minna von barnhelm-第3节

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nd　robbedwithout　reckoning　the　two　horses　of　which　he　made　him　a　present；　fifty　thalers。　Total　114　thalers。　Deduct　the　above　22　thalers；　7gr。　9pf。；　I　remain　in　debt　to　my　master；　the　Major；　91　thalers；　16gr。　3pf。〃　You　are　mad；　my　good　fellow！

JUST。　I　willingly　grant　that　I　owe　you　much　more；　but　it　would　be　wasting　ink　to　write　it　down。　I　cannot　pay　you　that：　and　if　you　take　my　livery　from　me　too；　which；　by　the　way；　I　have　not　yet　earned；I　would　rather　you　had　let　me　die　in　the　workhouse。

MAJ。　T。　For　what　do　you　take　me？　You　owe　me　nothing；　and　I　will　recommend　you　to　one　of　my　friends；　with　whom　you　will　fare　better　than　with　me。

JUST。　I　do　not　owe　you　anything；　and　yet　you　turn　me　away！

MAJ。　T。　Because　I　do　not　wish　to　owe　you　anything。

JUST。　On　that　account？　Only　on　that　account？　As　certain　as　I　am　in　your　debt；　as　certain　as　you　can　never　be　in　mine；　so　certainly　shall　you　not　turn　me　away　now。　Do　what　you　will；　Major；　I　remain　in　your　service；　I　must　remain。

MAJ。　T。　With　your　obstinacy；　your　insolence；　your　savage　boisterous　temper　towards　all　who　you　think　have　no　business　to　speak　to　you；　your　malicious　pranks；　your　love　of　revenge；

JUST。　Make　me　as　bad　as　you　will；　I　shall　not　think　worse　of　myself　than　of　my　dog。　Last　winter　I　was　walking　one　evening　at　dusk　along　the　river；　when　I　heard　something　whine。　I　stooped　down；　and　reached　in　the　direction　whence　the　sound　came；　and　when　I　thought　I　was　saving　a　child；　I　pulled　a　dog　out　of　the　water。　That　is　well；　thought　I。　The　dog　followed　me；　but　I　am　not　fond　of　dogs；　so　I　drove　him　awayin　vain。　I　whipped　him　awayin　vain。　I　shut　him　out　of　my　room　at　night；　he　lay　down　before　the　door。　If　he　came　too　near　me；　I　kicked　him；　he　yelped；　looked　up　at　me；　and　wagged　his　tail。　I　have　never　yet　given　him　a　bit　of　bread　with　my　own　hand；　and　yet　I　am　the　only　person　whom　he　will　obey；　or　who　dare　touch　him。　He　jumps　about　me；　and　shows　off　his　tricks　to　me；　without　my　asking　for　them。　He　is　an　ugly　dog；　but　he　is　a　good　animal。　If　he　carries　it　on　much　longer；　I　shall　at　last　give　over　hating　him。

MAJ。　T。　（aside）。　As　I　do　him。　No；　there　is　no　one　perfectly　inhuman。　Just；　we　will　not　part。

JUST。　Certainly　not！　And　you　wanted　to　manage　without　servants！　You　forget　your　wounds；　and　that　you　only　have　the　use　of　one　arm。　Why；　you　are　not　able　to　dress　alone。　I　am　indispensable　to　you；　and　I　amwithout　boasting；　Major；I　am　a　servant　who；　if　the　worst　comes　to　the　worst；　can　beg　and　steal　for　his　master。

MAJ。　T。　Just；　we　will　part。

JUST。　All　right；　Sir！



SCENE　IX。　Servant；　Major　von　Tellheim；　Just

SER。　I　say；　comrade！

JUST。　What　is　the　matter？

SER。　Can　you　direct　me　to　the　officer　who　lodged　yesterday　in　that　room？　（Pointing　to　the　one　out　of　which　he　is　coming）。

JUST。　That　I　could　easily　do。　What　have　you　got　for　him？

SER。　What　we　always　have；　when　we　have　nothingcompliments。　My　mistress　hears　that　he　has　been　turned　out　on　her　account。　My　mistress　knows　good　manners；　and　I　am　therefore　to　beg　his　pardon。

JUST。　Well　then；　beg　his　pardon；　there　he　stands。

SER。　What　is　he？　What　is　his　name？

MAJ。　T。　I　have　already　heard　your　message；　my　friend。　It　is　unnecessary　politeness　on　the　part　of　your　mistress；　which　I　beg　to　acknowledge　duly。　Present　my　compliments　to　her。　What　is　the　name　of　your　mistress？

SER。　Her　name！　We　call　her　my　Lady。

MAJ。　T。　The　name　of　her　family？

SER。　I　have　not　heard　that　yet；　and　it　is　not　my　business　to　ask。　I　manage　so　that　I　generally　get　a　new　master　every　six　weeks。　Hang　all　their　names！

JUST。　Bravo；　comrade！

SER。　I　was　engaged　by　my　present　mistress　a　few　days　ago；　in　Dresden。　I　believe　she　has　come　here　to　look　for　her　lover。

MAJ。　T。　Enough；　friend。　I　wished　to　know　the　name　of　your　mistress；　not　her　secrets。　Go！

SER。　Comrade；　he　would　not　do　for　my　master。



SCENE　X。　Major　von　Tellheim；　Just

MAJ。　T。　Just！　see　that　we　get　out　of　this　house　directly！　The　politeness　of　this　strange　lady　affects　me　more　than　the　churlishness　of　the　host。　Here；　take　this　ringthe　only　thing　of　value　which　I　have　leftof　which　I　never　thought　such　a　use。　Pawn　it！　get　eighty　louis　d'ors　for　it：　our　host's　bill　can　scarcely　amount　to　thirty。　Pay　him；　and　remove　my　things。　。　。　。　Ah；　where？　Where　you　will。　The　cheaper　the　inn；　the　better。　You　will　find　me　in　the　neighbouring　coffee…house。　I　am　going；　you　will　see　to　it　all　properly？

JUST。　Have　no　fear；　Major！

MAJ。　T。　（comes　back）。　Above　all　things；　do　not　let　my　pistols　be　forgotten；　which　hang　beside　the　bed。

JUST。　I　will　forget　nothing。

MAJ。　T。　（comes　back　again）。　Another　thing：　bring　your　dog　with　you　too。　Do　you　hear；　Just？



SCENE　XI。　Just

JUST。　The　dog　will　not　stay　behind；　he　will　take　care　of　that。　Hem！　My　master　still　had　this　valuable　ring　and　carried　it　in　his　pocket　instead　of　on　his　finger！　My　good　landlord；　we　are　not　yet　so　poor　as　we　look。　To　him　himself；　I　will　pawn　you；　you　beautiful　little　ring！　I　know　he　will　be　annoyed　that　you　will　not　all　be　consumed　in　his　house。　Ah！



SCENE　XII。　Paul　Werner；　Just

JUST。　Hullo；　Werner！　good…day　to　you；　Werner。　Welcome　to　the　town。

WER。　The　accursed　village！　I　can't　manage　to　get　at　home　in　it　again。　Merry；　my　boys；　merry；　I　have　got　some　more　money！　Where　is　the　Major？

JUST。　He　must　have　met　you；　he　just　went　down　stairs。

WER。　I　came　up　the　back　stairs。　How　is　he？　I　should　have　been　with　you　last　week；　but

JUST。　Well；　what　prevented　you？

WER。　Just；　did　you　ever　hear　of　Prince　Heraclius？

JUST。　Heraclius？　Not　that　I　know　of。

WER。　Don't　you　know　the　great　hero　of　the　East？

JUST。　I　know　the　wise　men　of　the　East　well　enough；　who　go　about　with　the　stars　on　New　Year's　Eve。

WER。

Brother；　I　believe　you　read　the　newspapers　as　little　as　the　Bible。　You　do　not　know　Prince　Heraclius。　Not　know　the　brave　man　who　seized　Persia；　and　will　break　into　the　Ottoman　Porte　in　a　few　days？　Thank　God；　there　is　still　war　somewhere　in　the　world！　I　have　long　enough　hoped　it　would　break　out　here　again。　But　there　they　sit　and　take　care　of　their　skins。　No；　a　soldier　I　was；　and　a　soldier　I　must　be　again！　In　short；　（looking　round　carefully；　to　see　if　anyone　is　listening）　between　ourselves；　Just；　I　am　going　to　Persia；　to　have　a　few　campaigns　against　the　Turks；　under　his　Royal　Highness　Prince　Heraclius。

JUST。　You？

WER。　I　myself。　Our　ancestors　fought　bravely　against　the　Turks；　and　so　ought　we　too；　if　we　would　be　honest　men　and　good　Christians。　I　allow　that　a　campaign　against　the　Turks　cannot　be　half　so　pleasant　as　one　against　the　French；　but　then　it　must　be　so　much　the　more　beneficial　in　this　world　and　the　next。　The　swords　of　the　Turks　are　all　set　with　diamonds。

JUST。　I　would　not　walk　a　mile　to　have　my　head　split　with　one　of　their　sabres。　You　will　not　be　so　mad　as　to　leave　your　comfortable　little　farm！

WER。　Oh！　I　take　that　with　me。　Do　you　see？　The　property　is　sold。

JUST。　Sold？

WER。　Hist！　Here　are　a　hundred　ducats；　which　I　received　yesterday　towards　the　payment：　I　am　bringing　them　for　the　Major。

JUST。　What　is　he　to　do　with　them？

WER。　What　is　he　to　do　with　them？　Spend　them；　play　them；　or　drink　them　away；　or　whatever　he　pleases。　He　must　have　money；　and　it　is　bad　enough　that　they　have　made　his　own　so　troublesome　to　him。　But　I　know　what　I　would　do；　were　I　in　his　place。　I　would　say〃The　deuce　take　you　all　here；　I　will　go　with　Paul　Werner　to　Persia！〃　Hang　it！　Prince　Heraclius　must　have　heard　of　Major　von　Tellheim；　if　he　has　not　heard　of　Paul　Werner；　his　late　sergeant。　Our　affair　at　Katzenhauser

JUST。　Shall　I　give　you　an　account　of　that？

WER。　You　give　me！　I　know　well　that　a　fine　battle　array　is　beyond　your　comprehension。　I　am　not　going　to　throw　my　pearls　before　swine。　Here；　take　the　hundred　ducats；　give　them　to　the　Major：　tell　him；　he　may　keep　these　for　me　too。　I　am　going　to　the　market　now。　I　have　sent　in　a　couple　of　loads　of　rye；　what　I　get　for　them　he　can　also　have。

JUST。　Werner；　you　mean　it　well；　but　we　don't　want　your　money。　Keep　your　ducats；　and　your　hundred　pistoles　you　can　also　have　back　safe；　as　soon　as　you　please。

WER。　What；　has　the　Major　money　still？

JUST。　No。

WER。　Has　he　borrowed　any？

JUST。　No。

WER。　On　what　does　he　live；　then？

JUST。　We　have　everything　put　down　in　the　bill；　and　when　they　won't　put　anything　more　down；　and　turn　us　out　of　the　house；　we　pledge　anything　we　may　happen　to　have；　and　go　somewhere　else。　I　say；　Paul；　we　must　play　this　landlord　here　a　trick。

WER。　If　he　has　annoyed　the　Major；　I　am　ready。

JUST。　What　if　we　watch　for　him　in　the　evening；　when　he　comes　from　his　club；　and　give　him　a　good　thrashing？

WER。　In　the　dark！　Watch　for　him！　Two　to　one！　No；　that　won't　do。

JUST。　Or　if　we　burn　his　house　over　his　head？

WER。　Fire　and　burn！　Why；　Just；　one　hears　that　you　have　been　baggage…boy　and　not　soldier。　Shame！

JUST。　Or　if　we　ruin　his　daughter？　But　she　is　cursedly　ugly。

WER。　She　has　probably　been　ruined　long　ago。　At　any　rate　you　don't　want　any　help　there。　But　what　is　the　matter　with　you？　What　has　happened？

JUST。　Just　come　with　me；　and　you　shall　hear　something　to　make　you　stare。

WER。　The　devil　must　be　loose　here；　then？

JUST。　Just　so；　come　along。

WER。　So　much　the　better！　To　Persia；　then；　to　Persia。