JAN (coming up behind her) Don’t start that, Maria, please don’t. The only reason that I’m asking you to leave me on my own is that I want to see this place more clearly. It’s not a lot to ask. One night, under the same roof as your mother? There’s nothing very terrible in that, and the rest will lie in God’s hands. He’ll bear me witness that I shan’t let the thought of you slip from my mind for a single moment all the time I’m here, But if you want to remain happy you can’t expect to stay away from home for ever and forget everything you left behind. This is my land, and I must make those I love happy. I can’t see further than that.
MARIA But it’s at your fingertips: All you have to do is to use a few simple words that others could understand: But the way you’re going about it… It’s all wrong.
JAN It’s not all wrong. Can’t you see? It’s the only way I’ll know for certain if these dreams of mine have any substance.
MARIA Well, I hope they do. For my own part, the only dream I have is of a land where we were happy, and my only obligation is to you.
JAN (taking her to him) Please let me go. I’ll find the right words. I promise you. It’ll sort itself out.
MARIA (giving way to her feelings) There you are ~ Dreams again! Oh, Jan, I don’t care what you do so long as I can keep your love.
It’s the same as ever. I can’t be miserable when your body’s close to mine. I’ll wait patiently until the clouds have cleared, and then you’ll be mine again. If I’m unhappy now, it’s only because I know you love me. And I also know, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that you’ll make me go away. They say that a man’s love is torture, and it’s true. They can’t stop themselves. They must always leave behind them what they want most of all..
JAN (He takes her face in his hands, and smiles.) It’s certainly true in this case. But look at me, Maria. Do I seem like a man who feels danger all around him? I’m doing what I want to do
and it will put my mind at rest. Can’t you trust me to someone else for just one night? Remember. It’s my sister and my mother that we’re talking about. There can’t be much to frighten you in that.
MARIA (stepping from his embrace) Good-bye, then. God be with you, and my love. I hope it protects you as well as I would. (She walks to the door, and stops. She turns, and shows him her empty hands.) But look. See? You’ve left me with nothing. Your voyage of discovery leaves me alone. I’ll be waiting for you. (She hesitates, and then goes out.)
Scene five
(Jan sits down. The Old Man comes in, holds the door open for Martha to pass him, and then goes out again.)
JAN Good afternoon. I’ve come £or the room.
MARTHA Yes. I know. We’re getting it ready for you. I must take your particulars for our register. (She goes out for the register, and comes back in with it.)
JAN That old man is rather odd.
MARTHA I’ve never had a complaint about him before. He always carries out his duties to the letter.
JAN Oh, no complaint. But he’s a bit out o£ the common run. Is it because he’s dumb?
MARTHA Not exactly.
JAN So he can speak, then?
MARTHA Yes. But only when it’s absolutely necessary. He prefers to say nothing if at all possible.
JAN Well, one way or the other, the impression I got was that he doesn’t hear a thing you say.
MARTHA Well, that’s wrong. He listens. But his hearing isn’t very good. Anyway, if you’ll forgive me I must ask you for your surname and your Christian names.
JAN Hasek, Karl. MARTHA Just Karl? JAN That’s all.
MARTHA Date and place of birth? JAN I’m thirty-eight.
MARTHA And where were you born? JAN (hesitating) In Bohemia.
MARTHA Your profession? JAN No profession.
MARTHA No profession? Only the very rich, or the very poor, have no profession.
JAN (smiling) Well, I’m not too badly off myself. In fact, I’m very comfortable. For a number of reasons.
MARTHA (in a different voice) You’re Czech, then, by birth? JAN Correct.
MARTHA Country of residence? JAN Bohemia.
MARTHA Is that where you’ve come from?
JAN No. From Africa. (As she seems puzzled…) Across the water. MARTHA Yes, I know. (Pause.) Do you go there frequently?
JAN From time to time.
MARTHA (caught momentarily in a dream, but coming sharply back to reality) And where are you heading ?
JAN I’m not sure. That could depend on a number or things.
MARTHA Are you thinking or staying here permanently from now on ? JAN I’m not sure. It depends on how I find it.
MARTHA It’s of no importance. Is anyone expecting you? JAN No. Not really. No-one.
MARTHA I imagine that you have some form of identification on you? JAN Yes. Do you want to see it?
MARTHA No, don’t bother. But I must make a note of whether it’s a passport or an identity card.
JAN (hesitating) It’s a passport. Here you are. Take a look at it. (She has it in her hands, and is about to read it, when the Old Man appears in the doorway.)
MARTHA It’s all right. I didn’t call. (He goes out. Martha hands the passport back to Jan without looking at it. Her thoughts seem to be elsewhere.) When you’re in Africa, do you stay by the sea?
JAN Yes.
(She gets up, starts to shut the desk, and then changes her mind. It remains open in front of her.)
MARTHA (abruptly, with an unfamiliar edge to her voice) Ah, I was forgetting! Do you have any family?
JAN I did once. But I left them behind a long time ago. MARTHA No. I meant “Are you married?”.
JAN Why ask that? I’ve never had that question put to me before, not in any hotel.
MARTHA It’s one of the questions laid down by the local authority. JAN That’s very odd. Yes, I am married. But in any case, you must have seen my wedding ring.
MARTHA I hadn’t noticed it. Could you give me your wife’s address? JAN She stayed at home. In Africa.
MARTHA I see. Excellent. (She shuts the book.) Can I get you anything to drink? The room’s not quite ready for you yet.
JAN No, I’m fine. I’ll wait here, if I may. But I do hope I’m not in your way.
MARTHA How could you be? This room is set aside for guests. JAN Yes, but you know what I mean. One person on his own can sometimes be more of a nuisance than a whole crowd of people.
MARTHA (who is tidying the room) I can’t see how. Unless you’re after entertainment. I’m afraid that if you are, you’ve come to the wrong place. We don’t go in for that round here. As you’ll soon see, you’ve picked a very quiet spot. Very few people pass this way at all.
JAN That can’t be very good for business.
MARTHA No, I suppose it’s not. But we gain by it, too. We have our peace and quiet, and you can’t expect things like that to pay very well. I’d rather have the occasional, really satisfactory guest than a lot of fuss and bother all to no purpose. My mother feels the same way.
JAN But…(He hesitates.) Don’t you ever feel the need of a bit of life? It must be very dull here. Don’t you ever feel lonely? MARTHA (swinging round sharply to face him) Look, I’d like to get some things straight, if you don’t mind. Once you step inside that door, you become a guest. As a guest you have your rights. And I think I can say that you won’t be displeased. You’ll find the service good, and at the end of the day there’ll be little that you’ll want to complain about. But as for certain other things — the question of whether or not we’re lonely, for example, or your concern about getting in the way and being a nuisance to us — don’t let them worry you. We’ll look after them. Remember, you’re the guest. Enjoy what’s on offer. But please don’t ask for more.
JAN I see I must apologise. I didn’t mean to give offence. I simply wanted to show a little interest. I didn’t want to annoy you. It was just that the thought had crossed my mind that we might have more in common than had met the eye.
MARTHA I’m sorry, I’ll have to repeat myself. How can I best put it to you? «Give offence», ”annoy” — there you are, you see? The way you are talking is simply not appropriate. And that cuts both ways. It would be just as bad if I was the culprit. I do hope you’ll understand. I’m sorry to have to spell it out like this. I can assure you that the last thing I am is annoyed, in any way at all. But I really must encourage you to appreciate the benefits we both would gain from keeping our distances. And unfortunately, if you refuse to behave as a guest should, I’m afraid that we shall have to ask you to leave. It’s as simple as that. Two women who offer you the standard bed and board can hardly be expected to open their arms to you as well, to
