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TWO SERVANTS (running into the room from different sides), the rest as before
First Ser. Your ladyship, his excellency the Count! | 1 |
| Second Ser. He is coming, your ladyship! | 2 |
| Fran. (running to the window). It is! it is he! | 3 |
| Min. Is it? Now, Tellheim, quick! | 4 |
| 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. | 5 |
| Min. Quick, Tellheim! one embrace and forget all. | 6 |
| Maj. T. Ah! did I but know that you could regret— | 7 |
| 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! | 8 |
| Maj. T. To meet whom? | 9 |
| Min. The best of your unknown friends. | 10 |
| Maj. T. What! | 11 |
| 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? | 12 |
| Maj. T. Fiction! But the ring? the ring? | 13 |
| Min. Where is the ring that I gave back to you? | 14 |
| Maj. T. You will take it again? Ah! now I am happy… Here, Minna (taking it from his pocket). | 15 |
| 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? | 16 |
| Maj. T. Heaven! what do I see! What do I hear! | 17 |
| 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! | 18 |
| Maj. T. Where am I? (Kissing her hand.) Oh! malicious angel, to torture me so! | 19 |
| 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? | 20 |
| Maj. T. Oh you actresses! But I ought to have known you. | 21 |
| Fran. Not I, indeed; I am spoilt for acting. I trembled and shook, and was obliged to hold my lips together with my hand. | 22 |
| Min. Nor was mine an easy part.—But come now— | 23 |
| Maj. T. I have not recovered myself yet. How happy, yet how anxious, I feel. It is like awaking suddenly from a frightful dream. | 24 |
| Min. We are losing time… I hear him coming now. | 25 |
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