ive, but she never spoke of the
present, or of what had lately passed. She had been a close and
thoughtful observer. She knew much, and now it all came to the surface.
She entertained, she amused Charlotte, and the latter still nourished a
hope in secret to see her married to Edward after all.

But something very different was passing in Ottilie. She had disclosed
the secret of the course of her life to her friend, and she showed no
more of her previous restraint and submissiveness. By her repentance and
her resolution she felt herself freed from the burden of her fault and
her misfortune. She had no more violence to do to herself. In the bottom
of her heart she had forgiven herself solely under condition of the
fullest renunciation, and it was a condition which would remain binding
for all time to come.

So passed away some time, and Charlotte now felt how deeply house and
park, and lake and rocks and trees, served to keep alive in them all
their most painful reminiscences. They wanted change of scene, both of
them, it was plain enough; but how it was to be effected was not so
easy to decide.

Were the two ladies to remain together? Edward's previously expressed
will appeared to enjoin it--his declarations and his threats appeared to
make it necessary; only it could not be now mistaken that Charlotte and
Ottilie, with all their good will, with all their sense, with all their
efforts to conceal it, could not avoid finding themselves in a painful
situation toward each other. In their conversation there was a constant
endeavor to avoid doubtful subjects. They were often obliged only half
to understand some allusion; more often, expressions were
misinterpreted, if not by their understandings, at any rate by their
feelings. They were afraid to give pain to each other, and this very
fear itself produced the evil which they were seeking to avoid.

If they were to try change of scene, and at the same time (at any rate
for a while) to part, the old question came up again: Where was Ottilie
to go? There was the grand, rich family, who still wanted a desirable
companion for their daughter, their attempts to find a person whom they
could trust having hitherto proved ineffectual. The last time the
Baroness had been at the castle, she had urged Charlotte to send Ottilie
there, and she had been lately pressing it again and again in her
letters. Charlotte now a second time proposed it; but Ottilie expressly
declined going anywhere