hermann and dorothea-第5节

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　another。　Every　one　uses　his　own；　in　his　own　individual　fashion；　Each　must　be　happy　and　good。　I　will　not　have　my　Hermann　found　fault　with；　For　he　is　worthy；　I　know；　of　the　goods　he　shall　one　day　inherit；　Will　be　an　excellent　landlord；　a　pattern　to　burghers　and　builders；　Neither　in　council；　as　I　can　foresee；　will　he　be　the　most　backward。　But　thou　keepest　shut　up　in　his　breast　all　the　poor　fellow's　spirit；　Finding　such　fault　with　him　daily；　and　censuring　as　thou　but　now　hast。〃　And　on　the　instant　she　quitted　the　room；　and　after　him　hurried；　Hoping　she　somewhere　might　find　him；　and　might　with　her　words　of　affection　Cheer　him　again；　her　excellent　son；　for　well　he　deserved　it。

Thereupon　when　she　was　gone；　the　father　thus　smiling　continued：　〃What　a　strange　folk；　to　be　sure；　are　these　women；　and　just　like　the　children；　Both　of　them　bent　upon　living　according　as　suiteth　their　pleasure；　While　we　others　must　never　do　aught　but　flatter　and　praise　them。　Once　for　all　time　holds　good　the　ancients'　trustworthy　proverb：　'Whoever　goes　not　forward　comes　backward。'　So　must　it　be　always。〃

Thereupon　answered　and　said；　in　a　tone　of　reflection；　the　doctor：　〃That；　sir　neighbor；　I　willingly　grant；　for　myself　I　am　always　Casting　about　for　improvement；things　new；　so　they　be　not　too　costly。　But　what　profits　a　man；　who　has　not　abundance　of　money；　Being　thus　active　and　stirring；　and　bettering　inside　and　outside？　Only　too　much　is　the　citizen　cramped：　the　good；　though　he　know　it；　Has　he　no　means　to　acquire　because　too　slender　his　purse　is；　While　his　needs　are　too　great；　and　thus　is　he　constantly　hampered。　Many　the　things　I　had　done；　but　then　the　cost　of　such　changes　Who　does　not　fear；　especially　now　in　this　season　of　danger？　Long　since　my　house　was　smiling　upon　me　in　modish　apparel！　Long　since　great　panes　of　glass　were　gleaming　in　all　of　the　windows！　But　who　can　do　as　the　merchant　does；　who；　with　his　resources；　Knows　the　methods　as　well　by　which　the　best　is　arrived　at？　Look　at　that　house　over　yonder；the　new　one；　behold　with　what　splendor　'Gainst　the　background　of　green　stand　out　the　white　spirals　of　stucco！　Great　are　the　panes　in　the　windows；　and　how　the　glass　sparkles　and　glitters；　Casting　quite　into　the　shade　the　rest　of　the　market…place　houses！　Yet　just　after　the　fire　were　our　two　houses　the　finest；　This　of　the　Golden　Lion；　and　mine　of　the　sign　of　the　Angel。　So　was　my　garden；　too；　throughout　the　whole　neighborhood　famous：　Every　traveller　stopped　and　gazed　through　the　red　palisadoes；　Caught　by　the　beggars　there　carved　in　stone　and　the　dwarfs　of　bright　colors。　Then　whosoever　had　coffee　served　in　the　beautiful　grotto；　Standing　there　now　all　covered　with　dust　and　Partly　in　ruins；　Used　to　be　mightily　pleased　with　the　glimmering　light　of　the　mussels　Spread　out　in　beautiful　order；　and　even　the　eye　of　the　critic　Used　by　the　sight　of　my　corals　and　potter's　ore　to　be　dazzled。　So　in　my　parlor；　too；　they　would　always　admire　the　painting；　Where　in　a　garden　are　gaily　dressed　ladies　and　gentlemen　walking；　And　with　their　taper　fingers　are　plucking　and　holding　the　flowers。　But　who　would　look　at　it　now！　In　sooth；　so　great　my　vexation　Scarcely　I　venture　abroad。　All　now　must　be　other　and　tasteful；　So　they　call　it；　and　white　are　the　laths　and　benches　of　wood…work；　Everything　simple　and　smooth；　no　carving　longer　or　gilding　Can　be　endured；　and　the　woods　from　abroad　are　of　all　the　most　costly。　Well；　I　too　should　be　glad　could　I　get　for　myself　something　novel；　Glad　to　keep　up　with　the　times；　and　be　changing　my　furniture　often；　Yet　must　we　all　be　afraid　of　touching　the　veriest　trifle。　For　who　among　us　has　means　for　paying　the　work…people's　wages　Lately　I　had　an　idea　of　giving　the　Archangel　Michael；　Making　the　sign　of　my　shop；　another　fresh　coating　of　gilding；　And　to　the　terrible　dragon　about　his　feet　that　is　winding；　But　I　e'en　let　him　stay　browned　as　he　is：　I　dreaded　the　charges。〃



EUTERPE

MOTHER　AND　SON

Thus　entertaining　themselves；　the　men　sat　talking。　The　mother　Went　meanwhile　to　look　for　her　son　in　front　of　the　dwelling；　First　on　the　settle　of　stone；　whereon　'twas　his　wont　to　he　seated。　When　she　perceived　him　not　there；　she　went　farther　to　look　in　the　stable；　If　he　were　caring　perhaps　for　his　noble　horses；　the　stallions；　Which　he　as　colts　had　bought；　and　whose　care　he　intrusted　to　no　one。　And　by　the　servant　she　there　was　told：　He　is　gone　to　the　garden。　Then　with　a　nimble　step　she　traversed　the　long；　double　courtyards；　Leaving　the　stables　behind；　and　the　well…builded　barns；　too；　behind　her；　Entered　the　garden；　that　far　as　the　walls　of　the　city　extended；　Walked　through　its　length；　rejoiced　as　she　went　in　every　thing　growing；　Set　upright　the　supports　on　which　were　resting　the　branches　Heavily　laden　with　apples；　and　burdening　boughs　of　the　pear…tree。　Next　some　caterpillars　removed　from　a　stout；　swelling　cabbage；　For　an　industrious　woman　allows　no　step　to　be　wasted。　Thus　was　she　come　at　last　to　the　end　of　the　far…reaching　garden；　Where　stood　the　arbor　embowered　in　woodbine；　nor　there　did　she　find　him；　More　than　she　had　hitherto　in　all　her　search　through　the　garden。　But　the　wicket　was　standing　ajar；　which　out　of　the　arbor；　Once　by　particular　favor；　had　been　through　the　walls　of　the　city　Cut　by　a　grandsire　of　hers；　the　worshipful　burgomaster。　So　the　now　dried…up　moat　she　next　crossed　over　with　comfort；　Where；　by　the　side　of　the　road；　direct　the　well…fenc奷　vineyard；　Rose　with　a　steep　ascent；　its　slope　exposed　to　the　sunshine。　Up　this　also　she　went；　and　with　pleasure　as　she　was　ascending　Marked　the　wealth　of　the　clusters；　that　scarce　by　their　leafage　were　hidden。　Shady　and　covered　the　way　through　the　lofty　middlemost　alley；　Which　upon　steps　that　were　made　of　unhewn　blocks　you　ascended。　There　were　the　Muscatel；　and　there　were　the　Chasselas　hanging　Side　by　side；　of　unusual　size　and　colored　with　purple；　All　set　out　with　the　purpose　of　decking　the　visitor's　table；　While　with　single　vine…stocks　the　rest　of　the　hillside　was　covered；　Bearing　inferior　clusters；　from　which　the　delicate　wine　comes。　Thus　up　the　slope　she　went；　enjoying　already　the　vintage；　And　that　festive　clay　on　which　the　whole　country；　rejoicing；　Picks　and　tramples　the　grapes；　and　gathers　the　must　into　vessels：　Fireworks；　when　it　is　evening；　from　every　direction　and　corner　Crackle　and　blaze；　and　so　the　fairest　of　harvests　is　honored。　But　more　uneasy　she　went；　her　son　after　twice　or　thrice　calling；　And　no　answer　receiving；　except　from　the　talkative　echo；　That　with　many　repeats　rang　back　from　the　towers　of　the　city。

Strange　it　was　for　her　to　seek　him；　he　never　had　gone　to　a　distance　That　he　told　her　not　first；　to　spare　his　affectionate　mother　Every　anxious　thought；　and　fear　that　aught　ill　had　befallen。　Still　did　she　constantly　hope　that；　if　further　she　went；　she　should　find　him；　For　the　two　doors　of　the　vineyard；　the　lower　as　well　as　the　upper；　Both　were　alike　standing　open。　So　now　she　entered　the　cornfield；　That　with　its　broad　expanse　the　ridge　of　the　hill　covered　over。　Still　was　the　ground　that　she　walked　on　her　own；　and　the　crops　she　rejoiced　in；　All　of　them　still　were　hers；　and　hers　was　the　proud…waving　grain；　too；　Over　the　whole　broad　field　in　golden　strength　that　was　stirring。　Keeping　the　ridgeway；　the　footpath；　between　the　fields　she　went　onward；　Having　the　lofty　pear…tree　in　view；　which　stood　on　the　summit；　And　was　the　boundary…mark　of　the　fields　that　belonged　to　her　dwelling。　Who　might　have　planted　it；　none　could　know；　but　visible　was　it　Far　and　wide　through　the　country；　the　fruit　of　the　pear…tree　was　famous。　'Neath　it　the　reapers　were　wont　to　enjoy　their　meal　at　the　noon…day；　And　the　shepherds　were　used　to　tend　their　flocks　in　its　shadow。　Benches　of　unhewn　stones　and　of　turf　they　found　set　about　it。　And　she　had　not　been　mistaken；　for　there　sat　her　Hermann；　and　rested；　Sat　with　his　head　on　his　hand；　and　seemed　to　be　viewing　the　landscape　That　to　the　mountains　lay：　his　back　was　turned　to　his　mother。　Towards　him　softly　she　crept；　and　lightly　touched　on　the　shoulder；　Quick　he　turned　himself　round：　there　were　tears　in　his　eyes　as　he　met　her。

〃Mother；　how　hast　thou　surprised　me！〃　he　said　in　confusion；　and　quickly　Wiped　the　high…spirited　youth　his　tears　away。　But　the　mother；　〃What！　do　I　find　thee　weeping；　my　son？〃　exclaimed　in　amazement。　〃Nay；　that　is　not　like　thyself：　I　never　before　have　so　seen　thee！　Tell　me；　what　burdens　thy　heart？　what　drives　thee　here；　to　be　sitting　Under　the　pear…tree　alone？　These　tears　in　thine　eyes；　what　has　brought　them？〃

Then；　collecting　himself；　the　excellent　youth　made　her　answer：　〃Truly　no　heart　can　that　man　have　in　his　bosom　of　iron；　Who　is　insensible　now　to　the　needs　of　this　emigrant　people；　He　has　no　brains　in　his　head；　who　not　for　his　personal　safety；　Not　for　his　fatherland's　weal；　in　days　like　the　present　is　anxious。　Deeply　my　heart　had　been　touched　by　the　sights　and　sounds　of　the　morning；　Then　I　went　forth　and　beheld　the　broad　and　glorious　landscape　Spreading　its　fertile　slopes　in　every　direction　about　us；　Saw　the　golden　grain　inclining　itself　to　the　reapers；　And　the　promise　of　well…filled　barns　from　the　plentiful　harvest。　But；　alas；　how　near　is　the　foe！　The　Rhine　with　its　waters　Guards　us；　indeed；　but；　ah；　what　now　are　rivers　and　mountains　'Gainst　that　terrible　people　that