少年维特的烦恼-第35章

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Charlotte　！　And　could　I　but　restore　peace　and　joy　to　your　bosom，　with
what　resolution　，　with　what　joy，　would　I　not　meet　my　fate　！　But　it
is　the　lot　of　only　a　chosen　few　to　shed　their　blood　for　their　friends　，
and　by　their　death　to　augment　，　a　thousand　times　，　the　happiness　of
those　by　whom　they　are　beloved。

　　I　wish，　Charlotte，　to　be　buried　in　the　dress　I　wear　at　present：
it　has　been　rendered　sacred　by　your　touch。　I　have　begged　this　favour　of
your　father。　My　spirit　soars　above　my　sepulchre。　I　do　not　wish　my　pockets
to　be　searched。　The　knot　of　pink　ribbon　which　you　wore　on　your　bosom　the
first　time　I　saw　you，　surrounded　by　the　children　——　Oh　，　kiss　them
a　thousand　times　for　me　，　and　tell　them　the　fate　of　their　unhappy　friend！
I　think　I　see　them　playing　around　me。　The　dear　children　！　How　warmly
have　I　been　attached　to　you　，　Charlotte！　Since　the　first　hour　I　saw
you　，　how　impossible　have　I　found　it　to　leave　you。　This　ribbon　must　be
buried　with　me：　it　was　a　present　from　you　on　my　birthday。　How　confused
it　all　appears！　Little　did　I　then　think　that　I　should　journey　this　road。
But　peace　！　I　pray　you　，　peace！

　　〃They　are　loaded——　the　clock　strikes　twelve。　I　say　amen。　Charlotte，
Charlotte　！　farewell　，　farewell　！〃

　　A　neighbour　saw　the　flash　，　and　heard　the　report　of　the　pistol　；
but　，　as　everything　remained　quiet　，　he　thought　no　more　of　it。

　　In　the　morning，　at　six　o'clock　，　the　servant　went　into　Werther's
room　with　a　candle。　He　found　his　master　stretched　upon　the　floor，　weltering
in　his　blood，　and　the　pistols　at　his　side。　He　called　，　he　took　him　in
his　arms，　but　received　no　answer。　Life　was　not　yet　quite　extinct。　The
servant　ran　for　a　surgeon　，　and　then　went　to　fetch　Albert。　Charlotte
heard　the　ringing　of　the　bell　：　a　cold　shudder　seized　her。　She　wakened
her　husband　，　and　they　both　rose。　The　servant，　bathed　in　tears　faltered
forth　the　dreadful　news。　Charlotte　fell　senseless　at　Albert's　feet。

　　When　the　surgeon　came　to　the　unfortunate　Werther，　he　was　still　lying
on　the　floor；　and　his　pulse　beat　，　but　his　limbs　were　cold。　The　bullet，
entering　the　forehead　，　over　the　right　eye　，　had　perated　the　skull。
A　vein　was　opened　in　his　right　arm：　the　blood　came　，　and　he　still　continued
to　breathe。

　　From　the　blood　which　flowed　from　the　chair，　it　could　be　inferred
that　he　had　mitted　the　rash　act　sitting　at　his　bureau，　and　that　he
afterward　fell　upon　the　floor。　He　was　found　lying　on　his　back　near　the
window。　He　was　in　full…dress　costume。

　　The　house　，　the　neighbourhood，　and　the　whole　town　were　immediately
in　motion。　Albert　arrived。　They　had　laid　Werther　on　the　bed：　his　head
was　bound　up，　and　the　paleness　of　death　was　upon　his　face。　His　limbs
were　motionless　；　but　he　still　breathed，　at　one　time　strongly　，　then
weaker——　his　death　was　momently　expected。

　　He　had　drunk　only　one　glass　of　the　wine。　〃Emilia　Galotti〃　lay　open
upon　his　bureau。

　　I　shall　say　nothing　of　Albert's　distress，　or　of　Charlotte's　grief。

　　The　old　steward　hastened　to　the　house　immediately　upon　hearing　the
news：　he　embraced　his　dying　friend　amid　a　flood　of　tears。　His　eldest
boys　soon　followed　him　on　foot。　In　speechless　sorrow　they　threw　themselves
on　their　knees　by　the　bedside　，　and　kissed　his　hands　and　face。　The　eldest，
who　was　his　favourite　，　hung　over　him　till　he　expired；　and　even　then
he　was　removed　by　force。　At　twelve　o'clock　Werther　breathed　his　last。
The　presence　of　the　steward　，　and　the　precautions　he　had　adopted　，　prevented
a　disturbance　；　and　that　night　，　at　the　hour　of　eleven，　he　caused　the
body　to　be　interred　in　the　place　which　Werther　had　selected　for　himself。

　　The　steward　and　his　sons　followed　the　corpse　to　the　grave。　Albert
was　unable　to　acpany　them。　Charlotte's　life　was　despaired　of。　The　body
was　carried　by　labourers。　No　priest　attended。

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