minna von barnhelm-第9节

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as　just　going　to　pull　and　send　a　ball　through　your　breast？　How　can　you　become　a　greater　debtor　to　that　man？　Or；　is　my　neck　of　less　consequence　than　my　money？　If　that　is　a　noble　way　of　thinking；　by　my　soul　it　is　a　very　silly　one　too。

MAJ。　T。　To　whom　do　you　say　that；　Werner？　We　are　alone；　and　therefore　I　may　speak；　if　a　third　person　heard　us；　it　might　sound　like　boasting。　I　acknowledge　with　pleasure；　that　I　have　to　thank　you　for　twice　saving　my　life。　Do　you　not　think；　friend；　that　if　an　opportunity　occurred　I　would　have　done　as　much　for　you；　eh？

WER。　If　an　opportunity　occurred！　Who　doubts　it；　Major？　Have　I　not　seen　you　risk　your　life　a　hundred　times　for　the　lowest　soldier；　when　he　was　in　danger？

MAJ。　T。　Well！

WER。　But

MAJ。　T。　Why　cannot　you　understand　me？　I　say；　it　is　not　proper　that　I　should　be　your　debtor；　I　will　not　be　your　debtor。　That　is；　not　in　the　circumstances　in　which　I　now　am。

WER。　Oh！　so　you　would　wait　till　better　times。　You　will　borrow　money　from　me　another　time；　when　you　do　not　want　any：　when　you　have　some　yourself；　and　I　perhaps　none。

MAJ。　T。　A　man　ought　not　to　borrow；　when　he　has　not　the　means　of　repaying。

WER。　A　man　like　yourself　cannot　always　be　in　want。

MAJ。　T。　You　know　the　world　。　。　。　Least　of　all　should　a　man　borrow　from　one　who　wants　his　money　himself。

WER。　Oh！　yes；　I　am　such　a　one！　Pray；　what　do　I　want　it　for？　When　they　want　a　sergeant；　they　give　him　enough　to　live　on。

MAJ。　T。　You　want　it；　to　become　something　more　than　a　sergeantto　be　able　to　get　forward　in　that　path　in　which　even　the　most　deserving；　without　money；　may　remain　behind。

WER。　To　become　something　more　than　a　sergeant！　I　do　not　think　of　that。　I　am　a　good　sergeant；　I　might　easily　make　a　bad　captain；　and　certainly　a　worse　general。

MAJ。　T。　Do　not　force　me　to　think　ill　of　you；　Werner！　I　was　very　sorry　to　hear　what　Just　has　told　me。　You　have　sold　your　farm；　and　wish　to　rove　about　again。　Do　not　let　me　suppose　that　you　do　not　love　the　profession　of　arms　so　much　as　the　wild　dissolute　way　of　living　which　is　unfortunately　connected　with　it。　A　man　should　be　a　soldier　for　his　own　country；　or　from　love　of　the　cause　for　which　he　fights。　To　serve　without　any　purposeto…day　here；　to…morrow　thereis　only　travelling　about　like　a　butcher's　apprentice；　nothing　more。

WER。　Well；　then；　Major；　I　will　do　as　you　say。　You　know　better　what　is　right。　I　will　remain　with　you。　But；　dear　Major；　do　take　my　money　in　the　meantime。　Sooner　or　later　your　affairs　must　be　settled。　You　will　get　money　in　plenty　then；　and　then　you　shall　repay　me　with　interest。　I　only　do　it　for　the　sake　of　the　interest。

MAJ。　T。　Do　not　talk　of　it。

WER。　Upon　my　life；　I　only　do　it　for　the　sake　of　the　interest。　Many　a　time　I　have　thought　to　myself〃Werner；　what　will　become　of　you　in　your　old　age？　when　you　are　crippled？　when　you　will　have　nothing　in　the　world？　when　you　will　be　obliged　to　go　and　beg！〃　And　then　I　thought　again　〃No；　you　will　not　be　obliged　to　beg：　you　will　go　to　Major　Tellheim；　he　will　share　his　last　penny　with　you；　he　will　feed　you　till　you　die；　and　with　him　you　can　die　like　an　honest　fellow。〃

MAJ。　T。　（taking　Werner's　hand）。　And；　comrade；　you　do　not　think　so　still？

WER。　No；　I　do　not　think　so　any　longer。　He　who　will　not　take　anything　from　me；　when　he　is　in　want；　and　I　have　to　give；　will　not　give　me　anything　when　he　has　to　give；　and　I　am　in　want。　So　be　it。　（Is　going。）

MAJ。　T。　Man；　do　not　drive　me　mad！　Where　are　you　going？　（Detains　him。）　If　I　assure　you　now；　upon　my　honour；　that　I　still　have　moneyIf　I　assure　you；　upon　my　honour；　that　I　will　tell　you　when　I　have　no　more　that　you　shall　be　the　first　and　only　person　from　whom　I　will　borrow　anythingwill　that　content　you？

WER。　I　suppose　it　must。　Give　me　your　hand　on　it；　Major。

MAJ。　T。　There；　Paul！　And　now　enough　of　that；　I　came　here　to　speak　with　a　certain　young　woman。



SCENE　VIII。　Franziska　（coming　out　of　Minna's　room）；　Major　von　Tellheim；　Paul　Werner

FRAN。　（entering）。　Are　you　there　still；　Mr。　Sergeant？　（Seeing　Tellheim。）　And　you　there　too；　Major？　I　will　be　at　your　service　instantly。　（Goes　back　quickly　into　the　room。）



SCENE　IX。　Major　von　Tellheim；　Paul　Werner

MAJ。　T。　That　was　she！　But　it　seems　you　know　her；　Werner。

WER。　Yes；　I　know　her。

MAJ。　T。　Yet；　if　I　remember　rightly；　when　I　was　in　Thuringia　you　were　not　with　me。

WER。　No；　I　was　seeing　after　the　uniforms　in　Leipsic。

MAJ。　T。　Where　did　you　make　her　acquaintance；　then？

WER。　Our　acquaintance　is　very　young。　Not　a　day　old。　But　young　friendship　is　warm。

MAJ。　T。　Have　you　seen　her　mistress；　too？

WER。　Is　her　mistress　a　young　lady？　She　told　me　you　are　acquainted　with　her　mistress。

MAJ。　T。　Did　not　you　hear？　She　comes　from　Thuringia。

WER。　Is　the　lady　young？

MAJ。　T。　Yes。

WER。　Pretty？

MAJ。　T。　Very　pretty。

WER。　Rich？

MAJ。　T。　Very　rich。

WER。　Is　the　mistress　as　fond　of　you　as　the　maid　is？　That　would　be　capital！

MAJ。　T。　What　do　you　mean？



SCENE　X。　Franziska　（with　a　letter　in　her　hand）；　Major　von　Tellheim；　Paul　Werner

FRAN。　Major

MAJ。　T。　Franziska；　I　have　not　yet　been　able　to　give　you　a　〃Welcome〃　here。

FRAN。　In　thought；　I　am　sure　that　you　have　done　it。　I　know　you　are　friendly　to　me；　so　am　I　to　you。　But　it　is　not　at　all　kind　to　vex　those　who　are　friendly　to　you　so　much。

WER。　（aside）。　Ah！　now　I　see　it。　It　is　so！

MAJ。　T。　My　destiny；　Franziska！　Did　you　give　her　the　letter？

FRAN。　Yes；　and　here　I　bring　you　。　。　。　（holding　out　a　letter）。

MAJ。　T。　An　answer！

FRAN。　No；　your　own　letter　again。

MAJ。　T。　What！　She　will　not　read　it！

FRAN。　She　would　have　liked；　butwe　can't　read　writing　well。

MAJ。　T。　You　are　joking！

FRAN。　And　we　think　that　writing　was　not　invented　for　those　who　can　converse　with　their　lips　whenever　they　please。

MAJ。　T。　What　an　excuse！　She　must　read　it。　It　contains　my　justificationall　the　grounds　and　reasons

FRAN。　My　mistress　wishes　to　hear　them　all　from　you　yourself；　not　to　read　them。

MAJ。　T。　Hear　them　from　me　myself！　That　every　look；　every　word　of　hers；　may　embarrass　me；　that　I　may　feel　in　every　glance　the　greatness　of　my　loss。

FRAN。　Without　any　pity！　Take　it。　（Giving　him　his　letter。）　She　expects　you　at　three　o'clock。　She　wishes　to　drive　out　and　see　the　town；　you　must　accompany　her。

MAJ。　T。　Accompany　her！

FRAN。　And　what　will　you　give　me　to　let　you　drive　out　by　yourselves？　I　shall　remain　at　home。

MAJ。　T。　By　ourselves！

FRAN。　In　a　nice　close　carriage。

MAJ。　T。　Impossible！

FRAN。　Yes；　yes；　in　the　carriage；　Major。　You　will　have　to　submit　quietly；　you　cannot　escape　there！　And　that　is　the　reason。　In　short；　you　will　come；　Major；　and　punctually　at　three。　。　。　。　Well；　you　wanted　to　speak　to　me　too　alone。　What　have　you　to　say　to　me？　Oh！　we　are　not　alone。　（Looking　at　Werner。）

MAJ。　T。　Yes；　Franziska；　as　good　as　alone。　But　as　your　mistress　has　not　read　my　letter；　I　have　nothing　now　to　say　to　you。

FRAN。　As　good　as　alone！　Then　you　have　no　secrets　from　the　Sergeant？

MAJ。　T。　No；　none。

FRAN。　And　yet　I　think　you　should　have　some　from　him。

MAJ。　T。　Why　so？

WER。　How　so；　little　woman？

FRAN。　Particularly　secrets　of　a　certain　kind。　。　。　。　All　twenty；　Mr。　Sergeant！　（Holding　up　both　her　hands；　with　open　fingers。）

WER。　Hist！　hist！　girl。

MAJ。　T。　What　is　the　meaning　of　that？

FRAN。　Presto！　conjured　on　to　his　finger；　Mr。　Sergeant　（as　if　she　was　putting　a　ring　on　her　fingers）。

MAJ。　T。　What　are　you　talking　about？

WER。　Little　woman；　little　woman；　don't　you　understand　a　joke？

MAJ。　T。　Werner；　you　have　not　forgotten；　I　hope；　what　I　have　often　told　you；　that　one　should　not　jest　beyond　a　certain　point　with　a　young　woman！

WER。　Upon　my　life　I　may　have　forgotten　it！　Little　woman；　I　beg

FRAN。　Well；　if　it　was　a　joke；　I　will　forgive　you　this　once。

MAJ。　T。　Well；　if　I　must　come；　Franziska；　just　see　that　your　mistress　reads　my　letter　beforehand？　That　will　spare　me　the　pain　of　thinking　againof　talking　again；　of　things　which　I　would　willingly　forget。　There；　give　it　to　her！　（He　turns　the　letter　in　giving　it　to　her；　and　sees　that　it　has　been　opened。）　But　do　I　see　aright？　Why　it　has　been　opened。

FRAN。　That　may　be。　（Looks　at　it。）　True；　it　is　open。　Who　can　have　opened　it？　But　really　we　have　not　read　it；　Major；　really　not。　And　we　do　not　wish　to　read　it；　because　the　writer　is　coming　himself。　Come；　and　I　tell　you　what；　Major！　don't　come　as　you　are　nowin　boots；　and　with　such　a　head。　You　are　excusable；　you　do　not　expect　us。　Come　in　shoes；　and　have　your　hair　fresh　dressed。　You　look　too　soldierlike；　too　Prussian　for　me　as　you　are。

MAJ。　T。　Thank　you；　Franziska。

FRAN。　You　look　as　if　you　had　been　bivouacking　last　night。

MAJ。　T。　You　may　have　guessed　right。

FRAN。　We　are　going　to　dress；　directly　too；　and　then　have　dinner。　We　would　willingly　ask　you　to　dinner；　but　your　presence　might　hinder　our　eating；　and　observe；　we　are　not　so　much　in　love　that　we　have　lost　our　appetites。

MAJ。　T。　I　will　go。　Prepare　her　somewhat；　Franziska；　beforehand；　that　I　may　not　become　contemptible　in　her　eyes；　and　in　my　own。　Come；　Werner；　you　shall　dine　with　me。

WER。　At　the　table　d'hote　here　in　the　house？　I　could　not　eat　a　bit　there。

MAJ。　T。　With　me；　in　my　room。

WER。　I　will　follow　you　directly。　One　word　first　with　the　little　woman。

MAJ。　T。　I　have　no　objection　to