少年维特的烦恼-第7章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


general　laughter　and　confusion　put　an　end　to　the　game　long　before　we　had
counted　as　far　as　a　thousand。　The　party　broke　up　into　little　separate
knots　：　the　storm　had　ceased　，　and　I　followed　Charlotte　into　the　ballroom。
On　the　way　she　said　，　〃The　game　banished　their　fears　of　the　storm。〃　I
could　make　no　reply。　〃I　myself，〃　she　continued　，　〃was　as　much　frightened
as　any　of　them；　but　by　affecting　courage　，　to　keep　up　the　spirits　of
the　others，　I　forgot　my　apprehensions。〃　We　went　to　the　window。　It　was
still　thundering　at　a　distance：　a　soft　rain　was　pouring　down　over　the
country　，　and　filled　the　air　around　us　with　delicious　odours。　Charlotte
leaned　forward　on　her　arm　；　her　eyes　wandered　over　the　scene　；　she　raised
them　to　the　sky　，　and　then　turned　them　upon　me　；　they　were　moistened
with　tears；　she　placed　her　hand　on　mine　and　said　，　〃Klopstock　！〃　at
once　I　remembered　the　magnificent　ode　which　was　in　her　thoughts　：　I　felt
oppressed　with　the　weight　of　my　sensations，　and　sank　under　them。　It　was
more　than　I　could　bear。　I　bent　over　her　hand，　kissed　it　in　a　stream　of
delicious　tears　，　and　again　looked　up　to　her　eyes。　Divine　Klopstock！
why　didst　thou　not　see　thy　apotheosis　in　those　eyes　？　And　thy　name　so
often　profaned，　would　that　I　never　heard　it　repeated　！

　　JUNE　19。　I　no　longer　remember　where　I　stopped　in　my　narrative　：　I
only　know　it　was　two　in　the　morning　when　I　went　to　bed；　and　if　you　had
been　with　me，　that　I　might　have　talked　instead　of　writing　to　you　，　I
should，　in　all　probability　，　have　kept　you　up　till　daylight。

　　I　think　I　have　not　yet　related　what　happened　as　we　rode　home　from
the　ball，　nor　have　I　time　to　tell　you　now。　It　was　a　most　magnificent
sunrise　：　the　whole　country　was　refreshed，　and　the　rain　fell　drop　by
drop　from　the　trees　in　the　forest。　Our　panions　were　asleep。　Charlotte
asked　me　if　I　did　not　wish　to　sleep　also，　and　begged　of　me　not　to　make
any　ceremony　on　her　account。　Looking　steadfastly　at　her　，　I　answered　，
〃As　long　as　I　see　those　eyes　open　，　there　is　no　fear　of　my　falling　asleep。〃
We　both　continued　awake　till　we　reached　her　door。　The　maid　opened　it　softly，
and　assured　her　，　in　answer　to　her　inquiries　，　that　her　father　and　the
children　were　well，　and　still　sleeping。　I　left　her　asking　permission
to　visit　her　in　the　course　of　the　day。　She　consented，　and　I　went　，　and，
since　that　time　，　sun，　moon　，　and　stars　may　pursue　their　course：　I
know　not　whether　it　is　day　or　night　；　the　whole　world　is　nothing　to　me。

　　JUNE　21。　My　days　are　as　happy　as　those　reserved　by　God　for　his　elect
；　and，　whatever　be　my　fate　hereafter，　I　can　never　say　that　I　have　not
tasted　joy，——　the　purest　joy　of　life。　You　know　Walheim。　I　am　now　pletely
settled　there。　In　that　spot　I　am　only　half　a　league　from　Charlotte；　and
there　I　enjoy　myself，　and　taste　all　the　pleasure　which　can　fall　to　the
lot　of　man。

　　Little　did　I　imagine，　when　I　selected　Walheim　for　my　pedestrian　excursions，
that　all　heaven　lay　so　near　it。　How　often　in　my　wanderings　from　the　hillside
or　from　the　meadows　across　the　river，　have　I　beheld　this　hunting…lodge，
which　now　contains　within　it　all　the　joy　of　my　heart！

　　I　have　often，　my　dear　Wilhelm，　reflected　on　the　eagerness　men　feel
to　wander　and　make　new　discoveries，　and　upon　that　secret　impulse　which
afterward　inclines　them　to　return　to　their　narrow　circle，　conform　to
the　laws　of　custom，　and　embarrass　themselves　no　longer　with　what　passes
around　them。

　　It　is　so　strange　how，　when　I　came　here　first　，　and　gazed　upon　that
lovely　valley　from　the　hillside　，　I　felt　charmed　with　the　entire　scene
surrounding　me。　The　little　wood　opposite——　how　delightful　to　sit　under
its　shade　！　How　fine　the　view　from　that　point　of　rock！　Then　，　that
delightful　chain　of　hills　，　and　the　exquisite　valleys　at　their　feet！
Could　I　but　wander　and　lose　myself　amongst　them　！　I　went　，　and　returned
without　finding　what　I　wished。　Distance　，　my　friend，　is　like　futurity。
A　dim　vastness　is　spread　before　our　souls　：　the　perceptions　of　our　mind
are　as　obscure　as　those　of　our　vision　；　and　we　desire　earnestly　to　surrender
up　our　whole　being，　that　it　may　be　filled　with　the　plete　and　perfect
bliss　of　one　glorious　emotion。　But　alas　！　when　we　have　attained　our　object，
when　the　distant　there　bees　the　present　here　，　all　is　changed　：　we
are　as　poor　and　circumscribed　as　ever　，　and　our　souls　still　languish
for　unattainable　happiness。

　　So　does　the　restless　traveller　pant　for　his　native　soil　，　and　find
in　his　own　cottage，　in　the　arms　of　his　wife，　in　the　affections　of　his
children，　and　in　the　labour　necessary　for　their　support，　that　happiness
which　he　had　sought　in　vain　through　the　wide　world。

　　When，　in　the　morning　at　sunrise，　I　go　out　to　Walheim，　and　with
my　own　hands　gather　in　the　garden　the　pease　which　are　to　serve　for　my
dinner，　when　I　sit　down　to　shell　them，　and　read　my　Homer　during　the
intervals　，　and　then　，　selecting　a　saucepan　from　the　kitchen，　fetch
my　own　butter　，　put　my　mess　on　the　fire，　cover　it　up，　and　sit　down
to　stir　it　as　occasion　requires　，　I　figure　to　myself　the　illustrious
suitors　of　Penelope　，　killing，　dressing　，　and　preparing　their　own　oxen
and　swine。　Nothing　fills　me　with　a　more　pure　and　genuine　sense　of　happiness
than　those　traits　of　patriarchal　life　which　，　thank　Heaven　！　I　can　imitate
without　affectation。　Happy　is　it，　indeed　，　for　me　that　my　heart　is　capable
of　feeling　the　same　simple　and　innocent　pleasure　as　the　peasant　whose
table　is　covered　with　food　of　his　own　rearing　，　and　who　not　only　enjoys
his　meal，　but　remembers　with　delight　the　happy　days　and　sunny　mornings
when　he　planted　it，　the　soft　evenings　when　he　watered　it　，　and　the　pleasure
he　experienced　in　watching　its　daily　growth。

　　JUNE　29。　The　day　before　yesterday　，　the　physician　came　from　the　town
to　pay　a　visit　to　the　judge。　He　found　me　on　the　floor　playing　with　Charlotte's
children。　Some　of　them　were　scrambling　over　me，　and　others　romped　with
me；　and，　as　I　caught　and　tickled　them　，　they　made　a　great　noise。　The
doctor　is　a　formal　sort　of　personage：　he　adjusts　the　plaits　of　his　ruffles，
and　continually　settles　his　frill　whilst　he　is　talking　to　you　；　and　he
thought　my　conduct　beneath　the　dignity　of　a　sensible　man。　I　could　perceive
this　by　his　countenance。　But　I　did　not　suffer　myself　to　be　disturbed。
I　allowed　him　to　continue　his　wise　conversation　，　whilst　I　rebuilt　the
children's　card　houses　for　them　as　fast　as　they　threw　them　down。　He　went
about　the　town　afterward，　plaining　that　the　judge's　children　were
spoiled　enough　before　，　but　that　now　Werther　was　pletely　ruining　them。
Yes　，　my　dear　Wilhelm，　nothing　on　this　earth　affects　my　heart　so　much
as　children。　When　I　look　on　at　their　doings　；　when　I　mark　in　the　little
creatures　the　seeds　of　all　those　virtues　and　qualities　which　they　will
one　day　find　so　indispensable　；　when　I　behold　in　the　obstinate　all　the
future　firmness　and　constancy　of　a　noble　character；　in　the　capricious，
that　levity　and　gaiety　of　temper　which　will　carry　them　lightly　over　the
dangers　and　troubles　of　life，　their　whole　nature　simple　an