minna von barnhelm-第10章
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as just going to pull and send a ball through your breast？ How can you become a greater debtor to that man？ Or； is my neck of less consequence than my money？ If that is a noble way of thinking； by my soul it is a very silly one too。
MAJ。 T。 To whom do you say that； Werner？ We are alone； and therefore I may speak； if a third person heard us； it might sound like boasting。 I acknowledge with pleasure； that I have to thank you for twice saving my life。 Do you not think； friend； that if an opportunity occurred I would have done as much for you； eh？
WER。 If an opportunity occurred！ Who doubts it； Major？ Have I not seen you risk your life a hundred times for the lowest soldier； when he was in danger？
MAJ。 T。 Well！
WER。 But
MAJ。 T。 Why cannot you understand me？ I say； it is not proper that I should be your debtor； I will not be your debtor。 That is； not in the circumstances in which I now am。
WER。 Oh！ so you would wait till better times。 You will borrow money from me another time； when you do not want any： when you have some yourself； and I perhaps none。
MAJ。 T。 A man ought not to borrow； when he has not the means of repaying。
WER。 A man like yourself cannot always be in want。
MAJ。 T。 You know the world 。 。 。 Least of all should a man borrow from one who wants his money himself。
WER。 Oh！ yes； I am such a one！ Pray； what do I want it for？ When they want a sergeant； they give him enough to live on。
MAJ。 T。 You want it； to become something more than a sergeantto be able to get forward in that path in which even the most deserving； without money； may remain behind。
WER。 To become something more than a sergeant！ I do not think of that。 I am a good sergeant； I might easily make a bad captain； and certainly a worse general。
MAJ。 T。 Do not force me to think ill of you； Werner！ I was very sorry to hear what Just has told me。 You have sold your farm； and wish to rove about again。 Do not let me suppose that you do not love the profession of arms so much as the wild dissolute way of living which is unfortunately connected with it。 A man should be a soldier for his own country； or from love of the cause for which he fights。 To serve without any purposeto…day here； to…morrow thereis only travelling about like a butcher's apprentice； nothing more。
WER。 Well； then； Major； I will do as you say。 You know better what is right。 I will remain with you。 But； dear Major； do take my money in the meantime。 Sooner or later your affairs must be settled。 You will get money in plenty then； and then you shall repay me with interest。 I only do it for the sake of the interest。
MAJ。 T。 Do not talk of it。
WER。 Upon my life； I only do it for the sake of the interest。 Many a time I have thought to myself〃Werner； what will become of you in your old age？ when you are crippled？ when you will have nothing in the world？ when you will be obliged to go and beg！〃 And then I thought again 〃No； you will not be obliged to beg： you will go to Major Tellheim； he will share his last penny with you； he will feed you till you die； and with him you can die like an honest fellow。〃
MAJ。 T。 （taking Werner's hand）。 And； comrade； you do not think so still？
WER。 No； I do not think so any longer。 He who will not take anything from me； when he is in want； and I have to give； will not give me anything when he has to give； and I am in want。 So be it。 （Is going。）
MAJ。 T。 Man； do not drive me mad！ Where are you going？ （Detains him。） If I assure you now； upon my honour； that I still have moneyIf I assure you； upon my honour； that I will tell you when I have no more that you shall be the first and only person from whom I will borrow anythingwill that content you？
WER。 I suppose it must。 Give me your hand on it； Major。
MAJ。 T。 There； Paul！ And now enough of that； I came here to speak with a certain young woman。
SCENE VIII。 Franziska （coming out of Minna's room）； Major von Tellheim； Paul Werner
FRAN。 （entering）。 Are you there still； Mr。 Sergeant？ （Seeing Tellheim。） And you there too； Major？ I will be at your service instantly。 （Goes back quickly into the room。）
SCENE IX。 Major von Tellheim； Paul Werner
MAJ。 T。 That was she！ But it seems you know her； Werner。
WER。 Yes； I know her。
MAJ。 T。 Yet； if I remember rightly； when I was in Thuringia you were not with me。
WER。 No； I was seeing after the uniforms in Leipsic。
MAJ。 T。 Where did you make her acquaintance； then？
WER。 Our acquaintance is very young。 Not a day old。 But young friendship is warm。
MAJ。 T。 Have you seen her mistress； too？
WER。 Is her mistress a young lady？ She told me you are acquainted with her mistress。
MAJ。 T。 Did not you hear？ She comes from Thuringia。
WER。 Is the lady young？
MAJ。 T。 Yes。
WER。 Pretty？
MAJ。 T。 Very pretty。
WER。 Rich？
MAJ。 T。 Very rich。
WER。 Is the mistress as fond of you as the maid is？ That would be capital！
MAJ。 T。 What do you mean？
SCENE X。 Franziska （with a letter in her hand）； Major von Tellheim； Paul Werner
FRAN。 Major
MAJ。 T。 Franziska； I have not yet been able to give you a 〃Welcome〃 here。
FRAN。 In thought； I am sure that you have done it。 I know you are friendly to me； so am I to you。 But it is not at all kind to vex those who are friendly to you so much。
WER。 （aside）。 Ah！ now I see it。 It is so！
MAJ。 T。 My destiny； Franziska！ Did you give her the letter？
FRAN。 Yes； and here I bring you 。 。 。 （holding out a letter）。
MAJ。 T。 An answer！
FRAN。 No； your own letter again。
MAJ。 T。 What！ She will not read it！
FRAN。 She would have liked； butwe can't read writing well。
MAJ。 T。 You are joking！
FRAN。 And we think that writing was not invented for those who can converse with their lips whenever they please。
MAJ。 T。 What an excuse！ She must read it。 It contains my justificationall the grounds and reasons
FRAN。 My mistress wishes to hear them all from you yourself； not to read them。
MAJ。 T。 Hear them from me myself！ That every look； every word of hers； may embarrass me； that I may feel in every glance the greatness of my loss。
FRAN。 Without any pity！ Take it。 （Giving him his letter。） She expects you at three o'clock。 She wishes to drive out and see the town； you must accompany her。
MAJ。 T。 Accompany her！
FRAN。 And what will you give me to let you drive out by yourselves？ I shall remain at home。
MAJ。 T。 By ourselves！
FRAN。 In a nice close carriage。
MAJ。 T。 Impossible！
FRAN。 Yes； yes； in the carriage； Major。 You will have to submit quietly； you cannot escape there！ And that is the reason。 In short； you will come； Major； and punctually at three。 。 。 。 Well； you wanted to speak to me too alone。 What have you to say to me？ Oh！ we are not alone。 （Looking at Werner。）
MAJ。 T。 Yes； Franziska； as good as alone。 But as your mistress has not read my letter； I have nothing now to say to you。
FRAN。 As good as alone！ Then you have no secrets from the Sergeant？
MAJ。 T。 No； none。
FRAN。 And yet I think you should have some from him。
MAJ。 T。 Why so？
WER。 How so； little woman？
FRAN。 Particularly secrets of a certain kind。 。 。 。 All twenty； Mr。 Sergeant！ （Holding up both her hands； with open fingers。）
WER。 Hist！ hist！ girl。
MAJ。 T。 What is the meaning of that？
FRAN。 Presto！ conjured on to his finger； Mr。 Sergeant （as if she was putting a ring on her fingers）。
MAJ。 T。 What are you talking about？
WER。 Little woman； little woman； don't you understand a joke？
MAJ。 T。 Werner； you have not forgotten； I hope； what I have often told you； that one should not jest beyond a certain point with a young woman！
WER。 Upon my life I may have forgotten it！ Little woman； I beg
FRAN。 Well； if it was a joke； I will forgive you this once。
MAJ。 T。 Well； if I must come； Franziska； just see that your mistress reads my letter beforehand？ That will spare me the pain of thinking againof talking again； of things which I would willingly forget。 There； give it to her！ （He turns the letter in giving it to her； and sees that it has been opened。） But do I see aright？ Why it has been opened。
FRAN。 That may be。 （Looks at it。） True； it is open。 Who can have opened it？ But really we have not read it； Major； really not。 And we do not wish to r
