minna von barnhelm-第4节

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WER。　The　devil　must　be　loose　here；　then？

JUST。　Just　so；　come　along。

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




ACT　II。


SCENE　I。　Minna's　Room。　Minna；　Franziska

MIN。　（in　morning　dress；　looking　at　her　watch）。　Franziska；　we　have　risen　very　early。　The　time　will　hang　heavy　on　our　hands。

FRAN。　Who　can　sleep　in　these　abominable　large　towns？　The　carriages；　the　watchmen；　the　drums；　the　cats；　the　soldiers；　never　cease　to　rattle；　to　call；　to　roll；　to　mew；　and　to　swear；　just　as　if　the　last　thing　the　night　is　intended　for　was　for　sleep。　Have　a　cup　of　tea；　my　lady！

MIN。　I　don't　care　for　tea。

FRAN。　I　will　have　some　chocolate　made。

MIN。　For　yourself；　if　you　like。

FRAN。　For　myself！　I　would　as　soon　talk　to　myself　as　drink　by　myself。　Then　the　time　will　indeed　hang　heavy。　For　very　weariness　we　shall　have　to　make　our　toilets；　and　try　on　the　dress　in　which　we　intend　to　make　the　first　attack！

MIN。　Why　do　you　talk　of　attacks；　when　I　have　only　come　to　require　that　the　capitulation　be　ratified？

FRAN。　But　the　officer　whom　we　have　dislodged；　and　to　whom　we　have　apologized；　cannot　be　the　best　bred　man　in　the　world；　or　he　might　at　least　have　begged　the　honour　of　being　allowed　to　wait　upon　you。

MIN。　All　officers　are　not　Tellheims。　To　tell　you　the　truth；　I　only　sent　him　the　message　in　order　to　have　an　opportunity　of　inquiring　from　him　about　Tellheim。　Franziska；　my　heart　tells　me　my　journey　will　be　a　successful　one　and　that　I　shall　find　him。

FRAN。　The　heart；　my　lady！　One　must　not　trust　to　that　too　much。　The　heart　echoes　to　us　the　words　of　our　tongues。　If　the　tongue　was　as　much　inclined　to　speak　the　thoughts　of　the　heart；　the　fashion　of　keeping　mouths　under　lock　and　key　would　have　come　in　long　ago。

MIN。　Ha！　ha！　mouths　under　lock　and　key。　That　fashion　would　just　suit　me。

FRAN。　Rather　not　show　the　most　beautiful　set　of　teeth；　than　let　the　heart　be　seen　through　them　every　moment。

MIN。　What；　are　you　so　reserved？

FRAN。　No；　my　lady；　but　I　would　willingly　be　more　so。　People　seldom　talk　of　the　virtue　they　possess；　and　all　the　more　often　of　that　which　they　do　not　possess。

MIN。　Franziska；　you　made　a　very　just　remark　there。

FRAN。　Made！　Does　one　make　it；　if　it　occurs　to　one？

MIN。　And　do　you　know　why　I　consider　it　so　good？　It　applies　to　my　Tellheim。

FRAN。　What　would　not；　in　your　opinion；　apply　to　him？

MIN。　Friend　and　foe　say　he　is　the　bravest　man　in　the　world。　But　who　ever　heard　him　talk　of　bravery？　He　has　the　most　upright　mind；　but　uprightness　and　nobleness　of　mind　are　words　never　on　his　tongue。

FRAN。　Of　what　virtues　does　he　talk　then？

MIN。　He　talks　of　none；　for　he　is　wanting　in　none。

FRAN。　That　is　just　what　I　wished　to　hear。

MIN。　Wait；　Franziska；　I　am　wrong。　He　often　talks　of　economy。　Between　ourselves；　I　believe　he　is　extravagant。

FRAN。　One　thing　more；　my　lady。　I　have　often　heard　him　mention　truth　and　constancy　toward　you。　What；　if　he　be　inconstant？

MIN。　Miserable　girl！　But　do　you　mean　that　seriously？

FRAN。　How　long　is　it　since　he　wrote　to　you？

MIN。　Alas！　he　has　only　written　to　me　once　since　the　peace。

FRAN。　What！A　sigh　on　account　of　the　peace？　Surprising？　Peace　ought　only　to　make　good　the　ill　which　war　causes；　but　it　seems　to　disturb　the　good　which　the　latter；　its　opposite；　may　have　occasioned。　Peace　should　not　be　so　capricious！　。　。　。　How　long　have　we　had　peace？　The　time　seems　wonderfully　long；　when　there　is　so　little　news。　It　is　no　use　the　post　going　regularly　again；　nobody　writes；　for　nobody　has　anything　to　write　about。

MIN。　〃Peace　has　been　made；〃　he　wrote　to　me；　〃and　I　am　approaching　the　fulfillment　of　my　wishes。〃　But　since　he　only　wrote　that　to　me　once；　only　once

FRAN。　And　since　he　compels　us　to　run　after　this　fulfillment　of　his　wishes　ourselves。　。　。　If　we　can　but　find　him；　he　shall　pay　for　this！　Suppose；　in　the　meantime；　he　may　have　accomplished　his　wishes；　and　we　should　learn　here　that

MIN。　（anxiously）。　That　he　is　dead？

FRAN。　To　you；　my　lady；　and　married　to　another。

MIN。　You　tease；　you！　Wait；　Franziska；　I　will　pay　you　out　for　this！　But　talk　to　me；　or　I　shall　fall　asleep。　His　regiment　was　disbanded　after　the　peace。　Who　knows　into　what　a　confusion　of　bills　and　papers　he　may　thereby　have　been　brought？　Who　knows　into　what　other　regiment；　or　to　what　distant　station；　he　may　have　been　sent？　Who　knows　what　circumstancesThere's　a　knock　at　the　door。

FRAN。　Come　in！



SCENE　II。　Landlord；　Minna；　Franziska

LAND。　（putting　his　head　in　at　the　door）。　Am　I　permitted；　your　ladyship？

FRAN。　Our　landlord？Come　in！

LAND。　（A　pen　behind　his　ear；　a　sheet　of　paper　and　an　inkstand　in　his　hand）。　I　am　come；　your　ladyship；　to　wish　you　a　most　humble　good…morning；　（to　Franziska）　and　the　same　to　you；　my　pretty　maid。

FRAN。　A　polite　man！

MIN。　We　are　obliged　to　you。

FRAN。　And　wish　you　also　a　good…morning。

LAND。　May　I　venture　to　ask　how　your　ladyship　has　passed　the　first　night　under　my　poor　roof？

FRAN。　The　roof　is　not　so　bad；　sir；　but　the　beds　might　have　been　better。

LAND。　What　do　I　hear！　Not　slept　well！　Perhaps　the　over…fatigue　of　the　journey

MIN。　Perhaps。

LAND。　Certainly；　certainly；　for　otherwise。　。　。　。　Yet；　should　there　be　anything　not　perfectly　comfortable；　my　lady；　I　hope　you　will　not　fail　to　command　me。

FRAN。　Very　well；　Mr。　Landlord；　very　well！　We　are　not　bashful；　and　least　of　all　should　one　be　bashful　at　an　inn。　We　shall　not　fail　to　say　what　we　may　wish。

LAND。　I　next　come　to　。　。　。　（taking　the　pen　from　behind　his　ear）。

FRAN。　Well？

LAND。　Without　doubt；　my　lady；　you　are　already　acquainted　with　the　wise　regulations　of　our　police。

MIN。　Not　in　the　least；　sir。

LAND。　We　landlords　are　instructed　not　to　take　in　any　stranger；　of　whatever　rank　or　sex　he　may　be；　for　four…and…twenty　hours；　without　delivering；　in　writing；　his　name；　place　of　abode；　occupation；　object　of　his　journey；　probable　stay；　and　so　on；　to　the　proper　authorities。

MIN。　Very　well。

LAND。　Will　your　ladyship　then　be　so　good　。　。　。　（going　to　the　table；　and　making　ready　to　write）。

MIN。　Willingly。　My　name　is

LAND。　One　minute！　（He　writes。）　〃Date；　22nd　August；　A。　D。；　&C。；　arrived　at　the　King　of　Spain　hotel。〃　Now　your　name；　my　lady。

MIN。　Fraulein　von　Barnhelm。

LAND。　（writes）。　〃Von　Barnhelm。〃　Coming　from。　。　。　。　where；　your　ladyship？

MIN。　From　my　estate　in　Saxony。

LAND。　（writes）。　〃Estate　in　Saxony。〃　Saxony！　Indeed；　indeed！　In　Saxony；　your　ladyship？　Saxony？

FRAN。　Well；　why　not？　I　hope　it　is　no　sin　in　this　country　to　come　from　Saxony！

LAND。　A　sin？　Heaven　forbid！　That　would　be　quite　a　new　sin！　From　Saxony　then？　Yes；　yes；　from　Saxony；　a　delightful　country；　Saxony！　But　if　I　am　right；　your　ladyship；　Saxony　is　not　small；　and　has　severalhow　shall　I　call　them？　districts；　provinces。　Our　police　are　very　particular；　your　ladyship。

MIN。　I　understand。　From　my　estate　in　Thuringia；　then。

LAND。　From　Thuringia！　Yes；　that　is　better；　your　ladyship；　that　is　more　exact。　（Writes　and　reads。）　〃Fraulein　von　Barnhelm；　coming　from　her　estate　in　Thuringia；　together　with　her　lady　in　waiting　and　two　men　servants。〃

FRAN。　Lady　in　waiting！　That　means　me；　I　suppose！

LAND。　Yes；　my　pretty　maid。

FRAN。　Well；　Mr。　Landlord；　instead　of　〃lady　in　waiting；〃　write　〃maid　in　waiting。〃　You　say；　the　police　are　very　exact；　it　might　cause　a　misunderstanding；　which　might　give　me　trouble　some　day　when　my　banns　are　read　out。　For　I　really　am　still　unmarried；　and　my　name　is　Franziska；　with　the　family　name　of　Willig：　Franziska　Willig。　I　also　come　from　Thuringia。　My　father　was　a　miller；　on　one　of　my　lady's　estates。　It　is　called　Little　Rammsdorf。　My　brother　has　the　mill　now。　I　was　taken　very　early　to　the　manor；　and　educated　with　my　lady。　We　are　of　the　same　ageone…and…twenty　next　Candlemas。　I　learnt　everything　my　lady　learnt。　I　should　like　the　police　to　have　a　full　account　of　me。

LAND。　Quite　right；　my　pretty　maid；　I　will　bear　that　in　mind；　in　case　of　future　inquiries。　But　now；　your　ladyship；　your　business　here？

MIN。　My　business　here？

LAND。　Have　you　any　business　with　His　Majesty　the　King？

MIN。　Oh！　no。

LAND。　Or　at　our　courts　of　justice？

MIN。　No。

LAND。　Or

MIN。　No；　no。　I　have　come　here　solely　on　account　of　my　own　private　affairs。

LAND。　Quite　right；　your　ladyship；　but　what　are　those　private　affairs？

MIN。　They　are　。　。　。　Franziska；　I　think　we　are　undergoing　an　examination。

FRAN。　Mr。　Landlord；　the　police　surely　do　not　ask　to　know　a　young　lady's　secrets！

LAND。　Certainly；　my　pretty　maid；　the　police　wish　to　know　everything；　and　especially　secrets。

FRAN。　What　is　to　be　done；　my　lady？　。　。　。　Well；　listen；　Mr。　Landlordbut　take　care　that　it　does　not　go　beyond　ourselves　and　the　police。

MIN。　What　is　the　simpleton　going　to　tell　him？

FRAN。　We　come　to　carry　off　an　officer　from　the　king。

LAND。　How？　What？　My　dear　girl！

FRAN。　Or　to　let　ourselves　be　carried　off　by　the　officer。　It　is　all　one。

MIN。　Franziska；　are　you　mad？　The　saucy　girl　is　laughing　at　you。

LAND。　I　hope　not！　With　your　humble　servant　indeed　she　may　jest　as　much　as　she　pleases；　but　with　the　police

MIN。　I　tell　you　what；　I　do　not　understand　how　to　act　in　this　matter。　Suppose　you　postpone　the　whole　affair　till　my　uncle's　arrival。　I　told　you　yesterday　why　he　did　not　come　with　me。　He　had　an　accident　with