the sorrows of young werther-第8章

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　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　best　tale　of　the　princess　who　was　waited　upon　by　dwarfs。　I　improve　myself　by　this　exercise；　and　am　quite　surprised　at　the　impression　my　stories　create。　　If　I　sometimes　invent　an　incident　which　I　forget　upon　the　next　narration；　they　remind　one　directly　that　the　story　was　different　before；　so　that　I　now　endeavour　to　relate　with　exactness　the　same　anecdote　in　the　same　monotonous　tone；　which　never　changes。　　I　find　by　this；　how　much　an　author　injures　his　works　by　altering　them；　even　though　they　be　improved　in　a　poetical　point　of　view。　　The　first　impression　is　readily　received。　　We　are　so　constituted　that　we　believe　the　most　incredible　things；　and；　once　they　are　engraved　upon　the　memory；　woe　to　him　who　would　endeavour　to　efface　them。　　　　AUGUST　18。

Must　it　ever　be　thus；　　that　the　source　of　our　happiness　must　also　be　the　fountain　of　our　misery？　　The　full　and　ardent　sentiment　which　animated　my　heart　with　the　love　of　nature；　overwhelming　me　with　a　torrent　of　delight；　and　which　brought　all　paradise　before　me；　has　now　become　an　insupportable　torment；　a　demon　which　perpetually　pursues　and　harasses　me。　　When　in　bygone　days　I　gazed　from　these　rocks　upon　yonder　mountains　across　the　river；　and　upon　the　green；　flowery　valley　before　me；　and　saw　alI　nature　budding　and　bursting　around；　the　hills　clothed　from　foot　to　peak　with　tall；　thick　forest　trees；　the　valleys　in　all　their　va