少年维特的烦恼 英文版 The Sorrows of Young Werther
歌德 Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
JUNE 16.
"Why do I not write to you?" You lay claim to learning, and asksuch a question. You should have guessed that I am well -- thatis to say -- in a word, I have made an acquaintance who has wonmy heart: I have -- I know not.
To give you a regular account of the manner in which I have becomeacquainted 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 yetI find it impossible to tell you how perfect she is, or why she isso perfect: suffice it to say she has captivated all my senses.
So much simplicity with so much understanding -- so mild, and yetso resolute -- a mind so placid, and a life so active.
But all this is ugly balderdash, which expresses not a singlecharacter nor feature. Some other time -- but no, not some othertime, now, this very instant, will I tell you all about it. Nowor never. Well, between ourselves, since I commenced my letter,I have been three times on the point of throwing down my pen, ofordering my horse, and riding out. And yet I vowed this morningthat I would not ride to-day, and yet every moment I am rushingto the window to see how high the sun is.
I could not restrain myself -- go to her I must. I have justreturned, Wilhelm; and whilst I am taking supper I will write toyou. What a delight it was for my soul to see her in the midstof her dear, beautiful children, -- eight brothers and sisters!
But, if I proceed thus, you will be no wiser at the end of myletter than you were at the beginning. Attend, then, and I willcompel myself to give you the details.
I mentioned to you the other day that I had become acquainted withS--, the district judge, and that he had invited me to go and visithim in his retirement, or rather in his little kingdom. But Ineglected going, and perhaps should never have gone, if chance hadnot discovered to me the treasure which lay concealed in thatretired spot. Some of our young people had proposed giving a ballin the country, at which I consented to be present. I offered myhand for the evening to a pretty and agreeable, but rather commonplace,sort of girl from the immediate neighbourhood; and it was agreedthat I should engage a carriage, and call upon Charlotte, with mypartner and her aunt, to convey them to the ball. My companioninformed 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 worthyman," she replied, "who is gone to settle his affairs upon thedeath of his father, and will succeed to a very considerableinheritance." This information possessed no interest for me.When we arrived at the gate, the sun was setting behind the topsof the mountains. The atmosphere was heavy; and the ladies expressedtheir fears of an approaching storm, as masses of low black cloudswere gathering in the horizon. I relieved their anxieties bypretending to be weather-wise, although I myself had someapprehensions lest our pleasure should be interrupted.
I alighted; and a maid came to the door, and requested us to waita moment for her mistress. I walked across the court to a well-builthouse, 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 thehall, and surrounding a lady of middle height, with a lovely figure,dressed in a robe of simple white, trimmed with pink ribbons. Shewas holding a rye loaf in her hand, and was cutting slices for thelittle ones all around, in proportion to their age and appetite.She performed her task in a graceful and affectionate manner; eachclaimant awaiting his turn with outstretched hands, and boisterouslyshouting his thanks. Some of them ran away at once, to enjoy theirevening meal; whilst others, of a gentler disposition, retired tothe courtyard to see the strangers, and to survey the carriage inwhich their Charlotte was to drive away. "Pray forgive me forgiving you the trouble to come for me, and for keeping the ladieswaiting: but dressing, and arranging some household duties beforeI leave, had made me forget my children's supper; and they do notlike to take it from any one but me." I uttered some indifferentcompliment: but my whole soul was absorbed by her air, her voice,her manner; and I had scarcely recovered myself when she ran intoher room to fetch her gloves and fan. The young ones threw inquiringglances 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 yourcousin." The little fellow obeyed willingly; and I could notresist giving him a hearty kiss, notwithstanding his rather dirtyface. "Cousin," said I to Charlotte, as I handed her down, "doyou think I deserve the happiness of being related to you?" Shereplied, 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 abouteleven years old, to take great care of the children, and to saygood-bye to papa for her when he came home from his ride. Sheenjoined to the little ones to obey their sister Sophy as theywould herself, upon which some promised that they would; but alittle 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 myrequest, she permitted them to accompany us a little way throughthe forest, upon their promising to sit very still, and hold fast.
We were hardly seated, and the ladies had scarcely exchangedcompliments, making the usual remarks upon each other's dress, andupon the company they expected to meet, when Charlotte stopped thecarriage, and made her brothers get down. They insisted uponkissing her hands once more; which the eldest did with all thetenderness of a youth of fifteen, but the other in a lighter andmore careless manner. She desired them again to give her love tothe children, and we drove off.
The aunt inquired of Charlotte whether she had finished the bookshe 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 preventany one from feeling aggrieved; although no author need pay muchattention to the opinion of a mere girl, or that of an unsteadyyoung man.)
I found penetration and character in everything she said: everyexpression seemed to brighten her features with new charms, --withnew rays of genius, -- which unfolded by degrees, as she feltherself understood.
"When I was younger," she observed, "I loved nothing so much asromances. Nothing could equal my delight when, on some holiday,I could settle down quietly in a corner, and enter with my wholeheart and soul into the joys or sorrows of some fictitious Leonora.I do not deny that they even possess some charms for me yet. ButI read so seldom, that I prefer books suited exactly to my taste.And I like those authors best whose scenes describe my own situationin life, -- and the friends who are about me, whose stories touchme with interest, from resembling my own homely existence, -- which,without being absolutely paradise, is, on the whole, a source ofindescribable happiness."
I endeavoured to conceal the emotion which these words occasioned,but it was of slight avail; for, when she had expressed so trulyher opinion of "The Vicar of Wakefield," and of other works, thenames of which I omit (Though the names are omitted, yet the authorsmentioned deserve Charlotte's approbation, and will feel it intheir hearts when they read this passage. It concerns no otherperson.), I could no longer contain myself, but gave full utteranceto what I thought of it: and it was not until Charlotte had addressedherself to the two other ladies, that I remembered their presence,and observed them sitting mute with astonishment. The aunt lookedat me several times with an air of raillery, which, however, I didnot at all mind.
We talked of the pleasures of dancing. "If it is a fault to loveit," said Charlotte, "I am ready to confess that I prize it aboveall other amusements. If anything disturbs me, I go to the piano,play an air to which I have danced, and all goes right againdirectly."
You, who know me, can fancy how steadfastly I gazed upon her richdark eyes during these remarks, how my very soul gloated over herwarm lips and fresh, glowing cheeks, how I became quite lost inthe delightful meaning of her words, so much so, that I scarcelyheard the actual expressions. In short, I alighted from thecarriage like a person in a dream, and was so lost to the dimworld around me, that I scarcely heard the music which resoundedfrom the illuminated ballroom.
The two Messrs. Andran and a certain N. N. (I cannot trouble myselfwith the names), who were the aunt's and Charlotte's partners,received us at the carriage-door, and took possession of theirladies, 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 bringthemselves to leave off. Charlotte and her partner began an Englishcountry dance, and you must imagine my delight when it was theirturn 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, andhad 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 thethird, and assured me, with the most agreeable freedom, that shewas very fond of waltzing. "It is the custom here," she said,"for the previous partners to waltz together; but my partner isan indifferent waltzer, and will feel delighted if I save him thetrouble. Your partner is not allowed to waltz, and, indeed, isequally incapable: but I observed during the country dance thatyou waltz well; so, if you will waltz with me, I beg you wouldpropose it to my partner, and I will propose it to yours." Weagreed, and it was arranged that our partners should mutuallyentertain each other.
We set off, and, at first, delighted ourselves with the usualgraceful motions of the arms. With what grace, with what ease,she moved! When the waltz commenced, and the dancers whirledaround each other in the giddy maze, there was some confusion,owing to the incapacity of some of the dancers. We judiciouslyremained still, allowing the others to weary themselves; and, whenthe awkward dancers had withdrawn, we joined in, and kept it upfamously together with one other couple, -- Andran and his partner.Never did I dance more lightly. I felt myself more than mortal,holding this loveliest of creatures in my arms, flying, with heras rapidly as the wind, till I lost sight of every other object;and O Wilhelm, I vowed at that moment, that a maiden whom I loved,or for whom I felt the slightest attachment, never, never shouldwaltz with any one else but with me, if I went to perdition for it!-- you will understand this.
We took a few turns in the room to recover our breath. Charlottesat down, and felt refreshed by partaking of some oranges which Ihad had secured, -- the only ones that had been left; but at everyslice which, from politeness, she offered to her neighbours, I feltas though a dagger went through my heart.
We were the second couple in the third country dance. As we weregoing down (and Heaven knows with what ecstasy I gazed at her armsand eyes, beaming with the sweetest feeling of pure and genuineenjoyment), we passed a lady whom I had noticed for her charmingexpression of countenance; although she was no longer young. Shelooked at Charlotte with a smile, then, holding up her finger ina threatening attitude, repeated twice in a very significant toneof voice the name of "Albert."
"Who is Albert," said I to Charlotte, "if it is not impertinentto ask?" She was about to answer, when we were obliged to separate,in order to execute a figure in the dance; and, as we crossed overagain in front of each other, I perceived she looked somewhatpensive. "Why need I conceal it from you?" she said, as she gaveme her hand for the promenade. "Albert is a worthy man, to whomI am engaged." Now, there was nothing new to me in this (for thegirls had told me of it on the way); but it was so far new thatI had not thought of it in connection with her whom, in so shorta time, I had learned to prize so highly. Enough, I became confused,got out in the figure, and occasioned general confusion; so thatit required all Charlotte's presence of mind to set me right bypulling and pushing me into my proper place.
The dance was not yet finished when the lightning which had forsome time been seen in the horizon, and which I had asserted toproceed entirely from heat, grew more violent; and the thunder washeard above the music. When any distress or terror surprises usin the midst of our amusements, it naturally makes a deeper impressionthan at other times, either because the contrast makes us morekeenly susceptible, or rather perhaps because our senses are thenmore 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 ongoing home; others, unconscious of their actions, wanted sufficientpresence of mind to repress the impertinence of their young partners,who sought to direct to themselves those sighs which the lips ofour agitated beauties intended for heaven. Some of the gentlemenhad gone down-stairs to smoke a quiet cigar, and the rest of thecompany gladly embraced a happy suggestion of the hostess to retireinto another room which was provided with shutters and curtains.We had hardly got there, when Charlotte placed the chairs in acircle; and, when the company had sat down in compliance with herrequest, she forthwith proposed a round game.
I noticed some of the company prepare their mouths and drawthemselves up at the prospect of some agreeable forfeit. "Let usplay at counting," said Charlotte. "Now, pay attention: I shallgo round the circle from right to left; and each person is to count,one after the other, the number that comes to him, and must countfast; whoever stops or mistakes is to have a box on the ear, andso on, till we have counted a thousand." It was delightful to seethe 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, instantlya box on the ear; and, amid the laughter that ensued, came anotherbox; and so on, faster and faster. I myself came in for two. Ifancied they were harder than the rest, and felt quite delighted.A general laughter and confusion put an end to the game long beforewe had counted as far as a thousand. The party broke up intolittle separate knots: the storm had ceased, and I followed Charlotteinto the ballroom. On the way she said, "The game banished theirfears of the storm." I could make no reply. "I myself," shecontinued, "was as much frightened as any of them; but by affectingcourage, to keep up the spirits of the others, I forgot myapprehensions." We went to the window. It was still thunderingat a distance: a soft rain was pouring down over the country,and filled the air around us with delicious odours. Charlotteleaned forward on her arm; her eyes wandered over the scene; sheraised them to the sky, and then turned them upon me; they weremoistened with tears; she placed her hand on mine and said,"Klopstock!" at once I remembered the magnificent ode which wasin her thoughts: I felt oppressed with the weight of my sensations,and sank under them. It was more than I could bear. I bent overher hand, kissed it in a stream of delicious tears, and againlooked up to her eyes. Divine Klopstock! why didst thou not seethy apotheosis in those eyes? And thy name so often profaned,would that I never heard it repeated!