t that they ought
maturely to consider how they had better enter upon it. Edward agreed to
this, and consented to wait before he took any steps; but only under the
condition that his friend should not leave him until they had come to a
perfect understanding about it, and until the first measures had been
taken.

CHAPTER XIII

Men who are complete strangers, and wholly indifferent to one another,
if they live a long time together, are sure both of them to expose
something of their inner nature, and thus a kind of intimacy will arise
between them. All the more was it to be expected that there would soon
be no secrets between our two friends, now that they were again under
the same roof together, and in daily and hourly intercourse. They went
over again the earlier stages of their history, and the Major confessed
to Edward that Charlotte had intended Ottilie for him at the time at
which he returned from abroad, and hoped that some time or other he
might marry her. Edward was in ecstasies at this discovery; he spoke
without reserve of the mutual affection of Charlotte and the Major,
which, because it happened to fall in so conveniently with his own
wishes, he painted in very lively colors.

Deny it altogether, the Major could not; at the same time, he could not
altogether acknowledge it. But Edward only insisted on it the more. He
had pictured the whole thing to himself not as possible, but as already
concluded; all parties had only to resolve on what they all wished;
there would be no difficulty in obtaining a separation; the marriages
should follow as soon after as possible, and Edward could travel with
Ottilie.

Of all the pleasant things which imagination pictures to us, perhaps
there is none more charming than when lovers and young married people
look forward to enjoying their new relation to each other in a fresh,
new world, and test the endurance of the bond between them in so many
changing circumstances. The Major and Charlotte were in the meantime to
have unrestricted powers to settle all questions of money, property, and
other such important worldly matters; and to do whatever was right and
proper for the satisfaction of all parties. What Edward dwelt the most
upon, however, what he seemed to promise himself the most advantage from
was this:--as the child would have to remain with the mother, the Major
would charge himself with the education of it; he would train the boy
according to his own views, an