minna von barnhelm-第8章

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FRAN。　What　does　he　do；　then？

JUST。　He　rideson　the　treadmill。

FRAN。　The　treadmill！

JUST。　But　only　for　three　years。　He　made　a　bit　of　a　plot　amongst　master's　company；　to　get　six　men　through　the　outposts。

FRAN。　I　am　astonished；　the　knave！

JUST。　Ah！　he　was　a　useful　fellow；　a　huntsman　who　knew　all　the　foot　paths　and　by…ways　for　fifty　miles　round；　through　forests　and　bogs。　And　he　could　shoot！

FRAN。　It　is　lucky　the　Major　has　still　got　the　honest　coachman。

JUST。　Has　he　got　him　still？

FRAN。　I　thought　you　said　Martin　was　off　on　a　ride：　of　course　he　will　come　back！

JUST。　Do　you　think　so？

FRAN。　Well；　where　has　he　ridden　to？

JUST。　It　is　now　going　on　for　ten　weeks　since　he　rode　master's　last　and　only　horseto　water。

FRAN。　And　has　not　he　come　back　yet？　Oh！　the　rascal！

JUST。　The　water　may　have　washed　the　honest　coachman　away。　Oh！　he　was　a　famous　coachman！　He　had　driven　ten　years　in　Vienna。　My　master　will　never　get　such　another　again。　When　the　horses　were　in　full　gallop；　he　only　had　to　say　〃Wo！〃　and　there　they　stood；　like　a　wall。　Moreover；　he　was　a　finished　horse…doctor！

FRAN。　I　begin　now　to　be　anxious　about　the　footman's　promotion。

JUST。　No；　no；　there　is　no　occasion　for　that。　He　has　become　a　drummer　in　a　garrison　regiment。

FRAN。　I　thought　as　much！

JUST。　Fritz　chummed　up　with　a　scamp；　never　came　home　at　night；　made　debts　everywhere　in　master's　name；　and　a　thousand　rascally　tricks。　In　short；　the　Major　saw　that　he　was　determined　to　rise　in　the　world　（pantomimically　imitating　the　act　of　hanging）；　so　he　put　him　in　the　right　road。

FRAN。　Oh！　the　stupid！

JUST。　Yet　a　perfect　footman；　there　is　no　doubt　of　that。　In　running；　my　master　could　not　catch　him　on　his　best　horse　if　he　gave　him　fifty　paces；　but　on　the　other　hand；　Fritz　could　give　the　gallows　a　thousand　paces；　and；　I　bet　my　life；　he　would　overhaul　it。　They　were　all　great　friends　of　yours；　eh；　young　woman？　。　。　。　William　and　Philip；　Martin　and　Fritz！　Now；　Just　wishes　you　good　day。　（Exit。）



SCENE　III。　Franziska；　/and　afterwards　the/　Landlord

FRAN。　（looking　after　him　seriously）。　I　deserve　the　hit！　Thank　you；　Just。　I　undervalued　honesty。　I　will　not　forget　the　lesson。　Ah！　our　unfortunate　Major！　（Turns　round　to　enter　her　mistress'　room；　when　the　Landlord　comes。）

LAND。　Wait　a　bit；　my　pretty　maid。

FRAN。　I　have　not　time　now；　Mr。　Landlord。

LAND。　Only　half　a　moment！　No　further　tidings　of　the　Major？　That　surely　could　not　possibly　be　his　leave…taking！

FRAN。　What　could　not？

LAND。　Has　not　our　ladyship　told　you？　When　I　left　you；　my　pretty　maid；　below　in　the　kitchen；　I　returned　accidentally　into　this　room

FRAN。　Accidentallywith　a　view　to　listen　a　little。

LAND。　What；　girl！　how　can　you　suspect　me　of　that？　There　is　nothing　so　bad　in　a　landlord　as　curiosity。　I　had　not　been　here　long；　when　suddenly　her　ladyship's　door　burst　open：　the　Major　dashed　out；　the　lady　after　him；　both　in　such　a　state　of　excitement；　with　looksin　attitudesthat　must　be　seen　to　be　understood。　She　seized　hold　of　him；　he　tore　himself　away；　she　seized　him　again〃Tellheim。〃　〃Let　me　go；　Madam。〃　〃Where？〃　Thus　he　drew　her　as　far　as　the　staircase。　I　was　really　afraid　he　would　drag　her　down；　but　he　got　away。　The　lady　remained　on　the　top　step；　looked　after　him；　called　after　him；　wrung　her　hands。　Suddenly　she　turned　round；　ran　to　the　window；　from　the　window　to　the　staircase　again；　from　the　staircase　into　the　room；　backwards　and　forwards。　There　I　stood；　she　passed　me　three　times　without　seeing　me。　At　length　it　seemed　as　if　she　saw　me；　but　heaven　defend　us！　I　believe　the　lady　took　me　for　you。　〃Franziska；〃　she　cried；　with　her　eyes　fixed　upon　me；　〃am　I　happy　now？〃　Then　she　looked　straight　up　to　the　ceiling；　and　said　again　〃Am　I　happy　now？〃　Then　she　wiped　the　tears　from　her　eyes；　and　smiled；　and　asked　me　again〃Franziska；　am　I　happy　now？〃　I　really　felt；　I　know　not　how。　Then　she　ran　to　the　door　of　her　room；　and　turned　round　again　towards　me；　saying〃Come；　Franziska；　whom　do　you　pity　now？〃　and　with　that　she　went　in。

FRAN。　Oh！　Mr。　Landlord；　you　dreamt　that。

LAND。　Dreamt！　No；　my　pretty　maid；　one　does　not　dream　so　minutely。　Yes；　what　would　not　I　giveI　am　not　curious：　but　what　would　not　I　giveto　have　the　key　to　it！

FRAN。　The　key？　Of　our　door？　Mr。　Landlord；　that　is　inside；　we　took　it　in　at　night；　we　are　timid。

LAND。　Not　that　sort　of　key；　I　mean；　my　dear　girl；　the　keythe　explanation；　as　it　were；　the　precise　connexion　of　all　that　I　have　seen。

FRAN。　Indeed！　Well；　good…bye；　Mr。　Landlord。　Shall　we　have　dinner　soon？

LAND。　My　dear　girl；　not　to　forget　what　I　came　to　say

FRAN。　Well？　In　as　few　words　as　possible。

LAND。　Her　ladyship　has　my　ring　still。　I　call　it　mine

FRAN。　You　shall　not　lose　it。

LAND。　I　have　no　fear　on　that　account：　I　merely　put　you　in　mind。　Do　you　see；　I　do　not　wish　to　have　it　again　at　all。　I　can　guess　pretty　well　how　she　knew　the　ring；　and　why　it　was　so　like　her　own。　It　is　best　in　her　hands。　I　do　not　want　it　any　more；　and　I　can　put　them　downthe　hundred　pistoles　which　I　advanced　for　it；　to　the　lady's　bill。　Will　not　that　do；　my　pretty　maid？



SCENE　IV。　Paul　Werner；　Landlord；　Franziska

WER。　There　he　is！

FRAN。　A　hundred　pistoles？　I　thought　it　was　only　eighty。

LAND。　True；　only　ninety；　only　ninety。　I　will　do　so；　my　pretty　maid；　I　will　do　so。

FRAN。　All　that　will　come　right；　Mr。　Landlord。

WER。　（coming　from　behind；　and　tapping　Franziska　on　the　shoulder）。　Little　womanLittle　woman。

FRAN。　（frightened）。　Oh！　dear！

WER。　Don't　be　alarmed！　I　see　you　are　pretty；　and　a　stranger；　too。　And　strangers　who　are　pretty　must　be　warned。　Little　woman！　little　woman！　I　advise　you　to　beware　of　that　fellow！　（Pointing　to　the　Landlord）。

LAND。　Ah！　What　an　unexpected　pleasure！　Herr　Werner！　Welcome；　welcome！　Yes；　you　are　just　the　same　jovial；　joking；　honest　Werner！　So　you　are　to　beware　of　me；　my　pretty　maid。　Ha！　ha！　ha！

WER。　Keep　out　of　his　way　everywhere！

LAND。　My　way？　Am　I　such　a　dangerous　man？　Ha！　ha！　ha！　Hear　him；　my　pretty　maid！　A　good　joke；　isn't　it？

WER。　People　like　him　always　call　it　a　joke；　if　one　tells　them　the　truth。

LAND。　The　truth。　Ha！　ha！　ha！　Better　and　better；　my　pretty　maid；　isn't　it？　He　knows　how　to　joke！　I　dangerous？　I？　Twenty　years　ago　there　might　have　been　something　in　it。　Yes；　yes；　my　pretty　maid；　then　I　was　a　dangerous　man：　many　a　one　knew　it；　but　now

WER。　Oh！　the　old　fool！

LAND。　There　it　is！　When　we　get　old；　danger　is　at　an　end！　It　will　be　so　with　you　too；　Herr　Werner！

WER。　You　utter　old　fool！Little　woman；　you　will　give　me　credit　for　enough　common　sense　not　to　speak　of　danger　from　him。　That　one　devil　has　left　him；　but　seven　others　have　entered　into　him。

LAND。　Oh！　hear　him！　How　cleverly　he　can　turn　things　about。　Joke　upon　joke；　and　always　something　new！　Ah！　he　is　an　excellent　man；　Paul　Werner　is。　（To　Franziska；　as　if　whispering。）　A　well…to…do　man；　and　a　bachelor　still。　He　has　a　nice　little　freehold　three　miles　from　here。　He　made　prize…money　in　the　war；　and　was　a　sergeant　to　the　Major。　Yes；　he　is　a　real　friend　of　the　Major's；　he　is　a　friend　who　would　give　his　life　for　him。

WER。　Yes；　and　that　is　a　friend　of　the　Major'sthat　is　a　friend　。　。　。　whose　life　the　Major　ought　to　take　（Pointing　to　the　Landlord）。

LAND。　How！　What！　No；　Herr　Werner；　that　is　not　a　good　joke。　I　no　friend　to　the　Major！　I　don't　understand　that　joke。

WER。　Just　has　told　me　pretty　things。

LAND。　Just！　Ah！　I　thought　Just　was　speaking　through　you。　Just　is　a　nasty；　ill…natured　man。　But　here　on　the　spot　stands　a　pretty　maidshe　can　speak；　she　can　say　if　I　am　no　friend　of　the　Major'sif　I　have　not　done　him　good　service。　And　why　should　not　I　be　his　friend？　Is　not　he　a　deserving　man？　It　is　true；　he　has　had　the　misfortune　to　be　discharged；　but　what　of　that？　The　king　cannot　be　acquainted　with　all　deserving　officers；　and　if　he　knew　them；　he　could　not　reward　them　all。

WER。　Heaven　put　those　words　into　your　mouth。　But　Just　。　。　。　certainly　there　is　nothing　remarkable　about　Just；　but　still　Just　is　no　liar；　and　if　that　what　he　has　told　me　be　true

LAND。　I　don't　want　to　hear　anything　about　Just。　As　I　said；　this　pretty　maid　here　can　speak。　（Whispering　to　her。）　You　know；　my　dear；　the　ring！　Tell　Herr　Werner　about　it。　Then　he　will　learn　better　what　I　am。　And　that　it　may