Paris, 19461[Copies available for afee from The Transformative Studies Institute. E-mail address: journal@transformativestudies.org Website: http://www.transformativestudies.org ©2012 by The Transformative Studies Institute. All rights reserved. JACT IA bend in the Danube River. In the foreground, to the right, a wellbeaten path leads toward an entryway to a peasant house, painted yellow. The stage shows only the verandah of the house; a plain wooden table with a few chairs are seen. On the left side of the stage, an old willow tree, and in its shadow woven mats. Alongside, a simple tent for camping, with a mosquito screen. Visible behind the verandah, at the back of the stage, is an opening toward a canal cut through the reeds. Hanging from the willow, extending toward the left, a seine is drying. The decor must leave the impression of a human habitation hidden intentionally in a labyrinth of water and reeds.Late August, toward sunset. At the raising of the curtain, Manciu is lounging on a mat, beside the willow. He is a young man of twenty-eight, with an ordinary face. He tries to compensate for his lack of good looks by expressions of intelligence, fantasy, and humor. He is dressed negligently, but not without taste. A few moments later, there appears Alexiu: age forty, beginning to bald, but still a handsome man. The gestures and intonations of a wealthy man who has had considerable success in life, but who loses his self-confidence sometimes, especially when he finds himself in a situation of intellectual inferiority.Throughout the first scene both of the characters, defend themselves from the mosquitoes with quick gestures. These gestures are made automatically, and in no case must they attract the attention of the audience.Alexiu coming out of the house and catching sight of Manciu)'. Oh, you've stayed out here!Manciu: As you see.Alexiu descending and heading toward the other): And, if I'm not being too indiscreet. . . how do you feel?Manciu: Cross, bored and ironic... The destiny of all intelligent poets.Alexiu sitting down beside him on the mat): My first conclusion: you're high-strung. You're even very high-strung. Tell the truth, isn't that so?Manciu: I reserve my reply. I'm waiting to hear other conclusions. How many more are there - two, four, six?Alexiu: There's no use to keep joking about it, you can't hide. Another boat ride - again without you. And a boat ride that lasts rather too long.Manciu: Since 4:30...Alexiu: At least you console yourself by keeping track of the time. In your place... But why take up the same discussion?! You're shy... That's what you are. I've told you that so many times.Manciu: I stop and wonder: should I be bold, or shouldn't I? But ultimately, I'll have to be bold. . .Alexiu: I'd like to see you. . .Manciu: No, it's not what you think. Something else is bothering me. It's been persecuting me, even, for some time. I've wanted to ask you, what ails me, Alexiu?Alexiu: You see, that's your defect. You can't talk seriously for more than five minutes!Manciu: No, no, I'm speaking very seriously. What's wrong with me?... Since I've arrived here, you follow me constantly, you analyze me, you draw my moral portrait, you give me a course in the education of the will... No, really, what have I done to you?Alexiu Gazing at him a long time): Is that what you call irony? To know if it makes me angry or not?Manciu: No, no, I repeat - I'm speaking very seriously.Alexiu: That's not saying much...Manciu: Because I have this defect of seeming more intelligent than I really am, and sometimes it brings me the undeserved reputation of being ironic. But now I'm speaking very seriously. You're after something. Won't you tell me what?Alexiu: But I have told you, and I've repeated it over and over! He pauses, changes his tone of voice.) Don't you see that you've wasted three days? …