第 3 节
作者:蒂帆      更新:2021-02-27 02:29      字数:9321
  nd robbedwithout reckoning the two horses of which he made him a present; fifty thalers。 Total 114 thalers。 Deduct the above 22 thalers; 7gr。 9pf。; I remain in debt to my master; the Major; 91 thalers; 16gr。 3pf。〃 You are mad; my good fellow!
  JUST。 I willingly grant that I owe you much more; but it would be wasting ink to write it down。 I cannot pay you that: and if you take my livery from me too; which; by the way; I have not yet earned;I would rather you had let me die in the workhouse。
  MAJ。 T。 For what do you take me? You owe me nothing; and I will recommend you to one of my friends; with whom you will fare better than with me。
  JUST。 I do not owe you anything; and yet you turn me away!
  MAJ。 T。 Because I do not wish to owe you anything。
  JUST。 On that account? Only on that account? As certain as I am in your debt; as certain as you can never be in mine; so certainly shall you not turn me away now。 Do what you will; Major; I remain in your service; I must remain。
  MAJ。 T。 With your obstinacy; your insolence; your savage boisterous temper towards all who you think have no business to speak to you; your malicious pranks; your love of revenge;
  JUST。 Make me as bad as you will; I shall not think worse of myself than of my dog。 Last winter I was walking one evening at dusk along the river; when I heard something whine。 I stooped down; and reached in the direction whence the sound came; and when I thought I was saving a child; I pulled a dog out of the water。 That is well; thought I。 The dog followed me; but I am not fond of dogs; so I drove him awayin vain。 I whipped him awayin vain。 I shut him out of my room at night; he lay down before the door。 If he came too near me; I kicked him; he yelped; looked up at me; and wagged his tail。 I have never yet given him a bit of bread with my own hand; and yet I am the only person whom he will obey; or who dare touch him。 He jumps about me; and shows off his tricks to me; without my asking for them。 He is an ugly dog; but he is a good animal。 If he carries it on much longer; I shall at last give over hating him。
  MAJ。 T。 (aside)。 As I do him。 No; there is no one perfectly inhuman。 Just; we will not part。
  JUST。 Certainly not! And you wanted to manage without servants! You forget your wounds; and that you only have the use of one arm。 Why; you are not able to dress alone。 I am indispensable to you; and I amwithout boasting; Major;I am a servant who; if the worst comes to the worst; can beg and steal for his master。
  MAJ。 T。 Just; we will part。
  JUST。 All right; Sir!
  SCENE IX。 Servant; Major von Tellheim; Just
  SER。 I say; comrade!
  JUST。 What is the matter?
  SER。 Can you direct me to the officer who lodged yesterday in that room? (Pointing to the one out of which he is coming)。
  JUST。 That I could easily do。 What have you got for him?
  SER。 What we always have; when we have nothingcompliments。 My mistress hears that he has been turned out on her account。 My mistress knows good manners; and I am therefore to beg his pardon。
  JUST。 Well then; beg his pardon; there he stands。
  SER。 What is he? What is his name?
  MAJ。 T。 I have already heard your message; my friend。 It is unnecessary politeness on the part of your mistress; which I beg to acknowledge duly。 Present my compliments to her。 What is the name of your mistress?
  SER。 Her name! We call her my Lady。
  MAJ。 T。 The name of her family?
  SER。 I have not heard that yet; and it is not my business to ask。 I manage so that I generally get a new master every six weeks。 Hang all their names!
  JUST。 Bravo; comrade!
  SER。 I was engaged by my present mistress a few days ago; in Dresden。 I believe she has come here to look for her lover。
  MAJ。 T。 Enough; friend。 I wished to know the name of your mistress; not her secrets。 Go!
  SER。 Comrade; he would not do for my master。
  SCENE X。 Major von Tellheim; Just
  MAJ。 T。 Just! see that we get out of this house directly! The politeness of this strange lady affects me more than the churlishness of the host。 Here; take this ringthe only thing of value which I have leftof which I never thought such a use。 Pawn it! get eighty louis d'ors for it: our host's bill can scarcely amount to thirty。 Pay him; and remove my things。 。 。 。 Ah; where? Where you will。 The cheaper the inn; the better。 You will find me in the neighbouring coffee…house。 I am going; you will see to it all properly?
  JUST。 Have no fear; Major!
  MAJ。 T。 (comes back)。 Above all things; do not let my pistols be forgotten; which hang beside the bed。
  JUST。 I will forget nothing。
  MAJ。 T。 (comes back again)。 Another thing: bring your dog with you too。 Do you hear; Just?
  SCENE XI。 Just
  JUST。 The dog will not stay behind; he will take care of that。 Hem! My master still had this valuable ring and carried it in his pocket instead of on his finger! My good landlord; we are not yet so poor as we look。 To him himself; I will pawn you; you beautiful little ring! I know he will be annoyed that you will not all be consumed in his house。 Ah!
  SCENE XII。 Paul Werner; Just
  JUST。 Hullo; Werner! good…day to you; Werner。 Welcome to the town。
  WER。 The accursed village! I can't manage to get at home in it again。 Merry; my boys; merry; I have got some more money! Where is the Major?
  JUST。 He must have met you; he just went down stairs。
  WER。 I came up the back stairs。 How is he? I should have been with you last week; but
  JUST。 Well; what prevented you?
  WER。 Just; did you ever hear of Prince Heraclius?
  JUST。 Heraclius? Not that I know of。
  WER。 Don't you know the great hero of the East?
  JUST。 I know the wise men of the East well enough; who go about with the stars on New Year's Eve。
  WER。
  Brother; I believe you read the newspapers as little as the Bible。 You do not know Prince Heraclius。 Not know the brave man who seized Persia; and will break into the Ottoman Porte in a few days? Thank God; there is still war somewhere in the world! I have long enough hoped it would break out here again。 But there they sit and take care of their skins。 No; a soldier I was; and a soldier I must be again! In short; (looking round carefully; to see if anyone is listening) between ourselves; Just; I am going to Persia; to have a few campaigns against the Turks; under his Royal Highness Prince Heraclius。
  JUST。 You?
  WER。 I myself。 Our ancestors fought bravely against the Turks; and so ought we too; if we would be honest men and good Christians。 I allow that a campaign against the Turks cannot be half so pleasant as one against the French; but then it must be so much the more beneficial in this world and the next。 The swords of the Turks are all set with diamonds。
  JUST。 I would not walk a mile to have my head split with one of their sabres。 You will not be so mad as to leave your comfortable little farm!
  WER。 Oh! I take that with me。 Do you see? The property is sold。
  JUST。 Sold?
  WER。 Hist! Here are a hundred ducats; which I received yesterday towards the payment: I am bringing them for the Major。
  JUST。 What is he to do with them?
  WER。 What is he to do with them? Spend them; play them; or drink them away; or whatever he pleases。 He must have money; and it is bad enough that they have made his own so troublesome to him。 But I know what I would do; were I in his place。 I would say〃The deuce take you all here; I will go with Paul Werner to Persia!〃 Hang it! Prince Heraclius must have heard of Major von Tellheim; if he has not heard of Paul Werner; his late sergeant。 Our affair at Katzenhauser
  JUST。 Shall I give you an account of that?
  WER。 You give me! I know well that a fine battle array is beyond your comprehension。 I am not going to throw my pearls before swine。 Here; take the hundred ducats; give them to the Major: tell him; he may keep these for me too。 I am going to the market now。 I have sent in a couple of loads of rye; what I get for them he can also have。
  JUST。 Werner; you mean it well; but we don't want your money。 Keep your ducats; and your hundred pistoles you can also have back safe; as soon as you please。
  WER。 What; has the Major money still?
  JUST。 No。
  WER。 Has he borrowed any?
  JUST。 No。
  WER。 On what does he live; then?
  JUST。 We have everything put down in the bill; and when they won't put anything more down; and turn us out of the house; we pledge anything we may happen to have; and go somewhere else。 I say; Paul; we must play this landlord here a trick。
  WER。 If he has annoyed the Major; I am ready。
  JUST。 What if we watch for him in the evening; when he comes from his club; and give him a good thrashing?
  WER。 In the dark! Watch for him! Two to one! No; that won't do。
  JUST。 Or if we burn his house over his head?
  WER。 Fire and burn! Why; Just; one hears that you have been baggage…boy and not soldier。 Shame!
  JUST。 Or if we ruin his daughter? But she is cursedly ugly。
  WER。 She has probably been ruined long ago。 At any rate you don't want any help there。 But what is the matter with you? What has happened?
  JUST。 Just come with me; and you shall hear something to make you stare。
  WER。 The devil must be loose here; then?
  JUST。 Just so; come along。
  WER。 So much the better! To Persia; then; to Persia。