a complete change of manner from the heroic to the familiar） How
did you find me out？
BLUNTSCHLI （promptly）。 Instinct； dear young lady。 Instinct； and
experience of the world。
RAINA （wonderingly）。 Do you know； you are the first man I ever
met who did not take me seriously？
BLUNTSCHLI。 You mean； don't you； that I am the first man that
has ever taken you quite seriously？
RAINA。 Yes； I suppose I do mean that。 （Cosily； quite at her ease
with him。） How strange it is to be talked to in such a way！ You
know； I've always gone on like thatI mean the noble attitude
and the thrilling voice。 I did it when I was a tiny child to my
nurse。 She believed in it。 I do it before my parents。 They
believe in it。 I do it before Sergius。 He believes in it。
BLUNTSCHLI。 Yes： he's a little in that line himself； isn't he？
RAINA （startled）。 Do you think so？
BLUNTSCHLI。 You know him better than I do。
RAINA。 I wonderI wonder is he？ If I thought that！
（Discouraged。） Ah； well； what does it matter？ I suppose； now
that you've found me out； you despise me。
BLUNTSCHLI （warmly； rising）。 No； my dear young lady； no； no； no
a thousand times。 It's part of your youthpart of your charm。
I'm like all the rest of themthe nurse your
parentsSergius： I'm your infatuated admirer。
RAINA （pleased）。 Really？
BLUNTSCHLI （slapping his breast smartly with his hand； German
fashion）。 Hand aufs Herz！ Really and truly。
RAINA （very happy）。 But what did you think of me for giving you
my portrait？
BLUNTSCHLI （astonished）。 Your portrait！ You never gave me your
portrait。
RAINA （quickly）。 Do you mean to say you never got it？
BLUNTSCHLI。 No。 （He sits down beside her； with renewed interest；
and says； with some complacency。） When did you send it to me？
RAINA （indignantly）。 I did not send it to you。 （She turns her
head away； and adds； reluctantly。） It was in the pocket of that
coat。
BLUNTSCHLI （pursing his lips and rounding his eyes）。 Oh…o…oh！ I
never found it。 It must be there still。
RAINA （springing up）。 There still！for my father to find the
first time he puts his hand in his pocket！ Oh； how could you be
so stupid？
BLUNTSCHLI （rising also）。 It doesn't matter： it's only a
photograph： how can he tell who it was intended for？ Tell him he
put it there himself。
RAINA （impatiently）。 Yes； that is so cleverso clever！ What
shall I do？
BLUNTSCHLI。 Ah； I see。 You wrote something on it。 That was rash！
RAINA （annoyed almost to tears）。 Oh； to have done such a thing
for you； who care no moreexcept to laugh at meoh！ Are you
sure nobody has touched it？
BLUNTSCHLI。 Well； I can't be quite sure。 You see I couldn't
carry it about with me all the time： one can't take much luggage
on active service。
RAINA。 What did you do with it？
BLUNTSCHLI。 When I got through to Peerot I had to put it in safe
keeping somehow。 I thought of the railway cloak room； but that's
the surest place to get looted in modern warfare。 So I pawned
it。
RAINA。 Pawned it！！！
BLUNTSCHLI。 I know it doesn't sound nice； but it was much the
safest plan。 I redeemed it the day before yesterday。 Heaven only
knows whether the pawnbroker cleared out the pockets or not。
RAINA （furiousthrowing the words right into his face）。 You
have a low； shopkeeping mind。 You think of things that would
never come into a gentleman's head。
BLUNTSCHLI （phlegmatically）。 That's the Swiss national
character； dear lady。
RAINA。 Oh； I wish I had never met you。 （She flounces away and
sits at the window fuming。）
（Louka comes in with a heap of letters and
telegrams on her salver； and crosses； with her
bold； free gait； to the table。 Her left sleeve is
looped up to the shoulder with a brooch； shewing
her naked arm； with a broad gilt bracelet covering
the bruise。）
LOUKA （to Bluntschli）。 For you。 （She empties the salver
recklessly on the table。） The messenger is waiting。 （She is
determined not to be civil to a Servian； even if she must bring
him his letters。）
BLUNTSCHLI （to Raina）。 Will you excuse me： the last postal
delivery that reached me was three weeks ago。 These are the
subsequent accumulations。 Four telegramsa week old。 （He opens
one。） Oho！ Bad news！
RAINA （rising and advancing a little remorsefully）。 Bad news？
BLUNTSCHLI。 My father's dead。 （He looks at the telegram with his
lips pursed； musing on the unexpected change in his
arrangements。）
RAINA。 Oh； how very sad！
BLUNTSCHLI。 Yes： I shall have to start for home in an hour。 He
has left a lot of big hotels behind him to be looked after。
（Takes up a heavy letter in a long blue envelope。） Here's a
whacking letter from the family solicitor。 （He pulls out the
enclosures and glances over them。） Great Heavens！ Seventy！ Two
hundred！ （In a crescendo of dismay。） Four hundred！ Four
thousand！！ Nine thousand six hundred！！！ What on earth shall I do
with them all？
RAINA （timidly）。 Nine thousand hotels？
BLUNTSCHLI。 Hotels！ Nonsense。 If you only knew！oh； it's too
ridiculous！ Excuse me： I must give my fellow orders about
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