FALK. En gammel praktikus, som ikke henter sin visdom blot af mugne pergamenter, har sagt, at kærligheden gør Petrarker så let, som fæ og ladhed patriarker. Men hvem var Maren?
FALK. A gray old stager,1
whose sagacious head Was never upon mouldy parchments fed, Says "Love makes Petrarchs, just as many lambs And little occupation, Abrahams." But who was Molly?
FRØKEN SKÆRE. Maren? Det var hende, hans elskede, som snart De lærer kende. Hun var en datter af et kompagni –
MISS JAY. Molly? His elect, His lady-love, whom shortly we expect. Of a great firm her father was a member--
GULDSTAD. Et trælasthus.
GULDSTAD. A timber house.
FRØKEN SKÆRE (kort). Ja, det må Herren vide.
MISS JAY [curtly]. I’m really not aware.
GULDSTAD. For det var hollandsk last de gjorde i.
GULDSTAD. Did a large trade in scantlings, I remember.
FRØKEN SKÆRE. Sligt hører til den trivielle side.
MISS JAY. That is the trivial side of the affair.
FALK. Et kompagni?
FALK. A firm?
FRØKEN SKÆRE (vedblivende). Som ejed store grunker. De kan vel tænke, hvor der kur blev gjort; der meldtes friere af første sort. –
MISS JAY [continuing]. Of vast resources, I’m informed. You can imagine how the suitors swarm’d; Gentlemen of the highest reputation.--
FRU HALM. Og mellem dem sågar en kammerjunker.
MRS. HALM. Even a baronet made application.
FRØKEN SKÆRE. Men Maren værged kækt om kvindens ret. Hun havde Stråmand mødt i „Dramatiken“: at se og elske ham, det var nu ét –
MISS JAY. But Molly was not to be made their catch. She had met Strawman upon private stages; To see him was to love him--
