hermann and dorothea-第6节

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ers　Guards　us；　indeed；　but；　ah；　what　now　are　rivers　and　mountains　'Gainst　that　terrible　people　that　onward　bears　like　a　tempest！　For　they　summon　their　youths　from　every　quarter　together；　Call　up　their　old　men　too；　and　press　with　violence　forward。　Death　cannot　frighten　the　crowd：　one　multitude　follows　another。　And　shall　a　German　dare　to　linger　behind　in　his　homestead？　Hopes　he　perhaps　to　escape　the　everywhere　threatening　evil？　Nay；　dear　mother；　I　tell　thee；　to…day　has　made　me　regretful　That　I　was　lately　exempt；　when　out　of　our　townsmen　were　chosen　Those　who　should　serve　in　the　army。　An　only　son　I　am　truly；　Also　our　business　is　great；　and　the　charge　of　our　household　is　weighty。　Yet　were　it　better；　I　deem；　in　the　front　to　offer　resistance　There　on　the　border；　than　here　to　await　disaster　and　bondage。　So　has　my　spirit　declared；　and　deep　in　my　innermost　bosom　Courage　and　longing　have　now　been　aroused　to　live　for　my　country；　Yea；　and　to　die；　presenting　to　others　a　worthy　example。　If　but　the　strength　of　Germany's　youth　were　banded　together　There　on　the　frontier；　resolved　that　it　never　would　yield　to　the　stranger；　Ah；　he　should　not　on　our　glorious　soil　be　setting　his　foot…steps；　Neither　consuming　before　our　eyes　the　fruit　of　our　labor；　Ruling　our　men；　and　making　his　prey　of　our　wives　and　our　daughters。　Hark　to　me；　mother：　for　I　in　the　depths　of　my　heart　am　determined　Quickly　to　do；　and　at　once；　what　appears　to　me　right　and　in　reason；　For　he　chooses　not　always　the　best　who　longest　considers。　Hearken；　I　shall　not　again　return　to　the　house；　but　directly　Go　from　this　spot　to　the　city；　and　there　present　to　the　soldiers　This　right　arm　and　this　heart；　to　be　spent　in　the　fatherland's　service。　Then　let　my　father　say　if　there　be　no　feeling　of　honor　Dwelling　within　my　breast；　nor　a　wish　to　raise　myself　higher。〃　Then　with　significant　words　spoke　the　good　and　intelligent　mother；　While　from　her　eyes　the　quick…starting　tears　were　silently　falling：　〃Son；　what　change　has　come　o'er　thee　to…day；　and　over　thy　temper；　That　thou　speakest　no　more；　as　thou　yesterday　didst；　and　hast　always；　Open　and　free；　to　thy　mother；　and　tellest　exactly　thy　wishes？　Any　one　else；　had　he　heard　thee　thus　speak；　would　in　sooth　have　commended；　And　this　decision　of　thine　would　have　highly　approved　as　most　noble；　Being　misled　by　thy　tone　and　by　thy　significant　language。　Yet　have　I　nothing　but　censure　to　speak；　for　better　I　know　thee。　Thou　concealest　thy　heart；　and　thy　thoughts　are　not　such　as　thou　tellest。　Well　do　I　know　that　it　is　not　the　drum；　not　the　trumpet　that　calls　thee：　Neither　in　uniform　wouldst　thou　figure　in　sight　of　the　maidens；　Since；　for　all　thou　art　honest　and　brave；　it　is　thy　vocation　Here　in　quiet　to　care　for　the　farm　and　provide　for　the　household。　Tell　me　honestly；　therefore；　what　goads　thee　to　such　a　decision？〃

Earnestly　answered　the　son：　〃Nay；　thou　art　mistaken；　dear　mother：　One　day　is　not　like　another。　The　youth　matures　into　manhood：　Better　in　stillness　oft　ripening　to　deeds　than　when　in　the　tumult　Wildering　and　wild　of　existence；　that　many　a　youth　has　corrupted。　And；　for　as　still　as　I　am　and　was　always；　there　yet　in　my　bosom　Has　such　a　heart　been　shaped　as　abhors　all　wrong　and　injustice；　And　I　have　learned　aright　between　worldly　things　to　distinguish。　Arm　and　foot；　besides；　have　been　mightily　strengthened　by　labor。　All　this；　I　feel；　is　true：　I　dare　with　bo1dness　maintain　it。　Yet　dost　thou　blame　me　with　reason；　O　mother！　for　thou　hast　surprised　me　Using　a　language　half　truthful　and　half　that　of　dissimulation。　For；　let　me　honestly　own；it　is　not　the　near　danger　that　calls　me　Forth　from　my　father's　house；　nor　is　it　the　lofty　ambition　Helpful　to　be　to　my　country；　and　terrible　unto　the　foeman。　They　were　but　words　that　I　spoke：　they　only　were　meant　for　concealing　Those　emotions　from　thee　with　which　my　heart　is　distracted；　And　so　leave　me；　O　mother！　for；　since　the　wishes　are　fruitless　Which　in　my　bosom　I　cherish；　my　life　must　go　fruitlessly　overover。　For；　as　I　know；　he　injures　himself　who　is　singly　devoted；　When　for　the　common　cause　the　whole　are　not　working　together。〃

〃Hesitate　not；〃　replied　thereupon　the　intelligent　mother；　〃Every　thing　to　relate　me；　the　smallest　as　well　as　the　greatest。　Men　will　always　be　hasty；　their　thoughts　to　extremes　ever　running：　Easily　out　of　their　course　the　hasty　are　turned　by　a　hindrance。　Whereas　a　woman　is　clever　in　thinking　of　means；　and　will　venture　E'en　on　a　roundabout　way；　adroitly　to　compass　her　object。　Let　me　know　every　thin；　then；　say　wherefore　so　greatly　excited　'As　I　ne'er　saw　thee　before；　why　thy　blood　is　coursing　so　hotly；　Wherefore；　against　thy　will；　tears　are　filling　thine　eyes　to　o'erflowing。〃

Then　he　abandoned　himself；　the　poor　boy；　to　his　sorrow；　and　weeping；　Weeping　aloud　on　his　kind　mother's　breast；　he　brokenly　answered：　〃Truly　my　father's　words　to…day　have　wounded　me　sorely；　Words　which　I　have　not　deserved；　not　to…day；　nor　at　any　time　have　I：　For　it　was　early　my　greatest　delight　to　honor　my　parents。　No　one　knew　more；　so　I　deemed；　or　was　wiser　than　those　who　begot　me；　And　had　with　strictness　ruled　throughout　the　dark　season　of　childhood。　Many　the　things；　in　truth；　I　with　patience　endured　from　my　playmates；　When　the　good…will　that　I　bore　them　they　often　requited　with　malice。　Often　I　suffered　their　flings　and　their　blows　to　pass　unresented；　But　if　they　ventured　to　ridicule　father；　when　he　of　a　Sunday　Home　from　Church　would　come；　with　his　solemn　and　dignified　bearing；　If　they　made　fun　of　his　cap…string；　or　laughed　at　the　flowers　of　the　wrapper　He　with　such　stateliness　wore；　which　was　given　away　but　this　morning；　Threateningly　doubled　my　fist　in　an　instant；　with　furious　passion　Fell　I　upon　them；　and　struck　out　and　hit；　assailing　them　blindly；　Seeing　not　where。　They　howled　as　the　blood　gushed　out　from　their　noses：　Scarcely　they　made　their　escape　from　my　passionate　kicking　and　beating。　Then；　as　I　older　grew；　I　had　much　to　endure　from　my　father；　Violent　words　he　oft　vented　on　me；　instead　of　on　others；　When；　at　the　board's　last　session；　the　council　had　roused　his　displeasure；　And　I　was　made　to　atone　for　the　quarrels　and　wiles　of　his　colleagues。　Thou　has　pitied　me　often　thyself；　for　much　did　I　suffer；　Ever　remembering　with　cordial　respect　the　kindness　of　parents；　Solely　intent　on　increasing　for　us　their　goods　and　possessions；　Much　denying　themselves　in　order　to　save　for　their　children。　But；　alas！　saving　alone；　for　the　sake　of　a　tardy　enjoyment；　That　is　not　happiness：　pile　upon　pile；　and　acre　on　acre；　Make　us　not　happy；　no　matter　how　fair　our　estates　may　be　rounded。　For　the　father　grows　old；　and　with　him　will　grow　old　the　children；　Losing　the　joy　of　the　day；　and　bearing　the　care　of　tomorrow。　Look　thou　below；　and　see　how　before　us　in　glory　are　lying；　Fair　and　abundant；　the　corn…fields；　beneath　them；　the　vineyard　and　garden；　Yonder　the　stables　and　barns；　our　beautiful　line　of　possessions。　But　when　I　look　at　the　dwelling　behind；　where　up　in　the　gable　We　can　distinguish　the　window　that　marks　my　room　in　the　attic；　When　I　look　back；　and　remember　how　many　a　night　from　that　window　I　for　the　moon　have　watched；　for　the　sun；　how　many　a　morning！　When　the　healthful　sleep　of　a　few　short　hours　sufficed　me；　Ah；　so　lonely　they　seem　to　me　then；　the　chamber　and　courtyard；　Garden　and　glorious　field；　away　o'er　the　hill　that　is　stretching；　All　so　desert　before　me　lie：　'tis　the　wife　that　is　wanting。〃

Thereupon　spoke　the　good　mother；　and　thus　with　intelligence　answered：　〃Son；　not　greater　thy　wish　to　bring　thee　a　bride　to　thy　chamber；　That　thou　mayst　find　thy　nights　a　beautiful　part　of　existence；　And　that　the　work　of　the　day　may　gain　independence　and　freedom；　Than　is　thy　father's　wish　too；　and　thy　mother's。　We　always　have　counselled；　Yea；　we　have　even　insisted；that　thou　shouldst　select　thee　a　maiden。　But　I　was　ever　aware；　and　now　my　heart　gives　me　assurance；　That　till　the　hour　appointed　is　come；　and　the　maiden　appointed　Shall　with　the　hour　appear；　the　choice　will　be　left　for　the　future；　While　more　strong　than　all　else　will　be　fear　of　grasping　the　wrong　one。　If　I　may　say　it；　my　son；　I　believe　thou　already　hast　chosen；　For　thy　heart　has　been　touched；　and　been　made　more　than　wontedly　tender。　Speak　it　out　honestly；　then；　for　my　soul　has　told　me　beforehand：　That　same　maiden　it　is；　the　exile；　whom　thou　hast　elected。〃

〃Thou　has　said；　mother！〃　the　son　thereupon　with　eagerness　answered。　〃Yes；　it　is　she；　and　if　I　to…day　as　my　bride　do　not　bring　her　Home　to　our　dwelling；　she　from　me　will　go；　perhaps　vanish　for　ever；　Lost　in　the　war's　confusion　and　sad　movings　hither　and　thither。　Mother；　for　ever　in　vain　would　then　our　abundant　possessions　Prosper　before　me；　and　seasons　to　come　be　in　vain　to　me　fruitful。　Yea；　I　should　hold　in　aversion　the　wonted　house　and　the　garden：　Even　my　mother's　love；　alas！　would　not　comfort　my　sorrow。　Every　tie；　so　I　feel　in　my　heart；　by　love　is　unloosened　Soon　as　she　fastens　her　own；　and　not　the　maid　is　it　only　Leaves　behind　father　and　mother；　to　follow　the　man　she　has　chosen。　He　too；　the　youth；　no　longer　knows　aught　of　mother　and　father；　When　he　the　maiden；　his　only　beloved；　sees　vanishing　from　him。　Suffer　me；　then；　to　go　hence　wherever　despair　shall　impel　me：　Since　by　my　father　himself　the　decisive　words　have　been　spoken；　Since　his　hous