the sorrows of young werther(少年维特的烦恼)-第20节

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mouths　of　persons　well　acquainted　with　his　history。　　The　story
is　simple；　and　all　the　accounts　agree；　except　in　some　unimportant
particulars。　　It　is　true；　that；　with　respect　to　the　characters　of
the　persons　spoken　of；　opinions　and　judgments　vary。

We　have　only；　then；　to　relate　conscientiously　the　facts　which　our
diligent　labour　has　enabled　us　to　collect；　to　give　the　letters
of　the　deceased；　and　to　pay　particular　attention　to　the　slightest
fragment　from　his　pen；　more　especially　as　it　is　so　difficult　to
discover　the　real　and　correct　motives　of　men　who　are　not　of　the
common　order。

Sorrow　and　discontent　had　taken　deep　root　in　Werther's　soul；　and
gradually　imparted　their　character　to　his　whole　being。　　The　harmony
of　his　mind　became　completely　disturbed；　a　perpetual　excitement
and　mental　irritation；　which　weakened　his　natural　powers；　produced
the　saddest　etfects　upon　him；　and　rendered　him　at　length　the　victim
of　an　exhaustion　against　which　he　struggled　with　still　more　painful
efforts　than　he　had　displayed；　even　in　contending　with　his　other
misfortunes。　　His　mental　anxiety　weakened　his　various　good　qualities；
and　he　was　soon　converted　into　a　gloomy　companion；　always　unhappy
and　unjust　in　his　ideas；　the　more　　wretched　he　became。　　This　was；
at　least；　the　opinion　of　Albert's　friends。　　They　assert；　moreover；
that　the　character　of　Albert　himself　had　undergone　no　change　in
the　meantime：　he　was　still　the　same　being　whom　Werther　had　loved；
honoured；　and　respected　from　the　commencement。　　His　love　for
Charlotte　was　unbounded：　he　was　proud　of　her；　and　desired　that
she　should　be　recognised　by　every　one　as　the　noblest　of　created
beings。　　Was　he；　however；　to　blame　for　wishing　to　avert　from　her
every　appearance　of　suspicion？　or　for　his　unwillingness　to　share
his　rich　prize　with　another；　even　for　a　moment；　and　in　the　most
innocent　manner？　　It　is　asserted　that　Albert　frequently　retired
from　his　wife's　apartment　during　Werther's　visits；　but　this　did
not　arise　from　hatred　or　aversion　to　his　friend；　but　only　from　a
feeling　that　his　presence　was　oppressive　to　Werther。

Charlotte's　father；　who　was　confined　to　the　house　by　indisposition；
was　accustomed　to　send　his　carriage　for　her；　that　she　might　make
excursions　in　the　neighbourhood。　　One　day　the　weather　had　been
unusually　severe；　and　the　whole　country　was　covered　with　snow。

Werther　went　for　Charlotte　the　following　morning；　in　order　that；
if　Albert　were　absent；　he　might　conduct　her　home。

The　beautiful　weather　produced　but　little　impression　on　his　troubled
spirit。　　A　heavy　weight　lay　upon　his　soul；　deep　melancholy　had
taken　possession　of　him；　and　his　mind　knew　no　change　save　from　one
painful　thought　to　another。

As　he　now　never　enjoyed　internal　peace；　the　condition　of　his　fellow
creatures　was　to　him　a　perpetual　source　of　trouble　and　distress。
He　believed　he　had　disturbed　the　happiness　of　Albert　and　his　wife；
and；　whilst　he　censured　himself　strongly　for　this；　he　began　to
entertain　a　secret　dislike　to　Albert。

His　thoughts　were　occasionally　directed　to　this　point。　　〃Yes；〃　he
would　repeat　to　himself；　with　ill…concealed　dissatisfaction；　〃yes；
this　is；　after　all；　the　extent　of　that　confiding；　dear；　tender；
and　sympathetic　love；　that　calm　and　eternal　fidelity！　　What　do　I
behold　but　satiety　and　indifference？　　Does　not　every　frivolous
engagement　attract　him　more　than　his　charming　and　lovely　wife？
Does　he　know　how　to　prize　his　happiness？　　Can　he　value　her　as　she
deserves？　　He　possesses　her；　it　is　true；　I　know　that；　as　I　know
much　more；　and　I　have　become　accustomed　to　the　thought　that　he
will　drive　me　mad；　or；　perhaps；　murder　me。　　Is　his　friendship
toward　me　unimpaired？　　Does　he　not　view　my　attachment　to　Charlotte
as　an　infringement　upon　his　rights；　and　consider　my　attention　to
her　as　a　silent　rebuke　to　himself？　　I　know；　and　indeed　feel；　that
he　dislikes　me；　that　he　wishes　for　my　absence；　that　my　presence
is　hateful　to　him。〃

He　would　often　pause　when　on　his　way　to　visit　Charlotte；　stand
still；　as　though　in　doubt；　and　seem　desirous　of　returning；　but
would　nevertheless　proceed；　and；　engaged　in　such　thoughts　and
soliloquies　as　we　have　described；　he　finally　reached　the　hunting…lodge；
with　a　sort　of　involuntary　consent。

Upon　one　occasion　he　entered　the　house；　and；　inquiring　for
Charlotte；　he　observed　that　the　inmates　were　in　a　state　of
unusual　confusion。　　The　eldest　boy　informed　him　that　a　dreadful
misfortune　had　occurred　at　Walheim；　　that　a　peasant　had　been
murdered！　　But　this　made　little　impression　upon　him。　　Entering
the　apartment；　he　found　Charlotte　engaged　reasoning　with　her　father；
who；　in　spite　of　his　infirmity；　insisted　on　going　to　the　scene　of
the　crime；　in　order　to　institute　an　inquiry。　　The　criminal　was
unknown；　the　victim　had　been　found　dead　at　his　own　door　that
morning。　　Suspicions　were　excited：　the　murdered　man　had　been　in
the　service　of　a　widow；　and　the　person　who　had　previously　filled
the　situation　had　been　dismissed　from　her　employment。

As　soon　as　Werther　heard　this；　he　exclaimed　with　great　excitement；
〃Is　it　possible！　　I　must　go　to　the　spot　　I　cannot　delay　a　moment！〃
He　hastened　to　Walheim。　　Every　incident　returned　vividly　to　his
remembrance；　and　he　entertained　not　the　slightest　doubt　that　that
man　was　the　murderer　to　whom　he　had　so　often　spoken；　and　for　whom
he　entertained　so　much　regard。　　His　way　took　him　past　the　well…known
lime　trees；　to　the　house　where　the　body　had　been　carried；　and　his
feelings　were　greatly　excited　at　the　sight　of　the　fondly　recollected
spot。　　That　threshold　where　the　neighbours'　children　had　so　often
played　together　was　stained　with　blood；　love　and　attachment；　the
noblest　feelings　of　human　nature；　had　been　converted　into　violence
and　murder。　　The　huge　trees　stood　there　leafless　and　covered　with
hoarfrost；　the　beautiful　hedgerows　which　surrounded　the　old
churchyard　wall　were　withered；　and　the　gravestones；　half　covered
with　snow；　were　visible　through　the　openings。

As　he　approached　the　inn；　in　front　of　which　the　whole　village　was
assembled；　screams　were　suddenly　heard。　　A　troop　of　armed　peasants
was　seen　approaching；　and　every　one　exclaimed　that　the　criminal
had　been　apprehended。　　Werther　looked；　and　was　not　long　in　doubt。
The　prisoner　was　no　other　than　the　servant；　who　had　been　formerly
so　attached　to　the　widow；　and　whom　he　had　met　prowling　about；　with
that　suppressed　anger　and　ill…concealed　despair；　which　we　have
before　described。

〃What　have　you　done；　unfortunate　man？〃　inquired　Werther；　as　he
advanced　toward　the　prisoner。　　The　latter　turned　his　eyes　upon　him
in　silence；　and　then　replied　with　perfect　composure；　〃No　one　will
now　marry　her；　and　she　will　marry　no　one。〃　　The　prisoner　was　taken
into　the　inn；　and　Werther　left　the　place。　　The　mind　of　Werther　was
fearfully　excited　by　this　shocking　occurrence。　　He　ceased；　however；
to　be　oppressed　by　his　usual　feeling　of　melancholy；　moroseness；
and　indifference　to　everything　that　passed　around　him。　　He　entertained
a　strong　degree　of　pity　for　the　prisoner；　and　was　seized　with　an
indescribable　anxiety　to　save　him　from　his　impending　fate。　　He
considered　him　so　unfortunate；　he　deemed　his　crime　so　excusable；
and　thought　his　own　condition　so　nearly　similar；　that　he　felt
convinced　he　could　make　every　one　else　view　the　matter　in　the　light
in　which　he　saw　it　himself。　　He　now　became　anxious　to　undertake
his　defence；　and　commenced　composing　an　eloquent　speech　for　the
occasion；　and；　on　his　way　to　the　hunting…lodge；　he　could　not　refrain
from　speaking　aloud　the　statement　which　he　resolved　to　make　to　the
judge。

Upon　his　arrival；　he　found　Albert　had　been　before　him：　and　he　was
a　little　perplexed　by　this　meeting；　but　he　soon　recovered　himself；
and　expressed　his　opinion　with　much　warmth　to　the　judge。　　The
latter　shook；　his　head　doubtingly；　and　although　Werther　urged　his
case　with　the　utmost　zeal；　feeling；　and　determination　in　defence
of　his　client；　yet；　as　we　may　easily　suppose；　the　judge　was　not
much　influenced　by　his　appeal。　　On　the　contrary；　he　interrupted
him　in　his　address；　reasoned　with　him　seriously；　and　even　administered
a　rebuke　to　him　for　becoming　the　advocate　of　a　murderer。　　He
demonstrated；　that；　according　to　this　precedent；　every　law　might
be　violated；　and　the　public　security　utterly　destroyed。　　He　added；
moreover；　that　in　such　a　case　he　could　himself　do　nothing；
without　incurring　the　greatest　responsibility；　that　everything
must　follow　in　the　usual　course；　and　pursue　the　ordinary　channel。

Werther；　however；　did　not　abandon　his　enterprise；　and　even　besought
the　judge　to　connive　at　the　flight　of　the　prisoner。　　But　this
proposal　was　peremptorily　rejected。　　Albert；　who　had　taken　some
part　in　the　discussion；　coincided　in　opinion　with　the　judge。　　At
this　Werther　became　enraged；　and　took　his　leave　in　great　anger；
after　the　judge　had　more　than　once　assured　him　that　the　prisoner
could　not　be　saved。

The　excess　of　his　grief　at　this　assurance　may　be　inferred　from　a
note　we　have　found　amongst　his　papers；　and　which　was　doubtless
written　upon　this　very　occasion。

〃You　cannot　be　saved；　unfortunate　man！　　I　see　clearly　that　we
cannot　be　saved！〃

Werther　was　highly　incensed　at　the　observations　which　Albert