STELLA. I wish to withdraw, and I must.
DOCTOR (stopping her). No! you will not go till you answer — whom do you love?
STELLA. Spare me, doctor, or I shall doubt everything! Take pity on me!
DOCTOR (violently). Whom do you love?
SCENE VII.
The same and COUNT DRAGOMIR.
DRAGOMIR. Princess!
STELLA. Ah!
DRAGOMIR. What is this? Have I frightened you? I have come only to say that we are waiting at the boats. What is the matter?
STELLA. Nothing. Let us go.
[DRAGOMIR gives her his arm; they go out.
SCENE VIII.
DOCTOR YOZVOVICH, alone.
DOCTOR (looking after them). Ah, I understand. (Curtain falls.)
END OF SECOND ACT.
ACT III.
The same drawing-room.
SCENE I.
PODCHASKI enters first, after him, the SERVANT.
PODCHASKI. Tell the doctor that Pan Podchaski salutes him, and is waiting for him, on urgent business.
SERVANT. The doctor is very busy, for the Princess is ill; but I will tell him. — [Goes out.
PODCHASKI (alone). Fiu! Fiu! The Countess sends me to the suburbs. “Podchaski fly! Podchaski agitate! Podchaski persuade!” But money she gives not. I fly; I bow down; I persuade; I press the hands of vulgar people till their eyes start; but when I ask her to lend me a hundred florins, she says, “We shall see after election!” Is that the case? Well indeed! So I have to lend to the woman and not she to me? Must I drink with shopkeepers at my own expense? I would rather drink alone! To the deuce with such a service! I fall at the feet of the Countess, my benefactress. I kiss her feet. If that’s to he the way, I shall succeed somewhere else. This is a fool’s service! I would rather go over to the doctor. Persons like him pay, for they are clever. And since he will take the whole party, one would rise in significance. She is an aristocrat, but refuses to lend a noble a hundred florins.
SCENE II.
PODCHASKI, DOCTOR YOZVOVICH.
PODCHASKI. I salute you, Pan Doctor, I extend myself at the feet of the doctor, my benefactor.
DOCTOR. With what can I serve you, Pan Podchaski?
PODCHASKI. My benefactor, I come directly without delay to my business. It is known to you, my benefactor, that I have given my services to Countess Milishevski.
DOCTOR. Somewhat.
PODCHASKI. As a former country resident, for I had land here —
DOCTOR. After losing the land, you live in Lychakov; and you are agitating for young Count Milishevski against me.
PODCHASKI. God forbid — That is, I did; but I opened my eyes in season. What was possible happened. The Milishevskis have certain relations among shopkeepers — among citizens who respect descent. But be confident, my benefactor.
DOCTOR. In brief, what do you want?
PODCHASKI. God knows, my benefactor, I served the Countess faithfully, and spent no little money; but when I consulted my conscience, I could not go against such a wise man as you, unless to the harm of the country, and that I do not wish.
DOCTOR. I recognize your feelings of a citizen. You do not wish to go against me?
PODCHASKI. No, my benefactor, I do not.
DOCTOR. YOU are right. So you are with me?
PODCHASKI. If I may be bold to offer my services.
DOCTOR. I accept.
PODCHASKI (aside). I understand such a man — a hundred florins are the same as in my pocket. (Aloud.) My gratitude —
DOCTOR (interrupting). My gratitude will appear after election.
PODCHASKI. After election!
SCENE III.
The above, YAN MILISHEVSKI, later, ANTONI.
YAN. Good-day, doctor! Is mamma not here?
DOCTOR. NO, Count, she is not.
YAN. We came here together, but mamma went straight to the Prince’s apartments; I stopped behind a little, and now I cannot find the Prince’s apartments. (Seeing PODCHASKI, who bows to him.) Ah! Podchaski, what are you doing here?
PODCHASKI. I fall at the feet of the Count. Oh, I came for advice. I have rheumatism in my feet, rheumatism in my head —
YAN. Will you have the kindness, doctor, to show me where the Prince’s chambers are?
DOCTOR. On the left, in the amphitheatre.
YAN. Thanks. But later I should like to see you.
DOCTOR. At your service. (YAN goes to the door, where he stumbles against ANTONI.)
ANTONI. I beg your pardon!
YAN. Pardon! (He puts up his eye-glasses, looks at him with curiosity, then goes out.)
ANTONI (to the DOCTOR). I looked for thee in thy rooms, and did not find thee, so I hurried here, for they told me that thou wert here. Listen to me. Immensely important things. (Sees PODCHASKI.) HOW is this? You, our opponent, here?
PODCHASKI. No longer an opponent, my benefactor.
ANTONI (looking at him a moment). All the better. But leave us alone now.
PODCHASKI (aside). Oh, that is bad! (Aloud.) I commend myself to the memory of my benefactors. (Aside.) The devils have taken the hundred florins. [Goes out.
ANTONI. What did he want here?
DOCTOR. Money.
ANTONI. But he offered votes — I thought so. Didst give him anything?
DOCTOR. No.
ANTONI. That is well. We shall not bribe. Agitation is another thing. But never mind. Dost know? It was lucky that they put up Milishevski, otherwise you would have lost, for Husarski would have had a majority. As it is even, he is terrible; he has a majority in some districts.
DOCTOR. Will they beat us, Antoni?
ANTONI. NO! I shall prevent that. Uf, how tired I am! I will rest even for five minutes. (Sits down.) Oh, as I love God, what soft sofas there are here. In Husarski’s districts we need to give money for some public purposes. Hast thou money?
DOCTOR. A little.
ANTONI. Some beginning — afterward thou wilt have support from the diet. We will found some small school. Uf, how tired I am!
DOCTOR. Well, here is the key to the bureau; there is a little ready money there and a bank cheek.
ANTONI. Very well, but I must rest. Meanwhile, what news have we here? Thou hast grown thin; thy eyes are sunken. Thou must be in grief. As God lives, I did not love my wife in that way. Speak, while I rest, but speak sincerely.
DOCTOR. Have no fear, I shall be frank with thee.
ANTONI. What more?
DOCTOR. That marriage will not take place.
ANTONI. Why?
DOCTOR. A time has come when these people succeed in nothing.
ANTONI. TO the garret with thy peacocks! What is that man-eater, Pretvits, doing?
DOCTOR. It would take long to tell. The Princess has mistaken her pity and sympathy for something deeper. To-day she knows that she does not love him.
ANTONI. Thou art kind. In truth, one might say that some fatality pursues these people. It is the lot of races who have outlived themselves.
DOCTOR. The relentless logic of things.
ANTONI. SO she will not marry Pretvits? Really, I am sorry for them. But deuce take them!
DOCTOR. She would marry him, even if she had to keep her word at the price of her life. But some third man is mixed up in the business — Count Dragomir.
ANTONI. Wherever one moves there is a count! So he is betraying Yerzy? —
DOCTOR. Let the man who taught thee to judge people return thy money.
ANTONI. TO tell the truth, I would not give five coppers for all your drawing-room great questions.
DOCTOR. She and Dragomir do not understand that they are in love. But some irresistible force attracts them to each other; what it is they do not inquire. They are innocent children.
ANTONI. Therefore, I ask, what benefit will come to thee of this?
DOCTOR. Listen, O democrat! When two knights are in love with one castellan’s daughter, the love usually has a dramatic ending, and the castellan’s daughter falls to some third man.
ANTONI. But the knights?
DOCTOR. The least thought for them; let them perish!
ANTONI (declaiming).
“On his grave moss is growing.
Ah! but the cockerel is dead!”
What will happen, thinkest thou?
DOCTOR. I know not. Pretvits is a violent man. I prophesy nothing; I see only the logic of things, which favors me, and I shall not be such a fool as to oppose my own fortune.
ANTONI. Oh, I am certain that if the need come thou wilt even help it!
DOCTOR. Ha! I am a doctor. My duty is to help nature.
ANTONI. Here is the programme ready! I know thee! But one thought occurs to me: How dost thou know that it is as thou sayest? Perhaps all this is random talk.
DOCTOR. I can get most perfect information through the former governess of the Princess, Pani Cheski.
ANTONI. Learn at the earliest.
DOCTOR. Pani Cheski will come here soon; I asked her purposely.
ANTONI. Then I shall be off. One thing more: Do not help nature too much, for that would be —
SCENE IV.
The same, PANI CHESKI.
PANI CHESKI (entering). Did you wish to speak with me?
DOCTOR. I did.
ANTONI (Bows to PANI CHESKI, then to the DOCTOR). I am going for the money and will return soon with the receipts.
DOCTOR. Very well. — [ANTONIO goes out.
PANI CHESKI. Who is that gentleman?
DOCTOR. A steersman.
PANI CHESKI. HOW is that?
DOCTOR. He is steering the ship on which I sail; for the rest he is a wonderfully honest man.
PANI CHESKI. I do not understand well. Of what did you wish to speak with me?
DOCTOR. Of the Princess. You and she are like mother and daughter, so you must know everything. What is the matter with her? She is hiding some disappointment. As a doctor, I ought to know everything; for to cure physical illness one should often know moral causes. (Aside.) Spirit of Esculapius, forgive me this phrase!
PANI CHESKI. My good Pan Yozvovich, of what are you asking?
DOCTOR. I told you that the Princess is concealing some disappointment.
PANI CHESKI. I know not. —
DOCTOR. YOU and I love her equally, hence let us be outspoken. —
PANI CHESKI. I am ready.
DOCTOR. Well, does she love her betrothed?
PANI CHESKI. What do you ask, doctor? If she did not, would she be his betrothed? In truth, you so like to reason about everything that sometimes you interfere more than is needful. Whom should she love? Naturally, since she is his betrothed, she loves him. I consider this so simple that I do not even talk any more with Stella about it.
DOCTOR. You say, madam, that you do not talk any more; therefore you have talked before?
PANI CHESKI. True. She told me that she knew not whether she loved him enough. But every pure soul fears that it may not do its duty. What could come to your mind?
DOCTOR. I only wished to know. (Aside.) A waste of time here!
SCENE V.
The same, YAN MILISHEVSKI.
YAN. SO far I have not been able to find mamma. Good-day, Pani. Perhaps I interrupt?
PANI CHESKI. NO, we have finished. She will do her duty, be quiet on that point.
DOCTOR. Thank you. — [PANI CHESKI goes out.
YAN. Doctor?
DOCTOR. I hear.
YAN. I must talk of things that are very delicate.
DOCTOR. I beg you to be outspoken.
YAN. Let us make an agreement like good people. Mamma wishes me to become a deputy, but I have no wish that way.
DOCTOR. Excess of modesty.
YAN. YOU are not sincere, and I know not how to defend myself. I should not be a candidate at all were it not for mamma. You see the affair is in this way: when mamma wants anything, it must come. All the Srokoshynskis are of that kind; mamma is a Srokoshynski.
DOCTOR. But you have your own will.
YAN. In this lies the misery, that things have so shaped themselves that the Milishevskis alway obey women. We are distinguished for that.
DOCTOR. A knightly characteristic. But how can I serve you?
YAN. I shall not hinder you as a candidate.
DOCTOR. Sincerity for sincerity. Thus far instead of hindering, you have helped me.
YAN. I know not how, but if that be true, then help me in turn.
DOCTOR. HOW?
YAN. This matter is especially delicate. But a secret from mamma.
DOCTOR. Naturally.
YAN. Mamma wishes me to marry the Princess; but I do not wish to marry her.
DOCTOR. You do not wish?
YAN. YOU are astonished?
DOCTOR. I confess —
YAN. I do not wish to marry her, because I do not wish. When a man has no desire to marry, well, he has no desire.’ Imagine that I love another. Perhaps I do. It is enough that she is not the Princess. Naturally, when mamma says, “Jean, do your best!” I go on, for what am I to do? The Milishevskis know how to manage men, but as for women, oh, ho!
DOCTOR. But I cannot understand how I may be useful.
YAN. Doctor, you know that you can do anything in this house, so bring it about in secret from my mother, that I should be refused.
DOCTOR. Count, for you I shall do what is humanly possible.
YAN. I thank you.
DOCTOR. And I will undertake this the more gladly since the Princess is betrothed.
YAN. But I did not know that any one was climbing into my way here.
DOCTOR (aside). A good idea! (Aloud.) Pan Yerzy Pretvits.
YAN. Then they wished to make a fool of me!
DOCTOR. Pan Pretvits is an insolent man. I even confess to you that you were right when you called this a delicate affair. Pan Pretvits is feared; so if you yield people may think —
YAN. They may think that I am afraid l Well, I will not give way. Oh, my dear sir, I see that you do not know the Milishevskis at all. It is only women that we are not able to manage; but no Milishevski was ever a coward. I know that people laugh at me; but if any one calls me a coward, I will teach him not to laugh. I will show quickly whether I am a coward. What about Pan Pretvits? Where is he now?
DOCTOR. At this moment in the garden. (Pointing through the window.) You see him there by the lake.
YAN. Till we see each other!
SCENE VI.
DOCTOR, alone, later, ANTONI.
DOCTOR. Many fathers are childless! Ha! ha!
ANTONI (running in). Art thou at home? Here are the receipts. Why art thou laughing?
DOCTOR. Milishevski has rushed off to challenge Pretvits to a duel.
ANTONI. What? Are they mad?
DOCTOR. Pretvits will stand before her in a pretty light, this knight without reproach, if he has an encounter with such a fool. In a pretty light!
ANTONI. But hast thou wound it up so?
DOCTOR. As I told thee, I will help nature.
ANTONI. Assist for thyself, but I am off.
DOCTOR. Farewell! But no, I will go with thee; I cannot permit that the adventure go too far.
ANTONI. I wanted to tell thee, besides, that with thy money I bought food for my little boys. I will return it later. Do you permit?
DOCTOR. HOW canst thou ask, Antoni? [He goes out.
SCENE VII.
STELLA, with a hat in her hand, COUNT DRAGOMIR.
They enter the door from the garden.
STELLA. The walk has tired me a little. You see, Pan Karol, how feeble I am. (Sits down.) Where is Pan Yerzy?
DRAGOMIR. With young Milishevski, who asked for a talk with him. The Countess is discussing with the Prince. It seems to me that there is a little scene there. The Countess did not know that you were betrothed, and likely she had her plans. But, pardon me, Princess, I laugh, and that causes you suffering.
STELLA. I should wish to laugh, did I not know that this caused papa trouble. Also, I am sorry for Count Milishevski.
DRAGOMIR. I unders
tand what in his position a truly loving heart may feel; as to Yan, I am at rest. He will console himself, if his mother commands him.
STELLA. At times it is possible to mistake people greatly.
DRAGOMIR. Are you talking of me, or Milishevski?
STELLA. Let it be of you. Before we met, people mentioned you to me as a collection of all the perfections.
DRAGOMIR. And you have found me a collection of all the faults.
STELLA. I have not said that.
DRAGOMIR. But you think it, I believe. As to me, I am not mistaken, the portrait of you painted by Yerzy and the doctor agrees with reality.
STELLA. HOW was it painted?
DRAGOMIR. With wings at the shoulders.
STELLA. That means that I have as much dignity as a butterfly?
DRAGOMIR. The wings of angels are consonant with dignity.
STELLA. Real friendship should tell the truth. I pray for some bitter truth.
DRAGOMIR. Shall it be very bitter?
STELLA. AS wormwood, or as life is at times.
DRAGOMIR. YOU are not kind toward me.
STELLA. For what sin must I do penance?
DRAGOMIR. For lack of friendship toward me.
STELLA. I am the first to appeal to friendship; but in what condition of it do I fail?
DRAGOMIR. You share with me joyousness, amusement, laughter; but when a moment of sadness or bitterness comes, you keep the bitter flowers and the thorns for yourself. Share such moments too, I beg earnestly.
STELLA. I have never wished to disturb your joyousness; it was not egotism on my part.
DRAGOMIR. Neither is my joyousness egotistic. Yerzy told me of you when I came here; he said, “I can only gaze at her, and pray to her; thou art younger, more gladsome, try to amuse and divert her.” So I brought all my joyousness here, as wares on my shoulders, and laid them at your feet. But for some time I have seen that I only torture you. I see a cloud on your face; I suspect some secret sorrow and, as a real friend, I would give my life to dispel it.
STELLA (in a low voice). Count.
Complete Works of Henryk Sienkiewicz Page 742