少年维特的烦恼-第32章

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white　his　locks　of　age，　calm　his　serious　brow。　Fairest　of　women，　he
said，　lovely　daughter　of　Armin　！　a　rock　not　distant　in　the　sea　bears
a　tree　on　its　side；　red　shines　the　fruit　afar。　There　Armar　waits　for
Daura。　I　e　to　carry　his　love　！　she　went　she　called　on　Armar。　Nought
answered，　but　the　son　of　the　rock。　Armar　，　my　love，　my　love！　why　tormentest
thou　me　with　fear　？　Hear　，　son　of　Arnart，　hear　！　it　is　Daura　who　calleth
thee。　Erath　，　the　traitor，　fled　laughing　to　the　land。　She　lifted　up
her　voice　——　she　called　for　her　brother　and　her　father。　Arindal　！　Armin！
none　to　relieve　you　，　Daura。

　　〃Her　voice　came　over　the　sea。　Arindal　，　my　son　，　descended　from
the　hill，　rough　in　the　spoils　of　the　chase。　His　arrows　rattled　by　his
side；　his　bow　was　in　his　hand，　five　dark…gray　dogs　attended　his　steps。
He　saw　fierce　Erath　on　the　shore；　he　seized　and　bound　him　to　an　oak。
Thick　wind　the　thongs　of　the　hide　around　his　limbs；　he　loads　the　winds
with　his　groans。　Arindal　ascends　the　deep　in　his　boat　to　bring　Daura　to
land。　Armar　came　in　his　wrath　，　and　let　fly　the　gray…feathered　shaft。
It　sung　，　it　sunk　in　thy　heart　，　O　Arindal，　my　son　！　for　Erath　the
traitor　thou　diest。　The　oar　is　stopped　at　once：　he　panted　on　the　rock，
and　expired。　What　is　thy　grief，　O　Daura，　when　round　thy　feet　is　poured
thy　brother's　blood。　The　boat　is　broken　in　twain。　Armar　plunges　into　the
sea　to　rescue　his　Daura　，　or　die。　Sudden　a　blast　from　a　hill　came　over
the　waves　；　he　sank，　and　he　rose　no　more。

　　〃Alone，　on　the　sea…beat　rock　，　my　daughter　was　heard　to　plain
；　frequent　and　loud　were　her　cries。　What　could　her　father　do　？　All　night
I　stood　on　the　shore：　I　saw　her　by　the　faint　beam　of　the　moon。　All　night
I　heard　her　cries。　Loud　was　the　wind；　the　rain　beat　hard　on　the　hill。
Before　morning　appeared　，　her　voice　was　weak　；　it　died　away　like　the
evening　breeze　among　the　grass　of　the　rocks。　Spent　with　grief　，　she　expired，
and　left　thee　，　Armin，　alone。　Gone　is　my　strength　in　war，　fallen　my
pride　among　women。　When　the　storms　aloft　arise，　when　the　north　lifts
the　wave　on　high，　I　sit　by　the　sounding　shore，　and　look　on　the　fatal
rock。

　　〃Often　by　the　setting　moon　I　see　the　ghosts　of　my　children；　half
viewless　they　walk　in　mournful　conference　together。〃

　　A　torrent　of　tears　which　streamed　from　Charlotte's　eyes　and　gave　relief
to　her　bursting　heart　，　stopped　Werther's　recitation。　He　threw　down　the
book，　seized　her　hand，　and　wept　bitterly。　Charlotte　leaned　upon　her
hand，　and　buried　her　face　in　her　handkerchief：　the　agitation　of　both
was　excessive。　They　felt　that　their　own　fate　was　pictured　in　the　misfortunes
of　Ossian's　heroes，　they　felt　this　together，　and　their　tears　redoubled。
Werther　supported　his　forehead　on　Charlotte's　arm　：　she　trembled　，　she
wished　to　be　gone　；　but　sorrow　and　sympathy　lay　like　a　leaden　weight
upon　her　soul。　She　recovered　herself　shortly，　and　begged　Werther　，　with
broken　sobs　，　to　leave　her　，　implored　him　with　the　utmost　earnestness
to　ply　with　her　request。　He　trembled　；　his　heart　was　ready　to　burst
：　then　，　taking　up　the　book　again　，　he　remenced　reading　，　in　a
voice　broken　by　sobs。　〃Why　dost　thou　waken　me　，　O　spring　？　Thy　voice
woos　me　，　exclaiming　，　I　refresh　thee　with　heavenly　dews；　but　the　time
of　my　decay　is　approaching，　the　storm　is　nigh　that　shall　whither　my　leaves。
Tomorrow　the　traveller　shall　e　，　he　shall　e，　who　beheld　me　in
beauty：　his　eye　shall　seek　me　in　the　field　around，　but　he　shall　not
find　me。〃

　　The　whole　force　of　these　words　fell　upon　the　unfortunate　Werther。
Full　of　despair　，　he　threw　himself　at　Charlotte's　feet　，　seized　her
hands　，　and　pressed　them　to　his　eyes　and　to　his　forehead。　An　apprehension
of　his　fatal　project　now　struck　her　for　the　first　time。　Her　senses　were
bewildered：　she　held　his　hands　，　pressed　them　to　her　bosom；　and，　leaning
toward　him　with　emotions　of　the　tenderest　pity，　her　warm　cheek　touched
his。　They　lost　sight　of　everything。　The　world　disappeared　from　their　eyes。
He　clasped　her　in　his　arms，　strained　her　to　his　bosom，　and　covered　her
trembling　lips　with　passionate　kisses。　〃Werther　！〃　she　cried　with　a　faint
voice　，　turning　herself　away　；　〃Werther　！〃　and　，　with　a　feeble　hand，
she　pushed　him　from　her。　At　length，　with　the　firm　voice　of　virtue，　she
exclaimed　，　〃Werther　！〃　He　resisted　not　，　but，　tearing　himself　from
her　arms，　fell　on　his　knees　before　her。　Charlotte　rose　，　and，　with
disordered　grief，　in　mingled　tones　of　love　and　resentment，　she　exclaimed，
〃It　is　the　last　time，　Werther！　You　shall　never　see　me　any　more！〃　Then，
casting　one　last，　tender　look　upon　her　unfortunate　lover　，　she　rushed
into　the　adjoining　room　，　and　locked　the　door。　Werther　held　out　his　arms，
but　did　not　dare　to　detain　her。　He　continued　on　the　ground，　with　his
head　resting　on　the　sofa，　for　half　an　hour　，　till　he　heard　a　noise　which
brought　him　to　his　senses。　The　servant　entered。　He　then　walked　up　and
down　the　room　；　and，　when　he　was　again　left　alone　，　he　went　to　Charlotte's
door，　and，　in　a　low　voice　，　said　，　〃Charlotte　，　Charlotte！　but　one
word　more　，　one　last　adieu　！〃　She　returned　no　answer。　He　stopped，　and
listened　and　entreated；　but　all　was　silent。　At　length　he　tore　himself
from　the　place，　crying　，　〃Adieu　，　Charlotte，　adieu　for　ever　！〃

　　Werther　ran　to　the　gate　of　the　town。　The　guards　，　who　knew　him　，
let　him　pass　in　silence。　The　night　was　dark　and　stormy，——　it　rained
and　snowed。　He　reached　his　own　door　about　eleven。　His　servant　，　although
seeing　him　enter　the　house　without　his　hat，　did　not　venture　to　say　anything
；　and；　as　he　undressed　his　master　，　he　found　that　his　clothes　were
wet。　His　hat　was　afterward　found　on　the　point　of　a　rock　overhanging　the
valley；　and　it　is　inconceivable　how　he　could　have　climbed　to　the　summit
on　such　a　dark，　tempestuous　night　without　losing　his　life。

　　He　retired　to　bed　，　and　slept　to　a　late　hour。　The　next　morning　his
servant　，　upon　being　called　to　bring　his　coffee，　found　him　writing。
He　was　adding　，　to　Charlotte　，　what　we　here　annex。

　　〃For　the　last　，　last　time　I　open　these　eyes。　Alas！　they　will　behold
the　sun　no　more。　It　is　covered　by　a　thick　，　imperable　cloud。　Yes，
Nature！　put　on　mourning：　your　child　，　your　friend，　your　lover　，　draws
near　his　end！　This　thought　，　Charlotte，　is　without　parallel；　and　yet
it　seems　like　a　mysterious　dream　when　I　repeat——　this　is　my　last　day！
The　last！　Charlotte，　no　word　can　adequately　express　this　thought。　The
last！　To…day　I　stand　erect　in　all　my　strength　to…morrow，　cold　and　stark，
I　shall　lie　extended　upon　the　ground。　To　die！　what　is　death？　We　do　but
dream　in　our　discourse　upon　it。　I　have　seen　many　human　beings　die　；　but，
so　straitened　is　our　feeble　nature，　we　have　no　clear　conception　of　the
beginning　or　the　end　of　our　existence。　At　this　moment　I　am　my　own　——
or　rather　I　am　thine，　thine，　my　adored！　and　the　next　we　are　parted　，
severed　——　perhaps　for　ever　！　No　，　Charlotte，　no　！　How　can　I，　how
can　you　，　be　annihilated　？　We　exist。　What　is　annihilation　？　A　mere
word，　an　unm