arms and the man-第4节

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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　bravest　of　the　brave！

MAN　（prosaically）。　Hm！　you　should　see　the　poor　devil　pulling　at
his　horse。

RAINA。　Why　should　he　pull　at　his　horse？

MAN　（impatient　of　so　stupid　a　question）。　It's　running　away　with
him；　of　course：　do　you　suppose　the　fellow　wants　to　get　there
before　the　others　and　be　killed？　Then　they　all　come。　You　can
tell　the　young　ones　by　their　wildness　and　their　slashing。　The
old　ones　come　bunched　up　under　the　number　one　guard：　they　know
that　they　are　mere　projectiles；　and　that　it's　no　use　trying　to
fight。　The　wounds　are　mostly　broken　knees；　from　the　horses
cannoning　together。

RAINA。　Ugh！　But　I　don't　believe　the　first　man　is　a　coward。　I
believe　he　is　a　hero！

MAN　（goodhumoredly）。　That's　what　you'd　have　said　if　you'd　seen
the　first　man　in　the　charge　to…day。

RAINA　（breathless）。　Ah；　I　knew　it！　Tell　metell　me　about　him。

MAN。　He　did　it　like　an　operatic　tenora　regular　handsome
fellow；　with　flashing　eyes　and　lovely　moustache；　shouting　a
war…cry　and　charging　like　Don　Quixote　at　the　windmills。　We
nearly　burst　with　laughter　at　him；　but　when　the　sergeant　ran　up
as　white　as　a　sheet；　and　told　us　they'd　sent　us　the　wrong
cartridges；　and　that　we　couldn't　fire　a　shot　for　the　next　ten
minutes；　we　laughed　at　the　other　side　of　our　mouths。　I　never
felt　so　sick　in　my　life；　though　I've　been　in　one　or　two　very
tight　places。　And　I　hadn't　even　a　revolver　cartridgenothing
but　chocolate。　We'd　no　bayonetsnothing。　Of　course；　they　just
cut　us　to　bits。　And　there　was　Don　Quixote　flourishing　like　a
drum　major；　thinking　he'd　done　the　cleverest　thing　ever　known；
whereas　he　ought　to　be　courtmartialled　for　it。　Of　all　the　fools
ever　let　loose　on　a　field　of　battle；　that　man　must　be　the　very
maddest。　He　and　his　regiment　simply　committed　suicideonly　the
pistol　missed　fire；　that's　all。

RAINA　（deeply　wounded；　but　steadfastly　loyal　to　her　ideals）。
Indeed！　Would　you　know　him　again　if　you　saw　him？

MAN。　Shall　I　ever　forget　him。　（She　again　goes　to　the　chest　of
drawers。　He　watches　her　with　a　vague　hope　that　she　may　have
something　else　for　him　to　eat。　She　takes　the　portrait　from　its
stand　and　brings　it　to　him。）

RAINA。　That　is　a　photograph　of　the　gentlemanthe　patriot　and
heroto　whom　I　am　betrothed。

MAN　（looking　at　it）。　I'm　really　very　sorry。　（Looking　at　her。）
Was　it　fair　to　lead　me　on？　（He　looks　at　the　portrait　again。）
Yes：　that's　him：　not　a　doubt　of　it。　（He　stifles　a　laugh。）

RAINA　（quickly）。　Why　do　you　laugh？

MAN　（shamefacedly；　but　still　greatly　tickled）。　I　didn't　laugh；
I　assure　you。　At　least　I　didn't　mean　to。　But　when　I　think　of　him
charging　the　windmills　and　thinking　he　was　doing　the　finest
thing（chokes　with　suppressed　laughter）。

RAINA　（sternly）。　Give　me　back　the　portrait；　sir。

MAN　（with　sincere　remorse）。　Of　course。　Certainly。　I'm　really
very　sorry。　（She　deliberately　kisses　it；　and　looks　him　straight
in　the　face；　before　returning　to　the　chest　of　drawers　to　replace
it。　He　follows　her；　apologizing。）　Perhaps　I'm　quite　wrong；　you
know：　no　doubt　I　am。　Most　likely　he　had　got　wind　of　the
cartridge　business　somehow；　and　knew　it　was　a　safe　job。

RAINA。　That　is　to　say；　he　was　a　pretender　and　a　coward！　You　did
not　dare　say　that　before。

MAN　（with　a　comic　gesture　of　despair）。　It's　no　use；　dear　lady：
I　can't　make　you　see　it　from　the　professional　point　of　view。　（As
he　turns　away　to　get　back　to　the　ottoman；　the　firing　begins
again　in　the　distance。）

RAINA　（sternly；　as　she　sees　him　listening　to　the　shots）。　So
much　the　better　for　you。

MAN　（turning）。　How？

RAINA。　You　are　my　enemy；　and　you　are　at　my　mercy。　What　would　I
do　if　I　were　a　professional　soldier？

MAN。　Ah；　true；　dear　young　lady：　you're　always　right。　I　know　how
good　you　have　been　to　me：　to　my　last　hour　I　shall　remember　those
three　chocolate　creams。　It　was　unsoldierly；　but　it　was　angelic。

RAINA　（coldly）。　Thank　you。　And　now　I　will　do　a　soldierly　thing。
You　cannot　stay　here　after　what　you　have　just　said　about　my
future　husband；　but　I　will　go　out　on　the　balcony　and　see　whether
it　is　safe　for　you　to　climb　down　into　the　street。　（She　turns　to
the　window。）

M