按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
down the room ； and， when he was again left alone ， he went to Charlotte's
door， and， in a low voice ， said ， 〃Charlotte ， Charlotte！ but one
word more ， one last adieu ！〃 She returned no answer。 He stopped， and
listened and entreated； but all was silent。 At length he tore himself
from the place， crying ， 〃Adieu ， Charlotte， adieu for ever ！〃
Werther ran to the gate of the town。 The guards ， who knew him ，
let him pass in silence。 The night was dark and stormy，—— it rained
and snowed。 He reached his own door about eleven。 His servant ， although
seeing him enter the house without his hat， did not venture to say anything
； and； as he undressed his master ， he found that his clothes were
wet。 His hat was afterward found on the point of a rock overhanging the
valley； and it is inconceivable how he could have climbed to the summit
on such a dark， tempestuous night without losing his life。
He retired to bed ， and slept to a late hour。 The next morning his
servant ， upon being called to bring his coffee， found him writing。
He was adding ， to Charlotte ， what we here annex。
〃For the last ， last time I open these eyes。 Alas！ they will behold
the sun no more。 It is covered by a thick ， impenetrable cloud。 Yes，
Nature！ put on mourning： your child ， your friend， your lover ， draws
near his end！ This thought ， Charlotte， is without parallel； and yet
it seems like a mysterious dream when I repeat—— this is my last day！
The last！ Charlotte， no word can adequately express this thought。 The
last！ To…day I stand erect in all my strength to…morrow， cold and stark，
I shall lie extended upon the ground。 To die！ what is death？ We do but
dream in our discourse upon it。 I have seen many human beings die ； but，
so straitened is our feeble nature， we have no clear conception of the
beginning or the end of our existence。 At this moment I am my own ——
or rather I am thine， thine， my adored！ and the next we are parted ，
severed —— perhaps for ever ！ No ， Charlotte， no ！ How can I， how
can you ， be annihilated ？ We exist。 What is annihilation ？ A mere
word， an unmeaning sound that fixes no impression on the mind。 Dead，
Charlotte ！ laid in the cold earth ， in the dark and narrow grave ！
I had a friend once who was everything to me in early youth。 She died。
I followed her hearse ； I stood by her grave when the coffin was lowered
； and when I heard the creaking of the cords as they were loosened and
drawn up， when the first shovelful of earth was thrown in， and the coffin
returned a hollow sound ， which grew fainter and fainter till all was
pletely covered over ， I threw myself on the ground ； my heart was
smitten ， grieved， shattered， rent —— but I neither knew what had
happened， nor what was to happen to me。 Death！ the grave！ I understand
not the words。—— Forgive， oh ， forgive me ！ Yesterday—— ah ， that
day should have been the last of my life！ Thou angel ！ for the first
time in my existence， I felt rapture glow within my inmost soul。 She
loves ， she loves me ！ Still burns upon my lips the sacred fire they
received from thine。 New torrents of delight overwhelm my soul。 Forgive
me， oh ， forgive！
〃I knew that I was dear to you； I saw it in your first entrancing
look， knew it by the first pressure of your hand ； but when I was absent
from you， when I saw Albert at your side ， my doubts and fears returned。
〃Do you remember the flowers you sent me， when ， at that crowded
assembly， you could neither speak nor extend your hand to me ？ Half
the night I was on my knees before those flowers， and I regarded them
as the pledges of your love ； but those impressions grew fainter ， and
were at length effaced。
〃Everything passes away ； but a whole eternity could not extinguish
the living flame which was yesterday kindled by your lips ， and which
now burns within me。 She loves me ！ These arms have encircled her waist，
these lips have trembled upon hers。 She is mine ！ Yes， Charlotte， you
are mine for ever ！
〃And what do they mean by saying Albert is your husband ？ He may
be so for this world； and in this world it is a sin to love you， to
wish to tear you from his embrace。 Yes， it is a crime； and I suffer
the punishment， but I have enjoyed the full delight of my sin。 I have
inhaled a balm that has revived my soul。 From this hour you are mine；
yes ， Charlotte， you are mine ！ I go before you。 I go to my Father
and to your Father。 I will pour out my sorrows before him ， and he will
give me fort till you arrive。 Then will I fly to meet you。 I will claim
you ， and remain your eternal embrace， in the presence of the Almighty。
〃I do not dream ， I do not rave。 Drawing nearer to the grave my perceptions
bee clearer。 We shall exist； we shall see each other again； we shall
behold your mother； I shall behold her ， and expose to her my inmost
heart。 Your mother—— your image ！〃
About eleven o'clock Werther asked his servant if Albert had returned。
He answered ， 〃Yes ；〃 for he had seen him pass on horseback ： upon
which Werther sent him the following note ， unsealed ：
〃Be so good as to lend me your pistols for a journey。 Adieu。〃
Charlotte had slept little during the past night。 All her apprehensions
were realised in a way that she could neither foresee nor avoid。 Her blood
was boiling in her veins， and a thousand painful sensations rent her
pure heart。 Was it the ardour of Werther's passionate embraces that she
felt within her bosom ？ Was it anger at his daring ？ Was it the sad
parison of her present condition with former days of innocence ， tranquillity，
and self…confidence ？ How could she approach her husband ， and confess
a scene which she had no reason to conceal， and which she yet felt ，
nevertheless， unwilling to avow？ They had preserved so long a silence
toward each other and should she be the first to break it by so unexpected
a discovery ？ She feared that the mere statement of Werther's visit would
trouble him ， and his distress would be heightened by her perfect