Minna Von Barnhelm

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Готхольд Эфраим Лессинг

Год написания книги

2019

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Madam, I am not accustomed to complain.

MIN.

Very well. I know nothing in a soldier, after boasting, that pleases me less than complaining. But there is a certain cold, careless way of speaking of bravery and misfortune!!!!!

MAJ. T.

Which at the bottom is still boasting and complaining.

MIN.

You disputant! You should not have called yourself unhappy at all then. You should have told the whole, or kept quiet. Reason and necessity commanded you to forget me? I am a great stickler for reason; I have a great respect for necessity. But let me hear how reasonable this reason, and how necessary this necessity may be.

MAJ. T.

Listen then, Madam. You call me Tellheim; the name is correct. But suppose I am not that Tellheim whom you knew at home; the prosperous man, full of just pretensions, with a thirst for glory; the master of all his faculties, both of body and mind; before whom the lists of honour and prosperity stood open; who, if he was not then worthy of your heart and your hand, dared to hope that he might daily become more nearly so. This Tellheim I am now, as little as I am my own father. They both have been. Now I am Tellheim the discharged, the suspected, the cripple, the beggar. To the former, Madam, you promised your hand; do you wish to keep your word?

MIN.

That sounds very tragic… Yet, Major Tellheim, until I find the former one again—I am quite foolish about the Tellheims—the latter will have to help me in my dilemma. Your hand, dear beggar!

(Taking his hand).

MAJ. T. (holding his hat before his face with the other hand, and turning away from her).

This is too much!… What am I?… Let me go, Madam. Your kindness tortures me! Let me go.

MIN.

What is the matter? Where would you go?

MAJ. T.

From you!

MIN.

From me

(drawing his hand to her heart)?

Dreamer!

MAJ. T.

Despair will lay me dead at your feet.

MIN.

From me?

MAJ. T.

From you. Never, never to see you again. Or at least determined, fully determined, never to be guilty of a mean action; never to cause you to commit an imprudent one. Let me go, Minna!

(Tears himself away, and Exit.)

MIN. (calling after him).

Let you go, Minna? Minna, let you go? Tellheim! Tellheim!

ACT III

SCENE I

The Parlour. Just (with a letter in his hand)

JUST.

Must I come again into this cursed house! A note from my master to her ladyship that would be his sister. I hope nothing will come of this, or else there will be no end to letter carrying. I should like to be rid of it; but yet I don't wish to go into the room. The women ask so many questions, and I hate answering—Ah! the door opens. Just what I wanted, the waiting puss!

Scene II

Franziska and Just

FRAN. (calling through the door by which she has just entered).

Fear not; I will watch. See!

(observing Just)

I have met with something immediately. But nothing is to be done with that brute.

JUST.

Your servant.

FRAN.

I should not like such a servant.

JUST.

Well, well, pardon the expression! There is a note from my master to your mistress—her ladyship—his sister, wasn't it?—sister.

FRAN.

Give it me!