the sorrows of young werther(少年维特的烦恼)-第14章

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the　youngest；　that　she　felt　unhappy。　　When　her　end　drew　nigh；　she
bade　me　bring　them　to　her。　　I　obeyed。　　The　younger　ones　knew　nothing
of　their　approaching　loss；　while　the　elder　ones　were　quite　overcome
with　grief。　　They　stood　around　the　bed；　and　she　raised　her　feeble
hands　to　heaven；　and　prayed　over　them；　then；　kissing　them　in　turn；
she　dismissed　them；　and　said　to　me；　'Be　you　a　mother　to　them。'　　I
gave　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's
tenderness：　show　it　to　your　brothers　and　sisters；　and　be　dutiful
and　faithful　to　your　father　as　a　wife；　you　will　be　his　comfort。'
She　inquired　for　him。　　He　had　retired　to　conceal　his　intolerable
anguish；　　he　was　heartbroken；　〃Albert；　you　were　in　the　room。
She　heard　some　one　moving：　she　inquired　who　it　was；　and　desired
you　to　approach。　　She　surveyed　us　both　with　a　look　of　composure
and　satisfaction；　expressive　of　her　conviction　that　we　should　be
happy；　　happy　with　one　another。〃　　Albert　fell　upon　her　neck；　and
kissed　her；　and　exclaimed；　〃We　are　so；　and　we　shall　be　so！〃　Even
Albert；　generally　so　tranquil；　had　quite　lost　his　composure；　and
I　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　this
world？　　Nobody　felt　this　more　acutely　than　the　children：　they　cried
and　lamented　for　a　long　time　afterward；　complaining　that　men　had
carried　away　their　dear　mamma。〃

Charlotte　rose。　　It　aroused　me；　but　I　continued　sitting；　and　held
her　hand。　　〃Let　us　go；〃　she　said：　〃it　grows　late。〃　　She　attempted
to　withdraw　her　hand：　I　held　it　still。　　〃We　shall　see　each　other
again；〃　I　exclaimed：　〃we　shall　recognise　each　other　under　every
possible　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　the
moonlight。　　I　threw　myself　upon　the　ground；　and　wept：　I　then　sprang
up；　and　ran　out　upon　the　terrace；　and　saw；　under　the　shade　of　the
linden…trees；　her　white　dress　disappearing　near　the　garden…gate。
I　stretched　out　my　arms；　and　she　vanished。

BOOK　II。

OCTOBER　2O。

We　arrived　here　yesterday。　　The　ambassador　is　indisposed；　and　will
not　go　out　for　some　days。　　If　he　were　less　peevish　and　morose；　all
would　be　well。　　I　see　but　too　plainly　that　Heaven　has　destined　me
to　severe　trials；　but　courage！　a　light　heart　may　bear　anything。
A　light　heart！　　I　smile　to　find　such　a　word　proceeding　from　my　pen。
A　little　more　lightheartedness　would　render　me　the　happiest　being
under　the　sun。　　But　must　I　despair　of　my　talents　and　faculties；
whilst　others　of　far　inferior　abilities　parade　before　me　with　the
utmost　self…satisfaction？　　Gracious　Providence；　to　whom　I　owe　all
my　powers；　why　didst　thou　not　withhold　some　of　those　blessings　I
possess；　and　substitute　in　their　place　a　feeling　of　self…confidence
and　contentment？

But　patience！　all　will　yet　be　well；　for　I　assure　you；　my　dear
friend；　you　were　right：　since　I　have　been　obliged　to　associate
continually　with　other　people；　and　observe　what　they　do；　and　how
they　employ　themselves；　I　have　become　far　better　satisfied　with
myself。　　For　we　are　so　constituted　by　nature；　that　we　are　ever
prone　to　compare　ourselves　with　others；　and　our　happiness　or　misery
depends　very　much　on　the　objects　and　persons　around　us。　　On　this
account；　nothing　is　more　dangerous　than　solitude：　there　our
imagination；　always　disposed　to　rise；　taking　a　new　flight　on　the
wings　of　fancy；　pictures　to　us　a　chain　of　beings　of　whom　we　seem
the　most　inferior。　　All　things　appear　greater　than　they　really
are；　and　all　seem　superior　to　us。　　This　operation　of　the　mind　is
quite　natural：　we　so　continually　feel　our　own　imperfections；　and
fancy　we　perceive　in　others　the　qualities　we　do　not　possess；
attributing　to　them　also　all　that　we　enjoy　ourselves；　that　by　this
process　we　form　the　idea　of　a　perfect；　happy　man；　　a　man；　however；
who　only　exists　in　our　own　imagination。
　　
But　when；　in　spite　of　weakness　and　disappointments；　we　set　to　work
in　earnest；　and　persevere　steadily；　we　often　find；　that；　though
obliged　continually　to　tack；　we　make　more　way　than　others　who　have
the　assistance　of　wind　and　tide；　and；　in　truth；　there　can　be　no
greater　satisfaction　than　to　keep　pace　with　others　or　outstrip
them　in　the　race。

November　26。

I　begin　to　find　my　situation　here　more　tolerable；　considering　all
circumstances。　　I　find　a　great　advantage　in　being　much　occupied；
and　the　number　of　persons　I　meet；　and　their　different　pursuits；
create　a　varied　entertainment　for　me。　　I　have　formed　the　acquaintance
of　the　Count　C　and　I　esteem　him　more　and　more　every　day。　　He　is
a　man　of　strong　understanding　and　great　discernment；　but；　though
he　sees　farther　than　other　people；　he　is　not　on　that　account　cold
in　his　manner；　but　capable　of　inspiring　and　returning　the　warmest
affection。　　He　appeared　interested　in　me　on　one　occasion；　when　I
had　to　transact　some　business　with　him。　　He　perceived；　at　the　first
word；　that　we　understood　each　other；　and　that　he　could　converse
with　me　in　a　different　tone　from　what　he　used　with　others。　　I
cannot　sufficiently　esteem　his　frank　and　open　kindness　to　me。　　It
is　the　greatest　and　most　genuine　of　pleasures　to　observe　a　great
mind　in　sympathy　with　our　own。

DECEMBER　24。

As　I　anticipated；　the　ambassador　occasions　me　infinite　annoyance。
He　is　the　most　punctilious　blockhead　under　heaven。　　He　does
everything　step　by　step；　with　the　trifling　minuteness　of　an　old
woman；　and　he　is　a　man　whom　it　is　impossible　to　please；　because
he　is　never　pleased　with　himself。　　I　like　to　do　business　regularly
and　cheerfully；　and；　when　it　is　finished；　to　leave　it。　　But　he
constantly　returns　my　papers　to　me；　saying；　〃They　will　do；〃　but
recommending　me　to　look　over　them　again；　as　〃one　may　always　improve
by　using　a　better　word　or　a　more　appropriate　particle。〃　　I　then
lose　all　patience；　and　wish　myself　at　the　devil's。　　Not　a　conjunction；
not　an　adverb；　must　be　omitted：　he　has　a　deadly　antipathy　to　all
those　transpositions　of　which　I　am　so　fond；　and；　if　the　music　of
our　periods　is　not　tuned　to　the　established；　official　key；　he
cannot　comprehend　our　meaning。　　It　is　deplorable　to　be　connected
with　such　a　fellow。

My　acquaintance　with　the　Count　C　is　the　only　compensation　for
such　an　evil。　　He　told　me　frankly；　the　other　day；　that　he　was　much
displeased　with　the　difficulties　and　delays　of　the　ambassador；
that　people　like　him　are　obstacles；　both　to　themselves　and　to
others。　　〃But；〃　added　he；　〃one　must　submit；　like　a　traveller　who
has　to　ascend　a　mountain：　if　the　mountain　was　not　there；　the　road
would　be　both　shorter　and　pleasanter；　but　there　it　is；　and　he　must
get　over　it。〃
　
The　old　man　perceives　the　count's　partiality　for　me：　this　annoys
him；　and；　he　seizes　every　opportunity　to　depreciate　the　count　in
my　hearing。　　I　naturally　defend　him；　and　that　only　makes　matters
worse。　　Yesterday　he　made　me　indignant；　for　he　also　alluded　to　me。
〃The　count；〃　he　said；　〃is　a　man　of　the　world；　and　a　good　man　of
business：　his　style　is　good；　and　he　writes　with　facility；　but；
like　other　geniuses；　he　has　no　solid　learning。〃　　He　looked　at　me
with　an　expression　that　seemed　to　ask　if　I　felt　the　blow。　　But　it
did　not　produce　the　desired　effect：　I　despise　a　man　who　can　think
and　act　in　such　a　manner。　　However；　I　made　a　stand；　and　answered
with　not　a　little　warmth。　　The　count；　I　said；　was　a　man　entitled
to　respect；　alike　for　his　character　and　his　acquirements。　　I　had
never　met　a　person　whose　mind　was　stored　with　more　useful　and
extensive　knowledge；　　who　had；　in　fact；　mastered　such　an　infinite
variety　of　subjects；　and　who　yet　retained　all　his　activity　for　the
details　of　ordinary　business。　　This　was　altogether　beyond　his
comprehension；　and　I　took　my　leave；　lest　my　anger　should　be　too
highly　excited　by　some　new