the sorrows of young werther(少年维特的烦恼)-第6章

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circle；　and；　when　the　company　had　sat　down　in　compliance　with　her
request；　she　forthwith　proposed　a　round　game。

I　noticed　some　of　the　company　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　comes　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　companions　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　completely　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　complete　and　perfect　bliss　of　one
glorious　emotion。　　But　alas！　when　we　have　attained　our　object；
when　the　distant　there　becomes　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　plaits　of　his　ruffles；　and　continually　settles　his
frill　whilst　he　is　talking　to　you；　and　he　thought　my　conduct　beneath
the　dignity　of　a　sensible　man。　　I　could　perceive　this　by　his
countenance。　　But　I　did　not　suffer　myself　to　be　disturbed。　　I
allowed　him　to　continue　his　wise　conversation；　whilst　I　rebuilt
the　children's　card　houses　for　them　as　fast　as　they　threw　them
down。　　He　went　about　the　town　afterward；　complaining　that　the
judge's　children　were　spoiled　enough　before；　but　that　now　Werther
was　completely　ruining　them。
　　
Yes；　my　dear　Wilhelm；　nothing　on　this　earth　affects　my　heart　so
much　as　children。　　When　I　look　on　at　their　doings；　when　I　mark　in
the　little　creatures　the　seeds　of　all　those　virtues　and　qualities
which　they　will　one　day　find　so　indispensable；　when　I　behold　in
the　obstinate　all　the　future　firmness　and　constancy　of　a　noble
character；　in　the　capricious；　that　levity　and　gaiety　of　temper
which　will　carry　them　lightly　over　the　dangers　and　troubles　of
life；　their　whole　nature　simple　and　unpolluted；　　then　I　call
to　mind　the　golden　words　of　the　Great　Teacher　of　mankind；　〃Unless
ye　become　like　one　of　these！〃　　And　now；　my　friend；　these　children；
who　are　our　equals；　whom　we　ou