。
  MAJ。　T。　The　Chevalier　de　la　Marliniere！　Who　is　he？
  FRAN。　He　may　be　a　very　honest　man；　Major　von　Tellheim；　except　that
  MIN。　Silence；　Franziska！　Also　a　discharged　officer　from　the　Dutch　service；　who
  MAJ。　T。　Ah！　Lieutenant　Riccaut！
  MIN。　He　assured　us　he　was　a　friend　of　yours。
  MAJ。　T。　I　assure　you　that　I　am　not　his。
  MIN。　And　that　some　minister　or　other　had　told　him；　in　confidence；　that　your　business　was　likely　to　have　the　very　best　termination。　A　letter　from　the　king　must　now　be　on　its　way　to　you。
  MAJ。　T。　How　came　Riccaut　and　a　minister　in　company？　Something　certainly　must　have　happened　concerning　my　affair；　for　just　now　the　paymaster　of　the　forces　told　me　that　the　king　had　set　aside　all　the　evidence　offered　against　me；　and　that　I　might　take　back　my　promise；　which　I　had　given　in　writing；　not　to　depart　from　here　until　acquitted。　But　that　will　be　all。　They　wish　to　give　me　an　opportunity　of　getting　away。　But　they　are　wrong；　I　shall　not　go。　Sooner　shall　the　utmost　distress　waste　me　away　before　the　eyes　of　my　calumniators；　than
  MIN。　Obstinate　man！
  MAJ。　T。　I　require　no　favour；　I　want　justice。　My　honour
  MIN。　The　honour　of　such　a　man
  MAJ。　T。　（warmly）。　No；　Madam；　you　may　be　able　to　judge　of　any　other　subject；　but　not　of　this。　Honour　is　not　the　voice　of　conscience；　not　the　evidence　of　a　few　honourable　men
  MIN。　No；　no；　I　know　it　well。　Honour　is　。　。　。　honour。
  MAJ。　T。　In　short；　Madam　。　。　。　You　did　not　let　me　finish。I　was　going　to　say；　if　they　keep　from　me　so　shamefully　what　is　my　own；　if　my　honour　be　not　perfectly　rightedI　cannot；　Madam；　ever　be　yours；　for　I　am　not　worthy；　in　the　eyes　of　the　world；　of　being　yours。　Minna　von　Barnhelm　deserves　an　irreproachable　husband。　It　is　a　worthless　love　which　does　not　scruple　to　expose　its　object　to　scorn。　He　is　a　worthless　man；　who　is　not　ashamed　to　owe　a　woman　all　his　good　fortune；　whose　blind　tenderness
  MIN。　And　is　that　really　your　feeling；　Major？　（turning　her　back　suddenly）。　Franziska！
  MAJ。　T。　Do　not　be　angry。
  MIN。　（aside　to　Franziska）。　Now　is　the　time！　What　do　you　advise　me；　Franziska？
  FRAN。　I　advise　nothing。　But　certainly　he　goes　rather　too　far。
  MAJ。　T。　（approaching　to　interrupt　them）。　You　are　angry；　Madam。
  MIN。　（ironically）。　I？　Not　in　the　least。
  MAJ。　T。　If　I　loved　you　less
  MIN。　（still　in　the　same　tone）。　Oh！　certainly；　it　would　be　a　misfortune　for　me。　And　hear；　Major；　I　also　will　not　be　the　cause　of　your　unhappiness。　One　should　love　with　perfect　disinterestedness。　It　is　as　well　that　I　have　not　been　more　open！　Perhaps　your　pity　might　have　granted　to　me　what　your　love　refuses。　（Drawing　the　ring　slowly　from　her　finger。）
  MAJ。　T。　What　does　this　mean；　Madam？
  MIN。　No；　neither　of　us　must　make　the　other　either　more　or　less　happy。　True　love　demands　it。　I　believe　you；　Major；　and　you　have　too　much　honour　to　mistake　love。
  MAJ。　T。　Are　you　jesting；　Madam？
  MIN。　Here！　take　back　the　ring　with　which　you　plighted　your　troth　to　me。　（Gives　him　the　ring。）　Let　it　be　so！　We　will　suppose　we　have　never　met。
  MAJ。　T。　What　do　I　hear？
  MIN。　Does　it　surprise　you？　Take　it；　sir。　You　surely　have　not　been　pretending　only！
  MAJ。　T。　（takes　the　ring　from　her）。　Heavens！　can　Minna　speak　thus？
  MIN。　In　one　case　you　cannot　be　mine；　in　no　case　can　I　be　yours。　Your　misfortune　is　probable；　mine　is　certain。　Farewell！　（Is　going。）
  MAJ。　T。　Where　are　you　going；　dearest　Minna？
  MIN。　Sir；　you　insult　me　now　by　that　term　of　endearment。
  MAJ。　T。　What　is　the　matter；　Madam？　Where　are　you　going？
  MIN。　Leave　me。　I　go　to　hide　my　tears　from　you；　deceiver！　（Exit。）
  SCENE　VII。　Major　von　Tellheim；　Franziska
  MAJ。　T。　Her　tears？　And　I　am　to　leave　her。　（Is　about　to　follow　her。）
  FRAN。　（holding　him　back）。　Surely　not；　Major。　You　would　not　follow　her　into　her　own　room！
  MAJ。　T。　Her　misfortune？　Did　she　not　speak　of　misfortune？
  FRAN。　Yes；　truly；　the　misfortune　of　losing　you；　after
  MAJ。　T。　After？　After　what？　There　is　more　in　this。　What　is　it；　Franziska？　Tell　me！　Speak！
  FRAN。　After；　I　mean；　she　has　made　such　sacrifices　on　your　account。
  MAJ。　T。　Sacrifices　for　me！
  FRAN。　Well；　listen。　It　is　a　good　thing　for　you；　Major；　that　you　are　freed　from　your　engagement　with　her　in　this　manner。Why　should　I　not　tell　you？　It　cannot　remain　a　secret　long。　We　have　fled　from　home。　Count　von　Bruchsal　has　disinherited　my　mistress；　because　she　would　not　accept　a　husband　of　his　choice。　On　that　every　one　deserted　and　slighted　her。　What　could　we　do？　We　determined　to　seek　him；　whom
  MAJ。　T。　Enough！　Come；　and　let　me　throw　myself　at　her　feet。
  FRAN。　What　are　you　thinking　about！　Rather　go；　and　thank　your　good　fortune。
  MAJ。　T。　Pitiful　creature！　For　what　do　you　take　me？　Yet　no；　my　dear　Franziska；　the　advice　did　not　come　from　your　heart。　Forgive　my　anger！
  FRAN。　Do　not　detain　me　any　longer。　I　must　see　what　she　is　about。　How　easily　something　might　happen　to　her。　Go　now；　and　come　again；　if　you　like。　（Follows　Minna。）
  SCENE　VIII。　Major　von　Tellheim
  MAJ。　T。　But；　Franziska！　Oh！　I　will　wait　your　return　here。No；　that　is　more　torturing！If　she　is　in　earnest；　she　will　not　refuse　to　forgive　me。　Now　I　want　your　aid；　honest　Werner！No；　Minna；　I　am　no　deceiver！　（Rushes　off。）
  ACT　V。
  SCENE　I。　Major　von　Tellheim　（from　one　side）；　Werner　（from　the　other）
  MAJ。　T。　Ah！　Werner！　I　have　been　looking　for　you　everywhere。　Where　have　you　been？
  WER。　And　I　have　been　looking　for　you；　Major；　that　is　always　the　way。I　bring　you　good　news。
  MAJ。　T。　I　do　not　want　your　news　now；　I　want　your　money。　Quick；　Werner；　give　me　all　you　have；　and　then　raise　as　much　more　as　you　can。
  WER。　Major！　Now；　upon　my　life；　that　is　just　what　I　said〃He　will　borrow　money　from　me；　when　he　has　got　it　himself　to　lend。〃
  MAJ。　T。　You　surely　are　not　seeking　excuses！
  WER。　That　I　may　have　nothing　to　upbraid　you　with；　take　it　with　your　right　hand；　and　give　it　me　again　with　your　left。
  MAJ。　T。　Do　not　detain　me；　Werner。　It　is　my　intention　to　repay　you；　but　when　and　how；　God　knows！
  WER。　Then　you　do　not　know　yet　that　the　treasury　has　received　an　order　to　pay　you　your　money？　I　just　heard　it　at
  MAJ。　T。　What　are　you　talking　about？　What　nonsense　have　you　let　them　palm　off　on　you？　Do　you　not　see　that　if　it　were　true　I　should　be　the　first　person　to　know　it？　In　short；　Werner；　money！　money！
  WER。　Very　well；　with　pleasure。　Here　is　some！　A　hundred　louis　d'ors　there；　and　a　hundred　ducats　there。　（Gives　him　both。）
  MAJ。　T。　Werner；　go　and　give　Just　the　hundred　louis　d'ors。　Let　him　redeem　the　ring　again；　on　which　he　raised　the　money　this　morning。　But　whence　will　you　get　some　more；　Werner？　I　want　a　good　deal　more。
  WER。　Leave　that　to　me。　The　man　who　bought　my　farm　lives　in　the　town。　The　date　for　payment　is　a　fortnight　hence；　certainly；　but　the　money　is　ready；　and　by　a　reduction　of　one　half　per　cent
  MAJ。　T。　Very　well；　my　dear　Werner！　You　see　that　I　have　had　recourse　to　you　aloneI　must　also　confide　all　to　you。　The　young　lady　you　have　seen　is　in　distress
  WER。　That　is　bad！
  MAJ。　T。　But　to…morrow　she　shall　be　my　wife。
  WER。　That　is　good！
  MAJ。　T。　And　the　day　after；　I　leave　this　place　with　her。　I　can　go；　I　will　go。　I　would　sooner　throw　over　everything　here！　Who　knows　where　some　good　luck　may　be　in　store　for　me？　If　you　will；　Werner；　come　with　us。　We　will　serve　again。
  WER。　Really？　But　where　there　is　war；　Major！
  MAJ。　T。　To　be　sure。　Go；　Werner；　we　will　speak　of　this　again。
  WER。　Oh！　my　dear　Major！　The　day　after　to…morrow！　Why　not　to…morrow？　I　will　get　everything　ready。　In　Persia；　Major；　there　is　a　famous　war；　what　do　you　say？
  MAJ。　T。　We　will　think　of　it。　Only　go；　Werner！
  WER。　Hurrah！　Long　live　Prince　Heraclius！　（Exit。）
  SCENE　II。　Major　von　Tellheim
  MAJ。　T。　How　do　I　feel！　。　。　。　My　whole　soul　has　acquired　a　new　impulse。　My　own　unhappiness　bowed　me　to　the　ground；　made　me　fretful；　short…sighted；　shy；　careless：　her　unhappiness　raises　me。　I　see　clearly　again；　and　feel　myself　ready　and　capable　of　undertaking　anything　for　her　sake。　Why　do　I　tarry？　（Is　going　towards　Minna's　room；　when　Franziska　comes　out　of　it。）
  SCENE　III。　Franziska；　Major　von　Tellheim
  FRAN。　Is　it　you？　I　thought　I　heard　your　voice。　What　do　you　want；　Major？
  MAJ。　T。　What　do　I　want？　What　is　she　doing？　Come！
  FRAN。　She　is　just　going　out　for　a　drive。
  MAJ。　T。　And　alone？　Without　me？　Where　to？
  FRAN。　Have　you　forgotten；　Major？
  MAJ。　T。　How　silly　you　are；　Franziska！　I　irritated　her；　and　she　was　angry。　I　will　beg　her　pardon；　and　she　will　forgive　me。
  FRAN。　What！　After　you　have　taken　the　ring　back；　Major！
  MAJ。　T。　Ah！　I　did　that　in　my　confusion。　I　had　forgotten　about　the　ring。　Where　did　I　put　it？　（Searches　for　it。）　Here　it　is。
  FRAN。　Is　that　it？　（Aside；　as　he　puts　it　again　in　his　pocket。）　If　he　would　only　look　at　it　closer！
  MAJ。　T。　She　pressed　it　upon　me　so　bitterly。　But　I　have　forgotten　that。　A　full　heart　cannot　weigh　words。　She　will　not　for　one　moment　refuse　to　take　it　again。　And　have　I　not　hers？
  FRAN。　She　is　now　waiting　for　it　in　return。　Where　is　it；　Major？　Show　it　to　me；　do！
  MAJ。　T。　（embarrassed）。　I　have　。　。　。　forgotten　to　put　it　on。　JustJust　will　bring　it　directly。
  FRAN。　They　are　something　alike；　I　suppose；　let　me　look　at　that　one。　I　am　very　fond　of　such　things。
  MAJ。　T。　Another　time；　Franziska。　Come　now。