the sorrows of young werther(少年维特的烦恼)-第10节

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wrong；　for　we　were　speaking　of　suicide；　which　you　compare　with
great　actions；　when　it　is　impossible　to　regard　it　as　anything　but
a　weakness。　　It　is　much　easier　to　die　than　to　bear　a　life　of　misery
with　fortitude。〃

I　was　on　the　point　of　breaking　off　the　conversation；　for　nothing
puts　me　so　completely　out　of　patience　as　the　utterance　of　a　wretched
commonplace　when　I　am　talking　from　my　inmost　heart。　　However；　I
composed　myself；　for　I　had　often　heard　the　same　observation　with
sufficient　vexation；　and　I　answered　him；　therefore；　with　a　little
warmth；　　〃You　call　this　a　weakness　　beware　of　being　led　astray
by　appearances。　　When　a　nation；　which　has　long　groaned　under　the
intolerable　yoke　of　a　tyrant；　rises　at　last　and　throws　off　its
chains；　do　you　call　that　weakness？　　The　man　who；　to　rescue　his
house　from　the　flames；　finds　his　physical　strength　redoubled；　so
that　he　lifts　burdens　with　ease；　which；　in　the　absence　of　excitement；
he　could　scarcely　move；　he　who；　under　the　rage　of　an　insult；　attacks
and　puts　to　flight　half　a　score　of　his　enemies；　are　such　persons
to　be　called　weak？　　My　good　friend；　if　resistance　be　strength；　how
can　the　highest　degree　of　resistance　be　a　weakness？〃

Albert　looked　steadfastly　at　me；　and　said；　〃Pray　forgive　me；　but
I　do　not　see　that　the　examples　you　have　adduced　bear　any　relation
to　the　question。〃　　〃Very　likely；〃　I　answered；　〃for　I　have　often
been　told　that　my　style　of　illustration　borders　a　little　on　the
absurd。　　But　let　us　see　if　we　cannot　place　the　matter　in　another
point　of　view；　by　inquiring　what　can　be　a　man's　state　of　mind　who
resolves　to　free　himself　from　the　burden　of　life；　　a　burden　often
so　pleasant　to　bear；　　for　we　cannot　otherwise　reason　fairly　upon
the　subject。

〃Human　nature；〃　I　continued；　〃has　its　limits。　　It　is　able　to　endure
a　certain　degree　of　joy；　sorrow；　and　pain；　but　becomes　annihilated
as　soon　as　this　measure　is　exceeded。　　The　question；　therefore；　is；
not　whether　a　man　is　strong　or　weak；　but　whether　he　is　able　to
endure　the　measure　of　his　sufferings。　　The　suffering　may　be　moral
or　physical；　and　in　my　opinion　it　is　just　as　absurd　to　call　a　man
a　coward　who　destroys　himself；　as　to　call　a　man　a　coward　who　dies
of　a　malignant　fever。〃

〃Paradox；　all　paradox！〃　exclaimed　Albert。　　〃Not　so　paradoxical　as
you　imagine；〃　I　replied。　　〃You　allow　that　we　designate　a　disease
as　mortal　when　nature　is　so　severely　attacked；　and　her　strength
so　far　exhausted；　that　she　cannot　possibly　recover　her　former
condition　under　any　change　that　may　take　place。

〃Now；　my　good　friend；　apply　this　to　the　mind；　observe　a　man　in　his
natural；　isolated　condition；　consider　how　ideas　work；　and　how
impressions　fasten　on　him；　till　at　length　a　violent　passion　seizes
him；　destroying　all　his　powers　of　calm　reflection；　and　utterly
ruining　him。

〃It　is　in　vain　that　a　man　of　sound　mind　and　cool　temper　understands
the　condition　of　such　a　wretched　being；　in　vain　he　counsels　him。
He　can　no　more　communicate　his　own　wisdom　to　him　than　a　healthy
man　can　instil　his　strength　into　the　invalid；　by　whose　bedside　he
is　seated。〃

Albert　thought　this　too　general。　　I　reminded　him　of　a　girl　who　had
drowned　herself　a　short　time　previously；　and　I　related　her　history。

She　was　a　good　creature；　who　had　grown　up　in　the　narrow　sphere　of
household　industry　and　weekly　appointed　labour；　one　who　knew　no
pleasure　beyond　indulging　in　a　walk　on　Sundays；　arrayed　in　her
best　attire；　accompanied　by　her　friends；　or　perhaps　joining　in　the
dance　now　and　then　at　some　festival；　and　chatting　away　her　spare
hours　with　a　neighbour；　discussing　the　scandal　or　the　quarrels　of
the　village；　trifles　sufficient　to　occupy　her　heart。　　At　length
the　warmth　of　her　nature　is　influenced　by　certain　new　and　unknown
wishes。　　Inflamed　by　the　flatteries　of　men；　her　former　pleasures
become　by　degrees　insipid；　till　at　length　she　meets　with　a　youth
to　whom　she　is　attracted　by　an　indescribable　feeling；　upon　him　she
now　rests　all　her　hopes；　she　forgets　the　world　around　her；　she
sees；　hears；　desires　nothing　but　him；　and　him　only。　　He　alone
occupies　all　her　thoughts。　　Uncorrupted　by　the　idle　indulgence　of
an　enervating　vanity；　her　affection　moving　steadily　toward　its
object；　she　hopes　to　become　his；　and　to　realise；　in　an　everlasting
union　with　him；　all　that　happiness　which　she　sought；　all　that　bliss
for　which　she　longed。　　His　repeated　promises　confirm　her　hopes：
embraces　and　endearments；　which　increase　the　ardour　of　her　desires；
overmaster　her　soul。　　She　floats　in　a　dim；　delusive　anticipation
of　her　happiness；　and　her　feelings　become　excited　to　their　utmost
tension。　　She　stretches　out　her　arms　finally　to　embrace　the　object
of　all　her　wishes　and　her　lover　forsakes　her。　　Stunned　and　bewildered；
she　stands　upon　a　precipice。　　All　is　darkness　around　her。　　No
prospect；　no　hope；　no　consolation　　forsaken　by　him　in　whom　her
existence　was　centred！　　She　sees　nothing　of　the　wide　world　before
her；　thinks　nothing　of　the　many　individuals　who　might　supply　the
void　in　her　heart；　she　feels　herself　deserted；　forsaken　by　the
world；　and；　blinded　and　impelled　by　the　agony　which　wrings　her
soul；　she　plunges　into　the　deep；　to　end　her　sufferings　in　the　broad
embrace　of　death。　　See　here；　Albert；　the　history　of　thousands；　and
tell　me；　is　not　this　a　case　of　physical　infirmity？　　Nature　has　no
way　to　escape　from　the　labyrinth：　her　powers　are　exhausted：　she
can　contend　no　longer；　and　the　poor　soul　must　die。　　

〃Shame　upon　him　who　can　look　on　calmly；　and　exclaim；　'The　foolish
girl！　she　should　have　waited；　she　should　have　allowed　time　to　wear
off　the　impression；　her　despair　would　have　been　softened；　and　she
would　have　found　another　lover　to　comfort　her。'　　One　might　as　well
say；　'The　fool；　to　die　of　a　fever！　why　did　he　not　wait　till　his
strength　was　restored；　till　his　blood　became　calm？　all　would　then
have　gone　well；　and　he　would　have　been　alive　now。'〃

Albert；　who　could　not　see　the　justice　of　the　comparison；　offered
some　further　objections；　and；　amongst　others；　urged　that　I　had
taken　the　case　of　a　mere　ignorant　girl。　　But　how　any　man　of　sense；
of　more　enlarged　views　and　experience；　could　be　excused；　he　was
unable　to　comprehend。　　〃My　friend！〃　I　exclaimed；　〃man　is　but　man；
and；　whatever　be　the　extent　of　his　reasoning　powers；　they　are　of
little　avail　when　passion　rages　within；　and　he　feels　himself
confined　by　the　narrow　limits　of　nature。　　It　were　better；　then　
but　we　will　talk　of　this　some　other　time；〃　I　said；　and　caught　up
my　hat。　　Alas！　my　heart　was　full；　and　we　parted　without　conviction
on　either　side。　　How　rarely　in　this　world　do　men　understand　each
other！

AUGUST　15。

There　can　be　no　doubt　that　in　this　world　nothing　is　so　indispensable
as　love。　　I　observe　that　Charlotte　could　not　lose　me　without　a
pang；　and　the　very　children　have　but　one　wish；　that　is；　that　I
should　visit　them　again　to…morrow。　　I　went　this　afternoon　to　tune
Charlotte's　piano。　　But　I　could　not　do　it；　for　the　little　ones
insisted　on　my　telling　them　a　story；　and　Charlotte　herself　urged
me　to　satisfy　them。　　I　waited　upon　them　at　tea；　and　they　are　now
as　fully　contented　with　me　as　with　Charlotte；　and　I　told　them　my
very　best　tale　of　the　princess　who　was　waited　upon　by　dwarfs。
I　improve　myself　by　this　exercise；　and　am　quite　surprised　at　the
impression　my　stories　create。　　If　I　sometimes　invent　an　incident
which　I　forget　upon　the　next　narration；　they　remind　one　directly
that　the　story　was　different　before；　so　that　I　now　endeavour　to
relate　with　exactness　the　same　anecdote　in　the　same　monotonous
tone；　which　never　changes。　　I　find　by　this；　how　much　an　author
injures　his　works　by　altering　them；　even　though　they　be　improved
in　a　poetical　point　of　view。　　The　first　impression　is　readily
received。　　We　are　so　constituted　that　we　believe　the　most　incredible
things；　and；　once　they　are　engraved　upon　the　memory；　woe　to　him
who　would　endeavour　to　efface　them。
　　
AUGUST　18。

Must　it　ever　be　thus；　　that　the　source　of　our　happiness　must
also　be　the　fountain　of　our　misery？　　The　full　and　ardent　sentiment
which　animated　my　heart　with　the　love　of　nature；　overwhelming　me
with　a　torrent　of　delight；　and　which　brought　all　paradise　before
me；　has　now　become　an　insupportable　torment；　a　demon　which　perpetually
pursues　and　harasses　me。　　When　in　bygone　days　I　gazed　from　these
rocks　upon　yonder　mountains　across　the　river；　and　upon　the　green；
flowery　valley　before　me；　and　saw　alI　nature　budding　and　bursting
around；　the　hills　clothed　from　foot　to　peak　with　tall；　thick　forest
trees；　the　valleys　in　all　their　varied　windings；　shaded　with　the
loveliest　woods；　and　the　soft　river　gliding　along　amongst　the
lisping　reeds；　mirroring　the　beautiful　clouds　which　the　soft　evening
breeze　wafted　across　the　sky；　　when　I　heard　the　groves　about　me
melodious　with　the　music　of　birds；　and　saw　the　million　swarms　of
insects　dancing　in　the　last　golden　beams　of　the　sun；　whose　setting
rays　awoke　the　humming　beetles　from　their　grassy　beds；　whilst　the
subdued　tumult　around　directed　my　attention　to　the　ground；　and　I
there　observed　the　arid　rock　compelled　to　yield　nutriment　to　the
dry　moss；　whilst　the　heath　flourished　upon　the　barren　sands　below
me；　all　this　displayed　to　me　the　inner