alignments/108/aeneas/00014-elective_map.csv

f000001,17.320,19.080,"start of chapter fourteen."
f000002,19.080,39.280,"In the meantime a letter came from the Count to the Captain two, indeed one which he might produce, holding out fair, excellent prospects in the distance; the other containing a distinct offer of an immediate situa tion, a place of high importance and responsibility at the Court, his rank as Major, a very considerable salary, and other advantages."
f000003,39.280,51.240,"A number of circumstances, however, made it desirable that for the moment he should not speak of it, and consequently he only informed his friends of his distant expectations, and concealed what was so nearly impending."
f000004,51.240,61.160,"He went warmly on, at the same time, with his present occupation, and quietly made arrangements to secure the works being all continued without interruption after his departure."
f000005,61.160,69.080,"He was now himself desirous that as much as possible should be finished off at once, and was ready to hasten things forward to prepare for Ottilie's birthday."
f000006,69.080,75.520,"And so, though without having come to any express un derstanding, the two friends worked side by side together."
f000007,75.520,79.960,"Edward was now well pleased that the cashbox was filled by their having taken up money."
f000008,79.960,81.880,"The whole affair went forward at fullest speed."
f000009,81.880,88.520,"Elective Affinities The Captain had done his best to oppose the plan of  throwing the three ponds together into a single sheet of  water."
f000010,88.520,98.760,"The lower embankment would have to be made \V much stronger, the two intermediate embankments to be  taken away, and altogether, in more than one sense, it seemed a very questionable proceeding."
f000011,98.760,106.200,"However, both these schemes had been already undertaken; the soil which was removed above being carried at once down to where it was wanted."
f000012,106.200,125.560,"And here there came opportunely on the scene a young architect, an old pupil of the Captain, who partly by introducing workmen who under stood work of this nature, and partly by himself, whenever it was possible, contracting for the work itself, advanced things not a little, while at the same time they could feel more confidence in their being securely and lastingly ex ecuted."
f000013,125.560,128.360,"In secret this was a great pleasure to the Captain."
f000014,128.360,132.360,"He could now be confident that his absence would not be so severely felt."
f000015,132.360,142.160,"It was one of the points on which he was most resolute with himself, never to leave anything which he had taken in hand uncompleted, unless he could see his place satisfactorily supplied."
f000016,142.160,153.960,"And he could not but hold in small respect persons who introduce confusion around themselves only to make their absence felt, and are ready to disturb in wanton selfishness what they will not be at hand to restore."
f000017,153.960,165.240,"So they labored on, straining every nerve to make Ottilie's birthday splendid, without any open acknowl edgment that this was what they were aiming at, or, indeed, without their directly acknowledging it to them Elective Affinities selves."
f000018,165.240,170.840,"Charlotte, wholly free from jealousy as she was, could not think it right to keep it as a real festival."
f000019,170.840,187.640,"Ot tilie's youth, the circumstances of her fortune, and her relationship to their family, were not at all such as made it fit that she should appear as the queen of the day; and Edward would not have it talked about, because every thing was to spring out, as it were, of itself, with a natu ral and delightful surprise."
f000020,187.640,200.240,"They, therefore, came all of them to a sort of tacit un derstanding that on this day, without further circum stance, the new house in the park was to be opened, and they might take the occasion to invite the neighborhood and give a holiday to their own people."
f000021,200.240,202.960,"Edward's pas sion, however, knew no bounds."
f000022,202.960,208.800,"Longing as he did to give himself to Ottilie, his presents and his promises must be infinite."
f000023,208.800,216.480,"The birthday gifts which on the great occa sion he was to offer to her seemed, as Charlotte had ar ranged them, far too insignificant."
f000024,216.480,238.720,"He spoke to his valet, who had the care of his wardrobe, and who consequently had extensive acquaintance among the tailors and mercers and fashionable milliners; and he, who not only under stood himself what valuable presents were, but also the most graceful way in which they should be offered, immediately ordered an elegant box, covered with red morocco and studded with steel nails, to be filled with presents worthy of such a shell."
f000025,238.720,241.720,"Another thing, too, he suggested to Edward."
f000026,241.720,246.320,"Among the stores at the castle was a small show of fireworks which had never been let off."
f000027,246.320,249.720,"It would be easy to get some more, and have something Elective Affinities really fine."
f000028,249.720,254.200,"Edward caught the idea, and his servant promised to see to its being executed."
f000029,254.200,256.760,"This matter was to remain a secret."
f000030,256.760,268.480,"While this was going on, the Captain, as the day drew nearer, had been making arrangements for a body of po lice to be present a precaution which he always thought desirable when large numbers of men were to be brought together."
f000031,268.480,277.280,"And, indeed, against beggars, and against all other inconveniences by which the pleasure of a festival can be disturbed, he had made effectual provision."
f000032,277.280,281.880,"Edward and his confidant, on the contrary, were mainly occupied with their fireworks."
f000033,281.880,286.120,"They were to be let off on the side of the middle water in front of the great ash tree."
f000034,286.120,300.360,"The party were to be collected on the opposite side, under the planes, that at a sufficient distance from the scene, in ease and safety, they might see them to the best effect, with the reflections on the water, the waterrockets, and floatinglights, and all the other designs."
f000035,300.360,306.920,"Under some other pretext, Edward had the ground un derneath the planetrees cleared of bushes and grass and moss."
f000036,306.920,312.760,"And now first could be seen the beauty of their forms, together with their full height and spread, right up from the earth."
f000037,312.760,314.560,"HewSdfiiiglitejffiitliyiem."
f000038,314.560,317.800,"It was just this very time of the year that he had planted them."
f000039,317.800,321.360,"How long ago could it have been? he said to himself."
f000040,321.360,327.960,"As soon as he got home, he turned over the old diary books, which his father, especially when in the country, was very careful in keeping."
f000041,327.960,338.480,"He might not find an entry of this particular planting, but another important domes Elective Affinities tic matter, which Edward well remembered, and which had occurred on the same day, would surely be mentioned."
f000042,338.480,340.560,"He turned over a few volumes."
f000043,340.560,343.200,"The circumstance he was looking for was there."
f000044,343.200,347.720,"How amazed, how overjoyed he was, when he discovered the strangest coincidence !"
f000045,347.720,352.360,"The day and the year on which he had planted those trees was the very day, the very year, when Ottilie was born."
f000046,352.360,353.280,"End of chapter"