Arms and the man; an anti-romantic comedy in three acts

1920·2.8 MB·English

by  Shaw, Bernard, 1856-1950

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ARMS AND THE MAN

An
Arms and the Man:
Anti-romantic
Comedy
Three
in Acts. By
Bernard Shaw.
'A<inavirumqw(ana*
,1
4"
Constable and
Company
London
Ltd.
: 1920.
(Tillflay hatken publiclypiyformed within the UnitedKingdom. It t.
enteredatStationer?Hall and the Library ofCongress, U.S.J1, Allrighti
retemtd.]
Printedby R.&R. CLARK, LIMITZD, Edinburgh
\
^
A.VENUE _THEATRE, THEHAETRALD SQUAyRE
2i,tAfrd 1894. ijth &^(emter I?94 '
Major PaulPetkoff . . . James Welch H. M. Pitt
Nicola Orlando Barnett Walden Ramsay
MajorSergiutSaranoff . . Bernard Gould HenryJewett
Captain Eluntschli... .... Yorke Stephens Richard Mansfield
Catherine Petkoff Mrs. Charles Calvert Mrs. McKee Rankin
Louka Florence Farr Amy Busby
Raina Alma Murray Beatrice Cameron
(All rights reserved. Entered at Stationers' Hall, and it the Library
ofCongress,Washington, U.S.A. Amateurs desirous ofperforming this
play should applyto Miss Elizabeth Marbury,20 Green Street, Leicester
Square,London,W.C.

ARMS AND THE MAN
ACT
I
A
Night. lady's bedchamber in Bulgaria, in a small town
near the Dragoman Pass, late in -November in the year 1885.
Through an open window with a little balcony, apeak ofthe
Balkans, wonderfully white and beautiful in the starlit snow,
seems quite close at hand, though it is really miles away. The
interior of the room is not like anything to be seen in the east
of Europe. It is halfrich Bulgarian, half cheap Viennese,
Above the headof the bed, which stands against a little wall
cutting offthe corneroftheroom diagonally, isapaintedwooden
shrine, blue and gold, with an ivory image of Christ, and a
lighthangingbeforeitinapiercedmetalballsuspendedby three
chains. Theprincipalseat,placedtowards the other side ofthe
room and opposite the window, is a Turkish ottoman. The
counterpane andhangings of the bed, the window curtains, the
little carpet, andallthe ornamentaltextilefabrics in the room
are oriental andgorgeous: thepaper on the walls is occidental
andpaltry. Thewashstand,againstthewallontheside nearest
the ottoman andwindow, consistsofanenamellediron basin with
apailbeneathitin apAaintedmetalframe, anda single towelon
therailat the side. chair near it is ofAustrian bent wood,
with cane seat. The dressing table, between the bed and the
window,is an ordinarypine table, coveredwith a cloth ofmany
4 Arms and the Man Act I
colors, with an expensive toilet mirror on it. The door is on
thesidenearestthebed; andthereisachestofdrawersbetween.
Thischestofdrawersisalsocoveredbyavariegatednativecloth;
andon it thereisapile ofpaperbackednovels, a boxofchocolate
creams, anda miniature easel with a large photograph of an
extremely handsome officer, whose lofty bearing and magnetic
glance can befeltevenfrom the portrait. The room is lighted
by a candle on the chest ofdrawers, andanotheron the dressing
table with a box ofmatches beside it.
The windowishingeddoorwiseandstandswideopen. Gut-
side,apairofwooden shutters, openingoutwards,also standopen.
On the balcony ayoung lady, intensely consciousoftheromantic
beauty ofthe night, and ofthefact that her own youth and
beauty are part ofit, is gazing at the snowy Balkans. She
iscoveredbyalongmantleoffurs,worth,onamoderateestimate,
about three times thefurniture ofher room.
Her reverie is interruptedby hermother, Catherine Petkoff,
a woman overforty, imperiously energetic, with magnificent
black hair and eyes, who might be a very splendidspecimen of
the wife of a mountain farmer, but is determined to be a
Viennese lady, andto thatendwears afashionable teagown on
alloccasions.
CATHERINE[enteringhastily,fullofgoodnews] Raina ! [She
pronounces it Rah-eena, with the stress on the ee]. Raina !
[She goes to the bed, expecting to find Raina there]. Why,
where ? [Raina looks into the room]. Heavens, child ! are
you out in the night air instead of in your bed? Youll
catch your death. Louka told me you were asleep.
RAINA [coming in] I sent her away. I wanted to be
alone. The stars are so beautiful ! What is the matter:
CATHERINE. Such news ! There has been a battle.
RAINA [her eyesdilating] Ah ! [She throwsthe cloak onthe
ottoman and comes eagerly to Catherine in her nightgown, 4
pretCtAyTgHaErRmIeNnEt.,AbutgreevaitdenbtaltytlteheaotnlySloinvenisthzeah!as oAn].victory !
And it was won by Sergius.