； etc。； but the cups have been used and
the bread broken。 There is a wooden garden seat
against the wall on the left。
Louka； smoking a cigaret； is standing between the
table and the house； turning her back with angry
disdain on a man…servant who is lecturing her。 He
is a middle…aged man of cool temperament and low
but clear and keen intelligence； with the
complacency of the servant who values himself on
his rank in servility； and the imperturbability of
the accurate calculator who has no illusions。 He
wears a white Bulgarian costume jacket with
decorated harder； sash； wide knickerbockers； and
decorated gaiters。 His head is shaved up to the
crown； giving him a high Japanese forehead。 His
name is Nicola。
NICOLA。 Be warned in time； Louka： mend your manners。 I know the
mistress。 She is so grand that she never dreams that any servant
could dare to be disrespectful to her； but if she once suspects
that you are defying her； out you go。
LOUKA。 I do defy her。 I will defy her。 What do I care for her？
NICOLA。 If you quarrel with the family； I never can marry you。
It's the same as if you quarrelled with me！
LOUKA。 You take her part against me； do you？
NICOLA （sedately）。 I shall always be dependent on the good will
of the family。 When I leave their service and start a shop in
Sofea； their custom will be half my capital： their bad word
would ruin me。
LOUKA。 You have no spirit。 I should like to see them dare say a
word against me！
NICOLA （pityingly）。 I should have expected more sense from you；
Louka。 But you're young； you're young！
LOUKA。 Yes； and you like me the better for it； don't you？ But I
know some family secrets they wouldn't care to have told； young
as I am。 Let them quarrel with me if they dare！
NICOLA （with compassionate superiority）。 Do you know what they
would do if they heard you talk like that？
LOUKA。 What could they do？
NICOLA。 Discharge you for untruthfulness。 Who would believe any
stories you told after that？ Who would give you another
situation？ Who in this house would dare be seen speaking to you
ever again？ How long would your father be left
