Hardly had their guests departed, when fresh visitors were announced--to
Charlotte most welcomely, all she wished for being to be taken out of
herself, and to have her attention dissipated. They annoyed Edward, who
was longing to devote himself to Ottilie; and Ottilie did not like them
either; the copy which had to be finished the next morning early being
still incomplete. They staid a long time, and immediately that they were
gone she hurried off to her room.

It was now evening. Edward, Charlotte, and the Captain had accompanied
the strangers some little way on foot, before the latter got into their
carriage, and previous to returning home they agreed to take a walk
along the water-side.

A boat had come, which Edward had had fetched from a distance, at no
little expense; and they decided that they would try whether it was easy
to manage. It was made fast on the bank of the middle pond, not far from
some old ash trees on which they calculated to make an effect in their
future improvements. There was to be a landing-place made there, and
under the trees a seat was to be raised, with some wonderful
architecture about it: it was to be the point for which people were to
make when they went across the water.

"And where had we better have the landing-place on the other side?" said
Edward. "I should think under my plane trees."

"They stand a little too far to the right," said the Captain. "You are
nearer the castle if you land further down. However, we must think about
it."

The Captain was already standing in the stern of the boat, and had taken