hermann and dorothea-第4节

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covered。　Only　a　well…dowered　bride　should　I　like　to　receive　to　my　dwelling。　She　who　is　poor　is　sure；　in　the　end；　to　be　scorned　by　her　husband；　And　will　as　servant　be　held；　who　as　servant　came　in　with　her　bundle。　Men　will　remain　unjust　when　the　season　of　love　is　gone　over。　Yes；　my　Hermann；　thy　father's　old　age　thou　greatly　canst　gladden；　If　thou　a　daughter…in…law　will　speedily　bring　to　my　dwelling；　Out　of　the　neighborhood　here；from　the　house　over　yonder；　the　green　one。　Rich　is　the　man；　I　can　tel1　thee。　His　manufactures　and　traffic　Daily　are　making　him　richer；　for　whence　draws　the　merchant　not　profit？　Three　daughters　only　he　has；　to　divide　his　fortune　among　them。　True　that　the　eldest　already　is　taken；　but　there　is　the　second　Still　to　be　had；　as　well　as　the　third；　and　not　long　so；　it　may　be。　I　would　never　have　lingered　till　now；　had　I　been　in　thy　place；　But　had　fetched　one　of　the　maidens；　as　once　I　bore　off　thy　dear　mother。〃　Modestly　then　did　the　son　to　the　urgent　father　answer；　〃Truly　'twas　my　wish　too；　as　well　as　thine　own；　to　have　chosen　One　of　our　neighbor's　daughters；　for　we　had　been　brought　up　together；　Played；　in　the　early　days；　about　the　market…place　fountain；　And；　from　the　other　boys'　rudeness；　I　often　have　been　their　defender。　That；　though；　is　long　since　past：　the　girls；　as　they　grew　to　be　older；　Properly　stayed　in　the　house；　and　shunned　the　more　boisterous　pastimes。　Well　brought　up　are　they；　surely！　I　used　sometimes　to　go　over；　Partly　to　gratify　thee；　and　because　of　our　former　acquaintance：　But　no　pleasure　I　ever　could　take　in　being　among　them；　For　I　was　always　obliged　to　endure　their　censures　upon　me。　Quite　too　long　was　my　coat；　the　cloth　too　coarse；　and　the　color　Quite　too　common；　my　hair　was　not　cropped；　as　it　should　be；　and　frizzled。　I　was　resolved；　at　last；　that　I；　also；　would　dress　myself　finely；　Just　as　those　office…boys　do　who　always　are　seen　there　on　Sundays；　Wearing　in　summer　their　half…silken　flaps；　that　dangled　about　them；　But　I　discovered；　betimes；　they　made　ever　a　laughing…stock　of　me。　And　I　was　vexed　when　I　saw　it；it　wounded　my　pride；　but　more　deeply　Felt　I　aggrieved　that　they　the　good…will　should　so　far　misinterpret　That　in　my　heart　I　bore　them；especially　Minna　the　youngest。　It　was　on　Easter…day　that　last　I　went　over　to　see　them；　Wearing　my　best　new　coat；　that　is　now　hanging　up　in　the　closet；　And　having　frizzled　my　hair；　like　that　of　the　other　young　fellows。　Soon　as　I　entered；　they　tittered；　but　that　not　at　me；　as　I　fancied。　Minna　before　the　piano　was　seated；　the　father　was　present；　Hearing　his　daughters　sing；　and　full　of　delight　and　good…humor。　Much　I　could　not　understand　of　all　that　was　said　in　the　singing；　But　of　Pamina　I　often　heard；　and　oft　of　Tamino：　And　I；　besides；　could　not　stay　there　dumb；　so；　as　soon　as　she　ended；　Something　about　the　words　I　asked；　and　about　the　two　persons。　Thereupon　all　were　silent　and　smiled；　but　the　father　made　answer：　'Thou　knowest　no　one；　my　friend；　I　believe；　but　Adam　and　Eve？'　No　one　restrained　himself　longer；　but　loud　laughed　out　then　the　maidens；　Loud　laughed　out　the　boys；　the　old　man　held　his　sides　for　his　laughing。　I；　in　embarrassment；　dropped　my　hat；　and　the　giggling　continued；　On　and　on　and　on；　for　all　they　kept　playing　and　singing。　Back　to　the　house　here　I　hurried；　o'ercome　with　shame　and　vexation；　Hung　up　my　coat　in　the　closet；　and　pulled　out　the　curls　with　my　fingers；　Swearing　that　never　again　my　foot　should　cross　over　that　threshold。　And　I　was　perfectly　right；　for　vain　are　the　maidens；　and　heartless。　E'en　to　this　day；　as　I　hear；　I　am　called　by　them　ever　'Tamino。'〃

Thereupon　answered　the　mother；　and　said：　〃Thou　shouldest　not；　Hermann；　Be　so　long　vexed　with　the　children：　indeed；　they　are　all　of　them　children。　Minna；　believe　me；　is　good；　and　was　always　disposed　to　thee　kindly。　'Twas　not　long　since　she　was　asking　about　thee。　Let　her　be　thy　chosen！〃

Thoughtfully　answered　the　son：　〃I　know　not。　That　mortification　Stamped　itself　in　me　so　deeply；　I　never　could　bear　to　behold　her　Seated　before　the　piano　or　listen　again　to　her　singing。〃

Forth　broke　the　father　then；　and　in　words　of　anger　made　answer：　〃Little　of　joy　will　my　life　have　in　thee！　I　said　it　would　be　so　When　I　perceived　that　thy　pleasure　was　solely　in　horses　and　farming：　Work　which　a　servant；　indeed；　performs　for　an　opulent　master；　That　thou　doest；　the　father　meanwhile　must　his　son　be　deprived　of；　Who　should　appear　as　his　pride；　in　the　sight　of　the　rest　of　the　townsmen。　Early　with　empty　hopes　thy　mother　was　wont　to　deceive　me；　When　in　the　school　thy　studies；　thy　reading　and　writing；　would　never　As　with　the　others　succeed；　but　thy　seat　would　he　always　the　lowest。　That　comes　about；　forsooth；　when　a　youth　has　no　feeling　of　honor　Dwelling　within　his　breast；　nor　the　wish　to　raise　himself　higher。　Had　but　my　father　so　cared　for　me　as　thou　hast　been　cared　for；　If　he　had　sent　me　to　school；　and　provided　me　thus　with　instructors；　I　should　be　other；　I　trow；　than　host　of　the　Golden　Lion！〃

Then　the　son　rose　from　his　seat　and　noiselessly　moved　to　the　doorway；　Slowly；　and　speaking　no　word。　The　father；　however；　in　passion　After　him　called；　〃Yes；　go；　thou　obstinate　fellow！　I　know　thee！　Go　and　look　after　the　business　henceforth；　that　I　have　not　to　chide　thee；　But　do　thou　nowise　imagine　that　ever　a　peasant…born　maiden　Thou　for　a　daughter…in…law　shalt　bring　into　my　dwelling；　the　hussy！　Long　have　I　lived　in　the　world；　and　know　how　mankind　should　be　dealt　with；　Know　how　to　entertain　ladies　and　gentlemen　so　that　contented　They　shall　depart　from　my　house；　and　strangers　agreeably　can　flatter。　Yet　I'm　resolved　that　some　day　I　one　will　have　for　a　daughter；　Who　shall　requite　me　in　kind　and　sweeten　my　manifold　labors；　Who　the　piano　shall　play　to　me；　too；　so　that　there　shall　with　pleasure　All　the　handsomest　people　in　town　and　the　finest　assemble；　As　they　on　Sundays　do　now　in　the　house　of　our　neighbor。〃　Here　Hermann　Softly　pressed　on　the　latch；　and　so　went　out　from　the　chamber。



THALIA

THE　CITIZENS

Thus　did　the　modest　son　slip　away　from　the　angry　upbraiding；　But　in　the　tone　he　had　taken　at　first；　the　father　continued：　〃That　comes　not　out　of　a　man　which　he　has　not　in　him；　and　hardly　Shall　the　joy　ever　be　mine　of　seeing　my　dearest　wish　granted：　That　my　son　may　not　as　his　father　be；　but　a　better。　What　would　become　of　the　house；　and　what　of　the　city　if　each　one　Were　not　with　pleasure　and　always　intent　on　maintaining；　renewing；　Yea；　and　improving；　too；　as　time　and　the　foreigner　teach　us！　Man　is　not　meant；　forsooth；　to　grow　from　the　ground　like　a　mushroom；　Quickly　to　perish　away　on　the　spot　of　ground　that　begot　him；　Leaving　no　trace　behind　of　himself　and　his　animate　action！　As　by　the　house　we　straightway　can　tell　the　mind　of　the　master；　So；　when　we　walk　through　a　city；　we　judge　of　the　persons　who　rule　it。　For　where　the　towers　and　walls　are　falling　to　ruin；　where　offal　Lies　in　heaps　in　the　gutters；　and　alleys　with　offal　are　littered；　Where　from　its　place　has　started　the　stone；　and　no　one　resets　it；　Where　the　timbers　are　rotting　away；　and　the　house　is　awaiting　Vainly　its　new　supports；that　place　we　may　know　is　ill　governed。　Since　if　not　from　above　work　order　and　cleanliness　downward；　Easily　grows　the　citizen　used　to　untidy　postponement；　Just　as　the　beggar　grows　likewise　used　to　his　ragged　apparel。　Therefore　I　wished　that　our　Hermann　might　early　set　out　on　some　travels；　That　he　at　least　might　behold　the　cities　of　Strasburg　and　Frankfort；　Friendly　Mannheim；　too；　that　is　cheerful　and　evenly　builded。　He　that　has　once　beheld　cities　so　cleanly　and　large；　never　after　Ceases　his　own　native　city；　though　small　it　may　be；　to　embellish。　Do　not　the　strangers　who　come　here　commend　the　repairs　in　our　gateway；　Notice　our　whitewashed　tower；　and　the　church　we　have　newly　rebuilded？　Are　not　all　praising　our　pavement？　the　covered　canals　full　of　water；　Laid　with　a　wise　distribution；　which　furnish　us　profit　and　safety；　So　that　no　sooner　does　fire　break　out　than　'tis　promptly　arrested？　Has　not　all　this　come　to　pass　since　the　time　of　our　great　conflagration？　Builder　I　six　times　was　named　by　the　council；　and　won　the　approval；　Won　moreover　the　heartfelt　thanks　of　all　the　good　burghers；　Actively　carrying　out　what　I　planned；　and　also　fulfilling　What　had　by　upright　men　been　designed；　and　left　uncompleted。　Finally　grew　the　same　zeal　in　every　one　of　the　council；　All　now　labor　together；　and　firmly　decided　already　Stands　it　to　build　the　new　causeway　that　shall　with　the　highroad　connect　us。　But　I　am　sorely　afraid　that　will　not　be　the　way　with　our　children。　Some　think　only　of　pleasure　and　perishable　apparel；　Others　will　cower　at　home；　and　behind　the　stove　will　sit　brooding。　One　of　this　kind；　as　I　fear；　we　shall　find　to　the　last　in　our　Hermann。〃

Straightway　answered　and　said　the　good　and　intelligent　mother：　〃Why　wilt　thou　always；　father；　be　doing　our　son　such　injustice？　That　least　of　all　is　the　way　to　bring　thy　wish　to　fulfilment。　We　have　no　power　to　fashion　our　children　as　suiteth　our　fancy；　As　they　are　given　by　God；　we　so　must　have　them　and　love　them；　Teach　them　as　best　we　can；　and　let　each　of　them　follow　his　nature。　One　will　have　talents　of　one　sort；　and　different　talents　another。　Every　one　uses　his　own；　in　his　own　individual　fashion；　Each　must　be　happy　and　good。　I　will