that he had left his watch
and seals lying on the table. She must not see these first. He ran back
and brought them away with him. At the same instant he heard the hostess
in the antechamber showing Ottilie the way to her apartments. He sprang
to the bedroom door. It was shut. In his haste, as he had come back for
his watch, he had forgotten to take out the key, which had fallen out,
and lay the other side. The door had closed with a spring, and he could
not open it. He pushed at it with all his might, but it would not yield.
Oh, how gladly would he have been a spirit, to escape through its
cracks! In vain. He hid his face against the panels. Ottilie entered,
and the hostess, seeing him, retired. From Ottilie herself, too, he
could not remain concealed for a moment. He turned toward her; and there
stood the lovers once more, in such strange fashion, in each other's
presence. She looked at him calmly and earnestly, without advancing or
retiring. He made a movement to approach her, and she withdrew a few
steps toward the table. He stepped back again. "Ottilie!" he cried
aloud, "Ottilie! let me break this frightful silence! Are we shadows,
that we stand thus gazing at each other? Only listen to me; listen to
this at least. It is an accident that you find me here thus. There is a
letter on the table, at your side there, which was to have prepared you.
Read it, I implore you--read it--and then determine as you will!"

She looked down at the letter; and after thinking a few seconds, she
took it up, opened it, and read it: she finished it without a change of
expression; and she laid it lightly down; then joining the palms of her
hands together, turning them upward, and drawing them against her
breast, she leant her body a little forward, and regarded Edward with
such a look, that, eager as he was, he was compelled to renounce
everything he wished or desired of her. Such an attitude cut him to the
heart; he could not bear it. It seemed exactly as if she would fall upon
her knees before him, if he persisted. He hurried in despair out of the
room, and leaving her alone, sent the hostess in to her.

He walked up and down the antechamber. Night had come on, and there was
no sound in the room. At last the hostess came out and drew the key out
of the lock. The good woman was embarrassed and agitated, not knowing
what it would be proper for her to do. At last as she turned to go, she
offered the key to Edward, who refused it; and put