the sorrows of young werther(少年维特的烦恼)-第4部分

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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　accompany　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
compliments；　making　the　usual　remarks　upon　each　other's　dress；　and
upon　the　company　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　penetration　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　commenced　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　soul：　her　figure　is　all　harmony；
elegance；　and　grace；　as　if　she　were　conscious　of　nothing　else；　and
had　no　other　thought　or　feeling；　and；　doubtless；　for　the　moment；
every　other　sensation　is　extinct。

She　was　engaged　for　the　second　country　dance；　but　promised　me　the
third；　and　assured　me；　with　the　most　agreeable　freedom；　that　she
was　very　fond　of　waltzing。　　〃It　is　the　custom　here；〃　she　said；
〃for　the　previous　partners　to　waltz　together；　but　my　partner　is
an　indifferent　waltzer；　and　will　feel　delighted　if　I　save　him　the
trouble。　　Your　partner　is　not　allowed　to　waltz；　and；　indeed；　is
equally　incapable：　but　I　observed　during　the　country　dance　that
you　waltz　well；　so；　if　you　will　waltz　with　me；　I　beg　you　would
propose　it　to　my　partner；　and　I　will　propose　it　to　yours。〃　　We
agreed；　and　it　was　arranged　that　our　partners　should　mutually
entertain　each　other。

We　set　off；　and；　at　first；　delighted　ourselves　with　the　usual
graceful　motions　of　the　arms。　　With　what　grace；　with　what　ease；
she　moved！　　When　the　waltz　commenced；　and　the　dancers　whirled
around　each　other　in　the　giddy　maze；　there　was　some　confusion；
owing　to　the　incapacity　of　some　of　the　dancers。　　We　judiciously
remained　still；　allowing　the　others　to　weary　themselves；　and；　when
the　awkward　dancers　had　withdrawn；　we　joined　in；　and　kept　it　up
famously　together　with　one　other　couple；　　Andran　and　his　partner。
Never　did　I　dance　more　lightly。　　I　felt　myself　more　than　mortal；
holding　this　loveliest　of　creatures　in　my　arms；　flying；　with　her
as　rapidly　as　the　wind；　till　I　lost　sight　of　every　other　object；
and　O　Wilhelm；　I　vowed　at　that　moment；　that　a　maiden　whom　I　loved；
or　for　whom　I　felt　the　slightest　attachment；　never；　never　should
waltz　with　any　one　else　but　with　me；　if　I　went　to　perdition　for　it！
　you　will　understand　this。

We　took　a　few　turns　in　the　room　to　recover　our　breath。　　Charlotte
sat　down；　and　felt　refreshed　by　partaking　of　some　oranges　which　I
had　had　secured；　　the　only　ones　that　had　been　left；　but　at　every
slice　which；　from　politeness；　she　offered　to　her　neighbours；　I　felt
as　though　a　dagger　went　through　my　heart。

We　were　the　second　couple　in　the　third　country　dance。　　As　we　were
going　down　（and　Heaven　knows　with　what　ecstasy　I　gazed　at　her　arms
and　eyes；　beaming　with　the　sweetest　feeling　of　pure　and　genuine
enjoyment）；　we　passed　a　lady　whom　I　had　noticed　for　her　charming
expression　of　countenance；　although　she　was　no　longer　young。　　She
looked　at　Charlotte　with　a　smile；　then；　holding　up　her　finger　in
a　threatening　attitude；　repeated　twice　in　a　very　significant　tone
of　voice　the　name　of　〃Albert。〃

〃Who　is　Albert；〃　said　I　to　Charlotte；　〃if　it　is　not　impertinent
to　ask？〃　　She　was　about　to　answer；　when　we　were　obliged　to　separate；
in　order　to　execute　a　figure　in　the　dance；　and；　as　we　crossed　over
again　in　front　of　each　other；　I　perceived　she　looked　somewhat
pensive。　　〃Why　need　I　conceal　it　from　you？〃　she　said；　as　she　gave
me　her　hand　for　the　promenade。　　〃Albert　is　a　worthy　man；　to　whom
I　am　engaged。〃　　Now；　there　was　nothing　new　to　me　in　this　（for　the
girls　had　told　me　of　it　on　the　way）；　but　it　was　so　far　new　that
I　had　not　thought　of　it　in　connection　with　her　whom；　in　so　short
a　time；　I　had　learned　to　prize　so　highly。　　Enough；　I　became　confused；
got　out　in　the　figure；　and　occasioned　general　confusion；　so　that
it　required　all　Charlotte's　presence　of　mind　to　set　me　right　by
pulling　and　pushing　me　into　my　proper　place。

The　dance　was　not　yet　finished　when　the　lightning　which　had　for
some　time　been　seen　in　the　horizon；　and　which　I　had　asserted　to
proceed　entirely　from　heat；　grew　more　violent；　and　the　thunder　was
heard　above　the　music。　　When　any　distress　or　terror　surprises　us
in　the　midst　of　our　amusements；　it　naturally　makes　a　deeper　impression
than　at　other　times；　either　because　the　contrast　makes　us　more
keenly　susceptible；　or　rather　perhaps　because　our　senses　are　then
more　open　to　impressions；　and　the　shock　is　consequently　stronger。
To　this　cause　I　must　ascribe　the　fright　and　shrieks　of　the　ladies。
One　sagaciously　sat　down　in　a　corner　with　her　back　to　the　window；
and　held　her　fingers　to　her　ears；　a　second　knelt　down　before　her；
and　hid　her　face　in　her　lap；　a　third　threw　herself　between　them；
and　embraced　her　sister　with　a　thousand　tears；　some　insisted　on
going　home；　others；　unconscious　of　their　actions；　wanted　sufficient
presence　of　mind　to　repress　the　impertinence　of　their　young　partners；
who　sought　to　direct　to　themselves　those　sighs　which　the　lips　of
our　agitated　beauties　intended　for　heaven。　　Some　of　the　gentlemen
had　gone　down…stairs　to　smoke　a　quiet　cigar；　and　the　rest　of　the
company　gladly　embraced　a　happy　suggestion　of　the　hostess　to　retire
into　another　room　which　was　provided　with　shutters　and　curtains。
We　had　hardly　got　there；　when　Charlotte　placed　the　chairs　in　a
circle；　and；　when　the　company　had　sat　down　in　compliance　with　her
request；　she　forthwith　propo