minna von barnhelm-第2节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



LAND。　It　is　only　a　pity　that　he　puts　himself　in　a　passion　for　nothing。　For　I　feel　quite　sure　that　your　honour　is　not　displeased　with　me　in　this　matter；　sincenecessitymade　it　necessary

MAJ。　T。　More　than　enough；　sir！　I　am　in　your　debt；　you　turn　out　my　room　in　my　absence。　You　must　be　paid；　I　must　seek　a　lodging　elsewhere。　Very　natural。

LAND。　Elsewhere？　You　are　going　to　quit；　honoured　sir？　Oh；　unfortunate　stricken　man　that　I　am。　No；　never！　Sooner　shall　the　lady　give　up　the　apartments　again。　The　Major　cannot　and　will　not　let　her　have　his　room。　It　is　his；　she　must　go；　I　cannot　help　it。　I　will　go；　honoured　sir

MAJ。　T。　My　friend；　do　not　make　two　foolish　strokes　instead　of　one。　The　lady　must　retain　possession　of　the　room

LAND。　And　your　honour　could　suppose　that　from　distrust；　from　fear　of　not　being　paid；　I　。　。　。　As　if　I　did　not　know　that　your　honour　could　pay　me　as　soon　as　you　pleased。　The　sealed　purse　。　。　。　five　hundred　thalers　in　louis　d'ors　marked　on　itwhich　your　honour　had　in　your　writing…desk　。　。　。　is　in　good　keeping。

MAJ。　T。　I　trust　so；　as　the　rest　of　my　property。　Just　shall　take　them　into　his　keeping；　when　he　has　paid　your　bill

LAND。　Really；　I　was　quite　alarmed　when　I　found　the　purse。　I　always　considered　your　honour　a　methodical　and　prudent　man；　who　never　got　quite　out　of　money　。　。　。　but　still；　had　I　supposed　there　was　ready　money　in　the　desk

MAJ。　T。　You　would　have　treated　me　rather　more　civilly。　I　understand　you。　Go；　sir；　leave　me。　I　wish　to　speak　with　my　servant。

LAND。　But；　honoured　sir

MAJ。　T。　Come；　Just；　he　does　not　wish　to　permit　me　to　give　my　orders　to　you　in　his　house。

LAND。　I　am　going；　honoured　sir！　My　whole　house　is　at　your　service。　（Exit。）



SCENE　IV。　Major　Von　Tellheim；　Just

JUST。　（stamping　with　his　foot　and　spitting　after　the　Landlord）。　Ugh！

MAJ。　T。　What　is　the　matter？

JUST。　I　am　choking　with　rage。

MAJ。　T。　That　is　as　bad　as　from　plethora。

JUST。　And　for　you　sir；　I　hardly　know　you　any　longer。　May　I　die　before　your　eyes；　if　you　do　not　encourage　this　malicious；　unfeeling　wretch。　In　spite　of　gallows；　axe；　and　torture　I　could　。　。　。　yes；　I　could　have　throttled　him　with　these　hands；　and　torn　him　to　pieces　with　these　teeth！

MAJ。　T。　You　wild　beast！

JUST。　Better　a　wild　beast　than　such　a　man！

MAJ。　T。　But　what　is　it　that　you　want？

JUST。　I　want　you　to　perceive　how　much　he　insults　you。

MAJ。　T。　And　then

JUST。　To　take　your　revenge　。　。　。　No；　the　fellow　is　beneath　your　notice！

MAJ。　T。　But　to　commission　you　to　avenge　me？　That　was　my　intention　from　the　first。　He　should　not　have　seen　me　again；　but　have　received　the　amount　of　his　bill　from　your　hands。　I　know　that　you　can　throw　down　a　handful　of　money　with　a　tolerably　contemptuous　mien。

JUST。　Oh！　a　pretty　sort　of　revenge！

MAJ。　T。　Which；　however；　we　must　defer。　I　have　not　one　heller　of　ready　money；　and　I　know　not　where　to　raise　any。

JUST。　No　money！　What　is　that　purse　then　with　five　hundred　thalers'　worth　of　louis　d'ors；　which　the　Landlord　found　in　your　desk？

MAJ。　T。　That　is　money　given　into　my　charge。

JUST。　Not　the　hundred　pistoles　which　your　old　sergeant　brought　you　four　or　five　weeks　back？

MAJ。　T。　The　same。　Paul　Werner's；　right。

JUST。　And　you　have　not　used　them　yet？　Yet；　sir；　you　may　do　what　you　please　with　them。　I　will　answer　for　it　that

MAJ。　T。　Indeed！

JUST。　Werner　heard　from　me；　how　they　had　treated　your　claims　upon　the　War　Office。　He　heard

MAJ。　T。　That　I　should　certainly　be　a　beggar　soon；　if　I　was　not　one　already。　I　am　much　obliged　to　you；　Just。　And　the　news　induced　Werner　to　offer　to　share　his　little　all　with　me。　I　am　very　glad　that　I　guessed　this。　Listen；　Just；　let　me　have　your　account；　directly；　too；　we　must　part。

JUST。　How！　what！

MAJ。　T。　Not　a　word。　There　is　someone　coming。



SCENE　V。　Lady　/in　mourning/；　Major　von　Tellheim；　Just

LADY。　I　ask　your　pardon；　sir。

MAJ。　T。　Whom　do　you　seek；　Madam？

LADY。　The　worthy　gentleman　with　whom　I　have　the　honour　of　speaking。　You　do　not　know　me　again。　I　am　the　widow　of　your　late　captain。

MAJ。　T。　Good　heavens；　Madam；　how　you　are　changed！

LADY。　I　have　just　risen　from　a　sick　bed；　to　which　grief　on　the　loss　of　my　husband　brought　me。　I　am　troubling　you　at　a　very　early　hour；　Major　von　Tellheim；　but　I　am　going　into　the　country；　where　a　kind；　but　also　unfortunate　friend；　has　for　the　present　offered　me　an　asylum。

MAJ。　T。　（to　Just）。　Leave　us。



SCENE　VI。　Lady；　Major　von　Tellheim

MAJ。　T。　Speak　freely；　Madam！　You　must　not　be　ashamed　of　your　bad　fortune　before　me。　Can　I　serve　you　in　any　way？

LADY。　Major

MAJ。　T。　I　pity　you；　Madam！　How　can　I　serve　you？　You　know　your　husband　was　my　friend；　my　friend；　I　say；　and　I　have　always　been　sparing　of　this　title。

LADY。　Who　knows　better　than　I　do　how　worthy　you　were　of　his　friendship　how　worthy　he　was　of　yours？　You　would　have　been　in　his　last　thoughts；　your　name　would　have　been　the　last　sound　on　his　dying　lips；　had　not　natural　affection；　stronger　than　friendship；　demanded　this　sad　prerogative　for　his　unfortunate　son；　and　his　unhappy　wife。

MAJ。　T。　Cease；　Madam！　I　could　willingly　weep　with　you；　but　I　have　no　tears　to…day。　Spare　me！　You　come　to　me　at　a　time　when　I　might　easily　be　misled　to　murmur　against　Providence。　Oh！　honest　Marloff！　Quick；　Madam；　what　have　you　to　request？　If　it　is　in　my　power　to　assist　you；　if　it　is　in　my　power

LADY。　I　cannot　depart　without　fulfilling　his　last　wishes。　He　recollected；　shortly　before　his　death；　that　he　was　dying　a　debtor　to　you；　and　he　conjured　me　to　discharge　his　debt　with　the　first　ready　money　I　should　have。　I　have　sold　his　carriage；　and　come　to　redeem　his　note。

MAJ。　T。　What；　Madam！　Is　that　your　object　in　coming？

LADY。　It　is。　Permit　me　to　count　out　the　money　to　you。

MAJ。　T。　No；　Madam。　Marloff　a　debtor　to　me！　that　can　hardly　be。　Let　us　look；　however。　（Takes　out　a　pocketbook；　and　searches。）　I　find　nothing　of　the　kind。

LADY。　You　have　doubtless　mislaid　his　note；　besides；　it　is　nothing　to　the　purpose。　Permit　me

MAJ。　T。　No；　Madam；　I　am　careful　not　to　mislay　such　documents。　If　I　have　not　got　it；　it　is　a　proof　that　I　never　had　it；　or　that　it　has　been　honoured　and　already　returned　by　me。

LADY。　Major！

MAJ。　T。　Without　doubt；　Madam；　Marloff　does　not　owe　me　anythingnor　can　I　remember　that　he　ever　did　owe　me　anything。　This　is　so；　Madam。　He　has　much　rather　left　me　in　his　debt。　I　have　never　been　able　to　do　anything　to　repay　a　man　who　shared　with　me　good　and　ill　luck；　honour　and　danger；　for　six　years。　I　shall　not　forget　that　he　has　left　a　son。　He　shall　be　my　son；　as　soon　as　I　can　be　a　father　to　him。　The　embarrassment　in　which　I　am　at　present

LADY。　Generous　man！　But　do　not　think　so　meanly　of　me。　Take　the　money；　Major；　and　then　at　least　I　shall　be　at　ease。

MAJ。　T。　What　more　do　you　require　to　tranquillize　you；　than　my　assurance　that　the　money　does　not　belong　to　me？　Or　do　you　wish　that　I　should　rob　the　young　orphan　of　my　friend？　Rob；　Madam；　for　that　it　would　be　in　the　true　meaning　of　the　word。　The　money　belongs　to　him；　invest　it　for　him。

LADY。　I　understand　you；　pardon　me　if　I　do　not　yet　rightly　know　how　to　accept　a　kindness。　Where　have　you　learnt　that　a　mother　will　do　more　for　her　child　than　for　the　preservation　of　her　own　life？　I　am　going

MAJ。　T。　Go；　Madam；　and　may　you　have　a　prosperous　journey！　I　do　not　ask　you　to　let　me　hear　from　you。　Your　news　might　come　to　me　when　it　might　be　of　little　use　to　me。　There　is　yet　one　thing；　Madam；　I　had　nearly　forgotten　that　which　is　of　most　consequence。　Marloff　also　had　claims　upon　the　chest　of　our　old　regiment。　His　claims　are　as　good　as　mine。　If　my　demands　are　paid；　his　must　be　paid　also。　I　will　be　answerable　for　them。

LADY。　Oh！　Sir　。　。　。　but　what　can　I　say？　Thus　to　purpose　future　good　deeds　is；　in　the　eyes　of　heaven；　to　have　performed　them　already。　May　you　receive　its　reward；　as　well　as　my　tears。　（Exit。）



SCENE　VII。　Major　von　Tellheim

MAJ。　T。　Poor；　good　woman！　I　must　not　forget　to　destroy　the　bill。　（Takes　some　papers　from　his　pocketbook　and　destroys　them。）　Who　would　guarantee　that　my　own　wants　might　not　some　day　tempt　me　to　make　use　of　it？



SCENE　VIII。　Just；　Major　von　Tellheim

MAJ。　T。　Is　that　you；　Just？

JUST。　（wiping　his　eyes）。　Yes。

MAJ。　T。　You　have　been　crying？

JUST。　I　have　been　writing　out　my　account　in　the　kitchen；　and　the　place　is　full　of　smoke。　Here　it　is；　sir。

MAJ。　T。　Give　it　to　me。

JUST。　Be　merciful　with　me；　sir。　I　know　well　that　they　have　not　been　so　with　you；　still

MAJ。　T。　What　do　you　want？

JUST。　I　should　sooner　have　expected　my　death；　than　my　discharge。

MAJ。　T。　I　cannot　keep　you　any　longer：　I　must　learn　to　manage　without　servants。　（Opens　the　paper；　and　reads。）　〃What　my　master；　the　Major；　owes　me：Three　months　and　a　half　wages；　six　thalers　per　month；　is　21　thalers。　During　the　first　part　of　this　month；　laid　out　in　sundries1　thaler　7　groschen　9　pfennigs。　Total；　22　thalers　7gr。　9pf。〃　Right；　and　it　is　just　that　I　also　pay　your　wages；　for　the　whole　of　the　current　month。

JUST。　Turn　over；　sir。

MAJ。　T。　Oh！　more？　（Reads。）　〃What　I　owe　my　master；　the　Major：Paid　for　me　to　the　army…surgeon　twenty…five　thalers。　Attendance　and　nurse　during　my　cure；　paid　for　me；　thirty…nine　thalers。　Advanced；　at　my　request；　to　my　fatherwho　was　burnt　out　of　his　house　and　robbedwit