minna von barnhelm-第13章
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
MIN。 Where is he then？
WER。 Your ladyship will pardon him； we left our quarters before it began to strike three； but the paymaster met us on the way； and because conversation with those gentlemen has no end； the Major made me a sign to report the case to your ladyship。
MIN。 Very well； Mr。 Sergeant。 I only hope the paymaster may have good news for him。
WER。 Such gentlemen seldom have good news for officers。Has your ladyship any orders？ （Going。）
FRAN。 Why； where are you going again； Mr。 Sergeant？ Had not we something to say to each other？
WER。 （In a whisper to Franziska； and seriously）。 Not here； little woman； it is against respect； against discipline。 。 。 。 Your ladyship
MIN。 Thank you for your trouble。 I am glad to have made your acquaintance。 Franziska has spoken in high praise of you to me。 （Werner makes a stiff bow； and goes。）
SCENE V。 Minna； Franziska
MIN。 So that is your Sergeant； Franziska？
FRAN。 （aside）。 I have not time to reproach her for that jeering /your/。 （Aloud。） Yes； my lady； that is my Sergeant。 You think him； no doubt； somewhat stiff and wooden。 He also appeared so to me just now； but I observed； he thought he must march past you as if on parade。 And when soldiers are on parade； they certainly look more like wooden dolls than men。 You should see and hear him when he is himself。
MIN。 So I should； indeed！
FRAN。 He must still be in the next room； may I go and talk with him a little？
MIN。 I refuse you this pleasure unwillingly： but you must remain here； Franziska。 You must be present at our conversation。 Another thing occurs to me。 （Takes her ring from her finger。） There； take my ring； keep it for me； and give me the Major's in the place of it。
FRAN。 Why so？
MIN。 （whilst Franziska is fetching the ring）。 I scarcely know； myself； but I fancy I see； beforehand； how I may make use of it。 Some one is knocking。 Give it to me； quickly。 （Puts the ring on。） It is he。
SCENE VI。
Major von Tellheim （in the same coat； but otherwise as Franziska advised）； Minna； Franziska
MAJ。 T。 Madam； you will excuse the delay。
MIN。 Oh！ Major； we will not treat each other in quite such a military fashion。 You are here now； and to await a pleasure； is itself a pleasure。 Well （looking at him and smiling） dear Tellheim； have we not been like children？
MAJ。 T。 Yes； Madam； like children； who resist when they ought to obey quietly。
MIN。 We will drive out； dear Major； to see a little of the town； and afterwards to meet my uncle。
MAJ。 T。 What！
MIN。 You see； we have not yet had an opportunity of mentioning the most important matters even。 He is coming here to…day。 It was accident that brought me here without him； a day sooner。
MAJ。 T。 Count von Bruchsal！ Has he returned？
MIN。 The troubles of the war drove him into Italy： peace has brought him back again。 Do not be uneasy； Tellheim； if we formerly feared on his part the greatest obstacle to our union
MAJ。 T。 To our union！
MIN。 He is now your friend。 He has heard too much good of you from too many people； not to become so。 He longs to become personally acquainted with the man whom his heiress has chosen。 He comes as uncle； as guardian； as father； to give me to you。
MAJ。 T。 Ah！ dear lady； why did you not read my letter？ Why would you not read it？
MIN。 Your letter！ Oh！ yes； I remember you sent me one。 What did you do with that letter； Franziska？ Did we； or did we not read it？ What was it you wrote to me； dear Tellheim？
MAJ。 T。 Nothing but what honour commands me。
MIN。 That is； not to desert an honourable woman who loves you。 Certainly that is what honour commands。 Indeed； I ought to have read your letter。 But what I have not read； I shall hear； shall not I？
MAJ。 T。 Yes； you shall hear it。
MIN。 No； I need not even hear it。 It speaks for itself。 As if you could be guilty of such an unworthy act； as not to take me！ Do you know that I should be pointed at for the rest of my life？ My countrywomen would talk about me； and say。 〃That is she； that is the Fraulein von Barnhelm； who fancied that because she was rich could marry the noble Tellheim； as if such men were to be caught with money。〃 That is what they would say； for they are all envious of me。 That I am rich； they cannot deny； but they do not wish to acknowledge that I am also a tolerably good girl； who would prove herself worthy of her husband。 Is that not so； Tellheim？
MAJ。 T。 Yes； yes； Madam； that is like your countrywomen。 They will envy you exceedingly a discharged officer； with sullied honour； a cripple； and a beggar。
MIN。 And are you all that？ If I mistake not； you told me something of the kind this forenoon。 Therein is good and evil mixed。 Let us examine each charge more closely。 You are discharged？ So you say。 I thought your regiment was only drafted into another。 How did it happen that a man of your merit was not retained？
MAJ。 T。 It has happened； as it must happen。 The great ones are convinced that a soldier does very little through regard for them； not much more from a sense of duty； but everything for his own advantage。 What then can they think they owe him？ Peace has made a great many； like myself superfluous to them； and at last we shall all be superfluous。
MIN。 You talk as a man must talk； to whom in return the great are quite superfluous。 And never were they more so than now。 I return my best thanks to the great ones that they have given up their claims to a man whom I would very unwillingly have shared with them。 I am your sovereign； Tellheim； you want no other master。 To find you discharged； is a piece of good fortune I dared scarcely dream of！ But you are not only discharged； you are more。 And what are you more？ A cripple； you say！ Well！ （looking at him from head to foot）； the cripple is tolerably whole and uprightappears still to be pretty well； and strong。 Dear Tellheim； if you expect to go begging on the strength of your limbs； I prophesy that you will be relieved at very few doors； except at the door of a good…natured girl like myself。
MAJ。 T。 I only hear the joking girl now； dear Minna。
MIN。 And I only hear the 〃dear Minna〃 in your chiding。 I will not joke any longer； for I recollect that after all you are something of a cripple。 You are wounded by a shot in the right arm； but all things considered； I do not find much fault with that。 I am so much the more secure from your blows。
MAJ。 T。 Madam！
MIN。 You would say； 〃You are so much the less secure from mine。〃 Well； well； dear Tellheim； I hope you will not drive me to that。
MAJ。 T。 You laugh； Madam。 I only lament that I cannot laugh with you。
MIN。 Why not？ What have you to say against laughing？ Cannot one be very serious even whilst laughing？ Dear Major； laughter keeps us more rational than vexation。 The proof is before us。 Your laughing friend judges of your circumstances more correctly than you do yourself。 Because you are discharged； you say your honour is sullied； because you are wounded in the arm； you call yourself a cripple。 Is that right？ Is that no exaggeration？ And is it my doing that all exaggerations are so open to ridicule？ I dare say； if I examine your beggary that it will also be as little able to stand the test。 You may have lost your equipage once； twice； or thrice； your deposits in the hands of this or that banker may have disappeared together with those of other people； you may have no hope of seeing this or that money again which you may have advanced in the service； but are you a beggar on that account？ If nothing else remained to you but what my uncle is bringing for you
MAJ。 T。 Your uncle； Madam； will bring nothing for me。
MIN。 Nothing but the two thousand pistoles which you so generously advanced to our government。
MAJ。 T。 If you had but read my letter； Madam！
MIN。 Well； I did read it。 But what I read in it； on this point； is a perfect riddle。 It is impossible that any one should wish to turn a noble action into a crime。 But explain to me； dear Major。
MAJ。 T。 You remember； Madam； that I had orders to collect the contribution for the war most strictly in cash in all the districts in your neighbourhood。 I wished to forego this severity； and advanced the money that was deficient myself。
MIN。 I remember it well。 I love
