Pretty； isn't it？ She always appears at the right moment。
CATHERINE （impatiently）。 Yes： she listens for it。 It is an
abominable habit。
（Sergius leads Raina forward with splendid gallantry；
as if she were a queen。 When they come to the
table； she turns to him with a bend of the head；
he bows； and thus they separate； he coming to his
place； and she going behind her father's chair。）
RAINA （stooping and kissing her father）。 Dear father！ Welcome
home！
PETKOFF （patting her cheek）。 My little pet girl。 （He kisses
her； she goes to the chair left by Nicola for Sergius； and sits
down。）
CATHERINE。 And so you're no longer a soldier； Sergius。
SERGIUS。 I am no longer a soldier。 Soldiering； my dear madam； is
the coward's art of attacking mercilessly when you are strong；
and keeping out of harm's way when you are weak。 That is the
whole secret of successful fighting。 Get your enemy at a
disadvantage； and never； on any account； fight him on equal
terms。 Eh； Major！
PETKOFF。 They wouldn't let us make a fair stand…up fight of it。
However； I suppose soldiering has to be a trade like any other
trade。
SERGIUS。 Precisely。 But I have no ambition to succeed as a
tradesman； so I have taken the advice of that bagman of a
captain that settled the exchange of prisoners with us at
Peerot； and given it up。
PETKOFF。 What； that Swiss fellow？ Sergius： I've often thought of
that exchange since。 He over…reached us about those horses。
SERGIUS。 Of course he over…reached us。 His father was a hotel
and livery stable keeper； and he owed his first step to his
knowledge of horse…dealing。 （With mock enthusiasm。） Ah； he was a
soldierevery inch a soldier！ If only I had bought the horses
for my regiment instead of foolishly leading it into danger； I
should have been a field…marshal now！
CATHERINE。 A Swiss？ What was he doing in the Servian army？
PETKOFF。 A volunteer of coursekeen on picking up his
profession。 （Chuckling。） We shouldn't have been able to begin
fighting if these foreigners hadn't shewn us how to do it： we
knew nothing about it； and neither did the Servians。 Egad；
there'd have been no war without them。
RAINA。 Are there many Swiss officers in the Servian Army？
PETKOFF。 Noall Austrians； just as our officers were all
Russians。 This was the only Swiss I came across。 I'll never
trust a Swiss again。 He cheated ushumbugged us into giving
him fifty able bodied men for two hundred confounded worn out
chargers。 They weren't even eatable！
SERGIUS。 We were two children in the hands of that consummate
soldier； Major： simply two innocent little children。
RAINA。 What was he like？
CATHERINE。 Oh； Raina； what a silly question！
SERGIUS。 He was like a commercial traveller in uniform。
Bourgeois to his boots。
PETKOFF （grinning）。 Sergius： tell Catherine that queer story
his friend told us about himhow he escaped after Slivnitza。
You remember？about his being hid by two women。
SERGIUS （with bitter irony）。 Oh； yes； quite a romance。 He was
serving in the very battery I so unprofessionally charged。 Being
a thorough soldier； he ran away like the rest of them； with our
cavalry at his heels。 To escape their attentions； he had the
good taste to take refuge in the chamber of some patriotic young
Bulgarian lady。 The young lady was enchanted by his persuasive
commercial traveller's manners。 She very modestly entertained
him for an hour or so and then called in her mother lest her
conduct should appear unmaidenly。 The old lady was equally
fascinated； and the fugitive was sent on his way in the morning；
disguised in an old coat belonging to the master of the house；
who was away at the war。
RAINA （rising with marked stateliness）。 Your life in the camp
has made you coarse； Sergius。 I did not think you would have
repeated such a story before me。 （She turns away coldly。）
CATHERINE （also rising）。 She is right； Sergius。 If such women
exist； we should be spared the knowledge of them。
PETKOFF。 Pooh！ nonsense！ what does it matter？
SERGIUS （ashamed）。 No； Petkoff： I was wrong。 （To Raina； with
earnest humility。） I beg your pardon。 I have behaved abominably。
Forgive me； Raina。 （She bows reservedly。） And you； too； madam。
（Catherine bows graciously and sits down。 He proceeds solemnly；
again addressing Raina。） The glimpses I have had of the seamy
side of life during the last few months have made me cynical；
but I should not have brought my cynicism hereleast of all
into your presence； Raina。 I（Here； turning to the others； he
is evidently about to begin a long speech when the Major
interrupts him。）
PETKOFF。 Stuff and nonsense； Sergius。 That's quite enough fuss
about nothing： a soldier's daughter should be able to stand up
without flinching to a little strong conversation。 （He rises。）
Come： it's time for us to get to business。 We have to make up
our minds how those three regiments are to get back to
Phillipopolis：there's no forage for them on the Sophia route。
（He goes towards the house。） Come along。 （Sergius is about to
follow him when Catherine rises and intervenes。）
CATHERINE。 Oh； Paul； can't you spare Sergius for a few moments？
Raina has hardly seen him yet。 Perhaps I can help you to settle
about the regiments。
SERGIUS （protesting）。 My dear madam； impossible： you
CATHERINE （stopping him playfully）。 You stay here； my dear
Sergius： there's no hurry。 I have a word or two to say to Paul。
（Sergius instantly bows and steps back。） Now； dear （taking
Petkoff's arm）； come and see the electric bell。
PETKOFF。 Oh； very well； very well。 （They go into the house
together affectionately。 Sergius； left alone with Raina； looks
anxiously at her； fearing that she may be still offended。 She
smiles； and stretches out her arms to him。）
（Exit R。 into house； followed by Catherine。）
SERGIUS （hastening to her； but refraining from touching her
without express permission）。 Am I forgiven？
RAINA （placing her hands on his shoulder as she looks up at him
with admiration and worship）。 My hero！ My king。
SERGIUS。 My queen！ （He kisses her on the forehead with holy
awe。）
RAINA。 How I have envied you； Sergius！ You have been out in the
world； on the field of battle； able to prove yourself there
worthy of any woman in the world； whilst I have had to sit at
home inactive；dreaminguselessdoing nothing that could
give me the right to call myself worthy of any man。
SERGIUS。 Dearest； all my deeds have been yours。 You inspired me。
I have gone through the war like a knight in a tournament with
his lady looking on at him！
RAINA。 And you have never been absent from my thoughts for a
moment。 （Very solemnly。） Sergius： I think we two have found the
higher love。 When I think of you； I feel that I could never do a
base deed； or think an ignoble thought。
SERGIUS。 My lady； and my saint！ （Clasping her reverently。）
RAINA （returning his embrace）。 My lord and my g
SERGIUS。 Shsh！ Let me be the worshipper； dear。 You little know
how unworthy even the best man is of a girl's pure passion！
RAINA。 I trust you。 I love you。 You will never disappoint me；
Sergius。 （Louka is heard singing within the house。 They quickly
release each other。） Hush！ I can't pretend to talk indifferently
before her： my heart is too full。 （Louka comes from the house
with her tray。 She goes to the table； and begins to clear it；
with her back turned to them。） I will go and get my hat； and
then we can go out until lunch time。 Wouldn't you like that？
SERGIUS。 Be quick。 If you are away five minutes； it will seem
five hours。 （Raina runs to the top of the steps and turns there
to exchange a look with him and wave him a kiss with both hands。
He looks after her with emotion for a moment； then turns slowly
away； his face radiant with the exultation of the scene which
has just passed。 The movement shifts his field of vision； into
the corner of which there now comes the tail of Louka's double
apron。 His eye gleams at once。 He takes a stealthy look at her；
and begins to twirl his moustache nervously； with his left hand
akimbo on his hip。 Finally； striking the ground with his heels
in something of a cavalry swagger； he strolls over to the left
of the table； opposite her； and says） Louka： do you know what
the higher love is？
LOUKA （astonished）。 No； sir。
SERGIUS。 Very fatiguing thing to keep up for any length of time；
Louka。 One feels the need of some relief after it。
LOUKA （innocently）。 Perhaps you would like some coffee； sir？
（She stretches her hand across the table for the coffee pot。）
SERGIUS （taking her hand）。 Thank you； Louka。
LOUKA （pretending to pull）。 Oh； sir； you know I didn't mean
that。 I'm surprised at you！
SERGIUS （coming clear of the table and drawing her with him）。 I
am surprised at myself； Louka。 What would Sergius； the hero of
Slivnitza； say if he saw me now？ What would Sergius； the apostle
of the higher love； say if he saw me now？ What would the half
dozen Sergiuses who keep popping in and out of this handsome
figure of mine say if they caught us here？ （Letting go her hand
and slipping his arm dexterously round her waist。） Do you
consider my figure handsome； Louka？
LOUKA。 Let me go； sir。 I shall be disgraced。 （She struggles： he
holds her inexorably。） Oh； will you let go？
SERGIUS （looking straight into her eyes）。 No。
LOUKA。 Then stand back where we can't be seen。 Have you no
common sense？
SERGIUS。 Ah； that's reasonable。 （He takes her into the
stableyard gateway； where they are hidden from the house。）
LOUKA （complaining）。 I may have been seen from the windows：
Miss Raina is sure to be spying about after you。
SERGIUS （stungletting her go）。 Take care； Louka。 I may be
worthless enough to betray the higher love； but do not you
insult it。
LOUKA （demurely）。 Not for the world； sir； I'm sure。 May I go on
with my work please； now？
SERGIUS （again putting his arm round her）。 You are a provoking
little witch； Louka。 If you were in love with me； would you spy
out of windows on me？
LOUKA。 Well； you see； sir； since you say you are half a dozen
different gentlemen all at once； I should have a great deal to
look after。
SERGIUS （charmed）。 Witty as well as pretty。 （He tries to kiss
her。）
LOUKA （avoiding him）。 No；