minna von barnhelm-第8节

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LAND。　How！　What！　No；　Herr　Werner；　that　is　not　a　good　joke。　I　no　friend　to　the　Major！　I　don't　understand　that　joke。

WER。　Just　has　told　me　pretty　things。

LAND。　Just！　Ah！　I　thought　Just　was　speaking　through　you。　Just　is　a　nasty；　ill…natured　man。　But　here　on　the　spot　stands　a　pretty　maidshe　can　speak；　she　can　say　if　I　am　no　friend　of　the　Major'sif　I　have　not　done　him　good　service。　And　why　should　not　I　be　his　friend？　Is　not　he　a　deserving　man？　It　is　true；　he　has　had　the　misfortune　to　be　discharged；　but　what　of　that？　The　king　cannot　be　acquainted　with　all　deserving　officers；　and　if　he　knew　them；　he　could　not　reward　them　all。

WER。　Heaven　put　those　words　into　your　mouth。　But　Just　。　。　。　certainly　there　is　nothing　remarkable　about　Just；　but　still　Just　is　no　liar；　and　if　that　what　he　has　told　me　be　true

LAND。　I　don't　want　to　hear　anything　about　Just。　As　I　said；　this　pretty　maid　here　can　speak。　（Whispering　to　her。）　You　know；　my　dear；　the　ring！　Tell　Herr　Werner　about　it。　Then　he　will　learn　better　what　I　am。　And　that　it　may　not　appear　as　if　she　only　said　what　I　wish；　I　will　not　even　be　present。　I　will　go；　but　you　shall　tell　me　after；　Herr　Werner；　you　shall　tell　me；　whether　Just　is　not　a　foul　slanderer。　（Exit。）



SCENE　V。　Werner；　Franziska

WER。　Little　woman；　do　you　know　my　Major？

FRAN。　Major　von　Tellheim？　Yes；　indeed；　I　do　know　that　good　man。

WER。　Is　he　not　a　good　man？　Do　you　like　him？

FRAN。　From　the　bottom　of　my　heart。

WER。　Indeed！　I　tell　you　what；　little　woman；　you　are　twice　as　pretty　now　as　you　were　before。　But　what　are　the　services；　which　the　landlord　says　he　has　rendered　our　Major？

FRAN。　That　is　what　I　don't　know；　unless　he　wished　to　take　credit　to　himself　for　the　good　result　which　fortunately　has　arisen　from　his　knavish　conduct。

WER。　Then　what　Just　told　me　is　true？　（Towards　the　side　where　the　Landlord　went　off。）　A　lucky　thing　for　you　that　you　are　gone！　He　did　really　turn　him　out　of　his　room？To　treat　such　a　man　so；　because　the　donkey　fancied　that　he　had　no　more　money！　The　Major　no　money！

FRAN。　What！　Has　the　Major　any　money？

WER。　By　the　load。　He　doesn't　know　how　much　he　has。　He　doesn't　know　who　is　in　his　debt。　I　am　his　debtor；　and　have　brought　him　some　old　arrears。　Look；　little　woman；　in　this　purse　（drawing　it　out　of　one　pocket）　are　a　hundred　louis　d'ors；　and　in　this　packet　（drawing　it　out　of　another　pocket）　a　hundred　ducats。　All　his　money！

FRAN。　Really！　Why　then　does　the　Major　pawn　his　things？　He　pledged　a　ring；　you　know

WER。　Pledged！　Don't　you　believe　it。　Perhaps　he　wanted　to　get　rid　of　the　rubbish。

FRAN。　It　is　no　rubbish；　it　is　a　very　valuable　ring；　which；　moreover；　I　suspect；　he　received　from　a　loving　hand。

WER。　That　will　be　the　reason。　From　a　loving　hand！　Yes；　yes；　such　a　thing　often　puts　one　in　mind　of　what　one　does　not　wish　to　remember；　and　therefore　one　gets　rid　of　it。

FRAN。　What！

WER。　Odd　things　happen　to　the　soldier　in　winter　quarters。　He　has　nothing　to　do　then；　so　he　amuses　himself；　and　to　pass　the　time　he　makes　acquaintances；　which　he　only　intends　for　the　winter；　but　which　the　good　soul　with　whom　he　makes　them；　looks　upon　for　life。　Then；　presto！　a　ring　is　suddenly　conjured　on　to　his　finger；　he　hardly　knows　himself　how　it　gets　there；　and　very　often　he　would　willingly　give　the　finger　with　it；　if　he　could　only　get　free　from　it　again。

FRAN。　Oh！　and　do　you　think　this　has　happened　to　the　Major？

WER。　Undoubtedly。　Especially　in　Saxony。　If　he　had　had　ten　fingers　on　each　hand；　he　might　have　had　all　twenty　full　of　rings。

FRAN。　（aside）。　That　sounds　important；　and　deserves　to　be　inquired　into。　Mr。　Freeholder；　or　Mr。　Sergeant

WER。　Little　woman；　if　it　makes　no　difference　to　you；　I　like　〃Mr。　Sergeant〃　best。

FRAN。　Well；　Mr。　Sergeant；　I　have　a　note　from　the　Major　to　my　mistress。　I　will　just　carry　it　in；　and　be　here　again　in　a　moment。　Will　you　be　so　good　as　to　wait？　I　should　like　very　much　to　have　a　little　talk　with　you。

WER。　Are　you　fond　of　talking；　little　woman？　Well；　with　all　my　heart。　Go　quickly。　I　am　fond　of　talking　too：　I　will　wait。

FRAN。　Yes；　please　wait。　（Exit。）



SCENE　VI。　Paul　Werner

WER。　That　is　not　at　all　a　bad　little　woman。　But　I　ought　not　to　have　promised　her　that　I　would　wait；　for　it　would　be　most　to　the　purpose；　I　suppose；　to　find　the　Major。　He　will　not　have　my　money；　but　rather　pawns　his　property。　That　is　just　his　way。　A　little　trick　occurs　to　me。　When　I　was　in　the　town；　a　fortnight　back；　I　paid　a　visit　to　Captain　Marloff's　widow。　The　poor　woman　was　ill；　and　was　lamenting　that　her　husband　had　died　in　debt　to　the　Major　for　four　hundred　thalers；　which　she　did　not　know　how　to　pay。　I　went　to　see　her　again　to…day；　I　intended　to　tell　her　that　I　could　lend　her　five　hundred　thalers；　when　I　had　received　the　money　for　my　property；　for　I　must　put　some　of　it　by；　if　I　do　not　go　to　Persia。　But　she　was　gone；　and　no　doubt　she　has　not　been　able　to　pay　the　Major。　Yes；　I'll　do　that；　and　the　sooner　the　better。　The　little　woman　must　not　take　it　ill　of　me；　I　cannot　wait。　（Is　going　in　thought；　and　almost　runs　against　the　Major；　who　meets　him。）



SCENE　VII。　Major　Von　Tellheim；　Paul　Werner

MAJ。　T。　Why　so　thoughtful；　Werner？

WER。　Oh！　that　is　you。　I　was　just　going　to　pay　you　a　visit　in　your　new　quarters；　Major。

MAJ。　T。　To　fill　my　ears　with　curses　against　the　Landlord　of　my　old　one。　Do　not　remind　me　of　it。

WER。　I　should　have　done　that　by　the　way：　yes。　But　more　particularly；　I　wish　to　thank　you　for　having　been　so　good　as　to　take　care　of　my　hundred　louis　d'ors。　Just　has　given　them　to　me　again。　I　should　have　been　very　glad　if　you　would　have　kept　them　longer　for　me。　But　you　have　got　into　new　quarters；　which　neither　you　nor　I　know　much　about。　Who　knows　what　sort　of　place　it　is？　They　might　be　stolen；　and　you　would　have　to　make　them　good　to　me；　there　would　be　no　help　for　it。　So　I　cannot　ask　you　to　take　them　again。

MAJ。　T。　（smiling）。　When　did　you　begin　to　be　so　careful；　Werner？

WER。　One　learns　to　be　so。　One　cannot　now　be　careful　enough　of　one's　money。　I　have　also　a　commission　for　you；　Major；　from　Frau　Marloff；　I　have　just　come　from　her。　Her　husband　died　four　hundred　thalers　in　your　debt；　she　sends　you　a　hundred　ducats　here；　in　part　payment。　She　will　forward　you　the　rest　next　week。　I　believe　I　am　the　cause　that　she　has　not　sent　you　the　whole　sum。　For　she　also　owed　me　about　eighty　thalers；　and　she　thought　I　was　come　to　dun　her　for　themwhich；　perhaps；　was　the　factso　she　gave　them　me　out　of　the　roll　which　she　had　put　aside　for　you。　You　can　spare　your　hundred　thalers　for　a　week　longer；　better　than　I　can　spare　my　few　groschens。　There；　take　it！　（Hands　him　the　ducats。）

MAJ。　T。　Werner！

WER。　Well！　Why　do　you　stare　at　me　so？　Take　it；　Major！

MAJ。　T。　Werner！

WER。　What　is　the　matter　with　you？　What　annoys　you？

MAJ。　T。　（angrily　striking　his　forehead；　and　stamping　with　his　foot。）　That　。　。　。　the　four　hundred　thalers　are　not　all　there。

WER。　Come！　Major；　did　not　you　understand　me？

MAJ。　T。　It　is　just　because　I　did　understand　you！　Alas；　that　the　best　men　should　to…day　distress　me　most！

WER。　What　do　you　say？

MAJ。　T。　This　only　applies　partly　to　you。　Go；　Werner！　（Pushing　back　Werner's　hand　with　the　money　in　it。）

WER。　As　soon　as　I　have　got　rid　of　this。

MAJ。　T。　Werner；　suppose　I　tell　you　that　Frau　Marloff　was　here　herself　early　this　morning

WER。　Indeed？

MAJ。　T。　That　she　owes　me　nothing　now

WER。　Really？

MAJ。　T。　That　she　has　paid　me　every　pennyWhat　will　you　say　then？

WER。　（thinks　for　a　minute）。　I　shall　say　that　I　have　told　a　lie；　and　that　lying　is　a　low　thing；　because　one　may　be　caught　at　it。

MAJ。　T。　And　you　will　be　ashamed　of　yourself？

WER。　And　what　of　him　who　compels　me　to　lie？　Should　not　he　be　ashamed　too？　Look　ye；　Major；　if　I　was　to　say　that　your　conduct　has　not　vexed　me；　I　should　tell　another　lie；　and　I　won't　lie　any　more。

MAJ。　T。　Do　not　be　annoyed；　Werner。　I　know　your　heart；　and　your　affection　for　me。　But　I　do　not　require　your　money。

WER。　Not　require　it！　Rather　sell；　rather　pawn；　and　get　talked　about！

MAJ。　T。　Oh！　people　may　know　that　I　have　nothing　more。　One　must　not　wish　to　appear　richer　than　one　is。

WER。　But　why　poorer？　A　man　has　something　as　long　as　his　friend　has。

MAJ。　T。　It　is　not　proper　that　I　should　be　your　debtor。

WER。　Not　proper！　On　that　summer　day　which　the　sun　and　the　enemy　made　hot　for　us；　when　your　groom；　who　had　your　canteen；　was　not　to　be　found；　and　you　came　to　me　and　said〃Werner；　have　you　nothing　to　drink？〃　and　I　gave　you　my　flask；　you　took　it　and　drank；　did　you　not？　Was　that　proper？　Upon　my　life；　a　mouthful　of　dirty　water　at　that　time　was　often　worth　more　than　such　filth　（taking　the　purse　also　out　of　his　pocket；　and　holding　out　both　to　him）。　Take　them；　dear　Major！　Fancy　it　is　water。　God　has　made　this；　too；　for　all。

MAJ。　T。　You　torment　me：　don't　you　hear；　I　will　not　be　your　debtor。

WER。　At　first；　it　was　not　proper；　now；　you　will　not。　Ah！　that　is　a　different　thing。　（Rather　angrily。）　You　will　not　be　my　debtor？　But　suppose　you　are　already；　Major？　Or；　are　you　not　a　debtor　to　the　man　who　once　warded　off　the　blow　that　was　meant　to　split　your　head；　and；　at　another　time；　knocked　off　the　arm　which　was　just　going　to　pull　and　send　a　ball　through　your　breast？　How　can　you　become　a　greater　debtor　to　th