Act I - Page 2

hastily, full of good news). 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? You'll 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 eyes dilating). Ah! (She throws the cloak on the
ottoman, and comes eagerly to Catherine in her nightgown, a
pretty garment, but evidently the only one she has on.)

CATHERINE. A great battle at Slivnitza! A victory! And it was
won by Sergius.

RAINA (with a cry of delight). Ah! (Rapturously.) Oh, mother!
(Then, with sudden anxiety) Is father safe?

CATHERINE. Of course: he sent me the news. Sergius is the hero
of the hour, the idol of the regiment.

RAINA. Tell me, tell me. How was it! (Ecstatically) Oh, mother,
mother, mother! (Raina pulls her mother down on the ottoman; and
they kiss one another frantically.)

CATHERINE (with surging enthusiasm). You can't guess how
splendid it is. A cavalry charge--think of that! He defied our
Russian commanders--acted without orders--led a charge on his
own responsibility--headed it himself--was the first man to
sweep through their guns. Can't you see it, Raina; our gallant
splendid Bulgarians with their swords and eyes flashing,
thundering down like an avalanche and scattering the wretched
Servian dandies like chaff. And you--you kept Sergius waiting a
year before you would be betrothed to him. Oh, if you have a
drop of Bulgarian blood in your veins, you will worship him when
he comes back.

RAINA. What will he care for my poor little worship after the
acclamations of a whole army of heroes? But no matter: I am so
happy--so proud! (She rises and walks about excitedly.) It
proves that all our ideas were real after all.

CATHERINE (indignantly). Our ideas real! What do you mean?

RAINA. Our ideas of what Sergius would do--our patriotism--our
heroic ideals. Oh, what faithless little creatures girls are!--I
sometimes used to doubt whether they were anything but dreams.
When I buckled on Sergius's sword he looked so noble: it was
treason to think of disillusion or humiliation or failure. And
yet--and yet--(Quickly.) Promise me you'll never tell him.

CATHERINE. Don't ask me for promises until I know what I am
promising.

RAINA. Well, it came into my head just as he was holding me in
his arms and looking into my eyes, that perhaps we only had our
heroic ideas because we are so fond of reading Byron and