the sorrows of young werther(少年维特的烦恼)-第8章

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said　he；　〃some　three　months　ago；　at　a　friend's　house　in　the　country。
I　had　a　brace　of　pistols　with　me；　unloaded；　and　I　slept　without
any　anxiety。　　One　rainy　afternoon　I　was　sitting　by　myself；　doing
nothing；　when　it　occurred　to　me　I　do　not　know　how　that　the　house
might　be　attacked；　that　we　might　require　the　pistols；　that　we　might
in　short；　you　know　how　we　go　on　fancying；　when　we　have　nothing
better　to　do。　　I　gave　the　pistols　to　the　servant；　to　clean　and
load。　　He　was　playing　with　the　maid；　and　trying　to　frighten　her；
when　the　pistol　went　off　　God　knows　how！　　the　ramrod　was　in
the　barrel；　and　it　went　straight　through　her　right　hand；　and
shattered　the　thumb。　　I　had　to　endure　all　the　lamentation；　and　to
pay　the　surgeon's　bill；　so；　since　that　time；　I　have　kept　all　my
weapons　unloaded。　　But；　my　dear　friend；　what　is　the　use　of　prudence？
We　can　never　be　on　our　guard　against　all　possible　dangers。　　However；〃
　now；　you　must　know　I　can　tolerate　all　men　till　they　come　to
〃however；〃　　for　it　is　self…evident　that　every　universal　rule
must　have　its　exceptions。　　But　he　is　so　exceedingly　accurate；　that；
if　he　only　fancies　he　has　said　a　word　too　precipitate；　or　too
general；　or　only　half　true；　he　never　ceases　to　qualify；　to　modify；
and　extenuate；　till　at　last　he　appears　to　have　said　nothing　at
all。　　Upon　this　occasion；　Albert　was　deeply　immersed　in　his
subject：　I　ceased　to　listen　to　him；　and　became　lost　in　reverie。
With　a　sudden　motion；　I　pointed　the　mouth　of　the　pistol　to　my
forehead；　over　the　right　eye。　　〃What　do　vou　mean？〃　cried　Albert；
turning　back　the　pistol。　　〃It　is　not　loaded；〃　said　I。　　〃And　even
if　not；〃　he　answered　with　impatience；　　〃what　can　you　mean？　I
cannot　cornprehend　how　a　man　can　be　so　mad　as　to　shoot　himself；
and　the　bare　idea　of　it　shocks　me。〃　

〃But　why　should　any　one；〃　said　I；　〃in　speaking　of　an　action；　venture
to　pronounce　it　mad　or　wise；　or　good　or　bad？　　What　is　the　meaning
of　all　this？　　Have　you　carefully　studied　the　secret　motives　of　our
actions？　　Do　you　understand　　can　you　explain　the　causes　which
occasion　them；　and　make　them　inevitable？　　If　you　can；　you　will　be
less　hasty　with　your　decision。〃

〃But　you　will　allow；〃　said　Albert；　〃that　some　actions　are　criminal；
let　them　spring　from　whatever　motives　they　may。〃　　I　granted　it；
and　shrugged　my　shoulders。

〃But　still；　my　good　friend；〃　I　continued；　〃there　are　some　exceptions
here　too。　　Theft　is　a　crime；　but　the　man　who　commits　it　from　extreme
poverty；　with　no　design　but　to　save　his　family　from　perishing；　is
he　an　object　of　pity；　or　of　punishment？　　Who　shall　throw　the　first
stone　at　a　husband；　who；　in　the　heat　of　just　resentment；　sacrifices
his　faithless　wife　and　her　perfidious　seducer？　or　at　the　young
maiden；　who；　in　her　weak　hour　of　rapture；　forgets　herself　in　the
impetuous　joys　of　love？　　Even　our　laws；　cold　and　cruel　as　they
are；　relent　in　such　cases；　and　withhold　their　punishment。〃

〃That　is　quite　another　thing；〃　said　Albert；　〃because　a　man　under
the　influence　of　violent　passion　loses　alI　power　of　reflection；
and　is　regarded　as　intoxicated　or　insane。〃

〃Oh！　you　people　of　sound　understandings；〃　I　replied；　smiling；　〃are
ever　ready　to　exclaim　'Extravagance；　and　madness；　and　intoxication！'
You　moral　men　are　so　calm　and　so　subdued！　　You　abhor　the　drunken
man；　and　detest　the　extravagant；　you　pass　by；　like　the　Levite；
and　thank　God；　like　the　Pharisee；　that　you　are　not　like　one　of
them。　　I　have　been　more　than　once　intoxicated；　my　passions　have
always　bordered　on　extravagance：　I　am　not　ashamed　to　confess　it；
for　I　have　learned；　by　my　own　experience；　that　all　extraordinary
men；　who　have　accomplished　great　and　astonishing　actions；　have
ever　been　decried　by　the　world　as　drunken　or　insane。　　And　in
private　life；　too；　is　it　not　intolerable　that　no　one　can　undertake
the　execution　of　a　noble　or　generous　deed；　without　giving　rise　to
the　exclamation　that　the　doer　is　intoxicated　or　mad？　　Shame　upon
you；　ye　sages！〃

〃This　is　another　of　your　extravagant　humours；〃　said　Albert：　〃you
always　exaggerate　a　case；　and　in　this　matter　you　are　undoubtedly
wrong；　for　we　were　speaking　of　suicide；　which　you　compare　with
great　actions；　when　it　is　impossible　to　regard　it　as　anything　but
a　weakness。　　It　is　much　easier　to　die　than　to　bear　a　life　of　misery
with　fortitude。〃

I　was　on　the　point　of　breaking　off　the　conversation；　for　nothing
puts　me　so　completely　out　of　patience　as　the　utterance　of　a　wretched
commonplace　when　I　am　talking　from　my　inmost　heart。　　However；　I
composed　myself；　for　I　had　often　heard　the　same　observation　with
sufficient　vexation；　and　I　answered　him；　therefore；　with　a　little
warmth；　　〃You　call　this　a　weakness　　beware　of　being　led　astray
by　appearances。　　When　a　nation；　which　has　long　groaned　under　the
intolerable　yoke　of　a　tyrant；　rises　at　last　and　throws　off　its
chains；　do　you　call　that　weakness？　　The　man　who；　to　rescue　his
house　from　the　flames；　finds　his　physical　strength　redoubled；　so
that　he　lifts　burdens　with　ease；　which；　in　the　absence　of　excitement；
he　could　scarcely　move；　he　who；　under　the　rage　of　an　insult；　attacks
and　puts　to　flight　half　a　score　of　his　enemies；　are　such　persons
to　be　called　weak？　　My　good　friend；　if　resistance　be　strength；　how
can　the　highest　degree　of　resistance　be　a　weakness？〃

Albert　looked　steadfastly　at　me；　and　said；　〃Pray　forgive　me；　but
I　do　not　see　that　the　examples　you　have　adduced　bear　any　relation
to　the　question。〃　　〃Very　likely；〃　I　answered；　〃for　I　have　often
been　told　that　my　style　of　illustration　borders　a　little　on　the
absurd。　　But　let　us　see　if　we　cannot　place　the　matter　in　another
point　of　view；　by　inquiring　what　can　be　a　man's　state　of　mind　who
resolves　to　free　himself　from　the　burden　of　life；　　a　burden　often
so　pleasant　to　bear；　　for　we　cannot　otherwise　reason　fairly　upon
the　subject。

〃Human　nature；〃　I　continued；　〃has　its　limits。　　It　is　able　to　endure
a　certain　degree　of　joy；　sorrow；　and　pain；　but　becomes　annihilated
as　soon　as　this　measure　is　exceeded。　　The　question；　therefore；　is；
not　whether　a　man　is　strong　or　weak；　but　whether　he　is　able　to
endure　the　measure　of　his　sufferings。　　The　suffering　may　be　moral
or　physical；　and　in　my　opinion　it　is　just　as　absurd　to　call　a　man
a　coward　who　destroys　himself；　as　to　call　a　man　a　coward　who　dies
of　a　malignant　fever。〃

〃Paradox；　all　paradox！〃　exclaimed　Albert。　　〃Not　so　paradoxical　as
you　imagine；〃　I　replied。　　〃You　allow　that　we　designate　a　disease
as　mortal　when　nature　is　so　severely　attacked；　and　her　strength
so　far　exhausted；　that　she　cannot　possibly　recover　her　former
condition　under　any　change　that　may　take　place。

〃Now；　my　good　friend；　apply　this　to　the　mind；　observe　a　man　in　his
natural；　isolated　condition；　consider　how　ideas　work；　and　how
impressions　fasten　on　him；　till　at　length　a　violent　passion　seizes
him；　destroying　all　his　powers　of　calm　reflection；　and　utterly
ruining　him。

〃It　is　in　vain　that　a　man　of　sound　mind　and　cool　temper　understands
the　condition　of　such　a　wretched　being；　in　vain　he　counsels　him。
He　can　no　more　communicate　his　own　wisdom　to　him　than　a　healthy
man　can　instil　his　strength　into　the　invalid；　by　whose　bedside　he
is　seated。〃

Albert　thought　this　too　general。　　I　reminded　him　of　a　girl　who　had
drowned　herself　a　short　time　previously；　and　I　related　her　history。

She　was　a　good　creature；　who　had　grown　up　in　the　narrow　sphere　of
household　industry　and　weekly　appointed　labour；　one　who　knew　no
pleasure　beyond　indulging　in　a　walk　on　Sundays；　arrayed　in　her
best　attire；　accompanied　by　her　friends；　or　perhaps　joining　in　the
dance　now　and　then　at　some　festival；　and　chatting　away　her　spare
hours　with　a　neighbour；　discussing　the　scandal　or　the　quarrels　of
the　village；　trifles　sufficient　to　occupy　her　heart。　　At　length
the　warmth　of　her　nature　is　influenced　by　certain　new　and　unknown
wishes。　　Inflamed　by　the　flatteries　of　men；　her　former　pleasures
become　by　degrees　insipid；　till　at　length　she　meets　with　a　youth
to　whom　she　is　attracted　by　an　indescribable　feeling；　upon　him　she
now　rests　all　her　hopes；　she　forgets　the　world　around　her；　she
sees；　hears；　desires　nothing　but　him；　and　him　only。　　He　alone
occupies　all　her　thoughts。　　Uncorrupted　by　the　idle　indulgence　of
an　enervating　vanity；　her　affection　moving　steadily　toward　its
object；　she　hopes　to　become　his；　and　to　realise；　in　an　everlasting
union　with　him；　all　that　happiness　which　she　sought；　all　that　bliss
for　which　she　longed。　　His　repeated　promises　confirm　her　hopes：
embraces　and　endearments；　which　increase　the　ardour　of　her　desires；
overmaster　her　soul。　　She　floats　in　a　dim；　delusive　anticipation
of　her　happiness；　and　her　feelings　become　excited　to　their　utmost
tension。　　She　stretches　out　her　arms　finally　to　embrace　the　object
of　all　her　wishes　and　her　lover　forsakes　her。　　Stunned　and　bewildered；
she　stands　upon　a　precipice。　　All　is　darkness　around　her。　　No
prospect；　no　hope；　no　consolation　　forsaken　by　him　in　whom　her
existence　was　centred！　　She　sees　nothing　of　the　wide　world　before
her；　thinks　nothing　of　the　many　individuals　who　might　supply　the
void　in　her　heart；　she　feels　herself　deserted；　forsaken　by　the
world；　and；　blinded　and　impelled　by　the　agony　which　wrings　her
soul；　she　plunges　into　the　deep；　to　end　her　sufferings　in　the　broad
embrace　of　death。　　See　here；　Albert；　the　history　of　thousands；　and
tell　me；　is　not　this　a　case　of　physical　infirmity？　　Nature　has　no
way　to　escape　from　the　labyrinth：　her　powers　are　exhausted：　she
can　contend　no　longer；　and　the　poor　soul　must　die。　　

〃Shame　upon　him　who　can　look　on　calmly；　and　exclaim；　'The　foolish
girl！　she　should　have　waited；　she　should　have　allowed　time　to　wear
off　the　impression；　her　despair　would　have　been　softened；　and　she
would　have　found　another　lover　to　comfort　her。'　　One　might　as　well
say；　'The　fool；　to　die　of　a　fever！　why　did　he　not　wait　till　his
strength　was　restored；　till　his　blood　became　calm？　all　would　then
have　gone　well；　and　he　would　have　been　alive　now。'〃

Albert；　who　could　not　see　the　justice　of　the　comparison；　offered
some　further　objections；　and；　amongst　others；　urged　that　I　had
taken　the　case　of　a　mere　ignorant　girl。　　But　how　any　man　of　sense；
of　more　enlarged　views　and　experience；　could　be　excused；　he　was
unable　to　comprehend。　　〃My　friend！〃　I　exclaimed；　〃man　is　but　man；
and；　whatever　be　the　extent　of　his　reasoning　powers；　they　are　of
little　avail　when　passion　rages　within；　and　he　feels　himself
confined　by　the　narrow　limits　of　nature。　　It　were　better；　then　
but　we　will　talk　of　this　some　other　time；〃　I　said；　and　caught　up
my　hat。　　Alas！　my　heart　was　full；　and　we　parted　without　conviction
on　either　side。　　How　rarely　in　this　world　do　men　understand　each
other！

AUGUST　15。

There　can　be　no　doubt　that　in　this　world　nothing　is　so　indispensable
as　love。　　I　observe　that　Charlotte　could　not　lose　me　without　a
pang；　and　the　very　children　have　but　one　wish；　that　is；　that　I
should　visit　them　again　to…morrow。　　I　went　this　afternoon　to　tune
Charlotte's　piano。　　But　I　could　not　do　it；　for　the　little　ones
insisted　on　my　telling　them　a　story；　and　Charlotte　herself　urged
me　to　satisfy　them。　　I　waited　upon　them　at　tea；　and　they　are　now
as　fully　contented　with　me　as　with　Charlotte；　and　I　told　them　my
very　be