Sophia has Sophia is my word for it, I will do nothing. my lawful bride. Reiss. By no means, never! Soph. I am his bride, father; you gave your word. Reiss. Before he was impeached. Fred. Sir Gern. (passionately.) That is too much! Clar. Hush, Sir! or I will run and fetch all the children of Brunnig, that have been robbed by you; their words, their tears, and their curses, shall impeach you before God and man. You accuse others, who are angels of light compared with you. Reiss. (in a passion.) Do you intend to marry him? Soph. Yes! Reiss. Without office, without bread, without honour? Soph. Without office, without bread, but who says without honour? Reiss. I, I, I! Clar. Thunder and lightning! P. Coun. Patience, father!-Withdraw; your daughter stays with my father. Reiss. If she chooses to be disinherited. Reiss. I will shew her who is the man for whom she sacrifices her inheritance. P. Coun. Then I will inform the world who has made such a man of me; whose contrivance it is, if ever I acted contrary to those principles. of honesty this worthy citizen had taught me. 1 Reiss. What! Soph. Clarenbach, he is my father! Clarenbach, where do I stand now? . P. Coun. Would you forsake me, helpless, `on the brink of the precipice from which you were just about to snatch me? Do you value my soul less than my honour? Soph. No, no! I will stay and support you. You have my word; I will not break it. Reiss. His disgrace shall break it, and distress punish it; you shall never see my face again. [Exit. Soph. Father! Clar. Here is one that has a heart for the distressed children! Come, my daughter. P. Coun. My resignation was to be spontaneous; it is now forced and attended with disgrace. Soph. My heart is Clarenbach's, whether he be fortunate or unfortunate. P. Coun. He will ruin me, and endeavour to dissolve our mutual tie. Clar. But I and old Wellenberg say, he shall not; between us two old boys we will sing him such a song, as will make him wish he were under earth or water. Let me alone; your happiness is at stake. Soph. He is my father, he is old; for his daughter's sake do not disgrace him. Clar. But disgrace myself, ay? No; honour to him who honour deserves! I will ring the bell of disgrace over him, so as to make the M whole country resound. (Disengages himself, and exit.] Soph. On that condition I cannot be your wife. (Going.) P. Coun. (stops her.) Sophia! Soph. In this case, the voice of nature should over-rule that of love! If he is to be ruined, were it to break my heart and cost me my life, it is my duty to perish by his side. (Disengages herself, and exit.) Fred. Sister, dear sister! (Follows.) P. Coun. (to Gernau.) Man! you, that, though poor and low, have remained faithful to your duty, I apply to that heart which my power has tortured, and seek for consolation. (Clings round his neck.) Gern. I sympathize in your sufferings; let me go and get information, and act for you. P. Coun. No! If I should fall, I ought to rise by myself, and, if I cannot bring that about, I ought to perish in the dark, unpitied by man. [Exit. LOR Ο INS ACT V. SCENE I. Enter Aulic Counsellor REISSMAN, bringing in two bottles of wine, which he puts on the table. Reiss. The doctor is dead,-good night to him! The lawyer will soon follow; he is an old man Old people are subject to many accidents; death has them constantly at his nod, such is the course of nature! SCENE II. Enter Counsellor SELLING. I Sell. Oh, dear Sir, what shall we do now? I have read that Benniger such a lecture, and taken the money ad depositum. But, good heaven! that fellow is a wild ferocious beast. He says, it is a bargain; that the receiver is the thief, and not the bidder. He insists on having the patent for the monopoly dispatched; if not, he swears he will play the deuce. Reiss. So much the better; let him do his best. Sell. Ah, but, dear Sir, he does not say a word against the Privy Counsellor ; you and I are the scape-goats; every nerve trembles. Reiss. So you are quite alarmed? Sell. Truly. Reiss. The rogue intended to bribe, and of course is liable to a heavy punishment. Sell. But then he is a stranger. Reiss. Have him arrested, then he can do no harm. Sell. But he can talk a good deal for all that. Reiss. That is my business. Have him arrested. Sell. But the Prime Minister Reiss, Is at a great distance, and do not you know, though I do not publicly affect it, that I POT7 M 260 10 10 9 64). am the prime minister of this country. Arrest him, I say. Sell. Very well. But then I have Reiss. What else? To the point! Sell. A concern, that lies very near my heart. I am told the Privy Counsellor is to resign, and perhaps to leave this town. I could not help making his sister considerable presents this morning, which cost a great deal of money; and, if his power should be at an end, all would be thrown away; he ought to reimburse me. Reiss. But those presents have been returned, I understand. Sell. Without the least injury! but my expence was heavy. I must lose by those things, if I were to dispose of them. Could not you manage so by your authority, that he should take them at prime cost? Reiss. No, I employ my authority to better purposes. Sell. Good heaven! the gown of rose satin alone cost me Reiss. (displeased.) Let it be converted into a morning-gown for yourself. Sell. A morning-gown!-Ay, that will do. Rose colour becomes my complexion. I thank you, it shall. it shall. I will have it lined with lawn. I will have it made up directly. (Going.) Reiss. And have the fellow secured. Sell. Directly! the morning-gown made up, and the fellow arrested! I thank you for extricating me out of this embarrassment. [Exit. |