Вертер был влюблён в Шарлотту –
Беззаветно, несказанно.
Леди в первую их встречу
Бутерброды нарезала.
Замужем была Шарлотта,
Вертер чести был исполнен,
И за все богатства Индий
Причинить не смел ей боль он.
Но не мог кипенье страсти
В теле вынести постылом,
И, чтоб сердце успокоить,
Пулю в лоб себе пустил он.
На её окно он рухнул –
Страсть познала миг свободы!
Но воспитанная леди...
Нарезала бутерброды.
(24 марта 2002)
SORROWS OF WERTHER
Werther had a love for Charlotte
Such as words could never utter;
Would you know how first he met her?
She was cutting bread and butter.
Charlotte was a married lady,
And a moral man was Werther,
And, for all the wealth of Indies,
Would do nothing for to hurt her.
So he sighed and pined and ogled,
And his passion boiled and bubbled,
Till he blew his silly brains out,
And no more was by it troubled.
Charlotte, having seen his body
Borne before her on a shutter,
Like a well-conducted person,
Went on cutting bread and butter.
