"Destiny often pulls off leaves, as we treat the vine, that its fruits may be earlier brought to maturity1."--JEAN PAUL.
It was not until toward morning that Otto fell into sleep. Wilhelm and he were allowed to take their own time in rising, and thus it was late in the day before these two gentlemen made their appearance at the breakfast-table; the Kammerjunker was already come over to the hall, and now was more adorned2 than common.
"Mr. Thostrup shall be one of the initiated3!" said the mother. "It will be time enough this evening for strangers to know of it. The Kammerjunker and my Sophie are betrothed4."
"See, it was in the bright moonlight, Mr. Thostrup, that I became such a happy man!" said the Kammerjunker, and kissed the tips of Sophie's fingers. He offered his other hand to Otto.
Otto's countenance5 remained unchanged, a smile played upon his lips. "I congratulate you!" said he; "it is indeed a joyful6 day! If I were a poet, I would give you an ode!"
Louise looked at him with an extraordinary expression of pain in her countenance.
Wilhelm called the Kammerjunker brother-in-law, and smiling shook both his hands.
Otto was unusually gay, jested, and laughed. The ladies went to their toilet, Otto into the garden.
He had been so convinced in his own mind that Sophie returned his passion. With what pleasure had she listened to him! with what an expression had her eye rested upon him! Her little jests had been to him such convincing proofs that the hope which he nourished was no self-delusion. She was the light around which his thoughts had circled. Love to her was to him a good angel, which sung to him consolation7 and life's gladness in his dark moments.
Now, all was suddenly over. It was as if the angel had left him; the flame of love which had so entirely8 filled his soul, was in a moment extinguished to its last spark. Sophie was become a stranger to him; her intellectual eye, which smiled in love on the Kammerjunker, seemed to him the soulless eye of the automaton9. A stupefying indifference10 went through him, deadly as poison that is infused into the human blood.
"The vain girl! she thought to make herself more important by repelling11 from her a faithful heart! She should only see how changed her image is in my soul. All the weaknesses which my love for her made me pass over, now step forth12 with repulsive13 features! Not a word which she spoke14 fell to the ground. The diamond has lost its lustre15; I feel only its sharp corners!"
Sophie had given the preference to a man who, in respect of intellect, stood far below Otto! Sophie, who seemed to be enthusiastic for art and beauty, for everything glorious in the kingdom of mind, could thus have deceived him!
Sophie stood thoughtfully with a smile upon her lips.
"You ought to find him love-worthy!" said Louise.
"Yes," replied her sister, "I have always admired these strong countenances19! He is an Axel--a northern blackbearded savage20. Faces such as Wilhelm's look like ladies'! And he is so good! He has said, that immediately after our marriage we shall make a tour to Hamburg. What dress do you think I should wear?"
"When you make the journey to Hamburg?" inquired Louise.
"O no, child! to-day I mean. Thostrup was indeed very polite! he congratulated me! I felt, however, rather curious when it was told to him. I had quite expected a scene! I was almost ready to beg of you to tell him first of all. He ought to have been prepared. But he was, however, very rational! I should not have expected it from him. I really wish him all good, but he is an extraordinary character! so melancholy21! Do you think that he will take my betrothal22 to heart? I noticed that when I was kissed he turned himself suddenly round to the window and played with the flowers. I wish that he would soon go! The journey into foreign countries will do him good--there he will soon forget his heart's troubles. To-morrow I will write to Cousin Joachim; he will also be surprised!"
Late in the afternoon came Jakoba, the Mamsell, the preacher, and yet a few other guests.
In the evening the table was arranged festively23. The betrothed sat together, and Otto had the place of honor--he sat on the other side of Sophie. The preacher had written a song to the tune24 of "Be thou our social guardian-goddess;" this was sung. Otto's voice sounded beautifully and strong; he rang his glass with the betrothed pair, and the Kammerjunker said that now Mr. Thostrup must speedily seek out a bride for himself.
"She is found," answered Otto; "but now that is yet a secret."
"Health to the bride!" said Sophie, and rung her glass; but soon again her intellectual eye rested upon the Kammerjunker, who was talking about asparagus and stall-feeding with clover, yet her glance brought him back again to the happiness of his love.
It was a very lively evening. Late in the night the party broke up. The friends went to their chamber.
"My dear, faithful Otto!" said Wilhelm, and laid his hand on his shoulder; "you were very lively and good-humored this evening. Continue always thus!"
"I hope to do so," answered Otto: "may we only always have as happy an evening as this!"
"Extraordinary man!" said Wilhelm, and shook his head. "Now we will soon set out on our journey, and catch for ourselves the happiness of the glorious gold bird!"
"And not let it escape again!" exclaimed Otto. "Formerly25 I used to say, To-morrow! to-morrow! now I say, To-day, and all day long! Away with fancies and complainings. I now comprehend that which you once said to me, that is. Man _can_ be happy if he only _will_ be so."
Wilhelm took his hand, and looked into his face with a half-melancholy expression.
"Are you sentimental26?" inquired Otto.
"I only affect that which I am not!" answered Wilhelm; and with that, suddenly throwing off the natural gravity of the moment, returned to his customary gayety.
The following days were spent in visiting and in receiving visitors. On every post-day Otto sought through the leathern bag of the postman, but he found no letter from German Heinrich, and heard nothing from him. "I have been deceived," said he, "and I feel myself glad about it! She, the horrible one, is not my sister!"
There was a necessity for him to go away, far from home, and yet he felt no longing27 after the mountains of Switzerland or the luxuriant beauty of the south.
"Nature will only weaken me! I will not seek after it. Man it is that I require: these egotistical, false beings--these lords of everything! How we flatter our weaknesses and admire our virtues28! Whatever serves to advance our own wishes we find to be excellent. To those who love us, we give our love in return. At the bottom, whom do I love except myself? Wilhelm? My friendship for him is built upon the foundation,--I cannot do without thee! Friendship is to me a necessity. Was I not once convinced that I adored Sophie, and that I never could bear it if she were lost to me? and yet there needed the conviction 'She loves thee not,' and my strong feeling was dead. Sophie even seems to me less beautiful; I see faults where I formerly could only discover amiabilities! Now, she is to me almost wholly a stranger. As I am, so are all. Who is there that feels right lovingly, right faithfully for me, without his own interest leading him to do so? Rosalie? My old, honest Rosalie? I grew up before her eyes like a plant which she loved. I am dear to her as it! When her canary-bird one morning lay dead in its cage, she wept bitterly and long; she should never more hear it sing, she should never more look after its cage and its food. It was the loss of it which made her weep. She missed that which had been interesting to her. I also interested her. Interest is the name for that which the world calls love. Louise?" He almost spoke the name aloud, and his thoughts dwelt, from a strong combination of circumstances, upon it. "She appears to me true, and capable of making sacrifices! but is not she also very different from all the others? How often have I not heard Sophie laugh at her for it--look down upon her!" And Otto's better feeling sought in vain for a shadow of self-love in Louise, a single selfish motive29 for her noble conduct.
"Away from Denmark! to new people! Happy he who can always be on the wing, making new friendships, and speedily breaking them off! At the first meeting people wear their intellectual Sunday apparel; every point of light is brought forth; but soon and the festival-day is over, and the bright points have vanished."
"We will set off next week!" said Wilhelm, "and then it shall be--
'Over the rushing blue waters away!
Away over the moors31, up the Rhine, through the land of champagne32 to the city of cities, the life-animating Paris!"
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1
maturity
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| n.成熟；完成；(支票、债券等)到期 | |
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adorned
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| [计]被修饰的 | |
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initiated
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| n. 创始人 adj. 新加入的 vt. 开始，创始，启蒙，介绍加入 | |
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4
betrothed
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| n. 已订婚者 动词betroth的过去式和过去分词 | |
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countenance
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| n.脸色，面容；面部表情；vt.支持，赞同 | |
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6
joyful
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| adj.欢乐的，令人欢欣的 | |
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7
consolation
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| n.安慰，慰问 | |
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8
entirely
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| ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地 | |
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9
automaton
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| n.自动机器，机器人 | |
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10
indifference
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| n.不感兴趣，不关心，冷淡，不在乎 | |
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11
repelling
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| v.击退( repel的现在分词 )；使厌恶；排斥；推开 | |
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12
forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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13
repulsive
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| adj.排斥的，使人反感的 | |
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14
spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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15
lustre
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| n.光亮，光泽；荣誉 | |
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16
chamber
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| n.房间，寝室；会议厅；议院；会所 | |
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17
pensive
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| a.沉思的,哀思的,忧沉的 | |
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18
manly
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| adj.有男子气概的；adv.男子般地，果断地 | |
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19
countenances
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| n.面容( countenance的名词复数 )；表情；镇静；道义支持 | |
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savage
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| adj.野蛮的；凶恶的，残暴的；n.未开化的人 | |
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21
melancholy
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| n.忧郁，愁思；adj.令人感伤（沮丧）的，忧郁的 | |
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22
betrothal
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| n. 婚约, 订婚 | |
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festively
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| adv.节日地，适合于节日地 | |
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tune
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| n.调子；和谐，协调；v.调音，调节，调整 | |
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25
formerly
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| adv.从前，以前 | |
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sentimental
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| adj.多愁善感的，感伤的 | |
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27
longing
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| n.（for）渴望 | |
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28
virtues
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| 美德( virtue的名词复数 )； 德行； 优点； 长处 | |
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29
motive
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| n.动机，目的；adv.发动的，运动的 | |
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30
verdant
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| adj.翠绿的，青翠的，生疏的，不老练的 | |
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31
moors
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| v.停泊，系泊（船只）( moor的第三人称单数 ) | |
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32
champagne
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| n.香槟酒；微黄色 | |
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