ACT V
Scene 13. The Same, a Few Days Later
The Princess is in a negligee, smoking a cigarette. Paul, dressed only in pants and slippers, sits on the couch.
Paul
I’ve received a letter from your husband.
Princess
How in the world could he know your address?
Paul
Madame Grandoni, I think. He must have met her in Paris.
Princess
What an incorrigible cad.
Paul
I don’t see that for writing to me. Would you like to see his letter?
Princess
Thank you, no. Nothing could induce me to touch anything he has touched.
Paul
You touch his money, my dear lady.
Princess
Because it makes him suffer.
Paul
I should think it would please him.
Princess
Why?
Paul
Because it shows you are dependent on him.
Princess
Not when he knows I don’t use it for myself. He hates my politics almost as much as he hates me.
Paul
He doesn’t hate you. His letter satisfies me of that.
Princess (facing him)
What are you leading up to? Are you suggesting I go back to my husband?
Paul
I don’t know that I’d go so far as to advise it. But I believe you will before long.
Princess (really nettled)
And on what does that extraordinary prediction rest?
Paul
Because you’ll soon have nothing to live on. He informs me that I need count on no more supplies from your hands.
Princess
He addresses you in very plain terms.
Paul
Yes.
Princess
And can you repeat such insults to me without the smallest apparent discomposure? You are indeed the most extraordinary man!
Paul
Why is it an insult? It’s the simple truth—I take your money.
Princess
You take it for the cause—you don’t take it for yourself.
Paul
Your husband isn’t obliged to consider that.
Princess (bitingly)
I didn’t know you were on his side!
Paul
You know whose side I’m on.
Princess
What does he know? What business has he to address you so?
Paul
Madame Grandoni has told him I have great influence with you.
Princess
She was welcome to tell him that!
Paul
He reasons that when I find you have nothing to give, I’ll let you go.
Princess
Noting more to give. Does he think I count for nothing?
Paul
Apparently he thinks I don’t count you much.
Princess (bitterly)
Well, I’ve always known you care more for my money than for me. But that’s as it should be for a revolutionary. It makes no difference to me.
Paul (enjoying irritating her)
Then, by your own calculation, the Prince is right.
Princess
My dear sir, my interest in you never depended on your interest in me— So, he stops my allowance.
Paul
From the first of next month.
Princess
I’ll fight him tooth and nail in court.
Paul
How? Your association with me and the Cause are not the sort of things that should come to light.
Princess
Why should it come to light? It’s my money—separation money. What I do with it—
Paul
He can produce the fact that you had a little bookbinder living in your house.
Princess
What has that to do with it?
Paul
That would be for the court to appreciate. And, what about the fact that Madame Grandoni has withdrawn her protection?
Princess
Ah, but not for Hyacinth!
Paul
That’s only a detail. In any case, I shouldn’t in the least care to have you going to law.
Princess
Sometimes you seem afraid! That’s terribly against your being a first rate man.
Paul
I haven’t the smallest pretension of being a first rate man.
Princess
Oh, you’re deep—and you’re provoking!
Paul
Don’t you remember how you accused me of being a coward and a traitor, of playing false, of wanting to back out?
Princess
Most distinctly! How can I help feeling that you’ve got incalculable ulterior motives and are consummately using me—consummately using us all?— Well, I don’t care!
Paul
The best reason in the world for not going to law with your husband is this: When you haven’t a penny left, you’ll be obliged to go back and live with him.
Princess
How can that be? Haven’t I my own property?
Paul
The Prince assures me that you’ve almost nothing left.
Princess
You’ve the most extraordinary tone. You seem to be saying that from the moment I have no more money to give you, I’m of no more value than the washed out tea leaves in that pot?
Paul
I’ve no intention of saying anything so offensive—but since you bring it up, perhaps it’s as well I should let you know that I believe in giving your money or rather your husband’s money to our business, you gave the most valuable thing you had to contribute.
Princess
This is the day of plain truths! You don’t count my devotion or my intelligence—even rating my faculties modestly?
Paul
I count your intelligence but not your devotion. You are not trusted—well, where it makes the difference.
Princess
Not trusted! Why, I could be hanged tomorrow.
Paul
They may let you hang—without fully trusting you. You are likely to weary of us, and I think, you’re weary even now.
Princess
Ah, you must be a first rate man—you’re such a brute.
Paul
I didn’t say you were weary of me. But you can never live poor. You don’t begin to know the meaning of it.
Princess
Oh, no. I’m not tired of you! In a moment you’ll make me cry with rage—and no man has done that for years. I was very poor when I was a girl.
Paul (unconvinced)
You’ll go back to your husband.
Princess
I don’t see why they trust you more than they do me?
Paul
I’m not sure they do. I’ve heard something this evening that suggests that.
Princess
And, may one know what it is?
Paul
A communication that should have been made through me was made through someone else.
Princess
A communication?
Paul
To Hyacinth.
Princess (uneasily)
To Hyacinth—?
Paul
He has his orders. But they didn’t entrust it to me.
Princess
He was here this morning. Do you suppose he already had it?
Paul
Shinkel carried the order to him Sunday night.
Princess
But, he was here just now, and he told me nothing of it.
Paul
That was quite right of him.
Princess
What do they want him to do?
Paul
I think I’d better not tell you until it’s over.
Princess
And when will it be over?
Paul
He has several days. He has considerable discretion as to seizing his chance. The thing’s remarkably easy for him. I heard it all from Shinkel.
Princess
Shinkel trusts you, then?
Paul
Yes, but he won’t trust you. Hyacinth has an invitation to a party at a country house. At a grand party, he’ll fit right in—perfect gentleman.
Princess (tartly)
He’ll like that.
Paul
If he doesn’t like it, he needn’t do it.
Princess
And the target?
Paul
A certain royal personage. Do you want to warn him?
Princess
By no means. But I prefer to do the business myself.
Paul
To fall by your beautiful hand would be too good for him.
Princess
However if he fails, it will be useful, valuable?
Paul
It’s worth trying, even if it fails. He’s a very bad institution, although as a private person, quite blameless.
Princess
And, you don’t mean to go near Hyacinth?
Paul
I mean to leave him free.
(Pause.)
Princess
Paul Muniment, you are a truly first rate man! Why have you told me this?
Paul
So that you can’t throw it up to me later that I didn’t.
Princess
What will Hyacinth do?
Paul
I don’t know. He’ll either kill himself if he can’t go through with it—or he’ll kill The Grand Duke.
Princess
God! I must talk to him.
Paul
No. If Hyacinth fails or funks it, then it’s your chance. There’s a second party.
Princess
God—poor Hyacinth. What will he do? What will he do? Oh, it’s my fault. It’s through me that he’s changed his ideas.
Paul
But, not because of you, really. You’ve always stood for the Cause.
Princess
Yes, but I showed him the other side—
Paul
That cannot be helped.
Princess
I wish I hadn’t said some of the things I said to him this morning. I told him I didn’t think he’d do it. He was talking to me, trying to tell me without actually telling me. It was his swan song. I should have known, but I was caught up in my own egotism, I was so smug.
Paul
There’s nothing to do but wait and see.
Princess
He’s only a child. A poor deluded child.
Paul
If he weren’t a man, he’d have run away. He won’t run. He’ll either do it, or he’ll destroy himself.
Princess
I don’t think he can do it. I don’t believe he can do it. (bursting into tears)
Paul (after a moment)
I don’t mean to aggravate you, but you will go back to your husband.
(The Princess shakes her head at Paul, they stare at each other as the Curtain falls.)
CURTAIN