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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 put up with insults and blows； they stand by and see one
another punished like children…aye； and help to do it when
they are ordered。 And the officers！…well （with a short； bitter
laugh） I am an officer。 Oh； （fervently） give me the man who will
defy to the death any power on earth or in heaven that sets
itself up against his own will and conscience： he alone is the
brave man。
LOUKA。 How easy it is to talk！ Men never seem to me to grow up：
they all have schoolboy's ideas。 You don't know what true
courage is。
SERGIUS （ironically）。 Indeed！ I am willing to be instructed。
LOUKA。 Look at me！ how much am I allowed to have my own will？ I
have to get your room ready for youto sweep and dust； to fetch
and carry。 How could that degrade me if it did not degrade you
to have it done for you？ But （with subdued passion） if I were
Empress of Russia； above everyone in the world； thenah； then；
though according to you I could shew no courage at all； you
should see； you should see。
SERGIUS。 What would you do； most noble Empress？
LOUKA。 I would marry the man I loved； which no other queen in
Europe has the courage to do。 If I loved you； though you would
be as far beneath me as I am beneath you； I would dare to be the
equal of my inferior。 Would you dare as much if you loved me？
No： if you felt the beginnings of love for me you would not let
it grow。 You dare not： you would marry a rich man's daughter
because you would be afraid of what other people would say of
you。
SERGIUS （carried away）。 You lie： it is not so； by all the
stars！ If I loved you； and I were the Czar himself； I would set
you on the throne by my side。 You know that I love another
woman； a woman as high above you as heaven is above earth。 And
you are jealous of her。
LOUKA。 I have no reason to be。 She will never marry you now。 The
man I told you of has come back。 She will marry the Swiss。
SERGIUS （recoiling）。 The Swiss！
LOUKA。 A man worth ten of you。 Then you can come to me； and I
will refuse you。 You are not good enough for me。 （She turns to
the door。）
SERGIUS （springing after her and catching her fiercely in his
arms）。 I will kill the Swiss； and afterwards I will do as I
please with you。
LOUKA （in his arms； passive and steadfast）。 The Swiss will kill
you； perhaps。 He has beaten you in love。 He may beat you in war。
SERGIUS （tormentedly）。 Do you think I believe that sheshe！
whose worst thoughts are higher than your best ones； is capable
of trifling with another man behind my back？
LOUKA。 Do you think she would believe the Swiss if he told her
now that I am in your arms？
SERGIUS （releasing her in despair）。 Damnation！ Oh； damnation！
Mockery； mockery everywhere： everything I think is mocked by
everything I do。 （He strikes himself frantically on the breast。）
Coward； liar； fool！ Shall I kill myself like a man； or live and
pretend to laugh at myself？ （She again turns to go。） Louka！ （She
stops near the door。） Remember： you belong to me。
LOUKA （quietly）。 What does that meanan insult？
SERGIUS （commandingly）。 It means that you love me； and that I
have had you here in my arms； and will perhaps have you there
again。 Whether that is an insult I neither know nor care： take
it as you please。 But （vehemently） I will not be a coward and a
trifler。 If I choose to love you； I dare marry you； in spite of
all Bulgaria。 If these hands ever touch you again； they shall
touch my affianced bride。
LOUKA。 We shall see whether you dare keep your word。 But take
care。 I will not wait long。
SERGIUS （again folding his arms and standing motionless in the
middle of the room）。 Yes； we shall see。 And you shall wait my
pleasure。
（Bluntschli； much preoccupied； with his papers
still in his hand； enters； leaving the door open
for Louka to go out。 He goes across to the table；
glancing at her as he passes。 Sergius； without
altering his resolute attitude； watches him
steadily。 Louka goes out； leaving the door open。）
BLUNTSCHLI （absently； sitting at the table as before； and
putting down his papers）。 That's a remarkable looking young
woman。
SERGIUS （gravely； without moving）。 Captain Bluntschli。
BLUNTSCHLI。 Eh？
SERGIUS。 You have deceived me。 You are my rival。 I brook no
rivals。 At six o'clock I shall be in the drilling…ground on the
Klissoura road； alone； on horseback； with my sabre。 Do you
understand？
BLUNTSCHLI （staring； but sitting quite at his ease）。 Oh； thank
you： that's a cavalry man's proposal。 I'm in the artillery； and
I have the choice of weapons。 If I go； I shall take a machine
gun。 And there shall be no mistake about the cartridges this
time。
SERGIUS （flushing； but with deadly coldness）。 Take care； sir。
It is not our custom in Bulgaria to allow invitations of that
kind to be trifled with。
BLUNTSCHLI （warmly）。 Pooh！ don't talk to me about Bulgaria。 You
don't know what fighting is。 But have it your own way。 Bring
your sabre along。 I'll meet you。
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