Small Catechism 第26章

"Iwasonceahappymanmyself;Icouldsmile，asyoudo，andIcouldrejoiceinthemorningasyoudo;thatwasbeforethehypocriticalchaplainhadsobewilderedthewisemindofmylovelywifewithhiscantingtalk，thatshewentintoacloister，andleftmealonewithourwildboy.ThatwasnotfairusagefromthefairVerena.Well，soitwas，thatinthefirstdaysofherdawningbeauty，beforeIknewher，manyknightssoughtherhand，amongstwhomwasSirWeigandtheSlender;andtowardshimthegentlemaidenshowedherselfthemostfavourablyinclined.HerparentswerewellawarethatWeigandsrankandstationwerelittlebelowtheirown，andthathisearlyfameasawarriorwithoutreproachstoodhigh;sothatbeforelongVerenaandhewereaccountedasaffianced.Ithappenedonedaythattheywerewalkingtogetherintheorchard，whenashepherdwasdrivinghisflockupthemountainbeyond.Themaidensawalittlesnow-whitelambfrolickinggaily，andlongedforit.Weigandvaultsovertherailings，overtakestheshepherd，andoffershimtwogoldbraceletsforthelamb.Buttheshepherdwillnotpartwithit，andscarcelylistenstotheknight，goingquietlythewhileupthemountain-side，withWeigandcloseuponhiAtlastWeigandlosespatience.Hethreatens;andtheshepherd，sturdyandproudlikeallofhisraceinournorthernland，threatensinreturn.SuddenlyWeigandsswordresoundsuponhishead，--thestrokeshouldhavefallenflat，butwhocancontrolafieryhorseoradrawnsword?Thebleedingshepherd，withaclovenskull，fallsdowntheprecipice;hisfrightenedflockbleatsonthemountain.Onlythelittlelambrunsinitsterrortotheorchard，pushesitselfthroughthegarden-rails，andliesatVerenasfeet，asifaskingforhelp，allredwithitsmastersblood.Shetookitupinherarms，andfromthatmomentneversufferedWeigandtheSlendertoappearagainbeforeherface.Shecontinuedtocherishthelittlelamb，andseemedtotakepleasureinnothingelseintheworld，andbecamepaleandturnedtowardsheaven，astheliliesare.Shewouldsoonhavetakentheveil，butjustthenIcametoaidherfatherinabloodywar，andrescuedhimfromhisenemies.Theoldmanrepresentedthistoher，and，softlysmiling，shegavemeherlovelyhand.HisgriefwouldnotsuffertheunhappyWeigandtoremaininhisowncountry.ItdrovehimforthasapilgrimtoAsia，whenceourforefatherscame，andtherehedidwonderfuldeeds，bothofvalourandself-abasement.Truly，myheartwasstrangelyweakwhenIheardhimspokenofatthattime.Aftersomeyearshereturned，andwishedtobuildachurchormonasteryonthatmountaintowardsthewest，whencethewallsofmycastlearedistinctlyseen.Itwassaidthathewishedtobecomeapriestthere，butitfelloutotherwise.Forsomepirateshadsailedfromthesouthernseas，and，hearingofthebuildingofthismonastery，theirchiefthoughttofindmuchgoldbelongingtothelordofthecastleandtothemasterbuilders，orelse，ifhesurprisedandcarriedthemoff，toextortfromthemamightyransoHedidnotyetknownortherncourageandnorthernweapons;buthesoongainedthatknowledge.Havinglandedinthecreekundertheblackrocks，hemadehiswaythroughaby-pathuptothebuilding，surroundedit，andthoughtinhimselfthattheaffairwasnowended.Ha!thenoutrushedWeigandandhisbuilders，andfelluponthemwithswordsandhatchetsandhammers.Theheathensfledawaytotheirships，withWeigandbehindtotakevengeanceontheInpassingbyourcastlehecaughtasightofVerenaontheterrace，and，forthefirsttimeduringsomanyyears，shebestowedacourteousandkindsalutationontheglowingvictor.Atthatmomentadagger，hurledbyoneofthepiratesinthemidstofhishastyflight，struckWeigandsuncoveredhead，andhefelltothegroundbleedingandinsensible.Wecompletedtheroutoftheheathens:thenIhadthewoundedknightbroughtintothecastle;andmypaleVerenaglowedasliliesinthelightofthemorningsun，andWeigandopenedhiseyeswithasmilewhenhewasbroughtnearher.Herefusedtobetakenintoanyroombutthesmalloneclosetothiswherethearmourisnowplaced;forhesaidthathefeltasifitwereacelllikethatwhichhehopedsoontoinhabitinhisquietcloister.Allwasdoneafterhiswish:

mysweetVerenanursedhim，andheappearedatfirsttobeonthestraightestroadtorecovery;buthisheadcontinuedweakandliabletobeconfusedbytheslightestemotion，hiswalkwasratherafallingthanawalking，andhischeekswerecolourless.Wecouldnotlethimgo.Whenweweresittingheretogetherintheevening，heusedalwaystocometotteringintothehallthroughthelowdoorway;andmyheartwassadandwrathfultoo，whenthesofteyesofVerenabeamedsosweetlyonhim，andaglowlikethatoftheeveningskyhoveredoverherlilycheeks.ButIboreit，andIcouldhaveborneittotheendofourlives，--when，alas!Verenawentintoacloister!"Hisheadfellsoheavilyonhisfoldedhands，thatthestonetableseemedtogroanbeneathit，andheremainedalongwhilemotionlessasacorpse.Whenheagainraisedhimselfup，hiseyesglaredfearfullyashelookedroundthehall，andhesaidtoFolko:"YourbelovedHamburghers，GotthardLenz，andRudliebhisson，theyhavemuchtoanswerfor!Whobidthemcomeandbeshipwreckedsoclosetomycastle?"Folkocastapiercinglookonhim，andafearfulinquirywasonthepointofescapinghislips，butanotherlookatthetremblingGabriellemadehimsilent，atleastforthepresentmoment，andtheknightBiorncontinuedhisnarrative.

"Verenawaswithhernuns，Iwasleftalone，andmydespairhaddrivenmethroughoutthedaythroughforestandbrookandmountain.

InthetwilightIreturnedtomydesertedcastle，andscarcelywasIinthehall，whenthelittledoorcreaked，andWeigand，whohadsleptthroughall，crepttowardsmeandasked:WherecanVerenabe?ThenIbecameasmad，andhowledtohim，Sheisgonemad，andsoamI，andyoualso，andnowweareallmad!MercifulHeaven，thewoundonhisheadburstopen，andadarkstreamflowedoverhisface--ah!howdifferentfromtherednesswhenVerenamethimatthecastle-gate;andherushedforth，ravingmad，intothewildernesswithout，andeversincehaswanderedallaroundasacrazypilgri"Hewassilent，andsowereFolkoandGabrielle，allthreepaleandcoldlikeimagesofthedead.Atlengththefearfulnarratoraddedinalowvoice，andasifhewerequiteexhausted:"Hehasvisitedmesincethattime，buthewillneveragaincomethroughthelittledoor.HaveInotestablishedpeaceandorderinmycastle?"