COMEDY BY TORSTEN SCHWANKE
characters
Mother Sabrina, an old and rich widow.
Virgin Dinah, her daughter.
Evelin, her friend.
Joseph, Dinah's bridegroom.
Mark, Joseph's courtier.
ACT I
SCENE I
Evelin. Mark.
Evelin.
What I'm telling you. You can't speak
To Mother right now. She has her devotions.
And I didn't want to take much;
In the narrower sense, taking money,
Allowing oneself to be bribed.
Mark.
My God! the good woman. I can come if I want,
So she has her devotion. This morning
I wanted to go to her; there was prayer time.
Now I come to the table; so she has
Her hour of daily prayer again.
Evelin.
It's no different. Her life is a constant prayer.
Mark.
Praying is an important part of religion.
But there are other duties
That are just as necessary and just as sacred.
She won't pray day and night, I don't hope so.
Evelin.
No, she alternates. If she doesn't want to pray,
She sings worship-songs to the guitar.
And when she no longer feels like singing,
She prays again from the bottom of her heart.
And if she doesn't want to pray or sing,
She still talks about praying and singing.
Mark.
Well, I have to confess that.
I have been told that my Lady Mother
Is very pious. I believed it too.
Her constant praying and singing
Almost makes me think that she is not pious,
But just wants to appear pious.
She always wants to have a prayer made
In the evening to forbid the sin
That she commits during the day
Ny praying and singing. To pray always
Is not to pray, and to pray all day
Is as punishable as sleeping all day.
Evelin.
My dear Mark, don't take your enthusiasm out on me.
You know me well, as I once had the honor
Of living in your house for some time.
No one is less satisfied with Lady Mother‘s
Devotion than I am. She often prays for us
To have lunch; and she is never more reverent
Than at the hour when the cook wants
To get the market money. She has already thrown
The prayer book at him twice
Out of pious zeal because she was
So impudent and disturbed in her singing.
Mark.
I'm getting to know my Lady Mother
Better and better. It would be
Very mediocre happiness for Joseph
If he were to live in the same house
With his future wife, and his mother-in-law.
She would soon pray him out of the house
Or soon into the grave. In general,
She treats him and me very wonderfully.
She demanded that we come to her
And take the vows about marrying
Her maiden daughter. We traveled here
From London. We've been here four days already.
And every day an obstacle had to be found
To give Joseph the promised yes.
We have to leave again tomorrow.
And today is finally the day of the promise.
Nevertheless, I still see little move to do so.
Evelin.
Just be patient until four o'clock, if I may ask.
Mother Sabrina doesn't accept visitors.
And before she allows herself to be disturbed
In her afternoon prayer, she will let Joseph
And ten other courtiers leave again.
Mark.
I know well that we weren't called here
Until four o'clock. But I still have a number
Of things to sort out with my Lady Mother
Regarding the trousseau, and things like that
Have to be sorted out before we say yes.
So please be kind enough to let me know.
Evelin.
I can't dare do that. For her, devotion
Is more important than anything else.
She'll put us both on the map as heretics
If we disturb her. She certainly doubts
The sincerity of my virtue because I am
So vain and sometimes read Shakespeare
Or some other worldly book, as she usually says.
Mark.
So you don't want to report me?
Evelin.
As soon as it strikes four; so I want
To report you. Because this very hour
Has exposed her to worldly business,
And therefore also to saying yes.
But everything has to be done by five
Or six o'clock at the latest. She doesn't stay
Any longer. Because after that, two
Of her clients come to her in devotions
And entertain her with uplifting news.
Mark.
So she won't keep us at the table?
Evelin.
I doubt it very much. She doesn't care much
About food at all. Fasting and prayer
Is her law and her pleasure. And if she had something
To command in religion, she would make
All feast days, Sundays and Apostolic days
Fast days, so much does she love
Abstaining from food and drink.
Mark.
I notice that this virtue may come
Very naturally to her. My Lady Mother
Will perhaps love fasting because she is stingy.
Evelin.
I don't want to say that. But anyone
Who accuses her of not taking her own advice
Cannot forbid this slander forever.
Mark.
Don't talk to me in a roundabout way,
My dear maid Evelin, but act as if Sabrina
Were not my Lady Mother!
They have been living in her house for a year
And must be able to give me the best
Description of her. I saw the good woman
For the first time in my life three days ago.
And I hope that saying goodbye to her
Doesn't make me angry. Make me a little
Character. Because, as I believe, her great piety
May not be as true as people have told me.
Evelin.
Anyone who is used to looking for virtue
In faces and lips cannot possibly deny
Sabrina's fame. Everything about her is pious;
Her expressions, her language, her walk,
Her clothes. In short, everything about it agrees
With the devotion. She is an enemy of all vanity,
And she adheres with the greatest humility
To the honorable customs of her ancestors.
Mark.
I like hearing that last one. I am a big fan
Of the innocent ways of our forefathers.
And if my Lady Mother only has a good heart,
I would be happy to overlook her opinions.
Evelin.
Just give them proper respect. You will find
The customs of her grandmother still intact on her.
She steadfastly retains all the cuts of dresses
And bonnets that were in use fifty years ago.
And before she abandoned the little whalebone skirt,
The long fur coat and the low heels:
Before she confirmed the innocence
Of these customs with her blessed death.
Mark.
Are these the pious customs of the ancients?
These are their fashions only.
Evelin.
Mother Sabrina knows better. Anyone
Who carries himselfs as the ancients walked
Is honorable and modest and chaste.
And he who can walk in one garment for ten
Or twelve years is humble and meek.
Mark.
That is an excellent moral! My Lady Mother
Was supposed to write a whole book
About the characteristics of the virtues.
I think she would say heaven to all people
Who leave their clothes to the will of fashion
And tailors. Just tell me what she does all day.
Evelin.
I can easily tell you this. But you will always
Think that I am telling you a fable.
She gets up around eight o'clock.
And as soon as she puts her foot in the slipper,
She starts singing worship-hymns. Singing,
She first combs the pug. She takes care
Of her cat by singing. She feeds the canary
While singing. She visits her two Brabant chickens
While singing. And as soon as the clock strikes nine,
She stops singing, even if it were in the middle of a song.
Mark.
Why that?
Evelin.
It's her order like that. She wants to sing and pray
By the hour, and no other way. So as soon
As the clock strikes nine, she runs as fast
As she can so that before the clock strikes,
She is already sitting at her prayer table.
Mark.
Heaven would certainly not take it amiss
If it came after the time. She can never be too late.
Evelin.
From nine to ten o'clock she reads
Only three morning blessings.
Mark.
Why three, and not more or less?
Evelin.
Because she has three different prayer books,
All three of which are equally dear to her
And all three of which are covered with silver.
She received one as a gift from her late Mistress,
One from her late husband forty years ago
As a bridal gift, and the third from her father's
Inheritance. This last one, as she tells us,
Burned down in three houses
And yet never burned down. The bowls
Were somewhat damaged; But the fire,
With all its might, was unable to harm the pressure.
Mark.
The bookbinder must certainly not have been
As pious as the printer because
The volume did not survive fire.
Evelin.
For heaven's sake! I hear someone talking up
In the hall. If it has struck four,
Then it is certainly Lady Mother.
I have to go. Because if she saw me alone
With you, she wouldn't think very well of us.
SCENE II
Mother Sabrina. Mark.
Mother Sabrina.
Are you there yet, cousin? That's dear to me.
Mark.
Yes, dear Lady Mother, I hastened diligently
To pay my respects to you, because
Before the promise we still have one thing
And another to talk about about the bride's treasure.
We want to get this point right straight away.
Mother Sabrina.
Oh! Dear cousin, if only I were sent today
To a matter that requires so much thought.
I guess I have to consider my circumstances.
I'm not as rich as people shout me out to be.
I have to see what I can do without first.
And yet I am so restless today that I will
Hardly be able to look carefully at my circumstances.
How much worry and distress the world brings!
The godless people come and disturb you
In your prayers and in your greatest devotions;
One should not become unwilling in one's soul!
Mark.
Yes, yes, the world is evil. But dear Lady Mother,
we have to leave again tomorrow, you know that.
They put us off until today for three days in a row.
And Joseph would be to be pitied if he had to undertake
Such a long and precious journey in vain.
Mother Sabrina.
No, no, not that! But just consider, cousin,
whether you don't have to lose all composure.
I immediately read the Bible: a beggar comes
And knocks on my anteroom and disturbs me
In the greatest devotion and silent piety.
Mark.
It's not right. But the poor man wouldn't have known
That you were reading the Bible, the word of God.
Mother Sabrina.
I read loudly, really loudly, so that I can edify
Everyone in my house through my edification.
Couldn't he have heard that? The godless beggar!
A person, no matter how young,
Is not ashamed to beg! The wickedness
Was clearly evident in his body.
Why can't he work if he has nothing to live on?
A High Noble Council should also have
The Beggar's Mandate... I don't like to talk.
I was annoyed that I was shaking.
Mark.
I feel sorry for you, Lady Mother.
But you are harming yourself through your anger.
Don't think about it! Let's get down
To business and the dowry of the world...
Mother Sabrina.
One would like to be away from the annoyance
Of death. It's not anger. I am only jealous
Of the wickedness of the beggar who,
Out of laziness and evil lust, goes idle
And disturbs other people's worship
And wants to deprive them of their food pence.
A hand without fingers! So?
It was only the left one. Can't he work
With his right hand? This one was as healthy
As mine. I don't want to judge;
But who knows why God marked him like that?
He was also lame in his right foot.
Infamy and a crippled body are always together.
God forgive me! I would like to have lied.
Mark.
Dear Lady Mother, don't judge so harshly.
Perhaps this unfortunate man had a good heart.
And the way you described him to me:
He can hardly work like that.
Mother Sabrina.
So even if he can't work, should he disturb me
In prayer? Shall I withdraw my thoughts
From heavenly and supernatural things
And direct them to an earthly man, to a cripple,
To a wretched worm? Because what else
Are we humans? We are worms, malicious worms.
Mark.
Yes, yes. But the commandment to pray
Does not exclude the commandment
To charity and mercy and compassion.
Mother Sabrina.
No, pray and work! All people should do this.
Nobody should steal the good Lord's days
Or make other honest people's lives
And the maintenance of their homes miserable
Through their shameless begging. The godless man!
Mark.
Yes, we should do good. We should help others
And try to reduce the pain and the number
Of those in misery. And I would think
That works of charity would be as necessary
As devotion. Yes, I know nothing other
Than that charity and compassion
Are necessary consequences of devotion
And the elevation of our spirit to God
And to our duties. The poor are just
As necessary in the world as the rich.
Mother Sabrina.
It's all ok! All true! You have to give.
You have to be helpful and more helpful.
But first you have to think about your family,
Your house, yourself and your poor children.
Do you know who is worse than a heathen?
Those who do not provide for their children;
who throws away what is theirs.
Being good only makes you more beggars,
Because you ultimately become a beggar yourself.
Those in authority should always ensure
That the hopeless begging system is controlled.
Mark.
Yes, Lady Mother! They do it too.
But there are people who have neither
The strength nor the limbs to work;
Or who have lost their property through misfortune
Or other people's greed and malice.
Should they starve and cry rather than eat
Out of fear that their requests will get us
To have a threesome? But we don't want
To do any theological research.
You will know the duties of religion
And philanthropy without me.
Now let’s move on to the marriage points!
Because Joseph will be there shortly
And will ask for your promised consent.
Mother Sabrina.
Yes! He's a very fine person.
I have nothing wrong with him.
If only the villain, the beggar, hadn't annoyed me
So much, I could think about how much
I could give to my daughter without starving.
Here comes Evelin. There will be something again.
SCENE III
The previous ones. Evelin.
Evelin
to Mother Sabrina.
You should be so kind and come out for a moment.
The woman next door would like to have
A word with you, if you like to listen.
Mother Sabrina.
Don't take it offended, cousin, that I
Have to leave you for a short time.
It is a widow to whom I am supposed
To perform a service of charity.
Evelin, stay with your cousin in the meantime
So that his time doesn't take long.
(Exit Mother Sabrina.)
SCENE IV
Evelin. Mark.
Evelin.
Do you know what the service of charity
That she performs for the widow consists of?
She is a righteous woman who has no fault
Except that she is anemic. She has sold
A gold chain, all of her wealth, to Mother Sabrina
For sixteen pound and has to give her
A pence in interest every week for the pound.
She comes here every fortnight for this business
Of paying off her interest; because Lady Mother
Doesn't look after her any longer.
Mark.
Is it possible for God to have mercy?
My Lady Mother is said to have a capital
Of hundred thousand pound, and she takes
Sixteen pences a week in interest
From such a poor woman for sixteen pound?
And she still dares to pray to the Lord?
Evelin.
I also believe that by praying so much
She just wants to make heaven her friend
So that he will allow her to act according
To her wishes. Would you like me to tell you
More about how she spends her day?
Mark.
I beg you from the bottom of my heart,
Don't tell me any more! I now know
My Lady Mother completely, and I would gladly
Leave the honor of being related to such
A holy woman to people more pious than I am.
If there are many such devout women
In this country, then one should allow them
To push for a divorce for the sake of devotion.
Evelin.
I want to make it very short. We stopped
At the three morning blessings. When these are over,
She reads three more prayers from the other books,
First one against unchastity, and...
Mark.
My Lady Mother must be close to sixty years old?
Evelin.
This means nothing. A prayer against unchastity,
One against wastefulness, and...
Mark.
A woman who cannot bring herself to have
A threesome with a man who is lame
In both hands and feet prays
That God will protect her from waste?
Evelin.
Let me finish! One against waste, and one
That God should not take her away in half her days.
And these prayers flourish with her
Year in and year out. And no human being,
no living soul, is allowed to disturb her
in this devotion, except her pug, who has
The freedom to walk around on her table
and on the beloved prayer books.
Mark.
Doesn't she also have the cat lying with her?
Evelin.
Yes indeed. I would soon have forgotten the cat.
This doesn't come from her side.
And Lady Mother constantly maintains
That the animal had human sense because
It listened so carefully to her prayers.
Mark.
Perhaps it is the cat alone that edifies
And deceives her through her devotion.
Evelin.
At the stroke of ten she jumps up
From her prayer chair and goes
To the silver cabinet and begins to sing
With all her might. She counts her silverwork,
Her jewelry and her pawns. As soon
As she finds the slightest inaccuracy,
She stops singing and counts and numbers
With the chalk on the cupboard door.
If the matter is correct, her lovely singing
Continues again. Now the clock strikes eleven;
Then she takes an iron box and locks herself
In her lonely and chaste bedroom and...
Mark.
I can already hear it. She will count
And praise her frugality to heaven.
In truth, one should wish that the woman
Would get half of her wealth so that she
Would become sensible and Christian.
Her greatest misfortune is that she is rich.
Evelin.
That's not how Mother's theology sounds.
Everything she has is a blessing from the Lord.
And all these blessings are the visible reward
Of her piety, that is, of her praying and singing.
Mark.
So she is so reverent so that heaven
Will recognize her again and make her richer?
Evelin.
Yes indeed. That's exactly why she sings
And prays every hour, because she wants
To get richer every hour. Her devotion
Is actually a contract that she has made
In her mind with the good Lord,
By virtue of which he should increase her capital,
Bless her interests, and take good care of her house;
In return she wants to do him a service
And pray for so many hours every day,
Sing for so many hours, and read
So many chapters in the Holy Bible.
Mark.
Such a contract is also quite reasonable.
In this way you know what you have to rely on
And why you are so reverent. We simple people
See devotion as a means to strengthen us in virtue.
Only my Lady Mother knows the religion better.
What is it about virtue and peace of mind?
Who can make a living from it? It is best if,
Through your devotion, you can open the hand
Of caution so that it throws treasures our way.
Evelin.
I also didn't want to say that Mother
Shouldn't give up three or four hours
Of her daily devotions if she were to lose
Even the smallest capital... I can already hear
Her talking. If she knew that we were talking
About her devotions, she would give us a prayer book.
SCENE V
Mother Sabrina. The previous ones.
Mother Sabrina.
The honest woman is in great distress.
She has five uneducated children
And nothing but poverty in every hand.
I don't know how people think.
Having nothing and yet so many children...
I don't like to talk. That's what happens
When you don't think. We have our free will.
I speak ill of no one; but the preachers
Are rarely rich and always have so many children.
And they should pray and sing the most.
And prayer leaves no one. Whoever thinks
Of God, He thinks of him again
And gives him good things and abundance.
I don't want to judge. Evelin, go
And have some coffee made so that I
Can serve something to my cousin and Joseph.
SCENE VI
Mother Sabrina. Mark.
Mother Sabrina.
I'm scared, cousin, very scared. Because
I was talking to the woman next door
on the hall earlier, something fell in my kitchen.
I quickly run in; there is the soup bowl
On the ground from which my blessed master
Ate his soup every morning; for he was
Not of the world at all. He didn't drink tea or coffee.
Soup, just water soup without eggs,
And made with only a piece of butter
The size of a pea, such soup was his life.
And this very tin soup bowl had fallen down
And there was no one in the kitchen.
Oh, dear God, what will this sign mean?
Who will the series affect in our house,
Me or my daughter? Oh, good God,
Everything according to your holy will,
Except in half of my days, except this.
Mark.
Lady Mother, who would be so superstitious?
The bowl fell because it wasn't placed correctly.
Who knows who was fiddling or banging
Over the kitchen? Don't worry! The sign
May pass over me if it means something.
Now let's get real about the marriage comparison,
Everything will be fine and correct.
Mother Sabrina.
Oh dear God! Now I hear it. They don't believe
Anything either. They take everything for granted.
They claim no signs, no miracles. Dear Cousin,
Please tell me for my peace and for the honor
Of the truth that there are signs, even if you
Don't believe it in your heart. I wanted to give you
A thousand proofs if I could convince you with them.
Mark.
Miracles I believe. But as far as the signs
That occur in the kitchen and in the rooms
Are concerned, I can tell you frankly
That they mean just as much to me as if
My stick fell out of my hand. But we don't want
To talk about that right now. What are you planning
To give to your maiden daughter? And when
Should Joseph pick up his virgin bride?
Mother Sabrina.
You frighten me almost as much with your disbelief
As I was frightened by the sign with the bowl.
For heaven's sake, tell me on your conscience,
Don't you believe anything about the blacksmith,
About the worm that often knocks and hammers
In the window frames or in the walls for whole days
When someone is about to die? Since my blessed husband
Was to be transferred from temporality to eternity,
He let himself be heard three days before.
Shouldn't this mean anything? That we don't want
To believe our eyes and ears and the signs of time!
Mark.
I don't want to deprive the blacksmith of his rights,
Otherwise he would like to bury me
A few hours earlier. You should be right,
Lady Mother! Just leave me in peace
About my errors and explain to yourself
What your maiden daughter will receive
As a trousseau and whether she should remain
With the ten thousand pound in cash?
Mother Sabrina.
Poor woman, me! I'm a lost widow!
Where would I and so much money come together?
During my lifetime my daughter won't get much,
And after my death she will certainly have
My little poverty. I think it won't be like this
For much longer. The sign from my blessed lord...
Mark.
How can you make yourself sad without necessity?
Death is close to us every day,
And it doesn't have to throw down the bowl
Or knock on the shutter or the room door
When it wants to come. We don't have to fear
Or desire death. Be of good cheer today
So that we can get to eternal Truth soon!
Mother Sabrina.
Dear God, that all men don't want to believe anything!
My blessed husband was not like that.
He took nothing lightly. He probably said
Twenty years before his death that he would die.
I still remember it as if it were today.
He had a toothache a few years before he died,
And just at that time one of our chickens began
To scream pitifully and screamed for three days
In a row that we could do whatever we wanted with it.
My child, the blessed man finally began to me,
The hen is not crying out anything good,
Whatever it means, let her stop in God's name.
Mark.
If they had let her see it when she stalled.
There must certainly have been something
Missing in her body, some bodily illness.
Mother Sabrina.
No, everything was fine in her body.
She usually laid over the next day.
And I would rather have cried than let her stall.
My late husband looked at her himself,
And we didn't find anything except that
The claws on her feet were contracted.
Mark.
She had the cramp and that's why she screamed.
But, dear Lady Mother, if we want to talk
About nothing but the beggar, the bowl, the blacksmith,
The hen and the blessed Beloved, we will
Never get anywhere, and Joseph and I
Will have to do that tomorrow leave
Without having achieved anything in love.
Mother Sabrina.
Oh, don't think about the beggar again!
The ruthless boy disturbed my reading of the Bible.
Now my spiritual training session will come soon.
Is it already six o'clock? I don't want to hope so.
Mark.
No, it barely hit five. If you moved this hour
To another time, it would probably...
Mother Sabrina.
How? Mr cousin! Should I deviate from my rule
And put aside devotion for earthly things?
In our activities everything should be done properly,
And in godliness, in singing and praying, right?
Mark.
Oh yes! But the violinist doesn't have to be
Our penitential alarm clock. We must practice
Devotion, not when the clock strikes,
But when we feel adept at withdrawing
Our thoughts from earthly things and filling them
With spiritual things and the testing of our hearts.
Mother Sabrina.
I am sent to this every hour, and whoever feels
Like praying can pray at any time.
Mark.
Yes! prayers from the books; forms that are often
No more suitable for our condition
Than we are for sensible devotion;
You can read these at any time.
But that doesn't mean I pray.
That just means acting as if you wanted to pray.
Mother Sabrina.
Righteous God! You make me very upset.
I don't hope that you are a secret despiser of prayer?
Mark.
And I don't want to hope that you will make me
A heathen and a godless man for no reason.
Mother Sabrina.
The religion and the one holy sacred piety!
Mark.
Religion is the holiest of all that can be worshiped
And practiced. But the opinions of an evil mind
Do not belong to religion, but to errors.
But we don't want to convert each other right now.
Don't worry about my religion to God!
Better explain to yourself what the trousseau
Should be like! Here comes Joseph.
SCENE VII
The previous ones. Joseph.
Joseph.
Madam, you have ordered me to attend you
This afternoon and the wished for decision...
Mother Sabrina.
Spare me with Madam! I can't stand
Such secular titles. However, I appreciate
That you have such an honest dislike
For my daughter. I want to go right away
And ask her again. So let's get this done
If it doesn't get too late. Just be patient
For a few moments. I will be back.
SCENE VIII
Joseph. Mark.
Joseph.
The compliment from a mother-in-law
Wasn't too tender either. Did you come up
With the marriage points, one after another?
Mark.
Don't ask me! I don't know what to make
Of that woman. And I wished
That your former guardian himself
Had traveled with you and spared me this task.
He started the marriage; That's how
He would have liked to have brought it about.
She doesn't want to hear anything
About the ten thousand pound.
Joseph.
These are bad aspects. I wanted to forget
About the money. But I have just spoken
To my bride alone for half an hour.
She is beautiful, quite beautiful; but...
Mark.
Well, what are you missing, my friend;
What do you want to say with the but?
Joseph.
My bride is very beautiful, but...
Mark.
But she doesn't want you as her bridegroom?
Joseph.
Oh no! I probably asked her ten times
And she always answered yes,
But didn't say anything else. The good child
Has much beauty, much wealth, but heaven
Wanted her to have the third one too.
Mark.
Doesn't she have any sense in mind?
Joseph.
Not much, as far as I suspect, it‘s true.
Mark.
This may be a family mistake. Mama,
my dear Lady Mother, must not complain
About the abundance of reason.
But you saw your bride six months ago
And I know that you liked her then.
Joseph.
Personally, I liked her and still like her.
But I wouldn't have thought that such
A beautiful person couldn't talk. At the time
I thought her silence was a sign
Of great modesty or chastity. Now I can see
That she lacks education and a good way of life.
Mark. So, Joseph, you want to resign again?
Joseph.
I want to have her and I also don't want to have her.
If only she were clever and good,
I would prefer her to everyone in the world,
Even if she had not the slightest wealth.
Mark.
Our things are going pretty well.
Don't you have another woman to suggest
To whom we can also say something
On the way back? I would like to play
The role of a courtier again; for I conclude
From the good results of our work
And from my call that I was born to court.
Joseph.
Dear Mark, don't get angry! There is no one
More unfortunate and punishable in this matter
Than I am. I chose the good child
Because I liked her, and I liked her because
I didn't have the opportunity to know her.
I don't want to say how much my former guardian
Has a part in this marriage. He has used
All his eloquence; and I believe he meant well.
For a girl who is beautiful and can hope
For thirty thousand pound is, of course,
With someone who loved money like him,
a happiness that one cannot let out of one's hands
If one does not want to be called crazy.
Mark.
Tell me in a nutshell what you want to do?
Because we have no time to lose.
Joseph.
I don't know it. Advise me, what I should start with.
Mark.
You don't take the woman for me, but for yourself.
Your heart and mind must be your best guides in love.
If you want to have a happy marriage with your bride,
Let go of the gift now and give your word.
The soul of marriage is the equality of minds.
If you now believe that your Dinah
Is not like you in terms of disposition,
Then don't make yourself a martyr
Because of a pair of beautiful eyes.
Joseph.
I told her the most tender things in the world,
And she remained indifferent to them all.
If only she had rewarded me with a sensitive
Expression. Yes and no were her answers.
And she pronounced the yes with the same tone
As the no. She doesn't have to have
Any feeling of love at all. She didn't change
Her face once in the entire half hour,
And if she hadn't had her eyes open,
You would have sworn she was asleep
And sometimes said a word in a dream.
I believe she is a good, innocent girl.
But innocence without reason
Is a very mediocre treasure.
SCENE IX
The previous ones. Evelin.
Evelin.
Finally Mother Sabrina has made up her mind.
She wants to give her daughter
Five thousand pound in bills of exchange.
But no more fare either. And if I have
To give you well-meaning advice,
Don't pull the strings too high. Otherwise,
The mother Sabrina would like to say no.
Leave it to the money, Joseph; you get
Everything after your wife's mother-in-law dies.
Joseph.
Oh, dear Mademoiselle, I don't care about money.
You know me better, and I would gladly give away
Half my fortune if only my bride were more... lively.
I want to confess it to you sincerely.
She seems a bit simple and naiv to me.
Evelin.
I really hate to hear this confession.
I am kind to your bride from the bottom of my heart,
And I am shocked that you do not like a person
Who you like above all others and who,
In your eyes, should be the most kind and clever.
Joseph.
Oh dear God, habe mercy on me, a sinner!
Evelin.
Hear me, Joseph! It's true, your bride
Doesn't have a particularly trained mind;
But it is not a fault of nature, but
Of careless and slavish education.
Joseph.
Am I any better because of this?
Evelin.
Yes, just bring your loved one
Into sensible and cheerful company.
I bet that in a short time she will adopt
A pleasant way of life. She has the best heart.
She lets herself be persuaded.
She wishes that she should be blamed and corrected.
Her mother alone held back all these good impulses
And only gave her daughter instructions
To become a bigot and a frugal landlady.
And thanks be to Dinah's good nature
That she took on neither character.
Mark.
How? Does she like singing as much as her mother?
Joseph.
Is she also stingy and greedy as her mother?
Evelin.
No, gentlemen, neither. She is neither stingy
Nor foolishly reverent. She is only sixteen
And still too young for both. In short,
She is nothing at all. But she has the ability
To become the best woman in the world
If her husband has the patience to make her so.
Love can change a person in a short time,
And a good nature soon becomes witty
And enlivened by good examples.
Joseph.
You speak very truthfully and deserve
The greatest gratitude and respect from me.
But if only my bride were what you think
She will become, I would love her endlessly.
I believe that all these good qualities
Lie hidden within her; but I am so sensual
That I love not future perfections but present ones.
Will not my patience or my affection for her be lost
In the midst of the effort to make her really lovable?
Evelin.
No, I don't believe it. In an innocent heart
The little faults become imperceptible,
And you will love your Dinah all the more tenderly
When you see how ready she is to become
Amiable and equal to you, dear brother Joseüh.
Joseph.
I have to admit that. You restore my bride
To her former respect with me. And I don't know
Whether I have to thank your noble ideas
Or the innocence of my bride for my love again.
Because I was determined to forget my Dinah.
Evelin.
You are too generous for that, saint Joseph.
Mark
to Joseph
So do you want to stick to your decision and marry her?
Joseph.
Yes, Dinah shall be mine. I want to draw
Her the way I want her as my ideal of love.
Evelin.
That makes me happy from the bottom of my heart.
You know what, Joseph? Make a promise
To her now and put off the wedding
For another year; but don't tell it your mother-in-law.
Wait here a few more days and then take your Dinah
With you. I want to keep her company.
Just arrange a place for us to stay
With Mother Sabrina in London. I want to be
Around your bride. I want to bring her
Into good company. I want to talk to her.
I want to read her good books or sensible novels.
I want to learn her as much French as I can.
She should always write a letter to you the next day.
Joseph.
Do you want to do this, gentle sister Evelin?
Evelin.
Yes, you should visit her every day;
But initially only half an hour.
They should make her tender.
You should show her the greatest favors
So that she begins to desire you properly.
This desire will enliven her and become
A motivation for everything that is called
Lifestyle and politeness. I know it for sure,
In a short time she will be as cheerful and pleasant
As she is innocent and very beautiful.
Joseph.
How happy I am! You want to go out
Of your way to pull my Dinah and make me
A happy marriage? Mark, you don't say anything
About that, do you stay silent every hour?
Mark.
What can I say? Evelin puts us both to shame
At insight and wisdom. She deserves respect
And obedience. Follow her, your wise Evelin!
My advice is none other than hers, my brother.
Evelin.
Mark, you probably want to see if I still blush
When you praise me? If my advice is good,
I owe it not so much to my insight as to the love
Of an innocent and uneducated friend.
I know that I cannot make the world and Joseph,
To whom I owe so much politeness,
More binding than if I help bring about
A happy marriage. It will be my greatest pleasure
If I achieve these good intentions with our Dinah,
And I don't doubt it for a moment.
Joseph.
Magnanimous friend, how can I reward your honesty?
You know that I have more wealth
Than I perhaps need for a decent lifestyle.
Fortune has not been as kind to you as nature.
Allow me to make up for this deficiency
And offer you a prescription of five thousand pound.
As long as I live and as long as you want to stay
In London, you won't have to worry about anything.
But you can use the money for your own free use.
Evelin. I, sir, have learned, to live without money.
Joseph.
This money should be yours on the condition
That you don't thank me for it. Assuming
That my Dinah didn't do what my love demanded
In her first year, I won't blame you. I reward not
The outcome of the matter, but your noble intentions.
Evelin.
Don't shower me with blessings. I don't demand wealth
Any more than I demand poverty.
Five thousand pound would worry me
If I kept them; and they would also worry me
If I didn't always use them well.
And I don't trust myself to do that much.
No, Joseph, don't make me rich...
Give me only as much as you need
If you don't want to obey or command.
It's lucky enough if I get into the circumstances
Where I'm no longer allowed to let Mother Sabrina
Do me any favors and can raise the innocent Dinah
The way I want. I want to go and tell her
About our proposal. Come with me, Mark,
So that it has more impact! But you, Joseph,
Can go to your mother-in-law in the prayer room.
It won't take long for you. But she probably
Won't accept your visit during her prayer hour.
Just look for her: she will at least have to go
Into this room with you and bless you.
ACT II
SCENE I
Mother Sabrina. Joseph.
Mother Sabrina.
You came as if you were called.
I just wanted to have a word with you alone.
Don't hold it against me for not taking you
Into my prayer room, it doesn't look too tidy in there.
I'm really glad that Mark isn't with you. Where is he?
Joseph.
I think he still has a few little things
To take care of before we leave tomorrow.
He won't stay out for long, my lady mother.
Mother Sabrina.
So! You should have my daughter
If you want to honor her
And be faithful and caring for her.
Joseph.
Thank you endlessly for this gift.
You can be assured that I will love
Your maiden daughter as I well as I can.
Mother Sabrina.
Yes, that's all good. Marriages are made
In heaven, and through prayer and singing,
Love and blessing come into marriage.
Encourage my daughter to pray
And don't let her follow the ungodly fashions
In clothing. I still have really pretty clothes.
I want to give some of these to her
And she can wear them for the rest of her life
In honor of me and my grandparents.
Joseph.
I want to supply her with pretty clothes.
Mother Sabrina.
No, Son, of the five thousand pound
That I am giving her, you are not allowed
To use one farthing for clothes. Capital
Must be taxed and interests must be turned
Into capital again. This is my will.
Poor widow, how will I be able to spare
So much money in my difficult household?
Joseph.
The mother-in-law (please allow me
To use this word from now on)
Always knows your honest way to me.
Mother Sabrina.
You want to say, I want to resort to prayer.
I suspended my practice session today
Because of the marriage. God will forgive me.
I want to bring it up another time.
And I've decided to give something to God
For his service tomorrow, if you want
To contribute something, my dear Joseph.
Joseph.
With heartfelt pleasure. Do we want to give
Something to poverty or give something certain
To educate a number of orphans? Gladly!
I wanted to be able to make everyone happy.
Mother Sabrina.
Oh! that poverty! You don’t know
How to invest your gifts. There are too many
Ungodly people. No, since I came down
With my Dinah, I had the baptismal font
Dressed in our church; and since
She is getting married, I would like
To do a work of love and have the altar clothed.
I just want to use a good red cloth
And tombakne braid around it: regardless,
It will get very high. Poor woman, me!
But do not let your right hand know
What your left hand is doing. Whoever gives
To the church lends to the Lord,
And he will repay you with rich graces.
Joseph.
Let the altar be clothed. I want to put out
A small amount of capital to feed the poor.
Mother Sabrina.
Oh, the poor! Just remember that I
Sometimes give alms to a poor man
Who has disgraced himself while building
My house. Recently I found him sitting
On the street in front of the gate.
Can you imagine that he had a roll in his hand
And was eating it? The godless and wasteful people.
Joseph.
Who knows who gave it to him? Suppose
He had bought them too. So perhaps he is
So miserable that he can no longer eat bread.
And finally, as a poor man, he has the right
To a little refreshment, so I think.
Mother Sabrina.
So? Shouldn't he save? Not following up?
Couldn't he get some beer too?
No roll comes into my house all year round
And I always live. If I and my blessed Lord
Had not saved, where would it have come from?
I lied seven times during the week
And each time I gave something to the church.
With my first son I venerated a collection book
Heavily covered with silver on the altar because
I wanted him to study theology, and with...
Joseph.
Without further ado, I give fifty pound
To those who need them, I really do.
Mother Sabrina.
No no! Just listen to me. For the first daughter
I had a rich vestment made, and if God
Had wanted it, it should not have been
Without foreshadowing. If she had lived,
She would certainly have gotten a priest.
The dear church already has nine different pieces
Of mine for its decoration. And tomorrow
The tenth will come! All in all it costs me
Almost three hundred pound. But I don't get tired.
Who knows where God will replace me
Somewhere else. Didn't you allow yourself
To be shown around the church?
The first letters of my name are written
On every piece of me. Not because people
Should talk about my good work, but so
That a stranger doesn't come and pretend
To be the benefactor. Where you see
The letters MS find, that is called
Mary Sabrina and is from me.
Joseph.
But I would think that your church itself
Had large capitals. Couldn't mom also do
A good work? In my opinion, your housemaid,
Maid Evelin, would probably be worth it
For you to contribute something to her future
Support or, if she still wanted to get married,
To her marriage wealth and to look after the girl.
Mother Sabrina.
The honest girl needs nothing. When she
Has secular books and novels, she is content
And thinks of nothing else. I don't like
Your performance at all. She would have preferred
To introduce my daughter to the gallant way of life.
Recently she gave her a book to read,
I don't know whether it was called Werther
Or William, Mister Goethe‘s famous novel.
Enough, it was a love book,
And on the copper the devil was standing
Behind a woman and wanted to seduce her.
But to make matters worse, I snatched it
Put of my daughter's hand. Such devilish books!
Joseph.
Werther is a very good novel that tries
To make innocence and virtue lovable.
A priest in England himself praised it
For reading from the pulpit in the church.
Mother Sabrina.
And if ten priests had done it, my daughter
Shouldn't read a novel. What does an English priest
Want to know about virtue? Don't these people
Have the Calvinist religion? Do you even want
To make my daughter a Calvinist?
Joseph.
You are getting ahead of yourself in your zeal.
Mother Sabrina.
I'm not rushing things. In a word,
Evelin lives according to the world.
She walks like other people walk.
She got her hair cut. She gets her hair done
And probably even reads a book to do it.
She is wearing Adriennen
And a large whalebone skirt.
I should have done that to my blessed mother!
She wouldn't have let me stay
In her house for only one hour.
Joseph.
But these are all innocent things.
They are fashions and costumes
That neither make you pious nor malicious.
What does virtue matter whether one wears
The dress in the form of a long fur
Or an Adrienne? If only the heart is not foolish.
Mother Sabrina.
I can already hear it, you are an indifferentist.
With you one thing is as good as the other:
No, Son! I still have my daughter now;
And before she becomes worldly,
She may remain a virgin all her life.
Joseph.
Fear nothing. With me she should neither
Lose religion nor virtue. I love both
More than anything. However, if it pleases you,
We would like to say yes to each other
In the presence of a number of good friends.
Mother Sabrina.
I still can't forget that you praised Evelin
To me so much. I don't want to judge;
But I don't think she's really well-informed
About Christianity. She often hardly sings
A song all day and has nothing more
Than one prayer book. This is not enough.
Joseph.
One can be quietly reverent
And pray without a prayer book.
Mother Sabrina.
Should you even pray from your head?
Joseph.
Whoever knows the religion and his heart
Will let him pray both. And if you don't know both,
You'll just be fooling around with all the prayers,
No matter how good they are. Yes, dear Mama,
We want to talk a little differently;
Would you like to visit me in my homeland soon?
Mother Sabrina.
I don't know that. Where did I want to get
The travel expenses? It's too much for me.
Three of my godchildren have already married
This year, and once I and twice my daughter
Became godmothers. Yesterday an old
Sixty-year-old maid was buried in the suburbs.
I had a wreath for her for a guilder
And a katune funeral dress made by the best katune.
She looked quite beautiful in there,
And she lay in the coffin as if she were still alive.
The crucifix also cost me nineteen pence.
The good Lord will not let it go unpaid.
Joseph.
Was she so poor that she couldn't be put underground?
Mother Sabrina.
Yes indeed! In her life she has had nothing
But twenty pound, which she left to my Dinah.
And her honor-forgotten relatives
Would have preferred to have her buried
In her proper clothes and in a black coffin
Without a wreath, without anything.
I don't even know where such people are thinking;
Whether it is not afraid of sin. Praise God
That people know my gentle heart.
Not a week goes by before they ask me
About a wreath for someone who has died.
And as hard as it is for me, I'll always have one done.
It is the last blessing that is shown to you
In this world. My blessed mother also
Felt the same way. God, how many people
Didn't go to the grave with her! How did they
Not praise her piety! I think I shouldn't lack
Companions on my last walk to the judge.
Joseph.
Heaven grant that it may be very late
And that I may have the pleasure for a long time…
SCENE II
Evelin. Dinah. The previous ones.
Evelin.
The coffee is ready. I have had him brought
Into the large room, and Mark is waiting for you.
Mother Sabrina.
So come, Joseph. We want to discuss everything
With Mark soon; because I have to go
To my prayers at six o'clock. You, Dinah,
Can wait here with Evelin for a few more moments
Until we are finished, then I will call for both of you.
(Exit).
SCENE III
Evelin. Dinah.
Evelin.
So you want to put up with it and live with me
In London for another year until the wedding?
Dinah.
Oh yes. Why not? If Mom and Joseph want it that way.
Evelin.
But won't the time until the wedding be
Too long for you? The desire to possess
The one you love is not as easy
To satisfy as we think, is my experience.
Dinah.
I don't feel any particular desire.
Evelin.
Don't you want to have it, as soon as possible?
Dinah.
Yes why not? You yourself advise me to do so;
And I know you mean well for me. I rely on you.
Evelin.
I mean well with you; but you also have to be
Kind to yourself and check whether you love him.
Dinah.
I really like Joseph; but he talks too highly to me.
I can't understand everything he says.
If only I'm not too ignorant for him!
Evelin.
Don't worry! A woman doesn't need to be learned!
If we have understanding and virtue
In a tender love, we have everything
That a sensible husband can demand.
Dinah. Yes, yes, I will take him if he asks me.
But if he doesn't want me, I'm also satisfied.
You know me as I am. I put up with everything.
Evelin.
Oh! Don't talk so indifferently:
It makes me feel anxious and frighten.
I would rather hear you say that a moment
Without Joseph would be too long for you.
Dinah.
No, I can't say that. I'm too sincere for that.
Evelin.
But he loves you so tenderly.
Why don't you feel anything, my dear Dinah?
He is a well-educated and pleasant man.
Dinah.
I assure you that I have never noticed
Any feeling against a man in my life.
I'm not getting anywhere. I'm not allowed
To talk to anyone because my mom
Doesn't want me to. Just do, my dear Evelin,
That I become more well-behaved and cheerful.
I would like to follow you. Just read to me
Often from the newspaper. There are
Similar stories in there. I would really like
To know something, if only my mother
Wasn't so strict and always bothered me
With sewing and singing, praying alltimes!
Evelin.
So, have you never loved a man?
Dinah.
Never. And if it were to cost me my life,
I couldn't say what would be love or hate.
No man has ever kissed me in my life,
Except my bridegroom; he forced
The first mouth out of me earlier.
Evelin.
But with this kiss you will have felt
All the more because it was the first?
Dinah.
Nothing more than what I feel when you kiss me;
Except that my blood ran a little to my heart
Because I was ashamed in my chastity.
Evelin.
I certainly believe that modesty was the cause
Of this movement; but who is to blame
If love did not also contribute to this impulse?
We often feel love without knowing that it is love.
Desire for a person is the surest sign of love.
Dinah.
I have no desire for anyone except you
And sometimes my mom. Don't take offense
At my weakness if it is one. Don't you hate me
For being so inexperienced and naiv?
Evelin.
No, my dear child. Heaven would
That I could make you quite happy.
I love you with all my heart because
Of your unaffected honesty.
You're missing nothing but the world.
A sensible attitude and a good book
Will soon bring you to the point
Where I have to learn from you.
Dinah.
Just tell me how I can please you.
I want to do everything in the world for you.
I love you far better than my mom.
Oh, if only I could talk! If Joseph comes back,
Just be careful, I can't say a word.
I always think I'm saying something naughty
Because I don't know what to say.
Then they come and want to get me to say yes.
I want to go quickly and put on my cross first.
SCENE IV
Joseph. Mark. Evelin.
Joseph.
I have never seen a woman like her in my life.
It's all over, my dear Evelin; and in a word:
Nothing will come of the whole marriage.
Evelin.
You are joking. Dinah will be back soon,
We always want to go to the bridal feast.
Mark.
No no. It is correct. You can certainly trust us.
The marriage is certainly not happening.
Evelin.
Oh, for God's sake, tell me what happened!
Joseph.
I can easily tell you that. She, the lovely woman,
Poured me a cup of coffee. She attacked
Ten pieces of sugar before she found
The smallest one she could think of,
And ten times she asked me whether I also liked
Sweet drinks and assured me
That the sugar made a lot of slime.
Evelin.
You shouldn't be surprised about this.
With her, all things that you can't get for free
Are harmful. And you have to congratulate yourself
That she had coffee made because of you.
Because this honor does not go to her confessor either.
Today's coffee is the same as the one I've seen
In her room for a year. But what happened next?
Joseph.
I pick up the cup, half laughing. And just as I drink,
She tells the story about a sign
That there would have been when she was
In the weeks with Dinah. It was impossible
To stop laughing. I look at Mark and, coughing
With laughter, throw the cup onto the ground.
Evelin.
And it breaks in two? I don't want to hope so.
The mother-in-law will not make up for you in your life.
Mark.
I didn't want my Lady Mother to do me
So much honor. Tell the sordid thing
As briefly as possible, and make sure we come
From a house where the woman is a fool.
Joseph.
The cup breaks in two, and when it falls down:
The only word that escapes me is: the devil!
That I usually say when I'm frightened.
In short, she made unbearable faces at this loss.
I don't like this performance of yours at all,
She began. I think you are laughing at me
And dropped the cup with diligence.
Is my prayer room good enough for you
To curse the devil in it? Am I and my child
The devil? Don't you have any religion at all?
You won't get my daughter. I don't want
To throw away a daughter and five thousand pound.
Just listen! You won't get her!
The devil doesn't live in our house!
She flattered me like that.
Evelin.
What kind of things do you start?
Joseph.
You can easily think that I lost all composure.
In a word: I told her that I wanted
To thank her most obediently for the honor
Of becoming her son-in-law and that I
Wanted to recommend myself to her
In the best possible way and manner.
Evelin.
Can the matter be irreparable?
Mark.
No, it's impossible. She said some pretty
Rude things to us; and she doesn't deserve
Joseph to keep thinking about her.
Evelin.
I only care about poor Dinah. What can she
Do about it? She is the most honest child in the world.
Joseph.
She takes me. I want to wish her
The best husband and leave her
All the gifts that I brought to the bridal treasure.
She may come to a thousand pound.
Maybe good Dinah wasn't meant for me.
Evelin.
So you want to leave the poor child? Don't do it.
I ask you a thousand times, I beg you.
Joseph.
Dearest Evelin, don't beg! I don't think
Dinah loves me very much. Yes, I think
It will be easier for her to leave me
Than we think. I have already decided
To change my choice and wanted heaven...
Evelin.
You are very changeable. I wouldn't have
Believed you could do this, dear Joseph.
Joseph.
Don't offend me! My heart is honest;
But I see that Dinah was not born for me.
She will be as indifferent to my infidelity
As she was to my love. She gets ten men,
Even if she misses out on another ten.
She is beautiful and rich and has blonde hair.
Evelin.
So you want to leave again without her?
Mark.
Yes, tomorrow, if you have something
To commemorate London. Always
Say goodbye, Joseph, my pious brother!
Joseph.
So farewell, dearest Evelin! Mark,
Leave me for a moment! I just want
To have a few words with Evelin alone.
Evelin.
No, say in his presence what is at your service.
We don't need to talk to each other without witnesses.
Joseph.
Mark, always lead the way, I will follow shortly.
But no... But no, stay here and support my word!
(To Evelin)
May I discover something that may concern
You more than you would like? Allow me,
Amiable Eleonore, to speak without force
Or artifice! I love you; I offer you my heart
And my love, and I will count myself lucky
If you do not let me leave without all hope.
Evelin.
I don't know what to say to this request.
Perhaps, as is the custom of our sex,
I should answer you with a number
Of indifferent words or just with an expression.
Maybe I should punish you with a few
Compliments for not loving me
Until you can't get my girlfriend.
But you may infer from my dismay
Whether I was indifferent to your proposal.
Do not demand a clear confession.
I value you highly and know your merits.
But even if what I feel towards you
Is anything more than respect, I tell you
That I would rather lose everything
Than deprive my Dinah of any happiness.
And if you believe that I love Dinah,
Friendship and virtue, a more precise
Answer to you will be superfluous.
Joseph.
But if Dinah were to confess...
Mark.
Yes, if she now admitted that she didn't want
Joseph, wouldn't you give him hope?
Evelin.
Dinah would not have to know the value
Of her bridegroom if she were
Able to do this. Here she comes, the youth.
SCENE V
Dinah and the previous ones.
Dinah
to Evelin
Mom sent me here. I want to tell you secretly.
Evelin.
Gentlemen, please say Mother Sabrina
Not to disturb her any further with your visit,
As she has already started her prayer hour.
Mark.
We don't want to be that rude. We want
To go straight away. Joseph, tell
Maiden Dinah that Lady Mama...
Dinah.
I know it, gentlemen. And I want to tell you
Sincerely, Joseph, that my mother ordered me
Not to think about you any further.
Don't take offense at my sincerity.
I hold you high; but I don't feel
Like getting married yet in my blooming youth.
Joseph.
So allow me to go back with my word?
Dinah.
Yes. Just don't get angry with me.
I have all the respect for you.
Joseph.
I too, dearest Dinah, will always hold you
In high esteem and wish you a much more
Worthy man than I am. Remain my good friend
And, to prove that you do not hate me,
Accept the following small gifts from me,
Which I had intended for your bridal treasure.
This is the only favor I ask of you before I leave.
Dinah.
Yes, I want to do it; but you must allow me
To ask for something from you too!
But I'm probably too free. I want to tell you
Gently if you don't want to be angry.
(She talks to him secretly.)
Joseph.
I should think of Evelin, the wise one!
Dinah.
Oh! Why are you saying it out loud?
Now I see that you want to shame me.
Evelin.
Why should Joseph think of me?
Dinah.
You know that I love you. Oh, if only I
Could show you how much I care for you.
My dear Evelin, may I offer you the jewels
That Joseph gave me, and the diamond?
Evelin.
My dear child, you make me uneasy
With your kindness. I meant well for you;
But certainly you mean even better things to me.
Mark.
How should Joseph think about Maid Evelin?
Dinah.
I can not say it. It would be too free.
Joseph.
Say it, my angel. No request can be so great
That it should be refused. My fortune is the least
You can desire for your and Evelin's service.
Dinah.
No, it's not a fortune. I wish that you...
Joseph.
Oh, just say what you want. I beg you
From the bottom of my lonely heart.
Dinah.
I wish... No, I can't say. I don't want
To offend Evelin or you with my sincerity.
Evelin.
Fear nothing! I know your honest heart.
Tell us your desire, otherwise mom would want to come.
Dinah.
Joseph, you should take the heart
That you wanted to give me...
Joseph.
Give to Evelin, the dear and prudent?
Dinah.
Oh yes! Do it! She is much more worthy of you
Than I am. I'm too young. I have little lifestyle.
But Evelin – Oh, if only my request –
Joseph.
Do you hear, my dearest Evelin,
What your good girlfriend says?
Evelin.
I am so touched by this innocent sincerity
That I must go if you are not to see
The signs of my weakness in my eyes.
Dinah.
Oh, don't go yet, my sister in Christ!
Joseph
(to Evelin)
Will you allow Dinah's wishes
And my requests to take place? May I hope,
Pleasant child? Don't ask me for any
Further explanation! I am too tenderly moved
To talk much. My happiness is with you;
And I don't want to thank my requests,
But your voluntary decision, your yes.
Evelin
(to Dinah)
From you, honest child, should I steal
Your loved one? Can you expect this from me?
Dinah.
Oh! If only I could make you happy.
You have far more merit than me.
I'm still too young and I don't begrudge
Joseph to anyone but you. Oh, if only I
Could experience joy! God knows I'm sincere.
Joseph
(to Evelin)
Make up your mind; but not both
To my liking and to yours. Ask your heart
If you can love me. I love you
And want nothing more than to prove
My love to you throughout my life.
Mark
(to Evelin)
Let's travel home happily! How joyful
Our journey will be if we take with us
Your consideration and, even more, your yes!
Evelin.
God, what an exit this is! When did I think
About marriage and when did I want
To deprive my best friend of a kind man?
Joseph, consider my circumstances carefully.
My heart is my wealth, otherwise I have nothing.
Dinah.
I want to ask mom to give you several
Thousand pound of my assets.
Evelin.
My child, be quiet, otherwise your sincerity
Will bring me to extreme sadness.
Joseph.
If you have no concerns other than
Your circumstances, I am happy.
Your intelligence and your virtue
Are more precious than all my riches.
And why are you protecting your circumstances?
Don't you have capital that I gave you
As a gift earlier? Should I hope, dearest Evelin?
Evelin.
Yes! I leave you my heart and ask for yours;
But with all my happiness I might
Make my best girlfriend Dinah unhappy.
Dinah.
No, no, good Evelin! Just get it so far
That Mark takes me to London
And gets my mom's permission for me
To accompany you there so that I can be
Around you sometimes and learn from you.
Evelin.
That's just my wish, to see you with me.
Oh, if only your mother wanted
To be kind at least once in her life!
Joseph.
I certainly want to make it that far
Through my faithful friends in London.
Mark
(to Dinah)
I promise you that I will not rest until
You have your stay with me and my wife.
Everything should be at your service
And I want to treat you as my daughter.
Dinah.
Now I'm happy. But, Joseph,
When do you want to pick up Evelin?
Joseph
(to Evelin)
May I ask that you accompany me to London now;
I will then wait here for a few more days.
Evelin.
Yes. I'll follow you wherever you want
If my Dinah can go with me in the world.
Dinah.
I want to go and ask my mom.
Joseph.
In the meantime, I want to go into the porcelain vault
With Mark and take out a piece of good porcelain
And send it to ladymother, so she will forget
About the coffee bowl and her anger against me.
(To Evelin)
So are you my bride, my wife for lifetime?
Evelin.
I am yours and completely happy
If I can keep your love for life.
And tomorrow I'll be ready to follow you.
Dinah.
You see, my dear Evelin, this is the reward
For your mind and for your noble heart.
My mom caused you a lot of trouble.
Forgive her and take my mother's place.
Come on, we have to talk to her.
ACT III
SCENE I
Mother Sabrina. Dinah.
Mother Sabrina.
I'm telling you, don't think about him anymore.
Before Joseph gets you as his bride,
I want to go to the high consistory myself.
I would still be turning in my grave
if I didn't know you were better cared for.
I would like to have such a son-in-law
who has no conscience, no religion;
who curses in my presence; who diligently
breaks a coffee bowl for me!
Dinah.
Dear Mom, he probably didn't do it
with diligence. I don't think he's that bad.
Mother Sabrina.
How? Do you still dare to represent him,
to apologize for him? What does that mean
other than that you want him?
Disobedient child! I want to disinherit you,
I want to throw you out of the house,
I don't want to hear or know anything more
about you. Look, Lord Joseph, your Lord Joseph,
will surely be more than your mother?
I will no longer pray the Lord's Prayer
for you if you do not abandon it.
Dinah.
Don't be angry with me! I'm innocent.
I don't ask for Joseph or anyone else
for a husband. You're certainly doing
too much for me, Mama, if you only knew.
Mother Sabrina.
What should I know? That you've already
conspired with him? That you allow yourself
to be blinded by his beautiful mask?
I certainly didn't see him kissing you
in the next room? Don't you think you liked it?
If only you had given him everything straight away.
Who knows what has already happened!
You nasty, naughty child, you!
Dinah.
Oh, Mom, don't drive me so badly.
Please remember that I am your daughter
and do not torment me with such
an undeserved suspicion. I can't apologize
other than through bitter tears.
Mother Sabrina.
Yes, just cry! That's what they all do
when they don't have a clear conscience.
Didn't you run after him yourself an hour ago?
Is this a performance for a well-off daughter?
You certainly won't have enough time
to spend with a flock of small children.
(Dinah wants to leave.)
No, stay here! You don't want to listen
to my admonitions any longer?
You don't want to follow me?
To the penitentiary with such ungodly men,
to the penitentiary, and instead of the man,
the distaff in the arm of a maiden!
Dinah.
But mom, I didn't do anything.
I am completely blameless.
Mother Sabrina.
What, can you still contradict me?
Don't you remember the fourth commandment?
Whoever violates the fourth,
also violates the fifth, because
through his disobedience he kills
his poor parents. Do you want to kill
your mother with all your might,
so that you can rule and rule according
to your will, and my hard-earned fortune
goes to a madman? Can you hang
on a man's neck? I unfortunate mother!
Do you still want to take your Joseph?
Just say yes or no, my foolish daughter.
Dinah.
No, I don't ask for it forever.
Mother Sabrina.
Well, give me your hand on it
and everything will be forgotten.
So you don't want to love him?
Dinah.
No, I don‘t want to love him.
Mother Sabrina.
So will you promise me to hate him
for the rest of your foolish life?
Dinah.
Oh, why should I hate him? It is against
the Bible that one should hate someone.
Mother Sabrina.
Against the Bible? That's a nice answer.
Who will understand the Scripture better,
the mother who has read it
for an hour every day for forty years,
or the little daughter who has barely
been able to read for six years?
You ignorant child! I want it,
you should hate him because I hate him.
Do you have any reservations
about hating a person who curses and swears,
who does not want to give anything
to a church gift? Do you still want
to love him? Is that why I let the old master
come to your house for seven years
because you are not better informed
about Christianity? Poor woman, me!
Throwing away so much school money
for nothing! You should hate him,
that's enough. Get out of my sight!
(Exit Dinah.)
SCENE II
(Mother Sabrina. Evelin.)
Evelin.
Joseph lets say to you, mother Sabrina...
Mother Sabrina.
Joseph can go where he belongs.
He has nothing to do with me.
Do you now want to become the negotiator?
Do you want to lead my daughter
into debauchery if she can't get
into it on her own? I like that.
Don't force my daughter to pray and sing;
but to love. This is appropriate
for a single woman who should know
and talk about nothing but innocence.
When do you see such a performance from me?
You don't attend my practice sessions;
But if Mark and Joseph are there, then...
I don't want to say anything else.
Evelin.
Sabrina, I made you diligent to hear my crime;
but I still don't know why you're so angry with me.
Do you think I'm seducing Dinah?
This accusation is too terrible for me
to have any reason to defend myself against it.
As long as my heart doesn't reproach me,
I will listen to yours with composure
or at least with silence and quiet.
Mother Sabrina.
Just a little sneering! Only mocked
by a pious old woman! Am I good enough
for you to lie to my face? Is this thanks
for the care you enjoyed in my house
for thirteen months? I don't blame you
for my good deeds, I'm not that impudent.
I forget that you had bread in my house
for so long; but it's not right for you to forget it.
Ingratitude, old vice beginning and continuing!
I starved my own mouth of the morsel so that I could...
Evelin.
I beg you for all the world, Sabrina,
not to torture me with such terrible accusations.
I was in charge of the maintenance in the house,
which you have granted me in the past.
You yourself demanded that I move in with you.
Assuming you had done me more than I deserved,
you still paid for all the good deeds
the moment you reproached me for them all.
If I have been unworthy of your kindness,
then I am punished enough that I have
to listen to it without being allowed
to justify myself. I don't want to cause you
any further trouble. Allow me, or rather order me,
to leave your house this very day.
My obedience will certainly not be lacking.
Mother Sabrina.
Look! Just put your chair in front of the door!
A naked girl who has nothing in her life
but a pair of worldly eyes and a pair
of white hands can act so defiant.
I have never seen anyone who would want
to kill themselves for love of her.
Tell me what she's so proud of?
Evelin.
I am nothing short of proud. You are right
when you point out my poverty to me.
It's also true that I don't have a husband yet;
both are very tolerable to me. However,
I can sincerely assure you that if I could
resolve to act less magnanimously,
I would soon have an amiable husband
and a great fortune in the world.
Mother Sabrina.
Who is the big man who needs a girl with poverty?
He must certainly be willing to go out
into the country soon, and so it won't matter to him
whether he goes before the wedding or shortly after.
Am I not allowed to know, my Evelin,
who is so madly in love with you?
Evelin.
I could easily tell you who loved me;
but I don't want to offend you
or make myself big. Neither the wealth
nor the man determines the value of a woman.
A girl can be poor and yet have intelligence,
virtue, manners, and skill in housekeeping.
Don't worry, Sabrina, I have faith in heaven
that as long as I live I will have enough.
Mother Sabrina.
Always don't make yourself so big!
I thought it could still be maintained
with your understanding. I don't want to talk
about your virtue. I can't see anyone's heart.
Your way of life, I will tell you briefly,
is unregenerate; do you understand me?
Do you think such a way of life is good?
I beg you very much, just don't turn yourself
into a chaste Susanna, a devout Mary
and a busy Martha. Isn't she ungrateful to me?
And can ingratitude and fear of God be together?
Things probably weren't looking right
with your economy when I took you
into my house. Who knows whether she knew
that you shouldn't salt the hard eggs
when you put them on the fire?
Don't be so proud, and if you haven't learned
anything from me in your life, just learn this:
that pride of a woman comes before her fall.
Evelin.
You can see what I've learned from you.
Where would I have the patience
to calmly listen to the greatest insults
if I hadn't learned them in your house?
By the way, as far as the virtue
that you deny me (because I don't want
to talk about the intellect and the economy)
goes, it doesn't surprise me. Of course
I am not as pious as you are.
And how should I be so lucky
that you considered me virtuous,
since you consider no person in the world
to be more pious than yourself?
Yes, Sabrina, I think you have scolded me
enough. I will probably no longer be necessary
for your edification. I also want to go
for the moment. Just be kind enough to hear
why I came here. Joseph lets you...
Mother Sabrina.
To really embitter me, she starts again
with Joseph, and I told her that I can't stand
his name or his person. Isn't it your own fault
if I say a word in anger? Aren't you robbing me
of all peace of mind and rest of soul?
Evelin.
No, Sabrina. I believe what I have to say
to you will reassure you. Just hear me out.
Joseph sends you his compliments.
Mother Sabrina.
He may keep his compliment to himself.
I won't accept a greeting from a curser.
He is a man who has forgotten honor,
I don't want to have scolded him.
Evelin.
He has sent here a large porcelain statue
and asks that you accept it in exchange
for the broken coffee bowl. Be satisfied,
I think the essay is worth over fifty pound.
Mother Sabrina.
Oh no! He will certainly want to make
amends with me. Does Joseph think
that I care so much about temporal goods?
Does he think I'm so selfish that I can't forget
a cup of coffee? I won't be able
to accept the essay any time soon.
How highly do you think of it?
Evelin.
I like to think it costs fifty to sixty pound.
It is made of the finest porcelain,
and the cups all have handles.
Mother Sabrina.
Little handles? That's pretty, pretty.
Just because the bowls have little handles,
I want to accept the gift. He will send it
to me out of a good heart, and it would probably
be a sin if I turned it down.
Is Joseph's servant still there?
Evelin.
Yes, he will still be here if you want to talk to him.
Mother Sabrina.
No, my dear Evelin, I don't want to be seen
in front of him. If I talk to him,
I would have to give him a tip,
and the poor man might later get annoyed
with his master for accepting it.
Evelin.
He doesn't take anything, Sabrina,
I've already offered him something.
Mother Sabrina.
Shouldn't he take nothing? If only I had
a little money, I would give him
a couple of threes with a pot of beer.
For if you give him a little, his master
cannot take it as badly as if you gave him
half a guilder. It would be as if you
were trying to pay for gentle gifts.
Evelin.
Don't worry, Sabrina! Joseph's servant
will not need a tip so much from you.
Mother Sabrina.
Yes, I think so, too. I have to go
and talk to him. It bothers me
that I can't give him anything.
If only I had money individually!
Evelin.
It is not necessary; But if you want
to give him something, there will still be
a number of pennies from the market money
on the window in the little room,
which you can give to the friedly Joseph.
Mother Sabrina.
Market money! I would not like to attack that.
It is always as if there were no blessing
in the spending when you take some of it.
Are they good accident pennies?
Evelin.
No, it's just common spending money.
Mother Sabrina.
It is a pity. No, common money won't pay
for such a servant. So it has to stay.
Evelin.
Maybe there are a lot of accident pennies
there too. I don't know exactly.
Mother Sabrina.
But, my dear Evelin, the good money
doesn't stop there either. It looks as if you
don't have any spending money in your budget,
and I wouldn't want to hear that said.
I'd rather not give him anything;
so the poor person doesn't get into trouble.
What does Dinah want? She could handle
the servant Mark in my place.
SCENE III
(The previous ones. Dinah.)
Dinah.
Oh, dear Mama, don't be angry
with Joseph any more. He sent you a lot
of beautiful things, very beautiful things.
Mother Sabrina.
Is his servant, brother Mark, still there?
Dinah.
No, he said he couldn't wait.
I thanked Joseph on your behalf.
Mother Sabrina.
Well, it's a good thing that you didn't stop
the servant, otherwise he would have had trouble
with his master. Surely he's gone again?
Dinah.
Yes, he's gone. At the same time, Joseph said
goodbye to you in case he didn't see you again.
Mother Sabrina.
The good person! Why does he want to leave
without saying goodbye? I have to talk to him
about your marriage. Send to him and ask him to come!
Dinah.
Mom, Joseph doesn't want me and my love.
Mother Sabrina.
Oh! Why won't he want you? You are
a simple child, you don't understand.
Why would he have sent such a precious present
if he didn't ask you to be his wife?
Don't you agree, my dear Evelin?
Evelin.
Yes, I completely agree with you on this point.
Dinah.
But, Mom, you forbade me to love Joseph.
You contradict yourself, my dearest mother.
Mother Sabrina.
No, I'm not contradicting myself.
Before I forbade you to love him,
and now I command you to take him.
He's a very nice person who you won't have
any trouble with if you don't cause it yourself.
Dinah, look out and see if the servant
is still there. I have to look at all the things
I received as gifts. Joseph must certainly
have a very good heart that soon regrets
his mistake. And now! We are human beings!
I always say, we all have our faults,
just one before the other. We have to be patient
with each other. Satan is a jack of all trades.
How soon he can't seduce us, so pray diligently,
my dear Dinah. Do you hear that? Pray and sing!
Dinah.
There are also a number of spiritual books
with the porcelain, I think one was called
Scriver's Soul Treasure. Joseph asks
that you not be offended by the fact
that they were not bound, he would
not have been able to get them bound.
Mother Sabrina.
Why does he spend the money on books?
I have enough books and I stick to the books
that I got used to from my youth.
Scriver's soul treasure! It may be a pretty nice book.
But why do I need it? How much does it have to cost?
Maybe my godfather, the bookseller,
will accept it from me for a cheap one.
The servant will probably be gone now.
I want to look at things. Dinah, stay here
with Evelin if Joseph should send here again.
SCENE IV
(Evelin. Dinah.)
Dinah.
Oh, my dear Evelin, I shed the bitterest tears
for a whole quarter of an hour because of you.
I stood at the door and listened to
how badly mother treated you.
You're sincere with me, and my mom
can accuse you of seducing me.
Don't make me pay for it, my dear friend,
Joseph will give you a thousand times
more pleasure than my mother gave you
annoyance. Are you taking me to London?
Evelin.
Yes, my dear Dinah, we will certainly
travel together. Your sincerity will make me
capable of anything in the world
that you ask of me. I want to serve you
with everything I have in my power.
Dinah.
Do you also want to forgive my mother
for insulting you so much, my friend?
Evelin.
Yes, my child. We must always be as ready
to forgive as others are to offend us.
And if no one in the world were generous anymore,
we both want to be generous. Hearing
bitter accusations is a great torture
for an honor-loving heart, but not deserving them
is a far greater pleasure. I can't punish your mom
any better than to stay or become
what she doesn't think I am. She thinks
I don't mean well to you. But she will be shocked
if the outcome shows that I have
preferred your happiness to mine.
Dinah.
But how are we going to get my mom
to let me travel with you? As soon as she hears
that you are Joseph's bride, she will be
angry again and won't let me travel.
Evelin.
Let me take care of that. I just ask you
one thing: when Joseph comes,
and he will be there soon, don't act
so fearfully towards him. You don't lack
the ability to talk. You are just too shy
and your fear prevents you from speaking.
Joseph is no longer your bridegroom,
but mine; So you can deal with him
a little more freely and at ease.
Do you want to do it, my dear child?
Dinah.
Yes! I want to talk to him sincerely
and intimately. But will I not offend
friendship if I act kindly towards your bridegroom?
I am now very fond of him because
he fulfilled my request and gave you his heart.
He must be very kind and loving by nature.
How well you won't get along with him!
Mom could have told me earlier
that I should hate him because she hated him,
but I don't do that in my whole lifetime.
Evelin.
No, don't hate him! Love him as your friend.
The more you get to know him,
the more amiable he will seem to you.
Dinah.
But if he wanted to kiss me again,
I can't allow him to do that anymore
because I'm no longer his bride?
He probably won't do it either.
Evelin.
I would like to allow you to make
this small entry into my rights.
Don't refuse him a kiss if he asks you for it.
You still owe him this pleasure for his love.
But, my dear child, make sure I don't lose
too much in the process. You are
more beautiful and lovely than me.
Dinah.
Fear nothing! I'd rather not talk to him
at all if I'm dangerous to you.
I didn't think I would be so beautiful.
Do you like me, my dear Evelin?
Evelin.
I like you, and if I'm not mistaken, Joseph
likes you more than too much. How long will it be;
then you will deprive me of my bridegroom!
Dinah.
Don't torture me! How did you think
I would be capable of such wickedness?
Oh no, I like Joseph because he likes you,
and I now have the greatest trust in him.
Evelin.
If I were to die soon, would you like
to promise me that you would marry him
after my death? What do you mean?
Dinah.
Oh, don't think about death! I don't like hearing
people talk about dying. May they live long.
Evelin.
But if I were to die soon, would you then love him?
Dinah.
Yes, because you loved him
and because he loved you, I would also
love him and take him as my husband.
But let your thoughts of death go;
otherwise you will make me and Joseph sad.
SCENE V
(The previous ones. Mark.)
Mark.
Well, how are our things? Will my lady mother
soon be satisfied? She sent to our quarters
and asked us back. I don't know
what we should do, whether she might
want to tell us some rude things
that she didn't immediately think of
in the heat. Joseph will be there soon.
Evelin.
My dear Dinah, go and see Joseph.
Just take him straight into your little room.
Otherwise his mother would want to get
sensitive when he first came to me.
But don't be too friendly with him: I'll tell you.
You are not allowed to allow yourself
to be kissed more than three or four times.
Just come here, I want to give you a little mouth,
you can repeat that to Joseph on my behalf:
then you can keep a clear conscience.
Dinah.
No, don't expect that from me! I don't know
why you're joking with me like that.
Just wait, I want to take revenge on you
and tell Joseph, he should go right away.
I'm quite happy to see you so tidy.
Evelin.
Yes, that's what love and you do
that makes me so satisfied. And I just want
to tell you, I would also like to make you
in love and as happy as I am.
Dinah.
Not yet. Just get to know love for me first.
When I'm nicer, then it'll be time enough.
I hear someone, I want to go, it would be Joseph.
Evelin.
Quickly, take a look in the mirror to see
if you've cleaned up enough.
Joseph takes care of everything.
Dinah.
He won't look at me much. When he looks
at his bride, he cannot see my faults.
SCENE VI
(Evelin. Mark.)
Evelin.
Did you hear what the loose child said?
She can probably talk, if only she weren't so timid.
And she will become quite bright
and well-mannered in a short time.
She is still pure innocence.
Mark.
I never thought the good child was simple.
I want to use everything for her education;
and I am assured that the wisest man
will still make an effort for her.
If only she leaves the hands of her foolish mother,
she will become the loveliest woman in the world.
Evelin.
Yes, we certainly want to take care of her.
She has made me happy, and I think
I will soon make her happy as well.
Here comes Lady Mother.
She looks so friendly, as if she had won
ten pound in the lottery of the Fates.
SCENE VII
(The previous ones. Mother Sabrina.)
Mother Sabrina.
Welcome, dear Cousin, welcome!
It's all forgotten. Forgive and you will be forgiven.
My dear Evelin, be so kind and arrange
for Joseph and our Cousin to have
a bite of bread with us this evening.
I have to complete my spiritual training
session today because I have
such dear friends with me. Joseph is
with my daughter. They can always talk
to each other alone, I don't want to stop them.
They are already married couples before God.
(Exit Evelin.)
SCENE VIII
(Mother Sabrina. Mark.)
Mark.
Lady Mother, do you think that Joseph
will still marry Dinah? I do not believe it.
You told him the whole deal.
Mother Sabrina.
What are you talking about?
Don't make my heart heavy.
No, no, my daughter is a very pretty girl,
and Joseph is a handsome man.
They both have money, so they can marry.
Mark.
Yes, it would come on, and it would come on;
after all, you have undone everything.
Joseph has decided on a completely
different marriage. Do you think
he would allow himself to be treated so rudely?
He is a respected, skilled man.
He gets ten women from the most noble houses
if he only wants them for his own.
Mother Sabrina.
So? So he just wanted to bring my daughter
into the speech? So he wants to abandon her,
the godless man, and put me, poor woman,
under the ground before my time?
Can he bring people like that into my house,
Cousin, and isn't he afraid of sin?
Poor widow, me! Yes, yes, oppressing
poor widows is the way of the world.
Mark.
What are you talking about again, Lady Mother?
Why do you call yourself Joseph
a malicious man and why do you insult me?
Didn't we both have the most honest intentions?
And isn't it your own fault
that Joseph lets go Dinah away?
Mother Sabrina.
What? Does he want to let go?
No, now and never again, even if all
my assets were lost. There would have to be
no more justice in the country.
I want to go as far as my feet
and my prayer will take me.
I want to hurt the sovereign.
I want to do justice for myself
and my daughter. I will cry to God
for vengeance! I want to pray
that the dishonorable Joseph
will never prosper. I want...
Poor woman! Yes, I want to do all of this.
Mark.
Lady Mother, I don't know how you seem to me.
Can't you talk to me calmly? I'll leave
your house the moment you say one more
sensitive word to me. I can't even
put together your change and your many hours
of prayer. When one hears you talk and revile,
one would think that you have no religion
other than that which you have made yourself.
And yet you talk so much about your devotions.
But I will be fair and attribute your debauchery
to a natural heat and strong effervescence
of the blood. But you don't believe
that me and Joseph have to listen to your anger.
The way we came here is open
to us again at any moment.
Mother Sabrina.
Dear Cousin, she is crying. But what should I do?
Take care of a poor widow! Would you
advise me, Joseph, a man who is
so extremely rich and has almost
a ton of gold in his assets, who doesn't want
to have my daughter, my only daughter?
Oh, fair heavens! She has thirty thousand pound.
She is young and beautiful
and raised as a Christian.
She approached him a few hours ago.
Why doesn't he want her now?
Mark.
Because you said that he wasn't worth her,
that with your will he should never have her,
because you said the most rude things to him.
Mother Sabrina.
But, I didn't mean it in such a bad way.
I want to forbid my sin today.
I want to give Joseph the promised
five thousand pound right away.
From now on I want to consider him
a pious person and keep him
in my prayers every day. I also want
to cover the travel costs to London
for my daughter. Oh, he won't be
so unscrupulous that he should abandon
my poor daughter! What would the evil world
say about this? Wouldn't she blame me?
Mark.
In this way the evil world would speak truth
for the first time. Because aren't you
the cause of everything? The good Dinah
cares for me herself. She couldn't have gotten
a better man in the world than Joseph.
His wealth is the least thing I value about him.
His mind and honest heart are far greater treasures.
Mother Sabrina.
Yes yes! His mind and his Christian heart,
that's exactly why my daughter should take him.
And if he had all the riches in the world
and didn't have so much religion,
he would never have it. The dear man
gave me a gift of all sorts of spiritual
and edifying books. Yes, if he had given me
a county, he could not have done me
a greater favor. From this I see
that he is pious and not just attached
to the temporal. My daughter will be
in as good hands with him as with myself.
Mark.
Dear Lady Mother, you have two
different languages and I don't know
which one to rely on. One sounds spiritual
and the other quite secular.
One would swear that you must also have
two souls: one to pray and sing,
and one to judge and scold. But you will
know best. It is not my profession
to give advice of conscience.
In the meantime, I want to talk to Joseph
to see whether he can decide to become
your son-in-law. I doubt it because he has...
Mother Sabrina.
I don't doubt it for a moment.
Yes, I just want to know whether he
has a righteous heart when he takes
my daughter. Although I cannot serve him
with much money in my life,
I can serve him all the more with my prayers;
and that will be more important to him
than several thousand pound.
We have to leave everything behind
when we die; but prayer follows us
to the grave. The evil world can take
everything from us, but not devotion.
Poor woman, me! How long will it last
for me? Yes, dear Cousin, if you could only see,
I have already laid out all the clothes
that I want to wear in the coffin.
Even the boards for my coffin are already there.
They are solid, oak boards, I don't remember
how much they cost me. I took it
from the godfather carpenter
instead of the interest of money.
Mark.
That's all good. I hope that you don't need
these solid boards for a long time
and that you would rather use them
for a bridal bed than for a coffin.
Mother Sabrina.
God forgive you, Cousin, for mocking me,
poor old woman, like that.
I could still think about getting married?
Shame on you! However, it will be bad enough
when my daughter is out of the house.
Who will maintain and care for me
in my old age in the future?
I don't have a man who would give me a hand,
and I won't get someone like my blessed Lord
again in my life. No, Cousin, don't advise me
to get married again. An old man is unhelpful,
and a young man doesn't think I'm good
and spoils my business. Oh, don't think
of this weakness to me! The boards
are intended for my coffin,
which will be my bridal bed with the Lord!
Mark.
You didn't understand me correctly,
I meant your maiden daughter's bridal bed.
I wouldn't advise you to get married,
Lady Mother, since I know you're in your sixties.
Mother Sabrina.
Why not in eighty? I need to know best
how old I am. It's still manageable
given my age, and because of my age
I could live a long time if hardship
and worry didn't send me to the grave
before my time. I am ready to die
every day. But I would only like
to live a few more years so that I can see
how my daughter is doing and whether
she would also please me
with well-born children. If they just follow
Joseph's lead, then I'll be happy.
Mark.
Lady Mother, we don't want to talk
about the children yet; because there is still
the small matter of whether Joseph
wants virgin Dinah as his wife.
Mother Sabrina.
I am convinced of that. I want to go
and have the morsel of food prepared.
We want to bring the promise to fruition at table.
SCENE IX
(Mark. Joseph.)
Joseph.
Where is my bride, my well-beloved?
Haven't you spoken to her yet?
Mark.
Yes, I don't know which bride you mean;
the first or the last? Whether Dinah or Evelin?
Joseph.
How can you ask? Do I have a bride other than Evelin?
Mark.
For you it is of course Evelin, but
for my Lady Mother it is Dinah.
She wants to keep us at the table,
and that's where the promise should take place.
And if you don't take Dinah as your wife,
then my most lovable Lady Mother
will run to the consistory in her own high person,
put all her wealth into it and, if this doesn't help,
she will lead you to the most terrible
misfortune through her prayers.
Joseph.
The woman doesn't know what she wants.
She can do whatever she likes.
Evelin is my bride, and Dinah takes me.
She has now spoken to me again
and acted quite nicely. She really isn't
both simple and timid. She really joked with me
and accused Evelin of me in a loose way.
Of course she didn't say anything meaningful to me;
but she still knew how to say it with a good face.
She thanked me very tenderly for wanting
to choose Evelin as my bride at her request.
I would rather have cried at her innocence.
Yes, Mark, where is the beautiful Evelin?
Haven't you spoken to her yet?
Mark.
Here she comes soon, thy beloved.
SCENE X
(The previous ones. Evelin. Dinah.)
Evelin.
Did Dinah sue me to you, Joseph?
Joseph.
Yes, my dear bride; and I wanted to ask
that you punish yourself so that I
wouldn't have to do it in Dinah's name.
Evelin.
That's really nice. You trust loose Dinah
and condemn me without hearing me.
Who am I supposed to complain to about you?
With little Dinah? Yes, yes, you would get off
with a very light sentence and judgement.
Dinah.
My dear Evelin, I have said nothing more
than what is true. I would have liked
to add something else; but I couldn't bring
myself to do it. I love you too much.
I also want to confess to you that Joseph...
but he can tell it to you himself.
Evelin.
I can already hear it, my groom
will have punished your little mischief
with a lot of mouths, and you will have
put up with this harsh punishment.
You don't say anything, Joseph?
Should I also remain silent and look
at your first infidelity with calmness?
Dinah.
Oh, don't talk about infidelity!
You ordered me to do it yourself.
Joseph loves you with all his heart,
and we have spoken of nothing but you.
He gave you the highest praise, and so did I.
When I talk about you, I become quite eloquent.
Joseph.
Well, my dear Dinah! You always defend me
to my bride. You can see that she is jealous
of you. But, dearest Evelin, we want to use
the few moments to discuss our departure
tomorrow. Does Mother Sabrina know
that you are my bride? Will she also let
her Dinah travel with our brother Mark?
Dinah.
How? Joseph! I shouldn't travel with Evelin
and only with Mark? Is this your promise?
I wouldn't have believed you could do that.
Joseph.
No, my dear child, you are traveling with us
and whatever you ask for in London
should be at your service, my girl.
Mark.
You are to be my daughter and I want
to give you more than I promise.
It is an honor for me to have a woman
in my house who is as pleasant
and demure as you are. You don't know
how lovely your innocence makes you;
and the more you deserve to be highly valued.
Maid Evelin and my wife should contribute
everything to your company and your pleasure.
Evelin.
I don't want to say anything else, my dear Dinah.
Enough, you will soon see that your satisfaction
is as dear to me, if not more so, than mine.
Dinah.
We always want to go like this,
mom will definitely be waiting for us with food.
Joseph and Mark, I rely on your support.
Just don't be offended if mom gets upset again.
She doesn't mean it in a bad way.
Joseph
(to Evelin)
So come, my dear bride! We want to see
how we deal with the woman Sabrina.
I've arranged for a bigger present, she'll be satisfied.
Evelin.
My dear Dinah, always move forward!
We want to come straight away.
In the meantime, just act towards your mother
as if Joseph were still your groom.
We want to do it after this.
SCENE XI
(The previous ones.)
Evelin.
I still have a word to say to you, Joseph.
You have been so generous in choosing me
as your bride, and I confess to you
that I wish for no greater happiness
in the world than to be the wife
of such a noble-minded man. I hereby
give you the assurance that I love you.
(She kisses him.)
But with this confession I also cease
to be yours. Your heart was not meant for me,
but for Dinah, and the more pleasure
I would have enjoyed in marriage to you,
the more restless I would have become
about depriving my friend of so much.
Don't blame me for being too tender
in friendship. I would rather miss
the abundance of friendship than the lack of it.
Joseph.
For heaven's sake, what are you doing
with me? What are you taking me for?
Am I disgusted by everything in love?
Evelin.
Let me finish and you will hear
whether I am doing you any injustice.
You have certainly chosen me
with the best of intentions, and I believe
that I have your heart to thank for some
of my qualities. But do you think
that nothing more than love
has a part in this choice? The annoyance
you had with Sabrina certainly got involved
in the game without your knowledge.
She refused you Dinah, and immediately
afterwards you offered me your heart.
I don't blame you: I don't want to make you
suspicious of your love for me.
I don't want to say that it came about
too quickly. No, I want to put it another way.
I don't think I have enough charm
to acquire your love in such a short time.
Even if it were founded in this way,
I would still stick to my resolution.
I've thought everything through carefully.
Your heart belongs to none other than Dinah.
She deserves it, if not more, but just as much
as I do. She didn't want to accept it
out of love for me, and in order
to make me happy, she wanted
to be happy later. She loves you
without knowing it, and in my judgment
you can't choose any happier than Dinah.
So stick to your first decision!
You have not been fickle against Dinah,
for you have not sufficiently known
her worth. I accompany Dinah to London. S
he will live with me for another year
before you marry her. It is up to you
whether you want to follow my advice,
which is based on the most sincere intention.
I'm no longer your bride, but your good friend.
Joseph.
Dearest Evelin, how dismayed you are
causing me! I don't know -
Isn't it possible that you can love me?
Evelin.
I don't want to bother you to refute me
in detail. I want to be wrong. I believe
that I am insulting you and that you have
never suspected such a stranger's proposal.
But I repeat: Either Dinah
is your bride, or neither of us is it.
Mark.
Oh, Evelin! What are you bringing Joseph to?
Please don't rush it, I beg you!
Evelin.
I'm not rushing things. Answer me,
my dear Joseph. Is Dinah your bride
and should I travel to London with her?
Joseph.
Let me just let my dismay come to myself!
You are certainly being too strict with me.
I don't know if the innocent Dinah
can make up her mind... So I can't hope
to possess you, my Evelin?
Don't I deserve to be loved by you
for more than a few moments?
Am I in a dream or are you really
refusing me your heart? Can I no longer hope?
Evelin.
No, you can't hope anymore.
Calm down when I confess to you
that it makes me as angry to say this
than it can be to you to hear it. Enough,
I sacrifice love for friendship, my heart
can say whatever it wants. You belong
to Dinah, and I will consider myself
perfectly happy if you accept this lovely child
from my hand. She certainly loves you;
but out of love for me she wanted
to make me happy through you
and forget herself. So I'm not even
as magnanimous as Dinah. What I do
is only a reward or an appreciation
for the friendship she freely showed me.
Fulfill my request, dear Joseph,
and accept my innocent friend from me.
I'm traveling to London with her
and I'm sticking to my promise.
Give your word this evening
and postpone the wedding feast
for another year! Your marriage
will then be an example of the best marriage.
Don't think about me anymore;
but from this moment forward to Dinah.
I beg you by the affection you have given me
today, because I know nothing more precious.
Joseph.
All I can say is that I will accept Dinah
from your hand and admire your generosity
and my fate as long as I live.
Oh, Mark, who would have guessed this
outcome an hour ago? I obey fate and love.
Dinah be my bride once again
and mine forever. Will she love me too?
How restless is my heart when it loves,
and yet what is sweeter than innocent love?
Evelin, do you believe that Dinah loves me?
Evelin.
Yes. She loves you, Joseph, and I am happy
about the happy outcome of your love.
I want to talk to Dinah; rely on me
and on your own worth. How satisfied
I will be when I see you both
in the happiness you deserve,
and when I can carry with me
the sweet thought that I have contributed
something to this pleasure! Come on,
let's go to Sabrina, she will attribute
this good success to her prayers more than once.
Mark.
That's called magnanimity! That's called friendship!
If only there were many such worldly-minded
women in the world like Evelin and Dinah
and not a single woman as holy
as my Lady Mother, the bigot!
Evelin, I don't have a child.
You are my daughter. Don't accept
the five thousand pound from Joseph.
I want to make you happy alone.
Come, my dear daughter, let's go.
(He takes her by the hand and she kisses his hand.)
Evelin
(to Joseph)
Allow me the pleasure of leading you
to your bride. The child will be frightened.