Herr
Ellrich did not take it badly, but as a practical man of the world
he wished to give the feelings of the young people opportunity to
bear the trials of separation, and for the present thought a
decision useless. The projected visit to Ostend was hastened by some
ten days. At dinner he made his decision known, adding, "You have
pleased yourselves for three weeks, and now I want you to wait so
long to please me." Wilhelm felt bitterly grieved that no one
invited him to go to the fashionable watering-place, and Loulou even
did not seem particularly miserable. The fact was, that at the
bottom of her not very sentimental nature, she did not take the
leaving of the Schloss hotel as a matter of great importance, and
Ostend with its balls and concerts, its casino and lively society,
was not in the least alarming to her. She found the opportunity that
evening of consoling Wilhelm, and promised him always to think about
him, and to write to him very often, and said she could not be very
miserable about their separation, as she felt so happy at the
thought of meeting him again in Berlin. The following morning they
made a pilgrimage to the castle, the woods, the neighboring valley,
to all the places where they had been so happy during the last
fortnight.
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