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قراءة كتاب Minna Von Barnhelm
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اللغة: English
الصفحة رقم: 3
handful
of money with a tolerably contemptuous mien.
JUST.
Oh! a pretty sort of revenge!
MAJ. T.
Which, however, we must defer. I have not one heller of ready money,
and I know not where to raise any.
JUST.
No money! What is that purse then with five hundred thalers' worth of
louis d'ors, which the Landlord found in your desk?
MAJ. T.
That is money given into my charge.
JUST.
Not the hundred pistoles which your old sergeant brought you four or
five weeks back?
MAJ. T.
The same. Paul Werner's; right.
JUST.
And you have not used them yet? Yet, sir, you may do what you please
with them. I will answer for it that!!!!!
MAJ. T.
Indeed!
JUST.
Werner heard from me, how they had treated your claims upon the War
Office. He heard!!!!!
MAJ. T.
That I should certainly be a beggar soon, if I was not one already. I
am much obliged to you, Just. And the news induced Werner to offer to
share his little all with me. I am very glad that I guessed this.
Listen, Just; let me have your account, directly, too; we must part.
JUST.
How! what!
MAJ. T.
Not a word. There is someone coming.
SCENE V.
Lady in mourning, Major von Tellheim, Just
LADY.
I ask your pardon, sir.
MAJ. T.
Whom do you seek, Madam?
LADY.
The worthy gentleman with whom I have the honour of speaking. You do
not know me again. I am the widow of your late captain.
MAJ. T.
Good heavens, Madam, how you are changed!
LADY.
I have just risen from a sick bed, to which grief on the loss of my
husband brought me. I am troubling you at a very early hour, Major von
Tellheim, but I am going into the country, where a kind, but also
unfortunate friend, has for the present offered me an asylum.
MAJ. T. (to Just).
Leave us.
Lady in mourning, Major von Tellheim, Just
LADY.
I ask your pardon, sir.
MAJ. T.
Whom do you seek, Madam?
LADY.
The worthy gentleman with whom I have the honour of speaking. You do
not know me again. I am the widow of your late captain.
MAJ. T.
Good heavens, Madam, how you are changed!
LADY.
I have just risen from a sick bed, to which grief on the loss of my
husband brought me. I am troubling you at a very early hour, Major von
Tellheim, but I am going into the country, where a kind, but also
unfortunate friend, has for the present offered me an asylum.
MAJ. T. (to Just).
Leave us.
SCENE VI.
Lady, Major von Tellheim
MAJ. T.
Speak freely, Madam! You must not be ashamed of your bad fortune
before me. Can I serve you in any way?
LADY.
Major!!!!!
MAJ. T.
I pity you, Madam! How can I serve you? You know your husband was my
friend; my friend, I say, and I have always been sparing of this
title.
LADY.
Who knows better than I do how worthy you were of his friendship how
worthy he was of yours? You would have been in his last thoughts, your
name would have been the last sound on his dying lips, had not natural
affection, stronger than friendship, demanded this sad prerogative for
his unfortunate son, and his unhappy wife.
MAJ. T.
Cease, Madam! I could willingly weep with you; but I have no tears
to-day. Spare me! You come to me at a time when I might easily be
misled to murmur against Providence. Oh! honest Marloff! Quick, Madam,
what have you to request? If it is in my power to assist you, if it is
in my power!!!!!
LADY.
I cannot depart without fulfilling his last wishes. He recollected,
shortly before his death, that he was dying a debtor to you, and he
conjured me to discharge his debt with the first ready money I should
have. I have sold his carriage, and come to redeem his note.
MAJ. T.
What, Madam! Is that your object in coming?
LADY.
It is. Permit me to count out the money to you.
MAJ. T.
No, Madam. Marloff a debtor to me! that can hardly be. Let us look,
however.
(Takes out a pocketbook, and searches.)
I find nothing of the kind.
LADY.
You have doubtless mislaid his note; besides, it is nothing to the
purpose. Permit me!!!!!
MAJ. T.
No, Madam; I am careful not to mislay such documents. If I have not
got it, it is a proof that I never had it, or that it has been
honoured and already returned by me.
LADY.
Major!
MAJ. T.
Without doubt, Madam; Marloff does not owe me anything—nor can I
remember that he ever did owe me anything. This is so, Madam. He has
much rather left me in his debt. I have never been able to do anything
to repay a man who shared with me good and ill luck, honour and
danger, for six years. I shall not forget that he has left a son. He
shall be my son, as soon as I can be a father to him. The
embarrassment in which I am at present!!!!!
LADY.
Generous man! But do not think so meanly of me. Take the money, Major,
and then at least I shall be at ease.
MAJ. T.
What more do you require to tranquillize you, than my assurance that
the money does not belong to me? Or do you wish that I should rob the
young orphan of my friend? Rob, Madam; for that it would be in the
true meaning of the word. The money belongs to him; invest it for him.
LADY.
I understand you; pardon me if I do not yet rightly know how to accept
a kindness. Where have you learnt that a mother will do more for her
child than for the preservation of her own life? I am going!!!!!
MAJ. T.
Go, Madam, and may you have a prosperous journey! I do not ask you to
let me hear from you. Your news might come to me when it might be of
little use to me. There is yet one thing, Madam; I had nearly
forgotten that which is of most consequence. Marloff also had claims
upon the chest of our old regiment. His claims are as good as mine. If
my demands are paid, his must be paid also. I will be answerable for
them.
LADY.
Oh! Sir... but what can I say? Thus to purpose future good deeds
is, in the eyes of heaven, to have performed them already. May you
receive its reward, as well as my tears.
(Exit.)
Lady, Major von Tellheim
MAJ. T.
Speak freely, Madam! You must not be ashamed of your bad fortune
before me. Can I serve you in any way?
LADY.
Major!!!!!
MAJ. T.
I pity you, Madam! How can I serve you? You know your husband was my
friend; my friend, I say, and I have always been sparing of this
title.
LADY.
Who knows better than I do how worthy you were of his friendship how
worthy he was of yours? You would have been in his last thoughts, your
name would have been the last sound on his dying lips, had not natural
affection, stronger than friendship, demanded this sad prerogative for
his unfortunate son, and his unhappy wife.
MAJ. T.
Cease, Madam! I could willingly weep with you; but I have no tears
to-day. Spare me! You come to me at a time when I might easily be
misled to murmur against Providence. Oh! honest Marloff! Quick, Madam,
what have you to request? If it is in my power to assist you, if it is
in my power!!!!!
LADY.
I cannot depart without fulfilling his last wishes. He recollected,
shortly before his death, that he was dying a debtor to you, and he
conjured me to discharge his debt with the first ready money I should
have. I have sold his carriage, and come to redeem his note.
MAJ. T.
What, Madam! Is that your object in coming?
LADY.
It is. Permit me to count out the money to you.
MAJ. T.
No, Madam. Marloff a debtor to me! that can hardly be. Let us look,
however.
(Takes out a pocketbook, and searches.)
I find nothing of the kind.
LADY.
You have doubtless mislaid his note; besides, it is nothing to the
purpose. Permit me!!!!!
MAJ. T.
No, Madam; I am careful not to mislay such documents. If I have not
got it, it is a proof that I never had it, or that it has been
honoured and already returned by me.
LADY.
Major!
MAJ. T.
Without doubt, Madam; Marloff does not owe me anything—nor can I
remember that he ever did owe me anything. This is so, Madam. He has
much rather left me in his debt. I have never been able to do anything
to repay a man who shared with me good and ill luck, honour and
danger, for six years. I shall not forget that he has left a son. He
shall be my son, as soon as I can be a father to him. The
embarrassment in which I am at present!!!!!
LADY.
Generous man! But do not think so meanly of me. Take the money, Major,
and then at least I shall be at ease.
MAJ. T.
What more do you require to tranquillize you, than my assurance that
the money does not belong to me? Or do you wish that I should rob the
young orphan of my friend? Rob, Madam; for that it would be in the
true meaning of the word. The money belongs to him; invest it for him.
LADY.
I understand you; pardon me if I do not yet rightly know how to accept
a kindness. Where have you learnt that a mother will do more for her
child than for the preservation of her own life? I am going!!!!!
MAJ. T.
Go, Madam, and may you have a prosperous journey! I do not ask you to
let me hear from you. Your news might come to me when it might be of
little use to me. There is yet one thing, Madam; I had nearly
forgotten that which is of most consequence. Marloff also had claims
upon the chest of our old regiment. His claims are as good as mine. If
my demands are paid, his must be paid also. I will be answerable for
them.
LADY.
Oh! Sir... but what can I say? Thus to purpose future good deeds
is, in the eyes of heaven, to have performed them already. May you
receive its reward, as well as my tears.
(Exit.)
SCENE VII.
Major von Tellheim
MAJ. T.
Poor, good woman! I must not forget to destroy the bill.
(Takes some papers from his pocketbook and destroys them.)
Who would guarantee that my own wants might not some day tempt me to
make use of it?
Major von Tellheim
MAJ. T.
Poor, good woman! I must not forget to destroy the bill.
(Takes some papers from his pocketbook and destroys them.)
Who would guarantee that my own wants might not some day tempt me to
make use of it?
SCENE VIII.
Just, Major von Tellheim
MAJ. T.
Is that you, Just?
JUST. (wiping his eyes).
Yes.
MAJ. T.
You have been crying?
JUST.
I have been writing out my account in the kitchen, and the place is
full of smoke. Here it is, sir.
MAJ. T.
Give it to me.
JUST.
Be merciful with me, sir. I know well that they have not been so with
you; still!!!!!
MAJ. T.
What do you want?
JUST.
I should sooner have expected my death, than my discharge.
MAJ. T.
I cannot keep you any longer: I must learn to manage without servants.
(Opens the paper, and reads.)
"What my master, the Major, owes me:—Three months and a half wages,
six thalers per month, is 21 thalers. During the first part of this
month, laid out in sundries—1 thaler 7 groschen 9 pfennigs. Total, 22
thalers 7gr. 9pf." Right; and it is just that I also pay your wages,
for the whole of the current month.
JUST.
Turn over, sir.
MAJ. T.
Oh! more?
(Reads.)
"What I owe my master, the Major:—Paid for me to the army-surgeon
twenty-five thalers. Attendance and nurse during my cure, paid for me,
thirty-nine thalers. Advanced, at my request, to my father—who was
burnt out of his house and robbed—without
Just, Major von Tellheim
MAJ. T.
Is that you, Just?
JUST. (wiping his eyes).
Yes.
MAJ. T.
You have been crying?
JUST.
I have been writing out my account in the kitchen, and the place is
full of smoke. Here it is, sir.
MAJ. T.
Give it to me.
JUST.
Be merciful with me, sir. I know well that they have not been so with
you; still!!!!!
MAJ. T.
What do you want?
JUST.
I should sooner have expected my death, than my discharge.
MAJ. T.
I cannot keep you any longer: I must learn to manage without servants.
(Opens the paper, and reads.)
"What my master, the Major, owes me:—Three months and a half wages,
six thalers per month, is 21 thalers. During the first part of this
month, laid out in sundries—1 thaler 7 groschen 9 pfennigs. Total, 22
thalers 7gr. 9pf." Right; and it is just that I also pay your wages,
for the whole of the current month.
JUST.
Turn over, sir.
MAJ. T.
Oh! more?
(Reads.)
"What I owe my master, the Major:—Paid for me to the army-surgeon
twenty-five thalers. Attendance and nurse during my cure, paid for me,
thirty-nine thalers. Advanced, at my request, to my father—who was
burnt out of his house and robbed—without