AUGUST21.
　　Mysensationsareconstantlychanging.Sometimesahappyprospectopensbeforeme;butalas!itisonlyforamoment;andthen,whenIamlostinreverie,Icannothelpsayingtomyself,"IfAlbertweretodie?——Yes,shewouldbecome——andIshouldbe"——andsoIpursueachimera,tillitleadsmetotheedgeofaprecipiceatwhichIshudder.
　　WhenIpassthroughthesamegate,andwalkalongthesameroadwhichfirstconductedmetoCharlotte,myheartsinkswithinmeatthechangethathassincetakenplace.All,all,isaltered!Nosentiment,nopulsationofmyheart,isthesame.Mysensationsaresuchaswouldoccurtosomedepartedprincewhosespiritshouldreturntovisitthesuperbpalacewhichhehadbuiltinhappytimes,adornedwithcostlymagnificence,andlefttoabelovedson,butwhosegloryheshouldfinddeparted,anditshallsdesertedandinruins.
　　SEPTEMBER3.
　　Isometimescannotunderstandhowshecanloveanother,howshedaresloveanother,whenIlovenothinginthisworldsocompletely,sodevotedly,asIloveher,whenIknowonlyher,andhavenootherpossession.
　　SEPTEMBER4.
　　Itisevenso!Asnatureputsonherautumntintsitbecomesautumnwithmeandaroundme.Myleavesaresereandyellow,andtheneighbouringtreesaredivestedoftheirfoliage.Doyouremembermywritingtoyouaboutapeasantboyshortlyaftermyarrivalhere?IhavejustmadeinquiriesabouthiminWalheim.Theysayhehasbeendismissedfromhisservice,andisnowavoidedbyeveryone.Imethimyesterdayontheroad,goingtoaneighbouringvillage.Ispoketohim,andhetoldmehisstory.Itinterestedmeexceedingly,asyouwilleasilyunderstandwhenIrepeatittoyou.ButwhyshouldItroubleyou?WhyshouldInotreserveallmysorrowformyself?WhyshouldIcontinuetogiveyouoccasiontopityandblameme?Butnomatter:thisalsoispartofmydestiny.
　　Atfirstthepeasantladansweredmyinquirieswithasortofsubduedmelancholy,whichseemedtomethemarkofatimiddisposition;but,aswegrewtounderstandeachother,hespokewithlessreserve,andopenlyconfessedhisfaults,andlamentedhismisfortune.Iwish,mydearfriend,Icouldgiveproperexpressiontohislanguage.Hetoldmewithasortofpleasurablerecollection,that,aftermydeparture,hispassionforhismistressincreaseddaily,untilatlastheneitherknewwhathedidnorwhathesaid,norwhatwastobecomeofhim.Hecouldneithereatnordrinknorsleep:hefeltasenseofsuffocation;hedisobeyedallorders,andforgotallcommandsinvoluntarily;heseemedasifpursuedbyanevilspirit,tilloneday,knowingthathismistresshadgonetoanupperchamber,hehadfollowed,or,rather,beendrawnafterher.Assheproveddeaftohisentreaties,hehadrecoursetoviolence.
　　Heknowsnotwhathappened;buthecalledGodtowitnessthathisintentionstoherwerehonourable,andthathedesirednothingmoresincerelythanthattheyshouldmarry,andpasstheirlivestogether.Whenhehadcometothispoint,hebegantohesitate,asiftherewassomethingwhichhehadnotcouragetoutter,tillatlengthheacknowledgedwithsomeconfusioncertainlittleconfidencesshehadencouraged,andlibertiesshehadallowed.Hebrokeofftwoorthreetimesinhisnarration,andassuredmemostearnestlythathehadnowishtomakeherbad,ashetermedit,forhelovedherstillassincerelyasever;thatthetalehadneverbeforeescapedhislips,andwasonlynowtoldtoconvincemethathewasnotutterlylostandabandoned.Andhere,mydearfriend,ImustcommencetheoldsongwhichyouknowIuttereternally.IfIcouldonlyrepresentthemanashestood,andstandsnowbeforeme,couldIonlygivehistrueexpressions,youwouldfeelcompelledtosympathiseinhisfate.Butenough:you,whoknowmymisfortuneandmydisposition,caneasilycomprehendtheattractionwhichdrawsmetowardeveryunfortunatebeing,butparticularlytowardhimwhosestoryIhaverecounted.
　　Onperusingthisletterasecondtime,IfindIhaveomittedtheconclusionofmytale;butitiseasilysupplied.Shebecamereservedtowardhim,attheinstigationofherbrotherwhohadlonghatedhim,anddesiredhisexpulsionfromthehouse,fearingthathissister'ssecondmarriagemightdeprivehischildrenofthehandsomefortunetheyexpectedfromher;assheischildless.Hewasdismissedatlength;andthewholeaffairoccasionedsomuchscandal,thatthemistressdarednottakehimback,evenifshehadwishedit.Shehassincehiredanotherservant,withwhom,theysay,herbrotherisequallydispleased,andwhomsheislikelytomarry;butmyinformantassuresmethathehimselfisdeterminednottosurvivesuchacatastrophe.
　　Thisstoryisneitherexaggeratednorembellished:indeed,Ihaveweakenedandimpaireditinthenarration,bythenecessityofusingthemorerefinedexpressionsofsociety.
　　Thislove,then,thisconstancy,thispassion,isnopoeticalfiction.Itisactual,anddwellsinitsgreatestpurityamongstthatclassofmankindwhomwetermrude,uneducated.Wearetheeducated,nottheperverted.Butreadthisstorywithattention,Iimploreyou.Iamtranquilto-day,forIhavebeenemployeduponthisnarration:youseebymywritingthatIamnotsoagitatedasusual.Ireadandre-readthistale,Wilhelm:itisthehistoryofyourfriend!Myfortunehasbeenandwillbesimilar;andIamneitherhalfsobravenorhalfsodeterminedasthepoorwretchwithwhomIhesitatetocomparemyself.
　　SEPTEMBER5.
　　Charlottehadwrittenalettertoherhusbandinthecountry,wherehewasdetainedbybusiness.Itcommenced,"Mydearestlove,returnassoonaspossible:Iawaityouwithathousandraptures."Afriendwhoarrived,broughtword,that,forcertainreasons,hecouldnotreturnimmediately.Charlotte'sletterwasnotforwarded,andthesameeveningitfellintomyhands.Ireadit,andsmiled.Sheaskedthereason."Whataheavenlytreasureisimagination:"Iexclaimed;"Ifanciedforamomentthatthiswaswrittentome."Shepaused,andseemeddispleased.Iwassilent.
　　SEPTEMBER6.
　　ItcostmemuchtopartwiththebluecoatwhichIworethefirsttimeIdancedwithCharlotte.ButIcouldnotpossiblywearitanylonger.ButIhaveorderedanewone,preciselysimilar,eventothecollarandsleeves,aswellasanewwaistcoatandpantaloons.
　　Butitdoesnotproducethesameeffectuponme.Iknownothowitis,butIhopeintimeIshalllikeitbetter.
　　SEPTEMBER12.
　　Shehasbeenabsentforsomedays.ShewenttomeetAlbert.To-dayIvisitedher:sherosetoreceiveme,andIkissedherhandmosttenderly.
　　Acanaryatthemomentflewfromamirror,andsettleduponhershoulder."Hereisanewfriend,"sheobserved,whileshemadehimperchuponherhand:"heisapresentforthechildren.Whatadearheis!Lookathim!WhenIfeedhim,heflutterswithhiswings,andpeckssonicely.Hekissesme,too,onlylook!"
　　Sheheldthebirdtohermouth;andhepressedhersweetlipswithsomuchfervourthatheseemedtofeeltheexcessofblisswhichheenjoyed.
　　"Heshallkissyoutoo,"sheadded;andthensheheldthebirdtowardme.Hislittlebeakmovedfromhermouthtomine,andthedelightfulsensationseemedliketheforerunnerofthesweetestbliss.
　　"Akiss,"Iobserved,"doesnotseemtosatisfyhim:hewishesforfood,andseemsdisappointedbytheseunsatisfactoryendearments."
　　"Butheeatsoutofmymouth,"shecontinued,andextendedherlipstohimcontainingseed;andshesmiledwithallthecharmofabeingwhohasallowedaninnocentparticipationofherlove.
　　Iturnedmyfaceaway.Sheshouldnotactthus.Sheoughtnottoexcitemyimaginationwithsuchdisplaysofheavenlyinnocenceandhappiness,norawakenmyheartfromitsslumbers,inwhichitdreamsoftheworthlessnessoflife!Andwhynot?BecausesheknowshowmuchIloveher.
　　SEPTEMBER15.
　　Itmakesmewretched,Wilhelm,tothinkthatthereshouldbemenincapableofappreciatingthefewthingswhichpossessarealvalueinlife.YourememberthewalnuttreesatS——,underwhichIusedtositwithCharlotte,duringmyvisitstotheworthyoldvicar.Thoseglorioustrees,theverysightofwhichhassooftenfilledmyheartwithjoy,howtheyadornedandrefreshedtheparsonageyard,withtheirwide-extendedbranches!andhowpleasingwasourremembranceofthegoodoldpastor,bywhosehandstheywereplantedsomanyyearsago:Theschoolmasterhasfrequentlymentionedhisname.Hehaditfromhisgrandfather.Hemusthavebeenamostexcellentman;and,undertheshadeofthoseoldtrees,hismemorywaseverveneratedbyme.Theschoolmasterinformedusyesterday,withtearsinhiseyes,thatthosetreeshadbeenfelled.Yes,cuttotheground!Icould,inmywrath,haveslainthemonsterwhostruckthefirststroke.AndImustendurethis!——I,who,ifIhadhadtwosuchtreesinmyowncourt,andonehaddiedfromoldage,shouldhaveweptwithrealaffliction.Butthereissomecomfortleft,suchathingissentiment,thewholevillagemurmursatthemisfortune;andIhopethevicar'swifewillsoonfind,bythecessationofthevillagers'presents,howmuchshehaswoundedthefeelingsoftheneighborhhood.Itwasshewhodidit,thewifeofthepresentincumbentourgoodoldmanisdead,atall,sicklycreaturewhoissofarrighttodisregardtheworld,astheworldtotallydisregardsher.Thesillybeingaffectstobelearned,pretendstoexaminethecanonicalbooks,lendsheraidtowardthenew-fashionedreformationofChristendom,moralandcritical,andshrugsuphershouldersatthementionofLavater'senthusiasm.Herhealthisdestroyed,onaccountofwhichsheispreventedfromhavinganyenjoymentherebelow.Onlysuchacreaturecouldhavecutdownmywalnuttrees!Icanneverpardonit.Hearherreasons.Thefallingleavesmadethecourtwetanddirty;thebranchesobstructedthelight;boysthrewstonesatthenutswhentheywereripe,andthenoiseaffectedhernerves;anddisturbedherprofoundmeditations,whenshewasweighingthediffcultiesofKennicot,Semler,andMichaelis.Findingthatalltheparish,particularlytheoldpeople,weredispleased,Iasked"whytheyallowedit?""Ah,sir!"theyreplied,"whenthestewardorders,whatcanwepoorpeasantsdo?"Butonethinghashappenedwell.Thestewardandthevicarwho,foronce,thoughttoreapsomeadvantagefromthecapricesofhiswifeintendedtodividethetreesbetweenthem.Therevenue-office,beinginformedofit,revivedanoldclaimtothegroundwherethetreeshadstood,andsoldthemtothebestbidder.Theretheystilllieontheground.IfIwerethesovereign,Ishouldknowhowtodealwiththemall,vicar,steward,andrevenue-office.Sovereign,didIsay?Ishould,inthatcase,carelittleaboutthetreesthatgrewinthecountry.
　　OCTOBER10.
　　Onlytogazeuponherdarkeyesistomeasourceofhappiness!Andwhatgrievesme,is,thatAlbertdoesnotseemsohappyashe——hopedtobe——asIshouldhavebeen——if——Iamnofriendtothesepauses,buthereIcannotexpre...剩余内容请长按扫描二维码或下载丁香书院APP继续免费看：

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