the sorrows of young werther(少年维特的烦恼)-第4节

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letter　than　you　were　at　the　beginning。　　Attend；　then；　and　I　will
compel　myself　to　give　you　the　details。

I　mentioned　to　you　the　other　day　that　I　had　become　acquainted　with
S；　the　district　judge；　and　that　he　had　invited　me　to　go　and　visit
him　in　his　retirement；　or　rather　in　his　little　kingdom。　　But　I
neglected　going；　and　perhaps　should　never　have　gone；　if　chance　had
not　discovered　to　me　the　treasure　which　lay　concealed　in　that
retired　spot。　　Some　of　our　young　people　had　proposed　giving　a　ball
in　the　country；　at　which　I　consented　to　be　present。　　I　offered　my
hand　for　the　evening　to　a　pretty　and　agreeable；　but　rather　commonplace；
sort　of　girl　from　the　immediate　neighbourhood；　and　it　was　agreed
that　I　should　engage　a　carriage；　and　call　upon　Charlotte；　with　my
partner　and　her　aunt；　to　convey　them　to　the　ball。　　My　companion
informed　me；　as　we　drove　along　through　the　park　to　the　hunting…lodge；
that　I　should　make　the　acquaintance　of　a　very　charming　young　lady。
〃Take　care；〃　added　the　aunt；　〃that　you　do　not　lose　your　heart。〃
〃Why？〃　said　I。　　〃Because　she　is　already　engaged　to　a　very　worthy
man；〃　she　replied；　〃who　is　gone　to　settle　his　affairs　upon　the
death　of　his　father；　and　will　succeed　to　a　very　considerable
inheritance。〃　　This　information　possessed　no　interest　for　me。
When　we　arrived　at　the　gate；　the　sun　was　setting　behind　the　tops
of　the　mountains。　　The　atmosphere　was　heavy；　and　the　ladies　expressed
their　fears　of　an　approaching　storm；　as　masses　of　low　black　clouds
were　gathering　in　the　horizon。　　I　relieved　their　anxieties　by
pretending　to　be　weather…wise；　although　I　myself　had　some
apprehensions　lest　our　pleasure　should　be　interrupted。

I　alighted；　and　a　maid　came　to　the　door；　and　requested　us　to　wait
a　moment　for　her　mistress。　　I　walked　across　the　court　to　a　well…built
house；　and；　ascending　the　flight　of　steps　in　front；　opened　the　door；
and　saw　before　me　the　most　charming　spectacle　I　had　ever　witnessed。
Six　children；　from　eleven　to　two　years　old；　were　running　about　the
hall；　and　surrounding　a　lady　of　middle　height；　with　a　lovely　figure；
dressed　in　a　robe　of　simple　white；　trimmed　with　pink　ribbons。　　She
was　holding　a　rye　loaf　in　her　hand；　and　was　cutting　slices　for　the
little　ones　all　around；　in　proportion　to　their　age　and　appetite。
She　performed　her　task　in　a　graceful　and　affectionate　manner；　each
claimant　awaiting　his　turn　with　outstretched　hands；　and　boisterously
shouting　his　thanks。　　Some　of　them　ran　away　at　once；　to　enjoy　their
evening　meal；　whilst　others；　of　a　gentler　disposition；　retired　to
the　courtyard　to　see　the　strangers；　and　to　survey　the　carriage　in
which　their　Charlotte　was　to　drive　away。　　〃Pray　forgive　me　for
giving　you　the　trouble　to　come　for　me；　and　for　keeping　the　ladies
waiting：　but　dressing；　and　arranging　some　household　duties　before
I　leave；　had　made　me　forget　my　children's　supper；　and　they　do　not
like　to　take　it　from　any　one　but　me。〃　　I　uttered　some　indifferent
compliment：　but　my　whole　soul　was　absorbed　by　her　air；　her　voice；
her　manner；　and　I　had　scarcely　recovered　myself　when　she　ran　into
her　room　to　fetch　her　gloves　and　fan。　　The　young　ones　threw　inquiring
glances　at　me　from　a　distance；　whilst　I　approached　the　youngest；
a　most　delicious　little　creature。　　He　drew　back；　and　Charlotte；
entering　at　the　very　moment；　said；　〃Louis；　shake　hands　with　your
cousin。〃　　The　little　fellow　obeyed　willingly；　and　I　could　not
resist　giving　him　a　hearty　kiss；　notwithstanding　his　rather　dirty
face。　　〃Cousin；〃　said　I　to　Charlotte；　as　I　handed　her　down；　〃do
you　think　I　deserve　the　happiness　of　being　related　to　you？〃　　She
replied；　with　a　ready　smile；　〃Oh！　I　have　such　a　number　of　cousins；
that　I　should　be　sorry　if　you　were　the　most　undeserving　of　them。〃
In　taking　leave；　she　desired　her　next　sister；　Sophy；　a　girl　about
eleven　years　old；　to　take　great　care　of　the　children；　and　to　say
good…bye　to　papa　for　her　when　he　came　home　from　his　ride。　　She
enjoined　to　the　little　ones　to　obey　their　sister　Sophy　as　they
would　herself；　upon　which　some　promised　that　they　would；　but　a
little　fair…haired　girl；　about　six　years　old；　looked　discontented；
and　said；　〃But　Sophy　is　not　you；　Charlotte；　and　we　like　you　best。〃
The　two　eldest　boys　had　clambered　up　the　carriage；　and；　at　my
request；　she　permitted　them　to　accompany　us　a　little　way　through
the　forest；　upon　their　promising　to　sit　very　still；　and　hold　fast。

We　were　hardly　seated；　and　the　ladies　had　scarcely　exchanged
compliments；　making　the　usual　remarks　upon　each　other's　dress；　and
upon　the　company　they　expected　to　meet；　when　Charlotte　stopped　the
carriage；　and　made　her　brothers　get　down。　　They　insisted　upon
kissing　her　hands　once　more；　which　the　eldest　did　with　all　the
tenderness　of　a　youth　of　fifteen；　but　the　other　in　a　lighter　and
more　careless　manner。　　She　desired　them　again　to　give　her　love　to
the　children；　and　we　drove　off。

The　aunt　inquired　of　Charlotte　whether　she　had　finished　the　book
she　had　last　sent　her。　　〃No；〃　said　Charlotte；　〃I　did　not　like　it：
you　can　have　it　again。　　And　the　one　before　was　not　much　better。〃
I　was　surprised；　upon　asking　the　title；　to　hear　that　it　was　____。
（We　feel　obliged　to　suppress　the　passage　in　the　letter；　to　prevent
any　one　from　feeling　aggrieved；　although　no　author　need　pay　much
attention　to　the　opinion　of　a　mere　girl；　or　that　of　an　unsteady
young　man。）

I　found　penetration　and　character　in　everything　she　said：　every
expression　seemed　to　brighten　her　features　with　new　charms；　with
new　rays　of　genius；　　which　unfolded　by　degrees；　as　she　felt
herself　understood。

〃When　I　was　younger；〃　she　observed；　〃I　loved　nothing　so　much　as
romances。　　Nothing　could　equal　my　delight　when；　on　some　holiday；
I　could　settle　down　quietly　in　a　corner；　and　enter　with　my　whole
heart　and　soul　into　the　joys　or　sorrows　of　some　fictitious　Leonora。
I　do　not　deny　that　they　even　possess　some　charms　for　me　yet。　　But
I　read　so　seldom；　that　I　prefer　books　suited　exactly　to　my　taste。
And　I　like　those　authors　best　whose　scenes　describe　my　own　situation
in　life；　　and　the　friends　who　are　about　me；　whose　stories　touch
me　with　interest；　from　resembling　my　own　homely　existence；　　which；
without　being　absolutely　paradise；　is；　on　the　whole；　a　source　of
indescribable　happiness。〃

I　endeavoured　to　conceal　the　emotion　which　these　words　occasioned；
but　it　was　of　slight　avail；　for；　when　she　had　expressed　so　truly
her　opinion　of　〃The　Vicar　of　Wakefield；〃　and　of　other　works；　the
names　of　which　I　omit　（Though　the　names　are　omitted；　yet　the　authors
mentioned　deserve　Charlotte's　approbation；　and　will　feel　it　in
their　hearts　when　they　read　this　passage。　It　concerns　no　other
person。）；　I　could　no　longer　contain　myself；　but　gave　full　utterance
to　what　I　thought　of　it：　and　it　was　not　until　Charlotte　had　addressed
herself　to　the　two　other　ladies；　that　I　remembered　their　presence；
and　observed　them　sitting　mute　with　astonishment。　　The　aunt　looked
at　me　several　times　with　an　air　of　raillery；　which；　however；　I　did
not　at　all　mind。

We　talked　of　the　pleasures　of　dancing。　〃If　it　is　a　fault　to　love
it；〃　said　Charlotte；　〃I　am　ready　to　confess　that　I　prize　it　above
all　other　amusements。　　If　anything　disturbs　me；　I　go　to　the　piano；
play　an　air　to　which　I　have　danced；　and　all　goes　right　again
directly。〃

You；　who　know　me；　can　fancy　how　steadfastly　I　gazed　upon　her　rich
dark　eyes　during　these　remarks；　how　my　very　soul　gloated　over　her
warm　lips　and　fresh；　glowing　cheeks；　how　I　became　quite　lost　in
the　delightful　meaning　of　her　words；　so　much　so；　that　I　scarcely
heard　the　actual　expressions。　　In　short；　I　alighted　from　the
carriage　like　a　person　in　a　dream；　and　was　so　lost　to　the　dim
world　around　me；　that　I　scarcely　heard　the　music　which　resounded
from　the　illuminated　ballroom。

The　two　Messrs。　Andran　and　a　certain　N。　N。　（I　cannot　trouble　myself
with　the　names）；　who　were　the　aunt's　and　Charlotte's　partners；
received　us　at　the　carriage…door；　and　took　possession　of　their
ladies；　whilst　I　followed　with　mine。

We　commenced　with　a　minuet。　　I　led　out　one　lady　after　another；
and　precisely　those　who　were　the　most　disagreeable　could　not　bring
themselves　to　leave　off。　　Charlotte　and　her　partner　began　an　English
country　dance；　and　you　must　imagine　my　delight　when　it　was　their
turn　to　dance　the　figure　with　us。　　You　should　see　Charlotte　dance。
She　dances　with　her　whole　heart　and　soul：　her　figure　is　all　harmony；
elegance；　and　grace；　as　if　she　were　conscious　of　nothing　else；　and
had　no　other　thought　or　feeling；　and；　doubtless；　for　the　moment；
every　other　sensation　is　extinct。

She　was　engaged　for　the　second　country　dance；　but　promised　me　the
third；　and　assured　me；　with　the　most　agreeable　freedom；　that　she
was　very　fond　of　waltzing。　　〃It　is　the　custom　here；〃　she　said；
〃for　the　previous　partners　to　waltz　together；　but　my　partner　is
an　indifferent　waltzer；　and　will　feel　delighted　if　I　save　him　the
trouble。　　Your　partner　is　not　allowed　to　waltz；　and；　indeed；　is
equally　incapable：　but　I　observed　during　the　country　dance　that
you　waltz　well；　so；　if　you　will　waltz　with　me；　I　beg　you　would
propose　it　to　my　partner；　and　I　will　propose　it　to　yours。〃　　We
agreed；　and　it　was　arranged　that　our　partners　should　mutually
e