minna von barnhelm-第7部分

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LAND。　Dreamt！　No；　my　pretty　maid；　one　does　not　dream　so　minutely。　Yes；　what　would　not　I　giveI　am　not　curious：　but　what　would　not　I　giveto　have　the　key　to　it！

FRAN。　The　key？　Of　our　door？　Mr。　Landlord；　that　is　inside；　we　took　it　in　at　night；　we　are　timid。

LAND。　Not　that　sort　of　key；　I　mean；　my　dear　girl；　the　keythe　explanation；　as　it　were；　the　precise　connexion　of　all　that　I　have　seen。

FRAN。　Indeed！　Well；　good…bye；　Mr。　Landlord。　Shall　we　have　dinner　soon？

LAND。　My　dear　girl；　not　to　forget　what　I　came　to　say

FRAN。　Well？　In　as　few　words　as　possible。

LAND。　Her　ladyship　has　my　ring　still。　I　call　it　mine

FRAN。　You　shall　not　lose　it。

LAND。　I　have　no　fear　on　that　account：　I　merely　put　you　in　mind。　Do　you　see；　I　do　not　wish　to　have　it　again　at　all。　I　can　guess　pretty　well　how　she　knew　the　ring；　and　why　it　was　so　like　her　own。　It　is　best　in　her　hands。　I　do　not　want　it　any　more；　and　I　can　put　them　downthe　hundred　pistoles　which　I　advanced　for　it；　to　the　lady's　bill。　Will　not　that　do；　my　pretty　maid？



SCENE　IV。　Paul　Werner；　Landlord；　Franziska

WER。　There　he　is！

FRAN。　A　hundred　pistoles？　I　thought　it　was　only　eighty。

LAND。　True；　only　ninety；　only　ninety。　I　will　do　so；　my　pretty　maid；　I　will　do　so。

FRAN。　All　that　will　come　right；　Mr。　Landlord。

WER。　（coming　from　behind；　and　tapping　Franziska　on　the　shoulder）。　Little　womanLittle　woman。

FRAN。　（frightened）。　Oh！　dear！

WER。　Don't　be　alarmed！　I　see　you　are　pretty；　and　a　stranger；　too。　And　strangers　who　are　pretty　must　be　warned。　Little　woman！　little　woman！　I　advise　you　to　beware　of　that　fellow！　（Pointing　to　the　Landlord）。

LAND。　Ah！　What　an　unexpected　pleasure！　Herr　Werner！　Welcome；　welcome！　Yes；　you　are　just　the　same　jovial；　joking；　honest　Werner！　So　you　are　to　beware　of　me；　my　pretty　maid。　Ha！　ha！　ha！

WER。　Keep　out　of　his　way　everywhere！

LAND。　My　way？　Am　I　such　a　dangerous　man？　Ha！　ha！　ha！　Hear　him；　my　pretty　maid！　A　good　joke；　isn't　it？

WER。　People　like　him　always　call　it　a　joke；　if　one　tells　them　the　truth。

LAND。　The　truth。　Ha！　ha！　ha！　Better　and　better；　my　pretty　maid；　isn't　it？　He　knows　how　to　joke！　I　dangerous？　I？　Twenty　years　ago　there　might　have　been　something　in　it。　Yes；　yes；　my　pretty　maid；　then　I　was　a　dangerous　man：　many　a　one　knew　it；　but　now

WER。　Oh！　the　old　fool！

LAND。　There　it　is！　When　we　get　old；　danger　is　at　an　end！　It　will　be　so　with　you　too；　Herr　Werner！

WER。　You　utter　old　fool！Little　woman；　you　will　give　me　credit　for　enough　common　sense　not　to　speak　of　danger　from　him。　That　one　devil　has　left　him；　but　seven　others　have　entered　into　him。

LAND。　Oh！　hear　him！　How　cleverly　he　can　turn　things　about。　Joke　upon　joke；　and　always　something　new！　Ah！　he　is　an　excellent　man；　Paul　Werner　is。　（To　Franziska；　as　if　whispering。）　A　well…to…do　man；　and　a　bachelor　still。　He　has　a　nice　little　freehold　three　miles　from　here。　He　made　prize…money　in　the　war；　and　was　a　sergeant　to　the　Major。　Yes；　he　is　a　real　friend　of　the　Major's；　he　is　a　friend　who　would　give　his　life　for　him。

WER。　Yes；　and　that　is　a　friend　of　the　Major'sthat　is　a　friend　。　。　。　whose　life　the　Major　ought　to　take　（Pointing　to　the　Landlord）。

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。　G