SCENE 2
(Vittel. Hotel room. MATA and VADIME are sitting up in bed, and he is whispering in her ear.)
MATA
(amused, affectionate)
You’re bad, very bad. But why do you whisper?
VADIME
Such things one must whisper. Otherwise He hears.
MATA
You mean God.
VADIME
Yes, and He will get jealous.
MATA
But He can hear a whisper, can’t He?
VADIME
No, no. Well, your Dutch God, who is a very sensible Protestant and also very sophisticated, yes, He can hear a whisper. But the Russian God, He can’t. And this is lucky for me – because, since He is full of wrath and all kinds of mischief, I don’t want Him to hear everything I have to say.
MATA
(charmed)
I love you.
VADIME
Yes? Do you?
MATA
I don’t want this to end.
VADIME
Who says it must end?
MATA
My permit expires in two days.
VADIME
Well, yes, the permit expires, all right, but this … this does not expire! Before you know it, in a month or so, they will discharge me from hospital, and then I’ll come straight to wherever you are.
MATA
I’ll be in Paris.
VADIME
Good! Then I’ll come to Paris!
MATA
Unless of course life becomes difficult in Paris. In which case I’d go back to The Hague. Would you be able to come to The Hague?
VADIME
Why not?
MATA
Will they discharge you from the military then?
VADIME
If I ask, yes, they’ll discharge me. But I won’t ask, because at a desk too a soldier can be useful. If I lose vision in the remaining eye, of course, then I will have to retire to civilian life.
MATA
The doctor says that’s a distinct possibility.
VADIME
What doctor?
MATA
Captain Martine.
VADIME
Well, I suppose that’s best, eh? I mean, that you know the worst. Hah! I think I’ve made a joke. “Best that you know the worst!” What do you think? Is that a joke or what?
MATA
Do you see me laughing?
VADIME
What would you do in that case? I mean, if I lost vision altogether.
MATA
I’ll always be the same woman for you.
VADIME
Then after the war I think we should marry.
MATA
You’re not serious.
VADIME
Why not?
MATA
I’m fifteen years older than you. Also I have a twenty-year-old daughter.
VADIME
This I know. So why do you mention her now? Is it that you want me to marry her instead?
MATA
No.
VADIME
Then no doubt you bring her into the conversation so that you can avoid giving me an answer. Clearly you do not wish to marry me.
MATA
What? No, it’s the opposite. Nothing could make me happier than to be your wife.
VADIME
Then that’s that. When the war is over, we will marry.
(From a chair VADIME takes his shirt and trouser and puts
them on. MATA watches him in silence until he returns to bed.)
MATA
What will we do for money?
VADIME
Still there may be money from my family. And I’ll work.
MATA
The doctor tells me that the damage to your lungs and spine cannot be repaired, and that you must rest frequently during the day.
VADIME
So I will work, and I will rest. Work and rest. Work and rest.
MATA
But if you lose vision altogether, what sort of work would you do?
VADIME
Do you think a blind man can’t work? My friend Kirov, he is blind. He tunes pianos. I don’t say he’s rich, but he maintains a perfectly adequate flat near the Nevsky Bridge, and he needs to ask nobody for anything. So what’s there to worry about? If a Kirov can find work, so can I.
MATA
But why should the entire burden be yours?
VADIME
I don’t say it should. If you have something to contribute, then you will contribute. That goes without saying. Only of course you will have to give up all activity as a courtesan.
MATA
Of course.
VADIME
Will you miss it, that life?
MATA
Only the money.
VADIME
I’ll do something about the money, I promise you.
MATA
(putting one hand on his shoulder)
Wait.
VADIME
Yes?
MATA
I’m going to accept Ladoux’s proposal.
VADIME
What? Who is this Ladoux? This Ladoux, he also has made a proposal? You’re going to marry the both of us then?
MATA
No, no. Captain Ladoux. The Chief of Military Intelligence! He offered me a lot of money.
VADIME
For what?
MATA
For information.
VADIME
You have information?
MATA
No.
VADIME
Then what are you talking about?
MATA
He wants me to get information.
VADIME
(as if suddenly enlightened)
Ah!
MATA
He said he could pay me a million, maybe even two million francs!
VADIME
But to do what? Explain this to me.
MATA
How can I explain? I don’t know the answer!
VADIME
Then let me explain. He wants you to sleep with Germans and get secrets from them.
MATA
Yes, of course.
VADIME
Of course? But you just said you don’t know what it is he wants you to do.
MATA
In the general way I know, but not in the particulars.
VADIME
In other words, you know he wants you to sleep with Germans, but you don’t know which ones.
MATA
Yes.
VADIME
And you agreed?
MATA
No! But now I think I should have.
VADIME
Why? For the money? Forget the money! We will have money, I promise you! I could not endure the thought of you giving your body and your affections to the men who have injured me.
MATA
The men who injured you were foot soldiers in the field. The men I would have to contact would be men in the upper echelons of power.
VADIME
It doesn’t matter! They’re all part of the same filthy war machine. And I forbid you to do this. I forbid it!
MATA
But what if I could accomplish something useful here, something to tip the balance for the Allies?
VADIME
Did you hear what I said to you?
MATA
Yes, but listen to me …
(MATA touches VADIME gently and nervously with one hand.)
Is it only the Germans who are to blame here?
VADIME
Who else? You mean the Turks?
MATA
I mean your own commanders. Don’t you blame them too?
VADIME
No! What for?
MATA
For their idea.
VADIME
What are you talking about? What idea?
MATA
That you could fight the German artillery and the gas with just a horse and a saber.
VADIME
But that was a beautiful idea, beautiful! Look, I know everybody says our Cavalry was a big mistake. But forget what everybody says, and ask yourself instead what God says!
MATA
I can’t answer for God. I don’t know what He says.
VADIME
You can make a guess, can’t you? What sort of soldier is more likely to please The Creator, eh? A little technician cowering in a ditch … calculating Death with his finger on a gadget … or a man … a real man … on a horse … charging at full gallop … rushing to his Destiny … with … with faith in his heart … and a fine flat sword in hand!
(With an air of triumph he pauses, struggles in desperation to catch his
breath, then glares at her fiercely.)
You see?
MATA
(faintly, and at the verge of tears)
Yes.
VADIME
Then don’t look at me so pathetically!
MATA
I’m sorry, Vadime. Forgive me. Please.
VADIME
All right! I forgive you! But only if you promise that you will forget this Ladoux and his proposal.
MATA
I promise.
VADIME
Tell me what it is you promise. Tell me!
MATA
I promise that I will forget Ladoux, and that I will forget his proposal.
VADIME
Good!
(Noticing that she has tears in her eyes, he strokes her hair sympathetically and lowers his voice.)
You understand that he only wants to use you for his own purposes, don’t you?
MATA
Yes.
VADIME
And that he cares nothing at all about you and your life?
MATA
Yes, my darling. I understand that.
