Последний отзыв
По всем вопросам обращайтесь на: info@litportal.ru
(©) 2003-2024.
✖
The German Classics of the Nineteenth and Twentieth Centuries, Volume 07
Настройки чтения
Размер шрифта
Высота строк
Поля
Your Highness—what is your purpose?
WILHELMINE
Throw the veil about my head. Don't question everything I do. Must I give you an accounting for every trifle?
SONNSFELD
Good Heavens—have you joined your mother in her revolutionary ideas?
WILHELMINE
I have joined no one. I want to show the world that a Princess of Prussia has at least the right to pass from one court of the palace to another of her own free will. I am tired of being tyrannized in this way. The Grand Elector lived for me as well as for the others—the Hohenzollerns are what they are for my sake also. Adieu. [Holds out her hand.] You may kiss my hand. And do not forget that I am the daughter of a king who is forming great and important plans for his child's future, and that this child, even though she should be stubborn enough to refuse to acquiesce in his plans, will still be none the less a Princess of Prussia.
[She turns to go. The centre door opens and ECKHOF comes in, followed by three grenadiers. The door remains open.]
ECKHOF
Halt!
SONNSFELD
Are you to have a Guard of Honor, Princess?
ECKHOF
Grenadiers—front!
[Three more men come in without their muskets. The first carries a Bible, the second a soup tureen, the third a half-knitted stocking.]
ECKHOF (comes forward and salutes the PRINCESS).
May it please your Royal Highness graciously to forgive me, if by reason of a special investigation commanded by His Majesty the King, in consequence of forbidden communication with Castle Rheinsberg, I ask Your Highness to graciously submit to a strict room-arrest, as ordered by His Majesty the King.
SONNSFELD
What's that? Princess!
ECKHOF
Likewise, His Majesty the King has graciously pleased to make the following dispositions First grenadier, front! [The first grenadier marches forward with the Bible.] Your Royal Highness is to learn chapters three to five of the Song of Solomon so thoroughly that the Court Chaplain can examine Your Highness in the same tomorrow morning at five o'clock. Second grenadier, front! [The second grenadier comes forward with the soup tureen.] The food ordered for Your Highness will be brought up from the garrison kitchen punctually every day.
SONNSFELD (opens the tureen).
Dreadful stuff! Boiled beans!
ECKHOF
Third grenadier, front! [The third grenadier comes forward with the half-knitted stocking.] And, finally, His Majesty the King pleases to command Your Highness to knit, every two days, a pair of woolen stockings for the worthy Foundling Asylum of Berlin. May it please Your Royal Highness—this ends my orders.
SONNSFELD (in a tone of despair).
Princess, are these the King's plans for your future?
WILHELMINE (trembling in excitement).
Calm yourself, dear friend. Yes, this is the beginning of a new life for me. The battle is on! Go to my father and tell him—
SONNSFELD
Go to the King and tell him—[To the PRINCESS.] What are they to tell him?
WILHELMINE (with tragic decision).
Tell him that I—
SONNSFELD
Tell him that we—
WILHELMINE
That I—[Her courage begins to fail.] That although we will learn the chapters—
SONNSFELD
And although we will eat the beans—
WILHELMINE
It will not be our fault if [with renewed courage] if in the despair of our hearts—
SONNSFELD (tragically).
We let fall the stitches in the orphan's stockings—
WILHELMINE
And wish that we were merely the Princess of Reuss—
SONNSFELD
Schleiz—
WILHELMINE
Greiz and Lobenstein!
[They go out angrily.]
