arms and the man-第14节

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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　between　you；　except　at　the　muzzle　of　your
pistol？　Raina　is　mistaken　about　our　friend　who　was　burnt。　He　was
not　my　informant。

RAINA。　Who　then？　（Suddenly　guessing　the　truth。）　Ah；　Louka！　my
maid；　my　servant！　You　were　with　her　this　morning　all　that　time
after…after…Oh；　what　sort　of　god　is　this　I　have　been
worshipping！　（He　meets　her　gaze　with　sardonic　enjoyment　of　her
disenchantment。　Angered　all　the　more；　she　goes　closer　to　him；
and　says；　in　a　lower；　intenser　tone）　Do　you　know　that　I　looked
out　of　the　window　as　I　went　upstairs；　to　have　another　sight　of
my　hero；　and　I　saw　something　that　I　did　not　understand　then。　I
know　now　that　you　were　making　love　to　her。

SERGIUS　（with　grim　humor）。　You　saw　that？

RAINA。　Only　too　well。　（She　turns　away；　and　throws　herself　on　the
divan　under　the　centre　window；　quite　overcome。）

SERGIUS　（cynically）。　Raina：　our　romance　is　shattered。　Life's　a
farce。

BLUNTSCHLI　（to　Raina；　goodhumoredly）。　You　see：　he's　found
himself　out　now。

SERGIUS。　Bluntschli：　I　have　allowed　you　to　call　me　a　blockhead。
You　may　now　call　me　a　coward　as　well。　I　refuse　to　fight　you。　Do
you　know　why？

BLUNTSCHLI。　No；　but　it　doesn't　matter。　I　didn't　ask　the　reason
when　you　cried　on；　and　I　don't　ask　the　reason　now　that　you　cry
off。　I'm　a　professional　soldier。　I　fight　when　I　have　to；　and　am
very　glad　to　get　out　of　it　when　I　haven't　to。　You're　only　an
amateur：　you　think　fighting's　an　amusement。

SERGIUS。　You　shall　hear　the　reason　all　the　same；　my
professional。　The　reason　is　that　it　takes　two　menreal　menmen
of　heart；　blood　and　honorto　make　a　genuine　combat。　I　could　no
more　fight　with　you　than　I　could　make　love　to　an　ugly　woman。
You've　no　magnetism：　you're　not　a　man；　you're　a　machine。

BLUNTSCHLI　（apologetically）。　Quite　true；　quite　true。　I　always
was　that　sort　of　chap。　I'm　very　sorry。　But　now　that　you've　found
that　life　isn't　a　farce；　but　something　quite　sensible　and
serious；　what　further　obstacle　is　there　to　your　happiness？

RAINA　（riling）。　You　are　very　solicitous　about　my　happiness　and
his。　Do　you　forget　his　new　loveLouka？　It　is　not　you　that　he
must　fight　now；　but　his　rival；　Nicola。

SERGIUS。　Rival！！　（Striking　his　forehead。）

RAINA。　Did　you　not　know　that　they　are　engaged？

SERGIUS。　Nicola！　Are　fresh　abysses　opening！　Nicola！！

RAINA　（sarcastically）。　A　shocking　sacrifice；　isn't　it？　Such
beauty；　such　intellect；　such　modesty；　wasted　on　a　middle…aged
servant　man！　Really；　Sergius；　you　cannot　stand　by　and　allow　such
a　thing。　It　would　be　unworthy　of　your　chivalry。

SERGIUS　（losing　all　self…control）。　Viper！　Viper！　（He　rushes　to
and　fro；　raging。）

BLUNTSCHLI。　Look　here；　Saranoff；　you're　getting　the　worst　of
this。

RAINA　（getting　angrier）。　Do　you　realize　what　he　has　done；
Captain　Bluntschli？　He　has　set　this　girl　as　a　spy　on　us；　and　her
reward　is　that　he　makes　love　to　her。

SERGIUS。　False！　Monstrous！

RAINA。　Monstrous！　（Confronting　him。）　Do　you　deny　that　she　told
you　about　Captain　Bluntschli　being　in　my　room？

SERGIUS。　No；　but

RAINA　（interrupting）。　Do　you　deny　that　you　were　making　love　to
her　when　she　told　you？

SERGIUS。　No；　but　I　tell　you

RAINA　（cutting　him　short　contemptuously）。　It　is　unnecessary　to
tell　us　anything　more。　That　is　quite　enough　for　us。　（She　turns
her　back　on　him　and　sweeps　majestically　back　to　the　window。）

BLUNTSCHLI　（quietly；　as　Sergius；　in　an　agony　of　mortification；
rinks　on　the　ottoman；　clutching　his　averted　head　between　his
fists）。　I　told　you　you　were　getting　the　worst　of　it；　Saranoff。

SERGIUS。　Tiger　cat！

RAINA　（running　excitedly　to　Bluntschli）。　You　hear　this　man
calling　me　names；　Captain　Bluntschli？

BLUNTSCHLI。　What　else　can　he　do；　dear　lady？　He　must　defend
himself　somehow。　Come　（very　persuasively）；　don't　quarrel。　What
good　does　it　do？　（Raina；　with　a　gasp；　sits　down　on　the　ottoman；
and　after　a　vain　effort　to　look　vexedly　at　Bluntschli；　she　falls
a　victim　to　her　sense　of　humor；　and　is　attacked　with　a
disposition　to　laugh。）

SERGIUS。　Engaged　to　Nicola！　（He　rises。）　Ha！　ha！　（Going　to　the
stove　and　standing　with　his　back　to　it。）　Ah；　well；　Bluntschli；
you　are　right　to　take　this　huge　imposture　of　a　world　coolly。

RAINA　（to　Bluntschli　with　an　intuitive　guess　at　his　state　of
mind）。　I　daresay　you　think　us　a　couple　of　grown　up　babies；　don't
you？

SERGIUS　（grinning　a　little）。　He　does；　he　does。　Swiss
civilization　nursetending　Bulgarian　barbarism；　eh？

BLUNTSCHLI　（blushing）。　Not　at　all；　I　assure　you。　I'm　only　very
glad　to　get　you　two　quieted。　There　now；　let's　be　pleasant　and
talk　it　over　in　a　friendly　way。　Where　is　this　other　young　lady？

RAINA。　Listening　at　the　door；　probably。

SERGIUS　（shivering　as　if　a　bullet　had　struck　him；　and　speaking
with　quiet　but　deep　indignation）。　I　will　prove　that　that；　at
least；　is　a　calumny。　（He　goes　with　dignity　to　the　door　and　opens
it。　A　yell　of　fury　bursts　from　him　as　he　looks　out。　He　darts
into　the　passage；　and　returns　dragging　in　Louka；　whom　he　flings
against　the　table；　R。；　as　he　cries）　Judge　her；　Bluntschliyou；
the　moderate；　cautious　man：　judge　the　eavesdropper。

　　　　（Louka　stands　her　ground；　proud　and　silent。）

BLUNTSCHLI　（shaking　his　head）。　I　mustn't　judge　her。　I　once
listened　myself　outside　a　tent　when　there　was　a　mutiny　brewing。
It's　all　a　question　of　the　degree　of　provocation。　My　life　was　at
stake。

LOUKA。　My　love　was　at　stake。　（Sergius　flinches；　ashamed　of　her
in　spite　of　himself。）　I　am　not　ashamed。

RAINA　（contemptuously）。　Your　love！　Your　curiosity；　you　mean。

LOUKA　（facing　her　and　retorting　her　contempt　with　interest）。　My
love；　stronger　than　anything　you　can　feel；　even　for　your
chocolate　cream　soldier。

SERGIUS　（with　quick　suspicionto　Louka）。　What　does　that　mean？

LOUKA　（fiercely）。　It　means

SERGIUS　（interrupting　her　slightingly）。　Oh；　I　remember；　the　ice
pudding。　A　paltry　taunt；　girl。

　　　　（Major　Petkoff　enters；　in　his　shirtsleeves。）

PETKOFF。　Excuse　my　shirtsleeves；　gentlemen。　Raina：　somebody　has
been　wearing　that　coat　of　mine：　I'll　swear　itsomebody　with
bigger　shoulders　than　mine。　It's　all　burst　open　at　the