skater seemed yet to have reached.

I went home, and on the following afternoon carried out my resolution;
though it was after three o'clock before I could set out.

A long, bleak way. First up the merry Jaegerhofstrasse, then through the
Malkasten garden, up a narrow lane, then out upon the open, bleak road,
with that bitter wind going ping-ping at one's ears and upon one's
cheek. Through a big gate-way, and a court-yard pertaining to an orphan
asylum--along a lane bordered with apple-trees, through a rustic arch,
and, hurrah! the field was before me--not so thickly covered as
yesterday, for it was getting late, and the Elberthalers did not seem to
understand the joy of careering over the black ice by moonlight, in the
night wind. It was, however, as yet far from dark, and the moon was
rising in silver yonder, in a sky of a pale but clear blue.

I quickly put on my skates--stumbled to the edge, and set off. I took a
few turns, circling among the people--then, seeing several turn to look
at me, I fixed my eyes upon a distant clump of reeds rising from the
ice, and resolved to make it my goal. I could only just see it, even
with my long-sighted eyes, but struck out for it bravely. Past group
after group of the skaters who turned to look at my scarlet shawl as it
flashed past. I glanced at them and skimmed smoothly on, till I came to
the outside circle where there was a skater all alone, his hands thrust
deep into his great-coat pockets, the collar of the same turned high
about his ears, and the inevitable little gray cloth _Studentenhut_
crowning the luxuriance of waving dark hair. He was gliding round in
complicated figures and circles, doing the outside edge for his own
solitary gratification, so far as I could see; active, graceful, and
muscular, with practiced ease and assured strength in every limb. It
needed no second glance on my part to assure me who he was--even if the
dark bright eyes had not been caught by the flash of my cloak, and
gravely raised for a moment as I flew by. I dashed on, breasting the
wind. To reach the bunch of reeds seemed more than ever desirable now. I
would make it my sole companion until it was time to go away. At least
he had seen me, and I was safe from any _contretemps_--he would avoid me
as strenuously as I avoided him. But the first fresh lust after pleasure
was gone. Just one moment's glance into a face had had the power to
alter everything so much. I skated on, as fast, as surely