hermann and dorothea-第4章

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he　ruins　thy　horse　in　his　stall　had　been　buried；　the　rubbish　Lay　on　the　spot　and　the　glimmering　beams；　of　the　horse　we　saw　nothing。　Thoughtful　and　grieving　we　stood　there　thus；　each　facing　the　other；　Now　that　the　wall　was　fallen　that　once　had　divided　our　court…yards。　Thereupon　thou　by　the　hand　didst　take　me；　and　speak　to　me；　saying；　'Lisa；　how　earnest　thou　hither？　Go　back！　thy　soles　must　be　burning；　Hot　the　rubbish　is　here：　it　scorches　my　boots；　which　are　stronger。'　And　thou　didst　lift　me　up；　and　carry　me　out　through　thy　court…yard。　There　was　the　door　of　the　house　left　standing　yet　with　its　archway；　Just　as　'tis　standing　now；　the　one　thing　only　remaining。　Then　thou　didst　set　me　down　and　kiss　me；　to　that　I　objected；　But　thou　didst　answer　and　say　with　kindly　significant　language：　'See！　my　house　lies　in　ruins：　remain　here　and　help　me　rebuild　it；　So　shall　my　help　in　return　be　given　to　building　thy　father's。'　Yet　did　I　not　comprehend　thee　until　thou　sentest　thy　mother　Unto　my　father；　and　quick　were　the　happy　espousals　accomplished。　E'en　to　this　day　I　remember　with　joy　those　half…consumed　timbers；　And　I　can　see　once　more　the　sun　coming　up　in　such　splendor；　For　'twas　the　day　that　gave　me　my　husband；　and；　ere　the　first　season　Passed　of　that　wild　desolation；　a　son　to　my　youth　had　been　given。　Therefore　I　praise　thee；　Hermann；　that　thou；　with　an　honest　assurance；　Shouldst；　in　these　sorrowful　days；　be　thinking　thyself　of　a　maiden；　And　amid　ruins　and　war　shouldst　thus　have　the　courage　to　woo　her。〃

Straightway；　then；　and　with　warmth；　the　father　replied　to　her；　saying：　〃Worthy　of　praise　is　the　feeling；　and　truthful　also　the　story；　Mother；　that　thou　hast　related；　for　so　indeed　everything　happened。　Better；　however；　is　better。　It　is　not　the　business　of　all　men　Thus　their　life　and　estate　to　begin　from　the　very　foundation：　Every　one　needs　not　to　worry　himself　as　we　and　the　rest　did。　Oh；　how　happy　is　he　whose　father　and　mother　shall　give　him；　Furnished　and　ready；　a　house　which　he　can　adorn　with　his　increase。　Every　beginning　is　hard；　but　most　the　beginning　a　household。　Many　are　human　wants；　and　every　thing　daily　grows　dearer；　So　that　a　man　must　consider　the　means　of　increasing　his　earnings。　This　I　hope　therefore　of　thee；　my　Hermann；　that　into　our　dwelling　Thou　wilt　be　bringing　ere　long　a　bride　who　is　handsomely　dowered；　For　it　is　meet　that　a　gallant　young　man　have　an　opulent　maiden。　Great　is　the　comfort　of　home　whene'er；　with　the　woman　elected；　Enter　the　useful　presents；　besides；　in　box　and　in　basket。　Not　for　this　many　a　year　in　vain　has　the　mother　been　busy　Making　her　daughter's　linens　of　strong　and　delicate　texture；　God…parents　have　not　in　vain　been　giving　their　vessels　of　silver；　And　the　father　laid　by　in　his　desk　the　rare　pieces　of　money；　For　there　a　day　will　come　when　she；　with　her　gifts　and　possessions；　Shall　that　youth　rejoice　who　has　chosen　her　out　of　all　others。　Well　do　I　know　how　good　in　a　house　is　a　woman's　position；　Who　her　own　furniture　round　her　knows；　in　kitchen　and　chamber；　Who　herself　the　bed　and　herself　the　table　has　covered。　Only　a　well…dowered　bride　should　I　like　to　receive　to　my　dwelling。　She　who　is　poor　is　sure；　in　the　end；　to　be　scorned　by　her　husband；　And　will　as　servant　be　held；　who　as　servant　came　in　with　her　bundle。　Men　will　remain　unjust　when　the　season　of　love　is　gone　over。　Yes；　my　Hermann；　thy　father's　old　age　thou　greatly　canst　gladden；　If　thou　a　daughter…in…law　will　speedily　bring　to　my　dwelling；　Out　of　the　neighborhood　here；from　the　house　over　yonder；　the　green　one。　Rich　is　the　man；　I　can　tel1　thee。　His　manufactures　and　traffic　Daily　are　making　him　richer；　for　whence　draws　the　merchant　not　profit？　Three　daughters　only　he　has；　to　divide　his　fortune　among　them。　True　that　the　eldest　already　is　taken；　but　there　is　the　second　Still　to　be　had；　as　well　as　the　third；　and　not　long　so；　it　may　be。　I　would　never　have　lingered　till　now；　had　I　been　in　thy　place；　But　had　fetched　one　of　the　maidens；　as　once　I　bore　off　thy　dear　mother。〃　Modestly　then　did　the　son　to　the　urgent　father　answer；　〃Truly　'twas　my　wish　too；　as　well　as　thine　own；　to　have　chosen　One　of　our　neighbor's　daughters；　for　we　had　been　brought　up　together；　Played；　in　the　early　days；　about　the　market…place　fountain；　And；　from　the　other　boys'　rudeness；　I　often　have　been　their　defender。　That；　though；　is　long　since　past：　the　girls；　as　they　grew　to　be　older；　Properly　stayed　in　the　house；　and　shunned　the　more　boisterous　pastimes。　Well　brought　up　are　they；　surely！　I　used　sometimes　to　go　over；　Partly　to　gratify　thee；　and　because　of　our　former　acquaintance：　But　no　pleasure　I　ever　could　take　in　being　among　them；　For　I　was　always　obliged　to　endure　their　censures　upon　me。　Quite　too　long　was　my　coat；　the　cloth　too　coarse；　and　the　color　Quite　too　common；　my　hair　was　not　cropped；　as　it　should　be；　and　frizzled。　I　was　resolved；　at　last；　that　I；　also；　would　dress　myself　finely；　Just　as　those　office…boys　do　who　always　are　seen　there　on　Sundays；　Wearing　in　summer　their　half…silken　flaps；　that　dangled　about　them；　But　I　discovered；　betimes；　they　made　ever　a　laughing…stock　of　me。　And　I　was　vexed　when　I　saw　it；it　wounded　my　pride；　but　more　deeply　Felt　I　aggrieved　that　they　the　good…will　should　so　far　misinterpret　That　in　my　heart　I　bore　them；especially　Minna　the　youngest。　It　was　on　Easter…day　that　last　I　went　over　to　see　them；　Wearing　my　best　new　coat；　that　is　now　hanging　up　in　the　closet；　And　having　frizzled　my　hair；　like　that　of　the　other　young　fellows。　Soon　as　I　entered；　they　tittered；　but　that　not　at　me；　as　I　fancied。　Minna　before　the　piano　was　seated；　the　father　was　present；　Hearing　his　daughters　sing；　and　full　of　delight　and　good…humor。　Much　I　could　not　understand　of　all　that　was　said　in　the　singing；　But　of　Pamina　I　often　heard；　and　oft　of　Tamino：　And　I；　besides；　could　not　stay　there　dumb；　so；　as　soon　as　she　ended；　Something　about　the　words　I　asked；　and　about　the　two　persons。　Thereupon　all　were　silent　and　smiled；　but　the　father　made　answer：　'Thou　knowest　no　one；　my　friend；　I　believe；　but　Adam　and　Eve？'　No　one　restrained　himself　longer；　but　loud　laughed　out　then　the　maidens；　Loud　laughed　out　the　boys；　the　old　man　held　his　sides　for　his　laughing。　I；　in　embarrassment；　dropped　my　hat；　and　the　giggling　continued；　On　and　on　and　on；　for　all　they　kept　playing　and　singing。　Back　to　the　house　here　I　hurried；　o'ercome　with　shame　and　vexation；　Hung　up　my　coat　in　the　closet；　and　pulled　out　the　curls　with　my　fingers；　Swearing　that　never　again　my　foot　should　cross　over　that　threshold。　And　I　was　perfectly　right；　for　vain　are　the　maidens；　and　heartless。　E'en　to　this　day；　as　I　hear；　I　am　called　by　them　ever　'Tamino。'〃

Thereupon　answered　the　mother；　and　said：　〃Thou　shouldest　not；　Hermann；　Be　so　long　vexed　with　the　children：　indeed；　they　are　all　of　them　children。　Minna；　believe　me；　is　good；　and　was　always　disposed　to　thee　kindly。　'Twas　not　long　since　she　was　asking　about　thee。　Let　her　be　thy　chosen！〃

Thoughtfully　answered　the　son：　〃I　know　not。　That　mortification　Stamped　itself　in　me　so　deeply；　I　never　could　bear　to　behold　her　Seated　before　the　piano　or　listen　again　to　her　singing。〃

Forth　broke　the　father　then；　and　in　words　of　anger　made　answer：　〃Little　of　joy　will　my　life　have　in　thee！　I　said　it　would　be　so　When　I　perceived　that　thy　pleasure　was　solely　in　horses　and　farming：　Work　which　a　servant；　indeed；　performs　for　an　opulent　master；　That　thou　doest；　the　father　meanwhile　must　his　son　be　deprived　of；　Who　should　appear　as　his　pride；　in　the　sight　of　the　rest　of　the　townsmen。　Early　with　empty　hopes　thy　mother　was　wont　to　deceive　me；　When　in　the　school　thy　studies；　thy　reading　and　writing；　would　never　As　with　the　others　succeed；　but　thy　seat　would　he　always　the　lowest。　That　comes　about；　forsooth；　when　a　youth　has　no　feeling　of　honor　Dwelling　within　his　breast；　nor　the　wish　to　raise　himself　higher。　Had　but　my　father　so　cared　for　me　as　thou　hast　been　cared　for；　If　he　had　sent　me　to　school；　and　provided　me　thus　with　instructors；　I　should　be　other；　I　trow；　than　host　of　the　Golden　Lion！〃

Then　the　son　rose　from　his　seat　and　noiselessly　moved　to　the　doorway；　Slowly；　and　speaking　no　word。　The　father；　however；　in　passion　After　him　called；　〃Yes；　go；　thou　obstinate　fellow！　I　know　thee！　Go　and　look　after　the　busin