Arms and The Man by George Bernard Shaw - Act 1

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Act one of Arms and the Man. This is the
librevox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain.
For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox dot org.
Recording by phil Shinevert Beton Rouge, Louisiana. Arms and the

(00:20):
Man by George Bernard Shaw, Act one night a ladies
bedchamber in Bulgaria, in a small town near the Dragoman Pass.
It is late in November the year eighteen eighty five,
and through an open window with a little balcony on
the left, can be seen a peak of the Balkans,

(00:43):
wonderfully white and beautiful in the starlit snow. The interior
of the room is not like anything to be seen
in the East of Europe. It is half rich Bulgarian,
half cheap Viennese. The counterpane and hangings of the bed,
the window curtains, the little carpet, and all the ornamental

(01:03):
textile fabrics in the room are oriental and gorgeous. The
paper on the wall is occidental and paltry. Above the
head of the bed, which stands against a little wall
cutting off the right hand corner of the room diagonally
is a painted wooden shrine blue and gold, with an

(01:24):
ivory image of Christ, and the light hanging before it
in a pierced metal ball suspended by three chains on
the left. Further forward is an ottoman. The washstand against
the wall on the left consists of an enameled iron
basin with a pale beneath it in a painted metal frame,
and a single towel on the rail at the side.

(01:46):
A chair near it is Austrian bent wood with cane seat.
The dressing table between the bed and the window is
an ordinary pine table covered with a cloth of many colors,
but with an expensive tarlet mirror on it. The door
is on the right and there is a chest of
drawers between the door and the bed. This chest of

(02:09):
drawers is also covered by a variegated native cloth, and
on it there is a pile of paper backed novels,
a box of chocolate creams, and a miniature easel, on
which is a large photograph of an extremely handsome officer,
whose lofty bearing and magnetic glance can be felt even
from the portrait. The room is lighted by a candle

(02:32):
on the chest of drawers and another on the dressing
table with a box of matches beside it. The window
is hinged doorwise and stands wide open, folding back to
the left. Outside, a pair of wooden shutters opening outwards
also stand open. On the balcony. A young woman, intensely

(02:53):
conscious of the romantic beauty of the night, and of
the fact that her own youth and beauty is a
part of it, is on the balcony, gazing at the
snowy Balkans. She is covered by a long mantle of
furs worth on a moderate estimate, about three times the
furniture of her room. Her reverie is interrupted by her mother,

(03:14):
Katherine Petcough, a woman over forty, imperiously energetic, with magnificent
black hair and eyes, who might be a very splendid
specimen of the wife of a mountain farmer, but is
determined to be a Viennese lady, and to that end
wears a fashionable tea gown on all occasions. Catherine, entering

(03:38):
hastily full of good news, Ryena. She pronounces it Ryena,
with the stress on the e Ryena. She goes to
the bed, expecting to find Ryina there. Why where Ryena
looks into the room, heavens, child, are you out in
the night air, instead of in your bed. You'll catch

(03:58):
your death. Lucatto told me you were asleep. Rayina coming in,
I sent her away. I wanted to be alone. The
stars are so beautiful. What is the matter, Catherine, such
news there has been a battle? Raina, her eyes dilating. Ah.

(04:20):
She throws the cloak on the ottoman and then comes
eagerly to Catherine in her nightgown, A pretty garment, but
evidently the only one she has on Catherine. A great
battle at Slivnitza, a victory, and it was won by Sergius.
Raina with a cry of the light. Ah, rapturously, Oh, mother,

(04:43):
Then with sudden anxiety, is father safe? Catherine? Of course
he sent me the news. Sergius is the hero of
the hour, the idol of the regiment. Reina, tell me,
tell me how was it? Statically? Oh mother, Mother, Mother.

(05:04):
Raina pulls her mother down on the ottoman and they
kiss one another. Frantically, Catherine, with searching enthusiasm. You can't
guess how splendid it is. A cavalry charge. Think of
that he defied our Russian commanders, acted without orders, led
a charge on his own responsibility, headed it himself. Was

(05:28):
the first man to sweep through their guns. Can't you
see it, Reina, our gallant, splendid Bulgarians, with their swords
and eyes flashing, thundering down like an avalanche and scattering
the wretched servian dandies like chaff. And you you kept
Sergius waiting a year before you would be betrothed to him. Oh,

(05:50):
if you have a drop of Bulgarian blood in your veins,
you will worship him when he comes back. Raina, What
will he care for my poor little worship after the
acclamations of a whole army of heroes. But no matter,
I am so happy, so proud. She rises and walks

(06:11):
about excitedly. It proves that all our ideas were real
after all, Catherine, indignantly, Our idea is real. What do
you mean, Ryina? Our ideas of what Surgius would do?
Our patriotism, our heroic ideals. Oh, what faithless little creature's

(06:32):
girls are. I sometimes used to doubt whether they were
anything but dreams. When I buckled on Sergius's sword, he
looked so noble. It was treason to think of disillusion,
our humiliation, our failure. And yet, and yet quickly promise me.
You'll never tell him, Catherine, don't ask me for promises

(06:56):
until I know what I am promising. Ryina. Well, it
came into my head, just as he was holding me
in his arms and looking into my eyes, that perhaps
we only had our heroic ideas because we are so
fond of reading Byron and Pushkin, and because we were
so delighted with the opera that season at Bucharest. Real

(07:17):
life is so seldom like that, indeed, never as far
as I knew it. Then, remorsefully, only thank Mother, I
doubted him. I wondered whether all his heroic qualities and
his soldiership might not prove mere imagination. When he went
into a real battle, I had an uneasy fear that

(07:38):
he might cut a poor figure there beside all those
clever Russian officers, Catherine, a poor figure. Shame on you.
The Serbians have Austrian officers who are just as clever
as our Russians. But we have beaten them in every battle.
For all that Raina laughing and sitting down again. Yes,

(08:01):
that was only a prosaic little coward, Oh, to think
that it was all true that Sergius is just as
splendid and noble, as he looks that the world is
really a glorious world for women who can see its
glory and men who can act its romance. What happiness,
what unspeakable fulfillment? Ah. She throws herself on her knees

(08:27):
beside her mother and flings her arms passionately round her.
They are interrupted by the entry of Luca, a handsome,
proud girl in a very pretty Bulgarian peasant's dress with
double apron, so defiant that her civility to Raina is
almost insolent. She is afraid of Catherine, but even with her,

(08:48):
goes as far as she dares. She is just now
excited like the others, but she has no sympathy for
Raina's raptures, and looks contemptuously at the ecstasies of the
two before she addresses them, Luca, if you please, madam,
all the windows are to be closed and the shutters

(09:09):
made fast. They say there may be shooting in the streets.
Raina and Catherine rise together alarmed. The servians are being
chased right back through the pass, and they say they
may run into the town. Our cavalry will be after them,
and our people will be ready for them. You may
be sure now that they are running away. She goes

(09:31):
out on the balcony and pulls the outside shutters too,
then steps back into the room. Raina, I wish our
people were not so cruel. What glory is there in
killing wretched fugitives? Catherine, business like, her housekeeping instincts aroused.
I must see that everything is made safe downstairs. Raina

(09:55):
to Luca, leave the shutters so that I can just
close them if I hear any naught, Catherine authoritatively, turning
on her way to the door. Oh no, dear, you
must keep them fastened. You would be sure to drop
off to sleep and leave them open and make them
fast Luca, Luca, yes, madam, she fastens them. Ryena, don't

(10:21):
be anxious about me. The moment I hear a shot,
I shall blow out the candles and roll myself up
in bed with my ears well covered. Catherine, Quite the
wisest thing you can do, My love. Good night, Ryena,
good night. They kiss one another, and Ryena's emotion comes
back for a moment. Wish me joy of the happiest

(10:42):
night of my life, if only there are no fugitives.
Catherine go to bed, dear, and don't think of them.
She goes out. Luca secretly to Ryena, if you would
like the shutters open, just give them a push like this.
She pushes them. They open. She pulls them too again.

(11:03):
One of them ought to be bolted at the bottom,
but the bolt's gone. Reena, with dignity reproving her, thanks Luca,
but we must do what we are told. Luca makes
a grimace. Good night, Luca, carelessly, good night. She goes
out swaggering. Reena, left alone, goes to the chest of

(11:27):
drawers and adores the portrait there with feelings that are
beyond all expression. She does not kiss it, or press
it to her breast, or show it any mark of
bodily affection. But she takes it in her hands and
elevates it like a priestess Reina, looking up at the
picture with worship. Oh, I shall never be unworthy of

(11:49):
you any more, my hero, Never, never, never. She replaces
it reverently and selects a novel from the little pile
of books. She turns over the leaves dreamily finds her page,
turns the book in sight out at it, and then
with a happy sigh, gets into bed and prepares to

(12:09):
read herself to sleep. But before abandoning her self to fiction.
She raises her eyes once more, thinking of the blessed reality,
and murmurs, my hero, My hero. A distant shot breaks
the quiet of the night outside. She starts listening, and

(12:31):
two more shots much nearer follow startling her so that
she scrambles out of bed and hastily blows out the
candle on the chest of drawers. Then putting her fingers
in her ears, she runs to the dressing table and
blows out the light there, and hurries back to bed.
The room is now in darkness. Nothing is visible but

(12:52):
the glimmer of the light in the pierced ball before
the image, and the starlight scene through the slits at
the top of the shutters. The firing breaks out again.
There is a startling fusillade quite close at hand. Whilst
it is still echoing, the shutters disappear, pulled open from without,
and for an instant the rectangle of snowy starlight flashes

(13:15):
out with the figure of a man in black upon it.
The shutters close immediately and the room is dark again,
but the silence is now broken by the sound of panting.
Then there is a scrape and the flame of a
match is seen in the middle of the room, raina
crouching on the bed. Who's there? The match is out instantly,

(13:39):
who's there? Who is that? A man's voice in the darkness,
subduedly but threateningly, sh sh, don't call out or you'll
be shot. Be good, and no harm will happen to you.
She is heard leaving her bed and making for the door.
Take care, there's no use in trying to run away. Remember,
if you raise your voice, my pistol will go off commandingly.

(14:05):
Strike a light and let me see you. Do you
hear another moment of silence and darkness. Then she is
heard retreating to the dressing table. She lights a candle,
and the mystery is at an end. A man of
about thirty five in a deplorable light be spattered with
mud and blood and snow, his belt and the strap

(14:26):
of his revolver case keeping together the torn ruins of
the blue coat of a servient artillery officer, as far
as the candlelight and his unwashed, unkempt condition make it
possible to judge. He is a man of middling stature
and undistinguished appearance, with strong neck and shoulders, a roundish,
obstinate looking head covered with short, crisp bronze curls, clear,

(14:50):
quick blue eyes, and good brows and mouth, a hopelessly
prosaic nose like that of a strong minded, baby trim soldier,
like carriage and energy manner, and with all his wits
about him in spite of his desperate predicament, even with
a sense of humor of it, without, however, the least
intention of trifling with it or throwing away a chance.

(15:12):
He reckons up what he can guess about Rayina, her age,
her social position, her character, the extent to which he
is frightened at a glance, and continues, more politely, but
still more determinedly, Excuse my disturbing you, but you recognize
my uniform servian. If I am caught, I shall be killed. Determinedly.

(15:35):
Do you understand that Raina? Yes, man, well, I don't
intend to get killed if I can help it. Still
more determinedly, do you understand that he locks the door
with a snap? Raina disdainfully, I suppose not. She draws

(15:57):
herself up superbly and looks him right in the face, saying,
with emphasis, some soldiers I know are afraid of death.
Man with grim, good humor, all of them, dear lady,
all of them believe me. It is our duty to
live as long as we can and kill as many
of the enemy as we can. Now, if you raise

(16:19):
an alarm, Raina, cutting him short, you will shoot me.
How do you know that I am afraid to die?
Man cunningly? Ah, But suppose I don't shoot you. What
will happen then? Why A lot of your cavalry, the
greatest blackbirds in your army, will burst into this pretty
room of yours and slaughter me here like a pig.

(16:43):
For I'll fight like a demon. They shan't get me
into the street to amuse themselves with. I know what
they are. Are you prepared to receive that sort of
company in your present undress? Raina, suddenly conscious of her nightgown,
instinctively shrinks and gathers it more closely about her. He
watches her and adds, pitilessly, it's rather a scanty a.

(17:08):
She turns to the ottoman. He raises his pistol instantly
and cries stop. She stops, where are you going? Raina,
with dignified patience, only to get my cloak Man darting
to the ottoman and snatching the cloak, A good idea. No,

(17:29):
I'll keep the cloak, and you will take care that
nobody comes in and sees you without it. This is
a better weapon than the pistol. He throws the pistol
down on the Ottoman, Raina revolted. It is not the
weapon of a gentleman man. It's good enough for a
man with only you to stand between him and death.

(17:51):
As they look at one another for a moment, Raina
hardly able to believe that even a servian officer can
be so cynically and selfishly unchivalrous, they are startled by
a sharp fusillade in the street. The chill of imminent
death hushes the man's voice as he adds, do you
hear if you are going to bring those scoundrels in

(18:13):
on me, you shall receive them as you are. Raina
meets his eye with unflinching scorn. Suddenly he starts listening.
There is a step outside. Someone tries the door and
then knocks hurriedly and urgently at it. Raina looks at
the man breathless. He throws up his head with the

(18:34):
gesture of a man who sees that it is all
over with him, and dropping the manner which he has
been assuming to intimidate her, flames the cloak to her, exclaiming,
sincerely and kindly, Ah, no use, I'm done for Quick,
wrap yourself up. They're coming, Raina, catching the cloak eagerly, Oh,

(18:54):
thank you. She wraps herself up with great relief. He
draws his saber and turns to the door, waiting. Luca
outside knocking, My lady, my lady, get up quick and
open the door. Raina anxiously, what will you do? Man grimly,
never mind, keep out of the way. It will not

(19:17):
last long. Raina impulsively, I'll help you hide yourself. Oh,
hide yourself quick behind the curtain. She seizes him by
a torn strip of his sleeve and pulls him towards
the window. Man yielding to her, There is just half
a chance if you keep your head. Remember, nine soldiers

(19:39):
out of ten are born fools. He hides behind the curtain,
looking out for a moment to say, finally, if they
find me, I promise you a fight, A devil of
a fight. He disappears. Raina takes off the cloak and
throws it across the foot of the bed. Then, with
a sleepy, disturbed air, she opens the door. Luca enters excitedly, Luca,

(20:03):
A man has been seen climbing up the water pipe
to your balcony, a servian. The soldiers want to search
for him, and they are so wild and drunk and furious.
My lady says you are to dress at once, Raina,
as if annoyed at being disturbed, they shall not search here.
Why have they been let in? Katherine coming in hastily, Raina, darling,

(20:26):
are you safe? Have you seen any one or heard anything? Raina?
I heard the shooting. Surely the soldiers will not dare
come in here, Catherine, I have found a Russian officer,
Thank Heaven, he knows Sergius speaking through the door to
some one outside, Sir, will you come in now? My
daughter is ready. A young Russian officer in Bulgarian uniform enters,

(20:51):
sword in hand. The officer with soft feline politeness and
stiff military carriage. Good evening, Graciously, I am sorry to intrude,
but there is a fugitive hiding on the balcony. Will
you and the gracious lady your mother please to withdraw
whilst we search. Roena petulantly, nosense, sir, you can see

(21:14):
there is no one on the balcony. She throws the
shutters wide open and stands with her back to the
curtain where the man is hidden, pointing to the moonlit balcony.
A couple of shots are fired right under the window,
and the bullet shatters the glass opposite Raena, who winks
and gasps but stands her ground, while Catherine screams and

(21:35):
the officer rushes to the balcony. The officer on the
balcony shouting savagely down to the street, cease firing, there,
you fools, do you hear? Cease firing? Damn you? He
glares down for a moment, then turns to Loreena, trying
to resume his polite manner. Could anyone have got in
without your knowledge? Were you asleep? Rayena? No, I have

(22:00):
been to bed, the officer impatiently coming back into the room.
Your neighbors have their heads so full of runaway servians
that they see them everywhere. Politely, gracious, lady A thousand
pardons good night, military bow, which Raina returns coldly, another

(22:21):
to Catherine, who follows him out. Raina closes the shutters.
She turns and sees Luca, who has been watching the
scene curiously Reina, don't leave my mother, Luca. Whilst the
soldiers are here. Luca glances at Rayena at the ottoman
at the curtain, then purses her lips secretively, laughs to herself,

(22:44):
and goes out. Raina follows her to the door, shuts
it behind her with a slam, and locks it violently.
The man immediately steps out from behind the curtain, sheathing
his saber and dismissing the danger from his mind in
a business like way. Man, a narrow shave, but a
miss is as good as a mile. Dear young lady,

(23:06):
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, Reina, 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

(23:30):
don't hate me, dear young lady. I'm 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, Reina.
Have I not been generous? Man? Noble heroic. But I'm
not saved yet. This particular rush will soon pass through,

(23:55):
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, Reina? Oh? No, I
am sorry. You will have to go into danger again.
Motioning towards Ottoman, won't you sit? She breaks off with

(24:15):
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, Reina?
Your pistol? It was staring that officer in the face
all the time. What an escape man vexed at being

(24:38):
unnecessarily terrified? Oh is that all reena? Staring at him
rather superciliously, conceiving a poorer and poor 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

(25:01):
protect yourself against me. Man grinning wearily at the sarcasm
as he takes the pistol. No use, dear young lady,
there is nothing in it. It's not loaded. He makes
a grimace at it and drops it disparagingly into his
revolver case. Reina, load it by all means, man, I've

(25:23):
no ammunition. What use are cartridge's in battle? I always
carry chocolate instead, and I finished the last cake of
that yesterday, Reina, outraged in her most cherished ideals of manhood. Chocolate.
Do you stuff your pockets with sweets like a schoolboy

(25:43):
even in a 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.

(26:03):
I am sorry. I've eaten them all except these. She
offers him the box. Man ravenously, You're an angel. He
gobbles the comforts creams delicious. He looks anxiously to see
whether there are any more. There are none. He accepts
the inevitable with pathetic good humor and says, with grateful emotion,

(26:28):
bless you, dear lady. You can always tell an old
soldier by the insides 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

(26:49):
action is so sudden that he shies again. Ugh, don't
do things so suddenly, gracious lady, don't revenge yourself because
I've frightened you just now, Reyina, 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,

(27:13):
I should think so. You haven't been under fire for
three days as I have. I can stand two days
without showing 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? Reina? Quickly? No, man,

(27:39):
if you would, all you have to do is to
scold me, just as if I were a little boy
in you my nurse. If I were in camp now,
they'd play all sorts of tricks on me. Reina a
little moved, I'm sorry, I won't scold you. Touched by
these sympathy in her tone. He raises his head and

(28:00):
looks gratefully at her. She immediately draws back, insistively. 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

(28:23):
never smelt powder before. Why how is it that you've
beaten us? Sheer ignorance of the art of war, nothing else, indignantly.
I never saw anything so unprofessional, Braina ironically, Oh was
it unprofessional to beat you? Man? Well? Come, is it

(28:46):
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

(29:09):
rushed 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, Rayina? How could I? Man? Ah?
Perhaps not, of course, well, it's a funny sight. It's

(29:31):
like slinging a handful of peas against a windowpane. 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, hmm. You should

(29:56):
see the poor devil pulling at his horse. 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.

(30:20):
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 horse's cannoning together. Reina, Oh, but I
don't believe the first man is a coward. I believe
he is a hero man. Good humoredly, that's what you'd

(30:44):
have said if you'd seen the first man in the
charge today, Reina, breathless. Ah, I knew it. Tell me,
tell me about him man. He did it like an
operatic tenor, a regular handsome fellow with flashing eyes and
lovely mustache, shouting a war cry and charging like Don

(31:05):
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

(31:26):
been in one or two very tight places, and I
hadn't even a revolver cartridge. Nothing but chocolate. We'd know,
bayonets nothing. 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

(31:47):
ought to be court martialed 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 admitted suicide. Only the pistol missed fire, that's all. Reina,
deeply wounded but steadfastly loyal, to her ideals. Indeed, would

(32:12):
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. Reina,
that is a photograph of the gentleman, the patriot and

(32:35):
hero to 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. Reina, quickly,

(32:57):
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. Reina sternly give me back the portraits,

(33:19):
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 got

(33:42):
wind of the cartridge business somehow and knew it was
a safe job, Reina. 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

(34:04):
to get back to the ottoman, the firing begins again
in the distance, Reina sternly as she sees him, listening
to the shots. So much the better for you, Man turning,
how Reina, you are my enemy and you are at
my mercy. What would I do if I were a

(34:27):
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, Reina, coldly, thank you,

(34:49):
and now I will do the soldiery 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 man,
changing countenance. Down that water pipe. Stop wait, I can't,

(35:10):
I daren't. The very thought of it makes me giddy.
I came up it fast enough with death behind me,
but to face it now in cold blood? He sinks
on the ottoman. It's no use, I give up. I'm beaten.
Give the alarm. He drops his head in his hands

(35:31):
in the deepest dejection. Ryena disarmed by pity. Come, don't
be disheartened. She stoops over him, almost maternally. He shakes
his head. Oh, you are a very poor soldier, a
chocolate cream soldier. Come cheer up. It takes less courage

(35:52):
to climb down than to face capture, remember that man,
dreamily lulled by her voice. No, capture only means death,
and death is sleep. Oh, sleep, sleep, sleep, undisturbed sleep. Ah,
Climbing down the pipe means doing something, exerting myself, thinking

(36:16):
death ten times over. First raina softly and wonderingly, catching
the rhythm of his weariness. Are you so sleepy as
that man? I've not had two hours undisturbed sleep since
the war began. I'm on the staff. You don't know
what that means I haven't closed my eyes for thirty

(36:39):
six hours, Reina desperately. But what am I to do
with you man staggering up? Of course I must do something.
He shakes himself, pulls himself together, and speaks with rallied
vigor and courage. You see, sleep, no sleep, hunger or

(37:01):
no hunger, tired or not tired. You can always do
a thing when you know it must be done well.
That pipe must be got down. He hits himself on
the chest and adds, do you hear that? You chocolate
cream soldier? He turns to the window. Raina anxiously. But

(37:22):
if you fall, man, I shall sleep as if the
stones were a featherbed. Goodbye. He makes boldly for the window,
and his hand is on the shutter when there is
a terrible burst of firing in the street beneath Raina
rushing to him. Stop. She catches him by the shoulder

(37:43):
and turns him quite round. They'll kill you, man, coolly
but attentively. Never mind, this sort of thing is all
in my day's work. I'm bound to take my chance decisively.
Now do what I tell you. Out the candles so
that they shan't see the light. When I open the
shutters and keep away from the window. Whatever you do.

(38:06):
If they see me, they're sure to have a shot
at me, Reina, clinging to him. They're sure to see you.
It's bright moonlight. I'll save you. Oh, how can you
be so indifferent? You want me to save you, don't you? Man,
I really don't want to be troublesome. She shakes him

(38:27):
in her impatience. I am not indifferent, dear young lady,
I assure you. But how is it to be done? Reina?
Come away from the window, please. She coaxes him back
to the middle of the room. He submits humbly. She
releases him and addresses him patronizingly. Now, listen, you must

(38:49):
trust to our hospitality. You do not yet know in
whose house you are. I am a pet cough Man.
What's that? Reina? Rather indignantly, I mean that I belong
to the family of the pet Coughs, the richest and
best known in our country. Man, Oh, yes, of course

(39:12):
I beg your pardon, the pet Coughs, to be sure.
How stupid of me, Reina, You know you never heard
of them until this minute. How can you stoop to pretend? Man?
Forgive me? I'm too tired to think, and the change
of subject was too much for me. Don't scold me, Reina,

(39:33):
I forgot it might make you cry. He nods quite seriously.
She pouts, and then resumes her patronizing tone. I must
tell you that my father holds the highest command of
any Bulgarian in our army. He is proudly a major
man pretending to be deeply impressed a major. Bless me.

(39:58):
Think of that, Reina. You showed great ignorance in thinking
that it was necessary to climb up to the balcony.
Because ours is the only private house that has two
rows of windows. There is a flight of stairs inside
to get up and down by man stairs. How grand

(40:19):
you live in great luxury. Indeed, dear young lady, Reina,
do you know what a library is, Man? A library
a room full of books, Reina, Yes, we have one,
the only one in Bulgaria. Man, actually, a real library.

(40:41):
I should like to see that, Reina. Affectedly, I tell
you these things to show you that you are not
in the house of ignorant country folk who would kill
you the moment they saw your survey in uniform, but
among civilized people. We go to Bucharest every year for
the opera season, and I have spent a whole month

(41:02):
in Vienna. Man, I saw that, dear young lady, I
saw it once that you knew the world, Reina. 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? Reina contemptuously, no, Man, stifling a

(41:26):
heavy sigh of weariness. Then I don't know it, Reina.
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 and old
Castilian noble. The noble refuses to give him up. His

(41:48):
guest is sacred to him. Man, quickly waking a little.
Have your people got that notion? Reina? With dignity, My
mother and I can understand that notion as you call it.
But if instead of threatening me with your pistol as
you did, you had simply thrown yourself as a fugitive

(42:10):
on our hospitality, you would have been as safe as
in your father's house. Man, quite sure, Reina, 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.

(42:34):
He keeps six hotels, but I couldn't trust him as
far as that. What about your father, Reina, He is
away in 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

(42:56):
looking dubiously at his own hand. Better not touch my hand,
dear young lady, I must have a wash first, Reina touched.
That is very nice of you. I see that you
are a gentleman man puzzled, ah, Reina, you must not
think I am surprised. Bulgarians are really good standing. People

(43:20):
in our position wash 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?

(43:43):
I had better not stay here secretly longer than is necessary, Reina,
if you will be so good as to keep perfectly still,
whilst I am away. Man, certainly, He sits down on
the ottoman. Reina goes to the bed and wraps herself
in the fur cloak. His eyes close. She goes to

(44:05):
the door, but on turning for a last look at him,
sees that he is dropping off 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,

(44:26):
falling asleep? 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. Certainly, certainly,

(44:50):
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 sleep.

(45:14):
The words trail off 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 danger. Remember that
intently danger, danger, Danger. Where's danger? Must find it? He

(45:36):
starts off vaguely around the room in search of it.
What am I looking for? Sleep? Danger? Don't know? He
stumbles against the bed. Ah, yes, now I know, all right. Now,
I'm to go to bed, but not to sleep. Be sure,
not to sleep because of danger. Not to lie down either,

(46:00):
You're 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.

(46:22):
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

(46:43):
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 hard, Sir, Raina catching her arm don't, Mamma,

(47:07):
the poor dear is worn out. Let him sleep. Catherine
letting him go, and turning amazed to Reina, the poor
dear y Ena. She looks sternly at her daughter. The
man sleeps profoundly. End of Act one,