arms and the man-第20部分

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Saranoff：　your　hand。　My　congratulations。　These　heroics　of　yours
have　their　practical　side　after　all。　（To　Louka。）　Gracious　young
lady：　the　best　wishes　of　a　good　Republican！　（He　kisses　her　hand；
to　Raina's　great　disgust。）

CATHERINE　（threateningly）。　Louka：　you　have　been　telling
stories。

LOUKA。　I　have　done　Raina　no　harm。

CATHERINE　（haughtily）。　Raina！　（Raina　is　equally　indignant　at
the　liberty。）

LOUKA。　I　have　a　right　to　call　her　Raina：　she　calls　me　Louka。　I
told　Major　Saranoff　she　would　never　marry　him　if　the　Swiss
gentleman　came　back。

BLUNTSCHLI　（surprised）。　Hallo！

LOUKA　（turning　to　Raina）。　I　thought　you　were　fonder　of　him　than
of　Sergius。　You　know　best　whether　I　was　right。

BLUNTSCHLI。　What　nonsense！　I　assure　you；　my　dear　Major；　my　dear
Madame；　the　gracious　young　lady　simply　saved　my　life；　nothing
else。　She　never　cared　two　straws　for　me。　Why；　bless　my　heart　and
soul；　look　at　the　young　lady　and　look　at　me。　She；　rich；　young；
beautiful；　with　her　imagination　full　of　fairy　princes　and　noble
natures　and　cavalry　charges　and　goodness　knows　what！　And　I；　a
common…place　Swiss　soldier　who　hardly　knows　what　a　decent　life
is　after　fifteen　years　of　barracks　and　battlesa　vagabonda
man　who　has　spoiled　all　his　chances　in　life　through　an　incurably
romantic　dispositiona　man

SERGIUS　（starting　as　if　a　needle　had　pricked　him　and
interrupting　Bluntschli　in　incredulous　amazement）。　Excuse　me；
Bluntschli：　what　did　you　say　had　spoiled　your　chances　in　life？

BLUNTSCHLI　（promptly）。　An　incurably　romantic　disposition。　I　ran
away　from　home　twice　when　I　was　a　boy。　I　went　into　the　army
instead　of　into　my　father's　business。　I　climbed　the　balcony　of
this　house　when　a　man　of　sense　would　have　dived　into　the　nearest
cellar。　I　came　sneaking　back　here　to　have　another　look　at　the
young　lady　when　any　other　man　of　my　age　would　have　sent　the　coat
back

PETKOFF。　My　coat！

BLUNTSCHLI。Yes：　that's　the　coat　I　meanwould　have　sent　it
back　and　gone　quietly　home。　Do　you　suppose　I　am　the　sort　of
fellow　a　young　girl　falls　in　love　with？　Why；　look　at　our　ages！
I'm　thirty…four：　I　don't　suppose　the　young　lady　is　much　over
seventeen。　（This　estimate　produces　a　marked　sensation；　all　the
rest　turning　and　staring　at　one　another。　He　proceeds
innocently。）　All　that　adventure　which　was　life　or　death　to　me；
was　only　a　schoolgirl's　game　to　herchocolate　creams　and　hide
and　seek。　Here's　the　proof！　（He　takes　the　photograph　from　the
table。）　Now；　I　ask　you；　would　a　woman　who　took　the　affair
seriously　have　sent　me　this　and　written　on　it：　〃Raina；　to　her
chocolate　cream　soldiera　souvenir〃？　（He　exhibits　the
photograph　triumphantly；　as　if　it　settled　the　matter　beyond　all
possibility　of　refutation。）

PETKOFF。　That's　what　I　was　looking　for。　How　the　deuce　did　it　get
there？

BLUNTSCHLI　（to　Raina　complacently）。　I　have　put　everything
right；　I　hope；　gracious　young　lady！

RAINA　（in　uncontrollable　vexation）。　I　quite　agree　with　your
account　of　yourself。　You　are　a　romantic　idiot。　（Bluntschli　is
unspeakably　taken　aback。）　Next　time　I　hope　you　will　know　the
difference　between　a　schoolgirl　of　seventeen　and　a　woman　of
twenty…three。

BLUNTSCHLI　（stupefied）。　Twenty…three！　（She　snaps　the　photograph
contemptuously　from　his　hand；　tears　it　across；　and　throws　the
pieces　at　his　feet。）

SERGIUS　（with　grim　enjoyment　of　Bluntschli's　discomfiture）。
Bluntschli：　my　one　last　belief　is　gone。　Your　sagacity　is　a
fraud；　like　all　the　other　things。　You　have　less　sense　than　even
I　have。

BLUNTSCHLI　（overwhelmed）。　Twenty…three！　Twenty…three！！　（He
considers。）　Hm！　（Swiftly　making　up　his　mind。）　In　that　case；
Major　Petkoff；　I　beg　to　propose　formally　to　become　a　suitor　for
your　daughter's　hand；　in　place　of　Major　Saranoff　retired。

RAINA。　You　dare！

BLUNTSCHLI。　If　you　were　twenty…three　when　you　said　those　things
to　me　this　afternoon；　I　shall　take　them　seriously。

CATHERINE　（loftily　polite）。　I　doubt；　sir；　whether　you　quite
realize　either　my　daughter's　position　or　that　of　Major　Sergius
Saranoff；　whose　place　you　propose　to　take。　The　Petkoffs　and　the
Saranoffs　are　known　as　the　richest　and　most　important　families
in　the　country。　Our　position　is　almost　historical：　we　can　go
back　for　nearly　twenty　years。

PETKOFF。　Oh；　never　mind　that；　Catherine。　（To　Bluntschli。）　We
should　be　most　happy；　Bluntschli；　if　it　were　only　a　question　of
your　position；　but　hang　it；　you　know；　Raina　is　accustomed　to　a
very　comfortable　establishment。　Sergius　keeps　twenty　horses。

BLUNTSCHLI。　But　what　on　earth　is　the　use　of　twenty　horses？　Why；
it's　a　circus。

CATHERINE　（severely）。　My　daughter；　sir；　is　accustomed　to　a
first…rate　stable。

RAINA。　Hush；　mother；　you're　making　me　ridiculous。

BLUNTSCHLI。　Oh；　well；　if　it　comes　to　a　question　of　an
establishment；　here　goes！　（He　goes　impetuously　to　the　table　and
seizes　the　papers　in　the　blue　envelope。）　How　many　horses　did　you
say？

SERGIUS。　Twenty；　noble　Switzer！

BLUNTSCHLI。　I　have　two　hundred　horses。　（They　are　amazed。）　How
many　carriages？

SERGIUS。　Three。

BLUNTSCHLI。　I　have　seventy。　Twenty…four　of　them　will　hold　twelve
inside；　besides　two　on　the　box；　without　counting　the　driver　and
conductor。　How　many　tablecloths　have　you？

SERGIUS。　How　the　deuce　do　I　know？

BLUNTSCHLI。　Have　you　four　thousand？

SERGIUS。　NO。

BLUNTSCHLI。　I　have。　I　have　nine　thousand　six　hundred　pairs　of
sheets　and　blankets；　with　two　thousand　four　hundred　eider…down
quilts。　I　have　ten　thousand　knives　and　forks；　and　the　same
quantity　of　dessert　spoons。　I　have　six　hundred　servants。　I　have
six　palatial　establishments；　besides　two　livery　stables；　a　tea
garden　and　a　private　house。　I　have　four　medals　for　distinguished
services；　I　have　the　rank　of　an　officer　and　the　standing　of　a
gentleman；　and　I　have　three　native　languages。　Show　me　any　man　in
Bulgaria　that　can　offer　as　much。

PETKOFF　（with　childish　awe）。　Are　you　Emperor　of　Switzerland？

BLUNTSCHLI。　My　rank　is　the　highest　known　in　Switzerland：　I'm　a
free　citizen。

CATHERINE。　Then　Captain　Bluntschli；　since　you　are　my　daughter's
choice；　I　shall　not　stand　in　the　way　of　her　happiness。　（Petkoff
is　about　to　speak。）　That　is　Major　Petkoff's　feeling　also。

PETKOFF。　Oh；　I　shall　be　only　too　glad。　Two　hundred　horses！　Whew！

SERGIUS。　What　says　the　lady？

RAINA　（pretending　to　sulk）。　The　lady　says　that　he　can　keep　his
tablecloths　and　his　omnibuses。　I　am　not　here　to　be　sold　to　the
highest　bidder。

BLUNTSCHLI。　I　won't　take　that　answer。　I　appealed　to　you　as　a
fugitive；　a　beggar；　and　a　starving　man。　You　accepted　me。　You
gave　me　your　hand　to　kiss；　your　bed　to　sleep　in；　and　your　roof
to　shelter　me

RAINA　（interrupting　him）。　I　did　not　give　them　to　the　Emperor　of
Switzerland！

BLUNTSCHLI。　That's　just　what　I　say。　（He　catches　her　hand　quickly
and　looks　her　straight　in　the　face　as　he　adds；　with　confident
mastery）　Now　tell　us　who　you　did　give　them　to。

RAINA　（succumbing　with　a　shy　smile）。　To　my　chocolate　cream
soldier！

BLUNTSCHLI　（with　a　boyish　laugh　of　delight）。　That'll　do。　Thank
you。　（Looks　at　his　watch　and　suddenly　becomes　businesslike。）
Time's　up；　Major。　You've　managed　those　regiments　so　well　that
you　are　sure　to　be　asked　to　get　rid　of　some　of　the　Infantry　of
the　Teemok　division。　S