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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 waterpipe！ Stop！ Wait！ I
can't！ 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 in
the deepest dejection。）
RAINA （disarmed by pity）。 Come； don't be disheartened。 （She
stoops over him almost maternally： he shakes his head。） Oh； you
are a very poor soldiera chocolate cream soldier。 Come； cheer
up： it takes less courage to climb down than to face
captureremember that。
MAN （dreamily； lulled by her voice）。 No； capture only means
death； and death is sleepoh； sleep； sleep； sleep； undisturbed
sleep！ Climbing down the pipe means doing somethingexerting
myselfthinking！ 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…six hours。
RAINA （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 vigour
and courage。） You see； sleep or no sleep； hunger or 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 if you fall？
MAN。 I shall sleep as if the stones were a feather bed。
Good…bye。 （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；
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。 Put 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。 If they see me；
they're sure to have a shot at me。
RAINA （clinging to him）。 They're sure to see you： it's bright
moonlight。 I'll save youoh； 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 in
her impatience。） I am not indifferent； dear young lady； I assure
you。 But how is it to be done？
RAINA。 Come away from the windowplease。 （She coaxes him back
to the middle of the room。 He submits humbly。 She releases him；
and addresses him patronizingly。） Now listen。 You must trust to
our hospitality。 You do not yet know in whose house you are。 I
am a Petkoff。
MAN。 What's that？
RAINA （rather indignantly）。 I mean that I belong to the family
of the Petkoffs； the richest and best known in our country。
MAN。 Oh； yes； of course。 I beg your pardon。 The Petkoffs； to be
sure。 How stupid of me！
RAINA。 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。
RAINA。 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！
Think of that！
RAINA。 You shewed 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！ You live in great luxury indeed； dear
young lady。
RAINA。 Do you know what a library is？
MAN。 A library？ A roomful of books。
RAINA。 Yes； we have one； the only one in Bulgaria。
MAN。 Actually a real library！ I should like to see that。
RAINA （affectedly）。 I tell you these things to shew you that
you are not in the house of ignorant country folk who would kill
you the moment they saw your Servian uniform； but among
civilized people。 We go to Bucharest every year for the opera
season； and I have spent a whole month in Vienna。
MAN。 I saw that； dear young lady。 I saw at once that you knew
the world。
RAINA。 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？
RAINA （contemptuously）。 No！
MAN （stifling a heavy sigh of weariness）。 Then I don't know it。
RAINA。 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； an old Castilian
noble。 The noble refuses to give him up。 His guest is sacred to
him。
MAN （quickly waking up a little）。 Have your people got that
notion？
RAINA （with dignity）。 My mother and I can understand that
notion； as you call it。 And if instead of threatening me with
your pistol as you did； you had simply thrown yourself as a
fugitive on our hospitality； you would have been as safe as in
your father's house。
MAN。 Quite sure？
RAINA （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： he
keeps six hotels； but I couldn't trust him as far as that。 What
about YOUR father？
RAINA。 He is away at 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 （looking dubiously at his own hand）。 Better not touch my
hand； dear young lady。 I must have a wash first。
RAINA （touched）。 That is very nice of you。 I see that you are a
gentleman。
MAN （puzzled）。 Eh？
RAINA。 You must not think I am surprised。 Bulgarians of really
good standingpeople in OUR positionwash 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？ I had better not stay here
secretly longer than is necessary。
RAINA。 If you will be so good as to keep perfectly still whilst
I am away。
MAN。 Certainly。 （He sits down on the ottoman。）
（Raina goes to the bed and wraps herself in the
fur cloak。 His eyes close。 She goes to the door；
but on turning for a last look at him； sees that
he is dropping of 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？ Falling aslee？ 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）。 Certainlycertainly： 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； slee（Tbe
words trail of 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 dangerremember that（intently）
danger； danger； danger； dan Where's danger？ Must
find it。 （He starts of vaguely around the room in search of
it。） What am I looking for？ Sleepdangerdon't know。
（He stumbles against the bed。） Ah； yes： now I know。 All
right now。 I'm to go to bed； but not to sleepbe sure
not to sleepbecause of danger。 Not to lie down； either；
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。）
（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
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 bard。） Sir！！！
RAINA （catching her arm）。 Don't； mamma： the poor dear
is worn out。 Let him sleep。
CATHERINE （letting him go and turning amazed to Raina）。
The poor dear！ Raina！！！ （She looks sternly at her
daughter。 The man sleeps profoundly。）
ACT II
The sixth of March； 1886。 In the garden of major
Petkoff's hous