arms and the man-第16部分

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starting。　（He　leaves　the　room　hastily；　with　the　documents　in　his
hand。）

LOUKA　（tauntingly）。　He　has　not　much　heart；　that　Swiss；　though
he　is　so　fond　of　the　Servians。　He　has　not　a　word　of　grief　for
his　poor　father。

RAINA　（bitterly）。　Grief！a　man　who　has　been　doing　nothing　but
killing　people　for　years！　What　does　he　care？　What　does　any
soldier　care？　（She　goes　to　the　door；　evidently　restraining　her
tears　with　difficulty。）

LOUKA。　Major　Saranoff　has　been　fighting；　too；　and　he　has　plenty
of　heart　left。　（Raina；　at　the　door；　looks　haughtily　at　her　and
goes　out。）　Aha！　I　thought　you　wouldn't　get　much　feeling　out　of
your　soldier。　（She　is　following　Raina　when　Nicola　enters　with　an
armful　of　logs　for　the　fire。）

NICOLA　（grinning　amorously　at　her）。　I've　been　trying　all　the
afternoon　to　get　a　minute　alone　with　you；　my　girl。　（His
countenance　changes　as　he　notices　her　arm。）　Why；　what　fashion　is
that　of　wearing　your　sleeve；　child？

LOUKA　（proudly）。　My　own　fashion。

NICOLA。　Indeed！　If　the　mistress　catches　you；　she'll　talk　to　you。
（He　throws　the　logs　down　on　the　ottoman；　and　sits　comfortably
beside　them。）

LOUKA。　Is　that　any　reason　why　you　should　take　it　on　yourself　to
talk　to　me？

NICOLA。　Come：　don't　be　so　contrary　with　me。　I've　some　good　news
for　you。　（He　takes　out　some　paper　money。　Louka；　with　an　eager
gleam　in　her　eyes；　comes　close　to　look　at　it。）　See；　a　twenty
leva　bill！　Sergius　gave　me　that　out　of　pure　swagger。　A　fool　and
his　money　are　soon　parted。　There's　ten　levas　more。　The　Swiss
gave　me　that　for　backing　up　the　mistress's　and　Raina's　lies
about　him。　He's　no　fool；　he　isn't。　You　should　have　heard　old
Catherine　downstairs　as　polite　as　you　please　to　me；　telling　me
not　to　mind　the　Major　being　a　little　impatient；　for　they　knew
what　a　good　servant　I　wasafter　making　a　fool　and　a　liar　of　me
before　them　all！　The　twenty　will　go　to　our　savings；　and　you
shall　have　the　ten　to　spend　if　you'll　only　talk　to　me　so　as　to
remind　me　I'm　a　human　being。　I　get　tired　of　being　a　servant
occasionally。

LOUKA　（scornfully）。　Yes：　sell　your　manhood　for　thirty　levas；
and　buy　me　for　ten！　Keep　your　money。　You　were　born　to　be　a
servant。　I　was　not。　When　you　set　up　your　shop　you　will　only　be
everybody's　servant　instead　of　somebody's　servant。

NICOLA　（picking　up　his　logs；　and　going　to　the　stove）。　Ah；　wait
till　you　see。　We　shall　have　our　evenings　to　ourselves；　and　I
shall　be　master　in　my　own　house；　I　promise　you。　（He　throws　the
logs　down　and　kneels　at　the　stove。）

LOUKA。　You　shall　never　be　master　in　mine。　（She　sits　down　on
Sergius's　chair。）

NICOLA　（turning；　still　on　his　knees；　and　squatting　down　rather
forlornly；　on　his　calves；　daunted　by　her　implacable　disdain）。
You　have　a　great　ambition　in　you；　Louka。　Remember：　if　any　luck
comes　to　you；　it　was　I　that　made　a　woman　of　you。

LOUKA。　You！

NICOLA　（with　dogged　self…assertion）。　Yes；　me。　Who　was　it　made
you　give　up　wearing　a　couple　of　pounds　of　false　black　hair　on
your　head　and　reddening　your　lips　and　cheeks　like　any　other
Bulgarian　girl？　I　did。　Who　taught　you　to　trim　your　nails；　and
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　pu