Part 8 (1/2)

MIN.

Alas! he has only written to me once since the peace.

FRAN.

What!--A sigh on account of the peace? Surprising? Peace ought only to make good the ill which war causes; but it seems to disturb the good which the latter, its opposite, may have occasioned. Peace should not be so capricious!... How long have we had peace? The time seems wonderfully long, when there is so little news. It is no use the post going regularly again; n.o.body writes, for n.o.body has anything to write about.

MIN.

”Peace has been made,” he wrote to me, ”and I am approaching the fulfillment of my wishes.” But since he only wrote that to me once, only once!!!!!

FRAN.

And since he compels us to run after this fulfillment of his wishes ourselves... If we can but find him, he shall pay for this! Suppose, in the meantime, he may have accomplished his wishes, and we should learn here that!!!!!

MIN. (anxiously).

That he is dead?

FRAN.

To you, my lady; and married to another.

MIN.

You tease, you! Wait, Franziska, I will pay you out for this! But talk to me, or I shall fall asleep. His regiment was disbanded after the peace. Who knows into what a confusion of bills and papers he may thereby have been brought? Who knows into what other regiment, or to what distant station, he may have been sent? Who knows what circ.u.mstances--There's a knock at the door.

FRAN.

Come in!

SCENE II.

Landlord, Minna, Franziska

LAND. (putting his head in at the door).

Am I permitted, your ladys.h.i.+p?

FRAN.

Our landlord?--Come in!

LAND. (A pen behind his ear, a sheet of paper and an inkstand in his hand).

I am come, your ladys.h.i.+p, to wish you a most humble good-morning; (to Franziska) and the same to you, my pretty maid.

FRAN.

A polite man!

MIN.

We are obliged to you.

FRAN.

And wish you also a good-morning.

LAND.

May I venture to ask how your ladys.h.i.+p has pa.s.sed the first night under my poor roof?

FRAN.

The roof is not so bad, sir; but the beds might have been better.