—— that a peasant had been murdered ！ But this made little impression
upon him。 Entering the apartment， he found Charlotte engaged reasoning
with her father ， who， in spite of his infirmity， insisted on going
to the scene of the crime ， in order to institute an inquiry。 The criminal
was unknown ； the victim had been found dead at his own door that morning。
Suspicions were excited ： the murdered man had been in the service of
a widow ， and the person who had previously filled the situation had
been dismissed from her employment。
As soon as Werther heard this ， he exclaimed with great excitement，
〃Is it possible ！ I must go to the spot—— I cannot delay a moment！
〃 He hastened to Walheim。 Every incident returned vividly to his remembrance
； and he entertained not the slightest doubt that that man was the murderer
to whom he had so often spoken， and for whom he entertained so much regard。
His way took him past the well…known lime trees ， to the house where
the body had been carried ； and his feelings were greatly excited at
the sight of the fondly recollected spot。 That threshold where the neighbours'
children had so often played together was stained with blood； love and
attachment， the noblest feelings of human nature ， had been converted
into violence and murder。 The huge trees stood there leafless and covered
with hoarfrost； the beautiful hedgerows which surrounded the old churchyard
wall were withered； and the gravestones， half covered with snow ， were
visible through the openings。
As he approached the inn， in front of which the whole village was
assembled ， screams were suddenly heard。 A troop of armed peasants was
seen approaching， and every one exclaimed that the criminal had been
apprehended。 Werther looked ， and was not long in doubt。 The prisoner
was no other than the servant ， who had been formerly so attached to
the widow ， and whom he had met prowling about ， with that suppressed
anger and ill…concealed despair ， which we have before described。
〃What have you done ， unfortunate man？〃 inquired Werther， as he
advanced toward the prisoner。 The latter turned his eyes upon him in silence，
and then replied with perfect posure ； 〃No one will now marry her ，
and she will marry no one。〃 The prisoner was taken into the inn ， and
Werther left the place。 The mind of Werther was fearfully excited by this
shocking occurrence。 He ceased， however， to be oppressed by his usual
feeling of melancholy ， moroseness ， and indifference to everything
that passed around him。 He entertained a strong degree of pity for the
prisoner， and was seized with an indescribable anxiety to save him from
his impending fate。 He considered him so unfortunate， he deemed his crime
so excusable， and thought his own condition so nearly similar， that
he felt convinced he could make every one else view the matter in the
light in which he saw it himself。 He now became anxious to undertake his
defence ， and menced posing an eloquent speech for the occasion
； and， on his way to the hunting…lodge， he could not refrain from speaking
aloud the statement which he resolved to make to the judge。
Upon his arrival， he found Albert had been before him： and he was
a little perplexed by this meeting； but he soon recovered himself， and
expressed his opinion with much warmth to the judge。 The latter shook ，
his head doubtingly ； and although Werther urged his case with the utmost
zeal， feeling， and determination in defence of his client ， yet， as
we may easily suppose ， the judge was not much influenced by his appeal。
On the contrary ， he interrupted him in his address， reasoned with him
seriously ， and even administered a rebuke to him for being the advocate
of a murderer。 He demonstrated， that ， according to this precedent，
every law might be violated ， and the public security utterly destroyed。
He added， moreover ， that in such a case he could himself do nothing，
without incurring the greatest responsibility ； that everything must
follow in the usual course， and pursue the ordinary channel。
Werther ， however， did not abandon his enterprise ， and even besought
the judge to connive at the flight of the prisoner。 But this proposal
was peremptorily rejected。 Albert ， who had taken some part in the discussion，
coincided in opinion with the judge。 At this Werther became enraged ，
and took his leave in great anger ， after the judge had more than once
assured him that the prisoner could not be saved。
The excess of his grief at this assurance may be inferred from a note
we have found amongst his papers， and which was doubtless written upon
this very occasion。
〃You cannot be saved， unfortunate man！ I see clearly that we cannot
be saved！〃
Werther was highly incensed at the observations which Albert had made
to the judge in this matter of the prisoner。 He thought he could detect
therein a little bitterness toward himself personally ； and although ，
upon reflection ， it could not escape his sound judgment that their view
of the matter was correct ， he felt the greatest possible reluctance
to make such an admission。
A memorandum of Werther's upon this point ， expressive of his general
feelings toward Albert， has been found amongst his papers。
〃What is the use of my continually repeating that he is a good and
estimable man ？ He is an inward torment to me， and I am incapable of
being just toward him。〃
One fine evening in winter， when the weather seemed inclined to thaw，
Charlotte and Albert were returning home together。 The former looked from
time to time about her， as if she missed Werther's pany。 Albert began
to speak of him ， and censured him for his prejudices。 He alluded to
his unfortunate attachment， and wished it were possible to discontinue
his acquaintance。 〃I desire it on our own account ，〃 he added； 〃and
I request you will pel him to alter his deportment toward you， and
to visit you less frequently。 The world is censorious ， and I know that
here and there we are spoken of。〃 Charlotte made no reply ， and Albert
seemed to feel her silence。 At least， from that time he never again spoke
of Werther； and， when she introduced the subject， he allowed the conversation
to die away ， or else he directed the discourse into another channel。
The vain attempt Werther had made to save the unhappy murderer was
the last feeble glimmering of a flame about to be extinguished。 He sank
almost immediately afterward into a state of gloom and inactivity ， until
he was at length brought to perfect distraction by learning that he was
to be summoned as a witness against the prisoner， who asserted his plete
innocence。
His mind now became oppressed by the recollection of every misfortune
of his past life。 The mortification he had suffered at the ambassador's，
and his subsequent troubles ， were revived in his memory。 He became utterly
inactive。 Destitute of energy ， he was cut off from every pursuit and
occupation which pose the business of mon life； and he became a
victim to his own susceptibility， and to his restless passion for the
most amiable and beloved of women ， whose peace he destroyed。 In this
unvarying monotony of existence his days were consumed； and his powers
became exhausted without aim or design， until they brought him to a sorrowful
end。
A few letters which he left behind， and which we here subjoin， afford
the best proofs of his anxiety of mind and of the depth of his passion，
as well as of his doubts and struggles， and of his weariness of life。
DECEMBER 12。 Dear Wilhelm ， I am reduced to the condition of those
unfortunate wretches who believe they are pursued by an evil spirit。 Sometimes
I am oppressed， not by apprehension or fear， but by an inexpressible
internal sensation， which weighs upon my heart ， and impedes my breath！
Then I wander forth at night， even in this tempestuous season， and feel
pleasure in surveying the dreadful scenes around me。
Yesterday evening I went forth。 A rapid thaw had suddenly set in：
I had been informed that the river had risen， that the brooks had all
overflowed their banks， and that the whole vale of Walheim was under
water ！ Upon the stroke of twelve I hastened forth。 I beheld a fearful
sight。 The foaming torrents rolled from the mountains in the moonlight，
—— fields and meadows ， trees and hedges ， were confounded together
； and the entire valley was converted into a deep lake ， which was agitated
by the roaring wind ！ And when the moon shone forth， and tinged the
black clouds with silver， and the impetuous torrent at my feet foamed
and resounded with awful and grand impetuosity， I was overe by a mingled
sensation of apprehension and delight。 With extended arms I looked down
into the yawning abyss， and cried， 〃Plunge！'〃 For a moment my senses
forsook me， in the intense delight of ending my sorrows and my sufferings
by a plunge into that gulf！ And then I felt as if I were rooted to the
earth ， and incapable of seeking an end to my woes ！ But my hour is
not yet e： I feel it is not。 O Wilhelm， how willingly could I abandon
my existence to ride the whirlwind， or to embrace the torrent！ and then
might not rapture perchance be the portion of this liberated soul ？
I turned my sorrowful eyes toward a favourite spot， where I was accustomed
to sit with Charlotte beneath a willow after a fatiguing walk。 Alas ！
it was covered with water ， and with difficulty I found even the meadow。
And the fields around the hunting…lodge ， thought I。 Has our dear bower
been destroyed by this unpitying storm？ And a beam of past happiness
streamed upon me， as the mind of a captive is illumined by dreams of
flocks and herds and bygone joys of home！ But I am free from blame。 I
have courage to die ！ Perhaps I have ，—— but I still sit here ， like
a wretched pauper ， who collects fagots， and begs her bread from door
to door ， that she may prolong for a few days a miserable existence which
she is unwilling to resign。
DECEMBER 15。 What is the matter with me ， dear Wilhelm ？ I am afraid
o