Part 5

COUNT—If we hurry, perhaps we can get him off by the noon train. I’ll see the cashier at once. The whole thing shouldn’t take more than ten minutes to fabricate.... You have made me very happy, dear. This clever plan of yours is the first real intimation that you, too, want to be rid of Juhasz.

PAULA—Rid of him! That’s a hideous way to put it.

COUNT—Put it as you like, the fact is there. It is perfectly natural for me to be impatient ... but for you to be is ... charming.

PAULA—It isn’t impatience ... as much as ... uneasiness. When I look at him ... sometimes ... I feel a twinge of doubt. When I see how pathetically he tries to protect me ... from you ... I get a twinge of remorse. It will be different when he has gone.... Yet I shouldn’t want to see him go empty handed.... And neither would I want him ... ever to find out that——

COUNT—Rely on me. The papers shall be forged carefully enough to deceive a bank president. I’ll go to the cashier this minute.... Paula, you have made me very happy. [_He takes her hand and kisses it._] If I were twenty years younger I suppose I would have kissed you on that red, young mouth of yours.

PAULA—Careful! Someone is coming.

COUNT—[_Still holding her hand; is about to kiss her._] No....

PAULA—I heard the outer door.

COUNT—Nonsense! [_As he bends toward her again JUHASZ enters at left._]

JUHASZ—Excellency, some of the pigeons have flown away.

COUNT—[_Does not resent this interruption; very jovially._] No matter, Juhasz, they’ll come back. [_He exits at left. There is a pause._]

JUHASZ—He touched you.... He touched you with his hands.

PAULA—He kissed my hand.

JUHASZ—If I hadn’t come in he would have kissed your cheek. This can’t go on, you poor child, you are in serious danger.

PAULA—Aren’t you exaggerating, Mr. Juhasz?

JUHASZ—Is it possible you don’t understand that he is trying to make you his mistress?

PAULA—It takes two to make that bargain, Mr. Juhasz.

JUHASZ—Two to make it, but only one to repent it.... You don’t seem to realize the game he is playing with you.

PAULA—He has always behaved like a gentleman with me.

JUHASZ—That is the most dangerous part of it. These rich people have such fine manners ... they are like silkworms ... they spin a fine soft thread around a poor girl ... and she never realizes what they are about ... until one day she wakes up and finds herself ... dressed in silk.... But I won’t let that happen to you. And the Count knows it. That is why he is trying to get rid of me.

PAULA—Why, he loves you like a son. Just now he was embracing you.

JUHASZ—But he’ll send me away, sooner or later. I know that. And this is what I want to say to you. Philip telegraphed that he is coming down to see me this afternoon. I’m going back to the city with him. I might as well before I’m driven out. And you are coming with me.

PAULA—I?

JUHASZ—Yes. You can’t stay here any longer. It is too dangerous for you.

PAULA—Dangerous! That’s perfectly absurd.

JUHASZ—Haven’t I seen and heard enough to know? All his advances! All his proposals! Have you ever seen a little bird fluttering helplessly about in a lion’s cage?

PAULA—No.

JUHASZ—Neither have I. But I imagine it must be like you are here.... I am going to take you out of here, my child.

PAULA—That’s awfully good of you, Mr. Juhasz, but——

JUHASZ—Do you _want_ to stay here?

PAULA—I see no reason why I shouldn’t.

JUHASZ—I am the better judge of that. And I shan’t let you stay.

PAULA—I appreciate your motives, Mr. Juhasz. But pardon me if I say you have no right to decide whether I may stay or go.

JUHASZ—No right? Didn’t I bring you here ... into this danger?

PAULA—Perhaps I came ... of my own accord.

JUHASZ—I see. His insidious poison has begun to work on you already. Well, Paula, I won’t have it that way. You have never seen me determined yet.... Perhaps I never was before.... But I am now.... Paula [_with a burst of courage_], I’ll take you with me by force if necessary.

PAULA—I repeat ... you have no right to do that.

JUHASZ—[_At a loss for the moment._] No right ... no right?

PAULA—You are not my father ... or any relation of mine.

JUHASZ—I ... I....

PAULA—I used to work for you ... and I respect you deeply ... but apart from that——

JUHASZ—I love you, Paula.

PAULA—Yes, but——

JUHASZ—You don’t understand, Paula. [_Pauses a moment before he repeats very simply and earnestly._] I love you. [_A pause._] That is why I dared to say such things. [_A pause._]

PAULA—Why, Mr. Juhasz——

JUHASZ—You are surprised.... You thought I kept watch over you quite unselfishly ... like a brother.... Well, so I did ... at first.... I used to pace up and down beneath the Count’s window ... all night long ... without a thought in my mind except to keep you from harm.... Sometimes I was tired and sleepy ... but there I stayed ... under his window ... because it was my duty to protect you ... and then ... gradually ... I began to realize ... that I liked to watch ... that I was never tired or sleepy any more ... my whole attitude had changed ... but I didn’t tell you.... I still pretended to be guarding you ... only because I had your interest at heart ... while all the time it was because I loved you.... And now ... you can send me away, if you like.

PAULA—Mr. Juhasz ... I don’t know ... I really don’t know what to say.

JUHASZ—You never guessed it.

PAULA—I would never have believed it, if you hadn’t——

JUHASZ—I didn’t mean to tell you. But when you said I had no right ... it slipped out.... I might have gone on pretending.... I don’t know.... But now I can ask you again ... to come with me ... if you will ... as my wife. [_A pause._] Won’t you answer me?

PAULA—I have been pretending, too, Mr. Juhasz.

JUHASZ—You?

PAULA—I let you think I came here ... out of loyalty to you. But I didn’t. I came because I wanted to come ... because I am bad and depraved. And that is why I want to stay.... I am sick of poverty, Mr. Juhasz.... I don’t want to go back to work in a dingy little office ... of a dingy little shop.... I am young, Mr. Juhasz, and pretty.... I want to do the things that make living worth while ... meet interesting people ... see beautiful places ... wear fine clothes ... enjoy the leisure and luxury that only rich folks can have.... I have thought about such things ... and longed for them so fiercely ... that it makes me cold and sick ... only to think that I may not have them.... Oh, it’s so difficult to tell you, Mr. Juhasz! My heart is so heavy!

JUHASZ—Do you ... love the count?

PAULA—No.

JUHASZ—Tell me the truth.... You can tell me now.

PAULA—He isn’t a man to me at all. He is only the door that leads into a new life.... He is rich, Mr. Juhasz, rich, rich—— [_Hides her face in shame on his shoulder._]

JUHASZ—[_Half dazed._] Come with me ... and I will be rich, too.... I will work for you, Paula, as no man ever worked before.... There are people who will help me.... I will be ambitious, grasping ... until I have all the money you want....

PAULA—[_Still has her face buried in his shoulder._] And by the time you had made your money I should be too old to want it.

JUHASZ—[_Bitterly._] After all, you are right, Paula. I am absurd. Another man would offer to lay down his life for the woman he loved.... I offer to open an account in a savings bank. [_She raises her head. There is a knock at the door._] Come in. [_Louder._] Come in! [_SANTHA enters at left, carrying an envelope and two receipts._]

SANTHA—Pardon me, Mr. Juhasz, but the cashier sent this in. Will you sign this receipt, please?

JUHASZ—Yes.... I’ll be there in a moment.

SANTHA—You need only——

JUHASZ—Don’t you see I’m busy? Tell the cashier I’ll be there in a moment.

SANTHA—It isn’t necessary. Just take this, and sign. [_Proffers the envelope and the receipts._]

JUHASZ—[_Looks at them._] Isn’t this an error?

SANTHA—It is addressed to you.

JUHASZ—[_Reads._] From the Deutsche Bank, of Berlin ... to the Ungarische Allgemeine Credit-bank ... to the account of Mr. Peter Juhasz ... from Mr. Oscar Mezei, of Berlin.... [_The hand holding the receipt sinks slowly. JUHASZ himself sinks into a chair, then raises the receipt to his eyes again, very slowly, as if his arm were tired._] From Oscar Mezei, Berlin ... fifty-one thousand kronen. [_He looks into the envelope; sees the sheaf of banknotes there._] Didn’t I tell you, Santha? I always said he’d send it. But you all laughed at me.

SANTHA—Will you sign the receipt, please?

JUHASZ—[_Rather dazed._] Certainly. [_He signs._]

SANTHA—[_Takes the signed receipt; leaves the other in JUHASZ’S hand._] You keep this one. It’s the duplicate.

JUHASZ—The duplicate ... yes. Where are you going?

SANTHA—To give this back to the cashier.

JUHASZ—Oh, yes. Thank you, Santha.

SANTHA—Don’t mention it, sir. [_He exits. There is a pause. JUHASZ stands at left. PAULA is at extreme right. He looks at her, still balancing the envelope full of banknotes on his palm._]

PAULA—I congratulate you, Mr. Juhasz. [_He is silent._] Now you can have your shop back, and everything will be all right for you.

JUHASZ—[_Crosses to her._] Yes, Paula, now everything will be all right for me. And for you, too. For now I can give you the things you want ... fine clothes and beautiful places and all the rest.... Take it, Paula.

PAULA—Mr. Juhasz ... your shop, your creditors——

JUHASZ—What do I want the shop for now? Let the creditors sell it out. There will be more than enough to pay them.

PAULA—But that means your livelihood, your entire future!

JUHASZ—I love you, Paula. It is _your_ future I am thinking of. You don’t want to work in a shop ... or be a shopkeeper’s wife ... you want to live in luxury ... well ... here is money. Take it. [_Forces it into her hand._] There! Close your hand.... Spend it ... while it lasts ... and then ... if you still want to go on living that way ... it will be easy to get more money ... too easy for a pretty girl like you.... But if you change your mind, Paula, if you change your mind, you can turn back ... back to this ordinary life.... But if you took the Count’s money, there could be no turning back.... Don’t you see?... For when a girl’s honor is gone ... she can’t turn back.... And you will want to turn back.... I am certain of that.... I know you, Paula.... You will want to turn back.

PAULA—[_Deeply moved._] You would do this for me? You would give me everything you possess ... and ask nothing in return?

JUHASZ—[_Throwing it off, with a whimsical smile._] Everything I possess? So it is. Let the Count do as much for you if he’s such a cavalier. [_PAULA offers him the money, mutely._] No. We are going now ... we shall both make the noon train to Budapest.... You will not stay here with the Count.... I see it in your eyes ... in your tears.... You are saved, little Paula, ... saved from your own folly. [_He has moved very close to her and has one hand on her shoulder when the COUNT enters. JUHASZ drops his hand. There is a pause._]

COUNT—Are you dictating, Juhasz?

JUHASZ—[_Cold, resolute but respectful._] I have had very good news, your excellency. I am leaving on the noon express ... and ... [_looks at PAULA_] Miss Paula will tell you the rest. [_Head high, very sure of himself, he exits at right. There is a pause._]

COUNT—What’s the matter with the man? [_PAULA shows him the money._] I don’t understand.

PAULA—He gave it to me.

COUNT—I said he was in love with you.

PAULA—Here! [_She offers him the money._]

COUNT—Why? What’s this for?

PAULA—It’s your money.

COUNT—No.... It belonged to Juhasz ... and if he gave it to you ... and you accepted it....

PAULA—I didn’t accept it.... I was too overcome to speak. This money means to him his shop, his future, the honor of his name ... and yet he tossed it to me without a moment’s hesitation. I never knew a man could love like that.

COUNT—What are you going to do with it?

PAULA—Give it back to him, of course.

COUNT—I wouldn’t do that.... He’d only try to give it back to you again, or tear it up, or throw it away.... The man’s in love with you, you know. ... I think it were wiser to send the money at once by telegraph to the attorney for his creditors. Then we’ll be sure he will reap the benefit of it. We must give him back his shop ... by force ... if that’s the only way he’ll have it.

PAULA—You are right. You are perfectly right. I’ll give the money to the cashier myself, and have him send it right off.

COUNT—I would.... Have you been crying, Paula?

PAULA—It wasn’t exactly amusing ... to have him offer to make a sacrifice like that ... after all we had done to deceive him. [_JUHASZ enters at right. He is carrying his hat and umbrella._]

JUHASZ—Doubtless your excellency knows everything. [_PAULA exits at left._]

COUNT—No, Juhasz. All I know is that you got some money from Berlin.

JUHASZ—[_Proudly, firmly._] Yes, and thank God it came in time to rescue that poor girl from your dishonorable attentions. She doesn’t need your money now. She has mine, mine that was earned by hard, honest labor.

COUNT—Juhasz!

JUHASZ—I’m sorry to be compelled to speak to you like this, excellency. God knows I am grateful to you for all you have done for me, but I am leaving your house, and Paula is coming with me.

COUNT—She is going with you?

JUHASZ—Yes, your excellency.

COUNT—Do you think it wise to give her all your money?

JUHASZ—It was my own money. I do what I want with it.

COUNT—My dear Juhasz, you are riding a very high horse. I mention it only because the fall is apt to be painful. Have you made sure that lady has accepted your generous gift? [_PAULA enters quietly at left._]

JUHASZ—I don’t know what you mean.

COUNT—Perhaps it would be best to ask her.

JUHASZ—Paula, his excellency ... just said something ... I didn’t understand.

PAULA—I couldn’t take it, Mr. Juhasz.... I couldn’t....

JUHASZ—Couldn’t take it?

PAULA—I have sent the money to Budapest ... by telegraph ... to the attorney for your creditors. [_There is a pause. The COUNT exits at back on tiptoe._] You didn’t give me a chance to speak before.... I appreciate what you tried to do for me ... any woman would ... but I couldn’t let you ruin yourself on my account.

JUHASZ—[_Puts the worst construction on her refusal._] He can give you more.... That’s true enough! [_She does not answer. There is a pause. SANTHA enters at back. Behind him comes PHILIP._]

SANTHA—There he is. [_SANTHA exits._]

PHILIP—Good morning, Mr. Juhasz. Did you get my telegram? [_He bows curtly to PAULA._]

JUHASZ—I got it, Philip. How are you?

PHILIP—I met his excellency in the garden. He said I would find you here. Am I interrupting?

JUHASZ—No, Philip. I was only saying good-bye to Miss Paula.

PAULA—[_Cordially._] Are you still angry with me, Philip?

PHILIP—[_Very earnestly; bows coldly._] Yes, I am. [_To JUHASZ._] I am glad to hear that you are coming to Budapest. That’s what I came for. To ask you to come to town for a day or two.

PAULA—How are things at the shop?

PHILIP—[_Ignoring her._] That’s really what I came for. I hope you don’t mind my saying, Mr. Juhasz ... that business has been wonderful since you went away. The receiver——

JUHASZ—Mr. Geiringer?

PHILIP—Yes.... Mr. Geiringer has been collecting all the old outstanding accounts and keeping a sharp eye on the cash. He sent me down here to see you, Mr. Juhasz. It seems he has fallen in love with the shop, and has been wanting to buy it for himself. And when he found out that Mr. Oscar had gone bankrupt in Berlin, he decided——

JUHASZ—What’s that? What did Mr. Geiringer find out?

PHILIP—That Oscar had gone into bankruptcy ... then he went straight to the lawyer for your creditors.

JUHASZ—[_Excitedly._] Slowly, please. You say that Oscar went bankrupt in Berlin?

PHILIP—Yes. Didn’t you know it?

JUHASZ—[_Looking at PAULA._] No.

PHILIP—I’m sorry to have been the first to tell you ... but everyone in the city knows it.

JUHASZ—You are quite sure?

PHILIP—Well, his wife has been back in Budapest, living with her mother, for the past two weeks.... And I see Oscar every day.

JUHASZ—Are they divorced?

PHILIP—No, but they are so hard up that they have to live at her mother’s house.

JUHASZ—If that’s so, there has been a terrible mistake somewhere. [_He looks again at PAULA; takes out the receipt, crosses to PHILIP._] Read this.

PAULA—I’ll leave you alone. [_She starts for the door._]

JUHASZ—[_Takes her by the hand._] No, Paula, you will stay here, please.

PHILIP—[_Reading the notice._] The Deutsche Bank ... Oscar Mezei ... fifty-one thousand kronen [_in great astonishment._] I can’t understand this at all.... He had so little to show when they put him in bankruptcy that he was lucky not to be sent to prison ... and since then he has been wandering around Budapest in shabby clothes, borrowing a krone from anybody who’d lend him.... Why, I lent him two myself the day before yesterday. [_There is a pause._] Did this money really arrive?

JUHASZ—[_Has not taken his eyes off PAULA._] Yes.

PHILIP—I can’t make that out at all.

PAULA—You had to find out sooner or later, Mr. Juhasz.... The money didn’t come from Oscar Mezei.... It didn’t come from Berlin.

JUHASZ—Where _did_ it come from?

PAULA—His excellency wanted to help you.... He sent you the money ... and had those bank notices written here.

JUHASZ—Written here?

PAULA—Yes.... You see——

JUHASZ—You knew it all the time?

PAULA—I was happy to see you get your shop back, and——

JUHASZ—You knew it was all a pretext to get rid of me? You knew it wasn’t my money?

PAULA—Yes, I knew it, Mr. Juhasz.

JUHASZ—And while I was saying those boastful things to you ... and making sacrifices for you ... with another man’s money ... you were inwardly laughing at me all the time.

PAULA—I cried, Mr. Juhasz.

JUHASZ—It wasn’t necessary to cry or to laugh, or to take all these secret precautions to get rid of me. You need only have told me the truth. [_On the terrace at back a servant girl appears. She is carrying JUHASZ’S overcoat and bag. He sees her and turns to PHILIP._] Come, Philip. [_His voice is low and trembling with sorrow and humiliation._] Let us go. [_They start up toward the door._]

PAULA—Mr. Juhasz ... won’t you forgive me ... and shake hands ... before you go?

JUHASZ—[_Going; does not look at her._] Good-bye, Miss Paula.

PAULA—Have you forgotten all you said to me? You are leaving me alone ... alone with him. [_JUHASZ stops, turns to her slowly. Seeing this, she gathers courage._] You are leaving me like this because your pride is hurt. You don’t care any more ... what becomes of me.

JUHASZ—[_Opens his mouth, closes it again, wavers, then suddenly roars at PHILIP, who has been looking on in blank amazement._] Why do you stand there like a blockhead? Why don’t you take me away from here? Can’t you see I am about to stay? [_PHILIP takes his arm and leads him out at back: There is a pause. PAULA watches them go, then she crosses slowly to the COUNT’S desk. In the garden, coming from the right, the COUNT appears. He stands in the doorway a moment, looking off left, apparently watching JUHASZ and PHILIP depart._]

COUNT—Can I believe my eyes? Is that really Juhasz going toward the station? [_She does not reply. He comes in. On the threshold he glances again off left._] If they hurry they can still catch the 12.05. It just pulled in the station. [_Looks off left once more; comes down._] Well, sunbeam! [_PAULA looks at him sorrowfully then lowers her eyes._] We are alone.

PAULA—Alone.

COUNT—It is hard to realize he is really gone. I shall go on expecting him to pop in that door any moment, or appear at the window, or crawl from under the table.... It doesn’t seem possible that I’m free of him at last ... that we are free.

PAULA—[_Sadly._] Free.

COUNT—But it’s true, little sunbeam, it’s true! No more dictation. No more political speeches. No more interruptions.... Now all that remains to be done is have the car overhauled ... telegraph to Vienna, Salzburg, Paris ... for the best rooms in the best hotels ... for the most exquisite frocks ... for the most magnificent cabin on the swiftest boat to the most beautiful seaport in Spain.... [_Comes toward her ardently. The whistle of the departing train is heard. PAULA jumps up as if someone had called her, and makes an involuntary movement toward the door at back._] His train. [_Angrily._] Is he to hinder me even now? It was just as if he had called back to us. [_PAULA goes toward the door at right._] Why, Paula! Where are you going?

PAULA—[_Stops at the typewriting machine._] To my work.... Unless your excellency wishes to give me dictation.

COUNT—Dictation? Are you serious?

PAULA—Yes.

COUNT—But why?... Did anything happen ... between you and Juhasz?

PAULA—[_Softly._] Nothing happened. [_Starts to go._]

COUNT—[_In polite resignation._] No ... no ... wait ... I’ll dictate, if I must. [_She sits at the machine. He repeats mechanically, distrustfully._] I’ll dictate, if I must. [_Eyes her narrowly._]

PAULA—We stopped at “The deplorable policies inaugurated by the Minister of Agriculture——”

COUNT—Deplorable policy ... yes. Well ... if I must ... go ahead ... [_Sighs._] “The very deplorable policy ...”

PAULA—[_Writing._] Policy.

COUNT—“Inaugurated by the Minister ... leaves the farmer bewildered and quite helpless.”

PAULA—[_As she writes, bows her head lower over the machine._] Helpless.

COUNT—“Now the farmer is devoted to the minister ...” [_His quick expressive glance meets her eye as she looks up._] “... but the minister does not love the farmer.”

PAULA—[_Writing._] Farmer.

COUNT—“And can the farmer be blamed for feeling abandoned and betrayed?”

PAULA—And betrayed.

COUNT—“But I, for one, know that his excellency, the minister of agriculture ... belongs to the old school of honor ... to those who will not abuse——”

PAULA—Abuse.

COUNT—“The faith that was placed in them.”

PAULA—The faith ... [_Stops writing suddenly._]

COUNT—“The farmer does not ask for sympathy. He wishes no allegiance that is not conscientiously felt. Yet he hopes, yet he believes he still can win the minister to——”

PAULA—[_Sorrowfully._] He mustn’t believe that, your excellency.

COUNT—Go on writing, Paula, that belongs in the speech.... And you may add that I too think that it is a forlorn hope, a mistaken belief, which the farmer must teach himself to renounce. [_PAULA bends over the machine, puts her hand over her eyes._] What is it, my child? Don’t you feel well?