minna von barnhelm-第14节

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FRAN。　They　are　something　alike；　I　suppose；　let　me　look　at　that　one。　I　am　very　fond　of　such　things。

MAJ。　T。　Another　time；　Franziska。　Come　now。

FRAN。　（aside）。　He　is　determined　not　to　be　drawn　out　of　his　mistake。

MAJ。　T。　What　do　you　say？　Mistake！

FRAN。　It　is　a　mistake；　I　say；　if　you　think　my　mistress　is　still　a　good　match。　Her　own　fortune　is　far　from　considerable；　by　a　few　calculations　in　their　own　favour　her　guardians　may　reduce　it　to　nothing。　She　expected　everything　from　her　uncle；　but　this　cruel　uncle

MAJ。　T。　Let　him　go！　Am　I　not　man　enough　to　make　it　all　good　to　her　again！

FRAN。　Do　you　hear？　She　is　ringing；　I　must　go　in　again。

MAJ。　T。　I　will　accompany　you。

FRAN。　For　heaven's　sake；　no！　She　forbade　me　expressly　to　speak　with　you。　Come　in　at　any　rate　a　little　time　after　me。　（Goes　in。）



SCENE　IV。　Major　von　Tellheim

MAJ。　T。　（calling　after　her）。　Announce　me！　Speak　for　me；　Franziska！　I　shall　follow　you　directly。　What　shall　I　say　to　her？　Yet　where　the　heart　can　speak；　no　preparation　is　necessary。　There　is　one　thing　only　which　may　need　a　studied　turn　。　。　。　this　reserve；　this　scrupulousness　of　throwing　herself；　unfortunate　as　she　is；　into　my　arms；　this　anxiety　to　make　a　false　show　of　still　possessing　that　happiness　which　she　has　lost　through　me。　How　she　is　to　exculpate　herself　to　herselffor　by　me　it　is　already　forgivenfor　this　distrust　in　my　honour；　in　her　own　worth　。　。　。　Ah！　here　she　comes。


SCENE　V。　Minna；　Franziska；　Major　von　Tellheim

MIN。　（speaking　as　she　comes　out；　as　if　not　aware　of　the　Major's　presence）。　The　carriage　is　at　the　door；　Franziska；　is　it　not？　My　fan！

MAJ。　T。　（advancing　to　her）。　Where　are　you　going；　Madam？

MIN。　（with　forced　coldness）。　I　am　going　out；　Major。　I　guess　why　you　have　given　yourself　the　trouble　of　coming　back：　to　return　me　my　ring。Very　well；　Major　von　Tellheim；　have　the　goodness　to　give　it　to　Franziska。Franziska；　take　the　ring　from　Major　von　Tellheim！I　have　no　time　to　lose。　（Is　going。）

MAJ。　T。　（stepping　before　her）。　Madam！　Ah！　what　have　I　heard？　I　was　unworthy　of　such　love。

MIN。　So；　Franziska；　you　have

FRAN。　Told　him　all。

MAJ。　T。　Do　not　be　angry　with　me；　Madam。　I　am　no　deceiver。　You　have；　on　my　account；　lost　much　in　the　eyes　of　the　world；　but　not　in　mine。　In　my　eyes　you　have　gained　beyond　measure　by　this　loss。　It　was　too　sudden。　You　feared　it　might　make　an　unfavourable　impression　on　me；　at　first　you　wished　to　hide　it　from　me。　I　do　not　complain　of　this　mistrust。　It　arose　from　the　desire　to　retain　my　affection。　That　desire　is　my　pride。　You　found　me　in　distress；　and　you　did　not　wish　to　add　distress　to　distress。　You　could　not　divine　how　far　your　distress　would　raise　me　above　any　thoughts　of　my　own。

MIN。　That　is　all　very　well；　Major；　but　it　is　now　over。　I　have　released　you　from　your　engagement；　you　have；　by　taking　back　the　ring

MAJ。　T。　Consented　to　nothing！　On　the　contrary；　I　now　consider　myself　bound　more　firmly　than　ever。　You　are　mine；　Minna；　mine　for　ever。　（Takes　off　the　ring。）　Here；　take　it　for　the　second　timethe　pledge　of　my　fidelity。

MIN。　I　take　that　ring　again！　That　ring？

MAJ。　T。　Yes；　dearest　Minna；　yes。

MIN。　What　are　you　asking　me？　that　ring？

MAJ。　T。　You　received　it　for　the　first　time　from　my　hand；　when　our　positions　were　similar　and　the　circumstances　propitious。　They　are　no　longer　propitious；　but　are　again　similar。　Equality　is　always　the　strongest　tie　of　love。　Permit　me；　dearest　Minna！　（Seizes　her　hand　to　put　on　the　ring。）

MIN。　What！　by　force；　Major！　No；　there　is　no　power　in　the　world　which　shall　compel　me　to　take　back　that　ring！　Do　you　think　that　I　am　in　want　of　a　ring？　Oh！　you　may　see　（pointing　to　her　ring）　that　I　have　another　here　which　is　in　no　way　inferior　to　yours。

FRAN。　（aside）。　Well；　if　he　does　not　see　it　now！

MAJ。　T。　（letting　fall　her　hand）。　What　is　this？　I　see　Fraulein　von　Barnhelm；　but　I　do　not　hear　her。You　are　pretending。Pardon　me；　that　I　use　your　own　words。

MIN。　（in　her　natural　tone）。　Did　those　words　offend　you；　Major？

MAJ。　T。　They　grieved　me　much。

MIN。　（affected）。　They　were　not　meant　to　do　that；　Tellheim。　Forgive　me；　Tellheim。

MAJ。　T。　Ah！　that　friendly　tone　tells　me　you　are　yourself　again；　Minna：　that　you　still　love　me。

FRAN。　（exclaims）。　The　joke　would　soon　have　gone　a　little　too　far。

MIN。　（in　a　commanding　tone）。　Franziska；　you　will　not　interfere　in　our　affairs；　I　beg。

FRAN。　（aside；　in　a　surprised　tone）。　Not　enough　yet！

MIN。　Yes；　sir；　it　would　only　be　womanish　vanity　in　me　to　pretend　to　be　cold　and　scornful。　No！　Never！　You　deserve　to　find　me　as　sincere　as　yourself。　I　do　love　you　still；　Tellheim；　I　love　you　still；　but　notwithstanding

MAJ。　T。　No　more；　dearest　Minna；　no　more！　（Seizes　her　hand　again；　to　put　on　the　ring。）

MIN。　（drawing　back　her　hand）。　Notwithstanding；　so　much　the　more　am　I　determined　that　that　shall　never　be；never！Of　what　are　you　thinking；　Major？I　thought　your　own　distress　was　sufficient。　You　must　remain　here；　you　must　obtain　by　obstinacyno　better　phrase　occurs　to　me　at　the　momentthe　most　perfect　satisfaction；　obtain　it　by　obstinacy。　。　。　。　And　that　even　though　the　utmost　distress　should　waste　you　away　before　the　eyes　of　your　calumniators

MAJ。　T。　So　I　thought；　so　I　said；　when　I　knew　not　what　I　thought　or　said。　Chagrin　and　stifling　rage　had　enveloped　my　whole　soul；　love　itself；　in　the　full　blaze　of　happiness；　could　not　illumine　it。　But　it　has　sent　its　daughter；　Pity；　more　familiar　with　gloomy　misfortune；　and　she　has　dispelled　the　cloud；　and　opened　again　all　the　avenues　of　my　soul　to　sensations　of　tenderness。　The　impulse　of　self…preservation　awakes；　when　I　have　something　more　precious　than　myself　to　support；　and　to　support　through　my　own　exertions。　Do　not　let　the　word　〃pity〃　offend　you。　From　the　innocent　cause　of　our　distress　we　may　hear　the　term　without　humiliation。　I　am　this　cause；　through　me；　Minna；　have　you　lost　friends　and　relations；　fortune　and　country。　Through　me；　in　me；　must　you　find　them　all　again；　or　I　shall　have　the　destruction　of　the　most　lovely　of　her　sex　upon　my　soul。　Let　me　not　think　of　a　future　in　which　I　must　detest　myself。No；　nothing　shall　detain　me　here　longer。　From　this　moment　I　will　oppose　nothing　but　contempt　to　the　injustice　which　I　suffer。　Is　this　country　the　world？　Does　the　sun　rise　here　alone？　Where　can　I　not　go？　In　what　service　shall　I　be　refused？　And　should　I　be　obliged　to　seek　it　in　the　most　distant　clime；　only　follow　me　with　confidence；　dearest　Minnawe　shall　want　for　nothing。　I　have　a　friend　who　will　assist　me　with　pleasure。



SCENE　VI。　An　Orderly；　Major　von　Tellheim；　Minna；　Franziska

FRAN。　（seeing　the　Orderly）。　Hist；　Major！

MAJ。　T。　（to　the　Orderly）。　Who　do　you　want？

ORD。　I　am　looking　for　Major　von　Tellheim。　Ah！　you　are　the　Major；　I　see。　I　have　to　give　this　letter　from　his　Majesty　the　King　（taking　one　out　of　his　bag）。

MAJ。　T。　To　me？

ORD。　According　to　the　direction。

MIN。　Franziska；　do　you　hear？　The　Chevalier　spoke　the　truth　after　all。

ORD。　（whilst　Tellheim　takes　the　letter）。　I　beg　your　pardon；　Major；　you　should　properly　have　had　it　yesterday；　but　I　could　not　find　you　out。　I　learnt　your　address　this　morning　only　from　Lieutenant　Riccaut；　on　parade。

FRAN。　Do　you　hear；　my　lady？That　is　the　Chevalier's　minister。　〃What　is　the　name　of　de　ministre　out　dere；　on　de　broad　place？〃

MAJ。　T。　I　am　extremely　obliged　to　you　for　your　trouble。

ORD。　It　is　my　duty；　Major。　（Exit。）



SCENE　VII。　Major　von　Tellheim；　Minna；　Franziska

MAJ。　T。　Ah！　Minna；　what　is　this？　What　does　this　contain？

MIN。　I　am　not　entitled　to　extend　my　curiosity　so　far。

MAJ。　T。　What！　You　would　still　separate　my　fate　from　yours？But；　why　do　I　hesitate　to　open　it？　It　cannot　make　me　more　unhappy　than　I　am：　no；　dearest　Minna；　it　cannot　make　us　more　unhappybut　perhaps　more　happy！　Permit　me。　（While　he　opens　and　reads　the　letter；　the　Landlord　comes　stealthily　on　the　stage。）



SCENE　VIII。　Landlord；　Major　von　Tellheim；　Minna；　Franziska

LAND。　（to　Franziska。）　Hist！　my　pretty　maid！　A　word！

FRAN。　（to　the　Landlord）。　Mr。　Landlord；　we　do　not　yet　know　ourselves　what　is　in　the　letter。

LAND。　Who　wants　to　know　about　the　letter！　I　come　about　the　ring。　The　lady　must　give　it　to　me　again；　directly。　Just　is　there；　and　wants　to　redeem　it。

MIN。　（who　in　the　meantime　has　approached　the　Landlord）。　Tell　Just　that　it　is　already　redeemed；　and　tell　him　by　whomby　me。

LAND。　But

MIN。　I　take　it　upon　myself。　Go！

（Exit　Landlord。）



SCENE　IX。　Major　von　Tellheim；　Minna；　Franziska

FRAN。　And　now；　my　lady；　make　it　up　with　the　poor　Major。

MIN。　Oh！　kind　intercessor！　As　if　the　difficulties　must　not　soon　explain　themselves。

MAJ。　T。　（after　reading　the　letter；　with　much　emotion。）　Ah！　nor　has　he　herein　belied　himself！　Oh！　Minna；　what　justice！　what　clemency！　This　is　more　than　I　expected；　more　than　I　deserved！My　fortune；　my　honour；　all　is　reestablished！Do　I　dream？　（Looking　at　the　letter；　as　if　to　convince　himself。）　No；　no　delusion　born　of　my　own　desires！　Read　it　yourself；　Minna；　read　it　yourself！

MIN。　I　would　not　presume；　Major。

MAJ。　T。　Presume！　The　letter　is　to　me；　to　your　Tellheim；　Minna。　It　contains　what　your　uncle　cannot　take　from　you。　You　must　read　it！　Do　read　it。

MIN。　If　it　affords　you　pleasure；　Major。　（Takes　the　letter　and　reads。）

　〃My　dear　Major　von