minna von barnhelm-第15节

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

　〃My　dear　Major　von　Tellheim；

　〃I　hereby　inform　you；　that　the　business　which　caused　me　some　　　anxiety　on　account　of　your　honour；　has　been　cleared　up　in　your　　　favour。　My　brother　had　a　more　detailed　knowledge　of　it；　and　his　　　testimony　has　more　than　proved　your　innocence。　The　Treasury　has　　　received　orders　to　deliver　again　to　you　the　bill　in　question；　and　　　to　reimburse　the　sum　advanced。　I　have　also　ordered　that　all　claims　　　which　the　Paymaster's　Office　brings　forward　against　your　accounts　　　be　nullified。　Please　to　inform　me　whether　your　health　will　allow　　　of　your　taking　active　service　again。　I　can　ill　spare　a　man　of　your　　　courage　and　sentiments。　I　am　your　gracious　King；〃　&c。

MAJ。　T。　Now；　what　do　you　say　to　that；　Minna？

MIN。　（folding　up　and　returning　the　letter）。　I？　Nothing。

MAJ。　T。　Nothing？

MIN。　Stayyes。　That　your　king；　who　is　a　great　man；　can　also　be　a　good　man。　But　what　is　that　to　me！　He　is　not　my　king。

MAJ。　T。　And　do　you　say　nothing　more？　Nothing　about　ourselves？

MIN。　You　are　going　to　serve　again。　From　Major；　you　will　become　Lieutenant…　Colonel；　perhaps　Colonel。　I　congratulate　you　with　all　my　heart。

MAJ。　T。　And　you　do　not　know　me　better？　No；　since　fortune　restores　me　sufficient　to　satisfy　the　wishes　of　a　reasonable　man；　it　shall　depend　upon　my　Minna　alone；　whether　for　the　future　I　shall　belong　to　any　one　else　but　her。　To　her　service　alone　my　whole　life　shall　be　devoted！　The　service　of　the　great　is　dangerous；　and　does　not　repay　the　trouble；　the　restraint；　the　humiliation　which　it　costs。　Minna　is　not　amongst　those　vain　people　who　love　nothing　in　their　husbands　beyond　their　titles　and　positions。　She　will　love　me　for　myself；　and　for　her　sake　I　will　forget　the　whole　world。　I　became　a　soldier　from　party　feelingI　do　not　myself　know　on　what　political　principlesand　from　the　whim　that　it　is　good　for　every　honourable　man　to　try　the　profession　of　arms　for　a　time；　to　make　himself　familiar　with　danger；　and　to　learn　coolness　and　determination。　Extreme　necessity　alone　could　have　compelled　me　to　make　this　trial　a　fixed　mode　of　life；　this　temporary　occupation　a　profession。　But　now　that　nothing　compels　me；　my　whole　and　sole　ambition　is　to　be　a　peaceful　and　a　contented　man。　This　with　you；　dearest　Minna；　I　shall　infallibly　become；　this　in　your　society　I　shall　unchangeably　remain。　Let　the　holy　bond　unite　us　to…morrow；　and　then　we　will　look　round　us；　and　in　the　whole　wide　habitable　world　seek　out　the　most　peaceful；　the　brightest；　most　smiling　nook　which　wants　but　a　happy　couple　to　be　a　Paradise。　There　we　will　dwell；　there　shall　each　day。　。　。　。　What　is　the　matter；　Minna？　（Minna　turns　away　uneasily；　and　endeavours　to　hide　her　emotion。）

MIN。　（regaining　her　composure）。　It　is　cruel　of　you；　Tellheim；　to　paint　such　happiness　to　me；　when　I　am　forced　to　renounce　it。　My　loss

MAJ。　T。　Your　loss！　Why　name　your　loss？　All　that　Minna　could　lose　is　not　Minna。　You　are　still　the　sweetest；　dearest；　loveliest；　best　creature　under　the　sun；　all　goodness　and　generosity；　innocence　and　bliss！　Now　and　then　a　little　petulant；　at　times　somewhat　wilfulso　much　the　better！　So　much　the　better！　Minna　would　otherwise　be　an　angel；　whom　I　should　honour　with　trepidation；　but　not　dare　to　love。　（Takes　her　hand　to　kiss　it。）

MIN。　（drawing　away　her　hand）。　Not　so；　sir。　Why　this　sudden　change？　Is　this　flattering　impetuous　lover；　the　cold　Tellheim！Could　his　returning　good　fortune　alone　create　this　ardour　in　him？　He　will　permit　me　during　his　passionate　excitement　to　retain　the　power　of　reflection　for　us　both。　When　he　could　himself　reflect；　I　heard　him　say〃it　is　a　worthless　love　which　does　not　scruple　to　expose　its　object　to　scorn。〃True；　and　I　aspire　to　as　pure　and　noble　a　love　as　he　himself。　Now；　when　honour　calls　him；　when　a　great　monarch　solicits　his　services；　shall　I　consent　that　he　shall　give　himself　up　to　love…sick　dreams　with　me？　that　the　illustrious　warrior　shall　degenerate　into　a　toying　swain？　No；　Major；　follow　the　call　of　your　higher　destiny。

MAJ。　T。　Well！　if　the　busy　world　has　greater　charms　for　you；　Minna；　let　us　remain　in　the　busy　world！　How　mean；　how　poor　is　this　busy　world；　you　now　only　know　its　gilded　surface。　Yet　certainly；　Minna；　you　will。　。　。　。　But　let　it　be　so！　until　then！　Your　charms　shall　not　want　admirers；　nor　will　my　happiness　lack　enviers。

MIN。　No；　Tellheim；　I　do　not　mean　that！　I　send　you　back　into　the　busy　world；　on　the　road　of　honour；　without　wishing　to　accompany　you。　Tellheim　will　there　require　an　irreproachable　wife！　A　fugitive　Saxon　girl　who　has　thrown　herself　upon　him

MAJ。　T。　（starting　up；　and　looking　fiercely　about　him）。　Who　dare　say　that！　Ah！　Minna；　I　feel　afraid　of　myself；　when　I　imagine　that　any　one　but　yourself　could　have　spoken　so。　My　anger　against　him　would　know　no　bounds。

MIN。　Exactly！　That　is　just　what　I　fear。　You　would　not　endure　one　word　of　calumny　against　me；　and　yet　you　would　have　to　put　up　with　the　very　bitterest　every　day。　In　short；　Tellheim；　hear　what　I　have　firmly　determined；　and　from　which　nothing　in　the　world　shall　turn　me

MAJ。　T。　Before　you　proceed；　I　implore　you；　Minna；　reflect　for　one　moment；　that　you　are　about　to　pronounce　a　sentence　of　life　or　death　upon　me！

MIN。　Without　a　moment's　reflection！　。　。　。　As　certainly　as　I　have　given　you　back　the　ring　with　which　you　formerly　pledged　your　troth　to　me；　as　certainly　as　you　have　taken　back　that　same　ring；　so　certainly　shall　the　unfortunate　Minna　never　be　the　wife　of　the　fortunate　Tellheim！

MAJ。　T。　And　herewith　you　pronounce　my　sentence。

MIN。　Equality　is　the　only　sure　bond　of　love。　The　happy　Minna　only　wished　to　live　for　the　happy　Tellheim。　Even　Minna　in　misfortune　would　have　allowed　herself　to　be　persuaded　either　to　increase　or　to　assuage　the　misfortune　of　her　friend　through　herself。　。　。　。　He　must　have　seen；　before　the　arrival　of　that　letter；　which　has　again　destroyed　all　equality　between　us；　that　in　appearance　only　I　refused。

MAJ。　T。　Is　that　true？　I　thank　you；　Minna；　that　you　have　not　yet　pronounced　the　sentence。　You　will　only　marry　Tellheim　when　unfortunate？　You　may　have　him。　（Coolly。）　I　perceive　now　that　it　would　be　indecorous　in　me　to　accept　this　tardy　justice；　that　it　will　be　better　if　I　do　not　seek　again　that　of　which　I　have　been　deprived　by　such　shameful　suspicion。　Yes；　I　will　suppose　that　I　have　not　received　the　letter。　Behold　my　only　answer　to　it！　（About　to　tear　it　up。）

MIN。　（stopping　him）。　What　are　you　going　to　do；　Tellheim？

MAJ。　T。　Obtain　your　hand。

MIN。　Stop！

MAJ。　T。　Madam；　it　is　torn　without　fail　if　you　do　not　quickly　recall　your　words。Then　we　will　see　what　else　you　may　have　to　object　to　in　me。

MIN。　What！　In　such　a　tone？　Shall　I；　must　I；　thus　become　contemptible　in　my　own　eyes？　Never！　She　is　a　worthless　creature；　who　is　not　ashamed　to　owe　her　whole　happiness　to　the　blind　tenderness　of　a　man！

MAJ。　T。　False！　utterly　false！

MIN。　Can　you　venture　to　find　fault　with　your　own　words　when　coming　from　my　lips？

MAJ。　T。　Sophistry！　Does　the　weaker　sex　dishonour　itself　by　every　action　which　does　not　become　the　stronger？　Or　can　a　man　do　everything　which　is　proper　in　a　woman？　Which　is　appointed　by　nature　to　be　the　support　of　the　other？

MIN。　Be　not　alarmed；　Tellheim！　。　。　。　I　shall　not　be　quite　unprotected；　if　I　must　decline　the　honour　of　your　protection。　I　shall　still　have　as　much　as　is　absolutely　necessary。　I　have　announced　my　arrival　to　our　ambassador。　I　am　to　see　him　to…day。　I　hope　he　will　assist　me。　Time　is　flying。　Permit　me；　Major

MAJ。　T。　I　will　accompany　you；　Madam。

MIN。　No；　Major；　leave　me。

MAJ。　T。　Sooner　shall　your　shadow　desert　you！　Come　Madam；　where　you　will；　to　whom　you　will　everywhere；　to　friends　and　strangers；　will　I　repeat　in　your　presencerepeat　a　hundred　times　each　daywhat　a　bond　binds　you　to　me；　and　with　what　cruel　caprice　you　wish　to　break　it



SCENE　X。　Just；　Major　von　Tellheim；　Minna；　Franziska

JUST。　（impetuously）。　Major！　Major！

MAJ。　T。　Well！

JUST。　Here　quick！　quick！

MAJ。　T。　Why！　Come　to　me。　Speak；　what　is　the　matter？

JUST。　What　do　you　think？　（Whispers　to　him。）

MIN。　（aside　to　Franziska）。　Do　you　notice　anything；　Franziska？

FRAN。　Oh！　you　merciless　creature！　I　have　stood　here　on　thorns！

MAJ。　T。　（to　Just）。　What　do　you　say？　。　。　。　That　is　not　possible！　。　。　。　You？　（Looking　fiercely　at　Minna。）　Speak　it　out；　tell　it　to　her　face。　Listen；　Madam。

JUST。　The　Landlord　says；　that　Fraulein　von　Barnhelm　has　taken　the　ring　which　I　pledged　to　him；　she　recognised　it　as　her　own；　and　would　not　return　it。

MAJ。　T。　Is　that　true；　Madam？　No；　that　cannot　be　true！

MIN。　（smiling）。　And　why　not；　Tellheim？　Why　can　it　not　be　true？

MAJ。　T。　（vehemently）。　Then　it　is　true！　。　。　。　What　terrible　light　suddenly　breaks　in　upon　me！　。　。　。　Now　I　know　youfalse；　faithless　one！

MIN。　（alarmed）。　Who；　who　is　faithless？

MAJ。　T。　You；　whom　I　will　never　more　name！

MIN。　Tellheim！

MAJ。　T。　Forget　my　name　。　。　。　You　came　here　with　the　intention　of　breaking　with　me　。　。　。　It　is　evident！　。　。　。　Oh；　that　chance　should　thus　delight　to　assist　the　faithless！　It　brought　your　ring　into　your　possession。　Your　craftiness　contrived　to　get　my　own　back　into　mine！

MIN。　Tellheim；　what　visions　are　you　conjuring　up！　Be　calm；　and　listen　to　me。

FRAN。　（