lheim; you want no other master. To find you discharged,
is a piece of good fortune I dared scarcely dream of! But you are not
only discharged; you are more. And what are you more? A cripple, you
say! Well!
(looking at him from head to foot),
the cripple is tolerably whole and upright--appears still to be pretty
well, and strong. Dear Tellheim, if you expect to go begging on the
strength of your limbs, I prophesy that you will be relieved at very
few doors; except at the door of a good-natured girl like myself.

MAJ. T.
I only hear the joking girl now, dear Minna.

MIN.
And I only hear the "dear Minna" in your chiding. I will not joke any
longer; for I recollect that after all you are something of a cripple.
You are wounded by a shot in the right arm; but all things considered,
I do not find much fault with that. I am so much the more secure from
your blows.

MAJ. T.
Madam!

MIN.
You would say, "You are so much the less secure from mine." Well,
well, dear Tellheim, I hope you will not drive me to that.

MAJ. T.
You laugh, Madam. I only lament that I cannot laugh with you.

MIN.
Why not? What have you to say against laughing? Cannot one be very
serious even whilst laughing? Dear Major, laughter keeps us more
rational than vexation. The proof is before us. Your laughing friend
judges of your circumstances more correctly than you do yourself.
Because you are discharged, you say your honour is sullied; because
you are wounded in the arm, you call yourself a cripple. Is that
right? Is that no exaggeration? And is it my doing that all
exaggerations are so open to ridicule? I dare say, if I examine your
beggary that it will also be as little able to stand the test. You may
have lost your equipage once, twice, or thrice; your deposits in the
hands of this or that banker may have disappeared together with those
of other people; you may have no hope of seeing this or that money
again which you may have advanced in the service; but are you a beggar
on that account? If nothing else remained to you but what my uncle is
bringing for you!!!!!

MAJ. T.
Your uncle, Madam, will bring nothing for me.

MIN.
Nothing but the two thousand pistoles which you so generously advanced
to our government.

MAJ. T.
If you had but read my letter, Madam!

MIN.
Well, I did read it. But what I read in it, on this point, is a
perfect rid