少年维特之烦恼(英文版)-第4章

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a　young　widow　，　who　set　great　store　by　him。　He　spoke　so　much　of　his　mistress，
and　praised　her　so　extravagantly，　that　I　could　soon　see　he　was　desperately
in　love　with　her。　〃She　is　no　longer　young　，〃　he　said　：　〃and　she　was
treated　so　badly　by　her　former　husband　that　she　does　not　mean　to　marry
again。〃　From　his　account　it　was　so　evident　what　inparable　charms　she
possessed　for　him　，　and　how　ardently　he　wished　she　would　select　him　to
extinguish　the　recollection　of　her　first　husband's　misconduct　，　that
I　should　have　to　repeat　his　own　words　in　order　to　describe　the　depth　of
the　poor　fellow's　attachment，　truth，　and　devotion。　It　would　，　in　fact，
require　the　gifts　of　a　great　poet　to　convey　the　expression　of　his　features，
the　harmony　of　his　voice，　and　the　heavenly　fire　of　his　eye。　No　words
can　portray　the　tenderness　of　his　every　movement　and　of　every　feature
：　no　effort　of　mine　could　do　justice　to　the　scene。　His　alarm　lest　I　should
misconceive　his　position　with　regard　to　his　mistress，　or　question　the
propriety　of　her　conduct，　touched　me　particularly。　The　charming　manner
with　which　he　described　her　form　and　person　，　which，　without　possessing
the　graces　of　youth　，　won　and　attached　him　to　her，　is　inexpressible　，
and　must　be　left　to　the　imagination。　I　have　never　in　my　life　witnessed
or　fancied　or　conceived　the　possibility　of　such　intense　devotion，　such
ardent　affections　，　united　with　so　much　purity。　Do　not　blame　me　if　I
say　that　the　recollection　of　this　innocence　and　truth　is　deeply　impressed
upon　my　very　soul　；　that　this　picture　of　fidelity　and　tenderness　haunts
me　everywhere　；　and　that　my　own　heart，　as　though　enkindled　by　the　flame，
glows　and　burns　within　me。

　　I　mean　now　to　try　and　see　her　as　soon　as　I　can：　or　perhaps　，　on
second　thoughts　，　I　had　better　not　；　it　is　better　I　should　behold　her
through　the　eyes　of　her　lover。　To　my　sight，　perhaps，　she　would　not　appear
as　she　now　stands　before　me　；　and　why　should　I　destroy　so　sweet　a　picture？

　　JUNE　16。　〃Why　do　I　not　write　to　you　？〃　You　lay　claim　to　learning　，
and　ask　such　a　question。　You　should　have　guessed　that　I　am　well　——　that
is　to　say　——　in　a　word，　I　have　made　an　acquaintance　who　has　won　my
heart　：　I　have　——　I　know　not。

　　To　give　you　a　regular　account　of　the　manner　in　which　I　have　bee
acquainted　with　the　most　amiable　of　women　would　be　a　difficult　task。　I
am　a　happy　and　contented　mortal　，　but　a　poor　historian。

　　An　angel！　Nonsense　！　Everybody　so　describes　his　mistress；　and　yet
I　find　it　impossible　to　tell　you　how　perfect　she　is　，　or　why　she　is　so
perfect　：　suffice　it　to　say　she　has　captivated　all　my　senses。

　　So　much　simplicity　with　so　much　understauding　——　so　mild，　and　yet
so　resolute　——　a　mind　so　placid　，　and　a　life　so　active。

　　But　all　this　is　ugly　balderdash　，　which　expresses　not　a　single　character
nor　feature。　Some　other　time——　but　no　，　not　some　other　time，　now，
this　very　instant　，　will　I　tell　you　all　about　it。　Now　or　never。　Well　，
between　ourselves　，　since　I　menced　my　letter，　I　have　been　three　times
on　the　point　of　throwing　down　my　pen，　of　ordering　my　horse　，　and　riding
out。　And　yet　I　vowed　this　morning　that　I　would　not　ride　to…day，　and　yet
every　moment　I　am　rushing　to　the　window　to　see　how　high　the　sun　is。

　　I　could　not　restrain　myself　——　go　to　her　I　must。　I　have　just　returned，
Wilhelm　；　and　whilst　I　am　taking　supper　I　will　write　to　you。　What　a　delight
it　was　for　my　soul　to　see　her　in　the　midst　of　her　dear，　beautiful　children，
——　eight　brothers　and　sisters　！

　　But　，　if　I　proceed　thus，　you　will　be　no　wiser　at　the　end　of　my　letter
than　you　were　at　the　beginning。　Attend，　then　，　and　I　will　pel　myself
to　give　you　the　details。

　　I　mentioned　to　you　the　other　day　that　I　had　bee　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　monplace，　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　panion
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　e　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　pliment　：　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　acpany　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　ex