MAY 30.

5月30日

What I have lately said of painting is equally true with respect to poetry. It is only necessary for us to know what is really excellent, and venture to give it expression; and that is saying much in few words. To—day I have had a scene, which, if literally related, would, make the most beautiful idyl in the world. But why should I talk of poetry and scenes and idyls? Can we never take pleasure in nature without having recourse to art?

前几天跟你谈到的有关作画的话也同样适用于诗歌创作。只是我们必须要知道什么才是真正美好的东西，并且敢于表达出来，并做到言简意赅。今天我见到一个场景，如果照实写下来，那将是世间最美的一首田园诗。可是为什么要谈诗歌、美景和田园诗呢？难道只有运用艺术才能体验大自然的快乐吗？

If you expect anything grand or magnificent from this introduction, you will be sadly mistaken. It relates merely to a peasant—lad, who has excited in me the warmest interest. As usual, I shall tell my story badly; and you, as usual, will think me extravagant. It is Walheim once more—always Walheim—which produces these wonderful phenomena.

如果你期望从这段开场白里看到我的高谈阔论，那你就大错特错了。引起我浓厚兴趣的，仅仅是一个年轻的庄稼汉罢了。像往常一样，我会叙述得很糟糕，而你，也会像往常一样，认为我是在夸大其词。这事又是发生在瓦尔海姆——总是在瓦尔海姆——这个地方总是有这些神奇的事。

A party had assembled outside the house under the linden—trees, to drink coffee. The company did not exactly please me; and, under one pretext or another, I lingered behind.

一伙人聚在屋外的菩提树下喝着咖啡。我和这些人并不怎么聊得来，于是随便找了个借口，慢悠悠地走在后面。

A peasant came from an adjoining house, and set to work arranging some part of the same plough which I had lately sketched. His appearance pleased me; and I spoke to him, inquired about his circumstances, made his acquaintance, and, as is my wont with persons of that class, was soon admitted into his confidence. He said he was in the service of a young widow, who set great store by him. He spoke so much of his mistress, and praised her so extravagantly, that I could soon see he was desperately in love with her. "She is no longer young, " he said: "and she was treated so badly by her former husband that she does not mean to marry again. " From his account it was so evident what incomparable charms she possessed for him, and how ardently he wished she would select him to extinguish the recollection of her first husband's misconduct, that I should have to repeat his own words in order to describe the depth of the poor fellow's attachment, truth, and devotion. It would, in fact, require the gifts of a great poet to convey the expression of his features, the harmony of his voice, and the heavenly fire of his eye. No words can portray the tenderness of his every movement and of every feature: no effort of mine could do justice to the scene. His alarm lest I should misconceive his position with regard to his mistress, or question the propriety of her conduct, touched me particularly. The charming manner with which he described her form and person, which, without possessing the graces of youth, won and attached him to her, is inexpressible, and must be left to the imagination. I have never in my life witnessed or fancied or conceived the possibility of such intense devotion, such ardent affections, united with so much purity. Do not blame me if I say that the recollection of this innocence and truth is deeply impressed upon my very soul; that this picture of fidelity and tenderness haunts me everywhere; and that my own heart, as though enkindled by the flame, glows and burns within me.

一个农夫从隔壁的屋里走了出来，开始动手修理我最近画过的那张犁。我喜欢他的长相，便开始跟他闲聊，询问他的情况，和他熟络起来。像我平时跟这类人交往一样，我很快就得到了他的信任。他说他在一位年轻的寡妇家里做工，她待他很好。谈起他的女东家，他就滔滔不绝，对她赞不绝口，我很快就看出他已经深深爱上了她。 “她已不再年轻了，” 他说， “由于受到前夫的虐待，她不准备再嫁了。” 从他的话里可以明显地察觉到，她对他有着致命的吸引力。他多希望她能选中他，让他来消除前夫给她带来的伤痛。我必须逐字逐句地重复他的原话，才能描绘出这个可怜的家伙心中的依恋、忠诚与痴情。事实上，只有具备了伟大诗人的禀赋才能描绘出他的神情举止，他那和谐的声音，以及他火热的目光。任何语言都无法表达出他举手投足间，他每个表情中暗藏的柔情，我所说的这些也不过是蜻蜓点水而已。特别令我感动的是，他那么害怕我对他和她的关系产生误解，或者对她的良好品行产生怀疑。她的容貌和体态已经失去了年轻时的魅力，但却依然强有力地吸引着他，此情此景已无法用言语来表达，只能留给我们的内心去揣摩。我平生从未见过，也从未梦想过或是想象过可能存在如此炽热的爱恋、如此赤诚的情感，这情感是那么纯洁。请不要怪我告诉你这些，这份纯朴、真挚的爱情深深地烙在了我的灵魂深处；这幅忠贞不渝、柔情似水的图画时刻萦绕在我心头，我自己的心也好像被这股烈焰点燃了，心中激情澎湃、灼热无比。

I mean now to try and see her as soon as I can: or perhaps, on second thoughts, I had better not; it is better I should behold her through the eyes of her lover. To my sight, perhaps, she would not appear as she now stands before me; and why should I destroy so sweet a picture?

我现在渴望尽快见到她，不过转念一想，或许还是不见为好，通过她情人的眼睛来看她，岂不更好。也许，在我眼中，她并不是现在呈现在我眼前的样子，我何必要去破坏这么美好的画面呢？