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The German Classics of the Nineteenth and Twentieth Centuries, Volume 04
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Go, have the carriage up! Her ladyship
Has urgent business with Colonel Homburg.
[The lackeys go out.]
Now he can thank you for his life forthwith.
[He embraces her.]
Dear child, and do you like me now once more?
NATALIE (after a pause).
I do not know and do not seek to know
What woke your favor, liege, so suddenly.
But truly this, I feel this in my heart,
You would not make ignoble sport of me.
The letter hold whate'er it may—I trust
That it hold pardon—and I thank you for it.
[She kisses his hand.]
ELECTOR. Indeed, my little girl, indeed. As sure
As pardon lies in Cousin Homburg's wish.
SCENE II
Room of the PRINCESS. Enter PRINCESS NATALIE, followed by two ladies-in-waiting and Captain of Cavalry, COUNT REUSS.
NATALIE (precipitantly).
What is it, Count? About my regiment?
Is it of moment? Can it wait a day?
REUSS (handing her a letter).
Madam, a note for you from Colonel Kottwitz.
NATALIE (opening it).
Quick, give it me! What's in it?
REUSS. A petition,
Frankly addressed, though deferentially,
As you will note, to our liege lord, his Highness,
In furtherance of our chief, the Prince of Homburg.
NATALIE (reading).
"Petition, loyally presented by
The regiment of Princess Orange"—so.
[Pause.]
This document—whose hand composed it, pray?
REUSS. As the formations of the dizzy script
May let you guess, by none but Colonel Kottwitz.
His noble name stands foremost on the list.
NATALIE. The thirty signatures which follow it?
REUSS. The names of officers, most noble lady,
Each following each according to his rank.
NATALIE. And they sent me the supplication—me?
REUSS. My lady, most submissively to beg
If you, our colonel, likewise, at their head
Will fill the space left vacant, with your name?
[Pause.]
NATALIE. Indeed, I hear, the Prince, my noble kinsman,
By our lord's own volition shall be freed,
Wherefore there scarce is need for such a step.
REUSS (delighted).
What? Truly?
NATALIE. Yet I'll not deny my hand
Upon a document, which, wisely used,
May prove a weight upon the scales to turn
Our sovereign's decision—even prove
Welcome, mayhap, to introduce the issue.
According to your wish, therefore, I set
Myself here at your head and write my name.
[She goes to a desk and is about to write.]
REUSS. Indeed, you have our lively gratitude!
[Pause.]
NATALIE (turning to him again).
My regiment alone I find, Count Reuss!
Why do I miss the Bomsdorf Cuirassiers
And the dragoons of Götz and Anhalt-Pless?
REUSS. Not, as perchance you fear, because their hearts
Are cooler in their throbbing than our own.
It proves unfortunate for our petition
That Kottwitz is in garrison apart
At Arnstein, while the other regiments
Are quartered in the city here. Wherefore
Has urgent business with Colonel Homburg.
[The lackeys go out.]
Now he can thank you for his life forthwith.
[He embraces her.]
Dear child, and do you like me now once more?
NATALIE (after a pause).
I do not know and do not seek to know
What woke your favor, liege, so suddenly.
But truly this, I feel this in my heart,
You would not make ignoble sport of me.
The letter hold whate'er it may—I trust
That it hold pardon—and I thank you for it.
[She kisses his hand.]
ELECTOR. Indeed, my little girl, indeed. As sure
As pardon lies in Cousin Homburg's wish.
SCENE II
Room of the PRINCESS. Enter PRINCESS NATALIE, followed by two ladies-in-waiting and Captain of Cavalry, COUNT REUSS.
NATALIE (precipitantly).
What is it, Count? About my regiment?
Is it of moment? Can it wait a day?
REUSS (handing her a letter).
Madam, a note for you from Colonel Kottwitz.
NATALIE (opening it).
Quick, give it me! What's in it?
REUSS. A petition,
Frankly addressed, though deferentially,
As you will note, to our liege lord, his Highness,
In furtherance of our chief, the Prince of Homburg.
NATALIE (reading).
"Petition, loyally presented by
The regiment of Princess Orange"—so.
[Pause.]
This document—whose hand composed it, pray?
REUSS. As the formations of the dizzy script
May let you guess, by none but Colonel Kottwitz.
His noble name stands foremost on the list.
NATALIE. The thirty signatures which follow it?
REUSS. The names of officers, most noble lady,
Each following each according to his rank.
NATALIE. And they sent me the supplication—me?
REUSS. My lady, most submissively to beg
If you, our colonel, likewise, at their head
Will fill the space left vacant, with your name?
[Pause.]
NATALIE. Indeed, I hear, the Prince, my noble kinsman,
By our lord's own volition shall be freed,
Wherefore there scarce is need for such a step.
REUSS (delighted).
What? Truly?
NATALIE. Yet I'll not deny my hand
Upon a document, which, wisely used,
May prove a weight upon the scales to turn
Our sovereign's decision—even prove
Welcome, mayhap, to introduce the issue.
According to your wish, therefore, I set
Myself here at your head and write my name.
[She goes to a desk and is about to write.]
REUSS. Indeed, you have our lively gratitude!
[Pause.]
NATALIE (turning to him again).
My regiment alone I find, Count Reuss!
Why do I miss the Bomsdorf Cuirassiers
And the dragoons of Götz and Anhalt-Pless?
REUSS. Not, as perchance you fear, because their hearts
Are cooler in their throbbing than our own.
It proves unfortunate for our petition
That Kottwitz is in garrison apart
At Arnstein, while the other regiments
Are quartered in the city here. Wherefore
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Последний отзыв
Классная книга. Очень многое объясняет, что скрытое реально происходит в человеке