Charlotte'sfather,whowasconfinedtothehousebyindisposition,wasaccustomedtosendhiscarriageforher,thatshemightmakeexcursionsintheneighbourhood.Onedaytheweatherhadbeenunusuallysevere,andthewholecountrywascoveredwithsnow.
　　WertherwentforCharlottethefollowingmorning,inorderthat,ifAlbertwereabsent,hemightconductherhome.
　　Thebeautifulweatherproducedbutlittleimpressiononhistroubledspirit.Aheavyweightlayuponhissoul,deepmelancholyhadtakenpossessionofhim,andhismindknewnochangesavefromonepainfulthoughttoanother.
　　Ashenowneverenjoyedinternalpeace,theconditionofhisfellowcreatureswastohimaperpetualsourceoftroubleanddistress.HebelievedhehaddisturbedthehappinessofAlbertandhiswife;and,whilsthecensuredhimselfstronglyforthis,hebegantoentertainasecretdisliketoAlbert.
　　Histhoughtswereoccasionallydirectedtothispoint."Yes,"hewouldrepeattohimself,withill-concealeddissatisfaction,"yes,thisis,afterall,theextentofthatconfiding,dear,tender,andsympatheticlove,thatcalmandeternalfidelity!
　　WhatdoIbeholdbutsatietyandindifference?Doesnoteveryfrivolousengagementattracthimmorethanhischarmingandlovelywife?Doesheknowhowtoprizehishappiness?Canhevalueherasshedeserves?Hepossessesher,itistrue,Iknowthat,asIknowmuchmore,andIhavebecomeaccustomedtothethoughtthathewilldrivememad,or,perhaps,murderme.Ishisfriendshiptowardmeunimpaired?DoeshenotviewmyattachmenttoCharlotteasaninfringementuponhisrights,andconsidermyattentiontoherasasilentrebuketohimself?Iknow,andindeedfeel,thathedislikesme,thathewishesformyabsence,thatmypresenceishatefultohim."
　　HewouldoftenpausewhenonhiswaytovisitCharlotte,standstill,asthoughindoubt,andseemdesirousofreturning,butwouldneverthelessproceed;and,engagedinsuchthoughtsandsoliloquiesaswehavedescribed,hefinallyreachedthehunting-lodge,withasortofinvoluntaryconsent.
　　Upononeoccasionheenteredthehouse;and,inquiringforCharlotte,heobservedthattheinmateswereinastateofunusualconfusion.TheeldestboyinformedhimthatadreadfulmisfortunehadoccurredatWalheim,——thatapeasanthadbeenmurdered!Butthismadelittleimpressionuponhim.Enteringtheapartment,hefoundCharlotteengagedreasoningwithherfather,who,inspiteofhisinfirmity,insistedongoingtothesceneofthecrime,inordertoinstituteaninquiry.Thecriminalwasunknown;thevictimhadbeenfounddeadathisowndoorthatmorning.Suspicionswereexcited:themurderedmanhadbeenintheserviceofawidow,andthepersonwhohadpreviouslyfilledthesituationhadbeendismissedfromheremployment.
　　AssoonasWertherheardthis,heexclaimedwithgreatexcitement,"Isitpossible!Imustgotothespot——Icannotdelayamoment!"HehastenedtoWalheim.Everyincidentreturnedvividlytohisremembrance;andheentertainednottheslightestdoubtthatthatmanwasthemurderertowhomhehadsooftenspoken,andforwhomheentertainedsomuchregard.Hiswaytookhimpastthewell-knownlimetrees,tothehousewherethebodyhadbeencarried;andhisfeelingsweregreatlyexcitedatthesightofthefondlyrecollectedspot.Thatthresholdwheretheneighbours'childrenhadsooftenplayedtogetherwasstainedwithblood;loveandattachment,thenoblestfeelingsofhumannature,hadbeenconvertedintoviolenceandmurder.Thehugetreesstoodthereleaflessandcoveredwithhoarfrost;thebeautifulhedgerowswhichsurroundedtheoldchurchyardwallwerewithered;andthegravestones,halfcoveredwithsnow,werevisiblethroughtheopenings.
　　Asheapproachedtheinn,infrontofwhichthewholevillagewasassembled,screamsweresuddenlyheard.Atroopofarmedpeasantswasseenapproaching,andeveryoneexclaimedthatthecriminalhadbeenapprehended.Wertherlooked,andwasnotlongindoubt.Theprisonerwasnootherthantheservant,whohadbeenformerlysoattachedtothewidow,andwhomhehadmetprowlingabout,withthatsuppressedangerandill-concealeddespair,whichwehavebeforedescribed.
　　"Whathaveyoudone,unfortunateman?"inquiredWerther,asheadvancedtowardtheprisoner.Thelatterturnedhiseyesuponhiminsilence,andthenrepliedwithperfectcomposure;"Noonewillnowmarryher,andshewillmarrynoone."Theprisonerwastakenintotheinn,andWertherlefttheplace.ThemindofWertherwasfearfullyexcitedbythisshockingoccurrence.Heceased,however,tobeoppressedbyhisusualfeelingofmelancholy,moroseness,andindifferencetoeverythingthatpassedaroundhim.Heentertainedastrongdegreeofpityfortheprisoner,andwasseizedwithanindescribableanxietytosavehimfromhisimpendingfate.Heconsideredhimsounfortunate,hedeemedhiscrimesoexcusable,andthoughthisownconditionsonearlysimilar,thathefeltconvincedhecouldmakeeveryoneelseviewthematterinthelightinwhichhesawithimself.Henowbecameanxioustoundertakehisdefence,andcommencedcomposinganeloquentspeechfortheoccasion;and,onhiswaytothehunting-lodge,hecouldnotrefrainfromspeakingaloudthestatementwhichheresolvedtomaketothejudge.
　　Uponhisarrival,hefoundAlberthadbeenbeforehim:andhewasalittleperplexedbythismeeting;buthesoonrecoveredhimself,andexpressedhisopinionwithmuchwarmthtothejudge.Thelattershook,hisheaddoubtingly;andalthoughWertherurgedhiscasewiththeutmostzeal,feeling,anddeterminationindefenceofhisclient,yet,aswemayeasilysuppose,thejudgewasnotmuchinfluencedbyhisappeal.Onthecontrary,heinterruptedhiminhisaddress,reasonedwithhimseriously,andevenadministeredarebuketohimforbecomingtheadvocateofamurderer.Hedemonstrated,that,accordingtothisprecedent,everylawmightbeviolated,andthepublicsecurityutterlydestroyed.Headded,moreover,thatinsuchacasehecouldhimselfdonothing,withoutincurringthegreatestresponsibility;thateverythingmustfollowintheusualcourse,andpursuetheordinarychannel.
　　Werther,however,didnotabandonhisenterprise,andevenbesoughtthejudgetoconniveattheflightoftheprisoner.Butthisproposalwasperemptorilyrejected.Albert,whohadtakensomepartinthediscussion,coincidedinopinionwiththejudge.AtthisWertherbecameenraged,andtookhisleaveingreatanger,afterthejudgehadmorethanonceassuredhimthattheprisonercouldnotbesaved.
　　Theexcessofhisgriefatthisassurancemaybeinferredfromanotewehavefoundamongsthispapers,andwhichwasdoubtlesswrittenuponthisveryoccasion.
　　"Youcannotbesaved,unfortunateman!Iseeclearlythatwecannotbesaved!"
　　WertherwashighlyincensedattheobservationswhichAlberthadmadetothejudgeinthismatteroftheprisoner.Hethoughthecoulddetectthereinalittlebitternesstowardhimselfpersonally;andalthough,uponreflection,itcouldnotescapehissoundjudgmentthattheirviewofthematterwascorrect,hefeltthegreatestpossiblereluctancetomakesuchanadmission.
　　AmemorandumofWerther'suponthispoint,expressiveofhisgeneralfeelingstowardAlbert,hasbeenfoundamongsthispapers.
　　"Whatistheuseofmycontinuallyrepeatingthatheisagoodandestimableman?Heisaninwardtormenttome,andIamincapableofbeingjusttowardhim."
　　Onefineeveninginwinter,whentheweatherseemedinclinedtothaw,CharlotteandAlbertwerereturninghometogether.Theformerlookedfromtimetotimeabouther,asifshemissedWerther'scompany.Albertbegantospeakofhim,andcensuredhimforhisprejudices.Healludedtohisunfortunateattachment,andwisheditwerepossibletodiscontinuehisacquaintance."Idesireitonourownaccount,"headded;"andIrequestyouwillcompelhimtoalterhisdeportmenttowardyou,andtovisityoulessfrequently.Theworldiscensorious,andIknowthathereandtherewearespokenof."Charlottemadenoreply,andAlbertseemedtofeelhersilence.Atleast,fromthattimeheneveragainspokeofWerther;and,whensheintroducedthesubject,heallowedtheconversationtodieaway,orelsehedirectedthediscourseintoanotherchannel.
　　ThevainattemptWertherhadmadetosavetheunhappymurdererwasthelastfeebleglimmeringofaflameabouttobeextinguished.Hesankalmostimmediatelyafterwardintoastateofgloomandinactivity,untilhewasatlengthbroughttoperfectdistractionbylearningthathewastobesummonedasawitnessagainsttheprisoner,whoassertedhiscompleteinnocence.
　　Hismindnowbecameoppressedbytherecollectionofeverymisfortuneofhispastlife.Themortificationhehadsufferedattheambassador's,andhissubsequenttroubles,wererevivedinhismemory.Hebecameutterlyinactive.Destituteofenergy,hewascutofffromeverypursuitandoccupationwhichcomposethebusinessofcommonlife;andhebecameavictimtohisownsusceptibility,andtohisrestlesspassionforthemostamiableandbelovedofwomen,whosepeacehedestroyed.Inthisunvaryingmonotonyofexistencehisdayswereconsumed;andhispowersbecameexhaustedwithoutaimordesign,untiltheybroughthimtoasorrowfulend.
　　Afewletterswhichheleftbehind,andwhichweheresubjoin,affordthebestproofsofhisanxietyofmindandofthedepthofhispassion,aswellasofhisdoubtsandstruggles,andofhiswearinessoflife.
　　DECEMBER12.
　　DearWilhelm,Iamreducedtotheconditionofthoseunfortunatewretcheswhobelievetheyarepursuedbyanevilspirit.SometimesIamoppressed,notbyapprehensionorfear,butbyaninexpressibleinternalsensation,whichweighsuponmyheart,andimpedesmybreath!ThenIwanderforthatnight,eveninthistempestuousseason,andfeelpleasureinsurveyingthedreadfulscenesaroundme.
　　YesterdayeveningIwentforth.Arapidthawhadsuddenlysetin:Ihadbeeninformedthattheriverhadrisen,thatthebrookshadalloverflowedtheirbanks,andthatthewholevaleofWalheimwasunderwater!UponthestrokeoftwelveIhastenedforth.Ibeheldafearfulsight.Thefoamingtorrentsrolledfromthemountainsinthemoonlight,——fieldsandmeadows,treesandhedges,wereconfoundedtogether;andtheentirevalleywasconvertedintoadeeplake,whichwasagitatedbytheroaringwind!Andwhenthemoonshoneforth,andtingedtheblackcloudswithsilver,andtheimpetuoustorrentatmyfeetfoamedandresoundedwithawfulandgrandimpetuosity,Iwasovercomebyamingledsensationofapprehensionanddelight.WithextendedarmsIlookeddownintotheyawningabyss,andcried,"Plunge!'"Foramomentmysensesforsookme,intheintensedelightofendingmysorrowsandmysufferingsbyaplungeintothatgulf!AndthenIfeltasifIwererootedtotheearth,andincapableofseekinganendtomywoes!Butmyhourisnotyetcome:Ifeelitisnot.OWilhelm,howwillinglycouldIabandonmyexistencetoridethewhirlwind,ortoembracethetorrent!andthenmightnotraptureperchancebetheportionofthisliberatedsoul?
　　Iturnedmysorrowfuleyestowardafavouritespot,whereIwasaccustomedtositwithCharlottebeneathawillowafterafatiguingwalk.Alas!itwascoveredwithwater,andwithdifficultyIfoundeventhemeadow.Andthefieldsaroundtheh...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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