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FRAN。 Major
MAJ。 T。 Franziska； I have not yet been able to give you a 〃Welcome〃 here。
FRAN。 In thought； I am sure that you have done it。 I know you are friendly to me； so am I to you。 But it is not at all kind to vex those who are friendly to you so much。
WER。 （aside）。 Ah！ now I see it。 It is so！
MAJ。 T。 My destiny； Franziska！ Did you give her the letter？
FRAN。 Yes； and here I bring you 。 。 。 （holding out a letter）。
MAJ。 T。 An answer！
FRAN。 No； your own letter again。
MAJ。 T。 What！ She will not read it！
FRAN。 She would have liked； butwe can't read writing well。
MAJ。 T。 You are joking！
FRAN。 And we think that writing was not invented for those who can converse with their lips whenever they please。
MAJ。 T。 What an excuse！ She must read it。 It contains my justificationall the grounds and reasons
FRAN。 My mistress wishes to hear them all from you yourself； not to read them。
MAJ。 T。 Hear them from me myself！ That every look； every word of hers； may embarrass me； that I may feel in every glance the greatness of my loss。
FRAN。 Without any pity！ Take it。 （Giving him his letter。） She expects you at three o'clock。 She wishes to drive out and see the town； you must accompany her。
MAJ。 T。 Accompany her！
FRAN。 And what will you give me to let you drive out by yourselves？ I shall remain at home。
MAJ。 T。 By ourselves！
FRAN。 In a nice close carriage。
MAJ。 T。 Impossible！
FRAN。 Yes； yes； in the carriage； Major。 You will have to submit quietly； you cannot escape there！ And that is the reason。 In short； you will come； Major； and punctually at three。 。 。 。 Well； you wanted to speak to me too alone。 What have you to say to me？ Oh！ we are not alone。 （Looking at Werner。）
MAJ。 T。 Yes； Franziska； as good as alone。 But as your mistress has not read my letter； I have nothing now to say to you。
FRAN。 As good as alone！ Then you have no secrets from the Sergeant？
MAJ。 T。 No； none。
FRAN。 And yet I think you should have some from him。
MAJ。 T。 Why so？
WER。 How so； little woman？
FRAN。 Particularly secrets of a certain kind。 。 。 。 All twenty； Mr。 Sergeant！ （Holding up both her hands； with open fingers。）
WER。 Hist！ hist！ girl。
MAJ。 T。 What is the meaning of that？
FRAN。 Presto！ conjured on to his finger； Mr。 Sergeant （as if she was putting a ring on her fingers）。
MAJ。 T。 What are you talking about？
WER。 Little woman； little woman； don't you understand a joke？
MAJ。 T。 Werner； you have not forgotten； I hope； what I have often told you； that one should not jest beyond a certain point with a young woman！
WER。 Upon my life I may have forgotten it！ Little woman； I beg
FRAN。 Well； if it was a joke； I will forgive you this once。
MAJ。 T。 Well； if I must come； Franziska； just see that your mistress reads my letter beforehand？ That will spare me the pain of thinking againof talking again； of things which I would willingly forget。 There； give it to her！ （He turns the letter in giving it to her； and sees that it has been opened。） But do I see aright？ Why it has been opened。
FRAN。 That may be。 （Looks at it。） True； it is open。 Who can have opened it？ But really we have not read it； Major； really not。 And we do not wish to read it； because the writer is coming himself。 Come； and I tell you what； Major！ don't come as you are nowin boots； and with such a head。 You are excusable； you do not expect us。 Come in shoes； and have your hair fresh dressed。 You look too soldierlike； too Prussian for me as you are。
MAJ。 T。 Thank you； Franziska。
FRAN。 You look as if you had been bivouacking last night。
MAJ。 T。 You may have guessed right。
FRAN。 We are going to dress； directly too； and then have dinner。 We would willingly ask you to dinner； but your presence might hinder our eating； and observe； we are not so much in love that we have lost our appetites。
MAJ。 T。 I will go。 Prepare her somewhat； Franziska； beforehand； that I may not become contemptible in her eyes； and in my own。 Come； Werner； you shall dine with me。
WER。 At the table d'hote here in the house？ I could not eat a bit there。
MAJ。 T。 With me； in my room。
WER。 I will follow you directly。 One word first with the little woman。
MAJ。 T。 I have no objection to that。 （Exit。）
SCENE XI。 Paul Werner； Franziska
FRAN。 Well； Mr。 Sergeant！
WER。 Little woman； if I come again； shall I too come smartened up a bit？
FRAN。 Come as you please： my eyes will find no fault with you。 But my ears will have to be so much the more on their guard。 Twenty fingers； all full of rings。 Ah！ ah！ Mr。 Sergeant！
WER。 No； little woman； that is just what I wished to say to you。 I only rattled on a little。 There is nothing in it。 One ring is quite enough for a man。 Hundreds and hundreds of times I have heard the Major say 〃He must be a rascally soldier； who can mislead a young girl。〃 So think I too； little woman。 You may trust to that！ I must be quick and follow him。 A good appetite to you。 （Exit。）
FRAN。 The same to you！ I really believe； I like that man！ （Going in； she meets Minna coming out。）
SCENE XII。 Minna； Franziska
MIN。 Has the Major gone already； Franziska？ I believe I should have been sufficiently composed again now to have detained him here。
FRAN。 And I will make you still more composed。
MIN。 So much the better！ His letter！ oh！ his letter！ Each line spoke the honourable noble man。 Each refusal to accept my hand declared his love for me。 I suppose he noticed that we had read his letter。 I don't mind that； if he does but come。 But are you sure he will come？ There only seems to me to be a little too much pride in his conduct。 For not to be willing to be indebted for his good fortune； even to the woman he loves； is pride； unpardonable pride！ If he shows me too much of this； Franziska
FRAN。 You will discard him！
MIN。 See there！ Do you begin to pity him again already！ No； silly girl； a man is never discarded for a single fault。 No； but I have thought of a trick to pay him off a little for this pride； with pride of the same kind。
FRAN。 Indeed； you must be very composed； my lady； if you are thinking of tricks again。
MIN。 I am so； come。 You will have a part to play in my plot。 （Exeunt。）
ACT IV。
SCENE I。 Minna's Room。
Minna （dressed handsomely and richly； but in good taste）； Franziska （They have just risen from a table； which a servant is clearing。）
FRAN。 You cannot possibly have eaten enough； my lady。
MIN。 Don't you think so； Franziska？ Perhaps I had no appetite when I sat down。
FRAN。 We had agreed not to mention him during dinner。 We should have resolved likewise； not to think of him。
MIN。 Indeed； I have thought of nothing but him。
FRAN。 So I perceived。 I began to speak of a hundred different things； and you made wrong answers to each。 （Another servant brings coffee。） Here comes a beverage more suited to fanciessweet； melancholy coffee。
MIN。 Fancies！ I have none。 I am only thinking of the lesson I will give him。 Did you understand my plan； Franziska？
FRAN。 Oh！ yes； but it would be better if he spared us the putting it in execution。
MIN。 You will see that I know him thoroughly。 He who refuses me now with all my wealth； will contend for me aga