COUNT—[_To PHILIP, going._] Good night.
PHILIP—Good night, your excellency.
COUNT—[_In the doorway._] Tell that man with the long stick that he can
pull this grating down now. [_Dodges under the grating and exits._]
JUHASZ—[_His voice is heard from the street._] Good-bye, your excellency.
[_The noise of a motor starting is heard. It dwindles and dies out in the
distance._] [_JUHASZ re-enters._] Well, children. Let’s get finished.
It is high time we were out of here. [_He takes out a drawer of the
cash-register and exits with it through the archway._]
PAULA—I want to bid you good-bye, Philip. I suppose you will be staying
on here.
PHILIP—Yes. You are a very sly young lady, Paula.
PAULA—Am I? Why?
PHILIP—I heard you.
PAULA—Did you hear anything ... wrong?
PHILIP—Wrong?... No.... Just clever.
PAULA—What do you mean?
PHILIP—You know what you’re doing, my girl. Only you started a bit late.
Mr. Juhasz is going, and the shop is gone, and the Count isn’t coming
back, and you won’t be able to flirt with him any more. Too late!
PAULA—Do you think so?
PHILIP—Yes, I do. The Count told you as much to your face.
PAULA—I wouldn’t be so sure of that, Mr. Philip.
PHILIP—Of what?
PAULA—That I shan’t see the Count again.
PHILIP—Now you’re losing your temper.
PAULA—[_With growing passion._] A great deal has gone on in this shop
that you didn’t know about.
PHILIP—Oh, I think not.
PAULA—You’ve worked alongside of me for the past three years and don’t
know me yet.
PHILIP—I think I do.
PAULA—Then you won’t be surprised to hear that I’m going to Gerelypuszta
too.
PHILIP—What? What for?
PAULA—To be near the Count.
PHILIP—In Heaven’s name! [_Clasps his hands in horror._] When did you
decide that?
PAULA—Just now.... This very minute. [_She is greatly excited._] Are you
surprised?... For a whole year that Mrs. Juhasz has plagued me.... You
saw her.... She treated me like a dog.... Tried her best to drive me
away. And why do you suppose I was so patient? Why did I never answer
back?
PHILIP—Miss Paula!
PAULA—[_Still more vehemently._] What did I endure it for? [_Points to
the door._] For my future, Mr. Philip, for my future ... who just passed
through that door ... and rode off in his motor car. But I mean to follow
him, Mr. Philip. Make no mistake about that. That old man has been
staring at me for a year ... ogling me ... and I have been ... slowly
and carefully ... playing my game.... You needn’t look so horrified, Mr.
Philip ... a filthy little intrigue isn’t what I was after ... no ...
here I have sat ... sighing away my youth ... among a lot of motor coats
bound for Paris and Ostend ... pretty travelling veils soon to be worn in
London ... and Monte Carlo ... out in the great, glittering world.... I
want to live, too, Mr. Philip, to live, to live.... And now shall I give
up all hope simply because this little shop has gone under? No, my dear
Philip, I shan’t let his excellency get away from me that easily.