while in the village, and coaxing many a riband out of the women there,
old and young, they came at last, with crowds behind them and crowds
expecting them, out upon the height where the park-house was now
standing. After dinner, Charlotte rather held back her guests. She did
not wish that there should be any solemn or formal procession, and they
found their way in little parties, broken up, as they pleased, without
rule or order, to the scene of action. Charlotte staid behind with
Ottilie, and did not improve matters by doing so. For Ottilie being
really the last that appeared, it seemed as if the trumpets and the
clarionets had only been waiting for her, and as if the gaieties had
been ordered to commence directly on her arrival.

To take off the rough appearance of the house, it had been hung with
green boughs and flowers. They had dressed it out in an architectural
fashion, according to a design of the Captain's; only that, without his
knowledge, Edward had desired the Architect to work in the date upon the
cornice in flowers, and this was necessarily permitted to remain. The
Captain had arrived on the scene just in time to prevent Ottilie's name
from figuring in splendor on the gable. The beginning, which had been
made for this, he contrived to turn skilfully to some other use, and to
get rid of such of the letters as had been already finished.

The garland was set up, and was to be seen far and wide about the
country. The flags and the ribands fluttered gaily in the air; and a
short oration was, the greater part of it, dispersed by the wind. The
solemnity was at an end. There was now to be a dance on the smooth lawn
in front of the building, which had been inclosed with boughs and
branches. A gaily-dressed working mason took Edward up to a
smart-looking girl of the village, and called himself upon Ottilie, who
stood out with him. These two couples speedily found others to follow