been so much
bathed and walked about all day that it was incapable of intruding its
shadow on the light of the soul, and remained entirely quiescent,
pleased to be left quiet and forgotten in an easy-chair. The light of my
soul, feeble as it had been since Thiessow, burned that night clear and
steady, for once more I was alone and could breathe and think and
rejoice over the serenity of the next few days that lay before me like a
fair landscape in the sun. And when I had come to the end of the island
and my drive I would go home and devote ardent weeks to bringing
Charlotte and the Professor together again. If necessary I would even
ask her to come and stay with me, so much stirred was I by the desire to
do good. Match-making is not a work I have cared about since one that I
made with infinite enthusiasm resulted a few months later in reproaches
of a bitter nature being heaped on my head by the persons matched; but
surely to help reunite two noble souls, one of which is eager to be
reunited and the other only does not know what it really wants, is a
blessed work? Anyhow the contemplation of it made me glow.

After the sun had dropped behind the black line of pines on the right
the plain seemed to wrap itself in peace. The road beneath my window was
quite quiet except for the occasional clatter past of a child in wooden
shoes. Of all the places I had stayed at in Ruegen this place was the
most countrified and innocent. Idly I sat there, enjoying the soft
dampness of the clover-laden air, counting how many stars I could see in
the pale sky, watching the women who had been milking the cows far away
across the plain come out of the dusk towards me carrying their frothing
pails. It must have been quite late, for the plain had risen up in front
of my window like a great black wall, when I heard a rattle of wheels on
the high road in the direction of Bobbin. At first very faint it grew
rapidly louder. 'What a time to come along this lonely road,' I thought;
and wondered how it would be farther along where the blackness of the
pines began. But the cart pulled up immediately beneath my window, and
leaning out I saw the light from the inn door stream on to a green hat
that I knew, and familiar shoulders draped in waterproof clothing.

'Why, what in the world----' I exclaimed.

The Professor looked up quickly. 'Lot left Sassnitz by steamer this
morning,' he cried in English and in great jubilation. 'She took a
ticket for Arkona.