f000001,17.920,19.480,"Start of chapter twenty eight."
f000002,19.480,22.240,"Charlotte meanwhile was well and in good spirits."
f000003,22.240,28.800,"She was happy in her beautiful boy, whose fair promis ing little form every hour was a delight to both her eyes and heart."
f000004,28.800,32.840,"In him she found a new link to connect her with the world and with her property."
f000005,32.840,36.200,"Her old activity began anew to stir in her again."
f000006,36.200,42.320,"Look which way she would, she saw how much had been done in the year that was past, and it was a pleas ure to her to contemplate it."
f000007,42.320,58.120,"Enlivened by the strength of these feelings, she climbed up to the summerhouse with Ottilie and the child, and as she laid the latter down on the little table, as on the altar of her house, and saw the two seats still vacant, she thought of goneby times, and fresh hopes rose out before her for herself and for Ottilie."
f000008,58.120,70.840,"Young ladies, perhaps, look timidly round them at this or that young man, carrying on a silent examination, whether they would like to have him for a husband; but whoever has a daughter or a female ward to care for takes a wider circle in her survey."
f000009,70.840,80.760,"And so it fared at this moment with Charlotte, to whom, as she thought of how they had once sat side by side in that summerhouse, Elective Affinities a union did not seem impossible between the Captain and Ottilie."
f000010,80.760,87.800,"It had not remained unknown to her that the plans for the advantageous marriage, which had been proposed to the Captain, had come to nothing."
f000011,87.800,91.240,"Charlotte went on up the cliff, and Ottilie carried the child."
f000012,91.240,93.880,"A number of reflections crowded upon the former."
f000013,93.880,102.520,"Even on the firm land there are frequent enough ship wrecks, and the true wise conduct is to recover ourselves, and refit our vessel as fast as possible."
f000014,102.520,105.640,"Is life to be cal culated only by its gains and losses ?"
f000015,105.640,109.920,"Who has not made arrangement on arrangement, and has not seen them broken in pieces ?"
f000016,109.920,113.400,"How often does not a man strike into a road and lose it again !"
f000017,113.400,120.080,"How often are we not turned aside from one point which we have sharply before our eye, but only to reach some higher stage."
f000018,120.080,131.640,"The traveler, to his greatest annoyance, breaks a wheel upon his jour ney, and through this unpleasant accident makes some charming acquaintance, and forms some new connection, which has an influence on all his life."
f000019,131.640,137.120,"Destiny grants us our wishes, but in its own way, in order to give us some thing beyond our wishes."
f000020,137.120,143.480,"Among these and similar reflections they reached the new building on the hill, where they intended to establish themselves for the summer."
f000021,143.480,159.040,"The view all round them was far more beautiful than could have been supposed; every little obstruction had been removed; all the love liness of the landscape, whatever nature, whatever the season of the year had done for it, came out in its beauty before the eye; and already the young plantations, which A VOL."
f000022,159.040,167.360,"Elective Affinities had been made to fill up a few openings, were beginning to look green, and to form an agreeable connecting link between parts which before stood separate."
f000023,167.360,173.120,"The house itself was nearly habitable; the views, par ticularly from the upper rooms, were of the richest vari ety."
f000024,173.120,176.520,"The longer you looked around you, the more beau ties you discovered."
f000025,176.520,182.360,"What magnificent effects would not be produced here at the different hours of day by sun light and by moonlight !"
f000026,182.360,189.200,"Nothing could be more delight ful than to come and live there, and now that she found all the rough work finished, Charlotte longed to be busy again."
f000027,189.200,200.160,"An upholsterer, a tapestryhanger, a painter, who could lay on the colors with patterns, and a little gilding, were all which were required, and these were soon found, and in a short time the building was completed."
f000028,200.160,210.240,"Kitchen and cellar stores were quickly laid in; being so far from the castle, it was necessary to have all essentials provided; and the two ladies with the child went up and settled there."
f000029,210.240,220.280,"From this residence, as from a new centre point, unknown walks opened out to them; and in these high regions the free fresh air and the beautiful weather were thoroughly delightful."
f000030,220.280,232.840,"Ottilie's favorite walk, sometimes alone, sometimes with the child, was down below, toward the plane trees; along a pleasant footpath, leading directly to the point where one of the boats was kept chained in which people used to go across the water."
f000031,232.840,239.120,"She often indulged herself in an expedition on the water, only without the child, as Charlotte was a little uneasy about it."
f000032,239.120,261.560,"She never missed, Elective Affinities however, paying a daily visit to the castle garden and the gardener, and going to look with him at his show of greenhouse plants, which were all out now, enjoying the free air. l At this beautiful season, Charlotte was much pleased to receive a visit from an English nobleman, who had made acquaintance with Edward abroad, having met him more than once, and who was now curious to see the lay ing out of his park, which he had heard so much admired."
f000033,261.560,269.160,"He brought with him a letter of introduction from the Count, and introduced at the same time a quiet but most agreeable man as his traveling companion."
f000034,269.160,287.280,"He went about seeing everything, sometimes with Charlotte and Ottilie, sometimes with the gardeners and the foresters, often with his friend, and now and then alone; and they could perceive clearly from his observations that he took an interest in such matters, and understood them well; indeed, that he had himself probably executed many such."
f000035,287.280,295.240,"Although he was now advanced in life, he entered warmly into everything which could serve for an orna ment to life, or contribute anything to its importance."
f000036,295.240,299.160,"In his presence the ladies came first properly to enjoy what was round them."
f000037,299.160,313.040,"His practised eye received every effect in its freshness, and he found all the more pleasure in what was before him, as he had not previously known the place, and was scarcely able to distinguish what man had done there from what nature had presented to him ready made."
f000038,313.040,321.160,"We may even say that through his remarks the park Elective Affinities grew and enriched itself; he was able to anticipate in their fulfilment the promises of the growing plantations."
f000039,321.160,326.520,"There was not a spot where there was any effect which could be either heightened or produced, but what he ob served it."
f000040,326.520,332.920,"In one place he pointed to a fountain which, if it was cleaned out, promised to be the most beautiful spot for a picnic party."
f000041,332.920,339.040,"In another, to a cave which had only to be enlarged and swept clear of rubbish to form a desirable seat."
f000042,339.040,346.040,"A few trees might be cut down, and a view would be opened from it of some grand masses of rock, tower ing magnificently against the sky."
f000043,346.040,355.960,"He wished the owners joy that so much was still remaining for them to do, and he besought them not to be in a hurry about it, but to keep for themselves for years to come the pleasures of shaping and improving."
f000044,355.960,371.560,"At the hours which the ladies usually spent alone he was never in the way, for he was occupied the greatest part of the day in catching such views in the park as would make good paintings, in a portable camera ob scura, and drawing from them, in order to secure some desirable fruits from his travels for himself and others."
f000045,371.560,380.360,"For many years past he had been in the habit of doing this in all remarkable places which he visited, and had provided himself by it with a most charming and inter esting collection."
f000046,380.360,386.880,"He showed the ladies a large portfolio which he had brought with him, and entertained them with the pictures and with descriptions."
f000047,386.880,400.520,"And it was a real delight to them, here in their solitude, to travel so Elective Affinities pleasantly over the world, and see sweep past them shores and havens, mountains, lakes, and rivers, cities, castles, and a hundred other localities which have a name in history."
f000048,400.520,415.040,"Each of the two ladies had an especial interest in it Charlotte the more general interest in whatever was his torically remarkable; Ottilie dwelling in preference on the scenes of which Edward used most to talk where he liked best to stay, and which he would most often revisit."
f000049,415.040,428.640,"Every man has somewhere, far or near, his peculiar lo calities which attract him; scenes which, according to his character, either from first impressions, or from particu lar associations, or from habit, have a charm for him beyond all others."
f000050,428.640,435.040,"She, therefore, asked the Earl which, of all these places, pleased him best, where he would like to settle, and live for himself, if he might choose."
f000051,435.040,446.080,"There was more than one lovely spot which he pointed out, with what had happened to him there to make him love and value it; and the peculiar accentuated French in which he spoke made it most pleasant to listen to him."
f000052,446.080,464.280,"To the further question, which was his ordinary resi dence, which he properly considered his home, he replied, without any hesitation, in a manner quite unexpected by the ladies: I have accustomed myself by this time to be at home everywhere, and I find, after all, that it is much more agreeable to allow others to plant, and build, and keep house for me."
f000053,464.280,484.120,"I have no desire to return to my own pos Elective Affinities sessions, partly on political grounds, but principally be cause my son, for whose sake alone it was any pleasure to me to remain and work there who will, by and by, inherit it, and with whom I hoped to enjoy it took no interest in the place at all, but has gone out to India, where, like many other foolish fellows, he fancies he can make a higher use of his life."
f000054,484.120,486.120,"He is more likely to squander it."
f000055,486.120,490.040,"Assuredly we spend far too much labor and outlay in preparation for life."
f000056,490.040,498.640,"Instead of beginning at once to make ourselves happy in a moderate condition, we spread ourselves out wider and wider, only to make ourselves more and more uncomfortable."
f000057,498.640,502.120,"Who is there now to enjoy my mansion, my park, my gardens?"
f000058,502.120,507.920,"Not I, nor any of mine strangers, visitors, or curious, restless travelers."
f000059,507.920,515.920,"Even with large means we are ever but half and half at home, especially in the country, where we miss many things to which we have become accustomed in town."
f000060,515.920,522.680,"The book for which we are most anxious is not to be had, and just the thing which we most wanted is for gotten."
f000061,522.680,535.080,"We take to being domestic, only again to go out of ourselves; if we do not go astray of our own will and caprice, circumstances, passions, accidents, necessity, and one does not know what besides, manage it for us."
f000062,535.080,540.440,"Little did the Earl imagine how deeply his friend would be touched by these random observations."
f000063,540.440,549.480,"It is a danger to which we are all of us exposed when we ven ture on general remarks in a society the circumstances Elective Affinities of which we might have supposed were well enough known to us."
f000064,549.480,555.640,"Such casual wounds, even from well meaning, kindlydisposed people, were nothing new to Charlotte."
f000065,555.640,567.560,"She so clearly, so thoroughly knew and un derstood the world, that it gave her no particular pain if it did happen that through somebody's thoughtlessness or imprudence she had her attention forced into this or that unpleasant direction."
f000066,567.560,569.560,"But it was very different with Ottilie."
f000067,569.560,583.280,"At her halfconscious age, at which she rather felt than saw, and at which she was disposed, indeed was obliged, to turn her eyes away from what she should not or would not see, Ottilie was thrown by this melan choly conversation into the most pitiable state."
f000068,583.280,607.480,"It rudely tore away the pleasant veil from before her eyes, and it seemed to her as if everything which had been done all this time for house and court, for park and garden, for all their wide environs, were utterly in vain, because he to whom it all belonged could not enjoy it; because he, like their present visitor, had been driven out to wander up and down in the world and, indeed, in the most peril ous paths of it by those who were nearest and dearest to him."
f000069,607.480,622.320,"She was accustomed to listen in silence, but on this occasion she sat on in the most painful condition; which, indeed, was made rather worse than better by what the stranger went on to say, as he continued with his peculiar, humorous gravity : I think I am now on the right way."
f000070,622.320,627.240,"I look upon my self steadily as a traveler, who renounces many things in order to enjoy more."
f000071,627.240,638.720,"I am accustomed to change; it has Elective Affinities become, indeed, a necessity to me; just as in the opera, people are always looking out for new and new decora tions, because there have aready been so many."
f000072,638.720,642.760,"I know very well what I am to expect from the best hotels, and what from the worst."
f000073,642.760,657.560,"It may be as good or it may be as bad as it will, but I nowhere find anything to which I am accustomed, and in the end it comes to much the same thing, whether we depend for our enjoyment entirely on the regular order of custom, or entirely on the caprices of accident."
f000074,657.560,672.520,"I have never to vex myself now, because this thing is mislaid, or that thing is lost; because the room in which I live is uninhabitable, and I must have it repaired; because somebody has broken my favorite cup, and for a long time nothing tastes well out of any other."
f000075,672.520,675.000,"All this I am happily raised above."
f000076,675.000,682.880,"If the house catches fire about my ears, my people quietly pack my things up, and we pass away out of the town in search of other quarters."
f000077,682.880,691.720,"And considering all these advantages, when I reckon carefully, I calculate that, by the end of the year, I have not sacrificed more than it would have cost me to be at home."
f000078,691.720,710.200,"In this description Ottilie saw nothing but Edward before her; how he too was now amidst discomfort and hardship, marching along untrodden roads, lying out in the fields in danger and want, and in all this insecurity and hazard growing accustomed to be homeless and friendless, learning to fling away everything that he might have nothing to lose."
f000079,710.200,714.160,"Fortunately, the party separated for a short time."
f000080,714.160,717.240,"Ottilie escaped to her room, where she Elective Affinities could give way to her tears."
f000081,717.240,731.600,"No weight of sorrow had ever pressed so heavily upon her as this clear perception which she tried, as people usually do, to make still clearer to herself, that men love to dally with and ex aggerate the evils which circumstances have once begun to inflict upon them."
f000082,731.600,748.480,"The state in which Edward was came before her in a light so piteous, so miserable, that she made up her mind, let it cost her what it would, that she would do every thing in her power to unite him again with Charlotte, and she herself would go and hide her sorrow and her love in some silent scene, and beguile the time with such employment as she could find."
f000083,748.480,757.360,"Meanwhile the Earl's companion, a quiet, sensible man and a keen observer, had remarked the mistake in the conversation, and spoke to his friend about it."
f000084,757.360,788.200,"The lat ter knew nothing of the circumstances of the family; but the other being one of those persons whose principal in terest in traveling lay in gathering up the strange occur rences which arose out of the natural or artificial rela tions of society, which were produced by the conflict of the restraint of law with the violence of the will, of the understanding with the reason, of passion with preju dice had some time before made himself acquainted with the outline of the story, and since he had been in the fam ily he had learned exactly all that had taken place, and the present position in which things were standing."
f000085,788.200,792.160,"The Earl, of course, was very sorry, but it was not a thing to make him uneasy."
f000086,792.160,805.680,"A man must hold his tongue Elective Affinities altogether in society if he is never to find himself in such a position; for not only remarks with meaning in them, but the most trivial expressions may happen to clash in an inharmonious key with the interest of somebody present."
f000087,805.680,816.480,"We will set things right this evening, said he, and escape from any general conversation; you shall let them hear one of the many charming anecdotes with which your portfolio and your memory have enriched themselves while we have been abroad."
f000088,816.480,825.280,"However, with the best intentions, the strangers did not, on this next occasion, succeed any better in gratify ing their friends with unalloyed entertainment."
f000089,825.280,841.760,"The Earl's friend told a number of singular stories some serious, some amusing, some touching, some terrible with which he had roused their attention and strained their interest to the highest tension, and he thought to conclude with a strange but softer incident, little dream ing how nearly it would touch his listeners."
f000090,841.760,860.000,"THE TWO STRANGE CHILDREN Two children of neighboring families, a boy and a girl, of an age which would suit well for them at some future time to marry, were brought up together with this agreeable prospect, and the parents on both sides, who were people of some position in the world, looked forward with pleasure to their future union."
f000091,860.000,870.800,"It was too soon observed, however, that the purpose seemed likely to fail; the dispositions of both children Elective Affinities promised everything which was good, but there was an unaccountable antipathy between them."
f000092,870.800,873.200,"Perhaps they were too much like each other."
f000093,873.200,878.680,"Both were thoughtful, clear in their wills, and firm in their purposes."
f000094,878.680,885.720,"Each separately was beloved and respected by his or her com panions, but whenever they were together they were always antagonists."
f000095,885.720,896.200,"Forming separate plans for them selves, they only met mutually to cross and thwart one another; never emulating each other in pursuit of one aim, but always fighting for a single object."
f000096,896.200,902.720,"Good natured and amiable everywhere else, they were spiteful and even malicious whenever they came in contact."
f000097,902.720,909.560,"This singular relation first showed itself in their childish games, and it continued with their advancing years."
f000098,909.560,943.680,"The boys used to play at soldiers, divide into parties, and give each other battle, and the fierce, haughty young lady set herself at once at the head of one of the armies, and fought against the other with such animosity and bitterness that the latter would have been put to a shameful flight, except for the desperate bravery of her own particular rival, who at last disarmed his antagonist and took her prisoner; and even then she defended herself with so much fury that to save his eyes from being torn out, and at the same time not to injure his enemy, he had been obliged to take off his silk handkerchief and tie her hands with it behind her back."
f000099,943.680,959.640,"This she never forgave him: she made so many at tempts, she laid so many plans to injure him, that the parents, who had been long watching these singular pas Elective Affinities sions, came to an understanding together and resolved to separate these two hostile creatures, and sacrifice their favorite hopes."
f000100,959.640,963.560,"The boy shot rapidly forward in the new situation in which he was placed."
f000101,963.560,966.040,"He mastered every subject which he was taught."
f000102,966.040,974.000,"His friends and his own inclination chose the army for his profession, and everywhere, let him be where he would, he was looked up to and beloved."
f000103,974.000,986.720,"His disposition seemed formed to labor for the wellbeing and the pleasure of others; and he himself, without being clearly conscious of it, was in himself happy at having got rid of the only antagonist which nature had assigned to him."
f000104,986.720,990.240,"The girl, on the other hand, became at once an altered creature."
f000105,990.240,998.880,"Her growing age, the progress of her educa tion, above all, her own inward feelings, drew her away from the boisterous games with boys in which she had creature."
f000106,998.880,1009.800,"Her growing age, the progress of her educa thing; there was nothing anywhere about her which could deserve to excite her hatred, and she had never found any one whom she could think worthy of her love."
f000107,1009.800,1020.840,"A young man, somewhat older than her previous neighborantagonist, of rank, property, and consequence, beloved in society, and much sought after by women, be stowed his affections upon her."
f000108,1020.840,1024.920,"It was the first time that friend, lover, or servant had displayed any interest in her."
f000109,1024.920,1057.120,"The preference which he showed for her above others who were older, more cultivated, and of more brilliant pretensions than herself, was naturally gratifying; the Elective Affinities constancy of his attention, which was never obtrusive, his standing by her faithfully through a number of un pleasant incidents, his quiet suit, which was declared in deed to her parents, but which as she was still very young he did not press, only asking to be allowed to hope; all this engaged him to her, and custom and the assumption in the world that the thing was already settled carried her along with it."
f000110,1057.120,1070.840,"She had so often been called his bride that at last she began to consider herself so, and neither she nor any one else ever thought any further trial could be necessary before she exchanged rings with the person who for so long a time had passed for her bridegroom."
f000111,1070.840,1076.280,"The peaceful course which the affair had all along followed was not at all precipitated by the betrothal."
f000112,1076.280,1087.840,"Things were allowed to go on both sides just as they were; they were happy in being together, and they could enjoy to the end the fair season of the year as the spring of their future more serious life."
f000113,1087.840,1091.400,"The absent youth had meanwhile grown up into every thing which was most admirable."
f000114,1091.400,1097.640,"He had obtained a welldeserved rank in his profession, and came home on leave to visit his family."
f000115,1097.640,1102.480,"Toward his fair neighbor he found himself again in a natural but singular position."
f000116,1102.480,1116.200,"For some time past she had been nourishing in herself such affectionate family feelings as suited her position as a bride; she was in harmony with everything about her; she believed that she was happy, and in a certain sense she was so."
f000117,1116.200,1119.760,"Now first for a long time something again stood in her way."
f000118,1119.760,1123.920,"It was not to be hated she had be Elective Affinities come incapable of hatred."
f000119,1123.920,1141.880,"Indeed the childish hatred, which had in fact been nothing more than an obscure recognition of inward worth, expressed itself now in a happy astonishment, in pleasure at meeting, in ready ac knowledgments, in a half willing, half unwilling, and yet irresistible attraction; and all this was mutual."
f000120,1141.880,1164.080,"Their long separation gave occasion for longer conversations; even their old childish foolishness served, now that they had grown wiser, to amuse them as they looked back; and they felt as if at least they were bound to make good their petulant hatred by friendliness and attention to each other as if their first violent injustice to each other ought not to be left without open acknowledgment."
f000121,1164.080,1167.600,"On his side it all remained in a sensible, desirable mod eration."
f000122,1167.600,1188.080,"His position, his circumstances, his efforts, his ambition, found him so abundant an occupation, that the friendliness of this pretty bride he received as a very thankworthy present; but without, therefore, even so much as thinking of her in connection with himself, or entertaining the slightest jealousy of the bridegroom, with whom he stood on the best possible terms."
f000123,1188.080,1190.960,"With her, however, it was altogether different."
f000124,1190.960,1194.320,"She seemed to herself as if she had awakened out of a dream."
f000125,1194.320,1205.840,"Her fightings with her young neighbor had been the be ginnings of an affection; and this violent antagonism was no more than an equally violent innate passion for him, first showing under the form of opposition."
f000126,1205.840,1209.040,"She could remember nothing else than that she had always loved him."
f000127,1209.040,1216.480,"She laughed over her martial encounter with him Elective Affinities with weapons in her hand; she dwelt upon the delight of her feelings when he disarmed her."
f000128,1216.480,1228.040,"She imagined that it had given her the greatest happiness when he bound her; and whatever she had done afterward to injure him, or to vex him, presented itself to her as only an innocent means of attracting his attention."
f000129,1228.040,1229.880,"She cursed their separation."
f000130,1229.880,1232.960,"She bewailed the sleepy state into which she had fallen."
f000131,1232.960,1239.280,"She execrated the insidious lazy routine which had be trayed her into accepting so insignificant a bridegroom."
f000132,1239.280,1245.280,"She was transformed doubly transformed, forward or backward, whichever way we like to take it."
f000133,1245.280,1258.120,"She kept her feelings entirely to herself; but if any one could have divined them and shared them with her, he could not have blamed her : for indeed the bridegroom could not sustain a comparison with the other as soon as they were seen together."
f000134,1258.120,1264.680,"If a sort of regard to the one could not be refused, the other excited the fullest trust and confidence."
f000135,1264.680,1279.120,"If one made an agreeable acquaintance, the other we should desire for a companion; and in ex traordinary cases, where higher demands might have to be made on them, the bridegroom was a person to be utterly despaired of, while the other would give the feel ing of perfect security."
f000136,1279.120,1287.080,"There is a peculiar innate tact in women which dis covers to them differences of this kind; and they have cause as well as occasion to cultivate it."
f000137,1287.080,1307.800,"The more the fair bride was nourishing all these feel ings in secret, the less opportunity there was for any one to speak a word which could tell in favor of her bride Elective Affinities groom, to remind her of what her duty and their relative position advised and commanded indeed, what an un alterable necessity seemed now irrevocably to require; the poor heart gave itself up entirely to its passion."
f000138,1307.800,1339.760,"On one side she was bound inextricably to the bride groom by the world, by her family, and by her own promise; on the other, the ambitious young man made no secret of what he was thinking and planning for himself, conducting himself toward her as no more than a kind but not at all a tender brother, and speaking of his departure as immediately impending; and now it seemed as if her early childish spirit woke up again in her with all its spleen and violence, and was preparing itself in its dis temper, on this higher stage of life, to work more effectively and destructively."
f000139,1339.760,1353.640,"She determined that she would die to punish the once hated, and now so passion ately loved, youth for his want of interest in her; and as she could not possess himself, at least she would wed herself for ever to his imagination, and to his repentance."
f000140,1353.640,1357.520,"Her dead image should cling to him, and he should never be free from it."
f000141,1357.520,1364.080,"He should never cease to reproach him self for not having understood, not examined, not valued her feelings toward him."
f000142,1364.080,1367.760,"This singular insanity accompanied her wherever she went."
f000143,1367.760,1377.200,"She kept it concealed under all sorts of forms; and although people thought her very odd, no one was observant enough or clever enough to discover the real inward reason."
f000144,1377.200,1383.680,"In the meantime, friends, relations, acquaintances had Elective Affinities exhausted themselves in contrivances for pleasure parties."
f000145,1383.680,1387.800,"Scarcely a day passed but something new and unexpected was set on foot."
f000146,1387.800,1394.560,"There was hardly a pretty spot in the country round which had not been decked out and pre pared for the reception of some merry party."
f000147,1394.560,1403.880,"And now our young visitor before departing wished to do his part as well, and invited the young couple, with a small family circle, to an expedition on the water."
f000148,1403.880,1416.560,"They went on board a large, beautiful vessel dressed out in all its colors one of the yachts which have a small saloon and a cabin or two besides, and are intended to carry with them upon the water the comfort and conveniences of land."
f000149,1416.560,1419.760,"They set out upon the broad river with music playing."
f000150,1419.760,1426.360,"The party had collected in the cabin, below deck, during the heat of the day, and were amusing themselves with games."
f000151,1426.360,1435.400,"Their young host, who could never remain with out doing something, had taken charge of the helm, to relieve the old master of the vessel, and the latter had lain down and was fast asleep."
f000152,1435.400,1450.160,"It was a moment when the steerer required all his circumspectness, as the vessel was nearing a spot where two islands narrowed the channel of the river, while shallow banks of shingle stretching off, first on one side and then on the other, made the nav igation difficult and dangerous."
f000153,1450.160,1460.200,"Prudent and sharp sighted as he was, he thought for a moment that it would be better to wake the master; but he felt confident in himself, and he thought he would venture and make straight for the narrows."
f000154,1460.200,1464.840,"At this moment his fair enemy appeared upon deck with a wreath of flowers in her hair."
f000155,1464.840,1467.640,"Elective Affinities 'Take this to remember me by,' she cried out."
f000156,1467.640,1469.920,"She took it off and threw it to the steerer."
f000157,1469.920,1481.200,"Don't disturb me,' he an swered quickly, as he caught the wreath; 'I require all my powers and all my attention now 'You will never be disturbed by me any more she cried; 'you will never see me again.'"
f000158,1481.200,1486.680,"As she spoke, she rushed to the forward part of the vessel, and from thence she sprang into the water."
f000159,1486.680,1490.520,"Voice upon voice called out : 'Save her, save her, she is sinking !'"
f000160,1490.520,1493.200,"He was in the most terrible difficulty."
f000161,1493.200,1499.480,"In the confusion the old shipmaster woke, and tried to catch the helm, which the young man bid him take."
f000162,1499.480,1501.920,"But there was no time to change hands."
f000163,1501.920,1509.680,"The vessel stranded; and at the same moment, flinging off the heaviest of his upper garments, he sprang into the water and swam toward his beautiful enemy."
f000164,1509.680,1518.440,"The water is a friendly element to a man who is at home in it, and who knows how to deal with it; it buoyed him up, and acknowledged the strong swimmer as its master."
f000165,1518.440,1533.720,"He soon overtook the beautiful girl, who had been swept away before him; he caught hold of her, raised her and supported her, and both of them were carried violently down by the current, till the shoals and islands were left far behind, and the river was again open and running smoothly."
f000166,1533.720,1549.600,"He now began to collect himself; they had passed the first immediate danger, in which he had been obliged to act mechanically without time to think; he raised his head as high as he could to look about him; and then swam with all his might to a low bushy point, which ran out conveniently into the stream."
f000167,1549.600,1559.200,"There he brought his fair burden to dry land, Elective Affinities but he could find no signs of life in her; he was in de spair, when he caught sight of a trodden path leading among the bushes."
f000168,1559.200,1565.240,"Again he caught her up in his arms, hurried forward, and presently reached a solitary cottage."
f000169,1565.240,1584.960,"There he found kind, good people a young married couple; the misfortunes and the dangers explained them selves instantly; every remedy he could think of was in stantly applied; a bright fire blazed up: woolen blankets were spread on a bed, counterpane, cloaks, skins, whatever there was at hand which would serve for warmth, were heaped over her as fast as possible."
f000170,1584.960,1589.280,"The desire to save life overpowered, for the present, every other considera tion."
f000171,1589.280,1593.760,"Nothing was left undone to bring back to life the beautiful halftorpid, naked body."
f000172,1593.760,1600.440,"It succeeded; she opened her eyes ! her friend was before her; she threw her heavenly arms about his neck."
f000173,1600.440,1606.120,"In this position she re mained for a time; and then a stream of tears burst out and completed her recovery."
f000174,1606.120,1610.800,"Will you forsake me she cried, 'now when I find you again thus?'"
f000175,1610.800,1615.880,"Never he answered, 'never:' hardly knowing what he said or did."
f000176,1615.880,1620.800,"Only consider yourself she added; 'take care of your self, for your sake and for mine.'"
f000177,1620.800,1635.160,"She now began to collect herself, and for the first time recollected the state in which she was; she could not be ashamed before her darling, before her preserver; but she gladly allowed him to go, that he might take care of him self; for the clothes which he still wore were wet and dripping."
f000178,1635.160,1637.680,"Their young hosts considered what could be done."
f000179,1637.680,1648.800,"Elective Affinities The husband offered the young man, and the wife offered the fair lady, the clothes in which they had been married, which were hanging up in full perfection, and sufficient for a complete suit, inside and out, for two people."
f000180,1648.800,1653.680,"In a short time our pair of adventurers were not only equipped, but in full costume."
f000181,1653.680,1666.000,"They looked most charm ing, gazed at one another, when they met, with admira tion, and then with infinite affection, half laughing at the same time at the quaintness of their appearance, they fell into each other's arms."
f000182,1666.000,1674.120,"The power of youth and the quickening spirit of love in a few moments completely restored them; and there was nothing wanted but music to have set them both off dancing."
f000183,1674.120,1695.960,"To have found themselves brought from the water on dry land, from death into life, from the circle of their families into a wilderness, from despair into rapture, from indifference to affection and to love, all in a moment : the head was not strong enough to bear it; it must either burst, or go distracted; or if so distressing an alternative were to be escaped, the heart must put out all its efforts."
f000184,1695.960,1709.640,"Lost wholly in each other, it was long before they recollected the alarm and anxiety of those who had been left behind; and they themselves, indeed, could not well think, without alarm and anxiety, how they were again to encounter them."
f000185,1709.640,1711.800,"shall we hide ourselves?' said the young man."
f000186,1711.800,1715.320,"We will remain to gether,' she said, as she clung about his neck."
f000187,1715.320,1722.000,"The peasant having heard them say that a party was Elective Affinities aground on the shoal, had hurried down, without stopping to ask another question, to the shore."
f000188,1722.000,1725.360,"When he arrived there, he saw the vessel coming safely down the stream."
f000189,1725.360,1732.200,"After much labor it had been got off; and they were now going on in uncertainty; hoping to find their lost ones again somewhere."
f000190,1732.200,1747.280,"The peasant shouted and made signs to them, and at last caught the attention of those on board; then he ran to a spot where there was a con venient place for landing, and went on signaling and shouting till the vessel's head was turned toward the shore; and what a scene there was for them when they landed!"
f000191,1747.280,1753.160,"The parents of the two betrothed first pressed on the banks; the poor loving bridegroom had almost lost his senses."
f000192,1753.160,1760.400,"They had scarcely learned that their dear children had been saved, when in their strange disguise the latter came forward out of the bushes to meet them."
f000193,1760.400,1763.280,"No one recognized them till they were come quite close."
f000194,1763.280,1765.560,"Whom do I see?' cried the mothers."
f000195,1765.560,1767.880,"What do I see?' cried the fathers."
f000196,1767.880,1771.080,"The preserved ones flung themselves on the ground before them."
f000197,1771.080,1773.840,"Your children they called out; 'a pair.'"
f000198,1773.840,1775.680,"Forgive us !' cried the maiden."
f000199,1775.680,1778.120,"Give us your blessing !' cried the young man."
f000200,1778.120,1782.560,"Give us your bless ing !' they cried both, as all the world stood still in wonder."
f000201,1782.560,1788.200,"Your blessing!' was repeated the third time; and who would have been able to refuse it ?"
f000202,1788.200,1790.200,"End of chapter"