少年维特之烦恼(英文版)-第6章

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the　contrast　makes　us　more　keenly　susceptible　，　or　rather　perhaps　because
our　senses　are　then　more　open　to　impressions，　and　the　shock　is　consequently
stronger。　To　this　cause　I　must　ascribe　the　fright　and　shrieks　of　the　ladies。
One　sagaciously　sat　down　in　a　corner　with　her　back　to　the　window，　and
held　her　fingers　to　her　ears；　a　second　knelt　down　before　her　，　and　hid
her　face　in　her　lap　；　a　third　threw　herself　between　them　，　and　embraced
her　sister　with　a　thousand　tears；　some　insisted　on　going　home；　others，
unconscious　of　their　actions，　wanted　sufficient　presence　of　mind　to　repress
the　impertinence　of　their　young　partners，　who　sought　to　direct　to　themselves
those　sighs　which　the　lips　of　our　agitated　beauties　intended　for　heaven。
Some　of　the　gentlemen　had　gone　down…stairs　to　smoke　a　quiet　cigar　，　and
the　rest　of　the　pany　gladly　embraced　a　happy　suggestion　of　the　hostess
to　retire　into　another　room　which　was　provided　with　shutters　and　curtains。
We　had　hardly　got　there　，　when　Charlotte　placed　the　chairs　in　a　circle
；　and，　when　the　pany　had　sat　down　in　pliance　with　her　request　，
she　forthwith　proposed　a　round　game。

　　I　noticed　some　of　the　pany　prepare　their　mouths　and　draw　themselves
up　at　the　prospect　of　some　agreeable　forfeit。　〃Let　us　play　at　counting，
〃　said　Charlotte。　〃Now，　pay　attention：　I　shall　go　round　the　circle　from
right　to　left　；　and　each　person　is　to　count，　one　after　the　other，　the
number　that　es　to　him，　and　must　count　fast；　whoever　stops　or　mistakes
is　to　have　a　box　on　the　ear　，　and　so　on，　till　we　have　counted　a　thousand。〃
It　was　delightful　to　see　the　fun。　She　went　round　the　circle　with　upraised
arm。　〃One　，〃　said　the　first；　〃two　，〃　the　second；　〃three　，〃　the　third
；　and　so　on，　till　Charlotte　went　faster　and　faster。　One　made　a　mistake，
instantly　a　box　on　the　ear；　and，　amid　the　laughter　that　ensued，　came
another　box　；　and　so　on，　faster　and　faster。　I　myself　came　in　for　two。
I　fancied　they　were　harder　than　the　rest，　and　felt　quite　delighted。　A
general　laughter　and　confusion　put　an　end　to　the　game　long　before　we　had
counted　as　far　as　a　thousand。　The　party　broke　up　into　little　separate
knots　：　the　storm　had　ceased　，　and　I　followed　Charlotte　into　the　ballroom。
On　the　way　she　said　，　〃The　game　banished　their　fears　of　the　storm。〃　I
could　make　no　reply。　〃I　myself，〃　she　continued　，　〃was　as　much　frightened
as　any　of　them；　but　by　affecting　courage　，　to　keep　up　the　spirits　of
the　others，　I　forgot　my　apprehensions。〃　We　went　to　the　window。　It　was
still　thundering　at　a　distance：　a　soft　rain　was　pouring　down　over　the
country　，　and　filled　the　air　around　us　with　delicious　odours。　Charlotte
leaned　forward　on　her　arm　；　her　eyes　wandered　over　the　scene　；　she　raised
them　to　the　sky　，　and　then　turned　them　upon　me　；　they　were　moistened
with　tears；　she　placed　her　hand　on　mine　and　said　，　〃Klopstock　！〃　at
once　I　remembered　the　magnificent　ode　which　was　in　her　thoughts　：　I　felt
oppressed　with　the　weight　of　my　sensations，　and　sank　under　them。　It　was
more　than　I　could　bear。　I　bent　over　her　hand，　kissed　it　in　a　stream　of
delicious　tears　，　and　again　looked　up　to　her　eyes。　Divine　Klopstock！
why　didst　thou　not　see　thy　apotheosis　in　those　eyes　？　And　thy　name　so
often　profaned，　would　that　I　never　heard　it　repeated　！

　　JUNE　19。　I　no　longer　remember　where　I　stopped　in　my　narrative　：　I
only　know　it　was　two　in　the　morning　when　I　went　to　bed；　and　if　you　had
been　with　me，　that　I　might　have　talked　instead　of　writing　to　you　，　I
should，　in　all　probability　，　have　kept　you　up　till　daylight。

　　I　think　I　have　not　yet　related　what　happened　as　we　rode　home　from
the　ball，　nor　have　I　time　to　tell　you　now。　It　was　a　most　magnificent
sunrise　：　the　whole　country　was　refreshed，　and　the　rain　fell　drop　by
drop　from　the　trees　in　the　forest。　Our　panions　were　asleep。　Charlotte
asked　me　if　I　did　not　wish　to　sleep　also，　and　begged　of　me　not　to　make
any　ceremony　on　her　account。　Looking　steadfastly　at　her　，　I　answered　，
〃As　long　as　I　see　those　eyes　open　，　there　is　no　fear　of　my　falling　asleep。〃
We　both　continued　awake　till　we　reached　her　door。　The　maid　opened　it　softly，
and　assured　her　，　in　answer　to　her　inquiries　，　that　her　father　and　the
children　were　well，　and　still　sleeping。　I　left　her　asking　permission
to　visit　her　in　the　course　of　the　day。　She　consented，　and　I　went　，　and，
since　that　time　，　sun，　moon　，　and　stars　may　pursue　their　course：　I
know　not　whether　it　is　day　or　night　；　the　whole　world　is　nothing　to　me。

　　JUNE　21。　My　days　are　as　happy　as　those　reserved　by　God　for　his　elect
；　and，　whatever　be　my　fate　hereafter，　I　can　never　say　that　I　have　not
tasted　joy，——　the　purest　joy　of　life。　You　know　Walheim。　I　am　now　pletely
settled　there。　In　that　spot　I　am　only　half　a　league　from　Charlotte；　and
there　I　enjoy　myself，　and　taste　all　the　pleasure　which　can　fall　to　the
lot　of　man。

　　Little　did　I　imagine，　when　I　selected　Walheim　for　my　pedestrian　excursions，
that　all　heaven　lay　so　near　it。　How　often　in　my　wanderings　from　the　hillside
or　from　the　meadows　across　the　river，　have　I　beheld　this　hunting…lodge，
which　now　contains　within　it　all　the　joy　of　my　heart！

　　I　have　often，　my　dear　Wilhelm，　reflected　on　the　eagerness　men　feel
to　wander　and　make　new　discoveries，　and　upon　that　secret　impulse　which
afterward　inclines　them　to　return　to　their　narrow　circle，　conform　to
the　laws　of　custom，　and　embarrass　themselves　no　longer　with　what　passes
around　them。

　　It　is　so　strange　how，　when　I　came　here　first　，　and　gazed　upon　that
lovely　valley　from　the　hillside　，　I　felt　charmed　with　the　entire　scene
surrounding　me。　The　little　wood　opposite——　how　delightful　to　sit　under
its　shade　！　How　fine　the　view　from　that　point　of　rock！　Then　，　that
delightful　chain　of　hills　，　and　the　exquisite　valleys　at　their　feet！
Could　I　but　wander　and　lose　myself　amongst　them　！　I　went　，　and　returned
without　finding　what　I　wished。　Distance　，　my　friend，　is　like　futurity。
A　dim　vastness　is　spread　before　our　souls　：　the　perceptions　of　our　mind
are　as　obscure　as　those　of　our　vision　；　and　we　desire　earnestly　to　surrender
up　our　whole　being，　that　it　may　be　filled　with　the　plete　and　perfect
bliss　of　one　glorious　emotion。　But　alas　！　when　we　have　attained　our　object，
when　the　distant　there　bees　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　pl