少年维特的烦恼-第4章

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between　ourselves　，　since　I　menced　my　letter，　I　have　been　three　times
on　the　point　of　throwing　down　my　pen，　of　ordering　my　horse　，　and　riding
out。　And　yet　I　vowed　this　morning　that　I　would　not　ride　to…day，　and　yet
every　moment　I　am　rushing　to　the　window　to　see　how　high　the　sun　is。

　　I　could　not　restrain　myself　——　go　to　her　I　must。　I　have　just　returned，
Wilhelm　；　and　whilst　I　am　taking　supper　I　will　write　to　you。　What　a　delight
it　was　for　my　soul　to　see　her　in　the　midst　of　her　dear，　beautiful　children，
——　eight　brothers　and　sisters　！

　　But　，　if　I　proceed　thus，　you　will　be　no　wiser　at　the　end　of　my　letter
than　you　were　at　the　beginning。　Attend，　then　，　and　I　will　pel　myself
to　give　you　the　details。

　　I　mentioned　to　you　the　other　day　that　I　had　bee　acquainted　with
S　——，　the　district　judge　，　and　that　he　had　invited　me　to　go　and　visit
him　in　his　retirement　，　or　rather　in　his　little　kingdom。　But　I　neglected
going　，　and　perhaps　should　never　have　gone　，　if　chance　had　not　discovered
to　me　the　treasure　which　lay　concealed　in　that　retired　spot。　Some　of　our
young　people　had　proposed　giving　a　ball　in　the　country，　at　which　I　consented
to　be　present。　I　offered　my　hand　for　the　evening　to　a　pretty　and　agreeable，
but　rather　monplace，　sort　of　girl　from　the　immediate　neighbourhood
；　and　it　was　agreed　that　I　should　engage　a　carriage，　and　call　upon　Charlotte，
with　my　partner　and　her　aunt，　to　convey　them　to　the　ball。　My　panion
informed　me　，　as　we　drove　along　through　the　park　to　the　hunting…lodge，
that　I　should　make　the　acquaintance　of　a　very　charming　young　lady。　〃Take
care，〃　added　the　aunt，　〃that　you　do　not　lose　your　heart。〃　〃Why？〃　said
I。　〃Because　she　is　already　engaged　to　a　very　worthy　man　，〃　she　replied，
〃who　is　gone　to　settle　his　affairs　upon　the　death　of　his　father　，　and
will　succeed　to　a　very　considerable　inheritance。〃　This　information　possessed
no　interest　for　me。　When　we　arrived　at　the　gate　，　the　sun　was　setting
behind　the　tops　of　the　mountains。　The　atmosphere　was　heavy；　and　the　ladies
expressed　their　fears　of　an　approaching　storm　，　as　masses　of　low　black
clouds　were　gathering　in　the　horizon。　I　relieved　their　anxieties　by　pretending
to　be　weather…wise，　although　I　myself　had　some　apprehensions　lest　our
pleasure　should　be　interrupted。

　　I　alighted；　and　a　maid　came　to　the　door，　and　requested　us　to　wait
a　moment　for　her　mistress。　I　walked　across　the　court　to　a　well…built　house，
and　，　ascending　the　flight　of　steps　in　front　，　opened　the　door，　and
saw　before　me　the　most　charming　spectacle　I　had　ever　witnessed。　Six　children，
from　eleven　to　two　years　old，　were　running　about　the　hall，　and　surrounding
a　lady　of　middle　height　，　with　a　lovely　figure　，　dressed　in　a　robe　of
simple　white，　trimmed　with　pink　ribbons。　She　was　holding　a　rye　loaf　in
her　hand，　and　was　cutting　slices　for　the　little　ones　all　around，　in
proportion　to　their　age　and　appetite。　She　performed　her　task　in　a　graceful
and　affectionate　manner　；　each　claimant　awaiting　his　turn　with　outstretched
hands　，　and　boisterously　shouting　his　thanks。　Some　of　them　ran　away　at
once，　to　enjoy　their　evening　meal；　whilst　others，　of　a　gentler　disposition，
retired　to　the　courtyard　to　see　the　strangers　，　and　to　survey　the　carriage
in　which　their　Charlotte　was　to　drive　away。　〃Pray　forgive　me　for　giving
you　the　trouble　to　e　for　me，　and　for　keeping　the　ladies　waiting　：
but　dressing，　and　arranging　some　household　duties　before　I　leave　，　had
made　me　forget　my　children's　supper　；　and　they　do　not　like　to　take　it
from　any　one　but　me。〃　I　uttered　some　indifferent　pliment　：　but　my
whole　soul　was　absorbed　by　her　air，　her　voice，　her　manner　；　and　I　had
scarcely　recovered　myself　when　she　ran　into　her　room　to　fetch　her　gloves
and　fan。　The　young　ones　threw　inquiring　glances　at　me　from　a　distance
；　whilst　I　approached　the　youngest　，　a　most　delicious　little　creature。
He　drew　back；　and　Charlotte，　entering　at　the　very　moment，　said　，　〃Louis，
shake　hands　with　your　cousin。〃　The　little　fellow　obeyed　willingly　；　and
I　could　not　resist　giving　him　a　hearty　kiss　，　notwithstanding　his　rather
dirty　face。　〃Cousin　，〃　said　I　to　Charlotte　，　as　I　handed　her　down　，
〃do　you　think　I　deserve　the　happiness　of　being　related　to　you　？〃　She
replied　，　with　a　ready　smile　，　〃Oh！　I　have　such　a　number　of　cousins，
that　I　should　be　sorry　if　you　were　the　most　undeserving　of　them。〃　In　taking
leave　，　she　desired　her　next　sister，　Sophy，　a　girl　about　eleven　years
old　，　to　take　great　care　of　the　children　，　and　to　say　good…bye　to　papa
for　her　when　he　came　home　from　his　ride。　She　enjoined　to　the　little　ones
to　obey　their　sister　Sophy　as　they　would　herself，　upon　which　some　promised
that　they　would　；　but　a　little　fair…haired　girl，　about　six　years　old，
looked　discontented　，　and　said　，　〃But　Sophy　is　not　you，　Charlotte；
and　we　like　you　best。〃　The　two　eldest　boys　had　clambered　up　the　carriage
；　and，　at　my　request，　she　permitted　them　to　acpany　us　a　little　way
through　the　forest，　upon　their　promising　to　sit　very　still　，　and　hold
fast。

　　We　were　hardly　seated　，　and　the　ladies　had　scarcely　exchanged　pliments，
making　the　usual　remarks　upon　each　other's　dress，　and　upon　the　pany
they　expected　to　meet　，　when　Charlotte　stopped　the　carriage，　and　made
her　brothers　get　down。　They　insisted　upon　kissing　her　hands　once　more
；　which　the　eldest　did　with　all　the　tenderness　of　a　youth　of　fifteen　，
but　the　other　in　a　lighter　and　more　careless　manner。　She　desired　them
again　to　give　her　love　to　the　children，　and　we　drove　off。

　　The　aunt　inquired　of　Charlotte　whether　she　had　finished　the　book　she
had　last　sent　her。　〃No，〃　said　Charlotte；　〃I　did　not　like　it　：　you　can
have　it　again。　And　the　one　before　was　not　much　better。〃　I　was　surprised，
upon　asking　the　title　，　to　hear　that　it　was　____。（We　feel　obliged　to
suppress　the　passage　in　the　letter，　to　prevent　any　one　from　feeling　aggrieved
；　although　no　author　need　pay　much　attention　to　the　opinion　of　a　mere
girl，　or　that　of　an　unsteady　young　man。）

　　I　found　peration　and　character　in　everything　she　said：　every　expression
seemed　to　brighten　her　features　with　new　charms　，——with　new　rays　of
genius，——　which　unfolded　by　degrees，　as　she　felt　herself　understood。

　　〃When　I　was　younger　，〃　she　observed，　〃I　loved　nothing　so　much　as
romances。　Nothing　could　equal　my　delight　when　，　on　some　holiday，　I　could
settle　down　quietly　in　a　corner　，　and　enter　with　my　whole　heart　and　soul
into　the　joys　or　sorrows　of　some　fictitious　Leonora。　I　do　not　deny　that
they　even　possess　some　charms　for　me　yet。　But　I　read　so　seldom，　that
I　prefer　books　suited　exactly　to　my　taste。　And　I　like　those　authors　best
whose　scenes　describe　my　own　situation　in　life，——　and　the　friends　who
are　about　me，　whose　stories　touch　me　with　interest　，　from　resembling
my　own　homely　existence　，——　which，　without　being　absolutely　paradise，
is，　on　the　whole　，　a　source　of　indescribable　happiness。〃

　　I　endeavoured　to　conceal　the　emotion　which　these　words　occasioned　，
but　it　was　of　slight　avail；　for，　when　she　had　expressed　so　truly　her
opinion　of　〃The　Vicar　of　Wakefield，〃　and　of　other　works，　the　names　of
which　I　omit（Though　the　names　are　omitted，　yet　the　authors　mentioned
deserve　Charlotte's　approbation　，　and　will　feel　it　in　their　hearts　when
they　read　this　passage。　It　concerns　no　other　person。），　I　could　no　longer
contain　myself，　but　gave　full　utterance　to　what　I　thought　of　it：　and
it　was　not　until　Charlotte　had　addressed　herself　to　the　two　other　ladies，
that　I　remembered　their　presence，　and　observed　them　sitting　mute　with
astonishment。　The　aunt　looked　at　me　several　times　with　an　air　of　raillery，
which　，　however，　I　did　not　at　all　mind。

　　We　talked　of　the　pleasures　of　dancing。　〃If　it　is　a　fault　to　love　it
，〃　said　Charlotte　，　〃I　am　ready　to　confess　that　I　prize　it　above　all
other　amusements。　If　anything　disturbs　me　，　I　go　to　the　piano，　play
an　air　to　which　I　have　danced　，　and　all　goes　right　again　directly。〃

　　You　，　who　know　me，　can　fancy　how　steadfastly　I　gazed　upon　her　rich
dark　eyes　during　these　remarks，　how　my　very　soul　gloated　over　her　warm
lips　and　fresh，　glowing　cheeks　，　how　I　became　quite　lost　in　the　delightful
meaning　of　her　words，　so　much　so　，　that　I　scarcely　heard　the　actual
expressions。　In　short　，　I　alighted　from　the　carriage　like　a　person　in
a　dream　，　and　was　so　lost　to　the　dim　world　around　me　，　that　I　scarcely
heard　the　music　which　resounded　from　the　illuminated　ballroom。

　　The　two　Messrs。　Andran　and　a　certain　N。　N。（I　cannot　trouble　myself
with　the　names），　who　were　the　aunt's　and　Charlotte's　partners　，　received
us　at　the　carriage…door　，　and　took　possession　of　their　ladies，　whilst
I　followed　with　mine。

　　We　menced　with　a　minuet。　I　led　out　one　lady　after　another，　and
precisely　those　who　were　the　most　disagreeable　could　not　bring　themselves
to　leave　off。　Charlotte　and　her　partner　began　an　English　country　dance，
and　you　must　imagine　my　delight　when　it　was　their　turn　to　dance　the　figure
with　us。　You　should　see　Charlotte　dance。　She　dances　with　her　whole　heart
and