greatly pleased with the military rank which the
war has thrust on him as a man of consequence in
his town。 The fever of plucky patriotism which the
Servian attack roused in all the Bulgarians has
pulled him through the war； but he is obviously
glad to be home again。）
PETKOFF （pointing to the table with his whip）。 Breakfast out
here； eh？
NICOLA。 Yes； sir。 The mistress and Miss Raina have just gone in。
PETKOFF （fitting down and taking a roll）。 Go in and say I've
come； and get me some fresh coffee。
NICOLA。 It's coming； sir。 （He goes to the house door。 Louka；
with fresh coffee； a clean cup； and a brandy bottle on her tray
meets him。） Have you told the mistress？
LOUKA。 Yes： she's coming。
（Nicola goes into the house。 Louka brings the
coffee to the table。）
PETKOFF。 Well； the Servians haven't run away with you； have
they？
LOUKA。 No； sir。
PETKOFF。 That's right。 Have you brought me some cognac？
LOUKA （putting the bottle on the table）。 Here； sir。
PETKOFF。 That's right。 （He pours some into his coffee。）
（Catherine who has at this early hour made only a
very perfunctory toilet； and wears a Bulgarian
apron over a once brilliant； but now half worn out
red dressing gown； and a colored handkerchief tied
over her thick black hair； with Turkish slippers
on her bare feet； comes from the house； looking
astonishingly handsome and stately under all the
circumstances。 Louka goes into the house。）
CATHERINE。 My dear Paul； what a surprise for us。 （She stoops
over the back of his chair to kiss him。） Have they brought you
fresh coffee？
PETKOFF。 Yes； Louka's been looking after me。 The war's over。 The
treaty was signed three days ago at Bucharest； and the decree
for our army to demobilize was issued yesterday。
CATHERINE （springing erect； with flashing eyes）。 The war over！
Paul： have you let the Austrians force you to make peace？
PETKOFF （submissively）。 My dear： they didn't consult me。 What
could _I_ do？ （She sits down and turns away from him。） But of
course we saw to it that the treaty was an honorable one。 It
declares peace
CATHERINE （outraged）。 Peace！
PETKOFF （appeasing her）。but not friendly relations： remember
that。 They wanted to put that in； but I insisted on its being
struck out。 What more could I do？
CATHERINE。 You could have annexed Servia and made Prince
Alexander Emperor of the Balkans。 That's what I would have done。
PETKOFF。 I don't doubt it in the least； my dear。 But I should
have had to subdue the whole Austrian Empire first； and that
would have kept me too long away from you。 I missed you greatly。
CATHERINE （relenting）。 Ah！ （Stretches her hand affectionately
across the table to squeeze his。）
PETKOFF。 And how have you been； my dear？
CATHERINE。 Oh； my usual sore throats； that's all。
PETKOFF （with conviction）。 That comes from washing your neck
every day。 I've often told you so。
CATHERINE。 Nonsense； Paul！
PETKOFF （over his coffee and cigaret）。 I don't believe in going
too far with these modern customs。 All this washing can't be
good for the health： it's not natural。 There was an Englishman
at Phillipopolis who used to wet himself all over with cold
water every morning when he got up。 Disgusting！ It all comes
from the English： their climate makes them so dirty that they
have to be perpetually washing themselves。 Look at my father： he
never had a bath in his life； and he lived to be ninety…eight；
the healthiest man in Bulgaria。 I don't mind a good wash once a
week to keep up my position； but once a day is carrying the
thing to a ridiculous extreme。
CATHERINE。 You are a barbarian at heart still； Paul。 I hope you
behaved yourself before all those Russian officers。
PETKOFF。 I did my best。 I took care to let them know that we had
a library。
CATHERINE。 Ah； but you didn't tell them that we have an electric
bell in it？ I have had one put up。
PETKOFF。 What's an electric bell？
CATHERINE。 You touch a button； something tinkles in the kitchen；
and then Nicola comes up。
PETKOFF。 Why not shout for him？
CATHERINE。 Civilized people never shout for their servants。 I've
learnt that while you were away。
PETKOFF。 Well； I'll tell you something I've learnt； too。
Civilized people don't hang out their washing to dry where
visitors can see it； so you'd better have all that （indicating
the clothes on the bushes） put somewhere else。
CATHERINE。 Oh； that's absurd； Paul： I don't believe really
refined people notice such things。
（Someone is heard knocking at the stable gates。）
PETKOFF。 There's Sergius。 （Shouting。） Hollo； Nicola！
CATHERINE。 Oh； don't shout； Paul： it really isn't nice。
PETKOFF。 Bosh！ （He shouts louder than before。） Nicola！
NICOLA （appearing at the house door）。 Yes； sir。
PETKOFF。 If that is Major Saranoff； bring him round this way。
（He pronounces the name with the stress on the second
syllableSarah…noff。）
NICOLA。 Yes； sir。 （He goes into the stable yard。）
PETKOFF。 You must talk to him； my dear； until Raina takes him
off our hands。 He bores my life out about our not promoting
himover my head； mind you。
CATHERINE。 He certainly ought to be promoted when he marries
Raina。 Besides； the country should insist on having at least one
native general。
PETKOFF。 Yes； so that he could throw away whole brigades instead
of regiments。 It's no use； my dear： he has not the slightest
chance of promotion until we are quite sure that the peace will
be a lasting one。
NICOLA （at the gate； announcing）。 Major Sergius Saranoff！ （He
goes into the house and returns presently with a third chair；
which be places at the table。 He then withdraws。）
（Major Sergius Saranoff； the original of the
portrait in Raina's room； is a tall； romantically
handsome man； with the physical hardihood； the
high spirit； and the susceptible imagination of an
untamed mountaineer chieftain。 But his remarkable
personal distinction is of a characteristically
civilized type。 The ridges of his eyebrows；
curving with a ram's…horn twist round the marked
projections at the outer corners； his jealously
observant eye； his nose； thin； keen； and
apprehensive in spite of the pugnacious high
bridge and large nostril； his assertive chin；
would not be out of place in a Paris salon。 In
short； the clever； imaginative barbarian has an
acute critical faculty which has been thrown into
intense activity by the arrival of western
civilization in the Balkans； and the result is
precisely what the advent of nineteenth…century
thought first produced in England： to…wit；
Byronism。 By his brooding on the perpetual
failure； not only of others； but of himself； to
live up to his imaginative ideals； his consequent
cynical scorn for humanity； the jejune credulity
as to the absolute validity of his ideals and the
unworthiness of the world in disregarding them；
his wincings and mockeries under the sting of the
petty disillusions which every hour spent among
men brings to his infallibly quick observation； he
has acquired the half tragic； half ironic air； the
mysterious moodiness； the suggestion of a strange
and terrible history that has left him nothing but
undying remorse； by which Childe Harold fascinated
the grandmothers of his English contemporaries。
Altogether it is clear that here or nowhere is
Raina's ideal hero。 Catherine is hardly less
enthusiastic； and much less reserved in shewing
her enthusiasm。 As he enters from the stable gate；
she rises effusively to greet him。 Petkoff is
distinctly less disposed to make a fuss about
him。）
PETKOFF。 Here already； Sergius。 Glad to see you！
CATHERINE。 My dear Sergius！（She holds out both her hands。）
SERGIUS （kissing them with scrupulous gallantry）。 My dear
mother； if I may call you so。
PETKOFF （drily）。 Mother…in…law； Sergius； mother…in…law！ Sit
down； and have some coffee。
SERGIUS。 Thank you； none for me。 （He gets away from the table
with a certain distaste for Petkoff's enjoyment of it； and posts
himself with conscious grace against the rail of the steps
leading to the house。）
CATHERINE。 You look superbsplendid。 The campaign has improved
you。 Everybody here is mad about you。 We were all wild with
enthusiasm about that magnificent cavalry charge。
SERGIUS （with grave irony）。 Madam： it was the cradle and the
grave of my military reputation。
CATHERINE。 How so？
SERGIUS。 I won the battle the wrong way when our worthy Russian
generals were losing it the right way。 That upset their plans；
and wounded their self…esteem。 Two of their colonels got their
regiments driven back on the correct principles of scientific
warfare。 Two major…generals got killed strictly according to
military etiquette。 Those two colonels are now major…generals；
and I am still a simple major。
CATHERINE。 You shall not remain so； Sergius。 The women are on
your side； and they will see that justice is done you。
SERGIUS。 It is too late。 I have only waited for the peace to
send in my resignation。
PETKOFF （dropping his cup in his amazement）。 Your resignation！
CATHERINE。 Oh； you must withdraw it！
SERGIUS （with resolute； measured emphasis； folding his arms）。 I
never withdraw！
PETKOFF （vexed）。 Now who could have supposed you were going to
do such a thing？
SERGIUS （with fire）。 Everyone that knew me。 But enough of
myself and my affairs。 How is Raina； and where is Raina？
RAINA （suddenly coming round the corner of the house and
standing at the top of the steps in the path）。 Raina is here。
（She makes a charming picture as they all turn to look at her。
She wears an underdress of pale green silk； draped with an
overdress of thin ecru canvas embroidered with gold。 On her head
she wears a pretty Phrygian cap of gold tinsel。 Sergius； with an
exclamation of pleasure； goes impulsively to meet her。 She
stretches out her hand： he drops chivalrously on one knee and
kisses it。）
PETKOFF （aside to Catherine； beaming with parental pride）。
Pretty； isn't it？ She always appears at the right moment。
CATHERINE （impatiently）。 Yes： she listens for it。 It i