少年维特的烦恼 英文版 The Sorrows of Young Werther
歌德 Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
SEPTEMBER 10.
Oh, what a night, Wilhelm! I can henceforth bear anything. Ishall never see her again. Oh, why cannot I fall on your neck,and, with floods of tears and raptures, give utterance to all thepassions which distract my heart! Here I sit gasping for breath,and struggling to compose myself. I wait for day, and at sunrisethe horses are to be at the door.
And she is sleeping calmly, little suspecting that she has seen mefor the last time. I am free. I have had the courage, in aninterview of two hours' duration, not to betray my intention. AndO Wilhelm, what a conversation it was!
Albert had promised to come to Charlotte in the garden immediatelyafter supper. I was upon the terrace under the tall chestnut trees,and watched the setting sun. I saw him sink for the last timebeneath this delightful valley and silent stream. I had oftenvisited the same spot with Charlotte, and witnessed that glorioussight; and now -- I was walking up and down the very avenue whichwas so dear to me. A secret sympathy had frequently drawn methither before I knew Charlotte; and we were delighted when, inour early acquaintance, we discovered that we each loved the samespot, which is indeed as romantic as any that ever captivated thefancy of an artist.
From beneath the chestnut trees, there is an extensive view. ButI remember that I have mentioned all this in a former letter, andhave described the tall mass of beech trees at the end, and howthe avenue grows darker and darker as it winds its way among them,till it ends in a gloomy recess, which has all the charm of amysterious solitude. I still remember the strange feeling ofmelancholy which came over me the first time I entered that darkretreat, at bright midday. I felt some secret foreboding that itwould, one day, be to me the scene of some happiness or misery.
I had spent half an hour struggling between the contending thoughtsof going and returning, when I heard them coming up the terrace.I ran to meet them. I trembled as I took her hand, and kissed it.As we reached the top of the terrace, the moon rose from behindthe wooded hill. We conversed on many subjects, and, withoutperceiving it, approached the gloomy recess. Charlotte entered,and sat down. Albert seated himself beside her. I did the same,but my agitation did not suffer me to remain long seated. I gotup, and stood before her, then walked backward and forward, andsat down again. I was restless and miserable. Charlotte drew ourattention to the beautiful effect of the moonlight, which threw asilver hue over the terrace in front of us, beyond the beech trees.It was a glorious sight, and was rendered more striking by thedarkness which surrounded the spot where we were. We remained forsome time silent, when Charlotte observed, "Whenever I walk bymoonlight, it brings to my remembrance all my beloved and departedfriends, and I am filled with thoughts of death and futurity. Weshall live again, Werther!" she continued, with a firm but feelingvoice; "but shall we know one another again what do you think?what do you say?"
"Charlotte," I said, as I took her hand in mine, and my eyes filledwith tears, "we shall see each other again -- here and hereafterwe shall meet again." I could say no more. Why, Wilhelm, shouldshe put this question to me, just at the moment when the fear ofour cruel separation filled my heart?
"And oh! do those departed ones know how we are employed here? dothey know when we are well and happy? do they know when we recalltheir memories with the fondest love? In the silent hour ofevening the shade of my mother hovers around me; when seatedin the midst of my children, I see them assembled near me, asthey used to assemble near her; and then I raise my anxious eyesto heaven, and wish she could look down upon us, and witness howI fulfil the promise I made to her in her last moments, to be amother to her children. With what emotion do I then exclaim,'Pardon, dearest of mothers, pardon me, if I do not adequatelysupply your place! Alas! I do my utmost. They are clothed andfed; and, still better, they are loved and educated. Could youbut see, sweet saint! the peace and harmony that dwells amongstus, you would glorify God with the warmest feelings of gratitude,to whom, in your last hour, you addressed such fervent prayers forour happiness.'" Thus did she express herself; but O Wilhelm! whocan do justice to her language? how can cold and passionless wordsconvey the heavenly expressions of the spirit? Albert interruptedher gently. "This affects you too deeply, my dear Charlotte. Iknow your soul dwells on such recollections with intense delight;but I implore -- " "O Albert!" she continued, "I am sure you donot forget the evenings when we three used to sit at the littleround table, when papa was absent, and the little ones had retired.You often had a good book with you, but seldom read it; theconversation of that noble being was preferable to everything, --that beautiful, bright, gentle, and yet ever-toiling woman. Godalone knows how I have supplicated with tears on my nightly couch,that I might be like her."
I threw myself at her feet, and, seizing her hand, bedewed it witha thousand tears. "Charlotte!" I exclaimed, "God's blessing andyour mother's spirit are upon you." "Oh! that you had known her,"she said, with a warm pressure of the hand. "She was worthy ofbeing known to you." I thought I should have fainted: never hadI received praise so flattering. She continued, "And yet she wasdoomed to die in the flower of her youth, when her youngest childwas scarcely six months old. Her illness was but short, but shewas calm and resigned; and it was only for her children, especiallythe youngest, that she felt unhappy. When her end drew nigh, shebade me bring them to her. I obeyed. The younger ones knew nothingof their approaching loss, while the elder ones were quite overcomewith grief. They stood around the bed; and she raised her feeblehands to heaven, and prayed over them; then, kissing them in turn,she dismissed them, and said to me, 'Be you a mother to them.' Igave her my hand. 'You are promising much, my child,' she said:'a mother's fondness and a mother's care! I have often witnessed,by your tears of gratitude, that you know what is a mother'stenderness: show it to your brothers and sisters, and be dutifuland faithful to your father as a wife; you will be his comfort.'She inquired for him. He had retired to conceal his intolerableanguish, -- he was heartbroken, "Albert, you were in the room.She heard some one moving: she inquired who it was, and desiredyou to approach. She surveyed us both with a look of composureand satisfaction, expressive of her conviction that we should behappy, -- happy with one another." Albert fell upon her neck, andkissed her, and exclaimed, "We are so, and we shall be so!" EvenAlbert, generally so tranquil, had quite lost his composure; andI was excited beyond expression.
"And such a being," She continued, "was to leave us, Werther!Great God, must we thus part with everything we hold dear in thisworld? Nobody felt this more acutely than the children: they criedand lamented for a long time afterward, complaining that men hadcarried away their dear mamma."
Charlotte rose. It aroused me; but I continued sitting, and heldher hand. "Let us go," she said: "it grows late." She attemptedto withdraw her hand: I held it still. "We shall see each otheragain," I exclaimed: "we shall recognise each other under everypossible change! I am going," I continued, "going willingly; but,should I say for ever, perhaps I may not keep my word. Adieu,Charlotte; adieu, Albert. We shall meet again." "Yes: tomorrow,I think," she answered with a smile. Tomorrow! how I felt the word!Ah! she little thought, when she drew her hand away from mine.They walked down the avenue. I stood gazing after them in themoonlight. I threw myself upon the ground, and wept: I then sprangup, and ran out upon the terrace, and saw, under the shade of thelinden-trees, her white dress disappearing near the garden-gate.I stretched out my arms, and she vanished.