Minna Von Barnhelm

by Gotthold Ephraim Lessing

FIRST SER.
Your ladyship, his excellency the Count!
SECOND SER.
He is coming, your ladyship!
FRAN. (running to the window).
It is! it is he!
MIN.
Is it? Now, Tellheim, quick!
MAJ. T. (suddenly recovering himself).
Who, who comes? Your uncle, Madam! this cruel uncle!... Let him
come; just let him come!... Fear not!... He shall not hurt you
even by a look. He shall have to deal with me... You do not indeed
deserve it of me.
MIN.
Quick, Tellheim! one embrace and forget all.
MAJ. T.
Ah! did I but know that you could regret!!!!!
MIN.
No, I can never regret having obtained a sight of your whole heart!
... Ah! what a man you are!... Embrace your Minna, your happy
Minna: and in nothing more happy than in the possession of you.
(Embracing.)
And now to meet him!
MAJ. T.
To meet whom?
MIN.
The best of your unknown friends.
MAJ. T.
What!
MIN.
The Count, my uncle, my father, your father... My flight, his
displeasure, my loss of property—do you not see that all is a
fiction, credulous knight?
MAJ. T.
Fiction! But the ring? the ring?
MIN.
Where is the ring that I gave back to you?
MAJ. T.
You will take it again? Ah! now I am happy... Here, Minna
(taking it from his pocket).
MIN.
Look at it first! Oh! how blind are those who will not see!... What
ring is that? the one you gave me? or the one I gave to you? Is it not
the one which I did not like to leave in the landlord's possession?
MAJ. T.
Heaven! what do I see! What do I hear!
MIN.
Shall I take it again now? Shall I? Give it to me! give it!
(Takes it from him, and then puts it on his finger herself.)
There, now all is right!
MAJ. T.
Where am I?
(Kissing her hand.)
Oh! malicious angel, to torture me so!
MIN.
As a proof, my dear husband, that you shall never play me a trick
without my playing you one in return.... Do you suppose that you
did not torture me also?
MAJ. T.
Oh you actresses! But I ought to have known you.
FRAN.
Not I, indeed; I am spoilt for acting. I trembled and shook, and was
obliged to hold my lips together with my hand.
MIN.
Nor was mine an easy part.—But come now!!!!!
MAJ. T.
I have not recovered myself yet. How happy, yet how anxious, I feel.
It is like awaking suddenly from a frightful dream.
MIN.
We are losing time... I hear him coming now.

SCENE XIII.
Count von Bruchsal (accompanied by several servants and the Landlord),
Two Servants, Werner, Just, Major von Tellheim, Minna, Franziska

COUNT. (entering).
She arrived in safety, I hope?
MIN. (running to meet him).
Ah! my father!
COUNT.
Here I am, dear Minna
(embracing her).
But what, girl
(seeing Tellheim),
only four-and-twenty hours here, and friends—company already!
MIN.
Guess who it is?
COUNT.
Not your Tellheim, surely!
MIN.
Who else!—Come, Tellheim
(introducing him).
COUNT.
Sir, we have never met; but at the first glance I fancied I recognised
you. I wished it might be Major von Tellheim.—Your hand, sir; you
have my highest esteem; I ask for your friendship. My niece, my
daughter loves you.
MIN.
You know that, my father!—And was my love blind?
COUNT.
No, Minna, your love was not blind; but your lover—is dumb.
MAJ. T. (throwing himself in the Count's arms).
Let me recover myself, my father!
COUNT.
Right, my son. I see your heart can speak, though your lips cannot. I
do not usually care for those who wear this uniform. But you are an
honourable man, Tellheim; and one must love an honourable man, in
whatever garb he may be.
MIN.
Ah! did you but know all!
COUNT.
Why should I not hear all?—Which are my apartments, landlord?
LAND.
Will your Excellency have the goodness to walk this way?
COUNT.
Come, Minna! Pray come, Major!
(Exit with the Landlord and servants.)
MIN.
Come, Tellheim!
MAJ. T.
I will follow you in an instant, Minna. One word first with this man
(turning to Werner).
MIN.
And a good word, methinks, it should be. Should it not, Franziska?
(Exit.)

SCENE XIV.
Major von Tellheim, Werner, Just, Franziska
MAJ. T. (pointing to the purse which Werner had thrown down).
Here, Just, pick up the purse and carry it home. Go!
(Just takes it up and goes.)
WER. (still standing, out of humour, in a corner, and absent till he
hears the last words).
Well, what now?
MAJ. T. (in a friendly tone while going up to him).
Werner, when can I have the other two thousand pistoles?
WER. (in a good humour again instantly).
To-morrow, Major, to-morrow.
MAJ. T.
I do not need to become your debtor; but I will be your banker. All
you good-natured people ought to have guardians. You are in a manner
spendthrifts.—I irritated you just now, Werner.
WER.
Upon my life you did! But I ought not to have been such a dolt. Now I
see it all clearly. I deserve a hundred lashes. You may give them to
me, if you will, Major. Only no more ill will, dear Major!
MAJ. T.
Ill will!
(shaking him by the hand).
Read in my eyes all that I cannot say to you—Ah! let me see the man
with a better wife and a more trusty friend than I shall have.—Eh!
Franziska?
(Exit.)

SCENE XV.
Werner, Franziska
FRAN. (aside).
Yes, indeed, he is more than good!—Such a man will never fall in my
way again.—It must come out.
(Approaching Werner bashfully.)
Mr. Sergeant!
WER. (wiping his eyes).
Well!
FRAN.
Mr. Sergeant!!!!!
WER.
What do you want, little woman?
FRAN.
Look at me, Mr. Sergeant.
WER.
I can't yet; there is something, I don't know what, in my eyes.
FRAN.
Now do look at me!
WER.
I am afraid I have looked at you too much already, little woman!
There, now I can see you. What then?
FRAN.
Mr. Sergeant—don't you want a Mrs. Sergeant?
WER.
Do you really mean it, little woman?
FRAN.
Really I do.
WER.
And would you go with me to Persia even?
FRAN.
Wherever you please.
WER.
You will! Hullo, Major, no boasting! At any rate I have got as good a
wife, and as trusty a friend, as you.—Give me your hand, my little
woman! It's a match!—In ten years' time you shall be a general's
wife, or a widow!