the sorrows of young werther(少年维特的烦恼)-第25节

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the　door。　　Werther　held　out　his　arms；　but　did　not　dare　to　detain
her。　　He　continued　on　the　ground；　with　his　head　resting　on　the
sofa；　for　half　an　hour；　till　he　heard　a　noise　which　brought　him
to　his　senses。　　The　servant　entered。　　He　then　walked　up　and　down
the　room；　and；　when　he　was　again　left　alone；　he　went　to　Charlotte's
door；　and；　in　a　low　voice；　said；　〃Charlotte；　Charlotte！　but　one
word　more；　one　last　adieu！〃　　She　returned　no　answer。　　He　stopped；
and　listened　and　entreated；　but　all　was　silent。　　At　length　he　tore
himself　from　the　place；　crying；　〃Adieu；　Charlotte；　adieu　for　ever！〃

Werther　ran　to　the　gate　of　the　town。　　The　guards；　who　knew　him；
let　him　pass　in　silence。　　The　night　was　dark　and　stormy；　　it
rained　and　snowed。　　He　reached　his　own　door　about　eleven。　　His
servant；　although　seeing　him　enter　the　house　without　his　hat；　did
not　venture　to　say　anything；　and；　as　he　undressed　his　master；　he
found　that　his　clothes　were　wet。　　His　hat　was　afterward　found　on
the　point　of　a　rock　overhanging　the　valley；　and　it　is　inconceivable
how　he　could　have　climbed　to　the　summit　on　such　a　dark；　tempestuous
night　without　losing　his　life。

He　retired　to　bed；　and　slept　to　a　late　hour。　　The　next　morning　his
servant；　upon　being　called　to　bring　his　coffee；　found　him　writing。
He　was　adding；　to　Charlotte；　what　we　here　annex。

〃For　the　last；　last　time　I　open　these　eyes。　　Alas！　they　will　behold
the　sun　no　more。　　It　is　covered　by　a　thick；　impenetrable　cloud。
Yes；　Nature！　put　on　mourning：　your　child；　your　friend；　your　lover；
draws　near　his　end！　　This　thought；　Charlotte；　is　without　parallel；
and　yet　it　seems　like　a　mysterious　dream　when　I　repeat　　this　is
my　last　day！　　The　last！　　Charlotte；　no　word　can　adequately　express
this　thought。　　The　last！　　To…day　I　stand　erect　in　all　my　strength
to…morrow；　cold　and　stark；　I　shall　lie　extended　upon　the　ground。
To　die！　what　is　death？　　We　do　but　dream　in　our　discourse　upon　it。
I　have　seen　many　human　beings　die；　but；　so　straitened　is　our　feeble
nature；　we　have　no　clear　conception　of　the　beginning　or　the　end
of　our　existence。　　At　this　moment　I　am　my　own　　or　rather　I　am
thine；　thine；　my　adored！　and　the　next　we　are　parted；　severed　
perhaps　for　ever！　　No；　Charlotte；　no！　　How　can　I；　how　can　you；
be　annihilated？　　We　exist。　　What　is　annihilation？　　A　mere　word；
an　unmeaning　sound　that　fixes　no　impression　on　the　mind。　　Dead；
Charlotte！　laid　in　the　cold　earth；　in　the　dark　and　narrow　grave！
I　had　a　friend　once　who　was　everything　to　me　in　early　youth。
She　died。　　I　followed　her　hearse；　I　stood　by　her　grave　when　the
coffin　was　lowered；　and　when　I　heard　the　creaking　of　the　cords
as　they　were　loosened　and　drawn　up；　when　the　first　shovelful
of　earth　was　thrown　in；　and　the　coffin　returned　a　hollow　sound；
which　grew　fainter　and　fainter　till　all　was　completely　covered
over；　I　threw　myself　on　the　ground；　my　heart　was　smitten；　grieved；
shattered；　rent　　but　I　neither　knew　what　had　happened；　nor　what
was　to　happen　to　me。　　Death！　the　grave！　　I　understand　not　the　words。
　Forgive；　oh；　forgive　me！　　Yesterday　　ah；　that　day　should　have
been　the　last　of　my　life！　　Thou　angel！　for　the　first　time　in　my
existence；　I　felt　rapture　glow　within　my　inmost　soul。　　She　loves；
she　loves　me！　　Still　burns　upon　my　lips　the　sacred　fire　they
received　from　thine。　　New　torrents　of　delight　overwhelm　my　soul。
Forgive　me；　oh；　forgive！

〃I　knew　that　I　was　dear　to　you；　I　saw　it　in　your　first　entrancing
look；　knew　it　by　the　first　pressure　of　your　hand；　but　when　I　was
absent　from　you；　when　I　saw　Albert　at　your　side；　my　doubts　and
fears　returned。

〃Do　you　remember　the　flowers　you　sent　me；　when；　at　that　crowded
assembly；　you　could　neither　speak　nor　extend　your　hand　to　me？
Half　the　night　I　was　on　my　knees　before　those　flowers；　and　I
regarded　them　as　the　pledges　of　your　love；　but　those　impressions
grew　fainter；　and　were　at　length　effaced。

〃Everything　passes　away；　but　a　whole　eternity　could　not　extinguish
the　living　flame　which　was　yesterday　kindled　by　your　lips；　and
which　now　burns　within　me。　　She　loves　me！　　These　arms　have　encircled
her　waist；　these　lips　have　trembled　upon　hers。　　She　is　mine！　　Yes；
Charlotte；　you　are　mine　for　ever！

〃And　what　do　they　mean　by　saying　Albert　is　your　husband？　　He　may
be　so　for　this　world；　and　in　this　world　it　is　a　sin　to　love　you；
to　wish　to　tear　you　from　his　embrace。　　Yes；　it　is　a　crime；　and　I
suffer　the　punishment；　but　I　have　enjoyed　the　full　delight　of
my　sin。　　I　have　inhaled　a　balm　that　has　revived　my　soul。　　From
this　hour　you　are　mine；　yes；　Charlotte；　you　are　mine！　　I　go
before　you。　　I　go　to　my　Father　and　to　your　Father。　　I　will　pour
out　my　sorrows　before　him；　and　he　will　give　me　comfort　till　you
arrive。　　Then　will　I　fly　to　meet　you。　　I　will　claim　you；　and
remain　your　eternal　embrace；　in　the　presence　of　the　Almighty。

〃I　do　not　dream；　I　do　not　rave。　　Drawing　nearer　to　the　grave　my
perceptions　become　clearer。　　We　shall　exist；　we　shall　see　each
other　again；　we　shall　behold　your　mother；　I　shall　behold　her；　and
expose　to　her　my　inmost　heart。　　Your　mother　　your　image！〃

About　eleven　o'clock　Werther　asked　his　servant　if　Albert　had
returned。　　He　answered；　〃Yes；〃　for　he　had　seen　him　pass　on　horseback：
upon　which　Werther　sent　him　the　following　note；　unsealed：

〃Be　so　good　as　to　lend　me　your　pistols　for　a　journey。　　Adieu。〃

Charlotte　had　slept　little　during　the　past　night。　　All　her
apprehensions　were　realised　in　a　way　that　she　could　neither
foresee　nor　avoid。　　Her　blood　was　boiling　in　her　veins；　and　a
thousand　painful　sensations　rent　her　pure　heart。　　Was　it　the
ardour　of　Werther's　passionate　embraces　that　she　felt　within　her
bosom？　　Was　it　anger　at　his　daring？　　Was　it　the　sad　comparison
of　her　present　condition　with　former　days　of　innocence；　tranquillity；
and　self…confidence？　　How　could　she　approach　her　husband；　and
confess　a　scene　which　she　had　no　reason　to　conceal；　and　which　she
yet　felt；　nevertheless；　unwilling　to　avow？　　They　had　preserved　so
long　a　silence　toward　each　other　and　should　she　be　the　first　to
break　it　by　so　unexpected　a　discovery？　　She　feared　that　the　mere
statement　of　Werther's　visit　would　trouble　him；　and　his　distress
would　be　heightened　by　her　perfect　candour。　　She　wished　that　he
could　see　her　in　her　true　light；　and　judge　her　without　prejudice；
but　was　she　anxious　that　he　should　read　her　inmost　soul？　　On　the
other　hand；　could　she　deceive　a　being　to　whom　all　her　thoughts
had　ever　been　exposed　as　clearly　as　crystal；　and　from　whom　no
sentiment　had　ever　been　concealed？　　These　reflections　made　her
anxious　and　thoughtful。　　Her　mind　still　dwelt　on　Werther；　who　was
now　lost　to　her；　but　whom　she　could　not　bring　herself　to　resign；
and　for　whom　she　knew　nothing　was　left　but　despair　if　she　should
be　lost　to　him　for　ever。

A　recollection　of　that　mysterious　estrangement　which　had　lately
subsisted　between　herself　and　Albert；　and　which　she　could　never
thoroughly　understand；　was　now　beyond　measure　painful　to　her。
Even　the　prudent　and　the　good　have　before　now　hesitated　to　explain
their　mutual　differences；　and　have　dwelt　in　silence　upon　their
imaginary　grievances；　until　circumstances　have　become　so　entangled；
that　in　that　critical　juncture；　when　a　calm　explanation　would
have　saved　all　parties；　an　understanding　was　impossible。　　And
thus　if　domestic　confidence　had　been　earlier　established　between
them；　if　love　and　kind　forbearance　had　mutually　animated　and
expanded　their　hearts；　it　might　not；　perhaps；　even　yet　have　been
too　late　to　save　our　friend。

But　we　must　not　forget　one　remarkable　circumstance。　　We　may
observe　from　the　character　of　Werther's　correspondence；　that
he　had　never　affected　to　conceal　his　anxious　desire　to　quit
this　world。　　He　had　often　discussed　the　subject　with　Albert；
and；　between　the　latter　and　Charlotte；　it　had　not　unfrequently
formed　a　topic　of　conversation。　　Albert　was　so　opposed　to　the　very
idea　of　such　an　action；　that；　with　a　degree　of　irritation　unusual
in　him；　he　had　more　than　once　given　Werther　to　understand　that　he
doubted　the　seriousness　of　his　threats；　and　not　only　turned　them
into　ridicule；　but　caused　Charlotte　to　share　his　feelings　of
incredulity。　　Her　heart　was　thus　tranquillised　when　she　felt
disposed　to　view　the　melancholy　subject　in　a　serious　point　of
view；　though　she　never　communicated　to　her　husband　the
apprehensions　she　sometimes　experienced。

Albert；　upon　his　return；　was　received　by　Charlotte　with
ill…concealed　embarrassment。　　He　was　himself　out　of　humour；　his
business　was　unfinished；　and　he　had　just　discovered　that　the
neighbouring　official　with　whom　he　had　to　deal；　was　an　obstinate
and　narrow…minded　personage。　　Many　things　had　occurred　to　irritate
him。

He　inquired　whether　anything　had　happened　during　his　absence；　and
Charlotte　hastily　answered　that　Werther　had　been　there　on　the
evening　previously。　　He　then　inquired　for　his　letters；　and　was
answered　that　several　packages　had　been　left　in　his　study。　　He
thereon　retired；　leaving　Charlotte　alone。

The　presence　of　the　being　she　loved　and　honoured　produced　a　new
impression　on　her　heart。　　The　recollection　of　his　generosity；
kindness；　and　affection　had　calmed　her　agitation：　a　secret　impulse
prompted　her　to　follow　him；