arms and the man-第13节

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keep　your　hands　clean；　and　be　dainty　about　yourself；　like　a　fine
Russian　lady？　Me！　do　you　hear　that？　me！　（She　tosses　her　head
defiantly；　and　he　rises；　ill…humoredly；　adding　more　coolly）　I've
often　thought　that　if　Raina　were　out　of　the　way；　and　you　just　a
little　less　of　a　fool　and　Sergius　just　a　little　more　of　one；　you
might　come　to　be　one　of　my　grandest　customers；　instead　of　only
being　my　wife　and　costing　me　money。

LOUKA。　I　believe　you　would　rather　be　my　servant　than　my　husband。
You　would　make　more　out　of　me。　Oh；　I　know　that　soul　of　yours。

NICOLA　（going　up　close　to　her　for　greater　emphasis）。　Never　you
mind　my　soul；　but　just　listen　to　my　advice。　If　you　want　to　be　a
lady；　your　present　behaviour　to　me　won't　do　at　all；　unless　when
we're　alone。　It's　too　sharp　and　imprudent；　and　impudence　is　a
sort　of　familiarity：　it　shews　affection　for　me。　And　don't　you
try　being　high　and　mighty　with　me　either。　You're　like　all
country　girls：　you　think　it's　genteel　to　treat　a　servant　the　way
I　treat　a　stable…boy。　That's　only　your　ignorance；　and　don't　you
forget　it。　And　don't　be　so　ready　to　defy　everybody。　Act　as　if
you　expected　to　have　your　own　way；　not　as　if　you　expected　to　be
ordered　about。　The　way　to　get　on　as　a　lady　is　the　same　as　the
way　to　get　on　as　a　servant：　you've　got　to　know　your　place；
that's　the　secret　of　it。　And　you　may　depend　on　me　to　know　my
place　if　you　get　promoted。　Think　over　it；　my　girl。　I'll　stand　by
you：　one　servant　should　always　stand　by　another。

LOUKA　（rising　impatiently）。　Oh；　I　must　behave　in　my　own　way。
You　take　all　the　courage　out　of　me　with　your　cold…blooded
wisdom。　Go　and　put　those　logs　on　the　fire：　that's　the　sort　of
thing　you　understand。　（Before　Nicola　can　retort；　Sergius　comes
in。　He　checks　himself　a　moment　on　seeing　Louka；　then　goes　to　the
stove。）

SERGIUS　（to　Nicola）。　I　am　not　in　the　way　of　your　work；　I　hope。

NICOLA　（in　a　smooth；　elderly　manner）。　Oh；　no；　sir；　thank　you
kindly。　I　was　only　speaking　to　this　foolish　girl　about　her　habit
of　running　up　here　to　the　library　whenever　she　gets　a　chance；　to
look　at　the　books。　That's　the　worst　of　her　education；　sir：　it
gives　her　habits　above　her　station。　（To　Louka。）　Make　that　table
tidy；　Louka；　for　the　Major。　（He　goes　out　sedately。）

　　　　（Louka；　without　looking　at　Sergius；　begins　to
　　　　　arrange　the　papers　on　the　table。　He　crosses　slowly
　　　　　to　her；　and　studies　the　arrangement　of　her　sleeve
　　　　　reflectively。）

SERGIUS。　Let　me　see：　is　there　a　mark　there？　（He　turns　up　the
bracelet　and　sees　the　bruise　made　by　his　grasp。　She　stands
motionless；　not　looking　at　him：　fascinated；　but　on　her　guard。）
Ffff！　Does　it　hurt？

LOUKA。　Yes。

SERGIUS。　Shall　I　cure　it？

LOUKA　（instantly　withdrawing　herself　proudly；　but　still　not
looking　at　him）。　No。　You　cannot　cure　it　now。

SERGIUS　（masterfully）。　Quite　sure？　（He　makes　a　movement　as　if
to　take　her　in　his　arms。）

LOUKA。　Don't　trifle　with　me；　please。　An　officer　should　not
trifle　with　a　servant。

SERGIUS　（touching　the　arm　with　a　merciless　stroke　of　his
forefinger）。　That　was　no　trifle；　Louka。

LOUKA。　No。　（Looking　at　him　for　the　first　time。）　Are　you　sorry？

SERGIUS　（with　measured　emphasis；　folding　his　arms）。　I　am　never
sorry。

LOUKA　（wistfully）。　I　wish　I　could　believe　a　man　could　be　so
unlike　a　woman　as　that。　I　wonder　are　you　really　a　brave　man？

SERGIUS　（unaffectedly；　relaxing　his　attitude）。　Yes：　I　am　a
brave　man。　My　heart　jumped　like　a　woman's　at　the　first　shot；　but
in　the　charge　I　found　that　I　was　brave。　Yes：　that　at　least　is
real　about　me。

LOUKA。　Did　you　find　in　the　charge　that　the　men　whose　fathers　are
poor　like　mine　were　any　less　brave　than　the　men　who　are　rich
like　you？

SERGIUS　（with　bitter　levity。）　Not　a　bit。　They　all　slashed　and
cursed　and　yelled　like　heroes。　Psha！　the　courage　to　rage　and
kill　is　cheap。　I　have　an　English　bull　terrier　who　has　as　much　of
that　sort　of　courage　as　the　whole　Bulgarian　nation；　and　the
whole　Russian　nation　at　its　back。　But　he　lets　my　groom　thrash
him；　all　the　same。　That's　your　soldier　all　over！　No；　Louka；　your
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