少年维特之烦恼(英文版)-第24章

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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　had　made
to　the　judge　in　this　matter　of　the　prisoner。　He　thought　he　could　detect
therein　a　little　bitterness　toward　himself　personally　；　and　although　，
upon　reflection　，　it　could　not　escape　his　sound　judgment　that　their　view
of　the　matter　was　correct　，　he　felt　the　greatest　possible　reluctance
to　make　such　an　admission。

　　A　memorandum　of　Werther's　upon　this　point　，　expressive　of　his　general
feelings　toward　Albert，　has　been　found　amongst　his　papers。

　　〃What　is　the　use　of　my　continually　repeating　that　he　is　a　good　and
estimable　man　？　He　is　an　inward　torment　to　me，　and　I　am　incapable　of
being　just　toward　him。〃

　　One　fine　evening　in　winter，　when　the　weather　seemed　inclined　to　thaw，
Charlotte　and　Albert　were　returning　home　together。　The　former　looked　from
time　to　time　about　her，　as　if　she　missed　Werther's　pany。　Albert　began
to　speak　of　him　，　and　censured　him　for　his　prejudices。　He　alluded　to
his　unfortunate　attachment，　and　wished　it　were　possible　to　discontinue
his　acquaintance。　〃I　desire　it　on　our　own　account　，〃　he　added；　〃and
I　request　you　will　pel　him　to　alter　his　deportment　toward　you，　and
to　visit　you　less　frequently。　The　world　is　censorious　，　and　I　know　that
here　and　there　we　are　spoken　of。〃　Charlotte　made　no　reply　，　and　Albert
seemed　to　feel　her　silence。　At　least，　from　that　time　he　never　again　spoke
of　Werther；　and，　when　she　introduced　the　subject，　he　allowed　the　conversation
to　die　away　，　or　else　he　directed　the　discourse　into　another　channel。

　　The　vain　attempt　Werther　had　made　to　save　the　unhappy　murderer　was
the　last　feeble　glimmering　of　a　flame　about　to　be　extinguished。　He　sank
almost　immediately　afterward　into　a　state　of　gloom　and　inactivity　，　until
he　was　at　length　brought　to　perfect　distraction　by　learning　that　he　was
to　be　summoned　as　a　witness　against　the　prisoner，　who　asserted　his　plete
innocence。

　　His　mind　now　became　oppressed　by　the　recollection　of　every　misfortune
of　his　past　life。　The　mortification　he　had　suffered　at　the　ambassador's，
and　his　subsequent　troubles　，　were　revived　in　his　memory。　He　became　utterly
inactive。　Destitute　of　energy　，　he　was　cut　off　from　every　pursuit　and
occupation　which　pose　the　business　of　mon　life；　and　he　became　a
victim　to　his　own　susceptibility，　and　to　his　restless　passion　for　the
most　amiable　and　beloved　of　women　，　whose　peace　he　destroyed。　In　this
unvarying　monotony　of　existence　his　days　were　consumed；　and　his　powers
became　exhausted　without　aim　or　design，　until　they　brought　him　to　a　sorrowful
end。

　　A　few　letters　which　he　left　behind，　and　which　we　here　subjoin，　afford
the　best　proofs　of　his　anxiety　of　mind　and　of　the　depth　of　his　passion，
as　well　as　of　his　doubts　and　struggles，　and　of　his　weariness　of　life。

　　DECEMBER　12。　Dear　Wilhelm　，　I　am　reduced　to　the　condition　of　those
unfortunate　wretches　who　believe　they　are　pursued　by　an　evil　spirit。　Sometimes
I　am　oppressed，　not　by　apprehension　or　fear，　but　by　an　inexpressible
internal　sensation，　which　weighs　upon　my　heart　，　and　impedes　my　breath！
Then　I　wander　forth　at　night，　even　in　this　tempestuous　season，　and　feel
pleasure　in　surveying　the　dreadful　scenes　around　me。

　　Yesterday　evening　I　went　forth。　A　rapid　thaw　had　suddenly　set　in：
I　had　been　informed　that　the　river　had　risen，　that　the　brooks　had　all
overflowed　their　banks，　and　that　the　whole　vale　of　Walheim　was　under
water　！　Upon　the　stroke　of　twelve　I　hastened　forth。　I　beheld　a　fearful
sight。　The　foaming　torrents　rolled　from　the　mountains　in　the　moonlight，
——　fields　and　meadows　，　trees　and　hedges　，　were　confounded　together
；　and　the　entire　valley　was　converted　into　a　deep　lake　，　which　was　agitated
by　the　roaring　wind　！　And　when　the　moon　shone　forth，　and　tinged　the
black　clouds　with　silver，　and　the　impetuous　torrent　at　my　feet　foamed
and　resounded　with　awful　and　grand　impetuosity，　I　was　overe　by　a　mingled
sensation　of　apprehension　and　delight。　With　extended　arms　I　looked　down
into　the　yawning　abyss，　and　cried，　〃Plunge！'〃　For　a　moment　my　senses
forsook　me，　in　the　intense　delight　of　ending　my　sorrows　and　my　sufferings
by　a　plunge　into　that　gulf！　And　then　I　felt　as　if　I　were　rooted　to　the
earth　，　and　incapable　of　seeking　an　end　to　my　woes　！　But　my　hour　is
not　yet　e：　I　feel　it　is　not。　O　Wilhelm，　how　willingly　could　I　abandon
my　existence　to　ride　the　whirlwind，　or　to　embrace　the　torrent！　and　then
might　not　rapture　perchance　be　the　portion　of　this　liberated　soul　？

　　I　turned　my　sorrowful　eyes　toward　a　favourite　spot，　where　I　was　accustomed
to　sit　with　Charlotte　beneath　a　willow　after　a　fatiguing　walk。　Alas　！
it　was　covered　with　water　，　and　with　difficulty　I　found　even　the　meadow。
And　the　fields　around　the　hunting…lodge　，　thought　I。　Has　our　dear　bower
been　destroyed　by　this　unpitying　storm？　And　a　beam　of　past　happiness
streamed　upon　me，　as　the　mind　of　a　captive　is　illumined　by　dreams　of
flocks　and　herds　and　bygone　joys　of　home！　But　I　am　free　from　blame。　I
have　courage　to　die　！　Perhaps　I　have　，——　but　I　still　sit　here　，　like
a　wretched　pauper　，　who　collects　fagots，　and　begs　her　bread　from　door
to　door　，　that　she　may　prolong　for　a　few　days　a　miserable　existence　which
she　is　unwilling　to　resign。

　　DECEMBER　15。　What　is　the　matter　with　me　，　dear　Wilhelm　？　I　am　afraid
of　myself　！　Is　not　my　love　for　her　of　the　purest　，　most　holy，　and　most
brotherly　nature？　Has　my　soul　ever　been　sullied　by　a　single　sensual　desire？
but　I　will　make　no　protestations。　And　now　，　ye　nightly　visions　，　how
truly　have　those　mortals　understood　you　，　who　ascribe　your　various　contradictory
effects　to　some　invincible　power！　This　night　I　tremble　at　the　avowal
——　I　held　her　in　my　arms，　locked　in　a　close　embrace：　I　pressed　her
to　my　bosom　，　and　covered　with　countless　kisses　those　dear　lips　which
murmured　in　reply　soft　protestations　of　love。　My　sight　became　confused
by　the　delicious　intoxication　of　her　eyes。　Heavens！　is　it　sinful　to　revel
again　in　such　happiness　，　to　recall　once　more　those　rapturous　moments
with　intense　delight？　Charlotte！　Charlotte！　I　am　lost！　My　senses　are
bewildered，　my　recollection　is　confused，　mine　eyes　are　bathed　in　tears
——　I　am　ill　；　and　yet　I　am　well——　I　wish　for　nothing　——　I　have
no　desires——　it　were　better　I　were　gone。

　　Under　the　circumstances　narrated　above，　a　determination　to　quit　this
world　had　now　taken　fixed　possession　of　Werther's　soul。　Since　Charlotte's
return，　this　thought　had　been　the　final　object　of　all　his　hopes　and　wishes
；　but　he　had　resolved　that　such　a　step　should　not　be　taken　with　precipitation，
but　with　calmness　and　tranquillity，　and　with　the　most　perfect　deliberation。

　　His　troubles　and　internal　struggles　may　be　understood　from　the　following
fragment，　which　was　found，　without　any　date　，　amongst　his　papers　，
and　appears　to　have　formed　the　beginning　of　a　letter　to　Wilhelm。

　　〃Her　presence　，　her　fate　，　her　sympathy　for　me，　have　power　still
to　extract　tears　from　my　withered　brain。

　　〃One　lifts　up　the　curtain　，　and　passes　to　the　other　side　，——　that
is　all！　And　why　all　these　doubts　and　delays？　Because　we　know　not　what
is　behind　——　because　there　is　no　returning——　and　because　our　mind
infers　that　all　is　darkness　and　confusion　，　where　we　have　nothing　but
uncertainty。〃

　　His　appearance　at　len