minna von barnhelm-第12节

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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　loved　you　for　that　deed　before　I　had　seen　you。

MAJ。　T。　The　government　gave　me　their　bill；　and　I　wished；　at　the　signing　of　the　peace；　to　have　the　sum　entered　amongst　the　debts　to　be　repaid　by　them。　The　bill　was　acknowledged　as　good；　but　my　ownership　of　the　same　was　disputed。　People　looked　incredulous；　when　I　declared　that　I　had　myself　advanced　the　amount　in　cash。　It　was　considered　as　bribery；　as　a　douceur　from　the　government；　because　I　at　once　agreed　to　take　the　smallest　sum　with　which　I　could　have　been　satisfied　in　a　case　of　the　greatest　exigency。　Thus　the　bill　went　from　my　possession；　and　if　it　be　paid；　will　certainly　not　be　paid　to　me。　Hence；　Madam；　I　consider　my　honour　to　be　suspected！　not　on　account　of　my　discharge；　which；　if　I　had　not　received；　I　should　have　applied　for。　You　look　serious；　Madam！　Why　do　you　not　laugh？　Ha！　ha！　ha！　I　am　laughing。

MIN。　Oh！　stifle　that　laugh；　Tellheim；　I　implore　you！　It　is　the　terrible　laugh　of　misanthropy。　No；　you　are　not　the　man　to　repent　of　a　good　deed；　because　it　may　have　had　a　bad　result　for　yourself。　Nor　can　these　consequences　possibly　be　of　long　duration。　The　truth　must　come　to　light。　The　testimony　of　my　uncle；　of　our　government

MAJ。　T。　Of　your　uncle！　Of　your　government！　Ha！　ha！　ha！

MIN。　That　laugh　will　kill　me；　Tellheim。　If　you　believe　in　virtue　and　Providence；　Tellheim；　do　not　laugh　so！　I　never　heard　a　curse　more　terrible　than　that　laugh！　But；　viewing　the　matter　in　the　worst　light；　if　they　are　determined　to　mistake　your　character　here；　with　us　you　will　not　be　misunderstood。　No；　we　cannot；　we　will　not；　misunderstand　you；　Tellheim。　And　if　our　government　has　the　least　sentiment　of　honour；　I　know　what　it　must　do。　But　I　am　foolish；　what　would　that　matter？　Imagine；　Tellheim；　that　you　have　lost　the　two　thousand　pistoles　on　some　gay　evening。　The　king　was　an　unfortunate　card　for　you：　the　queen　（pointing　to　herself）　will　be　so　much　the　more　favourable。　Providence；　believe　me；　always　indemnifies　a　man　of　honouroften　even　beforehand。　The　action　which　was　to　cost　you　two　thousand　pistoles；　gained　you　me。　Without　that　action；　I　never　should　have　been　desirous　of　making　your　acquaintance。　You　know　I　went　uninvited　to　the　first　party　where　I　thought　I　should　meet　you。　I　went　entirely　on　your　account。　I　went　with　a　fixed　determination　to　love　youI　loved　you　already！　with　the　fixed　determination　to　make　you　mine；　if　I　should　find　you　as　dark　and　ugly　as　the　Moor　of　Venice。　So　dark　and　ugly　you　are　not；　nor　will　you　be　so　jealous。　But；　Tellheim；　Tellheim；　you　are　yet　very　like　him！　Oh！　the　unmanageable；　stubborn　man；　who　always　keeps　his　eye　fixed　upon　the　phantom　of　honour；　and　becomes　hardened　against　every　other　sentiment！　Your　eyes　this　way！　Upon　me；me；　Tellheim！　（He　remains　thoughtful　and　immovable；　with　his　eyes　fixed　on　one　spot。）　Of　what　are　you　thinking？　Do　you　not　hear　me？

MAJ。　T。　（absent）。　Oh；　yes；　but　tell　me；　how　came　the　Moor　into　the　service　of　Venice？　Had　the　Moor　no　country　of　his　own？　Why　did　he　hire　his　arm　and　his　blood　to　a　foreign　land？

MIN。　（alarmed）。　Of　what　are　you　thinking；　Tellheim？　It　is　time　to　break　off。　Come！　（taking　him　by　the　hand）。　Franziska；　let　the　carriage　be　brought　round。

MAJ。　T。　（disengaging　his　hand；　and　following　Franziska）。　No；　Franziska；　I　cannot　have　the　honour　of　accompanying　your　mistress。　Madam；　let　me　still　retain　my　senses　unimpaired　for　to…day；　and　give　me　leave　to　go。　You　are　on　the　right　way　to　deprive　me　of　them。　I　resist　it　as　much　as　I　can。　But　hear；　whilst　I　am　still　myself；　what　I　have　firmly　determined；　and　from　which　nothing　in　the　world　shall　turn　me。　If　I　have　not　better　luck　in　the　game　of　life；　if　a　complete　change　in　my　fortune　does　not　take　place；　if

MIN。　I　must　interrupt　you；　Major。　We　ought　to　have　told　him　that　at　first；　Franziska。You　remind　me　of　nothing。Our　conversation　would　have　taken　quite　a　different　turn；　Tellheim；　if　I　had　commenced　with　the　good　news　which　the　Chevalier　de　la　Marliniere　brought　just　now。

MAJ。　T。　Th