the sorrows of young werther(少年维特的烦恼)-第6节

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that　it　may　be　filled　with　the　complete　and　perfect　bliss　of　one
glorious　emotion。　　But　alas！　when　we　have　attained　our　object；
when　the　distant　there　becomes　the　present　here；　all　is　changed：
we　are　as　poor　and　circumscribed　as　ever；　and　our　souls　still
languish　for　unattainable　happiness。

So　does　the　restless　traveller　pant　for　his　native　soil；　and　find
in　his　own　cottage；　in　the　arms　of　his　wife；　in　the　affections　of
his　children；　and　in　the　labour　necessary　for　their　support；　that
happiness　which　he　had　sought　in　vain　through　the　wide　world。

When；　in　the　morning　at　sunrise；　I　go　out　to　Walheim；　and　with　my
own　hands　gather　in　the　garden　the　pease　which　are　to　serve　for
my　dinner；　when　I　sit　down　to　shell　them；　and　read　my　Homer　during
the　intervals；　and　then；　selecting　a　saucepan　from　the　kitchen；
fetch　my　own　butter；　put　my　mess　on　the　fire；　cover　it　up；　and　sit
down　to　stir　it　as　occasion　requires；　I　figure　to　myself　the
illustrious　suitors　of　Penelope；　killing；　dressing；　and　preparing
their　own　oxen　and　swine。　　Nothing　fills　me　with　a　more　pure　and
genuine　sense　of　happiness　than　those　traits　of　patriarchal　life
which；　thank　Heaven！　I　can　imitate　without　affectation。　　Happy　is
it；　indeed；　for　me　that　my　heart　is　capable　of　feeling　the　same
simple　and　innocent　pleasure　as　the　peasant　whose　table　is　covered
with　food　of　his　own　rearing；　and　who　not　only　enjoys　his　meal；　but
remembers　with　delight　the　happy　days　and　sunny　mornings　when　he
planted　it；　the　soft　evenings　when　he　watered　it；　and　the　pleasure
he　experienced　in　watching　its　daily　growth。

JUNE　29。

The　day　before　yesterday；　the　physician　came　from　the　town　to　pay
a　visit　to　the　judge。　　He　found　me　on　the　floor　playing　with
Charlotte's　children。　　Some　of　them　were　scrambling　over　me；　and
others　romped　with　me；　and；　as　I　caught　and　tickled　them；　they
made　a　great　noise。　　The　doctor　is　a　formal　sort　of　personage：　he
adjusts　the　plaits　of　his　ruffles；　and　continually　settles　his
frill　whilst　he　is　talking　to　you；　and　he　thought　my　conduct　beneath
the　dignity　of　a　sensible　man。　　I　could　perceive　this　by　his
countenance。　　But　I　did　not　suffer　myself　to　be　disturbed。　　I
allowed　him　to　continue　his　wise　conversation；　whilst　I　rebuilt
the　children's　card　houses　for　them　as　fast　as　they　threw　them
down。　　He　went　about　the　town　afterward；　complaining　that　the
judge's　children　were　spoiled　enough　before；　but　that　now　Werther
was　completely　ruining　them。
　　
Yes；　my　dear　Wilhelm；　nothing　on　this　earth　affects　my　heart　so
much　as　children。　　When　I　look　on　at　their　doings；　when　I　mark　in
the　little　creatures　the　seeds　of　all　those　virtues　and　qualities
which　they　will　one　day　find　so　indispensable；　when　I　behold　in
the　obstinate　all　the　future　firmness　and　constancy　of　a　noble
character；　in　the　capricious；　that　levity　and　gaiety　of　temper
which　will　carry　them　lightly　over　the　dangers　and　troubles　of
life；　their　whole　nature　simple　and　unpolluted；　　then　I　call
to　mind　the　golden　words　of　the　Great　Teacher　of　mankind；　〃Unless
ye　become　like　one　of　these！〃　　And　now；　my　friend；　these　children；
who　are　our　equals；　whom　we　ought　to　consider　as　our　models；　we
treat　them　as　though　they　were　our　subjects。　　They　are　allowed　no
will　of　their　own。　　And　have　we；　then；　none　ourselves？　Whence　comes
our　exclusive　right？　　Is　it　because　we　are　older　and　more　experienced？
Great　God！　from　the　height　of　thy　heaven　thou　beholdest　great
children　and　little　children；　and　no　others；　and　thy　Son　has　long
since　declared　which　afford　thee　greatest　pleasure。　　But　they
believe　in　him；　and　hear　him　not；　that；　too；　is　an　old　story；
and　they　train　their　children　after　their　own　image；　etc。
　　
Adieu；　Wilhelm：　I　will　not　further　bewilder　myself　with　this　subject。

JULY　1。

The　consolation　Charlotte　can　bring　to　an　invalid　I　experience
from　my　own　heart；　which　suffers　more　from　her　absence　than　many
a　poor　creature　lingering　on　a　bed　of　sickness。　　She　is　gone　to
spend　a　few　days　in　the　town　with　a　very　worthy　woman；　who　is　given
over　by　the　physicians；　and　wishes　to　have　Charlotte　near　her　in
her　last　moments。　　I　accompanied　her　last　week　on　a　visit　to　the
Vicar　of　S；　a　small　village　in　the　mountains；　about　a　league
hence。　　We　arrived　about　four　o'clock：　Charlotte　had　taken　her
little　sister　with　her。　　When　we　entered　the　vicarage　court；　we
found　the　good　old　man　sitting　on　a　bench　before　the　door；　under
the　shade　of　two　large　walnut…trees。　　At　the　　sight　of　Charlotte
he　seemed　to　gain　new　life；　rose；　forgot　his　stick；　and　ventured
to　walk　toward　her。　　She　ran　to　him；　and　made　him　sit　down　again；
then；　placing　herself　by　his　side；　she　gave　him　a　number　of　messages
from　her　father；　and　then　caught　up　his　youngest　child；　a　dirty；
ugly　little　thing；　the　joy　of　his　old　age；　and　kissed　it。　　I　wish
you　could　have　witnessed　her　attention　to　this　old　man；　how　she
raised　her　voice　on　account　of　his　deafness；　how　she　told　him　of
healthy　young　people；　who　had　been　carried　off　when　it　was　least
expected；　praised　the　virtues　of　Carlsbad；　and　commended　his
determination　to　spend　the　ensuing　summer　there；　and　assured　him
that　he　looked　better　and　stronger　than　he　did　when　she　saw　him
last。　　I；　in　the　meantime；　paid　attention　to　his　good　lady。　　The
old　man　seemed　quite　in　spirits；　and　as　I　could　not　help　admiring
the　beauty　of　the　walnut…trees；　which　formed　such　an　agreeable
shade　over　our　heads；　he　began；　though　with　some　little　difficulty；
to　tell　us　their　history。　　〃As　to　the　oldest；〃　said　he；　〃we　do　not
know　who　planted　it；　　some　say　one　clergyman；　and　some　another：
but　the　younger　one；　there　behind　us；　is　exactly　the　age　of　my　wife；
fifty　years　old　next　October；　her　father　planted　it　in　the　morning；
and　in　the　evening　she　came　into　the　world。　　My　wife's　father　was
my　predecessor　here；　and　I　cannot　tell　you　how　fond　he　was　of　that
tree；　and　it　is　fully　as　dear　to　me。　　Under　the　shade　of　that　very
tree；　upon　a　log　of　wood；　my　wife　was　seated　knitting；　when　I；　a
poor　student；　came　into　this　court　for　the　first　time；　just　seven
and　twenty　years　ago。〃　Charlotte　inquired　for　his　daughter。　　He
said　she　was　gone　with　Herr　Schmidt　to　the　meadows；　and　was　with
the　haymakers。　　The　old　man　then　resumed　his　story；　and　told　us
how　his　predecessor　had　taken　a　fancy　to　him；　as　had　his　daughter
likewise；　and　how　he　had　become　first　his　curate；　and　subsequently
his　successor。　　He　had　scarcely　finished　his　story　when　his　daughter
returned　through　the　garden；　accompanied　by　the　above…mentioned
Herr　Schmidt。　　She　welcomed　Charlotte　affectionately；　and　I　confess
I　was　much　taken　with　her　appearance。　　She　was　a　lively…looking；
good…humoured　brunette；　quite　competent　to　amuse　one　for　a　short
time　in　the　country。　　Her　lover　（for　such　Herr　Schmidt　evidently
appeared　to　be）　was　a　polite；　reserved　personage；　and　would　not
join　our　conversation；　notwithstanding　all　Charlotte's　endeavours
to　draw　him　out。　　I　was　much　annoyed　at　observing；　by　his　countenance；
that　his　silence　did　not　arise　from　want　of　talent；　but　from　caprice
and　ill…humour。　　This　subsequently　became　very　evident；　when　we
set　out　to　take　a　walk；　and　Frederica　joining　Charlotte；　with　whom
I　was　talking；　the　worthy　gentleman's　face；　which　was　naturally
rather　sombre；　became　so　dark　and　angry　that　Charlotte　was　obliged
to　touch　my　arm；　and　remind　me　that　I　was　talking　too　much　to
Frederica。　　Nothing　distresses　me　more　than　to　see　men　torment
each　other；　particularly　when　in　the　flower　of　their　age；　in　the
very　season　of　pleasure；　they　waste　their　few　short　days　of　sunshine
in　quarrels　and　disputes；　and　only　perceive　their　error　when　it
is　too　late　to　repair　it。　　This　thought　dwelt　upon　my　mind；　and
in　the　evening；　when　we　returned　to　the　vicar's；　and　were　sitting
round　the　table　with　our　bread　end　milk；　the　conversation　turned
on　the　joys　and　sorrows　of　the　world；　I　could　not　resist　the
temptation　to　inveigh　bitterly　against　ill…humour。　　〃We　are　apt；〃
said　I；　〃to　complain；　but　…　with　very　little　cause；　that　our　happy
days　are　few；　and　our　evil　days　many。　　If　our　hearts　were　always
disposed　to　receive　the　benefits　Heaven　sends　us；　we　should　acquire
strength　to　support　evil　when　it　comes。〃　〃But；〃　observed　the　vicar's
wife；　〃we　cannot　always　command　our　tempers；　so　much　depends　upon
the　constitution：　when　the　body　suffers；　the　mind　is　ill　at　ease。〃
〃I　acknowledge　that；〃　I　continued；　〃but　we　must　consider　such　a
disposition　in　the　light　of　a　disease；　and　inquire　whether　there
is　no　remedy　for　it。〃
　
〃I　should　be　glad　to　hear　one；〃　said　Charlotte：　〃at　least；　I　think
very　much　depends　upon　ourselves；　I　know　it　is　so　with　me。　When
anything　annoys　me；　and　disturbs　my　temper；　I　hasten　into　the
garden；　hum　a　couple　of　country　dances；　and　it　is　all　right　with
me　directly。〃　　〃That　is　what　I　meant；〃　I　replied；　〃ill…humour
resembles　indolence：　it　is　natural　to　us；　but　if　once　we　have
courage　to　exert　ourselves；　we　find　our　work　run　fresh　from　our
hands；　and　we　experience　in　the　activity　from　which　we　shrank　a
real　enjoyment。〃　　Frederica　listened　very　attentively：　and　the
young　man　objected；　that　we　were　not　masters　of　ourselves；　and
still　less　so　of　our　feelings