AUGUST 10.
If I were not a fool, I could spend the happiest and most delightful life here.
So many agreeable circumstances, and of a kind to ensure a worthy man's happiness, are seldom united.
Alas! I feel it too sensibly (明显地), -- the heart alone makes our happiness!
To be admitted into this most charming family, to be loved by the father as a son, by the children as a father, and by Charlotte!
then the noble Albert, who never disturbs my happiness by any appearance of ill-humour, receiving me with the heartiest affection, and loving me, next to Charlotte, better than all the world!{1}
Wilhelm, you would be delighted to hear us in our rambles (漫步), and conversations about Charlotte.
Nothing in the world can be more absurd than our connection, and yet the thought of it often moves me to tears.
He tells me sometimes of her excellent mother; how, upon her death-bed, she had committed her house and children to Charlotte, and had given Charlotte herself in charge to him;
how, since that time, a new spirit had taken possession of her; how, in care and anxiety for their welfare, she became a real mother to them;
how every moment of her time was devoted to some labour of love in their behalf, -- and yet her mirth (欢笑) and cheerfulness had never forsaken (抛弃) her.
I walk by his side, pluck flowers by the way, arrange them carefully into a nosegay (花束), then fling them into the first stream I pass, and watch them as they float gently away.
I forget whether I told you that Albert is to remain here. He has received a government appointment, with a very good salary;
and I understand he is in high favour at court. I have met few persons so punctual (守时的) and methodical (有方法的) in business.
AUGUST 12.
Certainly Albert is the best fellow in the world. I had a strange scene with him yesterday.
I went to take leave of him; for I took it into my head to spend a few days in these mountains, from where I now write to you.
As I was walking up and down his room, my eye fell upon his pistols. "Lend me those pistols (手枪)," said I, "for my journey."
"By all means," he replied, "if you will take the trouble to load them; for they only hang there for form."
I took down one of them; and he continued, "Ever since I was near suffering for my extreme caution, I will have nothing to do with such things."
I was curious to hear the story. "I was staying," said he, "some three months ago, at a friend's house in the country.
I had a brace of pistols with me, unloaded; and I slept without any anxiety.
One rainy afternoon I was sitting by myself, doing nothing, when it occurred to me I do not know how that the house might be attacked,
that we might require the pistols, that we might in short, you know how we go on fancying, when we have nothing better to do.
I gave the pistols to the servant, to clean and load. He was playing with the maid, and trying to frighten her, when the pistol went off -- God knows how!
-- the ramrod (推弹杆) was in the barrel (枪管); and it went straight through her right hand, and shattered (粉碎) the thumb.
I had to endure all the lamentation (悲叹), and to pay the surgeon's bill; so, since that time, I have kept all my weapons unloaded.
But, my dear friend, what is the use of prudence (谨慎)? We can never be on our guard against all possible dangers.
However," -- now, you must know I can tolerate all men till they come to "however;" -- for it is self-evident that every universal rule must have its exceptions.
But he is so exceedingly (极度地) accurate, that, if he only fancies he has said a word too precipitate (轻率的), or too general, or only half true, he never ceases to qualify (限定), to modify, and extenuate (减轻) , till at last he appears to have said nothing at all.{2}
Upon this occasion, Albert was deeply immersed (沉浸) 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 (理解) how a man can be so mad as to shoot himself, and the bare idea of it shocks me."
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"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 (不可避免的) ? 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 (死亡) , 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 (牺牲) his faithless wife and her perfidious seducer?
or at the young maiden, who, in her weak hour of rapture (快乐), forgets herself in the impetuous (冲动的) joys of love?
Even our laws, cold and cruel as they are, relent (减弱) in such cases, and withhold (保留) their punishment."
"That is quite another thing," said Albert; "because a man under the influence of violent passion loses all power of reflection, and is regarded as intoxicated (喝醉的) or insane (疯狂的) ."
"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 (痛恨) 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.{3}
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 (处决) of a noble or generous deed, without giving rise to the exclamation that the doer is intoxicated or mad?{4} 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 (自杀) , 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 (不屈不挠) ."
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 (可怜的) commonplace when I am talking from my inmost (内心深处的) heart.
However, I composed myself, for I had often heard the same observation with sufficient vexation (烦恼);
and I answered him, therefore, with a little warmth, "You call this a weakness -- beware of being led astray (误入歧途的) by appearances.
When a nation, which has long groaned (呻吟) under the intolerable yoke (束缚) of a tyrant, rises at last and throws off its chains, do you call that weakness?{5}
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 (侮辱), 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 (举出) 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 (废止的) as soon as this measure is exceeded.
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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 (懦夫) who destroys himself, as to call a man a coward who dies of a malignant (恶性的) fever."